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Trinity Church of the NazareneAddress: Lompoc, CA
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Phone:(805) 736-6415The Seminar will begin at 6:45 PM Wed. August 27, 2014 and run to 8:15 PM Pacific Standard Time. All are welcome to come. There is no cost!
Frank DiMora P.O. Box 732, Lompoc Ca. 93436 fjdimora@gmail.com
Bible prophecy documentary book download proving our generation will see the return of the Lord. Do you want to know what is going to happen in the future before it actually takes place? The Word of God provides you with specific details about our future and all of these things are coming to pass in this generation. If you aren’t saved yet this is a must read! Please don’t forget to subscribe to receive my daily prophecy up-dates. The Last Chronicles of Planet Earth August 19, 2014 Edition written by Frank DiMora.
I must also caution you: there are links used to report events below that you should use extreme caution in viewing- they are anti-Israel sites and Arabic media sites. If you do NOT see a link to correspond with a headline, it is for viewer protection. Please email me privately for any links if desired.
Gaza “Victory” Celebration on Temple Mount
PA official justifies shooting civilians: “There are no innocent Israelis”
While The Middle East Burns, Obama Chooses to Lie to the American People
“Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God! 2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head. 3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones. 4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
Israel’s Operation Protective Edge entered its 51st day on Wednesday
Headline: Israel ‘To Ease Gaza Blockade’ In New Ceasefire
Headline: Poll finds huge fall in Netanyahu’s approval rating
Palestinian and Israeli leaders have agreed an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire to end the seven-week-old conflict in the Gaza Strip, officials say. Gaza’s rulers Hamas declared victory and there was celebratory gunfire in the Palestinian territory after the long-term truce came into effect. Sirens warning of rocket attacks continued to sound in southern Israel after the ceasefire was due to begin. The deal is aimed at halting the fighting which has resulted in the deaths of more than 2,000 people since July 8. But the terms of the deal fell far short of the militant group’s demand that Israel and Egypt open Gaza’s borders. An Israeli official confirmed his country would ease its blockade of Gaza to allow humanitarian and construction materials to enter the Palestinian territory. He said indirect talks on more complex issues would begin in the Egyptian capital Cairo within a month. Issues were expected to include a demand by Hamas for an end to the blockade, a call to build an airport and seaport there, and Israel’s demand for the group to disarm.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://news.sky.com/story/1324992/israel-to-ease-gaza-blockade-in-new-ceasefire
Headline:18:12- Hamas leader Haniyeh Victory ‘paving the way to J’lem’
In his Gaza address, former prime minister Ismail Haniyeh says (somewhat incomprehensibly) that the operation began with rockets targeting Haifa and ended with a rocket targeting Haifa. “Gaza is victorious, and is paving the way to Jerusalem,” he says, according to Channel 2.
Aug. 27, 2014
Headline:Hamas Official: We’ll Build Our Seaport without Permission
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahar declared on Tuesday that the group would build a seaport and airport in Gaza, even without permission. Al-Zahar hinted that any construction materials brought into Gaza for the purpose of its reconstruction will also be used for the construction of the seaport and airport. “We will build our airport and our seaports and we will not ask for anyone’s permission, and whoever will attack our ports and our airport we will attack their own ports and will once again attack again their airport,” he said. Al-Zahar, who spoke hours after a new long-term ceasefire in Gaza was announced, claimed that during the last round of fighting Hamas was able to topple Israel’s national security strategy by proving that Hamas is has the power to deter and not Israel. He also called to reconstruct the Gaza war in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem and by this to prepare for “the liberation of Palestine”.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/184460#.U_3baWNWV8E
Headline:15:40- Gov’t must disclose truce details — Diskin
Headline:16:22- Liberman denounces ceasefire with Hamas
Headline:Israeli Leaders in South Skeptical of Gaza Cease-Fire: ‘I Have Lost Total Confidence’
The Israeli government must disclose the details of the truce it reached yesterday with the Gaza Strip, says former Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin. In a post on his official Facebook page, Diskin says that “with 70 Israelis and over 2,100 Palestinians killed, over 50 days of fighting and without the security cabinet discussing the agreement and approving it, the Israeli public has a right to receive an explanation about the details of the agreement or understandings.” He adds that “it is the duty of the political echelon to provide” such an explanation.
