Muslim Brotherhood Strengthened in Egypt

The Wall Street Journal reported on May 7, 2013:

“Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi swore in new cabinet ministers Tuesday in a reshuffle of his government that strengthened the position of the Muslim Brotherhood in key ministries and provoked complaints from the nation’s disparate opposition.

“Members of the opposition had demanded that Mr. Morsi form a more inclusive government—one including liberals, moderates, Coptic Christians and women—ahead of parliamentary elections due to take place later this year. They also sought the removal of Prime Minister Hisham Qandil, who is viewed by his critics as lacking political experience and charisma.

“But Mr. Qandil retained his post in the reshuffle, helping to form the new cabinet that includes 10 officials belonging to the ruling Freedom and Justice Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. Eight of 35 ministers in the previous government were FJP members. Many of the cabinet’s non-FJP ministers are also seen as allied with the president and the Brotherhood.

“No opposition members were named to the cabinet. The ministers of information and education, both Muslim Brotherhood members, retained their posts, as did the controversial interior minister, whose ouster had been sought by opponents…”

While Egypt’s Brotherhood infiltrates and exerts its control, the nation’s economy is draining away. More rioting looms unless substantial financial help comes from outside of Egypt. Like so many countries following the ‘Arab Spring,’ Egypt’s circumstances have grown more uncertain. “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy” is our free booklet explaining in great detail the meaning of events now taking place in Egypt and other surrounding nations–you may download this by clicking on the title or write for your own copy. 

Israeli Warplanes Strike Syria

JTA wrote on May 6:

“Twice in three days, Israeli warplanes entered Syrian airspace and fired on suspected weapons caches bound for Hezbollah — and nothing has happened in response. Some experts are predicting that will continue to be the case following airstrikes near Damascus on Friday and Sunday that are widely believed to be the work of the Israel Defense Forces. According to reports, the strikes targeted shipments of long-range, Iranian-made Fateh-110 missiles capable of striking deep into Israel…

“Syria’s foreign minister told CNN on Sunday that the strikes amounted to a ‘declaration of war.’ But such gestures, analysts say, are merely symbolic. Torn by a civil war now in its third year, the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad is too beleaguered to fight back. And Hezbollah, the Lebanese party considered a terrorist organization by the United States and Israel, is considered too preoccupied propping up its Syrian patron to respond…

“Syria’s civil war augurs a major strategic shift for Israel. The two countries have technically have been in a state of war since the Yom Kippur War ended in 1973. And though the border since then has been largely quiet, Syria was Israel’s only neighbor to pose a threat of conventional attack. But the weakening of the Syrian regime has raised the frightening prospect that its stocks of chemical weapons may fall into the hands of Hezbollah. Israeli officials have said for months that they would take action should Syria transport unconventional weapons to Hezbollah. In January, Israel bombed a Syrian weapons convoy near the Syria-Lebanon border.”

Israel Doing It Alone…

The Washington Post wrote on May 5:

“Israeli forces have carried out an airstrike against a shipment of sophisticated missiles bound for the Lebanese political and military organization Hezbollah, officials in Washington, Lebanon and Israel told reporters Saturday….  It seems someone in the Israeli government took a not-too-subtle swipe at the Obama administration’s equivocating on Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons. ‘Israeli officials described the missiles targeted in the Friday strike as “game-changing” weapons, according to the Associated Press. They said they were not chemical weapons, but advanced, long-range, ground-to-ground missiles…

“Not only does the Israeli action contrast with the U.S. government’s fecklessness, but it also raises the issue of whether the United States would prefer Israel police the Middle East. It is unbecoming for a superpower to let little Israel take on the Iranian surrogates… when a U.S. president is this passive and unwilling to act in accord with its words, the West and the Sunni states can take comfort in knowing that Israel is there to rein in the mullahs and their surrogates…

“The United States is obviously unwilling to back up its rhetoric with action. Syria is a dress rehearsal  for the bigger conflict between Iran and the West. There, too, one suspects, Israel will be forced to act. For what Israeli prime minister could rely on this administration to act? If Obama won’t take on Syria, there is little chance he’ll make good on his threats to Iran.”

No US Plans to Send Ground Troops to Syria

Deutsche Welle stated on May 6:

“International reaction to Israel’s latest airstrikes on Syria has been quick to come… Nabil al-Arabi, leader of the 22-member Arab League… condemned the attacks… On Sunday, senior US Senator John McCain said that the air strikes could add pressure on the United States to intervene in Syria, although Barack Obama has said he has no plans to send ground troops. The US president defended Israel’s right to block ‘terrorist organisations like Hezbollah’ from acquiring weapons after Friday’s raid…

“The United States had no prior knowledge of the attacks, according to officials. Still, the [Obama Administration’s] spokesman said, ‘the close coordination between the Obama administration, the United States of America, is ongoing with the Israeli government.’”

Palestinian President Travels to China, Consolidating China-Palestine Friendship

Xinhua reported on May 6, 2013:

“Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday reaffirmed the country’s support for the just cause of the Palestinian people. While meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing, Li noted that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-Palestine diplomatic relations, and reviewed a profound friendship between the two countries.

“Li said the new Chinese government has placed great importance on consolidating China-Palestine relations and firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people. ‘China will continue its own way and make use of its influence to boost Palestine-Israel peace negotiations, which will work for regional and world peace and stability,’ he said.”

Israeli PM Travels to China, Thanking Shanghai for Being a Haven for Jewish Refugees Fleeing Nazi Persecution

Xinhua reported on May 9, 2013:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Beijing, as part of his 5-day trip to China. He was welcomed by Premier Li Keqiang Wednesday afternoon at the Great Hall of the People. He’s also scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping. Chinese leaders will hold talks with Netanyahu on trade and regional issues such as Iran, Syria and Egypt. Netanyahu arrived in Shanghai on Monday. He addressed business leaders from both Israel and China. He said Israeli technology and Chinese manufacturing and global marketing capabilities can form a winning combination.

“Later, he toured the city’s former Jewish quarter. There he lauded Shanghai for its past role as a haven for Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution during World War Two. On Tuesday, Netanyahu met Shanghai Mayor Yang Xiong to boost economic and trade cooperation. Netanyahu is the first Israeli leader to visit China in six years.”

It is noteworthy that both Abbas and Netanyahu are seeking help from China. What is significant is that the leadership vacuum being created by an ineffective United States is being filled!

Now Google Recognizes Palestine!

The Guardian reported on May 3, 2013:

“On Friday, the search engine changed the tagline on its home page in the occupied territories from ‘Palestinian territories’ to, simply, ‘Palestine’. ‘We consult a number of sources and authorities when naming countries,’ a Google spokesman, Nathan Tyler, told the BBC. ‘In this case, we are following the lead of the UN, Icann [Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers], ISO [International Organisation for Standardisation] and other international organisations.’

“What to call the area south of Lebanon and Syria, west of Jordan and north of Sinai that isn’t Israel is a matter of fierce debate. Before 1948 the entire area, including present-day Israel, was called Palestine. In 1988, leaders of the remaining territory declared a state of Palestine, but the state has had trouble gaining recognition. In November’s UN vote, 138 nations voted to recognize a state of Palestine, nine voted against and 41 abstained. Google’s homeland, the United States, is currently the most powerful opponent of recognizing Palestine.”

Preparing for Change in the Commonwealth

Mail Online wrote on May 8, 2013:

“The Queen plans to scale back her public duties and give Prince Charles a bigger role as ‘co-head’ of the royal family, well-placed sources have revealed. Buckingham Palace and  senior figures in Whitehall began discussing how to deal with the monarch’s advancing years several months ago, the Mail understands. They concluded that her 64-year-old son – the longest-serving heir apparent in British history – should take a more prominent position representing the sovereign at key events, particularly those abroad.

“In a sign of things to come, for the first time in 17 years the Queen will be accompanied by her eldest son at the State Opening of Parliament, which takes place today. The Duchess of Cornwall will also join them. It follows the surprise announcement by Buckingham Palace yesterday that, in a 40-year first, the Queen will not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference. Instead, Charles will take her place at the two-day event in Sri Lanka in November.

“Aides reluctantly admitted what has been suspected for some time: that the monarch, who reached the age of 87 last month, was not up to making frequent long-haul trips. But Charles’ presence at Parliament today suggests it is also part of the carefully-choreographed plan to share the burden of responsibility.”

Great change is already rumbling in the Commonwealth realms once so dominated by this Queen, and it will coincide with Britain’s growing isolation as the European Union soon completely rejects Britain’s membership within the E.U. “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America” reveals what really lies ahead for the Commonwealth–and for its monarchy!

U.K. Going Non-Traditional!

