Friday, September 22, 2017

PUERTO RICO BRACES FOR FLASH FLOODING IN MARIAS AFTERMATH.

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.

Puerto Rico braces for flash flooding in Maria's aftermath-Hector RETAMAL and Edgardo RODRIGUEZ-Agence France-Presse-September 21, 2017

San Juan (AFP) - Puerto Rico braced for potentially calamitous flash flooding on Thursday after being pummeled by Hurricane Maria which devastated the island and knocked out the entire electricity grid.The hurricane, which Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello called "the most devastating storm in a century," had battered the island of 3.4 million people after roaring ashore early Wednesday with deadly winds and heavy rain.The storm was blamed for 10 deaths in the Caribbean, including a man in northern Puerto Rico's Bayamon who died after being struck by a board he had used to cover his windows, government spokeswoman Yennifer Alvarez told AFP.Though the storm had moved back out to sea, authorities early Thursday declared a flash flood warning for all of Puerto Rico as "torrential" rains continued to lash the island."If possible, move to higher ground NOW!" the National Weather Service station in San Juan said in a tweet, calling the flooding "catastrophic."Puerto Rico was expected to receive 20 to 30 inches (51 to 76 centimeters) of rain through Saturday, with some isolated areas receiving 35 inches, the US National Hurricane Center said.The rain had turned some roads in the US territory into muddy brown rivers.As of 5:00 am (0900 GMT), Maria was a Category Three storm on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale with winds of 115 miles per hour (185 kilometers per hour.) It was churning in the Caribbean Sea about 70 miles north of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.Maria was expected to pass north of the Dominican Republic on Thursday as it moved toward the Turks and Caicos Islands.- 'Disconnected' -In Puerto Rico, Maria delivered "a lot of flooding, a lot of infrastructure damage, telecommunication system is partially down, energy infrastructure is completely down," Rossello told CNN.Authorities did not have much information from the island's southeast, which was "virtually disconnected" after taking a direct hit from Maria when it made landfall as a Category Four storm with winds of more than 150 mph.Tens of thousands had fled to shelters.San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz broke down in tears as she spoke of the utter devastation she had witnessed."Many parts of San Juan are completely flooded," Yulin Cruz told reporters in one of the shelters, its roof swaying while she spoke."Our life as we know it has changed."- Curfew -Rossello imposed a 6:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew until Saturday and warned of flooding and mudslides."I urge the people of Puerto Rico to commit to peace, understanding, and good judgment during these difficult times for our island," he said.As night fell Wednesday, there were reports of looting and authorities said 10 people had been arrested.Puerto Rico's most catastrophic hurricane was in 1928 when Hurricane Okeechobee -- also known as San Felipe Segundo -- killed 300 people.Although engineers had managed to restore power to most of the island after the recent Hurricane Irma, Maria caused a new black-out across the island.Rossello's assessment for when the lights might come back on was grim."It depends on the damage to the infrastructure," he told CNN. "I'm afraid it's probably going to be severe. If it is... we're looking at months as opposed to weeks or days."- Dominica devastation -The US and British Virgin Islands -- still struggling to recover from the devastation of Irma -- are also on alert, along with the Turks and Caicos Islands and parts of the Dominican Republic.Maria has already torn through several Caribbean islands, leaving at least seven people dead on Dominica.Communications to Dominica have been largely cut, and its airports and ports have been closed.But an advisor to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, who spoke to the premier by satellite phone, painted a picture of devastation on the island, where around 73,000 people live."It's difficult to determine the level of fatalities but so far seven are confirmed, as a direct result of the hurricane," Hartley Henry said in a statement.Reports from rural communities spoke of a "total destruction of homes, some roadways and crops," added Henry."The country is in a daze -- no electricity, no running water -- as a result of uprooted pipes in most communities and definitely no landline or cellphone services on island, and that will be for quite a while."In the French territory of Guadeloupe, one person was killed by a falling tree as Maria hit, while another died on the seafront.At least two are missing after their boat sank off the French territory, while 40 percent of households were without power.There were fears that Maria could wreak fresh havoc on islands that were already flattened by Category Five Hurricane Irma earlier in the month.Reports suggested St Martin, a French-Dutch island that was among the most severely hit by Irma with 14 dead, had escaped the worst this time around.burs-acb/adm

Death toll from Hurricane Maria rises as storm heads north-[Reuters]-By Dave Graham and Robin Respaut-YAHOONEWS-September 21, 2017

