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Russia’s Military Chief Warns That Heightened Risks of Conflict Near Borders May Turn Nuclear as NATO Expands to Include Former Soviet Republics
“MOSCOW — Russia is facing a heightened risk of being drawn into conflicts at its borders that have the potential of turning nuclear, the nation’s top military officer said Thursday.
Gen. Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, cautioned over NATO’s expansion eastward and warned that the risks for Russia to be pulled into local conflicts have ‘risen sharply.’
Makarov added, according to Russian news agencies, that ‘under certain conditions local and regional conflicts may develop into a full-scale war involving nuclear weapons.’
A steady decline in Russia’s conventional forces has prompted the Kremlin to rely increasingly on its nuclear deterrent.
The nation’s military doctrine says it may use nuclear weapons to counter a nuclear attack on Russia or an ally, or a large-scale conventional attack that threatens Russia’s existence.
Russia sees NATO’s expansion to include former Soviet republics and ex-members of the Soviet bloc in eastern and central Europe as a key threat to Russia’s security.
Makarov specifically referred to NATO’s plans to offer membership to Georgia and Ukraine as potentially threatening Russia’s security. Russia routed Georgian forces in a brief August 2008 war over a separatist province of South Ossetia. Moscow later recognized South Ossettia and another breakaway Georgian province of Abkhazia as independent states and increased its military presence there.” Read more.
Study: Farmland in Parts of Japan Too Radioactive to Grow Crops

“Farmland in parts of Japan is no longer safe because of high levels of radiation in the soil, scientists have warned, as the country struggles to recover from the Fukushima atomic disaster.
A team of international researchers said food production would likely be ‘severely impaired’ by the elevated levels of caesium found in soil samples across eastern Fukushima in the wake of meltdowns at the tsunami-hit plant.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, suggests farming in neighbouring areas may also suffer because of radiation, although levels discovered there were within legal limits.
‘Fukushima prefecture as a whole is highly contaminated,’ especially to the northwest of the nuclear power plant, the researchers said.
The study looked at caesium-137, which has a half life of 30 years and therefore affects the environment for decades.” Read more.
Study shows nuclear crisis may have polluted wider areas of Japan – “Radioactivity from a damaged nuclear plant may have contaminated wider areas of Japan than previously thought, a study by a team of researchers showed Tuesday. Radioisotopes of elements including caesium, tellurium and iodine were blown more than 500 kilometres from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, including to the northern island of Hokkaido and western parts of the country, the team said. The plant suffered meltdowns at three reactors after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. A series of blasts and fires led to the release of large amounts of radioactive material into the environment.” Read more.
Flashback: Japan: Northwest Tip of Tokyo Tainted By Unusually High Amount of Fallout, Plant Mutations Continue To Be ‘Observed Everywhere’ – “An aerial radiation survey of the capital and Kanagawa Prefecture has revealed the northwest tip of Tokyo was tainted by an unusually high amount of fallout, while most other areas showed normal levels, a science ministry official said Friday. The results, released late Thursday, show that fallout from the Fukushima No. 1 power plant contaminated part of the mountainous Okutama region on Tokyo’s western fringe. Radiation readings in the area were the highest of the two prefectures at 100,000 to 300,000 becquerels of radioactive cesium per square meter.” Read more.
Congo’s Nyamuragira Volcano Sees Its Biggest Eruption in 100 Years
“The Nyamuragira volcano, in a remote area of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga national park, is producing lava fountains reaching up to 400 metres. Park officials say the eruption does not pose any immediate threat to the local population, but fear tremors may disturb another volcano” – Source – The Guardian.
Turkey: Fear Runs Wild as Country is Struck by Third Earthquake, Churches From Across Turkey Coordinate Efforts to Help Victims
Turkey’s population is 99% Muslim. If history is any indicator, it’s only a matter of time before someone begins accusing Christians of ‘exploiting’ this tragedy to spread Christianity. Even so, the Body must continue to reach out to help those in need …
“Turkey (MNN) ― Turkey was hit by another powerful 5.2-magnitude earthquake yesterday morning.
This is the nation’s third major quake in a matter of weeks, not including the dozens of tremors and aftershocks the people in the Van area have experienced.
