OBAMA AT FLORIDA SYNAGOGUE

EARTH DESTROYED WITH THE EARTH

GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

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.

CHINA FINDS SURVIVORS
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China says quake death toll rises to 55,239 MAY 22,08

BEIJING (Reuters) - The death toll in China's worst earthquake in decades has risen to 55,239, Sichuan's vice governor Li Chengyun told a news conference in Beijing on Friday.

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.

Flooding forces evacuation in Prince George MAY 22,08

VANCOUVER (CBC) - About a dozen residents of a low-lying area of Prince George, B.C., have been ordered to leave their homes as the Fraser River continues to rise.The city declared the local state of emergency and ordered the residents of Farrell Street out of their homes as the river reached the 9.7 metre mark on Thursday.No homes are currently in danger, the city said in a statement. The evacuation order delivered to Farrell ... residents today has been issued due to concerns about residents losing access to their homes because of water spilling over the road surface.Portions of the upper Fraser River watershed received rainfall overnight.... As a result, upstream water levels began to rise again, and will keep the Fraser River through Prince George rising today and into tomorrow, according to an update by the B.C. River Forecast Centre released late Thursday morning.The last recorded water level for the Fraser River at South Fort George at 9 a.m. was 9.7 metres, and it is expected to rise to 9.9 metres, the statement said. The highest water level recorded last June was 9.86 metres, it added.

Meanwhile, residents of a trailer park in Quesnel, 120 kilometres south of Prince George, are being put on evacuation alert because of rising water on rivers and creeks.The alerts apply to low-lying areas of the Bartels Mobile Home Park.The city said residents should begin preparing for a possible evacuation.Some Quesnel-area trails and traffic loops are also closed because of flood risk. The city said it is actively monitoring high water levels on the Fraser and Quesnel Rivers, as well as on Baker Creek.Elsewhere in the province, river levels were stable in most areas, averting the possibility of more flooding, according to provincial officials.

Based on current forecasts, river levels were expected to ease slowly starting Thursday and continue to drop into the weekend in most areas.High stream flow advisories remain in place for the:
- South and central Interior.- Pine River (Chetwynd area).- Bulkley River (Smithers).Flood watch advisories remain in place for the:
- Kootenay, Boundary and Similkameen rivers.- Nicola and Coldwater rivers (Merritt).- Salmon River (Salmon Arm).- Eagle River (Malakwa).- Willow River (Upper Fraser).

Tornadoes rip through Colorado, Wyoming; 1 killed, widespread damage Thu May 22, 7:10 PMBy Ivan Moreno, The Associated Press

WINDSOR, Colo. - Tornadoes touched down in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming on Thursday, damaging buildings, flipping vehicles and killing at least one person. The National Weather Service said a large tornado touched down just after noon near Platteville, about 80 kilometres north of Denver. It then moved northward through or near several towns, tearing the roofs off buildings, downing power lines and crumpling farm equipment. A second tornado touched down later in near Johnstown, about 15 kilometres northwest of Platteville, the weather service reported. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Windsor, a farm town of about 16,000, appeared the hardest hit. Video footage showed a dark grey funnel perhaps 400 metres wide near the town with heavy hail and rain. At least one residential neighbourhood in Windsor appeared to have suffered heavy damage. Television footage showed several rail tanker cars lying on their sides in downtown Windsor. It passed right over us like a big, white monster, said 87-year-old Windsor resident Thomas Coupe. Weld County Sheriff John Cooke said a man was killed at a campground west of Greeley. He declined to say how the man was killed.

Emergency personnel were still trying to determine how many people were hurt, and how badly. At least seven people were taken to the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland with injuries, said hospital spokesman Gary Kimsey. The nature and extent of their injuries were not immediately known. We have every type of injury, broken bones, cuts, bruises, from everything from falling trees to broken glass hitting them, said Jolene Schneider, spokeswoman for the Windsor Fire Department. Only thing we are trying to figure out now is how many and how severe.Splintered wood, mangled metal and other debris cluttered roads, yards and agricultural fields in and around Windsor. About 130 children at a daycare centre in the town were reported safe after the storm passed through; playground equipment outside the centre was damaged. My house is gone, said Pete Ambrose, a caretaker at a Weld County campground outside Greeley. I lost my dog. I lost my cats. I lost my camper. I lost everything.Windsor resident Liz Meyer, 65, said she heard thunder and hail and rushed with her dog into her basement. Her house wasn't damaged, but a 20-metre tree was uprooted from two blocks away and dumped near her home. And look. It went into the street instead of into my house, Meyer said.

