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(Worthy News) - European countries, Egypt and Russia are slated to rail against US President Donald Trump’s declaration that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital, when the United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the matter in New York on Friday. PLO Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour called on the council “to act swiftly” to avoid “this extremely dangerous situation, which constitutes a threat to international peace and security,” according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. The Palestinians have argued that the declaration, including the decision to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, runs counter to past Security Council decisions, including Resolution 242 passed in 1967 and Resolution 2334 approved in December 2016. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - European countries, Egypt and Russia are slated to rail against US President Donald Trump’s declaration that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital, when the United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the matter in New York on Friday. PLO Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour called on the council “to act swiftly” to avoid “this extremely dangerous situation, which constitutes a threat to international peace and security,” according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. The Palestinians have argued that the declaration, including the decision to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, runs counter to past Security Council decisions, including Resolution 242 passed in 1967 and Resolution 2334 approved in December 2016. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The Oraefajokull volcano last spewed out ash and lava in 1728, but is showing renewed signs of activity. A hole in the snow on the top of the mountain has been becoming 45cm deeper every day. It is now more than 22 metres (72ft) lower than where it was before the activity began. Experts at Iceland's Meteorological Office have detected 160 earthquakes in the region in the past week alone. [ Source: Sky News (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., raised more than a few eyebrows (and drew a few rolled eyes) when he suggested in November that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could intercept North Korean missiles headed for the United States. Hunter cited analysis from Los Alamos National Labs and other sources, according to Inside Defense. Turns out the F-35 may be an ICBM buster after all, or at least be helpful toward that end. On Tuesday, Northrop Grumman called a small group of journalists to its offices in Linthicum, Maryland, to show the results of a 2014 experiment conducted with the Missile Defense Agency, or MDA. The U.S. has no foolproof way to down a North Korean ICBM. Physics says the best opportunity comes during “boost phase,” as the rocket is leaving the launch pad. But DPRK anti-aircraft defenses make it difficult for the U.S. to get a weapon close enough to do any good. That’s why the Pentagon is looking at elaborate, futuristic concepts like arming drones with missile-killing lasers. [ Source: Defense One (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Martin Schulz, the leader of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) urged his fellow members on Thursday (7 December) to enter into coalition talks with chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives to form a grand coalition. Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament, urged his party to push for the creation of a "United States of Europe" by 2025. The SPD party congress on Thursday will decide whether the Social Democrats will join forces with Merkel once again, despite fears that the party would not be able to revive itself in the embrace of the Christian Democrats. [ Source: EU Observer (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Two EU states have broken ranks on the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The moves, by the Czech Republic and Hungary, made it harder for the EU to claim it had a single position, even though the biggest member states - France, Germany, Italy, and the UK - stuck to the same line in opposing US president Donald Trump's decision. Hungary blocked an EU statement on Wednesday (6 December) that was to have voiced "serious concern", diplomatic sources said. The EU statement was to have been issued on behalf of all 28 member states, but due to Hungary's opposition it was downgraded to a statement by EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini only. The Czech Republic issued its own statement on Wednesday, which said it "recognises Jerusalem to be in practice the capital of Israel". [ Source: EU Observer (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Nearly 200,000 residents have now been evacuated due to California wildfires as crews pivot to fight a new blaze. Some 5,000 firefighters have been battling four brushfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes in the south of the state. The number of evacuees nearly quadrupled on Thursday as a fifth fire broke out north of San Diego. [ Source: BBC (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Nearly 200,000 residents have now been evacuated due to California wildfires as crews pivot to fight a new blaze. Some 5,000 firefighters have been battling four brushfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes in the south of the state. The number of evacuees nearly quadrupled on Thursday as a fifth fire broke out north of San Diego. [ Source: BBC (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The IDF confirmed it struck two terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said. The IDF confirmed the use of a tank and an IAF to strike Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. Earlier tonight, rocket sirens were heard in the Hof Ashkelon and Sha'ar HaNegev regional councils, as well as the city of Sdreot, when two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel. The IDF confirmed the rockets did not reach Israeli soil and the Al-Tawheed Brigade, a Jihadist Salafi group, claimed responsibility for the rockets. Israel holds Hamas responsible for all activity happening in the Gaza Strip. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The IDF confirmed it struck two terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said. The IDF confirmed the use of a tank and an IAF to strike Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. Earlier tonight, rocket sirens were heard in the Hof Ashkelon and Sha'ar HaNegev regional councils, as well as the city of Sdreot, when two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel. The IDF confirmed the rockets did not reach Israeli soil and the Al-Tawheed Brigade, a Jihadist Salafi group, claimed responsibility for the rockets. Israel holds Hamas responsible for all activity happening in the Gaza Strip. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Congress passed a short-term spending bill Thursday to prevent a government shutdown, as Republicans attempt to reach a budget bill with Democrats by the end of the year. Senators approved the bill by a vote of 81-14 an hour after the House passed it on a vote of 235-193, keeping the federal government open through Dec. 22 "A vote against this resolution is a vote to shut down the government," Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said, while admitting a short-term funding measure isn't ideal. [ Source (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Congress passed a short-term spending bill Thursday to prevent a government shutdown, as Republicans attempt to reach a budget bill with Democrats by the end of the year. Senators approved the bill by a vote of 81-14 an hour after the House passed it on a vote of 235-193, keeping the federal government open through Dec. 22 "A vote against this resolution is a vote to shut down the government," Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said, while admitting a short-term funding measure isn't ideal. [ Source (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Some 200 people protesting President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem took to the streets of Chicago. The protesters gathered Thursday evening, a day after the president’s announcement, at the city’s Federal Plaza in the downtown area called the Loop before they began their march. The march was peaceful but to head off any confrontations, the police department lined the route with uniformed officers. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Even before the dramatic Southern California wildfires began their harrowing path this week, California was already experiencing its deadliest and most destructive fire season ever. And it’s only getting worse. In Ventura and Los Angeles counties, four fires driven by the Santa Ana winds are raging just two weeks before the start of winter, no less. By Wednesday, at least 150 homes had burned, including at least four in the star-studded enclave of Bel-Air. The flames reportedly damaged structures on media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s estate and threatened the homes of other celebrities, including Tesla’s Elon Musk. The Skirball fire closed Interstate 405 for a time on Wednesday, shuttered the landmark Getty Museum, and shut down classes at UCLA and the production of several TV series, including HBO’s Westworld. There’s no sign of letting up. Thursday “is going to be the worst day with the winds,” Cal Fire spokeswoman Lynne Tolmachoff said Wednesday. “We’re expecting gusts up to or possibly worse than the North Bay fires. We are expecting gusts up to 80 mph.” [ Source (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - U.S. President Donald Trump called for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to immediately allow humanitarian aid to reach the Yemeni people, suggesting Washington had run out patience with a Saudi-led blockade that has been condemned by relief organizations. The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Iran-aligned armed Houthi movement in Yemen’s civil war started a blockade of ports a month ago after Saudi Arabia intercepted a missile fired toward its capital Riyadh from Yemen. Although the blockade later eased and showed signs of breaking on Wednesday, Yemen’s situation remained dire. About 8 million people are on the brink of famine with outbreaks of cholera and diphtheria. [ Source (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The reaction at the United Nations to President Donald Trump’s historic announcement on recognizing Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel was swift — and critical. Minutes after the president’s address, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who rarely engages the press at the world body, came out and read a statement that in part criticized the president’s new policy on Jerusalem. “From day one as Secretary-General of the United Nations, I have consistently spoken out against any unilateral measures that would jeopardize the prospect of peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” Guterres said. While taking no questions from reporters, Guterres said there can be no other way to peace other than the two-state solution: “In this moment of great anxiety, I want to make it clear — there is no alternative to the two-state solution. There is no Plan B.” [ Source: Fox News (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Wednesday that he will officially run for office again in 2018, debunking questions and theories surrounding his delayed official announcement. Putin, whose approval ratings hover around 80 percent, is expected to sail through the election in March. Should he win again, he would become the country’s longest serving ruler since Josef Stalin. The announcement was made at the GAZ automobile factory in the city, Nizhny Novgorod. The factory is a symbol of the country’s industrial might, and Putin was greeted by an enthusiastic audience by the blue-collar workers who make up the core of his base. [ Source: Fox News (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday thanked President Donald Trump for his "historic decision" to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying it will advance peace in the