“Thus
said Cyrus king of the Persians, The Lord God of heaven has given me
all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has given me a charge to build
him a house in Jerusalem that is in Judea. Who is there among you of
all his people? for his God shall be with him, and he shall go up to
Jerusalem that is in Judea, and let him build the house of the God of
Israel: he is the God that is in Jerusalem.”
(Ezra 1:1-3)
Build
The House
Dear Friends,
Greetings! There has been much published recently concerning the events taking place in Jerusalem comparing these to events that took place under the reign of Cyrus the king of Persia. Below is more information concerning Cyrus to give us a fuller understanding as to whom he was and what he meant to Juda.
CYRUS: GOD'S ANOINTED SHEPHERD
King Cyrus was an extremely important person, because God destroyed the Babylonian empire through him, and brought a close to a seventy-year punishment of the Jews that God imposed on them for their rebellion against him. Also through King Cyrus, God set into motion his seventy-week prophecy that fixed the year for the Messiah's death and resurrection, and reveals the sequence of events and dates for the Messiah's return which will bring to an end human rule of the earth, and usher in the government of God to rule over the entire earth.
Although historians have slightly differing interpretations and views of the historical record concerning the dates of Cyrus' birth and death and his various accomplishments, there is ample historical documentation that Cyrus the Great was indeed a real person whose name is mentioned over 22 times in the Bible and whose tomb in Iran can be visited today.
Cyrus' Protection
In Volume 1 of his historical works, The Greek historian Herodotus records that, before Cyrus' birth, King Astyages dreamed that out of his daughter Mandane flowed a stream of water that filled his capital and flooded all of Asia. When he asked the interpreters of dreams what this meant, they told him that his pregnant daughter would have a son who would overthrow his rule.
In order to stop this perceived threat to his rule, King Astyages sent for his trusted servant Harpagus and told him to kill and bury his daughter's child as soon as it was born; however, Harpagus could not bring himself to kill the newborn child and instead gave him to a shepherd and his wife to kill. But, they were also unwilling to kill the child and instead reared Cyrus as their own.
Harpagus' reluctance to kill the infant Cyrus and the emotional attachment to the newborn child by the married couple shows the Creator God's hand at work to fulfill his plan for Cyrus. See Isa.45:10-13.
The Bible is full of accounts of individuals in whom God had a special interest being protected and guided through their life; this was the case with Cyrus. God had foreordained this man to be his anointed servant (Isa.45:1) and protected and guided the events of his life in order for him to fulfill his destiny.
Cyrus the Man
Cyrus was the grandson of Astyages, King of the Medes. He was born in the province of Persis, in southwest Iran in 590 BC and died in battle in 530 B.C.. He founded the Archaemenian dynasty and the Persian Empire. He overthrew three great empires: the Medes, Lydians, and Babylonians. He also united most of the ancient Middle East into a single state stretching from India to the Mediterranean Sea, which meant that he possessed the largest empire in the world at that time.
Cyrus was a leader of tremendous military ability and high moral and ethical values; he was not inclined to extreme brutality, cruelty, and the perpetual conquest for new territories as were many other conquerors. Cyrus was also extremely tolerant of the customs and the religions of the nations he conquered.
The Greeks considered the Persian Empire to be the greatest threat to their own independence, but they highly regarded Cyrus because of his character and ethical rule.
Isaiah 44:24, 26-28
"This the Lord, your Redeemer, who
formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who makes all things,
stretching out the heavens; I alone spread out the earth . . . He
confirms the word of his servant and completes the counsel of his
messengers. He says to Jerusalem, You will be peopled; and to the
cities of Judah, you shall be built; and I will raise up its ruins"
(vs.24, 26 Para.).
In verse 24, God reminds national Israel that he is the Creator of
all things and their Redeemer. In verse 26 he says that he has the
power to carry out the things that are said by his servants and
messengers and promises to repopulate Jerusalem and rebuild the
cities of Judah.
"He says to the deep, be a waste! And I will
dry up your rivers! He says, To Cyrus my shepherd; he will fulfil all
my will, even to say to Jerusalem, you shall be built; and to the
temple, you shall be set up" (vs.27-28 Para.).
Some feel that the reference to the deep and the drying up of the rivers in verse 27 refers to the method by which the Euphrates River was diverted in order for Cyrus' army to enter the city of Babylon. Although this seems like a plausible explanation given the historical account of the invasion of the city, there may be other interpretations, which are beyond the scope of this study. However, verse 27 is very clear; God names Cyrus as the man who will shepherd his people and carry out his plan to return the Jews to their homeland and rebuild the cities and the temple.
Isaiah 45:1-13
"This says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whom I have seized by the right, to subdue nations before him. Yes, I will open the loins of kings, to open the two-leaved doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut. I will go before you and make hills level; I will tear apart the bronze doors and cut the iron bars in two. And I will give you the treasures of darkness, even treasures in secret places, that you may know that I am the Lord who calls you by your name, I the God of Israel" (vs.1-3 Para.).
In verses 1-3, we see that Cyrus is called the Lord's anointed (Heb. mashiyach [maw-shee'-akh]). which denotes a person specifically chosen and set apart for a specific task. Notice also that God promised to intervene and help Cyrus conquer many nations (i.e., make hills level).
The opening of the two-leaved doors, the tearing apart of the bronze doors, and the cutting of the iron bars seem to picture God's intervention to open the hundred copper-alloy gates of Babylon to King Cyrus and his army.
Imagine Cyrus' amazement and sober contemplation as he became aware of Isaiah's prophecy and realized that almost 150 years before his birth he had been named and ordained by the God of the Israelites to become a mighty conquering king and perform a task for this God whom he neither knew nor worshiped.
Today, we view Isaiah's prophecy in the dim light of ancient history, which makes it difficult to fully comprehend Cyrus' perspective on the prophecy. Cyrus viewed the prophecy from the perspective of his many victorious battles and how easily he had conquered many nations, including the mighty Babylonian empire and its capital city.
"For Jacob my servant's sake, and for Israel my elect, I have called you by your name. I named you but you do not know me. I am God, and there is no other, there is no God except me, I will clothe you, even though you do not know me, that they may know from sunrise to sunset that there is none except me; I am God and there is no other who creates light and forms darkness; makes peace and creates evil. I God do all these things" (vs.4-7 Para.).
The Creator God states in verse 6 that one of the reasons for this prophecy is so that people will have a continual witness the he is God. The prophecy concerning Cyrus and its fulfillment is a continual witness of the Creator God's power and authority over his creation. See Jn.1:1-3; Eph.3:8-9; Heb.2:10.
"Woe to him that fights with his Maker! A potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What are you making? Or does the work say, He has no hands? Woe to him that says to his father, What are you fathering? Or to the woman, What are you laboring over? This says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker. Do you ask me the things to come? Do you give me commands to me about my sons, and about the works of my hands? I have made the earth, and created man on it. I stretched out the heavens with my hands; and I have set all of them in order" (vs.9-12 Para.).
Verses 9-12 seems to be a warning to King Cyrus to carefully consider and respect the awesome power of the God who claims to have the ultimate power to create and destroy and recorded the words concerning him and what he was to accomplish almost 150 years before his birth.
