WORLDWIDE NEWS FROM RAY
A free service of Jesus Christ is Lord Ministries
News written and delivered by Ray Mossholder
Wednesday, August 21, 2014
Hello America. Hello world.
From the headquarters of reachmorenow.com in Fort Worth, Texas, this is Ray Mossholder and this is the news.
Journalist James Foley beheaded
Any idea that Isis is not targeting Americans ended yesterday in Syria when a freelance reporter for Global Post, James Foley, was mercilessly beheaded. Foley had been missing and unaccounted for since November of 2012.
Immediately the beheading was placed on Facebook and only later removed. The speaker for Isis on the video said this was an act of retaliation for America’s recent airstrikes that helped the Kurdish recapture Mosul Dam.
Isis also claimed to be holding another American journalist, Joel Sotloff, who has also been missing for a year.
James Foley was in Syria describing the chaos there. He was just leaving a restaurant when he was kidnapped.
Foley had already gone through 44 days of captivity at the hands of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. That time he was kidnapped along with three other journalists near Benghazi in northern Libya. One of the journalists was killed during that kidnapping.
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi
Foley later got his revenge when he returned from Syria to Libya to cover Gaddafi’s fall and eventual death. He and GlobalPost correspondent Tracey Shelton reported from the scene of Gaddafi’s capture.
The war in Syria has now taken 170,000 lives.
Isis is demanding America to leave Iraq, and warns that much more harm will come to Americans for as long as it doesn’t.
Something Isis didn’t think about is what that hideous beheading did to the American mindset about going back to Iraq and Syria to wipe the terrorists out. That mindset has shifted in one day. President Obama was sickened by the beheading of 40-year-old James Foley.
The Pentagon also shared that our military launched an unsuccessful rescue attempt, but didn’t say when it took place, that “involved air and ground components and was focused on a particular captor network within Isil”. They did say that attempt wasn’t made “within the last two weeks.”
Lisa Monaco, President Obama’s top counterterrorism aide, said in a separate statement “The President authorized action earlier this summer. The action was taken because it was the national security assessment that these hostages were in danger with each passing day in Isil custody.”
This is a very tough moment for Barack Obama who campaigned before each of his elections that he would be bringing all of our troops home from war. But now, after the video Isis called “A Message To America” that threatened attacks by Isis in our own country, was released on Wednesday, he is gravely rethinking that promise.
Our President called Foley’s beheading “an act of violence that shocked the conscience of the entire world.” He said Isis has killed innocent civilians, subjected women and children to torture, rape and slavery and targeted Muslims, Christians, and religious minorities. “So Isis speaks for no religion. Their victims are overwhelmingly Muslim, and no faith teaches people to pass secure innocents. No just God would stand for what they did yesterday and what they do every single day. Isis has no ideology of any value to human beings. Their ideology is bankrupt.”
Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would “never back down in the face of such evil.”
The Committee To Protect Journalists that has its base in America estimates there are at least 20 journalists who are in the hands of Isis. Isis has threatened to kill more of them if America does not leave Iraq.
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Similar reactions to James Foley’s beheading have caused more and more Western national leaders to become aware of the hideous dangers the terrorist group Isis poses on not just America, but the whole world. England’s Sunday edition of The Telegraph, carried a front-page story showing a picture of Prime Minister David Cameron and repeating Winston Churchill sounding rallying cry to the nation that they must get ready to stop Isis before it stops England.
Prime Minister of England David Cameron
His message to the people of England was :
“Islamic militants in Iraq are planning to attack us here in the UK. If we do not act to stem the onslaught of this exceptionally dangerous terrorist movement, it will only grow stronger until it can target us on the streets of Britain. We are in the middle of a generational struggle against a poisonous ideology which I believe we will be fighting for the rest of my political lifetime.
Already Isis controls not just thousands of minds, but thousands of square miles of territory, sweeping aside much of the boundary between Iraq and Syria to carve out his so-called caliphate.
The creation of an extremist caliphate in the heart of Iraq and extending into Syria is not a problem miles away from home. Nor is it a problem that should be defined by a war ten years ago. It is our concern here and now.
This is a clear danger to Europe and to our security. It is a daunting challenge. But it is not an invincible one, as long as we are now ready and able to summon up the political will to defend our values and way of life with the same determination, courage and tenacity as we have faced danger before in our history. That is how much is at stake here; we have no choice but to rise to the challenge.”
