Apr. 11, 2017 |
BLOOMBERG
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. wasn’t interested in “regime change” in North Korea as American warships were diverted to waters near the country amid heightened tensions over its nuclear weapons program.
South Korean presidential hopeful Moon Jae-in told a local newspaper that he would deal with North Korea’s nuclear ambitions through direct talks with dictator Kim Jong Un.
Fighting terrorism must involve preventing Muslim communities from imposing their way of life in France and requires more than just repression, presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said on Monday. “A multicultural society is a multiconflict society,” she said
The Reserve Bank of India is proposing Asia’s third-largest economy offer licenses to private companies to set up infrastructure banks. That could help finance $1.5 trillion in roads, ports, power and other projects over the next 10 years and bridge a gap that ratings agency Standard & Poor’s says is shaving off almost 5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.
The world’s top global economic organizations urged nations to consider policies that would cushion the blow to workers of trade shocks, such as by compensating employees for lost wages.
BMW, Ford and Jaguar Land Rover are among the winners of $136 million from the U.K. for the development of low-carbon vehicles and driverless cars.
United Continental Holdings Inc. fell early Tuesday as outrage on social media over a passenger’s forcible removal from a flight spread across the globe.
Toshiba, the 142-year-old conglomerate, warned it may not continue as a going concern as it grapples with billions of dollars in losses from its Westinghouse Electric nuclear business.
Gold and Treasuries strengthened with the Japanese yen on lingering investor concern about global security risks and the path of U.S. interest rates.
Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc. surpassed General Motors to become America’s most valuable carmaker, eclipsing a company whose well-being was once viewed as interdependent with the nation’s.
Last week’s mass sarin attack in Syria, as well as February’s assassination of North Korea’s Kim Jong Nam with VX poison, served as grim reminders that the threat hasn’t gone away. The standard therapy for both of those poisons is the same three-drug cocktail that’s been available since the 1990s. Now the first new nerve gas treatment developed through Project BioShield is at the final stages of a long testing and approval process.
AP Top Stories
An earthquake measuring 6.1 magnitude struck in the ocean off the southeast of the Philippines on Monday,. There were no immediate reports of damage.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley resigned rather than face impeachment and pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor campaign violations that arose during an investigation of his alleged affair with a top aide.
Top Trump administration officials are warning that Russia could be held accountable for the Syrian government’s chemical attacks against its own civilians – with the U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley accusing the Kremlin of “covering up” for Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The American show of force is being met with a defiant vow from North Korea to boost its defenses. North Korea says the U.S. airstrikes on Syria is justification for its arsenal.
An Illinois judge was shot multiple times and killed outside his Chicago home on Monday morning and a woman was injured in the incident, police said.
Efforts to confront a heroin problem in Central Florida have gone viral after a local police department released a commercial featuring officers dressed in gear that resembled that if the Islamic State group. The new anti-drug ad from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office includes the department’s top officer delivering a stern message to drug dealers while he is flanked by ski mask-clad officers, similar to many of videos that have been released by ISIS over the years.
On Monday, CIA hackers were outed by an American security firm who linked their work to recent WikiLeaks dumps. And over the weekend, a shadowy group of hackers calling themselves the Shadow Brokers spilled NSA hacking tools onto the internet.
An apparent murder-suicide inside an elementary school classroom in San Bernardino, CA left two adults dead, including a teacher, and two students wounded, police and school officials said.
A 3,800-year-old pyramid found with an alabaster block bearing the name of pharaoh Ameny Qemau has been discovered at the site of Dahshur in Egypt.
BBC
G7 nations have failed to agree on a proposal by Britain for sanctions against Russia in the wake of a deadly chemical attack they say was carried out by Moscow’s ally, Syria.
Africans trying to reach Europe are being sold by their captors in “slave markets” in Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.
An investigation into Donald Trump’s pledges to charitable causes during the presidential election campaign has won a Pulitzer Prize. Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold’s articles “created a model for transparent journalism” and cast doubt on Mr. Trump’s assertions of generosity, the Pulitzer board said.
The Trump administration plans to sell military planes to Nigeria despite concerns over rights abuses and a botched air strike that killed scores of civilians in January, US media said.
WND
A Yale School of Medicine research fellow is under fire for promoting “pure evil” after calling for American doctors to prescribe puberty-blocking hormones to young children who identify as transgender.
New York will be the only state in the country to cover four-year public college tuition for residents after the program was included in the budget package approved Sunday night. The state’s Excelsior Scholarship program will start with full coverage of four-year college tuition this fall for students whose families make less than $100,000.
Top News – 4/11/2017
MIT Press Publishes ‘Communism for Kids’ Book
Communism for Kids, written by a German author who specializes in political theory and “queer politics,” was released last month. The thesis of the children’s book is that communism is “not that hard,” but has not been implemented in the right way.
A 1,389 Year-Old ‘Phobia’?
A direct correlation exists between Western ignorance of history and Western ignorance of Islam’s “troublesome” doctrines. It is this connection that allows Islam’s apologists to get away with so many distortions and outright lies meant to shield Islam.
Solar eclipse across U.S. called ‘a sign from God’
Pastor Mark Biltz, the man who discovered the “Blood Moons” phenomenon and a Christian who urges careful attention to heavenly signs, suggests it may be something that needs more attention. Such as a direct warning to the United States.
