Fraternity Cities Use Spikes to Keep Birds Away from Common Home. Birds Are Using Them in Nests, “It’s not something that is restricted to cities. It’s everywhere.”

“Using the material meant to scare birds off, using that to actually make more birds—I think it’s the perfect revenge,”

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Genesis:50:20

ANIMALS

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Europe in need of leaders who go ahead: “Better Future must be built with foreigners” Repel Alien Birds?

Researchers across Europe have found bizarre nests bristling with the sharp metal stakes cities use to repel birds

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. Genesis:40:18-19
Large magpie’s nest made of anti-bird spikes in Antwerp, Belgium. Credit: Auke-Florian Hiemstra/Naturalis

Naturalist Auke-Florian Hiemstra has seen a lot of bird nests, but none were quite like the one he spotted in a photograph from a patient in a Belgian hospital. This nest, high in a sugar maple in the hospital’s courtyard, was massive—and looked like metal.

“It just was this very big ball of metallic, nasty bird spikes,” Hiemstra says. On closer inspection, he realized a Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) had built the two-foot-wide nest with materials that included some 1,500 spikes of the type cities often use to fend off feathered loiterers. Hiemstra ventured out onto the hospital’s roof only to find that the roof’s edge facing the courtyard was lined by a bare strip of glue, just like the kind often used to attach these spikes. And, perhaps strangest of all, the bird seemed to have arranged the spikes to form a defensive roof over the nest, much like the kind magpies often build out of thorny branches that they travel long distances to collect.

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
Ecclesiastes:9:12

“It sounds like a joke,” says Hiemstra, a Ph.D. candidate in evolutionary ecology at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands. “I think it’s so funny that now they’ve started to use these anti-bird spikes in the same way that we intended them to be used.”

Hiemstra is a co-author of a new study published online July 11 in Deinsea, in which the researchers describe the Belgian nest and several similar spiky structures found across Europe: two magpie nests from Scotland and the Netherlands, and one Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) nest, also from the Netherlands. The scientists also mention a spike-embellished Carrion Crow nest reported in a 2009 paper and several reports from social media of birds interacting with rooftop anti-bird spikes—and even building nests directly over them.Anti-bird spikes used in bird nests. Credit: Auke-Florian Hiemstra/Naturalis

Interestingly, the crows whose nests the researchers studied seemed to use the spikes not as defenses but as structural support, with the sharp ends pointed harmlessly inward. Crows and most magpies belong to a group scientists call corvids, which are known for being particularly clever.

“Corvids, as a family, are among the most intelligent of all animals—certainly of birds, but really across all organisms as we understand them,” says Kaeli Swift, an avian ecologist at the University of Washington who specializes in corvids. Swift wasn’t involved in the new research, but she says she isn’t surprised to see crows and magpies experimenting with unconventional nesting techniques.

anti-bird spikes

Birds around the world use human materials in their nests in various ways, says Juan Diego Ibáñez Álamo, an urban ecologist at the University of Granada in Spain, who wasn’t involved in the new research. The use of anti-bird spikes is just an unusually ironic example of the behavior, Hiemstra says.

“It’s not something that is restricted to cities. It’s everywhere.”

In a review published earlier this month, Ibáñez Álamo and his colleagues found that while the most common human material found in birds’ nests is plastic, these structures also incorporate things such as glass, cloth and even cigarette butts. And anthropogenic materials are found even in nests in areas people might consider pristine. “It’s not really related to more polluted areas,” Ibáñez Álamo says. “It’s not something that is restricted to cities. It’s everywhere.”

Because the nests featured in the paper are scattered across Europe, Hiemstra thinks many birds are independently exploring the reuse of anti-bird spikes—and he says he hopes that with the phenomenon now documented, curious observers will report other examples of nests that incorporate these spikes to help scientists better understand the behavior.

helping or hurting

Hiemstra would also like to determine whether the unconventional nest material is helping or hurting these birds. Swift imagines experiments testing whether magpie predators are able to evade the seemingly defensive spikes, as well as observational studies comparing the nesting success rates of spike users with more traditional builders of the same species, that could be done to find out.

successful breeding

“We don’t know what happened in the nests—if there was successful breeding, if there was breeding at all,” says Zuzanna Jagiełło, a biologist at the University of Warsaw in Poland who worked with Ibáñez Álamo on the review of birds’ use of anthropogenic materials but wasn’t involved in the recent spike research.

They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Isaiah:59:5-6

For now Hiemstra says he’s taking hope from what he sees as an example of nature fighting back. “Using the material meant to scare birds off, using that to actually make more birds—I think it’s the perfect revenge,” he says.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Meghan Bartels is a science journalist and news reporter for Scientific American who is based in New York City.

Did That Message Come From Earth or Space? Now SETI Researchers can be Sure Pope’s Challenge-Writings launched into space Detect Aliens

The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him. Job:20:27, For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.Revelation:18:5

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Illustration of a radio telescope listening for signals from an alien civilization. Credit: Zayna Sheikh, Breakthrough Listen

POSTED ON BY BRIAN KOBERLEIN

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Detecting Aliens: So how can astronomers distinguish between the distant artificial signal and the local ones?

In radio astronomy, there are lots of natural radio signals to observe. The glow of hydrogen gas, the swirl of electrons along a magnetic field, or the pop-pop-pop of pulsars. These signals usually have a very natural character to them, so astronomers can distinguish them from the artificial chirps and chatters of terrestrial sources. But when you’re looking for the signals of alien civilizations, things can get more tricky. They should have an artificial character similar to the radio signals of humans. So how can astronomers distinguish between the distant artificial signal and the local ones?

Citizen of Earth or Heaven? : It’s not an easy challenge, The Papacy

It’s not an easy challenge. Even natural signals can be confused with artificial ones. For example, back in 2007, astronomers began detecting bright radio pulses known as fast radio bursts (FRBs). These millisecond-long bursts are likely caused by magnetars, though there is still much we don’t understand about them. After they were discovered, astronomers at Parkes Observatory combed through their old data and found radio chirps similar to FRBs known as perytons. For a while, astronomers wondered if these were similar phenomena, but they soon figured out that perytons were caused when hungry astronomers opened a microwave oven while it was still running so that the oven released a short radio chirp before stopping. By the way, it’s perfectly safe to do that as long as you aren’t at a radio observatory.

