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Mar 10
March 10, 2021- Saudis Come Out Against Temple Mount
Download The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth March 5, 2021 Edition by Frank DiMora
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~Scroll down for all the news; be sure to CLICK on the photos next to the FLASHING “prophecy sign” for all Bible verses & videos, which will take you to the TABS you see at the top of the website; there you will find all the Bible verses and most current videos related to that area of prophecy~
Saudis come out against Temple Mount
Last week, Saudi Twitter pages began to promote the message that ‘the direction of Jewish prayers do not matter to me”. The campaign, designed to emphasize the importance of Mecca and Medina as the holy places of Islam, and to eliminate the importance of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, has caused considerable controversy online. Among the most prominent messages in the campaign were those who wrote that “the direction of the prayers of the Jews is not important to us, what is important to us is only our homeland,” referring to Saudi Arabia. This tweet was written by a well-known Saudi cartoonist named Fahd al-Jabiri. According to the Saudis, the campaign is in response to the Palestinians who insult and humiliate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its cooperation with Israel, both online and in many demonstrations on the Temple Mount on Fridays. The reaction of the Saudis is to emphasize that Al-Aqsa is a mosque like all mosques, but the direction of prayer of the Muslims is to the city of Mecca and to it only. Tom Nissani, CEO of the Temple Mount and Temple Heritage Foundation, noted, “In the end, it is becoming increasingly clear that the main obstacle – the Temple Mount – is in our hands. Now the Saudis and Moroccans also emphasize the strong connection of the Jewish people to the Temple Mount and the diminution of its importance to Islam. This is a historic opportunity to expel the hostile Waqf from the Temple Mount and transfer it to full Israeli management that will allow full freedom of access and religion to the mountain in cooperation with the Emirates, Saudis and Moroccans, Jews and non-Jews who will attain shared goals.”
March 7, 2021
Hamas leader Sinwar ousted in secret vote – report
Hamas has elected a new leader in the Gaza Strip to replace Yahya Sinwar, according to people familiar with the matter. His name is Nizar Awadallah, the sources said. Awadallah, who previously served as head of Hamas’s Shura Council, a decision-making consultative body that elects the group’s politburo, was elected in secret elections over the past few weeks for the group’s leaders in the Gaza Strip and abroad. During the First Intifada, he headed a secret Hamas armed wing named the Palestinian Mujahideen. Awadallah will serve as head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip. The terrorist group is also expected to elect a new overall leader for its political bureau, currently headed by Ismail Haniyeh.
March 9, 2021
Lebanese Armed Forces chief warns of military collapse amid economic crisis
Lebanon’s protesters send dark, angry message
Lebanon’s army is suffering from instability as the country’s economic crisis has put pressure on soldiers’ livelihoods, said Gen. Joseph Aoun, commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces. “Soldiers are going hungry, like the people,” said Aoun on Monday, according to Reuters. In the report, he said low morale could lead to an “implosion” and questioned: “Do they want the army or not? Do you want the army to stay on its feet or not? … They don’t care.” The Lebanese currency has dropped 85 percent since 2019 with the monthly salary of a soldier or police officer that had been worth about $800 now worth less than $120, according to the report. The situation became so dire that the French embassy donated food last month to the army, including basic staples such as rice, pasta and cooking oil.
March 10, 2021
Saudi foreign minister calls for Iran arms embargo to stop attacks on ‘global economy’
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister called for a block on weapons sales to Iran to be reimposed after fresh attacks against oil facilities in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province. Ras Tanura, one of the world’s biggest oil ports, was targeted by an explosive drone on Sunday. Hours later, a ballistic missile was shot down over an Aramco residential area just to the south in Dhahran. The attempted strikes were condemned by governments around the world and caused a brief spike in oil prices. They took place amid a wave of drone attacks on southern Saudi Arabia by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. “Such attacks require a strong stand by the international community in confronting the perpetrators, and efforts must be concerted to stop the sources of the continuation of the conflict,” Prince Faisal said. “The most important of which is Iran’s supplying the Houthi militia with advanced weapons, including ballistic missiles and booby-trapped drones.”
Lavrov called the developments in Yemen worrying. “We need to immediately stop the military industry,” he said. Meanwhile, The US administration has a responsibility to push back against efforts to undermine Saudi Arabia, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says in an exclusive interview with Arab News, adding that to deny the Saudis “the capacity to defend themselves is just crazy, and yet that appears to be the direction this administration is taking.”
March 10, 2021
Iran says US approved release of $3 bln of Iran’s funds in Iraq, Oman, S. Korea
The United States has agreed to the release of $3 billion in Iranian funds that have been frozen in Iraq, Oman and South Korea due to Washington’s sanctions, Iranian trade official Hamid Hosseini told the semi-official Fars news agency on Sunday. Hosseini, board member of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce, had tweeted on Friday that Washington approved the release of frozen Iranian assets at the Trade Bank of Iraq, without mentioning the value of the assets. Hosseini on Sunday confirmed that the US agreed to the release of $3 billion in Iranian frozen assets in the three countries. Last month, South Korea said it reached an agreement with Iran over the release of Tehran’s frozen funds in its banks but signalled that the agreement was effectively subject to US approval.
March 8, 2021
Taiwan’s leader tells residents to conserve water as the island faces worst drought in 56 years
Drought Conditions Persist in the Main Corn Growing States
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has called on residents to conserve water and prepare for shortages as the island faces a drought, following months of scant rainfall and a lack of typhoons making landfall last year. Tsai said that Taiwan did not experience a typhoon in 2020 and faces its most severe water shortage in 56 years. Tsai added that the government is monitoring water conditions throughout the island and that it will take steps to ensure a stable supply of water for industries and households. Local reports said last month that the island stepped up nationwide water restrictions and mobilized emergency water resources, including a desalination plant in Hsinchu County, as officials anticipate the dry season will last until May. Meanwhile, in the US, As farmers are ramping up toward planting season, drought conditions continue in many of the top corn-growing states. Last week, the U.S. drought monitor showed 11 percent of Midwest acres are in moderate drought. Over half of the High Plains are in a severe drought, and 19 percent of the region is experiencing extreme drought conditions.
March 8, 2021
San Cristobal volcano erupts, heavy ash blankets the city of Chinandega, Nicaragua
Ash rises up to 29,500 feet after 11th paroxysm at Etna, Italy
New cinder dome at Klyuchevskoy volcano, Russia
Nicaraguan San Cristobal volcano erupted at 19:26 UTC on March 9, 2021, blanketing the city of Chinandega and surrounding communities in ash. Heavy ash emission lasted approximately 30 minutes, accompanied by deep rumbling. AFP reported cars had to switch on headlights as everything went dark. Ashfall was reported as far as 17 km (10.5 miles) from the volcano. Nicaragua Journalist Carol Altamirano said everything was grey… ‘the crops of rice, sesame, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and cattle pasture is covered in ash.’ The Washington VAAC said volcanic ash rose to an estimated 600 m (1 900 feet) above the summit, moving SW. It was very difficult to observe it on satellite imagery due to cloud cover. On February 16, 2021, ash cloud from San Cristobal rose to 2.3 km (7 500 feet) above sea level and drifted SW. This was the first eruption at the volcano since March 4, 2019, when a gas-and-ash plume rose about 400 m (1 300 feet) above the crater rime.
March 10, 2021
Meteor rattled buildings as it exploded over Vermont, NASA says
A meteor exploded over northern Vermont on Sunday night — rattling buildings with an energy release the equivalent of 440 pounds of TNT, officials said. The fireball was spotted by hundreds of witnesses as it zoomed through the atmosphere at 42,000 miles per hour, NASA said in a Facebook post. The space rock was first seen about 52 miles above Mount Mansfield State Forest before burning out over Orleans County about 33 miles into the sky. “The space rock fragmented violently, producing a pressure wave that rattled buildings and generated the sound heard by those near the trajectory,” NASA said in its Facebook post.
March 9, 2021
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Mar 08
March 8, 2021- Global Food Prices Continue to Rise as the Middle East Heats Up
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~Scroll down for all the news; be sure to CLICK on the photos next to the FLASHING “prophecy sign” for all Bible verses & videos, which will take you to the TABS you see at the top of the website; there you will find all the Bible verses and most current videos related to that area of prophecy~
Iran-backed Shi’ite cell behind bombing near Israeli Embassy in India
India’s central counterterrorism agencies have concluded that a local Shi’ite terrorist cell backed by Iran’s IRGC Quds Force was behind the attack that targeted the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi late January, Hindustan Times reported on Monday. Evidence collected at the scene of the blast pointed to Iran’s involvement early on in the investigation. A handwritten note in English found at the blast site was addressed to Israel’s Ambassador to India Ron Malka, warning Israel of revenge for the assassinations of Iran’s Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani in January 2020 and Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in November 2020. CCTV footage of the blast site revealed that a cab had dropped two people near the embassy shortly before the bomb went off. According to India’s counterterrorism experts who led the investigation, the attack was part of Iran’s asymmetric warfare campaign waged against Israel, Hindustan Times reported.
