News for January 18, 2007

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On the Possibility of an EMP Attack on the US Post by DB on FulfilledProphecy.com (January 18, 2007) - Its a well known fact that Iran has been test firing missiles from from the decks of freighters and detonating them at high altitudes. Hmm, can anyone say EMP? Congress actually put together a blue ribbon committee to study the United States' ability to deal with an EMP attack. The report actually came out at the same time as the 911 Report, and thus was nearly ignored. Their findings were comforting, From the Report:

Briefly, a single nuclear weapon exploded at high altitude above the United States will interact with the Earth’s atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetic field to produce an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) radiating down to the Earth and additionally create electrical currents in the Earth. EMP effects are both direct and indirect. The former are due to electromagnetic “shocking” of electronics and stressing of electrical systems, and the latter arise from the damage that “shocked”—upset, damaged, and destroyed—electronics controls then inflict on the systems in which they are embedded. The indirect effects can be even more severe than the direct effects. The electromagnetic fields produced by weapons designed and deployed with the intent to produce EMP have a high likelihood of damaging electrical power systems, electronics, and information systems upon which American society depends. Their effects on dependent systems and infrastructures could be sufficient to qualify as catastrophic to the Nation. - The damage level could be sufficient to be catastrophic to the Nation, and our current vulnerability invites attack. Depending on the specific characteristics of the attacks, unprecedented cascading failures of our major infrastructures could result. In that event, a regional or national recovery would be long and difficult and would seriously degrade the safety and overall viability of our Nation. The primary avenues for catastrophic damage to the Nation are through our electric power infrastructure and thence into our telecommunications, energy, and other infrastructures. These, in turn, can seriously impact other important aspects of our Nation’s life, including the financial system; means of getting food, water, and medical care to the citizenry; trade; and production of goods and services. The recovery of any one of the key national infrastructures is dependent on the recovery of others. The longer the outage, the more problematic and uncertain the recovery will be. It is possible for the functional outages to become mutually reinforcing until at some point the degradation of infrastructure could have irreversible effects on the country’s ability to support its population. What's even more disturbing is the simplicity of an EMP attack. If they could get within a couple hundred miles of the east coast with a container ship and fire something as primitive as a Scud missile with a nuclear warhead on it they could knock out up to 70% of the country. At this point they could set off suitcase nukes and we would have no means of doing anything. I honestly believe that God gave us a glimpse of what will happen by looking at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The cops fled, riots broke out, people plundered stores, it was every man for himself. And that was with electricity and communications. Think about every vehicle shutting down in an instant, elevators stuck, gas pumps shut down, accidents everywhere, national gridlock, people dying in dark hospitals, and no communication. If you were 20 miles from home you might as well be an eternity away. Worse yet, everything would be bankrupt. All that money you have in the bank doesn't exist anymore. If you did have cash on hand, who knows if it would do any good as it wouldn't take long for people to realize that the dollar is nothing but paper. Overall, a bad situation. That's why I've never really worried much about the mark of the beast, I tend to think that the US is going to be living in the 19th century.

I've also heard Chuck Missler speak on this subject saying the same thing. FYI. Here's another news source.

Merkel calls for EU constitution by 2009 (January 17, 2007) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday outlined an ambitious program for her country's European Union presidency, saying the bloc must set a timetable for adopting an EU constitution. Merkel told EU lawmakers during her first appearance at the EU assembly that a decision on what to do with the constitution must be reached by June. The constitution was ratified by 18 states but rejected in Dutch and French referendums in 2005. Merkel said she would consult all 27 EU nations to hear their reservations about the landmark charter and to determine which parts can be rescued to form the basis of a new document. Germany wants to save as much as possible of the draft text, which was designed to accelerate policy-making and give the EU, now with 489 million people, more visibility on the world stage by creating the posts of EU president and foreign minister. "We need a foreign minister for Europe. That's enough of a reason to adopt a constitutional treaty," Merkel told the European Parliament, earning a standing ovation. "We must give a soul to Europe; we have to find Europe's soul. Any failure could be a historic failure." Merkel also said that completing global trade talks would be one of the priorities of Germany's six-month presidency, urging Europe to take a "resolute stand" to achieve a successful outcome. more...
| EU/UN | Solana | NewWorldOrder |

Interesting how the language is spiritual speaking about the foreign minister position. Everyone seems to be in agreement about this too. As Herb Peters pointed out, is that an accident given the rumors of Solana leaving back in October? It seems to the European leaders like their whole world is starting to crumble without a "Mr. Europe." Is Solana making a power play? And will we see the European leaders give their power to him? Keep watching!