And let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never changes. The principles of Gregory VII and Innocent III are still the principles of the Roman Catholic Church. And had she but the power, she would put them in practice with as much vigor now as in past centuries. Protestants little know what they are doing when they propose to accept the aid of Rome in the work of Sunday exaltation. While they are bent upon the accomplishment of their purpose, Rome is aiming to re-establish her power, to recover her lost supremacy. Let the principle once be established in the United States that the church may employ or control the power of the state; that religious observances may be enforced by secular laws; in short, that the authority of church and state is to dominate the conscience, and the triumph of Rome in this country is assured.
God’s word has given warning of the impending danger; let this be unheeded, and the Protestant world will learn what the purposes of Rome really are, only when it is too late to escape the snare. She is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men. She is piling up her lofty and massive structures in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. Stealthily and unsuspectedly she is strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is. Whoever shall believe and obey the word of God will thereby incur reproach and persecution. GC 581.1 – GC 581.2

The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan by Ellen G White

But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. Judges:3:19

The SETI project specifically looks for unusual signals with an artificial character, and they find lots of them. Everything from cars starting to Starlink satellites can create a strong artificial signal.  Usually, the way to distinguish between a local source and a distant one is to move the telescope “off-target” a bit, then back to the source. If you’ve ever seen the movie Contact, this is what the astronomers do to confirm the alien signal is coming from Vega. The problem with this method is that it takes time, meaning it can’t be used for short-lived signals. But now a team has developed another method.

For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. Jeremiah:5:26

Remove All Ads on Universe TodayJoin our Patreon for as little as $3!Get the ad-free experience for lifeThe Wow! signal represented as “6EQUJ5”. Credit: Big Ear Radio Observatory/NAAPO

Distinguish stars from planets by Fishing 🎣 with Pope Francis: WE ARE ALL CATHOLICS NOW

The technique is similar to the way we can distinguish stars from planets with the naked eye. Light passing through our atmosphere is refracted slightly by the turbulent motion of air, causing stars to twinkle. Since planets are much closer than stars, they aren’t a single pinprick of light, so they don’t twinkle. For distant radio sources, their light passes through interstellar gas which causes them to flicker in brightness, which astronomers call scintillation. Local radio sources don’t scintillate.

So the team developed a software package that looks at the scintillation of artificial radio sources. If a radio source flickers on a timescale of less than a minute, then it is likely not terrestrial.

There are some limitations to this approach. For one, a radio source needs to be at least 10,000 light years away to exhibit scintillation, so alien signals from nearby stars wouldn’t pass this test. For another, there are a few human radio sources that can mimic scintillation. But even though the method isn’t perfect, it is a great way to filter out the bulk of Earth-based intelligent signals, which will let astronomers focus on those that just might be a message from an alien civilization.

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Reference: Brzycki, Bryan, Andrew Siemion, and Imke de Pater. “On Detecting Interstellar Scintillation in Narrowband Radio SETI.” American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts. Vol. 55. No. 2. 2023.

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Europe amplifying high temperatures Continent by Continent, Pope’s Challenge on Synodality gathers steam, Disciples From Six Continents Engage Pope’s Ten Commandments: Nebuchadnezzar Furnace Model

In Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, the famous work by the Italian poet about a journey through Hell, Cerberus is a three-headed dog who torments sinners in the third circle.

In the movements now in progress in the United States to secure for the institutions and usages of the church the support of the state, Protestants are following in the steps of papists. Nay, more, they are opening the door for the papacy to regain in Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World. And that which gives greater significance to this movement is the fact that the principal object contemplated is the enforcement of Sunday observance—a custom which originated with Rome, and which she claims as the sign of her authority. It is the spirit of the papacy—the spirit of conformity to worldly customs, the veneration for human traditions above the commandments of God—that is permeating the Protestant churches and leading them on to do the same work of Sunday exaltation which the papacy has done before them.
If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past. If he would know how papists and Protestants united will deal with those who reject their dogmas, let him see the spirit which Rome manifested toward the Sabbath and its defenders. GC 573.1 – GC 573.2

The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan by Ellen G White
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Holidaymakers should take note of very high temperatures hitting popular summer getaway spots in Spain, Italy and Greece.

Foreign news reporter 

Saturday 15 July 2023 04:19, UK

Audio created using AI assistance

heatwave explainer teaser

Europe is baking under the roasting sun of its latest heatwave, with potential for temperatures to hit 45C in some parts of Spain.

Italy and Greece are also experiencing hot spells, with climate experts declaring the world has just had its hottest week on record.

So what is happening in Europe and where will be the hottest place this week? What about climate change? Sky News answers some of the key questions in this explainer.

What is happening, and why?

Temperatures across Europe are spiking as the continent is hit by a heatwave, with the mercury perhaps 5C or 10C above average.

Why is all of this happening? There are a few reasons.

The predicted maximum temperatures across Europe today
Image:The predicted maximum temperatures across Europe today

An area of high pressure is trapped over the southern Mediterranean, in Spain in particular, and clouds of Saharan dust are also making conditions worse.

MORE ON GREECE

The prophecy of Revelation 13 declares that the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns shall cause “the earth and them which dwell therein” to worship the papacy—there symbolized by the beast “like unto a leopard.” The beast with two horns is also to say “to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast;” and, furthermore, it is to command all, “both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,” to receive the mark of the beast. Revelation 13:11-16. It has been shown that the United States is the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns, and that this prophecy will be fulfilled when the United States shall enforce Sunday observance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgment of her supremacy. But in this homage to the papacy the United States will not be alone. The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion is still far from being destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration of her power. “I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” Verse 3. The infliction of the deadly wound points to the downfall of the papacy in 1798. After this, says the prophet, “his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” Paul states plainly that the “man of sin” will continue until the second advent. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8. To the very close of time he will carry forward the work of deception. And the revelator declares, also referring to the papacy: “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.” Revelation 13:8. In both the Old and the New World, the papacy will receive homage in the honor paid to the Sunday institution, that rests solely upon the authority of the Roman Church.
Since the middle of the nineteenth century, students of prophecy in the United States have presented this testimony to the world. In the events now taking place is seen a rapid advance toward the fulfillment of the prediction. With Protestant teachers there is the same claim of divine authority for Sundaykeeping, and the same lack of Scriptural evidence, as with the papal leaders who fabricated miracles to supply the place of a command from God. The assertion that God’s judgments are visited upon men for their violation of the Sunday-sabbath, will be repeated; already it is beginning to be urged. And a movement to enforce Sunday observance is fast gaining ground. GC 578.3 – GC 579.1

The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan by Ellen G White

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Another contributing factor is unusually high sea surface temperatures, which mean that cooler air is not blowing inland off the Mediterranean.

