July 31, 2007

The new European century The Guardian UK (July 31, 2007) - The Project for the New American Century was tested in Iraq and floundered there. Now it's Europe's turn to make a play for world power. The American project aspired to US global leadership and military strength. If Europeans are to have continued influence in the world, we have to get our aspirations right. The European Union's methods are set by its ethos and structure. It claims to have a good human rights record, even if the reality lets down the most liberal of members sometimes. Military action is generally undertaken by member states individually. Working with its limited tools of trade and aid, the EU has been trying to increase its influence in the world. It recently signed agreements with Morocco providing financial support for economic and social cooperation. They cover human rights reforms, market integration, and energy security. The agreements are part of a larger plan called the European Neighbourhood Policy. The idea is that neighbouring non-member countries can enter into closer ties with the EU if they share its economic and social goals. Europeans who want to live in a prosperous continent should hope the policy works. It will ensure North African and Central Asian oil and gas is accessible through sympathetic countries. They would be useful allies in fighting against crime, and in ensuring that migration can be managed to the advantage of both Europe and the migrants. Europe's mistakes in the past century ensured that its economy lags behind the US economy. Today, it is Asia which could further eclipse Europe. Both China and India are likely to reach Europe economically within a lifetime. We can't stop the development of China and India. But we can keep Europe influential in the new world order. Being surrounded by a ring of economically successful allies will help keep Europeans rich and powerful. The advantages of close economic links with our neighbours are so strong that the EU might be tempted to drop its demands for high standards of human rights in its partners. Let's face it, the west has been getting its oil from repressive regimes for decades without domestic collapse. There are signs that Europe is willing to lower its standards. For example, the EU has entered into partnership agreements with Tunisia. We have given the North African state a billion euros in aid since 2002, so you might expect growing attention to human rights from it. Sadly, no; here's a taste of what Human Rights Watch says: "The government uses the threat of terrorism and religious extremism as a pretext to crack down on peaceful dissent. There are continuous and credible reports of torture and ill-treatment being used to obtain statements from suspects in custody. Sentenced prisoners also face deliberate ill-treatment." I wouldn't want to live in one of the EU's more repressive partners if we give up on human rights in them. Maybe if the partners were on the other side of the world, I would become callous to the suffering of their citizens. The trouble is, they are our neighbours. Human rights abuses in them have effects which are usually damaging to our long-term economic interests. more...
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal | NewWorldOrder |

Evangelical Leaders Betray Israel Fulfilled Prophecy (July 30, 2007) - I have no doubt that the evangelical leaders who signed this letter in Sunday's New York Times mean well. They really believe that other evangelicals who defend Israel's right to her land are mistaken -- and dangerously so. It makes me think of another Christian leader who meant well. When Jesus told his disciples that he must suffer and be killed, Peter said, "No way, Lord. This won't happen to you." To which Jesus replied, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." And what are God's interest in Israel? He's chosen to reveal Himself to the world through the continued existence of this nation and her land. He gave her the land (Genesis 15:18), he warned of judgment for those who divide it (Joel 3:2), and he's promised a day when she will possess it in peace (Ezekiel 36). But man's interests are Palestinians and Israelis co-existing peacefully now, through a two-state solution -- a solution that requires Israel to give up much of her land. This is a plan that has been embraced by evangelicals from some of our largest ministries, churches and seminaries. Certainly, God is concerned about justice and the rights of the oppressed, as the letter signers point out. And he loves the Palestinians, not just the Israelis. But it's a logical leap to assume that this requires supporting the Quartet's "Road Map for Peace," or the other initiatives being pushed on Israel. Actually, loving the Palestinians would include warning them about opposing God. Their mistake reminds me of another rebuke Jesus gave, this time to Israel's religious leadership -- the Sadducees. They mistakenly believed that the dead will not be resurrected. Jesus told them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). The evangelical letter signers are also mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures about God's end-time plans for the nation of Israel that include a time of false peace made possible by the Antichrist. In fact, many Christians today don't know Bible prophecy and so, when they speak, they don't speak according to God's interests, but man's. And they, unknowingly, end up working with the enemy.
| Apostasy |

Bulusan volcano spews ash anew, causing panic in the Philippines International Herald Tribune (July 30, 2007) - The Bulusan volcano in the central Philippines spewed ash early Tuesday, blanketing fields and villages as far as five kilometers (three miles) away, but there was no immediate sign of a major eruption, scientists said. The 1,560-meter (5,150-foot) Mount Bulusan has been showing signs of unrest with on-and-off ash and steam explosions since March 2006. "We are keeping an eye on some villages in Juban and Irosin town. An ash explosion can occur there anytime," said Bella Tubianosa from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. She said the latest burst sent ash falling five kilometers (three miles) west of the volcano, which is in Sorsogon province about 390 kilometers (240 miles) southeast of Manila. Television reports said the ash column caused panic in the surrounding area, with residents running out of their homes. Villagers have been warned not to venture into a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) "permanent danger zone" around the volcano. Broadcaster ABS-CBN said the military was expected to enforce an evacuation of people from Bulusan's immediate vicinity. Since it last ejected ash on May 12, the mountain's northeastern slope has swelled slightly and abnormally high numbers of earthquakes have been recorded, according to the Philippine volcanology institute. The Philippine archipelago lies on the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. In December, typhoon-triggered mudslides along the slopes of nearby Mayon volcano buried entire villages, killing more than 1,000 people.
| Earth Changes |

UMC ripped for partnership with Muslim Aid One News Now (July 30, 2007) - The United Methodist Church is being blasted for partnering with a Muslim group that is blatant about its mission. The United Methodist Committee on Relief, or UMCOR, recently announced a partnership with Muslim Aid, a British-based relief organization. The Muslim group is very clear about its Islamic mission -- and on its website there are numerous references to the Koran and to Allah, says Mark Tooley with the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD). "In its materials and on its website, it talks about the need to serve Allah," he continues, "and one of its programs is to help Muslims around the world fulfill their Islamic obligations, which include an annual animal sacrifice, which Muslim Aid will assist them with." Tooley expects the denomination to spend more than the $15 million dollars already proposed on joint relief projects worldwide. "Even prior to this recently announced partnership, they had been working together in Sri Lanka in relation to tsunami victims there," the IRD spokesman observes. Tooley points out that while Muslim Aid is vocal in its beliefs, UMCOR has virtually no mention of God, Jesus Christ, or the Bible on its website. "No wonder there is such easy agreement between them," he comments. UMCOR's operating budget last year was nearly $90 million, according to Tooley. He suggests that United Methodists and others might want to "ponder" why one of its denominational agencies appears hesitant to mention Jesus Christ, but seems to have no problem affiliating with a Muslim group that freely professes its service to Allah.
| Apostasy |

‘Possible Attack on the U.S. Within Ninety Days’ Family Security Matters (July 30, 2007) - Counterterrorism expert Juval Aviv met recently with reporters at Fox News and revealed information, which he believes is accurate, concerning an imminent Al Qaeda attack on five to seven American cities simultaneously. "I predict, based primarily on information that is floating in Europe and the Middle East, that an event is imminent and around the corner here in the United States. It could happen as soon as tomorrow, or it could happen in the next few months. Ninety days at the most,” said Mr. Aviv. Mr. Aviv knows of that which he speaks. He is a former Israeli Counterterrorism Intelligence Officer and has also served as a special consultant to the U.S. Congress on issues of terrorism and security. He is best known as the source of the 1984 book, Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team by George Jonas, on which Steven Spielberg's film Munich was based. He is also the author of The Complete Terrorism Survival Guide: How to Travel, Work and Live in Safety (2003); and Staying Safe: The Complete Guide to Protecting Yourself, Your Family, and Your Business (2004). Currently, Aviv is the president of Interfor, Inc., a corporate investigations firm in New York City. So it is clear that Aviv has the background and experience in global terror and its operating methods to warrant taking his current warnings seriously. It would be foolish to ignore or minimize this counterterrorism veteran’s expert prognosis. Mr. Aviv told Fox that, from what his sources have been relating, sleeper cells that already have been placed inside the continental United States are on the verge of carrying out major attacks. “What they’re going to do," he explained, "is hit six, seven or eight cities simultaneously to show sophistication and really hit the public. This time, which is the message of the day, it will not only be big cities. They’re going to try to hit rural America. They want to send a message to rural America: "You’re not protected. If you figured out that if you just move out of New York and move to Montana or to Pittsburgh, you’re not immune. We’re going [to] get you wherever we can and it’s easier there than in New York." While this prediction leaves most Americans feeling helpless, fearful and frustrated, Juval Aviv recommends that we at least do what we can. He suggests that for the next few months, if we are traveling by public transportation, we should equip ourselves with a bottle of water, a hand towel and a flashlight. He reminds us that many fatalities in the London tube and Madrid train attacks occurred from victims who breathed in the lethal fumes from bomb components and burning gasoline. Had these people had wet towels to cover their mouths and noses, they would have had a much better chance of survival. Mr. Aviv is a very strong proponent of “If you See Something – Say Something” school of preparedness. He stated that a great number of potentially lethal terror attacks in Israel have been – and still are – thwarted by the intelligent actions on the part of alert, aware and watchful citizens. Americans must do the same, he advises. The global war on terror is not “somewhere over there in the Middle East.” It is here on our own soil. If ever there were a time to be especially vigilant, the time is now. Let us hope and pray that these vicious enemies and their depraved plans against our citizens and our country, which come out of a wicked ideological brew, will be forestalled and prevented, and the perpetrators apprehended. So far, our law enforcement, military, counter-terrorism and intelligence personnel have done a stellar job. At the same time, and as we all know, we have to be lucky 100% of the time, and the terrorists have to be lucky only once. So stay alert…stay away from crowds…and if you see something, say something! You could save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. more...
| Islam | America |

