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)
THERE WERE MANY MANY PEOPLE THAT SAID THIS WAREHOUSE WAS A FIRE HAZZARD.BUT THE MANAGER DEFENDS HE DONE ALL HE DID TO KEEP THE WAREHOUSE FIRE SAFETY. BUT HE OVIOUSLY NEVER. THERE WAS ONLY 2 DOORS TO GET OUT OF THE PLACE.ONE IN THE FRONT AND ONE IN THE BACK.
THERE WERE MANY MANY PEOPLE THAT SAID THIS WAREHOUSE WAS A FIRE HAZZARD.BUT THE MANAGER DEFENDS HE DONE ALL HE DID TO KEEP THE WAREHOUSE FIRE SAFETY. BUT HE OVIOUSLY NEVER. THERE WAS ONLY 2 DOORS TO GET OUT OF THE PLACE.ONE IN THE FRONT AND ONE IN THE BACK.
Death toll not expected to rise in California warehouse fire-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
(Reuters) - Police and fire officials in Oakland, California, said on Tuesday they do not expect the death toll from a blaze that engulfed a converted warehouse during a dance party to rise above 36 people but could not rule it out as they continued picking through debris.Emergency workers had searched and cleared 85 percent of the warehouse, officials said during a televised news conference. Searchers are still sifting through the rest of the building, with some parts still too unstable to enter."We're going to continue the investigation. We're going to continue the process until absolutely every piece of debris is removed from the building [and] every area has been searched," said Oakland Police Department spokeswoman Johnna Watson.The cause of the fire, which erupted late on Friday in a sprawling two-story building leased to an artists' collective, has yet to be determined.Officials have said arson was not immediately suspected. But charges ranging from involuntary manslaughter to murder could feature in a potential criminal case, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley told a news conference on Monday.(Reporting by Gina Cherelus and David Ingram; Editing by W Simon and Alden Bentley)
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)
LUKE 2:1-3
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Oil industry says carbon pricing coming, pump revenues back into cleaner tech-The Canadian Press-YAHOONEWS-DEC 6,16
OTTAWA — Canada's petroleum industry lobby group told the federal government this summer that carbon tax revenues from oil and gas should be pumped back into the industry in order to "not only preserve, but enhance" the sector.The pitch by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers came in August as federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna and her provincial counterparts were quietly discussing the pan-Canadian climate plan promised by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau."Any pricing mechanism implemented should contribute to a vibrant and competitive oil and gas sector while efficiently and effectively facilitating reductions in GHG emissions," says the 17-page brief, obtained by Greenpeace Canada through a freedom of information request to the Saskatchewan government."CAPP recommends that any policy initiatives undertaken by the government should seek to not only preserve, but enhance the economic competitiveness of the upstream oil and gas sector ...."Trudeau meets this Thursday and Friday with provincial and territorial premiers to finalize the climate plan, with carbon pricing appearing to be the last area of significant intergovernmental friction.A series of federal policy announcements this fall have drained much of the suspense from the first ministers' meeting, but Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall continues to rail against a national floor price on carbon announced by Trudeau in early October.Wall repeated his threat last week to take the federal government to court over the proposed carbon price, an escalating tax of $10 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions starting in 2018 and rising to $50 per tonne in 2022, when the policy will be reassessed.Wall appears to be the last holdout on pricing carbon pollution among the premiers — but the petroleum association brief readily acknowledges what way the wind is blowing."Carbon pricing mechanisms are becoming an increasingly popular policy tool used by governments to flexibly enable cost-effective GHG reductions across the economy," states the CAPP submission.Krista Phillips, CAPP's manager of oilsands, said in a telephone interview Monday that the industry association is taking its cue from Canada's Ecofiscal Commission, a cross-partisan think tank that advocates pricing carbon pollution and has proposed regionally tailored options for "recycling" the revenues raised."What we're suggesting is the revenue generated go back to our industry for technology and innovation to help us become that low-carbon supplier of petroleum products," said Phillips.Under the federal Liberal carbon price plan, revenues will stay within the province or territory where they are collected and can be used however the provincial government sees fit.Greenpeace Canada researcher Keith Stewart said in an email that pouring carbon tax revenues back into the oil and gas sector "would dramatically weaken" the policy's climate impact."By returning the largest share of the revenue back to the oil industry, the signal to investors to shift resources to low-carbon energy is muted," Stewart wrote.Phillips acknowledged the Greenpeace argument but said there's a petroleum future beyond additional greenhouse gases from burning oil. "What we're suggesting is that fossil fuel combustion is not the only end game for our industry," said the CAPP manager."There's lots of products, lots of markets, that demand petroleum products. We want to become the lowest-carbon supplier of products, globally."Canada does not keep such detailed statistics but according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 75 per cent of the 7.1 billion barrels of petroleum products Americans consumed in 2015 was gasoline, distillate fuel (such as home heating and diesel) and jet fuel.In advance of this week's climate meeting, the Liberals continued rolling out policy measures Monday, with Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr in suburban Toronto announcing 25 new electric vehicle charging stations-Greenpeace says more needs to be done."Carbon pricing is a powerful tool, but we shouldn't treat it is a panacea," said Stewart. "To achieve our mid-century goal of virtually eliminating fossil fuels, we're going to need every tool in the policy tool kit."— Follow @BCheadle on Twitter-Bruce Cheadle, The Canadian Press
Brexit deal must be done by October 2018, says EU negotiator By Eszter Zalan-DEC 6,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 14:41-"Keep calm and negotiate," the European Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told Britons on Tuesday (6 December), during his first press conference on how he envisages talks with the UK.The French former EU commissioner said he aimed to find an agreement on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union by the end of October 2018, if British prime minister Theresa May officially notifies the EU of the UK's wish to exit by the end of next March.That would give enough time to ratify the deal in the UK, by European Parliament and the 27 other member states by spring 2019, two years after talks are expected to start, and just before the next EU elections.The two-year time frame is set out by Article 50, the EU Treaty clause that organises EU exit talks.Barnier warned that the actual negotiations would be shorter: "We have less than 18 months."We are entering uncharted waters, the work will be legally complex, politically sensitive, and will have important consequences on our economies and first, our people, on both sides of the channel."Barnier said it was "too soon" to go into details, but reiterated the basis of negotiations for the EU.He said the first priority was to preserve of the unity of the 27, and defend their interests. He also suggested the UK should not count on the same rights and obligations as EU members after it leaves."Third countries can never have the same rights and benefits as members," Barnier said.He reiterated that negotiations would not start before the official notification, and that the EU's single market and its four freedoms were indivisible."Cherrypicking is not an option," he said.Barnier also said there could be no deal on the future relationship between the EU and the UK until the UK had formally left the bloc."These things cannot be done together legally," he said.When asked about a possible transitional period, he said that he needed first to know what the UK wants, "is ready to ask and accept" before he can envisage such a period.-Tour of Europe-Barnier has travelled to 18 member states so far to prepare the EU position, and he said he would visit all 27 by the end of January.He has a team of 30 people, who – along with the commission services and the EU Council negotiating team – have screened the EU law to check which issues need to be discussed with the UK.Once May has triggered Article 50, the 27 other states will set the framework for negotiations and give a negotiating mandate to the commission.Barnier pledged to keep the European Parliament, the college of commissioners, and member states up to date.Asked about the open border issue between Ireland and Northern Ireland that could become an EU's external border once the UK leaves, he said that the EU would do its "utmost to find a way to preserve the success of the Good Friday agreement," the 1998 peace deal in Northern Ireland.-UK must play ball-Barnier also said he did not know what a "hard" or a "soft" Brexit was: "I can tell what Brexit is. It is clear, orderly, and will work within the council's guidelines."We want a clear agreement, within the limited time we have available. We want it to take on board the interests of the 27, and preserve the unity of 27."Earlier on Tuesday, Dutch finance minister and Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem had more bluntly described the UK's exit."It can be smooth, it can be orderly, but that requires a different attitude from the British government. What I have been hearing so far is incompatible with smooth and orderly," he said."If UK wants to have full access to the single market, they have to accept rules and regulations that go with it."On a personal note Barnier said the first time he voted was in the French referendum on the UK's accession to the European Community, where he campaigned for a yes vote."It is much better to show solidarity than to stand alone," he said.
