2014 Holocaust Remembrance Day: World still lets Iran call for Israel's destruction

Even now the world doesn't cry out against a state calling for Israel's destruction, and instead greets Iran's leader with open arms and smiles, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

 Netanyahu said that this is happening even though there is wide agreement in the world that more should have been done to prevent the Holocaust. "Facing a country openly calling for the destruction of the state of the Jews, everyone is clearing their throats and smiling in front of the smiles, Netanyahu said. Netanyahu added that the world's attitude toward Israel is out of all proportion to the issues on the agenda, and is a continuation of thousands of years of anti-Semitism. The prime minister noted Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's speech in the Knesset last week, saying it was one of the most important speeches ever heard in the Israeli parliament. Harper, during his speech, said the singling out Israel "was extreme and out of any reasonable proportion." The questioning of Israel's basic right to exist, Netanyahu said, "undermines the foundations of Western civilization which is supposed to fight for our rights and for the rights of others." "We have to struggle against efforts to deny the legitimacy of the Jewish state and to demand our rights here," he said.
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/PM-World-says-more-shouldve-been-done-to-prevent-Holocaust-but-allows-Iran-to-call-for-Israels-destruction-339515


Europe Woos Iran as it Shuns Israel 

 Where the Middle East is concerned, there are two complementary messages coming out of the European Union at the moment. The first proclaims that Israel is a legitimate target for boycotts and divestment for as long as the “occupation” continues—and here, “occupation” principally refers to the West Bank and the eastern half of Jerusalem, feebly eliding the fact that the Palestinian leadership, through its insistence on the so-called “right of return,” regards the entire territory between the Mediterranean and the Jordan as “occupied.” As for the second message, that can be neatly summarized in a potential advertising slogan: Iran is open for business!
http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/01/27/europe-woos-iran-as-it-shuns-israel/

Will Israel and the United States Break Up Over Iran?

Advocates of the “first-step” nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the U.S.-led coalition of nations say it has stopped the clock on Iran’s nuclear progress to give diplomacy a chance to roll back the program altogether, thereby denying Iran the ability to become a state on the threshold of achieving a nuclear weapon.
The agreement’s detractors say that the Obama administration has squandered maximum leverage for minimal result, leaving the international coalition with less leverage to compel a comprehensive agreement that truly shuts the door on Iran’s bomb-making potential. Though administration spokespeople have—disgracefully, in my view—attacked the bona fides of critics, reasonable people can disagree on this. I hope the deal’s advocates are right; I have my doubts.

 What is incontestable, however, is that Iran’s march to regional influence continues apace—in Syria, where it is winning a stunning victory in partnership with Hezbollah and Bashar “the Butcher” al-Assad; in Iraq, where its influence is growing in the wake of America’s departure; and even in the Gulf, where some local leaders see the writing on the wall and may be hedging their bets.

 Israel, however, can’t hedge its bet—its relationship with America is too important. To offer the obligatory reminder: Washington and Jerusalem have always had their differences, some truly profound. From 1948 to 1967, America opposed Israel’s expansion beyond the borders envisioned in the U.N. partition resolution. And America has never recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, despite Israel’s repeated requests. At times, the two nations even disagree on the reason for the lack of progress toward peace—is it Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories or the Arabs’ refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish state?

Despite all this, America and Israel have found a way to build a partnership that is the envy of countries around the world. But given the depths of U.S.–Israeli division over Iran, this partnership may face its most severe test in 2014.

 It has been decades (1982) since an Israeli prime minister so directly opposed a diplomatic initiative of the American president. It has been even longer (1956) since an American president stated publicly and emphatically that he, not Israel’s prime minister, knew what was in Israel’s best interests. Looking forward, even President Obama gave no more than 50–50 odds that U.S. diplomats will reach a comprehensive agreement with Iran.

