The year 2008 ends with Israel and the Palestinians engaged in their bloodiest warfare in more than 20 years. When Hamas militants fired as many as 80 rockets and mortar shells across the border in a single strike, the Israelis had finally had enough. On Saturday, Israeli warplanes and combat helicopters pounded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, killing at least 300 people.
The fighting in the Gaza strip is a minor taste of what we could be seeing in the coming new year of 2009. Because Gaza is an isolated refugee camp without the capabilities of producing major weapons, the conflict should remain limited to that strip of land. However, there is the danger that news reports of the carnage could trigger fighting elsewhere.
Israel faces far greater danger from three other fronts. In addition to the operations in Gaza, Israeli war planners have to deal with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, Syria bordering the Golan, and regional neighbor Iran.
Hezbollah is said to have tens of thousands of rockets that can go deep into Israel. So far, they have not engaged Israel since the 2006 war. Since Hezbollah has three times the weaponry it had in the last conflict, one should roughly expect a three-fold increase in the carnage for any future war.
Last week, a new flare-up was narrowly avoided. Lebanese army troops happened to discover seven Katyusha rockets set up with timers that were on the verge of firing into Israel. The rockets were dismantled in the nick of time.
Syria has made several threats to Israel that it might use force to win back territory it lost in the 1967 Six-Day War. Although there has been no border tension, Syria has been raising concerns by rapidly building up its military.
Despite all the danger on Israelʼs immediate border, Iran is the Jewish state's top concern. Tehran is rapidly working on a nuclear program. Given that the Iranian leadership has recklessly threatened to destroy Israel, there is painfully little time to stop Iran from firing an atomic bomb.
The level of urgency went up this week at the news of Russia's sale of S-300 long-range missiles to Iran. This weapons would be very useful in defending against an airstrike on its nuclear facilities. Pentagon consultant Dan Goure says the delivery of the system "scares every Western air force." According to Goure, the report of S-300 delivery could prompt a premature Israeli air attack.
There have been some contradictory reports about whether Russia has been supplying S-300s to Iran. Moscow denies delivering S-300 missiles; however, the Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed military source as saying the Russian defense ministry was preparing to hand the S-300s over for delivery to Iran.
Barack Obama is famously on record for wanting to have negotiations with Iranʼs leadership as a way to defuse the threat. Obama's desire for talks has many prophecy watchers wondering if Israel will act before Obama takes office. As the old saying goes, itʼs always easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.
Something will soon have to be done to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear capability. Terry and I agree that it is highly doubtful that a nuclear armed Iran would take part in the Gog-Magog attack. Israel is such a tiny nation, one well placed nuclear strike and the Jewish state would be finished. With Iran quickly approaching the point of no return, a military or diplomatic solution will need to occur very soon.
"Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, [that] at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places [that are now] inhabited, and upon the people [that are] gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba , and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?" (Ezek. 38:9-13).
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Thursday, December 25, 2008
The War of Gog and Magog
As the greatest supernatural intervention of human history -- a defense right out of heaven above -- Israel's God is going to reveal Himself. When this Divine display is finished, the Muslim religion will be stripped of all its glory. It will no doubt cause great anger among the hard core Muslims that escape death but a turning to Jesus Christ of those honest individuals that see the glory of our Eternal God. The Muslim religion is a farce when it is seen for what it really represents. Already millions of former Muslims have turned to Christ and the harvest has barely begun. One Saudi sheikh says in disgust that six million Muslims are converting to Christ yearly.
This coming war will serve as the eternal design of Bible prophecy. Men may well look at such a catastrophic devastation as cruel and beyond the acts of a Holy God, but this expression of wrath has been building for many centuries. It will include judgments against many vile and Godless acts of terror, great hatred manifest against the Jewish people, and hatred toward God Himself. Germany will receive her final judgment for the Holocaust and Russia will be judged for her atheistic hatred against her own people, as well as against Israelis and Christians. The Muslim religion will answer for centuries of vileness and defiance against the true and living God. The catastrophic level of God's wrath will be in the exact proportion to the wicked history of the nations involved.
This war could not occur until the nation of Israel was back in a portion of the Promise Land. There is not enough military might in the entire armies of the world to change God's promises. Israel is already a rich nation and is becoming richer every day. Their military is without parallel. They have discovered massive reserves of oil and eventually that discovery will be greater than all the Arab nations combined. How do we know that their oil deposits will be the world's greatest? The Promise Land and her treasures were ordained to flow as "milk and honey."
There are several promises for the discovery of oil by the Jewish people. God said, "For the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath…for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand…and let him dip his foot in oil" (Deuteronomy 33:13, 19, and 24). Someone can argue whether "the deep that coucheth beneath, treasures hid in the sand" or "dip his foot in oil" means oil deposits; but if we take these words literally, they are indeed powerful.
It is important that we know the Biblical reason for the War of Gog and Magog. It is Israel's riches and abundance that Russia covets. We know why the Muslims want to eliminate Israel, but Russia and much of her coalition forces want the treasures and wealth. If you study the unbelievable agricultural success, the technological brilliance, the military capabilities, and then add the possibility of billions of barrels of black gold, you will understand that Russia can see nothing but worldwide wealth and dominance.
