'Children Without Heads, Body Parts Everywhere' — Syrian Civilians Describe 'Unthinkable Atrocities' in Ongoing War

Human rights group Amnesty International has released a new report describing the "unthinkable atrocities" taking place in the ongoing civil war in Syria. Some civilians shared of hellish scenes such as "children without heads" in the city of Aleppo.

Several witnesses to the various attacks on civilians in the past months and years shared their testimonies with Amnesty International in the detailed 74-page report, revealing horrific occurrences.

"After the bombing, I saw children without heads, body parts everywhere. It was how I imagine hell to be," said a 30-year-old factory worker, talking about the aftermath of an attack on the al-Fardous neighborhood in 2014.

A number of different factions are battling each other for control in the war-torn Syria, from forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, to terror group ISIS, and a host of other rebel groups intent on taking the government out of power.

In March, humanitarian agency Oxfam International noted that over 220,000 peoplehave been killed in the civil war so far, which has raged on for over five years.

"This spiralling catastrophe is a stain on the conscience of the international community," Oxfam wrote in its report.

Amnesty's research alleges that both government forces and the various rebel groups are committing war crimes on a daily basis, with civilians caught in the middle.

BBC News reported that the latest attack occurred on Sunday, when a barrel bomb hit a nursery school in the Saif al-Dawla district and killed at least 10 people, including four children and a teacher.

Assad has repeatedly denied that his forces have used barrel bombs or chemical weapons on its own people, but has been accused of doing so by the U.S. government and other western leaders.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has backed efforts looking to broker peace in the region, and revealed earlier this year that he's willing to hold talks with Assad on the issue.

"We have to negotiate in the end," Kerry said. "What we're pushing for is to get him to come and do that, and it may require that there be increased pressure on him of various kinds."

Amnesty alleges that between January 2014 and March of this year, government aircraft launched continual attacks using barrel bombs on rebel bases in Aleppo. The bombs reportedly targeted at least 14 public markets, 12 transportation hubs, 23 mosques, 17 hospitals and medical centers, and three schools.

The human right's group said in its executive summary that the violations committed both by government and rebel forces in Aleppo go against U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at stopping the violence, and constitute war crimes.

"In some cases, the actions of the Syrian government amounted to crimes against humanity," the group said.

"Civilians in opposition-controlled areas of Aleppo have been bombarded in their homes, hospitals, schools, public markets and places of worship in air attacks launched by government forces. The majority of attacks in this campaign have involved the use of 'barrel bombs' — large, improvised explosive devices, which are delivered from helicopters and consist of oil barrels, fuel tanks or gas cylinders that have been packed with explosives, fuel and metal fragments to increase their lethal effect," it added.

"Amnesty International has also concluded, based on cases examined in this report and prior work, that many non-state armed groups have engaged in abductions and hostage-taking, as well as the arbitrary detention, torture, and other mistreatment of prisoners in Aleppo. Such acts would constitute war crimes."

'Gifted Hands' Neurosurgeon Ben Carson Says He's Running for President, 'Even Though I am Not a Politician'

Ben Carson Announces Candidacy for President

It looks like God is having his way with Ben Carson. Calling himself a "reluctant warrior" Sunday, the retired neurosurgeon and conservative star revealed that he's running for president, a decision he said he wouldn't make unless God told him to do it.

"I'm willing to be part of the equation and therefore, I'm announcing my candidacy for President of the United States of America," Carson, one of the world's most celebrated neurosurgeons told Jeff Barnd of WKRC Cincinnati Sunday. He is expected to make a formal announcement in Detroit, Michigan on Monday.

Carson joins three other candidates in the Republican field who have already declared they are seeking the party's nomination for president in 2016: first term Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

In a video highlighting Carson's campaign slogan "Heal Inspire Revive," the neurosurgeon is also presented as an inspiring figure who will shun divisive politics and lean on conservative values that made America great.

"If America is to survive the challenges of the modern world, we need to heal, we need to be inspired and we need to revive the exceptional spirit that built America," said the narrator in the video.

"We have the fortitude to heal, the imagination to inspire and the determination to revive our American dream - one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. We can see this through together with a leader who derives his strength from God and his duty from the American people," he added.

Though a relative political newcomer, Carson, 63 whose rags-to-riches story is chronicled in Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, became a favorite among conservatives after criticizing the policies of the Obama administration in the presence of President Barack Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2013. He had suggested however that he would not enter the political fray unless God told him to do it and it appears he got his answer.

"Many people have suggested to me that I should run for president, even though I'm not a politician," said Carson.

"I began to ask myself why are people clamoring for me to do this? I represented a lot of the same thoughts that they have," Dr. Carson says. "I'm not 100% sure 'politics as usual' is going to save us. I think we are in a severe problem…a problematic situation."

Carson's work in the medical field has earned him several honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008, the highest civilian honor in America. He holds more than 60 honorary doctorate degrees, is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Science, the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans, and many other organizations according to bencarson.com.

Speaking at Al Sharpton's National Action Network's convention in New York City last month, Carson declared that he still believes in America as it is a place where dreams still come true.

"You know America remains a place of dreams. You have a lot of people with dreams who are trying to get into this country. Not too many people trying to get out of here, so that means it's still a pretty good place," he said.

"As a youngster I dreamed to become a physician. And that was perhaps a lofty dream considering where I was coming from. But still one that I was able to accomplish. And one that I think young people today can still accomplish if they believe that they can do it and not that they are different," he added.

Floyd Mayweather Reacts When Asked If He'd Do Bible Study With Pacquiao

Floyd Mayweather, who defeated Manny Pacquiao Saturday night in their welterweight title bout, reacted when asked during his post-fight press conference if he had been invited by the Filipino professional boxer to Bible study and whether he'd be willing to take it up.