"I have raised him [Cyrus] up to be ethical and have made all his ways direct. He shall build my city [Jerusalem], and he will release my captives; not for price, nor reward, says the Lord of hosts" (v.13 Para.).
Here, we see the task that Cyrus was brought into existence to accomplish for the Creator God of Israel. History records that Cyrus did accomplish the task for which he was foreordained.
The Jews Return to Palestine
After the initial proclamation by King Cyrus to allow the Jews to return to Palestine, it took many years and the departure of four large groups of Jews from the land of their captivity for them to accomplish the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple.
The first group was lead by Sheshbazzar, a descendant of the Davidic line, with whom came a group of heads of families who settled in the ruins of the city and began to rebuild it.
The second group was lead by Zerubbabel who was the appointed governor of Jerusalem and Joshua, a son of Josedech the high priest.
The third group was lead by Ezra who was authorized to appoint judges in the Land of Israel and apply the laws of the Torah.
The fourth group was lead by Nehemiah in 445 B.C.. They came to rebuild the broken walls of the city and its gates which had been destroyed by fire. Nehemiah created a new political reality in Judah, making it an autonomous region within the Persian Empire.
With the accomplishments of Ezra and Nehemiah, the return of tens of thousands of Jews from exile in Babylon to Palestine, the restoration of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple, the prophecy concerning Cyrus and the 70 years of Jewish punishment was complete.
The fulfillment of prophecy is a major proof that the Sovereign God does exist and that he has the power and authority to control the destiny of humanity. Moreover, the fulfillment of prophecy tells us that God's plan for humanity is right on schedule.
By B.L. Cocherell – Bible-Prophecy.net (Excerpted)
RT
‘All people can live in peace,’ says Jared Kushner as Israel kills dozens of Palestinians
May 14, 2018
Jared Kushner’s speech at the US Embassy opening ceremony in Jerusalem claims both sides of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal could gain more than they give, as Israeli forces shot dead 55 protesters on Monday.
Kushner, whom President Donald Trump tasked with bringing peace to the Middle East, said the US administration had almost completed a peace plan, but is undecided about when to reveal its contents, in light of the outrage the US embassy move sparked. (Emphesis added)
Ahead of Kushner’s address on Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had killed 55 Palestinians and injured over 2,700 more at protests along the Gaza-Israeli border. The sixth week of the Great Return March has been the most deadly, and was described by the Palestinian government as a “terrible massacre.”
Monday’s wounded include 74 children and 23 women, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. The total number of casualties at the protests stands at 97 over the six weeks.
"We believe, it is possible for both sides to gain more than they give – so that all people can live in peace – safe from danger, free from fear, and able to pursue their dreams,"Kushner’s said at the embassy opening on Monday.
Kushner also commended his father-in-law for breaking with decades of tradition to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to the contested city of Jerusalem, saying that while his predecessors back down from their pledge on such a move, “when President Trump makes a promise, he keeps it.”
However, the decision to move the embassy is seen as a massive win for Israel at the expense of Palestinians. Israel annexed East Jerusalem in the 1967 war, and Palestinians hope to have East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, should a peace agreement be reached.
“As we have seen from the protests of the last month, and even today, those provoking violence are part of the problem and not part of the solution,” Kushner said in reference to the ongoing Palestinian demonstrations in Gaza, in which no serious Israeli injuries have been reported.
Kushner wasn’t the only speaker to commend the embassy move as a sign of peace, while failing to address the reality of the deadly protests taking place nearby.
US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said he was “confident the new US embassy in Jerusalem will be a magnificent tribute to peace.”
Meanwhile, America’s Ambassador to Israel David Friedman commended Trump for having the “vision, the courage and the moral clarity” to bring about the opening.
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JEWISHPRESScom
Trump, King Darius, And Jerusalem
By Hillel Fendel and Chaim Silberstein
May 3, 2018
President Trump prays at the Kotel. May 22, 2017
It’s all set to happen this coming May 14: A huge, 250-member delegation of top U.S. officials and others will arrive in Jerusalem for the official dedication of the new embassy in Israel’s capital. The date marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the British Mandate over what was then called Palestine and the declaration of the new-old State of Israel
The group will be led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin – unless none other than President Donald J. Trump comes along as well; last week he said he might. Rumors are swirling that he may even bring Jonathan Pollard along with him.
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The embassy move does not involve, at this point, the construction of a grand new edifice. Instead, the existing consulate in the Arnona neighborhood of Yerushalayim will simply be renovated to accommodate Ambassador David Friedman and several staff members. At a later stage, possibly by the end of 2019, several additional offices will be constructed.
Clearly, as with so many things having to do with Jerusalem, the excitement does not revolve around a physical substance, but rather on the truly sublime historic symbolism involved.
Never in human history has there been a city like Jerusalem. It was the capital of a kingdom that gave the world true moral values; it was practically razed to the ground (twice!) by world powers; it remained desolate for nearly two millennia as its scattered people mourned it from afar, praying and vowing daily to return; and then it was rebuilt as the capital of a besieged but thriving and leading world nation – and recognized as such, against all odds, by the world’s leading superpower!
And, of course, the entire cyclical process was foreseen, many, many centuries ago, by the Jewish nation’s prophets!
Israel hopes that other countries will follow America’s lead. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has even promised that the first 10 countries to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will receive unspecified “preferential treatment.”
No fewer than five countries have openly expressed interest in recognizing the historical fact that Jerusalem and the Jewish people are intrinsically linked by moving their embassies to Israel’s capital. Guatemala will apparently be the first, most likely even as soon as this month. Paraguay’s President Cartes pledged to make the move as well, aiming for the end of his term in office in mid-August.
Romania’s Prime Minister Dancila said her country would be next, but appeared to backtrack after Romanian President Iohannis called for her to resign for making such a declaration.
In the Czech Republic, President Zeman announced a three-stage plan to relocate the country’s diplomatic missions to Jerusalem, but Acting Prime Minister Babis appears to be opposed at least to a full-fledged relocation of the embassy.
Next on the list is Honduras, whose lawmakers passed a resolution endorsing the relocation of its embassy to Jerusalem. However, President Hernandez – who was honored with the lighting of one of 12 ceremonial torches at Israel’s recent official Independence Day ceremony – has said only that he will appoint a senior staff to examine the issue.
Unsurprisingly, Trump’s business sense played a role in this momentous occasion. He told reporters last week that he almost signed his approval for a $1 billion embassy construction project in Jerusalem. But he stopped short after signing his first name, realizing instinctively that there was no reason it should cost so much. Why should a new building be constructed, he asked himself, if the existing one could simply be adapted to the desired purpose?
He said he called Ambassador Friedman, a close friend of his, who reinforced his thoughts and even said, “Instead of [it opening] 10 years from now, we can open it up in three months.”
Trump ultimately approved a budget of $300,000 to $400,000, and said, “They were going to spend a billion dollars, and we’re going to spend much less than half a million dollars. It is going to be beautiful. And it will be somewhat temporary, but it could be for many years.”
“The embassy in Jerusalem has been promised for many, many years by presidents,” Trump said. “They all made campaign promises and they never had the courage to carry it out. I carried it out.”