One of their top politicians and advocates of this war to the south has left no room for guessing. Here are the words of Vladimir Volfovich Zhirinovsky, a strategic ally of Putin:
"The operation should be carried out using the code-name "Final Thrust to the South." Our army will carry out this task. It will be a means for the nation as a whole to survive and a way to restore the Russian army."
"Russia reaching the shores of the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea is a task that will be the salvation of the Russian nation. . . . Russia will grow rich."
"The Arabs and Europeans . . . have a vested interest in seeing to it Russia establishes her new borders . . . . Only in this way can they escape the Israeli trap."
"Can't Russia, mustn't Russia, make just one move, one little move southward? . . . The Germans want this . . . . The world will understand that if Russia needs it that means it's good. The Russian army needs this. It will let our boys flex their muscles instead of sitting around the barracks, worn out by hazing, in the depths of Russia, not knowing who and where the enemy is and what moral and physical preparations they should make."
"Only America would not be pleased, but she won't interfere. The alternative to this development of this situation is too grave for her if she interferes." (Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenburg, page 140-141.)
The mighty God of our Bible has allowed enough of His extension of grace. It's time for judgment and it's time to make all His glory visible to the human family. Listen to God's promise of intervention. "And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face" (Ezekiel 38:16-18).
I pray that America will be there to help in this hour, but we will not be needed. I actually believe, contrary to many, that we will be faithful to Israel to the end. That will be the reason God honors America as a sheep nation in Matthew chapter twenty-five. Regardless, this will end the worldwide threat from Muslim terrorists and will sweep the Temple Mount in Jerusalem of every semblance of the false sun-god, named Allah.
Unnamed pestilences and blood will rain on the army of millions. The rain will be overflowing and mixed with hailstones, fire, and brimstones. It will be massive and will actually fall from Heaven in such a manner that no one will doubt that it is God Himself that fights for Israel. The Bible is careful to state that the slaughter of this mob of wicked people extends back to their staging countries and capital cities. "And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel" (Ezekiel 39:6-7).
Magog represents the Russian capital of Moscow and this Scripture includes the other nations which join this coalition. The judgment will leave no doubt about God's rejection of the Muslim Koran and religion. The world is trying to convince us that the Muslim god is identical to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. This lie will die with Gog and Magog in the mountains of Israel and in the nations that join this end time war.
The glory of God will be manifest and the world will know. Out of this massive judgment will be a mighty visitation of Holy Ghost awakening. Joel settled the utter destruction of the Northern horde and promised the Latter Rain of God's Spirit. He said by the Holy Spirit, "But I will remove far off from you the northern army… Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things" (Joel 2:20a, 21). He added the Latter Rain promise two verses later, "He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month" (Joel 2:23b). The first month is the Feast of Trumpets, the next unfulfilled feast of Israel. It is also a Jewish type for the coming Rapture of Christ's Bride.
We are living in the golden age of the prophetic finishing of all things. Keep your eyes on the Holy Scripture and your heart in total surrender to the Lordship of our Savior and Captain, Jesus Christ.
This coming war will serve as the eternal design of Bible prophecy. Men may well look at such a catastrophic devastation as cruel and beyond the acts of a Holy God, but this expression of wrath has been building for many centuries. It will include judgments against many vile and Godless acts of terror, great hatred manifest against the Jewish people, and hatred toward God Himself. Germany will receive her final judgment for the Holocaust and Russia will be judged for her atheistic hatred against her own people, as well as against Israelis and Christians. The Muslim religion will answer for centuries of vileness and defiance against the true and living God. The catastrophic level of God's wrath will be in the exact proportion to the wicked history of the nations involved.
This war could not occur until the nation of Israel was back in a portion of the Promise Land. There is not enough military might in the entire armies of the world to change God's promises. Israel is already a rich nation and is becoming richer every day. Their military is without parallel. They have discovered massive reserves of oil and eventually that discovery will be greater than all the Arab nations combined. How do we know that their oil deposits will be the world's greatest? The Promise Land and her treasures were ordained to flow as "milk and honey."
There are several promises for the discovery of oil by the Jewish people. God said, "For the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath…for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand…and let him dip his foot in oil" (Deuteronomy 33:13, 19, and 24). Someone can argue whether "the deep that coucheth beneath, treasures hid in the sand" or "dip his foot in oil" means oil deposits; but if we take these words literally, they are indeed powerful.
It is important that we know the Biblical reason for the War of Gog and Magog. It is Israel's riches and abundance that Russia covets. We know why the Muslims want to eliminate Israel, but Russia and much of her coalition forces want the treasures and wealth. If you study the unbelievable agricultural success, the technological brilliance, the military capabilities, and then add the possibility of billions of barrels of black gold, you will understand that Russia can see nothing but worldwide wealth and dominance.
One of their top politicians and advocates of this war to the south has left no room for guessing. Here are the words of Vladimir Volfovich Zhirinovsky, a strategic ally of Putin:
"The operation should be carried out using the code-name "Final Thrust to the South." Our army will carry out this task. It will be a means for the nation as a whole to survive and a way to restore the Russian army."
