You have to watch this up close view of a Polar bear diving under water! Awesome! http://youtu.be/4qEbPLrVOb0
God sees us every day and night, and He doesn't need a camera!
Deuteronomy 32:10, "He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye."
God's best 2 U, Joy J
Don't try this at camp! This laser beam pointed at the campfire will surprise you with how awesome it looks!
Revelation 18:1, "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory." Wow, imagine a light so bright, other than the sun, of course, that the whole earth would be illuminated at once! This is what is going to happen in the near future. I am talking about Creator God's light of truth! The whole earth will know about Him and what He is like in the very near future.
For more information on Bible prophecy, check out these 2 sites, www.amazingfacts.org and www.ohmy2u.blogspot.com
God's best 2 U, Joy J
This is a funny video, seeing the reaction of 4 cats and a dog to a stuffed, taxidermy Bobcat! Watch to the end!
Sometimes in life, we meet an enemy, and we run in fear, afraid, and lonely. Survival mode takes over, and we act out of fear rather than calling on Jesus to help us. Jesus has the ability to make our enemies freeze, and come no further toward us. Satan, our arch enemy has no power aside of God, and when he tries to come against us, Jesus is ready to throw it back in his face. Jesus defeated the enemy of our souls, on the cross of Calvary, and He knows how to protect us from Satan, who tries to destroy us.
Jesus loves you, died for your sins, and is coming soon to take to heaven with Him, all who have surrendered their hearts and lives to Him! Praise God! Repent and get ready for His coming! He will split the sky soon, and we will meet Him in the air! No more enemies, when He comes!
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words."
Shocking security camera footage shows the precise moment a train jumped the tracks and slammed into a wall in Spain Wednesday night.
In the footage, posted online Thursday, it’s the first car behind the engine that appears to run off the rails first, slamming into a concrete wall as the train rounds a bend. The engine flips on its side and comes barreling toward where the camera is.
Content warning — graphic:
The death toll rose to 78 overnight, with most victims found dead at the scene. At least 141 people were injured, some critically.
Praying for all those who have lost loved ones, and those injured. John 14:18, "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you."
This is amazing footage of bullets being shot underwater, and the camera slowed waaaaaaay down, to see what happens. Very interesting!
Have words ever shot out of your mouth, that you wish you could slow them down, and reverse them, and pull them back into your mouth? I know we have all been there!
Proverbs 15:4, "Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."
Proverbs 13:3, "Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life. Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin." God's best 2 U, Joy J
Yes, you see it right! This guy is playing with a wild Orca, a killer whale! Look at the teeth on that Orca!
Creator God put man as caretaker over the earth, and we are to have dominion over the animals. In heaven, animals and people will have NO FEAR of each other, as there will be no killing, no death in heaven, praise God! Seeing this man and Orca playing tug of war makes me think it's a little taste of heaven!
Isaiah 11:6, "In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all." God's best 2 U, Joy J
Imagine having to contend with this massive crowd at the Beijing subway every day!!!!!!! It gives a new meaning to rush hour! No thanks!
Daniel 12:4 says, "But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”
In the prophetic book of Daniel in the Holy Bible, we are told that in the last days, before Jesus splits the sky, that many would be rushing around. When it talks about knowledge, it not only means man's inventions, but knowledge about Bible prophecy.
All I can say, after watching this beautiful, 11 year old Yemeni girl, Nada, if it doesn't break your heart, there is something wrong. I will pray for Nada. I pray Jesus comes soon, to stop this mess on this sin riddled planet! The poor children! OHMY!
Matthew 18:5-6, & 10, "And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." This is talking about those new in accepting Christ as their Savior, and little children.
God's best 2 U, Joy J
A pet bee? I had no idea anyone had a pet bee like this? Amazing!
A bee is very diligent in finding nectar, and protecting against what it perceives a threat! Obviously, this pet bee realizes this girl is helping it back to health!
An angry bee can cause you great pain and fear! Sin is like an angry bee. It stings you when you get too close, and can leave you pain. Emotional pain, physical pain, mental pain and the list goes on. All you have to do is look around this planet, and see the havoc of results that sin has brought into lives. Jesus came to remove the sting of sin, which is death. If you give your heart to Jesus, and are willing to hold His hand, and be willing to follow were He leads, you will live forever with Him, when He comes in the clouds, very soon! Awesome news!!!!!!!