Executive Summary of How the Grassroots Lobbying Bills (H.R. 4682 and S.1) Would Affect Churches and Other Non-Profit Organizations Thanks for the story Diane! (January 17, 2007) - Sitting in front of our new Congress, under House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, there is a proposal to designate churches, pastors, religious denominations, public interest organizations, and other non-profit groups as ''lobbyists.'' Currently, lobbyists must register with the government - this new bill expands the definition of ''lobbyist'' to include any church or organization that strives to influence public opinion! This legislation will drastically affect the operation of churches that speak out on major moral and political issues and Christian organizations using TV, radio, or the Internet to mobilize citizens around an issue. The increased government regulation of churches is not only unwarranted but also unwise. What happens, under such a law, if pastors speak out and work against partial-birth abortion? Same-sex marriage? What happens if churches speak out in support of conservative judicial nominees, or military chaplains' right to pray? Under such a law, they are classified as ''lobbyists'' - in essence, free speech is forbidden.  Plus, many churches, especially larger churches with TV and radio ministries, would be subject to registration as a lobbying organization - and - failure to register under this new law could result in criminal prosecution - fines of up to $100,000, six years in prison - even ten years in some cases. Don't allow this freedom of speech to be taken away. Help us stop Congress from passing this unconstitutional legislation. I have assembled a legal and legislative team focusing on this dangerous bill; we have already produced a legal analysis (posted at www.aclj.org) that details the dangers of this legislation. I am personally leading three senior attorneys and our entire Government Affairs team - working with Congress around the clock. We have also distributed significant legal memorandums throughout Congress. This bill represents the biggest single legal restraint ever placed on people of faith. In essence, the proposed legislation attempts to override the United States Constitution. This cannot wait. Speaker Pelosi is pushing hard. The politicians will strike quickly on this.
| America |

If you click the link for the Executive summary, you'll see amendment 20 which states, "Proposed by Senator Bennett on January 10, 2007, and co-sponsored by Senator McConnell - would eliminate the provisions of the Senate bill dealing with "grassroots lobbying firms" and ensure that churches and many other public interest organizations and individuals would not be subject to lobbying regulations." U.S. Senate votes down Section 220, However Similar Bill to be Considered in House

Iran Promotes Anti-US Axis (January 16, 2007) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared: "'Iran, Nicaragua and Venezuela and other revolutionary countries are together and we will resist together." Mr Ahmadinejad was in Ecuador last night after visiting Nicaragua, where he met newly elected leader and old US enemy Daniel Ortega. He had earlier visited Venezuela. US President George W. Bush has sent the Iranian leader a warning as he said a US failure in Iraq would empower Iran and threaten world peace. "If we catch your people inside (Iraq) harming US citizens or Iraqi citizens, you know we will deal with them," Mr Bush warned Mr Ahmadinejad. But the Iranian leader replied: "They want to cover their failures by other means, but they have been discredited, and they can't recover from that," he said. The US has accused five Iranians it arrested in Iraq of running arms and money to militants. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini demanded their release, saying they were diplomats. Iraq has said the mission did not yet have consular status but had approval to operate.
| Iran | Islam | America |

Temple Aqueduct and Ritual Bath Excavated Opposite Temple Mount (January 15, 2007) - Excavations being conducted opposite the Western Wall Plaza have uncovered an aqueduct that brought water to the Holy Temple, as well as a ritual bath from that period. The never-before-excavated area is situated behind the Western Wall police station, adjacent to the plaza where millions of worshipers and tourists come each year to visit the Western Wall and Temple Mount. The new archaeological find uncovers a missing link in the ancient water system, known as the "Lower Aqueduct." This system channeled water from Solomon’s Pools near Bethlehem (located several miles south of Jerusalem) directly to the national focal point of Jewish worship - the Temple Mount. Solomon’s pools, situated just north of the modern Jewish town of Efrat, cover an area of about 7 acres and can hold three million gallons of water. A lengthy aqueduct conveyed the water from the lowest pool through Bethlehem, across the Gihon valley, along the western slope of the Tyropoeon valley, and into the cisterns underneath the Temple Mount. Today, the water from the pools reaches only Bethlehem due to the destruction of the aqueducts. Current plans for the partition wall will leave Solomon’s Pools outside the area of Jewish sovereignty. more...
| Temple Mount |