ID and police checks await all who enter and leave the EU By Nikolaj Nielsen-DEC 6,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:28-Everyone, including EU nationals, will have their IDs checked against police databases under new draft rules every time they enter or exit the EU.Backed by MEP negotiators and their EU state counterparts on Monday (5 December), the move is the latest in a series of security measures aimed at catching people who fought alongside the Islamic State militant group.But the plan, which amends the Schengen Borders Code, is also designed to provide the police much greater insight into people suspected of other crimes.People's IDs will be crossed checked against an EU-level police and border database, the so-called Schengen Information System (SIS), which is riddled with management problems.The issues are so bad that the European commission plans on unveiling new rules before the end of year to make SIS more effective.The database currently only allows name and date of birth search queries, providing little protection against the use of fake documents. The EU commission wants to plug the gap by allowing authorities to search the database using biometric information, like fingerprints.Once the biometric search is developed, the system will further link up to the EU police agency, Europol, and is likely to include a new set of alerts on "wanted unknown persons", where police have evidence of criminal activity but are unable to identify the person behind the offence.Every EU national will be subject to the digital scrutiny.The new rules are set to launch next year but still need to be formally adopted by the EU institutions. No date has been announced.-Foreign fighters-Millions of people cross into the EU's passport free Schengen area every week. Last year, authorities registered over 200 million.Of those, 5,000 EU nationals are thought to have left to fight with militants in either Iraq or Syria.Half of these are unaccounted for - either missing or dead. The others have returned to Europe, either to resume normal lives or face criminal penalties.Concerns are mounting that defeated militants in the campaign in Iraq may return to mount attacks in the EU. An Iraqi-led offensive against the Islamic State, with US air and ground support, kicked off in early October.But Julian King, the EU commissioner for security, told reporters in mid-November not to exaggerate the threat."I know there has been some concern and speculation in light of the evolution on the ground in Iraq and in Syria," he said."There has been some speculation that we might face an influx of returning foreign fighters, I think that speculation is sometimes exaggerated. I want to be clear, it is not a new threat."
Opinion-Rising to the challenge of 'European Angst' By Alex Godson-DEC 6,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 11:14-Populism, extremism and euroscepticism are haunting Europe, creating a tense atmosphere in which fear, hate, anger and anxiety generate a climate of angst.The current rise of radical parties such as AfD in Germany, Ukip in Great Britain and FN in France indicates a drastic change in European societies and politics – and the more momentum these populist movements gain, the more clueless the established political, cultural and legislative institutions seem to be.The prevalence of hate speech and violent acts threatening migrants and refugees, and hostile attitudes towards liberal values and modern, open societies are clear manifestations of this angst.Xenophobia still looms large in the modern history of our continent, and it was never completely quashed in the process of an ever closer integration. A very recent expression of this phenomenon is the surprising outcome of the EU referendum in Great Britain, driven by a fear-based campaign.Political leaders and the traditional political parties are seemingly failing to act on these issues haunting Europe. Following summit upon summit, from Bratislava to Ventotene, solutions seem to be in short supply. Pressing matters such as the redistribution of migrants fall by the wayside, brutally exposing the lack of solidarity in the EU.This year has seen a tumult of challenges to strident liberal democratic states - popular protest against Ceta, TTIP and globalisation; the biting impact of global terrorism; and most recently an external shock in the form of the American elections. Liberal ideologies have hit a blockage, and responses to this unanticipated outmanoeuvring of the political left and centre by the (far-)right have been muddled.-A constructive discourse-A much talked about phenomenon of recent weeks has been the presence of “fake news” carried by social media sites, and the gullibility of the general public who apparently swallow these articles without question.Extremism comes in many guises, but the rise of the far-right across our continent, and the at times impassive response to refugees, coupled with the growing presence of insular, nationalist voices, has led to a contagion of hostile sentiments in our daily lives.On social media, in the press we read, and in the conversations we hear, we are fed a narrative of false dichotomies based on fear. The ease of posting commentary online has led to a culture in which my ignorance is given equal airtime to your hard fought for knowledge. Thus, a question arises: how do we counter these “post-fact” narratives and create a constructive, yet informative discourse in the media? Who now of our political leaders, of our commentators and philosophers and laureates can stand above the fray, speak out and tackle these fears? Much has been written of chancellor Angela Merkel’s stand as the last bastion of a crumbling liberal elite, not only in Europe, but also in a global context. From who else or where else do we seek the strength to forge new paths, and build a new future that will deliver on shared goals of prosperity, diversity and peace? -New narratives needed-The European Angst conference will shed light on these questions in a unique way. It will leave the comfort zone of liberal consensus by inviting thinkers from across the spectrum of ideas, thus creating a space for passionate debate, for reflection and in-depth analysis. Going beyond the so-called Brussels bubble, the event seeks to take the discussion beyond our well-established comfort zone.Among the participants are the writers and philosophers Slavoj Zizek, Didier Eribon and Nobel Prize winner Herta Mueller, as well as 42 students selected in an open pan-European call. The students will play an active role in the conference, and they will draft a manifesto on Europe’s future to be handed over to EU officials.The European Angst conference will create a pan-European space where open discussions will negotiate how we can create better societies. We urgently need new narratives to create a better perspective for Europeaness and to get over the current angst that openly questions Europe’s future.Alex Godson is the head of communication of the European Movement International-The European Movement International is a partner in the European Angst Conference, which is an initiative of the Goethe-Institut, organised in collaboration with 4 members of EUNIC, and BOZAR. The media partner for this event is EUobserver.The European Angst Conference takes place in Brussels on Tuesday 6 December and Wednesday 7 December 2016.
Security shouldn't trump privacy, watchdogs to tell Trudeau government-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
OTTAWA — Privacy commissioners from across the country will tell the Trudeau government today to make respect for personal information a cornerstone of its revamped national security policy.Federal privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien and all of his provincial and territorial counterparts are signing a joint submission to the government's security review.Therrien and privacy czars from two provinces — Ontario's Brian Beamish and Jean Chartier of Quebec — will appear in Ottawa today to discuss the submission.Therrien's office says it will address key issues including information sharing, encryption and the collection and use of metadata by national security agencies and law enforcement.In October, Therrien told a House of Commons committee it is crucial that there be more transparency about national security so that Canadians can better understand the issues.Therrien said while there are obviously limits to transparency when national security is at stake, more can and should be done.The government has requested public feedback on issues ranging from sharing information and preventing attacks to conducting surveillance and ensuring intelligence agencies are accountable.In last year's election campaign, the Liberals promised to repeal "problematic elements" of omnibus security legislation, known as C-51, ushered in by the previous Conservative government.The bill gave the Canadian Security Intelligence Service explicit powers to disrupt terrorist threats, not just gather information about them.The legislation also created a new offence of promoting the commission of terrorist offences and broadened the government's no-fly list powers.In addition, it expanded the exchange of federally held information about activity that "undermines the security of Canada." Therrien has already said the government hasn't done enough to protect the privacy of "law-abiding Canadians" from the new information-sharing powers.The Trudeau government has committed to ensure all CSIS warrants respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to preserve legitimate protest and advocacy and to define terrorist propaganda more clearly.The Liberals say they say will do a better job of balancing collective security with rights and freedoms.Just last month a Federal Court judge ruled that CSIS violated the law by keeping potentially revealing electronic data over a 10-year period about people who were not targets of investigation.CSIS processed the data beginning in 2006 through its Operational Data Analysis Centre to produce intelligence that can reveal specific details about individuals.The improperly retained material was metadata — information associated with a communication, such as a telephone number or email address, but not the message itself.It is believed to have included data trails related to friends or family members who knew targets of surveillance but were not themselves under investigation.— Follow @JimBronskill on TwitterJim Bronskill, The Canadian Press-Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version had the wrong spelling for Chartier.