I Corinthians 15:51-57, "But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I’ll probably never fully understand. We’re not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it’s over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we’ll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true:
Death swallowed by triumphant Life! Death, where is your sting? Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?
It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!
David Rankin has been studying and chasing flash floods for several years now. This one was in the Southern Utah Desert, and was over 40 miles North of where he waited to capture this video!
Isaiah 44:3, "For I will pour water on the thirsty ground and send streams coursing through the parched earth. I will pour my Spirit into your descendantsand my blessing on your children. Does your heart long for something better? Have you ever thought, is this all there is to life? Jesus can give you true joy and peace. He gives true fulfillment and purpose! Give your heart to Him, and ask Him to take charge of your life, so you can be truly happy:-) Sometimes God has to remind us that we need Him, and then He shows up immediately, when we ask for help:-) God's best 2 U, Joy J
Hey! Do you have a big yard to mow? Honda has the solution! A 130 MPH lawnmower! Mow your yard at lightning speed!
Does it seem like sometimes you would like your hectic, crazy life to slow down a bit? It seems the faster you go, the more you have to do? Take time to relax, and have some good clean fun, already!
Let Jesus take the wheel, and you will have peace. Give Him your heart and life, and He will make sure you are where you need to be, doing what you are supposed to do, at the right time, His Godspeed!
Genesis 24:12. "And he said O LordGod of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham."
God's best 2 U, Joy J
Watch out! JJ Watt can jump 59.5 inches from a standing position! Wow! He must have springs in his legs!:-) I am impressed!
I'm even more impressed with the strength Jesus had, to carry the cross and to take the guilt of everyone who would ever live, and die for us, so our sins can be forgiven. Then, Jesus implants His perfect character in us.
As Jesus hung upon that cross, you can bet that Satan was screaming in His ear, jump down! Watch out! But, Jesus was thinking about you and I, and love kept Him hanging there. His Heavenly Father gave Him the strength to make it through! Thank You Heavenly Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit!!!!!!!
John 3:16-17, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." God's best 2 U, Joy J
Via: Viralviralvideos:
This short video by Thomas Backlund has gone viral, garnering over 750,000 views, since debuting a week ago.
His brother Alan caught a turtle’s not so graceful jump into the pond on camera, and Tom added some dramatic music for the full effect.
This turtle had a dream, and that was to get into the water! How about you? Do you have broken dreams, or have your dreams become reality, and then turned out to be different than what you thought?
God gives each of us talents and dreams, and wants to help us get to where we need to be with as few falls and scrapes as possible. God has a unique plan for your life, and He wants to help you get there. DO NOT give up! You are special!
Jesus loves you and wants to hold your hand and lead you to the everlasting water of life, forgiveness of your sins, and peace in your heart now, and eternity with Him, when He comes back to take His children to heaven, soon! Jesus loves you!
2 Corinthians 4:7-9, "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. God's best 2 U, Joy J
This adorable German Shepard is intrigued by it's shadow, and jumps on it, trying to stomp it out!
This is really cute:-) My dog, Peaches, is part Labradoodle/German Shepard, and I love dogs! They are great friends, companions and protectors!
Our Heavenly Father is a Faithful Protector, much more than our loved pets! James 1:17 says,
Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
I love how dolphins seem to have a perpetual smile! I'm amazed that this one could hear this guy playing the comb through such thick glass!
We have an awesome Creator God, and I can't wait to swim wit dolphins in heaven, if not down here first! Dolphins are highly intelligent, and have helped humans in the ocean, on numerous occasions. I love how they have little fear of people, and are curious like a child.
Genesis 1:20-23, "Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.22 Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
23 And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day." Enjoy God's creation today! God's best 2 U, Joy J
LIMESTONE, Maine (TheBlaze/AP) — A world record-holding motorcycle racer trying to top 300 m.p.h. died after losing control and crashing Sunday at an annual speed trial event in northern Maine.
