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)
MIGRATING BIRDS IN ISRAEL EATS HUMANS FLESH FOR COMING AGAINST ISRAEL-JERUSALEM
EZEKIEL 39:11-12,18
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog (RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers (EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN JORDAN VALLEY) on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog (RUSSIAN) and all his multitude:(ARAB/MUSLIM HORDE) and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.(BURIEL SITE OF THE 300 MILLION,RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS)
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.(OF ISRAEL)
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.(OF THE ISRAEL-GOD HATERS)
EZEKIEL 39:17-21
17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.(OF RUSSIAN/ISLAMIC HORDES AGAINST ISRAEL)
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
REVELATION 19:17-18
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;(AGAINST ALL NATIONS ARMIES THAT COME AGAINST JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL)
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
EZEKIEL 38:1-7
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH)
REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4 billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Iran vows 'roaring missiles' if threatened, defies new sanctions-[Reuters]-By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
DUBAI (Reuters) - A Revolutionary Guards commander said Iran would use its missiles if its security is under threat, as the elite force defied new U.S. sanctions on its missile programme by holding a military exercise on Saturday.Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since a recent Iranian ballistic missile test which prompted U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to impose sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the Revolutionary Guards.Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn said the Washington was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilising activity", and Trump tweeted Tehran was "playing with fire""We are working day and night to protect Iran’s security," head of Revolutionary Guards' aerospace unit, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency."If we see smallest misstep from the enemies, our roaring missiles will fall on their heads," he added.Despite the heated words, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Saturday he was not considering raising the number of U.S. forces in the Middle East to address Iran's "misbehavior", but warned that the world would not ignore Iranian activities.Iran's Revolutionary Guards is holding the military exercise in Semnan province on Saturday to test missile and radar systems and to "showcase the power of Iran's revolution and to dismiss the sanctions," according to the force's website.Dismissing Trump's comments that "nothing is off the table" in dealing with Tehran, the commander of Iran's ground forces said on Saturday that the Islamic Republic has been hearing such threats since its 1979 revolution."The defence capability and the offensive prowess of Iran's armed forces would make America or any other enemy regretful of any incursion," Ahmad Reza Pourdastan was quoted as saying by ISNA.-BALLISTIC TEST-Iranian state news agencies reported that home-made missile systems, radars, command and control centres, and cyber warfare systems would be tested in Saturday's drill.Iran has one of the Middle East's largest missile programmes and held a similar exercise in December to showcase its defence systems, including radars, anti-missile defence units, and short and medium-range missiles.Tehran confirmed on Wednesday that it had test-fired a new ballistic missile, but said the test did not breach the Islamic Republic's nuclear agreement with world powers or a U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing the pact.Iran has test-fired several ballistic missiles since the nuclear deal in 2015, but the latest test was the first since Trump entered the White House. Trump said during his election campaign that he would stop Iran's missile programme.The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday and recommended the missile testing be studied at committee level. The new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called the test "unacceptable".The Security Council resolution was adopted to buttress the deal under which Iran curbed its nuclear activities to allay concerns they could be used to develop atomic bombs, in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.The resolution urged Tehran to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Critics say the resolution's language does not make this obligatory.Tehran says it has not carried out any work on missiles specifically designed to carry nuclear payloads.(Editing by Alexander Smith)
Iran: If enemies do wrong, missiles will come down on them-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's missiles will come down on the country's enemies if they do wrong, a senior commander in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard was quoted as saying in a Saturday report from semi-official Tasnim news agency.Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the Guard's airspace division, said: "If the enemy does not walk the line, our missiles come down on them."Hajizadeh's comments came during a Revolutionary Guard military exercise aimed at testing its missile and radar systems. The exercise was taking place in a 35, 000-square-kilometre (13,515-square-mile) area in Semnan province in northern Iran.The exercise comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions on Iran in response to a recent missile test. The sanctions target more than two dozen people and companies from the Persian Gulf to China.Tasnim said all the equipment used in the war game, including all defensive systems, radars, command centres and ground-to-air missile equipment, are designed and manufactured by Iranian scientists.Iranian English language Press TV reported that Iran Senior Vice-President Ishaq Jahangiri dismissed what he called recent anti-Iran posturing by the U.S. He said "threadbare" accusations are aimed by Washington at scaring away investors."The Iranian nation and authorities do not attach the least value to these remarks," he said.Iran insists its missile test was only for defensive purposes and not a violation of the U.N. Security Council 2231 resolution or the nuclear deal with Western powers.Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted Friday that his country was "unmoved by threats as we derive security for our people. We'll never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defence ."Amir Vahdat, The Associated Press.
A FALSE PROPHET COMES FROM THE VATICAN ALSO AT THIS TIME.
ISAIAH 23:15-17
15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.(COULD THIS BE 70 YEARS AFTER ISRAEL BECAME A NATION IN 1948)(IF SO THIS SATANIC ONE WORLD WHORE CHURCH WILL MINGLE TOGETHER BY 2018)(AND NOW ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY AND ALL RELIGIONS ARE MINGLING AS ONE PEACE-LOVE-JOY-GET ALONG RELIGION LEAD BY THE VATICAN RIGHT NOW 4 YEARS FROM THE 70 YEAR TIME WHEN ISRAEL BECAME A NATION).AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 13:11-18
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
REVELATION 17:1-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
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-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.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Conservative criticism intensifies against Pope Francis-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
VATICAN CITY — Conservative criticism of Pope Francis intensified Saturday after his intervention in the Knights of Malta order, with posters appearing around Rome citing his actions against conservative Catholics and asking: "Where's your mercy?"The posters appeared on the same day that Francis cemented his authority over the Knights by naming a top Vatican archbishop, Angelo Becciu, to be his special delegate to the ancient aristocratic order.Francis gave Becciu, the No. 2 in the Vatican secretariat of state, "all necessary powers" to help lay the groundwork for a new constitution for the order, lead the spiritual renewal of its professed knights and prepare for the election of a new grand master, expected in three months.The Vatican's intervention with the sovereign group had provided fuel for Francis' conservative critics, who until Saturday had largely confined their concern with his mercy-over-morals papacy to blogs, interviews and conferences.On Saturday, dozens of posters appeared around Rome featuring a stern-looking Francis and referencing the "decapitation" of the Knights and other actions Francis has taken against conservative, tradition-minded groups.Within hours, the city of Rome had plastered over the posters. Police launched an investigation into the conservative circles believed responsible, aided by closed-circuit cameras, the ANSA news agency said.The posters, written in Roman dialect, also cited the way Francis had "ignored cardinals," a reference to the four cardinals who have publicly asked Francis to clarify whether divorced and civilly remarried Catholics can receive Communion.Francis hasn't responded directly, though he has made it clear he favours case-by-case allowances.One of the four cardinals is Raymond Burke, a conservative American whom the pope removed as the Vatican's supreme court judge in 2014 and named to be his liaison with the Knights of Malta. Burke, a staunch defender of Catholic doctrine on sexual morals, has become Francis' most vocal critic and was instrumental in the Knights' saga.With Burke's support, the Knights' grand master Fra' Matthew Festing sacked the grand chancellor, Albert von Boeselager, over a condom scandal. After learning that the ouster had been done in his name, Francis effectively took over the order. He asked Festing to resign, restored Boeselager to his position, declared all the Knights' sovereign decisions on the matter "null and void" and appointed Becciu to help run the order temporarily.Becciu's mandate as the pope's "exclusive spokesman" with the order now confirms Burke's marginalization.In his letter Saturday, Francis said Becciu would work in "close collaboration" with the No. 2 official who technically is in charge at the Knights. But he stressed: "I delegate to you all the necessary powers to decide possible questions that might emerge in carrying out the mandate I have given you."At a press conference this week, Boeselager insisted the order's sovereignty was never in question during the standoff, though he acknowledged the Vatican's strident statements had led to such misunderstanding that he planned to convene ambassadors accredited to the order to explain.The Knights are a unique organization: An aristocratic lay religious order that traces its history to the Crusades, the order runs a vast humanitarian organization around the world involving over 100,000 staff and volunteers. The order also enjoys sovereign status and has diplomatic relations with over 100 countries, the Holy See included.___Follow Nicole Winfield at http://www.twitter.com/nwinfield___Follow Nicole Winfield at http://www.twitter.com/nwinfield-Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press.
MATTHEW 24:4-5,11,24-25
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many (MILLIONS) shall come in my name,(JESUS-I AM) saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.(MILLIONS)(THIS IS DEFINATELY THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT)
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.(CALIFORNIA THE NEW AGE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD-SO NO WONDER SAN FRANSICO IS THE SODOMITE RAINBOW GROUPERS CAPITAL OF THE EARTH ALSO).
1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,(NEW AGE MOVEMENT) and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;(NEW AGERS BELIEVE SATANS LIES OF NO SIN,POSSITIVE THINKING,PEACE,LOVE,JOY,UTOPIA)
Motorcycle pilgrims pay homage to Guatemala's 'Black Christ'-Agence France-Presse•February 4, 2017-yahoonews
Guatemala City (AFP) - Some 30,000 motorcycle-riding Catholics left the Guatemalan capital Saturday on a pilgrimage to the eastern city of Esquipulas to venerate the so-called Black Christ.The 140-mile (222-kilometer) journey ends with the devout paying homage to the Black Christ, an aged wooden likeness of Jesus grown dark over centuries.The image is worshiped by Guatemalans, other Central Americans and some Mexicans.The first such ride took place in 1961, when a motorcyclist and fervent believer in the powers of the Black Christ -- one Ruben Villadeleon, nicknamed "Zorro" -- took the ride with a handful of friends.The shrine and the city attract a huge influx of pilgrims and tourists every year.President Jimmy Morales gave the signal to start this year's motorized pilgrimage. Participants left from Guatemala City's Central Plaza for Esquipulas, which Pope John Paul II declared in 1996 to be the "Central American Capital of Faith."Organizers of the Caravan set up four stops along the way for riders needing refreshments or mechanical assistance, seven check-in points and four rest stops. Most of the riders were planning to return home on Sunday.Although the voyage began as a family tradition, most participants now are messengers or collection agents -- among other professions that use motorcycles -- who travel east in hopes of receiving divine favors.Dozens of people don costumes for the ride. This year one dressed as US President Donald Trump and another as his predecessor Barack Obama, according to photos in the local press.In 2015, organizers attempted to set a Guinness record for the largest motorcycle caravan in the world, but failed to meet all of Guinness's requirements.Guatemala gave the caravan national-heritage status in 2011 due to its huge popularity.
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)
Dozens killed as heavy snow blankets parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan-[Reuters]-yahoonews-February 5, 2017
KABUL (Reuters) - Parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan struggled to dig out from heavy snow on Sunday, with dozens of people reported killed and some major highways closed.Heavy snow also blanketed the Afghan capital of Kabul, where the government closed its offices.In northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, over the past two days as many as 19 people were killed and 17 injured by avalanches, collapsed roofs and road accidents, said Naweed Frotan, a spokesman for the provincial governor.The government was working to reach at least 12 districts in Badakhshan that had been completely cut off, he added.On the other side of the border, at least nine people, including children, were killed by an avalanche in northern Pakistan's Chitral district, with as many as 14 residents believed to still be trapped in collapsed houses, said district official Syed Maghferat Shah."So far the rescue workers have recovered nine bodies and efforts are under way to retrieve more," he said.The avalanche struck a small village of 25 houses, but evacuation operations were delayed by the weather, said Chitral deputy commissioner Shahab Hameed Yousafzai."There is no way to rush the injured persons to Chitral hospital because all roads in the valley have been blocked due to heavy snowfall," he said.In a separate incident in the Chitral region, a government rescue worker was killed when an avalanche struck a check post near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the commanding officer told Reuters.The snow wreaked havoc on major roads in Afghanistan, including the Kabul-Kandahar Highway, where police and soldiers had to rescue around 250 cars and buses trapped by the storm, said Jawid Salangi, a spokesman for Ghazni province, where as much as two meters of new snow was reported."Some people were carried to local residents’ houses and some to military and police checkpoints," he said, noting that officials expected the road to reopen quickly. "Fortunately we arrived on time and there is not a single causality."The Salang pass north of Kabul was also closed under as much as two and a half meters of snow, according to police general Rajab Salangi, who oversees the area."It will remain blocked until the snow is cleared from the main road, facilities are provided and it is safe to travel,” he said.(Reporting by Mirwais Harooni in Kabul. Jibran Ahmad and Gul Hamad Farooqi reported from Pakistan.; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Nick Macfie and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Day 11: Nearly 750 in N.B. still without power in freezing temperatures-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
As temperatures plunge to lows of –29 C, NB Power continues work to reconnect customers in northeastern New Brunswick that were hit hard by an ice storm a week and a half ago.As of 4:30 p.m. AT Saturday, there were 746 customers without power on the Acadian Peninsula, spread among a number of communities including Pigeon Hill, Sainte-Marie-Saint-Raphaël and Lamèque. There are no outages in the Miramichi region.Temperatures dropped to –27 C overnight and the wind chill Saturday morning was –29. Gusty winds of up to 40 km/h were forecast for this afternoon.NB Power director Bernard Roy said Saturday they had 308 power crews from across Eastern Canada working to restore power.Roy said most of the repairs were permanent, though there have been a few cases where temporary repairs were done to speed up restoration."The infrastructure we've installed is as good as new," he said.Roy said the power crews are in good spirits."It's cold obviously, but they have good gear. If they have to take a break for a few minutes to warm up, we understand that."Their morale is good, they know we're getting near [finished] and they're very motivated to make sure all the customers have power."At its height, more than 130,000 customers across the province were without power. In total, about 200,000 customers have been affected by the ice storm.-Warming centre closes-Now that customers have been reconnected in the Neguac region, the warming centre set up at the Royal Canadian Legion has closed.Tabusintac resident Doris Kenny said she was grateful for the centre during the nine days she was without power at her home on the Grattan Road. It was restored Thursday."Now we are trying to get ourselves back together and start living again," she said.Kenny was critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to the warming centre on Friday night.''I find he's coming quite late. It's been over a week we're living this. When something happens at the other end of the world, the government is right there. And it's not over.''Help neededTrudeau visited two warming centres, the one in Neguac and one in Lamèque to thank volunteers and ensure that the most vulnerable storm victims will continue to receive help in the coming weeks and months.Neguac resident Serge Aubrey said many are hurting financially in a region heavily dependent on seasonal work."People here live week by week, or cheque by cheque. And they have a budget.''Aubrey said many used what little money they had on extra food, drinking water and, in some cases, to buy generators.''It's not just one little town here. We're talking the entire peninsula, major — the biggest disaster we ever seen.''The Canadian Red Cross announced Saturday it will help distribute emergency financial aid to those severely impacted by the Jan. 24 and 25 ice storm and subsequent power outages. To qualify for aid, people must register with the Red Cross by phoning 1-888-893-1300. The line is open daily between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Snowfall warnings remain in effect as mayor responds to rush hour chaos-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 3, 2017
It was a wintery scene that's become all too familiar on the Lower Mainland.A ballet of sliding cars and stalled buses brought traffic to a standstill in many parts of Vancouver during the morning rush hour. But the city claims all major arterials were cleared within hours, thanks to their fully activated snow response fleet.However, with up to 20 centimetres of additional snow expected by Saturday morning, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Roberston says the team will continue to work through the night. He's also asking everyone to do their part prevent icy sidewalks from forming."We are also encouraging [and] urging everyone to deal with their sidewalks. That's a responsibility of residents," said Robertson.The mayor says residents who are unable to clear their sidewalks can contact the city's Snow Angel program by dialing 311. The program, which helps seniors and persons with disabilities shovel their sidewalks, is currently looking for volunteers.More garbage delaysThe city admits there will still be some more bumps in the road. Last month, many Vancouver residents were fed up with garbage piling up in their back alleys.The city is trying to stay on top of garbage collection this time around, but general manager of engineering Jerry Dobrovolny admits that there will likely be delays."We stress safety with our crews, and if it's not safe for to take the large garbage truck or green waste trucks through narrow backalleys that have snow, then we don't," he said."If your garbage didn't get picked uip on time, please leave it out. We will be by either later tonight or tomorrow to get caught up." Delays could also be in store for areas serviced on Monday and Tuesday — the two days where garbage and greenwaste collectors work the city's steepest laneways. — pending weather conditions.The city is urging residents to prioritize their waste."If your green waste bin isn't full, don't leave it out, so we can focus our resources on the containers that need to be picked up the most," said Dobrovolny.