"Russia reaching the shores of the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea is a task that will be the salvation of the Russian nation. . . . Russia will grow rich."
"The Arabs and Europeans . . . have a vested interest in seeing to it Russia establishes her new borders . . . . Only in this way can they escape the Israeli trap."
"Can't Russia, mustn't Russia, make just one move, one little move southward? . . . The Germans want this . . . . The world will understand that if Russia needs it that means it's good. The Russian army needs this. It will let our boys flex their muscles instead of sitting around the barracks, worn out by hazing, in the depths of Russia, not knowing who and where the enemy is and what moral and physical preparations they should make."
"Only America would not be pleased, but she won't interfere. The alternative to this development of this situation is too grave for her if she interferes." (Epicenter, Joel C. Rosenburg, page 140-141.)
The mighty God of our Bible has allowed enough of His extension of grace. It's time for judgment and it's time to make all His glory visible to the human family. Listen to God's promise of intervention. "And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face" (Ezekiel 38:16-18).
I pray that America will be there to help in this hour, but we will not be needed. I actually believe, contrary to many, that we will be faithful to Israel to the end. That will be the reason God honors America as a sheep nation in Matthew chapter twenty-five. Regardless, this will end the worldwide threat from Muslim terrorists and will sweep the Temple Mount in Jerusalem of every semblance of the false sun-god, named Allah.
Unnamed pestilences and blood will rain on the army of millions. The rain will be overflowing and mixed with hailstones, fire, and brimstones. It will be massive and will actually fall from Heaven in such a manner that no one will doubt that it is God Himself that fights for Israel. The Bible is careful to state that the slaughter of this mob of wicked people extends back to their staging countries and capital cities. "And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel" (Ezekiel 39:6-7).
Magog represents the Russian capital of Moscow and this Scripture includes the other nations which join this coalition. The judgment will leave no doubt about God's rejection of the Muslim Koran and religion. The world is trying to convince us that the Muslim god is identical to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. This lie will die with Gog and Magog in the mountains of Israel and in the nations that join this end time war.
The glory of God will be manifest and the world will know. Out of this massive judgment will be a mighty visitation of Holy Ghost awakening. Joel settled the utter destruction of the Northern horde and promised the Latter Rain of God's Spirit. He said by the Holy Spirit, "But I will remove far off from you the northern army… Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things" (Joel 2:20a, 21). He added the Latter Rain promise two verses later, "He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month" (Joel 2:23b). The first month is the Feast of Trumpets, the next unfulfilled feast of Israel. It is also a Jewish type for the coming Rapture of Christ's Bride.
We are living in the golden age of the prophetic finishing of all things. Keep your eyes on the Holy Scripture and your heart in total surrender to the Lordship of our Savior and Captain, Jesus Christ.
Monday, December 15, 2008
The World in Review
1. Canada:
A police report revealed that hundreds of airline workers, with various connections to more than 60 active gangs, have used their security clearance in eight of the nation’s largest airports to smuggle drugs and people into the country.
Canada ranks last of 25 developed countries in child care, according to a study by the United Nation’s Children Fund. The report said Canada failed to meet nine out of 10 benchmark measures, which include providing subsidized care for children during their first years of life.
A Halifax teenager, accused of stabbing a man at a party in a fight between the two over how much time a frozen pizza should stay in the microwave, was sentenced to five years in prison.
2. United States:
“The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits surged more than forecast last week to a 26-year high, a sign companies are stepping up firings as the recession deepens…Initial jobless claims increased 58,000 to 573,000 in the week ended Dec. 6, the highest level since November 1982, from a revised 515,000 the previous week, the Labor Department...The number of workers staying on benefit rolls reached 4.429 million, also the most since 1982” (Bloomberg).
The House of Representatives approved a $14 billion government bailout plan to provide emergency loans to car giants, General Motors and Chrysler. The bill, which requires automakers to commit to drastic restructuring plans, has yet to be passed in the Senate.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that 43 states, which have already made spending cutbacks, are facing budget shortfalls and will be unable to cover their expenses next year.
Chicago-based Tribune Co. became the first major newspaper publisher to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which owns the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, and several major metropolitan newspapers around the country, including the Los Angeles Times and The Sun of Baltimore, is $13 billion in debt and has experienced a severe drop in advertising revenue, leading to its inability to meet its credit obligations. (See related news brief: “The Future of Newspaper, Magazine Industry Grows Dim”)
Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested on federal corruption charges after they were accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Illinois senate seat. The corruption charges came after federal investigators obtained secret recordings of the governor discussing the potential benefits that he and his wife could receive from the sale of the position.
“A daylong work stoppage during which employees were encouraged to ‘call in gay’ to express support for same-sex marriage drew spotty participation nationwide…Backers of ‘Day Without a Gay’ organized evening rallies in San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Logan, Utah, and other cities so supporters could gather to discuss the next steps. Rallies also were held earlier Wednesday in Chicago and on several college campuses in California” (FOX News).
3. United Kingdom:
The pound sterling’s value fell to a record low of 1.14 euros.
“Britain’s remaining troops in Iraq will begin withdrawing from the country in March on a timetable that will aim to leave only a small training force of 300 to 400 by June, according to Defense Ministry officials quoted by the BBC and several of Britain’s major newspapers” (The New York Times).
