2 QUAKES - BERTHA - G8 - FIRES

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.

Strong quake jolts southern Japan 08 Jul 2008 08:07:21 GMT
Source: Reuters (Adds details)

TOKYO, July 8 (Reuters) - A strong earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 6.0 jolted southern Japan on Tuesday, a government agency said, but there was no risk of a tsunami.The focus of the tremor was in the ocean 50 km (31 miles) below the surface off the island of Okinawa, which is around 1,600 km (1,000 miles) southwest of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.Public broadcaster NHK said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage and video footage from Naha, the island's capital, showed streets looking normal, with cars on the roads.Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. (Reporting by Masayuki Kitano and Isabel Reynolds)

July 8, 2008 Magnitude 6 quake strikes southern Peru

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.0 earthquake rattled southern Peru on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.The epicenter of the quake was located 33 miles north-northwest of Arequipa, Peru, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was recorded at a depth of 46 miles (74 km). Earlier, the agency said the quake measured 6.1 on the Richter scale.There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, but magnitude 6 quakes are capable of causing severe damage.Arequipa, which lies about 445 miles southeast of the capital Lima, is Peru's second-largest city. The historic center of the city was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

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.

LATEST MIDWEST FLOODS EXPOSE LESSONS UNLEARNED
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20080708/cm_usatoday/latestmidwestfloodsexposelessonsunlearned;_ylt=ArotJWvCGoM3t8hTLcyOzpas0NUE

Hurricane Bertha weakens to Category 2 storm JULY 8,08

MIAMI - Forecasters say Hurricane Bertha has weakened to a Category 2 storm. As of 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, the center of the storm was about 660 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and about 975 miles southeast of Bermuda.Maximum sustained winds decreased to 105 mph with some higher gusting. The storm is expected to continue weakening over the next couple of days. The Atlantic season's first hurricane is headed to the northwest at about 10 mph.Bertha is expected to continue heading toward Bermuda. Forecasters urged people on the island to continue monitoring the storm's progress. It's unknown if or when the hurricane will make landfall.The Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.

15 dead or missing in landslides in southwest China Mon Jul 7, 11:22PM ET

BEIJING (AFP) - Up to 15 people were dead or missing after torrential rains in southwest China triggered landslides in mountainous areas toppling houses and burying villagers, state press said on Tuesday. Nine people were confirmed dead and six others were missing since the rains last week set off mud and rock slides engulfing the Liangshan prefecture in Sichuan province, Xinhua said.Fatalities could rise as rescuers sought to dig out at least six villagers buried beneath the debris of five toppled houses in one area, the report said.Six of the confirmed fatalities occurred in Long'en village which was swamped by 223 millimetres of rain (8.9 inches) over the five-day period, the report said.

China is deluged by torrential rains each summer as rivers coming down from its mountainous western regions swell and flood rural farmlands in the east, killing hundreds every year.At least 12 people were killed in the central Hubei province and six in southwestern Yunnan due to torrenital rains over the weekend, Xinhua said.More than 250 people died when torrential rains and flooding swept China last month, the China Daily reported over the weekend.

ND tornado destroys 6 homes, warning sounded JULY 8,08

ROLLA, N.D. - Residents say they were warned well before a tornado struck their small town, destroying six homes and damaging others.

Sheila Zinke said the sounding of the town's tornado siren Monday gave her and visiting relatives time to get to shelter.I was watching it from my basement, and I actually saw it come across the north section of town, Zinke said.Officials said besides destroying the six homes, the tornado damaged about 10 other buildings, including an apartment complex, in the community of about 1,500 people.The twister was produced by a storm system that also knocked out power in parts of central Minnesota and Wisconsin. A 16-year-old boy died early Tuesday at Watertown, Wis., after being struck by lightning on his family's farm, officials said.Officials in Rolla said a firefighter was treated for minor injuries, and a man injured by falling bricks in nearby Belcourt was taken to a hospital in Minot. The injured man's condition was not released.

Rolla's high school principal, Randy Loing, said his home doesn't have a basement so he headed to a friend's house with his sons, ages 9 and 10.As we were driving down the street, we saw the funnel cloud coming from the west, Loing said. Just after we got into the basement, the wind came up, it got dark and my ears popped from the pressure. I tackled my kids to the floor, laid on top of them, and in 10 seconds it was pretty much over.

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.

HAWAII VOLCANO ERUPTS
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HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Monday, July 7, 2008 08:19 HST (Monday, July 7, 2008 18:19 UTC)
KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW#1302-01-)19.42°N 155.29°W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)Volcano Alert Level: WATCH Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

This report on the status of Kilauea volcanic activity, in addition to maps, photos, and webcam images (available using the menu bar above), was prepared by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park status can be found at http://www.nps.gov/havo/ or 985-6000. Hawai`i County Viewing Area status can be found at http://www.lavainfo.us or 961-8093.