Madame Tussaud’s waxwork of
Prime Minister of England Winston Churchill during
World War II
The Prime Minister disclosed that the United Kingdom has already taken down 28,000 pieces of terrorist related material from the web, including 46 Isis videos. Mister Cameron said “The position is clear. If people are walking around with Isil flags or trying to recruit people to their terrorist cause they will be arrested and their materials will be seized.”
Prime Minister Cameron concluded, “We are tolerant people, but no tolerance should allow the room for this sort of poisonous extremism in our country.”
He said he would use next month’s NATO conference in Wales to “help rally support across the international community” for the Kurdish people.
Prime Minister David Cameron should be applauded for this speech by every free citizen and every human who longs to be free. It is refreshing to see how much he wants to stop Isis. He sounds like Winston Churchill at the start and throughout the nightly bombings of Britain during the Second World War that kept England able to cope as he told it like it was.
Then David Cameron went on to say, “I agree that we should avoid sending armies to fight or occupy, but we need to recognize that the brighter future we long for requires a long-term plan for our security as well as one for our economy.” He said his plan to stop Isis is to work closely with Iran and with other Arabic nations like Saudi Arabia and Cutter (Quatar) in their war against Isis.
I want you to think about the answer Prime Minister Cameron has given to, in his mind, delete Isis as a threat to anyone. And as you analyze his answer, recognize that your life, your children and grandchildren’s lives, depend on getting this right.
Here are some facts to help you decide: Iran and Cutter have vowed themselves to the destruction of both Israel and America. And they have fully declared their hatred for every Jew worldwide. Saudi Arabia has the strictest of Shariah law of any country.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
has vowed to destroy both Israel and America
Do you believe the answer to stop Isis is to give the green light to Iran to finish building their nuclear bomb? Because when nations that could stop Iran from building their bomb become their allies instead, it’s easy to see why it would be hard for them to order Iran to stop building it.
Does every lady listening desire to wear a burqa and be completely under male dominance to do with you whatever they like?
And do all of you who are listening find it okay in your thinking to denounce whatever you believe now and join Islam who wants to replace all other laws with strict Shariah law or kill you?
The Bible says there will come a time when all the nations of the world will unite against Israel and that unity will conclude at the Battle of Armageddon. The signs of the time are becoming so obvious that it’s time for every Christian to trim their lamps and keep then trimmed.
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For the umpteenth time, actually the eleventh time, Hamas in Gaza has broken its cease-fire with Israel. They did it while supposed “peace talks” between Israel and Hamas were going on in Cairo. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Hamas from the beginning that if they lobbed more killer rockets into any part of Israel, the peace talks with and at that moment and Israel would be ready to do what they began to do – annihilate Hamas and its power.
It was early yesterday morning that Hamas violated the cease-fire agreement and launched three rockets into an area between Beersheva and Netivot. Netanyahu’s spokesman responded with these words: “This is the eleventh cease-fire that Hamas has either rejected or violated, and it’s clear that a cease-fire has to be a two-way street. It’s not just that Israel hold its fire. Hamas must hold its fire too.
The Palestinian people are reportedly greatly upset that Hamas broke the cease-fire. One of them, Mohammed Habib said “We want to be able to live, to be able to return to our houses even if I have set up a tent in what once was my house. But to stay like this , homeless, one day I am staying at a school, another at a hospital or at my sister’s place or in other places. That’s very tiring. We want this to end.” If Israel agreed to what Hamas insists upon, Hamas would keep their weapons, including their rockets, and there is no reason at all to believe they would stop firing them into Israel.
Gaza also wants to have control of the border crossings between Gaza and Israel, which would allow more weaponry to be brought into Gaza whenever it is requested.
Israel wants all weapons taken away from Hamas once and for all. Hamas words to Israel obviously can’t be accepted after their constantly breaking cease-fires. Since Hamas means to carry through with their desire to annihilate Israel, what would you do if you were Israel’s Prime Minister?
As Hamas rockets struck, Israel wasted no time in striking back – targeting Hamas rocket Commander Mohammed Yassin Dalu (no picture available), who Hamas now declares has been killed. Following the death of the Commander and his family in their home, Hamas issued a statement declaring “Israel’s Defense Force has opened the gates of hell.”
The gates of hell
A spokesman for the IDF replied “Israeli cities are under rocket attack. Millions of Israelis are running to bomb shelters. Hamas made its decision. Now we will make ours.”
