Russian Journalist Who Investigated Pro-Putin Mercenaries in Syria Dies in ‘Mysterious’ Fall

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Russian journalist Maxim Borodin died after falling from the fifth-story balcony of his apartment in the city of Yekaterinburg last week. While local police are dismissing the notion of foul play, friends and colleagues of Borodin are calling for an independent investigation over suspicions that Borodin may have possibly been targeted.

The day before his death, Borodin reportedly called his friend Vyacheslav Bashkov at five o’clock in the morning, saying his building was surrounded and that there was “someone with a weapon on his balcony and people in camouflage and masks on the staircase landing.” But later, Borodin called back to say it was all a false alarm and that Russian security services were simply conducting an exercise.

But Bashkov added: “His work was very dangerous. He was one of the best.”

One of Borodin’s recent stories covered the deaths of three Russian mercenaries who were reportedly killed in a confrontation with US forces in Syria on February 7. The mercenaries worked for the Wagner Group, which was referred to as “a shadowy Kremlin-linked private military contractor” by the newspaper Borodin wrote for, Novy Den. . . .

With media being controlled by the state, Russia is known as one of the worst countries in the world for press freedom — out of 100 countries, they’re ranked 83rd by Freedom House, who calls Putin’s regime “a trailblazer in globalizing state propaganda.” (Read more from “Russian Journalist Who Investigated Pro-Putin Mercenaries in Syria Dies in ‘Mysterious’ Fall” HERE)

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Trump Mocked for ‘Mission Accomplished!’ Tweet

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By CNN. The Twittersphere piled on President Donald Trump after he tweeted Saturday that the US-led strikes on Syria “could not have had a better result.”

“Mission Accomplished!” he wrote of the US, UK and French strikes against targets in Syria over the suspected use of chemical weapons.


Twitter users immediately saw a connection to comments from President George W. Bush in 2003 when he gave a speech announcing an end to major combat operations in Iraq with a massive banner behind him that read, “Mission Accomplished.”

Bush gave his speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier a little more than a month after US troops were deployed to Iraq, and it would soon become clear that the mission was, in fact, not accomplished. As the war dragged on, it came to symbolize what had gone wrong in Iraq.

(Read more from “Trump Mocked for ‘Mission Accomplished!’ Tweet” HERE)

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Russia Claims Syria Air Defenses Shot Down 71 of 103 Missiles

By The Guardian. The Russian military has claimed that the Syrian air defences, whose most modern weapon is a three-decades-old Russian-supplied anti-aircraft system, shot down 71 of 103 missiles fired by the US and its allies, the UK and France, a claim denied by the Pentagon.

As further details began to emerge about the sites targeted by the US-led strikes, Col Gen Sergei Rudskoi of the Russian military said the strikes had not caused any casualties and that Syrian military facilities suffered only minor damage.

It was not possible to verify the claims. The most up-to-date system that Moscow has supplied to the Syrian regime is the short range Pantsir S-1, which has an anti-missile capability.

Russia said its advisers had spent the last 18 months completely rebuilding the Syrian air defence system, and said the high number of intercepted rockets spoke to “the high effectiveness of the weaponry in Syria and the excellent training of Syrian servicemen prepared by our specialists”. (Read more from “Russia Claims Syria Air Defenses Shot Down 71 of 103 Missiles” HERE)

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Country to Lift Ban on Growing Human Organs in Animals

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A Japanese government-commissioned expert panel has greenlighted controversial scientific experiments to grow human organs inside the bodies of animals as early as this fall.

Under the auspices of the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, the panel produced a report on research involving the development of human organs in the bodies of pigs and other animals. In the report, the panel concluded it would allow researchers to implant an animal embryo (a fertilized egg) containing human cells into an animal’s womb and have the animal give birth.

One method being considered for growing human organs inside animal bodies involves injecting human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into an animal embryo and then returning the embryo to an animal’s womb to be birthed. The embryos are genetically modified to prevent specific organs from being created. . . .