And scientists say the fingerprints of climate change can be found on events like this – more on that later.

People sit by a fountain in the Tuileries gardens, Monday, July 10, 2023 in Paris where temperatures are expected to rise up to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
Image:People sit by a fountain in the Tuileries gardens in Paris. Pic: AP

And the heatwave is called Cerberus?

That’s right. The Italian Meteorological Society has named the heatwave after the mythical monster, Cerberus, who was said to guard the gates of Hell.

In Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, the famous work by the Italian poet about a journey through Hell, Cerberus is a three-headed dog who torments sinners in the third circle.

Greek Red Cross workers distribute water bottles to visitors in front of the Acropolis
Pic:AP

2:27How is Greece tackling Cerberus?

Where is the hottest part of Europe?

It looks like Spain will take the top spot this week, with the country’s weather service warning thermometers could hit 45C (113F) in south-eastern areas of the Iberian Peninsula.

The same temperature was reached on Monday in a village near Granada at the start of the heatwave.

Meanwhile, 10 cities in Italy have been put on high heat alert for older people, from Bolzano in the north, extending southward to Bologna, Florence and Rome.

A woman fans herself in Madrid, Spain, Monday, July 10, 2023. Temperatures are beginning to rise at the start of the second heatwave registered in Spain this summer. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

2:03Southern Europe hit by heatwaves

Temperatures are expected to reach 40C (104F) in the Sardinian inland Wednesday.

The heat is also rising in Greece, where temperatures were forecast to reach up to 44C (111F) in some parts of the country in the coming days.

Authorities banned access to nature reserves and forests to reduce the risk of wildfires, while municipalities were opening air-conditioned areas in public buildings for people to shelter from the heat.

Pic: AP
Image:Temperatures in Spain are set to be in the mid-40s. Pic: AP

When will the heatwave end?

There’s potentially some good news for Spain with cooler weather on the way.

Ruben del Campo, a meteorologist from Spain’s national weather agency, said: “On Wednesday, we expect temperatures to fall overall with the arrival of cool winds from the north and east, with the exception of the southeast and southern Andalusia, where hot winds blowing from the interior will cause temperatures to soar.”

While some relief is in store in the coming days for the Iberian Peninsula, other European countries will sweat through the weekend.

According to the Met Office, the heatwave could last another week and probably longer in some areas.

“There are no signs of any major changes in weather type the next couple of weeks at present,” Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey told Sky News.

Pic: AP
Image:Sheltering from the heat in Murcia, Spain. Pic: AP

Is this caused by climate change?

The latest heatwave comes after the world experienced its hottest week on record at the start of July – following the hottest ever June – according to the World Meteorological Organisation.

Previous studies have linked heat in Europe with climate change.

Earlier this week, a new study revealed more than 61,000 people died in Europe last summer as a result of extreme heat.

Ms Maxey from the Met Office said there has not been an attribution study linking this latest spell of hot weather to climate change.

But she added: “What we have is that the base level of heat is higher so we are seeing increased levels of heat due to climate change so when you get a heat wave the temperatures that the heat reaches (are higher).”

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Al Detectors Often Confuse ‘Non-Native’ English ‘Students’ for Bots, Gender Ideology, ‘It will confuse children’ Sabbath Saturday or Sunday? Aliens

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1 John:3:1

They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? Judges:5:8

Until the year 1899 the United States has stood before the world as the champion of small standing armies, and squadrons of war-ships sufficient only for the patrol of the coast. While clinging to this doctrine, the United States has become one of the greatest of the world-powers, without possessing a fleet worth speaking of, and without calling upon her few soldiers to step beyond the boundaries of her own continent. Small armies and navies have been made possible for this country on account of that magnificent clause in the political creed of all parties, known as the Monroe Doctrine.

This was announced by the president of the country full seventy-five years ago, and the essence of it is: “We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers, to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.” And immediately after this there was enunciated the solemn declaration: “With the existing colonies or dependencies of any European power we have not interfered, and shall not interfere.” PRUS 167.6

The advent of the United States in the Orient will not tend to amity, but rather to animosity. This was cleverly stated by Lord Salisbury, when at the last lord mayor’s banquet, he said the “appearance of the United States as a factor in Asiatic affairs is likely to conduce to the interests of Great Britain, but might not conduce to the interests of peace.” It can not possibly conduce to the interests of peace, for the very reason that in entering the Orient this nation has deserted her policy of peace, and has adopted in principle, at least, the bellicose spirit; she has now departed from that doctrine of the “father of his country,” which, if it never brought to her military glory, most certainly has been the cause of her material greatness. The words in the “Farewell Address” are a pearl of great price. They may be familiar, but they can not too often be recalled:—

“Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me, fellow citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government….

“The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop.

“Europe has a set of primary interests which to us have none or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves by artificial ties in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations or collisions of her friendships or enmities.

“Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue a very different course. If we remain one people, under an efficient government, the period is not far off when we may defy material injury from external annoyance; when we may take suck an attitude as will cause the neutrality we may at any time resolve upon to be scrupulously respected; when belligerent nations, under the impossibility of making acquisitions upon us, will not lightly hazard the giving us provocation; when we may choose peace or war, as our interests, guided by justice, shall counsel.
“Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor, or caprice?

“It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.” PRUS 170.1 – PRUS 171.2

The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion. Satan, clothed in angel robes, will deceive, if possible, the very elect. There will be gods many and lords many. Every wind of doctrine will be blowing. Those who have rendered supreme homage to “science falsely so called” will not be the leaders then. Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file.

They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view.

There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed. In the day time we look toward heaven but do not see the stars. They are there, fixed in the firmament, but the eye cannot distinguish them. In the night we behold their genuine luster.

The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death.