Police officers were going door to door through Windsor looking for survivors, said Greeley police Sgt. Joe Tymkowych. We're hoping to finish that by nightfall, Tymkowych said. Tymkowych said he was about a kilometre from the tornado as it swept through the western edge of Evans and Greeley, an area that is mostly corn fields.

It was a tornado that just sat on the ground, Tymkowych said. The amount of swirling debris and dust was just amazing, about a block, a block and a half wide. You could see debris just rotating, light poles, trees, you could see items being cast out from the sides, the edges of the tornado.Gov. Bill Ritter declared a state of emergency for Weld County, mobilizing the Colorado National Guard to assist with disaster response. Interstate 25, the state's main north-south highway, was closed for several hours after the storm before being reopened. Parts of state Highway 85, an alternate route, remained closed. Schools that had been locked down because of the storm reopened about an hour after it passed. Some 60,000 customers lost power in the area, but power was later restored to all but 15,000 of them, according to XCel energy. Meanwhile, National Weather Service meteorologist John Griffith said a tornado touched down in Laramie, Wyoming, on Thursday afternoon. Griffith, who works in the agency's Cheyenne, Wyo., office, said he had received reports that the storm had damaged a two schools and a Wal-Mart. Phone calls made to the Albany County School District and the local schools were not answered.

With all the activity going on right now, it's hard to get confirmation because there's a lot of excitement going on to say the least, Griffith said. But I'm confident in saying there was a touchdown.State troopers responded to reports of vehicles turned over on Interstate 80 in Laramie, a dispatcher with the Wyoming Highway Patrol said. On its website, the Wyoming Department of Transportation posted video showing a tractor trailer on its side and a boat that apparently had been blown off of a flatbed trailer on the interstate. The weather service issued a tornado warning for western Laramie County just before 3:30 p.m. The warning stated that law enforcement reported spotting a tornado about 15 kilometres southeast of Cheyenne. The department of transportation said several southeast Wyoming roads, including I-80 was between Cheyenne and Laramie, were closed because of severe weather.

Rain, floods cause deaths, evacuations in Chile
Thu May 22, 3:32 PM

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Four people were killed and close to 5,000 forced out of their homes amid heavy rain and flooding in central and southern Chile, and the evacuation figure could rise further, the government said on Thursday.Of those killed, two died in landslides, one was struck by a boulder and another was hit by a falling tree.Television images showed streets turned into rivers in the port town of Valparaiso, where 93 mm (3.7 inches) of rain fell in 24 hours during two storm fronts.Nearly 350 people were lodged in shelters, while most of the displaced were staying with friends and relatives, the government said.Parts of Chile experience downpours and flooding every year in the run-up to the Southern Hemisphere winter.We have information about a third system coming in, but the rains will be more moderate than in the first system, Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe told reporters.On a positive note, the rain has refilled reservoirs drained in recent months by one of Chile's worst droughts in decades.Authorities said the major Colbun reservoir, owned by the company of the same name and located in southern central Chile, has seen its levels rise beyond the historical average for May.Shares in the company, Chile's second-biggest electricity generator, rose with dam levels on Thursday, gaining 3.53 percent to 95 pesos a share in afternoon trade.Most affected by the rains this week have been Chile's Maule, Bio-Bio, Araucania and Los Rios regions.(Reporting by Antonio de la Jara; Additional reporting by Pav Jordan; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Death toll rises after tropical storm pummels Philippines
Wed May 21, 6:37 AM

Rescuers have unearthed more bodies in remote parts of northern Philippines after a tropical storm battered the region over the weekend.The Philippine disaster agency on Wednesday said the death toll from tropical storm Halong more than tripled to 37.Many of the dead were discovered after rescuers managed finally to reach distant villages in some of the worst-hit areas.The tropical storm made landfall Saturday in Pangasinan province, northwest of Manila, and left the Philippines on Monday.It ripped through the mountainous region with peak winds of up to 105 kilometres per hour, dumping rains and triggering floods.Chief weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz said Halong reached the strength of a typhoon when it hit Pangasinan and generated small tornadoes.In Manila, there were heavy rains but the main impact of the storm bypassed the capital city.The National Disaster Co-ordinating Council says more than one million people were affected by the storm, which damaged crops, toppled trees and left many areas without drinking water.