Activity Summary for last 24 hours: A substantial new breakout opened up inte the TEB rootless shield field just before midnight which apparently diverted lava from the tube and cut off the Waikupanaha ocean entry. Both Kilauea summit and PuuOo cone are deflating. Small amounts of ash and elevated amounts of sulfur dioxide gas continued to issue from the Halemaumau vent. At the east rift eruption site, an unusually high amount of sulfur dioxide gas issued from PuuOo crater; more lava than usual continued to erupt from the TEB vent area and flow into the tube system.

Last 24 hours at Kilauea summit: A white plume is rising from the Halemaumau vent and being blown to the southwest about 300-400 m (1,000-1,300 ft) above the Kau Desert this morning. Overnight, vent incandescence continued to pulse approximately every 4 minutes.

Small amounts of ash continued to be carried by the plume. This morning's sample had spherical and rod-shaped glassy bits with rock dust and some mud; the mud must have originated within the vent because it didn't rain last night.The SO2 emission rate remained high and variable; the most recent average measurement was 1,400 tonnes/day on July 6 compared to 1,300 tonnes/day on July 4 and a pre-2008 background rate between 150-200 tonnes/day. The summit tiltmeter network continued to record deflation of a source beneath the south caldera. GPS receivers on opposite sides of the summit caldera recorded continuing contraction; the rate of contraction, although preliminary, appears greater than in the past several months.Seismic tremor is at moderate levels with episodic bursts reaching elevated values. The amplitude of the tremor bursts returned to pre-6/27/08 levels. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes beneath Halema`uma`u Crater is elevated at 70/d compared to recent background values of 30-40/d. One earthquake was located beneath Halemaumau Crater and another was on south flank faults.

Last 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continued to degas at shallow levels beneath Pu`u `O`o resulting in an unusually high emission of 4,800 tonnes/day of sulfur dioxide on July 6, up from 3,100 tonnes/day on July 4 and background values of about 2,000 tonnes/day. The webcam recorded very diffuse incandescence within PuuOo crater last night.The tiltmeter on the north side of PuuOo cone recorded minor oscillations before about five hours of minor inflation starting just before midnight. Preliminary GPS data suggests another switch to weak extension last night. Seismic tremor levels at abruptly doubled last night around 11:20 pm near the TEB vent. These geophysical signals correlated well with the appearance of a substantial new breakout from the the rootless shield field last night starting around 11:16 pm.Lava enters the tube system under the TEB vent and normally flows beneath the rootless shield complex through tubes to the ocean. Incandescence was observed from the TEB vent and two of the uppermost rootless shield in the form of short flows, as mentioned in the previous paragraph. This morning, CD officials reported the absence of a plume from the Waikupanaha ocean entry; the combination of lack of plume with the new vigorous upslope breakout may mean that the tube supply to the ocean has been disrupted. An overflight is planned for this morning.

Definitions of terms used in the update:

Volcano Watch: weekly newspaper-like article written by HVO scientists on a volcano topic of interest. These articles are usually printed in the Sunday editions of the Hawaii Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today. More than 800 of these articles have been written and are archived on the HVO website (look at the bottom of the homepage hvo.wr.usgs.gov).

VLP seismic tremor: seismic tremor is continuous ground vibrations simultaneously at many different frequencies. VLP is a very long period or very low frequency component which, at the Halema`uma`u vent, has a period of 20-30 seconds or a frequency of 0.03-0.05 cycles per second (Hertz or Hz).RB2S2BL earthquakes: earthquakes that were recorded but too small to be located. These quakes have magnitudes less than 1.7 and may only be recorded on one or two seismometers. Recording at a minimum of 4 seismometer sites is required to locate an earthquake.wink: an abrupt shutting off of incandescence at a vent lasting for several minutes. At the Halema`uma`u vent, winks usually start with or immediately follow a small, local earthquake. The diminishment of incandescence is hypothesized as a covering of incandescent surfaces by rockfall debris that takes a few minutes to heat back up to incandescent temperatures.tonne: metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.6 lbs, or 1.1 English tons.microradian: a measure of angle equivalent to 0.000057 degrees.ppm: parts-per-million; 10,000 ppm = 1 %.

