Law Society of BC Discriminates Against Christian University

Members of the Law Society of B.C. voted on a resolution that declares
'the proposed law school at Trinity Western University is not an approved
faculty of law for the purpose of the Law Society's admission program.'

Members of the Law Society of British Columbia have voted 74 per cent in favour of reversing the society's earlier approval to recognize graduates of Trinity Western University's School of Law.

Victoria lawyer Michael Mulligan says more than 8,000 of the society's 13,530 members voted.

The final decision is up to the law society's board of governors, known as benchers. They are expected to ratify the decision on Friday.

Members of the society triggered a non-binding vote earlier this year that overturned a decision by the society's board of governors to accredit Trinity Western's new law school in the Fraser Valley.

As a result of that, in June the law society said members would vote on a resolution that declares "the proposed law school at Trinity Western University is not an approved faculty of law for the purpose of the Law Society's admission program."

Law Society of B.C. seal
Needs to be redesigned to say "The Anti-Christian Law Society of BC"

The law school at the faith-based university is set to open in 2016. Critics oppose the plan because Trinity Western students must sign a Christian covenant that states sexual relations are to be confined within the bounds of a marriage between a man and a woman.

Critics say the policy is discriminatory against people in LGBT relationships.

The Law Society of Upper Canada in Ontario has voted against approving the law school and the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society has granted conditional acceptance if the school changes the covenant for law students or allows them to opt out.

Trinity Western is legally challenging those decisions in court.

This is a shameful and blatant exercise in anti-Christian bias. There are many Christian lawyers in Canada today and I have never seen or heard of a single complaint against one because of his/her faith. 

So all students who want to study law in a comfortable, moral, Christian environment will be unable to because of the possibility of discriminating against LGBT students. There are no LGBT students at Trinity Western! The last thing LGBT students want to do is go to a Christian school, unless they are specifically trying to make a point.

So, while there is a possibility of discrimination, the likelihood of actual discrimination happening is very close to zero. The law societies themselves are discriminating far more the TWU ever would. Their anti-Christian bias is stinking up the whole Fraser Valley.

This is another step in the increasing anti-Christian bias in BC. It would not be surprising to see other societies pull their accreditation from TWU. That might destroy the only University in BC that practices a moral code. Does everyone else just feel guilty, or what?

You May Be a Muslim - Jeff Foxworthy

Jeff Foxworthy on Muslims:

1. If you refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to liquor, You may be a Muslim.

2. If you own a $3,000 machine gun and a $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes, You may be a Muslim.

3. If you have more wives than teeth, You may be a Muslim.

4. If you wipe your bottom with your bare hand but consider bacon to be unclean,
You may be a Muslim.

5. If you think vests come in two styles: Bullet-proof and suicide.
You may be a Muslim

6. If you can't think of anyone you haven't declared jihad against,
You may be a Muslim.

7. If you consider television dangerous but routinely carry explosives in your clothing,
You may be a Muslim.

8. If you were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs, You may be a Muslim.

9. If you have nothing against women and think every man should own at least four,
You may be a Muslim.

10. If your cousin is President of the United States
You may be a Muslim.

Canada is Under Attack

Plagiarized from the blog of Raheel Raza, a Canadian Muslim

Raheel Raza makes some very good points that can be useful to all western countries dealing with an increasing Muslim population, which includes almost all western countries. I have a few problems with some of her recommendations, but I am generally in agreement. I think you will be too.

Canada is under attack. Since 9/11 and perhaps even before that, some of us Muslims have been insisting that Canada is not safe from terrorist attacks and that it’s just a matter of time. Yesterday we heard the shocking news that a Canadian soldier was run over in Quebec. Some people shrugged this off as the work of a mentally deranged person probably acting alone.

I was concerned that this response is too simplistic and reality is very different. Today another soldier was killed at the war memorial in Ottawa and our Canadian Parliament is under attack by one or more gunmen. Turned out to be just one.

Events will unfold and Canada may go back to doing business in its usually politically correct way. In the meantime 90 known unsavory characters who wish to harm Canada and are known to the RCMP are still around. What are we doing about this?

As a Muslim whose faith has been replaced by an evil ideology, I can’t stand by idly and watch these events evolve when they have already been forecast not just by me, but by many others like me who are concerned about the security and safety of this land we call home.

Today we have two clear options. We can either continue to believe in the handbook titled “Radicalization for Dummies” and act vague and politically correct on clear indications of where the problem originates from, or we can take immediate action as Canadians. Otherwise rest assured the rabid ideology behind acts of blatant terrorism will only grow. And when that happens, please don’t come looking for ‘moderate Muslims’ as we have been saying this since a decade and continue to stand on guard for Canada but is anyone listening?

Here is what Canada needs to do.

1. Close all mosques for three months to have intense scrutiny on the Imams and their sermons in the past 3 months. This is not abuse of religious freedom – it’s to ENSURE that religion can be free and survive in Canada while protecting the country. Imams and their sermons can be scrutinized without closing the mosques which would likely instantly radicalize a whole bunch of Muslims.

2. All Muslim organizations (including mine) should submit detailed financial statements to show where their donations are coming from. And where they are going to.

3. Put a moratorium on immigration from Muslim countries for a set period till matters here settle down. Anyone wishing to partake in armed Jihad abroad or proven to be returning from such a venture, needs to have their citizenship revoked and given a one-way ticket to the country of their choice as soon as possible. Revoking their citizenship would require removing their passport; what country is going to accept a known jihadist without even a passport?

4. Islamic schools need to have accountability and if their syllabus shows even an iota of hate, they should be shut down.

5. The Islamists calls for un-reasonable accommodation like face covering, special prayer spaces, Friday prayers in public schools should be taken with a pinch of salt and instead of just giving in to these demands, there should be a body of well-informed Canadians discussing and debating these issues in light of Canadian values and norms.

We know that the new enemy is an ideology and we have to defeat it in the way communism was defeated. Not by targeting the faith, but by targeting those who are using their faith to promote subversive agendas of violence and terrorism. This has to be done with active participation of government and citizens from all walks of life without resorting to hate and bigotry.

