Trump Welcomes Home Americans Freed from North Korea

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By Daily Mail. Donald Trump welcomed three Americans imprisoned in North Korea back to the U.S. in the wee hours of Thursday morning, and said words most observers thought no American president would ever utter: ‘We want to thank Kim Jong Un.’

The president and his wife Melania arrived at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington at 2:00 a.m. to greet Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, and called them ‘incredible people.’

In extraordinary scenes, Trump and the first lady clapped and cheered as the men walked down the steps with their arms in the air and giving triumphant ‘V’ signs signifying both peace and victory.

Their first steps back on American soil came hours earlier, in Alaska, when the plane carrying them home stopped to refuel.

On the tarmac in suburban Maryland, Trump said: ‘These are great people. Frankly, we didn’t think this was going to happen, but it did. It was important to get these people out. This is a special night for these three really great people.’ (Read more from “Trump Welcomes Home Americans Freed from North Korea” HERE)

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History in the Making as Trump Welcomes Prisoners Home

By CNN. Just maybe, the extraordinary scene that unfolded in the dead of night on an airfield outside Washington early Thursday is the start of something truly historic.

President Donald Trump welcomed home three American prisoners from North Korea, citing their release as proof that his diplomacy with the isolated state is delivering. In what must have been a surreal experience, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk — who were only released from custody on Wednesday — were suddenly plunged into a media circus.

“I think you probably broke the all-time in history television rating for 3 o’clock in the morning,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews as he stood alongside the freed prisoners.

(Read more from “History in the Making as Trump Welcomes Prisoners Home” HERE)

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Iranian Forces Fire at Israel Military Base

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By Breitbart. Iranian forces operating from Syria fired about 20 rockets at Israeli army positions in the Golan Heights, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday night.

Some of the missiles were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome system, and there were no reports of injuries, the IDF stated.

A video posted on social media in Syria purports to show a volley of rockets from a launcher being fired into Israel.

(Read more from “Iranian Forces Fire at Israel” HERE)

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IDF: Iranian Forces Fire 20 Rockets at Israel; Iron Dome Intercepts Some

By Times of Israel. Some 20 rockets were fired at Israeli military bases by Iranian forces in southern Syria just after midnight on Thursday, with some of the incoming missiles being intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, the army said, amid sky high tensions on the northern border.

There were no reports of Israeli casualties in the attack. An army spokesperson said damage was caused to Israeli military bases, but that it was “limited.”

The Israeli army said the missile barrage was carried out by members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Forces. This appeared to be the first time that Israel attributed an attack directly to Iran, which generally operates through proxies. The late night rocket barrage was also the largest attack, in terms of the number of rockets fired, in the seven years of the Syrian civil war.

Tehran has repeatedly vowed revenge after the T-4 army base in Syria was struck in an air raid — widely attributed to Israel — on April 9, killing at least seven members of the IRGC, including a senior officer responsible for the group’s drone program. (Read more from “Idf: Iranian Forces Fire 20 Rockets at Israel; Iron Dome Intercepts Some” HERE)

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Three Prisoners Released from North Korea

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By Breitbart. The three men released from North Korea into the custody of United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo put out a joint statement as they traveled home to the U.S.

Kim Hak Song, Kim Dong Cul, and Kim Sang-Duk said, according to Reuters:

We would like to express our deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and the people of the United States for bringing us home. We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world.

Pompeo gave a briefing to reporters traveling with him on the trip back to the U.S. from North Korea. Asked if there were any glitches during the 13-hour stay, Pompeo said, “It was a long day. But there were no moments where I felt like we were going to be anything but successful in the day.” (Read more from “Three Prisoners Released from North Korea” HERE)

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North Korea Frees Three U.S. Detainees Ahead of Trump Summit

By BBC. North Korea has freed three US citizens from prison, according to a tweet from US President Donald Trump.