The Washington Post wrote on May 3, 2013:

“The Conservative-led coalition of Prime Minister David Cameron just got served. The anti-immigration U.K. Independence Party staged a dramatic surge Thursday in local elections in England and Wales, with results on Friday showing voters delivering a brutal whipping to the Conservatives and their junior coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats.

“Political pundits said the results represented one of the strongest showings by a non­traditional party in Britain since World War II, with the gains underscoring the rise of populist and nationalist parties across Europe. At the core of the party’s platform are aspirations to withdraw Britain from the European Union and impose new curbs on immigration, and the powerful showing sets U.K. Independence up to be an increasingly influential force in British politics. In recent months, its growing support in national polls had already sparked Britain’s three major parties — the Conservatives, Labor and the Liberal Democrats — to float increasingly strict proposals aimed at stemming the tide of foreigners…

“’This is a jolt against the entire political establishment,’ said Tony Travers, a political analyst at the London School of Economics. ‘What we don’t know is whether they will disappear like snow in hot weather by the next elections or whether they become an important force.’”

Britain will not be a member of Europe’s final revival under ten core nations or groups of nations, as we have stated for decades.

The Woman Is Riding the Beast…

The EUObserver wrote the following on May 3 about the introduction of a new Euro Note:

“The ECB chief unveiled the new note in the Slovak capital, Bratislava. It marks the official launch of a second-generation bill with new security features aimed to help stamp out counterfeiting. The series’ central figure is Europa, a Phoenician princess abducted and then raped by Zeus disguised as a white bull. The story inspired the ancient Greeks to use ‘Europe’ to name the continent. The princess is often depicted sitting on the bull but the note carries only her profile in a watermark and in a hologram…

“The notes also now take into account the countries that have joined the EU since 2002.  The map on the bill shows Malta and Cyprus with ‘euro’ written in Cyrillic, Latin and Greek alphabets. ECB will also appear in nine linguistic variants instead of the previous five.

“The old-€5 notes will continue to circulate with the new series for the next several months. The ECB expects the new generation note to outnumber the old by autumn. The old notes will eventually no longer be legal tender but will always retain their value and can be exchanged for an unlimited period of time at any national central bank in the eurozone. The ECB will continue with the new series in ascending order of €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500 over the coming years.”

The euro will not be abandoned, and the connection with the woman riding the beast (compare Revelation 17) is unmistakable.

“Revive the Weimar Triangle”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 8:

“French President Francois Hollande was joined by Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski for the 68th annual Victory in Europe (VE) Day celebrations in Paris. Hollande spoke about compromise with Germany.

“After the ceremonies on Wednesday, Hollande spoke of the need to find a compromise between Paris and Berlin for the good of Europe. Standing with the Polish president, Hollande said: ‘In 1963, General de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer, after experiencing the horrors of two world wars, were able to unite France and Germany in a treaty of friendship. In the last 50 years, many things have happened; there has been reconciliation. Today, what we have to do is to come together for a Europe of growth and employment. This is the sense of the discussion that we have and I continue to say: there is a debate and in the end, it’s always with a compromise between France and Germany. This will be the case for the major issues we have to resolve’…

“Hollande said it was the wish of Paris and Warsaw to ‘revive the Weimar Triangle, that is the friendship between France, Germany and Poland together for Europe.’ VE Day was first celebrated on May 8, 1945 to mark the date when the World War II allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Germany, thus ending the war in Europe.”

Hungary’s Far-Right…

BBC News wrote on May 4, 2013:

“Hungary’s far-right Jobbik party has staged a rally in central Budapest in protest at the capital’s hosting of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) on Sunday. Several hundred supporters took part, despite attempts by the government to prevent it going ahead. Jobbik said the rally was a protest against what it said was a Jewish attempt to buy up Hungary. The party, which says it aims to protect Hungarian values and interests, is the third largest in parliament. It regularly issues anti-Semitic statements.

“The event in Budapest on Saturday was billed as a tribute to what organisers called the victims of Bolshevism and Zionism.”

Anti-Semitism is on the rise… again…

Berlusconi Convicted

The Associated Press reported on May 8:

“An appeals court has upheld the tax fraud conviction against ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi and sentenced him to four years in prison. But the former Italian leader could appeal this verdict to a higher court, the Court of Cassation.

“In October, a court convicted Berlusconi in a scheme that involved inflating the price his Mediaset media empire paid for TV rights to U.S. movies and pocketing the difference. Berlusconi denied the charges and says he’s a victim of politically motivated prosecutors. That verdict was upheld Wednesday by the appeals court in Milan.

“The lower court, which began hearing the case in 2006, also said Berlusconi could not hold public office for five years or manage any company for three years, penalties that would take force only if the conviction is upheld on two levels of appeal.”

Any Truth to This?– President Obama’s Hidden Past?

World Net Daily wrote on May 5:

“A prominent member of Chicago’s homosexual community claims Barack Obama’s participation in the ‘gay’ bar and bathhouse scene was so well known that many who were aware of his lifestyle were shocked when he ran for president and finally won the White House. ‘It was preposterous to the people I knew then to think Obama was going to keep his gay life secret,’ said Kevin DuJan, who was a gossip columnist in Chicago for various blogs when Obama was living in the city as a community organizer and later a state senator. ‘Nobody who knew Obama in the gay bar scene thought he could possibly be president,’ said DuJan.

“DuJan, founder and editor of the Hillary Clinton-supporting website HillBuzz.org, told WND he has first-hand information from two different sources that ‘Obama was personally involved in the gay bar scene. If you just hang out at these bars, the older guys who have been frequenting these gay bars for 25 years will tell you these stories,’ DuJan said. ‘Obama used to go to the gay bars during the week, most often on Wednesday, and they said he was very much into older white guys.’ Obama, DuJan said, is ‘not heterosexual and he’s not bisexual. He’s homosexual.’

“Investigative journalist Wayne Madsen, who worked with the National Security Agency from 1984 to 1988 as a Navy intelligence analyst, confirmed DuJan’s claims. ‘It is common knowledge in the Chicago gay community that Obama actively visited the gay bars and bathhouses in Chicago while he was an Illinois state senator,’ Madsen told WND.

“WND also spoke with a member of the East Bank Club in Chicago, who confirmed Obama was a member there and was known to be a homosexual. The upscale fitness club, which has some 10,000 members, is not a ‘gay’ facility. But it’s one of a number of places identified by the Chicago homosexual community as a ‘gay gym,’ where homosexuals meet and engage in sexual activity.

“In April, WND reported a federal judge dismissed a libel case against Larry Sinclair, a homosexual who claimed Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign had paid to rig a polygraph test regarding Sinclair’s sensational charge that he had sex and used cocaine twice with Obama while Obama was an Illinois state senator… WND also reported former radical activist John Drew has said that when he met Obama when Obama was a student at Occidental College, he thought Obama and his then-Pakistani roommate were ‘gay’ lovers.

“In addition, rumors have swirled around Obama’s relationship with his personal aide and former ‘body man,’ Reggie Love, who resurfaced on the eve of the Republican National Convention to support his old boss. Love resigned from the White House in November 2011 after compromising photographs of him as a college student received wide circulation…

“DuJan said that during Obama’s first presidential campaign, ‘there was fear in the gay community’ about talking openly about Obama being homosexual, particularly after the murder in December 2007 of Donald Young, the openly gay choir director at Jeremiah Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ, who was known to be a close friend of Obama…”

US Air Force in Crisis

The Guardian wrote on May 8:

“The US Air Force has stripped an unprecedented 17 officers of their authority to oversee nuclear missiles, after a string of failings that the group’s deputy commander said stemmed from ‘rot’ within the ranks… ‘We are, in fact, in a crisis right now,’ the group’s commander, Lieutenant Colonel Jay Folds, wrote in an internal email that was obtained by the Associated Press and confirmed by the Air Force…

“The news follows a series of incidents in recent years that have uncovered major problems with the oversight of the US’s nuclear arsenal. In 2007, airmen at Minot accidentally loaded a B-52 with six nuclear weapons. The aircraft then flew to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. In another incident, nuclear weapons parts were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan. The defense department learned of the error in 2008, 18 months after the fuses for nuclear warheads were shipped…

“The 17 officers were part of a team standing 24-hour watch over the Air Force’s most powerful nuclear missiles, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that can strike targets across the globe. They were removed from duty in April…

“The suspensions are believed to be the most extensive ever… Minot’s latest crisis follows a 2008 Pentagon report that found a ‘dramatic and unacceptable decline’ in the Air Force’s commitment to the mission…”

It is indeed frightening to learn about a crisis within the US Air Force pertaining to the oversight of nuclear missiles.

Hypocritical US Congress?

