Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I'm off for my holiday break and wanted to wish you all a happy and joyous Christmas. I know that the news we link to here is often grim but I'm sure that most of you who visit this site are Christians who understand that beyond the headlines we know that God is sovereign and always in control. We know that this effort to be watchful has a purpose and a focus, and that focus is on Jesus Christ.

We watch the signs of His return, but this season is all about the First Coming, not the Second Coming, so as we turn to our families and friends to celebrate the holidays we offer thanks and praise to God and above all, celebrate Jesus as the reason for the season.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing
lyrics by Charles Wesley

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - UN endorses peace process for Syria, but no mention of Assad
My Way News reports: "U.N. Security Council members unanimously approved a U.N. resolution Friday endorsing a peace process for Syria including a cease-fire and talks between the Damascus government and the opposition, but the text makes no mention of the most contentious issue — the future role of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The resolution makes clear that the blueprint it endorses will not end the conflict, deep into its fifth year with well over 300,000 killed, because 'terrorist groups,' including the Islamic State group and the al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front, are not part of the cease-fire."

My Way News - Hezbollah recruiting push comes amid deeper role in Syria
My Way News reports: "Hezbollah has been conducting a large recruitment drive, a sign of how the war in Syria has become perhaps the most intense conflict the group has waged. [...] With strong financial and military backing from Iran, Hezbollah has been able to step up its role in Syria even while maintaining the political domination in Lebanon that it has held for several years."

My Way News - China accuses US of serious military provocation
My Way News reports: "China is accusing the U.S. of a serious military provocation following the flight of an American B-52 strategic bomber over a Chinese-controlled man-made island in the South China Sea. A Defense Ministry statement Saturday says the U.S. is deliberately raising tensions in the disputed region. It demanded Washington immediately take measures to prevent such incidents and damage to relations between the two nations' militaries."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - Carter calls 1st commando mission into Syria a success
My Way News reports: "Defense Secretary Ash Carter says the first mission by a new team of special operations forces into Syria was successful in identifying Syrian Arab fighters the coalition can work with to oust Islamic State militants from their self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa. [...] The administration announced in late October that President Barack Obama had approved sending up to 50 special operations troops to Syria on the first open-ended mission by U.S. ground forces in that country."

My Way News - Buyer of guns used in massacre faces terrorism charge
My Way News reports: "The man who bought the assault rifles his friend used in the San Bernardino massacre was charged Thursday with a terrorism-related charge alleging he plotted earlier attacks at a college they attended and on a congested freeway. The duo, who had become adherents to radicalized Islam ideology as neighbors in Riverside, plotted in 2011 and 2012 to maximize carnage by using pipe bombs and guns to kill innocent people at a campus cafeteria and those stuck in rush hour traffic, court documents said. "

My Way News - Hezbollah slams Saudi-led anti-terror alliance
My Way News reports: "Lebanon's [Iranian backed] Hezbollah group on Thursday denounced this week's announcement of a new Saudi-led 'Islamic military alliance' and the Lebanese prime minister's decision to join it. The Shiite militant group also accused the Sunni kingdom of practicing "state terrorism" and spreading extremist ideology. [...] Hezbollah said Thursday the alliance was a 'U.S. project' and aims to create a Sunni armed force in the region to avoid sending U.S. ground troops to conflict areas."

My Way News - Putin: Russia, US have narrowed their differences on Syria
My Way News reports: "President Vladimir Putin was both cordial and coarse in his year-end news conference Thursday, saying the U.S. and Russia have narrowed their differences on Syria and share the same view of how to settle the conflict. [...] Putin said the Russian air campaign in Syria, which began Sept. 30, will continue until a political process begins, adding that Moscow would back the latest U.S. proposals for a peace process in the civil war."

My Way News - Germany: Man suspected of having worked for IS arrested:
My Way News reports: "German authorities say a man suspected of having worked for the Islamic State group has been arrested at a refugee accommodation center. The Dortmund prosecutor's office said the 31-year-old was arrested in the western town of Unna on Thursday, news agency dpa reported. It stressed that the investigation is at a very early stage. "

My Way News - UK won't ban Muslim Brotherhood but finds link to extremism
My Way News reports: "Some members of the Muslim Brotherhood have supported violence and involvement with the group can be an indicator of extremism — but it should not be banned in Britain, the government said Thursday."

Final Kingdom

My Way News - EU summit kicks off British reform talks in earnest
My Way News reports: "With an impassioned plea to European Union leaders to fundamentally change the way the EU is run, David Cameron kicked of two months of negotiations on many of the cornerstones on which the 28-nation bloc is built, with the survival of Britain as a member state hanging in the balance. [...] Britain will have a referendum before the end of 2017 to decide whether to stay in the EU. Cameron is seeking wholesale changes to how the EU is managed and wants to ingrain it more with the British view of non-interference and sustained sovereignty rather than the EU's mantra of ever closer union."

Persecution

N. Korea jails Canadian pastor for life with hard labour - Yahoo News
AFP reports: "An influential Canadian pastor was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison with hard labour by a North Korean court following his conviction on sedition charges, prompting Canada to slam the punishment as 'unduly harsh.' South Korean-born Hyeon Soo Lim, 60, a pastor at the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto, is the latest in a series of foreign missionaries to be arrested, deported or jailed for allegedly meddling in state affairs. [...] Although religious freedom is enshrined in the North's constitution, it does not exist in practice and religious activities are restricted to officially recognised groups linked to the government."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - Man arrested, held for questioning in Nov. 13 Paris attacks
My Way News reports: "Police arrested a 29-year-old man on Tuesday and held him for questioning about the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, officials said. The prosecutor's office said the man was arrested in the morning at his home in Villiers-Sur-Marne, a far-flung eastern suburb of Paris. The spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre, refused to identify the man or provide further information about his suspected links to the attacks that killed 130 people. Two police officials who confirmed the arrest also gave no further details. [...] France moved into a state of emergency after the attacks, which were claimed by the Islamic State group."

My Way News - AP Interview: US General says Afghan IS loyalists growing
My Way News reports: "Supporters of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan are attempting to establish a regional base in the eastern city of Jalalabad, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General John Campbell, said on Tuesday. [...] The Islamic State group controls about a third of Iraq and Syria. Fighters loyal to the group in Afghanistan include disaffected Afghan and Pakistani Taliban who have fought fierce battles with the Taliban in recent months."

My Way News - Assad can stay, for now: Kerry accepts Russian stance
My Way News reports: "U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday accepted Russia's long-standing demand that President Bashar Assad's future be determined by his own people, as Washington and Moscow edged toward putting aside years of disagreement over how to end Syria's civil war. [...] Kerry's declarations crystallized the evolution in U.S. policy on Assad over the last several months, as the Islamic State group's growing influence in the Middle East has taken priority."

Covenant With Many - Peace & Security of Jerusalem

My Way News - Abbas: Palestinian violence is "justified popular uprising"
My Way News reports: "Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas referred to the last three months of violence Monday as a 'justified popular uprising'. Abbas's comments came as a new poll shows widespread Palestinian support for ongoing attacks on Israelis. Later Monday, a Palestinian from east Jerusalem rammed his car into a crowded bus stop, wounding nine before bystanders shot him dead."

Comment: The Palestinian support for Mideast peace is really quite breathtaking. Nice that they are involving their civilians in making peace gestures and not just diplomats. It shows how sincere they are. 

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - Americans want to get tougher with the Islamic State
My Way News reports: "After terrorist attacks at home and abroad, more Americans than ever — but still less than half — support sending U.S. ground troops to fight the Islamic State, according to a new Associated Press-GfK Poll. A large majority also want a clearer explanation from President Barack Obama about his strategy to defeat the group."

My Way News - Saudi Arabia forms Islamic counterterrorism coalition
My Way News reports: "Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that 34 nations have agreed to form a new 'Islamic military alliance' to fight terrorism with a joint operations center based in the kingdom's capital, Riyadh. [...] The new counterterrorism coalition includes nations with large and established armies such as Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt as well as war-torn countries with embattled militaries such as Libya and Yemen. African nations that have suffered terrorist attacks such as Mali, Chad, Somalia and Nigeria are also members. Saudi Arabia's regional rival, Shiite Iran, is not part of the coalition."