More than 200,000 were receiving rice and other food supplies, the disaster agency said in a report. The total storm damage is estimated at more than $80 million.Halong was the first storm to hit the archipelago this season, which is lashed by about 20 typhoons a year.With files from the Associated Press

SHROUD WRONGLY CONDEMNED
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=35669

EVIDENCE SHROUD IS REAL
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=17688

MUCH ABOUT HISTORY Shroud of Turin's age miscalculated?
Questions raised over faulty carbon-dating tests May 20, 2008
9:20 pm Eastern 2008 WorldNetDaily

Part of the image from the Shroud of Turin

The mystery of the Shroud of Turin, a 14-foot-long cloth that many thought may have been the burial cloth of Jesus until scientists reported radiocarbon dating established it as no older than Medieval times, is being resurrected.John Jackson, a physics lecturer at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, has convinced scientists who performed the age tests on the cloth housed in Turin, Italy, since the 1500s to consider his suggestion that those tests may have been faulty, according to a report in the Denver Post.The cloth long has posed mysteries because of its age and its negative image of a bloodstained and battered man who had been crucified. Believers claim it to be the miraculous image of Jesus, formed as he rose from the dead.That theory, however, took a serious blow in the late 1980s when scientists including those at an Oxford University laboratory performed the age-dating process on a fragment of the material and came up with the results that it was no older than the 13th or 14th century, more than a millennium after New Testament times.

But now Jackson, who runs the Turin Shroud Center of Colorado, a research organization, reports he has convinced Prof. Christopher Ramsey, head of the Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, to test Jackson's hypothesis that carbon monoxide contamination could have skewed the test results by more than 1,000 years, the Post said.The new tests will not involve actual portions of the shroud, but similar samples of linen, and are to determine whether the various conditions to which the shroud has been exposed, including outdoor exhibitions and the extreme heat of a 1532 fire that left the material scorched, would have changed the results, the Post report said.Jackson told the newspaper that even nominal contamination from environmental carbon monoxide could have affected the dating results.Science still has much to tell us about the shroud, Jackson told the newspaper. If we are dealing with the burial cloth of Christ, it is the witness to the birth of Christianity. But my faith doesn't depend on that outcome.Ramsey said there simply are questions that need to be answered about the cloth.David Rolfe, the director of a new documentary called Shroud of Turin told the newspaper that it either is authentic or a centuries-old hoax that today's state-of-the art science cannot decipher.The cloth is in the custody of the Vatican, which stores it in a protective chamber of inert gases in Turin's Cathedral of St. John. History reveals it was exhibited in France about 1360 by Georrfrey de Charney, a French knight who owned it then. It last was shown in 2000.Jackson led a research team in 1978 given access to the shroud and tests showed it was not painted, dyed or stained. The source of the faint brown discolorations that make up the negative image of a man never yet has been identified, he told the Post.It wasn't until the invention of photography centuries after the early exhibitions that a clearer positive image was revealed.

The original carbon dating at Oxford was duplicated at the same time in Zurich and at the University of Arizona in Tucson, officials said. Yet the newspaper reported Jackson has assembled evidence contradicting an age of only 800 years or so.

Among the findings he cites:

Bloodstains on the shroud are real, and the blood has not been degraded by heat.Historians say the stains are consistent with crucifixion, including puncture wounds from thorns and scourge marks from a Roman whip.A puncture wound in the man's side is consistent with a Roman spear. And the wound marks showing nail holes through the wrists and heels are consistent with Roman crucifixion.A textile restorer, Mechthild Flury-Lemberg, in 2002 announced the stitching found in the material had been seen in material from only one other source: the ruins of Masada, a Jewish settlement destroyed in A.D. 74. And the herringbone weave was common in the First Century but rare in Middle Ages.
Further, the newspaper reported, historians note the shroud's onetime owner, de Charney, was married to a direct descendant of a crusader from France who participated in the sacking of Constantinople.On Jackson's website, he also notes that tests have revealed pollens on the shroud from plants that grow only in the Middle East. He also addresses the carbon-dating issue.We presently think that the most fruitful avenue of research is that inspired by some scientists in Russia who have reported seeing major shifts in the radiocarbon date of linen samples that have been incubated at modest temperatures… This research is interesting because we know that the shroud endured a significant thermal event during a fire in 1532 while in Chambrey, France. The entire cloth has yellowed and in some places scorched and burnt.