The Huffington Post wrote on May 5:

“Only hypocrisy and demagoguery can explain Republican opposition to gun regulation, alleging potential infringement of constitutional freedoms — alongside Republican support for monitoring American citizens based solely on religion and empowering the government to deprive citizens of their rights, by deeming them enemy combatants… We don’t even know how many Americans own firearms because Congress prevented collection of this information — since the government can’t be trusted with a national firearms database.

“Surprisingly, these same politicians now demand that Americans trust the government to conduct surveillance of citizens based on their religion and to decide when citizens can be detained indefinitely as enemy combatants without a right to counsel. These rights (according to the GOP) are privileges, allowed at the government’s discretion. By contrast, the right to buy a private arsenal of automatic weapons without submitting to a background check is sacrosanct…

“Since 2002, about 19 Americans have died in domestic terrorism-related incidents (this includes the three people killed in the recent Boston Marathon bombing). Over the same period, about 300,000 Americans have died from gun violence…”

These are indeed highly disturbing developments…

Israeli Government Seeks Papal Help for Peace

Newsmax reported on April 30, 2013:

“Israeli President Shimon Peres warned Pope Francis Tuesday that the Middle East is ‘disintegrating’ and that the pontiff ‘has an important role’ to play in bringing peace to the region and the world.

“During their half-hour conversation, Peres said the Middle East is in ‘real existential danger’ and cited the severe lack of employment, of food and water. He warned that if these problems are not resolved, ‘violence and terror will gain a central place, as dangerous weapons fall into the hands of extremists.’

“An Israeli government statement said Peres spoke of the danger of Iran’s nuclear-weapons program and Syria’s ‘huge quantities of chemical weapons.’ He told the Pope that Iran ‘must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons and that Syrian chemical weapons must not fall into irresponsible hands’…

“In its statement, the Vatican said Pope Francis and Peres expressed hopes for a speedy resumption of peace talks and an agreement that draws on ‘courageous decisions’ and the support of the international community. A resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would contribute to peace and stability throughout the region, the Vatican said.

“The Israeli statement said Pope Francis suggested creating ‘a global meeting of hope with the heads of all the world’s faiths and to come out against violence and terror.’ The Pope also condemned anti-Semitism, saying it goes against the beliefs of Christianity and that it ‘must be opposed in every country in the world and every corner of the globe,’ the Israeli statement continued…

“’You have an important role in progressing peace and the belief in it,’ Peres said. ‘I turn to you and ask that within your sermons in front of millions of believers in the world you include the hope for peace in the Middle East and the whole world.’

“He said the Pope’s leadership ‘creates a new spirit of hope for peace, of dialogue between nations and of the promotion of a solution to global poverty and illiteracy.’

“’Sadly, there are many religious leaders in the Middle East and across the world who advocate terror and bloodshed and do so in the name of the Lord,’ he said. ‘We all have an obligation to stand up and say, in a loud and clear voice, that the Lord did not give anyone the authority to murder and carry out bloodshed. Your voice has a great impact in this matter.”

Peace will certainly come to the Middle East and to the whole world, but it will be brought about by the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God’s government over all people–not by this or any future pope! However, there is great prophetic significance in the attention now being given to Rome’s possible role in Jerusalem and the land of Israel. Please watch: “The Beast, His Mark, His Name and His Number,” available at StandingWatch.org, for in-depth analysis of what the Bible reveals about the meaning of today’s news and what you must do to be prepared for events that lie ahead!

Syria Denies Use of Chemical Weapons—Of Course It Would…

AFP wrote on April 27:

“US and British accusations that the regime in Damascus may have used chemical weapons are a ‘barefaced lie,’ Syria’s information minister told Russian television Saturday. ‘First of all, I want to confirm that statements by the US Secretary of State and British government are inconsistent with reality and a barefaced lie,’ Omran al-Zohbi said in an interview published on the Kremlin-funded RT’s website. ‘I want to stress one more time that Syria would never use it — not only because of its adherence to the international law and rules of leading war, but because of humanitarian and moral issues,’ Zohbi said in comments that were published in English on the website.

“US President Barack Obama on Friday warned Syria that using chemical weapons would be a ‘game changer,’ after the US, Israel and Britain all cited signs that the regime attacked with the deadly agent sarin.

“United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon has called on Syria to approve a UN mission of inspectors to probe the alleged use of chemical weapons in the spiralling two-year conflict. But Zohbi told RT that the Syrian government could not trust UN inspectors from Britain and the US… He added that the Syrian government would accept Russian inspectors…Along with China, Russia has blocked several UN Security Council draft resolutions threatening sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.”

This reminds us of Hitler’s denial of losing World War II when it was obvious that Germany had already lost. Even when Germany had to flee from the Russians, the Nazi propaganda spoke about “victorious retreat.” We are also reminded of Iraq’s lying propaganda spokesman during the US invasion. The fact that Syria vehemently denies any use of chemical weapons seems to confirm that they did use them. And to invite in Russian inspectors, while rejecting inspectors from the UN, the US and GB, does not give us much confidence in the veracity of Syria’s claims.

The Curse of Chemical Warfare

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 27:

“The use of chemical weapons is nothing new. Already in ancient times, the Persians ignited bitumen and sulfur crystals to produce gases to poison Roman soldiers. During the First World War, the use of chlorine gas was widespread, marking the start of the modern era of warfare involving weapons of mass destruction. Altogether, around 124,000 metric tons (137,000 tons) of chemical weapons were utilized during World War I, killing 90,000 people and affecting the health of one million others. German chemist and Nobel Prize-winner Fritz Haber was the key figure in the development of poisonous gases for usage in warfare.

“Chemical weapons have been controversial from the start. Already in 1925, the Geneva Protocol prohibited their use. Despite this, they continued to be employed in World War II, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Their destructive force was particularly evident during an attack on the Iraqi city of Halabja on March 16, 1988, in which around 5,000 people were killed.

“Efforts to ban chemical warfare continued, however, achieving success in April 1997 with the Chemical Weapons Convention, which has to this day been signed by 188 states. Not party to the agreement are Angola, Egypt, Israel, Myanmar, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan and Syria. The convention obliges members to destroy existing chemical weapons…

“Chemical weapons are typically lethal chemicals housed in munitions such as mines, hand grenades, bombs, spray tanks and rockets. They either suffocate, paralyze, or poison the victim. Initially, they consisted of poisonous gases, such as chlorine, or hydrogen cyanide; however, these proved to be too volatile. The industry then began producing liquid poisons, which not only affected the lungs but could enter the body through the skin and spread quickly. Particularly potent is mustard gas, which was first produced by a Belgian chemist in 1822 and used to maim and kill thousands of people during World War I.

“Sarin, whose use has been suspected in the current Syrian conflict, is classified as a nerve agent. Developed during World War II, it is fatal even in small doses. It can be inhaled, or can enter the body through skin contact…

“Although not always lethal, exposure to chemical weapons often has devastating health consequences, such as blindness, skin damage and birth defects. Some chemical weapons cause long-lasting environmental contamination. One of these is Agent Orange, a defoliant used by the US military during the Vietnam War. An estimated two to four million people are suffering its after-effects today in the Southeast Asian country…

“The production of chemical weapons is relatively simple. More difficult is the acquisition of the necessary ingredients. The Chemical Weapons Convention also applies to the production and sale of substances which might be converted into chemical weapons. Experts believe that such substances are traded on the international black market.

“In addition to everything else, chemical weapons tend to be highly durable. This is why chemical munitions from the First World War that are still sometimes found today in the German-French border region need to be disposed of with great care. Meanwhile, both the US and Russia are believed to still possess large stockpiles – going against the international convention.”

In Revelation 9:5-6, we read that weapons will be used to torment people for six months, but not to kill them. Apparently, the effect will be so painful that victims will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, but death will flee from them. Apparently, this describes the use and effect of some modern chemical and biological weapons.

Bird-Flu Virus Spreads

Reuters reported on April 27:

“China on Saturday reported its first case of H7N9 bird flu in the southern province of Hunan, the latest sign the virus that has killed 23 people in the country is continuing to spread… This week, the World Health Organization called the virus ‘one of the most lethal’, and said it is more easily transmitted than an earlier strain that has killed hundreds around the world since 2003… Chinese scientists confirmed on Thursday that chickens had transmitted the flu to humans.”

In these end times, more and more untreatable diseases will plague mankind.

God to Bless Planned Parenthood Abortionists?

The Washington Times wrote on April 26:

“President Obama offered a defiant defense of government funding for Planned Parenthood Friday and urged the group’s members to help his administration sign up more women for benefits under his besieged health-care law. The first sitting president to address Planned Parenthood, Mr. Obama accused conservative politicians of trying to ‘roll back the clock’ on abortion rights and health-care services for women.”

