ROBOTS IN JAPAN WORKPLACE

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.

Small earthquake hits South Texas; no injuries reported
By: Associated Press - Texarkana Gazette - Published: 04/08/2008

FALLS CITY, Texas—A small earthquake awoke residents in South Texas on Monday, but there are no reported injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey said the 3.7 magnitude quake happened at 4:51 a.m., about 45 miles southeast of San Antonio in South Texas. The quake was detected about 6 miles southwest of the Karnes County town of Falls City, near the line with Wilson County. Some Wilson County residents reported feeling the quake. Karnes County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy A.C. Alonzo said most people did not know about the quake until they heard the news this morning. We don’t have any reports of any property damage, Alonzo said. The only 911 call they received was from one of their deputies who was at the hospital with an inmate and wondered what was going on, Alonzo said. The Falls City Independent School District reported no damage to its campus. The epicenter was at a depth of about 3.1 miles. Texas occasionally has earthquakes.

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.

Dangerous severe weather possible Mark Avery
Wed Apr 9, 6:59 AM ET

A dangerous severe weather outbreak is expected to begin late tonight in the Southern Plains, and expand into the Lower and Mississippi Valley tomorrow. On the cold side of the system bringing this severe weather, heavy snow and strong winds are expected. Several rounds of severe weather are expected, especially the Southern Plains. Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop today in the Red River Valley into Arkansas. Tonight, a strong upper level system and a strengthening surface low and cold front will bring another chance of severe thunderstorms over the Southern Plains and into the Ozarks. As both the upper level and surface systems strengthen tomorrow, there is a chance of violent, long track tornadoes, large hail, damaging winds, and flooding rains over the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley, Southern Plains, and Lower Ohio Valley tomorrow and tomorrow night. The greatest risk of tornadoes will come on Thursday.

The heavy rain will fall over areas that are saturated from heavy rains over the last month or so, with flood and flash flood watches extending from the Red River Valley to northern Illinois. This rain will eventually run off into rivers that will likely return to flood and then into the main stem rivers, worsening the ongoing flooding situation there. On the cold side of this system, winter storm watches extend from the Rockies to the western Great Lakes due to the potential of heavy snow and strong winds blowing that snow around. Near Duluth, Minnesota, a blizzard watch has been posted. The heaviest snows are expected on Thursday from the Central Rockies to the Northern Plains, and Thursday night from the Northern Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley.

As this system moves east, the chance of heavy rain will move up the Ohio Valley and across the Southeast. Some severe thunderstorms are possible in Friday and possibly on Saturday in the Southeast, but coverage and intensity is not expected to be as great as Thursday. Locally heavy rains are expected in the Upper Ohio Valley and interior Northeast Friday and into the Megalopolis on Saturday. If you live in an area that is expecting severe weather--both thunderstorms and severe winter weather--over the next few days, please review your plans for what to do in the event severe thunderstorms affect your area. This includes planning for power outages, and securing outdoor objects that can be blown around by strong winds. If you live in an area threatened by severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in the overnight hours, be prepared by having something such as a NOAA Weather Radio on hand (with the alarm set on) to awaken you in case a warning is issued while you are asleep. Stay tuned to The Weather Channel and weather.com for the latest on this threatening weather situation.

Eastern Ontario snow melt brings risk of flooding
Tue Apr 8, 9:32 AM

Flood warnings have been issued in at least three regions of Ontario because of continued snow melt and rising river levels.The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority in eastern Ontario is warning of increased flows in rivers and streams throughout New Edinburgh, Old Ottawa East and Old Ottawa South.The conservation authority says there's the potential for flooding in the lowest-lying areas.

Flows and water levels will continue to rise over the next several days with higher temperatures and overnight low temperatures staying above the freezing point, the agency says.Rain is in the forecast for the region on Wednesday and more is expected on the weekend, which would further increase flows just as many streams and rivers are peaking.