500 dead in China's worst flooding ever Breitbart.com (July 30, 2007) - China is facing its worst flooding ever with more than 500 people killed among 200 million affected, the Red Cross said Monday. Nearly five million residents have been evacuated from their homes because water levels have risen dangerously high along China's main rivers, while more flash floods, downpours and landslides are expected in the coming days, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said. "Over the past two months, more than 200 million people have been affected and over 500 have been killed nationwide by the worst flooding ever to hit the country," it said.
| Earth Changes | China summer storm deaths approach 700

Four dead babies found in Maryland home Reuters (July 30, 2007) - The remains of four premature babies have been found hidden in garbage bags and a blanket at the home of the owner of a taxi company in Ocean City, Maryland, police said on Monday. Christy Freeman, 37, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the death of one of the babies. Further charges may follow, said Ocean City police spokesman Barry Neeb. Police found the body of one baby wrapped in a blanket in Freeman's apartment last Thursday after she was admitted to a local hospital with cramps and bleeding, Neeb said. Doctors at the hospital determined that Freeman had been pregnant but was no longer, prompting police to search her apartment. At the apartment, police also found a garbage bag hidden in a trunk in Freeman's bedroom. Inside were three smaller plastic bags, two of which contained the remains of two more infants, and a third contained what police said was a placenta. The next day, the remains of a fourth infant were found in another garbage bag inside a Winnebago motor home parked in Freeman's driveway, according to a police statement. A medical examiner's report on the ages of the infants and the cause of their deaths is expected this week. "None of them were full-term," Neeb said. Police are continuing to search Freeman's home and excavate its surroundings in an operation that also involves the FBI. Freeman has four other children who are believed to be teenagers, Neeb said. Freeman was at a bail hearing on Monday morning. The case is expected to be referred to a grand jury, Neeb said.
| Signs of the Times |

US "Evangelicals"—Divide the Land of Israel Jerusalem Newswire (July 30, 2007) - The issue of where to take a stand concerning the Land and People of Israel continues to split Christians who choose to reinterpret the scriptures through liberal and socialist lenses from those who insist that the Bible is the unchanging Word of God. In a letter published in the Sunday edition of the New York Times, 34 self-described "evangelical leaders" wrote to US President George W. Bush, urging him to forge ahead with his plan to implement a "two state solution" to the "Palestinian"-Israeli conflict. The document appears to have been drawn up in reaction to the statements of high-profile evangelicals like John Hagee who have recently asserted anew that tens of millions of American evangelicals identify themselves as Christian Zionists and oppose the globally-supported effort to establish an Arab state on the biblical heartland and national cradle of the Jewish people. Twisting both the meaning of scripture and historic fact to support their position, the signatories to the letter - who claimed to speak on behalf of "large numbers of evangelicals throughout the US" - sought to "encourage" Bush with the assertion that not "all American evangelicals are opposed to a two-state solution and creation of a new Palestinian state that includes the vast majority of the West Bank [sic]." They had written "to thank [Bush] for [his] efforts (including the major address on July 16) to reinvigorate the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to achieve a lasting peace in the region. "We affirm your clear call for a two-state solution. We urge that your administration not grow weary in the time it has left in office to utilize the vast influence of America to demonstrate creative, consistent and determined US leadership to create a new future for Israelis and Palestinians [sic]." more...
| Israel | America | Apostasy |

Survey: Christians Worldwide Too Busy for God The Christian Post (July 30, 2007) - Christians worldwide are simply becoming too busy for God, a newly released five-year study revealed. In data collected from over 20,000 Christians with ages ranging from 15 to 88 across 139 countries, The Obstacles to Growth Survey found that on average, more than 4 in 10 Christians around the world say they "often" or "always" rush from task to task. Busyness proved to be the greatest challenges in Japan, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Indonesia. Christians in Uganda, Nigeria, Malaysia and Kenya were least likely to rush from task to task. But even in the less-hurried cultures, about one in three Christians report that they rush from task to task. In Japan, 57 percent agreed. The busy life was found to be a distraction from God among Christians around the globe. About 6 in 10 Christians say that it's "often" or "always" true that "the busyness of life gets in the way of developing my relationship with God." Christians most likely to agree were from North America, Africa and Europe. By country, Christians in South Africa, Nigeria, Canada, Singapore, Ireland, Philippines, the United States, and the United Kingdom, are more distracted from God, respectively, than those in other countries. While across gender lines, busyness afflicts both men and women, the distraction from God was more likely to afflict men than women in every surveyed continent except North America, where 62 percent of women reported busyness interfering with their relationship with God compared to 61 percent of men. By profession, pastors were most likely to say they rush from task to task (54 percent) which adversely also gets in the way of developing their relationship with God (65 percent). "It's tragic. And ironic. The very people who could best help us escape the bondage of busyness are themselves in chains," said Dr. Michael Zigarelli, associate professor of Management at the Charleston Southern University School of Business who conducted the study. Managers, business owners, teachers and salespeople were among Christians most likely to say they rush from task to task. And professionals whose busyness interferes with developing their relationship with God include lawyers (72 percent), managers (67 percent), nurses (66 percent), pastors (65 percent), teachers (64 percent), salespeople (61 percent), business owners (61 percent), and housewives (57 percent). "The accelerated pace and activity level of the modern day distracts us from God and separates us from the abundant, joyful, victorious life He desires for us," said Zigarelli. While the study does not explain why Christians are so busy and distracted, Zigarelli described the problem among Christians as "a vicious cycle" prompted by cultural conformity. more...
| Apostasy |

Israeli Researchers Take First Step toward Live Computer Chip Israel21c (July 29, 2007) - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein might have been unprecedented in its time, but since then, popular culture has been clogged with a fascination for the concept of artificial intelligence, from the eerily humanoid robots of The Twilight Zone to films like AI and Robocop. People can't seem to get enough of the idea that advanced technology may one day create sentient life, but at the same time seem to dread the consequences of an apparent transgression against the laws of nature. It may therefore come as a surprise to find that advances in the field of nano biotechnology are now taking place that have nothing to do with creating monsters. Instead, for Professor Eshel Ben-Jacob and his graduate student, Itay Baruchi of Tel Aviv University's Department of Exact Sciences, the goal is to find treatments for neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease. With the use of chemical stimulation, Ben-Jacob and Baruchi discovered that they could trigger a man-made network of neurons to imprint patterns—the same process by which the brain creates memories. This discovery marks an early but crucial step toward the invention of a computer chip with the capability to create and store information the same way our own brains do. By linking the network of neurons to software which reads the neural activity, the network and the computer can work together to carry out tasks of which computers are currently incapable. "Computers don't have cognitive function because they lack plasticity—they are fixed," Ben-Jacob told ISRAEL21c. "We're therefore thinking of adding features to computers to make them more flexible and adaptable, like human brains." It's the connection between the computer and the neural network, which would communicate with one another, that creates a new kind of machine. Ben-Jacob elaborates: "The network won't replace the computer, but it will do the softer cognitive functions of decision-making, interaction with the environment, and sound recognition." According to Baruchi, biological computing might also lead to technology that Microsoft has been working to achieve, without success: handwriting recognition, made possible by virtue of the biological system's ability to detect patterns. "The ability of the regular silicon-based computer to detect patterns is very low, and it needs a very sophisticated algorithm. With the biological system it's very easy, because humans and animals can easily detect patterns," said Baruchi, who has been working with Ben-Jacob for seven years. more...
| Israel | Technology |

Iran, Russia discuss ME developments Islamic Republic News Agency (July 29, 2007) - Iran and Russia on Saturday discussed the latest developments in the Middle East region particularly the ongoing events in Lebanon. In a meeting between Iran's Ambassador to Russia Gholam-Reza Ansari and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko, the two officials referred to negotiations as a solution to crises in the Middle East. They exchanged views on implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Yakovenko highlighted the significance of complete implementation of the resolution by all parties involved in Lebanon's case and making a realistic assessment of situation following its enforcement. During the Zionist regime's imposed war on Lebanon last summer, Russia condemned the attack and fully supported Lebanon. Moscow has made great efforts at the UN Security Council to stop aggression of the Zionist regime and adopt Resolution 1701.
| Iran | Gog/Magog |