The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness. 5T 80.1 – 5T 81.1

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
Ecclesiastes:9:12

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Ecclesiastes:7:26

For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
Jeremiah:5:26-31

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Weak Global Economy, High Inflation, and Rising Fragmentation Demand Strong G20 Action

Credit: Urbanscape/iStock by Getty Images

Economic growth

Working together to address common challenges, and building economic bridges, will be crucial to improve lives.

Kristalina Georgieva

July 13, 2023

When the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meet in Gandhinagar next week, the world will be looking for joint action to address rising economic fragmentation, slowing growth, and high inflation. Agile multilateral support is vital to tackle common challenges posed by debt vulnerabilities, climate change, and limited concessional financing—especially for countries hit by shocks not of their making.

Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
Micah:7:5

This prophecy the Jews had often repeated in the synagogues, applying it to the coming Messiah. Christ was the cornerstone of the Jewish economy, and of the whole plan of salvation. This foundation stone the Jewish builders, the priests and rulers of Israel, were now rejecting. The Saviour called their attention to the prophecies that would show them their danger. By every means in His power He sought to make plain to them the nature of the deed they were about to do. DA 597.2

I saw the rapidity with which this delusion was spreading. A train of cars was shown me, going with the speed of lightning. The angel bade me look carefully. I fixed my eyes upon the train. It seemed that the whole world was on board. Then he showed me the conductor, a fair, stately person, whom all the passengers looked up to and reverenced. I was perplexed and asked my attending angel who it was. He said, “It is Satan. He is the conductor, in the form of an angel of light. He has taken the world captive. They are given over to strong delusions, to believe a lie that they may be damned. His agent, the highest in order next to him, is the engineer, and others of his agents are employed in different offices as he may need them, and they are all going with lightning speed to perdition.” EW 263.1

Barnes and Frith, the faithful friends of Tyndale, arose to defend the truth. The Ridleys and Cranmer followed. These leaders in the English Reformation were men of learning, and most of them had been highly esteemed for zeal or piety in the Romish communion. Their opposition to the papacy was the result of their knowledge of the errors of the “holy see.” Their acquaintance with the mysteries of Babylon gave greater power to their testimonies against her.

“Now I would ask a strange question,” said Latimer. “Who is the most diligent bishop and prelate in all England? … I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him…. I will tell you: it is the devil…. He is never out of his diocese; call for him when you will, he is ever at home; … he is ever at his plow…. Ye shall never find him idle, I warrant you…. Where the devil is resident, … there away with books, and up with candles; away with Bibles, and up with beads; away with the light of the gospel, and up with the light of candles, yea, at noondays; … down with Christ’s cross, up with purgatory pickpurse; … away with clothing the naked, the poor, and impotent, up with decking of images and gay garnishing of stocks and stones; up with man’s traditions and his laws, down with God’s traditions and His most holy word…. O that our prelates would be as diligent to sow the corn of good doctrine, as Satan is to sow cockle and darnel!”— Ibid., “Sermon of the Plough.”

The grand principle maintained by these Reformers—the same that had been held by the Waldenses, by Wycliffe, by John Huss, by Luther, Zwingli, and those who united with them—was the infallible authority of the Holy Scriptures as a rule of faith and practice. They denied the right of popes, councils, Fathers, and kings, to control the conscience in matters of religion. The Bible was their authority, and by its teaching they tested all doctrines and all claims. Faith in God and His word sustained these holy men as they yielded up their lives at the stake. “Be of good comfort,” exclaimed Latimer to his fellow martyr as the flames were about to silence their voices, “we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.”— Works of Hugh Latimer 1:8 . GC 248.2 – GC 249.1

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Outlook: resilience amid challenges

In April, the IMF projected global growth at 2.8 percent in 2023, down from 3.4 percent in 2022. The bulk of it–over 70 percent–is expected to come from the Asia-Pacific region.

Yet, recent high frequency indicators paint a mixed picture: weakness in manufacturing contrasts with resilience in services across the G20 countries and strong labor markets in advanced economies. At the same time, financial fragilities uncovered by tight monetary policy require careful management—particularly as restoring price stability remains a priority.

Global headline inflation seems to have peaked, and core inflation has eased somewhat, particularly in India. But in most G20 countries—especially advanced economies—inflation remains well above central banks’ targets.

Tackling inflation and boosting growth

In the fight against inflation there are some early signs of monetary policy transmitting to activity, with bank lending standards tightening in the euro area and the United States. That said, policymakers should avoid “premature celebrations”: lessons from previous inflationary episodes show that easing policy too early can undo progress on inflation.

That’s why it is vital to stay the course on monetary policy until inflation is durably brought down to target, while closely monitoring financial sector risks. Here, clear central bank communication and financial sector oversight are needed to reduce the risk of disruptive shifts in financial conditions.

Fiscal policy must also play its part. Tightening the purse strings after a period of pandemic-related exceptional support can support disinflation, rebuild buffers, and enhance debt sustainability, while temporary and targeted measures may be needed to help vulnerable people cope with the immediate cost-of-living crisis.

At the same time, consolidation efforts should protect growth-enhancing investments where space allows. Why? Because while prospects are mixed in the near term, the medium-term outlook for the global economy remains bleak.

The IMF forecast for global growth over the medium-term is around 3 percent—well below the historical average of 3.8 percent during 2000-19. Moreover, economic fragmentation will both undermine growth and make it harder to tackle pressing global challenges, from rising sovereign debt crises to the existential threat of climate change.

The importance of joint action

The good news is that we have seen how the international community can deliver when differences are set aside.

In June, we saw the breakthrough on Zambia‘s debt restructuring. That was a significant milestone for the G20 Common Framework which was born out of efforts from the country authorities as well as both Paris Club members and other countries such as China, India, and Saudi Arabia. The agreement unlocks further financing as part of the $1.3 billion IMF arrangement agreed in August 2022.

In addition to progress on debt restructuring for Chad, this outcome also builds on trust and better understanding among creditors and debtors ushered in through the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable.

But the work is not yet done. More effort is needed to accelerate the debt restructuring process through clear timelines, debt service suspension during negotiations, and improved creditor coordination on debt treatment for countries outside the Common Framework.

The G20 last month also announced the achievement of the $100 billion in pledges of special drawing rights (SDRs) to be channeled from richer to poorer countries. Set by the G20 in the wake of the IMF’s record $650 billion allocation of SDRs in 2021, meeting this target is a strong signal of broad international solidarity. We should also take inspiration from members who lifted the ambition of their pledges for SDR channeling: France and Japan to 40 percent of their allocations, and China to 34 percent.