Global Government - Future Fear - Roaring Seas & Waves

My Way News - Nearly 200 nations pledge to slow global warming
My Way News reports: "Nearly 200 nations adopted the first global pact to fight climate change on Saturday, calling on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution but imposing no sanctions on countries that don't. The "Paris agreement" aims to keep global temperatures from rising another degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) between now and 2100, a key demand of poor countries ravaged by rising sea levels and other effects of climate change."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - Putin: Russia provides air cover to Syrian opposition group
My Way News reports: "Russia has provided air cover to a leading Western-backed opposition group in Syria, President Vladimir Putin said Friday, calling for closer coordination with the U.S.-allied coalition — comments that may reflect Moscow's desire to narrow its differences with the West over the Syrian crisis. [...] If confirmed, Russian support for the FSA will represent a major policy shift for Moscow, which has been accused by the West of striking moderate rebels to back up Assad instead of its declared goal, the Islamic State group."

My Way News - Suspected recruiter of 'Jihad Jane' is arrested in Spain
My Way News reports: "An Algerian-Irish man accused of recruiting an American woman who called herself 'Jihad Jane' and plotted to kill a Swedish artist has been arrested in Spain, officials said Friday. Ali Charaf Damache was arrested Thursday in Barcelona based on a U.S. warrant issued stating he was a suspected recruiter for an Islamic extremist group, according to the Interior Department for the northeastern region of Catalonia."

My Way News - Report: 2 Syrians arrested in Geneva amid enhanced security
My Way News reports: "The Swiss public broadcaster is reporting that two men of Syrian origin have been arrested in Geneva with traces of explosives found in their vehicle. Broadcaster RTS reports on its Web site Friday that it was not clear whether the two men had any connection with the four suspects with alleged ties to the extremist Islamic State group that Geneva authorities have been hunting in the region."

My Way News - FBI continues probe of lake in California shootings
My Way News reports: "Specialized divers with the FBI searched a San Bernardino lake for a second day Friday, looking for a computer hard drive and any other evidence linked to last week's terror attack and the husband-and-wife shooters who killed 14 people."

Roaring Waves - Nations in Distress

My Way News - Tiny islands have powerful voice in UN climate talks
My Way News reports: "They barely break the surface of the ocean but in the U.N. talks on how to stop rising seas and other hazards of a warming planet, small island nations have the moral high ground. [...] Rising seas are already eroding their coast lines and contaminating their freshwater wells. Many are in the path of typhoons and hurricanes that scientists say could become more powerful as the climate warms."

My Way News - Asia's coastal cities face challenge of rising seas
My Way News reports: "The future will be a watery one for some of the world's biggest cities. Predicted sea level increases this century mean many face increased flooding, stronger storm surges and unpredictable weather. How well coastal cities can cope will dramatically affect quality of life and their economic destiny. Many of the biggest are in Asia, powering economies while housing hundreds of millions of poor in sprawling slums."

Persecution

Outcry as Islamabad officials target slums over Christians - Yahoo News
Yahoo News reports: "Human rights activists slammed Islamabad authorities Thursday after court documents showed the Pakistani capital's development body had cracked down on illegal slums because it feared their growing Christian population would threaten the city's Muslim majority. [...]  The drive rendered hundreds homeless and stirred anger with demonstrations held to try to stop the bulldozers. [...] Official figures on the city's religious demographics are not available, but rights activists have estimated the Christian population at roughly 50,000 out of around 530,000."

Persecution

My Way News - Militants demolish church in Yemen's Aden
My Way News reports: "Yemeni security officials say militants have demolished a church in the southern port city of Aden. The officials say masked gunmen placed explosives around the church before detonating them from a distance early Wednesday. No one was killed or wounded by the blast. No one claimed the attack. The officials say it was likely carried out by a local al-Qaida affiliate or supporters of the Islamic State group."

Pestilence

My Way News - Mexican safety agency approves first use of dengue vaccine
My Way News reports: "Mexican health authorities approved the first vaccine to gain official acceptance for use against the dengue virus, which sickens about 100 million people every year, mostly in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The federal medical safety agency said Wednesday the vaccine has undergone testing on over 29,000 patients worldwide. It said the vaccine's manufacturer had proved its safety and effectiveness, but did not name the drug. In a separate statement, the Lyon, France-based Sanofi Pasteur identified the vaccine as Dengvaxia. [...] Mosquitoes transmit the dengue virus. Symptoms include high fevers and severe muscle and joint pain. There's no specific treatment for dengue."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - FBI: California shooters radicalized at least 2 years ago
My Way News reports: "The two San Bernardino shooters were radicalized at least two years ago — well before one of them came to the U.S. on a fiancé visa — and had discussed jihad and martyrdom as early as 2013, FBI Director James Comey said Wednesday in providing the most specific details to date about the couple's path toward extremism. Investigators are also looking at whether the husband accused in the shootings was planning an attack in 2012 but abandoned those plans, according to two people familiar with the investigation who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity."

My Way News - Carter: US willing to do more to help Iraqis retake Ramadi
My Way News reports: "In a steady escalation of the fight against Islamic State militants, the U.S. military stands ready to send more American personnel and attack helicopters to Iraq, especially to help retake a key city seized by the extremists, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday. In recent days, Iraqi forces advanced on Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar province, retaking a military operations center and a neighborhood on the outskirts of the city in western Iraq."

Future Fear - Roaring Waves

My Way News - Study sees possible dip in world carbon dioxide emissions
My Way News reports: "Global carbon dioxide emissions may be dropping ever so slightly this year, spurred by a dramatic plunge in Chinese pollution, according to a surprising new study released Monday. The unexpected dip could either be a temporary blip or true hope that the world is about to turn the corner on carbon pollution as climate talks continue in Paris, said the study's authors, a scientific team that regularly tracks heat-trapping pollution."

Covenant With Many

Kerry's 'one state' comments cause consternation in Israel - US News
U.S. News & World Report: "U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry set off an uproar in Israel on Sunday after warning that the country, through its continued West Bank occupation, will become a 'binational state.' Kerry's words describe a scenario that would mark a failure of U.S. policy and end to Israel's existence as a country that is both Jewish and democratic. The U.S., the international community and many Israelis have endorsed the "two-state solution" — establishing a Palestinian state and ending Israel's control over millions of Palestinians in territories occupied in the 1967 war."

Wars & Rumors of War

Islamic State claims California mass killers as followers | Reuters
Reuters reports: "Islamic State said on Saturday that the married couple who killed 14 people in a mass shooting in Southern California were its followers, and FBI agents raided a home apparently belonging to a friend of the husband. Islamic State's claim came in an online audio broadcast three days after U.S.-born Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and his Pakistani wife Tashfeen Malik, 29, opened fire with assault rifles on a holiday party for civil servants in San Bernardino, 60 miles (100 km) east of Los Angeles."

Iraq summons Turkey's ambassador over troop deployment near Mosul | Reuters
Reuters reports: "Iraq's Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador on Saturday to demand that Turkey immediately withdraw hundreds of troops deployed in recent days to northern Iraq, near the Islamic State-controlled city of Mosul. The ministry said in a statement the Turkish forces had entered Iraqi territory without the knowledge of the central government in Baghdad, and that Iraq considered such presence 'a hostile act'. [...] Islamic State militants overran Mosul in June 2014. A much anticipated counter-offensive by Iraqi forces has been repeatedly postponed because they are tied down in fighting elsewhere."

 Knife attacker slashes man in London metro 'terror incident' | Reuters
Reuters reports: "A man wielding a knife slashed a man in an east London metro station on Saturday, reportedly screaming 'this is for Syria', before police used a stun gun to detain him in what they described as a terrorist incident. [...] An eyewitness quoted by British newspapers such as The Guardian said the knifeman had appeared to claim that he was retaliating for Western attacks on Islamist militants in Syria."

Air Force to replenish munitions stockpile for IS airstrikes - UPI.com
UPI reports: "The U.S. Air Force has fired some 20,000 bombs and missiles since beginning airstrikes against the Islamic State militant group, depleting munitions stockpiles 'faster than we can replenish them,' officials said. Air Force chief of staff Gen. Mark Welsh said the bombing campaign that began 15 months ago in Iraq and Syria to target IS fighters has seen bombs dropped in record numbers."

Global Government - Future Fear - Roaring Waves

Global climate conference reaches draft agreement - UPI.com
UPI reports: "Delegates from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change approved a draft agreement Saturday aimed at slowing global warming and reducing carbon emissions worldwide. The 48-page document will now be used as a basis for further discussion beginning Monday to hammer out a comprehensive settlement, not an easy task with 195 countries involved in COP21 -- the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties."

