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CARACAS, Venezuela -- Days before a polarizing vote to start rewriting its constitution, Venezuela is convulsing to a rhythm of daytime strikes and nocturnal clashes. The most recent violence drove the death toll from nearly four months of unrest to 102 on Thursday. Most of the dead in anti-government protests that began in April are young men killed by gunfire. The toll also includes looters; police allegedly attacked by protesters; and civilians killed in accidents related to roadblocks set up during demonstrations.

Based on Japanese ship spotters pictures, the Asahi destroyer (25DD-class), the latest surface combatant designed for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), started sea trials. 19DD Asahi Destroyer 25DD class JMSDF Japan 125DD-class ASW Destroyer Asahi (hull number 119) during its first sea trials off MHI Nagasaki shipyard. Picture via ship spotter colleague @tamotaro The images and video show the new first-of-class vessel during its initial sea trials which reportedly started July 6th and ended July 26th off Nagasaki in Southern Japan. The two vessels of the 25DD-class are built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in the Nagasaki shipyard....

New report shows German Church hemorrhaging souls while making record amount of moneyBONN, Germany (ChurchMilitant.com) - A July 23 report by the German Bishops' Conference reveals shocking statistics for the Catholic Church in Germany between 2014–2015. While German bishops collected over $7.1 billion through the government-mandated church tax, which was called "unmerciful" by Pope Benedict XVI, barely 10 percent of Germany's Catholics attended Mass. Although there were over 167,000 baptisms, the highest number since 2010, there were, however, more burials than baptisms, with nearly 10,000 fewer children receiving their First Holy Communion. Germans Catholics have been leaving the Church in...

Some Ukrainian lawmakers have proposed that legislative sessions each day include the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. Protestant leaders quoted by the Religious Information of Ukraine expressed support for the proposal, while Orthodox leaders were more hesitant. (No Catholic leaders were quoted.) “The desire of MPs to pray indicates the awareness of the fact that without hope of God it is impossible to get out of the situation, said Metropolitan Anthony Pakanych of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). “But we live in a state that declares equal attitude to religions, therefore, immediately the question arises of what should be...

A STATE MP on a taxpayer-funded study tour overseas has been blocked from entering the USA, with a travelling colleague describing the situation as “outrageous and frightening”. Western Metropolitan MP Khalil Eideh, who is understood to have obtained a valid visa for the US, was stopped at Vancouver airport in Canada while the rest of the parliamentary group were allowed to continue through immigration checks. It is understood United Airlines told Mr Eideh he had been denied entry to the US, but gave no reason for the refusal. Premier Daniel Andrews’s department has now contacted Department of Foreign Affairs and...

An interesting listen and read.It seems Mick Jagger is lamenting the evolution of England.

With three tweets, the leader of the largest employer in the country just tried to lay off all trans people in the military. Many service members who were just told “we want you” are suddenly being told “go away.” The sudden reversal by the administration, from allowing trans people to serve openly in the military to outright banning us, is a devastating blow to our livelihoods, our basic humanity, our survival. It is also a devastating blow to the entire credibility of the United States military for years to come. This is all painfully familiar. Once upon a time, I...

Are recruiters, particularly in the Army and Marines, lying to (or at least misleading) young women who they try to recruit into military service? That’s a question which is asked and answered in the LA Times this week by two people who should know. Julie Pulley is a former West Point graduate Army captain and Afghanistan veteran. Rear Adm. Hugh P. Scott was a Navy medical officer and is an expert in medical physical standards. They discuss the current push to drive up the number of women going into combat roles and the unique stresses which the demands of those...

Dr. Danusha V. Goska was a lifelong liberal who “could not conceive of ever being anything but a leftist.” Her fantastic column, “Top Ten Reasons I Am No Longer a Leftist,” details how and why her philosophies changed. How far left was I? So far left my beloved uncle was a card-carrying member of the Communist Party in a Communist country. When I returned to his Slovak village to buy him a mass card, the priest refused to sell me one. So far left that a self-identified terrorist proposed marriage to me. So far left I was a two-time Peace...

Debbie Wasserman Schultz employed Pakistani IT staffers and brothers who were paid over $4 million dollars over the course of their employment even though they were accused of a cyber-security breach.   Imran Awan was arrested as he attempted to flee the U.S. after wiring approximately $300,000 to Pakistan. Fox News is the only cable network covering this huge scandal.  When Imran Awan was arrested he was carrying $12,000 in cash on him. His wife was carrying $12,000 of cash when she fled the country too. Imran and his Muslim brothers, Abid and Jamal accessed unauthorized computers while acting as IT specialists. The three brothers were...