 The alternative would likely be to extend the temporary deal, triggering a deeper crisis with Israel. That could heighten the potential for a unilateral Israeli military attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, with U.S. –Israel ties suffering massive collateral damage. Since Israel needs American support when the dust clears, that might not qualify as the worst of times, but it comes close.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/moment/2014/01/u_s_israel_relations_suffer_over_iran_will_washington_and_tel_aviv_s_special.html

U.S. Warns Against Business With Iran

The Obama administration intensified efforts on Thursday to counter what officials called a misimpression that the six-month nuclear agreement with Iran had opened the door to new economic opportunities with the country, emphasizing that nearly all sanctions remained in force and warning businesses not to engage in any deals still pending after the accord’s July 20 expiration.

 As if to punctuate the administration’s assertion that little had changed, the Treasury Department announced what it described as a landmark $152 million settlement with Clearstream Banking, a Luxembourg-based banking subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Börse securities exchange, for having allowed Iran to bypass sanctions through the use of the company’s access to the American banking system.

 “Today’s action should serve as a clear alert to firms operating in the securities industry that they need to be vigilant with respect to dealings with sanctioned parties,” Adam J. Szubin, director of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which helps to police compliance with American sanctions, said in a statement announcing the settlement.

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/world/middleeast/us-warns-against-business-with-iran.html

Syria peace talks: war of words over Bashar al-Assad's future

Syria's bloody crisis moved no nearer to resolution at the Geneva II peace conference on Wednesday as the Damascus government insisted that Bashar al-Assad would not step down and called western-backed rebels fighting to overthrow him "terrorists" and "traitors to their own people".

 Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, described an "all-encompassing disaster" in Syria but there was little sign in a long day of formal speeches of the constructive action he urged to find a way out of a conflict that has already cost an estimated 130,000 lives, made millions refugees and destabilised the Middle East.

 "Our purpose was to send a message to the two Syrian delegations and to the Syrian people that the world wants an urgent end to the conflict," Ban said in a closing press conference at the talks in Montreux. "Enough is enough, the time has to come to negotiate," Ban said. "We must seize this fragile chance."

 John Kerry, the US secretary of state, spoke of the "extraordinary suffering" in Syria and stated flatly that Assad would have to go: "There is no way the man who has led a brutal response to his own people can regain the legitimacy to govern," he said. "One man and his henchmen can no longer hold an entire nation hostage."
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/22/syria-peace-talks-assad-future

Boehner Calls Putin a Thug

 (Bloomberg) -- House Speaker John Boehner called Russia’s President Vladimir Putin “a thug” and urged the Obama administration to do more to safeguard the interests of the U.S. and its allies in Europe.
Boehner, an Ohio Republican, accused Putin of treating Russia’s neighbors in a “disrespectful way.” The lawmaker said in an interview on NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” that he hasn’t met the Russian leader and doesn’t want to. President Barack Obama “ought to stand up to him and better protect America’s interests and our allies, especially in Eastern Europe,” Boehner said in the interview, which was broadcast overnight in the U.S.

 “I don’t believe that such a high-ranking lawmaker could have said such a thing,” Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said in a telephone interview. Boehner said in the interview that it “may or may not be true” that former government contractor Edward Snowden may have worked with Russia in exposing classified U.S. spying programs, as asserted by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican. “All I can say is that I think Snowden is traitor to the country,” Boehner said. Snowden, who faces theft and espionage charges for leaking classified documents to the press last year, is residing in Russia under temporary asylum.
http://www.sfgate.com/business/bloomberg/article/Boehner-Calls-Putin-a-Thug-Urges-Obama-to-Defend-5171972.php

is 60 Million Abortions a Holocaust?

Washington, D.C., January 22, 2013) -- Since 1973, Americans have had more than 55 million abortions. Unless we change course, the number will soon be 60 million. Consider the horror of that fact. We as a nation will soon have murdered ten times more Americans than the number of Jews that the Nazis killed during the Holocaust. 

 How is this possible? How have we come to this point? The murder of 55 million human beings is a Holocaust. We must call it what it is. We must be honest with the facts, and the implications. This must stop. We must stop it, before it is too late -- before we face implosion, or judgment, or both. What do we think we come of all this?

