JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.
Historic' Louisiana Flooding: 3 Dead, More Than 1,000 Rescued-By MORGAN WINSOR-AUG 14,16-YAHOONEWS-Good Morning America
At least three people have died and over a thousand have been rescued from severe flooding across central and southern Louisiana that has led the governor to declare a state of emergency, officials said.An elderly man drowned after slipping and falling in high waters amid heavy rain in East Baton Rouge Parish. And in St. Helena Parish, a man died when his pickup truck was swept off a flooded highway and submerged underwater, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a news conference today. A woman was also recovered from the Tickfaw River earlier today, according to Michael Martin, chief of operations for the St. Helena Sheriff's Office.Edwards called the floods "unprecedented" and "historic," according to The Associated Press, which also noted that the governor and his family were forced to leave the governor's mansion when chest-high water filled the basement and electricity was shut off.Crews are working to rescue another person, though they expect this person may have also died in the disaster, according to St. Helena Parish Sheriff's Office chief of operations Michael Martin.In St. Helena Parish, about 210 people have been rescued from flooding so far, and three people in the community are believed to be missing, Martin said.In Livingston Parish, which saw more than 17 inches of rain on Friday alone, officials said over a thousand people have been rescued from flooding so far as of Saturday morning, and they’re working to save another 150 in the Watson area. The Louisiana National Guard is sending a helicopter to assist with rescues in the drenched community.In East Baton Rouge Parish, officials said more than 200 people have been rescued from flooding and 42 roads have been closed. The parish seat, Baton Rouge, had over 8 inches of rain on Friday, its wettest day on record.The flooding this week also closed many schools in the Baton Rouge area, including Louisiana State University.In Tangipahoa Parish, which is east of Baton Rouge and north of New Orleans, officials rescued 140 people from high waters and closed 80 roads due to flooding, the parish’s president Robby Miller said Friday.Miller said he has never seen flood water rise so quickly in the area before.As a result of the heavy rain and widespread flooding, Louisiana Gov. Edwards declared a state of emergency for the entire state to stay in effect until Sept. 10. Officials are urging people to stay off the roads.“We are in constant contact with local officials and first responders, and assistance is already on the move to affected parishes,” Edwards said in a press release Friday. “The most important thing to remember is to obey road signs and to constantly monitor the news for updates to ensure everyone’s safety. Every available resource will be used to assist citizens as this situation continues to unfold."Within the southeast state, there are 18 parishes with emergency declarations and three others in the process of making emergency declarations. Meanwhile, flash flood warnings remain in effect for parts of Louisiana through the weekend.And the rainfall isn't over. An additional 5 inches of rain is expected to douse parts of Louisiana this weekend -- including some areas that have already had more than a foot of rain.ABC News’ Alex Faul, Daniel Manzo and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Firefighters bringing blazes under control in Portugal, France-[AFP]-August 12, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Lisbon (AFP) - Firefighters were making progress in quenching forest fires that have ravaged parts of Portugal and France, officials said Friday, as Spain faced a rash of possibly deliberate blazes.The situation had calmed down on the frontline of fires in northern Portugal and on the island of Madeira where three people perished this week in the flames."Weather conditions improved overnight, the wind is a bit calmer and we have been able to make progress," Carlos Guerra, an official with the national civil protection authority, told Lusa news agency.The mercury on Thursday topped 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), the hottest temperature on Madeira since 1976, with winds gusting to 90 kilometres (55 miles) per hour.On Friday nearly 1,400 firefighters continued to battle some six major fires in northern Portugal, but they have succeeded in halving the number of blazes, officials said.Portugal has been aided by water bombers sent by Italy, Spain and Morocco, and on Friday it announced two more planes were coming from Russia.In southern France, firefighters said Friday that they had managed to extinguish the blazes that swept through more than 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) north of Marseille for the past two days as the Mistral wind that had fanned the flames dropped sharply.Three houses, a restaurant and a car repair garage were gutted by fire and another 17 houses were damaged.- Suspicious fires -Prosecutors are investigating the cause of a fire in Vitrolles, north of Marseille, after a man was arrested near the outbreak when local residents saw him acting suspiciously.French President Francois Hollande said Thursday the authorities believe some of the fires were started deliberately. He vowed the perpetrators would be tracked down.Likewise in Spain, officials said Friday that over the past few days in Galicia on the Atlantic coast, the number of fires have increased in a way that raises suspicions they were deliberately set."We cannot confirm it until police establish the cause (of the fires), but we know that in the last few days, different incendiary devices have been discovered on site," a source in the regional government told AFP.In all, firefighters in Spain are battling some 15 blazes which have ravaged more than 5,800 hectares in five days.Five of the fires were still advancing Friday including three that threatened homes.A 56-year-old woman has been arrested suspected of lighting around 15 fires that were quickly extinguished near her home in a village in Galicia since July 18, the civil guard said.She is suspected of having placed decorative candles in the woods to start blazes, a civil guard member said.The fires sweeping through Galicia's forested mountains are damaging to the region's logging industry.Its federation issued a statement Thursday calling for "zero tolerance" and severe punishment for anyone found responsible for igniting the flames.Separately, a fire that has destroyed more than 4,800 hectares of pine woods on La Palma, the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands, was brought under control after eight days.The blaze claimed the life of a park ranger. A German man who allegedly sparked the fire by burning toilet paper has been remanded in custody.And in France's Pyrenees region near the Spanish border, a fire that erupted Thursday forced the evacuation of 60 people as the flames edged dangerously close to a village, police said."The smoke was so thick that we couldn't see the village, which is just a kilometre from here," said local tourist official Nathalie Dephino.The town's deputy mayor Patricia Vignon said Friday the fires had been put out and air tankers had dumped water on the scorched areas to ensure the fires do not re-ignite.
Fire breaks out at asylum-seeker facility in Germany-[Associated Press]-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
BERLIN (AP) — German authorities say 16 asylum seekers suffered from smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a container housing facility in the central city of Kassel.The Kassel fire department told the dpa news agency the fire started inside one of the residences Sunday and that an anti-migrant attack had been ruled out.About 200 firefighters battled for several hours to control the fire, which burned more than a dozen of the temporary housing units, sending thick smoke billowing into the air that was visible for kilometers (miles) around.Around 120 asylum-seekers live in the facility at the former Kassel airport and authorities say it was lucky that the fire broke out in the daytime while most of them were out of their homes.The cause is under investigation.
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
Cyclospora outbreak in Canada possibly linked to imported produce-AUG 14,16-YAHOONEWS
The federal government is advising Canadians to check where their produce comes from after an outbreak of cyclospora was reported in four provinces.The Public Health Agency of Canada said 51 cases of the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis were recorded in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia between May and July this year.The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it is still looking into a food source linked to the outbreak.The Public Health Agency advises anyone who believes they are ill to stay hydrated and contact a health-care provider.The health agency added that previous outbreaks in Canada and the U.S. have been linked to produce like pre-packaged salad mix, basil, cilantro, raspberries, blackberries, mesclun lettuce and snow and snap peas Most people who contract the illness recover fully, but it may take up to seven weeks before their symptoms disappear, according to health officials.What is cyclospora? According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, cyclospora is a parasite that causes an infection affecting the small intestines and which can lead to "watery diarrhea, with frequent, sometimes explosive, bowel movements."The parasite is spread by people ingesting food contaminated with feces, which public health officials call poor toileting practices — farm workers defecating in fields, or not washing their hands after a bowel movement, for example.While some bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses can be transported via produce, eggs and meat, cyclospora are only known to be transmitted on produce.Symptoms include watery diarrhea, abdominal bloating and gas, fatigue, stomach cramps, loss of appetite, weight loss, mild fever and nausea.It is hard to prevent cyclosporiasis, since washing contaminated produce does not get rid of the parasite, according to health officials.As a result, the government recommends cooking produce from countries where cyclospora is found. According to the health agency, the parasite is common in tropical and subtropical countries including Peru, Cuba, India, Nepal, Mexico, Guatemala and Dominican Republic, as well as in Southeast Asia.It says cyclospora is not commonly found on produce from Canada, the United States and European countries.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
One month after coup bid, Turkey transformed-[AFP]-Stuart Williams-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Istanbul (AFP) - With a thorough shake-up of its armed forces, a reassessment of foreign policy and the biggest purge in its modern history, Turkey has undergone a transformation in the month since the July 15 coup bid.On the surface, street life has returned to its normal bustle in Istanbul and Ankara, where terrified residents witnessed bombings by fighter jets and tanks driving amok in the streets on the night of the attempted putsch.But the huge red Turkish flags hanging from public buildings, billboards hailing the coup's defeat and pictures in metro stations of the "martyrs" killed are all reminders that life is not the same as it was before the events which began at around 1900 GMT on July 15.The plotters, whom Ankara says were directed by the mysterious US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, sought to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power and impose a military regime.Instead, they were arrested en-masse, giving the president a chance to drive through some of the most significant changes in this country of 79 million since the foundation in 1923 of the modern Turkish Republic out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.- At a strategic crossroads -The authorities say the coup was driven by rogue Gulen loyalists within the military, which has been a pillar of the Republic since its foundation, and almost one half of its contingent of generals have since been detained and fired.Erdogan has moved to bring the general staff and other military departments directly under his control and that of his government in a historic "civilianisation" of an institution that had previously ousted governments three times by means of a coup."A revolutionary civilianisation process has been spearheaded by the government with the aim of further decreasing the scope of the military in politics and society," Metin Gurcan and Megan Gisclon wrote in a paper for the Istanbul Policy Centre (IPC).They said the authorities could now choose between continuing the reforms in a democratic way or subduing the military without consultation."A strategic turning point is now before Turkey."So far untouched by the shake-up is the powerful National Intelligence Agency (MIT), which has faced vehement criticism for failing to warn Erdogan about the coup. But the government has vowed it will also undergo restructuring.- 'Test to rebuild' -The scale of the general crackdown after the coup has prompted accusations from the West of a witch-hunt. But Turkish officials say it points to the extent to which Gulen had penetrated all state institutions.Over 76,000 people have been dismissed from their jobs, mostly in the education sector where Gulen's influence was greatest and a total of over 35,000 people detained.Ankara has swatted back the criticism of the West, angrily accusing it of failing to show solidarity in Turkey's time of need and with pro-government media speculating that the United States even had a hand in the plot.Washington and Ankara could be heading for a collision course over Gulen, whom Turkey wants to see extradited from his secluded compound in Pennsylvania in a potentially fraught process.Meanwhile, Turkey's bid to join the EU that dates back to the 1960s is enduring its worst crisis in years as controversy simmers over the crackdown that prompted Austria to break a years-long taboo and call for accession talks to be stopped."The failed coup wasn't in any way a test that the EU or US failed.... The 'test' is for Turkey to rebuild itself as best it can," said Marc Pierini, a former EU ambassador to Ankara and visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe."West-bashing won't help Turkey return to normalcy. It will just complicate matters."Erdogan's popularity has surged in opinion polls and he has brought two opposition parties into talks on constitutional reforms -- but has excluded the main Kurdish political force whom he accuses of links to militants.- 'Reset with Russia' -The pro-Western tilt of Turkey -- a NATO member since 1952 -- has been the cornerstone of its foreign policy ever since it troubled the Allies by staying neutral for almost all of World War II.In late June, Turkey moved to overcome a months-long diplomatic crisis caused by the shooting-down of a Russian war plane, and Erdogan's first foreign visit after the coup was to meet President Vladimir Putin, raising fears that Ankara could be re-orientating its stance.The Turkish leader, who had earlier castigated the West's response to the coup, thanked Putin for expressing support so quickly and declared cooperation on key projects like a Black Sea gas pipeline was back on track."In contrast to Western leaders, Putin is using the occasion to reset Russian-Turkish relations," said Kemal Kirisci of the Brookings Institution.But he said that with 44 percent of Turkish exports going to the EU in 2014 and 4 percent to Russia, the "bloc is still Turkey’s economic lifeline."