De Facto Power by Herb Peters (January 15, 2007) - The advantage of de facto power is deniability. Where there's legal power, it's an easy paper trail to those responsible. But where there's de facto power, no such trail exists. The power, however, is just as real. And although legal power can be learned in school, de facto power is best learned in the streets. This brings us to why I believe God's people are failing to see what's occurring. While they're waiting for the the legal framework for the coming Antichrist to appear, the de facto framework may already be here. Former German president Roman Herzog is warning that Germany's democracy is threatened by the de facto power being exercised by Brussels. Herzog is reported saying, "EU policies suffer to an alarming degree from a lack of democracy and a de facto suspension of the separation of powers." He also says, " By far the biggest part of the current laws in Germany are agreed by the council of ministers [member states representation in Brussels] and not the German parliament" Read about it here. As I've been reporting, the EU's true seat of power is the Council of Ministers. This is where the EU's 27 member states exercise their power over the Union. And, when their legal powers fail -- which is quite often, their de facto powers kick in. For example, the EU member states have created a de facto, super Foreign Minister post for their High Representative, Javier Solana. When the EU's constitution failed -- and the legal route was no longer available -- the de facto route was taken. As of January 1, 2007, Solana has his de facto seat within the Commission -- from where he can oversee his New European Neighborhood Policy. Solana's Middle East EU mandate, however, is not de facto -- it's legal. That was necessary in order for Solana to take the EU's new Middle East peace plan to the Quartet and the rest of the international community. The EU's peace plan, among other things, calls for convening an international conference on the order of the 1991 Madrid Conference. This idea has been rejected by both Israel and the Bush Administration. Yet, on January 10-12, the so-called "Madrid+15 Conference" occurred. This meeting, referred to only as a reunion, brought together all the major international players from the old 1991 conference. Friends, no matter what they call it, I believe what we had was a de facto, international Middle East peace conference. Even though the conference was said to be unofficial, it was just as real. Today's news is about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's trip to the Middle East and a possible three-way summit between Rice, PA Chairman Mahoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Read about it here. Earlier this month, while in Washington, it was announced that Solana would be following in Rice's steps. And, after closed door talks at the Madrid+15 Conference, I believe Solana may have expressed the new feeling of most of the international community. Solana said, "the moment of action has come" Read about it here. The last area of de facto power I will mention is in regard to the UN's Alliance of Civilisations (AoC). As you know, I believe the AoC may be the perfect mechanism from which the coming Antichrist and his 10 kings can wage their foretold war against the saints of God. Although the AoC won't be legally binding, it will -- like all international treaties -- be politically binding. In other words, the AoC will have de facto power. And, as I said before: The advantage of de facto power is deniability. Where there's legal power, it's an easy paper trail to those responsible. But where there's de facto power, no such trail exists. The power, however, is just as real.
| Israel | Islam | EU/UN |

Christian converts from Islam (January 15, 2007) - Wlodzimierz Redzioch talks to Giorgio Paolucci, editor-in-chief of the Catholic Italian daily 'Avvenire' and the co-author of the book 'I cristiani venuti dall'Islam' (Christians Coming From Islam) written together with the Lebanese journalist Camille Eid.

WLODZIMIERZ REDZIOCH: - How did your book about Christian converts from Islam originate?

GIORGIO PAOLUCCI: - Together with my friend Camille Eid I sought people who due to their choices had problems to share their experiences although they were happy because of their choices. So this book is an attempt to show 'the tip of the iceberg' concerning the phenomenon, which is not marginal at all.

- It was not an easy task, wasn't it?

- The first problem was to find converts from Islam. Perhaps all people have heard about Abdul Rahman, the 41-year old Afghan who faced death threat and who today lives in Italy. On that occasion, for two weeks all papers in Italy and all over Europe wrote about the problem of apostasy in Islam and death penalty, which the Islamic law provides for apostates. Therefore, our task was to find these people and show their stories. We wanted to prove that these matters do not only concern distant countries such as Afghanistan but also happen in Italy and other European countries.

- Why are these matters to concern Europe, too?

- Due to migration followers of Islam live among us. Thus Islam in is in Europe, with its complexity, including the big problem of religious freedom that has not been solved by Islamic countries and secular Muslim communities dispersed all over the world. Our book deals with theological and legal aspects of apostasy and penalty for it. We have also showed stories of converts in order to understand how people can be fascinated with Christianity, at risk of being threatened, persecuted or facing difficulties. Within two years of work, overcoming the opposition and fears of many people, we managed to collect testimonies of 30 ex-Muslims who converted to Christianity and today they are living as Christians in Italy.

- Why do Muslims convert to Christianity?

- Everyone asks questions about sense of life, happiness, love, friendship, and life after death. The people we met did not often find satisfying answers to these questions in the Koran and in their Muslim upbringing but they encountered fascinating testimonies of Christians, their friends, colleagues, neighbours, teachers who showed them that there was a more convincing answer. This answer is not the Koran but Christianity. So Jesus Christ crowned their search and human desires. more...
| Islam |