No doubt, King Cyrus of Persia, followed by King Darius, said similar things, some 2,500 years ago. In fact, Cyrus’ exact decree in the face of at least partial international opposition is recorded in the Book of Ezra: “G-d has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has commanded me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem… Whoever is among you of His people…may he go to Jerusalem and build G-d’s Temple…”
Some years later, King Achashverosh, of Purim story fame, stopped the Temple construction. Next to rule was his son Darius, who posed a question to his advisors (as the Midrash recounts): “As I recall, one of my predecessors allowed the Temple to be rebuilt. Why is that not happening?”
They told him, “Cyrus rescinded his decision, and Achashverosh forbade further construction.” Darius asked to see the relevant documentation, and when he saw that the ban included the royal words “until such time as I allow the construction,” he immediately gave his permission and the Second Temple was built. (Later, King Herod improved and revamped the structure even further.)
President Trump has not yet given his “permission” to build the Third Temple, but he seems to have gone a fair ways towards taking his place in Jewish history. We hope that the present developments truly signify the permanent establishment of a united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty forever!
***
RT
‘Terrible massacre’: Israel kills 43, injures 2,200 Gaza protesters as US embassy opens in Jerusalem
May 14, 2018
70th anniversary of Nakba at the Israel-Gaza border on May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem / Reuters
Forty-three Palestinian protesters have been killed by Israeli fire during demonstrations ahead of the US embassy inauguration in Jerusalem, the Palestinian health ministry said Monday.
More than 2,200 protesters have been injured in Gaza so far on what has been the most violent day of the six week long Great March of Return. Those wounded on Monday include 74 children and 23 women, according to the ministry.
The Palestinian government denounced Monday’s violence as a “terrible massacre” perpetrated “by the forces of the Israeli occupation”, and called for an immediate international intervention to prevent further deaths.
There are around 35,000 protesters gathered at the border fence and thousands more within half a mile of the vicinity, according to Israeli Defence Forces.
Clashes have also reportedly broken out between protesters and the Israeli Defense Forces in Bethlehem.
The first of Monday's deaths was 21-year-old Anas Hamdan Qudeih, killed east of Khan Yunis, a spokesperson for the ministry said. A 29-year-old man, Mosaab Yousef Ibrahim Abu Laila, was later killed east of Jabalya. Some of the dead have yet to be identified. At least one child is among the fatalities.
Amnesty International has called the Israeli violence in Gaza “an abhorrent violation of international law & human rights.” Six children are among Monday’s fatalities, according to the human rights organization.
The majority of injuries have been caused by live bullets while some 320 people were targeted with teargas, according to the ministry. The Palestinian Health Ministry claims that Israeli forces are directly targeting emergency services and journalists.
Six journalists have reportedly been injured while covering Monday’s demonstrations, according to the Journalist Support Committee.
Meanwhile, the IDF said Israeli Air Force planes targeted Hamas posts near Jabalya after its soldiers came under fire in the area.
The latest deaths bring the number killed since the Great March of Return protests began six weeks ago to 88.
Dr. Mkhaimer Abuseda, professor of political sciences at Alazhar University in Gaza, told RT that the relocation of the US embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem is “a very sad day for the Palestinians, reminding them of their first Nakba some 70 years ago.”
“It seems to me that the Palestinians have decided that the US is no longer an honest broker in the MidEast peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis,” he said, adding that it will likely lead to further Palestinian rage and resistance.
Scuffles have reportedly broken out outside the new US embassy in Jerusalem as the inauguration ceremony took place inside.
Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag has condemned Monday’s violence, claiming the US, as well as Israel, is responsible for the “massacre” because of their “unjust decision” to move the embassy.
Tuesday marks the commemoration of Nakba Day, a term which Palestinians use to describe their forced mass exodus from their homes during the establishment of the State of Israel. It is celebrated among Israelis as Independence Day. Thousands of people have gathered near the border to take part in Monday's protests.
Huge demonstrations are expected to mark the May 15 event, which brings to a close the six-week Great March of Returndemonstrations.
The IDF dropped leaflets warning people in Gaza to stay away from the security fence ahead of Monday’s protests. Demonstrators in North Gaza brought down an IDF drone that was allegedly dropping fire bombs on tents, according to the Great Return March movement.
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RT
IDF have ‘enough bullets for everyone’ – Senior MK from Israeli ruling party after Gaza violence
May 15, 2018
© Amir Cohen / Reuters
Israel Defense Forces have enough bullets for everyone, a senior lawmaker party said, according to local media. At least 60 Palestinians, including children, were killed by Israeli gunfire on Monday during protests.
Avi Dichter, a senior member of Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party, made the controversial comment when speaking to Hadashot TV news on Monday afternoon.
“The IDF has enough bullets for everyone,” said former director of Shin Bet internal security service and Minister of Internal Security Dichter, as cited by the Times of Israel.
“I think that ultimately, the means that the IDF prepared, whether non-lethal, or if needed, lethal, in cases where it’s justified by the open-fire regulations — there’s enough ammunition for everyone.”
The politician, who currently serves as a chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Knesset claimed that the IDF “won’t let anyone put soldiers, and certainly not civilians, in danger.”
At least 60 Palestinian protesters, including seven children, were killed by Israeli fire during demonstrations on the day of the US Embassy's inauguration in Jerusalem, according to the latest data from the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 2,400 protesters were injured in what is considered the most violent day of the six-week-long Great March of Return.
Amnesty International called the situation in Gaza “another horrific example of the Israeli military using excessive force and live ammunition in a totally deplorable way.” A United Nations committee also called on Israel to stop using “disproportionate force” against demonstrators.
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WND
ERDOGAN URGES MUSLIMS TO 'MOVE AS 1' AGAINST ISRAEL
Calls summit to capitalize on deaths of dozens rioting over U.S. Embassy
May 15, 2018
Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose aspirations for a new Islamic caliphate have been only thinly disguised, is calling for a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation so that members can “move as one” against Israel, reports an Iranian state-run news source.
“Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told his ruling party in parliament that Ankara would call an extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,” reported PressTV, which broadcasts in English.
Yildirim, in the report, said Islamic countries “should without fail review their relations with Israel.”
“The Islamic world should move as one, with one voice, against this massacre,” he said.
The report also said Erdogan, who now is chairman of the OIC, called for a summit to be held Friday.
The “massacre” that prompted the effort to coordinate the Islamic world was the fatality count – now 62, according to Hamas – of rioters who were protesting the opening Monday of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
The move had been ordered by the U.S. Congress in 1995, but every president until President Trump waived the requirement. Trump ordered the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December, setting in motion the move of the embassy from Tel Aviv.
The decision enraged the Muslim world, which claims Jerusalem as a holy city and the future capital of a Palestinian state.
In fact, Erdogan has vowed to open a Turkish embassy in Arab-dominated East Jerusalem.
Israeli forces fired on rioters when they tried to breach the border with Gaza. A Hamas official admitted Wednesday that 50 of the 62 casualties were members of the terrorist organization. Another three were members of the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.
The PressTV report said a rally will be held in Istanbul under the slogan “Stop the Oppression.”