The panel concluded such research could lead to discovering the underlying causes of diseases, securing organs to be used for transplants, and developing new treatments. Such research is already permitted in the U.S. and the U.K.

However, the panel in the same report decided not to allow research that could produce a creature ambiguous enough to blur the line between humans and other animals, crossbreeding of animals born as a result of the method, and fertilization using human germ cells. (Read more from “Country to Lift Ban on Growing Human Organs in Animals” HERE)

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No Jews Allowed on Temple Mount on Holocaust Commemoration

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It’s sadly ironic, says an Israeli Islamic scholar, that Jews won’t be able to ascend their Temple Mount next Thursday on Holocaust Remembrance Day because Muslims will be celebrating Muhammad’s “miraculous” night journey there on a mythical winged horse – an event not actually mentioned in the Quran.

The source of the Muslim holiday of “Isra” and “Mi’raj” is indeed is based on a story in the Quran, but the story doesn’t actually mention Jerusalem or the historic site of the Temple.

“This claim is simply fake news,” said Mordechai Kedar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University, told Breaking Israel News. “It is entirely based on opinions and not on any textual source. Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Quran and there is not a basis to believe that Jerusalem had any significance for Muhammad.”

Kedar explained that in the Quran, Al-Aqsa specifically referred to a mosque near Jeharna in Saudi Arabia.

“In early Islam, we see that assigning holiness to the Temple Mount was criticized as an attempt to introduce Jewish concepts into Islam,” he said. “Jerusalem only took on any significance in Islam in the late 8th century when the Bedouin Muslims prevented the Damascus Muslims from making Haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca. As an alternative destination for Haj, the Damascus Muslims decided on Jerusalem, adding a Hadith (oral commentary) shifting the scene of Muhammad’s Night Journey to Jerusalem in order to justify their decision.” (Read more from “No Jews Allowed on Temple Mount on Holocaust Commemoration” HERE)

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10% of Cancer Patients Killed by Euthanasia, some Without Consent

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A survey of end of life decisions among Flemish cancer patients has found that more than one in 10 deaths (10.4%) were from euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.

The study, published in The British Journal of Cancer, was based on a questionnaire sent to Flemish physicians who had certified a representative sample of all deaths in Flanders. The doctors were asked whether, in the case of a death that wasn’t sudden or unexpected, they had either 1) withheld or withdrawn life-prolonging medical treatment, 2) intensified the alleviation of pain and/or other symptoms with drugs with the possibility of hastening death; or (3) administered, supplied or prescribed drugs with the explicit intention of hastening death. . .

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of the report is the finding that “the administration of drugs with the explicit intention to hasten death (life-shortening acts) without the explicit request from the patient occurred in 1.8% (1.0-3.4%) of the cancer deaths during the studied period.” The authors dismiss the idea of the “slippery slope” in regard to this evidence of patients being killed without consent, saying: “no clear evidence has been found to support this fear. In Belgium and the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal for many years, the proportion of deaths in which life-ending drugs were used without explicit patient request has not risen since the legalisation.” (Read more from “10% of Cancer Patients Killed by Euthanasia, some Without Consent” HERE)

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This Is the Outrageous Claim Russia Is Making About the Syrian Chemical Attack

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By The Daily Wire. On Friday, the Russian military made an astonishing claim; they said the alleged chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma, which has ratcheted up tension worldwide as President Trump and American allies has threatened to intervene to stop the use of chemical gas, was staged and directed by Great Britain.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Great Britain was “directly involved in the provocation. ” He released statements by medics from Douma’s hospital who asserted that a group of people supposedly carrying video cameras entered the hospital, shouting that its patients were struck with chemical weapons and causing panic; the medics said none of the patients were hurt by chemicals.

Britain’s U.N. ambassador, Karen Pierce, leaving an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, was furious, calling the Russian “bizarre” and “a blatant lie.” She added that she wanted “to state categorically … that Britain has no involvement and would never have any involvement in the use of a chemical weapon. … This is grotesque. … It’s some of the worst piece of fake news we’ve yet seen from the Russia propaganda machine.” (Read more from “This Is the Outrageous Claim Russia Is Making About the Syrian Chemical Attack” HERE)

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Russia Says No Evidence of Gas Attack in Douma

By AP. Russia’s military says its personnel in a Syrian city allegedly hit by a chemical weapons attack have not found evidence to support the claim.

Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, head of the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria, said Friday that “According to the results of a survey of witnesses, studying samples and investigating locations undertaken by Russian specialists and medical personnel in the city of Douma, where chemical weapons purportedly were used, the use of poisonous substances was not shown.”

Yevtushenko also said the Russian military will ensure security for investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, who will be working to determine whether chemical weapons were used in Douma. (Read more from “Russia Says No Evidence of Gas Attack in Douma” HERE)

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Russia Heeds Trump Warning, Possible Syria War

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By WND. Russia has moved at least 11 navy ships deployed in Syria out to sea in the event of a U.S. military strike, which appears to be imminent in the wake of an exchange of threats between President Trump and Russian officials.

Trump replied early Wednesday to a Russian threat to shoot down any U.S. missiles in Syria with a tweet: “Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart!’”

The threatened military strike is a response to an alleged chemical attack last week on civilians blamed on the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Israel-based commercial organization ImageSat International provided satellite images to Fox News showing 11 Russian naval craft in the port of Tartus have departed, leaving only a single submarine.

The Syrian army also is evacuating military bases and transferring aircraft to bases with strong Russian support. (Read more from “Russia Heeds Trump Warning, Possible Syria War” HERE)

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Syria War: Trump Says Missiles ‘Will Be Coming’

By BBC. Senior Russian figures have threatened to meet any US strikes with a response.

President Bashar al-Assad’s government denies mounting a chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Douma.

In one of his tweets on Wednesday, Mr Trump called the Syrian leader a “gas killing animal”.

In another, he painted a dark picture of US-Russia relations but said it did not have to be that way.

The US, UK and France have agreed to work together and are believed to be preparing for a military strike in response to the alleged chemical attack at the weekend. (Read more from “Syria War: Trump Says Missiles ‘Will Be Coming'” HERE)

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Syria Chemical Attack: France’s President ‘Has Proof’

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By BBC. France’s President Emmanuel Macron says he has “proof” that the Syrian government attacked the town of Douma with chemical weapons last weekend.

He said he would decide “in due course” whether to respond with air strikes.

Urine and blood samples from victims of the attack have tested positive for chlorine and a nerve agent, media reports quote US officials as saying.

Western states are thought to be preparing for missile strikes. Russia strongly opposes such action . . .

He did not give the source of his information but said: “We have proof that last week chemical weapons, at least chlorine, were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad.” (Read more from “Syria Chemical Attack: France’s President ‘Has Proof'” HERE)

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France and UK Prepare Syria Response as Assad Warns West to Stay Out

By CNN. President Bashar al-Assad is warning the West against attacking Syria as President Donald Trump’s international allies make preparations to join the United States in any military action against the regime in response to last week’s suspected chemical attack.

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s senior ministers agreed on the need for action against Syria at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, but Downing Street did not specify what measures the UK would take.

May spoke with Trump on Thursday night about the international response to Syria, and they “agreed that the Assad regime had established a pattern of dangerous behavior in relation to the use of chemical weapons,” according to a statement a Downing Street spokesperson shared with CNN.

“They agreed it was vital that the use of chemical weapons did not go unchallenged, and on the need to deter the further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. They agreed to keep working closely together on the international response,” the statement said. (Read more from “France and UK Prepare Syria Response as Assad Warns West to Stay Out” HERE)

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Country Bans Online Sale of Bibles

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In another move against the country’s lucrative religious scene, online sales of the Bible have been prohibited in China.

As reported by The New York Times, the Chinese Government has banned retailers such as Amazon, JD.com, Taobao and numerous others from selling the book. Internet searches for the Bible came up empty by Thursday morning.

However, some retailers still offered analyses of the religious text and even illustrated storybooks.