Bush Speech Seen as Preparing for War with Iran Joel C. Rosenberg (January 14, 2007) - “Our best-case scenario is for missiles to be hitting us in the next year or two. Either the West goes to war to stop Iran from going nuclear, and Iran fires conventional missiles at us in retaliation, or the West waits too long and Iran launches a nuclear first strike at us. Either way, a terrible war is coming. It cannot be avoided.” That’s the sobering assessment a senior Israeli political leader shared with me over breakfast this week. In that context, US President George W. Bush’s recalibrated Middle East strategy is resonating positively here. The combination of 20,000 more US troops in Iraq, a second US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier headed toward the Persian Gulf, the buildup of more anti-missile batteries near Iran, and a flat-out rejection of appeasement talks with Iran and Syria indicates that the White House is not only serious about defeating the forces of radical Islam in and around Baghdad, but may in fact be gearing up for a military showdown with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his fanatic disciples in 2007. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, here in the region this week, downplayed that view somewhat, saying in Jerusalem that “the US is simply responding to Iranian activities that have been going on for a while now that endanger our forces.” But there is no question that the Arab and Iranian press are interpreting the president’s moves as a step toward war. I’ve been in Israel for the past 10 days filming an “Epicenter” documentary for network broadcast and nationwide release later this year. Picking up on the themes from the book, the film will focus on the urgency of the Iranian nuclear threat; how Shiite eschatology is driving Iranian foreign policy; why Russia is selling Iran missiles, submarines, and nuclear technology; the differences between Islamic conceptions of end-time prophecy and Judeo–Christian expectations of the last days; and how evangelical Christians and Israeli Jews can work together in light of this common enemy. This week, I conducted exclusive interviews with Benjamin Netanyahu, former prime minister and current Likud leader; Natan Sharansky, former deputy prime minister and founder of OneJerusalem.org; Moshe Ya’alon, former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff; and Dore Gold, former Israeli Ambassador to the UN, president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and author of the forthcoming book, “The Fight For Jerusalem.” I asked Netanyahu how much time the West has to stop Ahmadinejad. “Not much,” he said, noting that when he was prime minister both India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons to the shock of all Western intelligence agencies and that Iran could be much closer to getting the bomb than anyone realizes. “Nothing else matters–not Iraq, not the peace process with the Palestinians–if Iran is allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. They must be stopped.” Sharansky warned that action needs to be taken in 2007, or it could be too late. Ambassador Gold told me that Ahmadinejad’s cult of “Twelvers”–Shiites feverishly preparing for the coming of the Twelfth Imam, or the “Mahdi”–recently claimed to have pre-positioned sleeper cells of Mahdi warriors in Jerusalem and that Messianic fever is sweeping the Shiite crescent from Iran and southern Iraq to Lebanon. more...
| Iran | America |

Carter’s Colleagues See the Light (January 14, 2007) - Former US president Jimmy Carter has unmasked himself, revealing a strong bias against Israel and, by so doing, disillusioning growing numbers of people, including 14 members of his advisory board who last Thursday resigned en masse. The resignation was the latest in a series of repercussions felt by Carter since publishing his patently prejudiced new book, “Palestine, peace not apartheid.” In their letter of resignation, the Carter Center advisors – whose advice Carter may now wish he had heeded – chastised the ex-president for having “clearly abandoned [his] historic role of broker in favor of becoming an advocate for one side.” They meant the “Palestinian” side, and they were clearly right about that. What they were wrong about, was the shift. Carter has always been pro-Arab. Those saying so in the past have simply not been taken seriously. For decades, the peanut farmer from Georgia portrayed himself – and was sycophantically portrayed by the media – as a reputable and honest peacemaker. He ensured that he would earn that reputation by having his administration craft the agreement signed between Israel and Egypt in 1978. That treaty purposefully contained the seeds that would grow into the land-for-peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs. Many Israelis trusted Carter. So did many of Israel’s friends, though not the more careful ones. Already then there were those who knew that Carter had Arab creditors. And shortly after assuming the presidency he had reneged on a predecessor’s promise to sell advanced F-15 fighter jets to Israel. It was the Carter administration which, in the words of Shmuel Katz, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, “launched a veritable propaganda campaign to spread the ‘ruling’ that Jewish settlement in the West Bank - that is, Judea and Samaria - and in the Gaza Strip were illegal (in addition to being an ‘obstacle to peace’).” Carter has actively pushed forward the Palestinian state concept ever since. The Carter Center has monitored at least two elections in the PA areas and declared them “free and fair.” In “Palestine, peace not apartheid,” he divulged what he tried to mask for so long. His confession is not being so gratefully received by everyone.

Ice storms, snow, floods, tornado wallop US killing 13 (January 14, 2007) - Freezing rain, snow, sleet, flash floods and at least one tornado walloped the United States this weekend, killing at least 13 people in accidents on slick roads as a massive storm front blanketed much of the country. The storm was expected to continue through at least Tuesday. The ice, wind and snow downed trees, traffic signals and power lines, blocked roads and forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights. Churches cancelled Sunday services and businesses closed early or did not open at all. Ten people died in Oklahoma where slippery highways caused more than 200 accidents, the Oklahoman newspaper reported. A state of emergency was declared and the National Guard was called out in the midwestern state of Missouri declared after an ice storm knocked power out to more than 200,000 homes on a bitterly cold weekend. Emergency shelters and hotels were filled by people trying to warm up and a nursing home had to be evacuated because of the freezing temperatures, local media reported. more...
| Earth Changes |