“This is to show solidarity, brotherhood and togetherness,” said Yildirim. “The Islamic world should move as one, with one voice, against this massacre.”
The Muslim world has made several other moves to protest Trump’s decision to follow the U.S. law set by Congress.
Ankara said it was recalling ambassadors to the U.S. and Israel, and Israel has expelled the Turkish consul in Jerusalem.
Erdogan, in a speech broadcast on Turkish state television, PressTV said, “accused Israel of carrying out a ‘genocide.'”
He stated, “I condemn this humanitarian drama, the genocide, from whichever side it comes, Israel or America.”
Demonstrators in Istanbul held banners reading “Al Quds [the Muslim name for Jerusalem] belongs to Palestinians.”
At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley blocked a resolution calling for an “international investigation” of Israel’s effort to defend its border.
Haley bluntly told the U.N. Security Council: “In recent days, Hamas terrorists, backed by Iran, have incited attacks against Israeli security forces and infrastructure. There is far too little discussion in the Security Council on Iran’s destabilizing presence in Syria, its promotion of violence in Yemen, its support for terrorism in Gaza, and its dangerous and illegal weapons buildup in Lebanon.”
A recent report in the WND-affiliated Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin said “one day” Edrogan “is going to declare himself the global Caliph, having set up alliances with most Middle Eastern Muslims – Sunni and Shia alike.”
The report continued: “Erdoğan has found a path – and it’s one that could set the world ablaze, not just the Middle East. In fact, while it’s true that Sunnis and Shiites have some serious disharmony, Erdoğan, a Sunni himself, has already demonstrated his ability to work with Shia Iran. And Erdoğan has his sights set on a Caliphate that will, at least temporarily, bring together most of the Muslim world around common enemies – namely Israel and the U.S.
“What makes Erdoğan such a formidable force to be reckoned with is his ability to deftly change positions in focusing on his long-term goal to re-establish the Caliphate, which only Turkey, the center of the Ottoman Empire, has been able to manage historically over the last 1,000 years.”
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THE JERUSALEM POST
EX-MOSSAD OFFICIAL: ISRAEL, U.S., SAUDIS CAN HELP REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN
“We can deal with the threat itself: nuclear weapons, conventional Iranian missiles... But [US] President [Donald] Trump’s actions on the Iran situation have created a major opening," he said.
BY YONAH JEREMY BOB
MAY 15, 2018 19:15
Former top mossad official Haim Tomer. (photo credit: Courtesy)
Israel, the US and Saudi Arabia can all secretly help to advance regime change in Iran, former top Mossad official Haim Tomer told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
Tomer spoke to the Post about a range of issues relating to Iran, intelligence and national security, leading into Wednesday’s conference in Tel Aviv on intelligence sponsored by the Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Center and Israel Defense, where he will be a featured speaker.
Tomer, who held top positions until 2014 in the Mossad – working with foreign intelligence agencies and in operations, technology and other units – was focused on two prior dilemmas regarding Iran: “How to deter Iran; and can Israel… promote regime change?”
He explained that, “the big problem isn’t that Iran has conventional missiles or potentially worse. The problem is this Khomeini-ist Islamic state... has a defining goal of destroying Israel” which, combined with “weapons of mass destruction, [presents] a very deadly scenario.”
“We can deal with the threat itself: nuclear weapons, conventional Iranian missiles. We can defend against them. But [US] President [Donald] Trump’s actions on the Iran situation have created a major opening… to carefully weigh pushing for regime change as a formal goal,” he said.
Elaborating, he said that since the ayatollahs took control of Iran in 1979, there have been regular rounds of protests illustrating the regime’s socio-economic weakness and its unpopularity with a wide range of the Iranian public.
Importantly, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is old and has been sick for a long time. While there are debates about how sick he is, Tomer points out that most expect he will not last much longer and that his successor will not have nearly the same status or control.
He said that Israel could clandestinely help facilitate regime change, while the Saudis could help finance it and the US could support it on various fronts – if all of the parties worked together as part of a cohesive strategy.
Admitting that Israel failed in its attempt to facilitate regime change in Lebanon in the 1980s – when its handpicked peace-promoting Lebanese president Bashir Gemayel was assassinated and Lebanon almost immediately switched back to confrontation with Israel – but he said that its failure should not disqualify Israel from taking a shot with Iran.
“I am not saying it will be a piece of cake – The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basiji militias are very strong. But… even if regime change does not succeed… it is better to have the Iranians fighting among themselves.”
Asked what specifically Israel could do, he said, “there is potential… clandestine actions can lead to change… There is a lot that the Mossad can do when it gets a mission. I cannot go into the details… but it would be clandestine.”
BESIDES REGIME change, Tomer also described a new strategy for deterring Iran.
He noted that Tehran can already threaten Israel with conventional ballistic missiles and with attacks from Syrian Shiites, Hezbollah and potentially Hamas – and maybe with nuclear weapons in the future.
“If Iran goes all out, it can fire a large volume of missiles at Tel Aviv and Haifa and can activate Hezbollah to fire 300- 400 rockets per day or more for an extended period… Iran has the potential to open a very difficult front against Israel… so what do we do?” he asked rhetorically.
First, he dismissed “all sorts of statements about attacking all of these different threats at once. If there was an all-out conventional war with Iran, we could not use... our weapons fast enough.”
He also said that Israel’s impressive missile defense “provides a response, but is not a hermetic” defense, especially “against hundreds to thousands of Hezbollah, Iranian, Syrian and Gazan rockets at once… so how do we avoid war?”
The key he said was to be publicly clear with Iran about exactly which parts of Iran itself would be targeted if missiles are fired on Israel. “If you shoot at us – it will be oneto- one that we will shoot at you. Israel must declare we will do this and be ready at all times” to take the war directly to Iran.
Tomer moved on to discuss the Mossad’s recent operation appropriating a large volume of secret Iranian nuclear files to Israel. While many have said this was the most successful and complex operation that the Mossad ever performed, he knowingly said that it was impressive, but was not the first massively successful operation.
“The Mossad carries out substantial and complex operations – and has carried out many. Since 2005, there were reports of managing various confrontations with Iran. Foreign publications say that Iran was eventually infected with a cyber [virus] program called Stuxnet. The Mossad has done many things in Iran before. This was among the most important, but there have been operations like it, and maybe even more important,” he said.
Attempting to predict which of the Mossad’s many units that he ran or had a hand in may be the most important in the future – foreign intelligence cooperation, operations and cyber – Tomer said, “Israel, in its current circumstances, needs to move toward every one [of its allies] working against Iran. This will pay big dividends.”
However, at the same time, it needs to “develop independent blue and white abilities where sometimes it needs to do something. [Regarding] targeted killings, very few [foreign intelligence agencies] do this; Israel [is one that] does, according to foreign sources. The head of the Mossad should explore both directions and abilities. And if I understand what is happening, this is what Israel is doing.”
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BREITBART
UK Proposes Six Year Prison Sentences for Online Posts Against Religion, Transgender
By Liam Deacon
May 10, 2018
People promoting “hostility” towards a religion or the transgendered online could get much harsher sentences, of up to six years in jail, especial if they have a large online audience according to new proposals.