Tillerson: Russia must choose between US and West or Assad, Iran and Hezbollah
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday that Russia must choose between the United States and like-minded western countries or Syrian President Bashar Assad, Iran and Hezbollah. “It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end,” he told reporters at a meeting of Group of Seven foreign ministers shortly before leaving for Moscow.
The New York Times is Promoting Child Abuse
On Sunday, The New York Times published an opinion piece called Hannah Is a Girl. Doctors Finally Treat Her Like One. The author is a research fellow named Jack Turban who works at the Yale School of Medicine. It is downright revolting to hear someone in the medical community approve and promote transgenderism among children. Ten years ago most doctors would have called this malpractice. New data has now made it the protocol for thousands of American children.
Monitor says Syrian forces use barrel bombs despite US warning
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian government warplanes dropped barrel bombs on rebel-held areas of Hama province on Tuesday, a day after the United States said their use could lead to further US strikes in Syria. A Syrian military source denied the Observatory report and said the army did not use barrel bombs – drums or cylinders packed with explosives and shrapnel that cause indiscriminate destruction on the ground.
Iran envoy to Jordan summoned after Tehran calls king’s statement ‘foolish and irresponsible’
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry on Monday demanded that Iran’s ambassador to Amman explain comments attributed to the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Ministry after a spokesperson described a statement from King Abdullah II of Jordan as “foolish and irresponsible.” In an interview published by The Washington Post on April 6, Abdullah said that Iran has created “strategic problems” in the Middle East, while noting that Tehran is attempting to “forge a geographic link between…Iraq, Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon.”
Syria war: Russian officers ‘could face sanctions’
G7 foreign ministers will attempt to agree a common position on the Syrian conflict, before the US secretary of state flies to Russia to try to persuade it to abandon its Syrian ally. Rex Tillerson will also meet officials from allied Middle Eastern countries before heading to Moscow. The UK has suggested threatening tightly focused sanctions on Russian and Syrian military officers.
North Korea lashes out at US Navy strike group move
North Korea has said it will defend itself “by powerful force of arms” in response to the US deployment of a Navy strike group to the Korean peninsula. The foreign ministry, quoted by state news agency KCNA, said the deployment showed “reckless moves for invading” had “reached a serious phase”. The US Pacific Command says it is aimed at maintaining readiness in the region.
France migrants: Huge fire guts Grande-Synthe Dunkirk camp
A camp housing 1,500 migrants in northern France has been destroyed in a fire that officials said began during a fight between Afghans and Kurds. At least 10 people were injured when the fire tore through closely-packed huts at the Grande-Synthe camp, near the port of Dunkirk. Last month officials said the camp would be dismantled because of unrest.
Blast rocks mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir in Turkey
A large explosion has struck a police headquarters in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir in south-eastern Turkey. Reports speak of at least four people injured. The city is at the heart of the conflict between the Turkish government and Kurdish separatists. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the blast happened while vehicles were being repaired. The cause is not clear.
Microsoft patches serious Word bug ‘targeted by scammers’
A bug in Word apparently targeted by scammers trying to steal banking logins will be patched, Microsoft has said. The previously undetected, or “zero-day”, vulnerability had been reported over the weekend. Then, on 10 April, cybersecurity firm Proofpoint announced it had discovered an email campaign targeting the bug that aimed to distributed Dridex malware.
U.S. lawmakers raise doubts on sale of smart bombs to Saudi Arabia
A group of U.S. lawmakers said on Monday they had requested more information from President Donald Trump’s administration about the potential sale of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, expressing concern about civilian casualties in Riyadh’s campaign in Yemen that delayed the deal last year. Thirty mostly Democratic lawmakers signed the letter to U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, citing expectations that the administration plans to go ahead with the sale.
White House Reveals New “Red Lines”: Assad’s Use Of Barrell Bombs Could Lead To More Strikes
In a surprising statement by White House spokesman Sean Spicer, Donald Trump is allegedly open to authorizing additional strikes on Syria if its government uses something as mundane as barrel bombs in the country, a weapon that has seen constant use during the 6 year Syrian civil war.
Ex-CIA Agent: The Official Story of Syria Govt “Gassing Innocent Civilians is a Sham
President Donald Trump’s fraught and highly illegal attack on Syria this week in retaliation for an equally disputed chemical ‘attack,’ in which as many as 86 people perished at the alleged hands of the Syrian Arab Army on the literal eve of peace talks is being criticized by experts and cagey politicians at every level of government — including former CIA officer Philip Giraldi.
Report: China Sends 150,000 Troops to North Korean Border
Stocks were cautiously higher before Monday’s open amid geopolitical pressures and jitters ahead of Q1 earnings from the country’s largest banks. As the morning progressed, the averages gained altitude before running into a wall of resistance that was exacerbated by reports of troop deployments on the Chinese border with North Korea by a Korean news agency.
Rep. Gabbard under fire after refusing to accept ‘Assad did chemical attack’ without proof
Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has provoked a backlash from senior Democrats after refusing to take Syrian President Bashar Assad’s complicity in the Idlib chemical attack at face value and demanding proof.
Fmr UK Ambassador: ‘Trump Has Just Given Jihadis a Thousand Reasons to Stage Fake Flag Operations
Former British Ambassador to Syria, Peter Ford, told the BBC on Friday chemical weapons are now “more likely” to be used in Syria because jihadis know a “fake flag” attack will trigger the US to attack Assad.
Not Prepared: Will Most Americans Be Absolutely Blindsided By Multiple Wars And Economic Collapse?