It is viewed as a goodwill gesture ahead of a historic summit between Mr Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un.

Mr Trump said he would greet the men when they return with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has been in Pyongyang to arrange the planned talks.

Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul boarded the plane “without assistance”, the White House said.

They had been jailed for anti-state activities and placed in labour camps. (Read more from “North Korea Frees Three U.S. Detainees Ahead of Trump Summit” HERE)

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New Ebola Outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo Kills 17, Said to Have ‘International Impact’

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By The Blaze. . .Two out of five samples collected from patients were confirmed to have tested positive for Ebola, which the DRC reported to the World Health Organization. With a fatality rate of fifty percent, WHO is mobilizing to act quickly to address the outbreak of the virus. The organization released $1 million from a Contingency Fund for Emergencies in order to help stop the spread.

WHO deputy director-general for emergency preparedness and response, Dr. Peter Salama, said, “Our top priority is to get to Bikoro [a neighboring province] to work alongside the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and partners to reduce the loss of life and suffering related to this new Ebola virus disease outbreak.

“Working with partners and responding early and in a coordinated way will be vital to containing this deadly disease.” Doctors Without Borders is one of the organizations who will assist the WHO, and the response will be modelled after the methods used in a 2017 Ebola outbreak that occurred in another DRC province.

Since 1976, this is the ninth outbreak of Ebola in Congo. The virus is highly contagious and can cause organ failure as well as internal and external bleeding.

The WHO Regional Director for African, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, said, “We know that addressing this outbreak will require a comprehensive and coordinated response. WHO will work closely with health authorities and partners to support the national response. We will gather more samples, conduct contact tracing, engage the communities with messages on prevention and control, and put in place methods for improving data collection and sharing.” (Read more from “New Ebola Outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo Kills 17, Said to Have ‘International Impact’” HERE)

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New Outbreak of Ebola Kills 17 in Northwest Dr Congo

By AFP. Seventeen people in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have died from Ebola, the health ministry said on Tuesday, describing the fresh outbreak as a “public health emergency with international impact.”

“Twenty-one cases of fever with haemorrhagic indications and 17 deaths” have been recorded in Equateur province, it said, citing a notification to the ministry as of May 3.

It is the DRC’s ninth known outbreak of Ebola since 1976, when the deady viral disease was first identified in then-Zaire by a Belgian-led team.

In Geneva, the World Health Organization (WHO) said lab tests in the DRC confirmed the presence of Ebola virus in two out of five samples collected from patients.

“WHO is working closely with the government of the DRC to rapidly scale up its operations and mobilize health partners, using the model of a successful response to a similar… outbreak in 2017,” it said in a statement. (Read more from “New Outbreak of Ebola Kills 17 in Northwest Dr Congo” HERE)

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Toddler Eaten by Leopard at Safari Park

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Ugandan authorities were on Monday hunting for a leopard that snatched and ate the three-year-old son of a female ranger working in the popular Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The boy had been left in the care of a nanny at the unfenced staff quarters of a safari lodge in the park, when he was taken by the leopard on Friday night.

Wildlife authority spokesman Bashir Hangi said the child had followed the nanny outdoors.

“The maid was not aware the child followed her. She heard the kid scream for help, she intervened but it was too late the leopard had vanished with it in the bush and a search was mounted until we got the skull the next day,” he said. (Read more from “Toddler Eaten by Leopard at Safari Park” HERE)

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Israel Almost Shot down Russian Jet in Syria

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By The Jerusalem Post. The Israel Air Force came close to shooting down a Russian Air Force jet that was headed toward Israeli airspace in 2015, former defense minister Moshe Ya’alon said in an interview on Saturday.

“At the very beginning of the Russian presence [in Syria], there was a case where one Russian pilot almost crossed our border over the Golan Heights. If it was a Syrian plane we would have shot it down,” Ya’alon told RIA Novosti news agency.