Wars & Rumors of War

German parliament approves military mission in Syria - UPI.com
UPI reports: "Germany's Parliament voted to join the fight against the Islamic State in Syria on Friday. The vote of 445 to 145 came after Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen outlined, earlier this week, the limits of Germany's involvement: under United Nations and European Union collective security laws, Germany would commit six reconnaissance warplanes, a refueling aircraft, a frigate to help guard a French aircraft carrier and up to 1,200 logistics and command personnel, with no on-ground combat involvement. The vote in Parliament came in response to France's request for help defeating IS following the Nov. 13 terrorist shootings in Paris, and a day after the United Kingdom committed fighter planes and other resources to the cause."

FBI probes Calif. attack as 'act of terror,' official says - UPI.com
UPI reports: "Federal authorities leading the investigation into the mass shooting in Southern California this week are now handling the case as an 'act of terrorism,' a bureau official said Friday. FBI Los Angeles assistant director in charge David Bowdich said at a news conference Friday that the case is being handled as terrorism, "as of today, based on the information and facts as we know them."

Belgian officials seek new suspects in Paris terror attack - UPI.com
UPI reports: "Belgian authorities on Friday announced that police are searching for two additional suspects they believe may be linked to last month's deadly terror attacks in Paris. Authorities have been looking for suspect Salah Abdeslam for nearly a month."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - US-led coalition targets IS oil facilities in eastern Syria
My Way News reports: "As British jets opened airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Germany prepared to send troops and aircraft to the region, Russia's president called on the world Thursday to brandish "one powerful fist" in the fight against terrorism. Yet even as international efforts to defeat the extremists grew, animosity between Russia and Turkey only intensified. [...] France welcomed the first British airstrikes in Syria, saying they were a sign of the European solidarity promised after the deadly Nov. 13 attacks on Paris claimed by IS militants."

My Way News - Putin calls for broad international anti-terror front
My Way News reports: Russian President Vladimir Putin called Thursday for 'one powerful fist' to fight terrorism, hinted at more sanctions against Turkey and accused Western powers of creating 'a zone of chaos.' Speaking in his live state-of-the-nation address, Putin called for an end to what he called double standards that hampered uniting global efforts in fighting terrorism."

My Way News - Officials: California Gunman was in touch with extremists
My Way News reports: "California gunman Syed Rizwan Farook had been in contact with known Islamic extremists on social media, a U.S. intelligence official said Thursday, and police said he and his wife had enough bullets and bombs to slaughter hundreds when they launched their deadly attack on a holiday party."

War

British bombers make first air strikes on Syria after UK parliament vote | Reuters
Reuters reports: "British bombers made their first strikes on Syria on Thursday, just hours after Britain's parliament voted to target Islamic State targets in Syria, a government source said. Tornado bombers took off from the RAF Akrotiri air base in Cyprus and made strikes on targets in Syria, the source said. The bombers are back at base."

Comment: Great Britain is now in the war against ISIS, as in Germany, Russia of course (in their own way), and the U.S. (in Obama's own  oddly measured way) along with many other countries in the allied coalition.  It's getting harder and harder not to see this as a World War.

War - Wickedness Increases

Two suspects dead after 14 killed in shooting rampage in California | Reuters
Reuters reports: "A man and a woman suspected of taking part in a shooting that killed 14 people and wounded 17 at a Southern California social services agency on Wednesday died in a shootout with police hours later, authorities said. [...] the massacre differed from most other killing sprees in key ways, including the involvement of multiple people rather than a lone perpetrator. It also comes less than three weeks after the deadly attacks in Paris prompted tighter security at many public venues across the United States."

Comment: I wonder if the news media will end their non-stop coverage when it becomes clear that this massacre does not fit their anti-gun narrative? I'm also adding the "war" tag to this report as there is still a possibility that this is jihadist terrorism. Will the media even tell us if it is?

Pestilence

My Way News - UN: Polio outbreak in Ukraine is a state of emergency
My Way News reports: "The World Health Organization is urging Ukraine's health ministry to declare a state of emergency due to a polio outbreak, a move meant to prompt more action from the government in Kiev. In September, Ukraine announced two polio cases — the first in Europe since 2010. [...] Polio is a highly infectious, paralyzing disease on the brink of elimination. Aside from Ukraine, cases have only been reported in six other countries this year, with the majority in Pakistan and Afghanistan."

Life insurance companies see good outlook for survival with HIV | Reuters
Reuters reports: "In 2013, researchers reported that a 20-year-old who is newly diagnosed with HIV and who starts treatment immediately can expect to live another 50 years. Thanks to new therapies that allow for longer survival, more attention is being paid to finding a cure and to treating conditions tied to HIV and aging, said Dr. Michelle Cespedes of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City."

War - Rumors of War

My Way News - US sending new special ops force to fight Islamic State
My Way News reports: "The U.S. will deploy a new special operations force to the Middle East to help fight Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Tuesday. Carter told the House Armed Services Committee that over time, these special operators will be able to conduct raids, free hostages, gather intelligence and capture Islamic State leaders. [...] There currently are about 3,500 U.S. troops in Iraq, and President Barack Obama had previously announced he was sending fewer than 50 special operations forces to Syria."

Future Fear - Roaring Waves - Global Government

With climate at 'breaking point', leaders urge breakthrough in Paris - Reuters
Reuters reports: "World leaders launched an ambitious attempt on Monday to hold back rising temperatures, with the United States and China leading calls for the climate summit in Paris to mark a decisive turn in the fight against global warming. In a series of opening addresses to the U.N. talks, heads of state and government exhorted each other to find common cause in two weeks of bargaining to steer the global economy away from its dependence on fossil fuels. [...] If a signed deal now appears likely, so too is the prospect that it will not be enough to prevent the world's average temperature from rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. That is widely viewed as a threshold for dangerous and potentially catastrophic changes in the planet's climate system."

Wars & Rumors of War - King of the North

My Way News - Putin sends air-defense missiles to Syria to deter Turkey
My Way News reports: "In a move raising the potential threat of a Russia-NATO conflict, Russia said Wednesday it will deploy long-range air defense missiles to its base in Syria and destroy any target that may threaten its warplanes following the downing of a Russian military jet by Turkey. The incident was the first time in half a century that a NATO member shot down a Russian plane. If Russia responds by downing a Turkish plane, NATO member Turkey could proclaim itself under attack and ask the alliance for military assistance."

Admin - Primary Source is Changing

As you may know, the primary news source most cited on this blog is My Way News. If you have clicked through to any of the recent news reports you would have noticed this banner at the top of their page:

After many years, the MyWay website will be getting an upgrade. The current site will be available until the end of day, December 5th, 2015. The new site will debut in the near future.

If you're a MyWay email accountholder, you will still be able to access your email by logging in through the following URL:http://my.myway.com/email_redir.jsp. Please update your bookmarks accordingly.

Thank you for your years of loyalty using MyWay!

I'm not sure exactly what this will mean for their news site, but I will be using other sources until the dust settles. From time to time I get pushback from readers who email me to let me know (most friendly, some not) that there are indeed other sources of news on the net. Yes, I'm aware. So, why do I use them? My Way News has, for many years, offered up newswire reports on an uncluttered site, free of advertising, banners, pop-ups, cookies and trackers along with a commendable privacy policy. In short, I like My Way News because it's just news, the top headlines, and that's all.

We will begin this new era next week. Don't be surprised to find links to Reuters, AP, Fox, CNN and the other major news sites. I'll try really hard not to link to Yahoo News (the very opposite of My Way News), but it may be unavoidable. With any luck, My Way News will be back in the near future, better than ever, with an unchanged site philosophy.

For our American visitors, Happy Thanksgiving!

Wars and Rumors of War - King of the North

My Way News - Obama, Hollande pledge solidarity against ISIS
My Way News reports: "Hollande's trip to Washington was part of a diplomatic push to get the U.S. and other nations to bolster efforts to destroy the militant group that has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks. Hollande emerged from his meeting with Obama saying that France and the United States had agreed to step up a "joint response," including new efforts to target terrorists' financial networks, take back IS-controlled territory, scale up efforts in Syria and Iraq and increase intelligence sharing. [...] The French president had planned to urge Obama to work with Russia to build a new coalition to fight the extremists. But Hollande's mission quickly became entangled with the fallout from a Russian military plane downed by Turkey — an incident with echoes of the Cold War."