The research site continued, Thus, based on the Russian studies, it is logical to suspect that the 1532 fire altered, perhaps significantly, the radiocarbon date of the shroud.WND reported in 2000 that evidence already was appearing calling into question the process of carbon dating on certain materials – textiles in particular.

FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS

REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Fast-moving California fire destroys 10 homesStory Highlights NEW: At least 50 homes were being threatened, California fire officials say Aggressive wildfire burning in Northern California's Santa Cruz Mountains. Local TV stations showing video footage of homes fully engulfed.Wildfire in Santa Clara County, moving toward Santa Cruz County

(CNN) -- An aggressive wildfire in Northern California's Santa Cruz Mountains had burned 2,000 acres Thursday, prompting rescues and evacuations in two counties, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.A wildfire in the Santa Cruz Mountains is causing mandatory evacuations for neighboring homes.1 of 2 Ten structures were destroyed, agency spokesman Herman Dekruyff said.At least 50 homes were being threatened, according to California fire officials. About 200 children at a 4-H Club camp were asked to take immediate shelter there. The Summit Fire began around 5:30 a.m. PT (8:30 a.m. ET) Thursday near Mount Madonna County Park in Santa Clara County. The wildfire, fanned by high winds and fueled by dry brush and trees, was moving toward Santa Cruz County, south of San Francisco.Five fixed-wing aircraft and four helicopters were conducting water drops on the fire, fanned by sustained winds of 15 mph to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Officials ordered a so-called Supertanker, a jumbo jet modified to battle fires from the air. State fire officials said at least 149 firefighters but likely many more were battling the blaze. Strike teams from across Northern California were being mobilized.Aerial video footage from local TV station helicopters showed structures and vehicles fully engulfed.

Notorious for their rugged terrain, the Santa Cruz Mountains are dotted with multimillion dollar homes.A Red Cross evacuation center was established at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, said Officer Dinah Phillips, a spokeswoman for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.CNN's Augie Martin contributed to this report.

Wildfire threatens homes in rural area of Calif. MAY 22,08

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A wind-whipped wildfire threatened several homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains on Thursday, forcing some evacuations. The blaze, first reported around 5:30 a.m., had grown to about 1,000 acres by midmorning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The flames sent a thick cloud of smoke into the air that could be seen miles away. The fire is in the mountain range that separates Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties south of San Jose, and the rural area is dotted with homes. At least 20 homes were threatened by the blaze, said Chris Morgan, a state fire prevention specialist. Our main priority is evacuations, getting people out safely, Morgan said. Then we can start working the perimeter of the fire.Firefighters were grappling with winds gusting up to 40 mph and heavy brush and timber, officials said. In Florida, a wildfire forced the evacuation of dozens of homes in the Deerhaven area north of Orlando. The blaze started Wednesday and has scorched more than 1,000 acres. It was 20 percent contained Thursday. The cause is not yet known.

OBAMA NEW PLAN OF ATTACK
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=7938247&ch=4226716&src=news

Obama discusses race, religion at Jewish temple
By Jeff Mason MAY 22,08

BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama explained the roots of his unusual name, listed some of his Jewish friends and voiced support for Israel on Thursday during a synagogue visit designed to shore up Jewish support for his U.S. presidential bid.

Obama, an Illinois senator and the front-runner for his party's White House nomination, has battled concerns among some Jewish Americans about his race, religion and views on Israel.Obama addressed those issues in a nearly two-hour meeting with Democrats and Republicans at a Jewish temple in Florida, a state that will be key to winning November's general election.There is not a single trace of me ever being anything more than a friend of Israel and a friend of the Jewish people, Obama said, telling the crowd not to believe fliers and e-mails that suggested otherwise.Judge me by what I say and what I've done. Don't judge me because I've got a funny name. Don't judge me because I'm African-American.Critics have raised doubts about Obama's commitment to the Jewish state and have floated rumors that he was a Muslim.Obama, who is a Christian, said as president he would bring an unshakable commitment to maintaining the American-Israeli bond, a mainstay of U.S. Middle East policy.

If you get one of these e-mails that says I'm a Muslim: not true, he told the crowd.The questions from the B'Nai Torah Congregation touched on Obama's policy proposals and his personal life. When asked about his name, Obama said it had the same roots as a similar Jewish one and meant one who's blessed.One questioner asked the Illinois senator to name close friends who were Jewish and pro-Israel.I hesitate to start listing them out, Obama said, cautioning against a stereotype that having acquaintances in a minority group meant you did not behave in a prejudiced way.He then identified a handful of close Jewish friends and advisers.