Aug. 27, 2014
Headline: IDF Fires at Syria after Officer is Wounded in Golan
Pitched battles between Syrian president Bashar Assad’s forces and rebels, in the area of Quneitra, spilled over into Israel Wednesday morning. Two mortar shells exploded in the Israeli Golan Heights (link 3 says 6). They caused no casualties but damaged some vehicles. Shortly afterwards, an IDF officer was light-to-moderately wounded by what is believed to be stray gunfire from the battle in Quneitra. IDF artillery fired at a Syrian military position in retaliation for the attacks. Around 3 p.m. it was reported that opposition forces managed to take control of Al Rawabi, a village in Syria located in close proximity to the Quneitra Crossing to Israel. The fierce fighting between the Syrian army and opposition forces was continuing at full force, reports Yedioth Aharonoth. The exact identity of the rebels fighting near Quneitra remains unclear. Observers surmise they either belong to the Free Syrian Army or the Islamic Front, and it is not the first time they have tried to take control of the area. Syrian opposition groups themselves later announced the “liberation” of the Quneitra border crossing with Israel. In a document uploaded to Twitter, the rebel groups added that after a series of battles, they managed to take control of the al-Rawabi checkpoint, also near the border. The document, signed by the Southern Front of the Quneitra Military Council, also names the groups involved in the fighting. The groups, including the Al-Nusra Front, were said to have joined forces, at least temporarily, in order to conquer the crossing
Aug. 27, 2014
***According the link #3, they are Islamists and it states: al-Qaeda linked rebel group took control of the only crossing between Israel and Syria- Quneitra. This would be ISIS/Al Nusra.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.612717#
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/184474#.U_3YJmNWV8E
http://www.timesofisrael.com/mortars-from-syria-strike-golan-as-fighting-nears-border/
Headline:IDF orders farmers, civilians to vacate Syria border area amid fierce Quneitra crossing battles
The IDF instructed farmers and civilians on Wednesday to stay away from the border with Syria on the Golan Heights. The Quneitra crossing is the last area of the border that remains in the control of Assad’s forces, and rebels, many believed to be Islamists, have been trying to wrest control of the strategic area from the Syrian military forces for months
Aug. 27, 2014
Headline: Amidror: Israel’s red line with Syria is the border, and if anyone crosses it they should be killed
Former National Security Council head says if Nusra Front takes control of Golan Heights, threats of radical Islam will not stop on frontiers of Israel, but spread out to Western countries.With the Nusra Front, al-Qaida’s Syria wing, now reportedly in control of the Quneitra crossing between Syria and Israel on the Golan Heights, Israel must be very clear about its red lines, former National Security Council head Ya’akov Amidror said Wednesday.“As in the previous battles between the Assad regime and the rebels, we are not in position to determine the fight or the processes in Syria,” Amidror said in a conference call organized by The Israel Project.But, he added, “We should be very clear about our red lines: no one will cross the border, and if someone will try, we will kill him.”
Aug. 27, 2014
Lebanon
Headline: Hezbollah praises Gaza resistance role in truce
Headline: Gaza Belt Leaders See Ceasefire as Surrender
The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has praised the role of the Palestinian resistance in reaching a truce deal with the Israeli regime. On Tuesday, the movement issued a statement, saying the will, steadfastness, and persistence of the resistance brought about the Palestinians’ victory against the Israelis. The Egyptian-brokered deal would not have been achieved without the resistance and that Palestinians’ victory would lead up to more triumphs, the statement read. The Lebanese movement also voiced congratulations to Gazans and extolled efforts to reach a consensus on the terms of the ceasefire.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/27/376698/hezbollah-praises-gaza-resistance-role/
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/184469#.U_3a-mNWV8E
Headline: Celebratory gunfire kills Palestinian in south Lebanon
A Palestinian man was killed by stray bullet after celebrations broke out in refugee camps across Lebanon over a long-term truce that ended 50 days of fighting in Gaza, security sources told The Daily Star. The accidental death of Omar Mohammad, 32, Tuesday night stirred tensions in the sprawling Ain al-Hilweh, the largest of the 12 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, as the family of the victim started shooting guns in the air in reprisals.
Aug. 27, 2014
Headline:Syria warplanes bomb Lebanon border region
Headline:Arsal denies militants’ return; soldiers’ lives in the balance
Syrian warplanes launched airstrikes Wednesday on a remote border Lebanese area, targeting militant hideouts, a Lebanese security source told The Daily Star. Around 12:30 p.m., Syrian jets dropped a number of rockets on Al-Rahwe, located on the outskirts of the northeastern region of Arsal, the source said. No casualties were reported. The same jets also struck a border Syrian area, facing Al-Rahwe, with a number of rockets. Al-Rahwe is known for being a rugged route used by gunmen to smuggle fighters and weapons between Lebanon and Syria. Supported by Syrian air power, Syrian troops backed by Hezbollah fighters have been battling rebel groups, including the Nusra Front, in the Qalamoun, a mountainous region bordering Lebanon.
Aug. 27, 2014
Headline:UN Interim Force in Lebanon’s mandate extended
The U.N. Security Council extended the mandate of the Interim Force in Lebanon for an additional year in a decision issued Tuesday evening. Resolution 2172 was unanimously adopted to extend the mandate of the peacekeeping force until Aug. 31, 2015, with no major changes in deployment. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the presence of the mission remained necessary for peace and stability in south Lebanon, citing recent incidents of rockets fired from south Lebanon toward Israel and of retaliation by the Israeli army across the Blue Line.
Aug. 27, 2014
Saudi Arabia
Headline: Saudi Arabia busts cell of ISIS recruiters
The Saudi interior ministry said Tuesday it detained eight individuals for trying to recruit youth into “extremist groups abroad.” Al Arabiya News channel that the recruits were for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). “Security authorities conducted on Monday an operation that led to the arrest of eight citizens who were involved in recruiting youth to join extremist groups abroad,” an interior ministry statement carried by the country’s Saudi Press Agency said.
