Biblically Illiterate Pope Calls for Worldwide Ban of All Weapons

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Today on Twitter, the head of the Roman Catholic Church called for a ban on all weapons. Pope Francis asserted that the mere presence of weapons makes us constantly live in fear of war.

Other Popes have acknowledged that weapons do indeed create a certain environment of fear. Church leaders have called for bans on certain types on weapons, such as nuclear weapons, but none have called for an outright ban on all weapons. The naiveté of this comment is pretty remarkable for several reasons. Surely, in an ideal world weapons would not be needed as humans would live in peace. But, the Pope’s comment, taken alone, neglects to recognize the spiritual warfare that rages in mankind’s hearts in the battle against the devil. It is ultimately mankind’s failure in this struggle that creates the bloodshed and destruction found in the world today. . .

Furthermore, how exactly would this ban be enforced? Would the United Nations oversee the destruction of all weapons with weapons of their own? Then would this world power be entrusted to willingly destroy their own weapons? Banning all weapons is such a preposterous suggestion it is not even worth going down the rabbit hole trying to figure out the logistics of it. (Read more from “Biblically Illiterate Pope Calls for Worldwide Ban of All Weapons” HERE)

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New Fukushima Nightmare for Japan Utility

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There’s a building boom going on at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan where on March 11, 2011, as the coast was catastrophically flooded by an earthquake-triggered tsunami, three of the six reactors melted down . . .

Tepco, which owns the site, has built hundreds of massive storage tanks to hold the radioactive water that is leaking from the disaster . . .

The report explained there have been improvements in the filtering system since the disaster seven years ago, but none of the processes so far has been able to catch tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen . . .

“Some of those tanks and pipes will eventually fail. It’s inevitable,” Dale Klein, a former head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told the publication.

Klein says the concentrations are low enough that the water can safely be released into the sea, Wired reported, but “the notion of dumping tons of radioactive water into the ocean is understandably a tough sell.” (Read more from “New Fukushima Nightmare for Japan Utility” HERE)

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This Is the Only Way North Korea Will Abandon Nuclear Weapons

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By The Blaze. North Korea leader Kim Jong-un told South Korea President Moon Jae-in that he would abandon his nuclear weapons if the United States will formally end the Korean War and promise not to invade his country, the South Korean government announced Sunday. . .

The announcement was declared a confidence-building gesture ahead of a proposed summit meeting in May with President Donald Trump, the New York Times reported. Kim also claimed he would invite experts and journalists from South Korea and the United States to watch the shutdown his country’s only known underground nuclear test site.

Members of the Trump administration were cautious about the possibility of reaching a deal, the report stated. A plan to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear program is expected to span a period of about two years.

John Bolton, Trump’s new national security adviser, said that would be accompanied by a “full, complete, total disclosure of everything related to their nuclear program with a full international verification,” according to the report.

Still, an apparent concession was categorized by U.S. officials as a promising sign in the quest to end a standoff on the Koren Peninsula that has remained in place since the end of the Korean War 65 years ago. (Read more from “This Is the Only Way North Korea Will Abandon Nuclear Weapons” HERE)

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North Korea: Chinese Foreign Minister to Visit Pyongyang After Historic Talks

By BBC. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is to visit North Korea this week, after historic talks between the North and South last Friday.

The trip comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity following the landmark day on the peninsula.

China is North Korea’s only remaining economic ally, but this will be its highest level visit there in years.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in the coming weeks.

South Korea has already spoken to the leaders of US and Japan. (Read more from “North Korea: Chinese Foreign Minister to Visit Pyongyang After Historic Talks” HERE)

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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: Palestinians Need to Negotiate or ‘Shut up and Stop Complaining’

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By The Daily Wire. According to Barak Ravid of Israel’s Channel 10 News and Axios, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shocked Jewish attendees during a meeting in New York in March, saying:

In the last several decades the Palestinian leadership has missed one opportunity after the other and rejected all the peace proposals it was given. It is about time the Palestinians take the proposals and agree to come to the negotiations table or shut up and stop complaining.