IRAN, RACE

Questioners also drilled him on his willingness to meet with U.S. foes like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has denounced Israel and denied the Holocaust occurred.Obama, while critical of the Iranian president, said direct diplomacy with Iran would be more effective than no engagement. I believe the policy of not talking to our enemies has not worked, he said.

Not everyone agreed.

I think that our commander in chief should not propose talks with someone who calls for the destruction of Israel, Stephen Lippy, 51, told Reuters.Some said they were concerned about Obama's support for the Jewish state before his visit but came away satisfied.I think today convinced me, said Aaron Levitt, 32, a rabbi and Democrat. I feel like he made it very clear that Israel's at the center of his Middle East policy and would be a very important ally in his presidency.Obama, who would be the nation's first black president, addressed the issue of race directly, saying he was concerned that a historic connection between African Americans and Jewish Americans had slipped.I want to make sure that I am one of the vehicles by which we can rebuild those bonds, he said.A sample of audience members said race would not affect their votes, while admitting it could be an issue for some.I think that people don't realize it, but I do think it's there, said Obama supporter Barbara Schneider, 55.As a Jew, would I vote for a black person? Sure, said Lippy. But ... my issue is will he be the best commander in chief when it comes to assisting Israel and our other Western democratic allies.

EU DICTATOR (WORLD LEADER)

REVELATION 17:12-13
12 And the ten horns (NATIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

REVELATION 6:1-2
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse:(PEACE) and he that sat on him had a bow;(EU DICTATOR) and a crown was given unto him:(PRESIDENT OF THE EU) and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(MILITARY GENIUS)

REVELATION 13:1-10
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(THE EU AND ITS DICTATOR IS GODLESS)
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.(DICTATOR COMES FROM NEW AGE OR OCCULT)
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death;(MURDERERD) and his deadly wound was healed:(COMES BACK TO LIFE) and all the world wondered after the beast.(THE WORLD THINKS ITS GOD IN THE FLESH, MESSIAH TO ISRAEL)
4 And they worshipped the dragon (SATAN) which gave power unto the beast:(JEWISH EU DICTATOR) and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?(FALSE RESURRECTION,SATAN BRINGS HIM TO LIFE)
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.(GIVEN WORLD CONTROL FOR 3 1/2YRS)
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,(HES A GOD HATER) to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.(HES A LIBERAL OR DEMOCRAT,WILL PUT ANYTHING ABOUT GOD DOWN)
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints,(BEHEAD THEM) and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.(WORLD DOMINATION)
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.(WORLD DICTATOR)
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.(SAVED CHRISTIANS AND JEWS DIE FOR THEIR FAITH AT THIS TIME,NOW WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE BUT DURING THE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH, PEOPLE WILL BE PUT TO DEATH (BEHEADINGS) FOR THEIR BELIEF IN GOD (JESUS) OR THE BIBLE.

DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come (ROMANS IN AD 70) shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMANS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he( EU ROMAN, JEWISH DICTATOR) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:( 7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,( 3 1/2 YRS) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

FINALLY THE ARABS WANT THE EU TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE PEACE PROCESS.

Abbas wants Europe to play vital role in Mideast peace process Thu May 22, 3:27 PM ET

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AFP) - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Thursday urged Europe to play an important political role in the Middle East peace process. We discussed the peace process, and we say frankly that we want Europe to have a role -- we insist on it, Abbas told a joint news conference with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.It's true that Europe offers economic support, but we also want it to play an important political role. It is geographically the closest to the Middle East and best understands the region, he said.The Middle East process was relaunched last November at a US-sponsored meeting in Annapolis with the aim of reaching an agreement by the time President George W. Bush leaves office next January.A breakthrough has yet to be achieved, and in private Palestinian officials accuse Washington of not exerting enough pressure on Israel to take the process forward.Kouchner earlier expressed doubts that Israel and the Palestinians will reach a peace accord this year.If one looks at the situation, we have reasons to be sceptical, he told the Palestinian newspaper Al-Ayyam in an interview published on Thursday.Kouchner told the news conference that the European Union must not just play the role of cashier to dispense money in aid to the Palestinians.We must stand by the side of our Palestinian and Israeli friends to participate in progress in the peace process... to be positive and to help, not to be anti-American, he said.