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)
EU leaders forced to unite in new Trump reality By Eszter Zalan-euobserver
VALLETTA, MALTA, 3. Feb, 19:32-EU leaders pledged the need for unity and for Europe to stand on its own two feet at their meeting in Valletta on Friday (3 February), during a discussion on how to handle US president Donald Trump, whom EU council chief Donald Tusk described earlier this week as a "threat" to the EU.Leaders emphasised the importance of the transatlantic relationship, and said they would work together with Trump on common interests, but move toward more independent European action on issues where the EU and the US administration disagree."We work on the basis of our shared values, [...] there are areas where we agree, like fighting international terrorism, and where we don’t agree," German chancellor Angela Merkel said after lunch, which summed up the mood toward Trump among EU leaders after a turbulent week of heavy criticism from Europe and concern over the US president's first days in office.But Merkel said that this is an opportunity for Europe to redefine itself and become more self-reliant."The general debate concentrated on where we stand, we have to act together," Merkel said, adding that it could lead to boosting investment in defence capabilities in the EU but also in Germany. "We have our destiny in our own hands."Some EU leaders heavily criticised Donald Trump's decision to ban refugees and people arriving to the US from seven Muslim-majority countries.Others, like Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, slammed those who criticised Trump. Before arriving at the Valletta summit, Orban said that the US has the right to decide its own border control policy, and that he is puzzled at the "neurotic European reactions" over the travel ban.-May's briefing-But behind closed doors over lunch the leaders were united, sources said.They listened to the briefing of UK prime minister Theresa May, who has already met Trump, Merkel and French president Francois Hollande, who had phone conversations with the new US president to figure out where he stands.According to a source, May told her fellow European leaders that she made it clear in Washington that a strong EU, a strong Europe, was good for the US.May said Trump assured her that he was 100 percent behind Nato, the transatlantic military alliance he publicly called "obsolete".It also dawned around the table that Trump approaches policy through funding, and while he is committed to Nato, financial contributions to the military alliance and to the United Nations could come under question in Washington.May cautioned EU leaders, and urged them to engage constructively, as division in transatlantic relations would only embolden those who want to harm Europe.On whether the UK can act as a bridge between the US and the EU, Tusk said that despite Britain leaving the EU, there was a spirit of solidarity among the 28 member states on Friday."[There was] this good and strong will to protect our unique relationship with US, the translatlantic guarantee for freedom and international order," he added.-Tusk Tower-Leaders however did not get a good sense on where Trump stands on Russia, according to another source."Obviously there was concern among EU leaders by some decision taken and some attitudes adopted by the US administration," Joseph Muscat, Malta's prime minister whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said at a press conference on Friday.He added that there was no anti-American sentiment around the table of EU leaders.However, there was a determination not to stay silent "when principles are trampled on," he said.EU council chief Donald Tusk earlier this week in an extraordinary letter to EU leaders called Trump one of the threats facing Europe today.While the discussion on Trump was more pragmatic than Tusk's emotional letter, the former Polish prime minister received backing from EU leaders."They [leaders] called me 'our Donald'," he said, referring to the US president. Muscat even joked that the new EU council building in Brussels should be renamed Tusk Tower, to replicate the Trump Tower in New York.
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)
Trump appeals but travel ban block remains in place, for now-[AFP]-Andrew BEATTY-yahoonews-February 5, 2017
Palm Beach (United States) (AFP) - A legal showdown was brewing Sunday after the US Justice Department appealed a temporary block on Donald Trump's contentious travel ban but the court rejected any immediate move to reinstate it.The early morning ruling by a federal appeals court was the latest in a series of dramatic twists in the saga which began on January 27 when the Republican president issued a blanket ban on refugees and travelers from seven mainly-Muslim nations.As the fierce legal battle over the order played out, thousands of people around the world, from London to Washington, demonstrated against the ban.There was no immediate reaction from the White House but ahead of the ruling Trump had assured reporters his ban would be reinstated."We'll win. For the safety of the country, we'll win," he said.Earlier, the Manhattan property mogul had unleashed a string of fiery tweets defending his policy and attacking federal judge James Robart who had on Friday blocked the ban nationwide pending a wider legal review."The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!" Trump wrote on Twitter.- 'Irreparable harm' -"The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy!"With the ban temporarily halted, travelers from the targeted countries with valid visas began arriving on American soil, while others prepared to set off for the United States.In an appeal filed late Saturday, the Justice Department said that suspending the ban was causing "irreparable harm" to the American public.It said Robart's ruling had run afoul of constitutional separation of powers, and "second-guesses the president's national security judgment."- Borders reopened -But on Sunday morning, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request calling for the travel ban to be immediately reinstated.Judges William Canby, Jr and Michelle Friedland did not give a reason in their two-paragraph ruling.However, they told the states of Washington and Minnesota, which had filed the original suit against the ban, to provide documents detailing their opposition to the government's appeal by 11:59 pm Sunday (0759 GMT Monday).And the Justice Department was given until 3:00 pm on Monday (2300 GMT) to supply more documents supporting its position.Meanwhile, in line with Robart's ruling, government authorities on Saturday began reopening borders to those with proper travel documents.The State Department told visa holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen that they are allowed to travel as long as their documents had not been "physically cancelled."The department had earlier said up to 60,000 people had their visas revoked as a result of Trump's order, although a Justice Department attorney put the number at closer to 100,000.The Department of Homeland Security -- which runs border agencies -- also said it would cease implementing the order.- 'Contemptuous' -In addition to slapping a blanket ban on entry for nationals of the seven countries for 90 days, Trump's order also barred refugees for 120 days.Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely.A 30-year-old Iranian woman told AFP she had rebooked her tickets to the United States and was ready to travel Sunday night to see her brother."Until yesterday, I was completely disappointed. We have some new hope after this news, but it's 50-50. I am willing to take this risk," said the woman, who did not want to give her name.The restrictions had wreaked havoc at airports across America and beyond, leaving travelers trying to reach the United States in limbo.The political backlash for Trump has been equally severe, with the order fueling numerous mass protests and White House infighting.In Washington, hundreds marched from the White House to Capitol Hill, chanting "Donald, Donald, can't you see -- we don't want you in DC!"Another 3,000 people rallied in New York, while an estimated 10,000 people turned out in London and smaller gatherings took place in Paris, Berlin, Stockholm and Barcelona.Trump was forced to defend a botched rollout of the plan -- which called his government's competence into question -- and fired the acting attorney general for refusing to defend the order in court.His approval rating has sunk to the lowest level on record for any new president.- Ineffective at best -His latest Twitter tirade is only likely to stoke the controversy.Presidents from Thomas Jefferson to Barack Obama have criticized court rulings, but have rarely, if ever, criticized individual judges."I can't think of anything like it in the past century and a half," constitutional scholar and Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe told AFP."It's not exactly contempt of court, but it certainly is contemptuous."It conveys a lack of respect for the independent judiciary that bodes ill for the country's future as long as Trump occupies the presidency."Democrats in Congress were swift in their condemnation of Trump's remarks, while Republicans notably did not rush to his defense."This 'so-called' judge was nominated by a 'so-called' President & was confirmed by the 'so-called' Senate. Read the 'so-called' Constitution," tweeted California Democratic lawmaker Adam Schiff.The White House has argued that the travel bans are needed in order to prevent terror attacks on the United States.Experts from the fields of intelligence, counterterrorism and diplomacy say the ban is at best ineffective and at worst fuels hatred of the United States in the Middle East.
U.S. moves to resume admitting refugees, including Syrians-[Reuters]-By Julia Edwards Ainsley-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Saturday moved to begin admitting refugees, including Syrians, as soon as Monday after a federal judge on Friday blocked a Trump administration temporary ban on refugee admissions.An email from the State Department's refugee office reviewed by Reuters Saturday said the U.S. government is working with its legal team and interagency and overseas partners to comply with the ruling.Trump's Jan. 27 executive order had suspended refugee admissions for 120 days and indefinitely barred Syrian refugees but U.S. Judge James Robart in Seattle on Friday blocked the president's order.A U.S. State Department official told Reuters on Saturday that officials "expect some refugees to arrive Monday."The U.S. instructed the International Organization for Migration "to rebook refugees of all nationalities, including Syrians, who were" to schedule to arrive since the Trump's order was signed, the email said."We are focusing on booking refugee travel through February 17. We are asking that arrivals resume this Monday, the first normal travel day of the week, if possible. We are aware that some refugees may not be ready to depart on short notice," the email said.A United Nations spokesman, Leonard Doyle, told the New York Times about 2,000 refugees were ready to travel.Refugees do not usually enter on weekends, a U.S. official said, as the department hews to a strict set of rules on how their admissions are processed.Other travelers from seven Muslim majority countries affected by President Donald Trump's week-old curb on immigration can rework their flights after the judge's order, as long as they have valid visas.Refugees fleeing war, hunger and persecution have less autonomy. Advocates working on their behalf urged the government to move quickly on admitting them.International Refugee Assistance Project Director Becca Heller called for "the instant resumption of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program to immediately take the most vulnerable refugees out of harm's way."During the week of the ban, the government admitted 843 refugees - but no Syrian refugees, government figures show. Officials previously told Reuters that they were "in transit" and had already been cleared for resettlement before the ban took effect.For refugee families, they are trying to keep expectations in check and hope they do not end up back where they started.Ayham Oubeid, a Syrian living in Cleveland, has been waiting for over a year for his brother George's family to come to the United States as refugees. His brother, who has health issues, is living in Dubai on a work visa that covers him, his six-year-old daughter and five-months pregnant wife.George left his job and moved the family out of their apartment when he was told they would be resettled in the United States on Feb. 13. But the family's plane tickets were canceled when Trump announced the temporary ban. Without George’s job, the family could lose the work visa and be sent back to Syria in the midst of its deadly civil war.Upon hearing of the judge's ruling from Friday, Oubeid called George. He was careful not to be too hopeful, knowing the judge's order could be overturned."I don’t want to get excited. I don’t want my brother to get excited. Because it was hard for him when he lost everything and was told he couldn't come," Oubeid said.(Reporting by Julia Edwards and David Shepardson in Washington, Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Mary Milliken, Dan Grebler and Diane Craft)
State Department reverses visa ban, allows travellers with visas into U.S. - official-[Reuters]-yahoonews-ReutersFebruary 4, 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department will allow people with valid visas into the United States, a department official said on Saturday, in order to comply with an opinion from a federal judge in Seattle barring President Donald Trump's executive action."We have reversed the provisional revocation of visas," the State Department official said in a statement. "Those individuals with visas that were not physically cancelled may now travel if the visa is otherwise valid."(Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Julia Edwards Ainsley; Editing by Bill Trott)
Seattle judge blocks Trump immigration order-[Reuters]-By Dan Levine and Scott Malone-yahoonews-February 3, 2017
SEATTLE/BOSTON (Reuters) - A federal judge in Seattle on Friday put a nationwide block on U.S. President Donald Trump's week-old executive order temporarily barring refugees and nationals from seven countries from entering the United States.The judge's temporary restraining order represents a major challenge to Trump's action, although his administration could still appeal the ruling and have the policy upheld.Judge James Robart, a George W. Bush appointee, made his ruling effective immediately on Friday, suggesting that travel restrictions could be lifted straight away. He is expected to issue a full written ruling over the weekend.Washington Governor Jay Inslee celebrated the decision as a victory for the state, adding: "no person - not even the president - is above the law."The state's attorney general, Bob Ferguson, said: "This decision shuts down the executive order right now." He said he expected the federal government to honor the ruling.The Justice Department made no immediate decision on an appeal. “The Department looks forward to reviewing the court’s written order and will determine next steps,” it said in a statement.The new Republican president's order signed on Jan. 27 triggered chaos at U.S. airports last weekend. Some travelers abroad were turned back from flights into the United States, crowds of hundreds of people packed into arrival areas to protest and legal objections were filed across the country.The challenge in Seattle court was brought by the state of Washington and later joined by the state of Minnesota. The judge ruled that the states have legal standing to sue, which could help Democratic attorneys general take on Trump in court on issues beyond immigration.Washington's case was based on claims that the state had suffered harm from the ban, for example students and faculty at state-funded universities being stranded overseas.Judge Robart probed a Justice Department lawyer on the "litany of harms” suffered by Washington state’s universities, and also questioned the administration's use of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as a justification for the ban.Robart said no attacks had been carried out on U.S. soil by individuals from the seven countries affected by the travel ban since that assault. For Trump’s order to be constitutional, Robart said, it had to be “based in fact, as opposed to fiction.”The judge's decision was welcomed by groups protesting the ban.“This order demonstrates that federal judges throughout the country are seeing the serious constitutional problems with this order,” said Nicholas Espiritu, a staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.Eric Ferrero, Amnesty International USA spokesman, lauded the short-term relief provided by the order but added: "Congress must step in and block this unlawful ban for good." FOUR STATES IN COURT-The decision came on a day that attorneys from four states were in courts challenging Trump's executive order. The Trump administration justified the action on national security grounds, but opponents labeled it an unconstitutional order targeting people based on religious beliefs.Earlier on Friday, a federal judge in Boston declined to extend a temporary restraining order that allowed some immigrants into the United States from countries affected by Trump's three-month ban.U.S. District Judge Nathan Gorton expressed skepticism during oral arguments about a civil rights group's claim that Trump's order represented religious discrimination.The State Department said on Friday that fewer than 60,000 visas previously issued to citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen had been invalidated as a result of the order. That disclosure followed media reports that government lawyers were citing a figure of 100,000.U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia ordered the federal government to give the state a list by Thursday of "all persons who have been denied entry to or removed from the United States."The state of Hawaii on Friday also filed a lawsuit alleging that the order is unconstitutional and asking the court to block the order across the country.Trump's directive also temporarily stopped the entry of all refugees into the country and indefinitely halted the settlement of Syrian refugees.On Friday the Department of Homeland Security issued additional clarification of the order, stating that there were no plans to extend it beyond the seven countries. The DHS also reiterated that the ban did not apply to permanent residents, or green card holders, and some others, such as those who have helped the U.S. military. (Additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York, Brian Snyder in Boston and Lawrence Hurley, Lesley Wroughton and Susan Heavey in Washington; Writing by Jonathan Weber and Kristina Cooke; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Rigby)