littoral cone: usually small cones built near active ocean entries; the cones are constructed of tephra from steam explosions that are sometimes produced when 1,150 degree C lava enters the 25 degree C ocean.incandescence: the production of visible light from a hot surface. The color of the light is related to the temperature of the surface. Some surfaces can display dull red incandescence at temperatures as low as 430 degrees Centigrade (806 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, molten lava displays bright orange to orange-yellow light from surfaces that are hotter than 900 degrees C (1,650 degrees F).tephra: all material deposited by fallout from an eruption-related plume, regardless of size.ash: tephra less than 2 mm (5/64 inches) in size. TEB: Thanksgiving Eve Breakout, the designation used for lava flows that started with a breakout on November 21, 2007.DI tilt event: DI is an abbreviation for deflation-inflation and describes a volcanic event of uncertain significance. DI events are recorded by tiltmeters at Kilauea summit as an abrupt deflation of up to a few microradians in magnitude lasting several hours to 2-3 days followed by an abrupt inflation of approximately equal magnitude. The tilt events are usually accompanied by an increase in summit tremor during the deflation phase. A careful analysis of these events suggests that they may be related to changes in magma supply to a storage reservoir at less than 1 km depth, just east of Halemaumau crater. Usually, though not always, these changes propagate through the magma conduit from the summit to the eruption site, as many of the DI events at Kilauea summit are also recorded at a tiltmeter at PuuOo, delayed by 1-2 hours. DI events often correlate with lava pulses and/or pauses in the eruption at the PuuOo/July 21/TEB vents.

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.

WILDFIRES BREAKING CALIFORNIA
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Dry, hot weather threatens California fire gains By CHRISTINA HOAG, Associated Press Writer JULY 8,08

LOS ANGELES - Firefighters faced worsening weather conditions Tuesday that pushed flames across firebreaks in parts of California and chased residents out of one small community. The change came from a high pressure system setting up over the entire West, said Mike Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. So in addition to the very warm temperatures we're getting, we'll also be getting a little bit of offshore wind ... which keeps the moist marine air from coming inland.Gusting wind during the night blew flames across fire lines in the Sequoia National Forest east of Bakersfield, damaging some outbuildings and maybe a residence, fire information officer Barbara Dougan said Tuesday morning.North of Sacramento, hundreds of residents were leaving the small town of Concow on Tuesday after authorities issued an immediate evacuation advisory because of shifting wind.

The blaze north of Sacramento, part of a complex of fires that had burned over more than 45 square miles, was listed as 55 percent contained.However, the turn toward hot and drier weather comes as three other major forest blazes — the one in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Bakersfield, one above the city of Goleta west of Santa Barbara and another at Big Sur — were all less than half contained.Those fires, considered the most dangerous, were among more than 300 still uncontained from some 1,780 that have charred more than 960 square miles of California in two weeks. Most were started by lightning but several are believed to have been human-caused. Some 100 structures statewide have been destroyed. One firefighter died of a heart attack.The 15-square-mile fire near Goleta was 35 percent contained Tuesday, mostly on its southern side near residential areas. It had destroyed four outbuildings and two firefighters suffered minor injuries.More than 2,000 residents were allowed to return home Monday, said Roger Aceves, Goleta's mayor pro tem. However, residents of about 275 homes remained under mandatory evacuation orders Tuesday and 3,200 other homes were in areas where residents had been warned to be ready to leave.Crews fighting the Goleta fire were not immediately facing the windier, drier weather.Overall, the fire has calmed down in our most populated areas, fire spokeswoman Pat Wheatley said Tuesday morning. Right now, we have a good fog layer, which is to our advantage but temperatures were expected to top 100 degrees in the area, she said.Crews also faced sundowner winds that have been routinely gusting in the late afternoons, she said.Some mandatory evacuation orders and warnings to be ready to leave remained in effect for scattered homes on the fire's growing western flank on the Santa Ynez Mountains in the region about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles.Officials for the 125-square-mile blaze near Big Sur and the 48-square-mile fire in the Sequoia National Forest east of Bakersfield said those blazes won't be controlled for at least two more weeks.

The fire near Big Sur was 18 percent contained and raging through the remote Ventana Wilderness where difficult access made it hard to build containment lines, said Jim Turner, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service.A mandatory evacuation remained in effect for all residents of Big Sur.Associated Press writers Juliana Barbassa, Marcus Wohlsen and Raquel Maria Dillon contributed to this report.

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).

EU won over to France's hard line on immigration and asylum
RENATA GOLDIROVA 07.07.2008 @ 17:41 CET

EU interior ministers have thrown their weight behind French-drafted proposals that aim to give the 27-nation bloc new tools to crack down on clandestine migrants, rejecting concerns that they are erecting a wall around Europe.We can't leave immigration in complete disorder, it has to be organized," EU home affairs commissioner Jacques Barrot said on Monday (7 July), after a first informal meeting of 27 EU interior ministers under the French EU presidency.It is necessary to have a Europe that is of course open, but a Europe with rules of the game, a Europe that remains a land of asylum, but that does that in a harmonised manner, Mr Barrot added, according to Reuters. France, which holds the six-month EU rotating presidency for the second half of 2008, is pushing for a so-called European Pact on Immigration and Asylum - an agreement setting out common EU guidelines for how to cope with rising numbers of migrants wanting to make their home in Europe. Brussels officials estimate that some eight million undocumented migrants are currently in the EU.