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) - Deadly Hurricane Maria flooded parts of the Dominican Republic on Thursday and continued to dump heavy rain on the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico after destroying buildings and knocking out power to the entire island.The second major hurricane to rage through the Caribbean this month, Maria has killed a total of 17 people and devastated several small islands, including St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Dominica.Maria was carrying sustained winds of up to 115 miles per hour (185 km per hour) as it moved away from the Dominican Republic on a track that would take it near the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas on Thursday night and Friday, the U.S. National Hurricane Canter said in an 11 a.m. ET (1500 GMT) advisory.The hurricane was ranked a Category 4 storm, near the top of the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, with winds of up to 155 mph (250 kph), when it made landfall on Puerto Rico on Wednesday as the strongest storm to hit the island in nearly 90 years.Officials in Puerto Rico, home to 3.4 million people, were still assessing the extent of the damage. U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters the storm "totally obliterated" the island.Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello said there was one death reported so far, a man struck by a piece of lumber hurled by high winds."It's nothing short of a major disaster," he said in a CNN interview, adding it might take months for the island's electricity to be completely restored. He imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew that runs through Saturday.In the historic heart of the island's capital San Juan, which has a fort and buildings from the Spanish colonial era, the storm left a litter of broken branches, trees and other debris.Aiden Short, 28, a debris management worker from London, said he had headed to the British Virgin Islands to help clean up the devastation of Hurricane Irma when Maria trapped him in San Juan."I was supposed to have come as a professional, but now I've just had to weather the storm," Short said. "But now it looks like I might be useful here."All of Puerto Rico was under a flash flood warning early on Thursday as the tail end of the storm could bring another 4 to 8 inches (10-20 cm) of rain on Thursday, bringing the storm's total to 35 inches (89 cm) in parts of the island, the NHC said.-MORE EXPECTED TO SEEK SHELTER-The government did not yet have an estimate of how many homes and businesses were destroyed by the storm. But authorities expected to see more people go to shelters on Thursday as they realized how badly their homes were hit, said Pedro Cerame, a spokesman for Rossello.Thousands went to government shelters during the storm.The island's recovery could be complicated by its financial woes as it faces the largest municipal debt crisis in U.S. history. Both its government and the public utility have filed for bankruptcy protection amid disputes with creditors.The American Public Power Association said it was bringing in both utility and contractor crews from various parts of the United States to help with recovery efforts.Maria was about 120 miles (193 km) north of Punta Cana, on the east coast of the Dominican Republic on Thursday, the NHC said.Punta Cana, a popular tourist area, was hit with wind gusts of 58 mph (93 kph) and Maria was forecast to bring storm surges, when hurricanes push ocean water dangerously over normal levels, of up to 6 feet (1.83 m) in the Dominican Republic, it said.Some 1,255 homes in the Dominican Republic were damaged by the storm, the country's Center for Emergency Operations said in a statement. The northeastern coastal town of Miches was among badly affected places, with hundreds of houses damaged and downed trees blocking access roads, the newspaper Diario Libre said.All schools and public businesses were closed and government officials ordered people to remain indoors.Maria, which could strengthen somewhat over the coming day or so, was forecast to move north in the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend, the NHC said. It currently looked unlikely to hit the continental United States.It was a rare Category 5 storm when it struck Dominica on Monday night, damaging about 95 percent of the roofs on the island of 73,000 people, one of the poorest in the Caribbean, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. At least 14 people died on the island, CNN quoted Charles Jong, a spokesman for Dominica prime minister's office, as saying.Two people were killed in the French territory of Guadeloupe.The governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands ordered a round-the-clock curfew on St. Croix until further notice, saying that having anyone on the roads would hamper clean-up efforts after Maria passed just west of the island on Wednesday.As many as 70 percent of buildings on the island, which is home to about 55,000 people, were damaged, said Holland Redfield, who served six terms in the U.S. Virgin Islands senate.The U.S. and British Virgin Islands were also hit this month by Hurricane Irma, which ranked as one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record. It left a trail of destruction in several Caribbean islands and Florida, killing at least 84 people.(Reporting by Dave Graham and Robin Respaut in San Juan; Additional reporting by Jorge Pineda in Santo Domingo; Writing by Scott Malone; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Frances Kerry)

Rescuers in grim search for survivors of Mexico quake-Jennifer GONZALEZ COVARRUBIAS, Yussel GONZALEZ-Agence France-Presse-September 21, 2017

Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico waited anxiously Thursday for signs of life at a collapsed school in the capital, as rescuers continued clawing through rubble for survivors of a 7.1-magnitude earthquake that killed at least 233 people.Firefighters, police, soldiers and volunteers worked frantically to remove debris in scenes repeated across a swath of central states in Mexico's second killer earthquake this month.The most agonizing search was at a school in the south of Mexico City where 21 children -- aged between seven and 13 -- and five adults were crushed to death. Many children were still missing.Rescue workers were desperately trying to reach several children believed to be alive beneath the wreckage in the early hours of Thursday -- more than 40 hours after the quake struck. Using a thermal scanner, they had located signs of life in several locations."We know that there is a child alive inside (the destroyed school), what we do not know is how to reach her... without risking a collapse and putting rescuers in danger," rescue coordinator Jose Luis Vergara told Televisa about a young girl whose fate is being closely followed by the country.A civilian volunteer -- a slight man -- was able to squeeze into a narrow channel through the rubble to reach the girl and pass her water and oxygen."I'm very tired," she said, according to the military.So far, 11 children and at least one teacher have been rescued from the rubble of the Enrique Rebsamen elementary and middle school."No one can possibly imagine the pain I'm in right now," said one mother, Adriana Fargo, who was standing outside what remained of the school waiting for news of her seven-year-old daughter.In the Condesa neighborhood, Karen Guzman sat on a stool in the street with her back to one of the collapsed buildings. She said she could not bear the tension of the search for around 30 people thought to be under the rubble, among them her brother.Beside her were two street poles tagged with lists of rescued people, but they did not include the name of her brother Juan Antonio, a 43-year-old accountant who worked on the top floor of the four-story building."My mom is looking for him in hospitals because we don't trust those lists. Sometimes I think nobody knows anything," she said.- 50 rescued -Emergency workers reported that some victims had been rescued thanks to WhatsApp messages they sent to relatives while trapped under the debris.Rescue teams were helped by thousands of ordinary civilians who dug through the rubble alongside them. Other Mexicans took to the streets with food and water for victims and emergency workers.President Enrique Pena Nieto toured the hardest-hit areas and declared three days of national mourning."The priority remains saving lives," he said in a national address, insisting there was still hope of pulling survivors from the rubble.More than 50 people have been rescued from collapsed buildings in the capital, he said.Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera told Televisa TV that 39 buildings in the capital had fallen. Searches were under way in all but five where rescuers had determined that nobody remained trapped, he said.Taiwan confirmed one of its citizens was known to have died, while three others were still trapped. One Taiwanese woman was earlier pulled to safety.- Nowhere to go -Many residents spent a second night in parks and plazas, in tents or makeshift shelters, unable or unwilling to return to their homes as authorities inspected some 600 buildings whose walls swayed and cracked when the quake struck.US President Donald Trump called Pena Nieto and offered assistance and search-and-rescue teams which are now being deployed, the White House said.Chile and El Salvador pledged aid and Honduras sent 36 rescue workers. An Israeli team of 71 soldiers including engineers and search and rescue specialists was on the ground.The earthquake hit on the anniversary of a huge quake in 1985 that killed more than 10,000 people, the disaster-prone country's deadliest ever.Tuesday's struck just two hours after Mexico held a national earthquake drill, as it does every September 19 to remember the 1985 disaster.A system of quake sensors was set up in 1993 along the Pacific coast, where tremors are more common. People in Mexico City were not warned by it on Tuesday because the epicenter was only 120 kilometers (75 miles) outside the capital and thus outside the main area of sensor coverage, said Carlos Valdes of the National Center for Disaster Prevention.Adding to the national sense of vulnerability, the earthquake struck just 12 days after another quake that killed nearly 100 people in southern Mexico.Experts said the two quakes did not appear to be related, as their epicenters were far apart.Mexico sits atop five tectonic plates, making it particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.Luis Felipe Puente, the national disaster response agency chief, said that of the dead, 102 were in Mexico City, 69 in Morelos, 43 in Puebla, 13 in Mexico state, five in Guerrero and one in Oaxaca.In Puebla, a picturesque colonial city near the quake's epicenter, several churches were damaged and one collapsed, killing 11 people attending a baptism, officials said.

OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN

ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:

MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

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.

