VATICAN - NEW LEVEL TALKS WITH MUSLIMS

EARTHQUAKES

MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Earthquake rattles Turkey
27/12/2007 13:12 - (SA)

Washington - A 5.3-magnitude earthquake rattled central Turkey on Thursday near Ankara, the United States Geological Survey reported. The earthquake, which struck at a depth of 10km, was located 50km southeast of Ankara, 127km southwest of Cankiri and 138km northeast of Usak, the USGS said. The earthquake was recorded at 01:47 on Thursday local time. US geologists used the moment magnitude scale, which measured the area of the fault that ruptured and the total energy released. A measurement of five indicated a moderate earthquake, six or higher a strong quake, seven a major quake and eight a great quake.

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

12/28/07 21:19
Floods inundated 70,000 hectares of rice fields: minister

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The floods that occurred in a number of regions in Indonesia during the past three months inundated almost 70,000 hectares of rice fields and caused harvest failures on 6,676hectares, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said.The floods that have been happening since last October have inundated 68,277 hectares of rice fields, of which some 6,676 hectares failed to be harvested, the minister said after a coordination meeting on basic necessaries here on Friday.He said the total area of flood-affected rice fields this year was wider than last year when only 66,400 hectares were flooded. But the acreage which failed to be harvested this year was smaller, he added.The minister said, on a national scale, the floods had not affected rice production.

The coordination meeting was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Beodiono, Trade Minister Mari Pangestu, State Enterprises Minister Sofyan Jalil, Transportation Minister Jusman Syafi`i Jamal, State Logistics Agency (Bulog) chief Mustafa Abu Bakar, Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Rusman Heriawan and representatives of a number of state companies.During the last five years, an average of 69,500 heactares of rice fields per year were affected by floods while harvest failure occurred on an average of 17,000 hectares per year.The minister also said the total area of rice fields in Indonesia had increased from 1.14 million hectares to 2.0 million hectares. He predicted there would be a rice deficit in January 2008 because production was estimated at 1.28 million tons while demand for rice in the same month was expected to reach 1.5-2.6 million tons.But in the February-April 2008 period, there would be a rice surplus because production would reach 4.06 million tons in February, 5.87 million tons in March and 4.6 million tons in April.The minister said he believed the national rice production target of 58.1 million tons of dried unhulled rice would be achieved. After all, production had reached 57.05 million tons of dried unhusked rice.

EUROPEAN UNION ARMY

DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.( BE HEAD OF 3 NATIONS)
25 And he (EU PRESIDENT) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.(3 1/2 YRS)

DANIEL 8:23-25
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king (EU DICTATOR) of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,(FROM THE OCCULT) shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:(SATANS POWER) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;(JESUS) but he shall be broken without hand.

DANIEL 11:36-39
36 And the king (EU DICTATOR) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS JEWISH) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.(CLAIM TO BE GOD)
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(WAR) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,(DESTROY TERROR GROUPS) whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.

REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)

Analysis: Europe's security record in 2007 Dec. 28, 2007 at 10:43 AMBy DANIEL KORSKI

BRUSSELS, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Looking back over the European Union's record as security actor in 2007, two things stand out. The year will be remembered for the Lisbon Treaty, which, once ratified by the 27 member states, holds the promise of making the EU more activist and outward-looking. But the year will also be remembered by continued intra-EU squabbling over key security challenges like Kosovo, Chad, Afghanistan and the continued inability to match the bloc's aims with resources and manpower. Against expectations, only EU support for the U.N. Lebanon mission seems trouble-free.

The Lisbon Treaty tries to streamline the EU's institutions -- designed in 1956 -- in order to support service for the bloc of 27 members. The new treaty beefs up the role of the High Representative for External Affairs -- the EU foreign minister -- who would also become a vice president of the European Commission. This person would chair meetings of European foreign ministers and lead an External Action Service, an EU diplomatic corps. With these changes, the EU's aid budget will be able to dovetail political priorities, and foreign governments will met one EU interface, not several institutions each with its own agenda. EU military missions will also be able to work more closely with their civilian colleagues.But as the treaty will make improvements to the EU's setup, problems with current operations show how far the EU has to go to become a credible foreign policy actor. In 2007 the EU's three main missions -- in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Chad -- all suffered from serious shortfalls in equipment, personnel or materiel.