This quake follows another 5.7-magnitude quake last week and a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that killed over 600 people at the end of October. The string of violent disasters littered by tremors and aftershocks has thrown the citizens of eastern Turkey into a frenzy of fear.
International Mission Board reports that most people don’t feel safe. Thousands are living in tents between damaged buildings. Many lost family and friends in the initial quake.
Survivors sleep in tents in sub-freezing weather without proper clothing. IMB notes these now-homeless people run the risk of developing bronchitis and other illnesses from the cold, as well as from the smoky fires lit inside the tents for warmth.
IMB associates met one woman who had only just fled Afghanistan as a refugee in Turkey when the first quake hit.
Buildings continue to crumble, and relief workers are doing all they can to tend to physical needs. The emotional scars of fear surrounding these disasters need a great deal of tending as well.
A local, evangelical congregation in Van is helping those sleeping in tents around their church. Other churches from across Turkey have also sent volunteers. The Van church is coordinating their efforts, which include food distribution and medical care.
Dozens of people gather at the church daily. Believers feed them and share Christ’s love.
‘There aren’t many of us, and we are tired,’ a member of the Van church told IMB, ‘but we are doing all we can. They see the love, and they are able to hear why we do this.’
Keep praying for Turkey. Pray for physical safety and spiritual healing. Turkey is a staunchly-Muslim nation, but as rampant fear spreads, people are looking for peace. Pray that believers would be a comfort to victims of the quake and would represent Christ in ways that make others want to learn more.” Source – OneNewsNow.
New TLC ‘All-American Muslim’ Series Attempts to Show All Muslims as ‘Ordinary Patriotic’ Americans, Features Terror-Supporting Imam on First Episode
Someone at TLC isn’t doing their homework. Is ‘The Learning Channel’ about the learn the hard way? …
“The brand new TV show featured on Cable TV channel TLC tries to depict Muslims as ‘ordinary patriotic’ Americans but fails to deliver in its very first episode by featuring a radical Shia Imam Husham Al- Husainy. In the first episode the Imam is featured marrying a male convert to Islam to a secular Muslim women. The Imam was exposed on the Sean Hannity Show back in February 2007. I remember listening to the actual interview live in which it was obvious the Imam supports Hezbollah a terror entity listed by the State Department. The Imam hates the the USA and Israel. You can hear in the interview what a nut job the Imam is and his gymnastics and crazy attacks in order to avoid answering simple questions.
The main stream media continues to propagate the illusion of a moderate Islam and moderate Muslims. The only moderate Muslims that can exist and based on the way the show is presented are the Muslims who act in a very secular way and the Muslims who follow the faith closely are a major problem when it both comes to sympathizing with terror or actually supporting it. Even the ‘secular’ Muslims still have tribal instinct to side with the tribe rather than side with righteousness. We will continue to monitor the show as it progresses through the season.” Source.
Video quality isn’t the best, but the audio is crystal clear:
Iran Now Denying Israel Behind Explosion at Iranian Military Base, Anti-Israel Weapons Program ‘Temporarily Stopped’ But Will Resume Soon
By Gavriel Queenann – “Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani dismissed reports that a blast at an Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) base near Tehran on Saturday was related to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear or ballistic missile programs.
‘The enemies,’ Larijani said, using Iranian diplomatic code for Israel, ‘Instead of showing the realities of the incident have concocted stories about it.’
Larijani’s remarks were made at a ceremony to memorialize the 17 Republican Guards killed in Saturday’s blast at the IRGC depot in the village of Bidgoneh, some 40 kilometers to the West of Tehran.
Among those killed in the blast was General Hassan Tehrani Moqaddam, who was described as the chief architect of Iran’s missile program. The IRGC has vowed to continue Moqaddam’s ‘path.’
Despite Moqaddam’s death, Laranjani sought to downplay the importance of reports about the incident, saying, ‘They continue their animosity with or without the occurrence of such incidents.'” Read more.