All alerts, evacuation orders lifted as worst wildfire season eases in B.C.[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-September 20, 2017

VANCOUVER — For the first time in nearly three months, all wildfire evacuation orders and alerts have been lifted in British Columbia as the province begins to recover from its worst wildfire season on record.The Cariboo Regional District and Thompson-Nicola Regional District say final alerts affecting southern Interior properties have been rescinded.The alerts were lifted as the BC Wildfire Service reported a 1,900-square kilometre blaze that broke out near Ashcroft on July 6 and burned almost 100 kilometres northward is 85 per cent contained.A news release from the Cariboo Regional District says with the entire region deemed "all clear," its emergency operations centre will close, effective at noon.The Regional District of East Kootenay lifted its final evacuation orders and alerts on Monday, three days after the B.C. government rescinded a provincewide state of emergency that went into effect in early July.Fourteen wildfires of note still blaze within the Southeast, Cariboo and Kamloops fire centres but the wildfire service says cooler weather has allowed crews to make good progress containing flames that have scorched over 12,000 square kilometres of timber since April 1.An off-road vehicle ban covering central and southeastern B.C. was removed Wednesday but campfire bans in those areas remain in effect until further notice.More than $510 million has been spent fighting fires that, at the height of the disaster, chased almost 50,000 people from their communities.Fires are blamed for destroying 509 structures, including 229 homes, and causing financial loss to ranchers, farmers, forestry and tourism operations.The Canadian Press.

DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(EITHER THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR BOOTS 3 COUNTRIES FROM THE EU OR THE DICTATOR TAKES OVER THE WORLD ECONOMY BY CONTROLLING 3 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)

REVELATION 17:9-13
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-7 YEARS.THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week:(7 YEARS) and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

EU 'embarrassed' by the Catalan 'taboo' By Eric Maurice-SEP 21,17-EUOBSERVER

BRUSSELS, Today, 17:44-A day after Spanish forces raided regional ministries and a party HQ in Catalonia on Wednesday (20 September), in order to prevent an independence referendum on 1 October, the EU is still adopting a cautious stance."We are attached to the respect of the Spanish constitution, as of all member states' constitutions," European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told journalists on Thursday.For the EU executive, he said, "all questions can be addressed within the constitutional order".The spokesman, however, declined to answer a question on whether the commission "calls for a solution to be found within this framework."He also refused to say whether the commission was ready to offer mediation.In Brussels, the showdown between the Spanish and Catalan government is being followed "with great, great concern," a top EU diplomat said on Thursday.But the official said the situation was considered "a domestic issue of Spain", and that the EU "trusts in the democracy.""If that is not a taboo, it looks like it very much," a source admitted to EUobserver."All member states are embarrassed - we don't want to get involved," he said, noting that no one wanted to appear as if to be acting against a fellow member state.-Calls to take a stand-On Wednesday, three Catalan MEPs in favour of independence - Greens Jordi Solé and Josep-Maria Terricabras, and liberal Ramon Tremosa - sent a letter to all EU commissioners. They called on "all the authorities of the institutions of the European Union to stand for the rights of Catalan people."On Thursday, the leftist GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament, also called on the EU to "take a stand against Spanish government repression".A second EU source told EUobserver that the commission doesn't want to be the first institution to take a position, while member states are still silent, and that does not consider itself to have a role in initiating mediation or internal dialogue.The commission's position "is not acceptable," Catalonia's representative to the EU, Amadeu Altafaj, said on Thursday."I sadly miss more constructive, responsible engagement by the European institutions, in particular from the European Commission," he said at a meeting with members of the Committee of the Regions, insisting on the commission's role as guardian of the EU treaties.He said that he wrote on Wednesday to the commission's president and first vice president, Jean-Claude Juncker and Frans Timmermans, but that he was still waiting for a reply."I miss a minimum level of respect from the Catalan authorities from the European Commission," he said.But ten days ahead of the planned referendum, some in Brussels expect that the atmosphere could change."What has to happen will happen," one of sources said, referring to a political initiative, in Spain or in the EU, to defuse tensions.-International mediation-"I've always said that the move will come from member states up to the institutions," a third source, who closely follows the situation, told EUobserver.The official noted that member states may be less shy to put the situation in Spain on the agenda after Germany's elections have taken place on Sunday.The Catalan government "would consider" international mediation "as an alternative solution to the lack of direct talks" with the Spanish government, said Altafaj at the Committee of Regions."The most obvious one is Europe. I would not like a non-European mediation," he said.On Thursday, the Spanish government, the ruling centre-right Popular Party and the opposition Socialist Party said that they were ready for a dialogue with the Catalan government, but under the condition that it cancels the referendum.But the day before, after the police raids, Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said that "the Spanish government has crossed the red line that separated it from repressive authoritarian regimes and has become a democratic shame," and that he "will not turn back".