Arrested Iranians tied to group arming Iraqis: U.S. (January 14, 2007) - The U.S. military said on Sunday that five Iranians held by its troops in Iraq are linked to Revolutionary Guards who are arming and funding Iraqi militants but Tehran called them diplomats and demanded they be released. The five were arrested on Thursday in a U.S. dawn raid on an Iranian government office in the Kurdish city of Arbil. The raid underlined the challenges Baghdad faces in striking a balance with Washington while building relations with neighbors the Bush administration accuses of fueling violence in Iraq. Iraq's President Jalal Talabani, an ethnic Kurd, was due to travel on Sunday to Syria, which the Bush administration says allows weapons and fighters to cross its border into Iraq in support of the anti-U.S. insurgency there. Talabani's visit to Damascus is the first by a senior Iraqi official since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties last month after more than two decades of boycott after Syria sided with Iran during the Iraq-Iran war in 1980s. Aides said Talabani will discuss security and ask Damascus to control its borders and stop insurgents moving into Iraq. Both Syria and Iran deny that they provide support to militants operating in Iraq. more...
| Iran | Islam | America |

Palestinian Opposes Provisional State (January 14, 2007) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, pledging deeper engagement in the Middle East peace process, met today with the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, who rejected suggestions for establishing a temporary state within provisional borders and pledged that any American money to bolster his security forces would not be misused. “I have heard loud and clear the call for deeper American engagement in these processes,” Ms. Rice said after two and a half hours of talks with Mr. Abbas. “The United States is absolutely committed to helping to find a solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live in security, in which they can live in peace and in which they can live in democracy,” she said, adding, “You will have my commitment to do precisely that.” Ms. Rice’s visit to the Palestinian government headquarters was clearly an effort to bolster Mr. Abbas in his struggle to regain the political advantage over Hamas, which took control of the parliament in recent elections. But, likewise, the Israeli officials she is meeting during two days of shuttling between Israeli and Palestinian officials also are showing weakness in the polls. And Ms. Rice’s job of trying to accelerate progress on the “road map” — a step-by-step process for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian dispute — is overshadowed in the minds of many here by new Bush administration initiatives toward Iraq and Iran. None of the parties to the talks here predicted any speedy breakthrough. Although no formal proposal has been presented, some Israeli officials have floated the idea that the peace process could be accelerated by establishing a provisional Palestinian state within temporary borders to be subsequently set. more...
| Israel | Islam | America |

A rabbi's warning to U.S. Christians (January 13, 2007) - I am certainly not a Churchill. I am not even a Revel. I am having enough trouble just trying to be a Lapin. But I am issuing a very serious warning about deep consequences, just as they did. It is a warning about the earliest stages of what could become a cataract of disasters if not resisted now. During the 1930s, Winston Churchill desperately tried to persuade the English people and their government to see that Hitler meant to end their way of life. The British ignored Churchill, which gave Hitler nearly 10 years to build up his military forces. It wasn't until Hitler actually drew blood that the British realized they had a war on their hands. It turned out to be a far longer and more destructive war than it needed to be had Churchill's early warning been heeded. In 1983, a brave French writer, Jean-Francois Revel, wrote a book called "How Democracies Perish." In this remarkable volume, he described how communism's aim is world conquest. For decades he had been trying to warn of communism's very real threat. Yet in January 1982, a high State Department official said: "We Americans are not solving problems, we are the problem." (Some things never change.) A good portion of the planet fell to communism, which brought misery and death to millions because we failed to recognize in time that others meant to harm us. Heaven knows there was enough warning during the 1980s of the intention of part of the Islamic world to take yet another crack at world domination. Yet instead of seeing each deadly assault on our interests around the world as a test of our resolve, we ignored it. We failed the test and lost 3,000 Americans in two unforgettable hours. I am not going to argue that what is happening now is on the same scale as the examples I cite above, but a serious war is being waged against a group of Americans. I am certain that if we lose this war, the consequences for American civilization will be dire. Phase one of this war I describe is a propaganda blitzkrieg that is eerily reminiscent of how effectively the Goebbels propaganda machine softened up the German people for what was to come. There is no better term than propaganda blitzkrieg to describe what has been unleashed against Christian conservatives recently. Consider the long list of anti-Christian books that have been published in recent months. Here are just a few samples of more than 30 similar titles, all from mainstream publishers: "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America" "The Baptizing of America: The Religious Right's Plans for the Rest of Us" "The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason" "Piety & Politics: The Right-wing Assault on Religious Freedom" "Atheist Universe: The Thinking Person's Answer to Christian Fundamentalism" "Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America" "Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right" What is truly alarming is that there are more of these books for sale at your local large book store warning against the perils of fervent Christianity than those warning against the perils of fervent Islam. Does anyone seriously think America is more seriously jeopardized by Christian conservatives than by Islamic zealots? I fear that many Americans believe just that in the same way that many pre-World War II Westerners considered Churchill a bigger threat than Hitler. more...
| Islam | America |