U.S. revokes all Nexus cards from Canadian permanent residents with citizenship in restricted countries: CBSA-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 3, 2017
Nexus memberships have been revoked from all Canadian permanent residents with citizenship in any one of the seven majority-Muslim countries affected by the U.S. travel ban, the Canada Border Services Agency has confirmed to CBC Toronto.Citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a CBSA spokesperson said in an email that FAST memberships have also been revoked from all such individuals. FAST is a program similar to Nexus that is meant to speed up commercial shipments across the border.The email goes on to say that memberships of dual citizens have not been cancelled. But CBC Toronto has learned of multiple Canadian-born and dual citizens who have reportedly had their Nexus memberships revoked in the wake of a U.S. executive order barring entry to passport holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.Toronto-based lawyer Cyndee Todgham Cherniak said she has been contacted by at least two Canadian-born citizens with Muslim-sounding names who received notices.And five others — a mix of dual citizens and permanent residents with direct connection to the restricted countries — have also reportedly received revocations from U.S. CBP, she said."There is reason to be concerned," said Todgham Cherniak."Being skeptical, I wonder whether or not it's a coincidence, or whether or not there is a decision on the part of U.S. border protection to go through the Nexus files and arbitrarily cancel membership of Canadians who are from one of the countries, have travel history in those countries, who are Muslim, or who have names that are Muslim."-MPs discuss Nexus-related reports-The development comes just hours after CBC Toronto reported that two men from either side of the Canada-U.S. border — one a Syrian with Canadian permanent residence status, and the other an Iranian citizen with a green card — suddenly received notice Wednesday that their Nexus cards were being revoked long before they were set to expire.Questions about the revocations were raised on Parliament Hill Friday:Goodale emphasizes Nexus program 'discretionary'-Responding to those questions, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said "a Canadian citizen with a Canadian passport has the same access to the United States that they have always had before."With respect to the Nexus card, that is a special Trusted Traveller provision over and above the passport. And we want to make sure that Canadians entitled to a Nexus card, which is discretionary on both sides of the border ... are in fact treated properly and fairly."Goodale also pointed out there is an appeal process for those who feel they have been unfairly affected. Nexus appeals must be filed with the country in which they were denied."There are procedures in both countries for removing Nexus privileges, if that's appropriate within the rules," he said. "And we will be very vigilant to ensure that the rules are properly respected."But as Todgham Cherniak points out, Nexus cards are regularly revoked for a variety of reasons under border officials' discretion. In one case, she said, a client had his membership revoked because his wife had a muffin in her purse. Another time, an apple was to blame.-Calls for new appeal process-While Canadians can appeal to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol ombudsman, the process can take as long as eight to ten months and is often unsuccessful.That's unlike the Canadian appeal process, filed with the Nexus program and the CBSA Recourse Directorate.In Canada, the officer involved in the revocation provides a narrative report relating to the incident. The affected person can provide comments on that report and are entitled to a review by a separate CBSA official.If the appeal is denied, you can file a judicial review with the Federal Court, Todgham Cherniak explains."If a Canadian loses their Nexus card on the U.S. side of the border, there's very little you can do. … They don't give you a reason, they don't give you documentation."The Toronto lawyer would like to see Canada and the U.S. review the Nexus program and move to a system where confiscations by American officials can be reviewed in a similar way to the Canadian ones.The Syrian permanent resident of Canada who spoke to CBC Toronto agrees."Today we are considered some of the most dangerous passport holders in the world. There are a ton of professionals and a ton of educated individuals that are from Syrian backgrounds that are considered a threat," said the man, who asked not to be publicly identified."The only country that opened its arms to us was Canada. … We love this country, we want to give more to this country. But we just want our government to look at this situation."
Hundreds of Montrealers march against Islamophobia-[CBC]-yahoonews-Feb 4, 2017, 2:03 PM
Hundreds of people took part in a march against Islamophobia in downtown Montreal Saturday.Organizers said the march was meant to support Quebec's Muslim citizens as they try to come to grips with last weekend's deadly shooting rampage at a Quebec City mosque.Six men died and 19 were wounded in the attack during evening prayers last Sunday.Police have charged Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder.Similar rallies took place in other cities across Canada.'No matter our faith, we're all Quebecers'-The Montreal event started with a gathering at Place Émilie-Gamelin around 12 p.m. Participants then started to march, heading down Berri Street to René-Lévesque Boulevard.As they marched, they chanted in French, "No matter our faith, we're all Quebecers" and "Yes, yes, yes to peace! No, no, no to hate!"Judith Bres said she attended the march to help counter the spread of hate she's seeing in the world."We're here to say we resist, and that love is the best answer."Bres said it's essential that the public and politicians be more outspoken on matters like Islamophobia."We have to have the courage to stand for the people who are more vulnerable," she said.Arlene Van Leeuwen said she came to help comfort her Muslim co-citizens in their time of need."I'm hoping our presence will lighten that burden of sorrow somewhat," she said.She said politicians need to help remove obstacles that stand in the way of integration into Quebec society."Certain professional associations are quite exclusive and it's more difficult as an immigrant who is a professional to work in Quebec than some other provinces," she said.Montreal police reported a spike in calls about hate-related incidents in the days following the shootings, mainly reports of hate speech.Police are also investigating the vandalizing of the Khadijah Masjid Islamic Centre in Montreal's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood on Thursday, the same day a funeral was held for three of the shooting victims elsewhere in Montreal.Dozens of Montrealers rallied Friday outside the centre to offer their support and condemn the vandalism, which police are investigating as a hate crime.
Thousands gather across the country to protest against Islamophobia-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
Thousands of people have gathered in downtown Toronto to protest against Islamophobia in front of the U.S. consulate, with similar demonstrations taking place across the country in Montreal, Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver.Organizers of the protest on Saturday say they want the Canadian government to condemn a controversial executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that bans citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. That message was reflected on Saturday with protesters drumming, chanting and holding signs to show their opposition to Trump's policies.On Friday in Seattle, U.S. District Judge James Robart ordered a halt "on a nationwide basis" to enforcement of the ban. In response, Trump said the temporary restraining order would be overturned.Organizers of the protest said in a Facebook post that they want the repeal of the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, a 2004 pact that requires asylum-seekers to apply for refugee status in the first "safe" country in which they arrive."Canada must end racist, anti-refugee, anti-black, Islamophobic exclusion of migrants and refugees," the post reads.Organizers also said they want to repeal federal legislation that they believe targets Muslims, including the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act, a 2015 law aimed at preventing forced marriage, polygamy and "honour killings."And they said they want an end to the federal system of immigration detention, which they say is imprisonment of migrants without charges or trial.In Toronto, police closed University Avenue from Dundas Street West to Queen Street West for the demonstration.Police also said they detained a man on Saturday who was shouting at the protesters, but he will be released later in the day without being charged. He was being held at Toronto Police Service's 52 Division."We detained him for his own safety," Const. Victor Kwong said.Islamophobia refers to a hostility or dislike toward Muslims. Some say the word can be applied to attacks on Muslims as well.The protest comes just under a week after an attack on a mosque in Quebec City that left six people dead. The mosque reopened for prayers on Saturday, six days after the shooting.
Whites risk marginalization, mosque shooting suspect told friend a day before attack-[CBC]-yahoonews-february 3, 2017
Alexandre Bissonnette expressed fears during a Facebook exchange that the white race would be marginalized by immigration, the day before he was arrested in connection with the massacre at a Quebec City mosque, says a friend of the shooting suspect.Crown prosecutors charged Bissonnette with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder on Monday, but neither the Crown nor police have released any information about the suspect's motives.Former classmates and friends have described Bissonnette as gradually developing far-right views, though many say they lost contact with him in the months before the shooting.However, Martin Robin, who met Bissonnette in 2014 at Laval University, said they interacted frequently on Facebook, including on the night before the shooting.During their online conversation that Saturday, Robin recalled asking his friend what he thought about U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to temporarily ban entry to travellers from seven predominantly Muslim countries."He told me he just wanted white immigration to Canada and Quebec, exclusively," Robin told CBC News on Friday."He told me that in the long run, this non-white, non-European immigration may perhaps lead to the marginalization of whites. That's pretty much what struck me and what keeps popping up in my mind."Robin showed CBC News his Facebook account and an exchange with someone called Alexandre Bissonnette. Only Robin's side of the conversation is visible.Bissonnette's side reads: "This message has been temporarily suppressed because the account of the sender requires verification."A Facebook account that is believed to have belonged to Bissonnette was removed from the social networking site just hours before he was formally charged on Monday.In response to Bissonnette's alleged comments, Robin said he told his friend that he was "crazy."Met police investigators-Since Sunday's shooting, Robin has met with investigators from the Quebec provincial police and RCMP. He said they were seeking to find out if the suspect had received any support carrying out the attack."He had no help of any organization. Of that, I'm 100 per cent certain," Robin said of Bissonnette's alleged involvement.Legal observers have speculated that ties to an organization are a necessary condition for laying terrorism-related charges, which Bissonnette is not facing, so far.Robin also said he is good friends with Bissonnette's twin brother, Mathieu. The twins lived together in a Sainte-Foy apartment not far from the mosque Alexandre is accused of attacking.Robin said he also had a Facebook exchange with Mathieu Bissonnette on the weekend of the shooting.They, too, discussed Trump's travel ban. Their exchange took place on Sunday night.As the news began to circulate, Robin asked Mathieu if he had heard about the shooting, given the proximity of the mosque to his apartment."Yes, I saw it on the news," Mathieu Bissonnette replied. "But it's not in front of my place. It's all quiet here."Later that night, Mathieu asked Robin if police knew "who committed the crime." When it emerged the following day that Mathieu's brother had been arrested, Robin wrote to offer his support.Mathieu did not reply. Robin said he has not heard from him since Sunday night.
Louvre museum reopens; Egypt identifies machete attacker-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
PARIS — The Louvre Museum reopened to the public Saturday, less than 24 hours after a machete-wielding assailant shouting "Allahu akbar!" attacked French soldiers guarding the sprawling building and was shot by them.The worldwide draw of the iconic museum in central Paris, host to thousands of artworks including the "Mona Lisa," was on full display on a drizzly winter day as international tourists filed by armed police and soldiers patrolling outside the site, which had been closed immediately after Friday's attack.The attacker was shot four times after slightly injuring a soldier patrolling the nearby underground mall but his injuries on Saturday were no longer life-threatening, the Paris prosecutor's office said.French President Francois Hollande said there is "no doubt" the suspect's actions were a terror attack, and he will be questioned as soon as that is possible.An Egyptian Interior Ministry official confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that the attacker is Egyptian-born Abdullah Reda Refaie al-Hamahmy, who is 28, not 29 as widely reported.The official said an initial investigation in Egypt found no record of political activism, criminal activity or membership in any militant group by him. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.French authorities said they are not yet ready to name the suspect, but confirmed they thought he was Egyptian.The suspect was believed to have been living in the United Arab Emirates and came to Paris on Jan. 26 on a tourist visa, prosecutor Francois Molins said. The suspect bought two military machetes at a gun store in Paris and paid 1,700 euros ($1,834) for a one-week stay at a Paris apartment in the chic 8th arrondissement, near the Champs-Elysees Avenue.On the Twitter account of an "Abdallah El-Hamahmy," a tweet was posted about a trip from Dubai to Paris on Jan. 26. In the profile photo, Hamahmy is seen smiling and leaning against a wall in a blue-and-white sports jacket.In another tweet in Arabic written shortly before the Louvre attack, Hamahmy posted an angry tirade: "No negotiation, no compromise, no letting up, certainly no climb down, relentless war."In an interview Saturday on the Dubai-based news channel al-Hadath, Hamahmy's father, Reda Refae al-Hamahmy, said he was shocked to learn of his son's alleged involvement in the latest Paris attack and denied that he was a radical or belonged to any militant groups."All I want is to know the truth and find out whether he is dead or alive," the father said."This is all a scenario made up by the French government to justify the soldiers opening fire," he added. "He is a very normal young man."The father said Hamahmy is married with a 7-month-old child and told them he intended to tour the sights in Paris before leaving France. He sent his father a photo of himself with the Eiffel Tower in the background shortly before the clash at the Louvre.Hamahmy's brother Ahmed, who works at the Health Ministry in Dubai, was interrogated for several hours by security officials in the United Arab Emirates, the father said. In Egypt, several domestic security agency officers visited the family home in the Nile Delta on Friday night to question family members.At the Louvre on Saturday, visitors expressed mixed feelings about the incident, with some planning to leave Paris earlier than planned."We heard on the news that a terrorist attack took place ... we stayed at the hotel and we're thinking about cutting our vacation in Paris short," said Lucia Reveron from Argentina.Others felt safer because of the heightened security presence."I went around yesterday in the evening and security was everywhere. Even now, when we arrived (at the Louvre), we were checked and it's secure. I don't feel any threats," said Kurt Vellafonde from Malta.With the spate of attacks on France in the last few years, many residents have become resilient, even blase."There have been very good security measures taken and it does not scare me at all," said Regine Dechivre. "It's the phenomena of a person a little bit disturbed. The investigation will tell us what exactly happened."The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack at the Louvre but UAE officials offered no comment Saturday about the suspect's possible connection to the country.The UAE, which includes the Mideast commercial hub of Dubai, is a major destination for guest workers from Egypt and other countries. Foreign residents outnumber native Emiratis roughly four to one."The UAE, while strongly condemning this hideous crime, affirms its full solidarity with the friendly French Republic in these circumstances and its support for whatever measures France may take to preserve its security and safety of its citizens and residents," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said.France is working with the Emirates to build a branch of the Louvre in the federal capital, Abu Dhabi. The project has been repeatedly delayed and is now expected to open later this year.___Hendawi reported from Cairo. Chris Den Hond and Nadine Achoui-Lesage in Paris and Adam Schreck in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report-Thomas Adamson And Hamza Hendawi, The Associated Press.