Aug. 26, 2014
Egypt
Headline:US holds Egypt, UAE responsible for Libyan airstrikes
Both the United States Pentagon and State Department said on Tuesday that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are behind recent foreign attacks in Libya that left civilians dead. Earlier this month foreign planes bombed Libya; the Misrata forces, an alliance of Islamist militants, blamed Egypt and UAE. Admiral John Kirby said that the US is certain that there were airstrikes undertaken in recent days by the UAE and Egypt inside Libya “in some fashion”. His country gained this information following a second strike, he said. He added that the US objects to dealing with militants in this way as it does not want “more violence on top of violence that’s already existing inside Libya.” Spokesperson for the US State Department Jen Psaki also acknowledged that the US “understands” Egypt and UAE are behind the attacks, yet denied that her country had had any recent talks with either of them about the incident. She later said on Twitter: “Comment today on Libya intended to refer to countries reportedly involved, not speak for them.” On Tuesday, the Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdel Aziz said that reports of Egyptian military involvement in Libya are “untruthful rumours”, state-run Al-Ahram reported.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2014/08/27/us-holds-egypt-uae-responsible-libyan-airstrikes/
Syria
Iraq
Syria Iraq ISIS- the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (the Levant) ISIS=ISIL=IS
***At picture is worth a 1,000 Words- this is the latest map on IS control found on an IS site
Syria Headline: ****Two days ago we showed you that ISIS had seized Tabqa Air Base in Syria (link below); Tabqa is in the Raqqa province; last night various ISIS sites showed that militants are engaged in a new battle for Deir Ezzor Hamdan Military airbase. We will keep you updated as main stream news catches up.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/isis-fighters-seize-syrias-tabqa-air-base-syrian-regime-n188171
Syria Headline: Syrian war jets bomb ISIS targets in Deir Ezzor
Syrian war planes carried out a series of air raids Tuesday on positions held by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group in eastern Deir Ezzor province, state media said. “Syrian army forces targeted headquarters and warehouses storing weapons and ammunition belonging to the terrorist group known as ISIS… destroying them completely,” Syria’s state news agency SANA reported.
Aug. 26, 2014
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syrian-war-jets-bomb-isis-targets-deir-ezzor
Syria Headline: Islamic State executes soldiers, takes hostages at Syria base: social media
Islamic State militants have executed Syrian army soldiers and are holding a group hostage after capturing an air base in northeast Syria at the weekend, pictures posted on social media by supporters showed on Wednesday. Islamic State, an offshoot of al Qaeda, stormed Tabqa air base near Raqqa city on Sunday after days of fighting with the army that cost more than 500 lives, according to monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Tabqa was the army’s last foothold in an area otherwise controlled by the militants, who have seized large areas of Syria and Iraq. The United States has carried out air strikes on the group in Iraq and is considering its options in Syria.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://news.yahoo.com/islamic-state-executes-soldiers-takes-hostages-syria-social-075138253.html
Syria Headline:Alawites prepare as IS, Jabhat al-Nusra close in on regime areas
Supporters of Syrian President Assad long dismissed the threat from the Islamic State, but that threat has become real as jihadists move into the Homs countryside, approaching Alawite and Christian areas. The concerns over IS can be clearly detected by simply asking a taxi driver in the city about the situation. “We were reassured that IS will not get near our areas, but it is closing in on the Alawite town of Furqlus in the eastern countryside of Homs,” the taxi driver in Tartous told Al-Monitor. “Other fighters have been advancing in areas surrounding Hama, and the claims by some people that IS is secretly collaborating with the regime’s forces appear to be an illusion. Hundreds of Alawite soldiers have been killed in Raqqa’s countryside and at the Al-Shaer gas field in eastern Homs.” To the east of Tartous, in the western countryside of Homs, residents in some Alawite villages are getting ready for an anticipated battle with IS. There have been rumors circulating among residents that armed factions controlling the Houla Plain and the eastern countryside of Homs are on the verge of joining the ranks of IS. A resident of one of these towns, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Al-Monitor: “Many young men from the Houla Plain may join the ranks of IS, which will make the organization more powerful, organized and maybe more heavily armed if it manages to expand toward the northern countryside of Homs.” “The tacit agreement between IS and the regime collapsed. People in Houla hold a grudge against us, as they accused the National Defense Forces [NDF] in our region of being responsible for the Houla massacre in May 2012,” he said. As IS and Jabhat al-Nusra move closer to Alawite areas, Alawite residents prepare for what many here see as an existential fight.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/08/syria-jihadist-threat-homs.html
Syria Headline: Syria Up To the Minute
https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe (Syrian Humans Rights Watch)
Syria Headline: Institute for the Study of War Syria Updates August 16-22, 2014
Iraq Headline: Iraq forces mass to break siege of Turkmen town
Iraq was massing forces Wednesday for an operation to break a two-month jihadist siege of the Shiite Turkmen town of Amerli (in the Salaheddin (Salah al-Din) province), amid growing fears for residents short of food and water. The imminent counter-offensive comes amid reports that U.S. President Barack Obama is weighing a decision to authorize airstrikes and aid drops in the area to assist around 12,000 residents trapped in the northern town. According to a civilian volunteer commander, thousands of Shiite militiamen from groups including Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Badr Organization are gathering in the Tuz Khurmatu area of Salaheddin province, just north of Amerli, in preparation for a battle to break the siege. And an army Lt. Gen. said that security forces were mobilizing in the Jabal Hamreen area, south of Amerli, to launch an attack from the southern flank.
Aug. 27, 2014
Iraq Headline: Iraqi Government: We Can’t Free Sunni Areas from IS Militants
Iraq Headline: Kurdish PM Wants Baghdad to Guarantee Demands
The Shiite National Alliance has refused a request made by Iraqi political parties regarding the freeing of Sunni populated areas currently controlled by Islamic State (IS) militants.
After a number of Sunni populated cities in Iraq fell to the Islamic State, including Mosul, the second biggest city of Iraq, primarily Sunni Iraqi political parties put a pre-condition to the new government of Iraq insuring the liberation of captured Sunni areas. However, the Shiite National Coalition that includes Shiite political parties, as well as the new PM of the Iraqi federal government, have refused to make such promise. The head of the Islamic Dawa Party Ali Alaq rejected the rumors saying that there have been efforts to free those areas without the help of government official security forces and said: “the general plan of the new government of Iraq that Haidar Abadi leads is to gather weapons only in the hands of the government.”