The Sentencing Council for England and Wales has drafted changes to public order offences, including anyone perceived as targeting online a “protected characteristics” including “race; sex; disability; age; sexual orientation; religion or belief; pregnancy and maternity; and gender reassignment.”
The most severe punishments will be handed to those “in a position of trust, authority or influence and abuses their position to stir up hatred,” such as political leaders or figureheads and anyone whose offences are “persistent.”
If an “offender was a member of, or was associated with, a group promoting hostility based on race or religion,” their sentence will also be harsher.
The Sentencing Council believes that the use of social media, YouTube, and other “websites” to stir hatred is a growing problem – despite the number of prosecutions remain relatively low.
“Volumes of these offences are extremely low and there have been no offenders sentenced for some offences,” the Sentencing Council said.
“However, given the recent social climate and an enhanced focus on this type of offending, the council considers it would be useful for sentencers to be equipped with guidance on sentencing these offences,” they continue.
Adding: “Among the cases analysed there were a number of ‘hate speech’ type offences, where inflammatory speeches were given by influential figures with the intention of stirring up racial hatred.
“Other cases involved publication on YouTube of content inciting serious violence towards particular racial or religious groups, websites being published including abusive and insulting content, with some activity continuing over a long period of time and intended to reach global audiences.”
The proposals will now be subject to a three-month public consultation ending in August.
The launch comes nine months after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) promised toperuse online “hate crime” as vigorously as those taking place face-to-face, saying they hope to see more prosecutions, with longer sentences for those convicted of “hate” online.
Separate “hate crime” guidelines from the CPS released in January last year reaffirmed that no evidence is needed to report a “hate crime”, and they only need to be “perceived” by the alleged victim or someone else.
An investigation by Breitbart London last year also confirmed that many UK Police forces consider “unfriendliness” and “dislike” as signs of “hostility” and “hate,” with the CPS admitting there is “no legal definition” of “hostility.”
Germany recently went further than any Western democracy in efforts to control online speech, legally requiring social media companies like Facebook and Twitter to quickly remove “hate speech” from their sites.
However, the law is set to be revised following evidence that too much online content is being blocked, and critics claiming there was a widespread “chilling effect” on speech.
The legislation has led to satirical posts being removed and a leader of the populists AfD party being censored for criticizing police policy and Islam.
RT
Assad: Why talk to Trump if he doesn’t control the US?
May 11, 2018
© Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Meeting with Donald Trump would be pointless because the deep state – not the president – controls the US, Bashar Assad said in an interview. He noted that the agenda of the deep state is to create conflict aimed against Russia.
In an exclusive interview with Athens daily Kathimerini, Assad said there was no reason to meet face-to-face with Trump, since the US president “says something today, and does the opposite tomorrow,” and is likely not even in control of policy decisions.
“[W]e don’t think the president of that regime is in control,”Assad told the paper, referring to Trump. “We all believe that the deep state, the real state, is in control, or is in control of every president, and that is nothing new. It has always been so in the United States, at least during the last 40 years, at least since Nixon, maybe before, but it’s becoming starker and starker, and the starkest case is Trump.”
Assad also dismissed the possibility of a third world war breaking out in Syria, telling the Greek newspaper that Moscow’s levelheadedness has so far prevented a catastrophic escalation – even as the US aims to expand the conflict. Asked directly if he was concerned about the possibility of a third world war, Assad replied: “No, for one reason: Because fortunately, you have a wise leadership in Russia, and they know that the agenda of the deep state in the United States is to create a conflict. Since Trump’s campaign, the main agenda was against Russia, create a conflict with Russia, humiliate Russia, undermine Russia, and so on,” the Syrian president said.
Assad ended the interview by vowing to reunify Syria and restore its sovereignty, adding that the US, France, UK, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey are ultimately responsible for the seven-year war and must be held accountable for supporting “terrorists” fighting in Syria.
***
RT
Europe to ditch US dollar in payments for Iranian oil – source
May 16, 2018
© Ohde / face to face / Global Look Press
The European Union is planning to switch payments to the euro for its oil purchases from Iran, eliminating US dollar transactions, a diplomatic source told RIA Novosti.
Brussels has been at odds with Washington over the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, which was reached during the administration of Barack Obama. President Donald Trump has pledged to re-impose sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
“I’m privy to the information that the EU is going to shift from dollar to euro to pay for crude from Iran,” the source told the agency.
Earlier this week, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the foreign ministers of the UK, France, Germany, and Iran had agreed to work out practical solutions in response to Washington’s move in the next few weeks. The bloc is reportedly planning to maintain and deepen economic ties with Iran, including in the area of oil and gas supplies.
Mogherini stressed that the sides should jointly work on the lifting of sanctions as an integral part of the historic nuclear deal. “We're not naive and know it will be difficult for all sides.”
The Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was sealed three years ago in Vienna between Tehran and the P5+1 powers (China, France, Russia, UK, US, plus Germany). The agreement saw decades-long international sanctions lifted in exchange for Iran curbing its controversial nuclear program. On January 16, 2016, the parties to the deal announced the beginning of its implementation.
The lifting of international sanctions gave Iran access to the world’s markets for the first time in nearly four decades. Since then, Tehran has managed to significantly increase its exports of crude.
However, oil is pegged to the US dollar on international markets, making it difficult for Iran’s partners to make payments for crude and for Tehran to receive them. With the dollar playing the leading role on international financial markets, re-imposing sanctions would mean cutting Iran off from the global financial system.
At the same time, dozens of contracts signed between European businesses and the Islamic Republic could be at risk of cancellation if Brussels obeys Washington’s sanctions. This would damage Iran’s economy and European firms would lose a huge market in the Middle East. Switching to alternative settlement currencies allows both sides to continue trading despite US sanctions.
***
WND
MIKE HUCKABEE: CALIFORNIA IN 'MASSIVE ATTACK ON CHRISTIANITY'
Warns pending legislation could make sales of Bibles illegal
May 13, 2018
Mike Huckabee
A plan pending in the California legislature that promoters say is necessary so people with same-sex inclinations don’t hear messages challenging them has now gotten the attention of Gov. Mike Huckabee.
In a message to supporters he says the proposal, AB 2943, on which WND has reported multiple times, is “a terrible storm that’s brewing on the horizon.”
It would ban counseling, conferences and even printed materials that advocate for ways to get rid of unwanted same-sex attractions, and several experts have not only confirmed the vaguely written proposal could ban sales of Bibles, but one ministry expert has announced plans to boycott the state with his conferences.
“You may have heard the news or seen the reports, but people of faith in California are bracing for one of the most dramatic ideological shifts away from the First Amendment in our nation’s history,” Huckabee said. “It’s the kind of storm that destroys the foundations of liberty and a free society.”
He pointed out the bill, passed in the California Assembly 50-18 and soon to be voted on in the state Senate, “would make illegal any sale of goods or services that seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation, behaviors or gender expressions.”
The governor, now serving as a commentator in several capacities, said, “It prevents faith-led counselors from assisting clients with same-sex attraction or gender confusion. It prohibits churches from holding any ticketed events addressing topics of sexuality.