Such exceptional generosity has allowed the IMF to do even more for our members. Around $29 billion in SDRs pledged to the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) since 2020 is helping us deliver higher and larger financial support to low-income countries at zero interest.

Moreover, some $42 billion in SDRs have already been provided to the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) that was launched last year. Nine members have had their RST funding approved and dozens more have submitted requests.

Programs under the RST will support climate reforms, such as integrating climate considerations into fiscal planning in Costa Rica and strengthening climate-related risk management for financial institutions in Seychelles. And in Rwanda and Barbados, resources from the RST are complementing support from multilateral development banks which together are expected to catalyze additional financing from the private sector, including private investment in climate projects.

Supporting vulnerable countries

Important as these milestones are, however, they alone are not enough.

Many vulnerable emerging market and low-income economies are at the sharp end of multiple shocks and fundamental transitions.

Take climate change, where they have contributed very little to the problem, but are most vulnerable to the consequences. Or the cost-of-living crisis and high interest rates, which take a disproportionate toll, pushing more countries toward debt distress and threatening development prospects. Add to this increasing economic fragmentation that could deprive them from the benefits of an integrated global economy that delivered high growth and raised living standards for billions of people.

Taken together, these challenges mean countries will need more support in the months and years ahead—to ensure economic stability and get back on the path to income convergence with advanced economies. Strong multilateral institutions have a vital role to play in providing this support, especially IDA, the World Bank’s fund for low-income countries, and the IMF.

IMF reforms and resources

Many countries have navigated difficult transitions before, and at each turn the IMF has been part of the global response, adapting to help our members and their people confront new challenges. Now – faced by a fresh set of transitions – we will continue to adapt and respond with agility: through both timely policy changes and stronger resources.

The overriding priority is a prompt and successful completion of the 16th quota review: increasing the overall size of the IMF’s quota resources—which are critical for a robust global finance safety net— with mindfulness of how the global economy has evolved.

This must be complemented by decisions to replenish the Fund’s concessional resources for vulnerable countries: a fully funded PRGT and a replenished Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust that provides debt service relief when countries are hit by large shocks.

In parallel, we are exploring reforms to our lending toolkit, including adjustments to precautionary instruments to better suit the needs of our membership. We are also looking at ways to better account for how climate change affects debt sustainability and to enhance our support for countries hit by climate related shocks.

Together, these steps will ensure the IMF remains an inclusive institution capable of serving the needs of its entire membership, especially vulnerable emerging and developing economies.

G20’s key role

In a more shock-prone world and at a time of fundamental transitions—from climate change and debt distress to trade tensions and economic fragmentation—the world has high expectations of international policymakers, and rightly so.

We must act now and act together to get all countries back on a sustainable path to growth and prosperity.

This calls for strong leadership from the G20 to ensure the international financial architecture is fit for purpose with a well-resourced and representative IMF at its center. The global response must be commensurate in size to the world’s challenges.

RECENT

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Predestinated Stars From The Dawn of The Universe Found Hidden in The Heart of Our Own Galaxy

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Ephesians:1:5

SPACE08 July 2023

ByMICHELLE STARR

The galactic center as seen through the infrared eye of the Spitzer Space Telescope. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/S. Stolovy)

Rome Sweeping Encyclical on the environment Laudato Si’

Ancient stars born during the Cosmic Dawn have been identified in the center of the Milky Way.

The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. Judges:5:21

This Pharaohic Giant Twisting Serpent “Skeleton” Emerging From The Sea Is France’s Most Unique Sculpture



http://adventistangelswatchmanradio.com/2023/06/27/this-pharaohic-giant-twisting-serpent-skeleton-emerging-from-the-sea-is-frances-most-unique-sculpture/



I have been shown that evil angels in the form of believers will work in our ranks to bring in a strong spirit of unbelief. Let not even this discourage you; but bring a true heart to the help of the Lord against the powers of satanic agencies. RH May 6, 1909, Art. A, par. 15

“The Magi and Prince of Peace”: Supermassive Black Hole Mysteriously Comes Alive, Starts Feeding

“The Magi and Prince of Peace”: Supermassive Black Hole Mysteriously Comes Alive, Starts Feeding

The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
Job:20:27

And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2 Thessalonians:2:6-8

The wise men had seen a mysterious light in the heavens upon that night when the glory of God flooded the hills of Bethlehem. As the light faded, a luminous star appeared, and lingered in the sky. It was not a fixed star nor a planet, and the phenomenon excited the keenest interest. That star was a distant company of shining angels, but of this the wise men were ignorant. Yet they were impressed that the star was of special import to them. They consulted priests and philosophers, and searched the scrolls of the ancient records. The prophecy of Balaam had declared, “There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” Numbers 24:17. Could this strange star have been sent as a harbinger of the Promised One? The magi had welcomed the light of heaven-sent truth; now it was shed upon them in brighter rays. Through dreams they were instructed to go in search of the newborn Prince. DA 60.1

Satan is using all his science in playing the game of life for human souls. His angels are mingling with men and instructing them in the mysteries of evil. These fallen angels will draw away disciples after them, will talk with men, and will set forth principles that are as false as can be, leading souls into paths of deception. These angels are to be found all over the world, presenting the wonderful things that will soon appear in a more decided light. God calls upon His people to gain an understanding of the mystery of godliness. Jesus Christ is our dependence, and the Lord calls upon His people to beware of following a course that would rob them of their usefulness. MR760 17.2

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Those who have had privileges and opportunities and light upon light will find themselves brought into comparison with those whose religious advantages have been limited, but who have made diligent, persevering effort to lay hold on eternal life. Over such the Lord rejoices with singing. The whole heathen world will rise up in judgment against those whom heaven has favored the most, but who have placed themselves on Satan’s side, and worked in his lines to bring their soul-destroying narcotics to foreign lands, to pollute and destroy the heathen nations with their defiling and health-destroying drugs. For the sake of a revenue, a professedly Christian nation have forced their traffic upon the heathen nations at the point of the sword, and thus compelled them to accept their merchandise, which would, in using, degrade the people below the level of the brute creation. “Shall I not judge for these things,” saith God. Jeremiah 5:9. 12LtMs, Ms 49, 1897, par. 25

As part of a survey to uncover some of the oldest known stars in the Universe, scientists conducted a comprehensive search for these ancient, but elusive, stars, and found that the measures they spin around the galactic center are relatively sedate, in spite of the chaos around them.

