1-Strong earthquake rattles Argentina. 2-Minor quake shakes north Dead Sea area. 3-Hurricanes churn over Atlantic, no threat to land. 4-5 dead or missing in Japan typhoon. 5-Lane weakens to tropical depression. 6-Struggling with globalisation, EU to take tougher line with trade partners. 7-Nonaligned nations condemn Israel, criticize United States. 8-Pope quails before Islamic fury. 9-Palestinian president calls for reviving Mideast peace process.
This is so sad, about 900 Tiny member abortions occur a Week in Israel. 50,000 a year. For a thousand dollars the Friends of Efrat save these Tiny Members from Death and let them live by Giving the mothers Cribs Etc. So if you want to donate to this cause look under Links SAVING ABORTED BABIES IN ISRAEL (DONATE TO) (FRIENDS OF EFRAT). Thanks in advance to all who save the Women the guilt of Aborting GODS little MEMBER CREATIONS.(CHILDREN)
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 earthquake rattles Argentina 29 minutes ago
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina /A strong earthquake sent panicked residents fleeing from their homes Sunday in Argentina, but it caused no injuries or damages, authorities said. The magnitude 6.1 quake was felt in the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan and La
Rioja. Its epicenter was in Pampa de las Salinas, about 745 miles northeast of Buenos Aires and it was the second in less than a week to shake the region.A magnitude 5.7 quake struck the San Juan province on Tuesday but also caused no injuries or damage.
Minor quake shakes north Dead Sea area Sun Sep 17, 8:00 AM ET
AMMAN (AFP) - An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale shook the Jordan Valley area north of the Dead Sea, the second quake in the area in just over a week.There were no reports of damage or injuries, Darwish Jasser, assistant director at the national resources agency told state-run Petra news agency.The tremor occurred around midday Sunday and was felt by residents in the area, Jasser said, adding that no aftershocks were expected.A quake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale was felt in the same area on September 9.The sparsely-populated Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and the Araba desert and Red Sea further south lie on the Syrian-African fault line, one of the world's most active seismic regions.
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.
Hurricanes churn over Atlantic, no threat to land
MIAMI (Reuters)Hurricanes Gordon and Helene churned across the open Atlantic on Sunday, packing strong winds and gusty rains but posing no immediate threat to land, U.S. forecasters said. At 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT), maximum sustained winds from Helene the fourth hurricane of the Atlantic season were blowing at 105 miles per hour (169 kph) and the storm was moving northwest at about 9 mph (14 kph), the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.
It said the center of the storm, which could strengthen over the next 24 hours, was located 920 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands.Gordon, the third hurricane of the season, had top sustained winds near 80 mph (130 kph), the hurricane center said. Located 1,430 miles west of the Azores, it was swirling north-northeast at 14 mph (22 kph).
Hurricane forecasters had predicted the current Atlantic storm season, which began June 1, would be more active than usual, following the record-breaking 2005 and the punishing 2004 seasons.But the development of El Nino weather conditions in the Pacific and other factors like high quantities of West African dust in the atmosphere over the Atlantic have led weather experts to lower their expectations.
The El Nino phenomenon, an unusual warming of waters in the eastern Pacific, causes high wind shear over the Atlantic. Wind shear, the difference in velocity or direction of winds at different altitudes, tears cyclones apart.
5 dead or missing in Japan typhoon By HANS GREIMEL, Associated Press Writer Sun Sep 17, 4:58 PM ET
TOKYO /A strong typhoon swept toward southwestern Japan with fierce winds and heavy rains Sunday, leaving at least five people dead or missing and injuring more than 100. More than 300 flights were grounded, cars were blown over and strong winds were
suspected in an express train derailment that injured five people, local media reported.Thousands of people, meanwhile, sought refuge in public shelters.
Although Typhoon Shanshan had weakened overnight, it was still lashing the region with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. It was forecast to continue churning northeast toward Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.Heavy rain warnings were issued for much of western Japan, and the storm killed four people before even making landfall.A father and teenage daughter died Saturday when their car was hit by a flash flood, Kyodo News agency and public broadcaster NHK said. Another man was swept away in high waters, Kyodo said.One man was killed and another missing in Hiroshima prefecture, NHK said.More than 100 others have been injured by the storm, which started churning toward Japan early Saturday after sweeping past Taiwan.Authorities suspected that a sudden gust from Shanshan lifted two train cars from their tracks in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki, injuring five people, reports said. The train was moving slowly because of the storm.
Some super-express bullet train service was suspended because the storm and ship traffic was disrupted.Gusts of 155 mph were recorded Saturday on Iriomote Island, near Taiwan, the strongest winds ever observed there, Kyodo said. Up to 14 inches of rain were expected to fall in some areas of southwestern Japan by midday Monday, NHK reported.Typhoons and tropical storms frequently hit eastern Asia, especially Japan and Taiwan, in the summer and fall.
Lane weakens to tropical depression By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer Sun Sep 17, 3:43 PM ET
MAZATLAN, Mexico - Residents hauled bags of mud out of their homes and tourists tried to resume their vacations Sunday after Hurricane Lane battered this popular resort town. A day after the Category 3 storm swept away cars, toppled tree and crumpled billboards, some tourists sat in Jacuzzis and pools under a light drizzle or walked in ankle-deep water to shops and restaurants, which opened their previously boarded-up doors.Others, however, were trying desperately to get out of the mud-covered resort.
Robert Brown, 44, who builds race car engines in Aberdeen, Miss., said he and his wife were considering taking a seven-hour bus ride to Puerto Vallarta to catch a flight home after he was told planes were full out of Mazatlan on Sunday.I don't really know what to do now,he said.We don't know how the roads will be, but we also don't know how else we'll get out.Noe Tobar, 23, who was sweeping palm fronds and water out of the hallway of his concrete floor house in Mazatlan, said the cleanup from the storm should be quick. We were hit with a lot of rain, but give us a few days and everything will be back to normal,he said.Nearby, Martin Garcia, a 19-year-old musician, was hauling plastic bags full of mud out of his cement hovel, which he shares with seven others. He said the floodwaters had risen to the edges of his family's beds.
I'm glad it went farther north, but even so it left us flooded,he said.The storm weakened to a tropical depression on Sunday after pounding Mazatlan with heavy winds and rain. It prompted the cancellation of flights and Mexico's traditional Independence Day parade in the resort and retirement community popular with Americans.The region escaped relatively unscathed with no reports of major damage or deaths, said Gerardo Delgado, a Red Cross spokesman in Sinaloa state, where Mazatlan is located.
A handful of small mountain villages were cut off by floodwaters but officials flew over the area in a helicopter and said there appeared to be no major damage or injuries, Delgado added.About 3,000 people had been evacuated in the state, but most returned home by Sunday.
By Sunday morning, Lane's maximum sustained winds had faded to about 30 mph — down from 125 mph on Saturday, forecasters at the U.S.National Hurricane Center said. The storm was expected to die out as it moved farther inland, the center said.Earlier this week, rains from the storm lashed coastal towns to the south, causing a landslide that killed a 7-year-old boy in Acapulco and flooding across western Mexico that forced hundreds of people to abandon their homes.It was the second hurricane to strike the region this month. Hurricane John earlier hit a remote section of Baja California, killing five people and destroying 160 homes.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Miriam churned far off Baja California, the National Hurricane Center said. Forecasters said there was a slight chance it would turn toward land later in the week, hitting a sparsely populated section of the peninsula's coastline.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Struggling with globalisation, EU to take tougher line with trade partners by Philippe Ries Sun Sep 17, 1:18 AM ET
BRUSSELS (AFP) - Struggling to cope with shifting patterns of global commerce, the European Commission is planning a more hard-nosed approach to breaking into foreign markets and ensuring EU exporters get a fair deal from its trade partners. The tougher line on market access will be one of the main planks of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson's plans to beef up the bloc's international competitiveness, which are to be unveiled on October 4.
In preparatory notes seen by AFP, the commission said that its current trade strategy, which was launched in 1996, has not lived up to its full potential on opening markets, attracting investment and protecting intellectual property rights.Where EU companies face restrictions and their intellecual property rights are not fully respected we can and should be hard-nosed about improving these conditions,the commission document asserts.
However a tougher approach does not mean forcing open markets, it adds.Once the new strategy is brought in next year, it will focus on making sure that rules are respected and obligations to provide fair trading conditions are fulfilled.With that aim in mind, the commission wants to better use its available trade instruments, such as anti-dumping rules and negotiating new free-trade agreements.At the same time, the commission does not plan to back away from the multilateral approach and the WTO will remain the essential platform for ensuring Europe's interests are recognised in the gloabl trading system, the note said.In the future, new free trade agreements should be focused on key partners, and in particular on tackling non-tariff barriers, which now remain the main obstacle to the free flow of trade since tariffs have been eroded by succeeding waves of World Trade Organisation (WTO)
liberalisation.
For example, the commission is seeking a mandate from member states by the end of the year to open negotiations with ASEAN and South Korea for free-trade agreements.Brussels also has high hopes for trade with Latin America and wants to relaunch negotiations with Mercosur as well as opening talks with Central American and Andean countries.The commission wants to give particular importance to prying open public procurement markets, which represent an area of enormous untapped potential for EU exporters.The commission says that public procurement markets, which are so far not covered by WTO rules, generate 10 to 25 percent of the gross domestic product of some of the EU's partners.But although it considers its own public procurement markets to be open to others, the EU constantly finds it difficult to obtain satisfactory, reciprocal commitments from its trading partners.
In a recent example, Canadian train maker Bombardier was selected for a project without a tender in Quebec, leaving French group Alstom out of the race even though in France an open tender would have to be held.For Mandelson, who has been dubbed the globalisation commissioner in the EU executive, the stakes are not only economic but political and social.Opening up foreign markets makes it easier to dispel the temptation in some member states to shut out the outside world with trade barriers, the commission note said.Closing our own border is almost always counterproductive as it cuts off business from global supply chains and the import of cheap materials for production, it said. The commission's review of its trade policy would therefore identify the opportunities and risks of globalisation and set out a programme to increase our ability to respond to, and reap the maximum of benefits for our citizens, of global economic change. In the EU, that translates into taking care to help the victims of shifting trade patterns while making sure that the positive effects of trade opening benefit all consumers and are not captured by specific
interests.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Sunday, September 17, 2006 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Nonaligned nations condemn Israel, criticize United States
By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ,The Associated Press
HAVANA — Representatives of 118 Nonaligned Movement nations condemned Israel's attacks on Lebanon and supported a peaceful resolution to the U.S.-Iran nuclear dispute in the final declaration Saturday of a summit that brought together some of the world's staunchest American foes.The 92-page declaration also broadly condemned terrorism. But it said movements for self-determination and battles against foreign occupiers should not be considered terrorism.
And while declaring democracy to be a universal value, the movement said no one country or region should define it for the whole world and defended the right of Venezuela and other countries to determine their own forms of government.The final statements, many of which contain veiled criticisms of the U.S., were to be approved by unanimous consent after another round of speeches Saturday night by leaders of the movement.