***You can see why Iran pushed Abadi taking over- he’s Shiite.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://basnews.com/en/News/Details/Kurdish-PM-Wants-Baghdad-to-Guarantee-Demands/32041
Iraq Headline: Institute for the Study of War Iraq Situation Report August 26, 2014
http://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/2014-08-26%20Situation%20Report.pdf
Headline: US reportedly recruiting allies to support expanded airstrikes, Syrian opposition
Headline: 1:27- The U.S. military has said that seven countries have pledged to provide urgently needed arms and equipment to Kurdish forces in Iraq
The Obama administration is pressing U.S. allies to increase their support for moderate rebel groups in Syria, as well as possible military operations, according to a published report. The New York Times reported late Tuesday that White House officials believe that Great Britain and Australia would be willing to join the United States in a campaign of airstrikes in Syria, while the administration hoped that Turkey would give it access to key military bases. The Times also reported that the U.S. has asked Turkish government to help seal that country’s border with Syria, which has proven to be an easy crossing point for foreign militants looking to join up with the Islamic State, the militant group formerly known as ISIS, in northern Syria. The paper reported that the White House is also seeking intelligence help from Jordan, as well as financial support for groups like the moderate Free Syrian Army from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/middle-east-updates/1.612672
Headline: 300 Americans fighting with ISIL according to US intelligence agencies
On Wednesday the Washington Times quoted an unnamed senior U.S. official who claims that the U.S. government is monitoring nearly 300 American citizens who are fighting on the side of the terrorist organization of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and likely to be a major threat to the USA. The official said that concern is widespread in Washington that radicalized foreign fighters could return to the homeland and commit terrorist attacks with skills acquired overseas, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Washington Times newspaper. Those concerns were heightened by the disclosure Tuesday that an American man from California was killed fighting alongside ISIL jihadists. The U.S. government is doing its best to keep track of the foreign fighters, who have been shifting back and forth between Iraq and Syria, according to a senior U.S. official. “We know that there are several hundred American passport holders running around with ISIS in Syria or Iraq,” the official said, offering a figure well above widespread reports of about 100 such fighters. “It’s hard to tell whether or not they’re in Syria or moved to Iraq.” The threat of jihadists returning to the United States is “a new hazard” for the Department of Homeland Security, said retired Army Maj. Mike Lyons, a senior fellow with the Truman National Security Project and a CBS Radio News analyst. As a result, the department must plan for a future where the jihadists leave their Middle East battlefield and trickle back to America, he said to the Washington Times. “If these people have been identified, there needs to be a discussion with regard to how and when they are allowed back in the U.S.,” he said. Heightening concerns about Americans joining the Islamic State group were reports Tuesday that a California man who fought side by side with militants was found dead on the battlefield.
Aug. 27, 2014
Headline: Syrian official: Foley was beheaded a year ago
President Bashar al-Assad’s Political Advisor, Bouthaina Shaaban, said on Tuesday that the video released online showing the beheading of the American journalist James Foley was not new, adding that the video was recorded by militants of the Islamic State nearly one year ago. “The beheading of Foley took place one year ago, but the video was recently released,”Shaaban told BBC, adding that the United Nations “is aware of that”. According to Shaaban, IS extremists intended to keep the video for emergency situations, explaining that the al-Qaeda offshoot felt the mounting danger of the U.S. air strikes on their positions in Iraq and Syria, that’s why the video was published online now. However, Philip Balboni, the CEO and co-founder of GlobalPost, where the beheaded journalist James Foley used to work, strongly undermined the claims of the Syrian regime. “These claims are incorrect and contradict the evidence we have at the moment,” Balboni said, mentioning the testimonies of some recently released hostages who were held with Foley and saw him last month.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://aranews.net/2014/08/syrian-official-foley-beheaded-year-ago/
Listed below are the nations which will attack Israel from Ezekiel chapter 38 and their modern day names (see chart above).
Gog is the leader of the Russian invasion of Israel.
Magog, Meshech, and Tubal comprise modern day Russia.
Persia is Iran, parts of northern Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Cush is Ethiopia and Sudan.
Put is Libya and will most likely include Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.
Gomer is Eastern Germany.
Beth Togarmah is Turkey and Armenia.