Their findings, led by astronomer Anke Arentsen of the University of Cambridge in the UK, have been presented at the UK’s annual National Astronomy Meeting.

We can tell how old a star is based on how much metal is in it. When the first stars in the Universe formed, they had to make themselves out of the elemental material available at the time – mostly hydrogen and helium. But the nuclear furnaces burning in their cores started fusing the atoms of hydrogen into heavier things, from helium all the way up to iron.

Then, when they exploded in messy supernovae, they seeded these heavier elements throughout space, along with even heavier elements forged in energetic split-second supernova processes. Subsequent stars therefore started their lives with a greater proportion of heavier material. The younger a star is, the more metal it’s likely to have.

The Crab Nebula, the expanding remnant of a supernova observed in the year 1,054 CE. (NASA, ESA and Allison Loll/Jeff Hester/Arizona State University, Davide De Martin/ESA/Hubble)

Conversely, the older a star is, the less metal it’s likely to have. We’ve found a fair few of these “pristine” stars floating around the Milky Way, but mostly in the outskirts, and the galactic halo. Astronomers think that the oldest of the old stars should be hanging out in the galactic center, but because the region is predominantly rich in metal, and there’s a lot of dust blocking our view, they tend to be harder to find.

Anke and her colleagues embarked on a project called the Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS) to try and find them. By analyzing the spectrum of light emanating from a certain star, astronomers can find wavelengths amplified or dampened by the presence of certain elements. They looked for an elemental signature consistent with stars that are very low in metals, and identified around 8,000 candidates.

Follow-up observations confirmed the chemical compositions of metal-poor stars, resulting in a sample of around 1,300 ancient stars in the galactic center. Because they found so many, the researchers were then able to conduct population studies.

They used data from the Gaia observatory, which is an ongoing project to map the three-dimensional positions and motions of the stars in the Milky Way. With this, the researchers were able to determine the galactic orbits of their old stars.

Illustration of the orbits of the ancient stars in the heart of the Milky Way. (ESA/Gaia; Amanda J. Smith and Anke Arentsen/Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge)

Arentsen and her colleagues found that orbits of the ancient stars around the galactic center are relatively slow.

In addition, the older stars have more chaotic orbits, but they still have an average orbit around the galactic center.

Finally, the orbits of the stars are mostly contained entirely within the galactic center. Even those stars on elliptical orbits tend to stay mostly within the central region of the Milky Way.

“It is exciting to think that we are seeing stars that formed in the earliest phases of the Milky Way, previously largely out of reach. These stars likely formed less than a billion years after the Big Bang, so are relics from the early Universe,” Arentsen says.

“The available data for these ancient objects is growing rapidly. I’m excited to see what we will learn about these first stars to populate our Galaxy in the next few years!”

You can follow the team’s discoveries about these ancient stars on preprint server arXiv.

Mysterious Knocking: Countdown to World Youths Day Marching in Search of a better world

Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: Amos:9:2

The Saviour’s prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow. In the fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a world that has rejected God’s mercy and trampled upon His law. Dark are the records of human misery that earth has witnessed during its long centuries of crime. The heart sickens, and the mind grows faint in contemplation. Terrible have been the results of rejecting the authority of Heaven. But a scene yet darker is presented in the revelations of the future.

The records of the past,—the long procession of tumults, conflicts, and revolutions, the “battle of the warrior … with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood” (Isaiah 9:5),—what are these, in contrast with the terrors of that day when the restraining Spirit of God shall be wholly withdrawn from the wicked, no longer to hold in check the outburst of human passion and satanic wrath! The world will then behold, as never before, the results of Satan’s rule.


But in that day, as in the time of Jerusalem’s destruction, God’s people will be delivered, everyone that shall be found written among the living. Isaiah 4:3. Christ has declared that He will come the second time to gather His faithful ones to Himself: “Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:30, 31.

Then shall they that obey not the gospel be consumed with the spirit of His mouth and be destroyed with the brightness of His coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Like Israel of old the wicked destroy themselves; they fall by their iniquity.

By a life of sin, they have placed themselves so out of harmony with God, their natures have become so debased with evil, that the manifestation of His glory is to them a consuming fire.
Let men beware lest they neglect the lesson conveyed to them in the words of Christ. As He warned His disciples of Jerusalem’s destruction, giving them a sign of the approaching ruin, that they might make their escape; so He has warned the world of the day of final destruction and has given them tokens of its approach, that all who will may flee from the wrath to come.

Jesus declares: “There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations.” Luke 21:25; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24-26; Revelation 6:12-17. Those who behold these harbingers of His coming are to “know that it is near, even at the doors.” Matthew 24:33. “Watch ye therefore,” are His words of admonition. Mark 13:35. They that heed the warning shall not be left in darkness, that that day should overtake them unawares. But to them that will not watch, “the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2-5.


The world is no more ready to credit the message for this time than were the Jews to receive the Saviour’s warning concerning Jerusalem. Come when it may, the day of God will come unawares to the ungodly. When life is going on in its unvarying round; when men are absorbed in pleasure, in business, in traffic, in money-making; when religious leaders are magnifying the world’s progress and enlightenment, and the people are lulled in a false security—then, as the midnight thief steals within the unguarded dwelling, so shall sudden destruction come upon the careless and ungodly, “and they shall not escape.” Verse 3. GC 36.2 – GC 38.1

Data Collection Centres: Inside the countdown to World Youths Day Marching, ”We’ ve Run out of time” Experts Warn of Advancing AL Pope

The Roman Catholic Church, with all its ramifications throughout the world, forms one vast organization under the control, and designed to serve the interests, of the papal see. Its millions of communicants, in every country on the globe, are instructed to hold themselves as bound in allegiance to the pope. Whatever their nationality or their government, they are to regard the authority of the church as above all other. Though they may take the oath pledging their loyalty to the state, yet back of this lies the vow of obedience to Rome, absolving them from every pledge inimical to her interests. GC 580.2


Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalm:119:9

As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
Isaiah:3:12-14

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew:24:48-51

The time is fast coming when the controlling power of the labor unions will be very oppressive. Again and again the Lord has instructed that our people are to take their families away from the cities, into the country, where they can raise their own provisions; for in the future the problem of buying and selling will be a very serious one. We should now begin to heed the instruction given us over and over again: Get out of the cities into rural districts, where the houses are not crowded closely together, and where you will be free from the interference of enemies.—Letter 5, 1904.