The French proposal suggests that the organisation of legal immigration be based on a state's needs and ability to welcome people. Those illegally staying in the EU could be forced to return to their home country.Additionally, refugees seeking asylum will be to a greater extent required to apply for refugee status in advance of setting foot on European territory, although the EU claims it will also boost aid to those countries from which people tend to flee.Finally, EU states should avoid legalising the situation of irregular immigrants by handing out residency permits en-masse. Both Italy and Spain have recently announced such general amnesties.

In the run up to Monday's ministerial meeting, Madrid was seen as most reluctant to embrace the French proposals, but changed its mind after France dropped the idea of compulsory integration contracts.The contracts would have made it obligatory for immigrants to adopt so-called national and European values, as well as to take compulsory language lessons. We are satisfied. We believe that this recognises the major part of our model of immigration, Spanish interior minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba was cited as saying by AFP.According to his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schaeuble, the EU has to fight illegal immigration and supervise legal migration. I can't see any walls around Europe, the minister added.The same message came from Luxembourg minister Luc Frieden, who said: It's not about building a wall. Europe alone can decide who should enter. We should have drawn up a pact like this 10years ago.France wants the guidelines to be wrapped up by October so they can receive a final go-ahead from EU leaders meeting for their regular autumn summit.

EU agrees to publish oil stocks on a weekly basis
HONOR MAHONY JULY 8,08 Today @ 17:25 CET

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU finance ministers on Tuesday (8 July) agreed to publish reports on their oil reserves on a weekly basis in a bid to reassure traders and reduce the soaring fuel prices.

French finance minister Christine Lagarde - whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency - said the move to be more transparent about stocks would make it easier to get a more coherent picture of what is happening on the oil market, with most member states currently publishing this information on a monthly basis.The European Commission is to outline exactly how countries will go about doing this in a report to be published in October.The move is supposed to add some predictability to the market with some analysts suggesting that speculators are driving up the fuel prices.

However, others say it is simply a question of supply and demand - a view put forward by EU internal market commissioner Charlie McCreevy who argued after the meeting that while speculative investors could lead to some short-term volatility it is the fundamentals of the market (...) which are the main drivers.The huge hike in oil prices which have led to strong protests across Europe in recent weeks by truckers and fishermen were subject to lengthy exchanges during the finance ministers' meeting.After the discussions, it emerged that France is still using its weight as EU presidency country to push ahead with its idea of capping VAT levels on oil prices in order to ease the burden on consumers. This step is strongly opposed by Germany and the European Commission which fear it sends out the wrong signal at a time when citizens ought to be cutting down on their oil consumption for environmental reasons.In a reference to the VAT cap, the French finance minister urged her counterparts to look at all measures and to think outside of the box when it comes to possible steps on oil prices with the issue set to be discussed once more in autumn. Other suggestions include a Tobin Tax – a tax on currency transactions aiming to limit speculation – and a Robin Hood tax – an extra levy on oil companies profiting from rising fuel prices.

Regulating credit rating agencies

EU finance ministers also agreed to regulate credit rating agencies in the wake of the US subprime mortgage crisis.Critics said that the agencies had been too slow to warn investors of the unfolding crisis leaving them with almost worthless investments.Internal market commissioner McCreevy said he would come forward with a legislative proposal in October and would concentrate on areas such as registration of agencies, disclosure and conflict of interest.

Joint police stations in tourist areas proposed
RENATA GOLDIROVA JULY 8,08 Today @ 08:13 CET

EU presidency France has suggested that popular tourist destinations in member states be staffed with police from all over the bloc. The proposal was presented by French interior minister Michele Alliot-Marie as she hosted an informal meeting with her European counterparts in Cannes, France, on Monday (7 July). These would not be monstrous mega-police stations, but rather offices where people from a foreign country can come and be assisted when they have something nasty happen to them, if they've been attacked or had their pockets picked, and where they will be well looked after, Ms Alliot-Marie said, according to media reports.In practice, the proposal would allow for police officers from Germany – for example - to be stationed with Czech police forces in Prague in order to assist German citizens – something that could also be applied for big sport events.According to Euronews, France is set to launch a pilot project in the pilgrim city of Lourdes when the Pope comes to visit in September. French and Italian police will be operating in Paris, Versailles and Nice ahead of and during the papal visit.That's part of what Europe is about, the French minister said, reflecting Paris' efforts to revive a positive vision of the EU among French citizens.The proposal has received a cautious welcome, with cross-border police co-operation traditionally a very sensitive issue for EU capitals.