My Way News - Official: Paris attacks organizer was planning more carnage
My Way News reports: "The man believed to have planned the Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds more had likely planned to carry out another suicide bombing days later in the French capital's business district, the Paris prosecutor said Tuesday."

My Way News - Turkey shoots down Russian jet it says violated its airspace
My Way News reports: "Turkey shot down a Russian warplane on Tuesday that it said ignored repeated warnings and crossed into its airspace from Syria, killing at least one of the two pilots in a long-feared escalation in tensions between Russia and NATO. Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced what he called a 'stab in the back' and warned of 'significant consequences.' [...] The incident highlighted the chaotic complexity of Syria's civil war, where multiple groups with clashing alliances are fighting on the ground and the sky is crowded with aircraft bombing various targets."

My Way News - Tunisia declares state of emergency after bus blast kills 12
My Way News reports: "Tunisia's president declared a 30-day state of emergency across the country and imposed an overnight curfew for the capital Tuesday after an explosion struck a bus carrying members of the presidential guard, killing at least 12 people and wounding 20 others. The government described it as a terrorist attack. The blast on a tree-lined avenue in the heart of Tunis is a new blow to a country that is seen as a model for the region but has struggled against Islamic extremist violence. "

Peace and Security of Jerusalem - Covenant With Many

My Way News - Surge in Israeli-Palestinian violence ahead of Kerry visit
My Way News reports: "A Palestinian fatally stabbed an Israeli soldier at a West Bank gas station Monday before he was killed by security forces as two Palestinian teenage girls in Jerusalem attacked a 70-year-old Palestinian, apparently mistaking him for an Israeli, in a new rash of attacks on the eve of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to the region to try and calm two months of deadly violence. [...] Monday's attacks are the latest in a wave of violence that began in mid-September over tensions surrounding a sensitive Jerusalem holy site [this is the PC term the reporters use when they refer to the Temple Mount...Ed.] and quickly spread across Israel and into the West Bank and Gaza Strip."

King of the North - Persia - Doomed Damascus - Gog Alliance

My Way News - Russia's Putin in Iran for talks focusing on Syria
My Way News reports: "Russia's President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran on Monday for talks with Iranian leaders that focused on the Syrian crisis and an international peace plan intended to end the conflict. During his meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, both Putin and the top cleric warned against any effort to impose a political settlement on Syria. [...] Moscow and Tehran have been the key backers of Assad throughout his nation's civil war, which has killed over 250,000 people and turned millions into refugees. Russia has shielded Syria from international sanctions, and on Sept. 30 it launched an air campaign against the Islamic State group and other insurgents, while Tehran has sent military advisers to shore up Assad."

Wars and Rumors of War

My Way News - US issues travel warning in wake of terror attacks
My Way News reports: "Americans should be alert to the possible travel risks, especially during the holidays, following increased terrorist threats around the world, the State Department warned on Monday. A travel alert, which is to be in effect until Feb. 24, said current information suggests that militants with the Islamic State, al-Qaida, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups continue to plan attacks in multiple regions. U.S. authorities said the likelihood of terror attacks will continue as members of IS return from Syria and Iraq, and other individuals not affiliated with terror groups engage in violence on their own."

Pestilence

My Way News - Liberia seeks US help to determine cause of new Ebola cases:
My Way News reports: "Two experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are set to travel to Liberia to try to determine the cause of new Ebola cases confirmed last week, more than two months after the country had been declared free of Ebola transmission for a second time, a Liberian health official said Monday. [...] Liberia has recorded more than 4,800 deaths during the worst Ebola outbreak in history, according to the World Health Organization. More than 11,300 deaths have been recorded for the entire outbreak, which was concentrated in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, according to WHO. The first cases were confirmed in March 2014."

Temple Mount - Peace and Security of Jerusalem - Persia

My Way News - Iran's Guard simulates capture of Al-Aqsa Mosque
My Way News reports: "Paramilitary forces from Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard have held a war game simulating the capture of Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque from Israeli control, state media reported Saturday. [...] The hilltop compound, which is holy to Jews and Muslims, has been at the heart of weeks of unrest between Israel and the Palestinians. Muslims call the site the Noble Sanctuary, and the mosque is Islam's third holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Jews revere the spot as the Temple Mount — home to the biblical Temples and the holiest site in Judaism [...] Iran does not recognize Israel, has called for its destruction and supports anti-Israel militants across the Middle East."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - Brussels hunkers down amid warning of Paris-style threat
My Way News reports: "Belgian authorities closed down Brussels' subway system and flooded the streets with armed police and soldiers Saturday in response to what they said was a threat of Paris-style attacks. The decision to raise the threat alert to the highest level in the Belgian capital came as the manhunt continued for a suspect missing since the carnage in neighboring France."

Ten Kings - Global Government

My Way News - SE Asia formally creates regional economic community
My Way News reports: "Southeast Asian leaders on Sunday formally created a unified economic community in a diverse region far larger than the European Union or North America, with hopes of competing with China and India. The 10 leaders in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed a declaration during their summit establishing the ASEAN Economic Community, originally envisioned in 2002."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - Gunmen attack hotel in Mali's capital, killing at least 20:
My Way News reports: "Heavily armed Islamic extremists seized dozens of hostages Friday at a Radisson hotel, but Malian troops, backed by U.S. and French special forces, swarmed in to retake the building and free many of the terrified captives. At least 20 people, including one American, were killed along with two gunmen during the more than seven-hour siege, a Malian military commander said. An extremist group led by former al-Qaida commander Moktar Belmoktar claimed responsibility for the attack in the former French colony, and many in France saw it as a new assault on their country's interests a week after the Paris attacks."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - Key events in life of Paris attacks' alleged mastermind
My Way News reports: "The alleged mastermind of the Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was reported by French authorities on Thursday to have been killed the previous day during a police siege in the Paris suburb of St. Denis. He was born in Belgium to a Moroccan-born immigrant shopkeeper who lives and owns a clothing store in the Molenbeek-Saint-Jean borough of Brussels."

My Way News - EU security measures up for debate in wake of Paris attacks
My Way News reports: "France and Belgium will urge their European partners on Friday to tighten gun laws, toughen border security and choke off funds to extremist groups, a week after at least 129 people were killed in attacks in Paris."

My Way News - Russian strategic bombers deal new strikes on IS
My Way News reports: "Russian strategic bombers struck targets in Syria Thursday in a third straight day of a heavy bombing blitz, military officials said. Russia, which has conducted air campaign in Syria since Sept. 30, sharply raised its intensity this week on President Vladimir Putin's orders."

My Way News - European nations shut their borders to economic migrants
My Way News reports: "Most nations along Europe's refugee corridor abruptly shut their borders Thursday to those not coming from war-torn countries such as Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq, leaving thousands desperately seeking a better life in the continent stranded at Balkan border crossings. The overnight decision [...] reflected new worries about possible militants coming in with the refugees."

My Way News - House votes to curb Syrian refugees, snubbing veto threat
My Way News reports: "Responding swiftly to the terror in Paris, the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to erect high hurdles for Syrian and Iraqi refugees coming to American shores, dividing the president's own party as lawmakers reflected the anxiety of voters back home. The vote was 289-137, enough to override a threatened White House veto of the legislation, which was hurriedly drafted in response to the carnage in the streets of Paris. Forty-seven Democrats voted for the bill [...] The strong vote in the House could improve prospects for the bill in the Senate."

Future Fear - Roaring Waves

My Way News - Absurdly hot October as Earth sets 8th heat record this year
My Way News reports: "Even in a record-breaking hot year for Earth, October stood out as absurdly warm. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that last month globally was 58.86 degrees (14.98 degrees Celsius). That's the hottest October on record by a third of a degree over the old mark, 'an incredible amount' for weather records, said NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden. October's temperature was the most above-normal month in history."

