Happy Monday, dear friends. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We had fun spending time with our girls and their friends, who all feel like family to us. While we were in the garden this weekend, we noticed that one of our rose bushes had still had two beautiful pink blossoms, and I had to smile at the message from the Divine Mother. She remains with us, even as winter approaches here on Paumanok.
The day beckons, and we set intentions for a great new week. Let’s get our news on, so we can move forward into a bright new day.
Today we focus on some changes in the Middle East, and then we bounce around from there.
Yemen swears in new government as unrest continues.
Yemen President, Abdurabu Mansur Hadi, swore in a new government this week after months of unrest in the impoverished nation. Shiite Houthi fighters rejected his new government, and the country will have to struggle with their reaction to the new regime. Rebels have taken control of Yemen’s second-largest port on the Red Sea, and also seized a border crossing into Saudi Arabia. The new government will have to deal with poverty, security and creating a space for open communication between the many diverse factions within the country.
The UN Security Council may have placed a stumbling-block in the reconciliation process by sanctioning specific individuals accused of holding back the transition process in Yemen. These Saleh and Houthi military commanders will have their assets frozen and are subject to travel bans, though they continue to carry out military actions in the capitol city.
Yemen President Hadi Swears in New Government as Unrest Persists by Mohammed Hatem on Bloomberg News
Certain Saudi Arabian women may be able to drive, but they can’t wear makeup when they do.
The Shura Council, appointed by the Saudi Arabian monarchy, suggested a lifting of the blanket-ban on women drivers in the nation. King Abdullah recently introduced women members to the council and now thirty women participate.
The revised rules would see women over the age of 30, with male guardian permission, able to drive until 8:00pm, but they will not be permitted to wear make up and must adhere to the strict dress code. Women in rural areas would not be allowed to drive without a male guardian chaperone.
Saudi women have bravely protested the ban, over the past few years, by simply getting into their family cars and driving. The ban was initially instated because devout clerics felt that women drivers opened up the opportunity for “licentiousness.”
Moving on…
A Whistle-blower in the Chase bank mortgage scandal finally sings to the nation.
Alayne Fleischmann is a securities lawyer who worked for JP Morgan Chase in 2006. She was witness to massive fraud in their mortgage lending operations and was deposed by the US Justice Department to build evidence for a case against the bank.
An interesting thing happened on the way to prosecution though. Chase paid the US government 9 Billion in fines, in exchange for release from civil liability in the matter. US Attorney General Eric Holder consistently pressed for large fines against illegal banking activities, in lieu of prosecution.
Fleischmann says she had to speak on the matter, or the US population would fail to see the largest financial cover-up in banking history.
Arizona votes yes to opt out of US government programs it deems unconstitutional.
During the US mid-term elections, held last week, the state of Arizona voted on Proposition 122. The proposition carried by 51%, but the vote was close.
Proposition 122 is a measure to give Arizona the right to opt out of any federally mandated law or program, that the tax payers or legislature believe is unconstitutional. The proposition also gives the state the authority to withhold money and staffing from those specified programs.
Proposition 122 is a move to bring power back to the state and away from overly-centralized government. Opponents feel the courts should decide cases of constitutionality, as has been the case in the past. Those in favor believe too much time and money was spent, fulfilling federal mandates that were put in place with little regard to the actual needs of Arizona.
I would also note that Ballotpedia is a wonderful site to investigate any issues being voted on in the US, as it removes the media-spin and simply gives the facts.
Arizona Rejection of Unconstitutional Federal Actions Amendment, Proposition 122 on Ballotpedia
And finally…
Strange craft discovered hanging out by Saturn.
This link was submitted by a dear reader. The Russian government has never denied the existence of UFOs, and their satellites have caught a massive one, on camera, orbiting around the planet Saturn.
Two satellites in the area produced similar images, from different vantage points, and the cylindrical object appears to be bigger than planet earth.
UFO orbiting Saturn on Youtube
If you are interested in following the latest news about UFOs and extraterrestrial life, then Open Minds TV is for you. The site lists top UFO news, and has a wealth of information on the history of UFO study.
Open Minds UFO and Extraterrestrial Information
That’s the good news for today. Have a miraculous day. I hope to see you back here tomorrow for more news.
Be Well. Be Joy. Be Love!
Alex