Barnier: UK risks undermining trust in Brexit talks By Eszter Zalan-SEP 21,17-EUOBSERVER

BRUSSELS, Today, 17:57-The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, warned on Thursday (21 September) that a lack of progress on the financial settlement could undermine trust between the EU-27 and the UK, needed for talks on the future relationship.His comments came a day before the British premier plans to set out her Brexit strategy in a speech in Florence, Italy, on Friday afternoon.Barnier was in Rome, speaking to the foreign and European affairs committees of the Italian parliament."But beyond money, this is a question of trust between the 27 and the United Kingdom, based on the respect of one's signature. And everyone knows that we will need this trust to create a solid relationship in the future," Barnier told the lawmakers.May is expected to address the issue in her Florence speech.UK negotiators have been arguing that the seven-year EU budget, which the EU-27 see as the basis for negotiations on the financial settlement, carries no legal obligation for the UK once it has left the blod."All that is necessary in this negotiation is that everyone honours the commitments that they have made to each other. To settle the accounts. No more, no less," Barnier said in Rome.The French negotiator - without mentioning May's upcoming speech - said that proposals from the UK, to overcome hurdles in the talks, are essential for a Brexit deal to be possible."We are waiting for clear commitments from the UK on these precise issues," Barnier said, referring to the key issues of citizens' rights, the financial settlement and the Irish border.All of these issues need to be politically resolved before moving onto the next phase of negotiations on a transitional deal, and the future relations between the EU and the UK.Barnier said that the issue of guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in the United Kingdom has not been solved.The EU's aim is for all citizens living in the UK to be able to continue to live as they did before, with the same rights and safeguards.Barnier said these rights ultimately need to be guaranteed by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), something that has been unacceptable for the UK.The former French minister and EU commissioner added that there is one year left to reach the divorce agreement before ratification must start.In one year, the UK and the EU also needs to define the length and the conditions of a "short" transitional period, and begin scoping out the future relationship between the UK and the EU.Barnier also warned that, without a withdrawal deal, a transitional agreement will not be possible for the UK after leaving the bloc in March 2019.

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

OH BY THE WAY WHEN THE MEDIA SAYS ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS GOD IS GREAT LIE. IN ISLAM ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS OUR GOD IS GREATER OR GREATEST. THIS IS HOW THE MEDIA SUCK HOLES UP TO ISLAMIC-QURANIC-MUSLIMS. BY WATERING DOWN THE REAL MEANING OF THE SEX FOR MURDER DEATH CULT ISLAM. TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A PEACEFUL RELIGION (CULT OF DEATH AND WORLD DOMINATION).

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)

Asylum seekers create EU 'limbo' nation By Andrew Rettman-SEP 21,17-EUOBSERVER

BRUSSELS, Today, 09:27-The number of asylum seekers "in limbo" in the EU is likely to have become greater than the combined populations of Cyprus and Malta, estimates indicate.More than 1.1 million of the 2.2 million people who sought asylum in the EU and associated countries Norway and Switzerland in 2015 and 2016 still do not know if they will get it, according to a new survey by US pollster Pew.At least 250,000 of the 550,000 or so people who sought protection so far this year also do not know, according to EUobserver's estimate, which applied the trend observed by Pew to 2017 figures published by Easo, the EU's asylum agency.Pew said the limbo nation arose out of the "biggest wave" of asylum seekers that "the continent has seen since World War II".Those waiting for a decision were typically living in "repurposed schools, hotels, or airports". They had food and medical care, but the vast majority did not have the right to work.Pew also estimated that about 100,000 people whose applications were rejected had gone on the run in Europe and were living on the black.Most of those still waiting for asylum decisions came from Afghanistan (240,000), Iraq (130,000), Syria (130,000), Albania (75,000), Kosovo (50,000), Iran (45,000), Pakistan (45,000), and Nigeria (40,000), Pew said.They came to the EU via Greece and Italy, but tended to apply for refuge in Germany, Hungary, and Sweden.Syrians were the most likely to get a swift and positive decision. People from Albania, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Serbia, Iran, Iraq, Russia, and Pakistan were the most likely to be kept hanging around.Pew noted that Germany had quite a fast turn-around time (7 months), despite having to deal with the largest numbers of applicants.People in Norway and Sweden usually had to wait about one year for a decision. Some in Spain had to wait 18 months.The situation was also dire in Hungary and Greece, where over 90 percent of 2015 and 2016 applicants were still waiting for a decision at the end of last year.Pew said that many people who initially applied in Hungary were so put off by its immigration system that they moved on to Austria and Germany to try their luck.It said that a tiny minority - just 75,000 people, accounting for 3 percent of all 2015 and 2016 applications - had so far been sent home.