According to CBS News, an astounding three-fourths of all Americans have to “scramble to cover their living costs” each month. In other words, most of the country is either living paycheck to paycheck or very close to it. But instead of tightening their belts and trying to put something away for the very hard times that are coming, most Americans are completely and utterly unprepared for what is ahead because the people that they trust on television keep telling them that everything is going to be okay.
The Briefing 04-11-17
“Evil” and modernity: Horrors like Syrian chemical attacks force secularists to ponder reality of evil
- NPR (Scott Simon) — A Meditation On ‘Evil’
- New York Times (Justin McBrayer) — Why Our Children Don’t Think There Are Moral Facts
“Christianity is literally dying in Europe”: What birth trends tell us about future of global religion
- Pew Research Center — The Changing Global Religious Landscape
- Wall Street Journal (Ian Lovett) — Muslim Births Expected to Outpace Christian Births Within 20 Years
Secular humanist clergy? The religion-shaped movement for the non-religious
- Washington Post (Julie Zauzmer) — Clergy who don’t believe in organized religion? Humanists think 2017 is their time to grow.
- Get Religion (Mark Kellner) — Happily God-less clergy say this time, it really is their year; Washington Post uncritically says, ‘Amen’
The post The Briefing 04-11-17 appeared first on AlbertMohler.com.
ON THE BRINK: Gen. McMaster Confirms President Trump Has Ordered Strike On North Korea
President Trump has ordered his military advisers to be ready with a list of options to smash North Korea’s nuclear threat.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Matthew 24:6 (KJV)
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you have not been following the news for the past few days, you are way behind. Over the past 72 hours, the United States carried out a cruise missile strike on Syria because of their chemical attack on their own civilians. Shortly after that, both Russia and Iran stood up to declare that “real war” was coming. Then today China moved 150,000 troops to the North Korean border. Why? Because President Trump has declared that the nuclear buildup happening in North Korea will be addressed shortly. The powder keg is fully packed, with the fuse dangling prominently upward. All it needs is the match. Are YOU ready for what comes next?
One of the advisers, Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster, confirmed his Commander-in-Chief has made the order as a U.S. carrier strike group heads for the region. It is believed that among the options are combined special forces raids and pre-emptive missile strikes.
One of the problems facing an American-led operation to hit Pyongyang’s leader Kim Jong-Un is the intricate tunnel network under the capital.
McMaster: Trump Has Asked For ‘Full Range Of Options To Remove’ North Korean Threat To U.S., Allies
War-planners have had difficulty mapping out the subterranean complex and believe there are hundreds of underground artillery and airplane sites.
McMaster described the decision to redeploy the USS Carl Vinson to the Sea of Japan as ‘prudent’ given North Korea’s ‘pattern of provocative behavior.’ Speaking to Fox News, McMaster said: “It’s prudent to do it, isn’t it?
Jim Mattis warns North Korea over nuclear attack
“Presidents before and President Trump agreed that that is unacceptable, that what must happen is the denuclearization of the peninsula.
“The president has asked us to be prepared to give us a full range of options to remove that threat.”
The news comes after Trump launched cruise missiles against Assad in Syria last week, the first time the US has directly targeted the regime during the conflict. North Korea denounced Trump’s attack as an act of ‘intolerable aggression’ and one that justified ‘a million times over’ its push toward a nuclear deterrent. source
China Moves 150,000 Troops To North Korea Border In Event Of Pre-Emptive Strike By United States
While the catalyst is unclear, it appears the market dropped as headlines of further sanctions against Russia appeared and reports of China deploying 150,000 troops to its North Korea border.
According to Korean news agency Chosun, the “Chinese army has deployed about 150,000 troops to the North Korean border in two groups to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.” The reason: the prospect of “military options”, such as preemptive attacks on North Korea, like the one the United States launched on Syria.
Translated into English via Google Translate:
As the United States announced its independent North Korean behavior and moved the United States Navy’s nuclear-powered Calvinus (CVN-70) carrier class to Singapore, the Chinese army has deployed about 150,000 troops in two groups to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.
“The report said. It is because of the prospect of taking “military options”, such as preemptive attacks on North Korea, just as the United States has launched an air raid on Syria.
Japan’s Sankei Shimbun reported on the 9th that the Syrian missile strike in the United States shocked China, suggesting that the People’s Liberation Army forces are moving toward the Yalu River, .
The newspaper said the video was also broadcast on the Internet, but the authorities removed the relevant information, saying the move was a medical and aft support unit for the Shenyang bulb (the northern light bulb).
There is an observation that medical and back-up support units will be dispatched to “train for North Korean refugees,” the newspaper added.
On the same day, the Northern Bulb of China’s Tohoku District Defense Command issued the orders for full-scale pre-emptive orders to all the submarine and submarine units on the same day, while the 16th, 23, 39, and 40th group troops in the North Korean border area.
These media assume that the Kiryuolbun and the eagle training of the two countries will end the month of this month when the emergency situation on the Korean peninsula is eradicated and Kim Jong Eun and the North Korean leadership are removed and the weapons of mass destruction of North Korea are destroyed. And that he took the same action.