Iranian General: Explosion at military base ‘temporarily stopped’ weapons research program to be used against Israel – “A blast at a military base in Iran happened while the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) were working on a weapon research program to be used against Israel, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff said Wednesday. Saturday’s explosion at a military base near Tehran killed 17 IRGC members. ‘The incident happened during a research program which could have become a severe punch on Israeli regime’s mouth,’ General Hassan Firouzabadi said. ISNA news agency quoted the general as saying that due to the incident ‘the program was only temporarily stopped but would resume again soon.'” Read more.
Syrian Soldiers Killed as Crisis Spins Out Of Assad’s Control, Arab League Gives Syria Three Days to ‘Stop the Bloody Repression’
“BEIRUT — Army defectors ambushed dozens of Syrian troops and regime forces gunned down civilians during one of the bloodiest days of the 8-month-old uprising, which appeared Tuesday to be spiraling out of President Bashar Assad’s control.
Up to 90 people were killed in a gruesome wave of violence Monday, activists said. The extent of the bloodshed only came to light Tuesday, in part because corpses lying in the streets did not reach the morgue until daylight.
As the bloodshed spiked, Assad’s former allies were turning on him in rapid succession — a sign of profound impatience with a leader who has failed to stem months of unrest that could explode into a regional conflagration.
Turkey, Jordan and the 22-member Arab League all signaled they were fed up with Assad’s response to the uprising and were ready to pressure him to go.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday he no longer has confidence in the government led by Assad, a 46-year-old eye doctor who inherited power from his father 11 years ago.
‘No regime can survive by killing or jailing,’ said Erdogan, who cultivated close ties with Assad before the uprising began in March. ‘No one can build a future over the blood of the oppressed.'” Read more.
Syria: Arab League sets deadline to end ‘repression’ – “The Arab League has given Syria three days to ‘stop the bloody repression’ of protesters and allow in teams of observers. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim al-Thani said Syria faced sanctions if it did not co-operate. At a meeting of the Arab League in Morocco, he said diplomatic efforts were ‘close to the end of the road’. As the meeting took place, angry crowds in Damascus attacked the embassies of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. Morocco responded by recalling its ambassador to Syria, AFP news agency reported. Hours earlier – in another sign of Syria’s increasing international isolation – France also said it was withdrawing its ambassador.” Read more.
Mass Bond Selloff Takes Europe From Bad to Worse
By Eric Reguly – “The European debt crisis is rolling across the continent at alarming speed, proving that almost no country is immune to the contagion unleashed by Greece and Italy as confidence in the region’s ability to reduce its debt loads evaporates.
Yields on the 10-year bonds of France, Belgium, Spain and Austria all soared to record euro zone highs on Tuesday in spite of fresh data showing that the German economy is still expanding and despite the tentative launch of caretaker governments in Rome and Athens with mandates for economic reform.
The mass selloff drove up the debt yields of countries that had been considered havens, including Finland and the Netherlands. ‘Global financial markets are facing a key pivotal point,’ analysts at Barclays Capital said in a Tuesday research note. ‘A further escalation of the European debt crisis is putting at risk the nascent stabilization of global growth.’
Italy’s post-Silvio Berlusconi honeymoon proved exceedingly short-lived. Last week, yields on 10-year Italian bonds went to a record 7.48 per cent. They dipped after Mr. Berlusconi resigned as prime minister, then came roaring back, climbing back above 7 per cent on Tuesday, even as Mario Monti, his replacement, came close to forming a new, cross-party government. Mr. Monti is to unveil his cabinet on Wednesday in Rome.
The bond selloff hit France, whose triple-A credit rating is at risk.” Read more.
‘Alarm bells should be ringing for France’: Fears for Eurozone’s second-largest economy as borrowing costs soar – “Eurozone bond markets suffered from a mass sell-off yesterday – with previously healthy economies finding themselves sucked into the debt crisis. The yield on French government bonds climbed to 3.63 per cent. With the German equivalent at just 1.75 per cent, the difference between what it costs Paris and Berlin to borrow is at its highest level since the euro was established in 1999. And an influential report added to market nerves with a claim that the French economy is the 17-member eurozone’s second biggest but only the 13th healthiest. The Lisbon Council think tank and Germany’s Berenberg Bank rates France one rank above Italy, and one below Spain. ‘Alarm bells should be ringing for France,’ said Holger Schmieding, Berenberg’s chief economist. Those bells might also ring, however, for the triple-A rated countries Austria, Finland and the Netherlands, which also saw bond yields worryingly.” Read more.
