“The climate catastrophe is strictly a fear campaign – well, fear and guilt,” Moore told Breitbart radio host Rebecca Mansour. “You’re afraid you’re killing your children because you’re driving them in your SUV and emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and you feel guilty for doing that. There’s no stronger motivation than those two.”

This abomination that is occurring today in the climate issue is the biggest threat to the enlightenment that has occurred since Galileo.

“Nothing else comes close,” Moore insisted, likening the contemporary environmental movement to “a toxic mix of ideology, of politics and religion.”

“CO2 is the food for life! It’s not pollution,” the would-be heretic declared, claiming that the use of fossil fuels had actually “saved life from an early demise” because CO2 had been declining since the last ice age, with barely enough for the earth’s plant life to sustain itself, until humanity stepped into the breach during the Industrial Revolution.

Moore, who founded the pioneering environmental activist group almost 50 years ago to protest the nuclear war, met with an outpouring of support from conservatives and wary Democrats alike, after tweeting a scathing rebuke earlier this week to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose quixotic Green New Deal has become the standard-bearer of the 21st-century environmental movement. He continued along those lines, criticizing the anti-climate-change movement for “co-opting and corrupting” politicians and allowing the environment to be treated as a political football without an understanding of the meaning behind the rhetoric.

Democrats “might as well have signed a suicide pact,” Moore said. “Not just for their political future, but for the future of the economy of the US, for all these people to be piling on the Green New Deal, which is a complete and utter ridiculous document.”

But Moore reserved his harshest words for the Sunrise Movement he believes is backing Ocasio-Cortez.

They’re brainwashing these children into thinking the world is coming to an end in 10 years. There’s got to be billionaires behind this. I want to know who they are. I think we need to hunt them down.

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The White House is drawing up demands that Germany, Japan, South Korea and eventually every other country ‘hosting’ US troops on its soil pay “cost plus 50” – 150 percent – for their upkeep, including the soldiers’ salaries, Bloomberg reports, citing “a dozen” sources in the Trump administration.

The Pentagon was asked to gather data on the cost of keeping US troops abroad and countries’ contributions toward these expenses, several officials – again, anonymously – told AP on Friday. Countries whose policies “align closely” with the US would get an unspecified discount, according to these sources.

President Donald Trump is pushing the proposal personally, according to Bloomberg, going so far as to demand “cost plus 50″ in a note to National Security Advisor John Bolton, when the US was negotiating the status of 28,500 or so troops in South Korea. The two countries eventually agreed on Seoul paying $924 million in 2019, up from $830 million the year before.

By way of comparison, Germany currently pays 28 percent of the cost of US troops being based on its soil – about $1 billion-a-year – according to Rand Corporation researcher David Ochmanek. At a recent congressional hearing, the top US general in Europe asked for even more troops, citing a “threat” from Russia. This was in addition to US demands for European NATO members to buy more US-made weaponry.

Starting when he was on the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly called for US allies to compensate Washington for the privilege of being ‘defended’ by Americans, but this reported proposal is the most specific suggestion as to how that would be done.

Such a move would ensure the allies have “skin in the game,” US ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland said in an interview, indirectly confirming the existence of the plan. The US foreign policy establishment was alarmed by the proposal, however, blasting it as a surefire way to alienate allies the US relies on for global projection of power and influence.

“Even raising this question feeds a misinformed narrative that these facilities are there for the benefits of those countries,” Douglas Lute, US ambassador to NATO under the Obama administration and now a fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center, told Bloomberg.

The truth is they’re there and we maintain them because they’re in our interest.

US bases are “an essential part of protecting American interests” across the world, and asking host countries for money would be “totally self-defeating,” said Derek Chollet, Obama’s assistant defense secretary, now at the German Marshall Fund.

Ivo Daalder, another former ambassador to NATO under Obama, blasted the proposal as “preposterous” and said it would turn the US military into de facto mercenaries.

We are in Europe and Asia not just to defend allies, but to prevent the return of conflict and war, which would be far more costly to US security and prosperity. Deploying troops to keep the peace is a fundamental US interest—and much cheaper than fighting wars.

— Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder)

The US military had “around 600” bases outside of US territory as of 2013, with almost 200,000 troops overseas as of 2017. US troops have been stationed in Japan and Germany since the end of the Second World War in 1945, and in South Korea since the ceasefire froze the Korean War in 1953.

The US currently spends more on the military than the next 12 countries put together – including China ($224 billion), Russia ($44 billion) and India ($55.2 billion). The 2019 US military budget was $716 billion, and the proposed 2020 budget is rumored to be as high as $750 billion. Meanwhile, the US national debt has surpassed $22 trillion and is continuing to mount.

