Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez Rebuff US, Joke About Having Nuclear Bomb

By Reuters – “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez lavished each other with praise on Monday, mocked U.S. disapproval and joked about having an atomic bomb at their disposal.

‘Despite those arrogant people who do not wish us to be together, we will unite forever,’ the Iranian president told socialist leader Chavez at the start of a visit to four left-leaning Latin American nations.

Despite their geographical distance, the fiery anti-U.S. ideologues have forged increasingly close ties between their fellow OPEC nations in recent years, although concrete projects have often lagged behind the rhetoric.

Ahmadinejad was in Venezuela at the start of a tour intended to shore up support as expanded Western economic sanctions kick in over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

‘The imperialist madness has been unleashed in a way that has not been seen for a long time,’ Chavez said in a ceremony to welcome Ahmadinejad at his presidential palace in Caracas.

Both men hugged, beamed, held hands and showered each other with praise.

As he often does, the theatrical and provocative Chavez stuck his finger right into the global political sore spot, joking that a bomb was ready under a grassy knoll in front of his Miraflores palace steps.

‘That hill will open up and a big atomic bomb will come out,’ he said, the two men laughing together.” Read more.

Flashback: ‘A World Without America’: Iran Building Rocket Bases in Venezuela to be Used Against ‘Iran’s Enemies’ – “The Iranian government is moving forward with the construction of rocket launch bases in Venezuela, the German daily Die Welt wrote in its Friday edition. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is Teheran’s most important South American ally. Iran is building intermediate- range missile launch pads on the Paraguaná Peninsula, and engineers from a construction firm – Khatam al-Anbia – owned by the Revolutionary Guards visited Paraguaná in February. Amir al-Hadschisadeh, the head of the Guard’s Air Force, participated in the visit, according to the report. Die Welt cited information from ‘Western security insiders.’” Read more.

Flashback: Middle Eastern Terrorists Plan US Attack ‘Worse Than The World Trade Center’ From Latin American Countries – “Middle Eastern terrorists have infiltrated Latin American countries—especially Mexico—to plan an attack against the United States, according to an alarming exposé broadcast this week by the world’s largest Spanish news network. The Univision documentary, ‘La Amenaza Irani,’ (Iranian Threat), uses undercover, never-before-seen video footage to illustrate how Iran’s growing political, economic and military ties to Latin America threaten U.S. security.” Read more.

Hamas Leader Rejects Peace with Israel, Disavows Non-Violent Resistance

Isaiah 48:22, “‘There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the LORD.”

By ASSOCIATED PRESS – “GAZA CITY — The top Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip rejected compromise with Israel in a fiery speech Wednesday, a day after gunmen killed four Israelis.

In an address to Hamas members, Gaza strongman Mahmoud Zahar said the movement would resist peace efforts and criticized the Palestinian president for joining the negotiations.

‘Today marks the start of direct negotiations between someone who has no right to represent the Palestinian people and the brutal occupier, to provide a cover for Judaizing Jerusalem and stealing the land,’ Zahar said.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been locked in a fierce rivalry with Hamas since the group seized Gaza from his forces in a violent takeover in 2007, leaving him only in control of the West Bank.

In a swift response to the shooting, Abbas’ forces rounded up 250 low and mid-level Hamas supporters throughout the West Bank in what the group said was the largest sweep in recent memory. Hamas officials called the roundup arbitrary and an act of treason.

Abbas and Netanyahu are in Washington for a series of talks aimed at creating an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel within a year. Negotiations are to focus on core issues of the conflict, including the status of east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as capital of their future state but Israel also claims.” Read more.

Denver Broncos’ Tim Tebow Wins With 316 Yards at 31.6 Yards Per Completion

Divine intervention? Maybe not. Coincidence?  Could be.  But after this game I still can’t help but to shout out a heartfelt “Amen” …

Update:  According to John Ourand of Sports Business Journal, Tebow’s final quarter-hour overnight rating which included the winning score (8:00-8:15) was, yes, a 31.6.  That’s three “3:16’s”. Divine intervention?  Could be. Coincidence?  Maybe not …

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

“(NewsCore) – Tim Tebowed and Denver rose as one.

The Broncos quarterback’s 80-yard touchdown pass to receiver Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime against Pittsburgh both clinched Sunday’s game and wrote another improbable chapter in Tebow’s book of clutch plays to win high-pressure games.

His performance also borrowed a little magic from another famous book.

The devout Christian’s stat line in Sunday’s game mirrors the numbering of the Biblical passage that Tebow at times had painted on to his black eye paint during his career at the University of Florida — John 3:16.

The passage reads, according to the New American Standard Bible, ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.‘

Officially, Tebow passed for 316 yards against the Steelers, completing 10 of 21 pass attempts — meaning he passed for 31.6 yards per completion.

After his final pass was caught and brilliantly taken downfield by Thomas, Tebow shrugged off three bad weeks — when he threw for just one touchdown and four interceptions — and took a knee and prayed in his classic style.