CNS News added on April 26:

“President Barack Obama praised the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for saving lives and helping women and families in a 12-minute, 3-second speech on Friday, which was enough time for 7.6 abortions to take place at Planned Parenthood clinics, based upon the abortion data in their latest annual report. According to that annual report for 2011-2012, Planned Parenthood and its affiliated clinics performed 333,964 abortions in fiscal 2011. That averages one abortion every 94 seconds…

“The 2011-2012 report states that Planned Parenthood received $542.4 million in ‘government health services grants and reimbursements,’ which it states includes ‘payments from Medicaid managed care plans.’ The report also shows that Planned Parenthood’s total assets top $1 billion dollars, specifically $1,244.7 billion…”

The Daily Caller added on April 26:

“President Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to deliver a speech to Planned Parenthood on Friday. The organization is America’s leading abortion provider… USA Today reports that President Obama never once mentioned the word ‘abortion’ during his remarks, only the ‘right to choose.’… ‘Thank you Planned Parenthood. God bless you. God bless you,’ Obama concluded.”

We take note of the fact that the leader of the United States vainly calls upon God to bless those whose sole purpose is to murder unwanted babies!

Isn’t It Just Lovely?

The Times of Israel wrote on April 27:

“American Jews show among the highest levels of support for gay marriage, from all American subgroups measured in recent polls, according to figures published this week by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. According to five polls of Americans in 2012 and 2013, with the most recent conducted in March 2013, 76 percent of US Jews support legalizing same-sex marriage, while 18% oppose and 8% did not express an opinion… The figure is remarkably high, particularly when compared to the number of Protestants (34%) and Catholics (53%) who support same-sex marriage.

“Jewish support is higher than the support among Democrats (61%), self-described ‘liberals’ (72%), and even among Americans without religious affiliation (75%)…

“The youngest adult Americans are twice as likely to support gay marriage as the oldest. Some 66% of Americans aged 18-29 support it, while just 33% of those over 65 expressed support. All religious groups and political subdivisions saw much higher support for gay marriage among the young. For example, 39% of Republicans aged 29 or younger support legalizing gay marriage, compared to just 16% of Republicans over 65. Among Catholics, support is twice as high (72%) among those aged 18 to 34 as it is among those over 65 (36%).

“Women were also more likely to support gay marriage (52%) than men (44%). The rate of attendance of religious services also has an effect on views on gay marriage… Those with lower attendance were twice as likely, at 60%, to support legalizing gay marriage, compared to the [lower] levels of support, 28%, from those with higher attendance.”

That American Jews should be at the forefront of fighting for ungodly conduct is surprising and telling at the same time.

Scandal—“CPS Takes Baby After Parents Seek Second Medical Opinion”

The Healthy Home Economist wrote on April 27:

“A Sacramento couple is without their 5 month old baby after Child Protective Services sent in the police to forcibly remove the child from their care. A hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 29, 2013 on the incident which was triggered when Anna Nikolayev and her husband Alex took baby Sammy out of Sutter Memorial Hospital and sought a second opinion at Kaiser Permanente, a rival hospital, for Sammy’s flu-like symptoms.

“Anna and Alex were concerned about the quality of care baby Sammy was receiving at Sutter where he was admitted nearly two weeks ago. At one point, Anna questioned the antibiotics Sammy was being given and was alarmed that the nurse administering the treatment didn’t know why the child was receiving them. Anna claims that a doctor later said that Sammy should not have been receiving the medication.

“When doctors began discussing the possibility of heart surgery, the parents decided to leave without a proper discharge in order to have the child examined elsewhere… While at Kaiser Permanente, the police showed up at the request of Sutter. The police told the parents that staff at Sutter had told them that the child was in such a bad state that, as Anna put it, ‘they thought that this baby is dying on our arms.’

“After the police saw that baby Sammy was fine and examined medical records that clearly stated that Sammy was clinically safe to go home, they left. The attending doctor at Kaiser said, ‘I do not have concern for the safety of the child at home with his parents.’

“The next day, police came to Alex and Anna’s home. Alex met them outside and was slammed against the wall and pushed to the ground. His keys to the home were forcibly removed from him and the police entered the house to take the baby… News10 of Sacramento spoke with police on the situation and were told to talk to Child Protective Services. CPS said little about the case, only saying on Thursday, April 27 that the child was taken due to severe neglect…

“Sammy is currently in ‘protective custody’ at Sutter Memorial Hospital. Hospital officials refused to comment saying the case was with CPS and law enforcement and they would have to deliver a statement. Alex sums up the situation well. ‘It seems like parents have no right whatsoever,’ he said.

“Indeed. Parents are increasingly becoming irrelevant when it comes to decisions regarding their children’s medical care. Jodi and Scott Ferris experienced a similar traumatic event when they questioned the Hep B vaccination for their baby at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Their baby was also taken by CPS.

“The moral of this story? Tick off doctors and nurses at a hospital and they could very well sic CPS on you – with police breaking down your door in short order. Think long and hard before taking your children to the hospital my friends. Once you go through that door, the medical decisions about your child are no longer within your control.”

This scandalous report about incredible conduct of the police and CPS, as well as the staff of the Sutter Memorial Hospital, did not address a situation in communist Russia or China—it is happening in the so-called free United States. Obviously, our freedom to train our children is systematically being taken away from us. But the murder of innocent children through abortion is condoned and supported by governmental agencies. What incredible hypocrisy and a total reversal of right values!

Merkel’s Germany the Master of Europe

Mail on Line wrote on April 27:

“Angela Merkel does not look like a conqueror… Yet according to one of Germany’s most distinguished intellectuals, Mrs Merkel is ‘the uncrowned Queen of Europe’. In the European power stakes, no one comes close to competing with the German Chancellor… in just a few years, using the European Union as her vehicle, she has succeeded where Bismarck, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Hitler failed – turning an entire continent into a greater German empire… this is the implication of a devastating new book by the eminent sociologist Ulrich Beck, who teaches at the University of Munich and the London School of Economics.

“According to Professor Beck, one of the most respected scholars of his generation, Germany is now the undisputed master of Europe. And at its head is Angela Merkel…

“Angela Merkel’s Germany is the biggest economy in Europe and the fourth biggest in the world. It is the world’s second largest exporter, raking in some £915 billion every year. And while Britain’s budget deficit in 2012/3 is forecast to be a whopping £120 bn – or eight per cent of our gross domestic product – the Germans are expected to run a small surplus in 2013 and 2014, as they have done so often in recent years.

“All of that has left Mrs Merkel in an extraordinarily strong position. Uniquely amid the shattered economies of the eurozone, Germany stands relatively unscarred from the great financial crisis…

“In much of Europe, she inspires more fear than any other leader for decades. Yet in her native Germany, Mrs Merkel is hugely popular… The Germans have worked hard to become Europe’s top dogs, and unlike their neighbours they have managed their finances with scrupulous responsibility… Angela Merkel has succeeded where so many of her predecessors, with their strutting militarism, peaked helmets and soaring rhetoric, failed. She has made Germany the undisputed master of Europe.

“Not bad for a pastor’s daughter from rural Brandenburg. But as her career has shown, [she] always has the last laugh…”

As we have said for decades, Germany will lead Europe. But as we explain in our ongoing Q&A series on the ten revivals of the ancient Roman Empire, Mrs. Merkel is not the one who will be leading core Europe, consisting of ten nations or groups of nations. Another leader of German or Austrian decent is still going to arise on the world scene.

Eurozone Must Become a Fully-Fledged Political Union

The Guardian wrote on April 28:

“One of Germany’s most influential political thinkers has delivered a stark warning that its post-second world war liberal democracy cannot be taken for granted and its dominant role in managing Europe’s debt crisis could lead to disaster. Jürgen Habermas, the Frankfurt professor whose political thinking has helped shape Germany over the past 50 years, called for the EU to be turned into a supranational democracy and the eurozone to become a fully fledged political union, while lambasting the ‘technocratic’ handling of the crisis by Brussels and European leaders…

“‘The German government holds the key to the fate of the European Union in its hands. The main question is whether Germany is not only in a position to take the initiative, but also whether it could have an interest in doing so,’ he said. ‘The leadership role that falls to Germany today is not only awakening historical ghosts all around us, but also tempts us to choose a unilateral national course or even to succumb to power fantasies of a “German Europe”. ‘We Germans should have learned from the catastrophes of the first half of the 20th century that it is in our national interest to avoid permanently the dilemma of a semi-hegemonic status that can hardly hold up without sliding into conflicts.’

“Habermas’s wakeup call came at the end of a week of similar alarms being sounded on both sides of the country’s borders. The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, in the presence of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Berlin last week, said there were worries about German domination of the EU ‘everywhere, without exception’”.

And it will happen—a fully-fledged political (and military) union of the Eurozone under German leadership.

Return to Deutschmark Would Cause Serious Damage

The Local wrote on April 30:

“Ditching the euro would cost Germany at least 200,000 jobs and half a percentage point in growth, according to a new study which concluded that Europe’s biggest economy benefited from being within the eurozone.