Senior Hamas official confirms talks in Damascus to prepare Palestinian president's visit (January 13, 2007) - Envoys of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have been holding secret meetings with the top leader of the militant Hamas group exiled in Syria to end deadly Palestinian infighting and prepare new coalition talks, senior officials said Saturday. Abbas will come to Damascus early next week to meet exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal and Syrian officials, said Moussa Abu Marzouk, the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau in Syria. "I hope his (Abbas') meetings in Damascus will be constructive and lead to solving all outstanding problems that have broken the dialogue in the past," said Abu Marzouk in an interview with The Associated Press. An Abbas aide confirmed that the Palestinian president planned to meet with Mashaal on Monday. Officials from both Palestinian sides said significant progress has been made in the secret talks over the past two weeks between Mashaal and two Abbas envoys, independent legislator Ziad Abu Amr and Mohammed Rashid — a former adviser to Abbas' predecessor, the late Yasser Arafat. The envoys were heading to Damascus for another round of talks Saturday following a stop in Qatar, which has been mediating between Palestinian factions, officials said on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media. Abu Marzouk said mediations were geared at resuming negotiations between the Hamas-led government and Abbas' more moderate Fatah party to form a national unity Cabinet. He predicted that dialogue would resume in the next few days. The bitter Hamas and Fatah rivals have repeatedly failed in recent months to form a coalition because of disagreements over a political program and control over key Cabinet posts. Hamas has also balked at international demands that any Palestinian government recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept existing peace deals. more...
| Gog/Magog | Islam |

Triplets in the Womb Caught on Video (January 13, 2007) - ABC News video report of a woman who had ultrasounds of her triplets digitized in a computer. Pretty fascinating. They are talking about how early traits can be seen in the fetuses too. It's my position that life starts at fertilization because at that point, the potential for life is created. At any rate, it would be cool to see the whole video.

Comoros Volcano Erupts (January 13, 2007) - Mount Karthala, which overlooks the capital of the Comoros islands, has begun erupting, producing a red glow over the top of the volcano. The eruption is similar to the previous one that in May 2006 saw fiery jets of lava shoot into the main crater of the only active volcano on the Indian Ocean archipelago, according to the Karthala Observatory. The Comoros Government has set up a crisis team to monitor the situation, as the 2,361-metre volcano on the main island of Grand Comore is just 15 kilometres from Moroni. In November 2005, Karthala spewed huge plumes of ash that blanketed the island and temporarily deprived its 250,000 inhabitants of drinkable water. In April 2005, nearly 10,000 villagers living at the base of the mountain fled their homes after similar emissions of ash sparked widespread fears of drinking contaminated water. Mount Karthala last had an overflow magma eruption in 1977, when lava destroyed the village of Singani, 20 kilometres south of Moroni, and toxic gas was released into the air but did not cause any deaths.
| Earth Changes |

EU To Launch Mideast Peace Process Effort (January 12, 2007) - The European Union intends to launch an effort to reactivate the Middle East peace process in the first six months of this year, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said today. Mr Solana warned that it was crucial to do so before the United States enters its campaign period for the 2008 presidential elections. "If in the first semester of 2007 we don't get the process at least framed, I don't say finished, but framed, I have my doubts that we will be able to do it before 2008," Mr Solana said. "We have to put the political process in motion," he said at the end of a two-day conference in Madrid that aimed to revive optimism into stalled Middle East peace. The conference, organised by private foundations, brought together diplomats, academics and politicians from Europe, the United States, Russia and Middle Eastern countries. It was called to commemorate the 15th anniversary of landmark 1991 Madrid peace conference that brought Israelis and Arabs to the negotiating table for the first time. The latest conference has been criticised by some given that none of the major players in the region sent senior representatives. But Mr Solana said the important thing was to get people talking. Earlier Jordan's King Abdullah II urged George Bush to make greater efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process when the US president telephoned the Jordanian monarch, the palace said in a statement. more...
| Israel | Islam | EU/UN | Solana |

Navy dismisses chaplain who prayed 'in Jesus' name' (January 12, 2007) - A U.S. Navy chaplain who prayed "in Jesus' name" as his conscience dictated is being ejected from the military service "in retaliation" for his victorious battle to change Navy policy that required religious rites be "non-sectarian." "This fight cost me everything. My career is over, my family is now homeless, we've lost a million dollar pension, but Congress agreed with me and rescinded the Navy policy, so chaplains are free again to pray in Jesus' name," Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt told WND. "My sacrifice purchased their freedom. My conscience is clear, the fight was worth it, and I'd do it all again." Klingenschmitt, as WND has reported, has fought an extended battle with the Navy over its restrictions on religious expression by its chaplains. He appeared and delivered a public prayer "in Jesus' name" at a White House rally last winter and was court-martialed for that. The Navy convicted him of failing to follow a lawful order because his superior didn't want him praying "in Jesus' name." He's also launched a legal battle that he said he hopes eventually will result in his reinstatement, alleging the Navy assembled a "civic religion" by ordering its chaplains to pray in a certain way. more...
| America |

I don't get this, he's a chaplain!