According to Irish justice minister Dermot Ahern, it has some merit given the horrendous problems some Irish embassies face during holiday seasons. However, he also pointed to the type of powers visiting officers would have as something that needs to be carefully sorted out, the Irish Times reports. Czech interior minister Ivan Langer has praised the idea, saying his country already provided ten police officers to help its citizens in Croatian resorts in the past. We have an excellent beer in the Czech Republic, so you drink quite a lot ... If you are French, I can imagine it's pleasant to meet a French policeman who speaks your language and who will assist you and bring you to your hotel, he was cited as saying by the Irish paper.But William Hague, UK shadow Foreign Secretary, has expressed some doubts. At a time when police resources are being stretched by rising violent crime, scattering officers across Europe on an EU public relations exercise can hardly be the best use of police time, he told the Daily Telegraph. Critics suggest that temporary multi-national police stations could eventually become permanent and result in a clash over powers between foreign and national police officers.

LAND FOR PEACE (THE FUTURE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH)

JOEL 3:2
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

THE WEEK OF DANIEL 9:27 WE KNOW ITS 7 YRS

Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

ISAIAH 28:14-19 (THIS IS THE 7 YR TREATY COVENANT OF DANIEL 9:27)
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

Assad wants French role in Syria-Israel talks Tue Jul 8, 4:38 AM ET

PARIS (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, expected in Paris this weekend, has welcomed a break in France's policy toward Damascus and invited Paris to play a role in possible direct negotiations with Israel. In an interview published in French newspaper Le Figaro Tuesday, Assad said: We are witnessing a break between the current policy of France and the policy of the past.

This new policy is more realistic and better suited to the interests of both our countries. It is a solid basis to renew healthy relations.French President Nicolas Sarkozy invited Assad along with some 40 foreign leaders for the launch Sunday of a new Union for the Mediterranean, aimed at boosting cooperation between European Union and southern Mediterranean states.Sarkozy, who decided to renew high-level contacts with Damascus following the breakthrough in Lebanon's drawn-out political crisis, is to meet Assad in Paris on July 12. The Syrian leader will stay on for France's Bastille Day ceremonies on July 14.Former president Jacques Chirac cut off official contacts with Syria following the assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri, who was a personal friend, in a February 2005 bombing in which Syria has been implicated.This visit is for me a historic visit: an opening up to France and to Europe, Assad told Le Figaro.Asked about the resumption of indirect negotiations between Syria and Israel under Turkish auspices, he said it was natural that there should be a lack of trust, considering the stymied peace process.The two countries have been officially at war since 1948, although armistice and ceasefire agreements have been signed in the interim.

For the moment the two parties are testing their intentions... We now need to find a common basis to start direct negotiations, Assad said.Concerning the international sponsorship of such talks, he said he was counting on the next American president, saying that the United States' role was essential.But Assad also invited the French president to get directly involved.My impression is that (Sarkozy) is enthusiastic about these negotiations and wants France to play a direct role, Assad declared. If he confirms it to me, I will immediately invite him to support directly this peace process.

Turning to Lebanon, Assad said preparations were under way to organise a meeting in Paris with President Michel Sleiman. I've known President Sleiman for about 10 years ... our relations are good, he said.Asked about the international tribunal seeking those responsible for Hariri's death, the Syrian president stressed that his country was cooperating and would continue to do so.On the question of human rights in his country, Assad said: We do not say that we are a perfect democratic country. We say that we are taking this road and it is a long road that can last for one or several years.Calling on Europe to back peace and development in Syria, Assad said: This is the role that we ask Europe to play, and not to give us lessons in morality.

More mortar fire after Israel reopens Gaza crossings Tue Jul 8, 10:18 AM ET

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Gaza militants fired a mortar on Tuesday just hours after Israel reopened crossing points into the Hamas-ruled territory that it closed in response to an earlier violation of a three-week-old truce. The Israeli military said a mortar round struck an uninhabited area of southern Israel without causing casualties or damage.Israel has responded to previous attacks by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip by sealing the border, but it gave no immediate indication that it planned to do so again following the latest incident.I am not aware of any decision to close the crossing points, military spokesman Peter Lerner said.

Israel closed crossings into Gaza on Tuesday morning after a mortar round was fired at southern Israel the previous day, but reopened them several hours later.Following a special request by the Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, Defence Minister Ehud Barak ordered the reopening of the crossings at around noon (0900 GMT), Barak's office said.Egypt played a key role in mediating the Gaza truce between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas, which went into effect on June 19.Suleiman, Egypt's pointman for Palestinian affairs, was due to hold talks on the fragile truce with a Hamas delegation that travelled to Cairo on Tuesday.

