Author: Ron Chambers

Pandemic Sparks Famines of Biblical Proportions Across the World

Strange Sounds – April 23, 2020

The world is at risk of widespread famines “of biblical proportions” caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

David Beasley, head of the World Food Programme (WFP), said urgent action was needed to avoid a catastrophe.

A report estimates that the number suffering from hunger could go from 135 million to more than 250 million.

Those most at risk are in 10 countries affected by conflict, economic crisis and climate change.

The fourth annual Global Report on Food Crises highlights Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria and Haiti.

In South Sudan, 61% of the population was affected by food crisis last year, the report says.

Even before the pandemic hit, parts of East Africa and South Asia were already facing severe food shortages caused by drought and the worst locust infestations for decades.

Addressing the UN Security Council during a video conference, Mr Beasley said the world had to “act wisely and act fast”.

https://strangesounds.org

Massive Earthquakes, Volcanoes now Erupting Worldwide

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz– April 13, 2020

The waves of earthquakes are rocking the center of the U.S. and the sudden awakening of several volcanoes around the world may be a sign of the pre-Messiah shake-up predicted by the prophets. At the same time, several far more mild earthquakes in Israel seem to embody the Biblical concept of God’s mercy being aroused by Man’s actions.

The earth seems to be waking up as seismic activity is being reported around the globe. Last month, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake shook Idaho, generating a multitude of avalanches. The quake was the largest in the region since a 6.9 quake hit in 1983. There have been 238 earthquakes in Idaho in the last week according to the U.S. Geological Survey website. Five of those have been substantial in size rating 4.0 to 6.5. Idaho isn’t new to experiencing earthquakes.

Two weeks before Idaho felt the earth move, Salt Lake City, Utah, approximately 340 miles away from the Idaho epicenter, was hit by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake. Since that earthquake, there have been 886 smaller earthquakes and aftershocks in the Salt Lake area.

The belly of the country is clearly rumbling as the University of Utah Seismograph Station mapped a total of 980 tremors throughout Idaho, Utah and Wyoming since March 18.

Though the epicenter in Idaho was over 200 miles distant from the Yellowstone caldera, Yellowstone experienced 111 earthquakes in March. The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory released its monthly report on Wednesday, declaring its current alert level “normal” and its aviation color code “green.”

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com

Chattanooga Mayor Reverses Course, Allows Drive-In Church Services Following Lawsuit

– April 21, 2020

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee has agreed to allow drive-in church services after being assured by area pastors that the meetings will be conducted with appropriate social distancing measures in place. The about-face from his initial prohibition comes two days after a lawsuit was filed against the City by a local church that asserted the restriction violated its freedom of religion and assembly.

“Every week I sign a new executive order. I have spoken to pastors who assured me they could operate drive in church safely, with spaces between the cars and no collection plates. This week’s order therefore permits drive-in church. Please observe safely,” Andy Berke posted to Twitter on Saturday.

According to reports, on April 9, Berke had outlined on social media that “drive-in services, … even in their cars with the windows rolled up, for any length of time will be considered a violation of our shelter-in-place directive.” The post is no longer available as of press time.

The following day, the City of Chattanooga shared a statement from local faith leaders that “[a]lthough coronavirus will prevent us from worshiping in the same buildings this weekend, it will not prevent us from celebrating and observing these enduring [Easter and Passover] traditions together.” It encouraged residents to check with area religious groups about plans for online services.

On April 11, attorneys for Metropolitan Tabernacle Church sent an email to the city attorney to contend that the prohibition on drive-in services violates the U.S. Constitution. Steve Ball, the pastor, had previously inquired of local police whether it would be permissible to hold drive in services and was told yes by a lieutenant.

https://christiannews.net

Dutch Supreme Court rules doctors can euthanize dementia patients

Christine Rousselle – April 22, 2020

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 22, 2020 / 01:30 pm MT (CNA).- The Supreme Court of the Netherlands ruled on Tuesday, April 21, that it is lawful for doctors to euthanize patients with severe dementia, provided that the patient had expressed a desire to be euthanized while still legally capable of doing so.