Floyd Mayweather, who defeated Manny Pacquiao Saturday night in their welterweight title bout, reacted when asked during his post-fight press conference if he had been invited by the Filipino professional boxer to Bible study and whether he'd be willing to take it up.

Pacquiao had said "thank you" to Mayweather at the end of the staredown.

Pacquiao also thanked God before the flight. "Everything I have accomplished, God has given me this strength," Pacquiao told reporters at a pre-fight press conference, according to The Telegraph. "I used to sleep in the street, hungry, and I cannot imagine that the Lord raised me to this level of life."

Pacquiao fought while his right shoulder had been injured during training, and his request to take an anti-inflammatory shot in his dressing room before the fight had been denied.

Pacquiao felt he had won the fight, as some of his left hands seemed to shake Mayweather. "I thought I won the fight. He didn't do nothing except move outside," Pacquiao was quoted as saying. "I got him many times."

Pacquiao recently recounted in a media interview how his life changed after he heard the voice of God and saw two angels, and has said he wants the world to know "there is only one way of salvation, only through Jesus Christ."

Pacquiao, the 14th highest paid athlete in the world as of 2013 according to Forbes, had earlier said he doesn't take credit for his devotion to God. "I'm really thankful that God has given me this kind of a heart."

Tragic Times

The present state of the Church today is a result of the failure of the body of Christ to address the need of the Church. Nobody is standing up to fill the gap left left by the Fathers and so the people suffer, and the nations as well, because the position of elder is now occupied by spiritual adult-Babies.

Nobody wants to pay the price to obtain what the Fathers had, nobody wants to make the sacrifices, everyone is now comfortable with just the assurance of salvation - if any.
The dispensation of men like Pa Babalola, Arch-bishop Benson Idahosa and the likes of them, the dispensation of men who found and carried GOD in places of deep consecration, is now gone and nearly forgotten and what we now see is a generation of Christians who love to eat and drink, while the house of the Father lies in ruins, and as a result of the lack of the manifestation of the Genuine, there is an abundant overflow of the counterfeit.

Why point fingers at that "fake" man of God? Why point out the erroneous teaching of a charlatan? Why accuse? Why analyse? The Problem is ME! The problem is You!! If you had manifested in the fullest capacity of your calling and destiny, there would not be any room for those ones - because light shines in darkness, and darkness comprehendeth it not. The darkness befalling the body of Christ today is as a result of the obvious absence of light.
I'm deeply concerned and sincerely afraid of what the body of Christ will become when it is passed down to this coming generation of Christians - who don't even know the first thing about the Fear of God! The fathers today are leagues ahead and there is none close behind. Where have all the praying women gone? The ones that through faith, received their Children back to life? Where is the day of His power?! Where is even the hunger for His presence?
"Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?" - Haggai 2:3

The reason we're still very excited about the moves of power in the church buildings and little little miracles and mercy drops here and there, is because we be young and very naive! It's because we did not see the days of the showers!!! Any true elder in the church, any true elder you meet, you will notice that he/she is not moved by all the acrobatics going on today, but is sad for the gross deficiency of His presence and power today.
The altar of the Most High God! Jehovah Himself!! is now a performance stage for secular music and dance routines in some places...and sane Christians will say: "You talk too much! What is wrong with this song now?!". . .this is where we are now. Playing with our calling and grace while those who know the gods they worship are re-enforcing everyday. But it is all well.

When Daniel prayed: he didn't point at that fake prophet, or that loose Pastor, or that Divorced Apostle, he came in repentance for the sins of his fathers' and his as well, acknowledging that they had all sinned, knowing that if the Father forgives and visits His people again, he will purge them as with a refiner's fire, taking away all that don't fit in. Only then can the sacrifices of Jacob be acceptable, and the worship of Israel pleasing unto Him.

This is not a call to mindless prayer and ceaseless thought provoking conversations, rather this is a call to repentance and a return to the path of the Fathers. . .to the Old Paths. So that there will be a Christianity to hand over to the coming generation.

I pray that GOD gives every reader of this article understanding of the words therein and give them Grace to stand through His Holy Son Jesus, Amen.

Stop the Amnesty - Emami Ayiri

Warri billionaire and Former Niger Delta militant leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, has called on President-elect Muhammadu Buhari to scrap the ongoing amnesty programme initiated by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua for ex-militants of the Niger Delta.

Emami, now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State and a former Itsekiri warlord, said on Thursday that Buhari should also probe the operations of the Amnesty Programme.

Warri billionaire and Former Niger Delta militant leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, has called on President-elect Muhammadu Buhari to scrap the ongoing amnesty programme initiated by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua for ex-militants of the Niger Delta.

Emami, now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State and a former Itsekiri warlord, said on Thursday that Buhari should also probe the operations of the Amnesty Programme.

“If the layman’s understanding of the word amnesty is anything to go by, then it presupposes an arrangement where militants who genuinely turn in all their arms and ammunition are rehabilitated, re-oriented and trained with a view to reintegrating them to everyday societal living."In the ordinary sense of it, any person or group that picks up arms in the name of struggle or agitation ought to have been treated as terrorists, hence nobody or group should take the gesture of the federal government for granted.

“Amnesty should not be continuous; partially giving out money to youths from a particular ethnic nationality is wrong, sending some of them abroad for training without any visible impact on the Niger Delta and the nation at large is counter-productive,” he said.

His declaration was obviously in reaction to a recent call by the Ijaw Youth Council, demanding the continuation of the Amnesty Programme for Niger Delta youths.