Mexican Fury; Gorbachev's World View; Eroding North Korea; Russia in Japan's Skies; Allowing Evolutionary Doubt; Frisco Sans Kids; and The Human-Pig

Politics

Mexicans Launch Boycotts of U.S. Companies in Fury at Donald Trump time

The boycotts illustrate the defiant mood brewing in Mexico in reaction to Trump’s tumultuous first week in the White House. President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a bilateral meeting in Washington on Thursday after Trump insisted Mexico should pay for the border wall. The Mexican government and leading business lobbies have said the country should pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA cnn, rather than accept a bad rewrite. And opposition leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has called for a lawsuit in the United Nations against the planned border wall.

The Paris Conference, Israel, Palestinians, and the Pope

With the Paris Conference set for tomorrow (Sunday, Jan 15th) in Paris, France, I've decided to only post articles today that revolve loosely around Israel and that conference.

Paris Meeting

Paris meeting marks end to Obama’s failed Mideast diplomacy timesofisrael

At a time when President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is promising a fundamental shift toward Israel, the State Department said Kerry was only participating in the French-hosted event to ensure America’s interest in a two-state solution to the conflict is preserved. The blunt statement reinforced the dwindling hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough.

Israel Settles, Paris Summits; Holy Land Polygamy; Mount Synagogue; China Takes a Sail; India's Even Bigger Statue; and The Year Ends with a Ban

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.

Oldest Alphabet; Metal Attack; The Law of Heatbeats; Unborn Test Extension; Robotic Galago; Light Energy; Predicting Materials; Robot Glove; Shortening Giraffe; Saturn Dive Images; Robo Cop; Hype Over Mind; Unstaffed Bank; Sappy AI Music; and Forcing the Peace Issue

Archeaology

Expert claims inscriptions from Egyptian exodus proves Hebrew is world’s oldest alphabet jpost

While critics argue that the original alphabet likely derived from a grouping of Afro-Asiatic languages – including Akkadian, Aramaic, Phoenician, Ethiopic and Hebrew – [professor] Petrovich claims that an inscription discovered on an ancient Egyptian stone slab in 2012 proves his case.

Petrovich said he subsequently translated 16 more Hebrew inscriptions from four other ancient slabs discovered in Egypt and Sinai, including one from 1446 BCE, which describes Moses as a figure heralded by the ancient Jews shortly before he led the exodus from Egypt.

Things Change Periodically; Building a Memory Catcher; Parental Group; Fat Bankers; UK Tries to Tango with Three; LGBT Goes to the UN; Working the Gender; Colombia's Peace; Globalist Fear: Italy's Nationalist Turn; More Power for Erdogan; And No Hollande in France

Science

It's official: Your Periodic Table is now obsolete sciencealert

Get ready to ring in 2017 with a brand new Periodic Table iupac.org, because four more elements have officially been added to the seventh row: nihonium (Nh), moscovium (Mc), tennessine (Ts), and oganesson (Og).

Also see Periodic table expands with elements named after Japan, Moscow, Tennessee phys.org

Jimmied Peace; Rising Hate; EPA Confusion; Marines Sign Up; Touching Sense; 3D Printing Ward; Heating to the Freezing Point; Thin Chip; Long Live the Vaccine; X-Ray Network; Uncanny Assistant; Mastercard's AI; Long Web History; Sanctions for NK; Space War; Cassini of the Rings; and Crushing Crabs

Peace

Jimmy Carter to Obama: Before you leave office, recognize Palestinian state cnn

"I am convinced that the United States can still shape the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before a change in presidents, but time is very short, " Carter wrote. "The simple but vital step this administration must take before its term expires on Jan. 20 is to grant American diplomatic recognition to the state of Palestine."

Also see Carter's Op-Ed piece: Jimmy Carter: America Must Recognize Palestine nytimes

The Russian Japanese Island; Open Threat; 2nd Peace; Powdered Blood; Mechanical Pixels; Super Japan; Anti-Semitics in Berkley; Not so Climate Changed; and Shared Private Data

Russia-Japan

Japan pledges response to 'serious' Russian missile deployment on disputed islands independent.co.uk

The countries are trying to arrange a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe next month to settle a 70-year dispute over the islands, which were claimed by the Soviets after Second World War and lie just north of Japan.