Peace of Jerusalem - Temple Mount

My Way News - Palestinian attacks in Tel Aviv, West Bank leave 5 dead
My Way News reports: "A pair of stabbing and shooting attacks carried out by Palestinians killed three Israelis, a Palestinian and an American teenager on Thursday in one of the deadliest days in a recent outburst of Israeli-Palestinian violence. The attacks are part of a wave of violence that erupted in mid-September over tensions surrounding a Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews and Muslims."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - IS group says it has killed Norwegian, Chinese captives
My Way News reports: "The Islamic State group said Wednesday that it has killed Norwegian and Chinese captives after earlier demanding ransoms for the two men. [...] The announced killings come as Islamic State militants face increasing airstrikes from a variety of countries, including the U.S., Russia and France, as well as ground attacks from Kurdish and other forces."

My Way News - IS attacks claim more than 800 lives abroad this year
My Way News reports: "The Islamic State group has dramatically expanded its theatre of operations from its hub in Syria and Iraq, executing or inspiring a series of attacks across three continents that claimed more than 800 lives this year. [...] IS, which has recently lost territory to U.S.-backed forces in Syria and Iraq, seeks to boost its credentials with spectacular acts of violence that attract recruits."

My Way News - IS releases photo of bomb it says downed Russian jetliner
My Way News reports: "The Islamic State group on Wednesday released a photo of a bomb hidden in a soft drink can that it said had brought down a Russian passenger jet over Egypt last month, and it also announced it had killed hostages from Norway and China. The disclosure of the new violence by the militants came as Russian and French warplanes continued their stepped-up airstrikes against IS targets in Syria."

My Way News - Fate of Paris attacks mastermind unclear after bloody raid
My Way News reports: "The hunt for the mastermind of last week's attacks took a bloody turn Wednesday to a Paris suburb where a fierce gunbattle with police left at least two people dead and eight arrested. The fate of the alleged ringleader was unclear, with authorities saying he was not taken alive and they were trying to determine if he died in the raid. "

My Way News - Honduras detains 5 Syrians with stolen Greek passports
My Way News reports: "Five Syrians have been detained on charges of falsifying documents after trying to use stolen Greek passports to enter Honduras, a law enforcement spokesman for the Central American country said Wednesday. [...] the men indicated they planned to travel to the United States."

Covenant With Many

My Way News - Palestinian leader discusses failed peace effort
My Way News reports: "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has shined new light on the breakdown of a potentially history-altering round of 2008 peace talks, saying that he rejected an offer from Israel's Ehud Olmert — which included placing Jerusalem's Old City under international control — because he was not allowed to study the map."

Wars and Rumors of War

My Way News - IS militants dig in, anticipating assault on Syria's Raqqa
My Way News reports: "Islamic State militants are stiffening their defenses for a possible assault on their de facto capital Raqqa as international airstrikes intensify on the Syrian city in retaliation for the Paris attacks. The fighters are hiding in civilian neighborhoods and preventing anyone from fleeing, activists said. [...] the extremists are digging in to make any potential assault as grueling as possible. The city, which they have held since early 2014, lies on the Euphrates River at an intersection of major routes from all directions, most through agricultural areas crisscrossed by canals and tributaries of the river"

Pestilence

My Way News - Guinea begins countdown to end of Ebola after nearly 2 years
My Way News reports: "Authorities have started the countdown to the end of Ebola in Guinea, the last country still reporting cases after nearly two years and more than 11,000 deaths worldwide, health officials said Tuesday. The patient's recovery and the lack of new cases raise hopes that Guinea — and the world — could end Ebola transmission before the end of the year. Guinea must still go 42 days without any new cases and after that must maintain a period of heightened surveillance."

War - Nations in Distress

The New York Times - Hollande Says ‘France Is at War’
The New York Times reports: "President Francois Hollande told a joint session of Parliament on Monday that “France is at war,” and that it will prevail in its fight against the militants of the Islamic State."

My Way News - IS could ultimately force West to consider invasion:
My Way News reports: "This is the fundamental contradiction, after Paris: Few in the West want to send ground troops to Syria and Iraq to battle the Islamic State group, but it may be even harder to find anyone who thinks airstrikes alone will defeat the radical extremists [...] But if IS carries through with its threats of further attacks on the West [...] An international ground operation could become conceivable, and would not necessarily rely on Americans — a constellation of nations, including Egypt, Iran, the Gulf, Europe and Russia, has become increasingly enraged at the jihadis."

My Way News - France seeks united US-Russia assault on Islamic State
My Way News reports: "France wants to bring the United States and Russia together in a grand coalition dedicated to smashing the Islamic State group, President Francois Hollande told lawmakers Monday in a rare joint session in the Palace of Versailles as authorities worldwide struggled to pinpoint those responsible for the deadliest attacks on French soil since World War II. [...] In hopes of killing Islamic State organizers and trainees, France overnight launched its heaviest airstrikes yet on the city of Raqqa, the group's de-facto capital in Syria. French authorities said Sunday night's bombings destroyed a jihadi training camp and munitions dump."

CatholicHerald.co.uk - Paris terrorist attacks are ‘part of a Third World War,’ says Pope Francis
The Catholic Herald reports: "The terrorist attacks on Paris by ISIS militants are part of 'a third world war,' Pope Francis has said. Speaking on Saturday, the day after the attacks on the French capital, Pope Francis told the television station of the Italian bishops’ conference he was 'shaken and pained.' 'I don’t understand, but these things are difficult to understand, how human beings can do this,' the Pope said. 'That is why I am shaken, pained and am praying.'" 

Islamic State threatens attack on Washington, other countries | Reuters
Reuters reports: "Islamic State warned in a new video on Monday that countries taking part in air strikes against Syria would suffer the same fate as France, and threatened to attack in Washington. The video, which appeared on a website used by Islamic State to post its messages, begins with news footage of the aftermath of Friday's Paris shootings in which at least 129 people were killed."

War - Nations in Distress

My Way News - France vows to punish IS for Paris attacks that kill 127
My Way News reports: "French President Francois Hollande vowed to attack the Islamic State group without mercy as the jihadist group claimed responsibility Saturday for orchestrating the deadliest attacks on France since World War II. Hollande said at least 127 people died Friday night when at least eight attackers launched gun attacks at Paris cafes, detonated suicide bombs near France's national stadium and killed hostages inside a concert hall during a rock show. More than 200 people were injured, dozens critically."

War - Nations in Distress

My Way News - 120 dead in Paris attacks, worst since WWII:
My Way News reports: "A series of attacks targeting young concert-goers, soccer fans and Parisians enjoying a Friday night out at popular nightspots killed at least 120 people in the deadliest violence to strike France since World War II. President Francois Hollande condemned it as terrorism and pledged that France would stand firm against its foes. [...] There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks. Jihadists on Twitter immediately praised them and criticized France's military operations against Islamic State extremists. Witnesses in the concert hall described hearing attackers say 'Allahu Akbar.' "

Rumors of War - King of the North

My Way News - Kremlin-controlled TV airs 'secret' plans for nuclear weapon
My Way News reports: "Details of a new Russian submarine-launched nuclear torpedo have been shown on state-controlled TV, a secret the Kremlin said should never have been aired. Some observers, however, saw it as a deliberate leak. The airing of the video on television channels under tight Kremlin control raised suspicions that it was done intentionally to scare the West at a time when its ties with Russia are at the lowest point since the Cold War."

Comment: At least they didn't leak details about the nuclear depth charges. 

War

My Way News - Amid offensive, Iraqi Kurds cut Islamic State supply line
My Way News reports: "Supported by U.S.-led airstrikes, Kurdish Iraqi troops on Thursday seized part of a highway that is used as a vital supply line by the Islamic State group, a key initial step in a major offensive to retake the strategic town of Sinjar from the militants. [...]The coalition said 24 airstrikes were carried out over the past day, striking nine militant tactical units, nine staging areas and destroying 27 fighting positions, among other targets. Coalition aircraft have conducted more than 250 airstrikes in the past month across northern Iraq."

My Way News - Twin suicide blasts in Beirut's Shiite suburb kill 43
My Way News reports: "Twin suicide bombings struck a southern Beirut suburb that's a stronghold of the militant Shiite Hezbollah group on Thursday evening, killing at least 43 people and wounding scores more in one of the deadliest attacks in recent years in Lebanon. The attack was quickly claimed by the extremists Islamic State group, which is fighting in neighboring Syria and Iraq but has not had a recognized affiliate in Lebanon, though the tiny Mediterranean country has seen deadly spillovers from the civil war next door. "

War - Doomed Damascus

My Way News - Global push for end to Syria war seen as most serious yet
My Way News reports: "The international community is mounting its most serious effort yet to end the nearly 5-year-old Syrian war, rallying around a second round of talks in Vienna this weekend amid the emergence of a Russian proposal that calls for early elections."