The Loring Timing Association says 44-year-old Bill Warner of Wimauma, Fla., crashed during The Maine Event, a race being held on a runway at the former Loring Air Force Base.
(Credit: YouTube)
Race Director Tim Kelly says Warner was clocked at 285 m.p.h. before he lost control. He says Warner was conscious and talking as he was taken from the scene but died later at a hospital.
Warner rode a modified turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa. He previously hit 311 m.p.h. on the same course in 2011, using 1.5 miles of pavement. This time he was trying to hit 300 mph using just a mile of pavement.
Here’s a clip of Warner’s record-breaking 311.94 m.p.h. run at the Loring Timing Association Event on July 17, 2011, presumably shot from a camera on the motorcycle:
Warner says a few words after his 2011 record-setting run:
This is really sad for his family. Pray for them.
John 14:18, "I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you."
Let's just say that the Impala Antelope had a little adrenalin pumping, because it was being chased by a Cheetah! How would you feel if a Cheetah was chasing you. knowing that they can reach speeds of 70mph? This story has a shocking ending!
That van kind of represents Jesus. When Satan throws his destructive temptations our way, and tries to destroy our lives, if we call to Jesus for help, He steps in the way of the enemy, we run into His arms, and the enemy has to screech to a halt and go back where he came from. We go on safely. Any road, no matter where it is, if you are in the arms of Jesus, you are in the safest, most peaceful, loving place in the universe.
1 Peter 5:8, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."
God's best 2 U, Joy J
How on earth would you hula hoop a tire this big?!!
Via: Viralviral videos:
Hula-hooping isn’t exactly the manliest of sports. So to take the sport to the next level, Paul “Dizzy Hips” Blair has done the once impossible.
Using his hips made of steel, he hula-hoops a number of rotations using a 100 pound monster truck tire. Now, Paul is the only man on the Earth to hula-hoop using a giant tractor tire.
So, this may not land him a job, but a viral video's not bad!
It's amazing that we humans on this planet are amazed at something like this, because we have limitations. Creator God has no limitations! He keeps the planets spinning in perfect time in space. God questions all of us in Job 38:31-33, "“Can you direct the movement of the stars— binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion? Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?
This motorcyclist was a little daring to save the cup of the lady in the SUV! Oh, the surprising kindness of strangers!
Maybe you have never forgotten a cup on the bumper of your vehicle, but comment and let me know what you have done, similar to this story!
I remember one time getting groceries and instead of going through the drive up for them to load the groceries in my car, I left! Of course, I remembered soon after! Share your story!
We may forget things because our mind is consumed with other things, but God never forgets us! Isaiah 49:15, "Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I’d never forget you—never."
When we ask for forgiveness for our sins, Creator God forgives them, and remembers them no more! It's like they are thrown to the dark depths of the ocean, never to be thought of again! Awesome news! Micah 7:19, "Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!" Not only that, God changes your heart, and gives you the perfect character and love of Jesus in place of your selfishness. He does that for all of us! Praise God! God's best 2 U, Joy J
Wow, another gifted dog, Jumpy, with some amazing tricks, including riding a scooter! His owner, Omar Von Muller, can start on my dog, anytime! :-) Watch the unusual tricks Jumpy loves to perform!
Click on the link below: http://youtu.be/5I_QzPLEjM4
We all have different abilities and gifts from Creator God. There are many things I can't do, that others can. There are things I can do that others can't. Learn to use the gifts God has given you to bless others around you, not for rewards you might get in return, but to please your Creator, God Almighty, who has shown such love to you in giving His Dear Son, Jesus to die for your sins, and give you eternal life! Creator God wants to know you, personally, and teach you to do awesome things you can't even imagine! Matthew 19:26, "With God, ALL things are possible!"
God's best 2 U, Joy J
As victims of the Asiana Flight 214 crash recover and the investigation continues, the National Transportation Safety Board has released some of the first close-up pictures of the accident that killed two while landing at San Fransisco International Airport Saturday.
The Boeing 777 plane was carrying 307 people. Investigators have said the plane was going “significantly below” the travel speed needed for landing at the airport. The call to abort the mission came just 1.5 seconds before impact.
