The Disturbing Facts Regarding Refined Sugar

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.

Recession looms for Russia

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.

 
Assisted dying must be legalised, demand key figures

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.

 
Military deal between Russia and Argentina

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.

Opec: Oil blaze in Libya could stem plunge in prices

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.

 
60 Prominent Germans Warn of War in Europe

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.

Netanyahu thanks Germany's Merkel in saber-rattling speech

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.

German central bank starts to bring some of its gold back home

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.

Turkish PM vows to defend Palestinian rights to Temple Mount

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's third revolution: rebuilding the ancient Temple

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.

 
Military Intelligence foresees threats to Israel in 2015

ISRAEL - Analysis: Top Shin Bet assessment predicts Middle East will remain dangerous and unstable: There is no international landlord, states are disintegrating, and enemies are honing tactics. The Middle East is expected to be a very bad place in which to live over the coming year – perhaps one of the worst and most dangerous places in the world.

China Steps In as World's New Bank

CHINA - Thanks to China, Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund, Jim Yong Kim of the World Bank and Takehiko Nakao of the Asian Development Bank [ADB] may no longer have much meaningful work to do.

China to Start Payments With Russia in National Currencies

CHINA - The China Foreign Exchange Trade System has announced that since December 29, China, Russia, Malaysia and New Zealand will start the usage of national currencies in mutual transactions. Beijing hopes to make the yuan an alternative to the US dollar in global trade. China will start swaps and forwards between the yuan and the national currencies of Russia, Malaysia and New Zealand on December 29, the China Foreign Exchange Trade System (CFETS) reported Friday.

The Ruble's Slide Begins to Claim Banking Casualties

RUSSIA - The dramatic slide in the value of the rouble has claimed its first banking casualty. The Russian Central Bank, to the tune of US$530 million, is bailing out Trust Bank. The emergency liquidity line’s intent is as life support for one of modern Russia’s more established banks. So much for president Putin’s declaration to the Russian press that “the economy will recover in two years.” The intent of his reassuring message was to stop panic in the currency market and confirm to the public that the Russian government is in control of the unfolding situation (Putin carefully avoided using the word “crisis”). But economic recovery is far from certain and Russia looks set for deeper crisis in 2015.

 
Fukushima Children Thyroid Cancer Rate Continues To Rise

JAPAN - Fukushima prefecture has been conducting regular checkups of over 360,000 people who were in Fukushima in March 2011 and were age 18 or under when the nuclear crisis struck. As WSJ reported in August, a study by researchers in Fukushima prefecture found 57 minors in the prefecture have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer so far and another 46 are showing symptoms that suggest they may also have the disease. Today, as The Japan Times reports, four more children are suspected of suffering from thyroid cancer in the latest survey bringing the total to 107 out of 385,000 now surveyed. This is dramatically higher than the normal "between 5 to 11 cases per million people," that Okayama University professor Toshihide Tsuda cites for national statistics between 1975 and 2008.

 
“Just what is an APOSTLE?”
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!

Read online or contact email to request a copy

Listen to Me, You who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My Law: …I have put My words in your mouth, I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, “you are My people” (Isaiah 51:7,16)