A Scary Prediction for the Collapse of Paper Money, ‘We Are Only Part of the Way Through the Market Meltdown’ and Much Worse is Coming
By NEIL REYNOLDS – “What should U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke do next? London-based economist Detlev Schlichter says, succinctly: ‘Abdicate.’ What should U.S. President Barack Obama do next? Mr. Schlichter says, succinctly: ‘Abdicate.’ With Mr. Schlichter, you aren’t left with much doubt about his position. He says the world’s major currencies are destined to crash. ‘The dollar, the euro and the yen are locked in a race to the bottom,’ he writes on his website, papermoneycollapse.com. The only question is which one crashes first.
Mr. Schlichter argues that we are only part of the way through the market meltdown – and that the worst is still to come. How much worse? Considerably worse, he says, than the Great Depression.
U.S. industrial production is 12 times higher now than it was in 1929, he says; but the amount of U.S. dollars in circulation is 200 times higher.
The U.S. net debt was 150 per cent of GDP in 1973, when then-president Richard Nixon took the country off the gold standard; yet its net debt reached a record high in 2010: 370 per cent. The United States will fall further, Mr. Schlichter insists, because it has further to fall.
Mr. Schlichter is the German-born, British-based author of a provocative and disturbing new book, Paper Money Collapse: The Folly of Elastic Money and the Coming Monetary Breakdown. An investment manager with JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch and Western Asset Management for 20 years, he quit to write his stern warning of an impending dollar doom.” Read more.
Analysts: Iran May ‘Violently’ Disrupt Oil Shipping in Persian Gulf and Close the Strait of Hormuz if Attacked
“Iran is contemplating violently shutting down shipping in the Persian Gulf as one of several counterattack options if Israel strikes its nuclear facilities, regional and intelligence analysts say.
Such attacks would present the Obama administration with the option of undertaking a limited war against Iran by striking its warships and shore-based anti-ship missiles to keep the Gulf open for business.
Former CIA analyst Larry C. Johnson said Iran has enough firepower to effectively close the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, through which 40 percent of all the world’s oil moves.
‘One of the things that Iran has exercised, has the capability to do, is shut down the Persian Gulf,’ Mr. Johnson said. ‘The best-case scenario is they shut it down for a week. The worst case is they shut it down for three to four months.’
He said Iran could unleash small boats laden with explosives ‘that we don’t have adequate covers for. Add to that the ability to fire multiple missiles. Our naval force will try to stop it, and that’s the hope.’
Mr. Johnson, now a consultant on counterterrorism, said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, which has orchestrated attacks against the U.S. in Iraq, also likely would hit targets in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations.
‘I think we would be looking at a significant wave of terrorist retaliation by them,’ he said.
Over the past two weeks, Israeli media have reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been seeking consensus on attacking Iran’s nuclear sites ahead of a U.N. atomic agency report last week that said the Islamic republic has engaged in activity consistent with building a nuclear weapon.
Frank J. Gaffney Jr., a former senior Pentagon official who runs the Center for Security Policy, said Iran’s ruling mullahs have always had designs on attacking the U.S., and an Israeli attack might prompt them to do so.
‘I think they will try to do as much damage to as many of us as they can,’ Mr. Gaffney said. “My guess is they will try options to have Hezbollah cells engage in attacks around the world against our forces.” Read more.
Flashback: Confirmed: Hezbollah Terror Operatives, “Sleeper Cells” Poised in the U.S – “Operatives of the Lebanese Islamic terrorist organization Hezbollah, the same group presently firing missiles into Israel and labeled as one of the most dangerous Islamic terrorist group in the world, are believed ‘to be planning to activate sleeper cells located in New York and other larger cities inside the U.S.’ to stage attacks Americans. ‘The FBI and Justice Department have launched urgent new probes in New York and other cities targeting members of the Lebanese terror group.’ Law-enforcement and intelligence officials stated that “about a dozen hard-core supporters of Hezbollah have been identified in recent weeks as operating in the New York City area (alone).’ The above appeared in an article published in The New York Post on May 22, 2006. Not surprisingly, that very same information was verified through several sources within law enforcement agencies and agents contacted by the Northeast Intelligence Network this weekend… Their international operational budget is estimated to be $200-$500 million annually, including $100 million in contributions provided directly by Iran.” Read more.