Ten rockets have been fired into Israel in the past hour.
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A new Prime Minister is being transitioned into the leadership of Iraq. The past eight years under former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al–Malecki, have been years of division. Under Shiite rule, Al-Malecki made life extremely difficult for the Sunnis. Now Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi intends to right many wrongs. With so many wars raging in his country, this will be a monumental task. A new cabinet should be ready to aid Al-Abadi within 30 days.
Iraq’s new Prime Minister, Haider Al-Abadi
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Last night I shared with you that it was becoming obvious in spite of all their military equipment, the Russian-trained rebels in Ukraine were suddenly losing their war. Nothing could have made that plainer than the two quick-fire losses that the rebels experience yesterday.
First, Alexander Boradi, the premiere of the self proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Igor Strelkov (no picture available), his military commander – the two men who had formed and led the rebel forces against Ukraine since April – suddenly departed Ukraine, making it clear to their troops that they would not be back. Both men were from Moscow. The fear among the rebels now is that there will be more departures.
Alexander Boradi, the Premiere of the self proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, now fled back to Russia
Recently the EU and the United States began arming the Ukrainian military with state-of-the-art weaponry. The rebels were suddenly outgunned. A rebel spokesman told reporters that Boradi and Strelkov (whose real name is Igor Girkin) “slipped into Russia last week under cover provided by armed separatists. The spokesman said “We are in a critical stage. Everything is coming to a head.”
The EU in America had as one of its demands to Vladimir Putin before they would even consider loosening some of the sanctions they are holding against Russia, that he cut off all financial aid to the Russian-speaking rebels. Evidently, Putin has carried through with their demand.
The rebel regions new “Prime Minister” Alexander Zacharchenko (no picture available) said in a video yesterday after Stelkov’s resignation that 1200 Russian-trained fighters and more than 100 military vehicles would quickly be added to their forces. Although many people from both sides of the conflict saw the video, Zakarchenko now denies saying that.
A rebel named Yevgeniy said there were no plans among the rebels to retreat or surrender. “We have nowhere to go.”
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As if to cut their losses in Russia over Ukraine, Vladimir Putin said yesterday that he was going to strengthen his Navy with more advanced weapons during the next 6 years.
Defense Minister Sirgei Shoigu said this new strategy “must ensure that our forces are re-equipped with modern weapons and military equipment, and it must also improve the operational readiness of Russian naval forces in locations posing the greatest strategic threats. I will not hide that this is in large part linked to events of recent months.” (a statement that obviously had to do with their attempt to strengthen the Russian rebels in Ukraine).
Meanwhile, President Obama has unveiled a one billion dollar security plan for Eastern Europe with the aim of helping strengthen on Russia’s western periphery by building more modern armies. Some of some of the President’s critics are pointing out that he is helping to build stronger military in Europe while he continues to shrink America’s military. They find this confusing and upsetting.
Outgoing NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in his final address that Putin’s ambitions “go way beyond Ukraine” and that Putin’s immediate goal includes Russia’s incorporation of two Russian speaking ex-Soviet states – Moldova and two sections of Georgia. For the moment, with a surprise ending to his rebel plans in Ukraine, he is on pause with both goals.
Right now Putin has some very definite challenges to his new goal of strengthening Russia’s Navy. One of them is money. Another is the knowledge of how to do it. He is frustrated with what he sees as Americans globalization and our relationship with many countries. To counter this, he is courting a relationship with Red China. This is something for us to keep an eye on because both countries – biblically called Gog and Magog – are the strongest powers in end–time prophecy. For those who doubt the Bible, answer the question to your own satisfaction – how did God know thousands of years ago Russia and Red China would begin now to work towards an alliance?
One of Putin’s major promises prior to his 2012 election was that he would nearly double Russia’s military spending over the coming ten years to 23 trillion rubles which is equal to six hundred and thirty-five billion American dollars or 475 billion Euros. What Putin couldn’t have known at that time was that Russia’s economy would weaken so very badly.
Another stumbling block for Russia is the sheer fact that their factories lack the technology for building greater weaponry. They’ve tried outsizing, but that hasn’t worked either. Until Russia’s economy is far better Putin has to put his vision on hold. He hasn’t asked yet to borrow President Obama’s money printing press.
