Tuesday, December 04, 2018

US, CHINA AGREE ON TRADE WAR CEASEFIRE AFTER TRUMP-XI SUMMIT.

LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)

JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)

ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)

EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE

U.S., China agree on trade war ceasefire after Trump, Xi summit-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-By Roberta Rampton and Michael Martina-December 4, 2018

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - China and the United States agreed to a ceasefire in their bitter trade war on Saturday after high-stakes talks in Argentina between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, including no escalated tariffs on Jan. 1.Trump will leave tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports at 10 percent at the beginning of the new year, agreeing to not raise them to 25 percent "at this time", the White House said in a statement."China will agree to purchase a not yet agreed upon, but very substantial, amount of agricultural, energy, industrial, and other product from the United States to reduce the trade imbalance between our two countries," it said."China has agreed to start purchasing agricultural product from our farmers immediately."The two leaders also agreed to immediately start talks on structural changes with respect to forced technology transfers, intellectual property protection, non-tariff barriers, cyber intrusions and cyber theft, services and agriculture, the White House said.Both countries agreed they will try to have this "transaction" completed within the next 90 days, but if this does not happen then the 10 percent tariffs will be raised to 25 percent, it added.The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said the negotiations were conducted in a "friendly and candid atmosphere"."The two presidents agreed that the two sides can and must get bilateral relations right," Wang told reporters, adding they agreed to further exchanges at appropriate times."Discussion on economic and trade issues was very positive and constructive. The two heads of state reached consensus to halt the mutual increase of new tariffs," Wang said. "China is willing to increase imports in accordance with the needs of its domestic market and the people's needs, including marketable products from the United States, to gradually ease the imbalance in two-way trade.""The two sides agreed to mutually open their markets, and as China advances a new round of reforms, the United States' legitimate concerns can be progressively resolved."The two sides would "step up negotiations" toward full elimination of all additional tariffs, Wang said.The announcements came after Trump and Xi sat down with their aides for a working dinner at the end of a two-day gathering of world leaders in Buenos Aires, their dispute having unnerved global financial markets and weighed on the world economy.After the 2-1/2 hour meeting, White House chief economist Larry Kudlow told reporters the talks went "very well," but offered no specifics as he boarded Air Force One headed home to Washington with Trump.China's goal was to persuade Trump to abandon plans to raise tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 percent in January, from 10 percent at present. Trump had threatened to do that, and possibly add tariffs on $267 billion of imports, if there was no progress in the talks.With the United States and China clashing over commerce, financial markets will take their lead from the results of the talks, widely seen as the most important meeting of U.S. and Chinese leaders in years.The encounter came shortly after the Group of 20 industrialized nations backed an overhaul of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which regulates international trade disputes, marking a victory for Trump, a sharp critic of the organization.Trump told Xi at the start of their meeting he hoped they would achieve "something great" on trade for both countries. He struck a positive note as he sat across from Xi, despite the U.S. president's earlier threats to impose new tariffs on Chinese imports as early as the next year.He suggested that the "incredible relationship" he and Xi had established would be "the very primary reason" they could make progress on trade.Xi told Trump that only through cooperation could the United States and China serve the interest of peace and prosperity. Washington and Beijing have also increasingly been at odds over security in the Asia-Pacific region.At the same time, Trump again raised with Xi his concern about the synthetic opioid fentanyl being sent from China to the United States, urging the Chinese leader to place it in a "restricted category" of drugs that would criminalize it.The White House said Xi, "in a wonderful humanitarian gesture", had agreed to designate fentanyl a controlled substance.Xi also said that he was open to approving the previously unapproved Qualcomm-NXP deal should it again be presented to him, the White House added."This was an amazing and productive meeting with unlimited possibilities for both the United States and China. It is my great honor to be working with President Xi," Trump said in the statement.WTO REFORMS-Earlier on Saturday, the leaders of the world's top economies called for WTO reform in their final summit statement.Officials expressed relief that agreement on the communique was reached after negotiators worked through the night to overcome differences over language on climate change.The final text recognized trade as an important engine of global growth but made only a passing reference to "the current trade issues" after the U.S. delegation won a battle to keep any mention of protectionism out of the statement.Trump has long railed against China's trade surplus with the United States, and Washington accuses Beijing of not playing fairly on trade. China calls the United States protectionist and has resisted what it views as attempts to intimidate it.The two countries are also at odds over China's extensive claims in the South China Sea and U.S. warship movements through the highly sensitive Taiwan Strait.In addition to tariffs on Chinese goods, Trump has imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports into the United States this year. Numerous countries have filed litigation at the WTO to contest the levies.The United States is unhappy with what it says is the WTO's failure to hold China to account for not opening up its economy as envisioned when China joined the body in 2001. The European Union is also pushing for sweeping changes to how the WTO operates.G20 delegates said negotiations on the summit statement proceeded more smoothly than at a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders two weeks ago, where disagreement on protectionism and unfair trading practices prevented a consensus.European officials said a reference to refugees and migration - a sensitive issue for Trump's administration - was excised to ensure consensus.On climate change, the United States once again marked its differences with the rest of the G20 by reiterating in the statement its decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and its commitment to using all kinds of energy sources.The other members of the group reaffirmed their commitment to implement the Paris deal and tackle climate change.International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde said high levels of debt accumulated by emerging market nations was a pressing concern.U.S. officials said a call by G20 leaders for the IMF and World Bank to improve monitoring debt levels was aimed at ensuring that developing economies did not become to heavily indebted to China in return for infrastructure projects.U.S. officials have warned about China's increasing influence across swaths of the developing world, including Latin America. G20 summit host Argentina is expected to sign a series of deals with China on Sunday during a one-day state visit by Xi.Apart from trade and climate change, Russia's seizure of Ukrainian vessels drew condemnation from other G20 members, while the presence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the summit raised an awkward dilemma for leaders.Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler arrived amid controversy over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, though Saudi officials have said the prince had no prior knowledge of the murder.The leader of the OPEC heavyweight had a series of bilateral meetings at the summit, including a closely watched encounter with Russian President Vladimir Putin.(Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Michael Martina, Matt Spetalnick, Maximilian Heath, Scott Squires, Cassandra Garrison, Daniel Flynn and Kylie Maclellan in Buenos Aires; Dave Shepardson and Humeyra Pamuk in Washington, Ben Blanchard in Beijing and John Ruwitch in Shanghai; writing by Matt Spetalnick and Daniel Flynn; editing by Ross Colvin, Alistair Bell, Jonathan Oatis and Will Dunham)

