BLOOMBERG
The leaders of the U.S., Germany and France said that all evidence pointed to Russia bearing the responsibility for the poisoning of two people in England and called for an urgent explanation from President Vladimir Putin’s government.
Tax cuts for individuals should be made permanent under ‘phase two’ of an overhaul, according to Larry Kudlow, the incoming White House economic adviser. “Individuals deserve a permanent break,” Kudlow said.
NATO members increased overall defense spending for a second consecutive year in 2017 as President Donald Trump turned longstanding U.S. calls for Europe to foot more of the common security bill into blunt criticism of allies.
Toys “R” Us Inc. is officially packing up its playroom. The retailer said Thursday it intends to liquidate its U.S. business and shutter all of its 735 domestic toy stores and Babies “R” Us stores. It is exploring a reorganization and sale of its Canada division and other international operations.
IHeartMedia Inc., the biggest U.S. radio-station owner, filed for bankruptcy with a plan to halve its debt load of more than $20 billion, the legacy of a leveraged buyout that hobbled the company as the digital era spawned new rivals.
After a 71-year run, Italy’s bankrupt Alitalia SpA may soon slide into the history books. Several international players are now looking to carve up the air travel market in Europe’s fourth-largest economy, with two Persian Gulf carriers leading the way.
Home prices in the U.S. surged 8.8 percent in February — the biggest monthly gain in four years — as buyers battled for an increasingly scarce resource: homes.
Singapore is the world’s most expensive city for the fifth straight year in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Worldwide Cost of Living report, with Paris and Zurich tied for second place.
Apartment rents are dropping in Manhattan. Units that found tenants in February spent an average of just 34 days on the market — the shortest stretch since October 2011 — as owners cut rents, offered incentives and did whatever else they could to fill vacancies, according to a report
China is first out of the blocks in the global race to secure raw material supplies critical for the batteries that will power the electric vehicles of the future.
U.S. filings for unemployment benefits fell for the third time in four weeks and remain near the lowest level in 48 years, underscoring tightness in the job market, Labor Department figures showed Thursday. Jobless claims decreased by 4k to 226k.
AP Top Stories
After initially refusing to explicitly blame Russia for the poisoning of a former spy in Britain, the Trump administration said Wednesday that the Kremlin “is responsible for the attack” – though the president himself has remained mum on the topic.
Students and teachers at more than 2,000 schools across the country staged a national walkout to call for an end to gun violence on Wednesday, one month after 17 people were killed in a mass shooting at a Florida high school.
The Russian chemist who first revealed the existence of “Novichok” nerve agents says only the Russians can be behind the weapon’s use in Britain against a former spy and his daughter.
The Philippines said on Thursday its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) could be “the beginning of the end” for the institution, as more countries would follow suit and non-members would be discouraged from joining.
The Afghan capital is now the main focus of the anti-Taliban fight, with U.S. Special Forces conducting raids in the sprawling city and additional American military advisers arriving to help beleaguered local police, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday.
Japan is considering a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, local media reported, as diplomatic efforts to engage Pyongyang ramp up.
Oklahoma state leaders have announced nitrogen hypoxia will replace lethal injections for death row inmates.
A Texas immigration crackdown on “sanctuary cities” took effect Tuesday after a federal appeals court upheld a divisive law backed by the Trump administration that threatens elected officials with jail time and allows police officers to ask people during routine stops whether they’re in the U.S. illegally.
BBC
Thousands of civilians are fleeing a town in the besieged rebel-held Eastern Ghouta region outside Syria’s capital, Damascus, as government forces advance.
A plane laden with tons of gold-silver alloy was taking off from Yakutsk airport in Siberia when a loading hatch broke off. Some 200 bars, each weighing about 44 pounds, were then scattered across the runway. All of the bars have now been recovered.
Rwanda has banned mosques in the capital, Kigali, from using loudspeakers during the call to prayer.
Libya has issued 205 arrest warrants for Libyans and foreigners suspected of being involved in a smuggling network for migrants heading to Europe. They include accusations of human trafficking, torture, murder and rape.