 Will we not face the judgment of the Almighty God, unless we cry out in true repentance to the Lord? Did we not see the judgment that came upon Germany in World War II, the devastation and destruction? Do we expect to suffer less when our sins are ten times worse?

 I am deeply saddened today by President Obama’s statement praising the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 legalizing abortion.

 “Today, as we reflect on the 41st anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, we recommit ourselves to the decision’s guiding principle: that every woman should be able to make her own choices about her body and her health,” the President stated. “We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to protecting a woman’s access to safe, affordable health care and her constitutional right to privacy, including the right to reproductive freedom. And we resolve to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, support maternal and child health, and continue to build safe and healthy communities for all our children. Because this is a country where everyone deserves the same freedom and opportunities to fulfill their dreams.”

 Mr. President, how is abortion-on-demand a “safe and healthy community for all our children”? Sadly, the President is not alone in his support for protecting the abortion industry. Only half of all Americans believe abortion is “morally wrong” -- between 51 percent and 55 percent, depending on the poll.

 But the truth is quite different: abortion is morally wrong. Abortion is a terrible stain on our nation. Yes, women need to be loved and protected and their rights to liberty and their pursuit of happiness need to be safeguarded. Absolutely. But unborn children need to be loved and protected as well, and their right to life needs to come first. These are the inalienable rights that our Creator has endowed us with, the rights of which our Founders saw as self-evident: the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- in that order. The Scriptures teach us that human life is precious, even before birth. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” King David once prayed to the Lord (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV). How long will the creator and sustainer of life bless the United States rather than judge and punish us when we take the lives of well over one million innocent children every year? Indeed, for this reason alone one has to wonder why God has not allowed the U.S. to implode already. I am so grateful that so many Americans have long been praying for this horrific practice to end. Many Americans have been working tirelessly to change public opinion in favor of life, to persuade pregnant women to bring their children to term and encourage them to consider raising the children themselves or putting them up for adoption, to create legal restrictions against abortion, and eventually support a constitutional amendment banning abortion and protecting the sanctity of every human life, from conception to natural death. As a result, some progress has been made. Some important legislation has been passed. The number of annual abortions has declined somewhat. And this is good. But it is not nearly enough. May America experience a profound change of heart, and soon, before it is too late. In the meantime, may we show unconditional love and mercy and kindness to all who disagree with us. May we show great love and practical kindness and compassion on all who are struggling with unwanted pregnancies, and great gentleness and forgiveness to all who have had abortions and feel haunted and scared and deeply saddened as a result. Let us look with hope to the historic lessons of the First Great Awakening of the early 1700s and the Second Great Awakening of the early 1800s. Let us pray faithfully for a Third Great Awakening. Let us consider the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” That was a promise to ancient Israel. But in that passage the Lord set forth an important principle. If we pray, and fast and humble ourselves, it doesn’t mean that God is obligated to give us a massive spiritual revival to save America. But we can be sure if we don’t pray, and fast, and humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways, then how can we expect the blessing of the Lord at all?
  www.joelrosenberg.com

Global Economy To Improve In 2014 and 2015?

Global economic growth will speed up modestly in 2014 and 2015 compared to last year’s levels, if U.S. monetary policy doesn’t derail emerging economies, according to a United Nations economic report released Monday. The U.N. forecasts global economic growth of 3 percent in 2014 and 3.3 percent in 2015, up from an estimated 2.1 percent in 2013. Economists cited the end of a recession in the euro zone, a U.S. economic recovery, and exaggerated fears of an economic slowdown in China as key drivers of a comforting economic landscape in 2013. But the U.N. economists warned that as the U.S. Federal Reserve unwinds its $85 billion monthly bond purchases, emerging nations may have the most to lose.
 http://www.ibtimes.com/global-economy-improve-2014-2015-united-nations-report-1544341