Survey suggests Spanish far-right could win seats in regional vote-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 4, 2018

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - A survey published as voting closed suggested that Spain's far-right Vox party could win 8-10 seats in an election on Sunday in the region of Andalusia, in what would be the first parliamentary representation for the far-right in decades.The GAD3 poll, carried out for the newspaper ABC between Nov. 19 and 30, had the Socialists, who have ruled Andalusia since Spain's return to democracy, losing support but still getting the most votes.The poll in Spain's most populous region kicked off a busy electoral season that could upend national politics in the euro zone's fourth-largest economy. A series of municipal, regional and European elections will follow in May.It was the first electoral test for both Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the new leader of the conservative People's Party, Pablo Casado, whose party was projected by the GAD3 poll to have lost votes and seats. The centre-right Ciudadanos was seen nearly doubling its vote.Preliminary official results are expected at around 10:15 p.m. (2115 GMT).If it is confirmed that Vox won seats, it would be the first sign of the nationalist surge that has swept other European countries reaching Spain, long seen as immune because many still remember the military dictatorship that ended in 1975."This is not good news for Andalusia or for the country," Ander Gil, the Socialist party's spokesman in the Senate, told La Sexta TV.French far-right leader Marine Le Pen tweeted: "Strong and warm congratulations to my friends from @Vox, who tonight in Spain scored a very meaningful result for such a young and dynamic movement."The election took place in a political landscape in which major parties find it harder and harder to secure majorities. Vox was founded at the end of 2013.The Socialists, who already led a minority government in Andalusia, will need even more backing from other parties than before, if the opinion poll is confirmed. One possible partner could be the far-left, seen coming third after the Socialists and the conservative People's Party.The next national election is due in 2020 but speculation has been rife for months that Sanchez, who controls fewer than a quarter of seats in the Madrid parliament, could call a snap vote.Senior Socialists said before the election in Andalusia that they did not expect it to trigger a general election.Andalusia has some of the highest unemployment rates in Europe and is the main arrival point in Spain for migrants crossing the Mediterranean. The number reaching Spain has grown in the past year as traffic on the main sea route to Europe, from Libya to Italy, has slowed.(Reporting by Marcelo del Pozo in Seville, Sam Edwards in Barcelona, Belen Carreno in Madrid; Writing by Ingrid Melander and Sam Edwards; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