Lower courts had previously ruled that a doctor had not acted improperly when he euthanized a 74-year-old woman with advanced dementia, even though the woman had to be repeatedly sedated and physically restrained during the procedure. The case was sent to the Supreme Court for further clarification of the country’s euthanasia law, which permits doctors to kill patients considered to be in “unbearable suffering.”

Per Dutch law, euthanasia is only legal for those with dementia if they had written or discussed an advanced directive with their doctor.

“For some people, the prospect of ever suffering from dementia may be sufficient reason to make an advance directive (living will). This can either be drawn up independently or discussed first with the family doctor. A physician can perform euthanasia on a patient with dementia only if such a directive exists, if statutory care is taken and if, in his opinion, the patient is experiencing unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement,” says the Dutch government’s website.

The woman who resisted her euthanization had written an advanced directive four years prior, requesting the procedure in lieu of being put in a nursing home. In the directive, she had said she wished to “be able to decide while still in my senses and when I think the time is right.”

Prosecutors argued that her attempt to fight off the doctor indicated that she could have changed her mind, but was unable to verbally communicate.

Dr. Charles Camosy, a professor at Fordham University and bioethicist, told CNA that the supreme court decision is part of a legal “slippery slope” in the Netherlands on euthanasia. Camosy said that patients with conditions including mental deterioration will be at the heart of future debate.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com

LGBTQ website says ‘coronavirus is punishment for conservative Christians’

Paul Sacca – April 16, 2020

An LGBTQ website featured an article that states “coronavirus is punishment for conservative Christians.”

LGBTQ Nation is “an online news magazine, reporting on issues relevant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer community.” Mark Segal, who is a contributor to the site, posted an article Wednesday titled, “If HIV was God’s punishment for gays, then coronavirus is punishment for conservative Christians.”

Segal contends that “God must now be angry with religious people by striking the headquarters of the world’s religions with the COVID-19: Rome, headquarters of Catholics; Athens, the headquarters of Greek Orthodoxy; Moscow, the headquarters of Russian orthodoxy; London, home of the Anglican communion; Mecca, home of Muslims; Jerusalem, home of Jewish faith; and Salt Lake City, home of the Mormons.”

To attempt to support his argument, Segal claimed that there are fewer confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in San Francisco than other international cities that hold religious significance.

“Fundamentalists apparently consider San Francisco the capital of the LGBTQ world,” Segal wrote. “Now let’s compare and see what God’s wrath is. San Francisco has under 1,000 cases and only 12 deaths. All of the headquarters cities of the world’s major religions, religions that at one point or another have discriminated against the LGBTQ community, have more cases and more deaths than San Francisco. San Francisco is the least affected of all the cities.”

https://www.theblaze.com

China may be conducting secret nuclear tests, State Department warns

Nick Givas, Rich Edson – April 16, 2020

The State Department is concerned China may be conducting small nuclear tests in secret, possibly violating an international agreement banning such tests, Fox News confirmed Wednesday.

A new State Department report on compliance with arms control, nonproliferation and disarmament, first obtained by the Wall Street Journal earlier Wednesday, found that China may be flouting international law by conducting the tests within the northwest region of the country, using low explosive power.

The report didn’t prove any wrongdoing on the part of the Chinese, but still raised red flags.

“Some compliance concerns are raised and some findings of violations are made,” it read.

Officials wrote that China had maintained a “high level of activity” at its Lop Nur site in 2019, and could be seeking to operate it year-round going forward.

It also mentioned China’s use of explosive containment chambers, extensive evacuations at the site and lack of transparency on nuclear testing as reasons for raising suspicions.

The report went on to cite further concerns about China’s possible violation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) by engaging “in biological activities with potential dual-use application.”

https://www.foxnews.com

After Coronavirus Response Failures, Almost Half of Italians Want to Leave the EU

Chris Tomlinson – April 14, 2020

A Tecnè poll has revealed that Italians are becoming more and more critical of the European Union, with 49 per cent saying they want Italy out.

Just 51 per cent of the Italian public said they want to remain in the EU, which has been widely criticised across the country for lack of solidarity with Italy since the start of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

The poll is a far cry from previous surveys, according to newspaper Il Giornale, which cited a November 2018 study which showed consensus was far more favourable to the European Union, saying opposition to an Italian exit has fallen by 20 per cent in two years.