A television station aired a documentary titled “Right to Die?”, which showed an assisted suicide being performed.
4. Germany: Berlin-based anti-corruption organization Transparency International “interviewed 2,742 senior business executives to see which firms would pay bribes in foreign countries. Russia, China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Italy were the worst of the 22 major economies ranked in the survey” (BBC).
5. Greece: Riots raged after a 15-year-old boy was killed in a confrontation with the police. Dozens of people were injured and substantial property damage resulted from fires started by rioters.
6. Ghana: Polling stations are seeing a massive, but peaceful, turnout for the presidential and parliamentary elections. President John Kufuor is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms (BBC).
7. Zimbabwe: The collapse of the country’s infrastructure has led to a cholera outbreak that has spread to the neighboring countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia. (See news brief: “Zimbabwe’s Cholera Outbreak Spreads”)
8. Uganda: There have been reports of a mysterious disease having killed 15 people in the last two months in the Bundibugyo District (AllAfrica.com).
9. Kenya: At least 300 girls, some as young as nine, in southwestern Kenya are seeking refuge in churches to escape forced female genital mutilation. Though female circumcision is banned nationwide, it is a popular practice in certain areas, used to initiate a girl into womanhood (BBC).
10. Somalia: According to a 104-page Human Rights Watch report, all parties in Somalia’s escalating conflict—the Somali Transitional Federal Government, Ethiopian forces that intervened in Somalia to support it, and insurgent forces—“have committed widespread and serious violations of the laws of war. Frequent violations include indiscriminate attacks, killings, rape, use of civilians as human shields, and looting. Since early 2007, the escalating conflict has claimed thousands of civilian lives, displaced more than a million people, and driven out most of the population of Mogadishu, the capital. Increasing attacks on aid workers in the past year have severely limited relief operations and contributed to an emerging humanitarian crisis.”
11. Saudi Arabia: “More than two million Muslim pilgrims performed a second round of stoning walls symbolizing the devil on Tuesday, as haj pilgrimage rituals neared their end without major incident…The Jamarat Bridge in the valley of Mena outside the holy city of Mecca, where pilgrims stone the walls three times over three to four days, has been the scene of numerous stampedes, including one which killed 362 in 2006. The haj has also been marred in previous years by deadly fires, hotel collapses and police clashes with protesters” (Reuters).
12. South Korea: The worldwide economic downturn led South Korea’s central bank to record interest rate cuts, a full percentage point to 3%, more than expected.
13. Japan: The national economy, the second-largest in the world after the U.S., shrank by 0.5%, for an annualized rate of 1.8%, significantly greater than expected (BBC).
14. Papua New Guinea: Giant tidal waves battered the northern coastline’s 500-mile stretch, resulting in flooding, sweeping away homes and displacing thousands of people.
15. Australia:
“Australia’s unemployment rate has risen to 4.4%, the highest in 12 months, as the economy shed 15,600 jobs in November” (Reuters).
South Australia, the nation’s driest state, decided to purchase additional water supplies amid fears it will run out next year (BBC).
Authorities have identified more than 200 suspects in 70 countries connected with a child pornography network. Australian Federal Police charged 19 men from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and seized more than 15,000 videos and 500,000 images of child abuse during a 12-month investigation (ABC).
“Australia’s early childhood services are among the worst in the developed world, according to a UNICEF report that warns of the risk of placing children in care before the age of one. Among 25 developed countries Australia ranks third last, meeting only two of 10 benchmarks considered essential to protect children in their formative early years” (Sydney Morning Herald).
A police report revealed that hundreds of airline workers, with various connections to more than 60 active gangs, have used their security clearance in eight of the nation’s largest airports to smuggle drugs and people into the country.
Canada ranks last of 25 developed countries in child care, according to a study by the United Nation’s Children Fund. The report said Canada failed to meet nine out of 10 benchmark measures, which include providing subsidized care for children during their first years of life.
A Halifax teenager, accused of stabbing a man at a party in a fight between the two over how much time a frozen pizza should stay in the microwave, was sentenced to five years in prison.
2. United States:
“The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits surged more than forecast last week to a 26-year high, a sign companies are stepping up firings as the recession deepens…Initial jobless claims increased 58,000 to 573,000 in the week ended Dec. 6, the highest level since November 1982, from a revised 515,000 the previous week, the Labor Department...The number of workers staying on benefit rolls reached 4.429 million, also the most since 1982” (Bloomberg).
The House of Representatives approved a $14 billion government bailout plan to provide emergency loans to car giants, General Motors and Chrysler. The bill, which requires automakers to commit to drastic restructuring plans, has yet to be passed in the Senate.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that 43 states, which have already made spending cutbacks, are facing budget shortfalls and will be unable to cover their expenses next year.
Chicago-based Tribune Co. became the first major newspaper publisher to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which owns the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, and several major metropolitan newspapers around the country, including the Los Angeles Times and The Sun of Baltimore, is $13 billion in debt and has experienced a severe drop in advertising revenue, leading to its inability to meet its credit obligations. (See related news brief: “The Future of Newspaper, Magazine Industry Grows Dim”)
Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested on federal corruption charges after they were accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Illinois senate seat. The corruption charges came after federal investigators obtained secret recordings of the governor discussing the potential benefits that he and his wife could receive from the sale of the position.