These photos show the result:
Asiana Flight 214 Crash
Handout/Getty ImagesSAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, oxygen masks hang from the ceiling in the cabin interior of Asiana Airlines flight 214 following yesterday's crash, on July 7, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Handout/Getty ImagesSAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, the wreckage of Asiana Airlines flight 214 lies near the runway following yesterday's crash, on July 7, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Handout/Getty ImagesSAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB investigators examine the wreckage of Asiana Airlines flight 214 following yesterday's crash, on July 7, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Handout/Getty ImagesSAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB investigators examine the rear end of Asiana Airlines flight 214 following yesterday's crash, on July 7, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Handout/Getty ImagesSAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, investigators examine the landing gear of Asiana Airlines flight 214 following yesterday's crash, on July 7, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Handout/Getty ImagesSAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, an NTSB investigator documents the tail section of the Asiana Airlines flight 214 wreckage following yesterday's crash, on July 7, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Handout/Getty ImagesSAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, oxygen masks hang from the ceiling in the cabin interior of Asiana Airlines flight 214 following yesterday's crash, on July 7, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Handout/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON, DC - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Asiana Airlines flight 214 flight data recorder (L) and the cockpit voice recorder (R) are displayed in the NTSB's laboratory on July 7, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Handout/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON, DC - JULY 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB Aerospace Engineer Greg Smith receives the flight data and cockpit voice recorders from the Asiana Airlines 777-200 in the NTSB laboratory on July 7, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Boeing 777 passenger aircraft from Asiana Airlines coming from Seoul, South Korea crashed landed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two people died and dozens were injured in the crash.
Cabin manager Lee Yoon-hye, apparently the last person to leave the burning plane, said crew members deflated the slides with axes to rescue their colleagues, one of whom seemed to be choking beneath the weight of a slide.
Lee on Sunday described several dramatic moments in the remarkable evacuation that saved 305 of the 307 people on the plane that crashed Saturday while landing in San Francisco.
One flight attendant put a scared elementary schoolboy on her back and slid down a slide, said Lee, in the first comments by a crew member since the crash of the Boeing 777. A pilot helped another injured flight attendant off the plane after the passengers escaped. Lee herself worked to put out fires and usher passengers to safety despite a broken tailbone that kept her standing throughout a news briefing with mostly South Korean reporters at a San Francisco hotel. She said she didn’t know how badly she was hurt until a doctor at a San Francisco hospital later treated her.
It was still unclear whether the pilot’s inexperience with the aircraft and airport played a role, and officials were also investigating whether the airport’s or plane’s equipment could have malfunctioned.
Lee, 40, who has nearly 20 years’ experience with Asiana, said she knew seconds before impact that something was wrong with the plane.
“Right before touchdown, I felt like the plane was trying to take off. I was thinking, `What’s happening?’ and then I felt a bang,” Lee said. “That bang felt harder than a normal landing. It was a very big shock. Afterward, there was another shock and the plane swayed to the right and to the left.”
Lee said that after the captain ordered an evacuation, she knew what to do. “I wasn’t really thinking, but my body started carrying out the steps needed for an evacuation,” Lee said. “I was only thinking about rescuing the next passenger.”
When Lee saw that the plane was burning after the crash, she was calm. “I was only thinking that I should put it out quickly. I didn’t have time to feel that this fire was going to hurt me,” she said.
Lee said she was the last person off the plane and that she tried to approach the back of the aircraft before she left to doublecheck that no one was left inside. But when she moved to the back of the plane, a cloud of black, toxic smoke made it impossible. “It looked like the ceiling had fallen down,” she said.
The two killed in the crash were 16-year-old students from China. Many on board at the time of the crash did not require hospitalization and only a small number were critically injured.
Watch this report from officials regarding the investigation that has taken place so far:
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
God was with these people, or many more would have died! If it wasn't for God's intervention and mercy, there would be chaos everywhere!
Lamentations 3:22-23, "Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."
As far as I'm concerned, this officer at the DUI check point should be required to take some constitutional classes, before working another hour! He was WAY out of line! This is intimidation! No constitutional rights at a checkpoint? Are you kidding me?!
