End Times Headline News. April 16 2024

IDF chief promises response to Iranian attack. Iranians brace for potential Israeli strikes. Russia's arms pact with Iran. ‘Terrifying’: FISA Bill. Massive Rallies in Japan Against Pandemic Treaty

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Visiting targeted air base, IDF chief promises response to Iranian attack

Iran will ‘face consequences of its actions,’ Halevi warns; military spokesman says Nevatim continues to function, cautions home front rules could change in coming days

NEVATIM AIRBASE — Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi warned Monday that Iran’s missile and drone attack on the country a day earlier, which caused slight damage to an airbase, “will be met with a response.” The comments were made as he met soldiers at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel, where four Iranian ballistic missiles struck during the attack early Sunday. It came hours after the war cabinet met to decide on an Israeli response. “Iran wanted to harm the strategic capabilities of the State of Israel — that is something that had not happened before. We were prepared for the ‘Iron Shield’ operation — preparation that brought Iran to also encounter aerial superiority,” he said, referring to the effort to counter the Iran blitz by its military code name.

US officials believe Israel unlikely to strike Iran directly, will focus on proxies instead – NBC

The US believes that Israel’s response to Iran’s unprecedented attack early on Sunday morning is likely to be limited, and may focus on striking key targets outside of Iran, four US officials tell NBC.

Noting that the US’s assessment is based on conversations with Israeli officials prior to the attack and that Israel’s approach may since have shifted, the officials say that the lack of serious damage caused by Tehran may lead Jerusalem to seek a less aggressive response. Instead of directly striking Iran in response — which Israel’s allies have warned runs the risk of sending the region spiraling into an all-out war — the officials tell NBC that Israel may strike Iran’s proxies, such as its militias in Syria or the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.

Israeli message of reassurance: Any reaction against Iran will not endanger Arab countries

Israel conveyed a message to the countries in the region, that any retaliation for the Iranian attack, would not endanger their stability and regimes.

Kan Channel 2 reported that Israel sent private messages to the Arab countries in the region that its response to the Iranian attack would not endanger them or their regimes in any way. According to the report, the countries in the region who helped, in one way or another, to thwart the Iranian attack, are very concerned of Israel's expected response. They are worried that Israel will retaliate in a way that will cause Iran to take military action against them as well, following threatening messages coming from Tehran that any country that opens its territory or its airspace to an Israeli attack against Iran is expected to enter the circle of fire.

Iranians brace for potential Israeli strikes amid fears for economy, anger at regime

Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel saw the rial plunge, people stocking up on supplies; Revolutionary Guards forced to warn public against pro-Israel posts on social media

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) — The prospect of Israeli retaliation against Iran for its drone and missile attack over the weekend has alarmed many Iranians already facing economic pain and tighter social and political controls after protests in 2022-23. Iran’s political and military leaders have repeatedly warned that they will respond to any Israeli retaliation by escalating further, potentially triggering yet more attacks. And that would only be bad news for ordinary people, said 45-year-old teacher Hesam from the northern city of Amol.

Quiet before the storm: Is escalating Israel-Iran violence on the way? - analysis

Reduced clashes in the Gaza and Lebanon fronts came as Iran-Israel tensions grew.

The Iranian attack on Israel on April 13-14 involved not just Iran but also Iran’s proxies. Iran operationalized Hezbollah and the Yemenite Houthis to simultaneously carry out the attacks. However, in the wake of the attack, there have been two days of relative quiet in the region. Israel is carrying out limited operations in Gaza. In general, the Gaza front has been quiet since the IDF withdrew most of its men, leaving only one division of forces in Gaza. On the northern front, Hezbollah is also weighing its next moves and has reduced its fire after launching around 150 rockets between April 13 and 14, targeting Israeli bases in the Golan. 

US accuses Hamas of being ‘obstacle’ to Gaza truce after it rejected Israel’s proposal

Terror group said to give mediators a new draft, claims it can only free 20 ‘humanitarian’ hostages, demands permanent end to war, return to north Gaza for displaced civilians

The United States on Monday accused Hamas of being the barrier to a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, adding that Israel had moved in a “significant way” to submit a reasonable proposal in the ongoing hostage talks. “There’s a deal on the table that would achieve much of what Hamas claims it wants to achieve, and they have not taken that deal,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a briefing. The comments came after Hamas rejected the terms of last week’s Cairo proposal for a hostage-truce deal, and then presented US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators with a counter-offer of its own.