Newt Gingrich explained on Sean Hannity's show on Fox News that Republicans are passive when it comes to examining the corruption of the Democratic Party and the Clintons.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKHSVEWukRw  

The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday called for the appointment of a second special counsel to investigate matters relating to actions taken by members of the Obama administration. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia and other Republicans in the committee sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein asking for the second counsel to investigate matters related to former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former FBI Director James Comey and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "We are writing to you to request assistance in restoring public confidence in our nation's justice system...

Lindsey Graham just proved how out of touch he is with the Republican Party. The so-called ‘Republican’ just challenged the voters to vote him out if they are against illegal immigration. “To the people who object to this, I don’t want you to vote for me because I cannot serve you well,” said Graham during a press conference. “The key here is to be fair to the 11 million [illegal immigrants], starting with the ‘Dreamers,’ but convince people we’re going to do what our great friend Ronald Reagan was not able to do, we’re going to actually secure the border,...

Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recent announcement of a new Justice Department directive concerning civil asset forfeiture was panned by critics on the left and right, and a new Morning Consult/POLITICO survey shows most Americans aren’t receptive to it either — regardless of their political persuasion. 59 percent of registered voters surveyed said they opposed the new policy, which expands law enforcement agencies’ rights to seize money and property from people even if they haven’t been charged with a crime. Thirty-seven percent said they were strongly against the proposal, while a quarter of voters were in favor of it. Fifty-seven percent...

Erna Solberg, Norway’s supposedly conservative Prime Minister, has long been known for her positive views of Islam and mass immigration. As PM, she has repeatedly warned against Islamophobia and Christian “racism” against Muslims. In 2011, then as leader of the major opposition party, Solberg stated that Muslims in Europe are now being harassed just as Jews were in the 1930s, during the rise of Nazism. On June 25, 2017, an estimated 8,000 Muslims celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, in a major sports arena and concert hall in Oslo. Prime Minister Erna Solberg attended. She made some comments about...

Republican Senator Rand Paul slammed Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ support for civil asset forfeiture during a Tuesday interview, calling the practice “offensive.” Fox News host Steve Doocy asked the senator from Kentucky about his thoughts on President Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of Sessions’, particularly on Sessions’ recusal from the Russian probe and his apparent unwillingness to investigate Hillary Clinton’s emails. “I understand both sides,” Paul responded, before stating, “I have my own concerns with Attorney General Jeff Sessions.” “I am very much offended by the fact that he is now promoting a policy of going after poor people’s property, taking...

The archbishop tasked with leading the Vatican’s pro-life academy says the Pope’s controversial teaching document on marriage opens Holy Communion to those in public grave sin. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia says Amoris Laetitia calls for “integration” of those in “irregular situations,” including “sacramental integration.” The archbishop, who serves as Grand Chancellor of the St. John Paul II Pontifical Institute for the Study of Marriage and Family, famously commissioned a homoerotic painting containing his likeness for his former cathedral. Asked in a recent email interview with the Diocese of Charleston newspaper The Catholic Miscellany to describe what Pope Francis’s frequently used concept...

During the scientific process, deductive reasoning is used to reach a logical true conclusion. Another type of reasoning, inductive, is also used. Often, people confuse deductive reasoning with inductive reasoning, and vice versa. It is important to learn the meaning of each type of reasoning so that proper logic can be identified. Deductive reasoning Deductive reasoning is a basic form of valid reasoning. Deductive reasoning, or deduction, starts out with a general statement, or hypothesis, and examines the possibilities to reach a specific, logical conclusion, according to the University of California. The scientific method uses deduction to test hypotheses and...

The Infant of PragueFr. William Saunders Q: My grandmother has always had a statue of Jesus as a child dressed up like a little king with a crown. She even has different outfits for him which are very elaborate. Can you tell me anything about this?From the description given in the question, the statue is one of the Infant of Prague. Devotion to the Holy Child Jesus is a long-standing tradition in our Catholic spirituality. The early Church Fathers, like St. Athanasius and St. Jerome, had a special devotion to the Holy Child Jesus. Some of the later great saints,...

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above.Honoring those who have served before. FReeper Canteen Just Hangin' Cafe Come on in, we're open Need a place just to hang out? This is it. We serve coffee, tea, conversation and music. Our AWESOME military, our AWESOME allies, and their families are welcomed and honored here. No worries in the FReeper Canteen Just Hangin' Cafe. Grab a cup and start a conversation. You never know who you might meet in the Cafe. Glad you could...