“But it’s FAR more reaching than that,” he said. “This means the sale of ANY book that states the practice of homosexuality or transgender identification as immoral actions would be illegal in California. …This could include the Bible!”
He said sponsors deny it, but the “legal experts agree that AB 2943 is so broadly worded in its description of prohibited activities that it can easily be interpreted to stop the sale goods and services that promote a biblical worldview!”
He warned, “This is a massive attack on Christianity. It should alarm us that the constitutional problems inherent in the bill were not obvious to those in the California Assembly.”
WND reported just days ago that a Colorado-based Christian group canceled conferences it planned to hold in the Golden State and instead will send students to “other states where we can tell them the truth.”
Jeff Myers, president of Summit Ministries, explained his group helps students “develop an intelligent, defensible Christian worldview before they go to college.”
He called the wording of California’s AB 2943, which bans commercial messages promoting counseling or therapy to free people from same-sex behavior, “a dog whistle to the left that intelligent Christians holding traditional views are fair game for discrimination, smears and frivolous lawsuits.”
His group, he said, for 55 years has held conferences at its headquarters in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and across the nation, “training nearly a half-million young Christians to become leaders in their schools, communities, churches, families and country.”
Summit Ministries, however, has canceled its June 10-23 and June 24-July 7 sessions at Biola University near Los Angeles “due to concerns that California will forbid some of what it teaches.”
Myers said his group’s speakers are “leading Christian experts who base their presentations on theology as well as sociology, psychology and science.”
The California bill, he said, in the state’s Business and Professional Code, would regard the offering of gay-conversion therapy as “consumer fraud.”
Under the bill, “offering to engage in, or engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with an individual” would constitute deceptive business practices and be subject to fines and penalties.
WND has reported a lawmaker and an LGBT activist have admitted the bill targets “pastors” and members of the “faith community.”
A video shows California state Assembly member Al Muratsuchi admitting that he wants to target people of faith.
The lawmaker argued the First Amendment “does not prohibit banning fraudulent conduct.”
“The faith community, like anyone else, needs to evolve with the times,” he charged.
Liberty Counsel, one of the first to raise concerns about the bill, explained it is so broad it “bans books, printed materials and advertisements that provide information that a person facing unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion can change.”
And further, in a speech at Google headquarters, LGBT activist Samuel Brinton promised to “figure out” how to stop “pastors” and churches from offering such counseling.
“I may not be able to find every little camp … every pastor, but I can make it something that is culturally unacceptable,” he said. “Yes, it’s directly affecting mental health professionals, but by proxy, it’s affecting everyone else.”
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CHRISTIAN NEWS
Concerns Raised as Atlanta’s Embassy Church to Make Aerialists ‘Full Part of Worship Experience’
By Heather Clark
May 3, 2018
Photo Credit: Screenshot from itsapostleb Instagram
ATLANTA, Ga. — Concerns are being raised as Atlanta’s Embassy Church has announced that it plans on making aerialists a “full part” of its “normal worship experience.”
Bryan Meadows, who leads Embassy, recently posted photographs and a video from the CreativeCon Conference, which included a time of worship that incorporated a female aerialist suspended from the ceiling.
“@EmbassyCity fully plans on making aerialists a FULL PART of our normal worship experience!” he wrote. “We endeavor to create a culture driven by the creativity and character of Christ! This was one of my favorite highlights!!!”
The post, while generating over 300 likes, has also both garnered applause and raised eyebrows.
“So cool! So out the box!” one commenter wrote.
“This is HOT!!” another stated.
“I’m all for using all our gifts in the house of God, but how about she covers up her lower body? It can be as distracting as a male worshipper topless,” a third asked.
“The church is the gathering of God’s children to worship, not for a form of entertainment. This shouldn’t be taking place at church,” another said.
Meadows responded to some of the comments, including one follower who asked why having an aerialist is even necessary during worship.
“Because they shouldn’t have to go to the circus to use the gifts that God gave them!” he said. “The church should be able to create space so that everyone can use their gifts to glorify God. People may be distracted for a couple weeks, but they will get used to it!”
“If people can get used to all of the other foolery that happens in church, I’m sure they can get used to somebody genuinely trying to use their gifts to worship God,” Meadows stated.
According to the Embassy Church website, Meadows believes that Christians should be active in “various world systems and sectors, such as government, business, entertainment, family, arts and media, and education.”
“This is how this generation will rise and establish the Throne of our God, the Lord Jesus Christ,” it states.
However, David Whitney, pastor of Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Pasadena, Maryland, told Christian News Network that he believes having an aerialist suspended from the ceiling during the time of worship is a distraction from focusing on the Lord and “illustrates how great the need is for revival, repentance and restoration in our land.”
“Biblical worship is conducted for an audience of One, even the One True God. In His Word He tells us what worship is acceptable to Him. For example, 1 Chronicles 16:28 [says], ‘Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name: bring an offering and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,'” he said.
“Thus, an aerialist would seem to detract from the whole purpose of a worship service, which is to focus on giving the glory and praise to God alone,” Whitney stated. “The claim made that this is simply ‘somebody genuinely trying to use their gifts to worship God’ is disingenuous. The worship of the One True God must conform to what pleases Him as He has spoken in His Word.”
He pointed to Christ’s lament in Matthew 15:8-9 as a reminder that God’s people must be careful how they worship.
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me,” Jesus said. “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Whitney likewise remarked that the aerialist’s attire was concerning, and pointed to 1 Timothy 2:9, which says that women are to “adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefacedness and sobriety.” Meadows told a concerned commenter that the issue of clothing can be discussed.
“We need to pray for our land, that a revival would break forth and the people would return to the true worship of the One True God,” Whitney said.
***
STRANGE SOUNDS
Strange winged creature looming over a parked vehicle prompts ‘angel’ sighting in East Jordan, Michigan
May 12, 2018
A small community in northern Michigan believes it has been touched by an angel after a motion-sensor camera captured a mysterious object apparently looming over a parked vehicle. According to the local church in East Jordan and the man whose camera detected the presence, the image clearly shows a head and wings. But what the camera has really captured is still a mystery!
Residents of East Jordan, a small community in northern Michigan, believe their city has been touched by an angel after a motion-sensor camera captured a mysterious object apparently looming over a parked vehicle. By Glen Thorman / Jordan Rivers Church
“I said, ‘That’s an angel!’ And I was just blown away,” explains Glen Thorman, a fire chief. Thorman quickly contacted his wife and pastor to share news of the find. Jordan Rivers Church posted the pictures on its Facebook page, saying the photos had not been altered, and sparked a debate over what the camera had really captured.
And the angel faded away! By Glen Thorman / Jordan Rivers Church
It was really clear to me the minute I looked at the photo,” said Pastor Deneille Moes of Jordan Rivers Church. “I just kind of freaked out a bit. I went like, ‘Whoa! That’s an angel!’ And I texted him back, ‘That’s an angel.’ There wasn’t any doubt in my mind that we were looking at something supernatural.”
EXPRESS
Vladimir Putin on verge of getting powerful new ally in EU as ITALY goes pro-Russia
VLADIMIR Putin’s Russia will get a powerful ally in the EU if Italy’s two elected anti-Brussels parties strike a deal to create an all-populist Government, experts fear.
