Fake News
ICR Falsely Placed on False News List icr.org
As soon as we learned of it, we contacted the assistant professor behind the list, a Harvard journalism web resource that linked to the list, and the Harvard library harvard.edu that also linked to the list. Our respectful requests for removal from the list—after all, ICR.org icr.org does not report false news, misleading news, clickbait, or satire—brought a variety of results.
Society
Most American Religious Groups Support Same-sex Marriage, Oppose Religiously Based Service Refusals prri.org
Overall, a majority (58 percent) of Americans support allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally. Among religious groups, Unitarian/Universalists (94 percent), Buddhists (85 percent), Jews (73 percent), Hindus (67 percent), white mainline Protestants (63 percent), white Catholics (63 percent), Hispanic Catholics (62 percent), and Orthodox Christians (59 percent) all have majorities supporting same-sex marriage. Black Protestants (45 percent), Muslims (44 percent), and Hispanic Protestants (41 percent) are somewhat divided. Only three religious groups–Mormons (37 percent favor, 55 percent oppose), white evangelical Protestants (31 percent favor, 61 percent oppose), and Jehovah’s Witnesses (25 percent favor, 53 percent oppose)–show majority opposition for same-sex marriage. Combined, these three religious groups comprise only 19 percent of the general population.
North Korea
South Korea speeds up creation of Kim Jong Un 'decapitation unit' cnn v
The country is speeding up plans to set up what some call a "decapitation unit," a brigade specifically tasked with targeting North Korea's "wartime command," including leader Kim Jong Un, according to a South Korea Defense Ministry official.
The brigade was initially supposed to be ready in 2019, but the Defense Ministry now says it'll be established "by this year."
Society
A lawmaker's solution for marriage debate: Remove the state host.madison
His bill, filed ahead of the 2017 legislative session, would make Missouri the first state to recognize only domestic unions for both heterosexual and gay couples, treating legal partnerships equally and leaving marriages to be done by pastors and other religious leaders.
Other states including Alabama, Indiana and Michigan failed to pass similar bills to limit the government's role in marriage, and Oklahoma representatives passed a bill that didn't make it out of the Senate.
Israel
Israel plans more settlements; Abbas looks to Paris summit usatoday v
The developments came just days after the United States broke with past practice and allowed the U.N. Security Council to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as a “flagrant violation” of international law.
Syria
Syrian forces make sweeping gains in eastern Aleppo cnn v
Government forces and armed paramilitary groups loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began a renewed push toward eastern Aleppo on November 15, backed by airstrikes following a three-week lull.
Taking the city would mark a turning point in a civil war that has raged in Syria for more than five years.
Also see Syrian rebel forces in Aleppo suffer 'biggest defeat since 2012' theguardian
Apostasy
German Protestants officially renounce converting Jews to Christianity religionnews
“All efforts to convert Jews contradict our commitment to the faithfulness of God and the election of Israel,” the resolution read. That Christians see Jesus as their savior and Jews don’t is “a fact we leave up to God,” it said.
Actually, Paul was quite clear in Romans that there is one salvation for both Jews and Gentiles (ex: Romans 10:12), that none are saved outside of Christ, and he specifically discussed this issue of "what about the Jews" in multiple locations (including looking forward to a time when, through Christ, the future Jewish nation will be saved - ex: Romans 11:11-32). Additionally, in letters like Galatians, he went to great pains to warn believers from being deceived by "Judaizers" who were trying to add obeying the law as part of salvation and that attempts at obeying the law was actually a false gospel and really no gospel at all (ex: Galatians 1:6). He even recounts a rebuke he had for Peter for seperating from the Gentiles as if there was a special status for Jews in Christ (Galatians 2:11-21). There's far too much to cover in a quick mention like this, but suffice it to say that Jesus (a Jew speaking to Jews) said that He is the Way and no one gets to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). To say that Jews aren't to be evangelized is to not understand the Gospel.
Israel
Sanhedrin Asks Putin and Trump to Build Third Temple in Jerusalem breakingisraelnews
Rabbi Hillel Weiss, spokesman for the Sanhedrin jewishvirtuallibrary.org, contacted Breaking Israel News to announce that the election of Trump, who has promised to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, coupled with Putin’s expressed desire for the Temple to be rebuilt, prompted the Jewish court to send a letter offering the two the opportunity to act as modern-day Cyrus figures: non-Jewish kings who recognize the importance of Israel and the Temple.
Creation
Giant Volcano Appears to Be Filled With Water gizmodo
Investigating a strange electrical anomaly, geologists have discovered an enormous water reservoir beneath the now-dormant Uturunco volcano in the Bolivian Andes. It’s a remarkable find that speaks to the vast amounts of water stored in Earth’s deep interior, possibly since our planet was formed.
“It’s probably somewhere between Lake Superior and Lake Huron,” Jon Blundy, a geologist at the University of Bristol and co-author on the new discovery published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, told New Scientist. “It’s a staggeringly large amount.”
Yemen
Yemen's Houthis respond to air strike with missile attack in.reuters
Yemen's Houthi movement launched a ballistic missile deep into Saudi Arabia and may have also fired on a U.S. warship, two days after an apparent Saudi-led air strike killed 140 mourners at a funeral attended by powerful tribal leaders.
Also see Yemen conflict: US 'could be implicated in war crimes' bbc
Philippines
Rodrigo Duterte Condemned After Comparing Philippine War on Drugs With Holocaust wsj
“Hitler massacred three million Jews,” Mr. Duterte told reporters in Davao upon his return from a visit to Vietnam Friday. “Now, there are three million drug addicts [in the Philippines]…. I’d be happy to slaughter them.” In fact, historians estimate that the Nazis murdered six million Jews across Europe in the Holocaust during World War II.
Also see Duterte, Citing Hitler, Says He Wants to Kill 3 Million Addicts in Philippines nytimes
Israel
[OPIONION] A historic moment may be looming on the horizon for Israel. jpost
Now...we hear a different tone in the Arab world. Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah Sisi has revealed that he talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “a lot.” Israel is evidently cooperating with Egypt in the battle against Islamic fundamentalists in the Sinai. In July Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Israel and declared that Israelis are not guilty of terrorism in the region. In August Sisi said that relations with Israel were “important” to Egypt and declared Egypt wanted close security ties with Israel.
North Korea
North Korea’s Latest Missile Test Shows Signs of Progress, Analysts Say nytimes
Although the missile fell far short of its estimated full range of more than 2,000 miles — far enough to reach American military bases in the Pacific — the test is the first for the Musudan that was not immediately dismissed as a failure by the United States or South Korea.
See also North Korea missiles 'a serious threat' after new tests and North Korea leader says missile gives ability to attack U.S. in Pacific
Iran
Head of Iran’s hate cartoon fest equates Holocaust with Israeli actions in ‘Palestine’ timesofisrael
Several cartoons on display focus on Benjamin Netanyahu, with one depicting the Israeli prime minister as a member of the Islamic State jihadist group and holding a sabre in his hand.
Another shows a map of the Middle East with a coffin bearing the word “Holocaust” flattening Palestinians in place of what should be the country of Israel.
See also Iranians say Holocaust cartoon contest not aimed at denial and Israeli leader: Iran mocks WWII Holocaust, prepares another