We need to expose, educate and eradicate.

IS Releases 25 Schoolchildren, the Last of 150 Kidnapped in May

The battle for the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane has continued for over a month

Islamic State militants have released 25 Kurdish schoolchildren its fighters kidnapped in May, a rights group has said.

The 25 are the last to be freed from a group of more than 150 schoolchildren abducted in northern Syria, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The children were kidnapped travelling to their hometown of Kobane after taking exams in the city of Aleppo.

It is not known why IS released them.

A local official, confirming the release to Reuters, suggested it was for propaganda purposes.

Human Rights Watch in July said 15 children previously freed were part of a hostage swap for IS fighters captured by Kurdish forces.

Curious! Was it another prisoner swap? Was it out of the kindness of their hearts? Pffft! As if they had any hearts.

The release comes amid ongoing fighting in Kobane, as Kurdish forces backed by Syrian rebels and US airstrikes battle IS.

In Iraq, IS militants shot dead 30 Sunni Arab tribesmen in a town west of the capital Baghdad, local officials said.

The killings reportedly took place in Hit, in Anbar province, which fell to the jihadist group earlier this month.

Residents said the men were paraded through the streets before being shot.

They belonged to the Al Bu Nimr tribe, which has allied with Iraqi government forces attempting to seize back a large swathe of territory claimed by IS since January.

In another strange event today, dozens of Peshmerga fighters were permitted to travel across Turkey and then cross into Kobane with some heavy weapons. Erdogan must have decided that enough Kurds have been killed for now.

Egypt 'Plans Buffer' in Sinai Against Gaza Smugglers

Goods smuggled through tunnels under the border with Egypt
are a mainstay of Gaza's economy

Egypt is reportedly planning to create a 500m buffer zone along the border with the Gaza Strip to block the smuggling of weapons.

Residents living along the border with the Palestinian territory were told to evacuate their homes so that they can be demolished, local media reports.

Water-filled trenches will also be used to prevent the construction of tunnels.

Egyptian media accuses Gaza's Hamas administration of aiding militants in the Sinai. Hamas denies the charge.

Last week, more than 30 Egyptian soldiers were killed in a militant bomb attack on an army post in Sinai.

After the bombing, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi passed a law authorising the military to protect state facilities - including power plants, main roads and bridges.

He also declared a three-month state of emergency in Sinai. Critics of the move said it allows the army to return to the streets and brings back military trials for civilians.

The planned buffer zone will reportedly stretch along the length of the 13km (8 mile) border.

Officials told the Associated Press news agency that the army had given residents 48 hours to leave their homes, but this ultimatum had been put on hold after protests.

Tunnels linking the Gaza Strip and Sinai have also played a vital role in the economy of the Palestinian territory, which has been struggling to cope with an economic blockade imposed by Israel in its confrontation with Hamas.

Clearly, this reporter is sympathetic to Gazans, and I can certainly understand that. But the reporter neglects to mention that the tunnels were also used to smuggle all sorts of weapons into Gaza for Hamas to use against Israel. Cutting off that supply should mean that it will be a long time before last summers war will be repeated with similar intensity.

Good for al-Sisi.

If Gaza wants their economic blockade lifted, all they have to do is to stop trying to kill Israelis.

Missing Mexico Students: New 'Mass Grave' Probed

Mexican authorities searching for 43 students who disappeared after clashing with police last month are investigating another suspected mass grave.

Mexico's attorney general said the testimony of two arrested members of a drug gang had led them to the site.

He said police officers had confessed to handing the students over to the drugs gang in southern Guerrero state.

The disappearance has shocked Mexico and has sparked nationwide demonstrations.

Earlier this month, another mass grave was found, but DNA tests suggest the bodies were not those of the students.

Frustration is growing with the failure to find out what happened on 26 September

So far, 56 people have been arrested in connection with the disappearance, among them police officers, local officials and alleged members of the drugs gang. The state governor has also resigned over the case.

Arrest warrants have been issued for the mayor of the town of Iguala, where the abductions took place, his wife and the police chief, all of whom are on the run from the authorities.

The mayor, Jose Luis Abarca, allegedly ordered police to intercept the students to prevent them from interrupting a speech his wife was giving in Iguala.

Eyewitnesses say they saw the students being bundled into police cars after the police shot at buses carrying the students, killing three of them and three other people in nearby vehicles.

Relatives of the 43 missing students attend a mass at the same place where
three students were killed on 26 September
Relatives have gathered and held vigils for the missing students

The latest grave site is in the town of Cocula, about 17km (10 miles) from where the students last were seen.

Mexico's Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam leaves a news conference
in Mexico City (27 October 2014)
Karam is under pressure to bring those responsible to justice

Attorney general Jesus Murillo Karam said that two of the four suspects arrested on Monday may have provided some valuable information.

He said that they had admitted to "having received a large group of people" on the night of 26 September, when the 43 students were last seen.

"We have the people who carried out the abduction of these individuals," Mr Murillo Karam told reporters.

He said the other two suspects detained on Monday apparently worked as lookouts for the gang. The suspects have not so far been identified.

The four men arrested are all believed to be members of the group behind the abductions, called Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors).

Terrifying, Creeping Islamization in a Nutshell

Islam, not the Chinese nor the Russians, represent the greatest threat to the world and might be the fulfillment of the book of Revelation in the Holy Bible. Personally, I am very nearly convinced that it is, not just Revelation but Ezekiel 38 and 39.

This is very disturbing for a Christian to read, but read it and be educated. 

The following was adapted from Dr. Peter Hammond's book: Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat 

Islam is not a religion, nor is it a cult. In its fullest form, it is a complete, total, 100% system of life. Theocracy?

Islam has religious, legal, political, economic, social, and military components. The religious component is a beard for all of the components.

Islamization begins when there are sufficient Muslims in a country to agitate for their religious privileges. 

When politically correct, tolerant, and culturally diverse societies agree to Muslim demands for their religious privileges, some of the other components tend to creep in as well.