BY Alice Scarsi
May 12, 2018
High-ranking Brussels are reportedly deeply anxious about the outcome of leadership negotiations between the right-wing Lega and anti-establishment Five Star Movement who are locked in talks following the March 4 election which ended in a hung parliament.
If Five Star manage to agree a compromise with Lega Brussels could see a major EU country lobbying for pro-Russian measures in the EU Parliament.
The two parties have similar views not only on the EU, which they believe is too intrusive in the Italian politics and crippled the country’s economy with its austerity measures, but also on Russia.
Both the Five Star and Lega’s electoral programmes vowed to work towards a normalisation of relations between Italy and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, supported by the Kremlin, and asked to put an end to sanctions against Moscow following the annexation of Crimea.
The parties also proposed a referendum that would ask Italians whether they want to ditch the Euro and oppose to NATO exercises on Italian soil.
Russia has been actively working to tighten his links with populist parties across Europe, and didn’t fail to find allies in Italy.
Matteo Salvini, leader of Lega, signed a co-operation deal with President Vladimir Putin’s ruling party United Russia in March last year.
Details of what the deal entailed have never been released, but deputy Duma Speaker Serghei Zheleznyak publicly hailed his country’s relationship with Mr Salvini.
He said: “We can’t hide that we share the same ideas of parties that bring forward a responsible national politics and that are ready for a dialogue while respecting each other’s national interests.”
He later added: “We keep in regular touch with our partners from Lega and we exchange opinions on problems that worry our citizens.
“We organise meetings, consultations and there have been trips to Russia.”
Indeed Mr Salvini didn’t hide his party’s presence in Russia and even protested again former Italian centre-left wing PM Matteo Renzi in the Red Square.
And a senior Lega member, Claudio D’Amico, travelled to Crimea to monitor the referendum that followed Russia’s annexation of the peninsula.
Following the Five Star’s rise in the last five years, Mr Zheleznyak said that Russia was ready to sign an agreement also with Luigi Di Maio’s party.
In March 2017 he said: “We are familiar with Five Star and are in active dialogue with its representatives, but the signing of the cooperation agreement between us will be possible only after this party is ready for it. We are ready.”
A pro-Russian Rome would join Hungary and Greece in the count of EU countries backing Moscow, shifting significantly the balance to the East as Rome was one of the funding countries of the European community and is also a member of the G7 and NATO.
Mr Di Maio and Mr Salvini are set to meet today in Milan to continue their discussions over a joint Government.
***
RT
Europe’s longest: Putin leads column of trucks at Crimean bridge opening ceremony (VIDEO)
May 15, 2018
© www.most.life
A new 19km bridge connecting the mainland with the Crimean Peninsula has been officially opened, making Russia the host of Europe’s longest bridge. President Vladimir Putin personally drove a truck across it to mark the occasion.
The opening of the bridge was all about the people, who created the massive construction in record time. A column of dozens of heavy-duty vehicles including hauler trucks, construction cranes and cement-mixers buzzed along, occasionally tooting their horns. Putin, who showed up for the ceremonial trip unusually dressed in casual style, drove one of the two Kamaz trucks in the front of the motorcade. His usual entourage was literally sidelined, keeping at a distance on the other half of the road.
The column arrived to the Crimean side of the bridge, where Putin spoke a few 'thank you' words to the thousands of people who contributed to the project – from underwater explosives specialists, who helped sweep the seabed for bombs left from World War II, and archeologists to the many construction workers who made the bridge possible.
“10,000 people work at this construction site, 15,000 during peak load. Almost 220 companies were involved. In fact, the entire country worked on it. The result is wonderful. It makes Crimea and the legendary Sevastopol stronger and brings us all closer together,” he said.
The bridge has two parts – one for automobile traffic, which is opening this week, and one for trains – which is to be finished next year. For several more months, trucks will not be allowed through, giving extra time to check all the safety measures and engineering quality. The parade of heavy vehicles on Tuesday apparently aims at dispersing any speculation about the strength of the bridge.
A direct path connecting the Crimean Peninsula to the Krasnodar region on mainland Russia is a significant achievement. Building one was considered as early as the late 19th century. The invading Nazi Germany started constructing a bridge, but the project was cut short by advancing Soviet Union.
The soviets went as far as erecting a bridge themselves, but it quickly failed due to difficult seabed terrain and harsh winter weather. Eventually a ferry connection was deemed a more viable alternative. In modern times Russia and Ukraine were trying to negotiate a joint project to create a bridge with modern technology, but it didn’t take off.
Tables turned in 2014, when an armed coup in Kiev put a fiercely anti-Russian government in power in Ukraine. Frightened by threats of nationalist pogroms and a rollback of autonomy, the predominantly Russian population of Crimea voted in a referendum to break up from Ukraine and ask Russia to take the peninsula back as part of the country, which Moscow did. Kiev responded by trying to isolate the region, disrupting supplies of freshwater and electricity and restricting travel to Crimea.
The Crimean bridge project was Russia’s response to the situation – a permanent overland link between the peninsula and the rest of the country. The work on the project started in 2015 in parallel with creating necessary infrastructure on both sides of the Kerch Strait.
In 2016, the actual work on the bridge started in earnest, with workers building temporary constructions and driving pillars into the seabed. Year 2017 was marked by arguably the trickiest part of the construction – towing, rising and putting in place two arches under which ships can pass. The steel constructions weighted 6,000 tons and 5,500 tons for the railroad and automobile parts of the bridge respectively.
Previously the title of Europe’s longest bridge was held by the Vasco da Gama Bridge in Portugal, which has a total length of over 12km. Trailing shortly behind it is the Lezíria Bridge located in the same country. European bridges however pale before their Asian counterparts. The world’s longest bridge is a 164.8km monster connecting China’s cities of Danyang and Kunshan, which opened in 2010.
DailyMail
Dramatic moment Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts from its summit and shoots an ash plume 30,000 feet into the sky - higher than the peak of MOUNT EVEREST - covering homes in the area
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupted from its summit just before dawn on Thursday
It started spewing large amounts of volcanic ash and smoke from Kilauea's crater on Hawaii's Big Island
Authorities urged people to shelter in place if they are in the smoke plume path
It is expected to cover large areas of the Big Island in volcanic ash and smog, as well as other Hawaiian Islands
Explosion came a day after 'ballistic blocks' the size of microwave ovens started shooting from the volcano
Volcanic activity has been going on for two weeks with the opening of more than a dozen fissures east of the crater that spewed lava into neighborhoods
About 2,000 people have been evacuated from the area as lava destroyed at least 26 homes
By Emily Crane For Dailymail.com and Wires
PUBLISHED: 12:30 EDT, 17 May 2018 | UPDATED: 14:58 EDT, 17 May 2018
WND
GOOGLE-FACEBOOK RESTRICT ADS ON IRELAND ABORTION VOTE
New policies billed as effort to stop election meddling
May 13, 2018
WASHINGTON – Is paid political speech in the form of pre-election advertising “election meddling”?