In what will become the EU's flagship operation, the follow-on Rule of Law mission to the 8-year-old U.N. mission in Kosovo, the EU has benefited from the longest and most comprehensive planning process it has ever undertaken. The EU has worked hand-in-glove with the United States, and it now looks likely that Kosovo will receive some form of conditional independence in 2008. Yet problems recruiting the 1,800 police officers and prosecutors for the mission now risks undermining implementation. The same problem is plaguing the EU's putative mission to Chad, which was meant to stop any spillover from the conflict in Darfur. While Ireland and Poland have offered troops, the number of helicopters pledged has been zero. Without air assets, it will not be possible to deploy a robust operation. The paucity is odd, for, as British Foreign Secretary David Miliband pointed out in November, EU countries have around 1,200 transport helicopters, yet only about 35 are deployed in Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, the EU's effort looks more impressive. Troops from the EU account for more than half of ISAF's total deployment of 35,500 soldiers. EU states command of a third of all Provincial Reconstruction Teams. Together with the European Commission, EU states have paid for a third of the country's reconstruction. But despite this, EU support for the mission is in reality limited, and cooperation between its various elements remains inadequate. The total European troop contribution falls well short of the 17,000 U.S. troops deployed with ISAF and its 8,000 Coalition Force troops outside of NATO.In the vital areas of policing, rule of law and counter-narcotics, EU member states have pursued policies independently of each other. Finally, the European Commission's development assistance to Afghanistan is falling this year, from 200 million euros a year to 150 million euros a year. This has contributed to the problems in Afghanistan's reconstruction.In all three missions, the EU's intentions have not been matched by its capabilities and concerted follow-through. The adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, once ratified by the 27 EU countries, will begin the much-needed process of rationing the EU's foreign policy apparatus.

But to become a more effective security actor in 2008, the bloc will need to invest in a range of civilian and military capabilities and ensure that the three missions -- in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Chad -- are well-resourced. The EU cannot hope to become a global player by fighting on the cheap.

(Daniel Korski is a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Until earlier this year, he was a senior British official and head of the U.K. Provincial Reconstruction Team in Basra, Iraq.)2007 United Press International.

Mubarak Offered to Mediate Between Israel and Syria DEC 27,07

(IsraelNN.com) Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak offered to mediate between Israel and Syria if the countries resume negotiations, a newspaper in the Persian Gulf reported. The offer was reportedly made by Mubarak in his meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak Wednesday, in Sharm a-Sheikh.According to Al Bayan, Egypt wants Israel to gradually retreat from the Golan Heights over a 10 to 15 year period. Following that, the Golan would be demilitarized and U.S., Russian and Egyptian troops would be stationed in it.

The CARMEL ALERT Dec 28th 2007
A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying for Israel and the salvation of the Jewish people.

David's Comment: 2007 is Almost Over - What Might 2008 Bring ?
Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. (NKJ)

Just a few more days and 2007 will be history. As we monitor the daily news of the world we see once again the annual chaos of the last few days before Christmas. Last minute temptations to over spend on gifts place extra strain on credit card limits and bank balances. And as often is the case in colder locations, extreme December weather conditions are causing chaos on roads and at airports, severely hindering the plans of thousands who are
trying to get away to spend their holidays in warmer locations. Some unfortunate souls in the US will not see this or any other New Year, as their lives have been prematurely ended by the harsh weather conditions, but the great majority will make it through to experience life in 2008. So what may 2008 hold for the citizens of Planet Earth ?

Here in Israel, we approach the end of 2007 with a sigh of relief that the expected war with Syria did not materialise. That does not mean that the threat is behind us. Israelis grow up learning to deal with the reality that the next war is not that far off in the future - it could happen at any time. The tensions on the northern border never really go away as Syria still smarts over her loss of the Golan Heights in the war of 1973. Then there is Hizb'Allah, always seeking an opportunity to exact revenge upon Israel for the wars in Lebanon. About 200 km (130 miles) to the south lies the Gaza Strip, from where Kassam rockets are launched into Israel almost every day. It is only a matter of time before Israel will need to launch a full scale mission into Gaza to attempt to stop the rocket attacks. Finally, the other issue facing Israel in 2008 is Iran. Will, and if so when, will Israel take the necessary action to remove the threat of a future nuclear attack from Iran ?

As we look at the prospects for the nations in 2008, a number of issues stand out ............

* How will the ongoing Arab / Israeli conflict affect the rest of the world ?
* If the price of oil continues to rise, what will the effects be on the lives of millions of people in the oil thirsty West ?
* What will become of the US Dollar ? Will it be replaced by the Amero in 2008 ?
* If that happens how will it affect the rest of the western world ?
* Will Vladamir Putin continue to lead Russia into a new 'cold war' with the West ?
* Will the ungodly governments of the post Christian nations make it more and more difficult for Bible believing Christians to function ?