Iraq launches offensive on Hawija, an Islamic State-held region near oil city Kirkuk-[Reuters]-By Maher Chmaytelli-YAHOONEWS-September 21, 2017

ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq launched an offensive on Thursday to dislodge Islamic State from Hawija, west of the oil city of Kirkuk and one of two areas of the country still under the control of the militants.The Iraqi Joint Operations Command said the offensive to capture Hawija in northern Iraq "will be swift," state TV reported.The action, announced by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, took place four days before a referendum on Kurdish independence due to be held in northern Iraq, including Kirkuk.Abadi says Monday's referendum is against the constitution and has called on the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government to cancel it.Kirkuk is shaping up as a flashpoint ahead of the independence vote as it is also home to Arab and Turkmen communities who oppose breaking away from Iraq.Kurdish Peshmerga forces took control of Kirkuk after the Iraqi army collapsed in the face of Islamic State offensive in 2014, preventing the militants from capturing the oil fields.A U.S.-led international coalition is providing air support to the Iraqi forces' offensive on Hawija, state TV said.The Iraqi forces, deployed north and west of Hawija district, are pushing southward along the Tigris River and had cleared the first lines of defense by midday, state TV said.A total of 23 villages were captured from Islamic State, said the operation's commander, Lieutenant General Abdul Ameer Yarallah, cited by the TV channel."We finished the first chapter of the liberation operation," in Hawija, he said, without indicating the timing of the second chapter.The United Nations last week said up to 85,000 people could be displaced from the Hawija region. Up to 30,000 children are in extreme danger, Save the Children said on Thursday."They have already suffered horribly under ISIS rule...food, water and medicine are running out, with many children reportedly weak and malnourished," the organization said."It is imperative that all Iraqi and coalition forces open up safe escape routes for people and allow civilians to flee to wherever is safest," it added.Iraqi forces and Sunni tribal fighters also captured on Thursday the region of Ana, in the Euphrates River valley, as they pushed toward the Syria border, a military statement said.The offensive on Hawija should not affect the Kurdish plan to hold the referendum in Kirkuk on Monday, a Kurdish official told Reuters.The Peshmerga hold the frontlines with the Hawija district from the eastern side, near Kirkuk, but are not taking part in the offensive, he said.Hawija, north of Baghdad, and a stretch of land along the Syrian border, west of the Iraqi capital, are the last pieces of the country still in the hands of Islamic State. The group overran about a third of Iraq in 2014.Islamic State's self-declared caliphate effectively collapsed in July, when U.S.-backed Iraqi forces captured Mosul, the group's de facto capital in Iraq, after a grueling nine-month battle. Kurdish Peshmerga fighters took part in operations against the militants.Islamic State also controls territory in Syria, along the Iraqi border but it is shrinking fast in the face of a U.S.-backed Kurdish-led coalition and Russian and Iranian-backed forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Russia says will target U.S.-backed fighters in Syria if provoked-[Reuters]-By Andrew Osborn-YAHOONEWS-September 21, 2017

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia warned the United States it would target areas in Syria where U.S. special forces and U.S.-backed militia were operating if its own forces came under fire from them, which it said on Thursday had already happened twice.Russia was referring to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias fighting with the U.S.-led coalition, which Moscow said had diverted from the battle for control of Raqqa to Deir al-Zor, where Russian special forces are helping the Syrian army push out Islamic State militants.The Russian Defense Ministry said the SDF had taken up positions on the eastern banks of the Euphrates with U.S. special forces, and had twice opened fire with mortars and artillery on Syrian troops who were working alongside Russian special forces."A representative of the U.S. military command in Al Udeid (the U.S. operations center in Qatar) was told in no uncertain terms that any attempts to open fire from areas where SDF fighters are located would be quickly shut down," Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement."Fire points in those areas will be immediately suppressed with all military means."The Russian warning underscores growing tensions over Syria between Moscow and Washington. While both oppose Islamic State (IS), they are engaged, via proxies, in a race for strategic influence and potential resources in the form of oilfields.In eastern Syria's Deir al-Zor province, IS is battling two separate offensives with the SDF on one side and the Syrian army and its allies on the other.-TENSIONS-In a sign of escalating tensions, the Russian Defense Ministry this week accused U.S. spies of initiating a jihadi offensive against government-held parts of north-west Syria on Tuesday.The ministry, in a Wednesday evening statement, said 29 Russian military policemen had been surrounded by jihadis as a result and that Russia had been forced to break them out in a special operation backed with air power."According to our information, U.S. intelligence services initiated the offensive to halt the successful advance of government troops to the east of Deir al-Zor," said Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoi.The Syrian army, backed by Russian war planes, has captured about 100 km (160 miles) of the west bank of the Euphrates this month, reaching the Raqqa provincial border on Wednesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.Syrian troops also crossed to the eastern side of the river on Monday where the SDF has been advancing.The convergence of the rival offensives has increased tensions in Deir al-Zor.The U.S.-backed militia said on Saturday they had come under attack from Russian jets and Syrian government forces, something Moscow denied.On Monday, the SDF warned against any further Syrian army advances on the eastern riverbank, and Russia's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that the waters of the Euphrates had risen as soon as the Syrian army began crossing it, suggesting this could only have happened if upstream dams held by the U.S.-backed opposition had been opened.(Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Gareth Jones and Hugh Lawson)