French court rejects bid to shut 72 migrant camp eateries-[Associated Press]-August 12, 2016-YAHOONEWS
PARIS (AP) — A French court rejected a demand Friday to close 72 eateries and shops in the makeshift migrant camp in the northern port city of Calais, but the prefecture said it will continue legal action against what it calls a dangerous underground economy.The Lille court turned down the demand of the Prefecture of the Pas de Calais region, the state representative, to permanently close the operations which humanitarian organizations contend are a lifeline for the estimated more than 7,000 migrants in the camp, commonly known as "the Jungle."A statement by the prefecture said the installations don't respect sanitation rules, risk fires and are a source of public disorder."Administrative inspections of the underground commerce and judicial actions will be continued," it said.Later, the prefect for Calais, Vincent Berton, announced that the state was lodging an appeal against the court decision.Thousands of free meals are legally handed out daily to migrants by a state-backed association at the camp and others. However, humanitarian organizations contend that this is not enough food for the growing number of migrants in the camp, and migrants can stand in line for hours for a meal.The prefecture sent inspectors into the camp in July to check shops and restaurants, including hairdressers, seizing and destroying numerous products and detaining 19 people.Shops and restaurants were then ordered closed — though some reopen quietly at nightfall.Maya Konforti of Auberge des Migrants, or Migrants Shelter, a mainstay aid association for migrants, said the court decision allows aid groups and migrants to buy time."We're going to see ... how we can improve things," she said by telephone. But, she added that "a restaurant in the jungle will never be legal." The court action, she said, is "sheer harassment."The prefecture razed the southern half of the Calais camp in July, after a court gave the green light — but barred the destruction of houses of worship and schools.Most migrants in Calais, from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and sub-Saharan Africa, travel to northern France to try to sneak across the English Channel to Britain.
New Boko Haram video 'shows Chibok girls'-[AFP]-Aminu Abubakar with Stephanie Findlay in Lagos-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Boko Haram on Sunday released a new video purportedly showing some of the Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped from Chibok more than two years ago, and called for its detained fighters to be freed.The government said it was in touch with those claiming to be behind the undated video, which shows groups of girls in Islamic dress standing or sitting around a masked man armed with an assault rifle.The film was issued just days after embattled Boko Haram head Abubakar Shekau denied claims he had been replaced as the leader of the Nigeria-based jihadist group.The mass kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in April 2014 provoked global outrage and brought unprecedented attention to Boko Haram and its bloody quest to create a fundamentalist state in northeastern Nigeria.A man wearing camouflage gear in the video called on the government to release Boko Haram fighters in exchange for the girls."They should immediately release our brethren in their custody," the man said, warning that if the prisoners are not released the government will never be able to rescue the girls."They should know that their children are still in our hands," he said in the film posted on YouTube that appears to show some women injured after an air strike.While President Muhammadu Buhari has said the group is "technically defeated", his government has struggled to find the girls, an enduring political embarrassment that highlights Boko Haram's continued presence in the region.The video was attributed to the original Boko Haram name, not the new Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), suggesting it was released by Shekau's faction, although it is not known when or where it was filmed."There are a number of the girls, about 40 of them, that have been married," said the man in the 11-minute video. "Some of them have died as a result of aerial bombardment."A girl speaking in the Chibok dialect chokes back tears as she describes an air strike by Nigerian armed forces.In the background, several girls look visibly distressed and dab their eyes. One is holding a small baby.- 'Sense of desperation' -"This focuses on using the girls as a bargaining chip," Ryan Cummings, director at intelligence firm Signal Risk, told AFP."The video shows that the war effort is hurting the operations of the group," he said. "It does have a sense of almost desperation from Boko Haram."The Nigerian government said it is in contact with those claiming to be behind the video but was acting cautiously given the leadership split."Since this is not the first time we have been contacted over the issue, we want to be doubly sure that those we are in touch with are who they claim to be," Information Minister Lai Mohammed said in a statement.Last week, the shadowy Shekau appeared in a video vowing to fight on, shrugging off an apparent split after he was said to have been replaced by Islamic State-backed rival Abu Musab al-Barnawi.Barnawi has criticised Shekau's indiscriminate and brutal leadership in Nigeria that has seen Boko Haram fighters kill thousands of people in mosques and markets and raze entire cities.In March 2015, Shekau pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and changed Boko Haram's name to ISWAP, prompting fears the Nigerian insurgency would be bolstered by its connection to the global jihadists.However, there have been few signs that Boko Haram has benefited from the alliance, as the Nigerian military recaptures territory once controlled by the insurgents.Over the past year, the military has announced the rescue of hundreds of people, most of them women and children, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram.But the missing Chibok girls were not among them, despite several unconfirmed sightings.- 'Heartbreaking' video -In the hours that followed the 2014 mass kidnap, dozens of girls managed to escape.Of the 219 still missing, just one was found, Amina Ali, in May this year near the Sambisa Forest area of Borno state, a known Boko Haram hideout.Abubakar Abdullahi, a spokesman for the Bring Back Our Girls movement, told AFP that one of the girls had been identified in what he described as a "heartbreaking" video."One of our members has recognised a girl. We are still in the process of confirming a few of the girls," Abdullahi said."We've always believed they will be back, but it's also painful," he said, criticising the government for being unable to rescue the girls."The frustration will always be there. We failed them on so many instances."Boko Haram has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and displacing more than 2.6 million people since it launched a brutal insurgency in Nigeria in 2009 that has since spread into several neighbouring countries.
Afghan officials: IS expands presence in restive south-[Associated Press]-MIRWAIS KHAN and LYNNE O'DONNELL-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — The Islamic State group, which has been building a presence in Afghanistan for more than a year, has established a recruitment and training camp in a restive southern province bordering Pakistan, Afghan officials said.Last year, hundreds of insurgents fled to Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan, where the military launched a campaign to clear militants from the lawless tribal regions in the country's north. Among them were members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, who joined forces with local Taliban fighters to attack northern Afghan cities such as Kunduz, which was briefly overrun in September.The Pakistani military campaign also caused around 400 families loyal to the Islamic State group to flee to Afghanistan, Afghan authorities said. The families, many of them Arabs and Chechens, settled in the southern province of Zabul, in the district of Khak-e-Afghan, a former Taliban stronghold with a history of militant violence that has made it a no-go area for Afghan security forces.The long-term intentions of the IS loyalists in Khak-e-Afghan were initially unclear. Locals said they kept to themselves but appeared wealthy, purchasing expensive properties and never bargaining down prices in the bazaar.Now officials say the IS operatives have established a headquarters in the district, and are actively recruiting and training locals to join the group as gunmen."They have a lot of money. People here are very poor, and that makes them very easy targets for these foreigners," said Atta Mohammad Haqbayan, the director of Zabul's provincial council. He said that he asked central authorities in Kabul for help to drive the IS operatives out of the province —"but no one is listening to us."In late July, the Afghan military launched an offensive against IS in the east of the country, backed by U.S. forces and air strikes.This week, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that the leader of IS in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hafiz Saeed, was killed some weeks ago in an American drone strike in the eastern province of Nangarhar.U.S. military officials have said that there are between 1,500 and 3,000 IS-linked militants in the eastern region, most of them former operatives for the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban groups. They have direct links with the leadership of IS in Iraq and Syria, and for some months earlier this year held control over a number of districts near the Pakistan border.The commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. John Nicholson, has said that dozens of IS commanders and hundreds of fighters have been killed since the Afghan military declared its offensive in late July. He said many insurgents were now fleeing to the south of the country. It was unclear if they were escaping to Zabul.Afghan officials in Zabul say their requests for military action against IS in the south have gone unanswered. U.S. officials insist there is no substantial evidence to suggest that the Islamic State group is active in Zabul.IS drew attention to its presence in Zabul last November, when the militants kidnapped and killed seven people from the ethnic Hazara group as fierce fighting raged between IS and local Taliban militants. The killing sparked widespread anger among the Hazara community, a Shiite Muslim group that has long faced discrimination, who organized a mass march to the presidential palace in Kabul.Zabul's provincial police chief, Mirwais Noorzai, said the IS operatives in Khak-e-Afghan are well-equipped with satellite communications technology. They have set up camps for training new recruits, he said.Haqbayan, the provincial council director, said local authorities "have proof they are linked with and are in constant contact with Daesh in Iraq and that they receive funding from them." He used an Arabic acronym to refer to the Islamic State group."They directly communicate with Daesh leaders and they are now spending a lot of money on building up the group," Haqbayan told The Associated Press. "It's time to take control of the situation and get rid of them. But if the government doesn't pay attention to them, then they will start fighting. And once they start fighting it could prove very difficult for our forces to defeat them."The spokesman for U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland, said no evidence had been seen by U.S. military intelligence to support the reports of an Islamic State presence in Zabul, despite the accounts of Afghan officials.Using the name the group goes by in Afghanistan, IS-Khorasan — a reference to a broad region of Central Asia that once included parts of Afghanistan — Cleveland told AP: "We believe IS-K is still primarily in two districts of southern Nangarhar, with a very small presence in Kunar province" on the eastern border.IS had said that it aims to overrun the region formerly known as Khorasan, starting from a base in Nangarhar and then moving north toward Central Asia.___O'Donnell reported from Kabul, Afghanistan. Associated Press writer Tim Sullivan in Delhi contributed to this story.
Peshmerga Forces in Iraq Battle IS Outside Mosul-VOA News•August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Kurdish peshmerga forces in Iraq, backed by U.S.-led airstrikes, have begun an operation to retake villages around Mosul from Islamic State militants. Peshmerga officials said Sunday several villages have been secured. Clouds of smoke could be seen rising in the area as fighting continued. The military operation is a major step in the attempt to retake Mosul — Iraq's second largest city — from Islamic State, which captured the city two years ago. Iraq's leaders have promised to retake the northern city this year. Mosul is where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Badhdadi declared a "caliphate" in 2014, covering Iraq and Syria, along with other parts of the region in the Middle East.