Angela Merkel has been sworn in for a fourth term as German chancellor, after months of political wrangling that left her weakened.
WND
Undercover videos of Planned Parenthood executives and other abortionists discussing the profitable trade in unborn baby body parts reveal “criminal, illegal, and unethical acts,” and should be made available to law enforcement, Congress and the public, contends a new brief before the Supreme Court.
The Briefing — Thursday, March 15, 2018
1) Stephen Hawking, one of the most recognized scientists of the modern age, dies at age 76
New York Times (Dennis Overbye) –
Stephen Hawking Dies at 76; His Mind Roamed the Cosmos
2) The failure of materialism: Why a biblical worldview is the only worldview that can explain the meaning of life
The Guardian (Roger Penrose) –
‘Mind over matter’: Stephen Hawking – obituary by Roger Penrose
3) A seminary in turmoil: President under fire after past opposition to homosexuality is revealed
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Peter Smith) –
Lutheran seminary faces leadership crisis over president’s past LGBTQ beliefs
News – 3/15/2018
World War 3: Saudi Arabia to develop NUCLEAR BOMB in defence of IRAN – Crown Prince says
“Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible,” Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS in an interview that will air on Sunday.Saudi Arabia previously warned it will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran amid warnings the region is being pushed into a “dangerous abyss”. Fears of World War 3 have increased in recent months amid a spiralling fallout between the Saudi monarchy and Tehran.
Haley: Russia must account for its use of chemical weapons
“Let me make one thing clear from the very beginning: the United States stands in absolute solidarity with Great Britain,” Haley said. “The United States believes that Russia is responsible for the attack on two people in the United Kingdom using a military-grade nerve agent.”
Trump’s Win is the Reichstag Fire of Internet Censorship
It’s no coincidence that the central conspiracy theory surrounding the 2016 election involves free speech or that the solution is internet censorship. The claim that Russian trolls and bots rigged the election has zero actual evidence behind it. But it’s a convenient tool for not only delegitimizing Trump but the very idea of a free and open internet where anyone can say anything they choose. It’s not Russia they want to crack down on, it’s us.
Russia says U.S. plans to strike Damascus, pledges military response
Russia said on Tuesday it had information that the United States planned to bomb the government quarter in Damascus on an invented pretext, and said it would respond militarily if it felt Russian lives were threatened by such an attack.
One Small Step: A Win For Medical Freedom; 4 Vaccine Bills Defeated
…According to Green Med Info, the two identical bills submitted to the Florida Senate and the House of Representatives in January mandating HPV vaccines for school children have been defeated. Two other bills released the same month which would have forced those who opt out of vaccines for their children to be entered into a centralized database which would track their whereabouts (and make possible State-mandated “home visits” to coerce and force vaccine compliance), have also been withdrawn from the Florida Senate and House. All four bills were permanently withdrawn on 3/10/2018.
Make a Church Post Satan’s Phone Number?
..Making a pro-life center post a phone number so women can get referrals for tax-funded abortions is akin to making a church — or one of Mother Teresa’s shelters — post Satan’s phone number. As a previous iteration of Jerry Brown might have said: It is crazy.
University of Minnesota Students Narrowly Pass Pro-BDS Referendum That ‘Fuels Discrimination’ Against Jewish Peers
University of Minnesota students have narrowly approved a divestment referendum targeting Israel, which has been condemned for exacerbating divisions on campus, the school elections commission announced on Sunday.
This 3-D-printed house costs $10,000 and can be built in 24 hours
…the innovation isn’t in the structure or materials — it’s in the design and building. ICON, the company that builds the 650-square-foot house, claims it costs just $10,000 to build and can be 3-D-printed by a Vulcan printer in 12 to 24 hours using the most common building material on Earth.
Radical Atheist Who Trashed Billy Graham after His Death Is Set to Become a Navy “Chaplain”
Radical atheist Jason Heap is hoping to become a Navy chaplain. The US Navy is seriously considering the approval of this anti-Christian activist for a spot in its Chaplain Corps.