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LONDON, UK, March 6, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – As Lent begins so does the pro-life initiative 40 Days for Life. 

This year there will be pro-life vigils organized by 40 Days in 377 participating cities across 31 countries, with now over 150 cities outside of North America. In the United Kingdom alone there will be 10 campaigns running. 

This will be 40 Days for Life’s largest ever Lent campaign. 

Recently, I met up with two people involved in 40 Days for Life here in the United Kingdom. Robert Colquhoun is a veteran of 40 Days campaigns as befits his role as the organization’s Director of International Campaigns. How does he prepare each year for the Lenten campaign: “It is always important to put first things first and mentally and spiritually prepare, putting prayer first before starting a campaign. It takes considerable courage and a lot of hard work to organize a good [local] campaign”.

Colquhoun says that the campaign and mission is the same every year: praying to end abortion, organizing prayer vigils outside of abortion centers for 12 hours a day during Lent and conducting community outreach. He points out that “the whole point of this is to take a positive and upbeat pro-life message to the whole community”. Colquhoun feels that these are the core elements that make up a 40 Days campaign and therein lies its strength: “It is simple, and effective, because it works. Lives are saved, hearts and minds and changed and eternal souls are impacted. Abortion workers leave [their employment] and abortion centers close”. 

In contrast, Sarah Bignell is a London wife and mother taking part this Lent in her first 40 Days for Life campaign.  So what was she hoping to achieve? “By bringing a 40 Days for Life campaign back to London, I wanted to redress the totally inaccurate portrayal of vigils and highlight the good work they do, so that it can be something Christians want to get involved as a beacon of hope and mercy for those facing a time of great difficulty.” 

Bignell went on to speak about what motivated her to be present at a 40 Days vigil in a city not known as one disposed to pro-life vigils of any kind. “I wanted people to know that they can make a difference and to feel encouraged by the other 750,000 volunteers worldwide for 40 Days for Life who have helped saved the lives of over 15,000 babies. 99 abortion centres have closed where vigils have taken place and 172 abortion workers have left to join pro-lifers (some running vigils outside their former place of employment!). So by standing there and quietly praying you can make a huge difference!”

The very fact that there is a vigil in London is crucial, Bignell feels, to reminding women here that there is an alternative to abortion: “I do not think that the amazing work that pro-life volunteers and charities do to give women real alternatives to abortion has really been brought out into the fore. There are many unsung heroes who give up their time to stand patiently and peacefully in all weathers to bring prayer and charitable outreach to all those involved in abortion. These people have had all sorts of inaccurate accusations made about them and [in some cases] have been banned from actually offering help at the gate [of abortion centers]. This is making it increasingly difficult to bring the help to where it is needed: to women facing an unwanted or coerced abortion.”

After so many years on the frontline, one wonders what are the past highlights for a veteran campaigner such as Colquhoun. He has no trouble recounting them: “Meeting some of the children who are alive today because of 40 Days for Life. The courage of the mothers and God’s grace is a powerful emotional experience and the best pro-life experience ever.” He added: “It was amazing meeting 30 mothers at a crisis pregnancy Christmas party and wonderful to hear their stories of courage in the face of crisis. Often their voice and story is never heard. It is also amazing to meet so many of our leaders who sacrifice their time, effort and energy to see grace-filled results and to share their stories with the rest of the world”.

According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 56 million abortions are carried out each year worldwide. To put that into context, that is roughly the equivalent population of the United Kingdom. In England and Wales alone there are around 200,000 abortions carried out annually. Currently, there is increasing political pressure to lift the few legal restrictions there are on abortion in the UK, and which, inevitably, would mean an ever-increasing rise in this statistic. 

Bignell is acutely conscious of all this, but, also, sees her witness within a global context: “I am concerned by the recent changes in abortion laws around the globe, such as in Ireland and in New York”. She added: “Abortion is the atrocity of our times. The attack on unborn children has never been greater; the need to pray for them has never been greater. 40 Days for Life unites people around the world from many different countries to pray about abortion”.

Standing witnessing to life outside a busy abortion centre in London is daunting. So, does Bignell have any fears?  “Yes: that the voice of the women who want us there will be silenced. For those who say: ‘why weren’t you there on the day of my abortion, if you had been there I might have my child with me today?’ and of the Mums who are so grateful for the chance of having a child, when they thought their only choice was abortion”. 

Like so many others across the globe this Lent, Bignell has started on a journey that has the unborn at the fore of her prayers and witness. She says she has only one hope: “That God will bless our efforts”.