Bin Salman also slammed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, reports Ravid, citing inside sources.

Mohammed Bin Salman has risen to fame on a rocket after he was made Crown Prince in June 2017. Since he came to power, bin Salman has begun to open up the nation to more Western values — if only by inches. (Read more from “Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: Palestinians Need to Negotiate or ‘Shut up and Stop Complaining'” HERE)

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Saudi Crown Prince: Palestinians Should Take What the U.S. Offers

By Axios. In a closed-door meeting with heads of Jewish organizations in New York on March 27th, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) gave harsh criticism of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), according to an Israeli foreign ministry cable sent by a diplomat from the Israeli consulate in New York, as well three sources — Israeli and American — who were briefed about the meeting.

The bottom line of the crown prince’s criticism: Palestinian leadership needs to finally take the proposals it gets from the U.S. or stop complaining . . .

What we’re hearing: A source who was briefed on the meeting told me the attendees were stunned when they heard the Saudi Crown Prince comments on the Palestinian issue. “People literally fell off their chairs,” the source said.

Why it matters: In the last year, the Trump administration has been drafting a plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace. The White House peace team, led by Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Jason Greenblatt, has basically finished drafting the plan and is discussing how and when to launch it. (Read more from “Saudi Crown Prince: Palestinians Should Take What the U.S. Offers” HERE)

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This Is Who Deserves the Credit for North Korea’s Turn Around

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By The Daily Caller. On Friday’s episode of The Daily Daily Caller Podcast, we break down the biggest revelations in the highly-anticipated Russia investigation report from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. . .

Let’s see, what else is going on? Oh yeah, just the biggest peace development since the Korean Peninsula split in 1945. (Read more from “This Is Who Deserves the Credit for North Korea’s Turn Around” HERE)

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Koreas Summit: North Korean Media Hail ‘Historic’ Meeting

By BBC. Friday’s summit between the leaders of North and South Korea was a “historic meeting” paving the way for the start of a new era, North Korea’s media say.

The North’s Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in of South Korea agreed to work to rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons.

The official KCNA news agency hailed this as a “new milestone” in the path to joint prosperity. It also carried the full text of the declaration.

China and the United States both welcomed the news.

However, US President Donald Trump said he would continue to exert maximum pressure on North Korea, as he prepares to meet Mr Kim in the coming weeks. (Read more from “Koreas Summit: North Korean Media Hail ‘Historic’ Meeting” HERE)

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Watch: U.S. Army Completely Humiliates ISIS, Releases Seized ‘Bloopers Tape’

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By Conservative Tribune. One of the ways the Islamic State group made its mark on the international terrorism of the 21st century was through its savvy release of videos celebrating the kind of depravity decent people are repelled by.

But a compilation video released this week by the U.S. military shows a different side of the once-fearsome fighting group — and gives viewers a pretty good idea of why they abandoned the battlefield in droves once President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary James Mattis decided to teach them that war is for keeps.

According to Stars and Stripes, the four-minute video is made up of hours of footage capture of special operations forces. There’s no audio, but as one social media user pointed out on YouTube, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the “Yakety Sax” theme song from “Benny Hill” playing in the background . . .

That last one is especially disturbing. It’s easy to forget now that the Islamic State group savages have been essentially destroyed, but it wasn’t that long ago, on President Barack Obama’s watch that they looked like world-beaters.

Vast swaths of Iraq and Syria were under Islamic State group control, and killers in Europe and the United States were pledging allegiance to the group while carrying out their bloody operations. (Read more from “Watch: U.S. Army Completely Humiliates ISIS, Releases Seized ‘Bloopers Tape’” HERE)

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ISIS Fighters Display Less-Than-Stellar Leapfrogging, Martial Arts Skills in Seized Videos

By Stars and Stripes. Islamic State propaganda videos seized by the U.S. appear to show masked militants training inside a mosque in northwestern Afghanistan, doing pushups, playing leapfrog and bunny hopping.