Here's how it works: 

As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in any given country, they will be for the most part be regarded as a peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens. This is the case in:

United States -- Muslim 0.6% 
Australia -- Muslim 1.5% 
Canada -- Muslim 1.9% 
China -- Muslim 1.8% 
Italy -- Muslim 1.5% 
Norway -- Muslim 1.8% 

At 2% to 5%, they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs. This is happening in:

Denmark -- Muslim 2% 
Germany -- Muslim 3.7% 
United Kingdom -- Muslim 2.7% 
Spain -- Muslim 4% 
Thailand -- Muslim 4.6% 

From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. For example, they will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature halal on their shelves -- along with threats for failure to comply. This is occurring in:

France -- Muslim 8% 
Philippines -- Muslim 5% 
Sweden -- Muslim 5% 
Switzerland -- Muslim 4.3% 
The Netherlands -- Muslim 5.5% 
Trinidad & Tobago -- Muslim 5.8% 

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves (within their ghettos) under Sharia, the Islamic Law.

The ultimate goal of Islam is to establish Sharia law over the entire world.

When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. In Paris, we are already seeing car-burnings. Any non-Muslim action offends Islam and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam, with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam. Such tensions are seen daily, particularly in Muslim sections in:

Guyana -- Muslim 10% 
India -- Muslim 13.4% 
Israel -- Muslim 16% 
Kenya -- Muslim 10% 
Russia -- Muslim 15% 

After reaching 20%, nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, such as in:

Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8% 

At 40%, nations experience widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in:

Bosnia -- Muslim 40% 
Chad -- Muslim 53.1% 
Lebanon -- Muslim 59.7% 

From 60%, nations experience unfettered persecution of non-believers of all other religions (including non-conforming Muslims), sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon, and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels, such as in:

Albania -- Muslim 70% 
Malaysia -- Muslim 60.4% 
Qatar -- Muslim 77.5% 
Sudan -- Muslim 70% 

After 80%, expect daily intimidation and violent jihad, some State-run ethnic cleansing, and even some genocide, as these nations drive out the infidels, and move toward 100% Muslim, such as has been experienced and is on-going in:

Bangladesh -- Muslim 83% 
Egypt -- Muslim 90% 
Gaza -- Muslim 98.7% 
Indonesia -- Muslim 86.1% 
Iran -- Muslim 98% 
Iraq -- Muslim 97% 
Jordan -- Muslim 92% 
Morocco -- Muslim 98.7% 
Pakistan -- Muslim 97% 
Palestine -- Muslim 99% 
Syria -- Muslim 90% 
Tajikistan -- Muslim 90% 
Turkey -- Muslim 99.8% 
United Arab Emirates -- Muslim 96% 

100% will usher in the peace of 'Dar-es-Salaam' -- the Islamic House of Peace. Here there's supposed to be peace, because everybody is a Muslim, the Madrasses are the only schools, and the Koran is the only word, such as in:

Afghanistan -- Muslim 100% 
Saudi Arabia -- Muslim 100% 
Somalia -- Muslim 100% 
Yemen -- Muslim 100% 

Unfortunately, peace is never achieved, as in these 100% states the most radical Muslims intimidate and spew hatred, and satisfy their blood lust by killing less radical Muslims, for a variety of reasons.

'Before I was nine, I had learned the basic canon of Arab life. It was me against my brother; me and my brother against our father; my family against my cousins and the clan; the clan against the tribe; the tribe against the world, and all of us against the infidel. -- Leon Uris, 'The Haj'

It is important to understand that in some countries, with well under 100% Muslim populations, such as France, the minority Muslim populations live in ghettos, within which they are 100% Muslim, and within which they live by Sharia Law.

The national police do not even enter these ghettos. There are no national courts, nor schools, nor non-Muslim religious facilities. In such situations, Muslims do not integrate into the community at large. The children attend madrassahs. They learn only the Koran. To even associate with an infidel is a crime punishable with death. Therefore, in some areas of certain nations, Muslim Imams and extremists exercise more power than the national average would indicate. 

Today 's 1.5 billion Muslims make up 22% of the world's population. But their birth rates are higher than the birth rates of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, and all other believers. Muslims will exceed 50% of the world's population by the end of this century.

Well, boys and girls, today we are letting the fox guard the henhouse.
The wolves will be herding the sheep!

NOTE : Has anyone ever heard a new government official being identified as a  devout Catholic ,  a devout Jew or a devout Protestant...? Just wondering.

Devout Muslims being appointed to critical Homeland Security positions?
Doesn't this make you feel safer already??

That should make the United States much safer, huh!!
Was it not  "Devout Muslim men" that flew planes into U.S. buildings only 10 years ago?
We must never forget this..
Was it not a "Devout Muslim man" who killed 13 at Fort Hood ? (He killed "from within" -don't forget that).

Also: This is very interesting and we all need to read it from start to finish. Maybe this is why our American Muslims are so quiet and not speaking out about any atrocities. This question was forwarded to a friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years. The following is his reply:

Can a good Muslim be a good American? 

Theologically - no . . . Because his allegiance is to Allah, The moon God of Arabia

Religiously - no. Because no other religion is accepted by His Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)(Koran)

Scripturally - no. Because his allegiance is to the five Pillars of Islam and the Quran

Geographically - no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca , to which he turns in prayer five times a day

Socially - no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews

Politically - no. Because he must submit to the mullahs (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan

Domestically - no. Because he is instructed to marry four Women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran  4:34 )

Intellectually - no. Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt

Philosophically - no. Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression.. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually - no. Because when we declare 'one nation under God,' the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as Heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in The Quran's 99 excellent names

Therefore, after much study and deliberation. ... Perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. - - - They obviously cannot be both 'good' Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish, it's still the truth. You had better believe it. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future. The religious war is bigger than we know or understand.

Can a Muslim be a good soldier??? 

Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, opened fire at Ft. Hood and Killed 13. He is a good Muslim!!!

Footnote: The Muslims have said they will destroy us from within.
SO FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

Is Islam Opening a New Front in the Middle East?