Italy warned about Milan-based IS cell, expels imam-[AFP]-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Rome (AFP) - Libyan authorities have warned Italy about an Islamic State cell based in the Milan area with links to one of the jihadist group's battle-hardened veterans, Italian media reported Sunday.The existence of the network was reportedly revealed by documents seized by Libyan agents after government forces took over an IS headquarters in the city of Sirte earlier this week.The Italy-based militants were said to be associates of Abu Nassim, 47, a Tunisian who lived in Italy for most of his 20s and subsequently fought in Afghanistan and Syria, before becoming an IS commander in Libya.The reports came as concerns grow that IS fighters dispersed from Sirte could cross the Mediterranean on migrant boats and mount "lone wolf" terror attacks on Italian territory.Security services have been put on a state of high alert for the peak holiday season and Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has stepped up expulsions of suspected jihadist sympathisers.Late on Saturday, Alfano said he had ordered the deportation of Hosni Hachemi Ben Hassem, a Tunisian imam based in a mosque at Andria in Puglia.The 49-year-old imam had been cleared of charges of recruiting jihadists but Alfano expelled him anyway on the basis of suspected incitement to racial hatred.The cleric is the ninth imam to be kicked out since the start of 2015 under a 'zero tolerance' approach to Islamist militancy which Alfano says has reduced the risk of a terror attack on Italian soil.The centre-right minister has signed a total of 109 expulsion orders since the start of last year, 43 of them in 2016, he said in a statement.- Veteran extremist -Abu Nassim, whose real name is Moez Ben Abdelkader Fezzani, first arrived in Italy in 1989 to work on building sites.Suspected of trying to radicalise and recruit other Arab immigrants, he disappeared in 1997 and resurfaced in Pakistan, on his way to join the late Osama bin Laden's forces in Afghanistan.He was arrested by US forces in 2001 and held at the Bagram airbase detention facility, which was to become notorious for the torture and killing of inmates.Abu Nassim was transferred to Italy in 2009 after prosecutors tabled charges of terrorist recruitment related to his previous stay.He was acquitted in 2012 and deported to Tunisia. He was convicted on appeal the following year, by which time he was already fighting in Syria.Since 2014, he has commanded IS forces around the Libyan port of Sabratha.Tunisia issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the March 2015 Bardo Museum attack in Tunis, in which gunmen killed 21 tourists and a policeman.
EZEKIEL 38:1-7
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
EZEKIEL 39:1-6
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Putin Dismissed His Chief of Staff. What Does It Mean for Russia?-[Foreign Policy Magazine]-Reid Standish-August 12, 2016-YAHOONEWS
In an ornate Kremlin meeting room, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed longtime aide Sergei Ivanov as his chief of staff and anointed Anton Vaino, Ivanov’s former deputy, to take over the influential post, in what amounts to a major reshaping of the country’s elite leadership.In a televised meeting on Russian state television, Putin addressed Ivanov, who he has known since the 1970s, while the three men sat at a table, listening attentively. The Russian leader said he was making the move at Ivanov’s request, and that the former high-ranking KGB officer would now be a special representative focusing on the environment.“I’m happy with how you handle tasks,” Putin said. “I remember well our agreement that you had asked me not to keep you as chief of the presidential administration for more than four years and that is why I understand your desire to choose another line of work.”Ivanov thanked the president for his praise and confirmed that he would be stepping aside. “It’s true that in early 2012 I asked you, in a conversation, to entrust me with this very complicated post, even — you could say — troublesome post, for four years,” said Ivanov with his hands clasped on the table in front of him.But beyond the tightly choreographed meeting, news that the 63-year-old Ivanov — a man who Putin once said was among his most trusted advisors — would request to leave one month before parliamentary elections and in the middle of fresh standoff with Ukraine — has been met with great skepticism. The details behind the high-level shake-up within the Kremlin are not clear, but many analysts view the move as part of a wider trend within Putin’s inner circle: He has been replacing older members with a younger generation of officials to reorder the political elite to his benefit.“Psychologically, it’s easier for Putin these days to be around the people who always thought of him as the great leader and cannot recall the times when Putin was not that great leader,” Stanislav Belkovsky, a former Kremlin spin doctor and Putin critic, told Ekho Moskvy, a prominent Russian radio station, on Friday.In the past year, several senior officials with ties to Putin’s early days in municipal government in St. Petersburg have been dismissed from their posts, including Russian Railways chief Vladimir Yakunin, anti-drug chief Viktor Ivanov, and security service chief Yevgeny Murov. There has even been speculation among Russia watchers that Igor Sechin, another longtime Putin ally and the CEO of the state-run oil behemoth Rosneft, could be phased out.The reshuffling of the top posts in the Russian government continued in July, with Putin replacing four regional governors, the head of the country’s Customs Service, and Russia’s ambassador to Ukraine. In contrast to the cashiered officials, who are over 60 years old, many of their replacements are younger bureaucrats in their 30s and 40s who clawed their way up during Putin’s presidency.Despite being sidelined in a symbolic new post, Ivanov is not completely cut out of the power structures and will retain his seat on the Security Council, Russia’s top security body.But his dismissal may be a harbinger of a new dynamic within the Russian elite. As a leader, Putin has traditionally been “first among equals,” and governed by consensus within his inner circle. However, many analysts say this model changed to one centered on Putin himself after he returned to the presidency in 2012. The centralization was accelerated after the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in early 2014 and the subsequent imposition of Western economic sanctions and collapse of oil prices — both of which have damaged the Russian economy.“If until recently, the system acted in the interests of the bureaucracy, now, it does so ever more in the interests of the leader,” Nikolai Petrov, head of the Center for Political-Geographic Research, a Russian think tank, wrote recently in the newspaper Vedomosti.Ivanov, who has known Putin since the 1970s and worked with the president in both the KGB and its successor agency, the FSB, has a storied career at the highest echelons of Russian power. In 1998, when Putin was appointed head of the FSB, Ivanov became his deputy at the security agency. In 2001, after Putin was elected to his first term as president, Ivanov became defense minister and was later appointed deputy prime minister in 2007, shortly before the end of Putin’s second term as president.Dmitry Medvedev and Ivanov became fierce rivals in the jostling to succeed Putin as president in 2008, when his terms limit expired and he had to don the title of prime minister. Both Medvedev and Ivanov unofficially campaigned to be Putin’s successor, making regular public appearances and discussing political issues on television. Medvedev was eventually tapped to become president — reportedly because he was seen by Putin as more malleable than the strong-willed Ivanov — who had known the president since his days as a lowly KGB officer and maintained influence among Russia’s security services.To replace Ivanov, Putin has selected Vaino, a 44-year-old career diplomat, who has worked his way up through Russia’s bureaucratic greasy pole. Vaino began his work in the Kremlin in 2003, handling ceremonial duties for Putin and has worked his way up the ranks, eventually being appointed Ivanov’s deputy in 2012. He remains a little-known figure whose family descends from the old Soviet Communist Party elite and is not believed to be beholden to any interest or group within Russia — except to Putin himself.
Suspected rebels kill at least 36 in eastern Congo-[Reuters]-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Suspected rebels killed at least 36 civilians in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the provincial governor said on Sunday, marking the deadliest massacre in the conflict-ravaged region this year.The assailants hacked to death 22 men and 14 women late on Saturday in their homes and fields on the outskirts of the local commercial hub of Beni, Julien Paluku said in a statement.The population of Beni "has once again been hit by terrorist acts of diverse origins whose objective is to sabotage the efforts at peace undertaken over the last two years," he said.Local activists say more than 500 civilians have been killed near Beni since October 2014, most in overnight raids by rebels carried out with machetes and hatchets.Local army spokesman Mak Hazukay told Reuters that the attack was staged in the early evening by rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist militia that has operated in eastern Congo since the 1990s.The ADF, a secretive organization of only a few hundred fighters, did not comment.Hazukay said the raid was in reprisal for army operations against the ADF, which the government says is responsible for nearly all the attacks near Beni over the last year.However, a United Nations panel of experts and independent analysts says that other armed groups, including some Congolese soldiers, have been involved in attacks on civilians.It appeared to be the deadliest attack in the area since an assault blamed on the ADF in November 2014 killed some 80 people."The goal of the attack is to incite the population to rise up against us," Hazukay said.Omar Kavota, the executive director at the Centre of Study for the Promotion of Peace, Democracy and Human Rights that documents violence in North Kivu, said he had received reports of as many as 50 dead.Eastern Congo is plagued by dozens of armed groups that prey on locals and exploit mineral reserves. Millions died there between 1996 and 2003 as a regional conflict caused hunger and disease.Analysts say insufficient intelligence, coordination and resources have rendered the Congolese army and the country's U.N. peacekeeping force ineffective against the small ADF force, raising tensions in the region.On Sunday, dozens took to the streets in Beni, erecting barricades in protest against the army's inability to deal with the attacks, witnesses said.(Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Edward McAllister and Tom Heneghan)
Yemen army pushes al Qaeda fighters from two cities, about 40 dead-[Reuters]-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
ADEN (Reuters) - Yemeni army forces backed by Arab coalition aircraft killed about 40 suspected al Qaeda fighters on Sunday as they fought their way into two militant strongholds in eastern Yemen, a local official and residents said.Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has exploited a 16-month-old civil war between the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Iran-allied Houthis to capture a 600-km (370-mile) stretch of Arabian Sea coastline in eastern Yemen.Hadi's troops and forces from the Saudi-led Arab coalition drove out AQAP - widely considered the most dangerous branch of the global militant group - from the Hadramout provincial capital of Mukalla in April.The militants have since repeatedly withdrawn from and then returned to Zinjibar and Jaar, the capital of Abyan and the province's second largest city.Abyan Governor Al-Khader Mohammed al-Saidi, speaking by telephone from Jaar, told Reuters that three brigades took part in the operation and that troops have "taken complete control of both cities".Saidi said that 40 AQAP members were killed in both cities, while the rest fled. He said three soldiers were killed and several were wounded in the operation."We met with citizens and fighters and both were happy to be free under government authority," the governor said.Residents said an AQAP suicide bomber blew himself up in a car trying to attack troops in Zinjibar, a city of some 100,000 people, but no one else was hurt.Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies intervened in the civil war in Yemen in March last year after the Houthis advanced on his headquarters in the southern port city of Aden and forced him to flee to Riyadh.The war has killed more than 6,500 people, displaced more than 2.5 million and caused a humanitarian catastrophe in one of the world's poorest countries.Coalition bombing had mostly focused on the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, but began turning their attention to AQAP earlier this year when forces funded and trained by the United Arab Emirates launched a surprise attack to win Mukalla.But an armed push toward Qaeda-held towns in Abyan and neighboring Lahj province proved more difficult, and militants launched repeated suicide attacks against Yemeni forces.(Reporting By Mohammed Mukhashaf; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Violence Erupts in Milwaukee After Police Fatally Shoot Man-By DAVID CAPLAN-AUG 14,16-YAHOONEWS-Good Morning America
Violence erupted in Milwaukee Saturday night after a police officer shot and killed a 23-year-old man, whom police say was armed.Protesters filled the streets in the neighborhood where the shooting happened, and were met by riot gear-wearing police. According to police, between 200 and 800 people filled the streets. Three people were arrested police said late Saturday night.According to Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett, things got "out of hand" as people started to use Facebook to get the word out to congregate near the scene of the crime.Then, the scene quickly became violent and chaotic: Protesters set four businesses and several police cars on fire, hurled bricks through police car windows, threw rocks at police and vandalized bus shelters and street lights. Some social media users posted videos of what appeared to be individuals looting a small grocery store.An officer was hospitalized after being struck in the head by a brick that came crashing through his squad car's window.Crowd breaks widows of unoccupied squad near Sherman and Auer. Other squad set afire and broken windows on another. pic.twitter.com/Jux2mJZYyQ — Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016-MPD officer undergoing treatment at local hospital after brick thrown through squad window, striking officer in the head.— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016-A BP gas station was also set on fire, but police said the blaze could not initially be extinguished due to gunshots being fired by protesters. Three people were inside the gas station, but they safely escaped, police said.Gas station at Sherman and Burleigh set on fire. MFD cannot extinguish fire as gunshots are being fired.— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016-Sad Milwaukee. Gas station at Sherman and Burleigh on fire. Fire Dept can't put it out because of gun shots. pic.twitter.com/EzCEXwfjSZ— Steven Radmer (@Steven_R) August 14, 2016-Blazes were also spotted burning at several other businesses, including an O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store, a beauty salon and a bank.Looks like roof of auto parts store has collapsed.https://t.co/XnwPFuHWT1 pic.twitter.com/fewtOXMGEi— BJ Lutz (@bjlutz) August 14, 2016-A THIRD fire .. this one at a beauty supply store in #Milwaukee after unrest from officer-involved shooting pic.twitter.com/xzbT8BsQuO— BJ Lutz (@bjlutz) August 14, 2016-Arrests made in area of disturbance. MPD continues efforts to disperse crowd.— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016-Protesters also appeared to vandalize traffic lights and a bus shelter.Protesters attempting to take down traffic light near Burleigh and Sherman in Milwaukee pic.twitter.com/4qLUdTbfjB— Steven Radmer (@Steven_R) August 14, 2016-Earlier in the day, Milwaukee Police described the deceased suspect as a 23-year-old Milwaukee man "with a lengthy arrest record." His name was not released.Preliminary: Suspect shot by MPD near 44th & Auer. Suspect is deceased. Officers not injured. Media to stage at 45 & Auer.— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 13, 2016-In a statement, Milwaukee Police said of the fatal shooting, "A Milwaukee Police officer shot and killed an armed suspect fleeing from a car on Milwaukee’s North Side. The incident began when two uniformed MPD officers stopped two suspects in a car in the 3200 block of N. 44th Street at about 3:30 p.m. on August 13. Shortly after stopping the suspects, both occupants fled from the car on foot. The officers pursued the suspects, and during the foot pursuit one officer shot one suspect, armed with a semiautomatic handgun, in a yard also in the 3200 block of N. 44th Street. The suspect died from his injuries at the scene."Armed Suspect Shot, Killed by MPD Officer https://t.co/tVNFaXb2IP pic.twitter.com/9iihObnhIL— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 13, 2016-At a press conference late Saturday night, mayor Tom Barrett elaborated on the foot chase, saying that the officer involved in the shooting was chasing the suspect when he was ordered to drop his weapon. When the suspect did not comply with orders, the officer fired several times hitting the suspect with 2 bullets in the chest and in the arm.The officer, who was not injured, is a 24-year-old male with six years of service with the MPD, three years as an officer, MPD said.Mayor Barrett said the officer was wearing a body camera which was operating at the time of the shooting.Police earlier said that the handgun the suspect was armed with was taken in a burglary in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last March. The victim of that burglary reported 500 rounds of ammunition were also stolen with the handgun. Mayor Barrett said the gun that was recovered had 23 rounds in it.Earlier in the day, police said in a statement that the officer "will be placed on administrative duty during the investigation and subsequent review by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office."At the late night press conference, a couple of city councilors spoke about "racial problems" and "injustices" that African-American residents face. One of the officials claimed local officials have neglected the area of the city where the shooting took place, turning a blind eye to murders and shootings.Mayor Barrett says he plans to spend Saturday meeting with church and community leaders, adding that the police presence will continue to be very strong.ABC News' Joshua Hoyos, Alexandra Faul, Brendan Rand and Lucien Bruggeman contributed to this report.