Russia
Headline: Nato chief unveils new plan for eastern Europe
Headline: Following talks with Poroshenko, Putin insists Russia has no role in Ukraine cease-fire
A summit in Minsk on Tuesday (26 August) failed to produce a breakthrough on the Ukraine conflict, while Nato announced a bold new plan for eastern Europe. The Nato secretary general told The Guardian, a British daily, in an interview also on Tuesday the alliance is planning to set up permanent new bases in eastern Europe. He indicated the Nato summit in Wales next week will see the creation of a rapid reaction force to counter potential Russian action against Nato countries such as Estonia or Latvia. “The point is that any potential aggressor should know that if they were to even think of an attack against a Nato ally they will meet not only soldiers from that specific country but they will meet Nato troops”, he said. Asked whether the force will have “permanent” facilities in the east, Rasmussen said: “The brief answer is Yes … Our eastern allies will be satisfied when they see what is actually in the [new Nato] readiness action plan”.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://euobserver.com/foreign/125364
Headline:Ukraine’s PM says Russia has plans to block gas flows to Europe
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said on Wednesday that Kiev knew of plans by Russia to halt gas flows this winter to Europe. “The situation in (Ukraine’s) energy sector is difficult. We know of Russia’s plans to block (gas) transit even to European Union countries this winter,” he told a government meeting. Last year, half of Russian gas exports to the EU were shipped via Ukraine. Russian gas exporter Gazprom and the Energy Ministry were not immediately available for comments.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://newsdaily.com/2014/08/27/ukraines-pm-says-russia-has-plans-to-block-gas-flows-to-europe/
Headline:Rebels shell government-held Ukrainian town
Despite Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s efforts to push a peace plan for Ukraine in his two-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian-backed rebels shelled a government-held town in southeastern Ukraine Wednesday in an apparent attempt to open up a route between Russia and Crimea. Rebel forces lobbed at least 10 shells at Novoazovsk, a government-held town on the Sea of Azov. Plumes of black smoke rose above the town, which was also hit repeatedly by shelling Tuesday, injuring four people in a hospital, Mayor Oleg Sidorkin said, according to an Associated Press reporter in the town. The fighting comes only days after Ukraine said a convoy of Russian military equipment crossed the border into southeastern Ukraine, which had been largely untouched in months of fighting in eastern Ukraine between the Ukrainian troops and separatists.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/08/27/ukraine-town-shelled/14669831/
Iran
Headline:Iran foreign minister to visit Turkey, Russia
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will visit Turkey Thursday before embarking on a mini-tour of Europe that will take him to Russia, Italy, Luxembourg and Belgium, Iranian media reported. In Turkey, Zarif will attend the ceremony inaugurating Recep Tayyip Erdogan as president. He will then travel to Moscow for talks with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and other officials that are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program. Russia is a member of the P5+1 group, with Britain, China, France, the United States and Germany, seeking an international deal with Tehran over its controversial pursuit of atomic power.
Aug. 27, 2014
Headline: Iran Hails Hamas ‘Victory’, Qatar Offers Money
Two of Hamas’s major sponsors and backers, Iran and Qatar, have hailed the ceasefire agreement it reached with Israel Tuesday as a victory for the Gaza terror organization. Iran said Wednesday that Palestinians had emerged the victors and brought their Israeli foe “to its knees” during the 50-day conflict. “The heroic Palestinian people have forged a new era with the victory of the resistance which has brought the Zionist regime to its knees,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “This victory prepares the way for the final liberation of all the occupied lands especially Quds (Jerusalem),” it said, congratulating the Palestinian people and the terror groups in Gaza that Iran supports. Qatar, a key backer of Hamas, hailed the Gaza ceasefire accord and offered to help rebuild the enclave battered by seven weeks of Israeli bombardment.
****On 8-16-14- Qatar offered $1,000 to EACH family in Gaza whose home was destroyed (see 2nd link)
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/184472#.U_3ZDGNWV8E
Headline: U.S. Ship Fires Warning Shot Towards Iranian Vessel
A U.S. Coast Guard vessel had a tense encounter with an Iranian fishing boat in the Gulf on Tuesday and fired a warning shot, the Pentagon said, according to AFP. The Coast Guard cutter Monomoy sent a small, inflatable boat to approach the Iranian dhow and when it got close, the Americans spotted two 50-caliber machine gun, with one of the guns aimed at them, U.S. military officers said. “They saw that one of the machine guns was manned and trained on them,” Lieutenant Joseph Hontz, a spokesman for the Fifth Fleet, told AFP. The Americans pulled back and fired one warning shot, he said, while the Iranian vessel headed off. “In any event, the dhow pulled away and nobody was hurt,” Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters. He said the Coast Guard vessel was on a “routine maritime security operation.”
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/184465#.U_3bFWNWV8E
Headline: Iran sends 81st division, tanks, helicopters into northern Iraq
Headline: Iran Daily, August 25: Foreign Minister Zarif Repeats “We Did Not Send Troops Into Iraq”
Iran has deployed combat units in Iraq. Iraqi Kurdish sources said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has sent thousands of soldiers to northern Iraq to fight Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The sources said IRGC infantry units have been supported by helicopters, main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers. “They are moving in and out of Iraq from the northern Iranian border to make sure ISIL does not try to infiltrate,” a source said. The sources said IRGC has been joined by the regular Iranian Army. They cited the army’s 81st Armored Division, experienced in counter-insurgency operations, including fighting Kurds in Iran. The 81st Division has been operating near units of the Kurdish Regional Government north of Jawala. The sources said the division, with both U.S.-and Russian-origin MBTs, was concentrated along the border town of Sar E Pole Zahab. At this point, the 81st Division was not known to have engaged ISIL, which has sought to advance to the Kurdish capital of Irbil. The sources said the division was seen deploying U.S.-origin M-60A1 tanks, a 1960s-era platform vulnerable to ISIL anti-tank weapons. “The Iranians are being cautious, and so far have not joined up with the Kurds against ISIL,” the source said.
Aug. 26, 2014
http://www.worldtribune.com/2014/08/26/kurds-say-iran-sent-combat-units-tanks-northern-iraq/
http://eaworldview.com/2014/08/iran-daily-foreign-minister-zarif-repeats-send-troops-iraq/
Afghanistan
Headline: War News for Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Afghan war-boom economy goes bust as foreign troop pullout nears, election dispute rages
Afghan election audit disrupted
Reported security incidents
#1: Afghan security forces are battling the Taliban for control of the northern province of Kunduz, where insurgents are threatening to overrun the capital and terrorising residents who have fled to nearby districts.
#2: At last 5 Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were martyred following roadside bomb explosion, defense officials said Wednesday. Defense Ministry spokesman, Gen. Zahir Azimi, said the Afghan soliers were martyed following improvised explosive device (IED) attack in the past 24 hours.