FAMINE

REVELATION 6:5-6
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.(A DAYS WAGES FOR A LOAF OF BREAD)

African inflation could cause humanitarian tsunami: Brussels Tue Apr 8, 10:02 AM ET

BRUSSELS (AFP) - Soaring prices of basic foodstuffs could cause a humanitarian tsunami in Africa, EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel warned Tuesday. A world food crisis is emerging, less visible than the oil (price) crisis, but with the potential effect of real economic and humanitarian tsunami in Africa, Michel said in a statement after a meeting with African Union Commission chief Jean Ping.Ping said the soaring prices represented a major challenge and called on the international community to invest in the farming sector, notably in Africa, the European Commission said in a statement.Michel said the EU's executive arm planned, in the short term, to boost its emergency food aid and push for more international mobilisation to help tackle the problem of food security in Africa.

Funding earmarked for agriculture and rural development in the poorest nations from the European Development Funds will be boosted from 650 million euros (one billion dollars) presently to 1.2 billion, he said.Since African households spend a relatively high proportion of their earnings on food, higher food prices hit them particularly hard.The rise in prices of food staples such as rice, wheat flour and maize are also forcing African governments to take emergency measures which are affecting their budgets.The rise in international food prices poses significant threats to Africa's growth, peace and security, African finance ministers warned in a statement at the end of a meeting in Addis Ababa last week to discuss the crisis.

AMERICA (POLITICAL BABYLON)

EZEKIEL 39:21
21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.

ISAIAH 18:1-2
1 Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!

JEREMIAH 50:11,37,12
11 Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls;(BACKSLIDERS)
37 A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.(A NATION OF MINGLED PEOPLE)
12 Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed:(MOTHER ENGLAND) behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

JEREMIAH 51:13,7,53
13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.
7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.

REVELATION 18:3,5,7
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

JEREMIAH 50:3,24
3 For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.
24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD. (RUSSIA A SNEAK ATTACK)

REVELATION 18:10
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Democrat: Iraq makes US more vulnerable APR 9,08

WASHINGTON - The top Democrat on the House Armed Services panel says the Bush administration has not allocated sufficient resources to protect the nation from attack. Missouri Democrat Ike Skelton said the effort in Iraq is preventing the U.S. from effectively preparing for other conflicts and putting at risk the United States' ability to defeat those most likely to attack.Skelton's comments Wednesday came ahead of the second day of testimony by Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador there. Petraeus told lawmakers that security gains in the war zone are too fragile to promise further drawdowns.

Europol: Terrorism escalating in the European Union
Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:01:06 GMT ,DPA

Brussels/The Hague - European police authorities reported Monday an increase in the number of unsuccessful, prevented or actually carried out terrorist attacks in European Union states. Some 583 such attacks took place in the EU in 2007, a 24-per-cent increase from 2006, Europol Director Max-Peter Ratzel told the European Parliament in Brussels. The vast majority of these attacks were attributable to the Basque separatist organization ETA in France and Spain. Muslim terrorists carried out one attack in Britain, while a number of attempts were made in Britain as well as Germany and Denmark. ETA terrorism was responsible for the deaths of two Spanish policemen, but no other deaths were caused by terrorism within the EU.

Europol however warned that Islamic terrorists attempted to cause the most casualties with their attacks, both in their choice of targets as well as the means used. In a recent unsuccessful attack in London, the would-be attackers placed nails in their homemade bombs. In the entire EU last year, 1,044 suspects were jailed for acts in connection with terrorism, an increase of 48 per cent from 2006. This consisted mainly of arrests of separatists in France and Spain. The number of detained Muslim terrorist suspects dropped from 257 in 2006 to 201 in 2007.

EU eyes investment in southern Mediterranean countries
April 08, 2008

The European Union told leaders from southern Mediterranean countries on Tuesday that the 27-nation bloc wants to boost its investment in the region. Leaders from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan met during the day with senior EU policy-makers and business representatives for talks to sharply increase EU investment in the southern Mediterranean. Despite their closeness to Europe and their promising growth, the countries of the Southern Mediterranean have attracted only one percent of EU foreign investment since 2000. We need to change that, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said when opening the talks.