“Even if Germany were to have to write off the majority of the money it has put into the various euro rescue packages, the study from the Bertelsmann Foundation concluded, it would still be better off sticking with the currency than bailing out. It is not only the large economic figures which benefit from Germany being in the eurozone, the study suggested – the average benefit from having the euro for individuals worked out at around €1,100 a year between 2013 and 2025…

“The Bertelsmann Foundation… did not take into consideration the fact that if Germany were actually to leave the euro, it would probably lead to the collapse of the currency union and a global economic crisis. ‘Germany’s membership of the currency union reduces the cost of international trade and protects against severe currency exchange fluctuations,’ said Aart De Geus, head of the foundation. ‘A return to the Deutschmark would cause significant damage. The Germans would lose income and jobs.’”

Core Policy of Anti-European Party “Insane”

Reuters wrote on April 28:

“A core policy of a new anti-euro party was criticized as ‘economically insane’ by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble in an interview published on Sunday. Support for the Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD), which wants Germany to quit the euro and reintroduce the deutsche mark, is at 2 percent, according to a survey by Emnid pollsters also released on Sunday. ‘For Germany, it would be economically insane to exit the euro,’ Schaeuble told German weekly Focus, adding that Switzerland’s struggle with its soaring franc proved how problematic it could be to have a stronger currency.

“Schaeuble warned support for the AfD could still cost the ruling coalition crucial votes in September’s elections. Political analysts say it would be difficult for the AfD, launched a few months ago by a group of renegade academics, journalists and businessmen, to get above the five percent threshold needed to enter parliament in September…

“A majority of Germans continue to back the euro, opinion surveys regularly show, but the AfD is trying to tap into concerns about the mounting costs of bailouts for heavily indebted countries in the southern euro zone… Schaeuble told Focus that even thinkers who had been critical of his government’s bailout policy, such as Germany’s best-known economist Hans-Werner Sinn, believed in the euro. Sinn distanced himself from the AfD in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung published on Sunday. ‘I believe that it is worth fighting for the euro as such,’ Sinn said. ‘But I believe it is a big error to keep weak southern European countries in the euro at all costs. You do not thereby help these countries and you reduce the probability that the euro will survive,’ he said, adding that struggling economies such as Cyprus and Greece should temporarily leave the euro.

“Schaeuble said the AfD was merely a protest party, feeding on voters’ fears about the crisis. ‘A party, that is only against something, cannot be taken seriously. And it will not be successful in Germany,’ he said.”

Schaeuble is correct with his assessment that the AfD will not be successful in Germany, and that Germany will not abandon the Euro.

Italy’s New Government

Deutsche Welle reported on April 28:

“The cabinet formed by Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta is a combination of left- and right-leaning party stalwarts, independents and newcomers. But, the mix could also be a recipe for power struggles…

“Italy’s new head of government managed to combine old and new when forming his government. New faces can be seen in the 21-person team, which includes seven women. One of them is newcomer Cecile Kyenge, a Congolese-born doctor and human rights activist and Italy’s first black minister. She was given the post of integration minister. Another newcomer is German-born Josefa Idem, a former canoeist and winner of multiple Olympic medals. She is now sports and equal opportunities minister…

“But sharing the bench with the new arrivals are members of the old government, who hold some of the most important posts. Infrastructure and Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi hails from former Prime Minister Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PDL) party, as does the new interior minister, Angelino Alfano, who is also assuming the position of deputy prime minister. The particularly high standing of the latter should help relieve Berlusconi’s disappointment over not being able to fill the justice minister post with one of his people. The new justice minister is Anna Maria Cancellieri, an independent left over from the interim government of Prime Minister Mario Monti…

“Berlusconi is pleased with the current political constellation. Although only a quarter of the population voted for his party alliance, he still gets a say in the new government…”

Berlusconi is just not going away…

The New King of The Netherlands

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 30:

“The rather reserved queen Beatrix of the Netherlands hands over her crown to her son Willem-Alexander. He’s somewhat closer to the people, and people across the country are celebrating their new king… Polls suggest that outgoing queen Beatrix (75) and her son, the new king Willem-Alexander (46), are very popular with the people. Almost 75 percent of the population thinks their parliamentary monarchy is the right form of government for the country…

“In a television interview, the new king said he wants to continue in the same vein in which his mother held office. ‘I want to be a king who builds on the traditions of his predecessors. I’m standing for continuity and stability in the country, but I also will be a king who will bring people together and mediate between them.’

“The Dutch constitution is very precise in defining the role of the monarch as head of state. The king can contribute to the formation of the government, since he can name the mediator in the coalition talks…

“The Dutch parliament was hesitant in 2002 when it had to give its legally required consent to Willem-Alexander’s marriage to the non-aristocratic Argentinian Maxima. Her father is controversial because of his role in the Argentinian military dictatorship and because of that he will not be allowed to attend the coronation ceremony. The three predecessors of Willem-Alexander on the throne all had German partners. The Dutch monarchy of Orange-Nassau traditionally has close ties to German aristocracy….”

Pagan Earth Day Celebrations

Canada Free Press wrote on April 22:

“Today is being celebrated by modern pagans as ‘Earth Day.’ It is a date set aside to worship the earth (paganism). Today is also the birthday of Vladimir Lenin, (April 22nd 1870)… We agree with the folks at ‘TheBlogProf’ who say: ‘It is no coincidence that Earth Day, April 22, was chosen to coincide with the birthday of Vladimir Lenin. A day that celebrates communism as the gold standard of human civilization. Never mind that it has never worked as advertised, creating disorder rather than order. Environmentalism, the religion du jour of the 21st century, has very similar ends of government control under the guise of being good stewards of the planet.’…

“Environmentalism has become a full-fledged religion… If one believes in the divine creator, as I do, then one believes [that humans were] created by that divine creator referred to simply as God… Christians [believe] that Christ, God’s Son, came to this earth… 2,000 years ago. He was perceived by the corrupt government of his day as a threat and, as a result, he was executed. Christians believe that three days later he rose from the dead and returned home but not before promising to return to earth and clean up the mess we have made. As we said, that was around 2,000 years ago. Things have changed for the worst. In this century, and the last, so many have turned from the worship of the supreme being, we call God, to what we used to call ‘paganism’… the worship of nature, or the environment, or… more specifically… environmentalism. Yes, environmentalism HAS become a religion. Well, actually, it always was… nature is not God… GOD created nature…  Earth Day is a pagan celebration, and I want no part in it.”

The Bible condemns those who worship the creation, rather than the Creator (compare Romans 1).

Murdoch Takes Up Transcendental Meditation

The Huffington Post reported on April 22:

“Even at 82, Rupert Murdoch never fails to surprise us. The media mogul is taking up a surprising new hobby: meditation. He tweeted the news on Sunday, writing: ‘Trying to learn transcendental meditation. Everyone recommends, not that easy to get started, but said to improve everything!’ Maybe the stress of News Corp.’s scandals finally got to him.

“News Corp. has been roiled by revelations that some of its newspapers hacked the phones of public figures, and bribed public officials for information. Murdoch has survived relatively unscathed, though there have been over 100 other arrests related to the charges. Or maybe it’s all the heat The New York Post got over its coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings that’s putting him on edge. In any case, we’ll consider his latest tweet about meditation another one of his gems, made possible only after he joined Twitter in 2011.”

It may be another of his gems, but getting involved in transcendental meditation or other Far Eastern philosophies is extremely dangerous. We wrote the following in our article on “Biblical Meditation—a Forgotten Art”:

“Biblical meditation, as focused on God, and prayer to God go hand in hand. Human meditation of and by itself, separate from God, is useless, and can even be counterproductive. In fact, if meditation is focused on the self or on anything else but God and His Word, whether in a positive or a negative way, then meditation becomes an idol, and it is carnal and even demonic. Some today repeat foreign or mystical words, called mantras, for long periods of time during their meditation exercises. They don’t understand the meaning of these mantras, but they do it because they have been told that these words have some kind of magical effects to clear their consciousness from stress.

“Scientific research has, in fact, revealed that something physical does occur within the body during the course of this kind of meditation. But what is not commonly understood is the origin of these words or mantras. They are derived from Indian mythology and religion, designating the names of Indian gods. Most Indian gods, according to Indian mythology and doctrine, are both good and evil. So, without realizing it, people are calling for the appearance of one of those ‘Indian gods,’ by repeating his name over and over again. Why are we surprised, then, that their calls may be answered?