According to Ya’alon, Israel identified the plane as it was approaching, and while it had identified it as Russian, the IAF was prepared to take it down if it did not change course. Ya’alon said contact was made with the Russian-operated Khmeimim Air Base in Syria alerting it to the danger the plane was in and following the warnings, the jet changed direction.

“The issue was resolved immediately,” he said.

The incident occurred shortly after Moscow intervened in the Syrian conflict in September 2015. Shortly thereafter, Israel and Russia implemented a deconfliction mechanism in order to avoid accidental clashes in Syrian airspace where both air forces are active. (Read more from “Israel Almost Shot down Russian Jet in Syria” HERE)

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Report: Iran Planning to Launch a Barrage of Missiles Against Israel

By The Jerusalem Post. Iran is preparing a barrage of missiles to launch against Israeli military positions from Syrian territory, Hebrew media reported Sunday, citing defense officials.

Iran plans to avenge alleged Israeli strikes on its bases in Syria, Ma’ariv defense analyst Alon Ben David said, by targeting military targets in northern Israel.

As of now, Israel is not “on the eve of war against Iran,” he said, “but the Iranians do want revenge for their losses.”

Iran plans to use Shiite militias already deployed in Syria along with experts from Hezbollah, according to Channel 2 News military analyst Roni Daniel. The proxies would be overseen by general Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps abroad.

Tensions have risen dramatically between the two arch-enemies following the infiltration of a Iranian drone into northern Israel, which the IDF says was armed and on a sabotage attack mission against the Jewish State. (Read more from “Report: Iran Planning to Launch a Barrage of Missiles Against Israel” HERE)

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Saudis Agree to Build Christian Churches

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For the “first time in the country’s history,” Saudi Arabia has agreed to build Christian churches for its Christian population, which before now has been banned by law from practicing their faith openly.

The Egypt Independent reports the signing of a cooperative agreement between Saudi officials and the Vatican to “build churches for Christian citizens to advocate the important role of religions and cultures in renouncing violence, extremism, terrorism and achieving security and stability in the world.”

The report explains the deal was reached between the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Secretary General of the Muslim World League Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdel Karim Al-Issa and the French cardinal of the Catholic Church Jean-Louis Tauran.

“The agreement also states that a coordinating joint committee will be established comprising two representatives for both sides to organize future meetings. The committee is expected to be held once every two years and its meetings will be alternated between Rome and a city chosen by the Islamic World League,” the report said.

An Italian newspaper published by the Vatican also reported that Tauran expressed support for the equal treatment of all citizens, “regardless their religion.” (Read more from “Saudis Agree to Build Christian Churches” HERE)

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Wow: Israel Invents Awesome Gift for Pro-Life Movement

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By The Daily Wire. Pro-lifers have been gaining ground in the war against abortion ever since women began viewing ultrasounds of their babies; now a new Israeli invention may signal another tremendous piece of ammunition against the murder of innocents: a device that would let women view an ultrasound of their babies on their smartphones . . .

Prof. Israel Meisner, head of the Obstetric Ultrasound Unit at Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, pointed out, “The new development has one big advantage, which is the calming effect. Women sometimes don’t feel movement, call their doctor and are told to go to an emergency room. Here there’s the option to put a phone on her stomach and see her baby.” Meisner added, “To prevent misunderstandings: this is not an ultrasound to check for defects or pregnancy measurements. This is a device with the sole purpose of calming a woman down, to give her the chance to see her fetus, connect to it when she is stressed, and understand that it is looking okay.” (Read more from “Wow: Israel Invents Awesome Gift for Pro-Life Movement” HERE)

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Israeli Device Would Let Pregnant Women Take Ultrasound Scans on Phone

By The Times of Israel. An Israeli startup is in the final stages of developing a revolutionary handheld ultrasound device that will allow pregnant women to check on the health of their baby using only a smartphone.