#3: At least 25 Taliban militants were killed and 6 others were injured during military operations by Afghan national security forces in the past 24 hours.
http://warnewstoday.blogspot.com/
Sudan
Headline: South Sudan Rebels Reject Power Sharing Amid UN Crash Probe
South Sudan’s rebels rejected a power-sharing deal proposed by East African leaders to end an eight-month conflict that has killed thousands of people in the world’s newest nation. The proposal by the seven-nation Intergovernmental Authority on Development, or IGAD, calls for President Salva Kiir to remain in office at least until elections that should be held 60 days before the end of a 2 1/2 year transitional period. Rebels led by former Vice President Riek Machar would nominate a prime minister that Kiir would have to approve, according to the draft agreement. “It’s not the way to get peace in the country,” chief rebel negotiator Taban Deng Gai said today in a phone interview from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, where talks have been held. “We believe they’ve imposed Salva to be president for life. We’re not going to sign it.” Fighting erupted in South Sudan in December when Kiir accused Machar and other senior government officials of plotting a coup, a charge they deny. The conflict in the oil-producing nation has forced at least 1.5 million to flee their homes and left the country on the brink of famine, according to the United Nations. About 102,000 displaced people are sheltering at 10 UN bases, the world body said in an Aug. 25 e-mailed statement. The UN is investigating the crash of one of its helicopters that killed three Russians yesterday. The rebels have denied government accusations that they shot it down.
Aug. 27, 2014
Libya
Headline: Crisis in Libya’s interim cabinet as 6 ministers step down
Headline: Libya on the brink as Misrata Islamists consolidates power
Six ministers in Libya’s interim cabinet, the House of Representatives, have resigned in protest over what they describe as government bias toward a “certain party” in the country’s current conflict – without specifying the party in question. The ministers of industry, labour, planning, education, water resources and war victims’ affairs all resigned on Wednesday citing perceived bias on the part of the government towards one particular party to the conflict, according to Libya’s official news agency. “The resignations were prompted by the government’s siding with one of Libya’s rival groups and its failure to tackle a number of issues,” resigned industry minister Suleiman al-Latif told the Al-Nabaa television channel. He went on to assert that the government was taking policy decisions without ministers’ knowledge, declining to elaborate further.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/crisis-libyas-interim-cabinet-6-ministers-step-down-430678072
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/libya-brink-1455411139
Tunisia
Headline: US to Give Tunisia $60 Million in Military Aid
The United States plans to give Tunisia $60 million in military aid to help the country meet a threat by Islamic militants. U.S. Africa Command head General David Rodriguez said Tuesday the assistance includes mine-detecting equipment, boats, and joint U.S.-Tunisian military training. The State Department has already approved the sale of 12 Black Hawk attack helicopters to Tunisia. Tunisia was the first North African country to topple its government in a popular uprising in 2010 and has been relatively peaceful since. But it faces a terror threat by al-Qaida-linked militants and fears the instability in neighboring Libya could spill across the border. Rebels from Mali have also taken refuge the mountains in Algeria, along Tunisia’s western border.
Aug. 26, 2014
http://www.voanews.com/content/united-states-to-give-tunisia-60-million-in-military-aid/2429138.html
Morocco
Headline: Moroccan ISIS-Jihadists Want to Return to Morocco
Dozens of Moroccans who joined ISIS directly from Morocco have allegedly expressed their desire to return to their motherland. However, they raised fears of possible detention once they reach Morocco. Al Massaa newspaper quoted a source from the Spanish Bureau of Counterterrorism as saying that dozens of Moroccan Jihadists in Syria have started negotiations with the Moroccan authorities to return to Morocco, of the Moroccan authorities promise not to detain them over terrorism charges. Under the Moroccan penal law, terrorism is punished by over 6 years in prison. “In return, the Moroccan Jihadists committed not to threatening the Moroccan national security. They promised to reintegrate into the Moroccan society and stay away from the terrorist organizations,” the same source added. Earlier, Morocco’s Minister of Communication, Mustapha El Khalfi said that intelligence services confirm that “Morocco faces serious terrorist threats linked in particular to the growing number of Moroccans affiliated with organizations operating in Syria and Iraq.” Last month, Morocco’s Minister of Interior, Mohamed Hassad, said that the number of Moroccan Jihadist in Syria, reached 1122 fighter, 200 of them were killed, while 128 were arrested after they returned to Morocco.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/08/137388/moroccan-isis-jihadists-want-to-return-to-morocco/
Germany
Headline: Germany to decide on military aid for Iraq on Sunday: minister
Headline: 3:21- Germany announces it will not participate in military action against Islamic State fighters in Syria.