Hamed Shafia, convicted in 2009 'honour killings,' appeals to Supreme Court for new trial-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
Hamed Shafia, convicted of first-degree murder in the so-called honour killings of his three sisters and his father's first wife, is taking his request for a new trial to the Supreme Court of Canada.His lawyers, Scott Hutchison and Samuel Walker of Toronto-based Henein Hutchison LLP, are arguing that the Ontario Court of Appeal erred when it refused to consider fresh evidence pertaining to Shafia's year of birth.Shafia was believed to be 18 when he was arrested along with his mother and father for the deaths of Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti Shafia, 13, and Rona Mohammad Amir, 50, in July 2009.Their bodies were found in the Montreal family's Nissan, which was submerged in a lock on the Rideau Canal in Kingston, Ontario.Hamed Shafia, his father Mohammad Shafia and mother Tooba Yahya were convicted in 2012 and received automatic life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years.After conviction and sentence, however, the family discovered documents that listed Shafia's birth date as Dec. 31, 1991, which would have made him 17 when the crimes occurred.That means he could have been tried under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which would have subjected him to a less severe sentence.If sentenced as a youth, the maximum sentence would have been 10 years. If sentenced as an adult, the sentence would have been life imprisonment with no chance of parole for 10 years, instead of 25."The jurisdictional error was not a mere 'technicality.' The consequences were significant and certain: even had a youth justice court convicted the applicant on the same offences, the sentence would have been significantly reduced," the filing reads.All three made requests to the Ontario Court of Appeal for a new trial. Those requests were dismissed last March.Documents should have been considered-The Palmer test is the standard for determining whether new evidence should be considered in an appeal hearing.But in its decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal determined Palmer was not an appropriate test to use in Shafia's case, and devised a new test that it called the modified Palmer approach.The documents purporting to show the error in Shafia's birth date did not meet the threshold of the new test, but Shafia's lawyers argue the court erred in creating the modified test in the first place.Ontario's test also contradicts decisions made in other provincial appellate courts, and the lawyers argue the Supreme Court should weigh in to clear up the inconsistency.The filing states a number of experts and government officials reviewed the documents about Shafia's date of birth and found them to be genuine.The errors are clerical, the filing says, and originally occurred when the family moved to Dubai after being forced to leave their home in Afghanistan when war broke out.The submission also says Shafia's birth year was not the only mistake that was made when they moved – there were mistakes made with his sisters' birth years and their last name was misspelled.Shafia's submission to the Supreme Court is dated Jan. 6. It normally takes between two to four months for the top court to decide whether it will hear the case.
Muslims in Quebec pray and reflect on a week of violence and outpouring of love-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 3, 2017
QUEBEC — The whole point of praying is to clear your thoughts and stand in front of God, said Musabbir Alam on Friday at a Quebec City mosque.That's not easy after last weekend's shooting rampage that killed six people, he admitted."When you say Allahu Akbar, which means God is great, you're inside prayer and technically you're supposed to leave everything behind — technically," he said.Alam and other Muslims gathered Friday afternoon for prayers at a small mosque in the basement of a two-floor cottage in Quebec City's Sainte-Foy district.About 30 men stood in two rows, side by side, their toes touching, and tried to clear their minds from a week that saw the deadly shooting rampage at a mosque but also an outpouring of support from the community.A 27-year-old Quebec university student, Alexandre Bissonnette, allegedly opened fire during evening prayers at a mosque Sunday night, a few blocks away from where Alam and others prayed on Friday. He is due to appear in court Feb. 21 to face six charges of first degree murder and five counts of attempted murder that have yet to be tested in court.Last Sunday's shooting triggered heightened anxiety at religious institutions across the country."It's clear that the shooting was a crucial point," said Mohamed Sadqi. "Change will come. But I don't know what direction it will go. Will it be towards unity and fraternity or more exclusion?"The thousands of people across Canada who gathered at vigils and at the funerals in Quebec City and Montreal were "encouraging," said the 26-year-old.Also welcome was the interfaith effort of a group of Toronto-based Jewish organizations led earlier in the day to express support for the country's Muslim community.A local rabbi galvanized synagogues and organized groups throughout the city to form "rings of peace" around mosques during Islamic mid-day prayer services.Yael Splansky, senior rabbi at Toronto's Holy Blossom Temple, said she hopes the rings may help dispel some of that fear."No Canadian should be afraid to go to their house of worship to pray," Splansky said in an interview. "It's a terrifying scene. Imagine people of faith going to pray in peace, to pray for peace, and to be at risk. Houses of worship are sacred and must be protected."Splansky said the Toronto peace rings were inspired by past events in Europe.Attacks against Jewish religious institutions in France and Norway prompted Muslims to form a protective ring around an Oslo synagogue in 2015 and stand guard while Jews offered sabbath prayers.She said she reached out to other rabbis who had existing relationships with city mosques to gauge interest in showing them support. She said the response was overwhelming, with synagogues not only drawing on existing partnerships but reaching out to form new ones.Another similar effort was planned at a mosque in St. John's, N.L., where participants planned to form a "human shield" as Muslims offer up prayers.The event has won an endorsement from Newfoundland and Labrador's Human Rights Commission, which said it planned to take part in the event."Let us act to challenge the root causes of hatred, including ignorance and prejudice," the commission said in a statement. "This is a time to get to know our Muslim family and community members, friends, colleagues and neighbours."Splansky said she hopes such sentiments will last beyond Friday's peace rings and prove to be a jumping-off point for more long-term co-operation between faiths.She said she'd love to see imams and rabbis exchanging religious texts, organizing joint poverty reduction initiatives, forming women's groups or even just creating book clubs or other social groups."I'm hoping that today is not only about today, but about ongoing relationships," she said.At the Quebec City mosque, Abde Samad, 23, said he hoped Sunday's shooting can be a start to uniting communities."The reason people hate is ignorance," he said. "When you think someone is bad it's because you haven't met them."With files from Michelle McQuigge in Toronto-Giuseppe Valiante, The Canadian Press.Note to readers: This is a corrected story. It specifies that it is an allegation that Bissonnette was the attacker.
EU leaders to push migration issue outside of Europe By Eszter Zalan-feb 4,17-euobserver
VALLETTA, MALTA, Today, 07:36-EU leaders have endorsed on Friday (3 February) an Italian agreement signed the day before with Libya, aimed at stopping the flow of migrants into Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.Italy already on Thursday pledged money, training and equipment to help the UN-backed Libyan government curb migration in a memorandum of understanding that Libyan prime minister Fayez al-Seraj signed in Rome with Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni.The deal, reminiscent of earlier accords to stop migration between Italy and then Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, comes amid EU efforts to stem the flow of migrants on the central Mediterranean route, which has become the main point of entry to Europe, since countries closed the Western Balkan route for migrants last year.At the summit in Malta, EU leaders also pledged more training and aid, especially to the national coast guard in the hope that they would be able to pick up migrants from the sea and take them back to Libya. Currently EU rescue missions take the saved migrants to Europe.The EU pledged that Libya's UN-backed government will receive €200 million, including funding to reinforce the coastguard.It also has become clear that EU leaders are moving toward shifting the migration crisis back to the country of origin and transit by providing more aid and refugee centres that are closer to the countries of origin.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Valletta in her press conference that leaders have put the emphasis on partnerships with countries bordering the EU.She said the EU aims to do deals with Jordan and Lebanon, similar to the one concluded with Turkey last year in an effort to curb migration.EU leaders also underlined the need to involve the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR in these programs for their expertise.She said however that the reform of the EU's asylum system, one of the most sensitive issues among EU countries now was not discussed, they will come back to it in March."For refugees, it will be best to stay safe close to their countries," Merkel said, saying people should not cross illegally and put their lives in the hands of smugglers."The EU has to tackle the root causes by creating safe havens close to the country of origin," she added.Human rights watchdog, Oxfam International, on Friday objected that the Italian deal does not ask for human rights guarantees from the Libyan authorities.“EU leaders in Malta say they are committed to human rights and international law, but Italy has struck a dodgy deal with Libya with no safeguards for these principles," Oxfam's deputy director Natalia Alonso, said in a statement."The fact that all EU governments have welcomed the Libya deal, which makes no attempt to increase Libya’s commitments to people’s rights whilst shutting off the route to Europe, shows their duplicity,” she added.
Italy and Libya cut migrant busting deal-By Nikolaj Nielsen-euobserver
BRUSSELS, 3. Feb, 08:51-Italy and the UN-backed government in Libya on Thursday (2 February) signed a deal to curb migration, ahead of the EU summit in Malta.The plan is part of a broader EU effort to seal off the migratory flows from Libya before the upcoming summer months when the sea journeys towards Europe are expected to spike.Italian premier Paolo Gentiloni signed the deal with Libya's prime minister Fayez al-Serraj in Rome."It confirms that cooperation that has been taking place for months via the Italian government's commitment on many fronts," said Gentiloni.Serraj, quoted in Deutsche Welle, said the deal included "humanitarian repatriation" of migrants.Italian news agency Ansa said it also included measures to combat human trafficking, contraband, and border reinforcement.-Brussels, Roma, Malta-The Libyan leader had also met with EU council president Donald Tusk and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini earlier in the day in Brussels.At a joint press conference with Mogherini, Serraj said they had discussed at length "a series of potential solutions" on how to deal with thousands of people hoping to make the perilous sea journey to Europe.Almost 1,200 people are reported to have perished from Libya to Italy from November 2016 to end of January 2017.Serraj said Libya "is committed to enhance our cooperation with the European Union in order to stop the illegal migration phenomenon and protect those who venture into lethal action on the seas."He also noted that any effort would have to respect and preserve Libyan sovereignty in what he described as "non-negotiable".The EU's naval operation Sophia, to crack down on people smugglers, is barred from entering Libyan territorial waters.But Serraj appeared to be open to allowing the ships in following comments made earlier this week at Nato."If there is something to be carried out jointly between the Libyan navy and any other party interested in extending a hand to the Libyan navy, that would be possible,” he said.-Insecurity in Libya-The flurry of meetings is leading up to the EU summit in Malta on Friday, where heads of state and government are expected to thrash out the migration curbing plans following a €200 million pledge to the north African states.Part of the plan includes granting the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) greater access to Libya.But both organisations, in a joint statement, said widespread insecurity inside the war-torn country made it difficult to provide even basic services to people in need."We believe that, given the current context, it is not appropriate to consider Libya a safe third country nor to establish extraterritorial processing of asylum-seekers in North Africa," they said.
Cyprus official says 700 migrants could land in next week-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
NICOSIA, Cyprus — Up to 700 migrants could arrive on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus next week on smuggling trips from Turkey, a top Cypriot official said Saturday, hours after 93 migrants landed in the dark on the island's northwestern shore.Cyprus Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos, who made the comment to state broadcaster RIK, said authorities could handle any new arrivals as long as their numbers remained low. His prediction was based on reports about the activities of a known Turkish smuggler, he said.Officials on the eastern Mediterranean island said they believe Saturday's smuggling trip began in Mersin, Turkey.Bashir Khashan said he had to sell his home in the Syrian village of Edlib to raise $12,000 to pay Turkish smugglers to get his wife, four children and a son-in-law aboard the overcrowded boat that landed just after midnight. Officials said those on the boat included 42 children and 17 women.Khashan, 49, was among several Syrians waiting outside a migrants' reception centre near the Cypriot capital of Nicosia to greet his family after the perilous, 30-hour boat trip."There was no other way to get them here," Khashan told The Associated Press. "What else can you do? You either die at sea or you die in the village."Khashan said the Syrian government had reserved particularly harsh treatment for the residents of Edlib, leaving him little choice but to flee. His arrived in Cyprus by boat six months ago, got a temporary residence permit, but is having a hard time finding work after suffering a back wound from an airstrike in Syria. He's still trying to figure out how to get his eldest daughter from Turkey to Cyprus.Hamid Idris didn't find out that his wife Majeda and three children — three-year-old Razan, six-year-old Rafi and nine-year-old Reem — were going to be on the boat until his father-in-law told him Thursday evening."I haven't slept a moment in 48 hours," Idris, 33, told the AP. "I didn't want my children on that boat. It's like you're throwing the dice with their lives."Idris, who has been in Cyprus since 2011 and works at an animal shelter, last saw his family two years ago in Istanbul.Both men said authorities told them their families could join them in the next few days.Police said the boat early Saturday was spotted 15 kilometres (9 miles) off the coast before landing near the village of Kato Pyrgos. Cyprus' Civil Defence acting commander Loukas Hadjimichael said it was the first migrant boat to arrive this year and the 11th to land bringing a total 948 migrants since September 2014.Cyprus lies 100 miles (160 kilometres ) off Syria's Mediterranean coast, but has not had the massive inflow of refugees and migrants that Turkey and Greece have experienced.___This version corrects to say that the boat landed in northwest Cyprus.Menelaos Hadjicostis, The Associated Press.