The Sampson Option Hal Lindsey (July 28, 2007) - Last week, WorldNetDaily reported a stunning admission from a Syrian official. He said that Syria had "learned from the Hezbollah experience last summer and we can have hundreds of missiles hitting Tel Aviv that will overwhelm Israel's anti-missile batteries." He claimed Syria has "proof" Israel is also readying for a war. "We hear about special Israeli trainings to take Damascus. We see that Israel is re-establishing bases of the Israeli army in the Golan that are unusual and not needed except for war. We believe the Israeli government has an interest in confronting Syria to rehabilitate its image of losing to Hezbollah." The WorldNetDaily report also says that Damascus believes newly-installed Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, a former prime minister, "wants to prove he is a military expert." This information is perfectly in line with the official statements made by both Bashar Assad and Mushen Bilal to several major Arab newspapers. Furthermore, London's Daily Telegraph reported June 25 that Tehran was establishing a missile defense shield for Syria. Iran is also preparing to ship sophisticated military hardware, including "dozens of medium-range Shahab-3 and Russian-made Scud-C missiles, together with Scud-B missiles." Syria recently test-fired two Scud-D surface-to-surface missiles that have a range of about 250 miles. This puts virtually all of Israel's population centers within range. Analysts say the planned Iranian arms shipment to Syria may be coordinated with the delivery of advanced Russian fighter jets. Syria is also known to be producing non-conventional warheads, including those containing VX gas for delivery via the new longer range and more accurate Scuds. All Israel's cities are within range of these missiles. Most of them can be reached in less than three minutes. Syria is gambling that Israel's performance in the Hezbollah war of June 2006 means that it has seen all Israel has to offer. Apparently, Bashar Assad now believes Israel can be beaten. Assad is miscalculating. In the event Syria launches a gas attack on Israel, it's a virtual certainty that Damascus would be instantly obliterated by Israeli nuclear weapons. The thought of being gassed evokes a visceral response among Israel's Holocaust survivors and their descendants that Damascus wildly underestimates. Israel has more than 400 nuclear weapons in hidden silos in various places within its borders, as well as at least two submarines in the Mediterranean that are launch capable. And you can be certain that in the event of a massive WMD attack by the Syrians, Israel will respond in kind. more...
| Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

The Future Belongs to God Jack Kinsella (July 28, 2007) - More than 2600 years ago, the Prophet Isaiah recorded a challenge hurled by God to all those who laid claim to Divinity, saying;

While many have picked up the challenge, including Mohammed, Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, Joseph Smith, Charles Taze Russell, William Miller, Harold Camping, etc., all have failed to meet God's exacting standard of 100% accuracy, 100% of the time. Consider what it means for Ezekiel to describe, 2500 years in advance, the geopolitical alliances of the 21st century. It was only sixty years ago that the world was at war -- the alliances described by Ezekiel didn't exist until that war forced them into being. The Scriptures say that the 'hairs on your head are numbered' -- multiply that times every single person who ever lived. Every single one of them had free will choices and the choices made by our ancestors, no matter how far back we go, shaped the world we live in today. The same one foretold by the prophets. Hebrew prophets named alliances between nations that didn't exist in their world, and in some cases, didn't exist until this generation. Let's take a look at ten prophecies in the process of fulfillment in this generation. A lot of this is covering old ground to long-time Omega Letter readers, but it is worth taking a second look. 1. 'Take heed that no man deceive you'

It's often been said that the 'devil's greatest trick is convincing people that he doesn't exist'. Deception has been raised in this generation to an art form. We expect to be deceived by our politicians, our entertainment, advertisers and the media. 2. An increase in disasters and wars.

World War One and World War Two were cataclysmic events that shaped the 20th century, but they were domestic disputes in comparison with what World War Three with the Soviet Union would have looked like. For fifty years, the two sides were locked in ideological combat in what history calls the Cold War. Every morning for fifty years, each side woke up wondering if the Cold War would turn hot -- the ultimate rumor of war -- that ended only a decade ago. But, as Jesus noted, see that ye not be troubled, for the is not yet. And it wasn't. 3. The great "Falling Away".

In this generation, being labeled a Christian 'fundamentalist' is almost a criminal charge. The very phrase "Christian fundamenalist" conjures up images of wild-eyed crazies stockpiling weapons against the end of the world while plotting the best way to blow up abortion clinics. more...

Picture poses question: Are we alone? Memphis Action News 5 (July 28, 2007) - Take a look at the picture and let us know what you see. The ring at the top center has a lot of people asking the question: What is it? While staring into the dusk sky a small group in one neighborhood couldn't quite grasp what they were looking at. So, one Millington woman grabbed her camera. The pictures still don't quite clarify what's hovering overhead. Jan Yarbro saw that unexplained figure in the sky Wednesday night just after 8:00. She grabbed her camera and snapped a series of photos. But is that car-sized, translucent, black outline out-of-this world? "Looked up in the sky, saw the thick black circle," said Yarbro. "It stayed stationary, no lights or anything like that. Stayed there for 20, 30 minutes and then it just started disappearing," she added. It's a picture that's leaving neighbors not necessarily sold on the paranormal, but definitely open-minded. "Stuff's been getting in that garden back there, but we figured it was coons. Now it might be something different," said Yarbro. "I'm sure there's an explanation that's simple, but it's just interesting," she added. Neighbors are just looking for some logic in a close encounter. Yarbro says her pictures were not doctored. Those on Lucy Road say they've never seen that bubble before or in the few days since.
| UFO |

EU Treaty published - but only in French Telegraph.UK (July 27, 2007) - MPs have accused Brussels and Government ministers of preventing proper scrutiny of the new European Union treaty by failing to provide the House of Commons with an English version of the 277-page text. William Hague accuses the Government of dodging debate "Corners are being cut" and parliaments across Europe snubbed in the rush to seal a treaty deal by (October!!), officials have admitted to The Daily Telegraph. A treaty text was tabled in Brussels on Monday in one language, French. The Government, and EU officials organising negotiations, cannot produce an official English translation of the 145 pages of draft articles, 69 of protocols and 63 pages of declarations until next month, well after the Commons has finished for the summer. MPs will return to duty 10 days before Gordon Brown signs a final treaty agreement in Lisbon on October 18-19. Rejecting referendum calls, the Prime Minister will then press for (parliamentary ratification!!) on a treaty that will have been negotiated over the summer without proper scrutiny by MPs. William Hague, the Conservative foreign affairs spokesman, has accused the Government of dodging democratic debate. "Now that the rejected EU constitution is back, with a different label, it is clear that it is being rushed through with the minimum of scrutiny," he said. "Gordon Brown wants the British people to know as little as possible about the major transfer of their own powers to Brussels this treaty will bring about, but the tactic could not be more transparent. It simply shows up the undemocratic nature of the exercise." EU leaders are racing against the clock to rush through a new "reform treaty" to replace the constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. Officials close to the organisation of negotiations have admitted that documents in all the EU's 23 languages are not expected until December, when a formal ratification text will be signed by Europe's leaders. "We believe it is a problem but we have a mandate that is tight. There is urgency. Doing all this within six months is unprecedented and there are going to be real limitations to the process," said an official. Normal EU rules stipulating that documents must at least be in German, French and English have been suspended. The Conservative MP Roger Gale has asked for, and been refused, a copy of the new treaty in English. "The Government obviously does not want MPs, journalists or the public to have access to the document until it is a done deal - presumably for fear of the growing demand for the people to have the right to vote on the issue," he said.
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | NewWorldOrder |

Why Have They Missed It? Fulfilled Prophecy (July 26, 2007) - Many leaders in the Mid-East peace talks are saying peace is a real possibility. In fact, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has said it could occur in less than a year, before President Bush leaves office. Read about it here. There has certainly been a renewed flurry of diplomatic activity. And Bush is continuing to push along the Quartet's efforts. He and Jordan's King Abdullah met yesterday at the White House for "private talks." Read about it here. Yet, when I talk to Christian friends about the possibility of peace in the Middle East, they often express skepticism that this could ever happen. But they of all people should know that, one day, it will happen. According to the Bible, there will be a temporary time of peace for the region, made possible by a "covenant with many" brokered and strengthened by the Antichrist. Since it's very possible that the covenant with many has already been made and strengthened, then it's also very possible that a peace deal will soon be made. And when it is, I fear many Christians will miss its prophetic significance--just as they've missed the significance of all the events leading up to this peace deal. Why have they missed it? I believe a number of teachings in the church have led to their blindness, including not only the pre-tribulation harpazo teaching (which may dad so often expressed concern about), but also replacement theology, "kingdom now" teaching and--for those who don't embrace those teachings--the belief that it's unbiblical and fruitless to focus on end-time prophecy. I plan to write more about these teachings, showing why they're wrong and and how they've blinded so many Christians.