What I love about Creator God, is that He doesn't have a single DUI checkpoint to find something wrong. He already knows what is in our heart, and what sin does to us. He may put up a checkpoint, not to intimidate us, but to get our attention, to show us we need His help, and to lead us safely there. Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take."
So, maybe you don't daydream like Honda Hands, but what are your dreams? What is it you would do with your life if money were no option?
God had dreams about you before you were born. He created you in your mother's womb. He has many amazing creations in humanity, because every person is designed unique! There are things that only you can do, that no other person that has ever lived, or ever will be able to do. No one looks exactly like you, or has your personality.
Jesus loves you and died to save you from your sins. He lives in heaven right now, and very soon, He is going to split the sky, and take His children home to be with Him. He is a personal Creator God, and is interested in your life. After all, He saw you and loved you before you were born. Is there any reason why you can't give your heart to Him now?
Psalm 139:14-18, "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me,[b] O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!"
UPDATE 3:35 p.m. ET: CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s military has ousted the nation’s Islamist president, replacing him with the chief justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court, calling for early presidential election and suspending the Islamist-backed constitution.
Army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday, said a government of technocrats will be appointed to run the country during a transition period he did not specify.
An aide of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, Ayman Ali, said the former leader has been moved to an undisclosed location. He gave no details.
Cheers erupted among millions of protesters nationwide who were demanding Morsi’s ouster. Fireworks lit the Cairo night sky. Morsi supporters elsewhere in the city shouted “No to military rule.”
A military helicopter files over the presidential palace as opponents of Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Morsi celebrate, in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, July 3, 2013. (AP)
Earlier story below:
CAIRO (TheBlaze/AP) — Egypt’s military moved to tighten its control of key institutions Wednesday, sending troops backed with armored vehicles to the heart of Cairo and slapping a travel ban on President Mohammed Morsi and top allies in preparation for an almost certain push to remove the Islamist president with the expiration of an afternoon deadline.
Just before the military’s deadline expired, Morsi repeated a vow not to step down, and one of his top advisers decried that Egypt is experiencing a military coup.
An adviser told CNN that “under no circumstances” would they accept the coup.
Opponents of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi flash victory signs and wave national flags in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, July 3, 2013. (AP)
Egyptian media had reported earlier Wednesday that Morsi had been placed under house arrest, which his aides denied.
For the second time in 2 1/2 years of political upheaval, the powerful army appears to be positioned to remove the country’s leader. But this time, it would be ousting a democratically elected president, the first in Egypt’s history – making its move potentially explosive.
Soon after the deadline passed, a military helicopter circled over the anti-Morsi crowds in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square, which was transformed into a sea of furiously waving Egyptian flags. “Leave, leave,” they chanted to Morsi, electrified as they waited to hear of an army move. After nightfall, fireworks went off and green lasers flashed over the crowd.
Millions were in the main squares of major cities nationwide, demanding Morsi’s removal, in the fourth day of the biggest anti-government rallies the country has seen, surpassing even those in the uprising that ousted against his autocratic predecessor Hosni Mubarak.
The troops, including commandos and in full combat gear, deployed just as darkness fell across much of the Egyptian capital at key facilities, on bridges over the Nile River and at major intersections. They also surrounded rallies being held by Morsi’s supporters – an apparent move to keep them contained if a final move on the president is made.
Opponents of Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Morsi shout slogans and wave national flags as they celebrate in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, July 3, 2013. Airport officials say a travel ban has been issued against the embattled president and the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. The officials said Wednesday that the travel ban on Morsi has to do with his escape from prison with more than 30 other Muslim Brotherhood during the 2011 uprising against autocrat Hosni Mubarak. (AP)
Morsi’s Islamist supporters have vowed to resist what they call a coup against democracy, and have also taken to the streets by the tens of thousands. Still, at the Rabia al-Adawiya Mosque, their main rally, some sought to depict the soldiers sealing off the nearby streets as on their side. They handed them flags, took pictures with them and chanted, “The army and people are one hand.”