EZEKIEL 39:11-12,18
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog (RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers (EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN JORDAN VALLEY) on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog (RUSSIAN) and all his multitude:(ARAB/MUSLIM HORDE) and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.(BURIEL SITE OF THE 300 MILLION,RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS)
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.(OF ISRAEL)
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.(OF THE ISRAEL-GOD HATERS)
EZEKIEL 39:17-21
17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.(OF RUSSIAN/ISLAMIC HORDES AGAINST ISRAEL)
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
REVELATION 19:17-18
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;(AGAINST ALL NATIONS ARMIES THAT COME AGAINST JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL)
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
EZEKIEL 38:1-7
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH)
REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4 billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Iran vows 'roaring missiles' if threatened, defies new sanctions-[Reuters]-By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
DUBAI (Reuters) - A Revolutionary Guards commander said Iran would use its missiles if its security is under threat, as the elite force defied new U.S. sanctions on its missile programme by holding a military exercise on Saturday.Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since a recent Iranian ballistic missile test which prompted U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to impose sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the Revolutionary Guards.Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn said the Washington was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilising activity", and Trump tweeted Tehran was "playing with fire""We are working day and night to protect Iran’s security," head of Revolutionary Guards' aerospace unit, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency."If we see smallest misstep from the enemies, our roaring missiles will fall on their heads," he added.Despite the heated words, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Saturday he was not considering raising the number of U.S. forces in the Middle East to address Iran's "misbehavior", but warned that the world would not ignore Iranian activities.Iran's Revolutionary Guards is holding the military exercise in Semnan province on Saturday to test missile and radar systems and to "showcase the power of Iran's revolution and to dismiss the sanctions," according to the force's website.Dismissing Trump's comments that "nothing is off the table" in dealing with Tehran, the commander of Iran's ground forces said on Saturday that the Islamic Republic has been hearing such threats since its 1979 revolution."The defence capability and the offensive prowess of Iran's armed forces would make America or any other enemy regretful of any incursion," Ahmad Reza Pourdastan was quoted as saying by ISNA.-BALLISTIC TEST-Iranian state news agencies reported that home-made missile systems, radars, command and control centres, and cyber warfare systems would be tested in Saturday's drill.Iran has one of the Middle East's largest missile programmes and held a similar exercise in December to showcase its defence systems, including radars, anti-missile defence units, and short and medium-range missiles.Tehran confirmed on Wednesday that it had test-fired a new ballistic missile, but said the test did not breach the Islamic Republic's nuclear agreement with world powers or a U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing the pact.Iran has test-fired several ballistic missiles since the nuclear deal in 2015, but the latest test was the first since Trump entered the White House. Trump said during his election campaign that he would stop Iran's missile programme.The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday and recommended the missile testing be studied at committee level. The new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called the test "unacceptable".The Security Council resolution was adopted to buttress the deal under which Iran curbed its nuclear activities to allay concerns they could be used to develop atomic bombs, in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.The resolution urged Tehran to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Critics say the resolution's language does not make this obligatory.Tehran says it has not carried out any work on missiles specifically designed to carry nuclear payloads.(Editing by Alexander Smith)
Iran: If enemies do wrong, missiles will come down on them-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's missiles will come down on the country's enemies if they do wrong, a senior commander in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard was quoted as saying in a Saturday report from semi-official Tasnim news agency.Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the Guard's airspace division, said: "If the enemy does not walk the line, our missiles come down on them."Hajizadeh's comments came during a Revolutionary Guard military exercise aimed at testing its missile and radar systems. The exercise was taking place in a 35, 000-square-kilometre (13,515-square-mile) area in Semnan province in northern Iran.The exercise comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions on Iran in response to a recent missile test. The sanctions target more than two dozen people and companies from the Persian Gulf to China.Tasnim said all the equipment used in the war game, including all defensive systems, radars, command centres and ground-to-air missile equipment, are designed and manufactured by Iranian scientists.Iranian English language Press TV reported that Iran Senior Vice-President Ishaq Jahangiri dismissed what he called recent anti-Iran posturing by the U.S. He said "threadbare" accusations are aimed by Washington at scaring away investors."The Iranian nation and authorities do not attach the least value to these remarks," he said.Iran insists its missile test was only for defensive purposes and not a violation of the U.N. Security Council 2231 resolution or the nuclear deal with Western powers.Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted Friday that his country was "unmoved by threats as we derive security for our people. We'll never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defence ."Amir Vahdat, The Associated Press.
A FALSE PROPHET COMES FROM THE VATICAN ALSO AT THIS TIME.
ISAIAH 23:15-17
15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.(COULD THIS BE 70 YEARS AFTER ISRAEL BECAME A NATION IN 1948)(IF SO THIS SATANIC ONE WORLD WHORE CHURCH WILL MINGLE TOGETHER BY 2018)(AND NOW ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY AND ALL RELIGIONS ARE MINGLING AS ONE PEACE-LOVE-JOY-GET ALONG RELIGION LEAD BY THE VATICAN RIGHT NOW 4 YEARS FROM THE 70 YEAR TIME WHEN ISRAEL BECAME A NATION).AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 13:11-18
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
REVELATION 17:1-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
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-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.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Conservative criticism intensifies against Pope Francis-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
VATICAN CITY — Conservative criticism of Pope Francis intensified Saturday after his intervention in the Knights of Malta order, with posters appearing around Rome citing his actions against conservative Catholics and asking: "Where's your mercy?"The posters appeared on the same day that Francis cemented his authority over the Knights by naming a top Vatican archbishop, Angelo Becciu, to be his special delegate to the ancient aristocratic order.Francis gave Becciu, the No. 2 in the Vatican secretariat of state, "all necessary powers" to help lay the groundwork for a new constitution for the order, lead the spiritual renewal of its professed knights and prepare for the election of a new grand master, expected in three months.The Vatican's intervention with the sovereign group had provided fuel for Francis' conservative critics, who until Saturday had largely confined their concern with his mercy-over-morals papacy to blogs, interviews and conferences.On Saturday, dozens of posters appeared around Rome featuring a stern-looking Francis and referencing the "decapitation" of the Knights and other actions Francis has taken against conservative, tradition-minded groups.Within hours, the city of Rome had plastered over the posters. Police launched an investigation into the conservative circles believed responsible, aided by closed-circuit cameras, the ANSA news agency said.The posters, written in Roman dialect, also cited the way Francis had "ignored cardinals," a reference to the four cardinals who have publicly asked Francis to clarify whether divorced and civilly remarried Catholics can receive Communion.Francis hasn't responded directly, though he has made it clear he favours case-by-case allowances.One of the four cardinals is Raymond Burke, a conservative American whom the pope removed as the Vatican's supreme court judge in 2014 and named to be his liaison with the Knights of Malta. Burke, a staunch defender of Catholic doctrine on sexual morals, has become Francis' most vocal critic and was instrumental in the Knights' saga.With Burke's support, the Knights' grand master Fra' Matthew Festing sacked the grand chancellor, Albert von Boeselager, over a condom scandal. After learning that the ouster had been done in his name, Francis effectively took over the order. He asked Festing to resign, restored Boeselager to his position, declared all the Knights' sovereign decisions on the matter "null and void" and appointed Becciu to help run the order temporarily.Becciu's mandate as the pope's "exclusive spokesman" with the order now confirms Burke's marginalization.In his letter Saturday, Francis said Becciu would work in "close collaboration" with the No. 2 official who technically is in charge at the Knights. But he stressed: "I delegate to you all the necessary powers to decide possible questions that might emerge in carrying out the mandate I have given you."At a press conference this week, Boeselager insisted the order's sovereignty was never in question during the standoff, though he acknowledged the Vatican's strident statements had led to such misunderstanding that he planned to convene ambassadors accredited to the order to explain.The Knights are a unique organization: An aristocratic lay religious order that traces its history to the Crusades, the order runs a vast humanitarian organization around the world involving over 100,000 staff and volunteers. The order also enjoys sovereign status and has diplomatic relations with over 100 countries, the Holy See included.___Follow Nicole Winfield at http://www.twitter.com/nwinfield___Follow Nicole Winfield at http://www.twitter.com/nwinfield-Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press.
MATTHEW 24:4-5,11,24-25
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many (MILLIONS) shall come in my name,(JESUS-I AM) saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.(MILLIONS)(THIS IS DEFINATELY THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT)
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.(CALIFORNIA THE NEW AGE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD-SO NO WONDER SAN FRANSICO IS THE SODOMITE RAINBOW GROUPERS CAPITAL OF THE EARTH ALSO).
1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,(NEW AGE MOVEMENT) and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;(NEW AGERS BELIEVE SATANS LIES OF NO SIN,POSSITIVE THINKING,PEACE,LOVE,JOY,UTOPIA)
Motorcycle pilgrims pay homage to Guatemala's 'Black Christ'-Agence France-Presse•February 4, 2017-yahoonews
Guatemala City (AFP) - Some 30,000 motorcycle-riding Catholics left the Guatemalan capital Saturday on a pilgrimage to the eastern city of Esquipulas to venerate the so-called Black Christ.The 140-mile (222-kilometer) journey ends with the devout paying homage to the Black Christ, an aged wooden likeness of Jesus grown dark over centuries.The image is worshiped by Guatemalans, other Central Americans and some Mexicans.The first such ride took place in 1961, when a motorcyclist and fervent believer in the powers of the Black Christ -- one Ruben Villadeleon, nicknamed "Zorro" -- took the ride with a handful of friends.The shrine and the city attract a huge influx of pilgrims and tourists every year.President Jimmy Morales gave the signal to start this year's motorized pilgrimage. Participants left from Guatemala City's Central Plaza for Esquipulas, which Pope John Paul II declared in 1996 to be the "Central American Capital of Faith."Organizers of the Caravan set up four stops along the way for riders needing refreshments or mechanical assistance, seven check-in points and four rest stops. Most of the riders were planning to return home on Sunday.Although the voyage began as a family tradition, most participants now are messengers or collection agents -- among other professions that use motorcycles -- who travel east in hopes of receiving divine favors.Dozens of people don costumes for the ride. This year one dressed as US President Donald Trump and another as his predecessor Barack Obama, according to photos in the local press.In 2015, organizers attempted to set a Guinness record for the largest motorcycle caravan in the world, but failed to meet all of Guinness's requirements.Guatemala gave the caravan national-heritage status in 2011 due to its huge popularity.
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)
Dozens killed as heavy snow blankets parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan-[Reuters]-yahoonews-February 5, 2017
KABUL (Reuters) - Parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan struggled to dig out from heavy snow on Sunday, with dozens of people reported killed and some major highways closed.Heavy snow also blanketed the Afghan capital of Kabul, where the government closed its offices.In northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, over the past two days as many as 19 people were killed and 17 injured by avalanches, collapsed roofs and road accidents, said Naweed Frotan, a spokesman for the provincial governor.The government was working to reach at least 12 districts in Badakhshan that had been completely cut off, he added.On the other side of the border, at least nine people, including children, were killed by an avalanche in northern Pakistan's Chitral district, with as many as 14 residents believed to still be trapped in collapsed houses, said district official Syed Maghferat Shah."So far the rescue workers have recovered nine bodies and efforts are under way to retrieve more," he said.The avalanche struck a small village of 25 houses, but evacuation operations were delayed by the weather, said Chitral deputy commissioner Shahab Hameed Yousafzai."There is no way to rush the injured persons to Chitral hospital because all roads in the valley have been blocked due to heavy snowfall," he said.In a separate incident in the Chitral region, a government rescue worker was killed when an avalanche struck a check post near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the commanding officer told Reuters.The snow wreaked havoc on major roads in Afghanistan, including the Kabul-Kandahar Highway, where police and soldiers had to rescue around 250 cars and buses trapped by the storm, said Jawid Salangi, a spokesman for Ghazni province, where as much as two meters of new snow was reported."Some people were carried to local residents’ houses and some to military and police checkpoints," he said, noting that officials expected the road to reopen quickly. "Fortunately we arrived on time and there is not a single causality."The Salang pass north of Kabul was also closed under as much as two and a half meters of snow, according to police general Rajab Salangi, who oversees the area."It will remain blocked until the snow is cleared from the main road, facilities are provided and it is safe to travel,” he said.(Reporting by Mirwais Harooni in Kabul. Jibran Ahmad and Gul Hamad Farooqi reported from Pakistan.; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Nick Macfie and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Day 11: Nearly 750 in N.B. still without power in freezing temperatures-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
As temperatures plunge to lows of –29 C, NB Power continues work to reconnect customers in northeastern New Brunswick that were hit hard by an ice storm a week and a half ago.As of 4:30 p.m. AT Saturday, there were 746 customers without power on the Acadian Peninsula, spread among a number of communities including Pigeon Hill, Sainte-Marie-Saint-Raphaël and Lamèque. There are no outages in the Miramichi region.Temperatures dropped to –27 C overnight and the wind chill Saturday morning was –29. Gusty winds of up to 40 km/h were forecast for this afternoon.NB Power director Bernard Roy said Saturday they had 308 power crews from across Eastern Canada working to restore power.Roy said most of the repairs were permanent, though there have been a few cases where temporary repairs were done to speed up restoration."The infrastructure we've installed is as good as new," he said.Roy said the power crews are in good spirits."It's cold obviously, but they have good gear. If they have to take a break for a few minutes to warm up, we understand that."Their morale is good, they know we're getting near [finished] and they're very motivated to make sure all the customers have power."At its height, more than 130,000 customers across the province were without power. In total, about 200,000 customers have been affected by the ice storm.-Warming centre closes-Now that customers have been reconnected in the Neguac region, the warming centre set up at the Royal Canadian Legion has closed.Tabusintac resident Doris Kenny said she was grateful for the centre during the nine days she was without power at her home on the Grattan Road. It was restored Thursday."Now we are trying to get ourselves back together and start living again," she said.Kenny was critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to the warming centre on Friday night.''I find he's coming quite late. It's been over a week we're living this. When something happens at the other end of the world, the government is right there. And it's not over.''Help neededTrudeau visited two warming centres, the one in Neguac and one in Lamèque to thank volunteers and ensure that the most vulnerable storm victims will continue to receive help in the coming weeks and months.Neguac resident Serge Aubrey said many are hurting financially in a region heavily dependent on seasonal work."People here live week by week, or cheque by cheque. And they have a budget.''Aubrey said many used what little money they had on extra food, drinking water and, in some cases, to buy generators.''It's not just one little town here. We're talking the entire peninsula, major — the biggest disaster we ever seen.''The Canadian Red Cross announced Saturday it will help distribute emergency financial aid to those severely impacted by the Jan. 24 and 25 ice storm and subsequent power outages. To qualify for aid, people must register with the Red Cross by phoning 1-888-893-1300. The line is open daily between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Snowfall warnings remain in effect as mayor responds to rush hour chaos-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 3, 2017
It was a wintery scene that's become all too familiar on the Lower Mainland.A ballet of sliding cars and stalled buses brought traffic to a standstill in many parts of Vancouver during the morning rush hour. But the city claims all major arterials were cleared within hours, thanks to their fully activated snow response fleet.However, with up to 20 centimetres of additional snow expected by Saturday morning, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Roberston says the team will continue to work through the night. He's also asking everyone to do their part prevent icy sidewalks from forming."We are also encouraging [and] urging everyone to deal with their sidewalks. That's a responsibility of residents," said Robertson.The mayor says residents who are unable to clear their sidewalks can contact the city's Snow Angel program by dialing 311. The program, which helps seniors and persons with disabilities shovel their sidewalks, is currently looking for volunteers.More garbage delaysThe city admits there will still be some more bumps in the road. Last month, many Vancouver residents were fed up with garbage piling up in their back alleys.The city is trying to stay on top of garbage collection this time around, but general manager of engineering Jerry Dobrovolny admits that there will likely be delays."We stress safety with our crews, and if it's not safe for to take the large garbage truck or green waste trucks through narrow backalleys that have snow, then we don't," he said."If your garbage didn't get picked uip on time, please leave it out. We will be by either later tonight or tomorrow to get caught up." Delays could also be in store for areas serviced on Monday and Tuesday — the two days where garbage and greenwaste collectors work the city's steepest laneways. — pending weather conditions.The city is urging residents to prioritize their waste."If your green waste bin isn't full, don't leave it out, so we can focus our resources on the containers that need to be picked up the most," said Dobrovolny.