TERRY BENNETTS TAKE: In December 2001, prophetic minister Terry Bennett was shown a 21-year timeframe, which began in 2008 and will end at the end of 2028. He saw this 21-year period divided into three periods of seven years each with each period having different kinds of shakings. Terry Bennett is founder of Terry Bennett Ministries. The 58-minute audio presentation of his message is provided at the bottom of this post. ECONOMIC SHAKINGS: The first seven-year period will be a time of economic shakings from the start of 2008 until the end of 2014. We have already seen the beginning of these shakings with the 2008 collapse of the housing market. Terry Bennett saw an unprecedented economic downturn would begin in 2011, which came to pass with major market shakings during August and September 2011 caused by the debt crisis in Greece. As Terry Bennett stated, this was only the beginning of the shakings. Since 2011, sovereign debt levels around the world have soared to levels never seen before in history, setting the stage for the next wave of economic shakings, which he saw coming in 2013 and 2014. He saw this next wave will be larger than either of the previous waves. This is consistent with other prophetic warnings of an economic collapse beginning in 2013 (see my previous posts in our Prophecy section).

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL SHAKINGS: Terry Bennett saw the second seven-year period will be a time of shakings in the arena of government and politics beginning at the start of 2015 until the end of 2021. This could be a time when governments are overthrown and taken over through wars and internal conflicts. Established political parties could be shaken and new parties could emerge. Jesus warned us about a time when “nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:7). Jesus also warned us of days coming when “lawlessness is increased and most people’s love will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). These government and political shakings will lay the groundwork for the coming reign of the antichrist, who will arise as a king with answers to difficult problems (Daniel 8:23).

read more: http://z3news.com/w/terry-bennett-21year-prophetic-timeframe-2008-2028/

The West must break Ukraine free from Mr. Putin’s grasp

TO MANY Ukrainians, the calculations of President Viktor Yanukovych might seem baffling. Having triggered a mass protest movement by turning his back on an association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, the president looked like he might outlast the protesters after accepting a massive bailout from Russian President Vladi­mir Putin. Yet now Mr. Yanukovych has managed to revive and intensify the rebellion against him by ramming a series of measures through parliament aimed at outlawing opposition demonstrations. Tens of thousands gathered in the center of Kiev on Sunday, and clashes with police left hundreds injured. Perhaps Mr. Yanukovych has no sense for Ukrainian politics, despite more than a decade of leading one of its major parties. Or perhaps he is following not his own playbook but that of Mr. Putin. The repressive new restrictions, which criminalize such activity as wearing helmets and setting up tents in public spaces, look a lot like the strategy the Russian ruler used to crush mass demonstrations against his regime in 2011 and 2012. Mr. Yanukovych even adopted the regulation Russia imposed on nongovernment groups that receive foreign funding — a product of Mr. Putin’s paranoid conviction that pro-democracy movements in his country and elsewhere are the result of Western government plots.

 Read the rest of the editorial:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-west-must-break-ukraine-free-from-mr-putins-grasp/2014/01/21/400a30aa-82c8-11e3-bbe5-6a2a3141e3a9_story.html

Ukraine Protests Lead to Deaths/ Sochi Threats

KIEV, Ukraine — After two protesters were shot to death during clashes with the police on Wednesday, the first fatalities in Ukraine’s two-month civil uprising, President Viktor F. Yanukovich met with opposition leaders as efforts to defuse the crisis took on new urgency. Even as Mr. Yanukovich met with three Parliament leaders at the presidential headquarters, the violent standoff between demonstrators and the authorities continued, edging Kiev, the capital, toward a state of emergency. Businesses and schools near the conflict zone were told to close, and riot police brought in at least one armored personnel carrier and permitted the use of water cannons even in freezing temperatures.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/world/europe/ukraine-protests.html


The United States and five European countries said Wednesday that they have received messages containing terrorist threats ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, but Russian organizers and the International Olympic Committee are downplaying the threats, describing them as random messages from a member of the public. The U.S., Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia said they received the threats in the form of emails and handwritten letters, according to Reuters. The messages threatened that athletes will be targeted with terrorist attacks at the upcoming games. "We have received the email in question and we have forwarded the message to the appropriate authorities," USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said. "The safety and security of Team USA is our top priority. As is always the case, we are working with the U.S. Department of State, the local organizers and the relevant law enforcement agencies in an effort to ensure that our delegation and other Americans traveling to Sochi are safe."