The core units that respond immediately to the drastic changes in North Korea are the 39th group and the 40th group, each of which has its headquarters in Yingkou and Jinzhou in Liaoning Province. The 39th group is a heavy army mechanized unit and the 40th group is the rapid reaction group. (translated from South Korean site chosun.com)
SHOCK CLAIM: Putin Now Says That Syrian Chemical Attack Was False Flag Staged By United States
At a Tuesday press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed last week’s chemical weapons attack in the Idlib province of Syria was a “false flag” – a phony operation staged by enemies of Russia and Syria to discredit them. He said more such false flag operations were on the way.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are taking notes, please mark down that today, April 11, 2017, is the day that conspiracy theory and real world global news and events have officially merged. The idea of ‘false flag’ events has long been the realm of conspiracy jockeys like Alex Jones and others, but it is not without merit. There is plenty of evidence of false flag events, most notably the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the sinking of the Lusitania, and more recently the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11. But the idea that Vladimir Putin would take the narrative to this degree is actually shocking, considering that the New World Order is not usually this candid. Things are about to get crazy. Really crazy.
“We have reports from multiple sources that false flags like this one – and I cannot call it otherwise – are being prepared in other parts of Syria, including the southern suburbs of Damascus. They plan to plant some chemical there and accuse the Syrian government of an attack,” said Putin, as reported by Russia’s RT.com.
“President Mattarella and I discussed it, and I told him that this reminds me strongly of the events in 2003, when the US representatives demonstrated at the UN Security Council session the presumed chemical weapons found in Iraq,” Putin continued, referring to Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who appeared with him at the press conference in Moscow.
BREAKING: Idlib ‘chemical attack’ was a false flag, more false flags to come!
“The military campaign was subsequently launched in Iraq and it ended with the devastation of the country, the growth of the terrorist threat and the appearance of Islamic State [IS, formerly ISIS] on the world stage,” Putin declared.
According to RT.com, the Russian General Staff has prepared a report that claims “militants” among the Syrian rebellion are “transporting toxic agents into several parts of Syria.”
“These actions are aimed at creating a new pretext for accusing the government of Syria of more chemical weapons attacks and provoking more strikes by the US,” said Colonel-General Sergey Rudskoy, head of operations for the General Staff.
Conspiracy Theory abounds on the Armed Services Committee:
The Associated Press reports that Russia’s General Staff has expressed a willingness to allow international inspectors to examine the Sharyat airbase in Syria for traces of chemical weapons, and offered to provide military security for the inspectors. Putin said he would appeal to the United Nations to investigate the incident.
The UK Independent reports that Putin more specifically accused the United States of planning to drop chemical weapons on Damascus and then blame the incident on Assad, although it does not provide a translation of the Russian president’s precise words to that effect.
On Monday, Russia and Iran declared the United States “crossed red lines” by attacking Sharyat airbase, borrowing a phrase made infamous by former President Barack Obama. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has accused the Russians of either being “complicit” in the Syrian chemical weapons deployment, or “incompetent” for allowing it to happen. The Pentagon is investigating the possibility that Russia actually participated in the chemical weapons attack, and/or the bombing of a hospital where victims were receiving treatment afterward. source
Trump Must Designate Muslim Brotherhood to Defeat Radical Islam | Smith at National Review Online
by Clifford Smith
National Review Online
April 6, 2017
http://www.meforum.org/6632/trump-must-designate-muslim-brotherhood-to-defeat
Originally published under the title “Sisi, Trump, and the Politics of Designating the Muslim Brotherhood.”
 President Trump must designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization to win the fight against radical Islam. |
Hopes that the Trump administration will designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization have hit rough waters, with anonymous officials citing concerns about diplomatic blowback and frayed relationships with Muslims at home and abroad. The leaks came on the eve of a historic visit to Washington by Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a key Arab ally and devoted Muslim who is locked in a life-or-death struggle with the Brotherhood.
The irony is hard to miss, particularly given that Egypt and several other Arab countries have already designated the Brotherhood a terrorist organization.
Whatever the truth behind the leaks, they underscore that the inside-the-Beltway conventional wisdom — that the Brotherhood is “moderate” and so popular that designation would be seen as “a declaration of war against . . . Islam itself” — will not die as easily as many hoped.
This thinking is rooted in a failure to understand the difference between Islamists — a sizable but distinct minority of Muslims who adhere to a radical utopian ideology — and the majority of Muslims, among whom are found friends and allies. President el-Sisi, who has publicly called out extremism to clerics in Egypt, understands this. After all, Egypt is not the only state in which the Brotherhood engaged in attempts to kill its way to power. It did the same in Syria in the early 1980s.
Despite the Brotherhood’s long history of bloodshed, claims that it is “moderate,” or opposes violence, are still prominent. While above-ground Brotherhood organizations use peaceful means when effective, they are “prepared to countenance violence . . . where gradualism is ineffective,” as a 2015 report by the British government noted with significant understatement.
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Claims that designation will complicate U.S. relationships with certain Arab allies are overblown. |
Claims that designation will complicate U.S. relationships with certain Arab allies are overblown. While it is true that some allies, such as Jordan, have Muslim Brotherhood–affiliated parties represented in their parliaments, this is easy enough to finesse. Members of Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, have long served in Lebanon’s parliament, but American diplomats manage to avoid contact with them and still do business with the Lebanese.
Moreover, failure to designate the Brotherhood complicates some alliances. The Egyptian public has grown deeply suspicious of the U.S. government precisely because under Obama the U.S. came to be seen as overly sympathetic to the Brotherhood. When Senator Ted Cruz introduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terror Designation Act, many Egyptians saw it as a sign the U.S. may be waking from its long slumber. A tweet introducing the bill was the subject of a segment by popular Egyptian talk-show host Amr Adib and was retweeted 17,000+ times.