Georgia Police Officer Shot and Killed, Suspect on the Run-By DAVID CAPLAN-AUG 14,16-YAHOONEWS-Good Morning America
A Georgia police officer was fatally shot Saturday night by a suspect who remains on the run, officials said.Eastman Police Department officer Tim Smith was on vehicle patrol in Eastman -- located about 140 miles southeast of Atlanta -- when he encountered the suspect walking in a residential area after responding to a suspicious person call around 9:30 p.m., said Georgia Bureau of Investigations special agent Scott Whitley.Smith left his vehicle, and was then shot. The suspect then fled the scene.Smith was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, Whitley said.The suspect is considered to be armed and dangerous, and there are concentrated patrol efforts in the vicinity of the area.This story is developing. Please check back for updates.ABC News' Devin Villacis contributed to this report.
Islamic State losses mount with liberation of Syrian town-[Associated Press]-August 13, 2016-YAHOONEWS
The Islamic State group's loss of the northern Syrian town of Manbij to U.S.-backed fighters marks the latest in a string of defeats for the extremists across their self-styled caliphate in Syria and Iraq.The strategic town, which lies on a supply route between the Turkish border and the de facto IS capital, Raqqa, fell to the Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces on Friday after more than two months of heavy fighting and U.S.-led airstrikes. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the fighting claimed more than 1,700 lives, including more than 400 civilians.IS still controls large areas of Syria as well as Iraq's second largest city, Mosul. It has also claimed major terrorist attacks in recent months, including the Orlando shooting, the Nice truck attack, and a Baghdad bombing that killed some 300 people.But Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the top U.S. commander for the fight against IS, said this week that some 45,000 IS militants have been removed from the battlefield, reducing the group's total numbers to as few as 15,000.Here is a look at the IS group's recent territorial setbacks.___FALLUJAH-Iraqi forces captured Fallujah in late June after a five-week offensive. Fallujah is just an hour's drive west of Baghdad, and in early 2014 became the first Iraqi city to fall to IS. The Sunni city was an insurgent stronghold following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and more than 100 American soldiers were killed in house-by-house fighting there in 2004.___PALMYRA-Syrian government forces aided by Russian airstrikes drove IS out of Palmyra, an eastern oasis town known for its stunning Roman-era ruins, in March. During their 10-month reign, the extremists destroyed 2,000-year-old temples and other monuments in the town's UNESCO world heritage site, once one of Syria's main tourist attractions. The extremists view such ancient ruins as monuments to idolatry.___RAMADI-Iraq declared the capital of its western Anbar province "fully liberated" in February after months of fighting. As in Fallujah, Iraqi forces laid siege to the city and then gradually pushed in with the aid of heavy U.S. airstrikes. The battle to recapture Ramadi destroyed much of the city, and most of its residents have yet to return home.___SHADDADEH-The SDF captured some 2,400 square kilometers (927 square miles) of territory from IS in northern Syria in February alone, including the strategic town of Shaddadeh, on the main road linking Raqqa and Mosul. The strip of territory along the Turkish border had been used to bring in supplies and foreign fighters.___SINJAR-Iraqi and Syrian Kurdish forces pushed IS out of Sinjar, west of Mosul, in November 2015 with the help of a U.S.-led air campaign. When IS overran the town in 2014, the extremists killed and enslaved thousands of members of Iraq's Yazidi religious minority. The recapture of the town severed a major supply route between IS-ruled territories in Iraq and Syria.___TAL ABYAD-Syrian Kurdish forces captured the northern Syrian town of Tal Abyad in July 2015, handing the extremist group its biggest loss in Syria since the establishment of its self-proclaimed caliphate the year before. The loss of Tal Abyad severed the most direct supply route from the Turkish border to Raqqa, forcing IS to rely on a narrow belt of territory further west, including Manbij.___SIRTE-The Libyan city of Sirte, seized by a powerful IS affiliate last year, was once seen as a fallback option for the extremist group if it were ever defeated in Iraq and Syria. But Libyan forces launched an offensive to retake Sirte in June, and earlier this week captured a number of strategic locations with the aid of U.S. airstrikes. Officials say the city is now 70 percent liberated.
Hackers Claim to Have Released House Democrats' Personal Information-By ALEXANDER MALLIN, BENJAMIN SIEGEL and MORGAN WINSOR-AUG 13,16-YAHOONEWS-Good Morning America
Hackers are claiming to have released the personal information of nearly all Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, including members' private cell phone numbers and email addresses.The FBI is looking into the matter, with officials suspecting that Russian hackers are behind the cyberattack on Democratic organizations that came to public attention late last month.The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) national press secretary Meredith Kelly told ABC News that the committee is aware of reports that sensitive information belonging to congressional Democrats has been leaked.The alleged leak comes after the campaign committee told ABC News in late July it had been “the target of a cybersecurity incident,” just weeks after the Democratic National Committee also revealed it was hacked.“As previously noted, the DCCC has been the target of a cybersecurity incident, and we are cooperating with federal law enforcement in their ongoing investigation. We are aware of reports that documents claimed to be from our network have been released and are investigating their authenticity,” Kelly said in a statement to ABC News late Friday.House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking Democrat in Congress, sent a letter to party members on Saturday, calling the incident an "electronic Watergate.""As you are aware, the DCCC and other Democratic Party entities have been the target of cybersecurity intrusions -- an electronic Watergate break-in," Pelosi wrote. "As of last night, a mix of personal and official information of Democratic Members and hundreds of congressional staff, purportedly from a hack of the DCCC, was posted online."Pelosi said she was among those whose phone number was leaked. She said she is changing her number and urged her Democratic colleagues to do the same."On a personal note, I was in the air flying from Florida to California when the news broke. Upon landing, I have received scores of mostly obscene and sick calls, voicemails and text messages," she wrote. "This is a sad course of events, not only for us, but more importantly for our country."The House Democratic Caucus also sent a notice to its members early Saturday morning advising them to change the passwords to all their email accounts, even personal ones, and "to strongly consider changing passwords associated with sensitive personal accounts such as banking institutions."Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement Friday night that releasing private information “is never acceptable.”"The unauthorized disclosure of people's personally identifiable information is never acceptable, and we can fully expect the authorities will be investigating the posting of this information,” Schiff said. "I have every confidence that law enforcement will get to the bottom of this, and identify the responsible parties. And when they do, I hope the administration will disclose who is attempting to interfere with the American political process, and levy strong consequences against those responsible."ABC News has reached out to several Democratic lawmakers’ offices to further verify the accuracy of reports of the leak.Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Targeted by Cyber-Attack, Official Says 'Beyond a Reasonable Doubt,' Russians Hacked DNC, Analyst Says-An investigation into the cyberattack on the DCCC, the official campaign arm for House Democrats, is ongoing but investigators have said "this is similar to other recent incidents, including the DNC breach," Kelly said in a statement to ABC News in late July.She said the campaign committee is working with federal law enforcement to further investigate the matter. The committee has also hired outside forensic experts at CrowdStrike to investigate.CrowdStrike was the first to analyze the Democratic National Committee hack and brought in three independent cybersecurity firms to examine parts of malware that infected computers belonging to the party's national committee. In June, CrowdStrike identified two Russian hacker groups that the firm said were working for two rival Russian intelligence agencies.Michael Buratowski, senior vice president of cybersecurity services at Fidelis Cybersecurity, investigated the DNC hack alongside Crowdstrike. He told ABC News that Russian hackers, typing on keyboards configured in Cyrillic and doing it in a time zone consistent with Moscow, created the “eloquent” code that breached computers belonging to the DNC.“This was absolutely not an amateur operation … When you look at the totality of all those pieces and you put them together, it kind of paints a really good picture of who the actor was,” Buratowski said an interview in late July. “I come from a law enforcement background, and it’s [about being] beyond a reasonable doubt. And I would say it’s beyond a reasonable doubt … I’m very confident that the malware that we looked at [was from] Russian actors.”“When we looked at the malware, we found that it was very, very eloquent in its design as well as its functionality -- very advanced, not something that script user or lower-level hacker would be able to really generate or customize,” he said.ABC News’ Jordyn Phelps, Brian Ross, Lee Ferran, James Gordon Meek, Matthew Mosk, Rhonda Schwartz and Pierre Thomas contributed to this report.
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.