Trump says "cancel order" on new Boeing Air Force One plane-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump urged the government to cancel purchase of Boeing's new Air Force One plane on Tuesday, saying it was "ridiculous" and too expensive."Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!" said Trump in a Twitter message.Speaking shortly afterward to reporters in New York, Trump said, "The plane is totally out of control. I think it's ridiculous. I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number.""We want Boeing to make a lot of money but not that much money," added Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20.Boeing did not immediately return a request for comment.The Air Force first announced in January 2015 that Boeing's 747-8 would be used to replace the two current Air Force planes used to transport the U.S. president. Air Force One is one of the most visible symbols of the United States.Details about the total value of the new contract have not been released, but the Air Force has previously said that it had earmarked $1.65 billion for two replacement jets.The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing Co an initial contract worth $25.8 million in January.U.S. presidents have used Boeing plane's since 1943, according to the company's website.The 747-8 planes, 240 feet long (73 meters) long with a wing span of 224 feet (68 meters), can fly direct from Washington to Hong Kong, 1,000 miles (1,600 km) farther than the current Air Force One.(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Jeffrey Dastin; Editing by Frances Kerry)
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)
Frigid Calgary weather has street outreach team scrambling to get people warm-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
School officials and agencies that help the homeless are both taking steps to prevent any tragedies as Calgary experiences its coldest winter weather in two years.After mild winters last year and the year before, this week's plunge to overnight lows as frigid as –27 C prompted the Calgary Catholic School District to remind parents to make sure their children are dressed warmly as they wait for buses."All students should be well prepared for conditions caused by low temperatures and high wind chills and should not be left unattended at bus stops or spend any extended period of time outdoors under any circumstance," the board said in a release."Cold weather or heavy snowfalls can result in bus schedules being unavoidably delayed."Whenever the temperature drops lower than –18 C, including wind chill, the Catholic board keeps students indoors during lunch hours and recesses.The Calgary Alpha House Society's outreach team is also taking extra precautions during the cold snap."It definitely makes things more challenging and just trying to figure out where to take people and get them a safe spot for the night," said Danielle Minns, who works with the Downtown Addictions Outreach Program, or DOAP team.The mobile team works to get people struggling with addictions off the streets and connected with a range of programs.When temperatures dip below –10 C the DOAP team is often stretched thin, especially since the shelters fill up quickly, Minns says."A lot of times we'll end up having to mobile shelter them in a van. Just keep them in the back, let them sleep, just to prevent them from being outside," said outreach worker Teigen Welkert.The DOAP team usually ends up doing about 50 transports per day during the winter.David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, said this week's temperatures will be colder than anything Calgary saw over the past two years, and the cold snap could last for up to two weeks.
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)
German police arrest Iraqi rape suspect, leaders warn against backlash-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
BERLIN (Reuters) - German police have detained an Iraqi migrant for suspected rape only days after an Afghan refugee was held in a separate rape and murder case, and the government warned against a political backlash to such crimes.The two cases threaten to fan anti-migrant sentiment in Germany, which saw a record 890,000 people from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere arrive last year. The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has grown in support while Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity has suffered.Police said on Tuesday the Iraqi, 31, was detained in his refugee hostel on Monday on suspicion of raping a Chinese student and attempting to rape another in the western city of Bochum.The 17-year-old Afghan was detained on Friday on suspicion of raping and murdering a 19-year-old German student as she cycled home from a party in the southwestern city of Freiburg.The Iraqi man is accused of dragging the two Chinese students aged 21 and 27 into a bush and forcing himself on them in separate incidents on Aug. 6 and Nov. 16, a police official said told reporters.Prosecutors are checking if the man, who has denied the accusations, could have committed other crimes.The Freiburg incident caused outrage when it came to light.The Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel said it had withheld from publishing on its website around 40 percent of user comments on the topic as they were slanderous, racist or defamatory. That compares with around 10 percent on any other issue.In an interview with ARD television late on Monday, Merkel was asked about the rape and murder case in Freiburg and she warned against tarring all refugees with the same brush."That was a terrible murder and, if it turns out that it was an Afghan refugee, then that is to be condemned, just as is the case with any other murderer," Merkel said."But then I say that this can't lead to the rejection of an entire group, just as we don't draw conclusions about an entire group from one person in other circumstances," she added.Merkel's Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and government spokesman Steffen Seibert also warned against a backlash after the Freiburg case.Public concerns about women's safety and the integration of the mostly Muslim migrants have come to the fore since hundreds of women were sexually assaulted and robbed by men of North African and Arab appearance during New Year festivities in Cologne on Dec. 31.(Reporting by Gernot Heller and Michelle Martin; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Belgium takes in eight people for questioning over supporting Islamic State-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian law enforcers searched houses and took eight people for questioning on suspicion of "recruiting people to leave for Syria" and "having financially supported" the Islamic State, the country's prosecutors said on Tuesday.The prosecutors also said in a statement nine houses were searched in a district of Brussels, as well as the cities of Bruges, Antwerp and Sint-Niklaas. No weapons or explosives were found, it added.(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska)
Congo detains dozens of South Sudanese soldiers fleeing civil war-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese troops last week detained dozens of South Sudanese soldiers who were fleeing a rebel attack across the border, a local radio station and aid workers said on Tuesday, increasing fears of spillover from South Sudan's conflict.More than 57,000 South Sudanese refugees have poured into Democratic Republic of Congo this year as fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and various rebel groups inches south towards Congo and Uganda.Valentin Ngaito, editor of a community radio station in the Congolese town of Aba, 10 km (six miles) south of the border, told Reuters that Congolese troops detained 41 South Sudanese soldiers and one police officer on Saturday after they fled a rebel assault over the frontier."They came with their families - women and children. They remained at the military headquarters until (Monday)," he said, adding that he believed the regional U.N. mission had since transported them to the town of Dungu, about 200 km away.The U.N. mission, the Congolese army and the Congolese government were not immediately available for comment and Reuters was unable to independently verify the account.But Medard Mokobke Mabe, a coordinator for the Red Cross in the area, said that South Sudanese soldiers had been detained after having crossed the border. He did not know how many.U.N. Congo mission chief Maman Sidikou told the Security Council on Monday that concern was increasing about the spillover effects from the South Sudan conflict into Congo.More than one million people have fled South Sudan since the conflict erupted in December 2013 following a dispute between Kiir and his former vice-president, Riek Machar.It is the largest exodus from conflict in central Africa since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The increasingly ethnic nature of the violence led the United Nations to warn last month of the risk of genocide.Machar and more than 750 supporters fled into Congo in August after fierce fighting in the South Sudan capital Juba. They were evacuated by the U.N. mission from northeastern Congo to receive medical care. Most are still staying on U.N. bases.The influx of rebel fighters from volatile neighbors is a sensitive theme in Congo, where the flow of Hutu militiamen from neighboring Rwanda after its genocide helped trigger years of regional conflict in eastern Congo that killed millions.(Reporting by Aaron Ross; editing by Edward McAllister and Mark Heinrich)