No one in the Nonaligned Movement thinks that the United States is responsible for all the problems, but many think that it is for some,Cuba's Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque said.An ailing Fidel Castro was named president of the movement, but he stayed home in his pajamas on doctors' orders while Acting Cuban President Raul Castro presided over the meeting of two-thirds of the world's nations.The meeting brought together the leaders of Iran, Venezuela, North Korea and Zimbabwe among other leading U.S. adversaries. Raul Castro joined them in saying a bellicose America had made the world more dangerous.The United States spends one billion dollars a year in weapons and soldiers, he said. To think that a social and economic order that has proven unsustainable could be maintained by force is simply an absurd idea.
North Korea's No. 2 leader, Kim Yong Nam, claimed his communist nation would not need even a single nuclear weapon if there no longer existed a U.S. threat,and said U.S. financial sanctions have driven the situation into an unpredictable phase.Kim, the leader of Parliament, blamed the lack of world peace on the United States, saying its failure to respect the sovereignty of other nations has destroyed the international order.© 2006 The Seattle Times Company
Just remember when reading this story JESUS is the true GOD OF ISRAEL, and ALLAH is the MOON GOD OF ISLAM.
Pope quails before Islamic fury
By Stan Goodenough,September 17, 2006
Pope Benedict XVI, head of the world’s 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, attempted Saturday to placate the fury of the world’s 1.2 billion Muslims after he purportedly offended them by reading from a 14th century book disclosing sordid truths about the teachings of the prophet Mohammed.The pope’s secretary of state said in a statement that Benedict’s position on Islam was unquestionably in line with the Vatican’s traditional teaching that the Rome esteems Muslims, who adore the only God.
This reassertion of a heresy that the LORD God of Israel and Allah, the Moon God of Arabia, are the same being was not enough to placate the latest fit of Islamic apoplexy.It erupted after Benedict, referencing a recorded debate between a Byzantium emperor and a Persian scholar, said that when the emperor came to talk about the issue of jihad he said, I quote, Show me just what Mohammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.Although the pope was quoting from an obscure old document, Muslims characteristically exploded in outrage in Arab and other Islamic states, protesting in the streets, firebombing churches, issuing fatwas and threatening to send suicide bombers to attack the Vatican in Rome.
It is the second time in a year Islamic leaders identified and seized an opportunity to fuel their growing global jihad, the ultimate aim of which is the destruction of Judeo-Christian civilization and the forceful subjection of mankind to Allah.In September 2005, after a Danish cartoon depicted the founder of Islam as a man of violence, riots and other forms of protest flared in Muslim communities worldwide, instigated by imams and other religious leaders, This time again, fires of fury were ignited around the world.
In Israel, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh lashed out at Benedict for offending Muslims everywhere by his comments…about Islam as a faith [which] hide the truth and hurt its blessed essence.
The arch terrorist, who has personally embraced violence as a means of subduing the enemies of Islam and Palestine, appeared oblivious to the irony of remarks. Like all who head up Muslim terror groups, the Hamas leader prides himself as a faithful follower of Mohammed’s teachings.As he spoke, thousands of Palestinian Arabs marched to the buildings of the Palestinian parliament to vent their rage. At least four churches in Samaria and one in Gaza were set ablaze. The few Arab Christians in the overwhelmingly Muslim majority Palestinian Authority areas are believed to be in fear of personal attack.Further afield, Turkey accused the pope for trying to revive the mentality of the Crusades.The Pakistani parliament condemned him and called the Vatican’s ambassador to Islamabad on the carpet.The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and a senior Muslim cleric in Lebanon demanded that Benedict make a personal and public apology to Muslims everywhere.Morocco recalled its ambassador to the Holy See.
Historically Muslims have, often successfully, forced those who worship Christ and those who make obeisance to Mary to retract remarks and statements deemed offensive to the followers of Mohammed.High-profile evangelical leaders like Jerry Falwell have been successfully coerced into apologizing for calling Mohammed a terrorist.Notwithstanding the unwillingness of many western nations to defy politically correctness, by today’s definition – and according to the criteria used in various Judeo-Christian countries Mohammed, were he alive in the 21st century, would be labeled a terrorist, and states subscribing to his evil and inhuman teachings would be designated (as a few are) terror-supporting states and members of an axis of evil.
LAND FOR PEACE
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.
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.
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 11:36-40
36 And the king shall do according to his will;(EU PRESIDENT) 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 A EUROPEAN JEW) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(HES A MILITARY GINIUS) 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 (CONTROL HEZBOLLAH,AL-QUAIDA MURDERERS ETC) with a strange god, 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.
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south(EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR PROTECTING ISRAELS SECURITY) and the king of the north(RUSSIA) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships;
and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
Palestinian president calls for reviving Mideast peace process
AMMAN, Sept 17 (KUNA) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has asserted the importance of pushing forward the stalled Middle East peace process according to the road map agreed on by the Arab countries.
Speaking during a joint news conference, on Sunday, with Jordan's Prime Minister Dr. Ma'arouf Bakheet prior to his departure to New York on Monday, Abbas said:
We will tell the world community that the issue is in your court and you must find the appropriate mechanism to resolve it either through the Security Council or the quartet because the issue has been frozen more than enough.Asked about the formation of a national unity government, Abbas said that measures pertaining to its formation have been suspended till his return home after participation in the UN General Assembly meeting.
We had agreed with Hamas officials over a number of political and non political topics that are necessary for the government.Due to the issuance of some statements that led to misunderstanding of this agreement, we decided not to carry out any legal and constitutional measures to form a new unity government until I return from New York, he added.For his part, Bakheet stressed on the importance of formulating a united Arab stance towards boosting the Palestinian issue amid these critical and sensitive conditions.He urged the world community to take up its responsibilities in this respect. (end) bs.tg,KUNA 172249 Sep 06NNNN
Monday, September 18, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
WHY I HAD SO MANY HITS THIS WEEK
1-My explanation for the increase in hits on my site this week. 2-Text of Vatican statement on Pope speech. 3-Palestinian President Abbas to meet Bush. 4-IAEA complains of outrageous inaccuracies in Iran report to House Intelligence Committee.
For those of you who were wondering why my Events in Time site shot up from 4,302 to 20,693 Hits in one day, no it was not a big hit day, it was Just me adding on the 16,391 hits from the BLOGTOPSITE STATS, since they did hit my site but through BLOGTOPSITES. From the site Top 100 BLOGGERS,I never added them in. And the same with my 7 year Peace treaty Signing Site, I had 1,561 Hits and added the BLOGTOPSITE TOTAL of 4,423 for a total of 5,984. From now on though, I won't be adding the totals from the other 2 Sites, this was a one time Happening.
Text of Vatican statement on Pope speech By The Associated Press
Sat Sep 16, 10:28 AM ET
Text of Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's statement, issued Saturday in Italian, about criticism in the Muslim world over Pope Benedict XVI's remarks about Islam and violence. English translation is provided by the Vatican:
Given the reaction in Muslim quarters to certain passages of the Holy Father's address at the University of Regensburg, and the clarifications and explanations already presented through the Director of the Holy See Press Office, I would like to add the following:The position of the Pope concerning Islam is unequivocally that expressed by the conciliar document Nostra Aetate:
The Church regards with esteem also the Muslims. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion.
In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting (no. 3).
The Pope's option in favor of interreligious and intercultural dialogue is equally unequivocal. In his meeting with representatives of Muslim communities in Cologne, Germany, on 20 August 2005, he said that such dialogue between Christians and Muslims cannot be reduced to an optional extra, adding: The lessons of the past must help us to avoid repeating the same mistakes. We must seek paths of reconciliation and learn to live with respect for each other's identity.
As for the opinion of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus, which he quoted during his Regensburg talk, the Holy Father did not mean, nor does he mean, to make that opinion his own in any way. He simply used it as a means to undertake in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come. On this point, it is worth recalling what Benedict XVI himself recently affirmed in his commemorative Message for the 20th anniversary of the Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, initiated by his predecessor John Paul II at Assisi in October 1986:demonstrations of violence cannot be attributed to religion as such but to the cultural limitations with which it is lived and develops in time.In fact, attestations of the close bond that exists between the relationship with God and the ethics of love are recorded in all great religious traditions.
The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and should have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions. Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervor of Muslim believers, warned secularized Western culture to guard against the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom.
In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men may be reinforced, and collaboration may intensify to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom (Nostra Aetate no. 3).
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Palestinian President Abbas to meet Bush By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer Sat Sep 16, 6:49 PM ET
RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet President Bush in New York next week and will likely seek to promote his planned coalition with Hamas, a Palestinian official said Saturday.Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the meeting with Bush would take place Wednesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The White House would not confirm the meeting and it was not clear whether Bush's final schedule in New York had been set. The two men last met in October 2005 in Washington.Abbas, a moderate who leads the Fatah Party, and the militant Islamic group Hamas, which currently rules alone, agreed last week to form a national unity government that would strive to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel implying recognition of the Jewish state.
Hamas, which is committed to Israel's destruction, swept to victory in January legislative elections, defeating Fatah, and formed a government by itself. The West and Israel reacted by cutting off hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, accusing Hamas of being a terrorist group.
Without the foreign aid, the Hamas-led Palestinian government has been unable to pay salaries to its tens of thousands of civil servants, causing widespread hardship. In a sign of desperation, women have parted with their dowry of gold jewelry their only financial security in the event of divorce.Abbas hopes a unity government with Hamas could restore international funding to the cash-starved Palestinian Authority. But the United States has said it wants clearer statements from Hamas that it recognizes Israel, accepts existing peace deals and renounces violence.
The European Union on Friday held off on renewing direct aid to the Palestinian Authority. EU ministers said they supported Abbas' steps to form a broader coalition, but wanted assurances the new government would back peace efforts.Erekat said Abbas would discuss with Bush the emerging coalition and the fate of an Israeli soldier seized by Hamas-allied militants in Gaza in June, whose capture led to an Israeli military offensive in Gaza.Erekat said delegations led by Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni would also meet next week, but would not say what would be on the agenda.Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev had no comment on the reported meeting, which would be a precursor to expected talks between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.Hamas has been pressured by tough international sanctions to force it to temper its anti-Israel stance. But Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas suggested Saturday that his group would go no further than it already has in agreeing to the unity government.
The agreement on the national unity government does not discuss the recognition of (peace) agreements signed with the Israeli occupation,Haniyeh told Associated Press Television News.
We will work with these agreements according to what serves the higher Palestinian interests, but that does not mean we recognize them.Israel has been boycotting the Hamas government but considers Abbas, who favors peacemaking, an acceptable partner for talks.
Today: Sunday September 17, 2006
IAEA complains of outrageous inaccuracies in Iran report to House Intelligence Committee New York, Sept 16, IRNA ,Iran-US-IAEA
A recent U.S. House of Representatives committee report on Iran's nuclear capability is outrageous and dishonest in trying to make a case that Tehran's program is geared toward making weapons, a senior official of the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
IAEA said in a letter outside a meeting of the 35-nation IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna that the US report is false in saying Iran is making weapons-grade uranium at an experimental enrichment site, when it has in fact produced material only in small quantities that is far below the level that can be used in nuclear arms. The letter, which was first reported by The Washington Post, also says the report erroneously says that IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei removed a senior nuclear inspector from the team investigating Iran's nuclear program for concluding that the purpose of Iran's nuclear program is to construct weapons.