Biden to host Iraq’s leader after Iran’s attack on Israel spurs chaos across the Middle East

President Biden is set to host Iraq’s leader this week for talks after Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend. U.S. forces in Iraq were specifically credited with helping shoot down Iranian missiles that were intending to strike Israel.

Monday’s meeting between Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani is expected to address regional stability and the viability of keeping an American military presence in Iraq, through which portions of Iran’s Saturday drone and missile attack on Israel flew or were launched from. According to U.S. officials, the meeting is also expected to include discussions of economic, trade, and energy issues. The U.S. leaders could also discuss future troop deployments. “It is not the primary focus of the visit … but it is almost certainly going to come up,” one senior U.S. official told The Associated Press.

US Says Over 90 Missiles & Drones Were Launched From Yemen In Past 48 Hours

New statements from the Pentagon issued Monday have said the Houthis fired over 90 ballistic missiles and drones - most of which were intercepted by US and allied forces over the past 48 hours, once the Iranian attack kicked off in the overnight hours of Saturday.

US Central Command described that at one point during the attack the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile directly against US Navy and commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden. "There were no injuries or damage reported by US, coalition, or commercial ships," CENTCOM said.

Someone is getting ready in Iran

Hezbollah Flags Wave at Terrorist Rally in NYC, Protestors Assault American Flag Waving Counter Protester and Burn American Flag Screaming “DEATH TO AMERICA”

Terrorist sympathizing protestors in New York City wielded Hezbollah flags and chanted “Death to America” in New York City today.

Chants of “Death to America” were also heard earlier in New York City, and one protestor burned an American flag. As seen in the footage, a young man carrying an American flag is nearly set on fire as the flag he is carrying is torched, and his shirt catches flame. One self-hating American woman shouted, “I love it. Burn it down,” when asked what she thought of burning the American flag. Laura Loomer shared footage of her confrontation with a Hezbollah flag-waving woman on Wall Street.

Who Is Funding This Chaos? Pro-Palestinian Protesters Attempt To Paralyze Chicago O'Hare, Golden Gate Bridge

Hours after pro-Palestinian protesters sparked chaos at Terminal 1 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, another likely unit of the group has shuttered part of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Pro-Palestine protesters have blocked the Golden Gate Bridge just hours after another group shut down lanes at Chicago O'Hare airport. The protest reportedly started in Oakland where they blocked lanes and chained themselves to barrels. Now, all southbound direction lanes of the Golden Gate Bridge are blocked causing miles of traffic. Protesters say the protests are a part of a "worldwide economic blockade in solidarity with Palestine." 

During the anti-Israel rally in Calgary yesterday, a protestor was seen giving a Nazi salute while holding an image of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This comes a day after Iran attacked Israel.

Security Ramped-Up In Germany After Jihadists Threaten Drone Strikes At Euro 2024

An offshoot terror cell affiliated with Islamic State has published propaganda encouraging jihadists to target German football stadiums during this summer’s European Championships.

In the latest issue of the “Voice of Khorasan” magazine, a publication run by ISKP, or Islamic State — Khorasan Province, the terror organization called for jihad at Europe’s flagship football tournament, which runs for a month in Germany from June 14 until July 14. Against a backdrop of an explosive drone flying across a football stadium, the publication used the headline, “If they restrict and oppress you on the ground, then attack them from the sky.” “Run over the infidels with your car, hit them with a knife, with poison, or blow out their brains with bullets and set fire to their houses,” it further wrote.

Huge Fire Erupts at Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, the U.S.’s Primary Producer of 155mm Artillery Shell Bodies

A huge fire erupted at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, according to initial reports.

The blaze at this crucial facility, responsible for producing the metal bodies of the U.S. Army’s 155 mm artillery shells, prompted an immediate response from local firefighting units. NEPA Fire Photography first reported the incident, noting that Scranton firefighters were actively battling a structure fire at the Army Ammunition Plant location on Cedar Avenue. The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP), a key component of the national defense infrastructure, is operated by General Dynamics and plays a pivotal role in manufacturing artillery projectiles for the U.S. military.