Suspected Islamist militants free 93 prisoners in central Mali-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Suspected Islamist militants freed 93 prisoners during an attack on a jail in the central Mali town of Niono early on Tuesday, officials said.The prison break was the second of its kind in recent weeks in Mali, where militant groups based in the desert north have extended their campaign into central and southern regions.Five armed men attacked the jail at around 0115 GMT (2.15 a.m. BST), injuring two guards, the Ministry of Security said.Ninety prisoners remained at large on Tuesday afternoon after three were captured. The army was deployed in pursuit.It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, but a number of Islamist groups, some linked to al Qaeda, have stepped up their insurgency in Mali this year.Army spokesman Diarran Kone said the attack bore the hallmarks of followers of radical Islamist preacher Amadou Koufa, the leader of an ethnic Fulani jihadist group, the Macina Liberation Front. It was unclear whether any suspected jihadists had been in the prison.Last month, gunmen broke into a prison in southern Mali, freeing 21 inmates. But the two prisoners they had aimed to release had already been moved away, authorities said.Islamist groups hijacked a separatist Tuareg rebellion in 2012 to seize towns in Mali's vast desert north. French forces drove them back a year later, but they have since reorganised, and in recent months launched dozens of attacks.(Reporting by Adama Diarra and Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Andrew Roche)
Austria to fine or jail migrants who lie to authorities-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria plans to jail or fine asylum seekers who lie to the authorities, a move aimed partly at dissuading migrants from trying to settle, it said on Tuesday.The cabinet agreed on a draft law that would allow the authorities to punish asylum applicants who lie about their identities - for example by pretending to be Syrian so their claims have a better chance of being accepted - with a fine of up to 5,000 euros ($5,373) or three weeks in jail.Those who stay in Austria despite being ordered to leave face fines of between 5,000 and 15,000 euros or six weeks in jail, said the conservative People's Party (OVP), which is in coalition with the Social Democrats (SPO).The centrist government has this year tightened migration laws. The anti-immigrant Freedom Party (FPO), whose candidate Norbert Hofer made it to Sunday's presidential election run-off, has been leading opinion polls with around 33 percent for months."Certainly these (measures) have in part a signalling effect," OVP junior economy minister, Harald Mahrer, said when asked if the law was designed to scare off migrants. "What kind of rule of law would we have in the republic if we said we do not punish these things?"The bill needs the approval of parliament.Other European countries, such as Denmark and Sweden, have also toughened asylum laws or tightened border controls in recent months as European Union member states have failed to agree on a mechanism for distributing migrants among themselves.Austria's Greens criticised the bill and called for the costs of accepting asylum seekers to be spread among European Union member states."That way you can stop the nationalist competition for who can scare off asylum seekers the most," said Alev Korun of the Greens.Austria has announced a cap on asylum claims of 37,500 this year, having taken in 90,000 asylum seekers last year, when it was swept up in Europe's migration crisis.The Interior Ministry said it had received 37,000 asylum applications by the end of October, but only counted 30,000 as relevant to the cap as it strips out certain cases, including those it believes should be processed in other countries.One SPO minister said emergency measures would not be needed this year or next year, when the cap falls to 35,000, to stay below the limit.(Reporting By Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Erdogan maybe more open to Cyprus deal after coup - Cypriot minister-[Reuters]-By Gilbert Reilhac-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
NICOSIA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan may be more willing to back a deal to reunite the divided island of Cyprus following Turkey's failed army coup in July, the Cypriot foreign minister said on Tuesday.The latest round of U.N.-brokered talks, held in Switzerland in November, failed to conclude an agreement to bring the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides under one umbrella and the two sides are set to meet again in January.Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said July's failed military coup, which led to the arrests and sackings of many army officials, could free Erdogan to accept a withdrawal of Turkish forces stationed in northern Cyprus since 1974.Turkey's once-mighty military has long taken a hawkish stance on the Cyprus issue."We are in the process of resolving all the internal issues in this story, but the issue that will lead to a solution or failure is the security issue," said Kasoulides, whose country has made a Turkish army withdrawal a precondition."For the (Turkish) army, the problem was solved in 1974, but my analysis is that, since the failed coup d'etat, the army obstacle no longer exists," he told reporters in Nicosia.Cyprus was split on ethnic lines after a Turkish invasion in 1974 prompted by a brief Greek-inspired coup. A U.N.-patrolled ceasefire line still runs across the island from east to west and thousands of Turkish troops are stationed in the north.The internationally recognised Cypriot government, a member of the European Union, presides over about 800,000 Greek Cypriots in the south of the island, while the breakaway Turkish Cypriot administration in the north, governing some 220,000 Turkish Cypriots, is recognised only by Ankara.Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci will reconvene with the United Nations on Jan. 9 in Geneva before being joined three days later by Greece, Britain and Turkey, which guarantee the constitutional settlement on the island.Other powers, including members of the U.N. Security Council who would rubberstamp any deal, could also attend those talks during which new proposals will be made, Kasoulides said.With ties between the EU and Turkey now very strained and little prospect of Turkey's accession to the bloc, Kasoulides added, Erdogan could seek a Cyprus deal to secure Ankara's wider interests in the east Mediterranean."Turkey's motivation today is not accession to the European Union. It's more Syria, (the northern Iraqi city of) Mosul and taking advantage of the gas fields that could transit from its territory to Europe," he said.(Writing by John Irish; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Iraqi army launches fresh assault towards Mosul centre-[Reuters]-By Ahmed Rasheed and Patrick Markey-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
BAGHDAD/ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi army units surged towards the centre of Mosul on Tuesday in an attack from the city's southeastern edges that could give fresh impetus to the seven-week-old battle for Islamic State's Iraqi stronghold.Campaign commander Lieutenant General Abdul Ameer Rasheed Yarallah was quoted by Iraqi television as saying troops had entered Salam Hospital, less than a mile (1.5 km) from the Tigris river running through the city centre.If confirmed, that would mark a significant advance by the Ninth Armoured Division, which had been tied up for more than a month in close-quarter combat with Islamic State on the southeastern fringes of the city.Residents of Islamic State-controlled districts of east Mosul said by telephone the army had punched deep into the east bank of the city, getting close to the Tigris."The fighting right now is very heavy - Iraqi forces have gone past our neighbourhood without entering it. Our area is now practically surrounded by the river and the Iraqi forces," said a resident of the Palestine neighbourhood.Islamic State's news agency appeared to confirm the advance, saying three car bombers struck the troops near Salam hospital.A Reuters team saw thick black smoke rising from the area around the hospital. "We made good advances today," said a soldier who identified himself as Abu Ahmed.Mosul is by far the largest city under Islamic State control and defeat there would roll back the self-styled caliphate it declared in 2014 after seizing large parts of Iraq and Syria.Some 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, security forces, Kurdish peshmerga fighters and mainly Shi'ite paramilitary forces are participating in the Mosul campaign that began on Oct. 17, with air and ground support from a U.S.-led coalition.A colonel in the armoured division said Tuesday's assault, launched at 6 a.m., aimed to ultimately reach Mosul's Fourth Bridge, the southernmost of five bridges spanning the river.The bridge, like three others, has been hit by U.S.-led air strikes to prevent Islamic State sending reinforcements and suicide car bombs across the city to the eastern front.The last and oldest bridge, built in the 1930s, was targeted on Monday night, two residents said. The structure was not destroyed, but the air strikes made two large craters in the approach roads on both sides."I saw Daesh (Islamic State) using bulldozers to fill the craters with sand and by midday vehicles managed to cross the bridge normally. I drove my car to the other side of the bridge and saw also Daesh vehicles crossing," a taxi driver told Reuters.-NEW TACTICS-The army says it is facing the toughest urban warfare imaginable - hundreds of suicide car bomb attacks, mortar barrages, sniper fire and ambushes launched from a network of tunnels. More than a million civilians are still in the city.The colonel said Tuesday's offensive aimed to overwhelm the militants, who have put up stiff resistance but are hugely outnumbered by the attacking forces."We are using a new tactic - increasing the numbers of advancing forces and also attacking from multiple fronts to take the initiative and prevent Daesh fighters from organising any counter-attacks," the colonel said by telephone.He said the four armoured division regiments, whose tanks and heavy armour have struggled to adapt to street-by-street fighting, had been reinforced by an infantry regiment.They were aiming for the Wahda neighbourhood, a sprawling southeastern district. Wahda could serve as a launchpad for an advance to the Fourth Bridge, he said.The Sunni Muslim jihadists, who seized Mosul in mid-2014, are believed to be dug in across the city, but a U.S. general in the coalition supporting Iraqi forces told Reuters they appeared to have committed additional defences to the fight in the east.The west of the city is more densely populated than the east and has a greater concentration of Sunni Muslims."The quality of the enemy we are facing now is markedly declined from a month ago," said Brigadier General Scott Efflandt, a coalition deputy commander."What they were saving for the west side of the river they are now committing to the east."He said the number of militants in the city had probably fallen to around 3,000, from around 3,000-5,000 at the start of the campaign.Iraqi officials have not given any casualty figures for their own forces. Last week the United Nations said nearly 2,000 members of Iraq's security forces had been killed in November - a figure Baghdad says was based on unverified reports - and that more than 900 police and civilians had also been killed.(Additional reporting by Ali Abdelatti in Cairo; Writing by Dominic Evans; Editing by Andrew Roche)