Deadly clashes continue in north Lebanon

BEIRUT, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Clashes between the Lebanese army and fundamentalist gunmen continued Saturday, while an army patrol tank was targeted with a rocket-propelled grenade in the region of Minnieh in North Lebanon, the Lebanese army said.

The fighting has resulted in the death of two citizens and wounding of six civilians and 13 soldiers including an officer, according to the National News Agency (NNA).

Referring to a communique issued by the Guidance Directorate, the army said it has completed the deployment in the old souks (marketplace) and the al-Zahriyeh neighborhood after arresting several gunmen and wounding many others.

Old souks, Tripoli

The communique writes "quantities of arms, ammunition and explosives were seized in their possession, while a number of militants fled from the area and army units are pursuing them in order to arrest them."

Meanwhile, cautious calm had engulfed the old souks in Tripoli after the mediation by the Muslim Scholars Committee, which led to the withdrawal of the militants from the streets, NNA said.

Muslim Scholars Committee - better keep them away from Boko Haram.

But military sources stressed to LBCI TV that the army will press on with the battle against the gunmen, regardless of "what some parties are trying to do."

The military said later in a statement that it will push forward its military operation "until the gunmen are eradicated and all armed appearances are prevented in Tripoli."

It also called on citizens to "fully comply with the measures implemented by army units and to report any suspicious behavior to the military posts."

In another communique, the army claims that "terrorists are seeking to destabilize the situation in Tripoli and create incitement and sectarian strife," and points out that the army "is carrying out raids in suspicious areas to apprehend gunmen and refer them to the competent judiciary."

The gun battle initially erupted Friday in the old souks and extended to other areas. And after easing off for several hours during the night, the clashes renewed on Saturday morning.

The NNA said, reinforcements and a surveillance plane have been deployed to the areas of clashes and all roads there have been blocked.

Heavy shelling and gunfire was reportedly heard as the army launched its assault on the gunmen's positions.

Meanwhile, a group of armed men kidnapped a soldier identified as Tannous Nehmeh in the Bab el-Tebbaneh Sunni neighborhood in Tripoli, demanding the siege be lifted off in return for his release, the NNA reported.

The Army units also clashed with an armed group affiliated to Sheikh Khalid Hoblos near "Haroun Mosque" in the town of Bhanin, Minnieh on Saturday evening, using automatic weapons and rocket- propelled grenades, according to the NNA.

The NNA added that army helicopters also fired at Hoblos gunmen in response to the shooting.

I like the military response here, hit them hard and fast and eliminate the threat quickly. Good for you, Lebanon!

Palestinians - Where They Came From and When

Please watch this 7 minute video on the origins of the Palestinians - where they came from and when; some of it in their own words. 

Salma Fayumi - Masterchef

Yasser Arafat - late PLO leader

http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/they-let-the-truth-slip-out

Putin Lashes out at US, West for Destabilizing World

This could be a case of 'the pot calling the kettle black'. But for what it's worth, here is what Russian President Putin had to say about the US.

Vladimir Putin lashed out at the United States and the West for destabilizing the world order of checks and balances for its own gains. He also accused the West of inflaming the situation in Ukraine and said Russia is not interested in building an empire.

The Russian President delivered a fierce broadside aimed at the United States in a speech for the Valdai Club in Sochi, which is an informal group of scholars. He hit out at Washington for behaving without regard to the rest of the world's interests

“The system of international relations needed some changes, but the USA, who believe they were the winners of the Cold War, have not seen the need for this.” He added that the US has been trying to create the world “for their own gains." The Russian President added that because of this, regional and global security had been weakened.

During his speech, Putin used the Russian version of the Latin phrase, “Quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi” (what is allowed for God, is not allowed for cattle,) alluding to the double standards used by Washington.

US sponsoring Islamic extremism
Putin also touched on the issue of the growth of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and also accused the West of, "turning a blind eye," to the encroachment of international terrorism into Russia and Central Asia. Putin believes the US has played a considerable role in sponsoring the growth of Islamic extremism, using the example of Washington's funding of the Mujahidin in the Afghan-Soviet war in the 1980's, which eventually gave birth to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

“It never ceases to amaze me how our partners have been guilty of making the same mistakes time and again. They have in the past sponsored Islamic extremists who were battling against the Soviet Union, which took place in Afghanistan. It was because of this the Taliban and Al-Qaeda was created,” the president added.

Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) is the latest terrorist organization, which is destabilizing the world and Putin was scathing of countries that have been helping to fund the Islamist militants by buying cut price oil they are selling.

“Terrorists have been selling oil at really low prices and those countries who have been buying it and then selling it on, are financing terrorism, which will eventually come back to bite them,” the Russian President said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and former Chancellor of Austria Wolfgang Schussel during the final plenary meeting of the 11th session of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi October 24, 2014. (RIA Novosti / Vitaliy Belousov) Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and former Chancellor of Austria Wolfgang Schussel during the final plenary meeting of the 11th session of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi October 24, 2014. (RIA Novosti / Vitaliy Belousov)

Putin all for Nuclear cuts
Relations between Russia and the US have been plummeting for months; however Vladimir Putin accused the US of using the EU to further its own gains against Russia. He hit out at the numerous sanctions that have been imposed on Moscow, saying, "This was a mistake, which has a knock-on effect on everyone."

“The USA, which has implemented sanctions against Russia, is sawing at the branches, upon which they are sitting,” President Putin added.

The reduction of nuclear arsenals was another issue, which was high on the agenda for the Russian President and once again, he was not afraid of having a dig at Washington for their reluctance to cut the number of nuclear missiles. He mentioned that unfortunately many countries see the only way to preserve their sovereignty is, "To make a nuclear bomb."

The reduction in nuclear arsenals was initially proposed by the Obama administration and Putin admitted it had potential, before talks about decreasing weapons stockpiles collapsed.

"Russia has been all for the continuation of talks about the reduction of nuclear arsenals," and according to President Putin, "Moscow is ready for serious talks, but without “double standards."