Electing Career Politicians and the Consequences Koenig's International News (July 26, 2007) - A slang definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. With the approval rating of the President hovering around only 30 percent and Congressional job approval ratings even lower in the mid-20’s, American’s are faced with a grim ultimatum come the 2008 elections. Do we elect career politicians so the government can continue to grow out of control, continue raising the tax burden on American citizens, and continue conducting foreign policy with same worn out concepts, or dump the whole bunch of them and recruit, vote for and elect anybody except a career politician. I would wager that the average American has more common sense than does a career politician. Somewhere, somehow along the way, Americans got caught up in a paradigm that only career politicians can govern best. But look where it has gotten us. The country, thanks to career politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, has become an immoral and financial shell of what it once was. Everybody has more rights than what the Constitution provides. The right to free speech has been extended to pornographers and haters of America, while the rights of those who would call on the name of God in the public square have been severely curtailed. The rights of a perverse sexual group of people have trumped the protection of the citizenry in the name of tolerance. The rights of animals have more standing in America than those of pre-born American citizens. American citizens no longer own property because it is taxed to the extent that if taxes are not paid, their property can be taken from them and sold. Property can be seized even if the taxes are paid if some entity wants to build a mall or an apartment complex and the politicians agree it is in the best interest of the common good. All these things have been accomplished by electing the same old career politicians to do more of the same. In a nation of over 300 million people, surely there is one person who isn’t a career politician and has the common sense and integrity to lead a country. But if we, as Americans, cannot look at the reason why we do not approve of Congress or the President, and act on it, who is to blame? Could it be said that the current crop of Presidential candidates, for example, are completely unqualified to lead the nation because they are responsible for its troublesome state? Jesus said in Matthew 15:14, “Leave them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” That ditch can be mighty deep if it’s the cavernous government dug by career politicians.
| America |

LEAD: M7.0 quake hits off Indonesia's eastern Malukus+ Breitbart.com (July 26, 2007) - Indonesia issued a tsunami warning, lifted later, after a 7.0 earthquake hit off the Maluku Islands at about 2:40 p.m. Thursday. There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The U.S. Geological Survey put the quake's epicenter in the Molucca Sea about 223 kilometers north of the North Maluku provincial capital Ternate, about 950 km west southwest of Davao on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao and 44.6 km under the seabed. The quake was also felt in the North Sulawesi provincial capital Manado, about 240 km east of Ternate. "I am outside my office now, because everything -- glasses, helmets -- were shaking," a man in Manado told the Jakarta-based private radio station Elshinta. An hour after the quake, no tsunami was reported and the Jakarta-based Meteorological and Geophysics Agency lifted the tsunami warning. Indonesia, with more than 17,000 islands, is prone to earthquakes. In December 2004, a powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami killed about 200,000 people in Aceh Province and tens of thousands of others in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and other areas around the perimeter of the Indian Ocean. A magnitude 8.7 earthquake jolted Nias Island, off Sumatra to the south of Aceh, in March 2005 killing more than 800 people. And a strong earthquake also rocked Yogyakarta and surrounding Central Java cities on May 27 last year, killing about 5,800 people. more...
| Earth Changes |

High time for Middle East peace: UAE to Blair The New Zealand Herald (July 26, 2007) - The United Arab Emirates said it was high time for serious efforts towards Middle East peace as Tony Blair arrived in the Gulf state on his first visit to the region as an international envoy. "It is high time to find real mechanism to achieve peace ... all efforts should be exerted towards just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East so that the Palestinian people achieve their legitimate rights," UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan told Blair. The official WAM news agency said Sheikh Abdullah also voiced support for Blair's mandate to revive the stalled peace process between Palestinians and Israel. The former British prime minister earlier spoke of a "moment of opportunity" after he met Palestinian and Israeli leaders on Tuesday but warned that steps towards peace would take time. On the Gulf leg of his regional tour, Blair is expected to also visit Bahrain. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan form a group set up at an Arab League summit this year to promote an Arab offer to Israel of normal relations in return for full withdrawal from lands occupied by the Jewish state in the 1967 Middle East war. Blair's meetings in the Gulf coincide with a visit by the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan to Israel to promote the Arab peace proposal, which also calls for a just settlement for Palestinians displaced by the creation of Israel in 1948. Blair said earlier on his trip that he had come to the Middle East to "listen and reflect" and that he would return for a longer visit in early September. Blair was appointed this month as envoy for the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers - the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia.
| Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | 1st Seal | Dividing the Land |

Analyst concerned CNN documentary may equate 'Christian Right' with Islamic terrorists One News Now (July 26, 2007) - Starting August 21, CNN plans to air a three-night, six-hour documentary in prime time called God's Warriors. The special, hosted by chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour, will purportedly discuss "the impact of religious fundamentalism as a powerful political force around the world." CNN says the documentary will feature what it calls "patriot pastors who seek to change American culture through the ballot box," "parents who reject science education in conflict with their religious principles," and Muslim "suicide martyrs who are revered as iconic heroes." Knight, director of the Media Research Center's Culture and Media Institute (CMI), says any series that equates "conscience-based resistance to liberal programs" with Islamic extremists is a blatant attempt to equate Christianity with Islam and to say "a pox on both their houses -- they're all bad." "It looks very much like what the media had been up to all along, which is to push a secular viewpoint and to tar all religious believers with the same brush," says Knight -- and that includes resorting to "vilifying Christians" using any method they are able, he adds. "They never seem to get around to explaining that the only reason there's a free press in America is because it was founded by Christians who believed in freedom of conscience," says the CMI director. "They instead paint the picture of all religion threatening fundamental civil liberties." CNN says its God's Warriors series also includes an interview with former President Jimmy Carter about "the political impact of the Christian Right in the United States." Examples of religious fundamentalists in the CNN documentary include the non-violent Christian youth group "Battle Cry." The CNN special also includes interviews with the late Dr. Jerry Falwell and the founder of the Israeli settlement movement.
| America |

For the past several decades the political Left has focused attention on the Christian Right’s political activism in America. Particularly, the Left has been highly critical of a select group of dominionists called Reconstructionists, whose aggressive verbiage, extreme Calvinist theologies, and religious political agendas have made it an ideal target for outrage. But, as Leftist researcher Sara Diamond has astutely observed, “the Reconstructionists’ religion of Calvinism. . . makes them unlikely to appeal to most evangelicals.”⁴ Indeed, few Reconstructionists would consider themselves to be evangelicals. Nevertheless, their influence has been considerable over the much larger group of patriotic evangelicals. There are two other dominionist sects within evangelicalism that have escaped in-depth scrutiny from the Left. These dominionists have been able to function virtually incognito for several reasons: 1) They have been deeply embedded within the evangelical subculture; 2) They cloaked their dominionism with new terminologies and doctrines over a period of thirty years; and 3) They figured out how to package dominionism using sophisticated mass marketing techniques. Also noteworthy: these two other dominionist camps have been operating in a dialectical fashion – while one group appealed to the TBN charismatics with all of its emotional excesses, the other group carefully managed its more intellectual public image to conform to traditional evangelical standards. This paper is a brief overview of the three main dominionist movements operating inside evangelicaldom and examines how all three of these sects are now converging around a global “kingdom” agenda. This paper is not a treatise on doctrine, nor is it an historical record, nor is it a thorough analysis of the multifarious streams of evangelical dominionism. This paper does not cover the broader issue of dominionist sects within other world religions, except for a few brief noteworthy mentions. To examine the totality of the individuals, the organizations, and their cross-linkages would require an exhaustive study which is beyond the scope of this brief synopsis. Even so, every point made in this paper could be validated by dozens, sometimes hundreds, of pieces of documentation. The inquiring reader may check out the footnotes and references. Only a small handful of Christian discernment and apologetics ministries, of which this writer is a part, have been paying attention to the intersection of the dominionist streams. The apologetic ministries fulfill a Scriptural role to examine and expose false doctrines and teachers, and to warn other believers of heresies (Jude 3, 2 Peter 2:1). Increasingly, over the past two decades, many apologists have become seduced by dominionism, blunting their ability to critically examine the roots and fruits of this rapidly rising new church era. more...
| Apostasy |

Secy. Rice: Israel Must End Occupation of 'West Bank' Israel National News (July 26, 2007) - Speaking with Arabic-language Radio Sawa, based in Washington and Dubai, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice went further in her demands on Israel than President Bush did in his recent speech on Israel. Rice, about to depart for the Middle East to prepare an upcoming international meeting of regional leaders, said that President Bush recently stated "very clearly that Israel's future will rest in Israel, in places like Galilee and in the Negev - and that the occupation of the West Bank will have to end, and a Palestinian state will need to be established." In fact, however, in his recent speech, President Bush did not phrase this as a demand upon Israel, but rather cited Prime Minister Olmert as having "made clear that Israel's future lies in developing areas like the Negev and Galilee - not in continuing occupation of the West Bank. This is a reality that Prime Minister Sharon recognized, as well. So unauthorized outposts should be removed and settlement expansion ended." Rice Sets New Standard Pres. Bush also stopped short of saying Israel must withdraw from all of Judea and Samaria. Bush said rather that future Israel-PA negotiations must "lead to a territorial settlement, with mutually agreed borders reflecting previous lines and current realities, and mutually agreed adjustments." By stating so clearly that the "the occupation of the West Bank will have to end," Rice has set a new standard for United States officials of her stature in opposition to Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria. Secretary Rice did not deal with the question of what to do with the 240,000 Jews living in the non-annexed areas of Judea and Samaria (nor the roughly equal amount living in the outlying neighborhoods of Jerusalem beyond Israel's pre-1967 borders). Israel has not yet been able to solve the problems of the fewer than 10,000 Jews it evicted from Gaza two years ago; those Jews are still living in transient camps of temporary pre-fab houses, with no long-term housing or employment solutions in sight. more...
| Israel | Islam | 1st Seal | America | Dividing the Land |

The E.U. Deal News With Views: Constance Cumbey (July 25, 2007) - On a random internet search, looking frankly for something else I never found, I just discovered an off the road lovely little blogspot maintained by one of Javier Solana’s most obvious London based thinktanks: The Centre for European Reform. A few years ago, Herb Peters and I laughed on live radio air at a $10,000 award two of its foremost analysts, Charles Grant and Steve Everts received for an essay competition for ideas on how to better manage “Transatlantic Relations” in its alleged “growing divide.” Their thoughts:

We joked on the air over WMUZ radio in Detroit on my then regular program, “Law Talk,” “Now why didn’t we think of that? We could have had $10,000 to divide by writing the obviously desired lines of other power elites: “Give Javier Solana more power, more money, and more staff.”