In fact, the inspector was sidelined on Tehran's request, and the Islamic Republic had a right to ask for a replacement under agreements that govern all states relationships with the agency, said the letter, calling the report's version incorrect and misleading.In addition,says the letter, the report contains an outrageous and dishonest suggestion that such removal might have been for not having adhered to an unstated IAEA policy barring IAEA officials from telling the whole truth about the Iranian nuclear program.Dated August 12, the letter was addressed to Rep. Peter Hoekstra, a Michigan Republican and chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. It was signed by Vilmos Cserveny, a senior director of the Vienna-based agency.
An IAEA official, who asked for anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the letter, said it was written to set the record straight. The dispute was reminiscent of the clashes between the Vienna-based agency and the U.S. administration over whether Iraq's Saddam Hussein was trying to make weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms.
American arguments that Saddam had such covert arms programs were given as the chief reason for the US invasion of Iraq. ElBaradei's criticism of the U.S. standpoint on Iraq and subsequent perceptions that he was soft on Iran in his staff's investigation of Tehran's nuclear activities may be a cover for a weapons program led to a failed attempt last year by Washington to prevent his re-election.
For those of you who were wondering why my Events in Time site shot up from 4,302 to 20,693 Hits in one day, no it was not a big hit day, it was Just me adding on the 16,391 hits from the BLOGTOPSITE STATS, since they did hit my site but through BLOGTOPSITES. From the site Top 100 BLOGGERS,I never added them in. And the same with my 7 year Peace treaty Signing Site, I had 1,561 Hits and added the BLOGTOPSITE TOTAL of 4,423 for a total of 5,984. From now on though, I won't be adding the totals from the other 2 Sites, this was a one time Happening.
Text of Vatican statement on Pope speech By The Associated Press
Sat Sep 16, 10:28 AM ET
Text of Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's statement, issued Saturday in Italian, about criticism in the Muslim world over Pope Benedict XVI's remarks about Islam and violence. English translation is provided by the Vatican:
Given the reaction in Muslim quarters to certain passages of the Holy Father's address at the University of Regensburg, and the clarifications and explanations already presented through the Director of the Holy See Press Office, I would like to add the following:The position of the Pope concerning Islam is unequivocally that expressed by the conciliar document Nostra Aetate:
The Church regards with esteem also the Muslims. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion.
In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting (no. 3).
The Pope's option in favor of interreligious and intercultural dialogue is equally unequivocal. In his meeting with representatives of Muslim communities in Cologne, Germany, on 20 August 2005, he said that such dialogue between Christians and Muslims cannot be reduced to an optional extra, adding: The lessons of the past must help us to avoid repeating the same mistakes. We must seek paths of reconciliation and learn to live with respect for each other's identity.
As for the opinion of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus, which he quoted during his Regensburg talk, the Holy Father did not mean, nor does he mean, to make that opinion his own in any way. He simply used it as a means to undertake in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come. On this point, it is worth recalling what Benedict XVI himself recently affirmed in his commemorative Message for the 20th anniversary of the Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, initiated by his predecessor John Paul II at Assisi in October 1986:demonstrations of violence cannot be attributed to religion as such but to the cultural limitations with which it is lived and develops in time.In fact, attestations of the close bond that exists between the relationship with God and the ethics of love are recorded in all great religious traditions.
The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and should have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions. Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervor of Muslim believers, warned secularized Western culture to guard against the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom.
In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men may be reinforced, and collaboration may intensify to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom (Nostra Aetate no. 3).
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
Palestinian President Abbas to meet Bush By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer Sat Sep 16, 6:49 PM ET
RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet President Bush in New York next week and will likely seek to promote his planned coalition with Hamas, a Palestinian official said Saturday.Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the meeting with Bush would take place Wednesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The White House would not confirm the meeting and it was not clear whether Bush's final schedule in New York had been set. The two men last met in October 2005 in Washington.Abbas, a moderate who leads the Fatah Party, and the militant Islamic group Hamas, which currently rules alone, agreed last week to form a national unity government that would strive to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel implying recognition of the Jewish state.
Hamas, which is committed to Israel's destruction, swept to victory in January legislative elections, defeating Fatah, and formed a government by itself. The West and Israel reacted by cutting off hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, accusing Hamas of being a terrorist group.
Without the foreign aid, the Hamas-led Palestinian government has been unable to pay salaries to its tens of thousands of civil servants, causing widespread hardship. In a sign of desperation, women have parted with their dowry of gold jewelry their only financial security in the event of divorce.Abbas hopes a unity government with Hamas could restore international funding to the cash-starved Palestinian Authority. But the United States has said it wants clearer statements from Hamas that it recognizes Israel, accepts existing peace deals and renounces violence.
The European Union on Friday held off on renewing direct aid to the Palestinian Authority. EU ministers said they supported Abbas' steps to form a broader coalition, but wanted assurances the new government would back peace efforts.Erekat said Abbas would discuss with Bush the emerging coalition and the fate of an Israeli soldier seized by Hamas-allied militants in Gaza in June, whose capture led to an Israeli military offensive in Gaza.Erekat said delegations led by Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni would also meet next week, but would not say what would be on the agenda.Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev had no comment on the reported meeting, which would be a precursor to expected talks between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.Hamas has been pressured by tough international sanctions to force it to temper its anti-Israel stance. But Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas suggested Saturday that his group would go no further than it already has in agreeing to the unity government.
The agreement on the national unity government does not discuss the recognition of (peace) agreements signed with the Israeli occupation,Haniyeh told Associated Press Television News.
We will work with these agreements according to what serves the higher Palestinian interests, but that does not mean we recognize them.Israel has been boycotting the Hamas government but considers Abbas, who favors peacemaking, an acceptable partner for talks.
Today: Sunday September 17, 2006
IAEA complains of outrageous inaccuracies in Iran report to House Intelligence Committee New York, Sept 16, IRNA ,Iran-US-IAEA
A recent U.S. House of Representatives committee report on Iran's nuclear capability is outrageous and dishonest in trying to make a case that Tehran's program is geared toward making weapons, a senior official of the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
IAEA said in a letter outside a meeting of the 35-nation IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna that the US report is false in saying Iran is making weapons-grade uranium at an experimental enrichment site, when it has in fact produced material only in small quantities that is far below the level that can be used in nuclear arms. The letter, which was first reported by The Washington Post, also says the report erroneously says that IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei removed a senior nuclear inspector from the team investigating Iran's nuclear program for concluding that the purpose of Iran's nuclear program is to construct weapons.
In fact, the inspector was sidelined on Tehran's request, and the Islamic Republic had a right to ask for a replacement under agreements that govern all states relationships with the agency, said the letter, calling the report's version incorrect and misleading.In addition,says the letter, the report contains an outrageous and dishonest suggestion that such removal might have been for not having adhered to an unstated IAEA policy barring IAEA officials from telling the whole truth about the Iranian nuclear program.Dated August 12, the letter was addressed to Rep. Peter Hoekstra, a Michigan Republican and chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. It was signed by Vilmos Cserveny, a senior director of the Vienna-based agency.
An IAEA official, who asked for anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the letter, said it was written to set the record straight. The dispute was reminiscent of the clashes between the Vienna-based agency and the U.S. administration over whether Iraq's Saddam Hussein was trying to make weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms.
American arguments that Saddam had such covert arms programs were given as the chief reason for the US invasion of Iraq. ElBaradei's criticism of the U.S. standpoint on Iraq and subsequent perceptions that he was soft on Iran in his staff's investigation of Tehran's nuclear activities may be a cover for a weapons program led to a failed attempt last year by Washington to prevent his re-election.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
SPANISH TROOPS ARRIVE IN LEBANON
1-Helene becomes season's fourth Atlantic hurricane. 2-Typhoon kills 2 on Japanese islands. 3-Hurricane Lane becomes Category 3. 4-Lebanese president seeks NAM resolution against Israel. 5-European leaders back Benedict. 6-West Bank churches attacked after Pope remarks. 7-Council conclusions on the Middle East peace process - 2749th External Relations Council meeting, Brussels, 15 Sep 2006. 8-FIRST GROUP OF SPANISH TROOPS ARRIVE IN LEBANON AS UN FORCE LEVEL NEARS 5,000. 9-North Korea says it will never return to talks under sanctions. 10-Bush rules out meeting with Iran’s Ahmadinejad at UN. 11-Japanese Authorities Search Doomsday Cult Offices.12-Indian PM urges NAM make priorities of terror & Mideast.
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.
Helene becomes season's fourth Atlantic hurricane By Michael Peltier
2 hours, 33 minutes ago
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) Helene became the fourth hurricane of the Atlantic season on Saturday and Hurricane Gordon stalled in the Atlantic, but neither storm threatened land.
By 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), Helene had reached hurricane status with sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 kph) as it trekked to the northwest about 1,145 miles east of the Leeward Islands, the U.S.National Hurricane Center said.A plateauing of the intensity is called for around 72 hours with slight weakening thereafter,the Miami-based hurricane center predicted.Gordon, the third only hurricane of the 2006 season to become a major storm of Category 3 or higher on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, continued to pose no threat to land on Saturday.
Located 655 miles east of Bermuda, Gordon had 100 mph (160 kph) winds making it a Category 2 hurricane and was expected to weaken as it moved northeastward.
The six-month Atlantic storm season that began on June 1 has been relatively calm compared to last year's 28 tropical storms, of which 15 became hurricanes.Tropical storms Alberto and Ernesto struck the United States but caused no serious damage and one hurricane, Florence, grazed the British mid-Atlantic territory of Bermuda. Last year, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, killing 1,500 people on the U.S. Gulf Coast.Computer models show slim chances for Helene to reach the U.S. East Coast as it was more likely to curve northwestward over the open Atlantic.Hurricane forecasters had originally predicted that this Atlantic storm season would be busier than usual, as were both record-busting 2005 and the season of 2004, when four hurricanes in a row carved a destructive path through Florida.But the development of El Nino weather conditions in the Pacific, and other factors such as high quantities of West African dust in the atmosphere over the Atlantic, have led weather experts to reduce their expectations.The El Nino phenomenon, an unusual warming of waters in the eastern Pacific, causes high wind shear over the Atlantic. Wind shear, the
difference in velocity or direction of winds at different altitudes, tears cyclones apart.
Typhoon kills 2 on Japanese islands Sat Sep 16, 10:19 AM ET
TOKYO /A strong typhoon battered Japan's southern Ryukyu island chain on Saturday, and two people died after heavy downpours triggered a landslide, a news report said.
Typhoon Shanshan, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, was forecast to continue
north toward Japan's southwestern main island of Kyushu where it could make landfall as early as Monday, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.Heavy rain triggered landslides that killed two people on Kyushu on Saturday as the typhoon approached, Kyodo News service reported.The storm forced the suspension of dozens of flights and disrupted shipping in the region, public broadcaster NHK reported. Taiwan issued a maritime alert Friday for ships off its eastern and southern coasts as the typhoon passed.