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)
EU leaders forced to unite in new Trump reality By Eszter Zalan-euobserver
VALLETTA, MALTA, 3. Feb, 19:32-EU leaders pledged the need for unity and for Europe to stand on its own two feet at their meeting in Valletta on Friday (3 February), during a discussion on how to handle US president Donald Trump, whom EU council chief Donald Tusk described earlier this week as a "threat" to the EU.Leaders emphasised the importance of the transatlantic relationship, and said they would work together with Trump on common interests, but move toward more independent European action on issues where the EU and the US administration disagree."We work on the basis of our shared values, [...] there are areas where we agree, like fighting international terrorism, and where we don’t agree," German chancellor Angela Merkel said after lunch, which summed up the mood toward Trump among EU leaders after a turbulent week of heavy criticism from Europe and concern over the US president's first days in office.But Merkel said that this is an opportunity for Europe to redefine itself and become more self-reliant."The general debate concentrated on where we stand, we have to act together," Merkel said, adding that it could lead to boosting investment in defence capabilities in the EU but also in Germany. "We have our destiny in our own hands."Some EU leaders heavily criticised Donald Trump's decision to ban refugees and people arriving to the US from seven Muslim-majority countries.Others, like Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, slammed those who criticised Trump. Before arriving at the Valletta summit, Orban said that the US has the right to decide its own border control policy, and that he is puzzled at the "neurotic European reactions" over the travel ban.-May's briefing-But behind closed doors over lunch the leaders were united, sources said.They listened to the briefing of UK prime minister Theresa May, who has already met Trump, Merkel and French president Francois Hollande, who had phone conversations with the new US president to figure out where he stands.According to a source, May told her fellow European leaders that she made it clear in Washington that a strong EU, a strong Europe, was good for the US.May said Trump assured her that he was 100 percent behind Nato, the transatlantic military alliance he publicly called "obsolete".It also dawned around the table that Trump approaches policy through funding, and while he is committed to Nato, financial contributions to the military alliance and to the United Nations could come under question in Washington.May cautioned EU leaders, and urged them to engage constructively, as division in transatlantic relations would only embolden those who want to harm Europe.On whether the UK can act as a bridge between the US and the EU, Tusk said that despite Britain leaving the EU, there was a spirit of solidarity among the 28 member states on Friday."[There was] this good and strong will to protect our unique relationship with US, the translatlantic guarantee for freedom and international order," he added.-Tusk Tower-Leaders however did not get a good sense on where Trump stands on Russia, according to another source."Obviously there was concern among EU leaders by some decision taken and some attitudes adopted by the US administration," Joseph Muscat, Malta's prime minister whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said at a press conference on Friday.He added that there was no anti-American sentiment around the table of EU leaders.However, there was a determination not to stay silent "when principles are trampled on," he said.EU council chief Donald Tusk earlier this week in an extraordinary letter to EU leaders called Trump one of the threats facing Europe today.While the discussion on Trump was more pragmatic than Tusk's emotional letter, the former Polish prime minister received backing from EU leaders."They [leaders] called me 'our Donald'," he said, referring to the US president. Muscat even joked that the new EU council building in Brussels should be renamed Tusk Tower, to replicate the Trump Tower in New York.
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)
Trump appeals but travel ban block remains in place, for now-[AFP]-Andrew BEATTY-yahoonews-February 5, 2017
Palm Beach (United States) (AFP) - A legal showdown was brewing Sunday after the US Justice Department appealed a temporary block on Donald Trump's contentious travel ban but the court rejected any immediate move to reinstate it.The early morning ruling by a federal appeals court was the latest in a series of dramatic twists in the saga which began on January 27 when the Republican president issued a blanket ban on refugees and travelers from seven mainly-Muslim nations.As the fierce legal battle over the order played out, thousands of people around the world, from London to Washington, demonstrated against the ban.There was no immediate reaction from the White House but ahead of the ruling Trump had assured reporters his ban would be reinstated."We'll win. For the safety of the country, we'll win," he said.Earlier, the Manhattan property mogul had unleashed a string of fiery tweets defending his policy and attacking federal judge James Robart who had on Friday blocked the ban nationwide pending a wider legal review."The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!" Trump wrote on Twitter.- 'Irreparable harm' -"The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy!"With the ban temporarily halted, travelers from the targeted countries with valid visas began arriving on American soil, while others prepared to set off for the United States.In an appeal filed late Saturday, the Justice Department said that suspending the ban was causing "irreparable harm" to the American public.It said Robart's ruling had run afoul of constitutional separation of powers, and "second-guesses the president's national security judgment."- Borders reopened -But on Sunday morning, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request calling for the travel ban to be immediately reinstated.Judges William Canby, Jr and Michelle Friedland did not give a reason in their two-paragraph ruling.However, they told the states of Washington and Minnesota, which had filed the original suit against the ban, to provide documents detailing their opposition to the government's appeal by 11:59 pm Sunday (0759 GMT Monday).And the Justice Department was given until 3:00 pm on Monday (2300 GMT) to supply more documents supporting its position.Meanwhile, in line with Robart's ruling, government authorities on Saturday began reopening borders to those with proper travel documents.The State Department told visa holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen that they are allowed to travel as long as their documents had not been "physically cancelled."The department had earlier said up to 60,000 people had their visas revoked as a result of Trump's order, although a Justice Department attorney put the number at closer to 100,000.The Department of Homeland Security -- which runs border agencies -- also said it would cease implementing the order.- 'Contemptuous' -In addition to slapping a blanket ban on entry for nationals of the seven countries for 90 days, Trump's order also barred refugees for 120 days.Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely.A 30-year-old Iranian woman told AFP she had rebooked her tickets to the United States and was ready to travel Sunday night to see her brother."Until yesterday, I was completely disappointed. We have some new hope after this news, but it's 50-50. I am willing to take this risk," said the woman, who did not want to give her name.The restrictions had wreaked havoc at airports across America and beyond, leaving travelers trying to reach the United States in limbo.The political backlash for Trump has been equally severe, with the order fueling numerous mass protests and White House infighting.In Washington, hundreds marched from the White House to Capitol Hill, chanting "Donald, Donald, can't you see -- we don't want you in DC!"Another 3,000 people rallied in New York, while an estimated 10,000 people turned out in London and smaller gatherings took place in Paris, Berlin, Stockholm and Barcelona.Trump was forced to defend a botched rollout of the plan -- which called his government's competence into question -- and fired the acting attorney general for refusing to defend the order in court.His approval rating has sunk to the lowest level on record for any new president.- Ineffective at best -His latest Twitter tirade is only likely to stoke the controversy.Presidents from Thomas Jefferson to Barack Obama have criticized court rulings, but have rarely, if ever, criticized individual judges."I can't think of anything like it in the past century and a half," constitutional scholar and Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe told AFP."It's not exactly contempt of court, but it certainly is contemptuous."It conveys a lack of respect for the independent judiciary that bodes ill for the country's future as long as Trump occupies the presidency."Democrats in Congress were swift in their condemnation of Trump's remarks, while Republicans notably did not rush to his defense."This 'so-called' judge was nominated by a 'so-called' President & was confirmed by the 'so-called' Senate. Read the 'so-called' Constitution," tweeted California Democratic lawmaker Adam Schiff.The White House has argued that the travel bans are needed in order to prevent terror attacks on the United States.Experts from the fields of intelligence, counterterrorism and diplomacy say the ban is at best ineffective and at worst fuels hatred of the United States in the Middle East.
U.S. moves to resume admitting refugees, including Syrians-[Reuters]-By Julia Edwards Ainsley-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Saturday moved to begin admitting refugees, including Syrians, as soon as Monday after a federal judge on Friday blocked a Trump administration temporary ban on refugee admissions.An email from the State Department's refugee office reviewed by Reuters Saturday said the U.S. government is working with its legal team and interagency and overseas partners to comply with the ruling.Trump's Jan. 27 executive order had suspended refugee admissions for 120 days and indefinitely barred Syrian refugees but U.S. Judge James Robart in Seattle on Friday blocked the president's order.A U.S. State Department official told Reuters on Saturday that officials "expect some refugees to arrive Monday."The U.S. instructed the International Organization for Migration "to rebook refugees of all nationalities, including Syrians, who were" to schedule to arrive since the Trump's order was signed, the email said."We are focusing on booking refugee travel through February 17. We are asking that arrivals resume this Monday, the first normal travel day of the week, if possible. We are aware that some refugees may not be ready to depart on short notice," the email said.A United Nations spokesman, Leonard Doyle, told the New York Times about 2,000 refugees were ready to travel.Refugees do not usually enter on weekends, a U.S. official said, as the department hews to a strict set of rules on how their admissions are processed.Other travelers from seven Muslim majority countries affected by President Donald Trump's week-old curb on immigration can rework their flights after the judge's order, as long as they have valid visas.Refugees fleeing war, hunger and persecution have less autonomy. Advocates working on their behalf urged the government to move quickly on admitting them.International Refugee Assistance Project Director Becca Heller called for "the instant resumption of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program to immediately take the most vulnerable refugees out of harm's way."During the week of the ban, the government admitted 843 refugees - but no Syrian refugees, government figures show. Officials previously told Reuters that they were "in transit" and had already been cleared for resettlement before the ban took effect.For refugee families, they are trying to keep expectations in check and hope they do not end up back where they started.Ayham Oubeid, a Syrian living in Cleveland, has been waiting for over a year for his brother George's family to come to the United States as refugees. His brother, who has health issues, is living in Dubai on a work visa that covers him, his six-year-old daughter and five-months pregnant wife.George left his job and moved the family out of their apartment when he was told they would be resettled in the United States on Feb. 13. But the family's plane tickets were canceled when Trump announced the temporary ban. Without George’s job, the family could lose the work visa and be sent back to Syria in the midst of its deadly civil war.Upon hearing of the judge's ruling from Friday, Oubeid called George. He was careful not to be too hopeful, knowing the judge's order could be overturned."I don’t want to get excited. I don’t want my brother to get excited. Because it was hard for him when he lost everything and was told he couldn't come," Oubeid said.(Reporting by Julia Edwards and David Shepardson in Washington, Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Mary Milliken, Dan Grebler and Diane Craft)
State Department reverses visa ban, allows travellers with visas into U.S. - official-[Reuters]-yahoonews-ReutersFebruary 4, 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department will allow people with valid visas into the United States, a department official said on Saturday, in order to comply with an opinion from a federal judge in Seattle barring President Donald Trump's executive action."We have reversed the provisional revocation of visas," the State Department official said in a statement. "Those individuals with visas that were not physically cancelled may now travel if the visa is otherwise valid."(Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Julia Edwards Ainsley; Editing by Bill Trott)
Seattle judge blocks Trump immigration order-[Reuters]-By Dan Levine and Scott Malone-yahoonews-February 3, 2017
SEATTLE/BOSTON (Reuters) - A federal judge in Seattle on Friday put a nationwide block on U.S. President Donald Trump's week-old executive order temporarily barring refugees and nationals from seven countries from entering the United States.The judge's temporary restraining order represents a major challenge to Trump's action, although his administration could still appeal the ruling and have the policy upheld.Judge James Robart, a George W. Bush appointee, made his ruling effective immediately on Friday, suggesting that travel restrictions could be lifted straight away. He is expected to issue a full written ruling over the weekend.Washington Governor Jay Inslee celebrated the decision as a victory for the state, adding: "no person - not even the president - is above the law."The state's attorney general, Bob Ferguson, said: "This decision shuts down the executive order right now." He said he expected the federal government to honor the ruling.The Justice Department made no immediate decision on an appeal. “The Department looks forward to reviewing the court’s written order and will determine next steps,” it said in a statement.The new Republican president's order signed on Jan. 27 triggered chaos at U.S. airports last weekend. Some travelers abroad were turned back from flights into the United States, crowds of hundreds of people packed into arrival areas to protest and legal objections were filed across the country.The challenge in Seattle court was brought by the state of Washington and later joined by the state of Minnesota. The judge ruled that the states have legal standing to sue, which could help Democratic attorneys general take on Trump in court on issues beyond immigration.Washington's case was based on claims that the state had suffered harm from the ban, for example students and faculty at state-funded universities being stranded overseas.Judge Robart probed a Justice Department lawyer on the "litany of harms” suffered by Washington state’s universities, and also questioned the administration's use of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as a justification for the ban.Robart said no attacks had been carried out on U.S. soil by individuals from the seven countries affected by the travel ban since that assault. For Trump’s order to be constitutional, Robart said, it had to be “based in fact, as opposed to fiction.”The judge's decision was welcomed by groups protesting the ban.“This order demonstrates that federal judges throughout the country are seeing the serious constitutional problems with this order,” said Nicholas Espiritu, a staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.Eric Ferrero, Amnesty International USA spokesman, lauded the short-term relief provided by the order but added: "Congress must step in and block this unlawful ban for good." FOUR STATES IN COURT-The decision came on a day that attorneys from four states were in courts challenging Trump's executive order. The Trump administration justified the action on national security grounds, but opponents labeled it an unconstitutional order targeting people based on religious beliefs.Earlier on Friday, a federal judge in Boston declined to extend a temporary restraining order that allowed some immigrants into the United States from countries affected by Trump's three-month ban.U.S. District Judge Nathan Gorton expressed skepticism during oral arguments about a civil rights group's claim that Trump's order represented religious discrimination.The State Department said on Friday that fewer than 60,000 visas previously issued to citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen had been invalidated as a result of the order. That disclosure followed media reports that government lawyers were citing a figure of 100,000.U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia ordered the federal government to give the state a list by Thursday of "all persons who have been denied entry to or removed from the United States."The state of Hawaii on Friday also filed a lawsuit alleging that the order is unconstitutional and asking the court to block the order across the country.Trump's directive also temporarily stopped the entry of all refugees into the country and indefinitely halted the settlement of Syrian refugees.On Friday the Department of Homeland Security issued additional clarification of the order, stating that there were no plans to extend it beyond the seven countries. The DHS also reiterated that the ban did not apply to permanent residents, or green card holders, and some others, such as those who have helped the U.S. military. (Additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York, Brian Snyder in Boston and Lawrence Hurley, Lesley Wroughton and Susan Heavey in Washington; Writing by Jonathan Weber and Kristina Cooke; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Rigby)