“A daylong work stoppage during which employees were encouraged to ‘call in gay’ to express support for same-sex marriage drew spotty participation nationwide…Backers of ‘Day Without a Gay’ organized evening rallies in San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Logan, Utah, and other cities so supporters could gather to discuss the next steps. Rallies also were held earlier Wednesday in Chicago and on several college campuses in California” (FOX News).
3. United Kingdom:
The pound sterling’s value fell to a record low of 1.14 euros.
“Britain’s remaining troops in Iraq will begin withdrawing from the country in March on a timetable that will aim to leave only a small training force of 300 to 400 by June, according to Defense Ministry officials quoted by the BBC and several of Britain’s major newspapers” (The New York Times).
A television station aired a documentary titled “Right to Die?”, which showed an assisted suicide being performed.
4. Germany: Berlin-based anti-corruption organization Transparency International “interviewed 2,742 senior business executives to see which firms would pay bribes in foreign countries. Russia, China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Italy were the worst of the 22 major economies ranked in the survey” (BBC).
5. Greece: Riots raged after a 15-year-old boy was killed in a confrontation with the police. Dozens of people were injured and substantial property damage resulted from fires started by rioters.
6. Ghana: Polling stations are seeing a massive, but peaceful, turnout for the presidential and parliamentary elections. President John Kufuor is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms (BBC).
7. Zimbabwe: The collapse of the country’s infrastructure has led to a cholera outbreak that has spread to the neighboring countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia. (See news brief: “Zimbabwe’s Cholera Outbreak Spreads”)
8. Uganda: There have been reports of a mysterious disease having killed 15 people in the last two months in the Bundibugyo District (AllAfrica.com).
9. Kenya: At least 300 girls, some as young as nine, in southwestern Kenya are seeking refuge in churches to escape forced female genital mutilation. Though female circumcision is banned nationwide, it is a popular practice in certain areas, used to initiate a girl into womanhood (BBC).
10. Somalia: According to a 104-page Human Rights Watch report, all parties in Somalia’s escalating conflict—the Somali Transitional Federal Government, Ethiopian forces that intervened in Somalia to support it, and insurgent forces—“have committed widespread and serious violations of the laws of war. Frequent violations include indiscriminate attacks, killings, rape, use of civilians as human shields, and looting. Since early 2007, the escalating conflict has claimed thousands of civilian lives, displaced more than a million people, and driven out most of the population of Mogadishu, the capital. Increasing attacks on aid workers in the past year have severely limited relief operations and contributed to an emerging humanitarian crisis.”
11. Saudi Arabia: “More than two million Muslim pilgrims performed a second round of stoning walls symbolizing the devil on Tuesday, as haj pilgrimage rituals neared their end without major incident…The Jamarat Bridge in the valley of Mena outside the holy city of Mecca, where pilgrims stone the walls three times over three to four days, has been the scene of numerous stampedes, including one which killed 362 in 2006. The haj has also been marred in previous years by deadly fires, hotel collapses and police clashes with protesters” (Reuters).
12. South Korea: The worldwide economic downturn led South Korea’s central bank to record interest rate cuts, a full percentage point to 3%, more than expected.
13. Japan: The national economy, the second-largest in the world after the U.S., shrank by 0.5%, for an annualized rate of 1.8%, significantly greater than expected (BBC).
14. Papua New Guinea: Giant tidal waves battered the northern coastline’s 500-mile stretch, resulting in flooding, sweeping away homes and displacing thousands of people.
15. Australia:
“Australia’s unemployment rate has risen to 4.4%, the highest in 12 months, as the economy shed 15,600 jobs in November” (Reuters).
South Australia, the nation’s driest state, decided to purchase additional water supplies amid fears it will run out next year (BBC).
Authorities have identified more than 200 suspects in 70 countries connected with a child pornography network. Australian Federal Police charged 19 men from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and seized more than 15,000 videos and 500,000 images of child abuse during a 12-month investigation (ABC).
“Australia’s early childhood services are among the worst in the developed world, according to a UNICEF report that warns of the risk of placing children in care before the age of one. Among 25 developed countries Australia ranks third last, meeting only two of 10 benchmarks considered essential to protect children in their formative early years” (Sydney Morning Herald).
Monday, December 1, 2008
The World in Review
1. Canada:
Nurses at a northern Alberta hospital reused syringes, putting thousands of patients at risk.
The Federal Court upheld Ottawa’s decision to strip a Nazi collaborator of his Canadian citizenship (National Post).
A 15-year-old Toronto high school boy was stabbed in the stomach in an argument over a pair of $1 gloves.
The Loonie dropped to about 77 U.S. cents, the Canadian dollar’s lowest level since September 2004.
2. United States:
As newspaper and magazine circulations continue to decline and newsroom staffs are reduced through forced retirement, buyouts and layoffs, the Christian Science Monitor announced it will no longer publish in print, but online only.
U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, was found guilty of lying about receiving gifts from an oil company.
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a Democrat, was found guilty of lying in connection with a sex scandal.