Domestically, in the wake of Trump’s admittedly troubling comments suggesting a “Muslim ban” during his presidential campaign last year, some fear that designation will fuel anti-Muslim bigotry and pave the way for “a legal assault on the institutions of American Muslim life.” After all, several organizations claiming to represent U.S. Muslims, particularly the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR), have deep Muslim Brotherhood ties.
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Groups like CAIR aren’t ‘institutions of American Muslim life’ – they’re just pretending to be. |
But groups such as CAIR are hardly “institutions of American Muslim life” — they’re just pretending to be. A 2011 Gallup poll found support for CAIR among U.S. Muslims to be just under 12 percent. Britain’s inquiry into the Brotherhood found that its activists in the U.K. “appear to be unable to generate any grassroots support.”
Frankly, however, if public support for CAIR were higher, that would be all the more reason to be concerned. Notwithstanding its carefully crafted public image, CAIR was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007–09 Holy Land Foundation terror-finance case, and was blacklisted by the FBI as a result. Unfortunately, the Obama administration failed to aggressively continue an FBI investigation into CAIR after it conspired to fund terrorist-designated organization Hamas, the Palestinian wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. Indeed, the United Arab Emirates has declared CAIR itself a terrorist organization.
Trump’s rhetorical excesses cannot be understood without recalling the Obama administration’s refusal to name the problem. Using euphemisms such as “violent extremism” and feigning puzzlement as to the motives of obvious jihadists made the administration’s rhetoric concerning terrorism a national joke. In both the U.S. and Europe, when elites insist that voters must believe them, rather than their own “lying eyes,” the voters turn sharply in the opposite direction.
| Trump should follow up designating the Brotherhood by forming a commission on radical Islam. |
The cure for Trump’s rhetorical excesses is increased security, not denial.
Trump laid out a number of smart proposals on radical Islam during his campaign. His administration should now use President el-Sisi’s visit to move forward with these ideas.
In particular, it should follow up designation of the Brotherhood with the formation of a congressionally authorized commission on radical Islam tasked with developing a strategy for winning the war against Islamic extremists and explaining the threat of Islamism to the American people. Both are badly needed. Wrongheaded conventional wisdom won’t keep Americans, or our Muslim allies, safe.
Clifford Smith is director of the Middle East Forum’s Washington Project.
Schools Forcing Islamic Lessons on All Students
In a Unified School District, all public school students will be forced to endure religious classes about Islam while Muslim students are protected from bullying with designated safe spaces.
Wars And Rumours Of Wars – Foreign Sub Off The CA Coast And China Massing Troops
According to Korean news agency Chosun, the “Chinese army has deployed about 150,000 troops to the North Korean border to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.”
The reason: the prospect of “military options”, such as preemptive attacks on North Korea, like the one the United States launched on Syria.
Congressman Ken Buck’s ‘Drain the Swamp: How Washington Corruption is Worse Than You Think’
The real partisanship in Washington isn’t between political parties or about political principle; it is within parties, where leaders punish members who don’t play the game. In Congress, the consensus has been, it’s better to sink the nation with debt than rock the boat with reform. If we’re going to drain the swamp, we need to change that.
Syrian Survivor Thanks Trump on CNN – Not What She Wanted to Hear
Syrian attack survivor thanks Donald Trump; says Syrians want to stay in Syria in a “safe zone”, not come to America. CNN host squirms.
‘I Have Deep Regrets’: Graphic Artist Who Designed ‘Shack’ Novel Renounces Book
The graphic artist who helped design the controversial best-selling novel “The Shack” has come forward to express his regret for being a part of the project out of his concern that it contains false doctrine.
Why Do Leftists Hate America?
Trump is swiftly dismantling many of Obama’s anti-America agenda items.
It dawned on me: this guy is simply implementing commonsense policies in the best interest of America and her citizens who elected him. So why is the American left responding with such unprecedented vitriol and bold, treasonous obstructionism? The simple answer is that leftists hate America and her biblical values.
CLIFF KINCAID — The mainstream media have not challenged the claim that chemical weapons were used by Syrian and/or Russian forces. Hence, they have been forced to explain how they were used when Obama officials previously claimed they had been removed from Syria. It’s another new low for a press corps that was eager to regurgitate whatever the Obama administration had claimed as a success in foreign policy…. (more)
WASHINGTON TIMES — The Supreme Court still has 13 cases it will hear this term, including a significant religious liberty case looming next week. This gives newly minted Justice Neil Gorsuch a chance to make his mark…. (more)
NEWSMAX — National Security Advisor Gen. H.R. McMaster on Sunday said the U.S. seeks a regime change in Syria, the Washington Times reported. In his first televised interview, McMaster pointed to dual U.S. goals of defeating the Islamic State group and removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But he suggested that Trump was seeking a global political response for regime change from U.S. allies as well as Russia, which he said needed to reevaluate its support of Syria…. (more)
WASHINGTON EXAMINER — United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley said Sunday that the Trump administration does not see a solution to the conflict in Syria with President Bashar Assad in power, but suggested his removal should be the collective responsiblity of the international community – – not just the duty of the U.S…. (more)
NEWSMAX — Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi declared a three-month state of emergency and created a powerful new anti-terrorism body after Palm Sunday church bombings claimed by Islamic State left at least 43 dead…. (more)
NBC NEWS — The United States fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Syria overnight in response to what it believes was a chemical weapons attack that killed more than 100 people…. (more)
THE HILL — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Thursday night that President Trump needs congressional authorization for military action in Syria after Trump ordered an airstrike in retaliation for a deadly chemical attack earlier this week…. (more)
POLITICO — In the weeks following her father’s inauguration, Ivanka Trump quietly reached out to the president of Planned Parenthood seeking common ground on the contentious issue of abortion…. (more)
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Did God Forbid us to Critique or Criticize Church Leaders?