At least 39 people have been killed in clashes since Sunday, raising fears of further bloodshed. Egypt was mostly peaceful on Wednesday, with the only report of violence coming from the Nile Delta city of Kafr el-Sheikh where supporters and opponents of Morsi clashed. At least 200 people were injured there, but no fatalities.
Earlier in the day, the head of the army, Defense Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, met with leading reform advocate Mohammed ElBaradei, Egypt’s top Muslim cleric – Al-Azhar Sheik Ahmed el-Tayeb – and Coptic Pope Tawadros II to discuss its political road map, a spokesman for the senior opposition National Democratic Front, Khaled Daoud, said on state TV.
Also attending were a representative of the new youth movement behind this week’s protests and some members of the ultraconservative Salafi movements, a Defense Ministry official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
A travel ban was put on Morsi and the head of his Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Badie, as well as Badie’s deputy Khairat el-Shater, according to officials at the airport, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.
Also banned from leaving the country were the Brotherhood’s former leader Mahdi Akef, senior Brotherhood figure Mohammed el-Beltagi, a major Salafi preacher close to the Brotherhood Safwat Hegazy and the leader of the Islamist Wasat party Abou Ela Madi and his deputy Essam Sultan.
Getty Images
In a last-minute statement before the deadline, Morsi again rejected the military’s intervention, saying abiding by his electoral legitimacy was the only way to prevent violence. He criticized the military for “taking only one side.”
“One mistake that cannot be accepted, and I say this as president of all Egyptians, is to take sides,” he said in the statement issued by his office. “Justice dictates that the voice of the masses from all squares should be heard,” he said, repeating his offer to hold dialogue with his opponents.
The free electing of a president had been one of the aspirations of the 2011 revolt that toppled Mubarak. Morsi’s opponents say they want to remove a president who has lost his legitimacy by trying to monopolize power with Islamists – even if it takes army intervention to bring in new leadership and put the country on a more democratic path.
But on his Facebook page, Morsi’s top foreign policy adviser Essam al-Haddad wrote, “For the sake of Egypt and for historical accuracy, let’s call what is happening by its real name: Military coup.”
At the main pro-Morsi rally in Cairo, thousands of his Islamist supporters chanted, “Wake up el-Sissi, Morsi is my president.”
“We will not bring back the military rule,” they chanted outside the Rabia al-Adawiya Mosque. “Will not happen, will not happen,” they shouted.
The army has insisted it is not carrying out a coup, but acting on the will of the people to clear the way for a new leadership. Under a plan leaked to state media, the military would install a new interim leadership, the Islamist-backed constitution suspended and the Islamist-dominated parliament dissolved.
But on Wednesday it clearly was positioning itself to maintain control during any unrest sparked by a move on Morsi.
The military beefed up its presence inside the mammoth headquarters of state TV on the banks of the Nile in central Cairo. Crack troops were deployed in news production areas. Officers from the army’s media department moved inside the newsroom and were monitoring output, though not yet interfering, staffers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the arrangements.
State TV is run by the information minister, a Muslim Brotherhood member appointed by Morsi, and its coverage had largely been in favor of the government. But in the past two days, the coverage saw a marked shift, with more balanced reporting showing anti-Morsi protests along with those supporting him. State radio has seen a similar shift.
The state-run Al-Ahram newspaper – which also seemed to be following a military line – reported that the military had placed several leaders of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood under surveillance.
Airport officials said screening departing passengers has been tightened to ensure leaders of the Brotherhood and other Islamist groups don’t slip out with the help of sympathetic airport employees.
In a speech late Tuesday night, Morsi vowed not to step down and pledged to defend his legitimacy with his life in the face of the massive street protests.
Morsi demanded that the powerful armed forces withdraw their ultimatum, saying he rejected all “dictates” – from home or abroad. The army said if no agreement is reached between Morsi and the opposition it would intervene to implement a political road map of its own.
In his emotional, 46-minute address aired live to the nation late Tuesday, the Islamist leader accused loyalists of his ousted autocratic predecessor Hosni Mubarak of exploiting the wave of protests to topple his regime and thwart democracy.
“There is no substitute for legitimacy,” said Morsi, at times angrily raising his voice, thrusting his fist in the air and pounding the podium. He warned that electoral and constitutional legitimacy “is the only guarantee against violence.”
