Gmail working for me
SYRIA UPDATE
Syria condemns statements of US Senator Lindsey Graham regarding occupied Syrian Golan
Syria condemns in the strongest of terms the statements made by US Senator Lindsey Graham regarding occupied Syrian Golan, an official source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said on Tuesday. The source said that these statements show the arrogant mentality of the US administration and that it views the region’s issues with “Zionist eyes” in a manner that serves Israeli interests.
https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=160819
Syria and Russia Repeat Calls for al-Rukban to be Opened
In a joint statement, the Russian and Syrian coordination committees overseeing the return of displaced Syrians called on the US to immediately evacuate the civilians suffering the most, namely the sick, the elderly, women and children.
The statement said the US forces’ strict refusal to cooperate is preventing the residents of the camp from returning to their original places of residence, all while the US claim that they are not preventing the displaced from leaving the camp in a clear case of misdirection and hypocrisy.
https://syrianobserver.com/EN/news/49073/syria-and-russia-repeat-calls-for-al-rukban-to-be-opened.html
Militants Continue Attacking Syrian Army Positions Near Idlib Despite Turkish Patrols In Demilitarized Zone (Map)
A brief overview of the recent developments in the area:
Pro-militant sources claim that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham raided several government-linked “cells” in Idlib city;
Clashes between militants and pro-government forces were reported in the Research Center and the Lirmun district in the Aleppo countryside;
The M5 highway remained closed despite previous claims that Turkish forces are going to work to propel its reopening;
The Turkish Army conducted patrols in the demilitarized zone in northern Hama and southeastern Idlib. Despite this, ceasefire violations continue;
Government forces reportedly shelled the militant-held town of Kafrniji;
Two civilians were reportedly killed in an artillery strike by government forces on the village of Telmans;
https://southfront.org/militants-continue-to-attack-syrian-army-positions-near-idlib-despite-turkish-patrols-in-demilitarized-zone-map/
Russian Airstrikes Pound Idleb
The bombing comes despite Russian and Turkish troops beginning joint patrols in and around Syria’s Idleb with hopes the agreement could ease shelling on the province.
https://syrianobserver.com/EN/news/49066/russian-airstrikes-pound-idleb.html
Military Situation In Syria On March 12, 2019 (Map Update)
Members of Liwa al-Quds finished a training course under a supervision of Rusisa-linked private military contractors in Aleppo;
At least 100 people, including multiple children, died in the al-Hol refugee camp or en rote to it;
The humanitarian crisis in al-Rukban continues to develop;
Unknown persons reportedly assassinated a commander of the air force detachment in eastern Daraa;
Alleged ISIS members killed 3 SDF fighters in south of Raqqah city;
Pro-militant sources claim that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham raided several government-linked “cells” in Idlib city.
https://southfront.org/military-situation-in-syria-on-march-12-2019-map-update/
Authorities find mines and explosive devices, left by Daesh in al-Sukhna, Palmyra
An expert in dismantling the mines told SANA that the authorities found a big quantity of mines and explosive devices, of different volumes and kinds that weigh between 50-100 kg, all filled with C4 and TNT.
https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=160840
The Southern Baptist Convention Abuse Crisis Pt. 1: SBC Abuse Survivors Faced Silence, Blame And Alienation
Alleged victims of sexual and physical abuse in Southern Baptist Convention churches told The Daily Caller News Foundation that the ministers to whom they reported their abuse often tried to cover up their allegations, either by handling the matter internally, silencing or shaming the victims, or simply doing nothing.
Both men and women who allegedly experienced abuse in the SBC claimed that their ministers acted more to protect their churches and shield them from public controversy, sometimes failing to comply with mandatory reporting laws in the effort.
While SBC churches vary wildly in structure, style, and to a degree, theological focus due to an emphasis on church autonomy, similarities between abuse victims’ testimonies from different churches point to potential cultural and structural problems that enable abuse in churches throughout the denomination.
The Southern Baptist Convention is the second-largest Christian denomination in the U.S., with over 47,000 churches each year sending millions of meals to disaster zones, thousands of missionaries and trained volunteers around the country and world. Despite all the good the SBC spreads globally, however, a darkness has tainted the church.
Victims who said they suffered abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) say church leaders often responded with silence, shame and cover-up, compounding and enabling further abuse.
An investigative report from the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News revealed 380 SBC ministers and volunteers have faced credible accusations from more than 700 victims over the past 20 years.
The revelation of the scale of alleged abuse within SBC churches forced the leaders of the convention to grapple with the broken policies, beliefs and negligence that enabled the crisis, but some victims say worse than initial physical and sexual abuse they suffered were the ineffective and, at times, callous responses from their church leaders when they first told their local ministers of their plight.
While churches in the SBC vary wildly in local church structure, policy and theological focus, due largely to the denomination’s belief in local church autonomy, victims who spoke with The Daily Caller News Foundation recounted SBC abuse cases from various parts of the country that stretched over decades and bore striking similarities with one another concerning their church leaders’ responses to their allegations.
https://dailycaller.com/2019/03/12/southern-baptist-abuse-victims/
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“After we took the immediate action that we did, it was like the remedy had come,” Payne said of firing Carwile, according to Local Memphis.