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Here in the United States, after all the good he’s tried to do this past week, the nearly twice impeached Governor Jay Nixon of Missouri is being criticized again for his statement yesterday that “a vigorous prosecution must now begin” for the policeman who shot Michael Brown. That statement is not sitting well with the police and with many Ferguson citizens.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon
One of the reasons Nixon may have uttered that statement is because Federal Attorney General Eric Holder arrived yesterday in Ferguson. He will be accompanied by a huge number of the FBI. Many fear a hanging court is about to be set up.
Governor Nixon did refuse to remove St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch from the case in spite of some cries from the black community. McCulloch’s father, mother, brother, uncle, and cousin all work or have worked for the St. Louis Police Department.
The past two nights in Ferguson and been the worst nights of all since Michael Brown’s death eleven days ago. Last night a peaceful protest that began to dissolve, someone in that crowd through a plastic water bottle at the police. Immediately, helmeted police officers, some with heavy weapons and attack dogs, appeared. More bottles were thrown. The police ordered everyone to leave and then they chased down those who had thrown the bottles. 47 people were arrested as the police seized several loaded guns. There was no shooting.
What Eric Holder and the FBI can accomplish in coming into this melee will most likely only be seen discovered in the next few days.
The streets of Ferguson were relatively quiet last night, but it is not known whether it was Holder being in Ferguson with this swarms of FBI agents, or a storm that made the streets very unpleasant the whole night.
A brand-new story that could change everything emerged yesterday. It’s a mystery why this hadn’t been released at the time of the killing of Michael Brown. But all of the information since the shooting has slowly trickled-down with something new every day that changes or contradicts earlier information. This game changer, if it can be proven, has come out the eleventh day after Michael Brown’s death.
Fox News is reporting that police officer Darren Wilson suffered severe facial injuries, including an eye socket fracture, and was nearly beaten unconscious by Brown, moments before firing his gun. The Assistant Police Chief rushed Wilson to the hospital, “his face all swollen on one side.”
Police officer Darren Wilson receiving a commendation from his police chief prior to the killing of Michael Brown
According to what Fox calls “a well-placed source”, when Officer Wilson first encountered Michael and his friend, Dorain Johnson, they were walking in the middle of the street and obstructing traffic. The two young men were asked by Wilson to move to the curb. “They ignored him and the officer started to get out of the car to tell them to move. They shoved him right back in and started beating Officer Wilson in the head and face. Brown tried to get Wilson’s gun. It went off, but no one is sure who pulled the trigger. Brown started to walk away, prompting Wilson to tell him to “freeze.” Brown raised his hands in the air, and turned around saying, “What, you’re going to shoot me?”
At that point the 6 foot, 4 inch, 292 pound Brown charged Wilson, prompting the officer to fire six shots at him, including the fatal bullet that penetrated the top of Brown’s skull.
Officer Wilson received a fractured eye socket during the confrontation. According to the source, “He is now traumatized, scared for his life and family, injured and terrified that a grand jury will make a rush to judgment and make some kind of example out of him.”
The source also said the dashboard and body cameras, which may end up supplying crucial evidence, had been ordered by Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson, has only recently arrived and has not been viewed yet.
When Fox phoned the St. Louis Police Department they would not return the call to talk about officer Wilson’s alleged facial damage. Instead, they have said they will keep their presentation of the facts to the grand jury for the grand jury only, and will not be sharing it with the general public.
Nabil Khattar, CEO of 7Star industries, which trains police officers in the use of firearms, law enforcement and special operations personnel, confirmed that the police are trained to use deadly force any time an officer is in danger of being killed or suffering great bodily injury.”
The grand jury began hearing evidence today.
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at any
Texas Governor Rick Perry looks great even when he’s getting a mugshot! Rick was booked on Tuesday with two felony charges that had to do with a supposed “abuse of office.” No one wanted to arrest the governor, so he turned himself in to the Travis County Court yesterday. Governor Perry has pleaded not guilty and told reporters “I’m going to fight this injustice with every fiber of my being, and we will prevail because were standing for the rule of law.”
Even far left leaning Democrats are saying the charges against Perry are ridiculous. Those making it know how silly the charges are. Their intent is to waste the time Governor Perry still has an office so that he can’t complete goals he has planned before his retirement from office in January 2015. They also would like to trip him up and cast aspersions on him so that it will be harder for Perry to run for President in 2016. Those plans may have already backfired because of the joke this whole indictment is. Governor Perry is getting a lot of attention from the press that he may capitalize on his bid for the presidency.