The EU reaction to the Italian coronavirus outbreak, which has led to the deaths of more than 20,000 people across the country so far, led to some Italians burning EU flags on social media and Italian politicians taking down EU flags from offices and public spaces in protest.

The reaction from Italians led European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to issue an apology earlier this month that was published by newspaper La Repubblica.

“It must be acknowledged that in the first days of the crisis, faced with the need for a common European response, too many have thought only of the problems of their own homes,” she said and added: “They did not realise that we can defeat this pandemic only together, as a Union. It was malicious behaviour and could have been avoided.”

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte later issued a warning to the EU saying that the political bloc may collapse if other member states do not act with solidarity and help countries most affected by coronavirus.

https://www.breitbart.com

Churches ordered ‘no singing’ during livestream services unless they’re in homes, California county COVID-19 restrictions say

Dave Urbanski – April 16, 2020

A northern California county issued revised shelter-in-place orders on Good Friday that outlaw singing during livestream church services unless the services take place in residences.

The specifics within Mendocino County’s 13-page document are found on page 8 under “Minimum Basic Operations” for “venues, such as concert halls, auditoriums, churches, temples, and playhouses, to enable a recorded and/or live-streamed event to be shared virtually with the public” — and then come the “limitations.”

First off, the order states that “only four individuals may be present for the live event. All others must participate remotely,” the document states.

Secondly, “Social Distancing Requirements must be maintained, include maintaining at least six feet of physical distancing from other individuals (physical distancing not required for members of the same household), frequently washing hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer that is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as effective in combatting COVID-19, covering coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands), regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces, not shaking hands, and, for those who are not on camera, to wear facial coverings as much as possible,” the document notes.

And then the powers that be get into specific activities not allowed during livestream events: “No singing or use of wind instruments, harmonicas, or other instruments that could spread COVID-19 through projected droplets shall be permitted unless the recording of the event is done at one’s residence, and involving only the members of one’s household or living unit, because of the increased risk of transmission of COVID-19.”The order is in effect until May 10 and “violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both,” the document reads.

https://www.theblaze.com

Hurricane Season Forecasted to be “Above Average”

End Time Headlines – April 15, 2020

(ETH) – Forecasters at Colorado State University have just released their Hurricane predictions for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and are calling for an “above-average” season.

According to WPTV, The researchers are predicting that there will be 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or greater.

“Reasons for above-average forecast include anticipated lack of #ElNino and warmer than normal tropical Atlantic,” the author of the forecast, Philip Klotzbach, tweeted on Thursday.

Last year the Atlantic hurricane season delivered 18 named storms and six hurricanes, including Hurricane Dorian which skirted close to the coast of Florida last September.

https://endtimeheadlines.org

Infectious And Fatal Bird Flu Outbreak In South Carolina – More Than 32,000 Turkeys Killed

Strange Sounds – April 14, 2020

As humans around the world scramble to fight a pandemic caused by a new virus, a separate infection has emerged that could wreak havoc on another population of creatures.

The US Department of Agriculture this week confirmed the presence of an infectious and fatal strain of avian influenza (H7N3) in a commercial turkey flock in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

“State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property were depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease,” the department said in a statement, indicating the birds were killed en masse.

Meanwhile, more than 32,000 turkeys have been euthanized after the discovery of the deadly virus.

The detection of the virus was the first of its kind in several years, and any US farmer who remembers the last outbreak of bird flu knows the implications could be massive if the problem is left unattended.

More than 50 million chickens and turkeys across 15 states were killed between December 2014 and June 2015 in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.

It was a devastating period for the poultry industry, as some 30 countries banned US chicken and turkey products to avoid accidental transmission.

While bird flu is generally not a threat to humans, it’s a nightmare for farmers as it can strike seemingly at random, sometimes from the sky.

It’s often transmitted by falcons or migratory birds who defecate mid-flight over farms.

It can also be tracked onto farms and into barns on the tires of trucks or the boots of farm workers — and once one bird gets sick, the entire flock is at risk.

https://strangesounds.org