My Way News - Syrians express opposition to Russian plan to end conflict
My Way News reports: "A Russian proposal to end Syria's conflict that would include early presidential elections faced opposition from both sides on Wednesday, as deep divisions remained over the fate of President Bashar Assad. "

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

My Way News - China to Philippines: No sea feud talk at APEC summit
My Way News reports: "China's top diplomat asked the Philippines Tuesday not to raise contentious issues — an obvious reference to the Asian neighbors' territorial spats — in an annual economic summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in Manila next week [...] the two Asian neighbors' relations soured in the last three years due to overlapping claims in the South China Sea, a regional conflict that involves four other Asian governments, whose leaders are attending the Manila meetings."

Final Kingdom

My Way News - Cameron: Britain's EU demands not 'Mission: Impossible'
My Way News reports: "British Prime Minister David Cameron laid out his government's demands for European Union reform Tuesday, saying a looser 'British model of membership' would let him campaign 'heart and soul' for his country to stay in the 28-nation bloc. Cameron said the EU must agree to 'irreversible changes' that would cede autonomy back to member states — and limit freedom of movement, a key EU principle, by allowing the U.K. to restrict benefits for immigrants from within the EU. Britain will hold a referendum by the end of 2017 on whether to leave the EU."

Peace & Security of Jerusalem

My Way News - Violence returns to Jerusalem after 2-week lull
My Way News reports: "Two Palestinian boys, aged 11 and 14, stabbed and wounded an Israeli guard on a train who responded by firing and wounding one of them Tuesday. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces killed two other Palestinians who carried out knife attacks, police said, as violence returned to Jerusalem after a two-week lull. [...] Jerusalem had been relatively quiet for the past two weeks following an Israeli crackdown in response to the attacks."

Future Fear

My Way News - World Bank: Climate change could result in 100 million poor
My Way News reports: "Climate change could push more than 100 million people into extreme poverty by 2030 by disrupting agriculture and fueling the spread of malaria and other diseases, the World Bank said in a report Sunday."

Covenant With Many

My Way News - Obama, Netanyahu minimize differences, renew call for peace
My Way News reports: "Minimizing sharp differences, President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed their commitment to seeking elusive Middle East peace on Monday, though prospects for an agreement between Israelis and Palestinians appear ever further out of reach."

Pestilence

My Way News - Sierra Leone declared free of Ebola, as Guinea struggles
My Way News reports: "Cheers erupted and people danced in the streets Saturday as Sierra Leone marked the end of the Ebola outbreak within its borders, although neighboring Guinea still struggles to stamp out the deadly virus that has killed more than 11,000 mostly in West Africa. Nearly 4,000 people have died in Sierra Leone of Ebola since the outbreak began in late 2013."

Covenant With Many

My Way News - US rules out Mideast peace deal before Obama leaves office
My Way News reports: "President Barack Obama has made a 'realistic assessment' that a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians is not possible during his final months in office, U.S. officials said Thursday. The officials spoke to reporters ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House on Monday."

War - Jerusalem Peace & Security

My Way News - Palestinian shooting attacks signal escalation in West Bank
My Way News reports: "Back-to-back Palestinian shootings Friday wounded three Israelis, two of them seriously, the military said. The attacks signaled an escalation after a series of Palestinian stabbings and widespread stone-throwing that marked the current round of confrontations with Israel. Israeli media said the wounded were teens between the ages of 16 and 19."

Fearsome Events - Future Fear

My Way News - Report: 14 wild weather events last year goosed by warming
My Way News reports: "Dozens of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and across the world examined 28 strange weather conditions last year to see if global warming partly increased their likelihood or their strength. In a series of papers in a 180-page, peer-reviewed report, the scientists spotted some effects of climate change in half of them. In other weather events, scientists found no evidence of climate change making conditions more likely or stronger."

Temple Mount - Covenant With Many

My Way News - Jordan: No cameras inside mosques at Jerusalem holy site
My Way News reports: "The interiors of two mosques at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site will be exempt from monitoring by security cameras, Jordan's king said in an apparent attempt to allay Palestinian concerns about his plan to install the cameras at the sprawling hilltop compound. The 37-acre (15 -hectare) site has been at the heart of the current round of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Jordan, the custodian of the site, last month proposed camera monitoring in efforts to defuse tensions. Israel welcomed the plan but the idea was met by Palestinian criticism."

Comment: It will be interesting to see if this is enough to overcome Palestinian objections. The interesting thing to note is how they are acting as if the Palestinians have the final word. From what I've read, final administrative control rests with Jordan. Of course, given recent Palestinian behavior, their ability to act out and act up may give them a de facto veto. Isn't it odd that the site is the absolute holiest site to Israel but only the third holiest site to followers of Islam, and yet they act as if it's the most important thing to them. Some perspective is needed. I know, we are talking about the reality distortion field that covers all of the holy land, so no, perspective is the one thing they will never have.

Global Government

My Way News - Details of controversial Pacific trade deal are released
My Way News reports: "Governments of the 12 member countries released the complete text online Thursday, making public the specifics of an agreement that critics complain was forged in secrecy. [...] Apart from the U.S., Japan and Mexico, countries in the trade pact are New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Peru, Canada, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia."

War - Covenant with Many

My Way News - Conflict hard to ignore as stabbings reach Israeli heartland
My Way News reports: "After years of relative quiet in major Israeli cities, a seven-week burst of violence has brought the Palestinian issue to the country's heartland and pushed the long-festering conflict back to the forefront of the national agenda. Disillusioned by years of failed negotiations and a controversial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, most Israelis appear to want to create more distance and separation from their Palestinian neighbors rather than revive peace talks."

Comment: The Palestinians are constantly innovating, coming up with new ways to demonstrate their desire for peace.  Quite remarkable really.

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

My Way News - No joint declaration at Asia defense meet amid sea tensions
My Way News reports: "Divisions within Asia over China's claims in the disputed South China Sea spilled over Wednesday to a meeting of U.S. and Asian defense ministers, where China insisted the group make no public mention of the waterway in a joint declaration intended as a public display of unity. [...] China's claims in the South China Sea are disputed by several countries in the region, including Malaysia, which is hosting the meeting."

Doomed Damascus

My Way News - Russia says it doesn't mind if Assad stays or steps down
My Way News reports: "In an apparent effort to set the stage for transition talks, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Tuesday that Moscow does not consider it a matter of principle that Syrian President Bashar Assad should stay in power."

Covenant with Many

My Way News - AP Interview: Peres says Israel could face an eternal war
My Way News reports: "Over a seven-decade career in politics, Shimon Peres has helped guide Israel through wars and existential threats. But now, with the country embroiled in a new wave of violence, the 92-year-old elder statesman worries that if its leaders do not get serious about pursuing peace with the Palestinians, it will be in an eternal state of war and risk losing its Jewish majority."

War - Doomed Damascus

My Way News - US escalates involvement in Syria amid talks on Assad future
My Way News reports: "The United States escalated its fight against the Islamic State in Syria on Friday, pledging the first open deployment of military boots on the ground, even as U.S., Russian and other diplomats pressed a new peace effort that America hopes will hasten the departure of Bashar Assad."

Doomed Damascus - War - Persia

My Way News - Iran to take a seat among world powers for Syria talks
My Way News reports: "Iran takes part in international talks on Syria for the first time this week [...] The gathering Thursday and Friday in Vienna will also put Iran in the same room with its most bitter regional rival, Saudi Arabia, raising the potential for tensions. The kingdom, along with other Gulf countries, has been funneling weapons to rebel factions, while Iran has sent financing, weapons and military advisers to ensure Assad's survival."

Temple Mount

My Way News - Jewish activists step up activities at sensitive holy site
My Way News reports: "A new Israeli proclamation to uphold a ban on Jewish prayer at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site should have dealt a sobering blow to the die-hard activists who have spent years fighting for the right to worship at the spot, which is sacred to Muslims as well as Jews. Instead, it has only emboldened them. [...] There are about 27 Jewish organizations dedicated to boosting Jewish visits to the site, according to the United Temple Mount Movement, an umbrella group representing them. These include groups of students, ultra-Orthodox Jews, women and one that has fashioned a golden menorah and other accouterments for use in a future temple.'

