Controversial gun control bill passes House, heads to Senate

SANTA FE, N.M. - The state House of Representatives passed the controversial House Bill 83 Wednesday in Santa Fe. The measure will now head to the Senate for consideration.

The measure is known as the "Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order Act."

It would allow law enforcement to take firearms away from people who are considered an immediate threat to themselves or others.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/house-bill-83-passes-house-gun-control/5246199/

12 Indian soldiers killed, 40 wounded by car bomb in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India - At least 12 soldiers were killed and 40 others wounded Thursday in a car bomb attack on a paramilitary convoy along a key highway in Indian-controlled Kashmir, security officials said.

Senior police officer Muneer Ahmed Khan said the attack occurred as the convoy reached Pampore on the outskirts of the disputed region’s main city of Srinagar. He said one bus was destroyed and at least five other vehicles were damaged by the blast.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/asia/2019/02/14/10-indian-soldiers-killed-20-wounded-in-blast-in-kashmir.html

Germany barely avoids recession with zero growth

FRANKFURT - Germany recorded zero growth in the fourth quarter, narrowly avoiding a recession and adding to downbeat signs piling up about the 19-country eurozone economy.

The lacklustre figure released Thursday was lower than the 0.1 per cent expected by market analysts and followed a 0.2 per cent fall in output during the preceding third quarter.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/2019/02/14/germany-barely-avoided-recession-in-q4-with-zero-growth.html

After another human foot washes ashore in Canada, officials ask for help

Human feet have been eerily washing up on shorelines across Canada's westernmost province for over a decade.

On Monday, the British Columbia Coroners Service appealed for the public's help in identifying the latest foot, which was discovered inside a light gray Nike sneaker on a rocky beach in West Vancouver in September.

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/another-human-foot-washes-ashore-canada-officials-ask-190703083–abc-news-topstories.html

Top Iran cleric links suicide blast to foreign spy services

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has sent condolences to the families of the victims of a suicide car bombing that struck a bus carrying Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard troops, killing at least 27 people.

An al-Qaida-linked group, Jaish al-Adl, claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack in Iran's restive southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province. Tehran linked the bombing to an ongoing U.S.-led conference in Warsaw largely focused on Iran.

Khamenei's letter, published on his website, Khamenei.ir, claimed the perpetrators had links to spy organizations of countries in the region and beyond.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/top-iran-cleric-links-suicide-blast-to-foreign-spy-services

US Company That Smuggled Weapons Into Venezuela Linked to CIA “Black Site” Renditions

(MPN) — The parallels between aspects of the Contra scandal and the current situation in Venezuela are striking, particularly given the recent “outrage” voiced by mainstream media and prominent U.S. politicians over Maduro’s refusal to allow U.S. “humanitarian aid” into the country.

Two executives at the company that chartered the U.S. plane that was caught smuggling weapons into Venezuela last week have been tied to an air cargo company that aided the CIA in the rendition of alleged terrorists to “black site” centers for interrogation. The troubling revelation comes as Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has rejected a U.S. “humanitarian aid” convoy over concerns that it could contain weapons meant to arm the country’s U.S.-backed opposition.

Last Tuesday, Venezuelan authorities announced that 19 rifles, 118 ammo magazines, 90 radios and six iPhones had been smuggled into the country via a U.S. plane that had originated in Miami. The authorities blamed the United States government for the illicit cargo, accusing it of seeking to arm U.S.-funded opposition groups in the country in order to topple the current Maduro-led government.

https://www.activistpost.com/2019/02/us-company-that-smuggled-weapons-into-venezuela-linked-to-cia-black-site-renditions.html

Cuba charges U.S. moving special forces, preparing Venezuelan intervention

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba charged on Thursday that the United States was secretly moving special forces closer to Venezuela as part of a plan to intervene in the South American country using the pretext of a humanitarian crisis.

A “Declaration of the Revolutionary Government” charged recent events in the country amounted to an attempted coup that had so far failed.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has been trying to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down and hand over power to Juan Guaido, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly.

Guaido invoked a constitutional provision to assume the presidency three weeks ago, arguing that Maduro’s re-election last year was a sham.

These events, the declaration said, had led the United States to impose drastic sanctions causing damage “1000 times greater” than the aid it is trying to force on the country.

http://www.foreigndesknews.com/top-news/cuba-charges-u-s-moving/

Pompeo says 'confronting Iran' key to Mideast peace

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday at a security conference in Warsaw that Iran is the top threat in the Middle East and confronting the country is key to reaching peace in the entire region.

Pompeo met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the opening session at the conference and said "pushing back" against Iran was central to dealing with all the region's other problems.

"You can't achieve peace and stability in the Middle East without confronting Iran. It's just not possible," Pompeo said alongside Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader lauded the participation of high-profile Arab dignitaries at the conference, saying it signaled a shift in regional priorities.

"In a room of some 60 foreign ministers, an Israeli prime minister and the foreign ministers of leading Arab countries stood together, and spoke with unusual force, clarity and unity against a common threat of the Iranian regime," he said before his meeting with Pompeo. "I think this marks a change, an important understanding of what threatens our future."

https://www.daily-sun.com/post/371259/2019/02/14/Pompeo-says-confronting-Iran-key-to-Mideast-peace

Jihadist rebels launch new attack on Aleppo city

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:30 A.M.) – The jihadist rebels in southwest Aleppo launched a new attack on the provincial capital, hitting a densely populated district.

According to a military report from Aleppo city, the jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham launched a number of missiles into the New Aleppo District on Wednesday evening.

No casualties were reported as a result of the attack.

A source from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) said the attack was unprovoked as their forces had avoided hostilities with the jihadist rebels for much of the week.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jihadist-rebels-launch-new-attack-on-aleppo-city-2/

Iraq will repatriate captured terrorists in Syria

BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:20 P.M.) – Iraq will be repatriating any Iraqi national that has been captured in Syria, Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said during a press conference on Wednesday.

According to Abdul-Mahdi, all captured Iraqi nationals will be repatriated and brought to justice for their crimes committed.

Abdul-Mahdi made these comments during a press conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

According to the Associated Press, a senior Iraqi intelligence official said there are up to 20,000 Iraqis, including members of the Islamic State, which Baghdad will bring back home by April.

Earlier this year, France said they would make an effort to repatriate their captured nationals in Syria; however, Paris has yet to take any of their nationals.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/iraq-will-repatriate-captured-terrorists-in-syria/

Outlaws - Green Grass And High Tides - 11/10/1978 - Capitol Theatre (Official)