CDC issues warning over commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples

Citing a possible link between an outbreak of Listeriosis and prepackaged caramel apples, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended yesterday U.S. consumers "do not eat any commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples, including plain caramel apples ... until more specific guidance can be provided."

A recent outbreak of Listeriosis affecting 28 people in ten states has been linked to people who became ill reportedly after eating prepackaged caramel apples. However, the direct link to eating prepackaged caramel apples and becoming ill is not conclusive.

One person in California has become ill with Listeriosis in the survey, compared to four in Arizona and four in Texas.

The CDC has not issued a recall of commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples.

Listeriosis can be a life threatening illness. Five people have died in the current outbreak, four reportedly after eating prepackaged caramel apples.

Symptoms of Listeriosis include fever, stiff neck, confusion, weakness, vomiting, sometimes preceded by diarrhea, according to Foodsafety.gov, a website of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services -- which has yet to issue its own alert or recall of the product at press time.

Of the 28 people infected with the current strains of Listeriosis, 26 were hospitalized. As of yesterday, the CDC reported 15 of 18 people (83%) interviewed with Listeriosis had reportedly become ill after eating prepackaged caramel apples.

The CDC report stated "no illnesses related to this outbreak have been linked to apples that are not caramel-coated and not prepackaged or to caramel candy."

CDC is collaborating with public health officials and the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while this "investigation is rapidly evolving" to determine the cause and specific brand names that may be identified as sources of contamination.

Link report: Centers for Disease Control

Ex-CBS investigative reporter says CBS edited and "kept-secret" President's Benghazi statements in 60-Minutes interview to help Obama reelection campaign

An Emmy award-winning investigative reporter who resigned earlier this year from CBS stated a 60 Minutes interview with the President the day after the Benghazi attack in 2012 was edited to help his reelection campaign, according to a report Monday in the Christian Post.

Journalist and author Sharyl Attkisson was a CBS reporter assigned to the Benghazi story.

The edited and "kept secret," according to Attkisson, portion of the 60 Minutes interview shows correspondent Steve Croft asking President Barack Obama directly, "Do you believe this was a terrorist attack?"

The President replies, "Well, it is too early to know exactly how this came about, what group was involved, but obviously it was an attack on Americans."

This question-and-answer segment was an outtake not seen by the American public in the original 60 Minutes telecast.

Four Americans, which included Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith and two CIA contractors, were killed by Islamic terrorists during attacks at two Libya diplomatic compounds approximately a mile apart on the 11th anniversary of 9/11.

The attack was initially spun as a spontaneous mob riot -- rather than a planned terrorist attack -- triggered by two video internet movie trailers entitled, "The Real Life of Muhammad" and "Muhammad Movie Trailer," produced by an American filmmaker.

The controversy over the 60 Minutes "kept secret" news clip stems from then presidential candidate's Mitt Romney's debate comment the President did not identify terrorists as responsible until two weeks after the attack, to which the President stated he identified terrorists as soon as the following day.

Releasing the CBS exclusive 60 Minutes interview following the debate would have countered the President's claim, said Attkisson according to the Christian Post article.

Attkisson said even the reporters covering Benghazi were kept from knowing of the edited 60 Minutes clip and it was unethical for CBS to not release the outtake after the presidential debate controversy.

President Obama's national security adviser at the time was Ben Rhodes, brother of CBS News president David Rhodes.

Attkisson reported for CBS for 20 years and has written a news organization insider's book, "Stonewalled." She quit her job at CBS in March, in part, she said according to the Christian Post, because of CBS' liberal bias.

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Memorial service set October 23 for Calvary Chapel South Bay Pastor Steve Mays

A memorial service for Senior Pastor Steve Mays of Calvary Chapel South Bay is being held at the church Thursday, October 23, at 7:00 p.m., as announced on the church website.

Pastor Mays passed away unexpectantly Thursday, October 2, at 6:30 a.m. from a suspected blood clot while recovering from recent back surgery, states the church website. He was 64.

Well-known in Calvary Chapel circles, Pastor Mays was one of the group of pastors who in the early 70s had been converted and fed by the teachings of Senior Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, and then went on to pastor a large church.

Pastor Smith passed into eternity October 3, 2013.

Pastor Mays was a senior pastor for 36 years. 