The four-minute compilation, released last week by the U.S.-led special operations task force in the country, seems aimed at undermining the group’s fearsome reputation. It resembles a selection of comical outtakes.

The video features camouflage-clad fighters performing calisthenics, demonstrating dubious martial arts skills and facing off in rows to practice firing positions with their Kalashnikov rifles.

At one point, the compilation shows several clips of a man flanked by two gunmen as he gestures and points, somewhat like an insurgent Uncle Sam. In the background, men box and others wave ISIS flags. (Read more from “Isis Fighters Display Less-Than-Stellar Leapfrogging, Martial Arts Skills in Seized Videos” HERE)

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Officials: State Dept. Keeping Shock Obama Era Palestinian Report Secret

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By Conservative Tribune. A key report which details just how many Palestinian refugees were subsidized under the Obama era is being kept classified by the State Department months after its existence was disclosed, leading to serious questions about how taxpayer dollars were spent.

The Washington Free Beacon first reported in January that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency — which claimed to have given money to 5.3 million Palestinian refugees — may actually have just spent the money on just 20,000 to 30,000 individuals.

“Congressional officials familiar with the classified report, the existence of which was first disclosed by the Washington Free Beacon, say the State Department continues to keep it secret in order to not disrupt billions of dollars in allocations to United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East,” the Free Beacon reported Thursday.

“This disclosure could fundamentally change the way billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars are allocated to UNRWA and the Palestinian government and impact America’s longstanding policies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

“Lawmakers are pressuring the Trump administration to finally release the report to the public,” the Free Beacon added. (Read more from “Officials: State Dept. Keeping Shock Obama Era Palestinian Report Secret” HERE)

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U.S. Government Hiding Report on Number of Palestinian Refugees

By Washington Free Beacon. The U.S. government continues to inappropriately keep classified a report on Palestinian refugees that congressional officials view as a potential game changer in how America approaches its regional policies and allocates billions in taxpayer funds, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the report.

Congressional officials familiar with the classified report, the existence of which was first disclosed by the Washington Free Beacon, say the State Department continues to keep it secret in order to not disrupt billions of dollars in allocations to United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the organization responsible for providing aid to what they claim is some 5.2 million Palestinian refugees.

Those familiar with the report say the U.S. quietly determined under the Obama administration that the actual number of Palestinian refugees is far smaller, closer to around 30,000. This disclosure could fundamentally change the way billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars are allocated to UNRWA and the Palestinian government and impact America’s longstanding policies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Lawmakers are pressuring the Trump administration to finally release the report to the public. The Free Beacon first disclosed this effort earlier this month, publishing a letter signed by more than 50 members of Congress who are calling on President Donald Trump to finally release the report, as is mandated by current U.S. laws. (Read more from “U.S. Government Hiding Report on Number of Palestinian Refugees” HERE)

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Urges Muslim Countries to Stand United Against America

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By WND. On Thursday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei went on state television and urged all Muslim nations to resist America and its allies.

According to Reuters, Khameini blustered, “The Iranian nation has successfully resisted bullying attempts by America and other arrogant powers and we will continue to resist. All Muslim nations should stand united against America and other enemies.”

Iranian leaders have been ratcheting up their belligerent rhetoric in recent days as the deadline draws nearer for President Trump to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal that Barack Obama signed in 2015. The deal meant the West stopped imposing sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program. (Read more from “Iran’s Supreme Leader Urges Muslim Countries to Stand United Against America” HERE)

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Iran’s Khamenei Urges Muslim Nations to Unite Against U.S.

By Reuters. Iran’s supreme leader called on Muslim nations to unite against the United States, saying Tehran would never yield to “bullying,” state television reported on Thursday.

“The Iranian nation has successfully resisted bullying attempts by America and other arrogant powers and we will continue to resist… All Muslim nations should stand united against America and other enemies,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said.