PulseNmore LTD. says its device can connect to any smartphone, displaying the images on its screen and sending them to the pregnant woman’s personal doctor for examination, Hadashot TV reported Tuesday.

The invention could revolutionize ultrasound tests and the frequency in which expectant mothers check on their unborn child, especially in Israel, where women undergo 6-8 tests on average, according to Prof. Israel Meisner, head of the Obstetric Ultrasound Unit at Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva.

“The new development has one big advantage, which is the calming effect,” Meisner told Hadashot. “Women sometimes don’t feel movement, call their doctor and are told to go to an emergency room. Here there’s the option to put a phone on her stomach and see her baby.” (Read more from “Israeli Device Would Let Pregnant Women Take Ultrasound Scans on Phone” HERE)

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Man Arrested for Wielding Potato Peeler in Public

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A British man was arrested Saturday after he was found walking the streets of Dunfermline, Scotland, with a potato peeler.

Scott Walker, 39, appeared before the Dunfermline Sheriff Court Monday, where he was charged under Criminal Law Act 1995 for carrying “an article which had a blade or which was sharply pointed, namely a potato peeler,” the Dunfermline Press reported.

The man faces up to four years in prison for carrying the kitchen utensil in public without good reason.

Walker’s defense solicitor said in court Monday her client “suffers from significant learning difficulties which have been lifelong.”

It is illegal in the United Kingdom to carry a knife longer than three inches in public “without good reason.” What constitutes a “good reason” to carry a knife is a decision made on a case-by-case basis by the courts. (Read more from “Man Arrested for Wielding Potato Peeler in Public” HERE)

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Despicable Corruption: McConnell’s Wife Becomes Transpo Secretary, Family Starts Buying Massive Chinese Ships

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) in-laws have ordered 10 massive cargo ships from the Chinese government since the senator’s wife Elaine Chao became Secretary of Transportation. The deep financial ties between the Chao family’s shipping business Foremost Group and the Chinese regime were first revealed in the #1 New York Times bestseller Secret Empires.

Foremost Group, which is owned by Sec. Elaine Chao’s father and Sen. McConnell’s father-in-law James S.C. Chao, signed contracts with a subsidiary of the state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) for four bulk cargo ships in June and September 2017. In December 2017, Chao’s company signed another contract with state-owned CSSC at Foremost’s New York office for two massive 210,000-ton ships. James S.C. Chao and two of Elaine’s sisters were in attendance. So, too, was the Consul General of China in New York, as well as representatives from the CSSC. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Then on January 31, 2018, Foremost Group ordered four more 210,000-ton ships from CSSC. Angela Chao, sister to Sec. Elaine Chao and Foremost’s Deputy Chairman, said she expects cooperation between the two entities to extend into the future. In January 2017, Angela Chao joined the board of the state-owned Bank of China.

The finances of Sec. Elaine Chao and her husband, Sen. Mitch McConnell, are closely tied to the Foremost Group. In 2008, James Chao gave a $5 million-$25 million “gift” to Sen. McConnell, more than tripling his net worth. Contracts with other Chinese state-owned enterprises make up a significant portion of Foremost’s business. James and Angela Chao previously served on the board of CSSC Holdings, a major contractor for the Chinese military and a key supporter of the PLA Navy.

Despite increasing threats of a trade war between the Trump Administration and the Chinese government, the Chao family’s ties to the Chinese government do not seem to have cooled. To the contrary, as the 10-ship order suggests, they have accelerated. Moreover, James Chao was recently in China for an event promoting his new Chinese-language biography. The event was sponsored by Xinhua, the Chinese state-owned media outlet, and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), a branch of the Communist Party known to be active in foreign influence operations. Sponsors praised James Chao as a great promoter of China abroad, referring to him as “vanguard of China-US exchanges.” (Read more from “Despicable Corruption: McConnell’s Wife Becomes Transpo Secretary, Family Starts Buying Massive Chinese Ships” HERE)

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