Russia's arms pact with Iran: Moscow pledges fighter jets and air defenses to Tehran including advanced missiles capable of shooting down US and Israeli stealth planes

Russian military officials have quietly been supporting Iran with weapons and information as the crisis in the Middle East escalates, it has emerged. 

A strategic alliance between the two hostile nations, reports the Washington Post, has seen Russia supply an array of artillery to Iran, including prized anti-aircraft launchers and drones. The reported deals are evidence of a concerning dynamic between the two nations, which experts warn show Iran is growing in strength and negotiating power as it barrels towards war. 

Nearly 16 000 homes flooded in Russia, 111 200 evacuated in Kazakhstan

Catastrophic floods have submerged large areas of south-western Russia and north-western Kazakhstan since April 3, 2024. To date, floods have affected 15 641 homes and 27 993 garden plots in Russia, prompting widespread evacuations and the declaration of state emergencies in affected areas. Nearly 111 200 people were evacuated in Kazakhstan and approximately 5 500 homes were flooded.

In Russia, the hardest-hit area remains the Orenburg Region, where over 15 000 residential properties and 23 600 garden plots face flood threats. A federal state of emergency helps manage the crisis, as the Ural River’s water levels near Orenburg have slightly receded to 11.6 m (38 feet) from a peak, still above the hazardous mark of 9.3 m (30.5 feet).

Treat Ukraine like Israel – Zelensky

The Ukrainian president wants the collective West to protect his country directly, pointing to how Iran’s strike this past weekend was handled

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has urged the collective West to become involved in the conflict with Russia and protect Kiev similar to how it aided Israel during the Iranian airstrike over the weekend. Zelensky issued the appeal in a Telegram post on Monday, showering praise on the “allied action” to help Israel. According to Israeli and Western claims, the vast majority of the projectiles fired by Iran were shot down before even reaching the country’s airspace, primarily by US and UK jets. 

Ukraine different to Israel – White House

The US has no intention of directly engaging Russian forces on Kiev’s behalf, a senior official has said

The US will not shoot down Russian drones and missiles fired at Ukraine, in contrast to how American forces protected Israel from an Iranian attack last weekend, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told journalists on Monday. The US, the UK and France helped Israel repel a massive barrage launched by Iran in retaliation for what Tehran said was an Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus earlier this month. Kirby was asked during a daily briefing whether the same tactics could be used in the Ukraine conflict.

Ukraine suddenly walked away from Black Sea deal – Reuters

A day before the agreement would have come into force, Kiev pulled out, sources told Reuters

Russia and Ukraine had almost reached a new Black Sea shipping deal in March after two months of negotiations, only for Kiev to abruptly walk away, Reuters reported on Monday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter. The official agreement governing the freight route lapsed in July 2023, when Moscow declined to renew the original Türkiye- and UN-mediated Black Sea Grain Initiative. Russia said that the US and EU had not kept their part of the deal, blocking exports of Russian food and fertilizer.

Georgian MP punched in the face as parliament descends into mass brawl

A brawl broke out in the Georgian parliament on Monday after the ruling party moved forward with a controversial bill on “foreign agents” that has been criticised by Western countries. Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party’s parliamentary faction and a driving force behind the bill, was punched in the face by Aleko Elisashvili, an opposition MP, while speaking from the dispatch box. Footage broadcast on Georgian television, and on the parliament’s livestream, captured the moment politicians came to blows, which led to a wider punch-up. Such altercations are not uncommon in Georgia’s often raucous parliament, where there was also a fistfight over the bill in March.

Massive Rallies Break Out in Japan Against WHO’s Pandemic Treaty. – ‘Don’t Underestimate the Japanese’

Let’s stop the third atomic bomb with our hands, in the hands of the Japanese people!” April 13, 2024, will be etched in the annals of modern Japanese history as tens of thousands of citizens across the nation came together in a series of pandemic rallies. The protests centered on the widespread opposition to the Pandemic Treaty, with escalating concerns over “infectious disease” and “public health” becoming potent tools for an unprecedented push towards what is perceived by many as a totalitarian surveillance society.Source

President of Belgian health insurance company promotes euthanasia as solution for aging population

Luc Van Gorp, president of Christian Mutuality, pushed suicide for older people who are ‘tired of life’ and shockingly described the elderly as a ‘mountain of meat’ that ‘starts to smell.’