(Reuters) - Police and fire officials in Oakland, California, said on Tuesday they do not expect the death toll from a blaze that engulfed a converted warehouse during a dance party to rise above 36 people but could not rule it out as they continued picking through debris.Emergency workers had searched and cleared 85 percent of the warehouse, officials said during a televised news conference. Searchers are still sifting through the rest of the building, with some parts still too unstable to enter."We're going to continue the investigation. We're going to continue the process until absolutely every piece of debris is removed from the building [and] every area has been searched," said Oakland Police Department spokeswoman Johnna Watson.The cause of the fire, which erupted late on Friday in a sprawling two-story building leased to an artists' collective, has yet to be determined.Officials have said arson was not immediately suspected. But charges ranging from involuntary manslaughter to murder could feature in a potential criminal case, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley told a news conference on Monday.(Reporting by Gina Cherelus and David Ingram; Editing by W Simon and Alden Bentley)
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)
LUKE 2:1-3
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Oil industry says carbon pricing coming, pump revenues back into cleaner tech-The Canadian Press-YAHOONEWS-DEC 6,16
OTTAWA — Canada's petroleum industry lobby group told the federal government this summer that carbon tax revenues from oil and gas should be pumped back into the industry in order to "not only preserve, but enhance" the sector.The pitch by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers came in August as federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna and her provincial counterparts were quietly discussing the pan-Canadian climate plan promised by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau."Any pricing mechanism implemented should contribute to a vibrant and competitive oil and gas sector while efficiently and effectively facilitating reductions in GHG emissions," says the 17-page brief, obtained by Greenpeace Canada through a freedom of information request to the Saskatchewan government."CAPP recommends that any policy initiatives undertaken by the government should seek to not only preserve, but enhance the economic competitiveness of the upstream oil and gas sector ...."Trudeau meets this Thursday and Friday with provincial and territorial premiers to finalize the climate plan, with carbon pricing appearing to be the last area of significant intergovernmental friction.A series of federal policy announcements this fall have drained much of the suspense from the first ministers' meeting, but Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall continues to rail against a national floor price on carbon announced by Trudeau in early October.Wall repeated his threat last week to take the federal government to court over the proposed carbon price, an escalating tax of $10 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions starting in 2018 and rising to $50 per tonne in 2022, when the policy will be reassessed.Wall appears to be the last holdout on pricing carbon pollution among the premiers — but the petroleum association brief readily acknowledges what way the wind is blowing."Carbon pricing mechanisms are becoming an increasingly popular policy tool used by governments to flexibly enable cost-effective GHG reductions across the economy," states the CAPP submission.Krista Phillips, CAPP's manager of oilsands, said in a telephone interview Monday that the industry association is taking its cue from Canada's Ecofiscal Commission, a cross-partisan think tank that advocates pricing carbon pollution and has proposed regionally tailored options for "recycling" the revenues raised."What we're suggesting is the revenue generated go back to our industry for technology and innovation to help us become that low-carbon supplier of petroleum products," said Phillips.Under the federal Liberal carbon price plan, revenues will stay within the province or territory where they are collected and can be used however the provincial government sees fit.Greenpeace Canada researcher Keith Stewart said in an email that pouring carbon tax revenues back into the oil and gas sector "would dramatically weaken" the policy's climate impact."By returning the largest share of the revenue back to the oil industry, the signal to investors to shift resources to low-carbon energy is muted," Stewart wrote.Phillips acknowledged the Greenpeace argument but said there's a petroleum future beyond additional greenhouse gases from burning oil. "What we're suggesting is that fossil fuel combustion is not the only end game for our industry," said the CAPP manager."There's lots of products, lots of markets, that demand petroleum products. We want to become the lowest-carbon supplier of products, globally."Canada does not keep such detailed statistics but according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 75 per cent of the 7.1 billion barrels of petroleum products Americans consumed in 2015 was gasoline, distillate fuel (such as home heating and diesel) and jet fuel.In advance of this week's climate meeting, the Liberals continued rolling out policy measures Monday, with Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr in suburban Toronto announcing 25 new electric vehicle charging stations-Greenpeace says more needs to be done."Carbon pricing is a powerful tool, but we shouldn't treat it is a panacea," said Stewart. "To achieve our mid-century goal of virtually eliminating fossil fuels, we're going to need every tool in the policy tool kit."— Follow @BCheadle on Twitter-Bruce Cheadle, The Canadian Press
Brexit deal must be done by October 2018, says EU negotiator By Eszter Zalan-DEC 6,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 14:41-"Keep calm and negotiate," the European Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told Britons on Tuesday (6 December), during his first press conference on how he envisages talks with the UK.The French former EU commissioner said he aimed to find an agreement on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union by the end of October 2018, if British prime minister Theresa May officially notifies the EU of the UK's wish to exit by the end of next March.That would give enough time to ratify the deal in the UK, by European Parliament and the 27 other member states by spring 2019, two years after talks are expected to start, and just before the next EU elections.The two-year time frame is set out by Article 50, the EU Treaty clause that organises EU exit talks.Barnier warned that the actual negotiations would be shorter: "We have less than 18 months."We are entering uncharted waters, the work will be legally complex, politically sensitive, and will have important consequences on our economies and first, our people, on both sides of the channel."Barnier said it was "too soon" to go into details, but reiterated the basis of negotiations for the EU.He said the first priority was to preserve of the unity of the 27, and defend their interests. He also suggested the UK should not count on the same rights and obligations as EU members after it leaves."Third countries can never have the same rights and benefits as members," Barnier said.He reiterated that negotiations would not start before the official notification, and that the EU's single market and its four freedoms were indivisible."Cherrypicking is not an option," he said.Barnier also said there could be no deal on the future relationship between the EU and the UK until the UK had formally left the bloc."These things cannot be done together legally," he said.When asked about a possible transitional period, he said that he needed first to know what the UK wants, "is ready to ask and accept" before he can envisage such a period.-Tour of Europe-Barnier has travelled to 18 member states so far to prepare the EU position, and he said he would visit all 27 by the end of January.He has a team of 30 people, who – along with the commission services and the EU Council negotiating team – have screened the EU law to check which issues need to be discussed with the UK.Once May has triggered Article 50, the 27 other states will set the framework for negotiations and give a negotiating mandate to the commission.Barnier pledged to keep the European Parliament, the college of commissioners, and member states up to date.Asked about the open border issue between Ireland and Northern Ireland that could become an EU's external border once the UK leaves, he said that the EU would do its "utmost to find a way to preserve the success of the Good Friday agreement," the 1998 peace deal in Northern Ireland.-UK must play ball-Barnier also said he did not know what a "hard" or a "soft" Brexit was: "I can tell what Brexit is. It is clear, orderly, and will work within the council's guidelines."We want a clear agreement, within the limited time we have available. We want it to take on board the interests of the 27, and preserve the unity of 27."Earlier on Tuesday, Dutch finance minister and Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem had more bluntly described the UK's exit."It can be smooth, it can be orderly, but that requires a different attitude from the British government. What I have been hearing so far is incompatible with smooth and orderly," he said."If UK wants to have full access to the single market, they have to accept rules and regulations that go with it."On a personal note Barnier said the first time he voted was in the French referendum on the UK's accession to the European Community, where he campaigned for a yes vote."It is much better to show solidarity than to stand alone," he said.