Kouchner, who met earlier in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, again called for Jewish settlement in occupied Arab land to cease.France's position is clear, he said. We are completely against the creation of new settlements and have always insisted to our Israeli friends that this must stop. We restated this position yesterday and today in Israel.He played down recent contacts between France and the Islamist Hamas movement which ousted Fatah forces loyal to Abbas from the impoverished Gaza Strip more than 11 months ago.There was only one meeting, you know about that and it is over, he said.

It was a simple contact aimed at gleaning information on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. It was not a political negotiation, Kouchner said of talks a senior retired diplomat had with Hamas leaders.The United States and the European Union refuse to talk to Hamas, which they consider to be a terrorist organisation.

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.(TRADE 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).

Poland and Sweden to pitch Eastern Partnership idea
22.05.2008 - 09:18 CET | By Philippa Runner

Poland and Sweden are to unveil joint proposals for a new eastern Europe policy at an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday (26 May), in a mini-version of France's Mediterranean Union.

The Eastern Partnership envisages a multinational forum between the EU-27 and neighbouring states Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Polish press agency PAP reports.The forum would aim to negotiate visa-free travel deals, free trade zones for services and agricultural products and strategic partnership agreements with the five countries. It would also launch smaller, bilateral projects on student exchange, environmental protection and energy supply, but would avoid the controversial topic of EU membership perspectives.Dictatorship Belarus could join at a technical and expert-level only. Russia would also be invited to cooperate on local initiatives, involving the Kaliningrad enclave for example.

Unlike the grander Mediterranean club, the eastern set-up would not have its own secretariat but would be run by the European Commission and financed from the 2007 to 2013 European neighbourhood policy budget. A commission official would be appointed as its special coordinator.Following the foreign ministers' debate, Warsaw hopes to secure formal approval at the EU summit in June and to start detailed work on the partnership by the end of the year.

Warm reception
Poland prepared the proposal with Swedish cooperation. The project was presented to the European Commission in recent days and met with a positive reaction, Polish foreign ministry spokesman Piotr Paszkowski said.The upcoming French EU presidency - keen to secure Polish support for its Mediterranean baby - is warming to the idea, with French leader Nicolas Sarkozy to hold talks with Polish prime minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw next week, PAP writes.Germany, the UK and the Netherlands have also voiced initial support, but Spain and Italy could prove problematic while Ukraine will have to be persuaded the partnership offers something better than the current EU neighbourhood package, Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza reports. The EU's eastern policy is of interest to the whole EU, Polish commissioner Danuta Hubner told the Rzeczpospolita newspaper. The weakness of [previous] northern, eastern or southern European Union policies was that they existed only in the sphere of interest of member countries in those regions.

Brussels to keep control of Mediterranean Union
21.05.2008 - 09:19 CET | By Honor Mahony

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Tuesday (20 May) unveiled plans for a Mediterranean Union, taking care to emphasise its low-key vision for the new political set-up.Rather than a radical shake-up of relations between the bloc and it southern neighbours, external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner said the proposals represented an upgrade in current relations and stressed that the EU's 13-year-old relationship with Mediterranean countries - known as the Barcelona process - remained valid.The new model will be formally launched on 13 July in Paris with a series of concrete projects, and foresees regular summits and ministerial meetings.The commissioner noted: It is very clear that this project is not directed against Turkey.When the idea for a new Mediterranean organisation was first floated last year by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who presented it as a far more dynamic and exclusive club, open only to states with a Mediterranean coastline, he tried to sell it as an alternative to EU membership for Turkey.

But his original vision was appreciated neither in Ankara nor several other EU capitals, including, most importantly, Germany, who was concerned it would pit northern member states against their southern counterparts.In March, all 27 EU leaders gave the nod to Mr Sarkozy's general idea but with some restrictive conditions - happily taken up by the commission, which was also not a fan of Mr Sarkozy's more elaborate plans.I see a possibility for a fusion that will be a success, and it will be the only way to make a success of this project, said Ms Ferrero-Waldner, of the Barcelona Process - Union for the Mediterranean as it is now supposed to be known. The new union will bring together 44 countries, including the 27 EU member states as well as Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Libya, Syria, Turkey and Albania, plus Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Monaco.The commission is suggesting that the structure be backed up by a new secretariat - the location of which remains to be decided - that will organise summits and help co-ordinate projects. The projects are to focus on areas such as infrastructure and the environment.The Mediterranean Union is to have a co-presidency from the EU and a Mediterranean country lasting two years.