Iran’s top authority criticized Trump for saying on Tuesday some countries in the Middle East “wouldn’t last a week” without U.S. protection. (Read more from “Iran’s Khamenei Urges Muslim Nations to Unite Against U.S.” HERE)

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Judges Rule Against Little Alfie Evans Again, Block Him from Leaving UK

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By WND. The father of little Alfie Evans, the 23-month-old toddler in England with a degenerative brain condition, has filed for a private prosecution to have three doctors charged with conspiracy to murder if his boy dies while in their care.

As WND reported, Evans’ parents, Tom and Kate Evans, have fought long and hard for many months to prevent his life support from being turned off, and even Pope Francis and Italian authorities have weighed in with their pleas. The baby’s family took their case to an appeals court on Wednesday, and a panel of three court of appeals judges heard arguments about the case in London.

The judges once again ruled that Evans and his family cannot leave the country to seek treatment in Italy.

The ongoing saga has captured worldwide attention, especially in light of Pope Francis’ repeated attempts to convince the courts to release Evans from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool and allow him to be transported to the Vatican’s Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital for treatment. The current hospital refused to grant the transfer.

On Tuesday, a British judge rejected the desperate family’s plea to transport Evans to Italy for treatment, telling the parents that his ruling “represents the final chapter in the life of this extraordinary little boy.” Before Tuesday’s emergency ruling, the U.K. Supreme Court had ruled that the child should remain at the hospital. The family’s appeal was rejected as “inadmissible” by the European Court of Human Rights. (Read more from “Judges Rule Against Little Alfie Evans Again, Block Him from Leaving UK” HERE)

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British Toddler Alfie Evans Not Allowed to Leave Country, UK Court Says

By CNN. Judges on the UK Court of Appeal once again ruled against 23-month-old Alfie Evans’ family.

Wednesday’s ruling rejected new arguments intended to overturn a decision by the High Court on Tuesday that prevented the terminally ill toddler from leaving Britain for medical treatment, said Roger Kiska, a lawyer with Christian Legal Center and part of the legal team representing Alfie’s parents.

“We have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court and the European Court,” Kiska told CNN. “We could seek new medical evidence showing that his condition is improving.” Kiska will be discussing future steps with Alfie’s parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, who remained in Liverpool at Alfie’s hospital bedside.

Alfie, admitted to Alder Hey Hospital in December 2016, was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease associated with severe epilepsy and has been in a semivegetative state for more than a year. During that time, he has been kept alive by artificial ventilation in the critical care unit. (Read more from “British Toddler Alfie Evans Not Allowed to Leave Country, UK Court Says” HERE)

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Emotionless Judge Ignores Pope, Blocks Parent from Taking Sick Baby to Vatican Hospital

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A British judge rejected a desperate family’s plea to transport their ill child to Italy for treatment, telling the parents of 23-month-old Alfie Evans that his Tuesday ruling “represents the final chapter in the life of this extraordinary little boy.”

Evans’ parents, Tom and Kate Evans, have fought long and hard for many months to prevent his life support from being turned off, and even Pope Francis and Italian authorities intervened to help the toddler with a degenerative neurological condition. The parents sought to bring Evans to the Vatican’s Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital for treatment, but the current hospital refused to grant the transfer. . .

Evans claims hospital staff haven’t allowed the boy to eat any food in almost 24 hours, and he’s worried they’ll starve the child. He says the hospital claims it would take three days to discharge the boy.

Before Tuesday’s emergency ruling, the U.K. Supreme Court had ruled that the child should remain at the hospital. The family’s appeal was rejected as “inadmissible” by the European Court of Human Rights.

While medical professionals have been unable to identify Evans’ exact brain condition, they said he remains in a “semi-vegetative state.” Evans is currently at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, and several court rulings have blocked the parents from moving their child. (Read more from “Emotionless Judge Ignores Pope, Blocks Parent from Taking Sick Baby to Vatican Hospital” HERE)

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