We aim to extend and refurbish 7 houses in a children’s village, each of which is home for up to 35 orphaned children. This totals around 240 children all of whom desperately need extra sleeping space, bunk beds, bedding and mosquito nets plus room to eat, play and study.

Challenge

At present children live in a small 2 or 3 roomed house in cramped conditions, often sleeping 2 to a bunk, usually an older child with a younger child. The bunks rarely have space between them and do not have mosquito nets. The Mama of the house has no privacy as they sleep with the youngest children. Communal living space is very limited so children have to live outside all seasons. They have nowhere to eat or study inside. 1 or 2 seats means the children sit on the floor or their bunk beds.

Solution

By extending and refurbishing the homes, the children will have their own bed to sleep in, personal space, protection from the risk of malaria and room to move around, sit, eat, study and play, which is much needed in the wet seasons. The Mamas will also have their own space and privacy. Extra room also offers the potential for running water to brought in to the homes in the future.

Long-Term Impact

The improved living accommodation will enable these orphans to enjoy better health and quality of sleep, which in turn will lead to better performance at school and more positive mental health. The bigger living space will also allow older teenagers and the Mama who cares for the children, some privacy. The overall sense of improved wellbeing will encourage and boost the children in their daily struggles to cope in their challenging environment.

source

Multi-billionaire Hugo Salinas Price just warned that the world’s paper money system is going to collapse.

Today’s Market For Gold Has Two Individuals
March  (King World News) – Multi-billionaire Hugo Salinas Price:  The world used gold coins as money up until the first years of 1900.

Since that time, the world’s use of gold as money has ceased, and as of today, gold’s only function is as a means of saving wealth for future use.

Today, the market for gold consists of two groups of individuals or economic entities: a) those who wish to acquire gold for the purpose of saving some wealth for future use, and b) those who hope to realize a profit in terms of paper money, by speculating in the gold market.

The group “a”, of savers, is a relatively small group, and for the most part, only purchases gold and does not sell.

The group “b”, of speculators, is a large group made up of individuals or economic entities anxious to realize paper profits. 

The world is extremely indebted, and a great number of individuals are hard-pressed to make a buck on their speculations, including those in gold…

The Gold Casino
Hugo Salinas Price continues:  “The monetary authorities running the paper-money schemes of the present are anxious to forestall significant rises in the paper price of gold because such rises would diminish confidence in the lasting value of the paper money in use today.

The gold-gambling casino run by today’s monetary authorities makes Las Vegas gambling look like child’s play. The poor wretches who want to make a buck by speculating in gold are regularly taken to the cleaners by the legal manipulation carried out by the monetary authorities of the West.

There is only one policy which makes sense for those who are anticipating the collapse of all paper money in this world: buy and hold gold. Most people simply cannot afford to do that.

Nobody knows when the world’s paper money is going to collapse; it may happen tomorrow, or it may happen years from today. We don’t know when, but the collapse will happen at some date. That is engraved in granite.

In the meantime, if you want to lose money, speculating in gold is a good way to do it.

If you are one of those who is strong enough, buy and save gold; if not yourself, your children or grand-children will be thankful you did so.

source

 

Islamabad is ready to hold talks with New Delhi after Russia offers mediation help, the Pakistani foreign minister said as cited by local media. It comes as tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations are running high.

Russia expressed its willingness to help ease hostilities between the two arch-rivals on Thursday. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow will provide a place for Indo-Pakistani talks “if they wish to.” Tipping his hat to the Kremlin, Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced his country is ready to talk.

India and Pakistan have been engaged in several air and ground skirmishes over the disputed region of Kashmir this week, raising fears over further escalation in the long-standing conflict.

Several nations, including the US, China, and Russia, called for restraint from both New Delhi and Islamabad. Apart from Russia, Turkey and Iran have also volunteered to mediate.

source:  https://www.rt.com/news/452728-pakistan-russia-mediation-kashmir/

Russian state television has broadcast a map of the US showing military facilities Moscow would target in the event of a nuclear strike, in a report that was unusual even by its own bellicose standards.

The targets included the Pentagon and the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland. A hypersonic missile Russia is developing would be able to hit them in less than five minutes, it said.

Last week, Vladimir Putin said Moscow was militarily ready for a “Cuban missile-style” crisis if the US wanted one.

With tensions rising over Russian fears that the US might deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe as a cold war-era arms-control treaty unravels, Putin has said Russia would be forced to respond by placing hypersonic nuclear missiles on submarines near US waters.