The whole issue arose because Governor Perry used his veto power to stop Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, a Democrat who had been arrested three times for drunk driving. Unbelievably, Rosemary Lehmberg is the head of the Texas Public Integrity Unit. She refused to leave office and filed the indictment instead.
Rosemary Lehmberg on one of her DUIs
Rick Perry has been governor of Texas for fourteen years. He is greatly loved by the majority of the state for his integrity and his strength in dealing with issues – the kind of strength that has sent the National Guard to the Rio Grande border to carry out the will of the people of Texas.
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Arizona, one of the driest states in all 50, has been hit with a devastating downpour of rain of up to 8 inches by noon yesterday in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. Traffic was snarled and there were many auto accidents, though none were fatal. Storms are expected in the Phoenix area for several more days.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said she was glued to her television set all day long yesterday, watching a multitude of rescues. She said “It looked absolutely devastating. For the last 10, 15 years we’ve never seen anything the likes of this.
Stormy weather over Cottonwood, Arizona
Iceland makes me shiver when I just think of its name, but not long ago it made airlines shiver too. It seems their volcanoes are creating real havoc with the atmosphere.
The problem began in 2010 when a volcano – and I kid you not – with the name not one of the 50 news sources I use could pronounce! – You try pronouncing capital Eyjafjallajokull. The best I can do is EYE-AF-JALLA-JOKULL and I no doubt just slaughtered its name!
Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano (You try to say it!)
Anyway this volcano blew its top in 2010, spewing an ash cloud so heavy that airplanes couldn’t fly through it. It cost the airlines millions of dollars because they had to go completely around it, adding not only to frequent flyer miles for every passenger, but to the miles themselves for as long as it chose to blow.
Evidently another volcano saw what EYE-AF-JALLA-JOKULL did and thought it was funny. At least it was a volcano I can correctly pronounce – Bardarbunga. (I wonder what Icelanders name their kids!)
Bardarbunga hasn’t stopped any airplanes yet, but meteorologists describe what’s going on in it as a “intense earthquake swarm.” That has caused 2,600 just over this weekend – in fact, from Saturday morning to Monday evening there’s been a whole lot of shakin’ going on.
The largest earthquake happened Monday morning, causing Icelandic authorities to raise an orange aviation alert that indicates “heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption.” (I used to have a friend with that problem.) The airlines are getting nervous, trying not to make an ash of itself. No visibility is definitely a handicap for any pilot.
Here’s what the combined European airlines are saying about all this. “Europe is more prepared to deal with volcanic ash these days… Every year, volcanic ash exercises are conducted and we learn from them… However, volcanic ash is still a hazard for aviation and does have the potential to cause disruption. Safety is, as ever, our primary concern.” That’s a comforting thing to know when you begin to fly over a belching volcano.
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Anybody listening think you’re getting old?
Well, compare yourself with 111-year-old Sakari Momoi (picture not available) – who Guinness Book of World Records has just declared the oldest man in the world.
Momoi was born in Japan but now lives in a retirement home in Tokyo. Of course, men seldom live as long as women. The oldest human alive today is 116–year–old Misao Okawa who lives in Osaka, Japan. Maybe Sushi is a great health food after all!
Today’s oldest man was born February 5, 1903. He was a math teacher in his home city of Fukushima. Momoi says he still loves reading books, especially Chinese poetry. He has five children who are in their 70s or older and are still going strong.
Still not convinced that you’re not old? How about noticing the age of these people – Senator Dianne Feinstein is 81; Senator Orrin Hatch will be 81 on the 29th of this month and John McCain will be 78 on the same day; Senator Chuck Grassley is 80; Governor Jerry Brown of California is 75; Nancy Pelosi is 74 and Harry Reid is 74; former President Jimmy Carter is 89 and former President George Bush Senior is 90; Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 81; and both Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy are 78: Television’s Jim Baker is 75 and Dr. Pat Robertson is 84; Dr. Billy Graham is 95 and Pope Francis is 77; and the kid on that worldwide pogo stick that never stops is John Kerry who is 70.
These well-known people could start a fire
by just blowing out there candles.
And they are still going strong.
Are you feeling better now?
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
To stay young never waste time growing old.
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So until the next newscast this is Ray Mossholder, praying for you my friend. Have a miraculous day!
WORLDWIDE MORNING EDITION FROM RAY August 21, 2014