Television footage showed snapped utility poles, blown-over vehicles and wind damage to buildings on the southern islands. On Iriomote Island near Taiwan, wind gusts of 155 mph were recorded — the strongest winds ever observed there, Kyodo said.
Typhoons and tropical storms frequently hit eastern Asia, especially Japan and Taiwan, in the summer and fall. Shanshan is a Chinese term for young girls.
Hurricane Lane becomes Category 3 By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer Sat Sep 16, 11:39 AM ET
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico - Hurricane Lane strengthened to a dangerous Category 3 on Saturday and took an unexpected turn toward Mexico's mainland Pacific coast, whipping the resort of Mazatlan with high winds while heading toward landfall farther north.
A day earlier, rains lashed coastal towns to the south, causing a landslide that killed a 7-year-old boy in Acapulco and flooding that forced hundreds of people to abandon their homes.With top winds near 125 mph, the center of Lane was expected to slam into the Pacific coast later Saturday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.A hurricane warning was in effect for the stretch of coastline from El Roblito to Topolobampo.At 11 a.m. EDT, Lane was centered about 50 miles west-northwest of Mazatlan and about 200 miles southeast of Los Mochis. It was moving north at nearly 10 mph, but its exact path was unclear and it could hit anywhere within the warning area, the hurricane center said.It was the second hurricane to menace the region recently.
Two weeks ago, Hurricane John unleashed wind and rain on Cabo San Lucas, a remote enclave famous for its deep-sea fishing, world-class golf courses and pristine beaches flanked by cactus-dotted deserts.Though the storm didn't directly hit the resort, it killed five people and damaged highways and washed-out homes have yet to be completed even as Lane bears down.With John, tourism dropped a lot. Now it's almost: Here we go again,said Ariel Lara, a 35-year-old timeshare salesman.Lane caused flooding in the port city of Lazaro Cardenas, where more than 500 people were evacuated from their homes after a canal overflowed. Earlier, the storm dumped rain in Acapulco, causing the landslide that killed the boy.Eloy Valenzuela, a 39-year-old dock employee, was tying down a yacht belonging to an American in preparation for strong winds. He said he didn't think two hurricanes so close to one another would scare away tourists.
We are always a moment away from a hurricane this time of year, he said. But you just take precautions so that there is no damage.Cabo San Lucas enjoyed clear skies and sweltering temperatures as the weekend began. There was no sign of panic on the streets or frantic supermarket lines.Some homes had their windows taped and a few restaurants and storefronts were boarded up. But vendors continued to hawk fishing and scuba-diving expeditions, while hotel managers assured guests there was no reason to worry.So what about the hurricane? Catherine Doster, a 25-year-old from Mobile, Ala., asked Friday, as she checked into her hotel near the Cabo San Lucas marina. Despite her queries, she said she never considered canceling her trip.I don't think there will be evacuations,said Matthew Freeman, a 28-year-old electrician who was traveling with Doster. The day before a hurricane, usually all hell's breaking loose. Everybody here seems calm. Everything's normal.Erin Newell, a 28-year-old film industry professional from Los Angeles, said an e-mail from loved ones in the U.S. about the storm upset her a bit.I think it's the fact that you're facing a hurricane,said Newell, who was drinking beer from a plastic cup as she walked near the waterfront. I've faced earthquakes and tornadoes, never a hurricane.
Some airlines canceled flights leaving Saturday, forcing Ellen Fiersten, of Springfield, Ill., to spend her 60th birthday waiting at the airport Friday. They're very low key about the weather here,said the retiree. The only information you get is watching CNN. Alan Murphy, a 59-year-old retiree from Las Vegas also wasn't taking any chances. He was on a flight home Friday, three days before he was scheduled to end a fishing trip.If it hits land, where do the tourists go? he said. They'll have to evacuate, and we don't want to be a part of that. Meanwhile, a tropical depression formed Saturday in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, the National Hurricane Center said. The season's 14th tropical depression was expected to only gradually strengthen as it feels the influence of Hurricane Lane. The depression was about 460 miles southwest of Baja early Saturday and was moving northeast at about 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds were about 35 mph.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
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 through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
2 PETER 2:5
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2 PETER 3:7
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men
LEVITICUS 26:16
16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you( sudden) terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
ISAIAH 33:1,18-19 Woe to thee that spoilest,(destroys) and thou wast not spoiled;(destroyed) and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil,(destroy) thou shalt be spoiled;(destroyed) and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?
19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
UPDATED: 07:47, September 16, 2006
Lebanese president seeks NAM resolution against Israel
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said he was hopeful the 14th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit would approve a resolution condemning Israel's military aggression, local news website Naharnet reported Friday. We hope this will be a lesson to Israel that you can't solve problems by force,Lahoud, who is attending the summit at Cuba's capital city of Havana, was quoted as saying.
Lahoud said that his country could not be defeated despite Israel's military might and U.S. backing because the people of Lebanon were determined to stand up, all united against the aggression. The report said that Israel's air strikes on Lebanon and its occupation of Palestinian territories angered leaders at the summit, who also criticized the United States for supplying weapons to Israel. Israel's illegal actions are the result of the support it receives from the United States,Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Roque was quoted as saying.
Israel launched a massive offensive on Lebanon after Lebanese militant group Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in a cross border raid on July 12.The Israel-Hezbollah conflict ended on Aug. 14 under a UN resolution. Over 1,000 Lebanese and 157 Israelis have been killed in the conflict, in addition to huge property damages and economic losses of both sides. Cuba is hosting the summit of the NAM, a 116-member organization made up of mostly developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America, on Sept. 11-16. Source: Xinhua
THE EU
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Updated Sep. 16, 2006 21:06
European leaders back Benedict
By GEORGE CONGER
European religious and political leaders have backed Benedict XVI in the wake of Muslim protests over the Pope's academic lecture at Regensburg University Tuesday, saying the Pope's words had been misinterpreted. Rather than criticizing Islam, the Pope is actually offering it a helping hand by suggesting that it do away with the cycle of violence,Fr. Samir K. Samir, SJ one of the Vatican's leading experts on Islam wrote in the Catholic newspaper AsiaNews. The Pope's academic lecture was trying to show how western society-including the Church-has become secularized by removing from the concept of Reason its spiritual dimension and origins which are in God,Fr. Samir stated. While European Muslims were quick to attack the Pope's words, the continent's political leaders declined to follow. Whoever criticizes the Pope misunderstood the aim of his speech,German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with the German newspaper, Bild.
It was an invitation to dialogue between religions,she said on Friday. Benedict expressly spoke in favor of this dialogue, which is something I also support and consider urgent and necessary. What Benedict XVI emphasized was a decisive and uncompromising renunciation of all forms of violence in the name of religion, Merkel noted. This is a storm in a tea cup the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey told The Jerusalem Post. Anything Pope Benedict says should be weighed carefully. He is not given to slight or idle remarks, he added, dismissing Muslim charges the Pope had rubbished Islam. If he quoted something said 600 years ago, we should not assume that this represents the Pope's beliefs about Islam today,he said. Lord Carey, who chairs the Foundation for Reconciliation in the Middle East has long been active in Christian-Muslim dialogue, and in 2002 signed an accord in Alexandria with the Grand Imam of the al-Azhar in Cairo and the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel calling for an end to violence, suicide bombings and a resumption of the peace process in the Middle East.
Muslims, as well as Christians, must learn to enter into dialogue without crying foul, Lord Carey said. We live in perilous times, and we must not only separate religion from violence but also not give religious legitimacy to violence in any shape or form. Italian European parliament vice president Mario Mauro condemned as monstrous the manipulation of the Pope's remarks by Islamic leaders which he claimed were used to hit out at Christians and the West.The controversy was evidence of the gravity of the danger we are facing he told the ANSA press agency on Sept 15, and urged Europeans to defend reason against the onslaught of Islamist-Nazi ideology that permeates fundamentalist thought. The Western press was divided over the Pope's remarks. The New York Times editorialized on Saturday the Pope must give a deep and persuasive apology for his remarks as the world listens carefully to the words of any pope. And it is tragic and dangerous when one sows pain, either deliberately or carelessly, it said.
However, the Guardian commented the Pope was innocent of the charges of stirring up hatred against Islam being made against him. It is difficult to believe that those making the claims, the Guardian's religious affairs correspondent, Stephen Bates, noted, can possibly have read the remarks in full or in their proper context. Muslim concerns were exaggerated and misplaced, Fr. Samir, a professor at the Universit Saint Joseph in Beirut, the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, and the Centre de Th ologie S vres in Paris, wrote.
Initial reactions in the Muslim world showed that the Pope's was misunderstood, he said, and some comments made by Western Muslims were superficial and fed the circus-like criticism of emotional outbursts in response to hearsay. Benedict's quote from the Koran, There is no compulsion in religion, (Sura 2,256), was offered in the context of a medieval dialogue between a Byzantine emperor and a Persian Muslim. The Holy Father chose this text because it contained a key sentence' in which the Emperor criticizes the Muslim for Islam's violence as exemplified by the command to spread the faith by the sword,Fr. Samir said.
However, the argument being proffered by the Pope was that anyone who engages in violence ceases being a believer; anyone, Christian or Muslim, who goes along with violence goes against Reason and God, whose is the source of Reason,he stated.
Sadly, some people cannot avoid seeing the conflict between the West and Islam except in political terms. Since the Pope is a Westerner, it must logically follow that he is against us. And having failed to understand what the Pope says, all that they can say is that he criticized jihad and for this reason he certainly must be an enemy,Fr. Samir said. The tragedy in this controversy, Fr. Samir suggested was that only by listening to the Pope's suggestions, and those of a few Muslim intellectuals, can Islam's chances for renewal become real. It is high time that Islam deal with modernity; not to be swallowed up by it, but rather to take what good it has to offer and improve on it,he said.
West Bank churches attacked after Pope remarks By Atef Sa'ad
Sat Sep 16, 8:23 AM ET
NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) - Unknown assailants threw fire bombs on Saturday at two churches in the West Bank city of Nablus, following a day of Palestinian protests against comments Pope Benedict made about Islam. No one was hurt. Jabi Saadeh, a member of the Anglican Church in the city, said about four or five masked men in a white car threw several fire bombs at the wall of the church, without causing damage.A similar attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Nablus set ablaze one of its walls, leaving part of it charred. George Awad, head of the Greek Orthodox church, denounced what he called a childish act.In a speech in Germany on Tuesday, the Pope appeared to endorse a Christian view, contested by most Muslims, that the early Muslims spread their religion by violence. It was unclear whether the church attacks were connected to his remarks.The Pontiff apologized on Saturday for his comments, which sparked outrage across the Arab world.
Thousands of Palestinians marched in Gaza on Friday to protest his remarks. A youth center run by the Greek Orthodox church in Gaza was slightly damaged by an explosion, although it was unclear whether it was related to the Pope's remarks.