That would seem to be the conclusion of Google and Facebook, at least with regard to the upcoming vote in Ireland on whether a 1983 constitutional pro-life amendment should be overturned in the predominantly Catholic country.
Pro-life groups insist the actions by the tech giants represent an effort to rig the election, depriving opponents of the ability to dissent.
The vote is set for May 25.
This month, Facebook announced it will block ads on the referendum that do not originate from advertisers in Ireland. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is vowing to have tighter restrictions on data that can influence politics.
A day after Facebook’s announcement, Google said it would suspend all ads related to the referendum until after the vote.
“Following our update around election integrity efforts globally, we have decided to pause all ads related to the Irish referendum on the Eighth Amendment,” Google said in a statement.
A joint statement by three groups – Save The 8th, Pro Life Campaign and the Iona Institute – describes the tech companies’ bans as “an attempt to rig the referendum.” They claim that the internet was “the only platform available to the NO campaign to speak to voters directly,” adding that is “now being undermined.”
Lawmakers approved the repeal amendment in March and say if the referendum passes, they will push legislation for abortion up to 12 weeks.
The latest polls give a slight advantage to the pro-abortion forces. In rural communities such as Doolin in County Clare, the pro-life anti-repeal sentiment holds a majority.
All constitutional amendments in Ireland are subject to an open vote by the citizenry.
Ireland has a population of roughly 4.7 million people, with 78 percent considering themselves Catholic, according to the 2016 census.
***
WND
FEDS PLAN TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR BABY'S DNA
Obama rule change could put most personal of data in government's hands
Bob Unruh
May 13, 2018
There are some parents who adopt, or become parents in a blended marriage. But for many, there still is that infinite joy of coming home from a hospital or birthing center with their very own newborn.
Except soon, the newborn might not be all theirs.
A plan developing now would give the federal government ownership of that infant’s DNA, obtained from blood samples taken at birth to screen for threatening diseases.
The warning comes from the Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom, which has fought for the privacy rights of parents and children for years.
“As things stand, in just over two months parents will lose their consent rights for the use of their newborn baby’s DNA for federally funded research, once the revised Common Rule goes into effect on July 19, 2018,” the organization said.
“That which the government holds, the government owns,” said Twila Brase, chief of the CCHF organization. “A child’s DNA held by the government could be sequenced, meaning a baby’s genetic code could be completely detailed and mapped – and then recorded in a state government database, used and shared.
“This is private information on America’s tiniest citizens, who will grow into adults stripped of their genetic privacy when they weren’t able to protect themselves.”
The change comes as a result of the final version of the “Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects,” known as the Common Rule. CCHF worked in 2014 to secure privacy protections under the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act, which required parental consent for the use of newborn DNA for federally funded research.
Barack Obama signed it, but it was under his administration that those protections later were deleted, since the plan was for the rule to take effect Jan. 19, 2017, the day before President Trump’s inauguration.
The rule canceled the 2014 protections.
The Trump administration “wisely put a hold” on the strategy, but that hold is to expire in July, unless it is renewed again, the organization explained.
“But regardless of any impending delay, parents should be concerned that the infant dried blood spots used for newborn screenings could be stored indefinitely or used for research, depending on the state of residency,” the organization explained.
“We know from our own research, research by others and through personal interactions that parents want to have control over whether their baby’s DNA is stored or used for research – or kept private and protected,” Brase explained. “The DNA of newborn citizens should not be used for research without parental consent, or later without their own consent as adults who were minors when their DNA was stored by state government without their consent.”
She said the government is not allowed to take the DNA of adults without consent, except for a few limited circumstances.
“Yet the DNA of many of the 4 million children born each year is collected and stored, available to be used, analyzed and shared without parental consent. Newborn DNA warehousing and research is a secret government ‘taking.’ Most parents do not realize what is taking place in the midst of their exhaustion, joy and vulnerability at the hospital – and they are not asked. But when they figure it out, some of them sue, which is exactly what attorney Philip Ellison did in Michigan – the fifth lawsuit so far,” she said.
While checking for certain disorders is important, the moms and dads are alarmed that state agencies are “creating large repositories of leftover identifiable newborn data, blood and DNA for medical and genetic research without further consent from the parents.”
CCHF previously helped 21 Minnesota families win a lawsuit that requiring all newborn DNA specimens in state custody be destroyed.
Then the legislature changed the law and the state began collecting data again.
Most recently, a lawsuit was launched against the state of Michigan.
The complaint against the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, various doctors and others explains, “The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right of persons to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, including the state of Michigan, its agencies, and those that work for in in cahoots with those agencies.”
While the state program to “seize” blood from newborns for testing against various diseases “is a noble public policy idea,” the method that the state as implemented “violates the United States Constitution,” the complaint contends.
The lawsuit seeks an order to stop the practice, destroy the data illegally collected and “return to the parents all blood samples and spots of infants which defendants have caused to be seized and stored indefinitely without informed consent.”
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HEALTH
All Found Murdered
By Daisy Magnum
April 27, 2018
A number of holistic medical professionals who had found cancer enzymes in vaccines have been found dead.
Each of the deceased doctors appears to have died in apparent, yet suspicious suicides.
The medical community is left speechless due to the timing of their deaths, based upon that they were all scientists working on an advanced breakthrough cure for cancer.
Prominent autism specialist, Dr. James Jeffrey Bradstreet, was researching cancer enzymes prior to his death in July 2015.
His body was discovered floating in a North Carolina river with a single gunshot injury to the chest.
Suspicions swirled that the medical professional may have been killed as an outcome of his groundbreaking research study.
Cancer enzymes in vaccines
Bradstreet and his colleagues had actually found that the immune system is being jeopardized by nagalase cancer enzymes
Dr. Bradstreet’s research found that these cancer enzymes are being introduced through vaccines.
Doctor Bradstreet was working with a naturally occurring substance that may be the single most efficient thing in the immune system for eliminating cancer cells.
Nagalase interferes with an important protein in the body that eliminates cancer cells, discussed Dr. Ted Broer in an interview on the Hagmann and Hagmann Report.
This brand-new development treatment, which you can discover more about in the video below, consists of the human protein GcMAF (globulin part macrophage triggering aspect).
Breakthrough discovery
GcMAF in fact triggers macrophages that are currently current within the human body, and in turn, causes the body to damage cancer cells.
As the body produces this compound naturally, lots of cancer clients can not produce enough necessary to ward off the illness.
Thankfully, when administered GcMAF, the body immune system can become more powerful and can fight cancer by itself, without more invasive treatments like radiation or chemotherapy.
“Your GcMAF empowers your body to treat itself.
“In a healthy person, your very own GcMAF has actually 11 actions discovered up until now, including two on cells, 3 excellent impacts on the brain, and 6 on cancer.
“Amongst these, it acts as a ‘director’ of your body immune system.”
It is not surprising that big pharma saw these physicians as their opponent, nevertheless, their lives were not payment for the monetary loss the pharmaceutical industry would have taken, and remaining notified of info such as this is of the utmost value.
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Until
next week...keep on believing.
Almondtree Productions
“Delight
thyself in
the Lord; and he shall grant thee the requests of thine
heart.”
(Psalm 37:4)