ID and police checks await all who enter and leave the EU By Nikolaj Nielsen-DEC 6,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:28-Everyone, including EU nationals, will have their IDs checked against police databases under new draft rules every time they enter or exit the EU.Backed by MEP negotiators and their EU state counterparts on Monday (5 December), the move is the latest in a series of security measures aimed at catching people who fought alongside the Islamic State militant group.But the plan, which amends the Schengen Borders Code, is also designed to provide the police much greater insight into people suspected of other crimes.People's IDs will be crossed checked against an EU-level police and border database, the so-called Schengen Information System (SIS), which is riddled with management problems.The issues are so bad that the European commission plans on unveiling new rules before the end of year to make SIS more effective.The database currently only allows name and date of birth search queries, providing little protection against the use of fake documents. The EU commission wants to plug the gap by allowing authorities to search the database using biometric information, like fingerprints.Once the biometric search is developed, the system will further link up to the EU police agency, Europol, and is likely to include a new set of alerts on "wanted unknown persons", where police have evidence of criminal activity but are unable to identify the person behind the offence.Every EU national will be subject to the digital scrutiny.The new rules are set to launch next year but still need to be formally adopted by the EU institutions. No date has been announced.-Foreign fighters-Millions of people cross into the EU's passport free Schengen area every week. Last year, authorities registered over 200 million.Of those, 5,000 EU nationals are thought to have left to fight with militants in either Iraq or Syria.Half of these are unaccounted for - either missing or dead. The others have returned to Europe, either to resume normal lives or face criminal penalties.Concerns are mounting that defeated militants in the campaign in Iraq may return to mount attacks in the EU. An Iraqi-led offensive against the Islamic State, with US air and ground support, kicked off in early October.But Julian King, the EU commissioner for security, told reporters in mid-November not to exaggerate the threat."I know there has been some concern and speculation in light of the evolution on the ground in Iraq and in Syria," he said."There has been some speculation that we might face an influx of returning foreign fighters, I think that speculation is sometimes exaggerated. I want to be clear, it is not a new threat."
Opinion-Rising to the challenge of 'European Angst' By Alex Godson-DEC 6,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 11:14-Populism, extremism and euroscepticism are haunting Europe, creating a tense atmosphere in which fear, hate, anger and anxiety generate a climate of angst.The current rise of radical parties such as AfD in Germany, Ukip in Great Britain and FN in France indicates a drastic change in European societies and politics – and the more momentum these populist movements gain, the more clueless the established political, cultural and legislative institutions seem to be.The prevalence of hate speech and violent acts threatening migrants and refugees, and hostile attitudes towards liberal values and modern, open societies are clear manifestations of this angst.Xenophobia still looms large in the modern history of our continent, and it was never completely quashed in the process of an ever closer integration. A very recent expression of this phenomenon is the surprising outcome of the EU referendum in Great Britain, driven by a fear-based campaign.Political leaders and the traditional political parties are seemingly failing to act on these issues haunting Europe. Following summit upon summit, from Bratislava to Ventotene, solutions seem to be in short supply. Pressing matters such as the redistribution of migrants fall by the wayside, brutally exposing the lack of solidarity in the EU.This year has seen a tumult of challenges to strident liberal democratic states - popular protest against Ceta, TTIP and globalisation; the biting impact of global terrorism; and most recently an external shock in the form of the American elections. Liberal ideologies have hit a blockage, and responses to this unanticipated outmanoeuvring of the political left and centre by the (far-)right have been muddled.-A constructive discourse-A much talked about phenomenon of recent weeks has been the presence of “fake news” carried by social media sites, and the gullibility of the general public who apparently swallow these articles without question.Extremism comes in many guises, but the rise of the far-right across our continent, and the at times impassive response to refugees, coupled with the growing presence of insular, nationalist voices, has led to a contagion of hostile sentiments in our daily lives.On social media, in the press we read, and in the conversations we hear, we are fed a narrative of false dichotomies based on fear. The ease of posting commentary online has led to a culture in which my ignorance is given equal airtime to your hard fought for knowledge. Thus, a question arises: how do we counter these “post-fact” narratives and create a constructive, yet informative discourse in the media? Who now of our political leaders, of our commentators and philosophers and laureates can stand above the fray, speak out and tackle these fears? Much has been written of chancellor Angela Merkel’s stand as the last bastion of a crumbling liberal elite, not only in Europe, but also in a global context. From who else or where else do we seek the strength to forge new paths, and build a new future that will deliver on shared goals of prosperity, diversity and peace? -New narratives needed-The European Angst conference will shed light on these questions in a unique way. It will leave the comfort zone of liberal consensus by inviting thinkers from across the spectrum of ideas, thus creating a space for passionate debate, for reflection and in-depth analysis. Going beyond the so-called Brussels bubble, the event seeks to take the discussion beyond our well-established comfort zone.Among the participants are the writers and philosophers Slavoj Zizek, Didier Eribon and Nobel Prize winner Herta Mueller, as well as 42 students selected in an open pan-European call. The students will play an active role in the conference, and they will draft a manifesto on Europe’s future to be handed over to EU officials.The European Angst conference will create a pan-European space where open discussions will negotiate how we can create better societies. We urgently need new narratives to create a better perspective for Europeaness and to get over the current angst that openly questions Europe’s future.Alex Godson is the head of communication of the European Movement International-The European Movement International is a partner in the European Angst Conference, which is an initiative of the Goethe-Institut, organised in collaboration with 4 members of EUNIC, and BOZAR. The media partner for this event is EUobserver.The European Angst Conference takes place in Brussels on Tuesday 6 December and Wednesday 7 December 2016.
Security shouldn't trump privacy, watchdogs to tell Trudeau government-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
OTTAWA — Privacy commissioners from across the country will tell the Trudeau government today to make respect for personal information a cornerstone of its revamped national security policy.Federal privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien and all of his provincial and territorial counterparts are signing a joint submission to the government's security review.Therrien and privacy czars from two provinces — Ontario's Brian Beamish and Jean Chartier of Quebec — will appear in Ottawa today to discuss the submission.Therrien's office says it will address key issues including information sharing, encryption and the collection and use of metadata by national security agencies and law enforcement.In October, Therrien told a House of Commons committee it is crucial that there be more transparency about national security so that Canadians can better understand the issues.Therrien said while there are obviously limits to transparency when national security is at stake, more can and should be done.The government has requested public feedback on issues ranging from sharing information and preventing attacks to conducting surveillance and ensuring intelligence agencies are accountable.In last year's election campaign, the Liberals promised to repeal "problematic elements" of omnibus security legislation, known as C-51, ushered in by the previous Conservative government.The bill gave the Canadian Security Intelligence Service explicit powers to disrupt terrorist threats, not just gather information about them.The legislation also created a new offence of promoting the commission of terrorist offences and broadened the government's no-fly list powers.In addition, it expanded the exchange of federally held information about activity that "undermines the security of Canada." Therrien has already said the government hasn't done enough to protect the privacy of "law-abiding Canadians" from the new information-sharing powers.The Trudeau government has committed to ensure all CSIS warrants respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to preserve legitimate protest and advocacy and to define terrorist propaganda more clearly.The Liberals say they say will do a better job of balancing collective security with rights and freedoms.Just last month a Federal Court judge ruled that CSIS violated the law by keeping potentially revealing electronic data over a 10-year period about people who were not targets of investigation.CSIS processed the data beginning in 2006 through its Operational Data Analysis Centre to produce intelligence that can reveal specific details about individuals.The improperly retained material was metadata — information associated with a communication, such as a telephone number or email address, but not the message itself.It is believed to have included data trails related to friends or family members who knew targets of surveillance but were not themselves under investigation.— Follow @JimBronskill on TwitterJim Bronskill, The Canadian Press-Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version had the wrong spelling for Chartier.