Consumer confidence reached its lowest recorded level in October.
The New York Times reported that “kidney stones, once considered a disorder of middle age, are now showing up in children as young as 5 or 6…While there are no reliable data on the number of cases, pediatric urologists and nephrologists across the country say they are seeing a steep rise in young patients. Some hospitals have opened pediatric kidney stone clinics.”
In a 29-city raid operation, federal, state and local authorities worked together to take down child prostitution rings throughout the country, arresting more than 600 adults and rescuing 47 children.
“About one out of seven female veterans of Afghanistan or Iraq who visit a Veterans Affairs center for medical care report being a victim of sexual assault or harassment during military duty, a study reports” (USA Today).
California, Ohio and other states are passing laws to protect renters who, only upon receiving eviction notices, learn their landlords defaulted on their mortgages.
3. Mexico:
University of Harvard researchers found that pollution cuts about two months off the life spans of Mexico City residents. Each year, roughly 7,600 deaths were attributed to diseases from air pollution, about 1.6% of the deaths per year in the nation.
4. Britain:
The Bank of England estimated the total global losses for financial institutions during the credit crisis has reached $2.8 trillion.
“British couples are choosing the sex of their babies at clinics abroad which offer the procedure illegally, according to an investigation” (The Telegraph).
A Canadian software developer was found guilty in a trial linked to a foiled fertilizer bomb plot in Britain (BBC).
Britons now average 60 million more text messages per day from cellphones than one year ago.
More than 10 million people in England are drinking too much; around one in four adults consume alcohol at “hazardous” levels, according to the National Audit Office (The Telegraph).
Peak Oil warned of a severe lack of oil within five years, and that falling oil production is a greater threat to Britain than terrorism (The Telegraph).
The UK economy is worth seven trillion pounds, according to the Office of National Statistics.
The Financial Services Authority reported that house repossessions are up 71% in the second quarter, and that house prices fell 10% during the past year.
5. Spain:
At least 19 people were injured after a car bomb went off at the University of Navarra in Pamplona in northern Spain. Authorities reported that the Basque separatist group ETA claimed responsibility for the attack. The detonation was the sixth attack on the campus since 1979.
6. Nigeria:
HIV-positive prostitutes operating in Bauchi State were given two options: Either repent and marry other HIV carriers, or leave the state (AllAfrica News).
7. Sudan:
Kidnappers killed five of nine Chinese oil workers held hostage.
8. Democratic Republic of Congo:
Angry over the inability of a United Nations security force of 17,000 troops to protect them from renewed rebel violence, thousands of protesters attacked the UN compound in Goma, damaging cars and shattering windows.
9. Zimbabwe:
The Southern African Development Community announced that President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, continuing to disagree over who should control which ministries, failed to put into effect the power-sharing deal both men signed. The 12-member group urged neighboring countries to help end Zimbabwe’s crisis. (See related news brief: “Zimbabwe: Election Crisis Unravels”; see related article: “Hope for Zimbabwe!”)
10. Kenya:
One in nine Kenyan children die before reaching age five, according to a joint report by the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, and the Ministry of Medical Services.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga announced the government will complete 30,000 housing units in less than three years for slum dwellers in Nairobi (AllAfrica News).
11. Somalia:
Suicide bombers killed up to 40 people in Bossaso and Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared republic of Somalia. (See related article: “Somalia’s Daily Nightmare – James 4 Explains Why!”)
A woman was executed through stoning after being found guilty of adultery in a Sharia law court.
12. Yemen:
More than 65 people were killed and more than 20,000 misplaced from their homes after torrential rains swept away infrastructure including buildings, roads and telecommunications networks in the southeastern part of the country. Local authorities said the storms were “the worst floods in decades.”
13. Israel:
While excavating the ruins of a 3,000-year-old fortified city overlooking Israel’s Valley of Elah, where the Bible records that David slew Goliath, archeologists have discovered artifacts that indicate historical evidence of King David and the golden age of his kingdom. (See news brief: “Archeological Discovery Supports Scripture?”)
Dropping efforts to form a government due to “impossible” bargaining demands from prospective political partners, Kadima party leader Tzipi Livni called for early parliamentary elections.
14. Jordan:
“Archaeologists believe a desert site in Jordan may contain the ruins of the elusive King Solomon’s mines” (CNN).
15. Georgia:
President Mikhail Saakashvili rejected evidence from the BBC indicating that Georgia may have committed war crimes in South Ossetia.
16. Iraq:
The Iraqi Health Ministry reported that deteriorating water supply systems, which often allow raw sewage to leak into clean drinking water, pose a threat to the health of Iraqis. According to a survey conducted by the Ministry, at least 17% of water nationwide and an estimated one third of the water in Baghdad is undrinkable. Authorities said a lack of clean water led to the recent cholera epidemic, which has already claimed the lives of eight people. (See related news brief: “One-Third of World Without Proper Sanitation”)
17. Pakistan:
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the nation, its epicenter about 400 miles southwest of Islamabad. The death toll is expected to reach 300.