Middle East. "President Trump, thank you for today's historic decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital," Netanyahu said in a video statement. "The Jewish people and the Jewish state will be forever grateful." Netanyahu noted that Jerusalem "has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years" and the capital of Israel for nearly 70 years, describing how the city has been the focus of the Jewish people's "hopes, dreams, and prayers" for three millennia. [ Source: Washington Free Beacon (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The House passed legislation Wednesday that would allow concealed carry permit holders from one state to legally carry their guns in other states. Lawmakers passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which also includes language aimed at improving the federal background check system more commonly known as NICS. The combined bill passed 231-198; six Democrats voted for it, and 14 Republicans voted against it. The legislation is the first gun legislation to be passed by the House in the wake of major mass shootings in both Las Vegas and Texas. While Democrats argued the concealed carry legislation would only add to gun violence, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said the legislation is the best way "not to infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens, but to enforce the laws against criminals." [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The House passed legislation Wednesday that would allow concealed carry permit holders from one state to legally carry their guns in other states. Lawmakers passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which also includes language aimed at improving the federal background check system more commonly known as NICS. The combined bill passed 231-198; six Democrats voted for it, and 14 Republicans voted against it. The legislation is the first gun legislation to be passed by the House in the wake of major mass shootings in both Las Vegas and Texas. While Democrats argued the concealed carry legislation would only add to gun violence, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said the legislation is the best way "not to infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens, but to enforce the laws against criminals." [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The Trump administration has determined that even if Congress does not approve an extension of the National Security Agency and the FBI’s warrantless surveillance program before the law that authorizes it expires at the end of 2017, the agencies can still continue to utilize the program, according to a new report. The legal basis for the program, Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, is set to expire on New Year's Eve and, as a result, national security officials have urged Congress for a year-and-a-half extension. Section 702 allows the government agencies to gather information such as phone calls, emails, texts, among other things, from domestic companies, including AT&T and Google. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Rep. Trey Gowdy said he was "surprised" that the House Intelligence Committee interview with Donald Trump Jr. on Wednesday spent seven hours focusing on the brief meeting that took place in Trump Tower last summer between Trump campaign members and Russian officials. For all the time it took, the South Carolina Republican said, the committee gleaned "nothing illegal or improper" in regards to Trump Jr.'s actions related to the meeting which has made him a focus of investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election. "I think only a bunch of lawyers could drag out a 20-minute meeting into a seven-hour deposition," Gowdy told Fox News Wednesday evening. "We are talking about a 20-minute meeting from which no information was gleaned at Trump Tower, so how you get seven hours out of that for a bunch of guys and gals that aren't paid by the hour," he added, "it was quite a sight to see." [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - In a dramatic shift from his predecessors, President Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. is recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordered plans to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the ancient, divided city. The move fulfills a campaign promise to religious conservatives, a pledge that other presidents broke routinely. But Mr. Trump’s decision also could inflame tensions across the Middle East because Palestinians want to establish their capital in east Jerusalem. “It is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Mr. Trump said in an 11-minute speech at the White House. “It also is the right thing to do.” [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - In a dramatic shift from his predecessors, President Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. is recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordered plans to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the ancient, divided city. The move fulfills a campaign promise to religious conservatives, a pledge that other presidents broke routinely. But Mr. Trump’s decision also could inflame tensions across the Middle East because Palestinians want to establish their capital in east Jerusalem. “It is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Mr. Trump said in an 11-minute speech at the White House. “It also is the right thing to do.” [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - China’s People’s Liberation Army has confirmed the latest flight test of the newest and most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile known as the DF-41. “It is a normal practice for China to develop missiles as scheduled, and it is not against any specific country, region or target,” Senior Col. Wu Qian, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman, said last week. “We always follow our national defense policy, which is defensive in nature, and a military strategy of active defense,” he said. “We develop weapons and armament only to meet our need of national security.” [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article