The rule is just one of many implemented to control the foreign country’s Christian community, whose holy text cannot be bought or sold through normal commercial channels like other religions such as Taoism or Buddhism.

In China’s longstanding effort to control the widespread influence of the Christian belief system, Bibles could only legally be sold through church bookstores — until a loophole was found in online shopping that made it more readily available.

According to The Times, closing this loophole effectively allows the Beijing state to further impose religious regulations as the country has recently tightened rules on both Christianity and Islam.

In fact, from 2014 to 2016, China saw some of its worst persecution against Christianity followed by a crack-down on what was seen as an influence of Islam.

In what he deemed a “battle against illegal constructions,” China’s Minister of Housing Chen Zhenggao had the crosses of nearly 1,500 churches in the Chinese province of Zhejiang destroyed or torn down by late 2014.

In a speech to China’s estimated 100 million Christians, Zhenggao stated that they should learn from what happened in Zhejiang.

The government has also stepped up its measures in controlling the influence of Islam, where crackdowns on public displays of faith — such as women wearing headscarves, men wearing long beards and shops not selling pork products, tobacco or alcohol — have also been seen.

The restrictions to two of the world’s largest religions are part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to promote “traditional values,” as the foreign country has been serious in its promotion of Buddhism, Taoism and other folk religions.

The restriction also comes during a time when China has been engaged in a series of negotiations with the Vatican in order to effectively end the “underground church,” which began nearly 70 years ago after the global church and the Chinese government split.

As the Catholic church retains its anti-Communist stance, not much has been said on the negotiations, though some observers have alluded to new measures cracking down on the religion.

On Tuesday, a government spokesman outlined China’s approach by stating the Vatican wouldn’t hold sway over the clergy working in China — a statement that came swiftly after a government reorganization in which the Communist Party has taken over all religious policy and affiliation.

“It sounds like the opposition force within the Chinese authorities who oppose the Vatican-China relations have their voice,” said Yang Fenggang, who is head of the Center on Religion and Chinese Society at Purdue University.

“It clearly shows that they worry,” he said. “Or are concerned about Catholics as well as Protestants.” (For more from the author of “Country Bans Online Sale of Bibles” please click HERE)

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American Hero Stuck in Iraq After Fighting ISIS

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By WND. Michael Enright is a British-born actor who moved to America and performed in “Dead Man’s Chest,” part of Johnny Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” series . . .

And he’s taken part in military attacks on ISIS in which terrorists were blown up . . .

Now he’s dealing with a visa issue, after having stayed too long on the one on which he traveled overseas, and a number of friends have appeared in a video promoting his cause to return to the United States.

Among them is Emmy-winning filmmaker Adam Wood, who is coming out with “Heval,” about Enright’s decision to leave Hollywood and travel to the Middle East to fight alongside Kurds, a strong U.S. ally in that region, against the Islamic terrorists of ISIS . . .

In a video shot on the battlefield, Enright says of the ISIS terrorists: “Lord let your will be done in this area. I want to make it out, but I really want to kill them.” (Read more from “American Hero Stuck in Iraq After Fighting ISIS” HERE)

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ISIS Leader in Afghanistan Is Killed in U.S. Airstrike

By NY Times. An American airstrike killed the leader of the Islamic State in northern Afghanistan, the latest in a series of crippling setbacks for the extremist organization in the country, according to American and Afghan officials on Monday.

The American military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr., said in a news release that the strike in Faryab Province had killed Qari Hekmatullah and his bodyguard on Thursday. Mr. Hekmatullah was a key commander of the Islamic State in Khorasan, or IS-K, as the Afghan and Pakistani branch of the Islamic State is known.

General Nicholson described the killing as a joint operation between American Special Operations troops and Afghan Special Security Forces, and said it was the latest in a series of successful efforts to kill Islamic State leaders. “A.S.S.F. and U.S. counterterrorism forces killed Hekmatullah and they will kill any successors,” General Nicholson was quoted as saying. “IS-K will be eliminated.” (Read more from “ISIS Leader in Afghanistan Is Killed in U.S. Airstrike” HERE)

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