Historic' Louisiana Flooding: 3 Dead, More Than 1,000 Rescued-By MORGAN WINSOR-AUG 14,16-YAHOONEWS-Good Morning America
At least three people have died and over a thousand have been rescued from severe flooding across central and southern Louisiana that has led the governor to declare a state of emergency, officials said.An elderly man drowned after slipping and falling in high waters amid heavy rain in East Baton Rouge Parish. And in St. Helena Parish, a man died when his pickup truck was swept off a flooded highway and submerged underwater, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a news conference today. A woman was also recovered from the Tickfaw River earlier today, according to Michael Martin, chief of operations for the St. Helena Sheriff's Office.Edwards called the floods "unprecedented" and "historic," according to The Associated Press, which also noted that the governor and his family were forced to leave the governor's mansion when chest-high water filled the basement and electricity was shut off.Crews are working to rescue another person, though they expect this person may have also died in the disaster, according to St. Helena Parish Sheriff's Office chief of operations Michael Martin.In St. Helena Parish, about 210 people have been rescued from flooding so far, and three people in the community are believed to be missing, Martin said.In Livingston Parish, which saw more than 17 inches of rain on Friday alone, officials said over a thousand people have been rescued from flooding so far as of Saturday morning, and they’re working to save another 150 in the Watson area. The Louisiana National Guard is sending a helicopter to assist with rescues in the drenched community.In East Baton Rouge Parish, officials said more than 200 people have been rescued from flooding and 42 roads have been closed. The parish seat, Baton Rouge, had over 8 inches of rain on Friday, its wettest day on record.The flooding this week also closed many schools in the Baton Rouge area, including Louisiana State University.In Tangipahoa Parish, which is east of Baton Rouge and north of New Orleans, officials rescued 140 people from high waters and closed 80 roads due to flooding, the parish’s president Robby Miller said Friday.Miller said he has never seen flood water rise so quickly in the area before.As a result of the heavy rain and widespread flooding, Louisiana Gov. Edwards declared a state of emergency for the entire state to stay in effect until Sept. 10. Officials are urging people to stay off the roads.“We are in constant contact with local officials and first responders, and assistance is already on the move to affected parishes,” Edwards said in a press release Friday. “The most important thing to remember is to obey road signs and to constantly monitor the news for updates to ensure everyone’s safety. Every available resource will be used to assist citizens as this situation continues to unfold."Within the southeast state, there are 18 parishes with emergency declarations and three others in the process of making emergency declarations. Meanwhile, flash flood warnings remain in effect for parts of Louisiana through the weekend.And the rainfall isn't over. An additional 5 inches of rain is expected to douse parts of Louisiana this weekend -- including some areas that have already had more than a foot of rain.ABC News’ Alex Faul, Daniel Manzo and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Firefighters bringing blazes under control in Portugal, France-[AFP]-August 12, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Lisbon (AFP) - Firefighters were making progress in quenching forest fires that have ravaged parts of Portugal and France, officials said Friday, as Spain faced a rash of possibly deliberate blazes.The situation had calmed down on the frontline of fires in northern Portugal and on the island of Madeira where three people perished this week in the flames."Weather conditions improved overnight, the wind is a bit calmer and we have been able to make progress," Carlos Guerra, an official with the national civil protection authority, told Lusa news agency.The mercury on Thursday topped 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), the hottest temperature on Madeira since 1976, with winds gusting to 90 kilometres (55 miles) per hour.On Friday nearly 1,400 firefighters continued to battle some six major fires in northern Portugal, but they have succeeded in halving the number of blazes, officials said.Portugal has been aided by water bombers sent by Italy, Spain and Morocco, and on Friday it announced two more planes were coming from Russia.In southern France, firefighters said Friday that they had managed to extinguish the blazes that swept through more than 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) north of Marseille for the past two days as the Mistral wind that had fanned the flames dropped sharply.Three houses, a restaurant and a car repair garage were gutted by fire and another 17 houses were damaged.- Suspicious fires -Prosecutors are investigating the cause of a fire in Vitrolles, north of Marseille, after a man was arrested near the outbreak when local residents saw him acting suspiciously.French President Francois Hollande said Thursday the authorities believe some of the fires were started deliberately. He vowed the perpetrators would be tracked down.Likewise in Spain, officials said Friday that over the past few days in Galicia on the Atlantic coast, the number of fires have increased in a way that raises suspicions they were deliberately set."We cannot confirm it until police establish the cause (of the fires), but we know that in the last few days, different incendiary devices have been discovered on site," a source in the regional government told AFP.In all, firefighters in Spain are battling some 15 blazes which have ravaged more than 5,800 hectares in five days.Five of the fires were still advancing Friday including three that threatened homes.A 56-year-old woman has been arrested suspected of lighting around 15 fires that were quickly extinguished near her home in a village in Galicia since July 18, the civil guard said.She is suspected of having placed decorative candles in the woods to start blazes, a civil guard member said.The fires sweeping through Galicia's forested mountains are damaging to the region's logging industry.Its federation issued a statement Thursday calling for "zero tolerance" and severe punishment for anyone found responsible for igniting the flames.Separately, a fire that has destroyed more than 4,800 hectares of pine woods on La Palma, the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands, was brought under control after eight days.The blaze claimed the life of a park ranger. A German man who allegedly sparked the fire by burning toilet paper has been remanded in custody.And in France's Pyrenees region near the Spanish border, a fire that erupted Thursday forced the evacuation of 60 people as the flames edged dangerously close to a village, police said."The smoke was so thick that we couldn't see the village, which is just a kilometre from here," said local tourist official Nathalie Dephino.The town's deputy mayor Patricia Vignon said Friday the fires had been put out and air tankers had dumped water on the scorched areas to ensure the fires do not re-ignite.
Fire breaks out at asylum-seeker facility in Germany-[Associated Press]-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
BERLIN (AP) — German authorities say 16 asylum seekers suffered from smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a container housing facility in the central city of Kassel.The Kassel fire department told the dpa news agency the fire started inside one of the residences Sunday and that an anti-migrant attack had been ruled out.About 200 firefighters battled for several hours to control the fire, which burned more than a dozen of the temporary housing units, sending thick smoke billowing into the air that was visible for kilometers (miles) around.Around 120 asylum-seekers live in the facility at the former Kassel airport and authorities say it was lucky that the fire broke out in the daytime while most of them were out of their homes.The cause is under investigation.
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
Cyclospora outbreak in Canada possibly linked to imported produce-AUG 14,16-YAHOONEWS
The federal government is advising Canadians to check where their produce comes from after an outbreak of cyclospora was reported in four provinces.The Public Health Agency of Canada said 51 cases of the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis were recorded in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia between May and July this year.The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it is still looking into a food source linked to the outbreak.The Public Health Agency advises anyone who believes they are ill to stay hydrated and contact a health-care provider.The health agency added that previous outbreaks in Canada and the U.S. have been linked to produce like pre-packaged salad mix, basil, cilantro, raspberries, blackberries, mesclun lettuce and snow and snap peas Most people who contract the illness recover fully, but it may take up to seven weeks before their symptoms disappear, according to health officials.What is cyclospora? According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, cyclospora is a parasite that causes an infection affecting the small intestines and which can lead to "watery diarrhea, with frequent, sometimes explosive, bowel movements."The parasite is spread by people ingesting food contaminated with feces, which public health officials call poor toileting practices — farm workers defecating in fields, or not washing their hands after a bowel movement, for example.While some bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses can be transported via produce, eggs and meat, cyclospora are only known to be transmitted on produce.Symptoms include watery diarrhea, abdominal bloating and gas, fatigue, stomach cramps, loss of appetite, weight loss, mild fever and nausea.It is hard to prevent cyclosporiasis, since washing contaminated produce does not get rid of the parasite, according to health officials.As a result, the government recommends cooking produce from countries where cyclospora is found. According to the health agency, the parasite is common in tropical and subtropical countries including Peru, Cuba, India, Nepal, Mexico, Guatemala and Dominican Republic, as well as in Southeast Asia.It says cyclospora is not commonly found on produce from Canada, the United States and European countries.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
One month after coup bid, Turkey transformed-[AFP]-Stuart Williams-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Istanbul (AFP) - With a thorough shake-up of its armed forces, a reassessment of foreign policy and the biggest purge in its modern history, Turkey has undergone a transformation in the month since the July 15 coup bid.On the surface, street life has returned to its normal bustle in Istanbul and Ankara, where terrified residents witnessed bombings by fighter jets and tanks driving amok in the streets on the night of the attempted putsch.But the huge red Turkish flags hanging from public buildings, billboards hailing the coup's defeat and pictures in metro stations of the "martyrs" killed are all reminders that life is not the same as it was before the events which began at around 1900 GMT on July 15.The plotters, whom Ankara says were directed by the mysterious US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, sought to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power and impose a military regime.Instead, they were arrested en-masse, giving the president a chance to drive through some of the most significant changes in this country of 79 million since the foundation in 1923 of the modern Turkish Republic out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.- At a strategic crossroads -The authorities say the coup was driven by rogue Gulen loyalists within the military, which has been a pillar of the Republic since its foundation, and almost one half of its contingent of generals have since been detained and fired.Erdogan has moved to bring the general staff and other military departments directly under his control and that of his government in a historic "civilianisation" of an institution that had previously ousted governments three times by means of a coup."A revolutionary civilianisation process has been spearheaded by the government with the aim of further decreasing the scope of the military in politics and society," Metin Gurcan and Megan Gisclon wrote in a paper for the Istanbul Policy Centre (IPC).They said the authorities could now choose between continuing the reforms in a democratic way or subduing the military without consultation."A strategic turning point is now before Turkey."So far untouched by the shake-up is the powerful National Intelligence Agency (MIT), which has faced vehement criticism for failing to warn Erdogan about the coup. But the government has vowed it will also undergo restructuring.- 'Test to rebuild' -The scale of the general crackdown after the coup has prompted accusations from the West of a witch-hunt. But Turkish officials say it points to the extent to which Gulen had penetrated all state institutions.Over 76,000 people have been dismissed from their jobs, mostly in the education sector where Gulen's influence was greatest and a total of over 35,000 people detained.Ankara has swatted back the criticism of the West, angrily accusing it of failing to show solidarity in Turkey's time of need and with pro-government media speculating that the United States even had a hand in the plot.Washington and Ankara could be heading for a collision course over Gulen, whom Turkey wants to see extradited from his secluded compound in Pennsylvania in a potentially fraught process.Meanwhile, Turkey's bid to join the EU that dates back to the 1960s is enduring its worst crisis in years as controversy simmers over the crackdown that prompted Austria to break a years-long taboo and call for accession talks to be stopped."The failed coup wasn't in any way a test that the EU or US failed.... The 'test' is for Turkey to rebuild itself as best it can," said Marc Pierini, a former EU ambassador to Ankara and visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe."West-bashing won't help Turkey return to normalcy. It will just complicate matters."Erdogan's popularity has surged in opinion polls and he has brought two opposition parties into talks on constitutional reforms -- but has excluded the main Kurdish political force whom he accuses of links to militants.- 'Reset with Russia' -The pro-Western tilt of Turkey -- a NATO member since 1952 -- has been the cornerstone of its foreign policy ever since it troubled the Allies by staying neutral for almost all of World War II.In late June, Turkey moved to overcome a months-long diplomatic crisis caused by the shooting-down of a Russian war plane, and Erdogan's first foreign visit after the coup was to meet President Vladimir Putin, raising fears that Ankara could be re-orientating its stance.The Turkish leader, who had earlier castigated the West's response to the coup, thanked Putin for expressing support so quickly and declared cooperation on key projects like a Black Sea gas pipeline was back on track."In contrast to Western leaders, Putin is using the occasion to reset Russian-Turkish relations," said Kemal Kirisci of the Brookings Institution.But he said that with 44 percent of Turkish exports going to the EU in 2014 and 4 percent to Russia, the "bloc is still Turkey’s economic lifeline."