The discussion focused on improving legal frameworks for investment, encouraging joint partnerships between the EU and southern Mediterranean businesses and boosting EU investment in the region, which is among the lowest in the world, the European Commission said in a press release. The four southern Mediterranean countries are parties to the Agadir Agreement, which was signed in 2004 to establish a free trade agreement among them. The EU said it aims to boost regional integration and remains committed to an EU-Mediterranean free trade area by 2010. Although they increasingly trade with the EU, it is just as important to help the countries of the Agadir agreement to develop their trade with each other, Mandelson said. Direct investment flows from the EU to the southern Mediterranean amounted to 4.9 billion euros (7.69 billion U.S. dollars) in 2006,accounting for around 2 percent of the EU's total direct investment abroad. The European Commission said southern Mediterranean countries could make substantial gains from attracting new investment, especially in the service sector, which is key to their economies. Source: Xinhua

Importance of EU-Israel relations to be stated by EU leaders? by: Yossi Lempkowicz 08/Apr/2008 17:45
Patrick Child, cabinet chief of EU External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

BRUSSELS (EJP)---The European Union might endorse later this year a new political statement stressing the importance of EU-Israel relations, an EU official said Tuesday. Such a statement is now circulating among the EU member states and could be endorsed at a summit meeting before the end of this year, Patrick Child, cabinet chief of EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said. He was one of the speakers at an event in the European Parliament organized by B’nai B’rith International to celebrate Israel’s 60th anniversary.Last week, Ferrero-Waldner announced that the EU would deepen its political dialogue with Israel and involve the country more closely in several EU policies, as part of the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU’s framework foreign policy covering its eastern and southern neighbours.Israel was described as the front-runner among non-EU members participating in EU programs that range from scientific cooperation to trade integration.

A reflection group is considering areas where the future EU-Israel relations could be upgraded to a special status. But Patrick Child said that while Israel is a leading country in the European Neighbourhood Policy, the EU cannot ignore the political developments in the Mideast peace process. Speaking at the same event, Israel’s ambassador to the EU, Ran Curiel, praised the fact that after years of mistrust and suspicion, the EU and Israel have been able to develop a mature political dialogue.Israel and the EU have the same long-term interest, he added. But he ruled out the idea of Israel joining the European Union even if the Israeli population appears to favour such a plan. This is not in our cards. We have not asked to join the EU and we have not been asked to join, he said. The EU and Israel are linked by an association agreement which came into force in 2000. The EU is Israel’s main trade partner and an EU-Israel Association Council meets annually at ministerial level.This week's celebration of Israel’s anniversary in the framework of the European Parliament includes discussions hosted by MEPs on issues highlighting Israeli innovation in such fields as immigration absorption, development aid, environment and international cooperation.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy.The European Union and its place in the world – the current agenda College of EuropeBruges, 7 April 2008 By Commission Européenne (europa.eu.int) - April 08, 08 at 17:39

College of Europe Bruges, 7 April 2008

Professors,

Dear students,

Thank you for your kind invitation to visit the College of Europe and for this warm welcome today. And thank you Julia for those charming words of introduction. I am delighted to have this opportunity to speak here at this centre of European excellence which has produced so many of Europe’s leaders in the past and, I am sure, is now shaping those of the future. There is no shortage of challenges ahead as you begin your career in Europe. But the one which most concerns me is how best to strengthen the EU’s position in the world to respond to accelerating globalisation. After all, as John F Kennedy put it, Domestic policy can only defeat us; foreign policy can kill us!

I know you are already familiar with the EU’s external relations and the changes which are about to be implemented. So perhaps today I will give you the perspective of an insider, and share with you some of the issues on my mind. Four subjects are on the top of my agenda, not least because the French Presidency which begins in July has already indicated that these will be its priorities: first, preparing for the implementation of the Lisbon Reform Treaty and the changes it will introduce in the field of external relations; second, the revision of the European Security Strategy first drawn up in 2003; third, energy and climate change; and fourth, the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Mediterranean Union.

1) Implementing the Lisbon Reform Treaty

The major innovations the Treaty introduced in the field of foreign policy and external relations are well known – a new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who will also be double-hatted as a Vice-President of the European Commission; a President of the European Council who will be the external face of the EU on his or her level; and a new External Action Service to serve their needs and those of the Commission’s President. But of course what you don’t know, what indeed none of us yet know, is exactly how this will work out in practice. What is clear, however, is that three principles should guide us as we prepare the Treaty’s implementation: First, we must adopt a high level of ambition – if we want a secure and economically strong Europe playing a leading role in world affairs, we need a strong EU foreign policy. That means pushing for those arrangements which will give us the most coherent, effective and visible EU foreign policy possible. We must not lose sight of our overriding objective: the stronger we are, the more we can achieve.