(LifeSiteNews) — The president of Belgium’s largest health care fund has promoted euthanasia as a solution for the country’s aging population problem. Luc Van Gorp, head of Christian Mutuality (CM), pointed out that the number of people over 80 in Belgium will double up to 1.2 million by 2050, putting large financial pressure on the health care system and insurance companies. According to De Specialist, Van Gorp said the problem cannot be solved with more money and called for “a radically different approach.”

Arizona approves 'human composting' with 'Grandpa in the Garden' bill

"There is something in us that wants to return to the Earth," terramation provider Return Home CEO Micah Truman said.

House Bill 2081 and Senate Bill 1042, also referred to as the "Grandpa in the Garden Bill," was signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs on March 29 and gives accredited funeral providers the ability to offer the service. While terramation has grown in popularity over the years, it has faced backlash from many, including religious groups. The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Laurin Hendrix and Sen. TJ Shope, was passed in both chambers with little opposition after being introduced in December of last year. 

Bank of America accused of religious and political 'discrimination' by 'de-banking' or refusing to service Trump supporters, Christian churches and Republican-led states want answers

A dozen Republican-led states plan to send a letter to Bank of America demanding an explanation for why it allegedly de-banked Christian and other conservative groups. 

The letter obtained first by DailyMail.com, led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, demands that the financial institution turn over documents related to its account cancellation policies and requested that the bank update its terms of services to not discriminate against clients with certain political or religious beliefs. The notice comes after it was revealed that Bank of America sent the FBI and U.S. Treasury private consumer financial data to help the agencies investigate crimes related to the January 6 Capitol protest. 

‘Terrifying’: FISA Bill Set to Include ‘Vast’ New Surveillance Powers Forcing Businesses to ‘Become NSA Spies’

he Senate is set to vote on the FISA reauthorization bill that includes a provision forcing any company or individual that provides ANY communications service to become a pawn of the National Security Agency’s surveillance grid.

The Section 702 provision of the FISA renewal bill requires any company that hosts any form of communication service to surrender surveillance data to the NSA under a gag order if compelled by the agency. “Buried in the Section 702 reauthorization bill (RISAA) passed by the House on Friday is the biggest expansion of domestic surveillance since the Patriot Act. Senator [Ron] Wyden calls this power ‘terrifying,’ and he’s right,” wrote Elizabeth Goitein, Co-director of the left-leaning Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice on X Monday.

Congress Summons WEF-Affiliated Media Alliance Co-Founder Over Demonetization Scandal

Under Congressional scrutiny, GARM co-founder Robert Rakowitz is summoned to explain alleged antitrust activities and the targeted exclusion of conservative media from advertising revenue.

The US Congress would like to have a word with Robert Rakowitz, co-founder of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) – an organization with ties to the World Economic Forum (WEF). The questions being raised here concern suspicion that coordinated targeting of conservative media was organized in order to deprive them of advertising revenue. GARM is an initiative established by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) in 2019, to then be promoted as a key project in WEF’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Media, Entertainment and Culture.

Is Censorship the Biden Era’s Torture Issue?

During last month’s Supreme Court hearing on a landmark case on federal censorship, Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson declared, “My biggest concern is…the First Amendment hamstringing the government in significant ways.”

Her comment was mystifying because that is the whole point of the First Amendment: to prevent government from nullifying freedom of speech and press. Jackson’s assertion exposed the parallels between the current case on federal censorship of social media and the torture controversies from the George W. Bush era. Two decades ago, Bush administration lawyers secretly rewrote federal policies to assure that CIA interrogators were not “hamstrung” when they sought to flog the truth out of detainees.

FBI opens criminal investigation into Baltimore bridge collapse

The FBI is conducting a criminal investigation into the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge that is focused on the circumstances leading up to it and whether all federal laws were followed, according to someone familiar with the matter.

The person was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. The FBI was aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity, the agency said in a statement Monday. It didn’t elaborate and said it wouldn’t comment further on the investigation, which was first reported by The Washington Post.

(WATCH) Mysterious object with humanoid characteristics seen descending in skies above Sequoia Park, California…

Twitter (X) User shares what appears to be an unidentified object with humanoid characteristics that was captured on video slowly descending above the skies of Sequoia Park, California.