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/01/22/hungarian-slovenian-olympic-committees-reportedly-receive-sochi-terror-threats/

Peace Talks Open on Syria

Friction and acrimony broke out almost immediately on Wednesday with the start of a long-delayed peace conference on Syria, punctuated by a testy exchange between the Syrian foreign minister and the leader of the United Nations, casting doubt on the prospects for easing hostilities or even opening up emergency aid corridors to help besieged civilians. The conference of delegates representing some 30 countries in the lakeside Swiss city of Montreux, already troubled by last-minute diplomatic stumbles, was described by Secretary of State John Kerry as a test for the international community. But the meeting had barely begun when the atmosphere grew even more charged over divisions between the United States and Russia and especially among the Syrians themselves.

READ MORE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/world/middleeast/syria.html


The bell ran five times during Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem's speech on Wednesday at the opening session of the Syrian peace conference, signaling he had exceeded the time limit. But al-Moallem refused to stop, setting off a tense exchange with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that showed the tensions in trying to resolve Syria's bloody conflict.

 Here's the exchange: http://www.smh.com.au/world/syrias-foreign-minister-clashes-with-un-secretary-general-ban-kimoon-at-peace-conference-20140123-hv9hz.html#ixzz2r9xOWSid

‘Lybia Militants Kill U.S. Teacher For Faith In Christ’

TRIPOLI, LIBYA (BosNewsLife)-- A month after an American teacher was gunned down in Libya friends and family members are convinced that he was killed because of his Christian faith. The body of Ronald Thomas Smith II, who taught chemistry at the International School in the port city of Benghazi, was found December 5, near the residential compound that housed him and other teachers in an upscale neighborhood. He had been at school in the morning but went home to change his clothes and go jogging at midday, said the school's director Adel al-Mansouri. The area is also the site of the U.S. diplomatic mission, where the U.S. Ambassador and three other Americans were killed last year. The 33-year-old teacher, arrived in turbulent Libya eighteen months ago, after serving on staff at the Austin Stone Community Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in the United States. The "much beloved" teacher wanted to be "a blessing to the Libyan people," church leaders said in a statement.

http://www.bosnewslife.com/31629-lybia-militants-kill-u-s-teacher-for-faith-in-christ

While no group claimed responsibility for his death, Christians said Smith’s faith in Christ, and his talking about it among Muslims, seems to be the main was the motive behind the slaying.

Additionally, Islamic militants had demanded the kidnapping of Americans living in Libya.

"Ronnie's greatest desire was for peace and prosperity in Libya and for the people of Libya to have the joy of knowing God through Christ," local church leaders added.

Iran blames U.S. for blocking it from Syria peace talks in Geneva

TEHRAN —Iranian officials on Tuesday blamed the United States for a last-minute decision by the United Nations to bar Tehran’s participation in a peace conference on Syria, and denied that Iran had agreed to preconditions for attending the talks. “The U.S. put pressure on [U.N. Secretary General] Ban Ki-moon, and he was forced to cancel this invitation, which shows this international body is still under the influence of big powers, headed by the U.S.,” said Allaedin Boroujerdi, head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iran’s parliament.

 Ban’s last-minute decision to invite Iran, the primary military backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a key Middle East power broker, infuriated the Syrian opposition and was strongly opposed by U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who personally lobbied the U.N. chief to change his mind. After Ban revoked the invitation on Monday, the main Syrian opposition bloc announced that it would join the long-delayed talks, which are set to begin Wednesday. The United States opposed Iranian participation unless Tehran endorsed ground rules set in 2012, which state that the goal of the peace talks is a transitional government in Syria, established by the mutual consent of the Assad government and political opponents. Ban’s spokesman said the U.N. chief was “deeply disappointed” by statements — made by Iranian officials after the invitation was issued — that Iran would not adhere to that framework. "Given that it has chosen to remain outside that basic understanding, [Ban] has decided that the one-day Montreux gathering will proceed without Iran's participation," Ban spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/iran-blames-us-for-blocking-it-from-syria-peace-talks-in-geneva/2014/01/21/53814508-8276-11e3-a273-6ffd9cf9f4ba_story.html

