VENEZUELA - Venezuela entered a recession in 2014, with the economy shrinking in the first three quarters, the Central Bank said on Tuesday, blaming political opponents for the dismal figures. In a statement, the bank said GDP contracted 4.8 percent in the first quarter, versus the same period of last year, then it fell a further 4.9 percent in the second quarter and shrank 2.3 percent in the third quarter. The statement added that 12-month inflation, which is the highest in the Americas, reached 63.6 percent in November.
USA - This year’s influenza season started earlier than expected and is sending more patients to the hospital, raising concerns this could be a more severe outbreak than in recent years. Thirty-six states are now experiencing high levels of flu activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, as this year’s flu vaccine may not fully protect against a strain known as influenza A H3N2 that is currently circulating and tends to be more severe. Fifteen children age 18 and under have died from the flu as of December 20.
GERMANY - Germany has warned Greece that it is on a collision course with the European Union as the country’s far-Left anti-austerity opposition stands poised to win a snap election in four weeks’ time. Following a defeat for the Greek government’s presidential candidate on Monday, Greece will hold a general election on 25 January with the prospect of victory for Syriza, a far-Left party.
GREECE - Athens stock exchange falls by more than 10 percent after third failure to secure backing for new president triggers snap election. The Greek prime minister's failure to secure support for his presidential nominee has sent European markets into turmoil, with the prospect of the far left opposition claiming power raising fears over the eurozone's future. The Athens stock exchange dropped by 11 percent and caused ripples around the eurozone, with Spanish and Italian indices also falling.
MIDDLE EAST - A spokesman for ISIS has claimed in an interview it's only a matter of time before the jihadists expand and conquer Europe. He also defended the terror group's practices of mass enslavement and beheadings, and said that it plans to carry out "the largest religious cleansing campaign" in history, which will include the killing of hundreds of millions of people. "No, we will conquer Europe one day. It is not a question of if we will conquer Europe, just a matter of when that will happen. But it is certain. ... For us, there is no such thing as borders. There are only front lines," the spokesman, identified only as a German ISIS fighter, told journalist Juergen Todenhoefer in an article for CNN.
USA - Because of the industrial processes involved in manufacturing, sugar has practically no nutritional value: The vitamins and enzymes have become denatured (lost their molecular shape) and thus fail to contribute to the body’s metabolic requirements. Refined sugar is also devoid of mineral content. It is pure energy.
RUSSIA - The Russian economy has fallen into decline for the first time in five years, according to official figures. Russia's economy ministry said GDP had fallen by 0.5 percent in the year to November, the latest sign that the country is heading for recession. The worse-than-expected figures sent the rouble tumbling on Monday. After staging a slight recovery in recent weeks, it fell to trade at around 56 to the dollar. The recent collapse in oil prices and Western sanctions have battered the Russian economy, forcing drastic interventions from the Russian Central Bank and creating the biggest crisis in Vladimir Putin's leadership of the country. Officials expect the economy to shrink by 4 percent next year if oil trades at $60 a barrel.
UK - Political leaders must agree a plan to legalise assisted dying as one Briton a fortnight is now travelling abroad to end their lives, an alliance of prominent figures from across public life warns today. In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, some 80 doctors, writers, actors, clerics and politicians say an “overwhelming majority” of the public now supports a change in the law and that Parliament must allow time to finally resolve the issue. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has previously indicated that he would oppose any plans to legalise assisted suicide. However, he has made clear that MPs will be given a free vote on the issue if it is debated in Parliament.
ARGENTINA - Defences on the Falklands are being reviewed after it emerged Russia plans to offer Argentina long-range bombers. The aircraft, which Moscow will swap for beef and wheat, would be able to mount air patrols over Port Stanley.
LIBYA - Fire is still threatening one of Libya’s largest oil export terminals after a battle between government forces and the opposition militia known as Libya Dawn. The blaze at the Es Sider port has already engulfed five giant oil storage bunkers and any long-term disruption to exports from the facility could help to put a floor under the tumbling price of crude. Libyan officials have said that 850,000 barrels of crude oil have been lost because of the fire. Es Sider can hold more than 6 million barrels and is one of the North African country’s main export hubs. Brent crude ended last week again lower at $59.45 per barrel, but fear over the reliability of supplies from Libya could push the price up again this week. Oil has lost about 45 percent of its value since June.
GERMANY - 60 prominent German personalities from the realms of politics, economics, culture and the media were less concerned with blinking red and green stock quotes and were focused on something far more serious to the future of the world: the threat of war with Russia.
ISRAEL - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the role of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in helping Israel build its formidable arsenal of munitions in a tough speech devoted to the Jewish State's growing military prowess. The leader spoke on Thursday at Israel Air Force pilots' course graduation ceremony.
GERMANY - For decades — because of the Cold War — the Bundesbank’s gold holdings have been kept in the treasuries of other central banks — in Paris, London and New York. Now the public and the Bundesbank believe that more of the country’s treasure should be at home.
TURKEY - Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday that Turkey stands behind Palestinians in their efforts to oppose what he called Israeli attempts to “reduce the Islamic character” of Jerusalem. Davutoglu was speaking to reporters in the central Turkish city of Konya, a day after meeting with exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal.
ISRAEL - We are nearing a third Israeli revolution. The first lasted from 1948 to 1977. It inspired the founders of the state to lay down the foundations for a secular and socialist state. Their energy lasted 29 years. In 1977, they were deposed and replaced by the second Israeli revolution. This one turned Israel into a religious, nationalistic and capitalistic society and state. On Israel's 70th anniversary, in 2018, the second Israel will celebrate nearly four decades. Apparently this revolution has run its course, as well. Out of the ruins of the two, a third revolution is emerging. The idea at the heart of the first revolution was the state, the second's was territory - a greater Israel comprising the land on both sides of the Jordan River. And the third revolution is motivated by an idea, which overshadows all the rest - the Temple.
“Just what is an APOSTLE?”
Today we find the Church of God in a “wilderness of religious confusion!”
The confusion is not merely around the Church – within the religions of the world outside – but WITHIN the very heart of The True Church itself!
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