The speech showed that Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood are prepared to run the risk of challenging the army. It also entrenches the lines of confrontation between his Islamist supporters and Egyptians angry over what they see as his efforts to impose control through the Brotherhood and his failures to deal with the country’s multiple problems.
The Interior Ministry, in charge of the police, increased the pressure on Morsi. It pledged in a statement to stand by and protect the protesters against violence. “We are all the Egyptians, and at the face of the military, we are standing,” they screamed.
Mahmoud Badr, spokesman for Tamarod, or Rebel – the youth movement behind the latest rallies – called on anti-Morsi protesters to demonstrate outside three presidential palaces as well as the Cairo headquarters of the Republican Guard, an army branch that protects the president, his family and their residences and offices. Morsi is thought to have been working at the Republican Guard headquarters since the start of the protests.
Badr also called on the army to place Morsi under arrest for his alleged incitement to civil war.
“Today is the day of decisiveness,” Badr said at a news conference.
Morsi’s opponents say he has lost his legitimacy through mistakes and power grabs, and that their turnout on the streets shows the nation has turned against him.
On Tuesday, millions of jubilant, chanting Morsi opponents again filled Tahrir Square and avenues adjacent to two presidential palaces in the capital, and main squares in cities nationwide. After Morsi’s speech, they erupted in indignation, banging metal fences to raise a din, some raising their shoes in the air in a show of contempt. “Leave, leave,” they chanted.
The president’s supporters also moved out in increased marches in Cairo and other cities, and stepped up warnings that it will take bloodshed to dislodge him. While Morsi has stuck to a stance that he is defending democracy in Egypt, many of his Islamist backers have presented the fight as one to protect Islam.
Fearing that Washington’s most important Arab ally would descend into chaos, U.S. officials said they are urging Morsi to take immediate steps to address opposition grievances, telling the protesters to remain peaceful and reminding the army that a coup could have consequences for the massive American military aid package it receives. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The army has insisted it has no intention to take power. But the reported road map showed it was ready to replace Morsi and make a sweeping change in the ramshackle political structure that has evolved since Mubarak’s fall in February 2011.
The constitution and domination of the legislature after elections held in late 2011-early 2012 are two of the Islamists’ and Brotherhood’s most valued victories – along with Morsi’s election last year.
This post has been updated.
Psalm 33:10-12, "The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. 11 But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.
12 What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance."
Robert Gill, Arizona Cardinals rookie, can fly! His legs are really moving fast in this video, 25 MP, to be exact! This is amazing speed!
1 Corinthians 9:24-27, "You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. 26-27 I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself." Don't give up even if you make mistakes, because Jesus died for your sins, and mine, and He will always lift you up to keep on running to the kingdom! Keep reading the Holy Bible, and praying to Creator God, and telling others about Jesus, and you will be fit for the kingdom! Jesus will give you His perfect character, just keep training with Him as your leader! God's best 2 U, Joy J
Revelation 21:4, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Please pray for the families of the 19 firefighter victims...
Via TheBlaze:
YARNELL, Ariz. (TheBlaze/AP) — Gusty, hot winds blew an Arizona blaze out of control Sunday in a forest northwest of Phoenix, overtaking and killing 19 members of an elite fire crew in the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the U.S. for at least 30 years.
KPNX-TV reported the crew was known as the Granite Mountain “hotshot” firefighters. The members were forced to deploy their fire shelters – tent-like structures meant to shield firefighters from flames and heat – when they were caught near the central Arizona town of Yarnell, state forestry spokesman Art Morrison told The Associated Press.
An undated photo of the Granite Mountain “Hotshot” Crew from the Prescott Fire Department. It is not clear if any of the 19 in the photo were among the firefighters who lost their lives. (Credit: KPNX-TV)
Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo said that the 19 firefighters were a part of the city’s fire department. The crew killed in the blaze had worked other wildfires in recent weeks in New Mexico and Arizona.
“By the time they got there, it was moving very quickly,” he said.
He added that the firefighters had to deploy the emergency shelters when “something drastic” occurred.