Avoid Party Strifes-2SM 141

Men have confederated to oppose the Lord of hosts. These confederacies will continue until Christ shall leave His place of intercession before the mercy seat, and shall put on the garments of vengeance. Satanic agencies are in every city, busily organizing into parties those opposed to the law of God. Professed saints and avowed unbelievers take their stand with these parties. This is no time for the people of God to be weaklings. We cannot afford to be off  our guard for a moment.—Testimonies for the Church 8:42 (1904).

The trades unions will be one of the agencies that will bring upon this earth a time of trouble such as has not been since the world began.—Letter 200, 1903. 2SM 141.1 – 2SM 142.1

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Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favor than in former years. In those countries where Catholicism is not in the ascendancy, and the papists are taking a conciliatory course in order to gain influence, there is an increasing indifference concerning the doctrines that separate the reformed churches from the papal hierarchy; the opinion is gaining ground that, after all, we do not differ so widely upon vital points as has been supposed, and that a little concession on our part will bring us into a better understanding with Rome. The time was when Protestants placed a high value upon the liberty of conscience which had been so dearly purchased. They taught their children to abhor popery and held that to seek harmony with Rome would be disloyalty to God. But how widely different are the sentiments now expressed!
The defenders of the papacy declare that the church has been maligned, and the Protestant world are inclined to accept the statement. Many urge that it is unjust to judge the church of today by the abominations and absurdities that marked her reign during the centuries of ignorance and darkness. They excuse her horrible cruelty as the result of the barbarism of the times and plead that the influence of modern civilization has changed her sentiments.
Have these persons forgotten the claim of infallibility put forth for eight hundred years by this haughty power? So far from being relinquished, this claim was affirmed in the nineteenth century with greater positiveness than ever before. As Rome asserts that the “church never erred; nor will it, according to the Scriptures, ever err ” (John L. von Mosheim, Institutes of Ecclesiastical History, book 3, century II, part 2, chapter 2, section 9, note 17), how can she renounce the principles which governed her course in past ages? GC 563.1 – GC 564.1

The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan by Ellen G White

‘Merchant of Death’ is back in action after being freed in prisoner swap with Griner

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only: That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.
Job:34:28-30

RUSSIA

Published July 3, 2023 10:29am EDT

Former Russian arms dealer traded for Brittney Griner runs for office under far-right political group

‘Merchant of death’ Viktor Bout is looking to join Russia’s legislature

By Anders Hagstrom | Fox News

The former arms dealer, who the U.S. traded in exchange for WNBA star Brittney Griner, is running for office in Russia as a member of a far right political party.

A correct interpretation of the symbols employed is necessary to an understanding of this message. What is represented by the beast, the image, the mark?
The line of prophecy in which these symbols are found begins with Revelation 12, with the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at His birth. The dragon is said to be Satan (Revelation 12:9); he it was that moved upon Herod to put the Saviour to death. But the chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and His people during the first centuries of the Christian Era was the Roman Empire, in which paganism was the prevailing religion. Thus while the dragon, primarily, represents Satan, it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.
In chapter 13 (verses 1-10) is described another beast, “like unto a leopard,” to which the dragon gave “his power, and his seat, and great authority.” This symbol, as most Protestants have believed, represents the papacy, which succeeded to the power and seat and authority once held by the ancient Roman empire. Of the leopardlike beast it is declared: “There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies…. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” This prophecy, which is nearly identical with the description of the little horn of Daniel 7, unquestionably points to the papacy.
“Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” And, says the prophet, “I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death.” And again: “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” The forty and two months are the same as the “time and times and the dividing of time,” three years and a half, or 1260 days, of Daniel 7—the time during which the papal power was to oppress God’s people. This period, as stated in preceding chapters, began with the supremacy of the papacy, A.D. 538, and terminated in 1798. At that time the pope was made captive by the French army, the papal power received its deadly wound, and the prediction was fulfilled, “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity.” GC 438.1 – GC 439.2

The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan by Ellen G White

Viktor Bout, 56, has joined Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and is now running to be elected to the regional legislature. The LDP currently holds 23 of the 450 seats in Russia’s legislature. The party is to the right of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s dominant United Russia Party.

The arms dealer, once known as the “merchant of death,” had been serving a sentence in the U.S. after his 2008 arrest in Thailand. He was freed in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap for Griner, who had been sentenced to nine years in prison for possession of vape cartridges containing cannabinoids.

Bout served just 10 years of his 25-year sentence in the U.S.

WNBA SAYS BRITTNEY GRINER SUBJECT OF ‘INAPPROPRIATE’ INCIDENT INVOLVING SOCILA MEDIA ‘PROVOCATEUR’

Bout and Griner in photos

This combination of images shows Viktor Bout, left, a former Russian arms dealer at the criminal court in Bangkok, on Aug. 20, 2010 and WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner, right, in a courtroom prior to a hearing, in Khimki, outside of Moscow. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong, left, and Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Griner last made headlines last month when she was harassed by a YouTuber at the airport in Dallas/Fort Worth.

Griner was the subject of harassment on June 10 at the airport when YouTuber Alex Stein approached her and asked several questions, including whether she had sex with Vladimir Putin to get out of prison in Russia.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin

YouTuber YouTuber Alex Stein asked WNBA star Brittany Griner about a possible triste with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

The man was pushed away by her team’s security, and one of Griner’s teammates is heard calling the YouTuber “weird

Brittney Griner questions a call

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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Griner argued that the WNBA should provide more funding to allow teams to travel on private chartered planes rather than normal airlines. She said the harassment incident was “rock bottom” for the WNBA.null

Reuters contributed to this report.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

Popeyes Writings Dark Energy-Matter Detector :European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope takes off to seek out the universe’s darkest secrets

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? John:3:12

‘Seeker Popeyes Will in Heaven and Earth’

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An artist's concept shows the Euclid space telescope, built by the European Space Agency (ESA), in operation

An artist’s concept shows the Euclid space telescope, built by the European Space Agency (ESA) that was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, in operation, in this undated handout image. Image shared by European Space Agency/Handout via REUTERS

By — Marcia Dunn, Associated Press

Science Jul 1, 2023 3:36 PM EDT

Papal Power Limits? The Scientific Leadership of Pope Francis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A European space telescope blasted off Saturday on a quest to explore the mysterious and invisible realm known as the dark universe.