March 8, 2021
Latest Houthi attack shows reach of Iran’s power
Arab coalition intercepts Houthi drone launched towards Saudi Arabia
Saudi military chief accuses Iran of supplying missiles used by Houthis to strike its oil facilities
The Houthi rebel attack on Saudi Arabia is rocking the Middle East. They carried through on threats to launch a major attack on Saudi Arabia. The kingdom said the drone attack on Ras Tanura Port on Sunday and attempted missile strike on an Aramco residential area “had targeted global energy supplies. Ras Tanura is one of the world’s largest oil shipping ports, and the Aramco complex in Dhahran houses workers and their families from all over the world,” Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper published in Saudi Arabia, reported. Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Nayef Al-Hajraf said: “These terrorist attacks do not only target the security and economic capabilities of the kingdom, but also the nerve center of the global economy and oil supplies, as well as global energy security.” Saudi Arabia’s media has highlighted that US politicians are concerned a lack of response from the White House may be emboldening the Iranian-backed Houthis. The new US administration took the Houthis off a list of foreign terrorist organizations that the Trump administration had added them to in January. Since then, they have rapidly expanded their attacks and launched an offensive on Marib in Yemen.
March 8, 2021
Ballistic missiles target north Syria oil facilities in rare attack
An unusual attack on oil facilities in Turkish-occupied northern Syria occurred on Friday evening. Locals reported large explosions near Al-Bab and Jarablus. Turkey invaded this area in the fall of 2016 in Operation Euphrates Shield. The use of ballistic missiles points to a sophisticated state-backed operation against the oil facilities. Many alleged Russia and the Syrian regime were behind the attack which appears aimed at denying Turkish-backed Syrian groups from trading oil. Turkish media and reports did not speculate on who fired the missiles. The missile strikes on March 5 were large and included video that showed explosions. Those videos appeared online on Friday night. Ballistic missiles have been used increasingly in the region. Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen often fire ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia. Iran has also been testing improved and more precise missiles.
March 6, 2021
Turkey likely to host Afghan peace meeting
The administration of US President Joe Biden will ask Turkey to host a senior-level meeting between Taliban and Afghan officials in coming weeks to finalize a peace agreement, according to ToloNews, an Afghan news outlet. It was quoting from an official letter it published on Sunday that it said was sent by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Blinken suggested convoking a UN-facilitated conference with foreign ministers and envoys from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and the United States “to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan.” Last month, Blinken discussed the review of US strategy in Afghanistan with Ghani and repeated his support for the peace process that includes “a just and durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive cease-fire.” Biden’s administration is reviewing its strategy to decide about the troop withdrawal to be completed by May 1.
March 8, 2021
Iranian Militia Group Claims to Have Active Cells in Washington DC: Report
Biden sends B-52 heavy bomber over Persian Gulf in signal to Iran
In wake of Iranian aggression, Pentagon warns US will retaliate
A Telegram channel affiliated with Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq posted in English claiming to have a resistance cell with the capacity to target American troops inside the United States, according to a report. “The axis of resistance today is stronger than before. Resistance cells are rooted even in America and its capital,” read the alleged social media post, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute, which posted a screenshot of the message. The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of Defense regarding the post’s claims. The Telegram channel post also claimed that terror factions associated with Iran are growing ever stronger and gaining more support, while it called on U.S. forces to withdraw from not only Iraq, but the Middle East entirely. The group also appeared to threaten Israel, referring to it as the “Zionist enemy,” saying “I will summarize for you in words only the horror of the south, which is stronger than before, and we have thousands of men like Imad Mughniyeh.” Mughniyeh is believed to have been the Iran-aligned Hezbollah chief of staff in Lebanon. “Do not think that you and the Americans, by killing Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, will survive the torment of the resistance,” the post added, referring to the Iranian commander and the Iraqi militia commander who were killed in an airstrike last year. “We lie in wait for you evil (sic) and the next thing is worse.” On Wednesday, rockets were again fired at an Iraqi base that holds U.S. troops, according to U.S. and Iraqi officials. The Pentagon stated the missile defense system at the Al Asad airbase “engaged in defense of our forces” before adding: “We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the individual who died.”
March 6, 2021
Protests surge as Myanmar forces trap youth protesters
Thousands of people took to the streets of Myanmar’s biggest city in defiance of a night curfew on Monday, chanting in anger after security forces besieged hundreds of young anti-coup protesters in one neighbourhood. Western embassies appealed to the ruling military junta to allow the protesters to leave Sanchaung, where they were cornered at the end of another day of bloodshed in Myanmar in which at least three protesters were killed elsewhere in the country. In some areas, police used stun grenades and fired shots to try to disperse protesters, witnesses said. Live video from Sanchaung on social media showed protesters running between the houses as stun grenades detonated. “Almost 200 young protesters are still blocked by the police and soldiers there. Local and international community needs to help them now! Please,” one protest leader, Maung Saungkha, said on Twitter. The US Embassy said in a statement: “We call on those security forces to withdraw and allow people to go home safely.” The United Nations office in Myanmar and the British Embassy made a similar appeal. In Geneva, the UN human rights office voiced deep concern about the fate of the protesters trapped in Sanchaung. Rights chief Michelle Bachelet said they should be allowed to leave safely and without reprisals. A spokesman for the junta did not answer calls requesting comment. Police said they would scrutinise family registration lists in the area to check for outsiders – threatening action against anyone caught concealing them.
March 8, 2021
Global food prices continue to rise with poorest countries hit hardest
World food prices spiked for the ninth consecutive month to hit a six year-high in February, led by sugar and vegetable oils, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The agency said that its food price index jumped by 2.4 percent month-on-month to reach 116.0 points in February. The gauge, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly-traded food commodities, is also 26.5 percent higher than it was a year earlier. The latest increase has become the longest surge for overall food costs since the food crisis broke that out in 2007-08. Prices for sugar soared most, adding 6.4 percent from January, according to the FAO. The agency’s sugar price index rose for the second month in a row, reaching its highest level in nearly four years. Meanwhile, vegetable oil prices posted almost similar growth, hitting the highest level since April 2012. Palm, soy, rape and sunflower seed oils all became costlier due to multiple factors from concerns over low inventory levels in leading exporters to lower than expected production prospects for this year. According to the FAO estimates, some 45 countries, including 34 in Africa and nine in Asia, “are in need of external assistance for food” due to conflicts, climate-related shocks and as the result of the Covid-19 outbreak, which exacerbated their vulnerabilities.
March 7, 2021
February 19, 2021 – Over forty five whales dead after stranding in Indonesia. Link
February 20, 2021 – Dozens of dead dolphins wash up in Andalusia, Spain. Link
February 23, 2021 – Dozens of dead octopuses was up on beaches in Africa. Link
February 24, 2021 – Almost 200 dead dolphins found washed up off the coast of Mozambique. Link
February 25, 2021 – Hundreds of dead bats found, ‘due to winter storm’ in Houston, Texas, America. Link
February 28, 2021 – Millions of dead fish in the canals of North Padre Island, Texas, America. Link
March 1, 2021 – Hundreds of dead sea birds found on beaches in Novorossiysk, Russia. Link
March 5, 2021 – Dozens of dead dolphins and birds found on the coast of Krasnodar, Russia. Link
March 5, 2021 – Massive die off of fish on the coast of Japan. Link
March 6, 2021 – Hundreds of dead birds found on beaches in Norway. Link
New seismic tremor on Reykjanes Peninsula, more than 22 000 earthquakes since February 24, Iceland
A new seismic tremor similar to the one measured on March 3 started on Reykjanes Peninsula at 00:22 UTC on March 7, 2021. Today’s tremor was much shorter than the one on March 3 — it lasted 20 minutes vs. several hours four days ago. Seismicity increased following the tremor with earthquakes larger than M4. In total, around 1 300 earthquakes were detected from 00:00 to 12:25 UTC. Nearly 40 had magnitude above 3 and five above 4. The largest was M5.0 at 02:02 UTC, about 3 km (1.8 miles) WSW of Fagradalsfjall. It was felt widely in the SW-part of Iceland. Civil Protection and IMO experts met with the Police in Suðurnes and a representative of Grindavík at 03:30 UTC. It is the opinion of experts based on the available data, that the earthquakes that were detected last night and this morning in Grindavík are not due to a displacement of magma and are therefore not considered as a short-term predictor of an eruption.
March 7, 2021
Asteroid 2021 EF1 to flyby Earth at 0.73 LD on March 8
A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2021 EF1 will fly by Earth at a distance of 0.73 LD / 0.00187 AU (279 750 km / 173 830 miles) at 04:46 UTC on March 8, 2021. This is the 23rd known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since the start of the year. 2021 EF1 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and has an estimated diameter between 3 and 6.6 m (9.8 – 21.6 feet). It was first observed at Mt. Lemmon Survey, Arizona on March 6, two days before its close approach.
March 7, 2021
All earthquakes are instantly posted to the ETRM Facebook page- you do not need to sign up; click the photo below to see the earthquake album
Mar 06
March 6, 2021 The Last Chronicles Missions
Download The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth March 5 2021 Edition by Frank DiMora
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I recently had a conversation with Terry Arnold producer for the series The Last Evangelist. During that conversation I had a chance to tell her some of the things our Lord had done to help me bring people to Christ. After I talked to her I thought it would be a good idea to make a new PDF showing all of the people the Lord brought me to help lead people to the Lord. Below you will see a link to my newest up-date of my book The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth as well as a link to the people I have been blessed to come along side of me in the work for Christ.