What Stephen Hawking said about God, his atheism and his own death
British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking schmoozed with popes during his lifetime, even though he was an avowed atheist. The famous scientist, who died Wednesday in England at 76, was often asked to explain his views on faith and God. During interviews, he explained his belief that there was no need for a creator.
Iranian official on TV: ‘Liberation of Jerusalem is the most important thing’
Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi of the Iranian Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution said in a lecture that aired on IRIB Ofogh TV on March 2 that the West was trying to prevent Iraq from becoming the leader of the Arab world.
Searching souls with brain imaging
In the March issue of Scientific American, brain-imaging expert John Gabrieli says that we can now use functional magnetic-resonance-imaging (fMRI) technology to predict whether depressed patients will benefit from certain therapies, whether smokers will be able to quit, and whether criminals will land back in jail soon. But he leaves unanswered some questions he raises—namely, if we find that we can reliably obtain this kind of information, what should we do with it?
Did President Trump give Israel the greatest gift possible
‘President Trump finally killed idea of making Jerusalem an international city,’ says former Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold.
Leftism and Degeneracy: A Beautiful Thing
…In a nutshell, leftists are using government to make the weird and freaky mainstream while trampling traditional principles and values underfoot – declaring them hateful, intolerant, and laughable.
Catholic Archbishop Says Pedophilia Is ‘Spiritual Encounter With God’
(YourNewsWire) One of the highest-ranking officials in the Catholic Church says sexually abused children can experience “a spiritual encounter with God through the priest” while being molested.
Australia’s most powerful clergy, Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart, says the Catholic practice of confession is satisfactory for dealing with pedophilia in the church as it helps priests absolve “their own guilt” after sexually abusing children.
Asked whether he was prepared to be jailed for failing to report child sex abuse by Catholic pedophile priests, Archbishop Hart confirmed he was willing to serve prison time. He also claimed the right to cover for pedophiles in the church is an “absolutely sacrosanct communication of a higher order.“
He made the shocking statement in response to the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse which stated there should be “no excuse, protection nor privilege” for Catholic clergy who failed to alert police of abuse within the church.
But Archbishop Hart disagreed and insisted that sexual abuse was “a spiritual encounter with God through the priest” and was “of a higher order” than criminal law.
A new report by the commission proposed 85 sweeping changes to the criminal justice system and recommended that priests face criminal charges for failing to report serious crimes such as sexual abuse to the police.
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Headlines – 3/15/2018
After Tillerson ousted, Netanyahu says he is ‘very impressed’ with replacement
Report: Differences on North Korea key to Trump’s Tillerson decision
Fears grow for future of Iran nuclear deal in wake of Tillerson’s removal
Iranian official: U.S. determined to leave nuclear deal
Trump: Iran is ‘behind every problem’ in the Middle East
UN Palestinian agency in urgent search for cash at global gathering
UN seeks $540 million for Palestinian aid, mostly for Gaza
World Bank says Gaza’s economy requires trade, not just aid
UN envoy condemns Gaza attack on Palestinian PM as a ‘grave incident’
Hamas claims to know who tried to assassinate Palestinian PM
Bombs set off along Gaza fence, causing no injury; IDF tanks retaliate
Assad says will confront plans against Syrian unity
Assad may win Syria’s war, but he will preside over a broken country
The fall of Ghouta threatens Israel, U.S. interests and the West
Syria war: Wounded leave Eastern Ghouta under evacuation deal
Bodies of 21 Coptic Christians beheaded by ISIS to return to Egypt