EU to hold the reins
In an significant blow to France's grander vision for the project, the commission also suggested that the presidency on the EU side be kept firmly within existing EU structures.France had wanted to be a presidency country for the first two years, but the commission suggests the role should fall to the EU foreign minister or commission president, under the new EU treaty - keeping political control of the process firmly in Brussels' hands.Despite the reining in of the project, Paris welcomed the commission's plans.

The French authorities are delighted by the commission's presentation in such a short time, a statement said. A deeper examination of the commission's proposals must now take place.

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)

Ireland: Vote no to Lisbon Treaty and EU militarisation!MAY 22,08

THE TREATY of Lisbon was signed on 13 December 2007 at a summit in Lisbon, Portugal and is due to come into force in 2009, if successfully ratified by all EU member states. The treaty was drawn up to replace the draft European constitution after that was thrown out by voters in France and the Netherlands in 2005.Ireland will hold a referendum on the treaty on 12 June 2008. Joe Higgins, the Socialist Party TD (member of Irish Parliament) for Dublin West from 1997-2007, explains why the Socialist Party (CWI) in Ireland calls for a No vote.IN THE Lisbon Treaty, the provisions relating to the foreign policy of the European Union and the proposed military strategy have very serious and far-reaching implications. If Lisbon is ratified, no Member State could have an independent foreign policy that was in conflict with the EU majority.

This means that, even if a big majority of the Irish people vehemently opposed, let us say, a particular EU military action outside of Europe, the Irish government would be obliged to support that action internationally.Paragraph 27 of Lisbon states: The Member States shall support the Union's external and security policy actively and unreservedly in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity and shall comply with the Union's action in this area.

Not only that, but according to Paragraph 50, Irish embassies around the world would be obliged to propagate the official EU line. The diplomatic missions of Member States... in third countries and international organisations shall cooperate and shall contribute to formulating and implementing the common approach.

The supporters of the treaty try to cover this up by insisting that the Treaty recognises the right of neutral countries to opt out of any military campaign. This is true but they refuse to confirm that Ireland would be obliged to give political, moral and propaganda support. Of course, the word neutral is utterly debased and meaningless in the context of the Irish government's logistical support to the US Army at Shannon Airport in the criminal invasion and occupation of Iraq.Supporters of the treaty also pour scorn on the idea that the EU would ever be involved in an Iraq-like situation, claiming that the EU is entirely a project for peace. In fact, it is not at all far-fetched to warn of the militarisation of the EU as a step to backing up its economic weight around the world, in the same way as the United States uses its armed forces.

Military intervention
The Common Foreign and Security Policy paragraphs speak of advancing the vital interests of the EU and authorises military action abroad under a very wide range of headings, such as joint disarmament operations... military advice and assistance... tasks of combat forces in crisis management, and, of course, the fight against terrorism. In fact, the language of the Lisbon Treaty has uncanny echoes of that of the Bush administration in its justification for the invasion of Iraq.Nor is it far-fetched to sketch out an Iraq-like situation involving the EU. Recently, former British Prime Minister Blair, co-leader of the Iraq invasion, was mooted as one of the candidates for the new position of President of the European Council. According to the treaty, the President, who is appointed by the EU governments shall ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning the common foreign and security policy.No less than 15 EU Member States had troops in Iraq at some stage of the occupation. With right wing governments in power in the EU, with a character like Blair as the nominal head of the union and with vital interests at stake, ie the securing of raw materials and the profits of the major corporations, we can well imagine foreign military adventures.

Lisbon, in fact, carefully creates the structures for armed intervention abroad. It demands increased military spending, and organises an EU armaments industry under the newly formed European Defence Agency. It also allows groups of the more powerful military powers within the union to form military alliances among themselves which may then be authorised to act abroad on behalf of the EU. This would be an official EU operation and no matter what, Lisbon obliges all Member States to support it.

Waste
The militarisation strategy alone is reason enough to roundly reject the Lisbon Treaty. A No vote in this regard is a Yes to an end to the criminal waste of resources on armaments and to developing a foreign policy that is to the benefit of European workers and working people, the oppressed and the impoverished millions around the world.