Trump says "cancel order" on new Boeing Air Force One plane-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump urged the government to cancel purchase of Boeing's new Air Force One plane on Tuesday, saying it was "ridiculous" and too expensive."Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!" said Trump in a Twitter message.Speaking shortly afterward to reporters in New York, Trump said, "The plane is totally out of control. I think it's ridiculous. I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number.""We want Boeing to make a lot of money but not that much money," added Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20.Boeing did not immediately return a request for comment.The Air Force first announced in January 2015 that Boeing's 747-8 would be used to replace the two current Air Force planes used to transport the U.S. president. Air Force One is one of the most visible symbols of the United States.Details about the total value of the new contract have not been released, but the Air Force has previously said that it had earmarked $1.65 billion for two replacement jets.The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing Co an initial contract worth $25.8 million in January.U.S. presidents have used Boeing plane's since 1943, according to the company's website.The 747-8 planes, 240 feet long (73 meters) long with a wing span of 224 feet (68 meters), can fly direct from Washington to Hong Kong, 1,000 miles (1,600 km) farther than the current Air Force One.(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Jeffrey Dastin; Editing by Frances Kerry)
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)
Frigid Calgary weather has street outreach team scrambling to get people warm-[CBC]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
School officials and agencies that help the homeless are both taking steps to prevent any tragedies as Calgary experiences its coldest winter weather in two years.After mild winters last year and the year before, this week's plunge to overnight lows as frigid as –27 C prompted the Calgary Catholic School District to remind parents to make sure their children are dressed warmly as they wait for buses."All students should be well prepared for conditions caused by low temperatures and high wind chills and should not be left unattended at bus stops or spend any extended period of time outdoors under any circumstance," the board said in a release."Cold weather or heavy snowfalls can result in bus schedules being unavoidably delayed."Whenever the temperature drops lower than –18 C, including wind chill, the Catholic board keeps students indoors during lunch hours and recesses.The Calgary Alpha House Society's outreach team is also taking extra precautions during the cold snap."It definitely makes things more challenging and just trying to figure out where to take people and get them a safe spot for the night," said Danielle Minns, who works with the Downtown Addictions Outreach Program, or DOAP team.The mobile team works to get people struggling with addictions off the streets and connected with a range of programs.When temperatures dip below –10 C the DOAP team is often stretched thin, especially since the shelters fill up quickly, Minns says."A lot of times we'll end up having to mobile shelter them in a van. Just keep them in the back, let them sleep, just to prevent them from being outside," said outreach worker Teigen Welkert.The DOAP team usually ends up doing about 50 transports per day during the winter.David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, said this week's temperatures will be colder than anything Calgary saw over the past two years, and the cold snap could last for up to two weeks.
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)
German police arrest Iraqi rape suspect, leaders warn against backlash-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
BERLIN (Reuters) - German police have detained an Iraqi migrant for suspected rape only days after an Afghan refugee was held in a separate rape and murder case, and the government warned against a political backlash to such crimes.The two cases threaten to fan anti-migrant sentiment in Germany, which saw a record 890,000 people from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere arrive last year. The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has grown in support while Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity has suffered.Police said on Tuesday the Iraqi, 31, was detained in his refugee hostel on Monday on suspicion of raping a Chinese student and attempting to rape another in the western city of Bochum.The 17-year-old Afghan was detained on Friday on suspicion of raping and murdering a 19-year-old German student as she cycled home from a party in the southwestern city of Freiburg.The Iraqi man is accused of dragging the two Chinese students aged 21 and 27 into a bush and forcing himself on them in separate incidents on Aug. 6 and Nov. 16, a police official said told reporters.Prosecutors are checking if the man, who has denied the accusations, could have committed other crimes.The Freiburg incident caused outrage when it came to light.The Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel said it had withheld from publishing on its website around 40 percent of user comments on the topic as they were slanderous, racist or defamatory. That compares with around 10 percent on any other issue.In an interview with ARD television late on Monday, Merkel was asked about the rape and murder case in Freiburg and she warned against tarring all refugees with the same brush."That was a terrible murder and, if it turns out that it was an Afghan refugee, then that is to be condemned, just as is the case with any other murderer," Merkel said."But then I say that this can't lead to the rejection of an entire group, just as we don't draw conclusions about an entire group from one person in other circumstances," she added.Merkel's Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and government spokesman Steffen Seibert also warned against a backlash after the Freiburg case.Public concerns about women's safety and the integration of the mostly Muslim migrants have come to the fore since hundreds of women were sexually assaulted and robbed by men of North African and Arab appearance during New Year festivities in Cologne on Dec. 31.(Reporting by Gernot Heller and Michelle Martin; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Belgium takes in eight people for questioning over supporting Islamic State-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian law enforcers searched houses and took eight people for questioning on suspicion of "recruiting people to leave for Syria" and "having financially supported" the Islamic State, the country's prosecutors said on Tuesday.The prosecutors also said in a statement nine houses were searched in a district of Brussels, as well as the cities of Bruges, Antwerp and Sint-Niklaas. No weapons or explosives were found, it added.(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska)
Congo detains dozens of South Sudanese soldiers fleeing civil war-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese troops last week detained dozens of South Sudanese soldiers who were fleeing a rebel attack across the border, a local radio station and aid workers said on Tuesday, increasing fears of spillover from South Sudan's conflict.More than 57,000 South Sudanese refugees have poured into Democratic Republic of Congo this year as fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and various rebel groups inches south towards Congo and Uganda.Valentin Ngaito, editor of a community radio station in the Congolese town of Aba, 10 km (six miles) south of the border, told Reuters that Congolese troops detained 41 South Sudanese soldiers and one police officer on Saturday after they fled a rebel assault over the frontier."They came with their families - women and children. They remained at the military headquarters until (Monday)," he said, adding that he believed the regional U.N. mission had since transported them to the town of Dungu, about 200 km away.The U.N. mission, the Congolese army and the Congolese government were not immediately available for comment and Reuters was unable to independently verify the account.But Medard Mokobke Mabe, a coordinator for the Red Cross in the area, said that South Sudanese soldiers had been detained after having crossed the border. He did not know how many.U.N. Congo mission chief Maman Sidikou told the Security Council on Monday that concern was increasing about the spillover effects from the South Sudan conflict into Congo.More than one million people have fled South Sudan since the conflict erupted in December 2013 following a dispute between Kiir and his former vice-president, Riek Machar.It is the largest exodus from conflict in central Africa since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The increasingly ethnic nature of the violence led the United Nations to warn last month of the risk of genocide.Machar and more than 750 supporters fled into Congo in August after fierce fighting in the South Sudan capital Juba. They were evacuated by the U.N. mission from northeastern Congo to receive medical care. Most are still staying on U.N. bases.The influx of rebel fighters from volatile neighbors is a sensitive theme in Congo, where the flow of Hutu militiamen from neighboring Rwanda after its genocide helped trigger years of regional conflict in eastern Congo that killed millions.(Reporting by Aaron Ross; editing by Edward McAllister and Mark Heinrich)
Suspected Islamist militants free 93 prisoners in central Mali-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Suspected Islamist militants freed 93 prisoners during an attack on a jail in the central Mali town of Niono early on Tuesday, officials said.The prison break was the second of its kind in recent weeks in Mali, where militant groups based in the desert north have extended their campaign into central and southern regions.Five armed men attacked the jail at around 0115 GMT (2.15 a.m. BST), injuring two guards, the Ministry of Security said.Ninety prisoners remained at large on Tuesday afternoon after three were captured. The army was deployed in pursuit.It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, but a number of Islamist groups, some linked to al Qaeda, have stepped up their insurgency in Mali this year.Army spokesman Diarran Kone said the attack bore the hallmarks of followers of radical Islamist preacher Amadou Koufa, the leader of an ethnic Fulani jihadist group, the Macina Liberation Front. It was unclear whether any suspected jihadists had been in the prison.Last month, gunmen broke into a prison in southern Mali, freeing 21 inmates. But the two prisoners they had aimed to release had already been moved away, authorities said.Islamist groups hijacked a separatist Tuareg rebellion in 2012 to seize towns in Mali's vast desert north. French forces drove them back a year later, but they have since reorganised, and in recent months launched dozens of attacks.(Reporting by Adama Diarra and Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Andrew Roche)