“People engaging in this kind of meditation may find themselves in strange situations. Some have literally killed themselves, thinking that they were witches of the Middle Ages, or that they felt that invisible evil forces were pursuing them. Further, the [former] leader of one of these meditation methods, an Indian guru, claim[ed] that he [could] fly, walk on water, go through closed doors, etc., and he [was] reportedly in the process of teaching the inner circle of his disciples to do the same through this kind of meditation. But this is not the kind of meditation we should engage in, nor should it serve as an example as to how to conduct our meditation.”

Saturday Shooting at a Marijuana Celebration in Denver, CO

The Associated Press reported on April 21:

“Denver police on Sunday pointed to a YouTube video they say shows a possible suspect in the weekend shooting at a marijuana celebration that injured two people and scattered a crowd of thousands. The shooting on Saturday took place during the outdoor celebration of the first 4/20 counterculture holiday since Colorado legalized marijuana. Denver police spent much of Sunday scanning video taken at the event.

“Police spokesman Sonny Jackson told The Denver Post that the suspect is shown in the video walking in a crowd away from the scene of the shooting as sirens wailed in the background. The suspect, a black male who was wearing a brown and white checkered shirt, can be seen about six seconds into the video, he said. ‘We are seeking this individual as we believe he assisted the primary suspect after the shooting,’ Jackson said in an email to the newspaper…

“Witnesses on Saturday described a scene in which a jovial atmosphere quickly turned to one of panic at the downtown Civic Center Park just before 5 p.m. Several thought firecrackers were being set off, then a man fell bleeding, his dog also shot. Witnesses said as many as 10 shots could be heard…Police said they were also looking for a second black man–one who was dressed in a grey hoodie and light blue baseball cap.”

A Saturday shooting during a “jovial atmosphere” of a legalized “marijuana celebration” in Colorado… what more needs to be said? Truly, as the Bible prophesied, men call evil good. Even without the shooting, what business does anyone have to participate in such an ungodly gathering—and especially on God’s holy Sabbath day?

Google Fined in Germany for Violation of Personal Data Collection Law

On April 22, 2013, dpa reported:

“Internet search giant Google was fined 145,000 euros (189,230 dollars) by German authorities Monday for collecting large amounts of personal data from wireless networks through cameras installed on vehicles for its street view service. The data protection office in the northern German city of Hamburg imposed the fine for the violation of privacy during the years 2008 to 2010, when Google was preparing its cityscape service.

“‘In my estimation, this is one of the most serious cases of violation of data protection regulations that have come to light so far,’ said John Caspar, who heads up the protection office. ‘Among the information collected in the drive-bys were significant amounts of personal data of varying quality… For example emails, passwords, photos and logs of chats were collected,’ he said… He went on to say that, under German law, he was unable to impose a much larger fine, saying that the maximum penalty for violations of the negligent data rule was limited to 150,000 euros.”

We should realize that in this day and age, privacy is a thing of the past. George Orwell’s “1984” has become grim reality.

US Torture Methods Violate US Constitution, US Laws and International Treaties

The Oregonian wrote on April 20:

“… the U.S. government’s use of torture against suspected terrorists, and its failure to fully acknowledge and condemn it, has made the exercise of diplomacy far more daunting. By authorizing and permitting torture in response to a global terrorist threat, U.S. leaders committed a grave error that has undermined our values, principles and moral stature; eroded our global influence; and placed our soldiers, diplomats and intelligence officers in even greater jeopardy.

“It’s not just the Bush-Cheney administration that bears responsibility for diminished U.S. standing, although the worst abuses took place in the years immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The Obama administration also has failed to be as open and accountable on such fundamental questions of law, morality and principle as a great power that widely supports human rights needs to be.

“What can be done to mitigate the damage and set this country on a better course? First and foremost, Americans need to confront the truth. Let’s stop resorting to euphemisms and call ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ — including but not limited to waterboarding — what they actually are: torture. Torturing detainees flies in the face of principles and practices established in the founding of our republic, and it violates U.S. law and international treaties to which we are a party. Subjecting detainees to torture, no matter how despicable their alleged crimes, runs counter to the values embodied in the U.S. Constitution.

“Too much information about the abuse of detainees remains hidden from the American people. Specifically, the Obama administration’s ongoing concealment of the details about our use of torture has made it impossible for the United States to comply with its legal obligations under the U.N. Convention Against Torture and has contributed to a disturbing level of public support for torturing suspected terrorists.

“President Barack Obama should direct relevant officials to declassify as many related documents as possible as quickly as possible — starting with the more than 6 million pages of classified documents that were the basis for the Senate intelligence committee’s recent report on the CIA’s interrogation program, and the still-secret report itself — so that the American people may finally learn what was done in our name. Admitting our mistakes is the only legitimate basis on which we can reassure the world that America remains committed to the rule of law and to upholding human rights and democratic values.

“…the United States must not transfer detainees to torture in other countries. Such transfers, known as ‘renditions,’ have occurred under Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama — despite the fact that they violate the Convention Against Torture…

“Democracy and torture cannot peacefully coexist in the same body politic. Successful human rights diplomacy and torture can’t either. Our country and its place in the world — as well as the Americans bravely serving in military, intelligence and diplomatic posts around the globe — deserve nothing less.”

There can be no doubt that America’s use of torture has further increased anti-American feelings around the world. However, releasing all the grim details might not increase US popularity either.

Boston Lock-Down and Cover-Up?

NBC News reported on April 20 about a massive transportation lock-down in Boston during the man-hunt of two suspects subsequent to the bombing:

“Authorities are prohibiting some street traffic and cars having to pass through police roadblocks when entering and leaving the airport. Official taxi service was suspended for several hours this morning… All forms of transportation in and around Boston have been affected by the city-wide lock down. Amtrak announced it had suspended Acela Express and Northeast Regional service indefinitely in the Boston area.

“Regional bus lines, such as Megabus, Greyhound, Bolt Bus, and Peter Pan bus lines have also suspended service, with customers receiving options for refunds or rebooking, according to an AP report… The Federal Aviation Administration shut down airspace over a Boston neighborhood Friday morning to give police a ‘safe environment for law-enforcement activities.’

“The agency issued a 3.5 nautical-mile (roughly 4 miles) radius temporary flight restriction over Watertown early Friday up to 3,000 feet.”

Some of the restrictions have been lifted. However, the following Scriptures come to mind: Leviticus 26:36; Deuteronomy 28:25; 32:30; Isaiah 30:17.

In addition, some very disturbing unanswered questions remain, suggesting that the Boston Police Department might have received a bomb threat before the marathon, but decided not to intervene. For instance, Natural News reported on April 17:

“If you’re looking for actual journalism surrounding the Boston marathon bombings, don’t bother reading the mainstream media. The real breaking news is found in the alternative media, where Anthony Gucciardi of StoryLeak.com just nailed an on-the-record interview with Alastair Stevenson, the University of Alabama cross country track coach who heard law enforcement telling the crowd, ‘It’s just a drill’ immediately after the explosions…

“Alastair Stevenson is a veteran marathon runner who has competed in dozens of marathons around the world, including the London Marathon. He’s very familiar with the security typically found at marathons, and he immediately noticed something odd about the Boston marathon security. ‘They kept making announcements on the loud speaker that it was just a drill and there was nothing to worry about. It seemed like there was some sort of threat, but they kept telling us it was just a drill,’ he was quoted as saying by Local15TV.com.

“In the interview, you’ll hear Stevenson say:  ‘At the start at the event, at the Athlete’s Village, there were people on the roof looking down onto the Village at the start. There were dogs with their handlers going around sniffing for explosives, and we were told on a loud announcement that we shouldn’t be concerned and that it was just a drill. And maybe it was just a drill, but I’ve never seen anything like that — not at any marathon that I’ve ever been to. You know, that just concerned me that that’s the only race that I’ve seen in my life where they had dogs sniffing for explosions, and that’s the only place where there had been explosions.’

“Why is all this such a huge story? Because the Boston police department is on the record saying there was no drill! People who are writing about the reality of the bomb drill are being called ‘conspiracy theorists’ across the ‘net. Yet the real conspiracy is found in the bomb drill cover-up. The far more important question now is: Why would the Boston police LIE about the existence of a bomb drill?”

Boston Mishandled?

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 22:

“US media are awash with questions concerning the suspect in the Boston bombing. Observers wonder about his legal status, the media’s role in his pursuit and if shutting down a major city made sense. Was the bombing of the Boston Marathon a crime or an act of terror? The question of what kind of justice Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev should face has set off a heated debate in the United States.