The US said it had no immediate plans to deploy such missiles in Europe and dismissed Putin’s warnings as disingenuous propaganda. It does not currently have ground-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles that it could place in Europe.

However, its decision to quit the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty over an alleged Russian violation, which Moscow denies, has freed it to start developing and deploying such missiles.

Putin has said Russia does not want a new arms race, but he has dialed up his military rhetoric.

Some analysts have seen his approach as a tactic to try to re-engage the US in talks about the strategic balance between the two powers, which Moscow has long pushed for, with mixed results.

In the Sunday evening broadcast, Dmitry Kiselyov, the presenter of Russia’s main weekly TV news programme, Vesti Nedeli, showed a map of the US and identified several targets he said Moscow would want to hit in the event of a nuclear war.

source: https://www.theguardian.com

 

Japanese women are pushing back against a tradition the dictates they must give chocolates to male colleagues on Valentine’s Day, with growing anger at the practice of “forced giving”.

Until recently, women in the workplace were expected to buy chocolates for their male workmates as part of a tradition called giri choco – literally, obligation chocolates.

Men are supposed to reciprocate on 14 March on White Day – an event dreamed up by chocolate makers in the early 80s to boost sales.

But there is growing evidence that giri choco is falling out of favour.

Japan’s deputy PM blames women for nation’s falling population

For a growing number of people, the pressure to avoid causing offence by spending thousands of yen on chocolates for coworkers is becoming intolerable. Some companies are now banning the practice, which is seen by many workers as a form of abuse of power and harassment.

A survey found that than 60% of women will instead buy chocolates as a personal treat on 14 February. More than 56% said they would give chocolates to family members, while 36% would make the same gesture towards partners or the objects of a crush.

Keeping on the right side of colleagues, however, was furthest from their thoughts, with just 35% saying they planned to hand out chocolate treats to men at their workplace, according to the poll by a Tokyo department store.

“Before the ban, we had to worry about things like how much is appropriate to spend on each chocolate and where we draw the line in who we give the chocolates to, so it’s good that we no longer have this culture of forced giving,” one of the surveyed office workers said, according to the Japan Today website.

SoraNews24, meanwhile, reported on the recent phenomenon of gyaku choco – reverse chocolate – in which men give chocolates to spouses, girlfriends or prospective lovers.

Giving chocolate as Valentine’s Day gifts took off commercially in Japan in the mid-1950s, growing into a multimillion-dollar market that provides some manufacturers with a sizable chunk of their annual sales in just a few days.

But the backlash against giri choco has prompted some confectioners to revamp their marketing campaigns.

In the run-up to Valentine’s Day last year, the Belgian chocolatier Godiva caused a stir when it ran a full-page newspaper ad urging businesses to encourage female employees not to hand out giri choco if they felt they were doing so under duress.

“Valentine’s Day is a day when people convey their true feelings, not coordinate relationships at work,” the ad said.

While individual consumers weigh up their gift-giving options, Japan’s collective Valentine’s chocolate obsession is gathering pace as the day approaches.

Japan Airlines will hand out chocolates to passengers – male and female – on all of its domestic and international flight on 14 February, while a hot spring resort near Tokyo has unveiled a bath filled with steaming “chocolate water”.

But the prize for the most improbable Valentine’s gimmick must go to a chain of sushi restaurants whose diners will be offered slivers of raw yellowtail raised on feed mixed with, yes, chocolate.

For many, pressure to avoid causing offense by spending thousands of yen on treats for coworkers is becoming intolerable

source: The Guardian

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received this morning Head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis. Pope Francis is in state visit to the UAE.

Upon his arrival at the Presidential Palace, Pope Francis, accompanied by cavalry on Arabian horses, was accorded an official reception. A 21-gun salute was fired in honour of the Pontiff, following which the Papal Anthem and that of the United Arab Emirates were played.

Pope Visit at the Presidential Palace

Mohammed bin Rashid, Mohamed bin Zayed receive Pope Francis at Presidential Palace

Their Highness welcomed the state guest and expressed their happiness for this historic visit. They also expressed their confidence that the visit contributes to strengthening the values and practices of tolerance as practised by our country, whose people live in social harmony, peaceful coexistence, and culture dialogue.

Pope Francis with UAE Leaders

Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Speaker of Federal National Council Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Lt. General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Zayed Foundation for Charity and Humanitarian Works His Highness Sheikh Omer bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed al Nahyan, Advisor to the President His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Dhiab bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the perception.

Mohammed bin Rashid, Mohamed bin Zayed receive Pope Francis at Presidential Palace

source:  Dubai OFW