High profile Church leaders who teach doctrines of demons actually have the temerity to warn their critics to back off or face danger of divine judgment. Well, Cameron Buettel’s not backing off. In a blog post he wrote for Grace to You, Buettel names names and includes a video of one wolf in sheep’s clothing […]
Leaving the NAR Church: Rene’s story
“When I asked her why she wouldn’t be concerned that maybe this teaching is not of God, she got very upset and told me I was trying to intimidate her with the “spirit of fear.” Rene has been trying to contend for the truth with a friend who has been posting N.A.R. theology on her […]
Rick Warren: Thinking Like A Pagan & A Theology-dissing Jesus
Before you get started on Bud Ahlheim’s blog post, head over to our White Paper on Rick Warren, quickly browse our list of concerns, then return to Bud’s piece because you’ll want to know what this man is currently up to. Because Rick Warren has been dubbed “America’s Pastor” and is held in high esteem by […]
The Irrelevant Christine Caine … A Dingo Ate My Legacy?
Ed Stetzer is a prominent evangelical with considerable credibility. But when it comes to spiritual things Stetzer has shown time and time again that he lacks discernment. If he had an ounce of spiritual discernment would he spend his valuable time interviewing Word of Faith pastrix Christine Caine regarding her new partnership with Wheaton College, […]
Leaving the NAR Church: Catrina’s story
“We ladies had a morning of being taught how to prophesy. We were told to tell ourselves, ‘I’m going to start prophesying, even if I have to start in the flesh.’” Catrina has moved from church to church between Australia and New Zealand, always having to leave as the N.A.R. infection spread. In this series, […]
Leaving the NAR Church: Jack’s story
“They revel in false prophecies and the greedy liars who give them. They have rejected the Word and me as the giver of the loving truth to them.” Jack’s friends are lost to a counterfeit movement that goes by many names. But by God’s Grace, Jack and his wife have found freedom in the Word […]
Featured Blogs
ZeroHedge Frontrunning: April 11
- Tillerson: Russia Should Give Up ‘Unreliable Partner’ Assad (Read More)
- U.S. tries to line up West, Mideast against Assad (Read More)
- United Airlines under fire after passenger dragged from plane; officer put on leave (Read More)
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Top Headlines – 4/11/2017
US envoy to UN to shift Security Council’s focus away from Israel
Hamas says it arrested Palestinian suspect in assassination of terror chief
Palestinian teen shot by Israeli troops dies of wounds
Clashes rock Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon
Police detain 17 over suspected attempts to ‘sacrifice’ goats in Jerusalem
Israel closes border with Egypt amid Sinai terror concerns
Pope to show solidarity with Egypt’s Coptic Christians in wake of church bombings
Drone strike in southern Sinai said to kill one person
Egyptian police kill 7 suspected Islamic State militants in shootout
Minister says prospect of Syrian chemical strike on Israel ‘unrealistic’
White House says US holds open possibility of more strikes in Syria
Russia, Iran Warn U.S. They Will “Respond With Force” If Syria “Red Lines” Crossed Again
White House warns of potential US ‘red line’ over Syria barrel bomb attacks
Liberal support for Trump’s Syria strikes
ISIS Attacks US-Led Base In Southern Syria, As Assad Said To Use White Phosphorus
Assad is Worse Than Hitler: Syrian Chemical Weapon Survivor
Report in Syria: number of casualties rises to 9 following US attack
Syria war: US missiles ‘took out 20% of aircraft’
Donald Trump’s action in Syria proves he is not in league with Putin, says his son Eric
Rice claim on Syria chemical weapons gets ‘four Pinocchios’
Russia knew of Syrian chemical attack in advance, US official says
McCain: Russia cooperated with Syria in chemical attack
Trump, May aim to convince Moscow to end Assad support
‘Syria will implode if Assad goes’, says Peter Ford
Why Vladimir Putin won’t back out of Syria
Russia decries cancelled Boris Johnson visit and warns on further Syria attacks
Boris Johnson asks G7 to consider fresh sanctions against Russia and Syria
Boris Johnson has ‘cold war mentality’ over Syria, says Corbyn
North Korea, Syria and decades of chemical weapons
Syrian teen convicted in Germany for IS bomb plot
Glum EU braces for Turkey vote on Erdogan’s powers
Suicide bomber explodes in military academy in Somalia’s capital, killing 5
2 female suicide bombers explode near Nigerian university
Trump to sell attack planes to Nigeria for Boko Haram fight
Migrants from west Africa being ‘sold in Libyan slave markets’
Stockholm terror: Sweden will ‘never go back’ to mass immigration, PM reacts
Le Pen Calls Multiculturalism a Weapon for Islamic Extremists
South Korean Paper Reports China Has Deployed 150,000 Troops To North Korea Border
Reports Of 150,000 Troops Moving On The Korean Border Are ‘Pure Fiction’
China, South Korea discuss more sanctions on North Korea amid talk of Trump action
San Bernardino School Shooting: Man Kills Wife Then Himself; 1 of 2 Students Wounded Has Died
SEC targets fake stock news on financial websites
The mainstream and conservative media are living in different worlds. So are those who read them
Web needs rethink to stop “nasty” ideas spreading, says its creator
Spain detains Russian over US vote ‘hacking’
Walmart plans fly drones in it stores to assist you in your shopping
United CEO apologizes after video of O’Hare passenger dragged from flight goes viral
Man’s body stranded for two days during Delta flight cancellations
Nasa image of Jupiter shows planet in unprecedented detail
U.S. disasters in first 3 months of 2017 cost record $5B
5.6 magnitude earthquake hits near Cabodiongan, Philippines
5.6 magnitude earthquake hits near Pondaguitan, Philippines
5.2 magnitude earthquake hits near Pondaguitan, Philippines
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near We, New Caledonia
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Chichi-shima, Japan
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Visokoi Island, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 22,000ft
Sheveluch volcano on Kamchatka, Russia erupts to 20,000ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 16,500ft
Sinabung volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft
Kambalny volcano on Kamchatka, Russia erupts to 13,000ft
Dangerous heat wave to build in New Delhi, northern India this week
VA, veterans fighting opioid epidemic
Bizarro World: Some Republicans Now Defending “Failing” ObamaCare
Facial-recognition software finds a new use: diagnosing genetic disorders