Whatever the outcome of the above points, one thing is for sure ...... As 2008 replaces 2007, we are 1 year closer to the awesome day of the Lord's return. Yeshua is waiting in the wings of Heaven, observing events on the Earth, watching with anticipation as the restoration of Israel continues to unfold. He well knows that as soon as the Israel and the Jewish people are ready to receive Him as Messiah and King, Heaven will release Him to return to Jerusalem to set up His Father's Kingdom in a rebuilt Temple on the Temple Mount. On that great day, this evil age will come to an end and 1000 years of true Peace and Goodwill will commence.

As we enter into 2008, realising the lateness of the hour, we should all be inspired to increase our activity in the following thee areas ...............

1/ Praying for Israel - for millions more Jewish people to return from the nations - for all Israel to be saved - for many more apostolic ministries to be raised up in Israel

2/ Praying for and sharing the Good News with the lost - our family - our friends - the people we interact with during the day

3/ Encouraging other believers to do the same

Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. (NKJ)

The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist on the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel . Lets pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent, but share this with your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to. Lets also pray for that breakthrough to the Muslims, and please remember to pray for our son Jordan, and all of his fellow soldiers in the IDF.

Shabbat Shalom ... David & Josie Silver

* * * * FLASH TRAFFIC: WASHINGTON UPDATE * * * *
WHY BENAZIR BHUTTO'S ASSASSINATION MATTERS
By Joel C. Rosenberg

(Washington, D.C., December 27, 2007) -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday by Islamic radicals. A leading pro-democracy and pro-Westerner political reformer in the Muslim world, Bhutto had just finished addressing a campaign rally of supporters in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi. Jihadists opened fire on the once and possibly future premier using automatic weapons, hitting her in the neck and chest. A suicide bomber then blew himself up at site, leaving Bhutto dead and killing at least 20 others. The attack is certainly another tragedy for Bhutto's family (her father, who was premier in the late 1970s, was hanged by radicals in 1979) and we should be praying for their peace and comfort during this difficult time. But why else does Bhutto's death matter?

To be blunt: Pakistan and her nuclear weapons are in danger of falling into the hands of Islamic radicals. Such radicals have attempted to assassinate Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf multiple times in the last few years, hoping to seize control of the government and impose sharia law. Today's attack is a sobering reminder that Pakistan is just one coup d'etat away from Osama bin Laden or one of his fanatical, murderous allies suddenly gaining control. It is difficult to imagine a more nightmarish scenario than al-Qaeda in possession of Pakistan's nuclear arsensal, but this is not an impossibility. For several years, and certainly throughout 2007, Musharraf has been severely criticized by Western leaders -- including those here in Washington, D.C. -- for imposing martial law and employing other heavy-handed tactics in an attempt to crush the radicals and safeguard the country from their control. He has deserved some of this criticism, but we must also keep things in perspective.

While we all want Pakistan to become a fully-developed democracy --peaceful, prosperous and healthy in all respects -- we must be very careful never to underestimate the danger that Musharraf and his colleagues are in from the radicals. They are in a battle not just for the soul but the very survival of their country. I personally have serious concerns about how truly committed Musharraf is to Jeffersonian democracy. But I do not believe that he is the worst-case scenario for Pakistan. Bin Laden (or bid Laden-ism) is the worst case scenario. Let us, therefore, take great pains not repeat the mistakes that President Jimmy Carter made in the late-1970s when he pressed so hard for democracy and human rights in Iran that the Shah eventually was forced to flee the country and the Ayatollah Khomeini took over. As deeply flawed as the Shah was, can anyone effectively argue today that Khomeini was better for the people of Iran, the people of the epicenter, or the world at large?

FYI: Benazir Bhutto, it should be noted, became the first woman prime minister of a Muslim country on December 2, 1988 and served until August 6, 1990. She was later reelected Prime Minister, serving from October 19, 1993 through November 5, 1996. FYI: Agence France Presse reports that there have been more than 40 suicide attacks in Pakistan this year that have left at least 770 people dead and notes that the deadliest terror attack in Pakistan's history targetted her homecoming rally just hours after her return, leaving 139 people dead.

FYI: The New York Times reports that the attack Thursday...is the latest blow to Pakistan's treacherous political situation. It comes just days after President Pervez Musharraf lifted a state of emergency, imposed in part because of terrorist threats. Ms. Bhutto, 54, returned from self-imposed exile to Pakistan this year to present herself as the answer to the nation's troubles: a tribune of democracy in a state that has been under military rule for eight years, and the leader of the country's largest opposition political party, founded by her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, one of Pakistan's most flamboyant and democratically inclined prime ministers. But her record in power, and the dance of veils she has deftly performed since her return -- one moment standing up to the Pakistan president, General Musharraf, then next seeming to accommodate him, and never quite revealing her actual intentions -- has stirred as much distrust as hope among Pakistanis.