18. China:
Asian and European leaders from over 40 nations met for the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing, China. Though generally filled with formalities and carefully worded statements, given the current international financial crisis, the two-day meeting set attainable goals. (See news brief: “Asian and European Nations Discuss Global Financial Crisis”)
The latest report from China’s statistics bureau suggests that it has moved from a low income country to a lower middle income country, according to definitions provided by the World Bank. The country’s $3 trillion-plus GDP now makes up 6% of the world economy (BBC).
HIV infections are spreading beyond China’s original high-risk groups: heroin addicts in the south and blood sellers in rural central counties. A new study found that the virus has spread to all provinces, and cases are rising quickly among homosexual men and female prostitutes (International Herald Tribune). (See related article: “The AIDS Pandemic...25 Years Later – Does a Cure Exist?”)
19. Australia:
A new book written by an Australian Catholic priest has angered Catholics and Protestants alike by purporting that Mary was not a virgin, Jesus Christ was not God, and that His resurrection should not be taken literally. (See related literature: The True Jesus Christ – Unknown to Christianity)
About 5.4 million workers are struggling to manage their household budgets or are only “just getting by” financially (The Nation).
“One in 10 hospital patients will be harmed in some way during their stay” (The Nation).
International:
For the 17th year in a row, the United Nations voted against a U.S. embargo on China; the votes were tallied 185 to 3.
Canada’s National Post reported that the world is heading for an “ecological crunch,” and that global demand for energy, water and other natural resources is 30% higher than the planet can replenish them.
According to the UN’s World Health Organization, the world’s top three killers are heart ailments, infectious diseases and cancer.
Nurses at a northern Alberta hospital reused syringes, putting thousands of patients at risk.
The Federal Court upheld Ottawa’s decision to strip a Nazi collaborator of his Canadian citizenship (National Post).
A 15-year-old Toronto high school boy was stabbed in the stomach in an argument over a pair of $1 gloves.
The Loonie dropped to about 77 U.S. cents, the Canadian dollar’s lowest level since September 2004.
2. United States:
As newspaper and magazine circulations continue to decline and newsroom staffs are reduced through forced retirement, buyouts and layoffs, the Christian Science Monitor announced it will no longer publish in print, but online only.
U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, was found guilty of lying about receiving gifts from an oil company.
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a Democrat, was found guilty of lying in connection with a sex scandal.
Consumer confidence reached its lowest recorded level in October.
The New York Times reported that “kidney stones, once considered a disorder of middle age, are now showing up in children as young as 5 or 6…While there are no reliable data on the number of cases, pediatric urologists and nephrologists across the country say they are seeing a steep rise in young patients. Some hospitals have opened pediatric kidney stone clinics.”
In a 29-city raid operation, federal, state and local authorities worked together to take down child prostitution rings throughout the country, arresting more than 600 adults and rescuing 47 children.
“About one out of seven female veterans of Afghanistan or Iraq who visit a Veterans Affairs center for medical care report being a victim of sexual assault or harassment during military duty, a study reports” (USA Today).
California, Ohio and other states are passing laws to protect renters who, only upon receiving eviction notices, learn their landlords defaulted on their mortgages.
3. Mexico:
University of Harvard researchers found that pollution cuts about two months off the life spans of Mexico City residents. Each year, roughly 7,600 deaths were attributed to diseases from air pollution, about 1.6% of the deaths per year in the nation.
4. Britain:
The Bank of England estimated the total global losses for financial institutions during the credit crisis has reached $2.8 trillion.
“British couples are choosing the sex of their babies at clinics abroad which offer the procedure illegally, according to an investigation” (The Telegraph).
A Canadian software developer was found guilty in a trial linked to a foiled fertilizer bomb plot in Britain (BBC).
Britons now average 60 million more text messages per day from cellphones than one year ago.
More than 10 million people in England are drinking too much; around one in four adults consume alcohol at “hazardous” levels, according to the National Audit Office (The Telegraph).
Peak Oil warned of a severe lack of oil within five years, and that falling oil production is a greater threat to Britain than terrorism (The Telegraph).
The UK economy is worth seven trillion pounds, according to the Office of National Statistics.
The Financial Services Authority reported that house repossessions are up 71% in the second quarter, and that house prices fell 10% during the past year.
5. Spain:
At least 19 people were injured after a car bomb went off at the University of Navarra in Pamplona in northern Spain. Authorities reported that the Basque separatist group ETA claimed responsibility for the attack. The detonation was the sixth attack on the campus since 1979.
6. Nigeria:
HIV-positive prostitutes operating in Bauchi State were given two options: Either repent and marry other HIV carriers, or leave the state (AllAfrica News).
7. Sudan:
Kidnappers killed five of nine Chinese oil workers held hostage.
8. Democratic Republic of Congo:
Angry over the inability of a United Nations security force of 17,000 troops to protect them from renewed rebel violence, thousands of protesters attacked the UN compound in Goma, damaging cars and shattering windows.
9. Zimbabwe:
The Southern African Development Community announced that President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, continuing to disagree over who should control which ministries, failed to put into effect the power-sharing deal both men signed. The 12-member group urged neighboring countries to help end Zimbabwe’s crisis. (See related news brief: “Zimbabwe: Election Crisis Unravels”; see related article: “Hope for Zimbabwe!”)