Brussels synagogue to be dedicated as Great Synagogue of Europe by: EJP Updated: 21/May/2008 18:12

The Great Synagogue of Brussels, located on Rue de la Régence, in the centre of the Belgian capital, is often described as a stately Romanesque building. It was designed by architect Desire De Keyser and completed in 1878.

BRUSSELS (EJP)---European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and the chief rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, Sir Jonathan Sacks, will address a ceremony for the solemn dedication of Brussels main synagogue of La Régence as Great Synagogue of Europe.The event, on June 4, is to be hosted by the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), a body representing chief rabbis in Europe.

This traditional liturgical service of dedication will feature the world-renowned cantor Benjamin Muller, accompanied by the choir of the European Union. It will also include the reading of a specially drafted Prayer for Europe in Dutch and French and the unveiling of a special plaque inside the synagogue by President Barroso.The synagogue’s chief rabbi Albert Guigui will conduct the ceremony, to be attended by chief rabbis from a number of European countries, representatives from the EU institutions, the Brussels diplomatic corps and Belgian civil society, the CER said.The Great Synagogue of Brussels, which is located on Rue de la Régence, in the centre of the Belgian capital, is often described as a stately Romanesque building.It was designed by architect Desire De Keyser and completed in 1878.The facade features a three-storied gabled midsection flanked by four-story towers. This ornate building also houses several Jewish organizations, including the Consistoire and the Jewish community of Brussels. Around 20,000 Jews live in Brussels.

SEECP leaders vow to develop regional co-operation
22/05/2008

The 11 member nations of the South East Europe Co-operation Process adopted a declaration on Wednesday, pledging to further develop regional co-operation and joint efforts on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration. They also acknowledged their differences over Kosovo's independence. (AP, DPA, Balkan Insight, Sofia Echo, SNA, BTA, Dnevnik, ANA-MPA, Beta, B92, MIA, Makfax, Turkish Press, Bulgarian Government - 21/05/08)

Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev (centre) and the foreign ministers and heads of state of the South East European Co-operation Process (SEECP) attend the summit. [Getty Images]Leaders of the countries in the South East Europe Co-operation Process (SEECP) signed a joint declaration at the end of a summit in Bulgaria's Black Sea town of Pomorie on Wednesday (May 21st), pledging to further develop regional co-operation. They also affirmed the 11 nations' commitment to work together on the road to regional Euro-Atlantic integration. To me, it is of extreme importance that we managed to come up with a joint text … and send a clear message about the political will of all countries in the region to develop the co-operation process, aid Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, chairman of Wednesday's meeting. The summit, which marked the end of Bulgaria's year-long term at the helm, was attended also by presidents Branko Crvenkovski of Macedonia, Boris Tadic of Serbia and Vladimir Voronin of Moldova -- whose country will chair the loose grouping over the next 12 months. Greece and Montenegro were represented by their prime ministers, Costas Karamanlis and Milo Djukanovic. The other members of the organisation, established at Bulgaria's initiative in 1996, are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania and Turkey.

Taking over the SEECP chairmanship, the Moldovan president said EU integration is the top priority for his country. The SEECP is an effective instrument for our countries to promote a single policy to settle regional challenges and problems, Bulgaria's English-language daily Sofia Echo quoted Voronin as saying. The official agenda included the adoption of a report on Bulgaria's chairmanship of the SEECP and of the 2008-2009 working programme of the Regional Co-operation Council (RCC), whose Secretary-General, Hido Biscevic, also attended the meeting. Opening the summit, Stanishev urged countries in the region to make sure their different views on Kosovo's independence do not prevent achieving the region's common goals for the future. On Tuesday, there was a meeting of member nations' foreign ministers. Serbia's Vuk Jeremic blocked the adoption of a ministerial declaration that mentioned Kosovo in a context that might imply it is an independent country in the region. The Serbian delegation later criticised the Bulgarian chairmanship for giving the floor to Kosovo Foreign Minister Skender Hiseni, insisting that only UNMIK could speak on behalf of the former Serbian province. Tadic and Jeremic walked out of the meeting after UNMIK political director Jolyon Naegele allowed Hiseni to address the forum. Jeremic has reportedly sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, demanding that the UNMIK official be sanctioned for violating the organisation's instructions. The UN's explicit instruction is that UNMIK representatives are not authorised to give the right to speak to representatives of the interim Pristina institutions, Jeremic told Belgrade-based B92. Naegele violated that direct instruction. We filed a formal protest and we expect disciplinary action to be taken against him for this.This content was commissioned for SETimes.com