Germany pushes Muslim integration (January 12, 2007) - Germany's interior minister has called for an EU-wide dialogue with Muslims in an effort to integrate them better. Wolfgang Schaeuble suggested that the EU should promote the training of imams to encourage Muslim leaders who were comfortable with European values. He compared parts of the Islamic world to pre-Enlightenment Europe, and criticised both the burka veil and traditional Muslim attitudes to women. He pledged to use his country's EU presidency to promote integration. He wanted training for imams that could "strengthen those who can live with the European rule of law, universal rights and the achievements of the Enlightenment", he said, referring to the 17th Century European movement that put reason and universal rights ahead of tradition. "There are still parts of the Muslim world where historical enlightenment still needs to be implemented," he told Brussels-based journalists on Thursday. "We should not be arrogant but only helpful. After all, Christianity waged terrible conflicts for a few centuries until the process of Enlightenment took root." He echoed senior British politician Jack Straw when he said he thought the all-over burka worn by some Muslim women was "an element that hinders communication". But he said he did not believe it was politicians' role to decide what people should wear. However, equal rights for women was a universal principle that should be defended everywhere, he said, not just "some peculiarity" of Europe.
| Islam | EU/UN |

Madrid: Fifteen Years Later Herb L. Peters (January 12, 2007) - What follows is a speech given at the recent Madrid+15 Conference. If you read carefully, and if you understand the underlying political mechanisms and realities, you will find all the necessary elements in place for the beginning of Daniel's 70^th week. And, you will hear it coming from someone other than me. In fact, you will actually hear it coming from a primary source. What we have is a formally signed, legally binding covenant with many -- the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership for Peace (Euromed) -- that was established between the EU and Israel in November 20, 1995. Israel's Euromed Association Agreement entered into force on June 1, 2000, only four days before the 10-nation Western European Union's adoption of Recommendation 666. Israel's European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Action Plan was adopted April 11, 2004. Although not legally binding, Israel's continuing cooperation to her ENP Action Plan is the basis for future continuing participation in all ENP benefits. As of January 1, 2007, the "New" ENP began and will span a seven-year period. At the EU's December European Council, the EU's Javier Solana, the author of both the Euromed and the ENP, received his unofficial seat within the Commission to oversee the ENP. At the same summit, Solana was given his official EU mandate to carry the Middle East peace process foreword. As of January 1, the New ENP has greatly increased benefits for all participating Mediterranean partners. But, it also has substantially increased political requirements -- one of which is to make peace with fellow Euromed partners. Included in this mix is the UN's new Alliance of Civilizations (AoC). The AoC provides the forum whereby the so-called "dialogue of cultures and civilizations" can be performed. If approved by the Security Council, the AoC will also provide a vehicle from where a religious war, exactly as the one foretold in Bible prophecy, can be -- as of 2010 -- effectively waged. As you read the speech that follows, please consider all the things, since way back in February 2002, that I've been reporting and saying. -Herb more...
| EU/UN | NewWorldOrder |

EU protocol chief sheds light on Brussels' dance of diplomacy (January 12, 2007) - The days when King Henry VIII met King Francis I in a field full of cloth of gold are gone but VIPs still have big egos, with the EU's protocol chief telling EUobserver about the intricate hierarchy of the family photo, the "paranoia" of US delegations and which EU leader has the firmest handshake. "Protocol is about respecting the dignity of the visitor and making sure everything goes smoothly, that there is no unplanned interference," 64-year old Austrian Hans Brunmayr, who has been welcoming VIPs at the EU's headquarters in Brussels for five years, explained. Looking at the picture of the 27 EU leaders taken at the end of the December summit - the "family photo" - it is clear the host, the then Finnish EU presidency is in the middle. But it is less clear why Finland is flanked by France and Poland or why EU top diplomat Javier Solana is hanging around on the front row. The answer is an occult system of diplomatic values which assumes that: the closer you stand to the current EU presidency the more important you are; the second most important figure is the next incoming EU presidency and a national president is always more important than a prime minister. The system, which runs all the way to the Austrian PM in the worst place on the second row (EU presidency in 2019) and the foreign ministers stuffed in the back rows, is so complex that Mr. Brunmayr has to stick little flags with names on them to the floor so that people know where to stand. Meanwhile, Mr. Solana is the joker in the pack and can appear anywhere in a situation that mirrors his office - formally there is no such thing as an EU foreign minister but he does the job anyway. "Solana is always in the front row either here or there," Mr. Brunmayr said. "He is granted a special status." more...
| EU/UN | Solana | NewWorldOrder |