Download The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth March 5 2021 Edition by Frank DiMora
Mar 01
March 1, 2021- High Court recognizes non-Orthodox converts as Jewish
Download The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth February 18, 2021 Edition by Frank DiMora
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~Scroll down for all the news; be sure to CLICK on the photos next to the FLASHING “prophecy sign” for all Bible verses & videos, which will take you to the TABS you see at the top of the website; there you will find all the Bible verses and most current videos related to that area of prophecy~
Israel Strikes Syria “In Response To Iranian Attack” On Israeli Commercial Ship
Tehran hard-liners admit Iran attacked Israeli ship off Oman
Syrian state television is reporting new Israeli airstrikes against the capital of Damascus on Sunday. SANA state news said that Syrian air defenses were active in response to an “Israeli aggression in the vicinity of Damascus” after explosions were heard above the capital, according to Reuters. The strike was reportedly near the international airport. While the Israeli military has yet to confirm or deny the airstrikes, which is typical of such attacks which have occurred almost on a weekly basis for much of the past year, Israeli public broadcasting is now saying it’s in “response” to the “Iranian attack on an Israeli ship near the Gulf of Oman this weekend.” Defense Minister Benny Gantz had announced Saturday as part of an “initial assessment” that Tel Aviv believes Iran was behind a bomb attack on the car-carrier vessel, identified as the Helios Ray.
March 1, 2021
Jordan, PA accuse ‘Jewish extremists’ of storming Temple Mount
The Wakf in east Jerusalem said 230 “Jewish extremists stormed the mosque [on Sunday], conducted tours and practiced public Talmudic rituals and prayers inside its courtyard.” It condemned “Jewish extremists” for making “provocative tours” near the entrances to the Temple Mount. The Wakf accused the police of turning al-Aqsa Mosque compound into a “military barracks to protect Jewish extremists invading the mosque.” Israel was seeking to alter the “long-standing religious, historical and legal status of the mosque,” it said. Jordan and the Palestinian Authority have condemned visits by Jews to al-Aqsa Mosque compound, or the Temple Mount, dubbing them provocations and a violation of the status quo at the site. The visits were “an incursion by extremists into the mosque’s premises,” the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said Sunday.
March 1, 2021
Israel in talks with Saudi, UAE, Bahrain for defense alliance against Iran
Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain discussed expanding cooperation in facing its common enemies, an Israeli official with knowledge of the matter said on Monday. The matter is being “informally discussed,” the source said, pointing out that the countries are American allies. All four view a nuclear Iran as a major threat, and have been eyeing the Biden administration’s plan to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal with concern. “There is much to be gained by expanding cooperation,” the source said. The remarks came following an article by World Jewish Congress President Ron Lauder in Arab News calling for a “NATO of the Middle East.” “Facing the accelerating threat of a malevolent Iran and the weakness of a coronavirus-hit world, the path toward self-reliance seems also to be the only path forward,” Lauder wrote. “Israelis and Arabs should seize the opportunity to work together to save the Middle East from the looming catastrophe of extremism and nuclearization.” The Prime Minister’s Office said it is “not confirming the report, but we are always interested in upgrading ties with our Middle East partners.”
March 1, 2021
High Court recognizes non-Orthodox converts as Jewish
After more than 15 years of petitioning, and just three weeks ahead of the March 23 election, The High Court of Justice ruled on Monday that those who have converted to Judaism through Reform or Conservative conversions in Israel will be recognized as Jewish by the state. The court also ruled converts will be allowed to become full Israeli citizens under the Law of Return. In their long-awaited ruling, the nine-justice panel said the court expected lawmakers would pursue legislation on the matter and stalled its decision. “We have refrained from ruling on the matter for the last five years out of respect for the responder [the state] to pursue legislation to settle the issue,” said Justice Dafna Barak Erez. “However, we cannot wait while people’s rights are hanging in the balance and no viable legislation is afoot.” Chief Justice Esther Hayut wrote, “The petitioners came to Israel and went through a conversion process as part of a recognized Jewish community and asked to join the Jewish nation.” Hayut added, “This is a civil matter and not a religious matter.” Both of Israel’s chief rabbis criticized the decision, urging Knesset to advance legislation to cancel it. “What the Reform and Conservative [movements] term ‘conversion’ is nothing but a falsification of Judaism and will mean including thousands of Gentiles among the people of Israel,” Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau said that “those who converted through Reform conversions and the like are not Jewish. No High Court decision will change that fact.”
March 1, 2021
Twenty-four hours of Iran’s total war in Yemen, Iraq and Syria
Saudi Arabia Says It Thwarted Yemeni Rebel Missile Attack Over Capital
Iran is supporting its Houthi rebel allies and proxy in Yemen to conduct an increasing war against Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led coalition, and also against Yemen government forces in Marib. Twenty-four hours have seen an increased offensive against Marib in Yemen, a reported ballistic missile attack on Saudi Arabia on Saturday night and an attack on a ship in the Gulf of Oman. It is part of a series of tensions across the region linking Iran to conflicts in numerous places. This could be seen as a kind of “total war” that Iran is pushing across the Middle East. The volume of attacks and the multi-layered nature of them illustrate that this is not a mere happenstance or coincidence.
Feb. 28, 2021
Turkey, Iran at odds over operations on Iraqi soil
Iran and Turkey appear to be on collision course in Iraq – analysis
The diplomatic crisis between Ankara and Tehran has escalated following the latest statement from Iran’s Ambassador to Baghdad Iraj Masjedi, who reiterated an opposition to Turkish military intervention in Iraq, a new move that highlights a broader rivalry between the two countries in the region. “Turkish forces should not pose a threat or violate Iraqi soil,” Masjedi said on Sunday. “We do not accept at all, be it Turkey or any other country, to intervene in Iraq militarily or advance or have a military presence in Iraq,” he said, calling on Ankara to withdraw its troops from Iraq and respect international borders. “The security of the Iraqi area should be maintained by Iraqi forces and (Kurdistan) region forces in their area,” he said. Turkey has deployed several military outposts deep inside Iraqi territories for decades to eradicate the presence of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Its forces conduct aerial and ground cross-border operations, which have increased in recent years. These operations have recently drawn anger from Baghdad over territorial violations of Turkish forces and aircraft. But Ankara has continued airstrikes in the Kurdistan region of Iraq to kill senior members of the PKK.
March 1, 2021
Iran rejects EU, US offer to hold direct talks on nuclear deal
Iran on Sunday ruled out holding an informal meeting with the United States and other major powers to discuss ways to salvage the unraveling 2015 nuclear deal, insisting Washington must first lift all its unilateral sanctions. “Considering the recent actions and statements by the United States and three European powers, Iran does not consider this the time to hold an informal meeting with these countries, which was proposed by the EU foreign policy chief,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, according to Iranian media. The United States said it was disappointed but remained ready to “re-engage in meaningful diplomacy” and would consult with the other major powers to seek a way forward. Iranian officials had said Tehran was studying a proposal by European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to hold an informal meeting with other parties to the nuclear pact and the United States, which reimposed sanctions on Iran after then-President Donald Trump quit the deal in 2018.
March 1, 2021
Myanmar coup: Deadliest day of protests as police open fire
Police have fired on protesters in Myanmar killing at least 18, the UN human rights office says, on the deadliest day of anti-coup rallies. Deaths were reported in several cities including Yangon, Dawei and Mandalay as police used live rounds and tear gas. Social media footage from Sunday showed protesters running away as police charged at them, makeshift roadblocks being erected, and several people being led away covered in blood. The police crackdown was expanded on Sunday as coup leaders sought to quash a civil disobedience campaign that has shown no sign of ending. Activists and medical workers said at least four people had been killed in the largest city, Yangon, as police fired bullets, stun grenades and tear gas. Some demonstrators were herded away in police vans. In the south-eastern city of Dawei, security forces moved to break up a rally. There are reports of live rounds being used. Four people were killed in the city, activists told the BBC. Police also cracked down on a large rally in Mandalay, where police used water cannon and fired into the air. One person was killed there, the BBC has been told. Protests have continued elsewhere, including the north-eastern town of Lashio. The UN said deaths had also been reported in Myeik, Bago and Pokokku. The number of arrests since the protests began has not been confirmed. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group has put the figure at 850, but hundreds more appear to have been detained this weekend. Activists held rallies across Asia, including in Taipei and Hong Kong, to support the protesters in Myanmar. In Bangkok, police used tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators who were also calling for the resignation of the Thai prime minister.
Feb. 28, 2021
‘Crazed’ Antifa Mob Target Portland Businesses As ‘Defunded’ Police Stretched Thin
So much for President Biden’s call for “unity” as a mob of Antifa rioters (who as a reminder do not exist in reality as Biden previously noted that is “just an idea”) ran wild through the Pearl District of Portland on Saturday night, vandalizing buildings and spray painting anti-police messages. Around 2100 PT Saturday night, Portland Police Bureau dispatched officers to the pearl District of town, home to shops, restaurants, bars, and residential living. A statement released by police titled “Windows Broken During Pearl District Protest, Arrests Made” said the march lasted for two hours. Officers had to intervene when Antifa rioters began “destructive acts” on private property. Police were in short supply last night due to “multiple shooting incidents across the city.” A dwindling police force is no thanks to the social justice warriors in the Portland City Council, who defunded the police budget by $15 million, eliminating 84 positions. Further, police have been restricted on the type of non-lethal weapons they can use. Tear gas is currently banned in the metro area. So while multiple shootings constrained officers – videos and images of the rioters, uploaded to Twitter last night, show numerous buildings vandalized, including a Chipotle, Starbucks, and Safeway. Rioters can be heard smashing windows. Some tagged buildings with the acronym “ACAB,” which means: “all cops are bastards.”