Grant/Everts’ exact essay wording was “Streamline decision-making and give Javier Solana more resources.” Quoting from their prize winning essay:

By all accounts, Solana has been a great success. He has put the EU on the map, in the Balkans, the Middle East and elsewhere. The time has come to give him a formal right of initiative. Doing so would put him at the same level as the Commission and the member-states. It is clear that EU foreign policy would be more impressive if all sides worked better together – and if the EU could take decisions more easily. One way to achieve both these objectives would be to promote more joint initiatives. The EU should decide that if the High Representative and the Commissioner for external relations agreed on a joint proposal, then EU foreign ministers should accept it if a qualified majority voted in favor. Because Solana has such excellent links with the capitals, he would filter out any idea that he knew was too controversial. Similarly, involving the Commission at an early stage in the policy process can ensure that its extensive resources are used to support the EU’s diplomatic strategy. . . . In any case, Solana needs more resources. The EU needs to triple the CFSP budget – to the still modest sum of €120 million. EU leaders routinely say they want Europe to assert itself more strongly on the global stage. But then they balk at the financial consequences. Clearly, the EU cannot develop a credible foreign policy ‘on the cheap’. Solana also needs more people working for him. In the short term this means stationing more national diplomats in Brussels. In the medium term, the EU should create its own diplomatic service. EU diplomats should shuttle between the Brussels,the capitals and the Commission delegations outside the EU. They should gradually take the lead in blending national perspectives on international problems. Developing shared analyses is the best way to ensure that member-states also agree on the necessary policy responses.”

Co-author Steven Everts thereafter not surprisingly left the CER to take a position on Javier Solana’s cabinet. Charles Grant stayed behind, also to the benefit of Javier Solana. The CER ideas were instrumental in shaping notions that would be incorporated in shaping Javier Solana’s to be all powerful Foreign Minister post in the failed European Constitutional drive.

Now his compatriot Charles Grant and company are working hard to shame Great Britain into accepting the deals made on the new “Treaty” cum constitution in drag. This is what Grant says are the main features of “the Treaty”:

When there was obviously popular rejection by the peoples of the affected countries themselves to this acknowledged “democratic deficit” power grab, new scheming began. That culminated in the recent treaty meetings and there seems to be an obvious “the people be damned” approach to it. British elements are trying frantically to force a referendum. Eurocrats and global elitists are frantically trying to stop one from happening. Obviously, what is being framed here is much larger than Europe. Why else would a USA based group hand $10,000 for a simply worded essay that suggests handing one man, Javier Solana, such unilateral power and control? In my 26 years of researching the New Age Movement and 12 years of researching Dr. Javier Solana and his roles in Middle East processes, NATO, the European Union, and now “global governance,” I have learned that those advocating all of the above play a lovely little game of “now you see us, now you don’t.” Charles Grant, the obvious Javier Solana partisan who stayed behind at the CER think tank while his writing partner, Steve Everts went on to be a part of Dr. Solana’s EU cabinet emphatically insists that Britain does not need a referendum. more...
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | NewWorldOrder |

'Declaration of North American Integration' unearthed World Net Daily (July 25, 2007) - The endorsement by a major city mayor of a document described as "The Declaration of North American Integration" represents a long-term effort by local governments to bypass state and federal governments and work directly with Mexico and Canada to create agreements that integrate the continent below the radar screen, charges an activist. Adam Rott, founder of watchdog blog Oklahoma Corridor Watch, brought to light the document signed by Mayor Mick Cornett. The document was presented at the May 2004 summit meeting of the North American International Trade Corridor Partnership, or NAITCP. According to an Internet-archived summary report of the meeting, held in Kansas City, Mo., the document was signed by 90 people. Rott told WND he created Oklahoma Corridor Watch because, "I saw the efforts in Texas by Internet blogs such as Texas Corridor Watch and Texas Toll Party to get the word out in Texas about the Trans-Texas Corridor. I wanted to warn Oklahoma about plans to extend the Trans-Texas Corridor along Interstate 35 north into our state." Rott said it should be clear to everyone "that the international business interests and government officials working with them do not intend to stop the four-football-fields wide TTC-35 at the Texas border with Oklahoma." "Oklahoma has been at work for almost 15 years to get I-35 designated as a NAFTA superhighway," Rott said. "I want to wake Oklahomans up to the reality that Oklahoma is on the front lines of the battle being waged by investment bankers, foreign investment consortia and politicians who stand to benefit to expand the TTC-35 north into Oklahoma." WND contacted Cornett's office for comment, but the mayor did not respond. "What is so diabolical about Cornett's signature is that it has largely remained hidden from view since 2004," Rott charged. "It is disturbing to think that councilmen and councilwomen who live in our communities are working for North American integration in the mistaken notion that globalism will result in local economic development." Roth is skeptical of the promise North American integration holds for economic development in Oklahoma. "What we see is the sovereignty of the U.S. being compromised at a local level, and we have yet to see where globalism has benefited Oklahoma City," he said. "Our manufacturing base is deteriorating in Oklahoma City as plants close and multinational corporations outsource from Oklahoma to get cheaper workers in international markets." Oklahoma Republican state Sen. Randy Brogdon agrees. Brogdon told WND he believes "the ramifications of what Oklahoma City Mayor Cornett is doing is to destroy U.S. national sovereignty and to grab property like we have never seen before." Brogdon was outspoken in his opposition to North American integration. more...
| NewWorldOrder | America |

'Blog' puts fear into gun shop inspectors World Net Daily (July 25, 2007) - A team of inspectors from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives fled an Idaho gun shop where they were inspecting sales records when they learned their actions were being recorded on a blog. The federal agency and Red's Trading Post of Twin Falls, Idaho, have been disputing for six years already over the store's license to sell firearms, with regulators using rules infractions such as a missing poster to attack Red's business operations. WND documented earlier how the store appears to be caught up in a new campaign for gun control, focusing on the elimination of retail outlets through technical rules infractions. Now the federal agency has gone to court with a report that its inspectors "suspended" their work at the store recently because of the "threat to the inspectors' safety created by Ryan Horsley, the Manager of Red's." Sometime during the agency's visit to his store on July 17, he updated his blog, which he's been using to chronicle for readers his encounters with the federal bureaucracy. "AFT Area Supervisor Linda Young came in today from Spokane, Washington (567.72 miles; 9 hour drive) along with Industry Operations Inspectors Calvin Pavey and Mike Gorewicz from Portland, Oregon (570.96 miles; 9 hour drive) at around 9:45am. They showed up in a rented newer model Chrsyler … [it] appears they are staying at Best America Suites, which I have to compliment them on their taste, that is a very nice hotel for this area," he wrote. He went on to describe how the inspectors were looking through the store's books and one of the store's supporters arrived with a camera and started taking some photos. "We had been recording the audit because of some of the statements that Linda Young had made in the past," he wrote. The inspectors, however, suddenly left, and within days, the federal agency's version arrived in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. "[The federal agency] notifies the court than an inspection of Red's Trading Post … was initiated on July 17, 2007. The inspection was suspended due to the threat to the inspectors' safety created by Ryan Horsley, the Manager of Red's," the court filing said. The filing documented how some unidentified person had taken pictures of the inspectors at work. "At about this time, Supervisor Young's assistant from the Spokane office contacted her and advised that Mr. Horsley had updated his internet blog (http://redstradingpost.blogspot.com/) to include the information that ATF, and Supervisor Young personally, was at the store conducting an inspection," the filing said. So Young contacted others. "The Director of Industry Operations, Richard Van Loan, agreed with Supervisor Young's assessment that the photographing of the rental car used by ATF personnel, coupled with the instantaneous posting on the internet of ATF's presence … posed a credible threat to their safety and was designed to harass and intimidate," the court filing said. The court filing noted two other times when the inspectors had been photographed, including once by a news team. "The ATF has resorted to a smear campaign on my character to present before the judge, they are now spinning the fact that I wrote a recap of the events on our blog…" Horsley said in an update. more...
| America |

Iran says it will never stop nuclear activities Reuters (July 25, 2007) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday Iran would never yield to international pressure to suspend its uranium enrichment work. "Iran will never abandon its peaceful (nuclear) work," Ahmadinejad told state television. "Our nuclear work is legal and why should we stop it?" Iran says its nuclear program is meant to generate electricity so it can export more of its oil wealth -- not to make bombs, as Western powers suspect after years of Iranian secrecy and evasions. Two sets of sanctions have been imposed on the Islamic state for defying repeated U.N. resolutions demanding it suspend all nuclear fuel activity. Ahmadinejad said U.N. resolutions could not prevent the Islamic state from obtaining nuclear technology. "Let's say they issue the resolution 300 ... what will happen? It should be remembered that Iran is obtaining nuclear technology," Ahmadinejad said. "They have to eventually accept that." In an attempt to avert tougher sanctions, Tehran has agreed to increase its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency to clarify the scope of its nuclear work. Inspectors of the U.N. nuclear watchdog will arrive in Iran on Thursday to visit the country's nuclear facilities, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said on Wednesday. Tehran has warned Washington, which leads efforts to isolate Iran over its disputed nuclear program, to back off from broader sanctions, saying such measures would harm the new diplomatic opportunities.
| Iran |