‘First and foremost, I just want to thank my savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ,’ Tebow said at the postgame press conference. ‘I am so thankful for the platform God has given me.'” Read more.

Zimbabwe: Over 165 Animals Die in Lower Zambezi Valley After Anthrax Outbreak Hits Mana Pools National Park

By Peter Matambanadzo – “Mana Pools — MORE than 165 animals in Mana Pools National Park in the lower Zambezi Valley have died due to an anthrax outbreak over the past few weeks.

Parks and Wildlife Management Authority public relations manager Ms Caroline Washaya-Moyo confirmed the death of elephants, hippos, buffaloes and kudus.

The most affected are Chikwenya and Sapi areas, which are located on the shoreline as well as islands near Mana Pools.

‘Our Chinhoyi office has since confirmed the anthrax outbreak following the death of the animals in Mana Pools.

‘The Authority engaged the Vet Offices who later collected samples from hippos for lab testing. The lab test confirmed that 88 hippopotamus died of anthrax,’ said Ms Washaya-Moyo.

The cause of the death of 45 Buffaloes, 30 elephants and two Kudus, she said, was yet to be established but starvation or anthrax was suspected. Ms Washaya-Moyo said the situation was under control.

A veterinary officer in the Department of Veterinary Services (Wildlife), Dr Chris Foggin also confirmed the outbreak.

‘A number of animals have died, but we have visited the area and we sealed it off and we are burning the carcasses to prevent any further spread, an action well considered now that the lab reports confirmed anthrax as the culprit,’ said Dr Foggin.” Source – AllAfrica.com.

Former U.S. Army Soldier Charged With Trying to Provide Material Support to Terror Group Al-Shabaab

“GREENBELT, Md. – A former U.S. Army soldier has been charged with attempting to provide material support to terror group al Shabaab, the Department of Justice announced Monday.

Craig Benedict Baxam was arrested Friday upon return to his home state of Maryland after he was captured in Africa during an alleged attempt to reach Somalia, where the terror group is based.

Baxam, 24, joined the Army in 2007 and served in Baghdad and Korea. During his enlistment, he completed eight months of advanced intelligence and cryptology training, the Justice Department said in a press release.

According to court papers, Baxam secretly converted to Islam days before leaving the Army, one month ahead of completing his deployment in Korea. He returned to Maryland in July 2011 and reportedly sought to move to Somalia to join al Shabaab.

Baxam allegedly flew to Kenya using money from his retirement savings account, and carried several hundred dollars in cash to give al Shabaab as an offering after crossing the border into Somalia, the Justice Department said.

‘The complaint alleges that Craig Baxam intended to travel to Somalia and join the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab,’ U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement.” Read more.

Florida: Islamic Extremist Arrested in Tampa Over Plan to Car-Bomb Businesses and a Police Station

According to this wannabe jihadist, dying while blowing up kafir businesses and infidel policemen is a great Islamic way to obtain a glorious death.  But according to Barack Obama, Eric Holder and Janet Napolitano, he isn’t really a Muslim, no matter what he says …

“A suspected Islamic extremist has been arrested over an alleged plan to attack businesses and a police station in Florida, US authorities have said.

Sami Osmakac, 25, a naturalised US citizen who was born in the former Yugoslavia, was arrested in Tampa on January 7 following a sting operation.

According to the US justice department he allegedly tried to create a car bomb and obtain an assault rifle and explosives.

His arrest followed a months-long surveillance during which the Kosovo-born suspect was closely monitored by law enforcement officials.

Officials said Mr Osmakac has been charged with one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, which they identified as explosives.

‘The perseverance and diligence of law enforcement caused this investigation to conclude in a successful manner,’ US Attorney Robert O’Neill said in a statement.

‘I would like to commend them for their hard work. This investigation was also predicated, in part, by assistance from the Muslim community. I would like to thank them as well.’

Mr Osmakac allegedly met with an undercover FBI employee from whom he tried to acquire an AK-47-style automatic rifle, Uzi submachine guns, high capacity magazines, grenades and an explosive belt.

During one meeting, when told by the undercover operative that he could change his mind and back out of the plot, Mr Osmakac is said to have replied: ‘We all have to die, so why not die the Islamic way?'” Read more.

South Korea: Dozens of Ducks Found Dead on Farm in Icheon, Cause of Death Remains Unknown

“SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s farm ministry said Saturday that bird flu did not cause the spike in dead ducks at a local poultry farm earlier in the week.

‘Detailed tests using hemagglutinin showed no traces of the virulent H5N1 avian influenza virus,’ it said.

The farm in Icheon some 80 kilometers east of Seoul reported 110 dead birds from Sunday through Tuesday, causing local quarantine authorities to seal off the immediate area and prevent movement of all birds.

Vehicle and human traffic were also subject to decontamination to prevent the spread of the disease.

The agriculture ministry said it has lifted all restrictions imposed for the past few days and withdrawn its quarantine team.