Feb. 28, 2021
Christians forced to eat pages of the Bible during horrific knife attack
Christians in Venezuela are reeling from a shocking knife attack in which they were forced to eat pages of the Bible and had crosses cut into their skin. The victims, all men, were beaten up by a hooded gang armed with knives and sticks in Venezuela, Open Doors reports. The men are from a Christian church in Libertador, in Mérida State, western Venezuela. They were at the House of Restoration, a rehabilitation centre for recovering drug addicts when the attack took place. Open Doors believes that the attack was perpetuated by ‘colectivos’ – a collective made up of members from different groups working closely with the regime. Director of advocacy and public affairs at Open Doors, Dr David Landrum said: “The cutting of crosses into the bodies these young Christians, and the forced eating of pages of the Bible is deeply disturbing. “This premeditated attack has all the hallmarks of the local ‘collectives’ of the Maduro regime.”
Feb. 27, 2021
Virginia joins 15 other states in legalizing marijuana
The Virginia Legislature approved adult-use marijuana legalization Saturday in a historic vote marking the first state in the Old South to embrace full legalization. The House passed the measure in a 48-43 vote, and the Senate approved it in a 20-19 vote. Not a single Republican voted for the bill in either chamber. The vote came after a conference committee struck a deal on Saturday to reconcile different versions of the bill that passed in both chambers earlier this month. Virginia is the 16th U.S. state to pass an adult-use marijuana legalization law, though sales would not start until 2024. Only two other states — Illinois and Vermont — have passed legislation to legalize, tax and regulate recreational marijuana through the legislature. The move puts pressure on neighboring states such as Maryland, where an adult-use legalization bill got its first hearing this month. New Jersey also recently enacted legalization, after voters overwhelmingly backed a referendum in November.
Feb. 28, 2021
UK variant: (also known as B.1.1.7)
South Africa: variant (B.1.351)
Brazil variant: (P1)
California variant: B.1.427/B.1429
NY variant: B.1.526 variant
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/02/new-covid-19-variants-found-new-york-california
Negative polarity CH HSS sparks G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storm
Earth is under the influence of a negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) on March 1, 2021, sparking G1 – Minor and G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storming. Solar wind speed started increasing late February 28, from 369 km/s at 22:00 UTC to 521 km/s at 06:33 UTC today. Geomagnetic K-Index of 4 threshold was reached at 03:45 UTC, followed by K-Index of 5 (G1 – Minor geomagnetic storm) at 03:59 UTC and K-Index of 6 (G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storm) at 04:20 UTC. Under G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storm, area of impact is primarily poleward of 55 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude. Potential impacts include induced currents – power grid fluctuations can occur; high-latitude power systems may experience voltage alarms; satellite orientation irregularities may occur; increased drag on low Earth-orbit satellites is possible; high-frequency radio propagation can fade at higher latitudes and aurora may be seen as low as New York to Wisconsin to Washington state in the US. At 07:23 UTC, geomagnetic K-Index dropped to 5 — G1 – Minor geomagnetic storm.
March 1, 2021
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Feb 26
Feb. 26, 2021- US launches airstrike against Iranian-backed forces in Syria
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Israeli cargo ship damaged after mysterious explosion rattles Oman Gulf
An Israeli-owned cargo ship used to transport vehicles was damaged Friday afternoon in a mysterious explosion in the Gulf of Oman. The ship was on its way to Singapore from Saudi Arabia when the explosion took place. The ship – Helios Ray – usually used as a vehicle carrier, was then diverted to a port in Dubai in order to asses the damage. Despite the estimations pointing to an underwater mine causing the explosion, a US defense official told Reuters that the ship was hit by a blast above the water line that ripped holes in both sides of its hull. If accurate, this means that it is highly unlikely that the a mine caused the explosion. Officials from the security firm Dryad that was securing the ship are reportedly looking into the possibility of Iranian military being involved in the mysterious incident, suspicions that have increased among Israeli security officials investigating the incident.
Feb. 26, 2021
New Biden policies snub Saudi prince, “uncover” Israel’s reputed nuclear program
The planned release of a declassified US report suggesting the Saudi Crown Prince’s implication in the Khashoggi murder coincides with a spate of “revelations” on extensive building work at Israel’s nuclear center in Dimona. The two events seem to have nothing in common, except that both appear to derive from a radical switch in the Biden administration’s Middle East policy and its hot pursuit of diplomacy with Iran. The Biden White House’s first steps in the Middle East already signal the breakup of the pro-American axis fashioned for the region by Trump, which hinged on a set of military and diplomatic pacts binding Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel. All three had come into close military and diplomatic synch with Washington on the Iran issue. This collaboration is already seriously dented by Biden’s sidelining of the Saudi ruler. The US president also appears to have in his sights, a second member of the trio, Israel. In recently weeks, American media have carried a spate of “revelations” and “analyses” regarding Israel’s nuclear program. It is also feared, that the hand which is orchestrating these disclosures may be preparing the ground for international negotiations on a denuclearized Middle East, a step that would corner Israel as a hoped-for means of bringing Iran onside.
Feb. 25, 2021
US launches airstrike against Iranian-backed forces in Syria
Iranian Media Hints Joe Biden Syria Bombing Meant to Help Islamic State
Moscow Blasts “Extremely Outrageous” Strike On Syria As Biden Stays Silent
The U.S. military carried out an airstrike against an Iranian-backed militia stronghold in Syria Thursday, a senior official told Fox News. In the first known military action by President Biden, multiple facilities were struck by American F15 fighter jets that targeted Iraqi border-based Shia militia groups, Kait’ib Hezbollah and Kait’ib Sayyid al Shuhada. Both forces are suspected of having received funding and military support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard. The senior official said the strike was “shot across the bow” and a defensive strategy, intended to deter Iran and its militia from launching rockets at U.S. forces in the region, like the recent attacks in Iraq. The Defense Department later confirmed the strikes. “These strikes were authorized in response to recent attacks against American and coalition personnel in Iraq, and to ongoing threats to those personnel,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Thursday.
***See Also
US-led Int’l Coalition to Establish New Military Base at Iraq-Syria-Turkey Triangle
US military convoy enters northeast Syria: report
Feb. 26, 2021
Eritrean Troops Killed ‘Hundreds’ In Ethiopia Massacre: Amnesty
Eritrean soldiers fighting across the border in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region killed hundreds of people in a massacre in a likely crime against humanity, Amnesty International said Friday. The rights watchdog spoke to survivors of the atrocities and used satellite images to piece together bloody events that unfolded last November in the ancient town of Axum, a UNESCO World Heritage site. “The evidence is compelling and points to a chilling conclusion. Ethiopian and Eritrean troops carried out multiple war crimes in their offensive to take control of Axum,” said Amnesty’s Deprose Muchena. “Above and beyond that, Eritrean troops went on a rampage and systematically killed hundreds of civilians in cold blood, which appears to constitute crimes against humanity.” UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said she was concerned “by reports indicating the participation of Eritrean troops in the conflict in Tigray alongside the Ethiopian army, and allegations of their implication in cases of serious human rights violations.” But Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel attacked Amnesty for what it called “a fallacious report.” “Eritrea is outraged and categorically rejects the preposterous accusations levelled against it,” he said on Twitter.
Feb. 26, 2021
Armenia PM Nikol Pashinyan accuses army of attempted coup
Tens of Thousands Crowd Armenian Capital After Prime Minister Claims Coup
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has warned of an attempted military coup, after the country’s armed forces said he and his cabinet must resign. The army “must obey the people and elected authorities,” he told thousands of supporters in the capital Yerevan. His opponents held a rival rally. The military’s top brass was angered by the PM’s sacking of a commander. Mr Pashinyan has faced protests after losing last year’s bloody conflict with Azerbaijan over a disputed region. Nagorno-Karabakh is an enclave internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but which had been controlled by ethnic Armenians since a 1994 truce. During the six-weeks of fighting late in 2020, Azerbaijan not only recaptured areas around the enclave but also took the key town of Shusha inside it. Under the Russian-brokered deal that emerged shortly afterwards, Azerbaijan keeps the areas it has captured. Hundreds of Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the disputed area.
Feb. 26, 2021
Myanmar protesters injured as police escalate use of force
Myanmar security forces cracked down on anti-coup protesters in the country’s second-largest city on Friday, injuring at least three people, two of whom were shot in the chest by rubber bullets and another who suffered a wound on his leg. Protesters had gathered on a wide road outside a park in Mandalay in the early afternoon when security forces arrived and began firing what sounded like gunshots and using flash bang grenades to disperse the crowd. Bullets, shell casings and other projectiles were later found by local residents on one of the main streets and shown to journalists. The victims were all taken to a private clinic for treatment. One of the men who was shot in the chest with a rubber bullet also had a white bandage wrapped around his head. The man with an injured leg was later photographed in a cast that stretched from his foot to his knee.
Feb. 26, 2021
Welfare Nation: Americans’ Income Tumbled In January Excluding Government Handouts
Has The Great Shaking Of The Financial Markets Finally Begun?
Bankruptcy isn’t something that happens overnight. It is a process, caused by bad financial decisions generally speaking in combination frequently with unexpected life events, that eventually overtakes a man. One of the trends that I have warned at Shoebat.com about is COVID-related bankruptcies, since there are a lot of people in debt and eventually, unable to pay their bills, will be forced into bankruptcy. However, as noted above, it would take time before the actual sense of effects would become tangible. As it is being reported by The Washington Post by way of MSN, just as predicted, the effects are starting to show with waves of COVID bankruptcies now crashing into the courts. Bankruptcies filed by entertainment companies in 2020 nearly quadrupled, and filings nearly tripled for oil and gas companies, doubled for computer and software companies and were up 50 percent or more for restaurant owners, real estate companies and retailers, compared with 2019, data from the research firm show. There were 5,236 Chapter 11 filings in 2019, but 6,917 last year, a tally at least 30 percent higher than any of the previous four years. Economists are predicting strong economic growth this year overall. But the bankruptcy data show that despite $3.7 trillion in federal stimulus spending to combat the recession triggered by the pandemic, and another $1.9 trillion being proposed by President Biden, businesses in certain industries have become particularly vulnerable and may take years to recover enough to pay their bills. Others will not recover at all.