Second, we have to take into account the existing institutional realities and ensure we are building on every institution’s strengths. That is how we will get the strongest possible system and thus the most effective foreign policy. Third, I am telling no secrets by saying that the fundamental obstacle to a more effective EU foreign policy is our Member States mustering the necessary political will to pursue the common EU interest. As we determine the set-up of the EU’s foreign policy we must keep in mind the need to help our Member States overcome that obstacle. 2009 will inevitably be a transitional year, with the entry into force of the new Treaty and the new institutional set-up that entails; a new Commission and European Parliament taking office; and the Treaty’s requirement that the new High Representative / Vice-President should finalise the proposals for the functioning of the External Action Service, which will then need to be agreed by the Commission as a whole, followed by the European Parliament and Member States.

The first challenge therefore will be ensuring the success of 2009 as the transitional year, ensuring everything necessary is in place for day one of the treaty’s implementation. And the full implementation of the External Action Service will follow in a second phase. The final proposals for the External Action Service will only emerge next year. However, three points seem clear to us now:

i) The system must be genuinely inclusive, enabling all Member States and EU institutions to play their role.

ii) Although it will be a sui generis service, it will need to be as close as possible to the Commission’s policy coordination, budgetary and administrative processes. This is the only way it will be able to effectively support the Vice-President in his or her task of coordinating the Commission’s external policy instruments, and in managing the external projection of internal policies like energy, environment, and transport.

iii) The new service, together with the EU delegations, should be the single source of advice and support for all EU actors, including the European Commission and European Council Presidents. That is the most efficient model to avoid duplication.

The simulation games you have played this semester will have given you an insight into the complexity of the issues at stake in the field of external relations and foreign policy so I am sure you can appreciate that there will be many difficult questions for the Commission, Council, Parliament and Member States to answer in the coming months. But we are determined to push ahead, and President Barroso and I will be working closely with the Council Secretariat, Member States and others to ensure the necessary political orientation is in place before the end of the French Presidency.

2) European Security Strategy

The second big issue on my mind is the revision of the EU’s 2003 Security Strategy. The Security Strategy’s basic focus on terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, failed states and organised crime is still valid five years on. But there are other global challenges which are not mentioned and should have been, like energy security, climate change and migration. Last December’s European Council tasked us with looking at how we could improve implementation of the current strategy and ensure the gaps are plugged. I believe that we need to add three objectives to the strategy, to ensure it fully reflects the EU’s security situation. These are: Addressing threats to our ability to maintain basic supplies and services (including energy security); Dealing with global issues such as climate change and migration; and Adopting a human security approach – putting people rather than nation-states at the centre of our concerns.

We need to ensure that the external dimension of internal policies is fully taken into account. For, in reality, the world has moved on since JFK made his statement about domestic and foreign policy. Now the two cannot be so easily separated. In this highly integrated world, events in one place have a direct and immediate impact on another. The very nature of what we consider “security” has changed.

3) Energy and Climate Change

That brings me to the third point on my agenda – energy and climate change.

I don’t need to explain to this audience the importance of energy security – you have all seen the rise and rise of the price of oil and the annual disputes between Russia and some of its neighbours over gas supplies. We are facing more competition from other consumer countries (China), and re-nationalisation of resources by producers. We clearly need to pay energy security more importance in the future, adjusting to the new World Energy Equation. That means diversifying our sources of supply, our transit routes and our internal energy mix. For that the EU needs a more proactive and coherent energy security diplomacy: addressing energy security in our political dialogue with all external partners; discussing and taking action to protect critical infrastructure and diversify supply routes; and building on the memoranda of understanding we have already signed with countries like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Egypt, and also Turkmenistan and Jordan. I am travelling to Turkmenistan tonight, and next week to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region to discuss energy issues.

An important part of our approach must also be internal – improving our internal market to give us more flexibility and solidarity, and accepting the need for more coordination and transparency to enable us to speak with one voice towards our external partners. That is why the new Treaty provision on energy solidarity is so important.