Salem Salama, the head of Muslim clerics in the Palestinian territories, urged Palestinians to protect and respect Christians and also called on Muslim countries not to allow the Pope to visit in order to ensure his safety.We urge our nations and our Muslim and Arab countries not to receive the Pope so that he does not make any comments that may ignite fire and in order to avoid any assault on him that may ignite a religious war,Salama said in Gaza.Senior officials from the Palestinian government, which has been led by the Islamic Hamas group after it won a January parliamentary election, and other local leaders gathered at the scene of the Nablus attacks and offered words of condolence.We condemn this irresponsible attack and we believe that these acts will not affect the eternal unity of the Palestinian community,Nablus mayor and Hamas leader Adli Yaaish said.Most of the some 3.8 million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip identify themselves as Muslim, while up to 2 percent are Christian. Attacks between members of the communities are rare.We are brothers and sisters during good and bad times in Palestine and tolerance is the common oxygen for people here -- Christians and Muslims,Awad said.
Source: European Union (EU)
Date: 15 Sep 2006
Council conclusions on the Middle East peace process - 2749th External Relations Council meeting, Brussels, 15 Sep 2006
The Council adopted the following conclusions:
1. The Council discussed the situation in the Middle East. It underlined that lasting peace and security in the region can only be ensured by a comprehensive settlement with a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at its core. The Council underlined the importance of reinvigorating the Peace Process and requested the High Representative to pursue his efforts to this end.
2. The Council stressed its commitment to support the full implementation of UNSCR 1701, welcomed the declared commitment of all regional parties to this end, and commended the efforts of UNSG Annan. It welcomed the early deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon and the substantial contribution by EU Member States to the reinforced UNIFIL mission. It appreciated the significant contributions pledged by other countries. The Council called for a full and speedy implementation of UNSCR 1701, including the withdrawal of Israeli troops in parallel with the deployment of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces. The Council welcomed the lifting of the Israeli air and sea blockade, which will ease the delivery of humanitarian aid and facilitate economic recovery, and the instrumental role played by EU Member States. The EU reiterated its call for the immediate release of the two
abducted Israeli soldiers.
The Council invites the Presidency, the High Representative and the Commission to draw up a report on a possible European contribution to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 on the Lebanese-Syrian border.
3. The Council underlined the EU's commitment to assist the Lebanese government in meeting emergency, humanitarian and environmental needs, launching the rehabilitation and reconstruction process, extending its authority throughout Lebanese territory and taking forward political, security, economic and social reforms. It called on all outside actors and neighbours to support this process. The Council welcomed the Stockholm Conference for Lebanon's Early Recovery on 31 August. It noted that the EU/Lebanon ENP Action Plan provides an agreed framework through which the EU can assist the Government in implementing its reform agenda.
4. The Council underlined its commitment to promoting tangible progress towards a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It welcomed the announcement by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on an agreement to form a government of national unity and expressed the hope that its political platform will reflect the Quartet principles and allow for early engagement. The Council welcomed the prospect of a meeting between PM Olmert and President Abbas in the near future with a view to re-launching negotiations. It called for an immediate end to violence by Palestinian factions as well as to Israeli military activity in the Palestinian territories.
The Council reiterated its call for the immediate release of the abducted Israeli soldier. It further repeated its call for the immediate release of Palestinian ministers and legislators in Israeli custody. The Council reiterated the need for all parties to respect their Roadmap obligations. It renewed its call on the Israeli Government to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth of settlements. Ministers reiterated that the EU will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders other than those agreed by both parties.
5. The Council expressed deep concern at the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories. In this context the Council recalled the strong EU commitment made at the Stockholm International Donor Conference on 1 September. It welcomed the expansion of the Temporary International Mechanism, by which the EU and its Member States have already channelled substantial resources directly to the Palestinian people, and agreed that its operation should be extended for a further three months. It encouraged donors and others in the region to make full use of the mechanism. The Council repeated its call on Israel to resume transfers of withheld Palestinian tax and customs revenues. The Council called for the full implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access and, in this regard, reiterated its continued commitment to EU Border Assistance Mission in Rafah. It urged that Rafah and all other border-crossings be re-opened and remain open.
FIRST GROUP OF SPANISH TROOPS ARRIVE IN LEBANON AS UN FORCE LEVEL NEARS 5,000 New York, Sep 15 2006 2:00PM
Spanish troops today arrived for the first time in Lebanon, helping to boost the United Nations force to around 4,600, while Israel’s withdrawal from the south is continuing and Lebanese troops are expected to deploy into more areas tomorrow, the world body announced today.Some 500 officers and soldiers and approximately 100 vehicles from Spain brought the total number of troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) up to around 4,600,the Force said in a press release.
It said that 200 extra French troops had also arrived yesterday, while the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) withdrew from more areas of the south. UNIFIL is continuing to coordinate the force movements as stipulated by Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the fighting last month.On 14 September, The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) withdrew from the general areas of Naqoura, Alma ash Shab, Ayta ash Shab, Rmeich and Yarun. By this morning, the Ghanaian battalion confirmed that there were no IDF present there.
Lebanese Armed Forces are planning to deploy in these areas tomorrow, 16 September,UNIFIL said.Resolution 1701 mandated strengthening UNIFIL up to a maximum of 15,000 troops although UN officials have spoken of a general understanding that the IDF will completely withdraw from Lebanese territory once the UN Force reaches 5,000 troops and the Lebanese army is ready to deploy at the full strength of 15,000 troops.On Thursday, UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Alain Pellegrini said he expected all Israeli forces to have left southern Lebanon by the end of this month.2006-09-15 00:00:00.000
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
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.
REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).
MATTHEW 24:37-51
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
North Korea says it will never return to talks under sanctions
Deutsche Presse Agentur,Published: Saturday September 16, 2006
Havana- North Korea on Saturday denied any possibility that it might return to the negotiating table to discuss its nuclear programme before US sanctions against the communist country are lifted. North Korea's Parliamentary Speaker Kim Yong Nam
said in his speech before the 14th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Havana that his country needed atomic weapons for self defence. There is absolutely no justification to urge North Korea to go back to negotiations unconditionally. Our country will never return to negotiations under US sanctions,Kim told the NAM presidential summit. The North Korean official blamed Washington for having allegedly led talks to a dead end and imposed sanctions on Pyongyang unilaterally.
Kim added that the nuclear threat and blackmail of the United States left North Korea no choice but to acquire atomic weapons. Our country would need no nuclear weapons if there was no threat from the United States with its hostile policy towards the confidence-building process between both parties (in the Korean peninsula),Kim said. On Friday, US President George W Bush and his South Korean counterpart Roh Moo Hyun urged Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations.
All three countries participate in the talks, as well as China, Japan and Russia.
In the last round of talks in Beijing, North Korea agreed in principle to give up its quest for nuclear weapons. However, Washington and Pyongyang have differed over how to implement the agreement. Kim told NAM that North Korea has done everything possible to reach concrete results in the six-way talks that allow the implementation of the joint declaration of September 19, 2005.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran told NAM on Friday that his country intended to use its nuclear energy programme for peaceful ends. However, Washington and the European Union accuse Tehran of wanting to develop atomic weapons. The NAM summit in Havana is expected to issue a document separate from its final declaration endorsing Iran's right to keep working on its controversial nuclear programme.© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur
Saturday. September 16. 2006
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sept 16,06
Bush rules out meeting with Iran’s Ahmadinejad at UN
London, United States President George W. Bush ruled out meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York where world leaders will gather next week.
Most nations recognise the threat of Iran having a nuclear weapon in the middle of the Middle East. And there's common consensus that we need to work together to prevent the Iranian regime from developing that nuclear weapons program, Bush told reporters at the White House on Friday. Asked whether he was willing to meet the radical Iranian President, Bush said, No, I'm not going to meet with him.
I have made it clear to the Iranian regime that we will sit down with the Iranians once they verifiably suspend their enrichment program. I meant what I said.Imagine a Middle East with an Iran with a nuclear weapon threatening free nations and trying to promote their vision of extremism through Hezbollah, he added. Bush said that he was concerned that Iran would try to win time to push ahead with its nuclear program. My concern is that they'll stall, they'll try to wait us out, he said. So part of my objective in New York is to remind people that stalling shouldn't be allowed.
MATTHEW 24:3-5
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Japanese Authorities Search Doomsday Cult Offices
By VOA News ,16 September 2006
Japanese officials have raided the facilities of a doomsday cult linked to the 1995 gas attack on the Tokyo subway.The huge operation comes one day after the country's top court upheld the death penalty for the group's former leader.About 250 inspectors entered 25 facilities around the country Saturday to check for dangerous activities by members of the cult previously known as Aum Shinrikyo. The cult has since renamed itself Aleph.On Friday, Japan's Supreme Court rejected the final appeal of the death sentence given to Shoko Asahara. He was sentenced to death in 2004 for crimes including masterminding the poison gas attack on the Tokyo subway. Twenty-seven people were killed in the crimes. The gas attack alone killed 12 people and made thousands ill.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
Indian PM urges NAM make priorities of terror & Mideast
(AFP) 16 September 2006
HAVANA - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged Non-Aligned Movement leaders on Friday to take a conciliatory tone as they work to counter terrorism, and try to keep the Mideast peace process on track.
If NAM is to be relevant in today’s circumstances, it cannot afford to equivocate on the subject of terrorism,Singh told more than 55 leaders of state and government from the NAM’s 118 developing-country member states.A message must emanate from us that we are united in our desire to fight and eliminate the scourge of terrorism. We cannot allow the forces of intolerance and extremism to distract the world’s attention from the vital concerns of our people -- the problems of poverty, ignorance and disease,Singh stressed.At a summit that has been rife with sharp words on US policy Singh appealed for a new inclusive globalization.He and also argued that ‘as a group we have rejected extremes. We must spread the word of Gandhiji, the apostle of peace.Our voice must then be one of moderation, harmony and reason,Singh said. If such is the voice of more than half of the people of the world, it will prevail.The Indian premier also pressed for NAM members to work to bolster efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.The emerging fault lines of the new ideological divide are nowhere more apparent today then in West Asia,Singh said.
We have just been witness to a tragic and pointless war in Lebanon. It has only sharpened the sense of alienation and resentment brutalizing a country that had just begun to reclaim its heritage of inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony after years of conflict, he said.I would recommend that we constitute a suitable high level group for West Asia. This group could undertake a sustained mission to promote understanding in the region and assist in the implementation of the agreed roadmap toward a comprehensive peace,he said.On the energy front Singh also proposed a NAM working group on energy security which he said his country would be prepared to coordinate.Singh argued that the United Nations should be at the forefront of progress in international relations.
The United Nations played a creative and critical role in shaping the international agenda in the past,he said. It has to do so again.
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.
Helene becomes season's fourth Atlantic hurricane By Michael Peltier
2 hours, 33 minutes ago
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) Helene became the fourth hurricane of the Atlantic season on Saturday and Hurricane Gordon stalled in the Atlantic, but neither storm threatened land.
