Crosstalk: January 16, 2017

Jim Schneider had plenty of interesting news items to bring to the attention of Crosstalk listeners. Stories included:

--72 nations minus Israel are set to attend a Middle East peace conference in Paris on Sunday to set the parameters for a future Palestinian state.

--The Times of Israel is reporting that the upcoming Paris peace conference is a rigged effort intended to hurt Israel and its hopes of reaching peace, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

--A new embassy for the Palestinian Authority will be inaugurated in Vatican City.

--The Jordan Times says that the international community has shown some political backbone by supporting the anti-settlement, U.N. Security Council resolution December 23rd, but that will not produce peace if it is not followed by effective action.

--According to The Palestinian Authority's Supreme Sharia Judge, if President-elect Trump makes good on his promise to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, it would be considered a declaration of war on all Muslims.

--The sister of a Palestinian terrorist who rammed his truck into a group of soldiers in Jerusalem last Sunday, killing 4 and wounding 16, said the family was 'thankful for his most beautiful martyrdom'.

--Jewish community centers in at least 5 states and several Jewish schools in the U.K. all receive bomb threats.

--Iran's threats against the U.S. are getting bolder. President-elect Trump is warned that if he makes any wrong move, it would lead to a world war wiping Israel from the face of the earth and destroying the similar Gulf states.

--U.S. Navy ship fires warning shots at Iranian fast-attack vessels.

--Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, shortly after announcing a surge in spending when President Obama secretly transferred 1.7 billion in cash to the rogue regime, now has revealed the development of a suicide drone.

--President Obama has enabled Iran to speed closer to successful attainment of nuclear weapons.

--U.S. troops roll into Poland. Russia sees it as a threat.

--The Navy proposes the largest shipbuilding boom since the end of the cold war to meet threats from a resurgent Russia and a sabre-rattling China.

--Czech Republic calls for citizens to arm themselves in preparation for a potential super holocaust perpetuated by jihadists flooding into Europe.

--Hungary sticking to its promise of protecting the nation against a flood of refugees swearing in its first wave of so-called border hunters.

--China tightening its border with Pakistan as fears are growing concerning jihad.

--President Obama helping Cuban government block immigration to the U.S.

--The Obama administration is using the intelligence reports of Russian hacking influencing the 2016 campaign as a premise for asserting more power over the states in running elections.

--President Obama is using his executive authority to order up 5 new national monuments.

--Vice President Joe Biden is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama at a surprise event.

--The Republican led Senate has approved a waiver to allow retired U.S. Marine Corps General James Mattis to serve as Secretary of Defense under President-elect Donald Trump.

--President-elect Trump has picked David Shulkin as his Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary.

--Witnesses before the confirmation hearing for Senator Jeff Sessions said that the senator is a man who has helped people regardless of race.

--Ben Carson advancing in the confirmation hearings.

--Donald Trump refuses to give the CNN senior White House correspondent a chance to ask a question at a press conference and tells the reporter, 'You are fake news'.

--Dylan Roof found guilty and sentenced to death for killing 9 Black church members in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.

--Stem Express is now dropping its lawsuit against the Center for Medical Progress.

--Kentucky governor signs two pro-life, abortion related bills, to protect women and unborn babies.

--Oklahoma Senator James Lankford and Ohio Congressman Brad Wenstrup have introduced companion resolutions to overturn the District of Columbia's bill legalizing physician assisted suicide.

--The Obama administration allegedly destroying public records to protect its image.

--Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona gives examples of ridiculous government spending in latest 'Wastebook'.

--Various religious leaders representing 20 groups came together to bless the opening of a new Washington, D.C., Planned Parenthood abortion clinic.