Where the Wise Are Fulfilled Prophecy (July 25, 2007) - Even in Christian circles you don't often hear people talking about the book of Job. Let's admit it--preaching on the book of Job is bad for church attendance. It's a downer. The message of Job doesn't neatly fit between last week's message of"10 steps to a happier you" and next week's message of "Exerting your authority in Christ to shape your reality." If we do hear anything on the book of Job, we'll likely get the fast-food version: "Once there was a guy name Job who went through a hard time. People gave him bad advice, but God blessed him in the end." All of those statements are true, but they miss the heart of the book. The book of Job is not about Job--it is about God. We have the tendency as human beings to put ourselves on center stage. I remember once hearing a preacher speak on the book of Job. The preacher's main point boiled down to that Job was in the mess he was in due to his fear and due to his negative confessions. At any time during his trial, Job could have just stood up, commanded the universe to do his bidding, and all would have been well. What a load of rubbish. Only God commands center stage. The book of Job is about the mystery, the glory and the unsearchable-ness of God almighty. It's about a group of guys sitting around and doing their best to try to make sense of God in light of a recent tragedy. Have you ever been at that place? If so, you're not alone. In the first two chapters of Job, we see his trial. In the last five chapters, we hear God's response and see a resolution to Job's trial. In between, we have 36 chapters we're a little embarrassed about. What do you do with 36 excruciating chapters of dialogue between Job and his friends? Shouldn't we just skip those chapters and jump ahead to the end? Go right ahead, but you'll miss at least one treasure in God's word. You'll miss chapter 28. Chapter 28 is about Job, scratching his head, and wondering where wisdom--the answer to his questions--comes from. Job starts the chapter with the imagery of a miner looking for treasure. The miner searches the farthest recesses of the earth in a dark shaft where no eyes see and "Brings hidden things (gold, sapphires and other treasure) to light" --v.11. But Job is quick to add in verse 12 "But where can wisdom be found?" Job then goes on and says where wisdom is not (he must of already looked there): it is not in the land of the living, nor can it be bought with money. It is not in the sea or in the deep. Death and destruction don't know where to find it either (verses 14-22). Wisdom is of such surpassing value that "Man does not comprehend its worth" v.13. But where can we get wisdom? Wisdom is found in only one place, "God understands the way to it (wisdom) and He alone knows where it dwells" v. 23. If you want wisdom--understanding for not only the practical things but also for the most baffling things--you've got to go to God. He has the corner on the market. And God is not stingy. He examines wisdom and then gives step one of wisdom to mankind "The fear of the Lord--that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding" v. 28. What is the fear of the Lord? The fear of the Lord is to see God and ourselves with the correct perspective: He is "I AM", the eternal one, the creator of all. We are his loved creation. And that correct perspective has a very practical application: "to shun evil" v. 28. As we go to God for wisdom, let us live in light of the fear of the Lord in how we live day by day. The wise are not just right thinkers, but right do-ers. "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day, but the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble." --Proverbs 4:18-19 I would add to this that before we insert ourselves into a position of dictation, we should understand God's plans and designs. For instance, the political Christian movement is required to delve into the politics that are currently working to bring about the New World Order. If Bible prophecy says this is going to come about, should we interfere and try to stop it? If we participate do we contribute to Satan's plans being worked politically? Do we have that right if God's plans differ from our own to impose our desired plans over God's? Are we supposed to involve ourselves in the political shenanigans of the world or are we called out of the world and not part of it? The more I learn of God's plan from His Word, the more I see these Christian groups trying to edge into politics where many times they are corrupted by the very thing they are trying to change. To participate, one must abide by the current ways of business or be shunned and rejected. Is this effective to spreading the Gospel, or do we then get so embroiled in politics that the Gospel falls to the side? Trying to influence this evil world through politics now-a-days seems like a failure waiting to happen, especially when we see the direction of God's plans for mens' politics and where we are positioned in that plan today. Time is short and all politics are going to lead to one man, the man of sin. Trying to associate with that in these times isn't going to get us too far I think. So I pray God's will be done and watch everything unfold exactly as foretold in the Bible. What is coming certainly isn't good, but the end result is eternity in God's presence to those that love Him. Our moments of tribulation in this world is nothing compared to eternity. Let us remain pure, trusting in the Lord and following His path of love for Him and each other.

MS-13 gang seeks to unite nationwide The Washington Times (July 25, 2007) - The international street gang MS-13 is unifying its violent members across the U.S., including the D.C. area, attempting to strengthen its criminal operation by creating a single organization. "Traditionally, the gang consisted of loosely affiliated groups known as cliques; however, law enforcement officials have reported increased coordination of criminal activity among Mara Salvatrucha cliques in the Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York metropolitan areas," states a confidential letter sent out earlier this month from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Illinois. "MS-13 is attempting to become a unified criminal enterprise operating under one leadership." The Washington Times has obtained a copy of the letter and an Army intelligence presentation on the growth of MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha. Federal law-enforcement agents say the gang is adopting tactics used by major Mexican and Colombian drug-trafficking groups and has become a gun-for-hire for many major Central and South American drug-trafficking cartels. "Indications that previously independent cliques are forming alliances with other MS-13 cliques, as well as with other gangs to facilitate criminal activity, further heighten the threat," the letter continued. "It would be dangerous to look at MS-13 as just another street gang." Agents for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) say that the gangs' tactics are terroristic but question whether the small groups can unify under one leader. "These gang members are some of the most brutal people we have ever encountered," said a DEA intelligence officer on the condition of anonymity. "Whether they are unifying, well that's more difficult to tell. In some cases yes and in other cases no. more...
| America |

Breakdown Britain The Washington Times (July 25, 2007) - The release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the final book in the series, has momentarily diverted the public's attention from certain realities: The weather, which normally depresses during winter months when there is less sunlight, has been crying unmercifully on Britain, bringing what the Daily Telegraph calls "chaos and misery" as homes are flooded, flights are canceled or delayed, and train and subway service is disrupted. A government document obtained by the media reveals Britain has nearly "run out of troops" to defend the country or fight abroad. The Conservative Party, under leader David Cameron, failed to win the first by-election since Gordon Brown assumed the premiership, coming in third. The Tories appear to have gotten the message not to mimic the Labor Party. A Tory supplement recently published in the Daily Telegraph titled "Breakdown Britain: A Guide to Our Broken Society and How to Fix It" mainly emphasizes those issues — family breakdown, economic independence, personal responsibility, education choice — the Tories had downplayed in a failed attempt to cross-dress as "compassionate conservatives." Nowhere does Britain's breakdown and loss of direction appear clearer than in the inconsistent ways the courts treat faith. A nation that has had its ups and down with religion throughout its long history — and is now challenged over how to accommodate its growing Muslim population — appears openly hostile to anything that resembles Christianity and the dwindling number of churchgoers who still practice that faith. Three recent legal cases highlight the British establishment's growing anti-Christian animosity and spiritual confusion. An employment tribunal ruled that a Church of England bishop, the Right Rev. Anthony Priddis, discriminated against a homosexual man who applied for a position as a youth worker when Bishop Priddis questioned him about his sexual practices and a previous same-sex relationship. The bishop said he asked the man about his lifestyle because it "has the potential to impact on the spiritual, moral and ethical leadership within the diocese." The tribunal ruled the youth worker position falls outside the religious exemptions allowed in the country's Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003. The British media are full of stories about pedophiles, as they have been about Catholic priests, who have preyed upon young boys. In rational times, the sexual behavior of one applying for a youth worker position might seem a plausible line of questioning, but these are not rational times. The court is considering what damages to award the 42-year-old applicant. Another case adding to the sense of societal breakdown involves 16-year-old Lydia Playfoot. A court ruled Miss Playfoot's school was within its rights in prohibiting her from wearing a small "chastity ring" to demonstrate her commitment to remain a virgin until she marries. The court ruled the ring is not a "proper manifestation" of her faith. The Playfoot family must pay $24,699 in court costs for bringing the case against the school. The girl's father, the Rev. Phil Playfoot, said, "This country is tolerant of any views except those of Christians." more...
| Signs of the Times | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Apostasy |

Feiglin: Leadership denying Judaism YNet News (July 25, 2007) - Right-wing activist Moshe Feiglin, a candidate for the Likud leadership, will launch his campaign against party leader Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday evening. In an interview with Ynet, Feiglin said he was running for the position because he wanted to bring the “spirit” back to Israel. “My main message is that without spirit, all of the material success we’ve supposedly achieved means nothing,” he said. “The most difficult problem lies in the fact that citizens of Israel do not believe in the future of their country, with all its financial success. It’s proven in the polls, and it’s a terrible thing. “That’s why we need to get the spirit back. That’s what I want, that’s why I’m running, and I believe I will succeed.” Do you believe a higher power will give you the victory? No, no. I’m neither a wise man, nor a prophet. I’m not trying to convince anyone to change the way they live. The leadership of this country has lost faith in the righteous path and in God. The basic beliefs that kept this nation going for hundreds of years must be brought back. The people of Zion deserve a leadership with faith. Only that type of leadership will get us out of this mess. These days, the leadership lacks faith. Take (President Shimon) Peres for example. He says, ‘I hate history. Everything begins with me, and behind me all is white, clean.’ Our leadership has reached the point of denying Judaism and faith.
| Israel |

