USA - General Assembly over its Jerusalem policy revealed both Washington’s contempt for democracy and international law, and just how isolated America has become globally. The overwhelming rejection of President Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital by 128 member nations at the UN is a signal event of how far US international standing has slumped.
GERMANY - Angela Merkel has given herself just one week to bring Germany in from the brink of political uncertainty amid chaos on the continent. The German Chancellor has been desperately attempting to strike a deal with former European Parliament President Martin Schulz – who currently leads her biggest rival in the Bundestag, the Social Democratic party (SPD).
RUSSIA - Former Chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schroeder told the Rheinische Post about his work at Rosneft, as well as his attitude towards Vladimir Putin. According to Schroeder, to chair the board of directors of a Russian oil firm is an "exciting task" and the money aspect here is not particularly important. "And what if I were on the board of directors of an American firm, not a Russian one - that criticism has some hypocrisy," he said. Schroeder stressed that good relations with Rosneft and with Russia as a whole are in the interests of Europe, and Germany will eventually benefit from them.
USA - Legendary standup comic Jackie Mason weighed in on the debate about the possibility of defunding the United Nations, calling US financing to the international body “so sick that we do this it is unbelievable.”
VATICAN - Pope Francis called for peace in Jerusalem in his traditional Christmas address, warning: 'The winds of war are blowing,' as he called on Israel and Palestine to 'resume' dialogue. The pontiff urged the world's 1.3 billion Catholics to not to ignore migrants fleeing danger, highlighting the plight of children scarred by the conflict, in a yuletide message of unity. The pontiff also mentioned other global flashpoints such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan and Venezuela, after stressing that the 'winds of war are blowing in our world. Let us pray that confrontation may be overcome on the Korean peninsula and that mutual trust may increase in the interest of the world as a whole,' the 81-year-old said.
RUSSIA - Multiple Russian state media outlets are reporting that President Vladimir Putin has stressed that Russia has a right to respond to US military build-up in Europe while furthering its strategic nuclear deterrence capabilities in a speech delivered before a Defense Ministry meeting on Friday in the city of Balashikha outside of Moscow.
USA - Josiah Zayner, 36, recently made headlines by becoming the first person to use the revolutionary gene-editing tool Crispr to try to change their own genes. Part way through a talk on genetic engineering, Zayner pulled out a syringe apparently containing DNA and other chemicals designed to trigger a genetic change in his cells associated with dramatically increased muscle mass. He injected the DIY gene therapy into his left arm, live-streaming the procedure on the internet.
ISRAEL - With Israel facing another dry winter, its agriculture minister is thinking unconventionally and has invited farmers and the general public for a mass prayer at the Western Wall with hopes it will finally “rip the skies open.” “Unfortunately, after four years of drought, we've only had a little bit of rain so far (this year), less than the multi-annual average, and this winter is shaping up to be dry,” Uri Ariel told the Ynet News website.
USA - 2017 was a year that vindicated those who the media has constantly referred to as conspiracy theorists, exposing the establishment in the process. We are talking about well-researched cases that were deliberately dismissed and ridiculed by the mainstream as a means of oppressing the information and protecting the establishment.
USA - When US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld revealed that the Pentagon was missing $2.3 trillion on September 10, 2001, it seemed like a massive amount — little did the American people know that the events that would occur the next day would wipe the missing money from the headlines, and over the next 16 years, the amount of money the government is missing would increase at a rate in excess of $58,000 per second.
IRAN - Iranian MPs have overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill that would see Jerusalem recognized as the capital of the Palestinian State during a parliamentary session Sunday. The motion was backed by 187 of the 233 deputies, with 15 voting against and 9 abstaining, Iranian media reported. The measure will become Article 1 of the new legislation that stipulates Iran's support for Palestine which the parliament will debate over the next two days.
USA - Next fall, the prestigious Swarthmore College will introduce a course called “Queering the Bible.” The course, which will launch in the fall of 2018 through Swarthmore’s religion department, will examine the Bible through a queer lens. It will examine issues of sex, gender, and identity as they present themselves in one of human history’s most influential texts.
UK - The London Assembly has been called “illiberal” and Orwellian after voting to call on the mayor “to clarify the powers available to [police] to arrest and prosecute” pro-life campaigners who pray near abortion clinics and offer support to mothers, accusing them of “harassment”.
USA - Donald Trump tweeted that the US “foolishly spent” $7 trillion in the Middle East, urging for money to be invested in rebuilding his own country. Trump’s Twitter statement published on Friday initially focused on economic issues, but eventually took aim at the US policy in the Middle East.
USA - According to a recent study, parents may need to pay closer attention to the animated movies that their children watch because these films could be “fueling the obesity crisis.” Almost all films for children showcase unhealthy food. Out of all the top-grossing children’s films released in recent years, 87 percent show unhealthy food and all of them include “obesity-promoting behavior,” revealed the study.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this section are not our own, unless specifically stated, but are provided to highlight what may prove to be prophetically relevant material appearing in the media.