Also see Military build-up in the Kuril Islands: Bad timing or a signal from Moscow? rbth

Throwing Israel to the UN; Peace Hold; J-20 Fly; German Extremist, Check; Holo Tank; Robots in the Loch; Piccolissimo; and Farm Cogs

Israel

Obama: Don't Destroy the Peace Process by Turning it Over to the U.N. gatestoneinstitute.org

The Obama Administration is sending strong signals that once the election is over it may make a major push to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the United Nations. Despite repeated invitations by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Palestinian Authority President Abbas to meet without preconditions, the stalemate persists. Some blame it on Palestinian unwillingness to recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish People and to compromise to the so-called "right of return." Others — including the current U.S. Administration — lay the blame largely at the feet of the Netanyahu government for continuing to build in the West Bank, most recently approval of between 98 and 300 new homes in Shiloh. Whatever the reasons – and they are complex and multifaceted — President Obama should resist any temptation, during his final weeks in office, to change longstanding American policy — that only direct negotiations between the parties will achieve a lasting peace.

UNESCO Scrub; Israel's Obama Fear; Venezuela's Israel-Crime; New Peace General; Global Tax; Cleansing Aleppo; Hacking Russia; Body Map; Feeling Robotic; Sweaty Robot; City in the Clouds; and The Innumerable Stars

Israel

UNESCO votes: No connection between Temple Mount and Judaism jpost

In a 24-6 vote, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization unesco.org on Thursday gave preliminary approval to a resolution that denies Jewish ties to its most holy religious sites: the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.

Also see Israel Decries UNESCO Vote on Jerusalem Site voanews and Israel suspends ties with Unesco over motion that downplays Jerusalem links theguardian

Vetoing Syria; Russian Bases; Accelerated Missile Deployment; Hacking Politics; Burma Sanction-Lift; Putin's Peace Prize; No Peace but Noble Peace; Tracking Faces in NY; Watching the Streets of Baltimore; InterVarsity's Stand for Biblical Authority; California vs Creationist; Chick-fil-A Plus; Yahoo Again: Against Hiring Men?; and Bank's AI-Number

Syria

Russia Vetoes UN Resolution Demanding End to Aleppo Bombing abcnews.go

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault had warned before the vote that the continued bombing of Aleppo was killing civilians and destroying hospitals and schools — "and has nothing to do with combatting terrorism."

"It is the annihilation of Aleppo," he said.

Yahoo, Watchin' You; Stalled Gender; Killing Wins the Day; Russia is Awesome!; 40 Million Prep for the Bomb; Aleppo is Not the End; Iraq Wants Turkey (Out); U.S. Blasts Israel; Tractoring Around; and Bees Dance Ahola

Privacy

Yahoo 'secretly monitored emails on behalf of the US government' theguardian

The company complied with a classified US government directive, scanning hundreds of millions of Yahoo Mail accounts at the behest of the National Security Agency (NSA nsa.gov) or FBI fbi.gov, two former employees and a third person who knew about the program told Reuters.

Some surveillance experts said this represents the first known case of a US internet company agreeing to a spy agency’s demand by searching all arriving messages, as opposed to examining stored messages or scanning a small number of accounts in real time.

Unsustainably Expensive; Hamilton's Advice; Absorbing and Boiling; Blue Collar Robot; Toyota Baby; Deep and Powerful Learning; Look Ma: No Mans; Duterte is Sorry; Colombian Pieces; and Russia and US Agree to Hate Each Other

Medical

Minnesota Commissioner Slams Obamacare As "Unfair & Unsustainable" As Rates Soar zerohedge

Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman posted a letter mn.gov to the state's website saying that the state succeeded in preserving the exchanges for one more year by agreeing to massive rate hikes but warned they are on the "verge of collapse." The letter goes on to describe Minnesota's healthcare rate environment as "unsustainable and unfair" and notes that "middle-class Minnesotans" are being "crushed by the heavy burden of these costs."

Also see ObamaCare rates in MN skyrocket 60% to stave off “collapse” hotair

Forced Murder; Christi Cross; Colombian Peace; (Toy) Air Show; On Being Judge, Jury, and God; Born High; Roman Coins in Japan; Shrinking Mercury; SpaceX's Lucid Dream; Augmented Lowe's; Googling Everyone; Risk of Driving; Uber Awaaaay; Printing the Future; and Dr. Computer

Abortion

Forced abortion and euthanasia? creation

A group of ‘bioethicists’ have recently released a 10-point “consensus statement” that outlines how they think doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers who conscientiously object to ‘medical’ procedures like abortion and euthanasia should be forced to believe in and practice them

Obama and Netanyahu's Final Meeting; Syria Ceases Cease Fire; Merkel Admits It's Someones Fault; French Quarter for Sharia Law; Deported into Citizens; Tree Fuel; Lyft's Beyond; Self-Driven Canal; and The Blind Who 'See' Algebra

Israel

Obama And Netanyahu To Meet In New York On Wednesday jewishbusinessnews

The meeting was agreed upon following talks between the Prime Minister’s Office and the White House and was confirmed after the signing of the new US-Israel military aid package. It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since November 2015 and likely be the last as Obama approaches the conclusion of his presidency.