Radical Muslim: ‘I Saw Jesus In a Dream … Can You Tell Me How to Receive Jesus? I Will Do Anything You Tell Me’
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
“Every day, Muslims listeners of Christian radio and satellite television broadcasts who are curious about Christianity call in to ICC sponsored representatives to talk about Jesus. Here is a story of a fanatic Muslim coming to Christ that was recently shared by an ICC partner.
‘I will find you. Until the last drop of my blood I will fight to rid the earth of you,’ the caller said.
‘I understand your anger and hostility towards me, because I was once like you,’ the ICC partner responded. ‘I could go to any extent to destroy a Christian who spoke about Jesus the way that I do. However, Jesus Christ touched me and changed me. He placed a special love in my heart for you. My Lord tells me to love your enemies. Pray for your enemies. If they are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them water. I will be praying for you.’
Days later, the Muslim man again contacted ICC’s partner. ‘I had a very hard time with your response. I prayed to Allah for many days and I was tormented with your words. What kind of love is this? Maybe you did not understand I wanted to kill you. I was very serious about it. First I thought you did not take me seriously. But now I am ashamed. Please tell me if you still care for me. How did you change your religion?’
The ICC partner wrote back saying that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship and went on to share his testimony.
‘I could not accept what you told me about receiving Jesus into my heart,’ the Muslim man replied. ‘You basically told me to change my religion. I could not do that. But, one night I saw Jesus in a dream. This was the first time I had peace. He smiled at me and said, ‘Listen to him.’’
Then the man asked, ‘Can you tell me how to receive Jesus? I will do anything you tell me.’
The ICC partner led him in the sinner’s prayer and he received Jesus as his Savior.
‘This man’s life changed drastically. Now he says he will die for me,’ ICC’s partner said. ‘I told him, ‘Do not die for anyone, just live for Jesus. He died for you.’'” Source – Persecution.org.
Sudan: Fresh Attacks in South Sudan — Including Raids on a Samaritan’s Purse Refugee Camp — Could Signal a Return to War
By Jamie Dean – “As UN workers prepared to unload a helicopter full of food for more than 20,000 refugees in a camp in South Sudan Thursday, a series of horrifying thuds erupted, as a large plane swooped overhead, dropping bombs.
Witnesses say the plane dropped at least four bombs, with one landing in the yard of a makeshift school for 300 children gathered for an afternoon class. Thankfully, the explosive didn’t detonate. But other bombs did explode, and a local official reported at least 12 deaths.
The Christian aid group Samaritan’s Purse reported that its workers in the camp were safe after Thursday’s attack. The relief agency manages distribution of food and other supplies in the sprawling refugee camp. (The area is so remote and swampy, aid workers airdropped supplies to the refugees until Samaritan’s Purse cleared a landing strip.)
While the bombs killed few people, many fear that Thursday’s attack could represent a prelude to something much worse: a wide-scale invasion of South Sudan and a return to civil war.
Authorities believe that military planes from Northern Sudan executed the bombardment on the Yida camp near the border with South Sudan. The two countries formally separated when South Sudan declared its independence on July 9. But conflicts over the disputed North-South border have left nearly 230,000 South Sudanese residents fleeing attacks from a Northern government determined to maintain control of the oil-rich borderlands.
Thousands of those refugees have fled to camps in South Sudan and Ethiopia, including the freshly attacked Yida camp some 10 miles south of the border. By Thursday afternoon, White House officials called the bombing ‘outrageous,’ and demanded that Sudan’s government cease attacks on its southern neighbor.
It was the second bombing in less than a week…
Leonard Leo of the Washington, D.C.-based United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemned the recent attacks and called the bombings ‘clearly an outgrowth of Sudan’s hostility against religious freedom.’ During 20 years of civil war that spanned 1983 to 2005, the Muslim-based government in the North tried to force the predominantly Christian South to submit to Islamic law.” Read more.




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