The Commission will propose concrete policy measures on securing energy supplies and our external energy policy in the 2nd Strategic Energy Review in November. Climate change is intimately linked with energy security, and an international security issue in its own right. You will have noted that at the last European Council Europe’s leaders discussed a paper prepared jointly by the Commission and Council which focused precisely on the issue of climate change and international security. Climate change is a threat multiplier that will increase risks for societies in almost every part of the globe. Climate change will exacerbate water and food scarcity, aggravate poverty, worsen health conditions, and potentially generate increased resource competition (as we saw in last summer's muscle flexing over the Arctic). If the weakest countries cannot adapt, it may even lead to more forced migration and possibly radicalization and state failure causing internal and external security risks. For that reason our paper made a number of recommendations for addressing this issue: taking mitigation and adaptation measures on the ground; working closely with the UN to internationalise the response – i.e. strengthening effective multilateralism in the run-up to Copenhagen 2009, also under Japan’s G8 Presidency; engaging our partner countries in all relevant fora; and finally mainstreaming climate change into all EC policies.

4) ENP and the Mediterranean Union

I understand that last month you undertook an intensive course on the EU’s Neighbourhood Policy, so you will have understood the context in which we released our latest country reports last week.

I know several of you also come from ENP partner-countries and were responsible for the Noisy Neighbours week earlier this year – certainly a highlight in the College's long tradition of student parties! I am delighted that you have benefited from EU scholarships to attend this eminent institution. ENP continues to prove its worth – showing that our policy of encouraging and rewarding reform does have an impact on our neighbours and is bringing them closer to us. Our goal of promoting stability, security and prosperity for our neighbours, and thus also for ourselves, is more relevant than ever. ENP will therefore remain an important priority in the months ahead. In particular, I plan to move ahead with four avant-garde countries (Ukraine, Israel, Morocco and Moldova), with whom we want to deepen relations specifically. The French Presidency has already made clear its desire to reinforce the multilateral element of our relations in the South. So the last European Council proposed that the Barcelona Process be given a boost by a new Union for the Mediterranean.

This political impulse is welcome. The aim is to build on the achievements of the Barcelona Process to intensify our cooperation with the region and strengthen key bilateral relationships. Clearly, we must focus on added value – e.g. by better involving the private sector. Also, it is crucial that all EU Member States and institutions are fully involved. We are currently preparing proposals on how this will work with a view to the Summit that will take place in Paris in July. So in short: It’s not a question of competing with existing institutions but rather of finding ways to go further in our relations. So the focus will be on regional projects. In thinking about those projects we will be talking to all the EU’s member states and our partner countries, but I can imagine an emphasis on common areas of concern like developing infrastructure interconnections and promoting regional cohesion, economic integration and environmental protection. After all, our common objective is to strengthen our relations across and around our mare nostrum, the Mediterranean region that we all share. This will also be reflected in the planned Co-Presidency of this Union from a Northern and Southern country.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

These are the issues which are on the top of my agenda at the moment, but there are many other topics of burning importance.

Peace in the Middle East continues to elude us, but as a member of the Middle East Quartet and co-chair of the Paris Donors’ Conference, I am hopeful that we will be able to make progress on the ground as soon as possible, not least on access and movement for the Palestinians as well as on Israeli settlements (which are an obstacle to peace). EU support – both political and financial – will remain crucial for the development of a democratic and viable Palestinian state (esp. through our financial mechanism Pegase).

Furthermore, our relations with Russia are of great importance, and we are faced now with a moment of opportunity as a new President enters the international stage. Let us take president-elect Medvedew at his word. And of course, Afghanistan, relations with China and other issues remain high on my agenda. Beyond that there is an important Summit next month with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and a whole host of thematic issues – especially women and security – which are an important focus of my work – as reflected in the major conference of female leaders which I hosted in March. I hope you have a flavour now for the current debate in the corridors of Brussels’ institutions and of the kinds of issues which await you when you graduate later this year. Europe needs you - its young generation - to help it operate more effectively in a globalized world. And let me say how pleased I am that the College has added the International Relations and Diplomacy strand to its curriculum. As Isaac Goldberg joked, Diplomacy is to do and say the nastiest things in the nicest way – an important skill! More seriously, I am convinced this will make an essential contribution to building up the European Union’s identity and power on the world stage. And I hope you will be even more inspired to do all you can to play your part, now and in the future. By Commission Européenne (europa.eu.int)

EU Urges Bloc to Back EU Membership for Serbia
By VOA News 08 April 2008

The European Union is urging member-nations to back steps necessary for eventual Serbian membership in the bloc. Javier Solana gestures while addressing the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament in Brussels, 08 Apr 2008.Foreign policy chief Javier Solana says a pre-membership agreement should be signed ahead of Serbian parliamentary elections next month. Solana told the European Parliament Tuesday in Brussels that Europe must send a clear signal that the Serbian people are wanted in the union.