Arab League delegation visits Israel Associated Press (July 25, 2007) - The foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan began a historic visit to Israel on Wednesday to formally present an Arab peace plan, saying they were extending "a hand of peace" on behalf of the region. The ministers arrived as representatives of the Arab League, the first time the 22-member group has sent a delegation to the Jewish state. The Arab League peace plan envisions full recognition of Israel in return for evacuation of lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war. "We are extending a hand of peace on behalf of the whole region to you, and we hope that we will be able to create the momentum needed to resume fruitful and productive negotiations" between Israel and the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world, Jordan's foreign minister, Abdul-Ilah Khatib, said at a news conference with Israeli President Shimon Peres. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the two delegates had been asked by the league "to come and offer Israel the Arab peace initiative." He urged Israel to consider the plan seriously. "We hope that upon our return, we would also convey to the Arab League ... the responses of Israel and I hope that such responses will be positive," he said. Aboul Gheit and Khatib were slated to meet later Wednesday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and to appear at the Israeli parliament. The visit, which came a day after former British Prime Minister Tony Blair made his first trip as new Mideast peace envoy, is part of a flurry of diplomatic efforts meant to restart peace talks after a seven-year lull. Egypt and Jordan both have peace treaties with Israel and have sent their leaders to the country before, but never on behalf of the Arab League, which has traditionally been hostile toward the Jewish state. Foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the visit was historic. "This is the first time that a delegation is coming here under the auspices of the Arab League," he said. "In the past, the Arab League has opposed dialogue, normalization and any contact with Israel and this is the first time the Arab League has authorized a delegation to visit Israel." The Arab League asked Jordan and Egypt to take the lead in pushing forward their newly revived peace plan, which offers a comprehensive peace agreement in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from all territories captured in 1967. more...
| Israel | Islam | 1st Seal | Dividing the Land |

Netanyahu says rejects Arab peace initiative YNet News (July 25, 2007) - Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem with the foreign ministers of Jordan and Egypt and told them that he rejected the Arab peace initiative. "The withdrawal from Gaza two years ago proved that any Israeli withdrawal, particularly a unilateral one, does not advance peace but establishes a terror base for radical Islam. I am in favor of economic cooperation and the promotion of regional initiatives – economy will be a leverage for peace," Netanyahu said.
| Israel | Islam |

Another human civilization may live inside Earth's hollows Pravda (July 24, 2007) - Since ancient times the exploration of the North was of immense interest to humans. It was an attraction for adventurers and researchers seeking mysterious land and unexplored islands there. Legends say that an entry to the underground realms was located somewhere in the North, and legendary ancient tribes living on the planet centuries ago used the entries to have a good shelter under the Earth's surface. Mystics believe that the entry to the legendary Hyperborea, Shambala and Plutonia is carefully concealed from outsiders somewhere close to the North Pole. Recently, a reliable edition reported that UFOs coming to this planet start not from space but burst out from huge holes under the surface in the North Pole. It was during Plato’s epoch that people first surmised that life probably existed inside planet Earth too. Plato believed that the planet inside was full of tunnels and cavities. Researcher Edmond Halley studied the magnetic field of the Earth and noticed that it slightly varied which suggested that there could be several magnetic fields at once. The researcher supposed that another sphere with its individual magnetic field was inside of the planet. The idea of a hollow planet was very popular among science fiction writers for a long period. And even some researchers presented various estimations and experiments to prove that the planet could be actually hollow inside. One should know that the idea of hollows inside Earth appared dates from great antiquity. Seventy five years ago, the map of the North showed that a third of its territory was still unexplored, and it means that God knows what ideas about the mysterious North could exist at that time. Doctor of geological and mineralogical science, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences Mark Sadikov is sure that in the North there are no holes that can be used as entries to underground areas. The territory of the North is a deep-sea zone of the Arctic Ocean with its ridges and deep basins between them. more...

Secret memo: One-world agenda dominates SPP summit World Net Daily (July 24, 2007) - A multinational business agenda is driving the upcoming summit meeting of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, according to a document obtained through an Access to Information Act request in Canada. The memo shows a secondary focus of the leaders' meeting in Montebello, Quebec, Aug. 20-21, will be to prepare for a continental avian flu or human pandemic and establish a permanent continental emergency management coordinating body to deal not only with health emergencies but other unspecified emergencies as well. As WND has reported, President Bush, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon will attend the third SPP summit. The document, obtained by Canadian private citizen Chris Harder, is a two-page heavily redacted summary of the ministerial meeting in Ottawa, held Feb. 23 between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her counterparts, Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay and Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa. The purpose of the Feb. 23 meeting in Ottawa was to set the agenda for the August summit. The Access to Information Act-obtained memo noted the nation's leaders intend next month to pursue the five priorities set at their second summit meeting in Cancun in March 2005: Strengthening Competitiveness, Avian and Pandemic Influenza, Emergency Management, Energy Security, and Secure Borders. Of the five issues, the memo clearly states recommendations by the North American Competitiveness Council, or NACC, regarding competitiveness "took centerpiece" at the Feb. 23 meeting. Almost immediately, the memo says, governments "will need to begin assessing the potential impact of adopting recommendations made by the NACC and coordinating their response to the authors of the report." The memo states "the most dynamic element on the plenary agenda was a meeting with the NACC, the body created by the Leaders in 2006 to give the private sector a formal role in providing advice on how to enhance competitiveness in North America." more...
| NewWorldOrder | America |

EU Ministers Launch Talks Over Treaty Guardian Unlimited (July 24, 2007) - European Union foreign ministers set mid-October as the deadline to complete negotiations on the final draft of a treaty aimed at replacing the aborted EU constitution. The treaty is meant to streamline the way the 27-nation bloc operates, ensuring that it can take decisions by majority rather than unanimous voting and make it easier to set policy. Last-minute confusion had threatened to scuttle plans for a deal after Poland questioned a compromise. Poland had vehemently opposed the bloc's new voting rules - a core element in the treaty - and brought talks to the brink of collapse in June. Under those rules, Poland will lose influence and votes compared with other countries. EU officials said that Fotyga on Monday called for more study of how the EU will make decisions in the years ahead during the technical negotiations over the next four months. Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado, whose country holds the EU presidency, said Fotyga made a "strong statement'' backing the outline text that was agreed to last month, adding that EU legal experts would look at Polish concerns. "Whether there is a need for clarification, we will see to that, we will look at it at technical level ... that's the process of negotiating a treaty,'' Amado said. Portugal has set an Oct. 18 deadline for EU governments to complete and agree to a final draft, making sure the treaty can be adopted before the European Parliament elections planned for 2009. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called on EU governments to "work quickly but carefully'' to get a deal by the deadline. more...
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom |

Selling America to Communist China Family Security Matters (July 24, 2007) - Do you remember the uproar that rippled throughout the U.S. when Jimmy Carter “gave the Panama Canal to China?” What are the realities of new national security threats from China? FSM Contributing Editor Cliff Kincaid has an explosive exposé guaranteed to get your attention. In remarks on July 20 to a Freedom 21 conference in Dallas, Texas, conservative leader Phyllis Schlafly declared that the Chinese communists intend to exploit development of a North American Union in order to bring more cheap goods into the U.S. and destroy more American jobs. The Freedom 21 conference, organized by Tom DeWeese of the American Policy Center and Cathie Adams of Eagle Forum of Texas, was devoted to highlighting the erosion of American sovereignty through an ongoing process that aims to economically and politically integrate the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Schlafly, president of Eagle Forum, highlighted the role of Democratic Party foreign policy specialist Robert Pastor in the unfolding plan. Pastor helped lead the campaign to surrender U.S. control of the Panama Canal through the Panama Canal Treaty, a development that has taken on added significance in view of the fact that a Chinese firm, Hutchison Whampoa, now controls not only the ports at both ends of the Panama Canal but ports and terminals in Mexico. The company has close ties to the Chinese regime. Speaking at the same conference, Rep. Duncan Hunter, a Republican presidential candidate, said unfair Chinese trade was decimating America’s industrial base and that the communist regime was using “crisp new American trade dollars” to build up its war machine. Schlafly came close to endorsing Hunter for president, declaring, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have him in the White House?” She said he was “right on every issue” and “he’s the only one of all the candidates who talks about the jobs issue, and I think that is the coming big issue in the next election.” Her remarks followed Hunter’s speech. She strongly recommended Jerome Corsi’s new book, The Late Great USA, which argues that a North American Union would provide China another “economic advantage” over the U.S., with ominous national security implications. Indeed, Corsi comes close to arguing that China is the ultimate power broker behind the scheme, saying that “In order to solidify its economic superiority over North America, Red China is working to restructure the North American transportation infrastructure.” It also turns out, according to information presented at the conference by Oklahoma activist Amanda Teegarden, as well as Corsi’s book, that a Hutchison Whampoa subsidiary is a major investor in a firm, Savi Networks, that has developed a radio technology to track and manage cargo shipments. Hutchison Whampoa owns 49 percent of the firm, with 51 percent owned by U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin. In 2006, Lockheed Martin was the top contributor among military contractors to candidates for federal office and national political parties. Fifty-eight percent of its money went to Republicans. Schlafly also attacked so-called “patent reform,” now moving through Congress, which she said would benefit China by forcing Americans to put information about their inventions on the Internet where it could be stolen. And she warned against President Bush’s plan to “to put all the illegal aliens in Social Security,” a scheme called “totalization,” which would “break the bank.” Several speakers at the Freedom 21 conference were activists from Texas and Oklahoma opposed to the building of corridors or “NAFTA highways” through their states to bring goods from Mexico to the U.S. Organizations represented at the conference included Oklahomans for Sovereignty and Free Enterprise, Corridor Watch, and Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom. more...
| NewWorldOrder | America |