10. Kenya:
One in nine Kenyan children die before reaching age five, according to a joint report by the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, and the Ministry of Medical Services.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga announced the government will complete 30,000 housing units in less than three years for slum dwellers in Nairobi (AllAfrica News).
11. Somalia:
Suicide bombers killed up to 40 people in Bossaso and Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared republic of Somalia. (See related article: “Somalia’s Daily Nightmare – James 4 Explains Why!”)
A woman was executed through stoning after being found guilty of adultery in a Sharia law court.
12. Yemen:
More than 65 people were killed and more than 20,000 misplaced from their homes after torrential rains swept away infrastructure including buildings, roads and telecommunications networks in the southeastern part of the country. Local authorities said the storms were “the worst floods in decades.”
13. Israel:
While excavating the ruins of a 3,000-year-old fortified city overlooking Israel’s Valley of Elah, where the Bible records that David slew Goliath, archeologists have discovered artifacts that indicate historical evidence of King David and the golden age of his kingdom. (See news brief: “Archeological Discovery Supports Scripture?”)
Dropping efforts to form a government due to “impossible” bargaining demands from prospective political partners, Kadima party leader Tzipi Livni called for early parliamentary elections.
14. Jordan:
“Archaeologists believe a desert site in Jordan may contain the ruins of the elusive King Solomon’s mines” (CNN).
15. Georgia:
President Mikhail Saakashvili rejected evidence from the BBC indicating that Georgia may have committed war crimes in South Ossetia.
16. Iraq:
The Iraqi Health Ministry reported that deteriorating water supply systems, which often allow raw sewage to leak into clean drinking water, pose a threat to the health of Iraqis. According to a survey conducted by the Ministry, at least 17% of water nationwide and an estimated one third of the water in Baghdad is undrinkable. Authorities said a lack of clean water led to the recent cholera epidemic, which has already claimed the lives of eight people. (See related news brief: “One-Third of World Without Proper Sanitation”)
17. Pakistan:
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the nation, its epicenter about 400 miles southwest of Islamabad. The death toll is expected to reach 300.
18. China:
Asian and European leaders from over 40 nations met for the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing, China. Though generally filled with formalities and carefully worded statements, given the current international financial crisis, the two-day meeting set attainable goals. (See news brief: “Asian and European Nations Discuss Global Financial Crisis”)
The latest report from China’s statistics bureau suggests that it has moved from a low income country to a lower middle income country, according to definitions provided by the World Bank. The country’s $3 trillion-plus GDP now makes up 6% of the world economy (BBC).
HIV infections are spreading beyond China’s original high-risk groups: heroin addicts in the south and blood sellers in rural central counties. A new study found that the virus has spread to all provinces, and cases are rising quickly among homosexual men and female prostitutes (International Herald Tribune). (See related article: “The AIDS Pandemic...25 Years Later – Does a Cure Exist?”)
19. Australia:
A new book written by an Australian Catholic priest has angered Catholics and Protestants alike by purporting that Mary was not a virgin, Jesus Christ was not God, and that His resurrection should not be taken literally. (See related literature: The True Jesus Christ – Unknown to Christianity)
About 5.4 million workers are struggling to manage their household budgets or are only “just getting by” financially (The Nation).
“One in 10 hospital patients will be harmed in some way during their stay” (The Nation).
International:
For the 17th year in a row, the United Nations voted against a U.S. embargo on China; the votes were tallied 185 to 3.
Canada’s National Post reported that the world is heading for an “ecological crunch,” and that global demand for energy, water and other natural resources is 30% higher than the planet can replenish them.
According to the UN’s World Health Organization, the world’s top three killers are heart ailments, infectious diseases and cancer.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving Thoughts
There is so much bad news right now with the economy in recession and the prospect of more banks and major businesses failing. I have the feeling from what I read and see that this will not be like any recession in recent memory. When the dust settles it will be a different world for all of us.
But for a day let’s put that aside. We will have plenty of time to come back to it all. Let’s focus on the day of national Thanksgiving that is before us. This is a favorite holiday for my family. We all gather and spend several hours together eating, talking and experiencing.
I count my blessings at this time for our health and the love we share. As to count the things I don't have. I think of Jacob gathering his sons around him in Genesis 49 and telling them their future. That is one of the remarkable scenes in the Bible. A family gathering of twelve sons around their aging father and listening intently to the years of distilled wisdom.
Now I don't have any children, but nevertheless, I still love my nephews, as they were my chidlren.
Enjoy your day of thanksgiving. Think about where all our blessings come from and give God the credit.
But for a day let’s put that aside. We will have plenty of time to come back to it all. Let’s focus on the day of national Thanksgiving that is before us. This is a favorite holiday for my family. We all gather and spend several hours together eating, talking and experiencing.
I count my blessings at this time for our health and the love we share. As to count the things I don't have. I think of Jacob gathering his sons around him in Genesis 49 and telling them their future. That is one of the remarkable scenes in the Bible. A family gathering of twelve sons around their aging father and listening intently to the years of distilled wisdom.
Now I don't have any children, but nevertheless, I still love my nephews, as they were my chidlren.
Enjoy your day of thanksgiving. Think about where all our blessings come from and give God the credit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