Doomed Damascus - Persia - War

My Way News - Iran to take a seat among world powers for Syria talks
My Way News reports: "Iran will take part in international talks on Syria for the first time this week, giving it a voice in the effort to find a resolution to the more than 4-year-old civil war that has so far defied even the slightest progress toward peace. A crucial backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Tehran has been shunned from all previous talks on Syria. Its inclusion now marks recognition by the United States that no discussion on Syria's future can succeed without Iran at the table."

Global Community

My Way News - Google's Internet-beaming balloons to take off in Indonesia
My Way News reports: "Google's Internet-beaming balloons are ready to take off on the next phase of their mission to deliver online access in regions where most people live offline. [...] Alphabet frames Project's Loon as a noble endeavor striving to get about 100 million currently unconnected people tapped into the vast reservoir of knowledge, entertainment and conveniences available online. But it could also enrich Google by expanding the potential audience that can query its search engine, watch video on YouTube, correspond through Gmail and click on digital ads."

Earthquakes

My Way News - 400-plus small quakes jolt California city in recent weeks
My Way News reports: "The U.S. Geological Survey says 435 small earthquakes have rattled the San Francisco Bay Area city of San Ramon in the last two weeks. USGS research geophysicist Brad Aagaard says the small quakes have been recorded since Oct. 13. Most of them have ranged from magnitudes-2.0 to -3.0. The largest was a magnitude-3.6 on Oct. 19. No damage or injuries have been reported."

Future Fear

My Way News - An intolerable unimaginable heat forecast for Persian Gulf
My Way News reports: "If carbon dioxide emissions continue at their current pace, by the end of century parts of the Persian Gulf will sometimes be just too hot for the human body to tolerate, a new study says. How hot? The heat index — which combines heat and humidity — may hit 165 to 170 degrees (74 to 77 Celsius) for at least six hours, according to numerous computer simulations in the new study. That's so hot that the human body can't get rid of heat."

Earthquakes

My Way News - Afghan earthquake rocks Asia, dozens dead
My Way News reports: "A strong earthquake in northern Afghanistan shook buildings from Kabul to Delhi, cut power and communications in some areas and caused more than 150 deaths, mainly in Afghanistan and Pakistan. [...] The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter of the 7.5-magnitude earthquake was in the Hindu Kush mountains, in the sparsely populated province of Badakhshan, which borders Pakistan, Tajikistan and China."

War - King of the North - Doomed Damascus

My Way News - New Russian military might on full display in Syria
My Way News reports: "The air campaign in Syria, Russia's first military action outside the former Soviet Union since the war in Afghanistan, shows a revamped Russian military, which sharply differs in both capability and mindset from the old, Soviet-style force. It is capable of quickly projecting power far from Russian borders, widely uses drones and precision weapons, and cares about soldiers' comfort. [...] The rapid deployment of a sizable expeditionary force by sea and air, an air campaign in which dozens of jets relentlessly pounded targets round the clock for weeks and the launching of long-range cruise missiles from the Caspian were intended to send a clear message: Russia's military could rival U.S. operational capability."

Temple Mount - Covenant with Many

My Way News - Kerry: Video monitoring to ease Jerusalem holy site tensions
My Way News reports: "Looking to reduce tensions at a Jerusalem holy site that set off weeks of Mideast violence, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced Saturday that Israel and Jordan had agreed on steps, including round-the-clock video monitoring, to bring an end to the unrest. [...] Kerry said the understandings included Israel fully respecting Jordan's 'special role' as custodian of the site, its continued enforcement of religious worship at the site in which Muslims pray there and non-Muslims visit and its commitment not to divide the site and to reject any attempt to suggest otherwise."

Comment: I can't help think that establishing 24/7 monitoring on the Temple Mount is an amazing and watershed event in light of the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11. 

Temple Mount - Covenant with Many

My Way News - US seeking clarity on ground rules at key Jerusalem shrine
My Way News reports: "Disputes over the ground rules at a major Jerusalem shrine played an important role in triggering the current Israeli-Palestinian violence. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting in Amman this weekend with Jordan's King Abdullah II, custodian of the site, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to clarify those rules."

My Way News - Israel lifts Muslim age limit at Jerusalem shrine
My Way News reports: "Muslim prayers at a major Jerusalem shrine, the epicenter of weeks of unrest, ended peacefully Friday after Israel lifted restrictions on worshippers in an apparent bid to ease tensions. Meanwhile, violence continued in the West Bank where Palestinians threw a firebomb at an Israeli car, wounding a mother and her two children. An Israeli news site said one of the children, a 4-year-old girl, was badly burned."

My Way News - The Latest: Quartet calls for calm amid Mideast tensions
My Way News reports: "The Middle East Quartet is calling on both Israel and the Palestinian leadership to show 'maximum restraint and avoidance of provocative rhetoric and actions' in efforts to reduce their conflict. High-ranking members of the Quartet — the U.N, the EU, the U.S. and Russia — issued a statement calling for calm after meeting Friday in Vienna on the sidelines of Syria talks. [...] The statement says Quartet envoys will travel to the region in the near future to help mediate an end to the conflict."

Comment: The status of the Temple Mount is at the top of the international agenda and great powers are once again ready to try to divide the land of Israel in search of peace. Is the "Covenant with Many" close at hand?

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

My Way News - US admiral: Policymakers to decide South China Sea patrols
My Way News reports: "The U.S. Navy's top commander in the Pacific says it's up to policymakers in Washington whether his sailors patrol within 12 nautical miles of newly constructed islands claimed by China in the South China Sea. [...] China and five other governments lay claim to part or all of the South China Sea, a busy passageway for commercial and military vessels. Washington has a policy of not taking sides in the territorial disputes, but says it's in its national interest to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight and the peaceful resolution of the conflicts."

King of the North - Doomed Damascus - War

My Way News - Russia shows military might in Syria, also pushes diplomacy
My Way News reports: "The U.S. and other Western powers have questioned Russia's primary motive in the airstrikes that began Sept. 30 and have backed up a Syrian government offensive in central and northwestern regions. Moscow says it is fighting IS and other extremist groups like the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, but Washington and others say the intervention is to prop up Assad and is likely to fan the violence. The intervention is also allowing Russia to portray itself as a major global player, projecting its military power far from its borders."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Rouhani: Iran to begin full implementation of nuclear deal:
My Way News reports: "The Iranian government will begin fully implementing the landmark nuclear deal reached with world powers 'with good will,' and the work will be done while keeping in mind concerns voiced by Iran's supreme leader, President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday. [...] The agreement reached in July with the U.S., Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany curbs Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting crippling international sanctions."

Pestilence

My Way News - Plague spread 3,000 years earlier than 1st thought: 2,800 BC
My Way News reports: "In contrast to later strains, including the one estimated to have wiped out about half of Europe, the Bronze Age plague revealed by the new study could not be spread by fleas because it lacked a crucial gene. So it was probably less able to infect people over wide regions. [...] experts said it was unlikely that plague would ever pose as great a threat as it has in the past, especially since it is now largely treatable."

Covenant With Many - Jerusalem Security - Temple Mount

My Way News - Israel's Netanyahu heads to Berlin to meet Kerry
My Way News reports: "With no end in sight to weeks of Israeli-Palestinian violence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Germany on Wednesday as part of a high-profile diplomatic push to restore calm. The trip, which included a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and talks with U.S. Secretary state John Kerry on Thursday, came on a day of new Palestinian attacks in the West Bank. [...] It remains unclear whether the diplomatic push will be able to succeed. The Israeli and Palestinian leaders have vast differences over the causes of the violence. It also is unclear whether anyone can rein in the attackers, who have been young 'lone-wolf' Palestinians, often in their teens, acting on their own."

Earthquakes

My Way News - Study: 99 percent probability of Los Angeles-area quake
My Way News reports: "There is a 99.9 percent chance of a magnitude-5 or greater earthquake striking within three years in the greater Los Angeles area, where a similar sized temblor caused more than $12 million in damage last year, according to a study by NASA and university researchers."

Doomed Damascus - King of the North

My Way News - Assad-Putin meeting signals push to end Syria crisis
My Way News reports: "Bashar Assad's surprise meeting with Vladimir Putin could signal that Russia ultimately seeks a political settlement after weeks of heavy airstrikes in Syria. But the terms of such an arrangement are uncertain, and questions remain about whether Moscow will seek the departure of its longtime ally or try for a power-sharing agreement."