Russia-Iran alliance bolstered with multi-million dollar oil fields deal
Allies question Trump’s response to spy’s poisoning
US envoy says Russia is ‘a growing concern’
Russian spy: White House backs UK decision to expel diplomats
Analysis: Britain’s expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats marks a return to Cold War ejections
Russian spy: Retaliation could be painful for UK business
As Another Arctic Freeze Approaches Europe, Fears Grow Over Gas Supplies
May Seeks Alternatives for Russian Gas After Spy Scandal
McMaster, Shulkin and Kelly could be next to go in White House ‘bloodbath,’ sources say
Congress plunges into gun debate with school safety bill, hearing on FBI’s Cruz failure
National School Walkout: Thousands Protest Against Gun Violence Across the US
Dow closes more than 200 points lower, as Boeing slides on fears of a China trade war
Senate passes rollback of banking rules enacted after financial crisis
Toys ‘R’ Us plans to close all U.S. stores; 33,000 jobs at risk: source
Nobel secretary regrets Obama peace prize
Samsung Electronics says to start building new China memory chip line this month
Fake News? NOAA Debunks Rumors of Geomagnetic Storm Hitting Earth
About a quarter of U.S. adults say they are ‘almost constantly’ online
Court orders Japan government to pay new Fukushima damages
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Nuku’alofa, Tonga
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Ile Hunter, New Caledonia
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Khorixas, Namibia
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near San Miguel, Philippines
Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 31,000ft
Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 21,000ft
Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 16,000ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 15,000ft
Turrialba volcano in Costa Rica erupts to 12,500ft
Kirishimayama volcano on Japan erupts to 12,000ft
Alarmists Resurrect Theory That Global Warming Is Making Winters Colder
Orthodox Jews in Florida make 11th hour push to stop all-year daylight saving time bill
The Push to Make Human-Chimp Hybrids
‘Body on a chip’ may help drug evaluation by replicating multiple organs
Complaint: ‘Drug epidemic of mass proportions’ fueled by pharma companies
Measles warning issued for Detroit airport fliers after disease travels from overseas
Stormy Daniels’s attorney says other women have reached out about potential cases against Trump
We don’t need Stormy Daniels to tell us about Trump’s character
Pa. County Continues Fight Against Atheists’ Lawsuit Demanding Cross Be Removed From Seal
Stephen Hawking Was an Atheist. Here’s What He Said About God, Heaven and His Own Death
Stephen Hawking led a brilliant life of contradictions
Prof. Stephen Hawking’s love-hate relationship with Israel
| Discovery of 3,600-Y-O Burial Chamber in Biblical Book of Revelation City ‘Stuns’ Archaeologists
Posted: 15 Mar 2018 07:07 AM PDT
Megiddo served as an important strategic pass for international military and trade routes, offering the stage for numerous historic battles. It is described in Revelation 16:16 as a place called “Armageddon,” which derives from Har-Megiddo, or “Hill of Megiddo.” Archaeologists now say they have discovered a tomb there from the 15th century B.C., when Megiddo was besieged for seven months by the forces of Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III, eventually surrendering. Thutmose III then moved to incorporate Canaan as a province in his empire. READ MORE |
| God Is Separating the Wheat and Chaff Now More Than Ever Before
Posted: 15 Mar 2018 07:00 AM PDT
throughout Christian news sources, there seems to be an underlying theme at work within the American church—separation and sanctification. Christians are being faced with many choices. For example, will they serve Christ or seek the “riches” of this world? Will they faithfully hold on to the truth of God’s Word, or will they compromise with the culture? Will they live in holiness or give way to the decadence around them? Will they look to the world for their hope, or will they look to Christ? CONTINUE |
| Putin tests new Satan-2 Nuke capable of wiping Britain off the map!