Sochi forces hunt for 3 potential suicide bombers

SOCHI, Russia — Russian security officials are hunting down three potential female suicide bombers, one of whom is believed to be in Sochi, where the Winter Olympics will begin next month. Police leaflets seen by an Associated Press reporter at a central Sochi hotel on Tuesday contain warnings about three potential suicide bombers. A police letter said that one of them, Ruzanna Ibragimova, a 22-year-old widow of an Islamic militant, was at large in Sochi.

 “We know some of them got through the perimeter,” Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, told The Associated Press. “She’s for real. What we don’t know is how many more black widows are out there.” Russian authorities have blamed the so-called “black widows” of slain insurgents for previous suicide attacks in the country.

 The Black Sea resort town will host the games amid concerns about security and potential terrorist attacks. The southern city of Volgograd was rocked by two suicide bombings in late December, which killed 34 and injured scores more. An Islamic militant group in Dagestan posted a video on Sunday claiming responsibility for the bombings and threatened to strike the games in Sochi, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) west of Dagestan.

 McCaul, a Republican from Texas, said he had numerous meetings with officials in Moscow and Sochi, and was briefed by the joint operation center in Sochi, which is responsible for overall security in the area. “The one improvement I would ask of the Russians is to allow our intelligence services to coordinate and cooperate better with theirs,” McCaul said. Although the Russian side was confident that it could provide security, the U.S. has information that could help keep the games safe, he said. The congressman also expressed concern that terrorists could have gotten into Sochi before security was tightened.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/sochi-forces-hunt-for-potential-suicide-bombers/2014/01/21/e14be444-8279-11e3-a273-6ffd9cf9f4ba_story.html

Olympic terror fears mount despite Putin's assurances

New terror threats. U.S. warships on standby. Warnings from U.S. lawmakers that the security dangers are “real.” As concerns mount over next month’s Olympic Games, Russian President Vladimir Putin is insisting he’s got things under control. With some 40,000 cops deployed inside the 1,500-mile so-called “Ring of Steel,” Putin has so far brushed aside offers from other nations to assist in ensuring the safety of athletes and spectators at the games, in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi. But with those nations, including the U.S., sending their own people to the games, they have nearly as big a stake in safety as Putin. The Pentagon confirmed late Monday that the U.S. military will have two ships and other assets at the ready. The Pentagon maintains that no aircraft are being sent to the region, contrary to an earlier report.

Fears mounted Monday, after news broke of four possible “black widows” -- women whose jihadist husbands have died in the fight between the Muslims of the North Caucasus and Russia -- who might be planning suicide bomb attacks. That followed a video released by an extremist group in which two men claimed credit for last month’s twin attacks in Volgograd, which left 34 people dead.

"We've prepared a present for you and all tourists who'll come over," the men in the video warned. "If you will hold the Olympics, you'll get a present from us for the Muslim blood that's been spilled."

Putin has responded to the concerns of U.S. lawmakers by assuring his country will “do whatever it takes” to protect athletes and visitors. With the eyes of the world on him, the Russian president is keen to show how far the nation has come since the breakup of the old Soviet Union, yet he desperately wants to avert any large-scale attack that would put people's lives at risk and reveal deadly divisions within Russia. He said he is implementing security measures that "don't jump out at you, are not in your face and don't put pressure on the athletes, visitors or reporters."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/21/olympic-fears-mount-despite-putin-assurances/?intcmp=latestnews

Hotels warned about terror suspect

Police in Sochi have handed out fliers at area hotels warning of a woman they believe could be a terrorist and who may currently be in the city.

One flier, obtained by CNN, asks workers to be on the lookout for Ruzanna "Salima" Ibragimova, described as the widow of a member of a militant group from the Caucasus region.

The woman, according to the flier, may be involved in organizing "a terrorist act within the 2014 Olympic region."

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/20/politics/sochi-security/

What is the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act?