“If treated as a criminal, Tsarnaev would face charges in a civilian court. But as a US citizen, he could only be tried before a military court if he is declared an ‘enemy combatant,’ similar to the terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay. Enemy combatants also do not enjoy the right to due process…

“American media have also asked if authorities acted appropriately in their pursuit of the two brothers and later of Dzhokhar alone. Online magazine ‘Politico’ asked whether locking down a major city – forcing businesses to close, shutting down public transportation and telling the public to ‘shelter in place’ – was the ‘new normal’ when it comes to terrorism investigations. The website quoted Representative Dutch Ruppersberger who said allowing a single person to influence the lives of millions was not in line with American values. ‘When you have lives at stake, it’s up to law enforcement,’ Ruppersberger told Politico. ‘But it’s an accomplishment when someone shuts down an entire community and people can’t go outside and are told to stay away. We can’t allow these people to shut us down.’

“Media coverage of the manhunt was also criticized. Authorities called the media irresponsible after CNN, Fox News, the AP news agency and the Boston Globe incorrectly reported on Thursday that a suspect had been arrested. Authorities also used the media to get their messages to the public.”

Again, America has become the center of criticism.

EU Will Take Over Supervision of All Eurozone Banks in 2014

Reuters reported on April 20:

“The euro zone’s top project to boost economic growth – banking union – will not be delayed for now by a row over whether it needs EU law changed because most of the work can be done before this is settled, a senior euro zone official said on Saturday… The EU has already made the first step – it agreed the European Central Bank would take over the supervision of all banks in the euro zone from July 2014 in what is called the Single Supervisory Mechanism.

“… [The] 17 countries using the euro can also move ahead with further harmonizing deposit guarantee programs, and creating rules on when the euro zone bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism, or ESM, can buy a stake in a euro zone bank to boost its capital when no-one else can or wants to. The euro zone will also create a network of national authorities responsible for closing down failing banks that will operate under the same rules.

“It is the next step that becomes difficult. The euro zone wants to transform the network of national resolution authorities into a single European institution that would decide which euro zone banks will be closed… However, Germany, the euro zone’s biggest economy, faces elections in September. It believes that to create such an authority, which could order the closure of a German bank, or use German taxpayers’ money to pay for the closure of a bank elsewhere in the euro zone, EU laws have to be changed.

“The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, says existing law provides sufficient basis… A change of European Union treaties would substantially delay the launch of the banking union because apart from the time needed to negotiate the amendments it would also require time for parliaments of the 27 EU countries to ratify it. There would also be a risk that the ratification fails in one or more countries and that some EU governments would use the opportunity to trade their support for concessions in other areas, opening the door to long and difficult negotiations…”

It is highly likely that even such a “single European [banking] institution” will be created in Europe—without time-consuming EU law alterations.

In this context, The Local reported on April 22 that “German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday rejected the idea that her country was seeking ‘hegemony’ in the European Union, but insisted members needed to cede some national sovereignty for the greater good.”

Even though Germany may not be seeking hegemony, it WILL become the leading nation of ten core nations or groups of nations in Europe.

The Washington Times added on April 22:

“The 17 nations that make up the eurozone need to accept that Europe is in charge, and they need to toe that line when it comes to forging spending and debt deals, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday. ‘We seem to find common solutions when we are staring over the abyss,’ she said at an event hosted by Deutsche Bank in Berlin, The Telegraph reported. ‘But as soon as the pressure eases, people say they want to go their own way.’

“Member states need to buck and respect Europe’s leadership, she said. ‘Europe has the last word in certain areas,’ she said, as The Telegraph reported. ‘Otherwise we won’t be able to continue to build Europe.’”

UK’s Military Standing in the World in Jeopardy

The Guardian wrote on April 22:

“Britain’s standing as a leading military power with the ability to influence events beyond its own borders will be jeopardised if the country leaves the European Union, the German minister of defence has warned… Thomas de Maizière insisted the defence implications for Britain, Europe and Nato would be profound… ‘If Great Britain leaves the EU, it would be a great disappointment to us. It would weaken Nato, it would weaken the British influence within Nato. I think from a military point of view the disadvantages for Great Britain would be bigger than the advantages.’

“De Maizière said he knew he was intervening in a domestic debate, but argued it was too important to stand to one side, particularly with the potential military consequences for the UK’s standing in the world…

“De Maizière said other European countries looked to Germany to take a lead in economic and military matters, but then balked at the way Berlin wanted to do things. ‘In the Euro [banking] crisis, when some countries call for German leadership, they mean Germany should pay more. They criticise us when we say leadership means we, Europe, shouldn’t spend so much raising debts. But when we say this, they say this perhaps is not good leadership. You can’t have the cake and eat it. When the leader only fulfils the wishes of the others, that is not leadership.’

“He made clear that Germany had been urging Nato to adopt a counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan long before it was finally adopted, but had been sneered at for suggesting the military approach could not work on its own. German soldiers, he said, had fought well in Afghanistan and proved they were not just ‘cake-eaters.’”

Germany will lead, but it won’t just try to please everyone.

Germans Would Like to See Monarchy Restored

The Local reported on April 25:

“One in five Germans would like to see the monarchy restored, according to a survey released on Thursday. Young Germans were even keener on replacing the president with a new Kaiser. With a British jubilee, a Dutch abdication and a Swedish royal birth, European royals have been regularly hitting headlines of late. More than half of the 1,012 Germans asked by polling company YouGov for news agency DPA said they were interested in other countries’ monarchies.

“In fact, 19 percent said that they would like to see one of their own be re-instated. Among people aged between 18 and 24 this figure jumped up to more than one in three, while just one in six over-55s were in favour of having a monarchy.”

Same-Sex Couples Can Marry in France—Violent Protests Are the Consequence

Reuters reported on April 23:

“French parliament approved a law allowing same-sex couples to marry and to adopt children on Tuesday, a flagship reform pledge by President Francois Hollande which sparked often violent street protests and a rise in homophobic attacks. Hollande’s ‘marriage for all’ law is the biggest social reform in France since his left-wing mentor and predecessor Francois Mitterrand abolished the death penalty in 1981, a move which also split the nation.

“Lawmakers in the lower house National Assembly, where Hollande’s Socialists have an absolute majority, passed the bill by 331 votes for and 225 against, making France the 14th country in the world to allow same-sex couples to wed… Yet the episode has carried a political price for an already unpopular president…

“France, a mainly Catholic country, follows 13 others including Canada, Denmark, Sweden and most recently Uruguay and New Zealand in letting gay and lesbian couples tie the knot. In the United States, Washington D.C. and nine states have legalized same-sex marriage… The gay community greeted the news with fanfare, with some rights groups dubbing April 23 the ‘Day of Love’. But opponents gathered outside parliament for a new demonstration.”

The Times added on April 24:

“Christiane Taubira, the Justice Minister, said the first gay weddings would be held in June. They would be beautiful, she said, and bring joy after weeks of virulent debate. ‘Those who are opposed to them today will surely be confounded when they are overcome with the happiness of the newlyweds and the families,’ she said. Mrs Taubira said the Bill, which also authorises gay couples to adopt children, meant that they would enjoy the full rights due to all French citizens. ‘They will be able to construct marital and parental projects,’ she said… Valérie Trierweiler, partner of President Hollande, joined the celebrations as she ignored advice to adopt a low profile and declared the parliamentary vote ‘historic’ in a Twitter message.

“Wedding planners were also delighted as they prepared to capture a new market, with France’s first gay marriage show planned for Paris this weekend. Divorce lawyers began putting out feelers as well after reports that when Argentina legalised same-sex marriages in 2010, the first break-up occurred a month later. But the mood outside Parliament was sombre as opponents forecast a breakdown in social order, with many taking a lead from the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, the Bishop of Paris, has accused the Socialist Government of ‘refusing all differences between the sexes’. He said that the refusal would ‘frustrate personal expression . . . That is how you prepare a society of violence.’…

“Opponents are planning a giant demonstration in the French capital on May 26 in an attempt to dissuade Mr Hollande from signing the Bill, which he must do to make it law. However, he has shown no sign of backing down.”

This might prove to become Mr. Hollande’s downfall.

Israeli Strike on Iran Becomes Real

The Times of Israel wrote on April 22:

“The importance of the new arms deal between Israel and the United States cannot be overstated. The arrival of an as yet undisclosed number of KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft will give the Israeli Air Force (IAF) the range to attack any target in Iran that it deems necessary in order to suppress the Iranian nuclear program. This is quite simply a game changer.

“Up until now just about every expert and pundit, not to mention former chief of staff of the IDF has known that Israel simply couldn’t launch an attack against Iran on its own and that all talk to the contrary was more bluster than threat. That is no longer the case or rather it will no longer be the case once the tankers arrive and our pilots have been trained in their use.

“Many of the challenges of attacking Iran remain, but distance is no longer one of them. The aerial refueling capability means that from now on when the Prime Minister of Israel talks about attacking Iran he needs to be taken seriously.

