Hamas slams PA resumption of security coordination with Israel

Hamas slams PA resumption of security coordination with Israel

(Worthy News) – A Hamas spokesman on Thursday expressed disapproval of a Palestinian Authority official’s announcement that the PA has resumed full security coordination with Israel.

On Wednesday, Police chief Hazem Atallah told foreign journalists that all branches of the PA security forces fully restored security cooperation with Israel two weeks ago.

In July, PA President Mahmoud Abbas announced that security coordination was halted in response to Israel’s placement of metal detectors near the entrances to the Temple Mount. [ Source (Read More…) ]

Why Abbas Was Secretly Summoned To Saudi Arabia

Why Abbas Was Secretly Summoned To Saudi Arabia

(Worthy News) -Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was unexpectedly summoned this week to Saudi Arabia for impromptu meetings with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed. The Palestinian leader received the call while in Egypt, where he discussed with his counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi efforts to jump-start peace negotiations with Israel as well as the unity deal recently forged between Abbas’ Fatah faction and Hamas, which was brokered by Cairo.

Last week, the PA took control of the Palestinian side of Gaza’s borders with Egypt and Israel, the first concrete step towards implementing the reconciliation agreement. Abbas is slated to assume full responsibility over the Strip by December 1.

During the PA leader’s visit to Riyadh, the Saudi King reaffirmed his government’s long-standing support for the Palestinians in international forums and its commitment to providing “all that is required to bring about the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.” [ Source: Media Line (Read More…) ]

US, Russia nearing agreement on resolving Syrian civil war

US, Russia nearing agreement on resolving Syrian civil war

(Worthy News) – The United States and Russia are nearing an agreement on Syria for how they hope to resolve the Arab country’s civil war once the Islamic State group is defeated, officials said Thursday.

If clinched, the deal was expected to be announced by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vietnam on Friday, four US officials said. The United States has been reluctant to schedule a formal meeting for the leaders unless they have a substantive agreement to announce.

But White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday that they won’t hold a formal meeting due to scheduling conflicts on “both sides.” Still, Sanders said it was possible Trump and Putin could have a less formal encounter while in Vietnam. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More…) ]

Texas Church Where Gunman Massacred 26 Will Be Demolished

Texas Church Where Gunman Massacred 26 Will Be Demolished

(Worthy News) – The Texas church where more than two dozen people were killed by a gunman during Sunday services will be demolished, the pastor said.

Pastor Frank Pomeroy told leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention earlier this week that it would be too painful to continue using First Baptist Church as a place of worship.

A national Southern Baptist spokesman said Pomeroy discussed the plan with the denomination’s top executives, who traveled to the rural community in a show of support. [ Source: CBN News (Read More…) ]

Israel hosts its largest aerial exercise in history

Israel hosts its largest aerial exercise in history

(Worthy News) – The largest seen aerial exercise in Israel began on Thursday and is to continue for the next two weeks. 1,000 highly-trained fighter pilots from eight different countries opened the “Blue Flag” exercise, which includes roughly 100 of fighter jets, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is the most immense military drill to take place so far this year.

This is the third time Israel has hosted the exercise, which takes place once every two years. In addition to Israel, this year it included teams from Greece, India, the US, Germany, Poland, France and Italy.

During the drill, Israeli F-15 and F-16 jets will come up against German Eurofighters and French Mirage jets. [ Source: Ynet News (Read More…) ]

Washington GOP tries to oust Republican nominee Roy Moore in Alabama Senate race

Washington GOP tries to oust Republican nominee Roy Moore in Alabama Senate race

(Worthy News) – Washington Republicans moved quickly Thursday to try to oust their candidate in the Alabama Senate race, former state Chief Justice Roy Moore, after a newspaper reported he had enticed an underage girl into a sexual encounter decades ago.

The Washington Post reported that a woman says Mr. Moore initiated the encounter in 1979, when she was 14 and he was 32. Three other women told the newspaper Mr. Moore pursued them when they were 16 to 18 years of age.

That was the last straw for Republicans who’d already been at odds with Mr. Moore, their nominee, on a host of other issues. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More…) ]

Washington GOP tries to oust Republican nominee Roy Moore in Alabama Senate race

Washington GOP tries to oust Republican nominee Roy Moore in Alabama Senate race

(Worthy News) – Washington Republicans moved quickly Thursday to try to oust their candidate in the Alabama Senate race, former state Chief Justice Roy Moore, after a newspaper reported he had enticed an underage girl into a sexual encounter decades ago.

The Washington Post reported that a woman says Mr. Moore initiated the encounter in 1979, when she was 14 and he was 32. Three other women told the newspaper Mr. Moore pursued them when they were 16 to 18 years of age.

That was the last straw for Republicans who’d already been at odds with Mr. Moore, their nominee, on a host of other issues. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More…) ]

Lebanon: Saudi Arabia-Iran rivalry finds a new battlefront

Lebanon: Saudi Arabia-Iran rivalry finds a new battlefront

(Worthy News) – The resignation of Saad Hariri as Lebanon’s prime minister has upended the country’s political establishment and escalated a war of words between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In Riyadh, key government figures have accused the Iran-backed Shiite group Hezbollah of destabilizing Lebanon. Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan said Hezbollah had engaged in acts of “aggression” that amount to a “declaration of war against Saudi Arabia.”

Hezbollah has likewise accused the group’s rivals in Riyadh of meddling in Lebanon’s internal affairs, alleging that “the resignation was a Saudi decision that was imposed on Prime Minister Hariri.” [ Source: Deutche Welle (Read More…) ]

Britain woos Saudi Aramco IPO with $2bn loan guarantee

Britain woos Saudi Aramco IPO with $2bn loan guarantee

(Worthy News) – Britain on Thursday confirmed it has offered Saudi Aramco a $2 billion (1.71 billion euros) loan guarantee as the oil giant considers whether to launch possibly the world’s largest ever stock market listing in London.

The offer, which will help the energy giant buy British exports, is widely seen as part of lobbying efforts to secure an initial public offering (IPO) for the UK’s financial hub, although the British government has denied this.

“This (guarantee) has nothing to do with the potential float, it’s about increasing UK exports,” a Treasury spokesman told the Agence France-Presse news agency. [ Source: Deutche Welle (Read More…) ]

Rep. Gaetz: ‘We Are at Risk of a Coup D’Etat in This Country’ Unless Mueller Resigns or is Fired

Rep. Gaetz: ‘We Are at Risk of a Coup D’Etat in This Country’ Unless Mueller Resigns or is Fired

(Worthy News) – In a speech on the House floor Wednesday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) called for special counsel Robert Mueller to resign or be fired over his “indisputable conflicts of interest.”

“We are at risk of a coup d’état in this country if we allow an unaccountable person with no oversight to undermine the duly-elected President of the United States,” Gaetz said. “That is precisely what is happening right now with the indisputable conflicts of interest that are present with Mr. Mueller and others at the Department of Justice.”

“I join … in calling for Mr. Mueller’s resignation or his firing,” Gaetz continued. [ Source: The Hill (Read More…) ]