The German government will decide on Sunday what specific military aid it will send to Kurdish forces in Iraq to help them fight Islamic State militants in the north of the country, its foreign minister said on Wednesday. “We should be helping with certain supplies, according to our capabilities, so they can fight and prevent ISIS from taking over the whole region and creating a caliphate,” Frank-Walter Steinmeier told a news conference during a visit to Prague. “The German government has not reached a decision yet today but I believe that a decision should be made on Sunday on concretely what should be supplied,” said the German minister. In Prague, meanwhile, the Czech government approved supplying ammunition and hand grenades to Kurdish forces. Czech news agency CTK said the ammunition, worth about $2 million, would be transported to Iraq by U.S. forces. Germany’s decision last week to help the Kurds signaled a break with a post-war principle of not sending arms to conflict zones. Chancellor Angela Merkel said what she described as “genocide” in northern Iraq justified exceptional measures.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.todayonline.com/world/germany-decide-military-aid-iraq-sunday-minister
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/middle-east-updates/1.612672
Turkey
Headline: Turkey’s overlooked role in rise of latest ‘Islamic Caliphate’, and what’s coming next
The Islamic Caliphate (referred to in the Western media as the “Islamic State”) may indeed be a pivotal entity, but perhaps not for the reasons it thinks itself to be. It may be the final provocation which brings Iran to mount its promised vengeance on Turkey, the patron (and not the victim) of the “caliphate”. The Islamic Caliphate was nurtured by Turkey from its beginnings in the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and al- Sham (ISIS) [also Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL)] and the Al Qaida Organization in the Land of the Two Rivers (AQI) organization, Al Qaida in Mesopotamia, the Mujahedin Shura Council in Iraq, Jund al-Sahhaba (Soldiers of the Prophet’s Companions), and a large part of Jabhat al-Nusra (JN). These were often amorphous and overlapping entities. Massive semi-clandestine support to these groups from Turkey and Qatar — and supported at the beginning by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia — had been designed to break Iran’s hold on Syria and Iraq. But for Turkey and Qatar, it was also a tool to threaten or cower Saudi Arabia and to isolate Iran.
***Good article, worth the time to read
Aug. 26, 2014
Armenia
Headline: Armenian FM to visit Turkey for the first time
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan is set to pay a visit to Turkey to deliver the message of Armenian head of state Serj Sarkisyan at Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s presidential inauguration. According to Turkey’s daily Star newspaper, it will be his first visit to Turkey since coming to watch a World Cup qualifying match between the two nations as well as an economic conference in 2008. It is not yet clear who he will be meeting during his stay, but there are believed to be no plans for him to meet Turkish Foreign Minister-turned-Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. However, he is expected to deliver Sarkisyan’s congratulations to Erdogan as well as extend an invitation to Erdogan to visit Armenia for its own presidential inauguration ceremony on April 24 of next year. Nalbandyan’s visit is seen as a sign of an unconditional normalization process between Turkey and Armenia, who have been at odds over Armenia’s occupation of Turkey’s ally and fellow Turkic state Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.worldbulletin.net/news/143211/armenian-fm-to-visit-turkey-for-the-first-time
Luke 21:9 and Matthew 24:7 speak of nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom in the end times. Revelation 6:3-4 speaks of the fiery red horse given power to make men slay one another and Revelation 6:8 speaks again of this red horse in conjunction with the pale horse of Death and Hades, as the one that has the power to kill by sword. Luke 21:9: wars & commotions; the Greek word here is Akatastasia, meaning instability, a state of disorder, disturbance, confusion (revolutions) Matthew 24:7: the Greek word for nation is Ethnos & refers to various ethnic groups fighting among themselves, where the next sentence in the verse refers to kingdoms (basileiva) fighting one another (not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom)
Headline: Obama Pursuing Climate Accord in Lieu of Treaty
The Obama administration is working to forge a sweeping international climate change agreement to compel nations to cut their planet-warming fossil fuel emissions, but without ratification from Congress. In preparation for this agreement, to be signed at a United Nations summit meeting in 2015 in Paris, the negotiators are meeting with diplomats from other countries to broker a deal to commit some of the world’s largest economies to enact laws to reduce their carbon pollution. But under the Constitution, a president may enter into a legally binding treaty only if it is approved by a two-thirds majority of the Senate. To sidestep that requirement, President Obama’s climate negotiators are devising what they call a “politically binding” deal that would “name and shame” countries into cutting their emissions. The deal is likely to face strong objections from Republicans on Capitol Hill and from poor countries around the world, but negotiators say it may be the only realistic path.
Aug. 26, 2014
Headline: Boko Haram captures more Nigerian towns
Boko Haram Takfiri militants have taken control of more Nigerian towns as they press ahead with their attacks in the African country. A Cameroonian police source said on Tuesday that Boko Haram militants moved into the Nigerian town of Ashigashyia overnight Monday, where they killed three people in front of a church, after soldiers sent there fled to take refuge across the border in nearby Cameroon. The militants now control at least the town of Buni Yadi in Yobe state as well as Gwoza and Gamboru Ngala in neighboring Borno state. In the northeastern state of Adamawa, which has been under a state of emergency along with Borno and Yobe states since May last year, local government officials said scores of gunmen attacked the town of Madagali on Saturday, forcing out soldiers and taking over government buildings.
Aug. 27, 2014
Boko Haram Leader Pledges Allegiance to ISIS “Caliph” Abu Baghdadi
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/26/376684/boko-haram-captures-more-nigerian-towns/
Headline: Bahrain regime forces brutalize protesters
Bahraini regime forces used tear gas and fired bullets to disperse demonstrators in the capital Manama and other different cities and villages in the Persian Gulf state. According to reports on Wednesday, the security forces reportedly launched a crackdown on demonstrators in the island of Sitra near the capital, Manama. The protesters were calling for the downfall of the ruling Al-Khalifa regime. Bahrainis also took to the streets in many villages, denouncing the regime’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. Earlier this month, Bahraini protesters gathered in Sitra to express their outrage over recent measures adopted by the Bahraini government to grant citizenship to foreign nationals. The move by the regime came shortly after a court stripped 13 Bahrainis of their nationality over charges of involvement in “terrorist” operations.