He said the pre-membership Stabilization and Association Agreement would boost prospects for pro-Western candidates in the May 11 polls.The Netherlands and Belgium have blocked a pre-membership pact with Belgrade, demanding first the arrest and transfer of wartime Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic and his military commander, Ratko Mladic. Both fugitives have been charged with war crimes during the Balkan wars of the 1990s, and are thought to be hiding in the region.Anti-Western sentiment has intensified in Serbia since the United States and most EU nations recognized Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in February. Belgrade has responded by withdrawing its ambassadors from those countries.The upcoming Serbian polls were triggered by the collapse of Belgrade's ruling coalition over Kosovo.Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

Palestinian attack kills 2 Israelis By YANIV ZOHAR, Associated Press Writer APR 9,08

NAHAL OZ, Israel - Palestinian militants crossed into southern Israel and killed two Israeli civilians in a surprise attack before fleeing back to the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army said. The army rushed forces across the border into northern Gaza. Israeli police said at least one of the militants who attacked the Israeli terminal delivering fuel to the Gaza Strip was killed.We are surrounded by tanks. It's a war out there, said Munther Rahmi, a worker on the Palestinian side of the border.The attack on the Nahal Oz terminal upset a recent period of calm.There had been a sharp drop in fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants since Israel ended a broad military offensive early last month. Egypt has been trying to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas militants.Israel, the sole provider of fuel to Gaza, sealed the border after Hamas seized control of the area last June.

Wednesday's attack could bring a new round of fighting. Two smaller militant groups, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees, claimed responsibility for the attack, but Israel has said it holds Hamas responsible for all violence coming out of Gaza.

We are talking of a unique and complicated operation, said Islamic Jihad spokesman Abu Ahmad. He said details would be released later, but Israeli media said the militants had fired a series of mortar shells before the infiltration to divert Israeli attention.Hamas threatened Tuesday to burst across the Israeli border to end Israel's blockade of Gaza.

FALSE TEACHERS,PROPHETS,DECIEVERS

MATTHEW 24:4-5,11,24-25
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.

1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

MARK 13:22-23
22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

2 TIMOTHY 3:13
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Sect accused of marrying pubescent girls By MICHELLE ROBERTS, Associated Press Writer APR 9,08

ELDORADO, Texas - The scared girl, already a mother at 16, whispered into a cell phone: she wanted out. She'd been forced to spiritually marry a man more than three times her age, becoming his seventh wife. Her husband sexually assaulted her, and when he was angry, he would beat her while other women held her infant, she told a family violence shelter in a series of secret calls that triggered an investigation of the polygamist sect here.The girl had looked for opportunities to escape before, but she was warned that outside the double-gates blocking entry to the Yearning For Zion Ranch, in a world completely foreign to her, she would be forced to cut her hair and wear makeup, and to have sex with many men — all damning transgressions in a faith where modesty calls for women to wear long underwear year-round under pioneer-style dresses.At the end of one call she began to cry; she wanted to take it all back.

But child welfare officials allege in court documents released Tuesday that the compound built by leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was rife with sexual abuse, with girls spiritually married to much older men as soon as they reached puberty and boys groomed to perpetuate the cycle.

The documents detail the hushed phone calls, but days after raiding the West Texas compound, officials still aren't sure where the girl is. She is not named among the children in initial custody petitions by the state.Texas authorities have legal custody of 416 children, all of those believed to have lived at the ranch, Child Protective Services spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner told reporters in San Angelo, about 40 miles from the compound in Eldorado.Court documents said a number of teen girls at the 1,700-acre compound were pregnant, and all the children were removed on the grounds that they were in danger of emotional, physical, and-or sexual abuse. Nearly 140 women left on their own.Investigators determined that there is a widespread pattern and practice of the (YFZ) Ranch in which young, minor female residents are conditioned to expect and accept sexual activity with adult men at the ranch upon being spiritually married to them, read the affidavit signed by Lynn McFadden, a Department of Family and Protective Services investigative supervisor.McFadden said the girls were spiritually married to the men as soon as they reached puberty and were required to bear children.