Austria to fine or jail migrants who lie to authorities-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria plans to jail or fine asylum seekers who lie to the authorities, a move aimed partly at dissuading migrants from trying to settle, it said on Tuesday.The cabinet agreed on a draft law that would allow the authorities to punish asylum applicants who lie about their identities - for example by pretending to be Syrian so their claims have a better chance of being accepted - with a fine of up to 5,000 euros ($5,373) or three weeks in jail.Those who stay in Austria despite being ordered to leave face fines of between 5,000 and 15,000 euros or six weeks in jail, said the conservative People's Party (OVP), which is in coalition with the Social Democrats (SPO).The centrist government has this year tightened migration laws. The anti-immigrant Freedom Party (FPO), whose candidate Norbert Hofer made it to Sunday's presidential election run-off, has been leading opinion polls with around 33 percent for months."Certainly these (measures) have in part a signalling effect," OVP junior economy minister, Harald Mahrer, said when asked if the law was designed to scare off migrants. "What kind of rule of law would we have in the republic if we said we do not punish these things?"The bill needs the approval of parliament.Other European countries, such as Denmark and Sweden, have also toughened asylum laws or tightened border controls in recent months as European Union member states have failed to agree on a mechanism for distributing migrants among themselves.Austria's Greens criticised the bill and called for the costs of accepting asylum seekers to be spread among European Union member states."That way you can stop the nationalist competition for who can scare off asylum seekers the most," said Alev Korun of the Greens.Austria has announced a cap on asylum claims of 37,500 this year, having taken in 90,000 asylum seekers last year, when it was swept up in Europe's migration crisis.The Interior Ministry said it had received 37,000 asylum applications by the end of October, but only counted 30,000 as relevant to the cap as it strips out certain cases, including those it believes should be processed in other countries.One SPO minister said emergency measures would not be needed this year or next year, when the cap falls to 35,000, to stay below the limit.(Reporting By Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Erdogan maybe more open to Cyprus deal after coup - Cypriot minister-[Reuters]-By Gilbert Reilhac-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
NICOSIA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan may be more willing to back a deal to reunite the divided island of Cyprus following Turkey's failed army coup in July, the Cypriot foreign minister said on Tuesday.The latest round of U.N.-brokered talks, held in Switzerland in November, failed to conclude an agreement to bring the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides under one umbrella and the two sides are set to meet again in January.Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said July's failed military coup, which led to the arrests and sackings of many army officials, could free Erdogan to accept a withdrawal of Turkish forces stationed in northern Cyprus since 1974.Turkey's once-mighty military has long taken a hawkish stance on the Cyprus issue."We are in the process of resolving all the internal issues in this story, but the issue that will lead to a solution or failure is the security issue," said Kasoulides, whose country has made a Turkish army withdrawal a precondition."For the (Turkish) army, the problem was solved in 1974, but my analysis is that, since the failed coup d'etat, the army obstacle no longer exists," he told reporters in Nicosia.Cyprus was split on ethnic lines after a Turkish invasion in 1974 prompted by a brief Greek-inspired coup. A U.N.-patrolled ceasefire line still runs across the island from east to west and thousands of Turkish troops are stationed in the north.The internationally recognised Cypriot government, a member of the European Union, presides over about 800,000 Greek Cypriots in the south of the island, while the breakaway Turkish Cypriot administration in the north, governing some 220,000 Turkish Cypriots, is recognised only by Ankara.Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci will reconvene with the United Nations on Jan. 9 in Geneva before being joined three days later by Greece, Britain and Turkey, which guarantee the constitutional settlement on the island.Other powers, including members of the U.N. Security Council who would rubberstamp any deal, could also attend those talks during which new proposals will be made, Kasoulides said.With ties between the EU and Turkey now very strained and little prospect of Turkey's accession to the bloc, Kasoulides added, Erdogan could seek a Cyprus deal to secure Ankara's wider interests in the east Mediterranean."Turkey's motivation today is not accession to the European Union. It's more Syria, (the northern Iraqi city of) Mosul and taking advantage of the gas fields that could transit from its territory to Europe," he said.(Writing by John Irish; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Iraqi army launches fresh assault towards Mosul centre-[Reuters]-By Ahmed Rasheed and Patrick Markey-YAHOONEWS-December 6, 2016
BAGHDAD/ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi army units surged towards the centre of Mosul on Tuesday in an attack from the city's southeastern edges that could give fresh impetus to the seven-week-old battle for Islamic State's Iraqi stronghold.Campaign commander Lieutenant General Abdul Ameer Rasheed Yarallah was quoted by Iraqi television as saying troops had entered Salam Hospital, less than a mile (1.5 km) from the Tigris river running through the city centre.If confirmed, that would mark a significant advance by the Ninth Armoured Division, which had been tied up for more than a month in close-quarter combat with Islamic State on the southeastern fringes of the city.Residents of Islamic State-controlled districts of east Mosul said by telephone the army had punched deep into the east bank of the city, getting close to the Tigris."The fighting right now is very heavy - Iraqi forces have gone past our neighbourhood without entering it. Our area is now practically surrounded by the river and the Iraqi forces," said a resident of the Palestine neighbourhood.Islamic State's news agency appeared to confirm the advance, saying three car bombers struck the troops near Salam hospital.A Reuters team saw thick black smoke rising from the area around the hospital. "We made good advances today," said a soldier who identified himself as Abu Ahmed.Mosul is by far the largest city under Islamic State control and defeat there would roll back the self-styled caliphate it declared in 2014 after seizing large parts of Iraq and Syria.Some 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, security forces, Kurdish peshmerga fighters and mainly Shi'ite paramilitary forces are participating in the Mosul campaign that began on Oct. 17, with air and ground support from a U.S.-led coalition.A colonel in the armoured division said Tuesday's assault, launched at 6 a.m., aimed to ultimately reach Mosul's Fourth Bridge, the southernmost of five bridges spanning the river.The bridge, like three others, has been hit by U.S.-led air strikes to prevent Islamic State sending reinforcements and suicide car bombs across the city to the eastern front.The last and oldest bridge, built in the 1930s, was targeted on Monday night, two residents said. The structure was not destroyed, but the air strikes made two large craters in the approach roads on both sides."I saw Daesh (Islamic State) using bulldozers to fill the craters with sand and by midday vehicles managed to cross the bridge normally. I drove my car to the other side of the bridge and saw also Daesh vehicles crossing," a taxi driver told Reuters.-NEW TACTICS-The army says it is facing the toughest urban warfare imaginable - hundreds of suicide car bomb attacks, mortar barrages, sniper fire and ambushes launched from a network of tunnels. More than a million civilians are still in the city.The colonel said Tuesday's offensive aimed to overwhelm the militants, who have put up stiff resistance but are hugely outnumbered by the attacking forces."We are using a new tactic - increasing the numbers of advancing forces and also attacking from multiple fronts to take the initiative and prevent Daesh fighters from organising any counter-attacks," the colonel said by telephone.He said the four armoured division regiments, whose tanks and heavy armour have struggled to adapt to street-by-street fighting, had been reinforced by an infantry regiment.They were aiming for the Wahda neighbourhood, a sprawling southeastern district. Wahda could serve as a launchpad for an advance to the Fourth Bridge, he said.The Sunni Muslim jihadists, who seized Mosul in mid-2014, are believed to be dug in across the city, but a U.S. general in the coalition supporting Iraqi forces told Reuters they appeared to have committed additional defences to the fight in the east.The west of the city is more densely populated than the east and has a greater concentration of Sunni Muslims."The quality of the enemy we are facing now is markedly declined from a month ago," said Brigadier General Scott Efflandt, a coalition deputy commander."What they were saving for the west side of the river they are now committing to the east."He said the number of militants in the city had probably fallen to around 3,000, from around 3,000-5,000 at the start of the campaign.Iraqi officials have not given any casualty figures for their own forces. Last week the United Nations said nearly 2,000 members of Iraq's security forces had been killed in November - a figure Baghdad says was based on unverified reports - and that more than 900 police and civilians had also been killed.(Additional reporting by Ali Abdelatti in Cairo; Writing by Dominic Evans; Editing by Andrew Roche)
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