Solana: It's time for action in Mideast (January 12, 2007) - The Madrid + 15 Peace Conference concluded Friday with a decision to put the peace train back on track during the first half of 2007. Spanish President Felipe Gonzalez attributed the failure of the Oslo Accords, which were reached before the PLO had recognized Israel, to the fact that the negotiations had moved from the private into the public domain before the agreements had become permanent. He compared the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference to the present one, saying that in 1991, the language had been "tougher than the present language, the distance between the parties was greater and the hope for achieving a true and lasting peace was less." This time, he said, the language had been more direct and rational. Gonzalez referred to the 2002 Arab League Initiative as "amazing," saying he could not believe that the international community had not recognized it as an irreversible step. He asked that the US play a part in the peace process without "too much involvement." "The Arab-Israeli issue may or may not be the epicenter of the problem," said Gonzalez, "but if it is not solved we cannot advance to the other issues." more...
| Israel | Islam | EU/UN | Solana |

RFID Ink Product Could Track Humans (January 11, 2007) - A US company has launched a chip-less RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) ink that can be used to track both animals and people. Visible or invisible ink "tattoos" can be applied to the skin and tracked by RFID readers positioned a few feet away. The company, Somark, said it had successfully tested its Biocompatable Chipless RFID ink product on cattle and laboratory rats and proved the "efficacy of injecting and reading a 'tattoo' within the skin of animals." The technology will be used initially in the livestock industry to help identify and track cattle, and help mitigate export trade loss from BSE scares. Secondary target markets include laboratory animals, dogs and cats, prime cuts of meat, and military personnel, according to the company. Ramos Mays, Somark chief scientist, said, "This proves the ability to create a synthetic biometric or fake fingerprint with Biocompatable Chipless RFID Ink and read it through hair."
| Technology |

Could we be seeing the technology that will become the mark of the beast? Revelation 13:16-18, "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."

Molecule Offers Hope Against Cancer (January 10, 2007) - DCA is an odourless, colourless, inexpensive, relatively non-toxic, small molecule. And researchers at the University of Alberta believe it may soon be used as an effective treatment for many forms of cancer. Dr. Evangelos Michelakis, a professor at the U of A Department of Medicine, has shown that dichloroacetate (DCA) causes regression in several cancers, including lung, breast, and brain tumors. Michelakis and his colleagues, including post-doctoral fellow Dr. Sebastian Bonnet, have published the results of their research in the journal Cancer Cell. Scientists and doctors have used DCA for decades to treat children with inborn errors of metabolism due to mitochondrial diseases. Mitochondria, the energy producing units in cells, have been connected with cancer since the 1930s, when researchers first noticed that these organelles dysfunction when cancer is present. Until recently, researchers believed that cancer-affected mitochondria are permanently damaged and that this damage is the result, not the cause, of the cancer. But Michelakis questioned this belief and began testing DCA, which activates a critical mitochondrial enzyme, as a way to "revive" cancer-affected mitochondria. The results astounded him. Michelakis and his colleagues found that DCA normalized the mitochondrial function in many cancers, showing that their function was actively suppressed by the cancer but was not permanently damaged by it. More importantly, they found that the normalization of mitochondrial function resulted in a significant decrease in tumor growth both in test tubes and in animal models. Also, they noted that DCA, unlike most currently used chemotherapies, did not have any effects on normal, non-cancerous tissues. "I think DCA can be selective for cancer because it attacks a fundamental process in cancer development that is unique to cancer cells," Michelakis said. "Cancer cells actively suppress their mitochondria, which alters their metabolism, and this appears to offer cancer cells a significant advantage in growth compared to normal cells, as well as protection from many standard chemotherapies. Because mitochondria regulate cell death--or apoptosis--cancer cells can thus achieve resistance to apoptosis, and this appears to be reversed by DCA." "One of the really exciting things about this compound is that it might be able to treat many different forms of cancer, because all forms of cancer suppress mitochondrial function; in fact, this is why most cancers can be detected by tests like PET (positron emission tomography), which detects the unique metabolic profile of cancer compared to normal cells," added Michelakis, the Canada Research Chair in Pulmonary Hypertension. Another encouraging thing about DCA is that, being so small, it is easily absorbed in the body, and, after oral intake, it can reach areas in the body that other drugs cannot, making it possible to treat brain cancers, for example. more...
| Technology |

Asthma Sufferers Saved by Salt Rooms (January 2, 2007) - With only seven in Israel, rooms built of salt blocks are proving very effective in treating life-threatening asthma conditions. The Chaviv family of Mevo Choron struggled for years as they searched for a cure for their children's debilitating asthma. The children were hospitalized innumerable times, and were forced to ingest large amounts of potent drugs. After repeated failed efforts, the Chavivs finally found a breakthrough - in the form of "salt room" treatments. It was so effective that the Chaviv family decided to build a salt room in their home - currently the seventh in Israel. more...
| Technology |

Hamas Placed Banners on Temple Mount (January 1, 2007) - Jerusalem police fear that Hamas terrorist supporters are overcoming efforts to keep them from recruiting on the Temple Mount, where activists were caught hanging banners of the Hamas flag and of Palestinian Authority (PA) prime minister Ismail Haniyeh. Four East Jerusalem residents were remanded in Jerusalem District Court Monday morning for leading a Hamas faction on the holy site, where Jews are prohibited from praying or carrying a prayer book.
| Temple Mount |