Iran nuclear deal cannot be renegotiated: Rouhani-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-September 21, 2017

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iran's president said on Thursday its nuclear accord with world powers cannot be renegotiated, after the Trump administration warned it was weighing whether the deal signed by its predecessor served U.S. security interests.Under the 2015 deal, Iran agreed to limit its disputed nuclear program in return for the easing of economic sanctions. U.S. President Donald Trump called the deal an "embarrassment" during his first speech at the United Nations on Tuesday."There was some discussion by some people that the nuclear deal isn't very bad but shouldn't stay as it is. (That) it's a deal that's good but we should sit down again and debate to see if it can be improved. If it has flaws we can fix them," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said."They were told clearly and definitively (by us) that the nuclear deal cannot be renegotiated," he told a press conference in Tehran broadcast live on state television after his return from the U.N. General Assembly.Trump told reporters this week he had made a decision on what to do about the agreement, approved by his predecessor Barack Obama along with leaders of Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, but would not say what he had decided.However, although Trump does not like the deal, his speech to the United Nations on Tuesday did not mean Washington would withdraw from the pact, Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., said on Wednesday.The prospect of Washington reneging on the deal has worried some of the U.S. allies that helped negotiate it, especially as the world grapples with another nuclear crisis, North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile development.If Trump does not certify next month that Iran is complying with the accord, the U.S. Congress will have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions waived under the deal. U.N. inspectors have verified Iranian compliance with the terms.In contrast with Obama's policy of detente with Iran after decades of mutual hostility, Trump called Iran "a corrupt dictatorship" on Tuesday and accused it of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the Middle East."(Trump) made big mistakes in this speech," Rouhani said. "There were baseless and unfounded accusations. It wasn't worthy of the United Nations or an individual who sees himself as the president of a country."Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the highest authority in the Islamic Republic, also criticized Trump during a meeting Thursday with the Assembly of Experts, a body tasked with choosing the next Supreme Leader."This speech was not a sign of power but rather a sign of anger, frustration and stupidity," Khamenei said, according to a report on his official website.In recent months, tensions have ramped up between Iran and the United States in the Gulf, with both sides accusing each other of provocative naval maneuvers.(Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; editing by Mark Heinrich; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

South Korea's Moon says North Korea crisis must be handled in 'stable' manner-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-September 21, 2017

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in called on Thursday for the North Korean nuclear crisis to be handled in a stable manner, so that peace was not destroyed.Moon told the U.N. General Assembly sanctions were needed to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table and force it to give up its nuclear weapons, but Seoul was not seeking North Korea's collapse and the international community was ready to help the country if it stood on the right side of history.In the meantime, Moon said all countries must strictly adhere to U.N. sanctions on North Korea and impose tougher steps in the event of new provocations by Pyongyang.(Reporting by David Brunnstrom, editing by Michelle Nichols and Chizu Nomiyama)

Turkey, Iran, Iraq consider counter-measures over Kurdish referendum-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-September 21, 2017

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey, Iran and Iraq have agreed to consider counter-measures against Kurdish northern Iraq over a planned independence referendum, Turkey's foreign ministry said on Thursday.In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the three countries voiced concerns that the referendum would endanger the gains Iraq has made against Islamic State, and reiterated their fears over the potential for new conflicts in the region."In the meeting, the three ministers emphasized that the referendum will not be beneficial for the Kurds and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), and agreed, in this regard, to consider taking counter-measures in coordination," the statement said.The statement gave no details on the possible measures but said the ministers, who were in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly, called on the international community to intervene.Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to impose sanctions against Kurdish northern Iraq. Turkish troops are also carrying out military exercises near the border.The central government in Baghdad, Iraq's neighbors and Western powers fear the vote could divide the country and spark a wider regional conflict, after Arabs and Kurds cooperated to dislodge Islamic State from its stronghold in Mosul.The statement said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and their Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari expressed concerns that conflicts surfacing as a result of the referendum would "prove difficult to contain".But the Kurds say they are determined to go ahead with the vote, which, though non-binding, could trigger the process of separation in a country already divided along sectarian and ethnic lines.The three ministers also voiced their "strong commitment" to maintain Iraq's territorial and political unity, the foreign ministry's statement said.Turkey, which has pulled forward a cabinet meeting and national security council session to Friday over the referendum, will also convene parliament for an extraordinary meeting on Saturday, the chairman of the ruling AK Party's parliamentary group said on Thursday.(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Tulay Karadeniz; Editing by Dominic Evans)