“The meeting also will be an opportunity to discuss the need for genuine advancement of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the face of deeply troubling trends on the ground,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

Planned Parenthood's 3%; Louisiana's PP Battle; Biblical Zoo is so Anti-Darwin; 20 More Climate Ouis; Another Typhoon; Soaked, Secretive NK; Syria, I Knew Her Well; Waiting On Line; Robot Deputy; AI Car Designer; Stem Cell Lungs; Printing Lenses; Common Rare Diseases; Satellite Tom; and Resurrected Fraud

Abortion

The Numbers That Show Planned Parenthood About Abortion, Not Women’s Health dailysignal v

Planned Parenthood’s own numbers prove that it’s an abortion corporation, focused on abortion, not on women’s health care. The fact is, Planned Parenthood doesn’t perform a single mammogram and performs less than 2 percent of all women’s cancer screenings in the United States. Yet, as America’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood commits over 30 percent of America’s abortions—887 abortions a day, one abortion every 97 seconds, and over 320,000 abortions last year alone.

Enemy of the State; Plan D(ie); Welcoming Evangelicals; Bad Hair Scene; Light Sound; Abbas the KGB Spy?; Father Russia Welcomes Peace Talks; Humanless Driverless Cars; Chosen for Alien Hunting Abilities; and 3D Printing Milk

Society

How A Cakemaker Became An Enemy Of The State thefederalist

...those 30 seconds [when Phillips declined to participate in celebrating the wedding of David Mullins and Charlie Craig] were clarifying in many other ways. It showed us that most of the media are incapable (or unwilling) to lay out the debate over religious freedom in an honest or enlightening way. It’s shown us that many of those who praise the diversity of American life have, in reality, lost their compassion and the ability to tolerate anyone who disagrees with their worldview.

US Sings Its Part; Kim Jong Un Sanctions; Mass. Transgender Compromise; Chi Phi is for "Men" Too; Israel and US Practice Self Defense; Navy Sails the Southern Seas; Delivery Drone Trial in London; and Power Grip

Israel

US accuses Israel of ‘systematically' seizing Palestinian land jpost

US State Department spokesman John Kirby further charged that such seizures plus “settlement expansions and legalization of outposts is fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two-state solution.”

Quartet Sings Same; Like Israel, Like Terrorists; Putin Warns Finland; Killing Law Breakers; Austria Tries Again; California's State Religion; The American Right; Anti-Abortion Laws Crumbling; and 10yo Gets PhD Fellowship

Israel

Israel should stop settlements, denying Palestinian development: Quartet report reuters

The report by the Quartet entities sponsoring the stalled peace process - the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - said the Israeli policy "is steadily eroding the viability of the two-state solution."

Also Quartet report cites violence, settlements and Gaza as barriers to Middle East peace – UN envoy from the UN and The Quartet Report pdf

Ponar Tunnel; Egypt Talks Palestinian State; Turkey's Bonds Lossened; Pinched Supply Route; (Questionably) Smart Billboards; Emotional, Robotic Bonding; Rise of Virtual Humans; Grandma's Driverless Car; Parent's Cross; Christians Unwelcome; Oh Person!; and Methodists Keep Pushing Down

Isreal

Famous Holocaust escape tunnel located in Lithuania using hi-tech jpost

For the first time since the end of World War II, the famous tunnel dug by Jewish prisoners of Ponar, near Vilnius in Lithuania, to escape from the Nazis, has been located using new state-of-the-art technology for underground predictive scanning.

Israel's Rise; Misunderstanding Shavuot; Unchaining Jewish Women; Blackmailing UN; UN's Ire(land); CA Chooses Death; Hidden in Sight in Petra; Flying Cars in Secret; Mobile Modular Phones; Internet on ISS; and Musk's Pentagon Visit

Israel

[OPINION, Caroline Glick] Israel rises in the East jpost

There was something poetic about the events that bookended the past week of diplomacy. This week began with French President François Hollande’s “peace” conference and ended with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s state visit to Moscow.

Very well written reality check.