“In absolute terms the tankers on their own ensure that the IAF can reach every target in Iran that they need to, everything is in range. What they don’t do is increase the destructive power of the ordnance that their F-15s and F-16s can carry. Any strike that would be launched is likely to be launched at targets that were built with defense in mind. Essentially meaning that a large part of them is underground… no attack on Iran can take place without Israeli boots on the ground…”

Is Syria Using Chemical Weapons to Test the Waters?

The New York Times wrote on April 23:

“Israel declared Tuesday that it had found evidence that the Syrian government repeatedly used chemical weapons last month, arguing that President Bashar al-Assad was testing how the United States and others would react and that it was time for Washington to overcome its deep reluctance to intervene in the Syrian civil war.

“In making the declaration — which went somewhat beyond recent suspicions expressed by Britain and France — Israeli officials argued that President Assad had repeatedly crossed what President Obama said last summer would be a ‘red line.’ But Obama administration officials pushed back, saying they would not leap into the conflict on what they viewed as inconclusive evidence, even while working with allies on plans to secure the weapons if it appeared they were about to be used or handed to Hezbollah…

“Secretary of State John Kerry suggested there were mixed messages emerging from Israel, saying that he spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday morning and that the Israeli leader ‘was not in a position to confirm’ the intelligence assessment. Israeli officials said they would not try to explain the apparent difference between Mr. Netanyahu’s statement and that of his top military intelligence officials…

“The Israeli intelligence analyst, Brig. Gen. Itai Brun, told participants at a security conference in Tel Aviv that the Syrian government ‘has increasingly used chemical weapons.’ That echoed accusations that Britain and France made in a letter last week to the secretary general of the United Nations, calling for a deeper investigation…

“If the United States has been more reluctant than its allies to come to firm conclusions about chemical weapons, it may be because such proof could force Mr. Obama’s hand. In August, the president told reporters that any evidence that Mr. Assad was moving the weapons or making use of them could prompt the United States to act… Mr. Obama’s aides have since amended his statement, saying that he was referring to major use of chemical weapons — akin to what Saddam Hussein employed against the Kurds two decades ago — or the transfer of weapons to terrorist groups…”

CNN reported on April 25 that “The United States has evidence that the chemical weapon sarin has been used in Syria on a small scale, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday… When asked whether the intelligence community’s conclusion pushed the situation across President Barack Obama’s ‘red line’ that could trigger more U.S. involvement in the war, Hagel said it’s too soon to say.”

According to an article of April 25, by thecable.foreignpolicy.com, “Despite a new U.S. intelligence community assessment that the Syrian regime likely used chemical weapons on its own people, the White House is still waiting for more evidence before deciding whether Bashar al-Assad has crossed President Barack Obama’s ‘red line.’”

So it appears that the USA is not too anxious to find evidence for the major use of chemical weapons in Syria, while the civil war goes on…

Syria’s Chemical Weapons in Hezbollah’s Reach

The Times of Israel wrote on April 24:

“Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, on Monday warned the UN Security Council that Hezbollah was close to getting its hands on Syria’s massive stockpile of chemical weapons. ‘In Lebanon, Hezbollah is building an army equipped with 50,000 missiles — more than many NATO members. Now they might have access to one of the largest stockpiles of chemical weapons in the world,’ said Prosor, a day after the IDF’s top intelligence analyst said that President Bashar Assad was in possession of more than 1,000 metric tons of chemical weapons and had deployed sarin nerve gas against civilians. Prosor blamed the European Union for ignoring Hezbollah’s terrorist actions and stubbornly refusing to brand the group a terror organization…

“Prosor warned that Tehran was playing for time to keep the West at bay while it scrambles to reach atomic weapons capability. ‘The Iranian nuclear program continues to advance at the speed of an express train. The international community’s efforts to stop them are moving at the pace of the local train, pausing at every stop for some nations to get off and on.’”

Killer Robots on the Rise

The Telegraph reported on April 25:

“Autonomous robots with the power to make decisions about killing human beings are under development, and their use raises worrying questions about morality and accountability in war, human rights campaigners warn. A human rights agency has raised concerns about the advent of ‘killer robots’, capable of selecting and killing targets autonomously…

“Since the start of the ‘War on Terror’ following the September 11 attacks in 2001, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, has increased dramatically. According to Human Rights Watch ‘rapid advances in technology are permitting the United States and other nations with high-tech militaries, including China, Israel, Russia, and the United Kingdom, to move toward systems that would provide greater combat autonomy to machines. If one or more country chooses to deploy fully autonomous weapons, others may feel compelled to abandon policies of restraint, leading to a robotic arms race.’”

Mixed Messages from the Pope

Reuters wrote on April 14:

“Pope Francis on Sunday said clergy and Christians must not betray the word of God with their actions or they undermine the credibility of the Catholic Church. Francis, elected a month ago, inherited a Church struggling to restore credibility after a series of scandals, including the sexual abuse of children by priests… In his first major decision on Saturday, Francis set up an advisory board of cardinals to help him govern the Church and reform its troubled central administration, which was riddled by infighting and alleged corruption under Pope Benedict.

“Benedict left a secret report for Francis on the problems in the administration, known as the Curia, which came to light when sensitive documents were stolen from the pope’s desk and leaked by his butler in what became known as the ‘Vatileaks’ scandal.

“Since his election as the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years, Francis has been laying out a clear moral path for the 1.2-billion-member Church. He has favored humility and simplicity over pomp and grandeur. Francis has preferred to live in simple quarters in the Vatican instead of moving into the regal papal apartments, and he has said he wants ‘a poor Church, and for the poor.’”

The Los Angeles Times wrote on April 15:

“Pope Francis has backed the Vatican’s doctrinal crackdown on a major group of American nuns, reasserting the Roman Catholic Church’s conservative approach to various social issues in a move that could cool the warm reception he has received from some liberal Catholics since taking office last month.

“The Vatican said in a statement Monday that Francis had reaffirmed the doctrinal evaluation and criticism of U.S. nuns made last year by the Holy See under his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. The assessment accused the Leadership Conference of women Religious, an organization that represents most U.S. female Catholic orders, of promoting ‘radical feminist themes’ and ignoring the Vatican’s hard line on same-sex marriage and abortion… The Leadership Conference of Women Religious represents about 57,000 sisters, or 80% of U.S. nuns.

“Since his election, Francis has won positive reviews for his informal style, his off-the-cuff homilies and his desire to reach out to the poor. But he has long been known for his conservative views on social issues.”

The concept of a “poor” Catholic Church will not be accepted by many Church leaders, and it will only happen at the time of Christ’s return, according to biblical prophecy. On the other hand, even though he might appear “progressive” in some of his views, Pope Francis still maintains the Church’s conservative doctrinal stance, and we should not expect any change in that regard.

Earthquake in China

BBC reported on April 20:

“A powerful earthquake has killed at least 160 people and injured at least 5,700 in China’s rural south-west, officials say. The 6.6-magnitude tremor sent people fleeing from buildings across Sichuan province, which was devastated by a massive quake five years ago… There have been at least 710 aftershocks, further damaging buildings and leaving them dangerous… The quake struck at 08:02 local time (00:02 GMT) on Saturday, with the China Earthquake Administration categorising it as a 7.0 magnitude, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) reporting it as 6.6… The quake was measured at 12km below the surface – a shallow depth that usually indicates extensive damage… Five years ago a massive quake hit Sichuan, killing tens of thousands. The 2008 disaster left some five million people homeless.”

As Christ foretold, we will be hearing more and more about powerful earthquakes “here and there”—that is, around the world in diverse places. Recently, a powerful earthquake struck Iran, and five earthquakes hit Oklahoma.

New Chinese Bird Flu Virus Found in Taiwan

The Washington Times wrote on April 25:

“Taiwan confirmed Wednesday the first case of the H7N9 bird flu outside of mainland China. The new strain of bird flu not otherwise known to humans has been found in more than 100 cases and has killed 22 people in China. Officials are looking into the possibility of human-to-human transmission of the H7N9 strain, but have [not] yet drawn any conclusions.”

Theatlanticcities.com added on April 25:

“Only 4 of the 81 people with confirmed cases of bird flu in China have fully recovered… [A medical] report also confirms that human-to-human transmission of H7N9, which could cause a deadly global pandemic, can’t be ruled out.”

 

Solar Flares to Increase

The Science Recorder reported on April 13:

“Friday marked the biggest solar flare of the year when, at 3:16 a.m. EDT, a M6.5-class solar eruption took place on the surface of the sun, unleashing a wave of radioactive material into space. M-level flares are powerful enough to have effects on the Earth, but are also the weakest of the type that can do so (in comparison, the ominously labeled X-class flares are the most powerful and 10 times stronger than those in M-class)…
 
“The flare comes as the sun’s activity is currently expected to peak at some point this year… Alex Young, a NASA scientist… claimed that solar flares will likely increase both in frequency and magnitude near the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014.”

Christ warned about signs from heaven in the last days.