French court rejects bid to shut 72 migrant camp eateries-[Associated Press]-August 12, 2016-YAHOONEWS
PARIS (AP) — A French court rejected a demand Friday to close 72 eateries and shops in the makeshift migrant camp in the northern port city of Calais, but the prefecture said it will continue legal action against what it calls a dangerous underground economy.The Lille court turned down the demand of the Prefecture of the Pas de Calais region, the state representative, to permanently close the operations which humanitarian organizations contend are a lifeline for the estimated more than 7,000 migrants in the camp, commonly known as "the Jungle."A statement by the prefecture said the installations don't respect sanitation rules, risk fires and are a source of public disorder."Administrative inspections of the underground commerce and judicial actions will be continued," it said.Later, the prefect for Calais, Vincent Berton, announced that the state was lodging an appeal against the court decision.Thousands of free meals are legally handed out daily to migrants by a state-backed association at the camp and others. However, humanitarian organizations contend that this is not enough food for the growing number of migrants in the camp, and migrants can stand in line for hours for a meal.The prefecture sent inspectors into the camp in July to check shops and restaurants, including hairdressers, seizing and destroying numerous products and detaining 19 people.Shops and restaurants were then ordered closed — though some reopen quietly at nightfall.Maya Konforti of Auberge des Migrants, or Migrants Shelter, a mainstay aid association for migrants, said the court decision allows aid groups and migrants to buy time."We're going to see ... how we can improve things," she said by telephone. But, she added that "a restaurant in the jungle will never be legal." The court action, she said, is "sheer harassment."The prefecture razed the southern half of the Calais camp in July, after a court gave the green light — but barred the destruction of houses of worship and schools.Most migrants in Calais, from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and sub-Saharan Africa, travel to northern France to try to sneak across the English Channel to Britain.
New Boko Haram video 'shows Chibok girls'-[AFP]-Aminu Abubakar with Stephanie Findlay in Lagos-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Boko Haram on Sunday released a new video purportedly showing some of the Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped from Chibok more than two years ago, and called for its detained fighters to be freed.The government said it was in touch with those claiming to be behind the undated video, which shows groups of girls in Islamic dress standing or sitting around a masked man armed with an assault rifle.The film was issued just days after embattled Boko Haram head Abubakar Shekau denied claims he had been replaced as the leader of the Nigeria-based jihadist group.The mass kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in April 2014 provoked global outrage and brought unprecedented attention to Boko Haram and its bloody quest to create a fundamentalist state in northeastern Nigeria.A man wearing camouflage gear in the video called on the government to release Boko Haram fighters in exchange for the girls."They should immediately release our brethren in their custody," the man said, warning that if the prisoners are not released the government will never be able to rescue the girls."They should know that their children are still in our hands," he said in the film posted on YouTube that appears to show some women injured after an air strike.While President Muhammadu Buhari has said the group is "technically defeated", his government has struggled to find the girls, an enduring political embarrassment that highlights Boko Haram's continued presence in the region.The video was attributed to the original Boko Haram name, not the new Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), suggesting it was released by Shekau's faction, although it is not known when or where it was filmed."There are a number of the girls, about 40 of them, that have been married," said the man in the 11-minute video. "Some of them have died as a result of aerial bombardment."A girl speaking in the Chibok dialect chokes back tears as she describes an air strike by Nigerian armed forces.In the background, several girls look visibly distressed and dab their eyes. One is holding a small baby.- 'Sense of desperation' -"This focuses on using the girls as a bargaining chip," Ryan Cummings, director at intelligence firm Signal Risk, told AFP."The video shows that the war effort is hurting the operations of the group," he said. "It does have a sense of almost desperation from Boko Haram."The Nigerian government said it is in contact with those claiming to be behind the video but was acting cautiously given the leadership split."Since this is not the first time we have been contacted over the issue, we want to be doubly sure that those we are in touch with are who they claim to be," Information Minister Lai Mohammed said in a statement.Last week, the shadowy Shekau appeared in a video vowing to fight on, shrugging off an apparent split after he was said to have been replaced by Islamic State-backed rival Abu Musab al-Barnawi.Barnawi has criticised Shekau's indiscriminate and brutal leadership in Nigeria that has seen Boko Haram fighters kill thousands of people in mosques and markets and raze entire cities.In March 2015, Shekau pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and changed Boko Haram's name to ISWAP, prompting fears the Nigerian insurgency would be bolstered by its connection to the global jihadists.However, there have been few signs that Boko Haram has benefited from the alliance, as the Nigerian military recaptures territory once controlled by the insurgents.Over the past year, the military has announced the rescue of hundreds of people, most of them women and children, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram.But the missing Chibok girls were not among them, despite several unconfirmed sightings.- 'Heartbreaking' video -In the hours that followed the 2014 mass kidnap, dozens of girls managed to escape.Of the 219 still missing, just one was found, Amina Ali, in May this year near the Sambisa Forest area of Borno state, a known Boko Haram hideout.Abubakar Abdullahi, a spokesman for the Bring Back Our Girls movement, told AFP that one of the girls had been identified in what he described as a "heartbreaking" video."One of our members has recognised a girl. We are still in the process of confirming a few of the girls," Abdullahi said."We've always believed they will be back, but it's also painful," he said, criticising the government for being unable to rescue the girls."The frustration will always be there. We failed them on so many instances."Boko Haram has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and displacing more than 2.6 million people since it launched a brutal insurgency in Nigeria in 2009 that has since spread into several neighbouring countries.
Afghan officials: IS expands presence in restive south-[Associated Press]-MIRWAIS KHAN and LYNNE O'DONNELL-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — The Islamic State group, which has been building a presence in Afghanistan for more than a year, has established a recruitment and training camp in a restive southern province bordering Pakistan, Afghan officials said.Last year, hundreds of insurgents fled to Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan, where the military launched a campaign to clear militants from the lawless tribal regions in the country's north. Among them were members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, who joined forces with local Taliban fighters to attack northern Afghan cities such as Kunduz, which was briefly overrun in September.The Pakistani military campaign also caused around 400 families loyal to the Islamic State group to flee to Afghanistan, Afghan authorities said. The families, many of them Arabs and Chechens, settled in the southern province of Zabul, in the district of Khak-e-Afghan, a former Taliban stronghold with a history of militant violence that has made it a no-go area for Afghan security forces.The long-term intentions of the IS loyalists in Khak-e-Afghan were initially unclear. Locals said they kept to themselves but appeared wealthy, purchasing expensive properties and never bargaining down prices in the bazaar.Now officials say the IS operatives have established a headquarters in the district, and are actively recruiting and training locals to join the group as gunmen."They have a lot of money. People here are very poor, and that makes them very easy targets for these foreigners," said Atta Mohammad Haqbayan, the director of Zabul's provincial council. He said that he asked central authorities in Kabul for help to drive the IS operatives out of the province —"but no one is listening to us."In late July, the Afghan military launched an offensive against IS in the east of the country, backed by U.S. forces and air strikes.This week, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that the leader of IS in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hafiz Saeed, was killed some weeks ago in an American drone strike in the eastern province of Nangarhar.U.S. military officials have said that there are between 1,500 and 3,000 IS-linked militants in the eastern region, most of them former operatives for the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban groups. They have direct links with the leadership of IS in Iraq and Syria, and for some months earlier this year held control over a number of districts near the Pakistan border.The commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. John Nicholson, has said that dozens of IS commanders and hundreds of fighters have been killed since the Afghan military declared its offensive in late July. He said many insurgents were now fleeing to the south of the country. It was unclear if they were escaping to Zabul.Afghan officials in Zabul say their requests for military action against IS in the south have gone unanswered. U.S. officials insist there is no substantial evidence to suggest that the Islamic State group is active in Zabul.IS drew attention to its presence in Zabul last November, when the militants kidnapped and killed seven people from the ethnic Hazara group as fierce fighting raged between IS and local Taliban militants. The killing sparked widespread anger among the Hazara community, a Shiite Muslim group that has long faced discrimination, who organized a mass march to the presidential palace in Kabul.Zabul's provincial police chief, Mirwais Noorzai, said the IS operatives in Khak-e-Afghan are well-equipped with satellite communications technology. They have set up camps for training new recruits, he said.Haqbayan, the provincial council director, said local authorities "have proof they are linked with and are in constant contact with Daesh in Iraq and that they receive funding from them." He used an Arabic acronym to refer to the Islamic State group."They directly communicate with Daesh leaders and they are now spending a lot of money on building up the group," Haqbayan told The Associated Press. "It's time to take control of the situation and get rid of them. But if the government doesn't pay attention to them, then they will start fighting. And once they start fighting it could prove very difficult for our forces to defeat them."The spokesman for U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland, said no evidence had been seen by U.S. military intelligence to support the reports of an Islamic State presence in Zabul, despite the accounts of Afghan officials.Using the name the group goes by in Afghanistan, IS-Khorasan — a reference to a broad region of Central Asia that once included parts of Afghanistan — Cleveland told AP: "We believe IS-K is still primarily in two districts of southern Nangarhar, with a very small presence in Kunar province" on the eastern border.IS had said that it aims to overrun the region formerly known as Khorasan, starting from a base in Nangarhar and then moving north toward Central Asia.___O'Donnell reported from Kabul, Afghanistan. Associated Press writer Tim Sullivan in Delhi contributed to this story.
Peshmerga Forces in Iraq Battle IS Outside Mosul-VOA News•August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Kurdish peshmerga forces in Iraq, backed by U.S.-led airstrikes, have begun an operation to retake villages around Mosul from Islamic State militants. Peshmerga officials said Sunday several villages have been secured. Clouds of smoke could be seen rising in the area as fighting continued. The military operation is a major step in the attempt to retake Mosul — Iraq's second largest city — from Islamic State, which captured the city two years ago. Iraq's leaders have promised to retake the northern city this year. Mosul is where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Badhdadi declared a "caliphate" in 2014, covering Iraq and Syria, along with other parts of the region in the Middle East.