Violence in and around impoverished Gaza has dropped substantially since the truce went into effect.Hamas, which seized power in Gaza in June 2007, has said its own fighters are adhering to the truce and has vowed to arrest anyone who violates it. But other militant movements have fired several rockets and mortar rounds at southern Israel since June 19.Israel has responded to the attacks by closing border crossings with Gaza four times.Hamas has said the closures were a violation of the truce, which calls for a gradual easing of an embargo Israel imposed after the Islamist movement seized power in the Gaza Strip.

G8 DIGS INTO THE ENVIROMENT
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G8 FOCUS ON EMISSIONS
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G-8 endorses halving global emissions by 2050 By JOSEPH COLEMAN, Associated Press Writer Tue Jul 8, 10:11 AM ET

RUSUTSU, Japan - World leaders on Tuesday endorsed halving world emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, edging forward in the battle against global warming but stopping short of tough, nearer-term targets. The Group of Eight leading industrial nations — the United States, Japan, Russia, Germany, France, Britain, Canada and Italy — also called on all major economies to join together to stem the potentially dangerous rise in world temperatures.This global challenge can only be met by a global response, in particular, by the contributions from all major economies, the G-8 said in a joint, five-page communique.The G-8 last year at a summit in Germany pledged to consider the 2050 target, and this year's Japanese hosts had hoped to solidify that commitment at the meeting in Toyako, northern Japan.The G-8 has been under pressure to secure commitments by wealthy nations to push forward stalled U.N.-led talks on forging a new accord to battle global warming by the end of next year.The new accord would succeed the troubled Kyoto Protocol when its first phase expires in 2012.The United States hailed the agreement as substantial progress, and a top European Union official called it a new, shared vision by wealthy nations on climate.

The leaders of major developing countries such as China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa said they expect the G-8 to take the lead and provide more aid to the developing world to help it cope with climate change.The leaders, including Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said the industrial nations must lead because they have the economic strength to adopt sweeping changes.They called on the G-8 countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by up to 45 percent by 2012, compared with their 1990 levels, and by up to 95 percent by 2050.

Tuesday's statement, however, addressed total world emissions rather than just those produced by wealthy countries, and critics attacked it for failing to go much beyond the G-8 statement last year.The communique also did not set a base year from which emissions would be cut.It falls dangerously short of what is needed to protect people and nature from climate change, said Kim Carstensen, director of the World Wildlife Fund's Global Climate Initiative.Environmentalists have argued that the 50 percent reduction target is insufficient, and have clamored for ambitious targets for countries to cut emissions by 2020. Japan itself has set a national target for cutting emissions by between 60 percent and 80 percent by 2050, but has not set a midterm goal.To be meaningful and credible, a long term goal must have a base year, it must be underpinned by ambitious midterm targets and actions, said Marthinus van Schalkwyk, South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. As it is expressed in the G8 statement, the long term goal is an empty slogan.Shorter-term targets have been much more difficult to reach consensus on, since they would require nations to act more quickly. The United States, for instance, has argued that meeting a Europe-supported goal of reducing emissions by between 25 and 40 percent by 2020 is unrealistic.

In a nod to such disagreements, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda — the summit host — said the G-8 countries would set individual targets, and he did not mention a range. The statement also said that the issue would be discussed in talks on Monday among the 17-member Major Economies Meeting, a U.S.-led group working on climate change.The G-8 will implement aggressive midterm total emission reduction targets on a country-by-country basis, he said. The White House quickly hailed the agreement and said it was a validation of Bush's global warming policy. The G-8 acknowledged that it alone cannot effectively address climate change — that contributions from all major economies are required — a position Bush has argued repeatedly, said Dan Price, the president's deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs. The agreement also urged nations to set high goals for energy efficiency, promote clean energy and technologies and mobilize financing to help poor nations cut their own emissions and grapple with the effects of warming. Scientists say urgent action is needed to make greenhouse gas emissions fall after peaking within the next 15 years, to limit the increase in global temperatures to under 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures beyond that could trigger the worst effects of warming, such as melting ice sheets and extreme weather. The U.N.-led climate talks have been plagued by divisions. Quickly developing nations have urged wealthy countries to take the first, toughest steps. The United States, Japan and others, meanwhile, say they want to hear what up-and-coming economies like China are willing to do. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the agreement constituted a new, shared vision by the major economies that would support the U.N.-led effort on a new global warming accord. This is a strong signal to citizens around the world, he said in a statement, calling for a renewed push behind the U.N. talks, which aim to conclude a new pact at a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the agreement a major step forward from the climate deal reached in Germany. Associated Press writers Malcolm Foster and Steve Gutterman in Rusutsu, Eric Talmadge in Sapporo and Deb Riechmann in Toyako contributed to this report.

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.