(CNN) -- As American and Iranian negotiators prepare to implement their historic interim nuclear deal, a handful of hawkish lawmakers are on the cusp of destroying the last remaining pathway to peace. This month, Sens. Robert Menendez, Charles Schumer and Mark Kirk introduced ill-timed legislation -- the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013 -- that would implement new Iran sanctions in clear violation of the recently brokered Geneva agreement. Calling such actions in Washington "a major setback," Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif used the opportunity to send a clear message to his Western audience: "It shows a lack of understanding of how to proceed in order to resolve the nuclear issue. Some people are wedded to the idea that pressure will produce results. They are wrong. Pressure has produced 18,000 centrifuges in Iran. So if they want to continue that road -- it is open to them, but it doesn't produce any results."
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/31/opinion/marashi-parsi-iran-peace/

Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act

The following bill, calling for potential sanctions on Iran, was introduced by 26 senators.

Read the entire bill here:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/interactive/2013/12/19/nuclear-weapon-free-iran-act/

Modern day Gog and Magog

Similarities between Ezekiel's prophecies, today's Mideast reality uncanny



Ines Ehrlich Published: 12.10.06, 21:46 /

Israel Opinion Tweet

 Current world events are beginning to increasingly resemble the 2,500 year old bible prophecy made by Ezekiel in chapters 38-39. Ezekiel foresaw the rise of Russia (or Turkey, depending on the interpretation) in a coalition with Iran and other Middle Eastern countries (Sudan, Ethiopia and Libya). The coalition is foretold to attack Israel from the north in a bid to destroy it during the earth's "last days," commonly known as the "war of Gog and Magog." Throughout history it was thought that the prophecy had been put on hold, until perhaps today when it seems frighteningly more feasible. In Joel C. Rosenberg's book "The Ezekiel Option," the author points to Ezekiel's prophecies in chapters 36-37, which have largely come true. Rosenberg then asks the obvious question: If prophecies such as "the rebirth of the State of Israel, the return of the Jews to the Holy Land after centuries in exile, the re-blossoming of desolate desert land to produce abundant food, fruit and foliage, and the creation of an exceedingly great army" materialized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, then why shouldn't the next prophecies come true in our lifetime? Let's try and place the biblical names and locations into today's reality, and see the parallel unfolding of events:

Click here: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3338175,00.html

Iranian President Reaches Out to Christians-Leaders Reject 'Hollow Words'

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reached out to Christians over the Christmas holiday in three visible ways. But Christian leaders have denounced his "hollow words." In a Christmas statement, Rouhani "wished a new year full of cooperation, peace, security and tranquility for the Christians," Fars News reported. He also reached out to Christians through his Twitter account, proclaiming, "May Jesus Christ, Prophet of love & peace, bless us all on this day. Wishing Merry #Christmas to those celebrating, esp Iranian Christians."

 But some were wary of his seemingly friendly words especially as Christians, including Iranian American Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, continue to be persecuted. "The words of President Hassan Rouhani ring very hollow in the light of the continuing arrest, sentencing and imprisonment of Christians in Iran,"

 Jerry Dykstra, director of media relations for Open Doors USA, told The Christian Post on Thursday. Dykstra insisted on Rouhani's falseness. "If he truly wants to walk the talk, he would release the reportedly dozens of Christians languishing in terrible conditions in Iranian prisons, especially releasing them during the Christmas season," the Christian representative declared. "Iran is ranked No. 8 on the 2013 World Watch List of the worst persecutors of Christians and I don't expect that ranking to change much when the new list comes out on Jan. 8, 2014."

More of this story: http://www.christianpost.com/news/for-lillian-iranian-president-hassan-rouhani-reaches-out-to-christians-leaders-attack-hollow-words-111548/

U.S. relations with Russia face critical tests in 2014

MOSCOW — With mutual trust all but gone, the United States and Russia enter a new year full of challenges that will test whether the world’s nuclear giants can salvage their relationship. The Winter Olympics, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the case of former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, turmoil in Ukraine and Syria, and the uncharted consequences of the shale gas boom all threaten to bring new difficulties and irritants. Things were supposed to be easier by now.