By 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), Helene had reached hurricane status with sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 kph) as it trekked to the northwest about 1,145 miles east of the Leeward Islands, the U.S.National Hurricane Center said.A plateauing of the intensity is called for around 72 hours with slight weakening thereafter,the Miami-based hurricane center predicted.Gordon, the third only hurricane of the 2006 season to become a major storm of Category 3 or higher on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, continued to pose no threat to land on Saturday.
Located 655 miles east of Bermuda, Gordon had 100 mph (160 kph) winds making it a Category 2 hurricane and was expected to weaken as it moved northeastward.
The six-month Atlantic storm season that began on June 1 has been relatively calm compared to last year's 28 tropical storms, of which 15 became hurricanes.Tropical storms Alberto and Ernesto struck the United States but caused no serious damage and one hurricane, Florence, grazed the British mid-Atlantic territory of Bermuda. Last year, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, killing 1,500 people on the U.S. Gulf Coast.Computer models show slim chances for Helene to reach the U.S. East Coast as it was more likely to curve northwestward over the open Atlantic.Hurricane forecasters had originally predicted that this Atlantic storm season would be busier than usual, as were both record-busting 2005 and the season of 2004, when four hurricanes in a row carved a destructive path through Florida.But the development of El Nino weather conditions in the Pacific, and other factors such as high quantities of West African dust in the atmosphere over the Atlantic, have led weather experts to reduce their expectations.The El Nino phenomenon, an unusual warming of waters in the eastern Pacific, causes high wind shear over the Atlantic. Wind shear, the
difference in velocity or direction of winds at different altitudes, tears cyclones apart.
Typhoon kills 2 on Japanese islands Sat Sep 16, 10:19 AM ET
TOKYO /A strong typhoon battered Japan's southern Ryukyu island chain on Saturday, and two people died after heavy downpours triggered a landslide, a news report said.
Typhoon Shanshan, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, was forecast to continue
north toward Japan's southwestern main island of Kyushu where it could make landfall as early as Monday, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.Heavy rain triggered landslides that killed two people on Kyushu on Saturday as the typhoon approached, Kyodo News service reported.The storm forced the suspension of dozens of flights and disrupted shipping in the region, public broadcaster NHK reported. Taiwan issued a maritime alert Friday for ships off its eastern and southern coasts as the typhoon passed.
Television footage showed snapped utility poles, blown-over vehicles and wind damage to buildings on the southern islands. On Iriomote Island near Taiwan, wind gusts of 155 mph were recorded — the strongest winds ever observed there, Kyodo said.
Typhoons and tropical storms frequently hit eastern Asia, especially Japan and Taiwan, in the summer and fall. Shanshan is a Chinese term for young girls.
Hurricane Lane becomes Category 3 By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer Sat Sep 16, 11:39 AM ET
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico - Hurricane Lane strengthened to a dangerous Category 3 on Saturday and took an unexpected turn toward Mexico's mainland Pacific coast, whipping the resort of Mazatlan with high winds while heading toward landfall farther north.
A day earlier, rains lashed coastal towns to the south, causing a landslide that killed a 7-year-old boy in Acapulco and flooding that forced hundreds of people to abandon their homes.With top winds near 125 mph, the center of Lane was expected to slam into the Pacific coast later Saturday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.A hurricane warning was in effect for the stretch of coastline from El Roblito to Topolobampo.At 11 a.m. EDT, Lane was centered about 50 miles west-northwest of Mazatlan and about 200 miles southeast of Los Mochis. It was moving north at nearly 10 mph, but its exact path was unclear and it could hit anywhere within the warning area, the hurricane center said.It was the second hurricane to menace the region recently.
Two weeks ago, Hurricane John unleashed wind and rain on Cabo San Lucas, a remote enclave famous for its deep-sea fishing, world-class golf courses and pristine beaches flanked by cactus-dotted deserts.Though the storm didn't directly hit the resort, it killed five people and damaged highways and washed-out homes have yet to be completed even as Lane bears down.With John, tourism dropped a lot. Now it's almost: Here we go again,said Ariel Lara, a 35-year-old timeshare salesman.Lane caused flooding in the port city of Lazaro Cardenas, where more than 500 people were evacuated from their homes after a canal overflowed. Earlier, the storm dumped rain in Acapulco, causing the landslide that killed the boy.Eloy Valenzuela, a 39-year-old dock employee, was tying down a yacht belonging to an American in preparation for strong winds. He said he didn't think two hurricanes so close to one another would scare away tourists.
We are always a moment away from a hurricane this time of year, he said. But you just take precautions so that there is no damage.Cabo San Lucas enjoyed clear skies and sweltering temperatures as the weekend began. There was no sign of panic on the streets or frantic supermarket lines.Some homes had their windows taped and a few restaurants and storefronts were boarded up. But vendors continued to hawk fishing and scuba-diving expeditions, while hotel managers assured guests there was no reason to worry.So what about the hurricane? Catherine Doster, a 25-year-old from Mobile, Ala., asked Friday, as she checked into her hotel near the Cabo San Lucas marina. Despite her queries, she said she never considered canceling her trip.I don't think there will be evacuations,said Matthew Freeman, a 28-year-old electrician who was traveling with Doster. The day before a hurricane, usually all hell's breaking loose. Everybody here seems calm. Everything's normal.Erin Newell, a 28-year-old film industry professional from Los Angeles, said an e-mail from loved ones in the U.S. about the storm upset her a bit.I think it's the fact that you're facing a hurricane,said Newell, who was drinking beer from a plastic cup as she walked near the waterfront. I've faced earthquakes and tornadoes, never a hurricane.
Some airlines canceled flights leaving Saturday, forcing Ellen Fiersten, of Springfield, Ill., to spend her 60th birthday waiting at the airport Friday. They're very low key about the weather here,said the retiree. The only information you get is watching CNN. Alan Murphy, a 59-year-old retiree from Las Vegas also wasn't taking any chances. He was on a flight home Friday, three days before he was scheduled to end a fishing trip.If it hits land, where do the tourists go? he said. They'll have to evacuate, and we don't want to be a part of that. Meanwhile, a tropical depression formed Saturday in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, the National Hurricane Center said. The season's 14th tropical depression was expected to only gradually strengthen as it feels the influence of Hurricane Lane. The depression was about 460 miles southwest of Baja early Saturday and was moving northeast at about 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds were about 35 mph.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
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 through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
2 PETER 2:5
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2 PETER 3:7
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men
LEVITICUS 26:16
16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you( sudden) terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
ISAIAH 33:1,18-19 Woe to thee that spoilest,(destroys) and thou wast not spoiled;(destroyed) and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil,(destroy) thou shalt be spoiled;(destroyed) and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?
19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
UPDATED: 07:47, September 16, 2006
Lebanese president seeks NAM resolution against Israel
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said he was hopeful the 14th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit would approve a resolution condemning Israel's military aggression, local news website Naharnet reported Friday. We hope this will be a lesson to Israel that you can't solve problems by force,Lahoud, who is attending the summit at Cuba's capital city of Havana, was quoted as saying.
Lahoud said that his country could not be defeated despite Israel's military might and U.S. backing because the people of Lebanon were determined to stand up, all united against the aggression. The report said that Israel's air strikes on Lebanon and its occupation of Palestinian territories angered leaders at the summit, who also criticized the United States for supplying weapons to Israel. Israel's illegal actions are the result of the support it receives from the United States,Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Roque was quoted as saying.
Israel launched a massive offensive on Lebanon after Lebanese militant group Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in a cross border raid on July 12.The Israel-Hezbollah conflict ended on Aug. 14 under a UN resolution. Over 1,000 Lebanese and 157 Israelis have been killed in the conflict, in addition to huge property damages and economic losses of both sides. Cuba is hosting the summit of the NAM, a 116-member organization made up of mostly developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America, on Sept. 11-16. Source: Xinhua
THE EU
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TR BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Updated Sep. 16, 2006 21:06
European leaders back Benedict
By GEORGE CONGER
European religious and political leaders have backed Benedict XVI in the wake of Muslim protests over the Pope's academic lecture at Regensburg University Tuesday, saying the Pope's words had been misinterpreted. Rather than criticizing Islam, the Pope is actually offering it a helping hand by suggesting that it do away with the cycle of violence,Fr. Samir K. Samir, SJ one of the Vatican's leading experts on Islam wrote in the Catholic newspaper AsiaNews. The Pope's academic lecture was trying to show how western society-including the Church-has become secularized by removing from the concept of Reason its spiritual dimension and origins which are in God,Fr. Samir stated. While European Muslims were quick to attack the Pope's words, the continent's political leaders declined to follow. Whoever criticizes the Pope misunderstood the aim of his speech,German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with the German newspaper, Bild.
It was an invitation to dialogue between religions,she said on Friday. Benedict expressly spoke in favor of this dialogue, which is something I also support and consider urgent and necessary. What Benedict XVI emphasized was a decisive and uncompromising renunciation of all forms of violence in the name of religion, Merkel noted. This is a storm in a tea cup the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey told The Jerusalem Post. Anything Pope Benedict says should be weighed carefully. He is not given to slight or idle remarks, he added, dismissing Muslim charges the Pope had rubbished Islam. If he quoted something said 600 years ago, we should not assume that this represents the Pope's beliefs about Islam today,he said. Lord Carey, who chairs the Foundation for Reconciliation in the Middle East has long been active in Christian-Muslim dialogue, and in 2002 signed an accord in Alexandria with the Grand Imam of the al-Azhar in Cairo and the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel calling for an end to violence, suicide bombings and a resumption of the peace process in the Middle East.
Muslims, as well as Christians, must learn to enter into dialogue without crying foul, Lord Carey said. We live in perilous times, and we must not only separate religion from violence but also not give religious legitimacy to violence in any shape or form. Italian European parliament vice president Mario Mauro condemned as monstrous the manipulation of the Pope's remarks by Islamic leaders which he claimed were used to hit out at Christians and the West.The controversy was evidence of the gravity of the danger we are facing he told the ANSA press agency on Sept 15, and urged Europeans to defend reason against the onslaught of Islamist-Nazi ideology that permeates fundamentalist thought. The Western press was divided over the Pope's remarks. The New York Times editorialized on Saturday the Pope must give a deep and persuasive apology for his remarks as the world listens carefully to the words of any pope. And it is tragic and dangerous when one sows pain, either deliberately or carelessly, it said.
However, the Guardian commented the Pope was innocent of the charges of stirring up hatred against Islam being made against him. It is difficult to believe that those making the claims, the Guardian's religious affairs correspondent, Stephen Bates, noted, can possibly have read the remarks in full or in their proper context. Muslim concerns were exaggerated and misplaced, Fr. Samir, a professor at the Universit Saint Joseph in Beirut, the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, and the Centre de Th ologie S vres in Paris, wrote.
Initial reactions in the Muslim world showed that the Pope's was misunderstood, he said, and some comments made by Western Muslims were superficial and fed the circus-like criticism of emotional outbursts in response to hearsay. Benedict's quote from the Koran, There is no compulsion in religion, (Sura 2,256), was offered in the context of a medieval dialogue between a Byzantine emperor and a Persian Muslim. The Holy Father chose this text because it contained a key sentence' in which the Emperor criticizes the Muslim for Islam's violence as exemplified by the command to spread the faith by the sword,Fr. Samir said.