Attorneys for the church and church leaders have filed motions asking a judge to quash the search on constitutional grounds, saying state authorities didn't have enough evidence and that the warrants were too broad. A hearing on their motion was scheduled for Wednesday in San Angelo.Church lawyer Patrick Peranteau did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Tuesday.An unknown number of men and women were at the ranch while authorities completed the search of the gleaming 80-foot-high temple, a cheese-making plant, a cement plant, a school, a doctor's office and housing units. Tela Mange, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety, said Tuesday the adults were not being held, but if they left the compound, they could not return while the search continued.At least two FBI agents were seen entering the back entrance of the temple on Tuesday.

Spokesmen for the FBI and DPS declined comment.

The compound was raided Thursday after the girl called a local family violence shelter March 29 and 30, using someone else's cell phone and speaking quietly to avoid being overheard, McFadden's affidavit said.The girl said she was not allowed to leave the compound unless she was ill. She told the shelter that her husband would beat and hurt her when he got angry, hitting her in the chest and choking her while another woman in the house held her baby. Once, he broke her ribs, she said.The girl also said her husband sexually assaulted her, and that she was several weeks pregnant. The girl told the shelter her husband went to the outsiders' world but she didn't know where. The girl's husband was not identified in the court documents released Tuesday. But authorities have issued an arrest warrant for church member Dale Barlow, a 50-year-old believed to be in Arizona. Authorities were looking for documents, family photos or even a family Bible with lists of marriages and children to determine whether the girl was married to Barlow, who was sentenced to jail last year after pleading no contest to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He was ordered to register as a sex offender for three years while he is on probation. Authorities were trying to determine the identities and parentage of many of the children; some were unwilling or unable to provide the names of their biological parents or identified multiple mothers.

The boys were groomed to be ready to marry underage girls upon adulthood and engage in sexual activity, resulting in them becoming new perpetrators, the affidavit said. Children in the sect were deprived of food and forced to sit in closed closets as a form of discipline, a warrant said. An FLDS member now living in the Texas Panhandle, Samuel Fischer, objected to the raid. It's religious persecution, said Fischer, who moved to a ranch near Lockney with his two wives and 12 of his children from Hildale, Utah, last year.

The Texas investigation is the state's first of FLDS members, but prosecutors in Utah and Arizona have pursued several church members in recent years, including sect leader Warren Jeffs, who is serving two consecutive sentences of five years to life for being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old wed to her cousin in Utah. He awaits trial on other charges in Arizona. Authorities investigating the Eldorado compound have described FLDS members as cooperative, but the house-by-house search of the temple, factories and living quarters has led to some trouble. On Monday, 41-year-old Leroy Johnson Steed was arrested on charges of felony tampering with evidence — a day after 19-year-old Levi Barlow Jeffs was arrested on misdemeanor charges of interfering with the duties of a public servant, said DPS spokesman Tom Vinger. He declined to give details on the arrests or how Levi Barlow Jeffs might be related to the FLDS leader. Associated Press Writer Betsey Blaney contributed to this report from Lockney and Associated Press Photographer Tony Gutierrez contributed to this report from Eldorado.

DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE 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.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) 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 KINGS OR NATIONS).

Colombia trade deal splits Clintons By CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press Writer Wed Apr 9, 2:25 AM ET

WASHINGTON - The presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that her husband, the former president, supports a free trade agreement with Colombia that she strenuously opposes. The acknowledgment adds new hurdles to the New York senator's bid to woo Democratic voters in Pennsylvania and elsewhere who believe free trade agreements have eliminated thousands of U.S. jobs. On Sunday, she demoted her chief campaign strategist for his role in promoting the Colombia pact.Hillary Clinton told union activists Tuesday she would do everything in her power to defeat the Colombia Free Trade Agreement now before Congress.Her campaign spokesman, Jay Carson, said in response to a query from The Associated Press that the senator's opposition is clear and firm. He added: Like other married couples who disagree on issues from time to time, she disagrees with her husband on this issue. President Clinton has been public about his support for Colombia's request for U.S. trade preferences since 2000.