U.S. revokes all Nexus cards from Canadian permanent residents with citizenship in restricted countries: CBSA-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 3, 2017
Nexus memberships have been revoked from all Canadian permanent residents with citizenship in any one of the seven majority-Muslim countries affected by the U.S. travel ban, the Canada Border Services Agency has confirmed to CBC Toronto.Citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a CBSA spokesperson said in an email that FAST memberships have also been revoked from all such individuals. FAST is a program similar to Nexus that is meant to speed up commercial shipments across the border.The email goes on to say that memberships of dual citizens have not been cancelled. But CBC Toronto has learned of multiple Canadian-born and dual citizens who have reportedly had their Nexus memberships revoked in the wake of a U.S. executive order barring entry to passport holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.Toronto-based lawyer Cyndee Todgham Cherniak said she has been contacted by at least two Canadian-born citizens with Muslim-sounding names who received notices.And five others — a mix of dual citizens and permanent residents with direct connection to the restricted countries — have also reportedly received revocations from U.S. CBP, she said."There is reason to be concerned," said Todgham Cherniak."Being skeptical, I wonder whether or not it's a coincidence, or whether or not there is a decision on the part of U.S. border protection to go through the Nexus files and arbitrarily cancel membership of Canadians who are from one of the countries, have travel history in those countries, who are Muslim, or who have names that are Muslim."-MPs discuss Nexus-related reports-The development comes just hours after CBC Toronto reported that two men from either side of the Canada-U.S. border — one a Syrian with Canadian permanent residence status, and the other an Iranian citizen with a green card — suddenly received notice Wednesday that their Nexus cards were being revoked long before they were set to expire.Questions about the revocations were raised on Parliament Hill Friday:Goodale emphasizes Nexus program 'discretionary'-Responding to those questions, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said "a Canadian citizen with a Canadian passport has the same access to the United States that they have always had before."With respect to the Nexus card, that is a special Trusted Traveller provision over and above the passport. And we want to make sure that Canadians entitled to a Nexus card, which is discretionary on both sides of the border ... are in fact treated properly and fairly."Goodale also pointed out there is an appeal process for those who feel they have been unfairly affected. Nexus appeals must be filed with the country in which they were denied."There are procedures in both countries for removing Nexus privileges, if that's appropriate within the rules," he said. "And we will be very vigilant to ensure that the rules are properly respected."But as Todgham Cherniak points out, Nexus cards are regularly revoked for a variety of reasons under border officials' discretion. In one case, she said, a client had his membership revoked because his wife had a muffin in her purse. Another time, an apple was to blame.-Calls for new appeal process-While Canadians can appeal to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol ombudsman, the process can take as long as eight to ten months and is often unsuccessful.That's unlike the Canadian appeal process, filed with the Nexus program and the CBSA Recourse Directorate.In Canada, the officer involved in the revocation provides a narrative report relating to the incident. The affected person can provide comments on that report and are entitled to a review by a separate CBSA official.If the appeal is denied, you can file a judicial review with the Federal Court, Todgham Cherniak explains."If a Canadian loses their Nexus card on the U.S. side of the border, there's very little you can do. … They don't give you a reason, they don't give you documentation."The Toronto lawyer would like to see Canada and the U.S. review the Nexus program and move to a system where confiscations by American officials can be reviewed in a similar way to the Canadian ones.The Syrian permanent resident of Canada who spoke to CBC Toronto agrees."Today we are considered some of the most dangerous passport holders in the world. There are a ton of professionals and a ton of educated individuals that are from Syrian backgrounds that are considered a threat," said the man, who asked not to be publicly identified."The only country that opened its arms to us was Canada. … We love this country, we want to give more to this country. But we just want our government to look at this situation."
Hundreds of Montrealers march against Islamophobia-[CBC]-yahoonews-Feb 4, 2017, 2:03 PM
Hundreds of people took part in a march against Islamophobia in downtown Montreal Saturday.Organizers said the march was meant to support Quebec's Muslim citizens as they try to come to grips with last weekend's deadly shooting rampage at a Quebec City mosque.Six men died and 19 were wounded in the attack during evening prayers last Sunday.Police have charged Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder.Similar rallies took place in other cities across Canada.'No matter our faith, we're all Quebecers'-The Montreal event started with a gathering at Place Émilie-Gamelin around 12 p.m. Participants then started to march, heading down Berri Street to René-Lévesque Boulevard.As they marched, they chanted in French, "No matter our faith, we're all Quebecers" and "Yes, yes, yes to peace! No, no, no to hate!"Judith Bres said she attended the march to help counter the spread of hate she's seeing in the world."We're here to say we resist, and that love is the best answer."Bres said it's essential that the public and politicians be more outspoken on matters like Islamophobia."We have to have the courage to stand for the people who are more vulnerable," she said.Arlene Van Leeuwen said she came to help comfort her Muslim co-citizens in their time of need."I'm hoping our presence will lighten that burden of sorrow somewhat," she said.She said politicians need to help remove obstacles that stand in the way of integration into Quebec society."Certain professional associations are quite exclusive and it's more difficult as an immigrant who is a professional to work in Quebec than some other provinces," she said.Montreal police reported a spike in calls about hate-related incidents in the days following the shootings, mainly reports of hate speech.Police are also investigating the vandalizing of the Khadijah Masjid Islamic Centre in Montreal's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood on Thursday, the same day a funeral was held for three of the shooting victims elsewhere in Montreal.Dozens of Montrealers rallied Friday outside the centre to offer their support and condemn the vandalism, which police are investigating as a hate crime.
Thousands gather across the country to protest against Islamophobia-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
Thousands of people have gathered in downtown Toronto to protest against Islamophobia in front of the U.S. consulate, with similar demonstrations taking place across the country in Montreal, Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver.Organizers of the protest on Saturday say they want the Canadian government to condemn a controversial executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that bans citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. That message was reflected on Saturday with protesters drumming, chanting and holding signs to show their opposition to Trump's policies.On Friday in Seattle, U.S. District Judge James Robart ordered a halt "on a nationwide basis" to enforcement of the ban. In response, Trump said the temporary restraining order would be overturned.Organizers of the protest said in a Facebook post that they want the repeal of the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, a 2004 pact that requires asylum-seekers to apply for refugee status in the first "safe" country in which they arrive."Canada must end racist, anti-refugee, anti-black, Islamophobic exclusion of migrants and refugees," the post reads.Organizers also said they want to repeal federal legislation that they believe targets Muslims, including the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act, a 2015 law aimed at preventing forced marriage, polygamy and "honour killings."And they said they want an end to the federal system of immigration detention, which they say is imprisonment of migrants without charges or trial.In Toronto, police closed University Avenue from Dundas Street West to Queen Street West for the demonstration.Police also said they detained a man on Saturday who was shouting at the protesters, but he will be released later in the day without being charged. He was being held at Toronto Police Service's 52 Division."We detained him for his own safety," Const. Victor Kwong said.Islamophobia refers to a hostility or dislike toward Muslims. Some say the word can be applied to attacks on Muslims as well.The protest comes just under a week after an attack on a mosque in Quebec City that left six people dead. The mosque reopened for prayers on Saturday, six days after the shooting.
Whites risk marginalization, mosque shooting suspect told friend a day before attack-[CBC]-yahoonews-february 3, 2017
Alexandre Bissonnette expressed fears during a Facebook exchange that the white race would be marginalized by immigration, the day before he was arrested in connection with the massacre at a Quebec City mosque, says a friend of the shooting suspect.Crown prosecutors charged Bissonnette with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder on Monday, but neither the Crown nor police have released any information about the suspect's motives.Former classmates and friends have described Bissonnette as gradually developing far-right views, though many say they lost contact with him in the months before the shooting.However, Martin Robin, who met Bissonnette in 2014 at Laval University, said they interacted frequently on Facebook, including on the night before the shooting.During their online conversation that Saturday, Robin recalled asking his friend what he thought about U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to temporarily ban entry to travellers from seven predominantly Muslim countries."He told me he just wanted white immigration to Canada and Quebec, exclusively," Robin told CBC News on Friday."He told me that in the long run, this non-white, non-European immigration may perhaps lead to the marginalization of whites. That's pretty much what struck me and what keeps popping up in my mind."Robin showed CBC News his Facebook account and an exchange with someone called Alexandre Bissonnette. Only Robin's side of the conversation is visible.Bissonnette's side reads: "This message has been temporarily suppressed because the account of the sender requires verification."A Facebook account that is believed to have belonged to Bissonnette was removed from the social networking site just hours before he was formally charged on Monday.In response to Bissonnette's alleged comments, Robin said he told his friend that he was "crazy."Met police investigators-Since Sunday's shooting, Robin has met with investigators from the Quebec provincial police and RCMP. He said they were seeking to find out if the suspect had received any support carrying out the attack."He had no help of any organization. Of that, I'm 100 per cent certain," Robin said of Bissonnette's alleged involvement.Legal observers have speculated that ties to an organization are a necessary condition for laying terrorism-related charges, which Bissonnette is not facing, so far.Robin also said he is good friends with Bissonnette's twin brother, Mathieu. The twins lived together in a Sainte-Foy apartment not far from the mosque Alexandre is accused of attacking.Robin said he also had a Facebook exchange with Mathieu Bissonnette on the weekend of the shooting.They, too, discussed Trump's travel ban. Their exchange took place on Sunday night.As the news began to circulate, Robin asked Mathieu if he had heard about the shooting, given the proximity of the mosque to his apartment."Yes, I saw it on the news," Mathieu Bissonnette replied. "But it's not in front of my place. It's all quiet here."Later that night, Mathieu asked Robin if police knew "who committed the crime." When it emerged the following day that Mathieu's brother had been arrested, Robin wrote to offer his support.Mathieu did not reply. Robin said he has not heard from him since Sunday night.
Louvre museum reopens; Egypt identifies machete attacker-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
PARIS — The Louvre Museum reopened to the public Saturday, less than 24 hours after a machete-wielding assailant shouting "Allahu akbar!" attacked French soldiers guarding the sprawling building and was shot by them.The worldwide draw of the iconic museum in central Paris, host to thousands of artworks including the "Mona Lisa," was on full display on a drizzly winter day as international tourists filed by armed police and soldiers patrolling outside the site, which had been closed immediately after Friday's attack.The attacker was shot four times after slightly injuring a soldier patrolling the nearby underground mall but his injuries on Saturday were no longer life-threatening, the Paris prosecutor's office said.French President Francois Hollande said there is "no doubt" the suspect's actions were a terror attack, and he will be questioned as soon as that is possible.An Egyptian Interior Ministry official confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that the attacker is Egyptian-born Abdullah Reda Refaie al-Hamahmy, who is 28, not 29 as widely reported.The official said an initial investigation in Egypt found no record of political activism, criminal activity or membership in any militant group by him. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.French authorities said they are not yet ready to name the suspect, but confirmed they thought he was Egyptian.The suspect was believed to have been living in the United Arab Emirates and came to Paris on Jan. 26 on a tourist visa, prosecutor Francois Molins said. The suspect bought two military machetes at a gun store in Paris and paid 1,700 euros ($1,834) for a one-week stay at a Paris apartment in the chic 8th arrondissement, near the Champs-Elysees Avenue.On the Twitter account of an "Abdallah El-Hamahmy," a tweet was posted about a trip from Dubai to Paris on Jan. 26. In the profile photo, Hamahmy is seen smiling and leaning against a wall in a blue-and-white sports jacket.In another tweet in Arabic written shortly before the Louvre attack, Hamahmy posted an angry tirade: "No negotiation, no compromise, no letting up, certainly no climb down, relentless war."In an interview Saturday on the Dubai-based news channel al-Hadath, Hamahmy's father, Reda Refae al-Hamahmy, said he was shocked to learn of his son's alleged involvement in the latest Paris attack and denied that he was a radical or belonged to any militant groups."All I want is to know the truth and find out whether he is dead or alive," the father said."This is all a scenario made up by the French government to justify the soldiers opening fire," he added. "He is a very normal young man."The father said Hamahmy is married with a 7-month-old child and told them he intended to tour the sights in Paris before leaving France. He sent his father a photo of himself with the Eiffel Tower in the background shortly before the clash at the Louvre.Hamahmy's brother Ahmed, who works at the Health Ministry in Dubai, was interrogated for several hours by security officials in the United Arab Emirates, the father said. In Egypt, several domestic security agency officers visited the family home in the Nile Delta on Friday night to question family members.At the Louvre on Saturday, visitors expressed mixed feelings about the incident, with some planning to leave Paris earlier than planned."We heard on the news that a terrorist attack took place ... we stayed at the hotel and we're thinking about cutting our vacation in Paris short," said Lucia Reveron from Argentina.Others felt safer because of the heightened security presence."I went around yesterday in the evening and security was everywhere. Even now, when we arrived (at the Louvre), we were checked and it's secure. I don't feel any threats," said Kurt Vellafonde from Malta.With the spate of attacks on France in the last few years, many residents have become resilient, even blase."There have been very good security measures taken and it does not scare me at all," said Regine Dechivre. "It's the phenomena of a person a little bit disturbed. The investigation will tell us what exactly happened."The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack at the Louvre but UAE officials offered no comment Saturday about the suspect's possible connection to the country.The UAE, which includes the Mideast commercial hub of Dubai, is a major destination for guest workers from Egypt and other countries. Foreign residents outnumber native Emiratis roughly four to one."The UAE, while strongly condemning this hideous crime, affirms its full solidarity with the friendly French Republic in these circumstances and its support for whatever measures France may take to preserve its security and safety of its citizens and residents," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said.France is working with the Emirates to build a branch of the Louvre in the federal capital, Abu Dhabi. The project has been repeatedly delayed and is now expected to open later this year.___Hendawi reported from Cairo. Chris Den Hond and Nadine Achoui-Lesage in Paris and Adam Schreck in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report-Thomas Adamson And Hamza Hendawi, The Associated Press.