EARTH DESTROYED WITH THE EARTH IN NOAHS DAY(BECAUSE OF SIN,VIOLENCE AND GODLESS PEOPLE)

GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

HOSEA 4:1-3
1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

DEUTORONOMY 28:22-24
22  The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
23  And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
24  The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)

THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.

FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS

REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

California wildfire survivors face new challenge: rebuilding-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-By Lee van der Voo-December 4, 2018

CHICO, Calif. (Reuters) - Rebuilding Paradise, California, after it was leveled by fire three weeks ago will pose a new massive challenge to the devastated mountain community - starting with complicated insurance claims for nearly 14,000 lost homes.At least 88 people were killed in the Camp Fire and nearly 200 others are still listed as missing, making the wildfire the deadliest in state history. Law enforcement officials say the search for remains in the ash and rubble has officially ended.Some of those who escaped the flames only to find themselves homeless are expected to be allowed to return to inspect their properties as early as next week. Many will find themselves essentially starting over, facing months or even years of rebuilding and seeking compensation for their losses.Christopher Gregg, whose home in Paradise was a total loss, said he's not getting answers to the question of when he will be compensated by his insurance company."They say, 'We'll let you know as soon as we can.' Well, when can we get back on our feet, is my question. I'd like to know ... When do we get a chance to resume some portion of our lives?" he said.Insurance teams began gathering in Chico in the early days of the fire that erupted on Nov. 8 and rapidly engulfed Paradise about 20 minutes away and surrounding communities.Working out of truck trailers, temporary tents and recreational vehicles in mall parking lots, and equipped with generators and satellite communications, insurance adjusters say they have been stymied in part by a ban on flying drones over what is left of the town of 27,000.Insurers responding to natural disasters typically use drones to obtain 360-degree views of damage when access is limited. But the drones have been restricted as crews work to clear downed trees and power lines, as well as burn debris and restore infrastructure.BILLIONS IN LOSSES-Pop-up insurance booths are a common site these days in California as it experiences its most destructive wildfire season on record.A total of 7,579 fires have burned some 1,667,855 acres, an area roughly the size of Delaware, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.Moody’s last week estimated total insured losses at $10-$15 billion from the Camp Fire and the Woolsey fire, which was burning at the same time in the foothills above Malibu in southern California.Insurers say climate change is a factor in the more intense fire seasons and are raising rates or even dropping coverage."We're seeing these fires these last few years that people have defined as 1-in-500-year-type events ... Absolutely we're seeing some things change and climate change is playing a role in that," said Suzanne Meraz, spokesperson for CSAA Insurance Company.Insurers now often use computer models to generate house-by-house risk predictions, factoring in such features as local topography and brush cover instead of just using a more general history of blazes in a region.Paradise resident Ed Riddle was focusing on one task at a time. His home is a total loss, confirmed by a friend who was able to take pictures."I kind of feel like a turtle on its back looking for a rock," he said.Riddle said he would like to rebuild, but wasn't sure what that would look like. "There are so many rumors about how long its going to take before we can."He had been in touch with his insurer and already received some payments."I guess they're going to present me with some options whether to rebuild or not. I'm told I shouldn't make any decisions quickly about that," he said.(Reporting by Lee van der Voo in Chico, California; Writing by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Sonya Hepinstall)

WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)

EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18

WORLD TERRORISM

OH BY THE WAY WHEN THE MEDIA SAYS ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS GOD IS GREAT LIE. IN ISLAM ALLU-AK-BAR MEANS OUR GOD IS GREATER OR GREATEST. THIS IS HOW THE MEDIA SUCK HOLES UP TO ISLAMIC-QURANIC-MUSLIMS. BY WATERING DOWN THE REAL MEANING OF THE SEX FOR MURDER DEATH CULT ISLAM. TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A PEACEFUL RELIGION (CULT OF DEATH AND WORLD DOMINATION).

GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)

ISAIAH 14:12-14
12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14  I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)

JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)

Pentagon appears poised to extend Mexico border deployment-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-By Phil Stewart-DEC 4,18

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon received a request on Friday from the Trump administration to extend its deployment of troops to the U.S. border with Mexico beyond a Dec. 15 authorization date to the end of January, officials said.Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who is expected to sign off on the extension of the mission, strongly hinted earlier this week that such a request by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was in the works.President Donald Trump ordered the deployment shortly before November congressional elections as a part of an effort to crack down on illegal immigration, as waves of thousands of migrants escaping violence in Central America trekked toward the United States.Border security is a major issue among voters in Trump's Republican Party.Critics, including opposition Democrats in Congress but also some U.S. military veterans, have derided the troop deployment as a political stunt. Democrats have threatened to investigate the deployment once they take control in the House of Representatives next year.The Department of Homeland Security, in a statement, cited the "the very real threat we face at the border from potential mass migration actions" when it confirmed the extension of the mission, which had been reported earlier on Friday by Reuters."The president has made it clear that border security is a top administration priority," DHS spokeswoman Katie Waldman said in a statement.This request refines support to ensure it remains aligned with the current situation, the nature of the mission, and Customs and Border Patrol operational requirements.About 5,600 troops have been deployed to the border, but many of them have been involved in efforts to improve security around border crossings, including stringing up concertina wire. Many of those troops could be sent home. Remaining troops could focus on other missions, including helping fly U.S. border personnel to new positions along the border.Still, officials caution that its unclear how far troop levels will decline. One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said troop levels were not expected to decline dramatically.Neither the Pentagon nor the DHS speculated about troop levels on Friday.The Trump administration has justified the high-profile border mission on a perceived threat to the border, as thousands of migrants, mostly migrants from Honduras, flooded into the city of Tijuana across the border from San Diego, California, over the past several weeks.U.S. customs and border control officers fired tear gas canisters into Mexico at dozens of migrants who tried to rush border fencing on Sunday.Under the harsh immigration policies introduced by the Trump administration, U.S. border officials say the migrants may have to stay put in Mexico for months before they can petition authorities for asylum.(Reporting by Phil Stewart; additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati, editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Iran says it will continue missile tests after U.S. allegation-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-December 4, 2018