Panel calls for new war powers legislation By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer JULY 8,08

WASHINGTON - The next time the president goes to war, Congress should be consulted and vote on whether it agrees, according to a bipartisan study group chaired by former secretaries of state James Baker III and Warren Christopher. In a report released Tuesday, the panel says the current law governing the nation's war powers has failed to promote cooperation between the executive and legislative branches. It says the 1973 resolution should be repealed and replaced with new legislation that would require the president to inform Congress of any plans to engage in significant armed conflict, or non-covert operations lasting longer than a week.In turn, Congress would act within 30 days, either approving or disapproving the action.Baker, who served as secretary of State in the first Bush administration and co-chaired the 2006 Iraq Study Group, said the proposal isn't intended to resolve constitutional disputes between the White House and Congress on who should decide whether the nation fights.What we aim to do with this statute is to create a process that will encourage the two branches to cooperate and consult in a way that is both practical and true to the spirit of the Constitution, Baker said in a statement.A new joint House and Senate committee would be established to review the president's justification for war. To do so, the committee would be granted access to highly classified information.

The panel has briefed the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain, as well as congressional leadership. Obama and McCain did not provide comment.Congress' involvement in approving combat operations became a central issue in the Iraq debate last year, when Democrats tried to force President Bush to end the war. While Congress had authorized combat in Iraq, Democrats said the resolution approved only the invasion and not a five-year counterinsurgency.After taking control of Congress in January 2007, Democrats tried to cap force levels and set a timetable for withdrawals. While they lacked a veto-proof majority to put the restrictions into law, the White House argued that such legislation would have violated the Constitution by infringing upon the president's right as commander in chief to protect the nation. Democrats disagreed, contending there was ample precedence.The one surefire way for Congress to have ended the war was to cut off money for combat operations — a step most Democrats weren't willing to take because they feared doing so would have hurt troops in harms' way, or at least be perceived by voters that way.The plan identified by Baker and Christopher, who served as secretary of State under President Clinton, would not necessarily resolve such issues in the future. But it would create a consultative process between the White House and Congress that currently does not exist. Also, calling on Congress to respond would exert significant political pressure on a president if he ignored lawmakers' wishes.

The panel studied the issue for more than a year and consulted more than three dozen experts. Other members of the panel include former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton, who in 2006 led the Iraq Study Group with Baker; former Attorney General Edwin Meese III, and Strobe Talbott, former deputy secretary of State.The Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia sponsored the study.
On the Net:The Miller Center: http://www.millercenter.org/warpowers

PERSECUSSION,BEHEADINGS

JESUS PERSECUTED BIGTIME

PSALMS 14:1
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

ISAIAH 53:4
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

MATTHEW 9:34
34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

JOHN 8:41
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

JOHN 10:20
20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

PHILIPPIANS 2:10-11(JESUS GETS REVENGE)
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST AND FOR SINNERS, THE GREAT WHITE THRONE FINAL JUDGEMENT).

WE ARE CHRISTIANS WE WILL BE TREATED THE SAME.

2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5 (WHY WE ARE PERSECUTED BY THE WORLD)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

MATTHEW 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

MATTHEW 24:9
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

JOHN 15:18-20
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me (JESUS) before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

REVELATION 6:9-11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain(BEHEADED) for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

REVELATION 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Ohio town split over teacher accused of preaching By MATT REED, Associated Press Writer JULY 8,08

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - Demonstrations on the town square show how divided people are over the school board's decision to fire a science teacher accused of preaching his Christian beliefs in the classroom and burning crosses on students' arms. John Freshwater, 52, was fired last month after an outside consulting firm released a report concluding that he taught creationism and was insubordinate in failing to remove a Bible and other religious materials from his classroom at Mount Vernon Middle School.Some residents consider him a courageous fighter for religious freedom. Others say he has brazenly violated the church-state divide.This is going to be a mess, said Dr. Allan Bazzoli, who has written letters to the local newspaper criticizing Freshwater. Resident against resident, and worse, student against student.Freshwater's supporters have rallied on the town's square urging school board members to resign. A much-viewed sign about a mile from town reads: If the Bible goes, the school board should follow.The Bible, that should be OK to have, said James Mills, 25, a former student of Freshwater. Isn't it in the Constitution that we have freedom of religion?

Mount Vernon, a small city in central Ohio surrounded by farmland, is dotted by churches of just about every denomination. The town has a strong evangelical presence.Freshwater, who has filed an appeal with the school board over his firing, said Monday he's disappointed with the way the investigation was conducted. His appeals hearing is scheduled for Aug. 26.They used half-truths. They didn't interview people who had been in my classroom, he said. Science teachers at the high school: Why would you interview them?