Hamed Shafia, convicted in 2009 'honour killings,' appeals to Supreme Court for new trial-[CBC]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
Hamed Shafia, convicted of first-degree murder in the so-called honour killings of his three sisters and his father's first wife, is taking his request for a new trial to the Supreme Court of Canada.His lawyers, Scott Hutchison and Samuel Walker of Toronto-based Henein Hutchison LLP, are arguing that the Ontario Court of Appeal erred when it refused to consider fresh evidence pertaining to Shafia's year of birth.Shafia was believed to be 18 when he was arrested along with his mother and father for the deaths of Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti Shafia, 13, and Rona Mohammad Amir, 50, in July 2009.Their bodies were found in the Montreal family's Nissan, which was submerged in a lock on the Rideau Canal in Kingston, Ontario.Hamed Shafia, his father Mohammad Shafia and mother Tooba Yahya were convicted in 2012 and received automatic life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years.After conviction and sentence, however, the family discovered documents that listed Shafia's birth date as Dec. 31, 1991, which would have made him 17 when the crimes occurred.That means he could have been tried under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which would have subjected him to a less severe sentence.If sentenced as a youth, the maximum sentence would have been 10 years. If sentenced as an adult, the sentence would have been life imprisonment with no chance of parole for 10 years, instead of 25."The jurisdictional error was not a mere 'technicality.' The consequences were significant and certain: even had a youth justice court convicted the applicant on the same offences, the sentence would have been significantly reduced," the filing reads.All three made requests to the Ontario Court of Appeal for a new trial. Those requests were dismissed last March.Documents should have been considered-The Palmer test is the standard for determining whether new evidence should be considered in an appeal hearing.But in its decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal determined Palmer was not an appropriate test to use in Shafia's case, and devised a new test that it called the modified Palmer approach.The documents purporting to show the error in Shafia's birth date did not meet the threshold of the new test, but Shafia's lawyers argue the court erred in creating the modified test in the first place.Ontario's test also contradicts decisions made in other provincial appellate courts, and the lawyers argue the Supreme Court should weigh in to clear up the inconsistency.The filing states a number of experts and government officials reviewed the documents about Shafia's date of birth and found them to be genuine.The errors are clerical, the filing says, and originally occurred when the family moved to Dubai after being forced to leave their home in Afghanistan when war broke out.The submission also says Shafia's birth year was not the only mistake that was made when they moved – there were mistakes made with his sisters' birth years and their last name was misspelled.Shafia's submission to the Supreme Court is dated Jan. 6. It normally takes between two to four months for the top court to decide whether it will hear the case.
Muslims in Quebec pray and reflect on a week of violence and outpouring of love-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 3, 2017
QUEBEC — The whole point of praying is to clear your thoughts and stand in front of God, said Musabbir Alam on Friday at a Quebec City mosque.That's not easy after last weekend's shooting rampage that killed six people, he admitted."When you say Allahu Akbar, which means God is great, you're inside prayer and technically you're supposed to leave everything behind — technically," he said.Alam and other Muslims gathered Friday afternoon for prayers at a small mosque in the basement of a two-floor cottage in Quebec City's Sainte-Foy district.About 30 men stood in two rows, side by side, their toes touching, and tried to clear their minds from a week that saw the deadly shooting rampage at a mosque but also an outpouring of support from the community.A 27-year-old Quebec university student, Alexandre Bissonnette, allegedly opened fire during evening prayers at a mosque Sunday night, a few blocks away from where Alam and others prayed on Friday. He is due to appear in court Feb. 21 to face six charges of first degree murder and five counts of attempted murder that have yet to be tested in court.Last Sunday's shooting triggered heightened anxiety at religious institutions across the country."It's clear that the shooting was a crucial point," said Mohamed Sadqi. "Change will come. But I don't know what direction it will go. Will it be towards unity and fraternity or more exclusion?"The thousands of people across Canada who gathered at vigils and at the funerals in Quebec City and Montreal were "encouraging," said the 26-year-old.Also welcome was the interfaith effort of a group of Toronto-based Jewish organizations led earlier in the day to express support for the country's Muslim community.A local rabbi galvanized synagogues and organized groups throughout the city to form "rings of peace" around mosques during Islamic mid-day prayer services.Yael Splansky, senior rabbi at Toronto's Holy Blossom Temple, said she hopes the rings may help dispel some of that fear."No Canadian should be afraid to go to their house of worship to pray," Splansky said in an interview. "It's a terrifying scene. Imagine people of faith going to pray in peace, to pray for peace, and to be at risk. Houses of worship are sacred and must be protected."Splansky said the Toronto peace rings were inspired by past events in Europe.Attacks against Jewish religious institutions in France and Norway prompted Muslims to form a protective ring around an Oslo synagogue in 2015 and stand guard while Jews offered sabbath prayers.She said she reached out to other rabbis who had existing relationships with city mosques to gauge interest in showing them support. She said the response was overwhelming, with synagogues not only drawing on existing partnerships but reaching out to form new ones.Another similar effort was planned at a mosque in St. John's, N.L., where participants planned to form a "human shield" as Muslims offer up prayers.The event has won an endorsement from Newfoundland and Labrador's Human Rights Commission, which said it planned to take part in the event."Let us act to challenge the root causes of hatred, including ignorance and prejudice," the commission said in a statement. "This is a time to get to know our Muslim family and community members, friends, colleagues and neighbours."Splansky said she hopes such sentiments will last beyond Friday's peace rings and prove to be a jumping-off point for more long-term co-operation between faiths.She said she'd love to see imams and rabbis exchanging religious texts, organizing joint poverty reduction initiatives, forming women's groups or even just creating book clubs or other social groups."I'm hoping that today is not only about today, but about ongoing relationships," she said.At the Quebec City mosque, Abde Samad, 23, said he hoped Sunday's shooting can be a start to uniting communities."The reason people hate is ignorance," he said. "When you think someone is bad it's because you haven't met them."With files from Michelle McQuigge in Toronto-Giuseppe Valiante, The Canadian Press.Note to readers: This is a corrected story. It specifies that it is an allegation that Bissonnette was the attacker.
EU leaders to push migration issue outside of Europe By Eszter Zalan-feb 4,17-euobserver
VALLETTA, MALTA, Today, 07:36-EU leaders have endorsed on Friday (3 February) an Italian agreement signed the day before with Libya, aimed at stopping the flow of migrants into Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.Italy already on Thursday pledged money, training and equipment to help the UN-backed Libyan government curb migration in a memorandum of understanding that Libyan prime minister Fayez al-Seraj signed in Rome with Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni.The deal, reminiscent of earlier accords to stop migration between Italy and then Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, comes amid EU efforts to stem the flow of migrants on the central Mediterranean route, which has become the main point of entry to Europe, since countries closed the Western Balkan route for migrants last year.At the summit in Malta, EU leaders also pledged more training and aid, especially to the national coast guard in the hope that they would be able to pick up migrants from the sea and take them back to Libya. Currently EU rescue missions take the saved migrants to Europe.The EU pledged that Libya's UN-backed government will receive €200 million, including funding to reinforce the coastguard.It also has become clear that EU leaders are moving toward shifting the migration crisis back to the country of origin and transit by providing more aid and refugee centres that are closer to the countries of origin.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Valletta in her press conference that leaders have put the emphasis on partnerships with countries bordering the EU.She said the EU aims to do deals with Jordan and Lebanon, similar to the one concluded with Turkey last year in an effort to curb migration.EU leaders also underlined the need to involve the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR in these programs for their expertise.She said however that the reform of the EU's asylum system, one of the most sensitive issues among EU countries now was not discussed, they will come back to it in March."For refugees, it will be best to stay safe close to their countries," Merkel said, saying people should not cross illegally and put their lives in the hands of smugglers."The EU has to tackle the root causes by creating safe havens close to the country of origin," she added.Human rights watchdog, Oxfam International, on Friday objected that the Italian deal does not ask for human rights guarantees from the Libyan authorities.“EU leaders in Malta say they are committed to human rights and international law, but Italy has struck a dodgy deal with Libya with no safeguards for these principles," Oxfam's deputy director Natalia Alonso, said in a statement."The fact that all EU governments have welcomed the Libya deal, which makes no attempt to increase Libya’s commitments to people’s rights whilst shutting off the route to Europe, shows their duplicity,” she added.
Italy and Libya cut migrant busting deal-By Nikolaj Nielsen-euobserver
BRUSSELS, 3. Feb, 08:51-Italy and the UN-backed government in Libya on Thursday (2 February) signed a deal to curb migration, ahead of the EU summit in Malta.The plan is part of a broader EU effort to seal off the migratory flows from Libya before the upcoming summer months when the sea journeys towards Europe are expected to spike.Italian premier Paolo Gentiloni signed the deal with Libya's prime minister Fayez al-Serraj in Rome."It confirms that cooperation that has been taking place for months via the Italian government's commitment on many fronts," said Gentiloni.Serraj, quoted in Deutsche Welle, said the deal included "humanitarian repatriation" of migrants.Italian news agency Ansa said it also included measures to combat human trafficking, contraband, and border reinforcement.-Brussels, Roma, Malta-The Libyan leader had also met with EU council president Donald Tusk and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini earlier in the day in Brussels.At a joint press conference with Mogherini, Serraj said they had discussed at length "a series of potential solutions" on how to deal with thousands of people hoping to make the perilous sea journey to Europe.Almost 1,200 people are reported to have perished from Libya to Italy from November 2016 to end of January 2017.Serraj said Libya "is committed to enhance our cooperation with the European Union in order to stop the illegal migration phenomenon and protect those who venture into lethal action on the seas."He also noted that any effort would have to respect and preserve Libyan sovereignty in what he described as "non-negotiable".The EU's naval operation Sophia, to crack down on people smugglers, is barred from entering Libyan territorial waters.But Serraj appeared to be open to allowing the ships in following comments made earlier this week at Nato."If there is something to be carried out jointly between the Libyan navy and any other party interested in extending a hand to the Libyan navy, that would be possible,” he said.-Insecurity in Libya-The flurry of meetings is leading up to the EU summit in Malta on Friday, where heads of state and government are expected to thrash out the migration curbing plans following a €200 million pledge to the north African states.Part of the plan includes granting the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) greater access to Libya.But both organisations, in a joint statement, said widespread insecurity inside the war-torn country made it difficult to provide even basic services to people in need."We believe that, given the current context, it is not appropriate to consider Libya a safe third country nor to establish extraterritorial processing of asylum-seekers in North Africa," they said.
Cyprus official says 700 migrants could land in next week-[The Canadian Press]-yahoonews-February 4, 2017
NICOSIA, Cyprus — Up to 700 migrants could arrive on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus next week on smuggling trips from Turkey, a top Cypriot official said Saturday, hours after 93 migrants landed in the dark on the island's northwestern shore.Cyprus Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos, who made the comment to state broadcaster RIK, said authorities could handle any new arrivals as long as their numbers remained low. His prediction was based on reports about the activities of a known Turkish smuggler, he said.Officials on the eastern Mediterranean island said they believe Saturday's smuggling trip began in Mersin, Turkey.Bashir Khashan said he had to sell his home in the Syrian village of Edlib to raise $12,000 to pay Turkish smugglers to get his wife, four children and a son-in-law aboard the overcrowded boat that landed just after midnight. Officials said those on the boat included 42 children and 17 women.Khashan, 49, was among several Syrians waiting outside a migrants' reception centre near the Cypriot capital of Nicosia to greet his family after the perilous, 30-hour boat trip."There was no other way to get them here," Khashan told The Associated Press. "What else can you do? You either die at sea or you die in the village."Khashan said the Syrian government had reserved particularly harsh treatment for the residents of Edlib, leaving him little choice but to flee. His arrived in Cyprus by boat six months ago, got a temporary residence permit, but is having a hard time finding work after suffering a back wound from an airstrike in Syria. He's still trying to figure out how to get his eldest daughter from Turkey to Cyprus.Hamid Idris didn't find out that his wife Majeda and three children — three-year-old Razan, six-year-old Rafi and nine-year-old Reem — were going to be on the boat until his father-in-law told him Thursday evening."I haven't slept a moment in 48 hours," Idris, 33, told the AP. "I didn't want my children on that boat. It's like you're throwing the dice with their lives."Idris, who has been in Cyprus since 2011 and works at an animal shelter, last saw his family two years ago in Istanbul.Both men said authorities told them their families could join them in the next few days.Police said the boat early Saturday was spotted 15 kilometres (9 miles) off the coast before landing near the village of Kato Pyrgos. Cyprus' Civil Defence acting commander Loukas Hadjimichael said it was the first migrant boat to arrive this year and the 11th to land bringing a total 948 migrants since September 2014.Cyprus lies 100 miles (160 kilometres ) off Syria's Mediterranean coast, but has not had the massive inflow of refugees and migrants that Turkey and Greece have experienced.___This version corrects to say that the boat landed in northwest Cyprus.Menelaos Hadjicostis, The Associated Press.
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