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the wrap-up session of the 11th Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on 24 October 2014. (RIA Novosti / Vitaliy Belousov) Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the wrap-up session of the 11th Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on 24 October 2014. (RIA Novosti / Vitaliy Belousov)

Genie out of the bottle
Perhaps Putin's harshest criticism was reserved for the West's creation of color revolutions and "controlled chaos," which he a likened to "letting the genie out of the bottle," with particular reference to Ukraine.

"We have been trying to discuss the Ukraine issue with the EU for a long time, but we were told this was none of our business. They then put two countries against each other, which has led to countless destruction of infrastructure. When I asked why did they do this, they just shrug their shoulders and don’t have an answer," Putin added.

President Putin made reference to the ‘Bear’ defending its territory to take a swipe at the US for its continued encroachment towards Russia’s territory. “He is considered the owner of the Taiga, but he, I know for a fact, does not want to go to a different climatic zone, as it is uncomfortable for him there. However, he will not give it to anyone else; I think that this should be clear,” he said.

The Russian President said that there is no truth whatsoever in claims from the West that Russia is interested in empire building and that Moscow is looking to destabilize the world order. With relations between Russia and the West at a very low ebb, Putin also hinted Russia will look to develop allies further afield.

"Russia has made its choice – we want to develop our economy and develop democratic values. Democratic values - seriously? It will never happen as long as the country continues to be run by Oligarchs, and the country will continue to be run by the Oligarchs. 

We work with our counterparts in the Shanghai Cooperation, the BRICS union for example. We want our opinions to be respected likewise. We all need to be cautious to not make hasty and dangerous steps. Some of the players on the global front have forgotten about the need for this," he said in another barb directed at Washington.

New Dinosaur is Weird, Really, Really Weird

A dinosaur mystery that has baffled palaeontologists for 50 years has finally been solved.

In the 1960s, researchers unearthed two gigantic dinosaur arms. For decades, scientists have speculated about what kind of beast they belonged to.

Now, the rest of the dinosaur's body has been unearthed, and researchers say that the creature is even more bizarre than they had thought.

Now before you read the rest of this article, I should explain the reason for my sarcastic comments. I don't doubt the science of paleontology, but I have grave concerns for the amount of imagination that is involved in creating creatures from a few bones. It began when I found out about Nebraska Man.

Nebraska Man - Amedee Forestier

Touted to  be the 'missing link', half-man - half-ape like creature; he was identified by a single badly-weathered tooth. While many scientists did not buy-in to Nebraska Man, he did make it into Science magazine. 5 years later they dug up some of the remaining bones only to discover the Nebraska Man was an extinct pig. Some women have used this as evidence that all men are pigs, but that's another story.

Then there was Piltdown Man. Discovered in 1912 by Charles Dawson was widely accepted by European scientists as legitimate, turned out to be the jawbone of an orangutan, the cranium of a human, and the filed-down teeth of a chimpanzee. It took 40 years for the hoax to be revealed. 

The real 'Nebraska Man'
Holy bacon, Batman!

 Archaeologist Miles Russell of Bournemouth University wrote: "Piltdown was not a 'one-off' hoax, more the culmination of a life's work." He had discovered that 38 previous archaeological discoveries by Charles Dawson, were fakes.


There are so many other examples of error, deliberate or otherwise, that I will have to do a piece just on that.

They say it was huge, with a beak, a humped back and giant, hoofed feet.

The study is published in the journal Nature.

Lead researcher Yuong-Nam Lee, from South Korea's Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (Kigam), said: "It turned out to be one of the weirdest dinosaurs, it's weird beyond our imagination."

Slow mover

Reconstruction of
Deinocheirus mirificus

For half a century, all that was known about this dinosaur was that it had enormous forearms, measuring 2.4m-long (8ft) and tipped with three giant claws.

Its name Deinocheirus mirificus means unusual, horrible hands. In various reconstructions, it has been imagined as anything from a T. rex-type predator grasping at prey with its claws, to a giant, sloth-like climber, using its arms to dangle from trees.

But the discovery of two nearly complete skeletons in Mongolia have finally laid this speculation to rest.

The international research team says the beast was very large, measuring about 11m (36ft) long and weighing six tonnes.

It had an elongated head with a duck-like beak, and a large humped sail on its back.

Its legs were short and stumpy, but its feet were very large with hooves, which would have prevented it from sinking into the boggy wetlands where it lived. Boggy wetlands in Mongolia!?

The researchers think that the beast was probably a very slow mover. The contents of its stomach suggest that it ate plants and fish.

So what is the point of the long arms with claws? Neither are necessary, or even particularly useful for catching fish or eating plants. Is this an evolutionary aberration? 

Dr Yuong-Nam Lee said: "We did not know their function before, but the long forearms with giant claws may have been used for digging and gathering herbaceous plants in freshwater habitats."

Commenting on the research Prof John Hutchinson, a palaeontologist from the UK's Royal Veterinary College, said: "Many dinosaur fans have seen pictures of the 8ft-long arms and hands, and they really are amazing and wonderful. People were really wondering what the rest of this animal looked like.

"Now we know, and it's just so freaking weird - we never would have expected this animal to look so bizarre.

"It really is shocking to see how many weird features it has. It changes our view of what kind of forms dinosaurs can even take." 

Archaeology and paleontology are constantly re-writing history. Almost every significant find result in a re-write, meaning, they had it wrong every time, and there is no reason to believe they have it right this time.

Franklin Graham Unloads on Obama for His 'Religion of Peace'

Rev. Franklin Graham: Islam isn't a religion of peace

The November edition of Decision magazine, published by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), asks, "is Islam really a religion of peace?"

In his article, Franklin Graham, who runs both the BGEA and Samaritan's Purse, gives the answer: no.

President Obama's comment that "Islam teaches peace" was "baffling," writes Graham.

But he was just getting started.  He recounts the prayer vigil held the next day, across from the White House, for the Iranian American pastor who has been held in an Iranian prison for two years.  At the event, Franklin Graham spoke to the president via the media and loudspeakers in Lafayette Park:

“Mr. President—followers of a peaceful religion do not cut off the heads of innocent people in the barbaric fashion (as) the world has watched recently. 