Feb. 26, 2021
Germany registers greatest temperature change since records began in 1880
Germany has just experienced its biggest temperature change in 141 years– since record-keeping began in 1880– with an increase of 41.9 °C (75.4 °F) in one week, according to climate researchers at the German Weather Service (DWD). A piercing cold temperature of -23.8 °C (-10.8 °F) was recorded in Goettingen city on February 14. After seven days, the high was 18.1 °C (64.6 °F). DWD researchers said the country had never before experienced a temperature swing such as the one that occurred at the weather station in the city. The previous record was set in the area in May 1880, the early days of weather record-keeping. That time, a temperature increase of 41 °C (73.8 °F) was recorded within seven days. On Monday, February 22, two regional winter heat records had been smashed in northern Germany. In Quickborn town, the high was 18.9 °C (66 °F), surpassing the previous record of 17.8 °C (64 °F) set in 2019. Neuwiedenthal weather station registered 21.1 °C (70 °F), breaking the previous record of 18.1 °C (64.6 °F) set just more than a year earlier, said a DWD spokesperson. For the first time since temperature records began, the temperature in Hamburg has thus risen above 20 °C (68 °F) in winter.”
Feb. 25, 2021
Heavy snowfall engulfs many parts of Russia
More than 7,700 households without water supply as record snow hits Hokkaido, Japan
Heavy snow has blanketed many parts of Russia in the past few days, cutting power to more than 30 000 people and leaving various regions and cities struggling to deal with the extreme weather. Thousands of people have been affected, with others having to dig their way out of the thick snow, while many districts declared a state of emergency. The heavy snow, also dubbed “snow Armageddon” by meteorologists, began February 11, 2021. Moscow broke the previous record for February 12 set in 1973, and the city was close to surpassing a record high of 60 cm (23.6 inches) for accumulated snow for February 13. In other parts of the country, such as in Dagestan, locals had to dig their cows out of the snow after the animals were stranded on snowdrifts. Traffic officers rescued 30 cars trapped in a snowstorm on the Orenburg Federal Highway. Meanwhile, a record-breaking blizzard left 30 000 people without electricity in Chelyabinsk, prompting more than 10 districts to declare a state of emergency. In St. Petersburg, about 1 300 cleaning machines and 1 152 workers were deployed on streets to clear the snow.
Feb. 26, 2021
NASA warns of 2nd stadium-sized space rock headed Earth’s way
NASA is warning of the second ‘stadium-sized’ asteroid headed towards the Earth in as many weeks, shortly after announcing the postponement of its critical planetary defense mission to 2022. On February 27, the asteroid 2021 DE, with a diameter roughly the same size as the Arc de Triomphe (49m), will buzz the Earth at a distance of 1.6 million kilometers (mn km), followed shortly afterwards on February 28 by the 20-meter 2021 DM at a distance of 4.8 mn km. Upping the ante significantly the following day, March 1, will be the Statue of Liberty-sized (91m) space rock 2011 DW, which will shoot past at a distance of 5.3 mn km. Then on March 2 comes the piece de resistance, the second asteroid in two weeks which NASA describes as ‘stadium-size’: 1999 RM45, with a diameter of 396m – roughly 1.1 times the height of the Empire State building, 1.75 times that of the Golden Gate Bridge, or 0.5 times the size of the Burj Khalifa – will pay the Earth a passing visit at a safe distance of 2.6 mn km. None of the aforementioned asteroids pose a particular threat to the planet, according to current understanding of their trajectories
Feb. 26, 2021
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Feb 22
Feb. 22, 2021- Rockets fired near US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone as U.S. seeks to extend, strengthen nuclear pact with Iran
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In letter to Biden, PA and Hamas commit to two-state solution on 1967 lines
Is Hamas reconsidering its position regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
The Palestinian Authority (PA) sent an official letter to the White House claiming that all factions, including Hamas, were committed to the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The letter was delivered by Hussein Al-Sheikh, the PA’s Head of the General Authority of Civil Affairs, to U.S. President Joe Biden’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr. The provisions listed in the memorandum were all agreed upon during a meeting of the various Palestinian factions in September. The letter also stated that all the factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, were committed to international law standards, that the PLO is the political umbrella and the legitimate sole representative for the Palestinian people and that the results of the Palestinian elections will be respected and that a peaceful transfer of power will take place afterward if it may occur. The memo also asserted the factions’ continued commitment to “popular peaceful resistance” until a Palestinian state is founded.
Feb. 21, 2021
Rockets hit Iraq military airbase hosting US contractors
Rockets fired near US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone
At least four rockets struck an Iraqi airbase on Saturday night, the Iraqi military said in a statement, while other officials said one person was wounded at the base where a United States defense company services combat aircraft. The wounded individual worked for the US company, the Associated Press news agency reported, citing four officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Saturday’s attack comes after NATO announced it would dramatically scale up its mission in Iraq from 500 personnel to 4,000 to battle the remnants of ISIL (ISIS), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this week. No group immediately claimed the attack on Balad airbase in Salah al-Din province. Meanwhile, At least three rockets were fired at the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad near the US Embassy on Monday, according to reports. One of the missiles landed in the Green Zone but two others fell in residential areas nearby, according to reports. No injuries were immediately reported. It’s the third rocket attack in Iraq in the past couple of weeks targeting US troops, diplomats or contractors.
Feb. 22, 2021
Iran Wants Compensation For $1 Trillion Damage Inflicted On Economy By US Sanctions
Iran could increase uranium enrichment to 60%, supreme leader says
IAEA & Iran Issues joint statement after reaching ‘Temporary Understanding’
Blinken: U.S. seeks to extend, strengthen nuclear pact with Iran
A major crisis was narrowly averted Sunday over Iran’s nuclear facilities and the planned booting of IAEA inspectors from key sites, scheduled according to a prior Iranian parliament decision for Feb.21. Tehran reached a last-minute agreement with the UN nuclear watchdog, now being described as a temporary “technical understanding” to keep the inspections going for another three months. According to the agreement, the IAEA will no longer conduct last-minute “snap inspections” after Tehran argued that it shouldn’t be subject to such after the US tore up the deal under Trump. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said Sunday that “This is not a replacement for what we used to have. This is a temporary solution that allows us to continue to give to the world assurances of what is going on there, in the hope that we can return to a fuller picture,” as cited in CNN. The fact that Iran did not in the end boot the inspectors or block access to sites is a positive sign for the possibility of restored talks with the US about rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal. Last week the Biden administration said it’s ready to sit down for EU-sponsored negotiations, something which Iran initially appeared to rebuff but now is giving signals of readiness to participate in. However, adding to its list of demands – perhaps toward additional leverage – Iran said Sunday it estimates unilateral sanctions by the United States has caused $1 trillion worth of damage to its economy. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Sunday that any follow-up negotiations to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal must include “compensation” for such lasting economic damage. “When we meet, we will raise compensation,” he told state-run PressTV in an interview.
***See ETRM 2/19 Timeline regarding JCPOA
Feb. 22, 2021
Violence engulfs South Sudan as UN warns of looming famine
Ten years after independence, staggering levels of violence have engulfed more than three-quarters of South Sudan, while hunger looms over 60 per cent of the country’s population, UN agencies warn. In a report released Friday, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned that the bloodshed faced by civilians is “the worst recorded” since the country’s civil war began in December 2013. Commission Chair Yasmin Sooka said that although the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement two years ago had “led to a reduction in hostilities at the national level”, the country has seen “a massive escalation in violence” locally. Commissioner Andrew Clapham said the scale of the armed violence and the newer weapons used by local groups suggest either the involvement of state forces or external actors. In the meantime, the World Food Programme (WFP) is warning that 7.24 million South Sudanese are going increasingly hungry due to chronic sporadic violence, extreme weather patterns and the economic impact of COVID-19. More than one million people across South Sudan have been affected by floods sweeping across the eastern and central regions this year, submerging homes, farmlands and livestock.
Feb. 20, 2021
Protesters rally in Algerian capital, marking rebirth of popular Hirak uprising
Despite a heavy police presence, thousands of people have joined protests across the Algerian capital in a resurgence of the Hirak demonstrations that forced the country’s then-president to resign two years ago. Protesters defied warnings from the authorities not to turn out on Monday and took to the streets of Algiers, demanding real political change and the end of military rule across the country. Police blockades were set up in some parts of the city as the streets filled with people in the early afternoon. The Hirak movement started two years ago in Kherrata before spreading to the rest of the country, leading to the resignation of long-serving president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April 2019. Last week, the protests, which halted a year ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic, were reignited in the northern town of Kherrata. On Thursday, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced the dissolution of the lower house of Algeria’s parliament and called for early legislative elections, adding that he would be reshuffling his cabinet in the next 48 hours. Tebboune also pardoned dozens of detainees who were involved in the Hirak movement, largely considered a gesture of appeasement towards the protest movement. Local media reported that 30 prisoners were released on Friday and that a further 40 have been freed since. On Sunday, Tebboune dissolved the National People’s Assembly and carried out a partial reshuffle of his government.