Italy warned about Milan-based IS cell, expels imam-[AFP]-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
Rome (AFP) - Libyan authorities have warned Italy about an Islamic State cell based in the Milan area with links to one of the jihadist group's battle-hardened veterans, Italian media reported Sunday.The existence of the network was reportedly revealed by documents seized by Libyan agents after government forces took over an IS headquarters in the city of Sirte earlier this week.The Italy-based militants were said to be associates of Abu Nassim, 47, a Tunisian who lived in Italy for most of his 20s and subsequently fought in Afghanistan and Syria, before becoming an IS commander in Libya.The reports came as concerns grow that IS fighters dispersed from Sirte could cross the Mediterranean on migrant boats and mount "lone wolf" terror attacks on Italian territory.Security services have been put on a state of high alert for the peak holiday season and Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has stepped up expulsions of suspected jihadist sympathisers.Late on Saturday, Alfano said he had ordered the deportation of Hosni Hachemi Ben Hassem, a Tunisian imam based in a mosque at Andria in Puglia.The 49-year-old imam had been cleared of charges of recruiting jihadists but Alfano expelled him anyway on the basis of suspected incitement to racial hatred.The cleric is the ninth imam to be kicked out since the start of 2015 under a 'zero tolerance' approach to Islamist militancy which Alfano says has reduced the risk of a terror attack on Italian soil.The centre-right minister has signed a total of 109 expulsion orders since the start of last year, 43 of them in 2016, he said in a statement.- Veteran extremist -Abu Nassim, whose real name is Moez Ben Abdelkader Fezzani, first arrived in Italy in 1989 to work on building sites.Suspected of trying to radicalise and recruit other Arab immigrants, he disappeared in 1997 and resurfaced in Pakistan, on his way to join the late Osama bin Laden's forces in Afghanistan.He was arrested by US forces in 2001 and held at the Bagram airbase detention facility, which was to become notorious for the torture and killing of inmates.Abu Nassim was transferred to Italy in 2009 after prosecutors tabled charges of terrorist recruitment related to his previous stay.He was acquitted in 2012 and deported to Tunisia. He was convicted on appeal the following year, by which time he was already fighting in Syria.Since 2014, he has commanded IS forces around the Libyan port of Sabratha.Tunisia issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the March 2015 Bardo Museum attack in Tunis, in which gunmen killed 21 tourists and a policeman.
EZEKIEL 38:1-7
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
EZEKIEL 39:1-6
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Putin Dismissed His Chief of Staff. What Does It Mean for Russia?-[Foreign Policy Magazine]-Reid Standish-August 12, 2016-YAHOONEWS
In an ornate Kremlin meeting room, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed longtime aide Sergei Ivanov as his chief of staff and anointed Anton Vaino, Ivanov’s former deputy, to take over the influential post, in what amounts to a major reshaping of the country’s elite leadership.In a televised meeting on Russian state television, Putin addressed Ivanov, who he has known since the 1970s, while the three men sat at a table, listening attentively. The Russian leader said he was making the move at Ivanov’s request, and that the former high-ranking KGB officer would now be a special representative focusing on the environment.“I’m happy with how you handle tasks,” Putin said. “I remember well our agreement that you had asked me not to keep you as chief of the presidential administration for more than four years and that is why I understand your desire to choose another line of work.”Ivanov thanked the president for his praise and confirmed that he would be stepping aside. “It’s true that in early 2012 I asked you, in a conversation, to entrust me with this very complicated post, even — you could say — troublesome post, for four years,” said Ivanov with his hands clasped on the table in front of him.But beyond the tightly choreographed meeting, news that the 63-year-old Ivanov — a man who Putin once said was among his most trusted advisors — would request to leave one month before parliamentary elections and in the middle of fresh standoff with Ukraine — has been met with great skepticism. The details behind the high-level shake-up within the Kremlin are not clear, but many analysts view the move as part of a wider trend within Putin’s inner circle: He has been replacing older members with a younger generation of officials to reorder the political elite to his benefit.“Psychologically, it’s easier for Putin these days to be around the people who always thought of him as the great leader and cannot recall the times when Putin was not that great leader,” Stanislav Belkovsky, a former Kremlin spin doctor and Putin critic, told Ekho Moskvy, a prominent Russian radio station, on Friday.In the past year, several senior officials with ties to Putin’s early days in municipal government in St. Petersburg have been dismissed from their posts, including Russian Railways chief Vladimir Yakunin, anti-drug chief Viktor Ivanov, and security service chief Yevgeny Murov. There has even been speculation among Russia watchers that Igor Sechin, another longtime Putin ally and the CEO of the state-run oil behemoth Rosneft, could be phased out.The reshuffling of the top posts in the Russian government continued in July, with Putin replacing four regional governors, the head of the country’s Customs Service, and Russia’s ambassador to Ukraine. In contrast to the cashiered officials, who are over 60 years old, many of their replacements are younger bureaucrats in their 30s and 40s who clawed their way up during Putin’s presidency.Despite being sidelined in a symbolic new post, Ivanov is not completely cut out of the power structures and will retain his seat on the Security Council, Russia’s top security body.But his dismissal may be a harbinger of a new dynamic within the Russian elite. As a leader, Putin has traditionally been “first among equals,” and governed by consensus within his inner circle. However, many analysts say this model changed to one centered on Putin himself after he returned to the presidency in 2012. The centralization was accelerated after the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in early 2014 and the subsequent imposition of Western economic sanctions and collapse of oil prices — both of which have damaged the Russian economy.“If until recently, the system acted in the interests of the bureaucracy, now, it does so ever more in the interests of the leader,” Nikolai Petrov, head of the Center for Political-Geographic Research, a Russian think tank, wrote recently in the newspaper Vedomosti.Ivanov, who has known Putin since the 1970s and worked with the president in both the KGB and its successor agency, the FSB, has a storied career at the highest echelons of Russian power. In 1998, when Putin was appointed head of the FSB, Ivanov became his deputy at the security agency. In 2001, after Putin was elected to his first term as president, Ivanov became defense minister and was later appointed deputy prime minister in 2007, shortly before the end of Putin’s second term as president.Dmitry Medvedev and Ivanov became fierce rivals in the jostling to succeed Putin as president in 2008, when his terms limit expired and he had to don the title of prime minister. Both Medvedev and Ivanov unofficially campaigned to be Putin’s successor, making regular public appearances and discussing political issues on television. Medvedev was eventually tapped to become president — reportedly because he was seen by Putin as more malleable than the strong-willed Ivanov — who had known the president since his days as a lowly KGB officer and maintained influence among Russia’s security services.To replace Ivanov, Putin has selected Vaino, a 44-year-old career diplomat, who has worked his way up through Russia’s bureaucratic greasy pole. Vaino began his work in the Kremlin in 2003, handling ceremonial duties for Putin and has worked his way up the ranks, eventually being appointed Ivanov’s deputy in 2012. He remains a little-known figure whose family descends from the old Soviet Communist Party elite and is not believed to be beholden to any interest or group within Russia — except to Putin himself.
Suspected rebels kill at least 36 in eastern Congo-[Reuters]-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Suspected rebels killed at least 36 civilians in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the provincial governor said on Sunday, marking the deadliest massacre in the conflict-ravaged region this year.The assailants hacked to death 22 men and 14 women late on Saturday in their homes and fields on the outskirts of the local commercial hub of Beni, Julien Paluku said in a statement.The population of Beni "has once again been hit by terrorist acts of diverse origins whose objective is to sabotage the efforts at peace undertaken over the last two years," he said.Local activists say more than 500 civilians have been killed near Beni since October 2014, most in overnight raids by rebels carried out with machetes and hatchets.Local army spokesman Mak Hazukay told Reuters that the attack was staged in the early evening by rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist militia that has operated in eastern Congo since the 1990s.The ADF, a secretive organization of only a few hundred fighters, did not comment.Hazukay said the raid was in reprisal for army operations against the ADF, which the government says is responsible for nearly all the attacks near Beni over the last year.However, a United Nations panel of experts and independent analysts says that other armed groups, including some Congolese soldiers, have been involved in attacks on civilians.It appeared to be the deadliest attack in the area since an assault blamed on the ADF in November 2014 killed some 80 people."The goal of the attack is to incite the population to rise up against us," Hazukay said.Omar Kavota, the executive director at the Centre of Study for the Promotion of Peace, Democracy and Human Rights that documents violence in North Kivu, said he had received reports of as many as 50 dead.Eastern Congo is plagued by dozens of armed groups that prey on locals and exploit mineral reserves. Millions died there between 1996 and 2003 as a regional conflict caused hunger and disease.Analysts say insufficient intelligence, coordination and resources have rendered the Congolese army and the country's U.N. peacekeeping force ineffective against the small ADF force, raising tensions in the region.On Sunday, dozens took to the streets in Beni, erecting barricades in protest against the army's inability to deal with the attacks, witnesses said.(Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Edward McAllister and Tom Heneghan)
Yemen army pushes al Qaeda fighters from two cities, about 40 dead-[Reuters]-August 14, 2016-YAHOONEWS
ADEN (Reuters) - Yemeni army forces backed by Arab coalition aircraft killed about 40 suspected al Qaeda fighters on Sunday as they fought their way into two militant strongholds in eastern Yemen, a local official and residents said.Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has exploited a 16-month-old civil war between the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Iran-allied Houthis to capture a 600-km (370-mile) stretch of Arabian Sea coastline in eastern Yemen.Hadi's troops and forces from the Saudi-led Arab coalition drove out AQAP - widely considered the most dangerous branch of the global militant group - from the Hadramout provincial capital of Mukalla in April.The militants have since repeatedly withdrawn from and then returned to Zinjibar and Jaar, the capital of Abyan and the province's second largest city.Abyan Governor Al-Khader Mohammed al-Saidi, speaking by telephone from Jaar, told Reuters that three brigades took part in the operation and that troops have "taken complete control of both cities".Saidi said that 40 AQAP members were killed in both cities, while the rest fled. He said three soldiers were killed and several were wounded in the operation."We met with citizens and fighters and both were happy to be free under government authority," the governor said.Residents said an AQAP suicide bomber blew himself up in a car trying to attack troops in Zinjibar, a city of some 100,000 people, but no one else was hurt.Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies intervened in the civil war in Yemen in March last year after the Houthis advanced on his headquarters in the southern port city of Aden and forced him to flee to Riyadh.The war has killed more than 6,500 people, displaced more than 2.5 million and caused a humanitarian catastrophe in one of the world's poorest countries.Coalition bombing had mostly focused on the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, but began turning their attention to AQAP earlier this year when forces funded and trained by the United Arab Emirates launched a surprise attack to win Mukalla.But an armed push toward Qaeda-held towns in Abyan and neighboring Lahj province proved more difficult, and militants launched repeated suicide attacks against Yemeni forces.(Reporting By Mohammed Mukhashaf; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Violence Erupts in Milwaukee After Police Fatally Shoot Man-By DAVID CAPLAN-AUG 14,16-YAHOONEWS-Good Morning America
Violence erupted in Milwaukee Saturday night after a police officer shot and killed a 23-year-old man, whom police say was armed.Protesters filled the streets in the neighborhood where the shooting happened, and were met by riot gear-wearing police. According to police, between 200 and 800 people filled the streets. Three people were arrested police said late Saturday night.According to Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett, things got "out of hand" as people started to use Facebook to get the word out to congregate near the scene of the crime.Then, the scene quickly became violent and chaotic: Protesters set four businesses and several police cars on fire, hurled bricks through police car windows, threw rocks at police and vandalized bus shelters and street lights. Some social media users posted videos of what appeared to be individuals looting a small grocery store.An officer was hospitalized after being struck in the head by a brick that came crashing through his squad car's window.Crowd breaks widows of unoccupied squad near Sherman and Auer. Other squad set afire and broken windows on another. pic.twitter.com/Jux2mJZYyQ — Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016-MPD officer undergoing treatment at local hospital after brick thrown through squad window, striking officer in the head.— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016-A BP gas station was also set on fire, but police said the blaze could not initially be extinguished due to gunshots being fired by protesters. Three people were inside the gas station, but they safely escaped, police said.Gas station at Sherman and Burleigh set on fire. MFD cannot extinguish fire as gunshots are being fired.— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016-Sad Milwaukee. Gas station at Sherman and Burleigh on fire. Fire Dept can't put it out because of gun shots. pic.twitter.com/EzCEXwfjSZ— Steven Radmer (@Steven_R) August 14, 2016-Blazes were also spotted burning at several other businesses, including an O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store, a beauty salon and a bank.Looks like roof of auto parts store has collapsed.https://t.co/XnwPFuHWT1 pic.twitter.com/fewtOXMGEi— BJ Lutz (@bjlutz) August 14, 2016-A THIRD fire .. this one at a beauty supply store in #Milwaukee after unrest from officer-involved shooting pic.twitter.com/xzbT8BsQuO— BJ Lutz (@bjlutz) August 14, 2016-Arrests made in area of disturbance. MPD continues efforts to disperse crowd.— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016-Protesters also appeared to vandalize traffic lights and a bus shelter.Protesters attempting to take down traffic light near Burleigh and Sherman in Milwaukee pic.twitter.com/4qLUdTbfjB— Steven Radmer (@Steven_R) August 14, 2016-Earlier in the day, Milwaukee Police described the deceased suspect as a 23-year-old Milwaukee man "with a lengthy arrest record." His name was not released.Preliminary: Suspect shot by MPD near 44th & Auer. Suspect is deceased. Officers not injured. Media to stage at 45 & Auer.— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 13, 2016-In a statement, Milwaukee Police said of the fatal shooting, "A Milwaukee Police officer shot and killed an armed suspect fleeing from a car on Milwaukee’s North Side. The incident began when two uniformed MPD officers stopped two suspects in a car in the 3200 block of N. 44th Street at about 3:30 p.m. on August 13. Shortly after stopping the suspects, both occupants fled from the car on foot. The officers pursued the suspects, and during the foot pursuit one officer shot one suspect, armed with a semiautomatic handgun, in a yard also in the 3200 block of N. 44th Street. The suspect died from his injuries at the scene."Armed Suspect Shot, Killed by MPD Officer https://t.co/tVNFaXb2IP pic.twitter.com/9iihObnhIL— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 13, 2016-At a press conference late Saturday night, mayor Tom Barrett elaborated on the foot chase, saying that the officer involved in the shooting was chasing the suspect when he was ordered to drop his weapon. When the suspect did not comply with orders, the officer fired several times hitting the suspect with 2 bullets in the chest and in the arm.The officer, who was not injured, is a 24-year-old male with six years of service with the MPD, three years as an officer, MPD said.Mayor Barrett said the officer was wearing a body camera which was operating at the time of the shooting.Police earlier said that the handgun the suspect was armed with was taken in a burglary in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last March. The victim of that burglary reported 500 rounds of ammunition were also stolen with the handgun. Mayor Barrett said the gun that was recovered had 23 rounds in it.Earlier in the day, police said in a statement that the officer "will be placed on administrative duty during the investigation and subsequent review by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office."At the late night press conference, a couple of city councilors spoke about "racial problems" and "injustices" that African-American residents face. One of the officials claimed local officials have neglected the area of the city where the shooting took place, turning a blind eye to murders and shootings.Mayor Barrett says he plans to spend Saturday meeting with church and community leaders, adding that the police presence will continue to be very strong.ABC News' Joshua Hoyos, Alexandra Faul, Brendan Rand and Lucien Bruggeman contributed to this report.