Bill Clinton has been his wife's most prominent campaign surrogate and advocate for months.A high point of his presidency was passage of the North America Free Trade Agreement, which his wife now criticizes at virtually every campaign stop. White House records show that as first lady Hillary Clinton attended several meetings designed to build congressional support for NAFTA in the early 1990s. She says she had reservations about the pact at the time, and made her feelings known in such gatherings.Speaking about the Colombia trade deal Tuesday to a meeting of the Communication Workers of America, she said: As I have said for months, I oppose the deal, I have spoken out against the deal, I will vote against the deal and I will do everything I can to urge the Congress to reject the Colombia free trade agreement.On Sunday, Mark Penn left his post as top strategist for Clinton's campaign after it was reported that he had met with Colombia's ambassador to the United States to discuss passage of the agreement. Colombia was a client of Penn's large public relations firm, Burson-Marsteller.Many labor unions, including the CWA, oppose such trade deals, saying they displace U.S. jobs and encourage abuses of workers and the environment in other countries.As president, Bill Clinton's support of trade agreements with Mexico, Canada, China and other nations often put him at odds with fellow Democrats and labor leaders who backed a more protectionist approach. Clinton argued that Democrats should support lower barriers to trade because the nation, on balance, would benefit.

Many nonpartisan economists agree.

In 2005, the former president was paid $800,000 by Gold Service International, a Bogota-based business development group, for four days of appearances in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. The group supports, among other things, the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
Hillary Clinton's Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, noted his opposition to the Colombia deal Tuesday when he spoke to the CWA group moments after Clinton left the stage. He said he opposes the treaty because when organizing workers puts an organizer's life at risk, as it does in Colombia, it makes a mockery of our labor protections.President Bush on Monday sent the proposed Colombia deal to Congress, which has 90 days to ratify or reject it. The administration says it would help the United States by eliminating high barriers for U.S. exports to Colombia. Most Colombian products enter the United States duty free under existing trade preference laws, the administration says.Obama did not mention Penn in his 25-minute speech to CWA activists. But in a conference call arranged by his campaign, Teamsters President James Hoffa called on Clinton to cut all ties with Penn, who continues to advise her campaign.This latest issue with Mark Penn really hurts her credibility, especially on trade issues, said Hoffa, who supports Obama.In a separate conference call, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson likened Penn to a newspaper editor who plays an important role but isn't in charge of the paper.Earlier this week, aides said both Hillary and Bill Clinton were angry upon hearing of Penn's meeting with the Colombia's ambassador, which proved deeply embarrassing to the campaign.

Robots seen doing work of 3.5 million in Japan Tue Apr 8, 10:53 AM ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - Robots could fill the jobs of 3.5 million people in graying Japan by 2025, a thinktank says, helping to avert worker shortages as the country's population shrinks. Japan faces a 16 percent slide in the size of its workforce by 2030 while the number of elderly will mushroom, the government estimates, raising worries about who will do the work in a country unused to, and unwilling to contemplate, large-scale immigration.The thinktank, the Machine Industry Memorial Foundation, says robots could help fill the gaps, ranging from microsized capsules that detect lesions to high-tech vacuum cleaners.Rather than each robot replacing one person, the foundation said in a report that robots could make time for people to focus on more important things.Japan could save 2.1 trillion yen ($21 billion) of elderly insurance payments in 2025 by using robots that monitor the health of older people, so they don't have to rely on human nursing care, the foundation said in its report.

Caregivers would save more than an hour a day if robots helped look after children, older people and did some housework, it added. Robotic duties could include reading books out loud or helping bathe the elderly.Seniors are pushing back their retirement until they are 65 years old, day care centers are being built so that more women can work during the day, and there is a move to increase the quota of foreign laborers. But none of these can beat the shrinking workforce, said Takao Kobayashi, who worked on the study.

Robots are important because they could help in some ways to alleviate such shortage of the labor force.The current fertility rate is 1.3 babies per woman, far below the level needed to maintain the population, while the government estimates that 40 percent of the population will be over 65 by 2055, raising concerns about who will look after the graying population.Kobayashi said changes was still needed for robots to make a big impact on the workforce.There's the expensive price tag, the functions of the robots still need to improve, and then there are the mindsets of people, he said.People need to have the will to use the robots.
(Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Rodney Joyce)