Feb. 22, 2021
Thousands Rally In Armenia To Demand Pashinian’s Resignation
Thousands of protesters have rallied in the Armenian capital to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian over his handling of a six-week war with Azerbaijan last year. Demonstrators gathered on February 20 in Freedom Square in central Yerevan under a heavy police presence shouting, “Armenia without Nikol!” and “Nikol traitor!” Pashinian has refused calls to step down but raised the possibility of holding early parliamentary elections. Pashinian, who swept to power amid nationwide protests in 2018, has come under fire since agreeing to a Moscow-brokered deal with Azerbaijan that took effect on November 10. The deal ended six weeks of fierce fighting in and around the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh that saw ethnic Armenian forces suffer battlefield defeat. A coalition uniting 16 opposition parties has been holding anti-government demonstrations in Yerevan and other parts of the country in a bid to force Pashinian to hand over power to an interim government.
Feb. 20, 2021
Myanmar coup: Protesters defy military warning in mass strike
Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Myanmar in one of the largest demonstrations yet against the country’s military coup. Businesses closed as employees joined a general strike, despite a military statement that said protesters were risking their lives by turning out. The statement prompted fears the protests could turn violent, but they remained peaceful throughout Monday. Demonstrations have been taking place in all of Myanmar’s main cities, with people waving flags and chanting. Tens of thousands of people rallied in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and more than 100 people were reportedly arrested in the city. But the mass strike also prompted action in smaller towns and more rural parts of the country. There were large protests in Mandalay, Myitkyina and the coastal town of Dawei. Myanmar has seen weeks of protest following the coup on 1 February. A statement from the military carried on state-run broadcaster MRTV said that protesters were “now inciting the people, especially emotional teenagers and youths, to a confrontation path where they will suffer the loss of life”.
Feb. 22, 2021
Yellen Signals Interest in Backing Digital-Dollar
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen signaled the Biden administration supports research into the viability of a digital dollar, a shift from the lack of enthusiasm shown for the concept under her predecessor, Steven Mnuchin. “It makes sense for central banks to be looking at” issuing sovereign digital currencies, Yellen said at a virtual conference on Monday hosted by the New York Times. She said a digital version of the dollar could help address hurdles to financial inclusion in the U.S. among low-income households. “Too many Americans don’t have access to easy payments systems and banking accounts, and I think this is something that a digital dollar, a central bank digital currency, could help with,” she said. “It could result in faster, safer and cheaper payments, which I think are important goals.” A number of central banks, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, have been conducting research into how digital versions of their own currency would work. Officials generally see both opportunity and risks and many central banks have moved slowly to embrace the idea, while China has proceeded with pilot-program tests of a digital yuan.
Feb. 22, 2021
Bird flu: Russia detects first case of H5N8 bird flu in humans
Russia has reported the first case of a bird flu strain, H5N8, being passed from poultry to humans. Officials said seven workers at a poultry plant in the south of the country had been infected following an outbreak there in December. “All seven people… are now feeling well,” said the head of Russia’s consumer health watchdog, Anna Popova. She said that adequate measures had been quickly taken to stop the spread of infection. There was no sign of transmission between humans, Ms Popova said, adding that the case had been reported to the World Health Organization. Other strains of bird flu occasionally infect humans and have led to deaths – but this is the first report of the H5N8 strain being passed on.
Feb. 21, 2021
A “Biblical” Invasion Of Locusts Threatens To Cause Widespread Famine In The Horn Of Africa
The locusts are back, and they are hungry. Last year, an unprecedented plague of locusts devastated crops in eastern Africa, across the Middle East and throughout much of Asia. Many were hoping that it would just be a one year phenomenon, but now the locusts have returned and one British news source is using the world “biblical” to describe this second wave. At this moment, the Horn of Africa is being hit the hardest, and the UN is warning that this new infestation “threatens the livelihoods of more than 39 million people”… According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the next generation of locusts threatens the livelihoods of more than 39 million people in Ethiopia, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, and Kenya. Over recent months, the pests have been combated on 1.3 million hectares of land in the Horn of Africa. However, in northern and central Kenya, more than 15 districts, including many new areas, have already been severely affected by the second wave of locusts. Around 1.9 million people were already living in a precarious nutrition situation, which could now dramatically worsen. One reporter recently had the opportunity to fly with a pilot that is tracking locust swarms in Kenya, and he was stunned when they came across a “swarm about twice the size of the City of London ready to devour every bit of vegetation in its wake”.
Feb. 21, 2021
Japan Discovers New, More Contagious Strain
Pandemic Used As ‘Pretext’ To Crush Dissent: UN
Sadly, too much good covid news is not acceptable – as it minimizes the leeway politicians have to inject further trillions in stimulus thereby entrenching government cronyism and perpetuating corruption – and so just as it seemed that covid is on its way out Japan confirmed on Friday that a new coronavirus variant had infected nearly 100 people. Reuters reported that Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters that 91 infections were documented in the Kanto area of eastern Japan and two other cases were discovered at airports. Of course, the latest and greatest covid strain had be scary enough to be even scarier than whatever prevailing mutant forms are currently out there, and sure enough… “It may be more contagious than conventional strains, and if it continues to spread domestically, it could lead to a rapid rise in cases,” Kato said. The variant has a mutation on the spike protein that could lower the efficacy of vaccines. The National Institute of Infectious Diseases said that the variant appears to have originated overseas, but it is different from other variants circulating in Britain, South Africa and Brazil. Naturally, the scramble for vaccines has to be reset the moment a strain emerges that is immune to the latest technology, which appears to be taking place now, which is why we would not be surprised if just a few months from now the number of covid cases is once again “found” to soar on the back of economies reopening and social distancing easing, which virtually assures an economic slump in the second half of 2021, just in time to greenlight the next giga-stimulus and next round of monthly government handouts from the Biden administration.
Feb. 21, 2021
Record flooding affects more than 100 000 people in Acre, northwestern Brazil
More than 59 000 people flee as Dujuan brings widespread flooding and disruption to Philippines
Extreme monsoon rains submerge parts of Indonesia under 8.8 feet of water
More than 100 000 people have been affected by severe flooding in Acre, northwestern Brazil, after multiple rivers overflowed and reached record levels around Friday, February 19, 2021. Authorities have declared the situation an emergency, saying the state is facing one of its most challenging times in history. In Cruzeiro do Sul, the Jurua River reached record levels of 14.31 m (46.94 feet) on Friday, smashing the previous high of 14.24 m (46.71 feet) set in February 2017. Around 33 000 people have fled their homes in the municipality. In Sena Madureira, the Laco River hit 18.04 m (59.18 feet), well above the flood stage level of 15.2 m (49.8 feet). About 18 000 people have been affected by inundations across the municipality. On Saturday, February 20, around 28 000 people have been affected after the Tarauaca River reached 11.05 m (26.25 feet), which was above the flood stage of 9.5 m (31.2 feet).
Feb. 22, 2021
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Feb 20
Feb. 19, 2021- Is Jesus coming soon? What you need to know!
Download The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth February 18 2021 Edition by Frank DiMora
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Equatorial Guinea to relocate embassy to Jerusalem
Equatorial Guinea plans to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the first such pledge of its kind under the new administration of US President Joe Biden. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about the matter with Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on Friday, after which his office put out an announcement on the matter. Netanyahu said he welcomed this trend in which countries relocate their embassies to Jerusalem, but he noted in particular that this pledge was part of Israel’s growing ties with Africa. Israel is returning to Africa and Africa and Africa is returning to Israel, Netanyahu told Mbasogo. The President said that the whole of Africa welcomed Israel with open arms. To date the only two countries with embassies in Jerusalem are the United States and Guatemala. Until 2018, all embassies were located in the Tel Aviv area as a sign of the International community’s rejection of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Feb. 19, 2021
Israel: US paving path to Iranian nuclear bomb with push to rejoin JCPOA
Biden withdraws Trump’s restoration of UN sanctions on Iran
Israel warned that the United States was helping Iran develop a nuclear weapons arsenal with its decision late Thursday night to push to rejoin the 2015 Iran deal. “Israel remains committed to preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons and its position on the nuclear agreement has not changed,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. “Israel believes that going back to the old agreement will pave Iran’s path to a nuclear arsenal. Israel is in close contact with the United States on this matter,” it added. From the onset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had opposed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known as the Iran deal, that was agreed upon between Tehran and the six-world power: the US, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and China. US President Joe Biden’s administration has now formally declared its intent to seek a return to that deal and is willing to hold talks with Iran about rejoining the deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that US sanctions must be rescinded before it would consider coming back into compliance with the deal. Tehran has set a February 23 deadline for Washington to begin reversing sanctions, otherwise, it says, it will take its biggest step yet to breach the deal – banning short-notice inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
***See also Iran below
Feb. 19, 2021
The Syrian Arab Army Between The Hammer And The Anvil
The resurgence of ISIS has become fact. There can be no denying it or acting as if it’s still an impending event. Terrorist activities are becoming bolder, as evidenced by ISIS cells ambushing another Syrian Arab Army (SAA) unit in the Homs countryside. According to the terrorist group’s own information agency, five SAA soldiers were killed in the attack. Just days earlier, ISIS attacked three phosphate mine posts, which were being defended by Iranian-backed forces, to the east of the town of Khunayfis in southern Homs. ISIS has ramped up the intensity and frequency of its attacks in central Syria. They are attempting to spread their influence back into the areas of their former self-proclaimed Caliphate. So far, the terrorists haven’t been able to push all that far towards the Hama-Aleppo-Raqqa triangle and western Deir Ezzor. This could just be a matter of time, however, since they now appear both revitalized and re-equipped. The SAA and its Russian support are attempting to contain them, so far with relative success. ISIS is pushing towards the province of Raqqa, and ultimately the city of Raqqa, both of which are currently under the control of the SDF, while Turkish proxies operate in the surrounding area. They are also targetting the SAA and sometimes Russia’s forces.