Gender Expert: Teens Are Trying to Be Transgender Because It’s Trendy
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley resigns amid sex scandal
OOPS! GOP Governor Called For Trump To “Step Aside” After Taped Sexual Remarks
Man gets divorce after claiming his wife is possessed by the devil
The Isaiah 17 Damascus Bible prophecy has been fulfilled
Evangelical Apologist Hank Hanegraaff Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy
‘I Have Deep Regrets’: Graphic Artist Who Designed ‘Shack’ Novel Renounces Book
Pastor Saeed Abedini Claims Franklin Graham Used Him, Offered Little Help
One in Four British Christians Say Resurrection of Jesus Didn’t Occur: Survey
Italian man granted divorce after claiming wife ‘possessed by devil’
| Teacher Fired for Assigning 6th Graders Questionnaire on Going to Gay Bar
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 12:43 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| WAR DRUMS: North Korea warns of nuclear strike if provoked as U.S. warships approach
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 12:35 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| WAR DRUMS: Secretary of State Warns “Reign of the Assad family is coming to an end”
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 12:30 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| WAR DRUMS: White House Accuses Russia of Cover-Up in Syria Chemical Attack
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 12:26 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| DAYS OF LOT: Being Transgender Now Becoming Popular Among Teens
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 12:21 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Has Hell Frozen Over? Top UN Official Calls Jerusalem the Ancient Capital of Israel
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 12:09 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Huge Fireball Seen Spotted Over San Diego, California
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 12:03 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| How a Passover Seder Became the Last Supper
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 11:58 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Atheist Group Claims “Unconstitutional for College Football Coach to Tweet About God”
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 11:55 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| FALSE FLAG? Putin Expects ‘Fake’ gas attacks to discredit Syria’s Assad
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 08:35 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| PROPHECY ALERT: Putin Warns US is preparing to Bomb Syrian Capital of Damascus!
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 08:32 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Is Porn America’s Next Biggest Public Health Crisis?
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 06:36 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| 1,000 Aftershocks Continue to Shake Up the Philippines
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 06:27 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Brain-invading parasite carried by rats, slugs spreading in Hawaii
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 06:21 AM PDT
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| How Trump, Russia and North Korea Fit Into End-Times Prophecy
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 06:13 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Students Fear Chick-Fil-A Might Spark Microaggressions!
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 06:06 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
|
With Us or Against Us! Tillerson issues Ultimatum to Russia! Posted: 11 Apr 2017 06:01 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| US Weather Disasters Double Average Resulting in Record-Breaking $5 Billion
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 05:54 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
|
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 05:49 AM PDT
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|
Posted: 11 Apr 2017 05:43 AM PDT
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|
N.K vows retaliation against deployment of US strike group, Vows “Catastrophic Consequences” Posted: 11 Apr 2017 05:33 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
|
RUMORS OF WAR: Ex-MI6 chief fears Trump will launch catastrophic war on North Korea Posted: 10 Apr 2017 07:42 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Solar eclipse across U.S. called ‘a sign from God’
Posted: 10 Apr 2017 07:17 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| The world’s five deadliest volcanoes … and why they’re so dangerous
Posted: 10 Apr 2017 05:14 PM PDT
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|
FALLING AWAY: America Now Divided Over Bible Verses Posted: 10 Apr 2017 04:56 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Trump’s Son Warns that Putin Won’t Push America Around!
Posted: 10 Apr 2017 04:47 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
|
BREAKING NEWS: Trump orders military advisers to prepare plans to strike North Korea Posted: 10 Apr 2017 04:42 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| President Trump to Host Passover Seder Tonight
Posted: 10 Apr 2017 04:38 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
|
Could We Be in Phase 2 of This Ezekiel Prophecy? Posted: 10 Apr 2017 03:18 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| “Pink Moon” Coming On Tuesday Night
Posted: 10 Apr 2017 02:59 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| New Mexico Bans Therapy for Minors Who Don’t Want Same-Sex Attraction
Posted: 10 Apr 2017 02:00 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
|
YWAM Founder Claims ‘Spiritual Awakening’ Coming; by 2033, Bible Will Be in Every Language Posted: 10 Apr 2017 01:53 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
| Russia Knew In Advance Of Syrian Chemical Attack
Posted: 10 Apr 2017 01:43 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
|
Facial-recognition software diagnosing genetic disorders Posted: 10 Apr 2017 01:36 PM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
|
GREAT AGAIN: Toyota to Invest $1.3 Billion in Kentucky Plant… Posted: 10 Apr 2017 01:32 PM PDT
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Authorities in El Salvador have issued a yellow alert for the entire region after the country was struck by an unprecedented swarm of 130 moderately strong…
Donald Trump has warned North Korea is “looking for trouble” after the country declared it was “ready for war”. The US President ramped up his…
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Who Do You Think That I Am?