 Five years ago this month, the Obama administration took office vowing to repair Washington’s tattered relations with Moscow. In a burst of optimism, it set about cultivating a productive relationship with Russia’s relatively new and seemingly forward-looking president, Dmitry Medvedev. That plan hasn’t worked out. The White House hadn’t counted on the determination of Medvedev’s patron and successor, Vladimir Putin, to turn Russia sharply away from integration with the West.

 Today, President Obama’s approach — the much-vaunted “reset’’ — has fizzled, unable to deliver on its promise to build new trust between the two countries. What went wrong? After a 2013 in which the extent of the breach became clear, each country freely blames the other. Moscow says Washington doesn’t heed its opinions — most recently about Ukraine — and violated the spirit of the new relationship by interfering in Russian politics. Washington denies that and points to a steady stream of anti-American pronouncements and actions by Putin’s government.

 The White House insists that it hasn’t given up on Russia, but there is only so much time and attention it can devote to low-reward relationships. Putin, on the other hand, appears to discern a threat in nearly everything the United States does, and it is clear that the collapse of the reset has left little momentum for further cooperation. The two countries do, in fact, continue to work together on Afghanistan, on space travel, on nuclear security and terrorism, to some extent on Iran and recently even on Syria. Yet there is no agenda on nuclear arms, or Europe’s future or Asia’s, or global energy policy or the Arctic.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/us-relations-with-russia-face-critical-tests-in-2014-as-putin-obama-fail-to-fulfill-expectations/2014/01/02/a46c880c-4562-11e3-95a9-3f15b5618ba8_story.html

Op-Ed: 20 Threats Made by Iran Against Israel in 2013

In 2008, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs published its first in-depth study of the Iranian leadership’s views on Israel and Jews. At the time, much of the debate on the subject was focused on then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s statement that Israel should be “wiped off the map.” A controversy arose over whether he indeed made this remark or was mistranslated, as some academics suggested. In fact, Ahmadinejad was articulating what has long been, and remains, common parlance in Iran. In 2012, the Jerusalem Center published a collection of Iranian leaders’ statements from 2009-2012. The study proved that anti-Israel incitement was never confined to Ahmadinejad, who in any event is no longer in power. The entire Iranian leadership, which takes its cues from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his predecessor, the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, yearns for the day when Israel will be destroyed. This powerful circle includes senior clerics, top Revolutionary Guard commanders, and army officers.

Read this lengthy buy very informative article. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/14336#.UscF39JDuE4

Israel-Missile Threats and Tests

Israel tests Arrow missile shield, eyes Syria, Iran

Israel successfully tested its upgraded Arrow ballistic missile interceptor for the second time on Friday, pushing forward work on a U.S.-backed defence against threats seen from Iran, Syria and Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas. One of several elements of Israel's still-developing defence against missile attacks, Arrow III is designed to deploy kamikaze satellites - known as "kill vehicles" - that track and slam into ballistic missiles above the earth's atmosphere, high enough to safely disintegrate any chemical, biological or nuclear warheads. Iran and Syria have long had such missiles, and Israel believes some are also now held by their ally Hezbollah, another knock-on effect of Syria's civil war. Friday's launch of an Arrow III interceptor missile over the Mediterranean sea was the second flight of the system, but did not involve the interception of any target, Israeli defence officials said. Israel deployed the previous version, Arrow II, more than a decade ago and says it has scored around a 90 percent success rate in live trials.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/03/arms-israel-arrow-idUSL6N0KD0T020140103

Hezbollah Upgrades Missile Threat to Israel

U.S. officials believe members of Hezbollah, the militant group backed by Iran, are smuggling advanced guided-missile systems into Lebanon from Syria piece by piece to evade a secretive Israeli air campaign designed to stop them. The moves illustrate how both Hezbollah and Israel are using Syria's civil war as cover for what increasingly is seen as a complex and high-stakes race to prepare for another potential conflict—their own—in ways that could alter the region's military balance.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304361604579290613920542386