Feb. 19, 2021
US-led Int’l Coalition to Establish New Military Base at Iraq-Syria-Turkey Triangle
US military convoy enters northeast Syria: report
The US-led Coalition plans to establish a new military base at the Iraq-Syria-Turkey triangle in the Ain Dewar area in Hasakah countryside. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a military convoy of over 50 vehicles and trucks affiliated to the International Coalition were seen crossing into north-eastern Syria from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. “Trucks, carrying armored vehicles, weapons, military, and logistical equipment, entered via Al-Walid border crossing with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, heading towards Al-Qamishli area,” the Observatory reported. “This is the 11th Coalition convoy to enter Syria since the beginning of 2021,” it added. On February 8, SOHR activists reported seeing a new International Coalition convoy, consisting of 45 military vehicles and trucks, entering Syrian territory via Al-Walid border crossing with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The convoy included military and logistical equipment. It headed to al-Qamishli and then to the bases of the International Coalition in the countryside of Hasakah and Deir Ezzor. In the same context, SOHR activists reported seeing on February 6 another convoy entering Syrian territory via Al-Walid border crossing with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It consisted of 50 military vehicles and trucks, including military and logistical equipment. The convoy headed to the bases of the International Coalition in the countryside of Hasakah.
Feb. 15, 2021
Iran to Install Advanced Nuclear Centrifuges
Iran is playing with fire, Germany warns
Iran: The Mullah’s Pursuit of Obtaining Nuclear Weapons
Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) of its intent to install two more cascades of advanced IR-2m centrifuges in a move that will further enhance the quantity of the uranium it can produce, the agency said in a recent report. “Iran indicated it plans to install two additional cascades of 174 IR-2m centrifuges at FEP to enrich … up to 5% U-235. This will bring the total number of cascades of IR-2m centrifuges either planned, being installed, or operating in FEP to six,” the IAEA said in a report to member states obtained by Reuters on Wednesday. The additional cascades will be installed at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) outside Tehran. The facility suffered an explosion last July that Iranian authorities said was likely the result of sabotage. The installation will follow two other cascades already brought on-line this year at Natanz that have increased Iran’s ability to refine uranium-238 into the more useful uranium-235.
****Timeline since October:
A New Nuclear Deal with Iran?
Oct. 29, 2020
Biden will reenter the Iran nuclear deal within months, former Obama official says
Iran demands US compensation: Biden must ‘make up’ for Trump’s ‘mistakes’
Nov. 9, 2020
Iran feeding uranium gas into advanced centrifuges underground – IAEA
Iranian official says ‘way open’ for US to rejoin JCPOA, but cites ‘challenges’
Nov. 18, 2020
Iranian panel okays bill hardening nuclear stance, sends it to president
Biden: US will rejoin Iran nuclear deal if Tehran returns to strict compliance
Dec. 2, 2020
Gulf states ‘must have role in new US-Iran talks:’ Saudi foreign minister
Tehran will not renegotiate nuclear deal or ‘compromise on its national security’ – Iranian govt spokesman
Dec. 7, 2020
Iran demands sanctions ‘snapback’ removed in any new nuclear talks
Jan. 12, 2021
Report: Biden team already holding talks with Iran on US return to nuclear deal
Jan. 16, 2021
Blinken says US to seek ‘longer and stronger’ deal with Iran
Jan. 19, 2021
Algeria’s president calls for dissolution of parliament, elections
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Thursday called for the dissolution of parliament and early legislative elections as the North African nation struggles with health, political and economic crises. In an address to the nation, Tebboune said he will also carry out a government reshuffle and issued a pardon for dozens of jailed activists of the “Hirak” protest movement. The government has struggled to stem renewed Hirak protests. “I have decided to dissolved the National Popular Assembly and call for elections,” Tebboune said, in a speech broadcast on state television. Tebboune, who has previously expressed dissatisfaction with the cabinet of Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad, said the government reshuffle would take place “within 48 hours at most.”
Algeria’s government is facing multiple challenges as the coronavirus pandemic adds to the woes of an oil-dependent economy.
Feb. 18, 2021
Weekly jobless claims rise to 861,000 vs. 773,000 expected
Last week’s initial jobless claims soared to 861,000, despite more states and cities lifting restrictive business measures amid a decline in the number of coronavirus cases. Economists had predicted around 773,000 first-time claims for the week ended Feb. 13. Data for the previous week was revised up to 848,000 from 793,000. “Total initial claims broke their three-week streak of declining numbers,” said AnnElizabeth Konkel, economist at Indeed Hiring Lab. “The movement of this number is going in the wrong direction, and at 6.7 times higher than the pre-Covid era, magnitude also remains a problem.” The surprise rise in claims comes as recent positive indicators hint at an economy starting to show some green shoots. Manufacturing data showed factory output is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, producer prices increased by the most since 2009 and retail sales for January soaring by 5.3 percent from the previous month, buoyed by consumers spending their stimulus checks.
Feb. 18, 2021
Russia to present new concept of national digital currency – Central Bank
Mastercard inks partnership for prepaid card linked to The Bahamas’ central bank digital currency
After discussing the launch of the digital ruble with local banks, the country’s financial watchdog says it will present a more detailed concept for the national digital currency by summer. The head of the Central Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina, said on Thursday that the regulator received detailed feedback from the banking community in its October report, in which the regulator introduced the digital ruble as a possible new form of national currency. According to the official, most lenders support a two-level model of the digital ruble, which allows banks to open wallets for their clients on the central bank’s platform and conduct operations. Russia’s central bank initially revealed that it was assessing the possibility of creating a digital form of the Russian national currency in its report published in October 2020. The digital ruble is meant to exist along with cash and non-cash rubles and will allow private and corporate users to freely transfer digital rubles to their electronic wallets and use them on mobile devices.
Feb. 18, 2021
CA on verge of decriminalizing psychedelics
Norway Seeks To Decriminalise Recreational Drug Use
California could be on the verge of becoming the latest state to decriminalize psychedelics for personal and therapeutic use, building on a growing movement across the country to rethink the so-called war on drugs. The bill, introduced Thursday by state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat who represents San Francisco, would decriminalize substances such as psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, ketamine, DMT and mescaline. Psilocybin, a hallucinogen found in certain types of mushrooms, and ketamine are already being used in psychedelic-assisted therapy by patients and doctors who extoll the health and wellness benefits of psychedelics to treat mental health disorders, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The bill excludes the use of peyote, an endangered plant, to ensure its availability for traditional Native American spiritual practices, according to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, or MAPS, a global psychedelic research and education organization. “The war on drugs has been a complete failure,” Wiener said. “It hasn’t stopped people from using drugs and it hasn’t stopped addiction.”
Feb. 18, 2021
Indonesia capital warns of big fines for refusing COVID-19 vaccine
Cardinal Says Vatican Employees Could Lose Jobs for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine
US to Pay $200 Mln it Owes to WHO Before March, Secretary of State Blinken Says
Indonesia’s capital Jakarta is threatening residents with fines of up to 5 million rupiah ($356.89) for refusing COVID-19 vaccines, an unusually stiff penalty aimed at ensuring compliance with a new regulation making inoculations mandatory.”If you reject it, there are two things, social aid will not be given, (and a) fine,” Riza told reporters.Indonesia announced a presidential order earlier this month stipulating anyone who refuses vaccines could be denied social assistance or government services or made to pay a fine. The penalty would be determined by regional health agencies or by local governments. Meanwhile, the cardinal who heads the Vatican City State said that employees who refuse to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when deemed necessary for their work could face penalties up to termination of employment. And The United States will send a payment worth over $200 million to WHO by the end of February, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday. “The US believes that multilateralism, the UN, the WHO are essential, not just as an effective international Covid-19 health and humanitarian response, but also to building stronger global health capacity and security for the future,” Blinken said.
Feb. 18, 2021
Asteroid 2021 DG to flyby Earth at 0.43 LD
A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2021 DG will flyby Earth at a distance of 0.43 LD / 0.00111 AU (166 050 km / 103 180 miles) from the center of our planet at 14:21 UTC on February 18, 2021. This is the 20th known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since the start of the year and the 11th so far this month. 2021 DG was first observed at Mt. Lemmon Survey, Arizona on February 17, one day before its close approach. It belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and has an estimated diameter between 2.4 and 5.4 m (7.9 – 17.7 feet).
Feb. 18, 2021
Spectacular eruption at Etna volcano, Italy
Another significant eruption started at Etna’s Southeast crater just before 22:30 UTC on February 17, 2021, just 32 hours after the spectacular eruptive episode on February 16. A new paroxysm took place in the early hours of February 18, INGV reports. Like most paroxysms at Etna, it lasted only a few tens of minutes, from 01:00 to 01:45 UTC. This event was also characterized by high lava fountains, possibly reaching heights between 600 and 700 m (1 970 – 2 300 feet), and lava flows heading toward Valle del Bove and to the southwest. Strong ash emission started at around 00:00 UTC today, rising up to 9.1 km (30 000 feet) above sea level and drifting toward the southeast. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Red at 00:36 UTC and lowered back to Orange at 02:07 UTC.