“Mr. President—believers in a peaceful religion do not kidnap 300 young schoolgirls as Boko Haram did in northeastern Nigeria in April and reportedly [sell] them to men to be sex slaves. 

“Mr. President—men who practice a peaceful religion do not detonate bombs on an American street during a marathon race to kill and maim innocent people. 

“Mr. President—no one who belongs to a peaceful religion would even consider hijacking jet airliners and flying them into buildings occupied by thousands of innocent people beginning their workday, as happened in this country and in this city on 9/11. 

“Mr. President—no peaceful religion would tolerate, let alone practice, female circumcision, require a woman to have her husband’s permission to leave her home and take up employment, and restrict her ability to receive justice in the case of sex crimes. 

“Mr. President—a peaceful religion would not condone and allow a father to drown a daughter in a swimming pool in front of the family in the name of family honor because she might have stayed out late in the evening with her boyfriend. 

“Mr. President—why haven’t the 3.5 million Muslims in North America rejected this gross, barbaric and despicable behavior by their fellow Muslims on American soil?”

'Candidates Needed for Labour Party, IQ Optional'

Like any left wing political party, Britain’s Labour party attracts some somewhat outrageous people as candidates for election. Right wing parties have the same affliction.

But in Britain this week a few Labour Party candidates stood out among their peers, making it obvious that having an IQ at all is optional to be a Labour Party candidate.

Jed Sullivan, the Labour candidate for Fylde, Lancashire, was scolded for quipping about gay people, women and Liverpudlians on Twitter.

A post dating from June 2012 said: “I’m all for gay adoption, gay men would make brilliant dads. They know where all the best parks are.”

Remember, this is the Labour Party which supports gay rights. 

He had also joked: “Today is International Women’s Day. It was supposed to be yesterday but they took too long to get ready” and: “Just got the scouse (Liverpool English or Merseyside English) version of Cluedo (Clue). It was all of them.”

Prospective parliamentary candidate for Dwyfor Meirionnydd in Wales, Mary Griffiths Clarke, likened the Conservative Party to the Nazis.

Ms Griffiths Clarke, whose Twitter bio says “Animal Farm was a warning, not a roadmap”, told her followers: “The Nazis gassed their victims, this government are pushing disabled to kill themselves. It HAS to stop.”

The candidate winning the ‘least likely to have an IQ’ award is Vicky Kirby. According to the Sunday Times, Labour’s candidate for Woking, said Hitler might be the “Zionist God”, in a series of comments made on her Twitter account.

She is reported to have posted: “We invented Israel when saving them from Hitler, who now seems to be their teacher,” while another said: “I will never forget and I will make sure my kids teach their children how evil Israel is!”

Another tweet read: “Apparently you can ask IS/ISIS/ISIL questions onask.fm. Anyone thought of asking them why they’re not attacking the real oppressors #Israel?” She would seriously prefer the murderous, genocidal IS to the democratic state of Israel? I'm not sure this woman should be allowed out in public, let alone run as a candidate for parliament. 'Stupid beyond belief' comes to mind, but may be less than adequate a term to describe her.

A party Spokesperson told The Independent: “Vicki Kirby has been suspended as a Labour candidate. Jed Sullivan and Mary Griffiths Clark have apologised for any offence they have caused and have been reminded of their responsibilities as Labour candidates.”

Jed Sullivan deleted his Twitter account.

Radicalized Muslim Quebecer Runs Down Two Canadian Soldiers

It has yet to be proven, but this could be the first Islamic terrorist attack on Canadian soil. I seriously doubt that it will be the last.

A 25-year-old man who injured two soldiers in a hit and run and was later fatally shot by police in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., was known to federal authorities as someone who had been "radicalized," according to the RCMP and the Prime Minister's Office.

Martin Rouleau, a resident of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, about 40 kilometres southeast of Montreal, was known to provincial and federal law enforcement agencies, the RCMP said.

"This individual was known to federal authorities, including our integrated national security investigations team in Montreal, who along with other authorities were concerned that he had become radicalized," the RCMP said in a statement Monday evening.

Radio-Canada reported that Rouleau's Facebook page identifies him as Ahmad LeConverti (Ahmad the Converted). Neighbours told the CBC's French-language service that he converted to Islam about a year ago.

Rouleau died of his injuries Monday evening, several hours after he was transported to hospital after being shot by municipal police officers at the end of a high-speed chase. Since the shooting involved municipal officers, provincial police are investigating.

Knife found at crash site

The hit and run occurred around 11:30 a.m. ET when two members of the Canadian Armed Forces were hit by a car in a parking lot of a commercial plaza. Both were injured, one critically. Police have not released their names.

Martin Rouleau called himself 'Ahmad LeConverti' on Facebook

Not long after the two were hit, the car that hit them was spotted by officers from the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu police force, who chased the vehicle for four kilometres.

The chase ended when the driver lost control of his car, flipping it into a ditch. Police said the man got out of the vehicle, and several shots were fired by officers. Police said the incident also involved a knife but did not elaborate.

"We found a knife on the ground," said provincial police Sgt. Michel Brunet  "I can't tell you if he had it in his hands at the time."

SQ (Surete du Quebec) hit and run military St-Jean-sur-Richelieu 

The investigation into the police shooting of Rouleau is being led by Quebec provincial police, shown near where the shooting took place. (Radio-Canada)

​Nathalie Vanasse was driving by at the time with her husband and saw the vehicle in the ditch.

“I was scared. I started crying," she said. "I wanted to get out of my car to go help, before the shots were fired … I heard and saw shots being fired — seven shots

"I saw a police officer jump to the side to protect himself. That's when I saw the suspect fall to the ground."

Lt. Guy Lapointe of the Sûreté du Québec said police are looking into whether the soldiers were targeted by the driver.

"All I can say is that the theory that this is a deliberate act is part of what we’ll be looking at," Lapointe said. "But it’s really too early to speculate at this point."

On the Facebook page allegedly belonging to Rouleau, one post is a quote from a U.S. soldier who served in Iraq: "We were told we were fighting terrorists, the real terrorist is me and the real terrorism is this occupation."