Posted: 15 Mar 2018 06:49 AM PDT
terror on the streets of Salisbury, the test is being seen as a clear and hostile message of war to the world. Putin and his cronies have reacted to evidence Russia ordered the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury by raising tensions with barely veiled warnings of military action. And the latest is the testing of the terrifying ‘Satan 2’ – formally known as an RS-28, which makes all Russia’s existing nukes look like firecrackers. READ MORE |
| Toys ‘R’ Us plans to close all U.S. stores; 33,000 jobs at risk…
Posted: 15 Mar 2018 06:39 AM PDT
Toys ‘R’ Us had been closing one-fifth of its U.S. stores as part of efforts to emerge from one of the largest ever bankruptcies by a specialty retailer. But creditors decided they can get more from liquidating assets of the toy seller, the largest in the United States and one of the best known in the world, rather than finding a way to keep the business alive, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the private negotiations. READ MORE |
| Debunking the 11 Arguments Against Divine Healing
Posted: 15 Mar 2018 06:27 AM PDT
Through the years I have witnessed many astonishing answers to prayer along with supernatural physical healings. In my beginning years as a believer, I saw virtually nobody healed, which led me to diligently search the Scriptures and church history as well as the lives of contemporary ministers God was using to bring God’s healing power to people. (I reasoned if I want to learn about something—I should study those who have already been successful in that area of my focus. If I want to learn about nutrition I will go to a nutritionist—not a car mechanic. If I want to learn how to hit a baseball I don’t go to a quarterback coach. If I want to learn divine healing I am not only going to study the views of a cessationist theologian who never experienced or walked in God’s healing power.) Consequently, I studied the life, methodology and theology of countless people of faith, starting with the Old Testament Scriptures on toward those used of God for healing in the 20th century up till the present time. My study of church history also showed me that there were always threads of divine healing since the beginning of the church; it was not merely a phenomenon that started after the Pentecostal explosion of the 20th century. CONTINUE |
| Daylight fireball explodes over Oklahoma and Texas, Sonic boom reported
Posted: 15 Mar 2018 06:24 AM PDT
Several hours later, a video emerged showing a very fast daylight fireball over Plano, northern Texas, leading authorities to conclude it as a source of the boom. The American Meteor Society (AMS) received 36 reports about this fireball. Eyewitnesses described the object as light blue to green. Some said a large green flash was produced in the sky, followed by a loud sonic boom. READ MORE |
| DEVELOPING: Travelers who landed in Detroit, Newark, Memphis pop up with measles…
Posted: 14 Mar 2018 06:21 PM PDT
• Detroit. People who visited the North Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on the afternoon of March 6 likely were exposed to the highly contagious virus, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Someone infected could develop symptoms as late as next week • Newark. Passengers in terminals B and C of Newark Liberty International Airport also were exposed and could develop symptoms as late as April 2, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. • Memphis. The young child diagnosed with measles arrived in Newark from Brussels and flew to Memphis International Airport that evening, exposing others along the way, New Jersey health officials said. READ MORE |
| Why Christians Desperately Need to Stop Chasing an Experience
Posted: 14 Mar 2018 06:15 PM PDT
A Time to Seek – There are certain times when the Lord calls us out of the routine of our daily lives. These are special seasons where His only command is “Seek My face.” He has something precious and vitally important to give us that the familiar pattern of our daily devotions cannot accommodate. During such times people are often delivered of sins that have plagued them for years; others discover a depth in their walk with God that leads to greater effectiveness in ministry and prayer; still others experience breakthroughs in their families and are used by God to see loved ones brought into the kingdom. READ MORE |
| Pentagon To Begin Moving Classified Data To AMAZON Secret Cloud…
Posted: 14 Mar 2018 10:36 AM PDT
capabilities and availability to non-intelligence agencies. The Defense Department’s sole-source decision—a contract awarded without a full and open competition—was protested by Microsoft, which itself offers a variety of cloud services to the federal government. The company withdrew its protest March 8, allowing TRANSCOM to begin migrating data to the AWS Secret Region. In a statement to Nextgov, Microsoft said it withdrew its protest “because the issues involved were resolved” to the company’s satisfaction. READ MORE |
| US Monitoring Possible North Korea Military Base in Syria…
Posted: 14 Mar 2018 10:30 AM PDT
“According to … satellite images and a military source the underground facility has been under construction for seven years, started by the beginning if the Syrian revolution in March 2011,” Zaman Al Wasl, a Syrian news outlet, reported earlier this month. “The high level of secrecy and tight guard in the North Korean base raise speculations whether it’s a nuclear facility or overseas depot for North Korean weapons.” U.S. officials told the Washington Free Beacon they are monitoring these reports and efforts by North Korea to help Assad rebuild Syria’s chemical weapons factories. READ MORE |
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