Feb. 18, 2021
At least 2400 cold temperature records broken or tied in the U.S. from February 12 to 16, 2021
Libya sees first snow in 15 years as cold snap hits parts of northern Africa and Middle East
At least 2 400 preliminary daily cold temperature records, including cold maximums and minimums, were broken or tied at longer-term sites (75+ years of data) in the United States from February 12 to 16, 2021. The cold snap peaked from February 14 to 16. Another winter storm will affect a large area from Friday, February 19 — from the Lower Mississippi Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Over just the past week, much of the Lower 48 has been punished with record-breaking cold and unusually heavy snow and ice, NWS Weather Prediction Center said. From the Pacific Northwest across the Rockies and into the Southern Plains and Midwest, the snowfall has been measured in feet. Ice and snow continue to plague Texas and the Northeast. In the NCEI database, approximately 30% of available U.S. sites set cold maximum records, and about 20% set minimum records. Analyzed temperatures were 22 to 28 °C (40 – 50 °F) below average over a large portion of the central and southern Plains. At the peak of the cold, more than 5 million homes were without power, most of them in Texas (4.3+ million). More than 30 people have lost their lives.
Feb. 18, 2021
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Feb 17
Feb. 17, 2021- Prices Going Up As Grains, Edible Oil Costs Surge
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Israeli air drill tackled just one dimension of a potential war with Hizballah
In a surprise three-day exercise, the Israeli Air Force demonstrated its ability in a full-scale war to target Hizballah’s entire missile arsenal in one day, while also activating an upgraded missile defense system for the home front. But will the massive war drill, dubbed the Rose of Galilee, that ended on Tuesday, Feb. 16, deter Hizballah from launching its planned limited escalation drive, as predicted by the IDF? And has the astounding strength exhibited in the drill retitled the balance of fear keeping both foes in check? The exercise simulated the downing of an IAF plane by Hizballah anti-aircraft fire over Lebanon. In response, hundreds of Israeli aircraft struck 3,000 Hizballah targets in 24 hours, dwarfing the 4,000 targets hit in all three weeks of the 2006 war with Lebanon. They consisted of Hizballah command centers, corridors and facilities for the transfer of Iranian weapons, arms depots and missile hideouts in Shiite civilian villages. Also postulated by the scenario were possible cruise missile attacks by Hizballah from Syria and rocket and drone attacks from Iraq and Yemen by Iranian proxies. The massive mock IAF offensive demonstrated that the demolition of Hizballah’s war machine would unavoidably entail also the destruction of Lebanon’s strategic utilities, such as water works, the electricity grid, highways and bridges and cause civilian casualties. But Hizballah could no longer then argue that it was waging war with Israel for the sake of defending Lebanon. Hizballah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah’s responded to the massive IAF drill on Tuesday by saying: “Israel’s home front needs to know that if there is a war with Hizballah, it will see things it has not seen since the establishment of Israel,” he said. “No one can guarantee that a few days of combat between us and Israel won’t lead to a wider war.” He is clearly banking on the precise ballistic missiles Hizballah has received from Iran, of which more than 1,000 have been accumulated, according to intelligence estimates.
Feb. 17, 2021
US soldier wounded in Iraq rocket attack
US ‘outraged’ by deadly rocket attack on Irbil
Militia Suspected of Iran Ties Takes Credit for Iraqi Kurdistan Bombing, Injury of U.S. Soldier
A volley of rockets targeting an airbase in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Monday killed a foreign civilian contractor and wounded five others, among them a US soldier, AFP reports. At around 9:30 p.m. local time several loud explosions were heard in the northwestern outskirts of Arbil, the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, according to the news agency. Iraqi and Western security sources told AFP that at least three rockets were fired in the direction of the city’s airport, where foreign troops are based as part of an international alliance fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) group. Two other rockets hit residential neighborhoods on Arbil’s outskirts. An Iran-backed militant group in Iraq called Saraya Awlia al-Dam, or “Guardians of Blood Brigades,” quickly took credit for Monday’s rocket attack on the Erbil International Airport in the Kurdistan region.
Feb. 16, 2021
Mass anti-coup protests in Myanmar as UN warns of violence
Thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Myanmar’s biggest city Wednesday, in one of largest protests yet of a coup, despite warnings from a UN human rights expert that recent troop movements could indicate the military was planning a violent crackdown. In Yangon, protesters marched carrying signs calling for ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be released from detention, while others feigned car trouble, strategically abandoning their vehicles — and leaving the hoods up — to prevent security forces from easily accessing the demonstrations. Large rallies were also held in the country’s second-biggest city, Mandalay and the capital of Naypyitaw, in defiance of an order banning gatherings of five or more people. The demonstrations came a day after UN rapporteur Tom Andrews expressed alarm at reports of soldiers being transported into Yangon, noting that such movements had previously preceded killings, disappearances and mass arrests.
Feb. 17, 2021
State Dept Refuses to Explain Iran Envoy’s Talks with China
Dept of Defense: “Real Possibility” of Nuclear War with China
The State Department is refusing to provide details or even confirm statements by the Chinese government indicating the U.S.-Iran envoy Robert Malley recently spoke to Communist Party officials about the Biden administration’s efforts to reenter the 2015 nuclear accord. Chinese vice foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu “had a phone conversation with U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley at the latter’s request, and the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the Iranian nuclear issue,” China’s foreign ministry announced late last week. When asked to confirm the press release and provide further details about Malley’s conversations, the State Department ignored multiple Washington Free Beacon emails before stating on Sunday, “Special Envoy Rob Malley is in the early stages of engaging Members of Congress, allies, partners, and others.” The State Department would not provide any details when pressed to specifically address the talks with China. Normally, the State Department provides reporters with readouts of conversations held by senior U.S. diplomats with their counterparts, particularly if those talks are held at the request of the United States. Malley’s diplomatic talks with China come as the Biden administration is pressing Iran to end its revamped nuclear work, which includes stockpiling highly enriched uranium, the primary fuel for a nuclear weapon. China is still party to the 2015 accord and has a vested interest in seeing the United States rejoin the agreement. It is a primary ally of the Iranian regime and has supported the rollback of a United Nations arms ban on Tehran, which would permit the Communist Party and nations like Russia to sell Iran billions in advanced arms.
Feb. 15, 2021
Kraft Heinz, Conagra may raise some product prices as grains, edible oil costs surge
Kraft Heinz Co and Conagra Brands Inc said they may choose to raise prices this year on some products that use wheat, sugar and other commodities that are becoming increasingly expensive due to high demand. Conagra CEO Sean Connolly said the company, which makes Duncan Hines cake mixes and Marie Callender’s pulled pork mac and cheese bowls, will need to implement inflation-justified price increases this year so it can also continue to fuel sales growth through innovation. Ingredient and packaging costs represent 60% to 65% of Conagra’s total cost basket, Finance Chief Dave Marberger said on the sidelines of the Consumer Analyst Group of New York virtual conference. With people on lockdown cooking more at home – and still stockpiling in some parts of the world – prices for commodities like sugar, wheat and soy are surging, forcing food companies to absorb higher costs. U.S. consumers on average paid 3.7% more for food consumed at home in January than they did a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index. Year-over-year increases in food prices have topped 3.5% each month since last April, the longest such stretch in nearly a decade.
Feb. 16, 2021
Another Winter Storm To Batter South, Midwest, And Northeast
Another cross-country storm could be developing this week. Winter Storm Viola will have a similar track as Uri and bring wintry weather to cities like Dallas-Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, and Cincinnati. The storm will impact areas from the Northwest into the Rockies through Monday night. Already winter storm watches and warnings have been posted. The storm will spread snow across Oklahoma and northern Texas into Arkansas, Missouri, and the Ohio Valley by Wednesday. Freezing rain and sleet could impede travel on major interstates in central and eastern Texas into northern Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi Valley. By evening, snow will spread to the Ohio Valley, central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic. Thursday is when the storm is expected to arrive in the Northeast. Metro areas surrounding the Interstate 95 corridor, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston, could start with snow and transition to a wintry mix or even rain.
Feb. 15, 2021
Widespread disruption after heaviest snowfall in 12 years hits Greece
Severe snowstorm hits northern Japan, JMA warns it could become the strongest in years
Heavy snowfall has caused widespread disruption in many parts of Greece, including the capital — Athens, on Monday, February 15, 2021, resulting in delayed transport, power outages, and suspended services. According to the National Meteorological Service, this was the country’s ‘fiercest’ snowfall in terms of intensity and volume in 12 years. The snow, which is common in the north but rare in the capital, put many services across the country to a standstill. Most public transport services were delayed, while toppled trees caused power outages in several mountainside suburbs. Parts of the nation’s main highway were closed, most ferry services to the islands were canceled, and flights from regional airports disrupted. The fire service said they received more than 600 calls for assistance in greater Athens alone. Theodoros Kolydas, head of the meteorological service, said this was the fiercest snowfall, in terms of intensity and volume, in 12 years.
Feb. 16, 2021
Powerful EF-3 tornado rips through Brunswick County, North Carolina
A high-end EF-3 tornado with estimated winds of 255 km/h (160 mph) ripped through the south end of Brunswick County, North Carolina at 23:30 LT on February 15, 2021 (04:30 UTC, February 16), leaving at least 3 people dead and injuring at least 10 others. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office said the tornado caused devastating damage to many homes, especially in the Ocean Ridge Plantation area. More than 50 homes were damaged and multiple completely destroyed, with a number of people trapped, Brunswick County Emergency Management said. More than 37 000 customers were left without power after the twister downed multiple power lines. The hardest-hit locations are the tows of Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, and Carolina Shores.
Feb. 17, 2021
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