However, the argument being proffered by the Pope was that anyone who engages in violence ceases being a believer; anyone, Christian or Muslim, who goes along with violence goes against Reason and God, whose is the source of Reason,he stated.
Sadly, some people cannot avoid seeing the conflict between the West and Islam except in political terms. Since the Pope is a Westerner, it must logically follow that he is against us. And having failed to understand what the Pope says, all that they can say is that he criticized jihad and for this reason he certainly must be an enemy,Fr. Samir said. The tragedy in this controversy, Fr. Samir suggested was that only by listening to the Pope's suggestions, and those of a few Muslim intellectuals, can Islam's chances for renewal become real. It is high time that Islam deal with modernity; not to be swallowed up by it, but rather to take what good it has to offer and improve on it,he said.
West Bank churches attacked after Pope remarks By Atef Sa'ad
Sat Sep 16, 8:23 AM ET
NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) - Unknown assailants threw fire bombs on Saturday at two churches in the West Bank city of Nablus, following a day of Palestinian protests against comments Pope Benedict made about Islam. No one was hurt. Jabi Saadeh, a member of the Anglican Church in the city, said about four or five masked men in a white car threw several fire bombs at the wall of the church, without causing damage.A similar attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Nablus set ablaze one of its walls, leaving part of it charred. George Awad, head of the Greek Orthodox church, denounced what he called a childish act.In a speech in Germany on Tuesday, the Pope appeared to endorse a Christian view, contested by most Muslims, that the early Muslims spread their religion by violence. It was unclear whether the church attacks were connected to his remarks.The Pontiff apologized on Saturday for his comments, which sparked outrage across the Arab world.
Thousands of Palestinians marched in Gaza on Friday to protest his remarks. A youth center run by the Greek Orthodox church in Gaza was slightly damaged by an explosion, although it was unclear whether it was related to the Pope's remarks.
Salem Salama, the head of Muslim clerics in the Palestinian territories, urged Palestinians to protect and respect Christians and also called on Muslim countries not to allow the Pope to visit in order to ensure his safety.We urge our nations and our Muslim and Arab countries not to receive the Pope so that he does not make any comments that may ignite fire and in order to avoid any assault on him that may ignite a religious war,Salama said in Gaza.Senior officials from the Palestinian government, which has been led by the Islamic Hamas group after it won a January parliamentary election, and other local leaders gathered at the scene of the Nablus attacks and offered words of condolence.We condemn this irresponsible attack and we believe that these acts will not affect the eternal unity of the Palestinian community,Nablus mayor and Hamas leader Adli Yaaish said.Most of the some 3.8 million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip identify themselves as Muslim, while up to 2 percent are Christian. Attacks between members of the communities are rare.We are brothers and sisters during good and bad times in Palestine and tolerance is the common oxygen for people here -- Christians and Muslims,Awad said.
Source: European Union (EU)
Date: 15 Sep 2006
Council conclusions on the Middle East peace process - 2749th External Relations Council meeting, Brussels, 15 Sep 2006
The Council adopted the following conclusions:
1. The Council discussed the situation in the Middle East. It underlined that lasting peace and security in the region can only be ensured by a comprehensive settlement with a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at its core. The Council underlined the importance of reinvigorating the Peace Process and requested the High Representative to pursue his efforts to this end.
2. The Council stressed its commitment to support the full implementation of UNSCR 1701, welcomed the declared commitment of all regional parties to this end, and commended the efforts of UNSG Annan. It welcomed the early deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon and the substantial contribution by EU Member States to the reinforced UNIFIL mission. It appreciated the significant contributions pledged by other countries. The Council called for a full and speedy implementation of UNSCR 1701, including the withdrawal of Israeli troops in parallel with the deployment of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces. The Council welcomed the lifting of the Israeli air and sea blockade, which will ease the delivery of humanitarian aid and facilitate economic recovery, and the instrumental role played by EU Member States. The EU reiterated its call for the immediate release of the two
abducted Israeli soldiers.
The Council invites the Presidency, the High Representative and the Commission to draw up a report on a possible European contribution to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 on the Lebanese-Syrian border.
3. The Council underlined the EU's commitment to assist the Lebanese government in meeting emergency, humanitarian and environmental needs, launching the rehabilitation and reconstruction process, extending its authority throughout Lebanese territory and taking forward political, security, economic and social reforms. It called on all outside actors and neighbours to support this process. The Council welcomed the Stockholm Conference for Lebanon's Early Recovery on 31 August. It noted that the EU/Lebanon ENP Action Plan provides an agreed framework through which the EU can assist the Government in implementing its reform agenda.
4. The Council underlined its commitment to promoting tangible progress towards a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It welcomed the announcement by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on an agreement to form a government of national unity and expressed the hope that its political platform will reflect the Quartet principles and allow for early engagement. The Council welcomed the prospect of a meeting between PM Olmert and President Abbas in the near future with a view to re-launching negotiations. It called for an immediate end to violence by Palestinian factions as well as to Israeli military activity in the Palestinian territories.
The Council reiterated its call for the immediate release of the abducted Israeli soldier. It further repeated its call for the immediate release of Palestinian ministers and legislators in Israeli custody. The Council reiterated the need for all parties to respect their Roadmap obligations. It renewed its call on the Israeli Government to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth of settlements. Ministers reiterated that the EU will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders other than those agreed by both parties.
5. The Council expressed deep concern at the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories. In this context the Council recalled the strong EU commitment made at the Stockholm International Donor Conference on 1 September. It welcomed the expansion of the Temporary International Mechanism, by which the EU and its Member States have already channelled substantial resources directly to the Palestinian people, and agreed that its operation should be extended for a further three months. It encouraged donors and others in the region to make full use of the mechanism. The Council repeated its call on Israel to resume transfers of withheld Palestinian tax and customs revenues. The Council called for the full implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access and, in this regard, reiterated its continued commitment to EU Border Assistance Mission in Rafah. It urged that Rafah and all other border-crossings be re-opened and remain open.
FIRST GROUP OF SPANISH TROOPS ARRIVE IN LEBANON AS UN FORCE LEVEL NEARS 5,000 New York, Sep 15 2006 2:00PM
Spanish troops today arrived for the first time in Lebanon, helping to boost the United Nations force to around 4,600, while Israel’s withdrawal from the south is continuing and Lebanese troops are expected to deploy into more areas tomorrow, the world body announced today.Some 500 officers and soldiers and approximately 100 vehicles from Spain brought the total number of troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) up to around 4,600,the Force said in a press release.
It said that 200 extra French troops had also arrived yesterday, while the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) withdrew from more areas of the south. UNIFIL is continuing to coordinate the force movements as stipulated by Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the fighting last month.On 14 September, The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) withdrew from the general areas of Naqoura, Alma ash Shab, Ayta ash Shab, Rmeich and Yarun. By this morning, the Ghanaian battalion confirmed that there were no IDF present there.
Lebanese Armed Forces are planning to deploy in these areas tomorrow, 16 September,UNIFIL said.Resolution 1701 mandated strengthening UNIFIL up to a maximum of 15,000 troops although UN officials have spoken of a general understanding that the IDF will completely withdraw from Lebanese territory once the UN Force reaches 5,000 troops and the Lebanese army is ready to deploy at the full strength of 15,000 troops.On Thursday, UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Alain Pellegrini said he expected all Israeli forces to have left southern Lebanon by the end of this month.2006-09-15 00:00:00.000
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
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.
REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).
MATTHEW 24:37-51
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
North Korea says it will never return to talks under sanctions
Deutsche Presse Agentur,Published: Saturday September 16, 2006
Havana- North Korea on Saturday denied any possibility that it might return to the negotiating table to discuss its nuclear programme before US sanctions against the communist country are lifted. North Korea's Parliamentary Speaker Kim Yong Nam
said in his speech before the 14th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Havana that his country needed atomic weapons for self defence. There is absolutely no justification to urge North Korea to go back to negotiations unconditionally. Our country will never return to negotiations under US sanctions,Kim told the NAM presidential summit. The North Korean official blamed Washington for having allegedly led talks to a dead end and imposed sanctions on Pyongyang unilaterally.
Kim added that the nuclear threat and blackmail of the United States left North Korea no choice but to acquire atomic weapons. Our country would need no nuclear weapons if there was no threat from the United States with its hostile policy towards the confidence-building process between both parties (in the Korean peninsula),Kim said. On Friday, US President George W Bush and his South Korean counterpart Roh Moo Hyun urged Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations.
All three countries participate in the talks, as well as China, Japan and Russia.
In the last round of talks in Beijing, North Korea agreed in principle to give up its quest for nuclear weapons. However, Washington and Pyongyang have differed over how to implement the agreement. Kim told NAM that North Korea has done everything possible to reach concrete results in the six-way talks that allow the implementation of the joint declaration of September 19, 2005.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran told NAM on Friday that his country intended to use its nuclear energy programme for peaceful ends. However, Washington and the European Union accuse Tehran of wanting to develop atomic weapons. The NAM summit in Havana is expected to issue a document separate from its final declaration endorsing Iran's right to keep working on its controversial nuclear programme.© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur
Saturday. September 16. 2006
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sept 16,06
Bush rules out meeting with Iran’s Ahmadinejad at UN
London, United States President George W. Bush ruled out meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York where world leaders will gather next week.
Most nations recognise the threat of Iran having a nuclear weapon in the middle of the Middle East. And there's common consensus that we need to work together to prevent the Iranian regime from developing that nuclear weapons program, Bush told reporters at the White House on Friday. Asked whether he was willing to meet the radical Iranian President, Bush said, No, I'm not going to meet with him.
I have made it clear to the Iranian regime that we will sit down with the Iranians once they verifiably suspend their enrichment program. I meant what I said.Imagine a Middle East with an Iran with a nuclear weapon threatening free nations and trying to promote their vision of extremism through Hezbollah, he added. Bush said that he was concerned that Iran would try to win time to push ahead with its nuclear program. My concern is that they'll stall, they'll try to wait us out, he said. So part of my objective in New York is to remind people that stalling shouldn't be allowed.
MATTHEW 24:3-5
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Japanese Authorities Search Doomsday Cult Offices
By VOA News ,16 September 2006
Japanese officials have raided the facilities of a doomsday cult linked to the 1995 gas attack on the Tokyo subway.The huge operation comes one day after the country's top court upheld the death penalty for the group's former leader.About 250 inspectors entered 25 facilities around the country Saturday to check for dangerous activities by members of the cult previously known as Aum Shinrikyo. The cult has since renamed itself Aleph.On Friday, Japan's Supreme Court rejected the final appeal of the death sentence given to Shoko Asahara. He was sentenced to death in 2004 for crimes including masterminding the poison gas attack on the Tokyo subway. Twenty-seven people were killed in the crimes. The gas attack alone killed 12 people and made thousands ill.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
Indian PM urges NAM make priorities of terror & Mideast
(AFP) 16 September 2006
HAVANA - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged Non-Aligned Movement leaders on Friday to take a conciliatory tone as they work to counter terrorism, and try to keep the Mideast peace process on track.