The latest false alarm comes as Seoul has been carefully monitoring its poultry farms for signs of another bird flu outbreak. The country reported containing an outbreak in April of last year after the birds started dying off en masse in late December 2010. This forced the government to cull more than 6.27 million birds across the country.

Prior to the 2010-2011 outbreak, South Korea was hit by avian influenza three times, with the last case occurring in April 2008 and resulting in the culling of 3.45 million birds. Other outbreaks took place in the winter months of 2003-2004 and 2006-2007.” Source – Yonhap News Agency.

Montana: Devastating Disease Kills 90% of Whitetail Deer Along 100-Mile Stretch of the Milk River

By MATTHEW BROWN – “BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — White-tailed deer populations in parts of eastern Montana and elsewhere in the Northern Plains could take years to recover from a devastating disease that killed thousands of the animals in recent months, wildlife officials and hunting outfitters said.

In northeast Montana, officials said 90 percent or more of whitetail have been killed along a 100-mile stretch of the Milk River from Malta to east of Glasgow. Whitetail deaths also have been reported along the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers in western North Dakota and eastern Montana and scattered sites in Wyoming, South Dakota and eastern Kansas.

The deaths are being attributed to an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD. Transmitted by biting midges, EHD causes internal bleeding that can kill infected animals within just a few days.

‘I’ve been here 21 years and it was worse than any of us here have seen,’ said Pat Gunderson, the Glasgow-based regional supervisor for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. ‘Right now it’s going to take a few years to get things back to even a moderate population.’

In North Dakota, state wildlife chief Randy Kreil described the outbreak as the most extensive and deadly in two decades.

Mule deer, bighorn sheep, elk and pronghorn also are susceptible to EHD, but it is particularly damaging to whitetail herds, animal health experts said. Livestock can be infected but typically show few symptoms.

Researchers say the virus that causes EHD does not infect people and there is no risk of eating or handling infected deer,

More precise estimates of the number of whitetail killed are expected after agencies conduct winter population counts and survey fall hunter success.” Read more.

India: New, Deadlier Form of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Strikes Mumbai and Ratnagiri

By Vatsal Anand – “The TB menace in India is likely to grow worse with the new, deadlier form of virus detected in Mumbai. 12 tuberculosis patients at Hinduja Hospital in Mahim, Mumbai have been found to have a virus which has been termed Totally Drug Resistant (TDR) – TB. The viruses were isolated in the fluid samples of the patients.

This virus has the latest and most severe form of drug resistance in TB viruses after the Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR-TB), and Extremely Drug-Resistant (EDR-TB) varieties diagnosed a while back. The TDRTB has also been diagnosed in Iran earlier and India is the second country that has reported it. With close to 4 lakhs people estimated to die each year from the disease in India, the newly developed drug resistance can complicate the problems of health authorities, particularly in Mumbai and adjoining areas.

Out of the 12 patients detected with the TDR-TB, 10 are from Mumbai while the other two are from Ratnagiri and UP. One of these patients has died already. The laboratory of Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai has been certified by WHO for testing the drug resistance of virus in TB patients. Dr. Zarir Udawala from the hospital stated that the mutation of virus has very serious implications on public health. He started the work of isolating TDR-TB cases in patients suffering from pulmonary TB.

According to a senior public health official of BMC, the municipal body of Mumbai, drug resistance develops in patients because they do not complete the full term of 6 to 9 months of medication after being infected with TB virus. The effect of TB virus subsides within 2 months and the patients stop taking the drug after that. The effect is that the some TB germs persist and start to multiply.

1.7 million people were reported to die of TB in the year 2009, and the latest drug resistance is all set to take this toll higher. From the MDR-TB, that was discovered in 1992, to the EDR-TB found a few years back, to the TDR-TB, the anti-viral treatment options seem to have completed a full circle. According to Dr. Udawala, the patients afflicted with the latest form of the virus can only be provided drastic surgery and medications for partial relief. The findings of his team have been published in a peer reviewed journal of the USA.” Source – OnlyMyHealth.com.

Mystery Disease Kills 100 in Uganda, Infects More Than 2,000

“Kampala (Uganda), Jan 8 : A mystery disease has killed over 100 people and infected more than 2,000 in northern Uganda.

The disease, first reported in September 2009, has since been dubbed “nodding disease” as it leaves its victims nodding, Xinhua reported.

Spread over the region’s five districts, the disease is characterised by head nodding, mental retardation and stunted growth and affects children and young adults. It causes young children and adolescents to nod violently while eating.

Scientists are to launch a series of investigations as the previous efforts couldn’t identify the disease’s cause.

The two previous samples and tests carried out by Centres for Disease Control (CDC) scientists in Atlanta in the US failed to identify the cause of the disease, said Richard Nduhura, minister of state for health in charge of general duties.

A team of scientists from the ministry of health, World Health Organisation (WHO) and CDC is going to carry out new tests, said Nduhura, who is leading a fact finding mission in the affected areas.” Source – newKerala.com.