Georgia Police Officer Shot and Killed, Suspect on the Run-By DAVID CAPLAN-AUG 14,16-YAHOONEWS-Good Morning America
A Georgia police officer was fatally shot Saturday night by a suspect who remains on the run, officials said.Eastman Police Department officer Tim Smith was on vehicle patrol in Eastman -- located about 140 miles southeast of Atlanta -- when he encountered the suspect walking in a residential area after responding to a suspicious person call around 9:30 p.m., said Georgia Bureau of Investigations special agent Scott Whitley.Smith left his vehicle, and was then shot. The suspect then fled the scene.Smith was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, Whitley said.The suspect is considered to be armed and dangerous, and there are concentrated patrol efforts in the vicinity of the area.This story is developing. Please check back for updates.ABC News' Devin Villacis contributed to this report.
Islamic State losses mount with liberation of Syrian town-[Associated Press]-August 13, 2016-YAHOONEWS
The Islamic State group's loss of the northern Syrian town of Manbij to U.S.-backed fighters marks the latest in a string of defeats for the extremists across their self-styled caliphate in Syria and Iraq.The strategic town, which lies on a supply route between the Turkish border and the de facto IS capital, Raqqa, fell to the Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces on Friday after more than two months of heavy fighting and U.S.-led airstrikes. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the fighting claimed more than 1,700 lives, including more than 400 civilians.IS still controls large areas of Syria as well as Iraq's second largest city, Mosul. It has also claimed major terrorist attacks in recent months, including the Orlando shooting, the Nice truck attack, and a Baghdad bombing that killed some 300 people.But Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the top U.S. commander for the fight against IS, said this week that some 45,000 IS militants have been removed from the battlefield, reducing the group's total numbers to as few as 15,000.Here is a look at the IS group's recent territorial setbacks.___FALLUJAH-Iraqi forces captured Fallujah in late June after a five-week offensive. Fallujah is just an hour's drive west of Baghdad, and in early 2014 became the first Iraqi city to fall to IS. The Sunni city was an insurgent stronghold following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and more than 100 American soldiers were killed in house-by-house fighting there in 2004.___PALMYRA-Syrian government forces aided by Russian airstrikes drove IS out of Palmyra, an eastern oasis town known for its stunning Roman-era ruins, in March. During their 10-month reign, the extremists destroyed 2,000-year-old temples and other monuments in the town's UNESCO world heritage site, once one of Syria's main tourist attractions. The extremists view such ancient ruins as monuments to idolatry.___RAMADI-Iraq declared the capital of its western Anbar province "fully liberated" in February after months of fighting. As in Fallujah, Iraqi forces laid siege to the city and then gradually pushed in with the aid of heavy U.S. airstrikes. The battle to recapture Ramadi destroyed much of the city, and most of its residents have yet to return home.___SHADDADEH-The SDF captured some 2,400 square kilometers (927 square miles) of territory from IS in northern Syria in February alone, including the strategic town of Shaddadeh, on the main road linking Raqqa and Mosul. The strip of territory along the Turkish border had been used to bring in supplies and foreign fighters.___SINJAR-Iraqi and Syrian Kurdish forces pushed IS out of Sinjar, west of Mosul, in November 2015 with the help of a U.S.-led air campaign. When IS overran the town in 2014, the extremists killed and enslaved thousands of members of Iraq's Yazidi religious minority. The recapture of the town severed a major supply route between IS-ruled territories in Iraq and Syria.___TAL ABYAD-Syrian Kurdish forces captured the northern Syrian town of Tal Abyad in July 2015, handing the extremist group its biggest loss in Syria since the establishment of its self-proclaimed caliphate the year before. The loss of Tal Abyad severed the most direct supply route from the Turkish border to Raqqa, forcing IS to rely on a narrow belt of territory further west, including Manbij.___SIRTE-The Libyan city of Sirte, seized by a powerful IS affiliate last year, was once seen as a fallback option for the extremist group if it were ever defeated in Iraq and Syria. But Libyan forces launched an offensive to retake Sirte in June, and earlier this week captured a number of strategic locations with the aid of U.S. airstrikes. Officials say the city is now 70 percent liberated.
Hackers Claim to Have Released House Democrats' Personal Information-By ALEXANDER MALLIN, BENJAMIN SIEGEL and MORGAN WINSOR-AUG 13,16-YAHOONEWS-Good Morning America
Hackers are claiming to have released the personal information of nearly all Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, including members' private cell phone numbers and email addresses.The FBI is looking into the matter, with officials suspecting that Russian hackers are behind the cyberattack on Democratic organizations that came to public attention late last month.The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) national press secretary Meredith Kelly told ABC News that the committee is aware of reports that sensitive information belonging to congressional Democrats has been leaked.The alleged leak comes after the campaign committee told ABC News in late July it had been “the target of a cybersecurity incident,” just weeks after the Democratic National Committee also revealed it was hacked.“As previously noted, the DCCC has been the target of a cybersecurity incident, and we are cooperating with federal law enforcement in their ongoing investigation. We are aware of reports that documents claimed to be from our network have been released and are investigating their authenticity,” Kelly said in a statement to ABC News late Friday.House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking Democrat in Congress, sent a letter to party members on Saturday, calling the incident an "electronic Watergate.""As you are aware, the DCCC and other Democratic Party entities have been the target of cybersecurity intrusions -- an electronic Watergate break-in," Pelosi wrote. "As of last night, a mix of personal and official information of Democratic Members and hundreds of congressional staff, purportedly from a hack of the DCCC, was posted online."Pelosi said she was among those whose phone number was leaked. She said she is changing her number and urged her Democratic colleagues to do the same."On a personal note, I was in the air flying from Florida to California when the news broke. Upon landing, I have received scores of mostly obscene and sick calls, voicemails and text messages," she wrote. "This is a sad course of events, not only for us, but more importantly for our country."The House Democratic Caucus also sent a notice to its members early Saturday morning advising them to change the passwords to all their email accounts, even personal ones, and "to strongly consider changing passwords associated with sensitive personal accounts such as banking institutions."Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement Friday night that releasing private information “is never acceptable.”"The unauthorized disclosure of people's personally identifiable information is never acceptable, and we can fully expect the authorities will be investigating the posting of this information,” Schiff said. "I have every confidence that law enforcement will get to the bottom of this, and identify the responsible parties. And when they do, I hope the administration will disclose who is attempting to interfere with the American political process, and levy strong consequences against those responsible."ABC News has reached out to several Democratic lawmakers’ offices to further verify the accuracy of reports of the leak.Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Targeted by Cyber-Attack, Official Says 'Beyond a Reasonable Doubt,' Russians Hacked DNC, Analyst Says-An investigation into the cyberattack on the DCCC, the official campaign arm for House Democrats, is ongoing but investigators have said "this is similar to other recent incidents, including the DNC breach," Kelly said in a statement to ABC News in late July.She said the campaign committee is working with federal law enforcement to further investigate the matter. The committee has also hired outside forensic experts at CrowdStrike to investigate.CrowdStrike was the first to analyze the Democratic National Committee hack and brought in three independent cybersecurity firms to examine parts of malware that infected computers belonging to the party's national committee. In June, CrowdStrike identified two Russian hacker groups that the firm said were working for two rival Russian intelligence agencies.Michael Buratowski, senior vice president of cybersecurity services at Fidelis Cybersecurity, investigated the DNC hack alongside Crowdstrike. He told ABC News that Russian hackers, typing on keyboards configured in Cyrillic and doing it in a time zone consistent with Moscow, created the “eloquent” code that breached computers belonging to the DNC.“This was absolutely not an amateur operation … When you look at the totality of all those pieces and you put them together, it kind of paints a really good picture of who the actor was,” Buratowski said an interview in late July. “I come from a law enforcement background, and it’s [about being] beyond a reasonable doubt. And I would say it’s beyond a reasonable doubt … I’m very confident that the malware that we looked at [was from] Russian actors.”“When we looked at the malware, we found that it was very, very eloquent in its design as well as its functionality -- very advanced, not something that script user or lower-level hacker would be able to really generate or customize,” he said.ABC News’ Jordyn Phelps, Brian Ross, Lee Ferran, James Gordon Meek, Matthew Mosk, Rhonda Schwartz and Pierre Thomas contributed to this report.