US-backed force 'mopping up' last IS holdouts in Raqa-[AFP]-AFP-YAHOONEWS-September 21, 2017

Beirut (AFP) - Syrian fighters backed by US special forces battled Thursday to clear the last remaining Islamic State group jihadists holed up in their crumbling stronghold of Raqa.Across the border in Iraq, security forces were attacking all remaining territory held by the extremists, who are fighting to prevent the all-out collapse of their self-proclaimed "caliphate".Most of Raqa, long a byword for the jihadists' most gruesome atrocities, is now in the hands of US-backed fighters supported by waves of heavy air strikes by a military coalition led by Washington."The Syrian Democratic Forces and American special forces began a mopping up operation in Raqa," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday.The Britain-based monitor said jihadist holdouts were still hiding in underground shelters in a part of the city centre where a football stadium and former government buildings are located.But the operation was being slowed down by large numbers of mines planted by the jihadists in the city, where they have been under siege for three months, it said.The extremists seized Raqa in early 2014, making it their de facto Syria capital. They are thought to have used the city to plan attacks abroad.On Wednesday the SDF said they were in the "final stages" of capturing Raqa as the Observatory said the US-backed fighters controlled 90 percent of the northern city.The US-led coalition supporting the SDF estimated that 65-70 percent of Raqa was under the control of the alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.Across the border In Iraq, security forces backed by paramilitary units launched a dawn assault on a besieged IS-held pocket around the northern town of Hawija, just days after attacking the jihadists' only other foothold in the country.The territory still held by IS has been dwindling fast since its defeat in Iraq's second city Mosul in July, with stronghold after stronghold coming under assault on both sides of the border with Syria.- 'Victory after victory' -Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi predicted the assault on the Hawija region would swiftly bring a new victory against the crumbling jihadists.After the defeat of IS in Mosul and the recapture of adjacent areas, Hawija and neighbouring towns form the last enclave still held by IS in Iraq apart from a section of the Euphrates Valley downstream from the border with Syria."Greetings to all of our forces, who are waging several battles of liberation at the same time and who are winning victory after victory and this will be another, with the help of God," Abadi said.An AFP correspondent heard heavy shelling around the IS-held town of Sharqat where Iraqi forces have been massing in recent days.The US-led coalition fighting IS hailed the new offensive by the Iraqi security forces against the jihadist group, also known as ISIS."Daesh is losing ground and failing in every battle. Soon ISIS will have no sanctuary in Iraq," said coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon.- Concern for civilians -Humanitarian organisations expressed concern for the fate of civilians caught up in the offensive."The 85,000 civilians still in and around Hawija, including around 40,000 children, now face a terrifying time as they worry about getting caught up in the fighting or being hit by an air strike," said International Rescue Committee acting country director Jason Kajer."For those who decide to flee, there is a significant risk of being targeted by ISIS snipers or killed by a mine."In Syria, tens of thousands of civilians have fled the Raqa fighting in recent months but thousands are still trapped inside the city according to the UN'S Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)."We now estimate that up to 15,000 civilians remain trapped in Raqa city, although exact figures remain difficult to verify due to the situation on the ground," OCHA's Linda Tom told AFP.She said the civilians, many of them women and children, "are facing incredibly difficult conditions", including food, water and medical shortages.IS has seen the territory under its control fast diminish in recent months in the face of multiple offensives against its fighters in both Iraq and Syria.On Tuesday, Iraqi forces launched an attack up the Euphrates Valley against the other one of IS's two remaining enclaves in Iraq.And in Syria's eastern province of Deir Ezzor, IS faces twin assaults -- one by Russian-backed government troops and the other by SDF fighters.IS also holds pockets of territory elsewhere in Syria, notably in eastern parts of the central provinces of Homs and Hama, but it has come under attack by Russian-backed government forces there too.

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