Abbas, Olmert meet amid dispute over East Jerusalem
Ken Ellingwood, Los Angeles Times Friday, December 28, 2007

In their first meeting since pledging a yearlong push for peace, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas remained at odds Thursday over an Israeli plan to build in East Jerusalem but promised to continue their talks.The two leaders, who made their pledge last month during a U.S.-hosted conference, were seeking to put talks back on track after a pair of acrimonious meetings between their negotiating teams.Aides to Olmert and Abbas described Thursday's two-hour session as positive, despite the lingering disagreement over Israel's plans to build 300 new homes in a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem it calls Har Homa.The leaders promised to continue meeting regularly and reiterated their commitment to a negotiated agreement.Olmert and Abbas were joined by the heads of the negotiating teams, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, and other top aides.

Olmert promised Israel would refrain from building new Jewish settlements, expanding the spread of existing ones or confiscating land for new construction, said spokesman Mark Regev.Israel argues that Har Homa is part of Jerusalem and subject to Israeli law rather than negotiations under the peace process. Israel annexed East Jerusalem after the 1967 Middle East War, but most of the world has not recognized that action. Olmert's vows fall short of meeting Palestinian demands. Abbas urged Olmert to halt all settlement activities to avoid undermining any future negotiated peace arrangement, said aide Saeb Erekat.While more fundamental issues such as the borders of a future Palestinian state remain to be negotiated, the parties have bogged down over security and settlement expansion - an inauspicious start to President Bush's push to resume serious peace talks after a lull of nearly seven years.Bush arrives in two weeks for meetings with both sides.

Palestinian officials objected bitterly this month to the announcement about the new building at Har Homa and were further angered over news of an Israeli budget proposal for more than 700 units in Har Homa and Maale Adumim, a West Bank settlement near Jerusalem.The Palestinians say the construction would violate Israel's commitment under the long-stalled road map peace plan, which calls for a freeze on settlement activities, including natural growth of existing settlements.Israeli officials, in turn, complain that the Palestinians have failed to meet their commitments under the road map to act against armed groups.The two sides are seeking to put in place the first stage of the road map plan while simultaneously conducting peace negotiations aimed at reaching an overall accord by the end of 2008, shortly before Bush leaves office.Few observers in the Middle East hold out much hope because both Olmert and Abbas are too weak politically to make risky concessions required for a lasting agreement.A joint Israeli-Palestinian poll this week reflected that skepticism: Only 23 percent of Palestinians and 8 percent of Israelis said they believed their leaders could reach a negotiated peace settlement by the end of next year.

Incredible praise from king of Spain
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:08:00 12/28/2007

WE couldn’t believe the accolade and praise heaped by King Carlos I of Spain on Ms Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her adherence to democracy and outstanding human rights record. We wonder where His Majesty has been all this time. Was he properly briefed before heaping those unbelievable praise on Ms Arroyo? What is outstanding in this administration? A human rights record that is worse than that of Marcos’ martial law? More than 800 cases of extrajudicial killings have claimed the lives of political activists and journalists. There are hundreds of forced disappearances. And we have seen the violent suppression of the people’s basic right to peaceably assemble and of the freedom of the press, and the continuing disregard of democratic processes in a clear attempt to hide the truth in controversies hounding the Arroyo administration. Did His Majesty praise Ms Arroyo for all these?

Maypagasa strongly urges the Spanish government and other European Union states to put pressure on this immoral government to stop it from committing more of these illegal acts. The European Union must not close its eyes and condone the anti-democratic actions being perpetrated by the Arroyo administration against the Filipino people.—ROEL GARCIA, spokesperson, Maypagasa, via e-mail.

TAURAN-MUSLIMS Dec-28-2007
Vatican official expects new level of dialogue with Muslims in 2008
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican official in charge of interreligious dialogue said he is confident a new level of dialogue with Muslims will take place in 2008.There is good will on both sides, said Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.After 138 Muslim scholars sent a letter to Pope Benedict XVI and other Christian leaders in October outlining a proposal for a new dialogue and greater understanding, the pope invited a representative group of the scholars to meet with him at the Vatican. At the same time, the pope suggested the scholars hold a working session with officials from Cardinal Tauran's office, the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies and the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Jordan's Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, the architect of the Muslim scholars' project, wrote back to the Vatican in December suggesting that representatives meet in February or March to work out the details of the dialogue.I am very confident in the outcome of this meeting, Cardinal Tauran told Vatican Radio Dec. 28.He said he expected the meeting to deal with the dignity of the human person and his rights, first of all the right to freedom of conscience and religion, with the need for believers to have an objective knowledge of the religion of the other, and with the need to educate young people in tolerance and respect for the beliefs of others.END