Freshwater likely will be suspended without pay during the appeals process, which could extend into the fall, said David Millstone, the school board's attorney.Messages seeking comment were left with middle school Principal William White and other school administrators.Freshwater has served as a science teacher and wrestling and football coach in Mount Vernon City Schools since 1987. In their report, investigators noted that some students described him as a great guy.Some residents blame school leaders for letting the situation come to a boil. Officials knew that Freshwater used a science tool to burn images of a cross on students' arms in December, according to findings by outside investigators.I think things were just overlooked and overlooked and overlooked and then it just came to a head, said Kelly Montgomery, whose son was a student in Freshwater's class a few years ago. It's been terrible for the whole community.Freshwater told investigators he simply was trying to demonstrate the device on three to eight students and described the images an X not a cross. But pictures show the images depict a cross, the report said.Investigators also found that at least one school administrator dealt with complaints about Freshwater for much of her 11 years at the district.Jessica Philemond, an attorney for the unnamed student's family that is suing Freshwater and the school district, said that raises some troubling questions.

I want to find out who had complained, to whom they complained and why for 11 years nothing was done, Philemond said.They could have taken action a while ago.Bazzoli and other critics say the public's support for Freshwater may be wavering. A demonstration last month in which supporters urged school board members to resign attracted just 25 people. When teachers have a contract, they have to follow the state guidelines, and he deliberately went against the guidelines, said Anita Van Winkle, 57, as she sipped coffee at a cafe near the public square. (This version CORRECTS spelling of attorney's name to Philemond.)

OIL MAN HAS PLAN FOR ENERGY CRISIS
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Oil down more than $8 in 2 days By ADAM SCHRECK, AP Business Writer JULY 8,08

NEW YORK - Oil prices fell as much as $6 a barrel Tuesday, bringing crude down $10 this week and hurling prices back to levels not seen since June 26. Traders, keeping a wary eye on the global economy, cashed in gains from oil's recent rally. A barrel of light, sweet crude for August delivery fell $6.23 in morning trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, following a $3.92 slide on Monday, and later traded down $5.79 at $135.58. The market's bearish turn this week erases, at least for the time being, the effect of a rally that pushed prices past $145 in a string of record-setting sessions before the Fourth of July.Analysts attributed much of the recent sell-off to profit-taking, saying traders were cashing in on the previous week's gains. At the same time, concerns about supply disruptions subsided and fears that the economic slowdown is spreading moved to the forefront.

Sagging global equities, which are tipping a lack of confidence in economic growth in both developed and emerging economies, helped trigger the retreat in the energy markets, Addison Armstrong, director of market research at Tradition Energy, said in a research note.Still, analysts warned the pullback could be fleeting, saying it is a correction that could quickly shift and send prices bolting higher.Trader and analyst Stephen Schork said the expectation just a few days ago that crude prices would touch $150 this week now does not look like the proverbial done deal.Be that as it may, we have seen this movie before, i.e. crude oil weakens a little and the bubble-bears jump in, he wrote in a daily market commentary, suggesting the price respite might be temporary.A decline in oil prices wouldn't translate to a pullback at the gas pump for some time. Retail gasoline prices in the U.S. held steady at a record $4.108 a gallon, according to AAA auto club, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express. Diesel continued to advance, rising more than half a penny to a record $4.807 a gallon.

Oil hit a trading record of $145.85 on last week before settling at a record close of $145.29 a barrel. On Monday, prices tumbled $3.92, or about 2.7 percent, to settle at $141.37.Concern over the unruly oil market was a top priority Tuesday at a summit of industrialized powers in Rusutsu, Japan with leaders calling on petroleum suppliers to boost production and refining and to increase investment in oil exploration and output over the medium term.The G-8 — which groups the U.S., Britain, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Russia and Italy — also called for diversifying sources of energy and further efforts to improve energy efficiency.

We remain positive about the long-term resilience of our economies and future global growth, the communique said, noting that growth in emerging economies remained strong. However, the world economy is now facing uncertainty and downside risks persist.The U.S. dollar was stronger against the euro and the pound, but lost ground against the Japanese yen and the Swiss franc. A falling dollar has helped boost oil prices about 50 percent this year, with investors often buying commodities such as oil as a hedge against inflation when the greenback weakens.Along with some signs of life from the dollar, fears that fresh conflict in the Middle East could cut oil supplies eased over the weekend after Iran gave an undisclosed response to an international offer of incentives if it suspends a central part of its nuclear program.In other Nymex trade, heating oil fell by 14.72 cents to $3.8224 a gallon and gasoline futures sank by about 12 cents to $3.3628 a gallon. Natural gas futures dipped more than 52 cents to fetch $12.453 per 1,000 cubic feet.

August Brent crude also lost heavily, dropping by $5.31 to $136.57 barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.Associated Press writers George Jahn in Vienna, Austria, and Malcolm Foster in Rusutsu, Japan, contributed to this report.