Payne claimed that he was unaware at the time that he was required to report the abuse allegations against Carwile to the police. Stubblefield and other alleged abuse victims from Immanuel, like Karen Trotter, found little relief in Payne’s claim of ignorance.
“The cover-up of the way the leadership of our church handled our situation created long-lasting pain,” Stubblefield said.
Trotter claimed that a Sunday School teacher at Immanuel “forcibly raped” her when she was 15-years-old. Her father allegedly reported the abuse to Payne several years later. He did nothing in response, according to Trotter.
“He did not take responsibility, he created no accountability, he had no accountability himself,” Trotter told Local Memphis.
The same cycle of abuse, silencing victims and the alienation of those who speak out has played out repeatedly to varying degrees in SBC churches throughout the country, exemplified in the case of Jules Woodson. Woodson’s testimony of abuse led to the 2018 resignation of then-pastor Andy Savage from Highpoint Church in Memphis. She said church leaders at Woodlands Parkway Baptist Church initially ordered her to remain silent about Savage’s alleged molestation of her.
Cont. from images:
And while the majority of SBC abuse victims who reported their abuse faced inadequate responses from their church leaders, a few remarkable SBC churches did work to hold abusers accountable. Read all this and more in part two of this series on the Southern Baptist Convention abuse crisis.
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Choirboy welcomes sentence, says Pell's appeal still hangs over him
The man who as a young choirboy was sexually abused by George Pell in Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral says he finds it hard to take any comfort from the cardinal's six-year jail sentence.
As the former archbishop was driven away from court in handcuffs, the victim, referred to in Chief Judge Peter Kidd's sentencing remarks as "J", said Pell's appeal against his conviction, due to be heard in June, is hanging over his head.
"Everything is overshadowed by the forthcoming appeal," J said on Wednesday.
And the father of Pell's other victim, who died in 2014 and was dubbed "R" in Judge Kidd's remarks, said the sentence –
six years with a non-parole period of three years and eight months – was "inadequate".
Speaking outside the County Court on Wednesday, Shine Lawyers' Lisa Flynn said R's father was "disappointed with the short sentencing and has expressed sadness over what he believes is an inadequate [punishment]".
"He watched his son's life disintegrate after the abuse," Ms Flynn said.
"He does feel that in this case at least there was a conviction, there is a jail sentence. But he would have preferred it to have been a longer sentence given what his son and his family have been through.
"Today has been a historic moment, as we've witnessed one of the world's most senior Catholic leaders convicted and now sent to jail for child sex abuse offences.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/choirboy-welcomes-sentence-say-pell-s-appeal-still-hangs-over-him-20190313-p513uj.html
Lawyer looks like a kiddy fiddler as well
IDF Declassifies Intelligence on Its 'Enemy' via Twitter
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Wednesday cleared for publication previously classified intelligence information about senior Hezbollah operative Ali Musa Daqduq.
Earlier on Wednesday, the IDF made an announcement about the upcoming intelligence declassification of what it called "our enemy".
According to the IDF, "a Hezbollah terror network on the Syrian Golan Heights aimed at striking Israel". The IDF also claimed in a statement that the terror cell is comprised of "a few operatives" of Syrian origin, however, "it is led by Lebanese and masterminded by Hezbollah", adding that the alleged chief of this certain terror cell is Ali Musa Daqduq.
The IDF also said Wednesday Daqduq "was responsible for the abduction and execution" of 5 US servicemen in Iraq back in 2007, adding that the senior Hezbollah operative "even served time in prison in Iraq". However, according to the IDF, after the prison swap, he returned to Lebanon and Syria.
https://sputniknews.com/military/201903131073183753-israel-idf-intelligence-declassification/
This gives more insight: seems Israel is trying to encourage the US to do their dirty work. (cough as usual)
You need to throw this in the mix too.
Syria Is Ready For War With Israel Unless It Withdraws From Golan Heights
Syria is reportedly ready for a military conflict with Israel unless it withdraws from the Golan Heights.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad submitted an official letter to the head of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) Kristin Lund, regarding a possible attempt of the US to regoznize Israeli sovereignty in the Golan.
“We will not hesitate to confront Israel,” Mekdad said, according to Mignews. “We are also not scared away by its [Israel’s] supporters who are helping to perpetuate the occupation of the Golan.”
The Syrian official accused Israel of using violence and harming regional stability.
The stance of the Syrian Foreign Ministry once again shows that the Damascus government is not going to sell the Golan Heights in an attempt to find a kind of Israeli assistance in settlening of the ongoing conflict. Earlier, some mainstream experts speculated that Damascus may attempt to do this. However, this seems to be unrealistic because of a wide range of contradictions between the sides. One of the key issues is the deep ties of the Syrian government with Iran.
https://southfront.org/syria-is-ready-for-war-with-israel-unless-it-withdraws-from-golan-heights/