Nations in Distress

My Way News - 'Let us go!' Migrants ford icy river, burn tents in Slovenia
My Way News reports: "While the government said it was still investigating the cause, police at the scene told The Associated Press that migrants had set a stack of UNHCR-supplied blankets deliberately on fire to protest conditions in the camp on the outskirts of Brezice. [...] Many migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa expressed bewilderment and disappointment because they had been told as they began their journeys in Turkey that the hard part would end once they reached EU countries like Croatia and Slovenia. Many had expected other countries to permit them free passage to wealthier western countries, particularly Germany, that they hope to make home."

Comment: It's a shame they don't have a spirit of gratitude when imposing on the hospitality of other countries. They should be thankful for whatever is offered.  How does one explain this bizarre sense of entitlement as if they have a right to live in Germany? I'm still waiting on an explanation as to why the wealthy Gulf states are not taking them in. One would think they would naturally gravitate to countries with whom they share kinship and sectarian ties. The fact that they are not doing so lends credence to some of the more outlandish conspiracy theories. There does seem to be an agenda at work.

Covenant With Many - Jerusalem Security - Temple Mount

My Way News - Mediators face uphill battle in Israeli-Palestinian morass
My Way News reports: "The United States and Jordan could prove especially important in determining whether the bloodshed will subside. The U.S. may be called upon to push for new talks, and the Jordanians can calm the atmosphere by negotiating with both sides about the Jerusalem holy sites over which they are the recognized custodians."

Pestilence

My Way News - Indian capital struggles to control dengue fever outbreak
My Way News reports: "Such efforts to stop mosquitoes from spreading dengue fever in New Delhi have failed to keep the city from its biggest outbreak in almost two decades: more than 10,190 registered cases, including 32 deaths. Experts say it didn't need to be this way, and blame health officials for being slow on both prevention work and medical response."

Temple Mount - Covenant With Many

My Way News - Kerry: Foreign presence not needed at Jerusalem holy site
My Way News reports: "U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that a proposed international presence at the Jerusalem holy site at the center of escalating Israeli, Palestinian tension and violence is not needed. Instead, he said what is needed is clarity over pledges by Israel to maintain the status quo at the hilltop compound revered by Jews as the Temple Mount and home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest shrine and a key national symbol for the Palestinians. [...] France has proposed action at the United Nations that could see an international presence to ensure the status quo at the site, where Jews are allowed to visit but not to pray."

Jerusalem Security - Rumors of War

My Way News - IS calls for stepped up attacks against Israelis
My Way News reports: "The Islamic State group has launched an unprecedented media campaign calling on Palestinians to step up attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, taking advantage of a wave of violence between the two sides to deliver rare incitement against Israel. In a video posted Monday, the group urged Palestinians to carry out attacks using every means at their disposal, including knives, vehicles, poison and explosives."

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

My Way News - Chinese general dismisses South China Sea concerns
My Way News reports: "Concerns have been growing over the rapid appearance of islands created by piling sand atop reefs and atolls controlled by China, which is now adding, harbors, air strips and large buildings. The U.S. and others have called on Beijing to halt those projects, saying they are destabilizing an increasingly militarized region. [...] Unnamed Pentagon officials said last week that the U.S. Navy may soon receive approval to sail a ship inside the 12-nautical mile (21-kilometer) territorial limit surrounding China's man-made islands, reported the Navy Times, which is closely affiliated with the U.S. Navy. ASEAN member Philippines on Wednesday gave strong backing for such a move."

My Way News - India, US and Japan hold naval exercises under China's gaze
My Way News reports: "Naval warships, aircraft carriers and submarines from the U.S., India and Japan steamed into the Bay of Bengal on Saturday as they took part in joint military exercises off India's east coast, signaling the growing strategic ties among the three countries as they face up to a rising China. [...] The U.S. has deployed the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, a missile cruiser and a nuclear-powered submarine for the annual exercises, which end Monday."

Jerusalem Security - Covenant With Many - Temple Mount

My Way News - Israel: 4 Palestinian attackers shot dead in latest violence
My Way News reports: "Palestinian assailants carried out five stabbing attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank on Saturday, authorities said, as a month-long outburst of violence showed no signs of abating. The unrest came despite new security measures that have placed troops and checkpoints around Palestinian neighborhoods in east Jerusalem. At least four assailants were killed. [...] Israel has taken unprecedented steps in response to the attacks. It has deployed soldiers in Israeli cities and erected concrete barriers outside some Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem, where most of the attackers came from. Ordinary citizens have also increasingly taken up arms to protect themselves."

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

My Way News - China hosts ASEAN meeting amid South China Sea tensions
My Way News reports: "China hosted Southeast Asian defense ministers on Friday in an effort to burnish its reputation in a region wary of its territorial ambitions, while expectations grow that the U.S. might directly challenge Chinese claims in the South China Sea. [...] With the world's second-largest defense budget, China's military — especially its navy — is gathering formidable capabilities. It will soon deploy its first aircraft carrier and is rapidly adding advanced destroyers, missile cruisers and nuclear submarines. A massive military parade in Beijing last month showcased new missiles permitting China to hit targets — including U.S. Navy ships and bases — throughout the region."

Pestilence

My Way News - UN: 2 new Ebola cases in Guinea show virus still spreading
My Way News reports: "The World Health Organization says there were two new cases of Ebola in Guinea this week, ending two consecutive weeks in West Africa when no cases of the devastating disease were reported."

Jerusalem Security - Covenant With Many - Temple Mount

My Way News - 4 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in unrest, stabbing
My Way News reports: "Stone-throwing protests erupted across the West Bank and Gaza on Friday, and assailants firebombed a site revered by Jews as the tomb of biblical Joseph on a 'day of rage' against Israel. Four Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, including a laborer disguised as a journalist who stabbed an Israeli soldier."

Pestilence

My Way News - Ailing Ebola nurse in UK may be rare case of relapse
My Way News reports: "The World Health Organization says it's possible in rare instances for patients who survived Ebola to develop the lethal disease again, when the virus lingering in the body starts to replicate at high levels. [...] To date, Ebola has killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa and left some 17,000 survivors in the region, many of whom have poor access to health care."

My Way News - Study: Ebola in male survivors can survive up to 9 months
My Way News reports: "Doctors have found that Ebola can linger in some male survivors for up to nine months but aren't sure if that means they might still be infectious, according to new research. In a study of 93 men in Sierra Leone, scientists found the Ebola virus in semen samples from about half of them. The risk seemed to decline over time. "

Wars

My Way News - Obama extends US military mission in Afghanistan into 2017
My Way News reports: "Military commanders have argued for months that Afghans needed additional assistance and support from the U.S. to beat back a resurgent Taliban and keep the Islamic State from using the country as a haven. The president had originally planned to withdraw all but a small embassy-based force from Afghanistan in late 2016, shortly before leaving office. Under the new $15 billion-a-year plan, the U.S. will maintain its current force of 9,800 through most of 2016, then begin drawing down to 5,500 late in the year or in early 2017."

Kings of the East - Persial - Gog Alliance

Chinese admiral visits Iran, wants closer defense cooperation | Reuters
Reuters reports: "China and Iran have close diplomatic, economic, trade and energy ties, and China has been active in pushing both the United States and Iran to reach agreement on Iran's controversial nuclear program. [...] Last year, for the first time ever, two Chinese warships docked at Iran's Bandar Abbas port to take part in a joint naval exercises in the Gulf and an Iranian admiral was given tours of a Chinese submarine and warships. Iran and Russia have both provided support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war. China, however, remains a low key diplomatic player in the Middle East despite its dependence on the region's oil."

Peace and Security of Jerusalem - Covenant with Many - Temple Mount

My Way News - As attacks continue, Israeli army begins deploying troops
My Way News reports: "Hundreds of soldiers fanned out in cities across Israel on Wednesday and authorities erected concrete barriers outside some Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem in a stepped up effort to counter a monthlong wave of Palestinian violence that has seen near daily attacks. Despite the escalated security, two assaults were reported Wednesday — the stabbing of a 70-year-old Israeli woman outside a crowded Jerusalem bus station and the attempted knifing of police officers outside the Old City. [...] The White House and State Department said Wednesday that Secretary of State John Kerry plans to visit the region soon to try to encourage calm, but released no details."