Selected Scriptures
Code: A335
With that brief question Jesus Christ confronted His followers with the most important issue they would ever face. He had spent much time with them and made some bold claims about His identity and authority. Now the time had come for them either to believe or deny His teachings.
Who do you say Jesus is? Your response to Him will determine not only your values and lifestyle, but your eternal destiny as well.
Consider what the Bible says about Him:
JESUS IS GOD
While Jesus was on earth there was much confusion about who He was. Some thought He was a wise man or a great prophet. Others thought He was a madman. Still others couldn’t decide or didn’t care. But Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). That means He claimed to be nothing less than God in human flesh.
Many people today don’t understand that Jesus claimed to be God. They’re content to think of Him as little more than a great moral teacher. But even His enemies understood His claims to deity. That’s why they tried to stone Him to death (John 5:18; 10:33) and eventually had Him crucified (John 19:7).
C.S. Lewis observed, “You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to” (Mere Christianity [Macmillan, 1952], pp. 40-41).
If the biblical claims of Jesus are true, He is God!
JESUS IS HOLY
God is absolutely and perfectly holy (Isaiah 6:3), therefore He cannot commit or approve of evil (James 1:13).
As God, Jesus embodied every element of God’s character. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” He was perfectly holy (Hebrews 4:15). Even His enemies couldn’t prove any accusation against Him (John 8:46)
God requires holiness of us as well. First Peter 1:16 says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
JESUS IS THE SAVIOR
Our failure to obey God—to be holy—places us in danger of eternal punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:9). The truth is, we cannot obey Him because we have neither the desire nor the ability to do so. We are by nature rebellious toward God (Ephesians 2:1-3). The Bible calls our rebellion “sin.” According to Scripture, everyone is guilty of sin: “There is no man who does not sin” (1 Kings 8:46). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And we are incapable of changing our sinful condition. Jeremiah 13:23 says, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”
That doesn’t mean we’re incapable of performing acts of human kindness. We might even be involved in various religious or humanitarian activities. But we’re utterly incapable of understanding, loving, or pleasing God on our own. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one” (Romans 3:10-12).
God’s holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished by death: “The soul who sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). That’s hard for us to understand because we tend to evaluate sin on a relative scale, assuming some sins are less serious than others. However, the Bible teaches that all acts of sin are the result of sinful thinking and evil desires. That’s why simply changing our patterns of behavior can’t solve our sin problem or eliminate its consequences. We need to be changed inwardly so our thinking and desires are holy
Jesus is the only one who can forgive and transform us, thereby delivering us from the power and penalty of sin: “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Even though God’s justice demands death for sin, His love has provided a Savior, who paid the penalty and died for sinners: “Christ … died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Christ’s death satisfied the demands of God’s justice, thereby enabling Him to forgive and save those who place their faith in Him (Romans 3:26). John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” He alone is “our great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13).
JESUS IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE OBJECT OF SAVING FAITH
Some people think it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere. But without a valid object your faith is useless
If you take poison—thinking it’s medicine—all the faith in the world won’t restore your life. Similarly, if Jesus is the only source of salvation, and you’re trusting in anyone or anything else for your salvation, your faith is useless.
Many people assume there are many paths to God and that each religion represents an aspect of truth. But Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6). He didn’t claim to be one of many equally legitimate paths to God, or the way to God for His day only. He claimed to be the only way to God—then and forever.
JESUS IS LORD
Contemporary thinking says man is the product of evolution. But the Bible says we were created by a personal God to love, serve, and enjoy endless fellowship with Him
The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Himself who created everything (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). Therefore He also owns and rules everything (Psalm 103:19). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Confessing Jesus as Lord means humbly submitting to His authority (Philippians 2:10-11). Believing that God has raised Him from the dead involves trusting in the historical fact of His resurrection—the pinnacle of Christian faith and the way the Father affirmed the deity and authority of the Son (Romans 1:4; Acts 17:30-31).
True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is more than simply being sorry for sin. It is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin and pursue holiness (Isaiah 55:7). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15); and “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine” (John 8:31).
It isn’t enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they don’t love and obey Him. Their faith is not genuine. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10).
Jesus is the sovereign Lord. When you obey Him you are acknowledging His lordship and submitting to His authority. That doesn’t mean your obedience will always be perfect, but that is your goal. There is no area of your life that you withhold from Him.
JESUS IS THE JUDGE
All who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior will one day face Him as their Judge: “God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).
Second Thessalonians 1:7-9 says, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”
HOW WILL YOU RESPOND?
Who does the Bible say Jesus is? The living God, the Holy One, the Savior, the only valid object of saving faith, the sovereign Lord, and the righteous Judge.
Who do you say Jesus is? That is the inescapable question. He alone can redeem you—free you from the power and penalty of sin. He alone can transform you, restore you to fellowship with God, and give your life eternal purpose. Will you repent and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
Available online at: https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A335
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