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Christian nonprofits seek to help Iraqi Christians escape genocide by ISIS terrorists

Iraqi Christians -- mostly Chaldean Catholic -- are being tortured, slaughtered and their women sold into sex slavery according to published reports from two Christian nonprofit organizations who seek to help 300,000 or more Christians escape genocide by the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist army.

"Christian children are being beheaded, their mothers raped and killed, their fathers hanged," said the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), an Evangelical Christian law firm based in Washington D.C., through an urgent memorandum sent to supporters.

"Three hundred thousand Christians are running for their lives. Christianity in the Iraqi city of Mosul is dead. We are witnessing anti-Christian genocide -- a deliberate and targeted campaign to wipe out the Christians," the ACLJ memorandum states.

"They conduct execution-style shootings, hangings, beheadings, grotesque public displays of cruelty," ACLJ states. "The ISIS is even known to have beheaded, and reportedly, crucified Christian children."

Far Reaching Ministries, another Evangelical Christian nonprofit organization, provided graphic photos in their recent newsletter which substantiated ACLJ reports. One photo shows at least seven bloodied and lifeless boys strung out and hung by their wrists on crosses in a public square. Another photo shows a desperate young man running and cradling a wounded and bloodied girl in his arms through a bombed-out city street.   

"Sources report commencement of 'fatwa,' which allows for the rape of all non-Sunni women," the Far Reaching Ministries newsletter states. "Yasir al-Aljawni, a Salafi Sheikh of Jordanian origin, extended the law to condone the capture and rape of Christian women to epic proportions. Al-Aljawni claims such brutality is not contrary to the teachings of Islam."

"On August 7th, international news agencies reported," the Far Reaching Ministries newsletter continues, "that ISIS rebels from Mosul had taken children, beheaded them and set their heads on fence posts in the city park."

"Two Catholic priests," stated Far Reaching Ministries, "published a story of a young girl named Mariam ... a 15 year old [Syrian] Christian. Mariam was captured and forced into an Islamic marriage ... was repeatedly raped ... for fifteen days Mariam was forced to marry fifteen different militants who raped and tortured this innocent child ... being finished with Mariam, they murdered her."

According to Far Reaching Ministries, 7000 Christians and others from targeted groups have been massacred.

Both nonprofit organizations are asking for financial support to help provide humanitarian aid to families and pastors in Iraqi and Syrian areas controlled by ISIS.

The ACLJ is also asking for signatures and funding to support a petition drive for Washington to "devote significant assets -- including humanitarian aid and weaponry -- to keep Christians from suffering genocide in Iraq."

For further information to assist Iraqi and Syrian Christians, visit ACLJ and Far Reaching Ministries.

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"March for Marriage" set to draw thousands of traditional marriage supporters

Washington D.C. is set to host the 2nd Annual "March for Marriage" Thursday, June 19th which is sponsored by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).

The event is cosponsored by, among others, Coalition of African-American Pastors, The Washington Times, The Frederick Douglas Foundation, World Congress of Families, Family Research Council and Act Right.

Scheduled speakers include former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, former Senator of Pennsylvania Rick Santorum, Chairman of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, New York Senator (D-Bronx) and Minister Rev. Ruben Diaz (who is also President of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization), President of National Organization for Marriage Brian Brown, Alison Howard, Communications Director, Concerned Women of America and Dr. Jim Garlow, Senior Pastor, Skyline Wesleyan Church (San Diego).

The event will be viewable by a live feed at 11:00 a.m. EST and communities are invited to participate throughout America. For more information, go to marriagemarch.org

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President of Pacific Justice Institute interview for legal update on California's public school "Bathroom Choice Bill" to be aired on CBS's "Sunday Morning" June 8th

According to an email Saturday June 7 from Pacific Justice Institute president Brad Dacus, he was interviewed for the Sunday Morning program on his perspective of privacy rights for all public school students. According to the CBS Sunday Morning website, three transgender students and their educational challenges are reviewed. For more information on PJI, see @ www.pji.org

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Sudanese Christian woman gives birth in prison, sentenced to 100 lashes and death by hanging for marrying a Christian and refusing to recant her faith in Christ

The White House has received over 33,000 signatures for a petition to grant refugee status to Merian Ibrahim, a mother of two and wife of an American Christian, imprisoned in Sudan and sentenced to death by hanging for refusing to recant her Christian faith.

Refer to article by Christian Post. The White House petition requires 100,000 signatures for a presidential written response and can be signed at We The People.

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