Laudato Si and Fratelli Tutti Flying Testaments : Rush Hour Pope’s Evangelical-Catholic Unity Gamble

SpaceX launched the European Space Agency’s Euclid observatory toward its ultimate destination 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) away, the James Webb Space Telescope’s neighborhood. It will take a month to get there and another two months before it starts its ambitious six-year survey this fall.

READ MORE: How the James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning images of space

Popeyes: Pope Yes Silences The Earth by A Pandemic New World Order Kingdom

Bizarre gamma ray burst hints at unseen “stellar demolition derby” ‘Entire world is at war and in self-destruction’  ‘Green Monster’ Runaway blackhole ‘Saves’

Bizarre gamma ray burst hints at unseen “stellar demolition derby” ‘Entire world is at war and in self-destruction’ ‘Green Monster’ Runaway blackhole ‘Saves’

Flight controllers in Germany declared success nearly an hour into the flight, applauding and shouting “Yes!” as the telescope phoned home after a smooth liftoff.

Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base. Zechariah:5:1,11
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. Revelation:8:1

“I’m so thrilled, I’m so excited to see now this mission up in space, knowing it is on its way,” the European Space Agency’s director general, Josef Aschbacher, said from the Florida launch site.

Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. Isaiah:23:7

Named for antiquity’s Greek mathematician, Euclid will scour billions of galaxies covering more than one-third of the sky. By pinpointing the location and shape of galaxies up to 10 billion light-years away — almost all the way back to the cosmos-creating Big Bang — scientists hope to glean insight into the dark energy and dark matter that make up most of the universe and keep it expanding.

Scientists paving the way for human male_male couples to have Children_You shall be as gods, Learning Fishing With The Reformer Pope

Scientists understand only 5 percent of the universe: stars, planets, us. The rest is “still a mystery and an enigma, a huge frontier in modern physics that we hope this mission will actually help to push forward,” the European Space Agency’s science director, Carole Mundell, said just before liftoff.

But Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of Christ now than at any former period in her history. The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman Church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation. She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done. Catholicism is gaining ground upon every side. See the increasing number of her churches and chapels in Protestant countries. Look at the popularity of her colleges and seminaries in America, so widely patronized by Protestants. Look at the growth of ritualism in England and the frequent defections to the ranks of the Catholics. These things should awaken the anxiety of all who prize the pure principles of the gospel. GC 565.4

The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan by Ellen G White

The telescope’s highly anticipated 3D map of the cosmos will span both space and time in a bid to explain how the dark universe evolved and why its expansion is speeding up.

Pope’s Encyclical, The Lead Scientist To Understand The Dark Sentences

The lead scientist for the $1.5 billion mission (1.4 billion euros) said Euclid will measure dark energy and dark matter with unprecedented precision.

“It’s more than a space telescope, Euclid. It’s really a dark energy detector,” Rene Laureijs noted.

The Bible would exalt God and place finite men in their true position; therefore its sacred truths must be concealed and suppressed. This logic was adopted by the Roman Church. For hundreds of years the circulation of the Bible was prohibited. The people were forbidden to read it or to have it in their houses, and unprincipled priests and prelates interpreted its teachings to sustain their pretensions. Thus the pope came to be almost universally acknowledged as the vicegerent of God on earth, endowed with authority over church and state.
The detector of error having been removed, Satan worked according to his will. Prophecy had declared that the papacy was to “think to change times and laws.” Daniel 7:25. This work it was not slow to attempt. To afford converts from heathenism a substitute for the worship of idols, and thus to promote their nominal acceptance of Christianity, the adoration of images and relics was gradually introduced into the Christian worship. The decree of a general council (see Appendix) finally established this system of idolatry. To complete the sacrilegious work, Rome presumed to expunge from the law of God the second commandment, forbidding image worship, and to divide the tenth commandment, in order to preserve the number.
The spirit of concession to paganism opened the way for a still further disregard of Heaven’s authority. Satan, working through unconsecrated leaders of the church, tampered with the fourth commandment also, and essayed to set aside the ancient Sabbath, the day which God had blessed and sanctified (Genesis 2:2, 3), and in its stead to exalt the festival observed by the heathen as “the venerable day of the sun.” This change was not at first attempted openly. In the first centuries the true Sabbath had been kept by all Christians. They were jealous for the honor of God, and, believing that His law is immutable, they zealously guarded the sacredness of its precepts. But with great subtlety Satan worked through his agents to bring about his object. That the attention of the people might be called to the Sunday, it was made a festival in honor of the resurrection of Christ. Religious services were held upon it; yet it was regarded as a day of recreation, the Sabbath being still sacredly observed. GC 51.3 – GC 52.1

READ MORE: European ‘star survey’ reveals celestial treasure trove

Fifteen feet (4.7 meters) tall and almost as wide, Euclid sports a 1.2-meter (4-foot) telescope and two scientific instruments capable of observing the cosmos in both visible light and the near infrared. A huge sunshield is designed to keep the sensitive systems at the properly frigid temperatures.

Better understand dark energy and dark matter by the Roman Space Telescope (Bible- Laudato Si and Fratelli Tutti Flying Testaments) due to launch in 2027.

And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. Daniel:8:23

NASA, which contributed Euclid’s infrared detectors, has its own mission coming up to better understand dark energy and dark matter: the Roman Space Telescope due to launch in 2027. The US-European Webb telescope can also join in this quest, officials said.

Euclid was supposed to launch on a Russian rocket from French Guiana in South America, Europe’s main spaceport. The European and Russian space agencies cut ties following the invasion of Ukraine last year, and the telescope switched to a SpaceX ride from Cape Canaveral. Waiting for Europe’s next-generation, yet-to-fly Ariane rocket would have meant a two-year-plus delay, according to project manager Giuseppe Racca.

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