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it would continue missile tests to build up its defenses and denied this was in breach of U.N. resolutions following U.S. allegations that Tehran had tested a new missile capable of carrying multiple warheads.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday condemned what he called Iran's testing of a medium-range ballistic missile in violation of the 2015 international agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, from which Washington has withdrawn."Missile tests...are carried out for defense and the country's deterrence, and we will continue this," Brigadier- General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran's armed forces, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency."We will continue to both develop and test missiles. This is outside the framework of (nuclear) negotiations and part of our national security, for which we will not ask any country's permission," Shekarchi said.He did not confirm or deny Iran had tested a new missile.Earlier, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton tweeted: "Iran just test-fired a... ballistic missile capable of reaching Israel and Europe. This provocative behavior cannot be tolerated."Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi also said Iranian missiles were purely defensive and added, "There is no Security Council resolution prohibiting missile program and missile tests by Iran".U.N. Resolution 2231 enshrined Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States in which Tehran curbed its disputed uranium enrichment program in exchange for an end to international sanctions.The resolution says Iran is "called upon" to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons.Iran has repeatedly said its missile program is purely defensive and denied that its missiles are capable of being tipped with nuclear warheads, or that it has any intent of developing nuclear weapons through uranium enrichment.Qasemi, addressing Pompeo, said: "It is...ironic that you cite a resolution that you have not only breached through your unilateral and unlawful withdrawal form the accord, but that you also encourage others to breach, or even threaten to punish and sanction them if they carry it out."In May, President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the nuclear deal, approved before he took office, and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Trump said the deal was flawed as it did not include curbs on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or its support for armed proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.Separately, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the United States of arming militant groups which fight against the Tehran-backed Syrian government and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen."US (is) proliferating advanced weapons to extremists incl Al Qaeda & ISIS (Islamic State)," Zarif said on Twitter, referring to a British newspaper report that said many arms supplied by Britain and the United States had ended up in the hands of militias fighting in the Yemen war.British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter that he was deeply concerned by "Iran's test-firing of a medium range ballistic missile. Provocative, threatening and inconsistent with UNSCR 2231"."Our support for (the Iran nuclear accord) in no way lessens our concern at Iran's destabilizing missile program and determination that it should cease," Hunt added.(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Peter Graff)

Mexico's new president takes aim at violence during first day in office-[Reuters]-YAHOONEWS-By David Alire Garcia and Miguel Gutierrez-December 4, 2018

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - On his first full day in office, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador defended a plan to end lawlessness with a new national guard, an initiative that risks upsetting some supporters who favor a less militarized approach.In a Sunday morning speech, Mexico's first leftist president in decades continued to pivot from an emphasis during the campaign on peaceful reconciliation and even amnesty for some involved in the country's grueling drug war to a more traditional approach defined by more soldiers and police."We must adjust to a new era," he said, flanked by generals at a military base in the capital, while emphasizing that his security policy will also respect human rights.In the first phase of his plan, a 60,000-strong national guard force made up of army, navy and other federal police will battle crime while a constitutional reform will be pursued to cement the new strategy.Lopez Obrador has said the strategy will be put to a public vote, likely in March.A second phase will add additional military forces to the effort."The people of Mexico need their armed forces to address this grave problem of insecurity and violence right now," said Lopez Obrador, often turning toward the uniformed officers assembled behind him to address them directly."We've opted for this plan because we trust the armed forces," he said.Over the past dozen years, Mexican security forces have toppled some high-profile drug kingpins but more than 200,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands more disappeared since a military-focused approach was initiated in 2006.The last couple years have seen record numbers of murders, including in some of the country's most fabled tourist destinations like Acapulco and Los Cabos.Lopez Obrador's new security focus has already stirred unease among some human rights activists, who argue the plan ignores past abuses stemming from the "militarization" of public safety."We call on the new government to back a civil security model that can create conditions for a gradual withdrawal of the armed forces in public security work," a coalition of leading human rights groups said in a statement late last month.In addition to the national guard plan, Lopez Obrado has offered a six-year security blueprint that criticizes drug prohibition as both ineffective and arbitrary. The new president's allies in Congress have already proposed legislation to decriminalize and regulate the use of marijuana.During the campaign, his security aides outlined plans to reduce jail time for some crimes, as well as stiffer controls on weapons. The strategy leaned heavily on "transitional justice," which often involves leniency for those who admit guilt, truth commissions to investigate atrocities and the granting of reparations for victims.The landslide election winner has not yet detailed how those policies will the implemented.(Reporting by David Alire Garcia and Miguel Angel Gutierrez; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)