A matter for religious Jews YNet News (July 24, 2007) - Contrary to Yom Kippur, secular Israelis don't care about Ninth of Av. Unfortunately the Temple was destroyed in July-August. Two thousand years later, secular Israel is too busy during these two months to remember anything about what happened so long ago. In the midst of the summer break and on the beach, the Ninth of Av creeps up with stubble on its face and that Temple where cows were slaughtered, as if there were no quinoa in the world. The Ninth of Av is not a popular day in Israel. Israeli society likes to celebrate, including Israel's festivals, but fast days are no small headache. Israelis like to think that the Ninth of Av is only related to the past, to some distant temple, which they do not particularly miss and certainly do not wish to see reappear all of a sudden. And then, on a seemingly normal summer's eve, TV sets start airing black-and-white films with no commercials in between. Suddenly there are pictures of Jerusalem and religious people everywhere, wearing sneakers and hair on their faces as they sit on the ground at the Western Wall. "What's going on? Who died? Oh yes, the Temple, yes the Temple, and I for a brief moment thought something happened." "It's a problem," thinks to himself a would-be religious Reuven Adler-type advertising executive, "Yom Kippur is in fact a success story. Perhaps because it entails no sadness, but rather, seriousness. The streets become empty; plus, the memory of the Yom Kippur War has been added to the cloak of respect given to this day. Once a year Israelis act as religious Jews and then go back to their pleasant secularism in the remaining 364 days. On Yom Kippur, without any special law and without having to be asked, almost everyone partakes in the prayers and fast. Why doesn't the Ninth of Av work that way as well? How can we sell this day to the masses?" he ponders. Israelis' attitude to Yom Kippur is similar to the attitude towards a mezuzah, whereas the attitude to the Ninth of Av more resembles an Yizkor for a great-grandfather. The mezuzah emanates a mystical air. If it doesn't help it won't do any harm. Besides, we are Jews. So why shouldn't we fast on Yom Kippur? Many Israelis maintain that there is no benefit to the Ninth of Av. It's just a day of memory and depression. Who remembers grandfather's Yahrzeit? Who has the patience to look for a kippah in the glove compartment and to go the cemetery when no one remembers anyway? more...
| Israel |

Don't send your kids to college – before you read this World Net Daily (July 23, 2007) - On December 27, 1820, Thomas Jefferson wrote William Roscoe about his vision for the University of Virginia (chartered in 1819), "This institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to follow the truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error as long as reason is left free to combat it." But what should happen 200 years later when our public universities avoid the testing of truths? Or suppress alternate opinions because they are unpopular or politically incorrect? Or no longer tolerate opinions now considered errors by the elite? What happens when sociopolitical agendas or scientific paradigms dominate university views to the exclusion of a minority even being mentioned? When higher centers of learning fail to be places where all ideas are examined from a variety of reasoned perspectives? What happens when the political and public educational pendulum swings from concern for the tyranny of sectarianism in Jefferson's day to secularism in ours? The new narrow-mindedness of the American university Dr. Jim Nelson Black, founder and senior policy analyst of the Sentinel Research Associates in Washington, D.C., in his excellent book "Freefall of the American University," documents well the clear biases pervading our public academic settings. Among this educational lopsidedness is the intentional training of students to disdain America, freely experiment sexually, forcefully defend issues like abortion and homosexuality, as well as become cultural advocates for political correctness, relativism, globalization, green agendas and tolerance for all. One of the primary ways these educative platforms are propagated is by recruiting and retaining faculty members who reflect and teach them. For example, citing from the polling firm of Luntz Research, Dr. Black notes that 57 percent of faculty members represented in our most esteemed universities are Democrats (only 3 percent Republican) and 64 percent identify themselves as liberal (only 6 percent conservative). Moreover, 71 percent of them disagree that "news coverage of political and social issues reflects a liberal bias in the news media." And the No.1 answer they gave to the question, "Who has been the best president in the past 40 years?" was Bill Clinton (only 4 percent said Ronald Reagan). The impact of secular progressive influence is being experienced by students across this land, tens of thousands who have already cried out with complaints of academic inequity. A sampling of hundreds of student grievances from across the academic spectrum can even be found on websites like the Students for Academic Freedom and NoIndoctrination.org. While I fully realize there are some great conservative people on the staffs of many higher learning campuses, I know virtually all of them would concur that a liberal bias in our academic curricula and system is overwhelmingly dominant and ubiquitous. Is this present, restrictive and one-sided educational environment that which Thomas Jefferson and other founders intended for the future generations of America? Absolutely not! Rather than encourage free thinking, the U.S. academic system has turned Jefferson's plans for open education into our culture's system of indoctrination. more...
| America |

EU gains strong position in WTO talks DAWN (July 23, 2007) - EU trade chief Peter Mandelson said on Monday that the 27-nation bloc had gained a “strong position” in WTO free-trade talks after new proposals were made last week to break six-years of deadlock. “Diplomatically Europe is in a strong position,” Mandelson told EU foreign ministers, in remarks made available by his office to journalists. “We are seen as the main champions of this multilateral process.” “What's interesting, at this stage, is that the EU is one of the least negatively talked about players, which is unusual, given how we were being targeted 18 months or so ago,” he said. The EU has long been criticized in WTO talks for not giving more ground on agriculture, but WTO negotiators made proposals last week focusing more on the need for concessions from the United States and developing countries. The proposals tabled last week aimed at breathing new life into the Doha Development Round of trade liberalization negotiations, launched in the Qatari capital in 2001, and brokering a compromise among the 150 WTO members. The members are at odds over the extent of new reductions in barriers to trade in agriculture, industrial goods and services amid cross-cutting disagreements between rich and poor countries over cuts in import tariffs and farm subsidies. Mandelson said that Europe should keep up the pressure on developing countries to cut their tariffs on industrial goods although he acknowledged they were unlikely to do so unless Washington cut farm subsidies. “We need to continue to push hard on industrial tariffs. There is no reason to assume that the landing point will not move further in our favor,” he said. On the key stumbling block of agriculture tariffs, Mandelson said the proposals were “manageable” although they were too demanding on sensitive farm products. WTO representatives are to meet this week in negotiating groups in Geneva, Switzerland, to give their initial reactions to the proposals. After an August recess, the talks are to resume in early September.
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | NewWorldOrder |

UFO sightings bring town to a standstill Daily Mail (July 21, 2007) - A crowd of 100 stunned stargazers brought a town centre to a standstill when five mysterious UFOs were spotted hovering in the sky. Drinkers spilled out of pubs, motorists stopped to gawp and camera phones were aimed upwards as the five orbs, in a seeming formation, hovered above Stratford-Upon-Avon for half an hour. The unidentified flying objects lit up the otherwise clear night sky above Shakespeare's birthplace in Warwickshire on Saturday. Although Air Traffic Control reported no unusual activity, some witnesses were convinced they were witnessing an extra-terrestrial spectacle. The strange episode started just after 10.30pm, when the lights were seen hovering slowly over the town before three of them formed a triangular shape with one positioned just to the right. A few minutes later a fifth came into view traveling towards the others at breakneck speed before slowing down and stopping a short distance away. Skeptics dismissed the UFOs as nothing more than hot air balloons, fireworks or even lanterns which had broken loose from a local rugby club. Others, however, claimed the speed and agility of the objects was unlike any known aircraft and said the odd movement, lack of noise and the length of time in the air discounted any man-made explanation. Tom Hawkes, who captured these amazing images, spotted the lights during his girlfriend Kate Lyall's birthday at the One Elm pub. He and the 15 other revelers were in the bar when they spotted some commotion outside. Tom, 30, said: "We walked outside and there was at that time a growing crowd of about 60 people looking up at something in the sky. "I saw this light appear, then three others. They came over our heads in formation but then maneuvered into different positions. "Three had formed a triangular shape and one was to the right. Then another one came hurtling towards the rest at what looked like a very fast speed. But as it neared them it suddenly slowed and stopped altogether. "By this time more people had poured out onto the street. Two pubs had emptied, some people had come out of their houses and drivers slowed their cars. more...
| UFO | Exclusive: Watch the extraordinary UFO footage here

News for July 31, 2007