Another post references the black flags the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) display.

Despite the alleged incendiary posts on Facebook, Ray Boisvert, the former assistant director of intelligence with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) told CBC News that foiling actual violence before it occurs can be difficult if plans are never communicated.

"The question for authorities is, when did that person go from just doing a collage of information to actually thinking about active attack planning? That's the big challenge."

'We Came to Establish the Laws of God' - Really?

On Saturday, ISIS fighters weighed in on their attempts to take Kobani, arguing it wasn't a fight against the Kurds.

"We came to establish the laws of God — not to fight the Kurds," a fighter in army fatigues said on a video uploaded to YouTube. The video was uploaded by a user who appears to be embedded with the militants in Kobani. It appeared genuine and reflected Associated Press reporting.

But another fighter who appeared to be from a European country, judging from his accent in Arabic, described their aim "to liberate the land from the filth of the apostates, the PKK and others," referring to Kurdish secular fighters — who are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim — as apostates.

The fighter said the U.S.-led coalition to fight the militant group was a sure sign of the justness of their cause.

"As for the planes that shell us 24 hours, day and night, by God we say: they increase our faith, assuredness and steadfastness. We know we are on the right path because all the (non-believers) of the world have gathered against us."

So, what's wrong with this picture? Absolutely everything! If the whole world is against you, you can be sure of one of two things - either you are completely wrong, or you are Israel. 

If your faith increases because more and more of you are being blown to Hell by American bombs, you are utterly insane.

The justness of your cause has nothing to do with the coalition that has formed against you. It has everything to do with your ridiculous belief that you are doing God's will by killing, beheading, raping, and abusing men, women and children. Your biggest enemy, you've apparently claimed are Christians. So, how is it that you are massacring and persecuting the children of the Son of God?

Look it up in the Quran: Jesus was born of a virgin, He performed many miracles, and it will be Him that you stand before in judgement on that great and terrible day. It's all in the Quran. So why persecute He who has the power to throw you into Hell? That's not very smart.

You came 'not to fight the Kurds', bull! You would kill every single person on earth who doesn't convert to your absurd religion.

'We came to establish the laws of God', yet you have no idea what those laws are. You are interpreting Mohammed's writing as God's law, yet his own wife Aisha saw through his veneer. His pronouncements from God very often were convenient for himself - given special permission to have more wives than anyone else, given a word from God telling his son to divorce his young bride so that Mohammed could marry her.

The command to marry his son's wife is most certainly not from God who sees marriage as two becoming one flesh, for life. Even if separated, the two are still one flesh, and so if another marries a woman who had already been married, he is causing her to commit adultery. I'm positive that God did not command the poor bride to be forced into adultery. If you think so, you have no idea Who God is.

The Laws of God
God handed down His laws to Moses and the Hebrews lived under the Mosaic Law for about 1500 hundred years, and guess what - it didn't work! It was never meant to. God knew that fallen man could never live a sinless life according to rules and regulations. The purpose of the law was to prove that men were evil, were predisposed to sin, were incapable of keeping the laws of God. That's why God instituted the sacrificing of animals to cover the sins of men, because even the best of them sinned.

Then 2000 years ago, God sent His Son, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed many great miracles, and, in the end was crucified by the 'religious' people of the day. He allowed Himself to be crucified because He then became the perfect and final sacrifice for all of mankind's sin. To ignore Him is to be stuck in your sins with no possible way out.

Jesus took the Laws of Moses and made them far more difficult. He said stuff like: You have heard it said that a man should not commit adultery, but I say to you, if a man looks upon a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

So how did making the law more difficult to keep help things? Because after Jesus resurrected from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father, He sent His Holy Spirit to enter all those who call Jesus 'Lord'. It is by His Spirit that we can approach a state of sinlessness. 

Jesus changed the world from a state of legalism, to a state of grace. It is by His grace that we can be saved from Hell, and it is by faith in Him that we can live a life that is useful to God. It is by His Spirit that we can love one another, even our enemies as Jesus commanded us.

Jesus gave us new laws to live by: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the shut-ins, look after widows, don't harm the children. I admit, unfortunately, that there are many Christians in the west who ignore those particular scriptures, and it will cost them dearly. 

Literally everything your two spokespersons said above is the precise opposite of the truth. Jesus said: I am the way, the truth, and the life, no-one can come to the Father but by Me.

Cracks are Forming as Catholic Church Scraps Welcome to Gays in Family Document

Pope Francis making his way to open the synod

Divorced, civilly remarried Catholics still can't receive communion

Catholic bishops have scrapped their landmark welcome to gays, showing deep divisions at the end of a two-week meeting sought by Pope Francis to chart a more merciful approach to ministering to Catholic families.

The bishops failed to approve even a watered-down section on ministering to gays that stripped away the welcoming tone contained in a draft document earlier in the week.

Two other paragraphs concerning the other hot-button issue at the synod — whether divorced and civilly remarried Catholics can receive communion — also failed to pass.

Francis insisted in the name of transparency that the full document be published with the voting tally. The document is to serve as the basis for future debate leading up to another meeting of bishops next October. 

In other words, we failed this time but wait til next year. Francis is determined to get gays included in the church and it's surprising that the effort failed so completely, even after a very provocative 'shot across the bow' of those who opposed him. 

Yesterday, American Cardinal Raymond Burke was told that he was being demoted from his prestigious and powerful position to one of considerably less importance:

Burke told Buzzfeed he was being transferred from his position as prefect of the supreme tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura to be patron of the sovereign military order of Malta, though he said he had not received a formal order. He assumed his role as chief guardian of canon law in June 2008, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI.

Benedict also appointed Burke to the Congregation for Bishops in 2009. Four years later, Francis removed Burke and 13 other bishops  from the 18-man group.

Expect to see a lot more movement of cardinals and bishops before next October as Francis fixes the outcome of next year's synod. I am deeply disappointed in Francis. My impression of him has always been that he is a true man of God and a man who listens to God. That impression has done a complete 180 this week.