“One of the last fail safe methods that a firefighter can do under those conditions is literally to dig as much as they can down and cover themselves with a protective – kinda looks like a foil type- fire-resistant material – with the desire, the hope at least, is that the fire will burn over the top of them and they can survive it,” Fraijo said.
“Under certain conditions there’s usually only sometimes a 50 percent chance that they survive,” he said. “It’s an extreme measure that’s taken under the absolute worst conditions.”
Prescott, which is more than 30 miles northeast of Yarnell, is one of the only cities in the United States that has a hot shot fire crew, Fraijo said. The unit was established in 2002, and the city also has 75 suppression team members.
A home burns amidst the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yarnell, Ariz. on Sunday, June 30, 2013. The fire started Friday and picked up momentum as the area experienced high temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions. (Credit: AP)
The flames lit up the night sky in the forest above the town, and smoke from the blaze could be smelled for miles.
The fire started Friday and spread to 2,000 acres on Sunday amid triple-digit temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions. Officials ordered the evacuations of 50 homes in several communities, and later Sunday afternoon, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office expanded the order to include more residents in Yarnell, a town of about 700 residents about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix.
Previously Mike Reichling, Arizona State Forestry Division spokesman, told the Arizona Republic that 20 firefighters were involved in a “serious incident.”
The National Fire Protection Association had previously listed the deadliest wildland fire involving firefighters as the 1994 Storm King Fire near Glenwood Springs, Colo., which killed 14 firefighters who were overtaken by a sudden explosion of flames.
U.S. wildfire disasters date back more than two centuries and include tragedies like the 1949 Mann Gulch fire near Helena, Mont., that killed 13, or the Rattlesnake blaze four years later that claimed 15 firefighters in Southern California.
“A terrible, terrible dark day in Arizona,” Gov. Jan Brewer told KPNX-TV. She added in a statement: “This is as dark a day as I can remember. It may be days or longer before an investigation reveals how this tragedy occurred, but the essence we already know in our hearts: fighting fires is dangerous work.”
The Yarnell Hill Fire burns through the town of Yarnell, Ariz. on Sunday, June 30, 2013. (Credit: AP)
Morrison said several homes in the community of Glenisle burned on Sunday. He said no other injuries or deaths have been reported from that area.
About 200 firefighters are fighting the wildfire, which has also forced the closure of parts of state Route 89.
Reichling also told The Arizona Republic the fire they’re calling in federal help to fight the fire.
Roxie Glover, spokeswoman at Wickenburg Community Hospital, told The Associated Press that the hospital has been told to expect residents with injuries and firefighters.
Tanker 910 makes a retardant drop Yarnell Hill Fire to help protect the Double Bar A Ranch near Peeples Valley, Ariz., Sunday, June 30, 2013. (Credit: AP)
In the afternoon, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office expanded the evacuations to include residents in the Peeples Valley area and in the town of Yarnell.
The wildfire also forced the closure of parts of state Route 89, the Arizona Department of Transportation announced. The department did not have an estimate of how long the closure would last but advised drivers to use U.S. 93 or Interstate 17 as alternate routes.
Dean Smith watches as the Yarnell Hill Fire encroaches on his home in Glenn Ilah on Sunday, June 30, 2013 near Yarnell, Ariz. (Credit: AP)
The Red Cross has opened a shelter at Yavapai College in Prescott, the sheriff’s office said.
The Yarnell Hill Fire now covers nearly 2,000 acres, according to the newspaper.
The fire started Friday but picked up momentum Sunday as the area experienced high temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions.
An additional 130 firefighters and more water- and retardant-dropping helicopters and aircraft are on their way.
In another Arizona fire, a 2-acre blaze that started at a motorcycle salvage yard and spread to a trailer park has destroyed five mobile homes in the Gila County community of Rye, located more than 130 miles east of Yarnell.
Gila County Health and Emergency Services Director Michael O’Driscoll said no one was injured in Rye.
The fire was ignited Saturday night at All Bikes Sales located off Highway 87. It spread to neighboring federal Forest Service land but was fully contained within 12 hours of its start.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Seven adults and two children were staying at a shelter set up for people who were evacuated, the Red Cross said.