August 27, 2014
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/27/376712/bahrain-forces-brutalize-protesters/
Headline: Pakistan premier refuses to resign amid mass protests
Headline: Imran Khan says no more talks till PM Nawaz quits office
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has refused to step down amid mass protests in front of parliament calling for the government’s resignation. “We are not going to be diverted by these things,” Sharif said on Wednesday, referring to calls for his resignation by thousands of protesters camped outside the parliament during the crisis which erupted two weeks ago. “The journey for the supremacy of the constitution and law in Pakistan will continue with full determination and, God willing, there will not be any interruption in it,” the premier added. The statement comes as cleric Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri issued on August 25 a 48-hour deadline for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ordered protest leaders and the government to find a compromise solution so that the “Red Zone” — home to parliament, the prime minister’s home, embassies and government offices — could be cleared. However, protesters defied the court’s order and stayed put for the 13th day on Tuesday.
August 27, 2014
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/27/376752/sharif-refuses-to-resign-amid-protests/
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-158007-Imran-halts-talks-with-govt-till-PM-Nawaz-resigns
Headline: TTP Splinter Group Jamat-ul-Ahrar Announces Establishment in Video
TTP stands for Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, also called the Pakistan Taliban, and is an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant groups. The Afghan Taliban, with the alleged support of Pakistani Taliban, operate against international coalition and Afghan security forces in Afghanistan but are strictly opposed to targeting the Pakistani state. The TTP in contrast has almost exclusively targeted elements of the Pakistani state. Now today a new splinter group has announced itself- Jamat-ul-Ahrar. Its spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, denied that it was inspired by the Islamic State (IS) and will pledge to it. To see if this will actually be the case, we will have to watch, but see the links below.
August 27, 2014
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/08/taliban_splinter_gro.php
Pakistani Taliban Declares Allegiance to ISIS
http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/15548-pakistani-taliban-declares-allegiance-to-isis
Pakistani Jihadist Tehreek-Khilafat and Jihad Group Pledge Allegiance to ISIS
http://www.lignet.com/InBriefs/Pakistani-Jihadist-Group-Pledges-Allegiance-to-ISI
Headline: Houthi leader vows to continue anti-govt protests in Yemen
Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, the leader of the Shiite Houthi group in Yemen, has called on supporters to continue their protests until toppling the Yemeni government. In a televised speech on Tuesday, Abdul-Malik urged supporters to continue their protests in the capital Sanaa and other Yemeni cities, going on to call on the government “to heed the demands of the people”. Over the past week, Sanaa has been at the centre of intense protests and sit-ins – organised by the Houthis – to demand the dismissal of the current government. The protests triggered rival demonstrations in the country with thousands of Yemenis taking to the streets in Sanaa on Tuesday to appeal for ‘national unity’. On Sunday, a Yemeni presidential committee failed to reach an agreement with the leader of the Houthis to end the group’s protests in the capital. Many Yemenis believe that the Shiite Houthi group, which takes the northern Saada province as its main base of operations, wants to reinstate Yemen’s pre-1962 monarchy in the country’s north.
August 27, 2014
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/houthi-leader-vows-continue-anti-govt-protests-yemen-1899506539
Pestilence & Plagues Luke 21:11 & Revelation 6:8 “And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.” (Luke) “So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death (Thanatos in Greek meaning the death of the body whether natural or violent), and by the beasts of the earth” (Revelation)
Headline: Canada pulling Ebola lab team from Sierra Leone
Headline: Ebola Patient Arrives in Germany for Treatment
Headline: 3rd Doctor Dies From Ebola in Sierra Leone
Headline: Ebola outbreak: Nigeria closes all schools until October
Canada is evacuating a three-member mobile laboratory team from Sierra Leone after people in their hotel were diagnosed with Ebola. The World Health Organization earlier announced it is pulling a team out of the country. The Public Agency of Canada said in a statement late Tuesday none of the team members had any direct contact with the sick individuals and they are not showing any signs of illness. They will remain in voluntary isolation and be monitored closely. The laboratory team was helping to control the outbreak there by helping health care workers diagnose and rule out infections. The agency did not say what city the team was in.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/08/27/canada-pulling-ebola-lab-team-sierra-leone.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/ebola-upper-hand-us-official-25130896
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-28950347
Headline: HealthMap
Global leader in utilizing online informal sources for disease outbreak monitoring and real-time surveillance of emerging public health threats. The freely available Web site ‘healthmap.org’ and mobile app ‘Outbreaks Near Me’ deliver real-time intelligence on a broad range of emerging infectious diseases for a diverse audience including libraries, local health departments, governments, and international travelers.
http://healthmap.org/formobile/
August 25, 2014-Hundreds of fish dead, ‘some trying to beach themselves’ in Mill River, Connecticut, America
August 26, 2014- Thousands of dead fish wash ashore in Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Matthew 24:7 “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. Luke 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.” Luke21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring”
Headline: Iceland volcano: New quakes raise concern over large eruption
A volcanic system close to Iceland’s Bardarbunga’s volcano was hit by a magnitude 4.5 earthquake in the early hours of Wednesday. It adds to concerns that magma from Bardarbunga could feed into the nearby Askja volcano. British and Icelandic scientists say that 50 million cubic metres of molten rock has moved in a 24 hour period. If it continues to head north, it could link up with the Askja system and trigger a large eruption. Scientists working in the area have said that they will be withdrawing from the exclusion zone on Wednesday after they have deployed some more instruments. Prof Bob White, from the University of Cambridge, said “It’s headed straight for it.” But he cautioned that volcanoes were hard to predict. “It’s moving at about 4km a day towards Askja, and if it keeps going it could get there in a few days,” he told BBC News. “We know there is a lot of molten rock sitting under the ground beneath Askja, which is a major volcanic system. If this molten rock hits that, we know it is likely to trigger it to erupt.
Aug. 27, 2014
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28943708
Headline: What’s erupting? List & map of currently active volcanoes
http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/erupting_volcanoes.html
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