I don't believe that anyone who truly listens to the Holy Spirit can propose any kind of communion with practicing gays. Communion is a fellowship, a 'oneness' with others of like mind and spirit. In the real 'body of Christ' it is oneness with Jesus Christ and with each other. 

Practicing gays, adulterers, and others may 'take' communion, but they cannot be 'in' communion with those whom Christ calls His own. To call them into communion is neither fair to them nor to the rest of the church, and certainly is an affront to God.

Gay marriages registered in Rome

Meanwhile, Rome's mayor registered 16 gay marriages celebrated abroad. The Italian bishops' conference said it was "unacceptable" that Marino registered the weddings the same day Catholic bishops were wrapping up a two-week summit on Catholic family values.

Pope Francis opening the synod

Gay marriage is illegal in Italy. Interior Minister Angelino Alfano recently sent a notice to local prefects saying any registrations of foreign gay marriages would be voided, and Rome's prefect vowed to do so immediately.

Nevertheless, Mayor Ignazio Marino received thunderous applause upon arrival at the city hall reception room where the couples and their loved ones gathered to make the marriages official in Rome's city ledger. Marino transcribed the date and locations of their weddings, including in Spain, Portugal and the U.S.

Jonathon Dominic Spada, 26, from Santa Barbara, California, and Fabrizio Maffeo, 35, a Roman computer specialist, were there to register their 2013 marriage in Boston.

"It's important — a limited recognition, but it's something," Maffeo said. "I'm proud of our mayor."

Premier Matteo Renzi has said he would propose legislation allowing gay unions, though it's not expected to include adoption.

WHO Failure has Made Ebola Crisis Much Worse than It Should Have Been

Poor communication and incompetent staff meant the World Health Organization failed to react swiftly Ebola outbreak in Africa, reports say.

An internal document said those involved "failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall", according to the Associated Press.

Separately, sources close to the WHO told Bloomberg of multiple failures in the outbreak's early stages.

In the worst affected countries - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone - the Ebola virus has now killed 4,546 people with cases of infection numbering 9,191, according to the latest WHO figures.

The reports have brought into focus the way the WHO dealt with the outbreak in the months after it received the first reports of Ebola cases in Guinea in March.

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned in April that the outbreak was out of control - something disputed by the WHO at the time.

"Nearly everyone involved in the outbreak response failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall," the document obtained by AP says.

The draft report - a timeline of the outbreak - also reportedly says that experts should have realised that traditional methods of containing infectious disease would not work in a region with porous borders and poor heath systems.

Among the problems cited in the information obtained by AP and Bloomberg are:

A failure of WHO experts in the field to send reports to WHO headquarters in Geneva

Bureaucratic hurdles preventing $500,000 reaching the response effort in Guinea

Doctors unable to gain access because visas had not been obtained

Responding to the allegations, the WHO's head of global response and alert, Isabelle Nuttall, told the BBC: "Time will come for investigation. Right now we have to focus on the response."

Head of global response and alert at the WHO, Isabelle Nuttall

On the alleged failure of the WHO to react quickly enough, she said the disease had, up till then, not been common in West Africa, only in Central Africa.

"When we scaled up, the beginning of the outbreak was very comparable to what we had seen elsewhere in Africa," she said. "And then, by June, it became something different.

"We indicated that this outbreak was different. I'm afraid we probably didn't say it loud enough for the world to understand what we were saying and for all the international community to be mobilised."

Earlier, WHO Director General Margaret Chan told Bloomberg that she was "not fully informed of the evolution of the outbreak" and the response might not have matched the "scale" and "complexity" of the spread.

A medical worker dons protective gear before entering
an Ebola treatment centre in Freetown, Sierra Leone 

Analysis: Imogen Foulkes, BBC News, Geneva

The combination of a leaked internal document and frank comments from the WHO's director general signal growing concerns about the effectiveness of the agency's efforts against Ebola.

Back in April, MSF described the outbreak in West Africa as unprecedented, warning that it risked spiralling out of control.

The WHO responded that it had seen only sporadic cases in a limited geographic area. It was not until August that the organisation suggested international reaction to Ebola may have been too slow.

Perhaps WHO officials feared accusations of overreacting: in 2009 the organisation swiftly declared a global pandemic of swine flu, advising countries to spend billions on treatments and vaccines against a virus which caused far fewer deaths than regular seasonal flu.

There are allegations too that the WHO's regional office in Africa may be part of the problem, that its staff failed to properly monitor West Africa's Ebola outbreak. We now know it began in December, but the first cases were not notified until March.

Earlier, MSF said international pledges of deployments and aid for Africa's Ebola-hit regions had not yet had any impact on the epidemic.

MSF's Christopher Stokes said the disease was still out of control.

He said it was "ridiculous" that volunteers working for his charity were bearing the brunt of care in the worst-affected countries.

Mr Stokes, who leads MSF's Ebola response, said international efforts would not have any effect for another month and a half.

MSF runs about 700 out of the 1,000 beds available in treatment facilities Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The BBC's Mark Doyle, at the UN Ebola logistics base in Ghana, says it is generally agreed that at least three times that number are needed.

Responding to MSF's criticisms, David Nabarro, the UN system co-ordinator for Ebola, told the BBC that he had seen a big increase in the international response over the past two months.

"I am absolutely certain that when we look at the history, that this effort that has been put in place will have been shown to have had an impact, though I will accept that we probably won't see a reduction in the outbreak curve until the end of the year."

Family suffering from Ebola waiting for treatment

In other developments:

The WHO has announced that Senegal is now officially free of Ebola, as it has gone 42 days without any sign of the virus.

President Obama named Ron Klain - former chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden - as Ebola "tsar" in charge of combating the virus in the US

Five East African countries - Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi - are to send 600 personnel to help in the worst affected nations

How not to catch Ebola:

Avoid direct contact with sick patients as the virus is spread through contaminated body fluids
Wear goggles to protect eyes

Clothing and clinical waste should be incinerated and any medical equipment that needs to be kept should be decontaminated

People who recover from Ebola should abstain from sex or use condoms for three months