If NAM is to be relevant in today’s circumstances, it cannot afford to equivocate on the subject of terrorism,Singh told more than 55 leaders of state and government from the NAM’s 118 developing-country member states.A message must emanate from us that we are united in our desire to fight and eliminate the scourge of terrorism. We cannot allow the forces of intolerance and extremism to distract the world’s attention from the vital concerns of our people -- the problems of poverty, ignorance and disease,Singh stressed.At a summit that has been rife with sharp words on US policy Singh appealed for a new inclusive globalization.He and also argued that ‘as a group we have rejected extremes. We must spread the word of Gandhiji, the apostle of peace.Our voice must then be one of moderation, harmony and reason,Singh said. If such is the voice of more than half of the people of the world, it will prevail.The Indian premier also pressed for NAM members to work to bolster efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.The emerging fault lines of the new ideological divide are nowhere more apparent today then in West Asia,Singh said.
We have just been witness to a tragic and pointless war in Lebanon. It has only sharpened the sense of alienation and resentment brutalizing a country that had just begun to reclaim its heritage of inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony after years of conflict, he said.I would recommend that we constitute a suitable high level group for West Asia. This group could undertake a sustained mission to promote understanding in the region and assist in the implementation of the agreed roadmap toward a comprehensive peace,he said.On the energy front Singh also proposed a NAM working group on energy security which he said his country would be prepared to coordinate.Singh argued that the United Nations should be at the forefront of progress in international relations.
The United Nations played a creative and critical role in shaping the international agenda in the past,he said. It has to do so again.
ECOLI OUTBREAK IN US
1-Earthquake Hits Northern Taiwan. 2-Earth tremor in state's north. 3-Lane nears hurricane strength in Mexico. 4-Hurricane Gordon drops to Category 1. 5-Clear up continues after Yorkshire storms. 6-More people evacuated due to raging forest fires in northwestern Ontario. 7-Danish PM backs EU frontier force. 8-Insect-borne Diseases In Humans. 9-U.S. supermarkets pull spinach on E. coli outbreak.
EARTHQUAKES
MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Earthquake Hits Northern Taiwan
September 15, 2006 5:38 a.m. EST,Josephine Roque - All Headline News Staff Writer
Taipei, Taiwan (AHN) - An earthquake hit northern Taiwan with a magnitude of 5.0 on the Richter scale. According to reports, there were no immediate reports of destruction or casualties. The tremor rocked the country at 4:47 a.m. (2047 GMT Thursday) with an epicenter 12 miles northeast of Ilan County. The quake's source has been said to be 45 miles under the sea.The country is situated near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly plagued by earthquakes.The most devastating was a 7.6-magnitude quake that killed an estimated 2,400 people in September 1999.This story is from our news.com.au network Source: AAP
Earth tremor in state's north
September 14, 2006
RESIDENTS of northern Tasmania were woken about 12.30am (AEST) today when an earth tremor rattled cupboards in houses west of Launceston.Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Mark Leonard said the earthquake measured three on the Richter scale but was unlikely to have caused any structural damage.The earthquake hit between Deloraine and the Great Lake area and would have been felt 20 to 30km from the epicentre.While the tremor shocked some residents, Dr Leonard said earthquakes were not uncommon in the state.
Tasmania gets an earthquake this size once every couple of years,he said.Maureen, a radio talkback caller who was sitting on the toilet when the tremor hit, said the event had been frightening.I heard a very, very loud rumbling sound and I dived off (the toilet) and raced to the bedroom where my husband was lying in bed,she told ABC radio.It was very loud and it frightened everything out of me.Roger from Deloraine said he heard the tremor then rolled over and went back to sleep.It was just loud enough and severe enough to rattle a few things in the house,he said.
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.
Lane nears hurricane strength in Mexico By JULIE WATSON, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 27 minutes ago
MEXICO CITY /Tropical Storm Lane neared hurricane strength Friday as it roared toward the tip of the Baja California Peninsula, lashing Mexico's Pacific coast and flooding port cities. The Mexican government issued a hurricane warning for the southern tip of the peninsula and the Islas Marias, an island prison colony.A hurricane watch was in effect along the Pacific coast from Manzanillo to La Cruz, 170 miles south of the resort of Puerto Vallarta, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.Lane's maximum sustained winds were near 70 mph with higher gusts, and it was expected to grow into a hurricane later Friday. The
threshold for hurricane status is sustained winds of 74 mph.Lane was already causing flooding in the port city of Lazaro Cardenas, where more than 500 people were evacuated from their homes after a canal overflowed, the government news agency Notimex reported.Earlier, Lane dumped rain and whipped up waves in Acapulco, where authorities closed the port to small boats and shut down schools Friday across the state of Guerrero.
Streets were covered in up to 16 inches of water including the beachside Costera Miguel Aleman, which runs past many luxury hotels.There was also some flooding at the Acapulco airport, although service was not interrupted.By late morning, the storm was centered 135 miles northwest of Manzanillo and about 325 miles southeast of the resort of Cabo San Lucas. It was moving northwest near 10 mph.Its current path would take it parallel to Mexico's Pacific coast, although a slight deviation could bring hurricane conditions onshore.The storm was following the same path as Hurricane John, which raked Mexico's Pacific coast early this month before slamming into Baja California, killing five people and damaging 160 homes.
Forecasters warned that Lane could dump up to a foot of rain and cause life-threatening mudslides and flooding.
Hurricane Gordon drops to Category 1 45 minutes ago
MIAMI /Hurricane Gordon was downgraded to a Category 2 storm, and Tropical Storm Helene strengthened in the open Atlantic Friday, but neither posed any immediate threat to land, forecasters said. Gordon's top sustained winds were near 100 mph, down 10 mph from earlier in the day and 5 mph from being lowered to a Category 1 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.At 11 a.m. EDT, Gordon was centered about 680 miles east of Bermuda and moving northeast at near 7 mph. It was expected to continue weakening over the next day, said Jamie Rhome, a hurricane specialist.Helene had top sustained winds near 60 mph, up from 45 mph earlier in the day, and could become a hurricane, forecasters said. It was centered about 1,355 miles east of the Leeward Islands and moving west-northwest near 13 mph. Forecasts predicted it would be well east of Bermuda in five days.
The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. The National Hurricane Center's latest forecast for the season expects between seven and nine hurricanes, a slight reduction from earlier predictions.Federal scientists said this week that the
season hasn't been as busy because weak El Nino conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific. El Nino means higher ocean temperatures that inhibit hurricanes by increasing crosswinds over the Caribbean. This vertical wind shear can rip storms apart or even stop them from forming.But National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists warned that the El Nino impacts on hurricanes have been small so far. And the season is still at its traditional peak, so residents should stay prepared, forecasters said.
15 September 2006
Clear up continues after Yorkshire storms
A clear up operation in North and West Yorkshire was continuing today after heavy rain and tornadoes struck the area on Thursday.Leeds and Harrogate were among the worst affected areas where some schools remain closed today.Train services were disrupted after lightning knocked out signalling at Leeds station.Insurance assessors are expected to visit the area today to inspect the damage caused by the tornadoes which damaged roofs and trees.Fire and Rescue services were called to premises to help deal with flooding in premises in Harrogate, Selby and Reeth.The storm which lasted some two hours dumped so much rain on buildings that several were flooded by a build up of rainwater on the roof which then flooded into the building.There are reports that a house in Harehills in Leeds had its roof blown completely off. One man was injured by a falling tree.Leeds City Council said that an information centre was being set up at the Crompton Road Library to provide advice for those affected by the storm. Three schools in the area are closed today due to damage caused by the flash flood.(SP/KMcA)
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.
More people evacuated due to raging forest fires in northwestern Ontario Canadian Press Friday, September 15, 2006
DRYDEN, Ont. (CP) - Raging forest fires are forcing more people to leave their remote northwestern Ontario communities.Another 83 people from two aboriginal communities - Longlac First Nation and Aroland First Nation were forced from home today because of smoke from 290 burning fires. More than 1,000 people have already been moved to community centres and hotels near Thunder Bay, Ont., because of the unseasonably late fires. Debbie MacLean, with the Ministry of Natural Resources in Dryden, Ont., says hot, dry and windy weather have been fuelling the fires many of which were started by lightning. Ministry officials have been scrambling for weeks to contain the fires which caught firefighters off-guard because the lateness in the season.
Still, MacLean says the number of new fires being reported daily has dropped from between 60 and 100 to 28. The number of fires that we're picking up daily has dropped dramatically compared to what we were getting the previous days,MacLean said. We're down to 28 but believe it or not, those numbers are low. While MacLean said some of the communities may be threatened by flames, billowing smoke from the fires is the more immediate health risk. Many residents of Pays Plat First Nations, Sandy Lake, Deer Lake, Keewaywin, Gull Lake and North Spirit Lake have already left. Most are women, children and those with respiratory problems. The town of Cochrane, Ont., has activated its emergency plan to cope with an influx of evacuees. Early today, a bus full from the Greenstone area arrived. In all, Cochrane is now housing 178 Aroland First Nation people in various motels. It's unknown how long it will be before the fires are brought under control and the people can return. © The Canadian Press 2006
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.(TR 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)
Danish PM backs EU frontier force
Denmark will push for more co- operation amongst EU members in order to stop illegal immigration to Mediterranean countries, said reports from Copenhagen on Thursday.
The prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, has pledged to devote more resources to
shoring up the European Union's southern frontier, reported daily newspaper Politiken. Denmark already has one police officer stationed in Malta as a member of Frontex, the EU's border agency. Visiting the island Wednesday, Rasmussen said that Denmark would do more to help the island prevent illegal immigration from Africa, though he stopped short of making any promises.
I know that illegal immigration places an overwhelming burden on Malta and its public institutions. We view this as a political matter that we need to deal with through increased EU co-operation, Rasmussen said. In addition to calling for a strengthened Frontex, the prime minister expressed his support for the European Commission's two most recent initiatives to stop illegal immigration. On 19
July, the Commission set forth a proposal to establish rapid reaction teams of border guards that can be deployed to union frontiers.
It also suggested earmarking 1.82 billion euros ( about 2.33 billion U.S. dollars) to assist countries facing illegal immigration crises.
Source: Xinhua
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
Insect-borne Diseases In Humans [ 2006-9-15 ]
By Bhaiya Khanal
Minor insect bites can transmit serious diseases in human and other animals. Many species of common insects act as vectors for diseases causing pathogens. This aspect of medical entomology is still under the process of investigation and many new findings are coming out frequently about insect borne diseases which are highly injurious to human health.
A vast species of insects are still unknown about their roles in our society. Epidemic typhus is caused by rickettsias which multiply in the intestinal epithelial cells of the lice and are voided with their faeces. There are several varieties of typhus all of which cause fever, severe headache and a skin rash and the severity of the illness varies greatly according to different types. In the past, outbreak of typhus fever had been responsible for thousands of deaths. Epidemic typhus is more likely to affect volunteer workers who come into close contact with infected locals mostly in the rural areas.
Trench fever is also spread by louse faeces. Transmission results by contamination of bite with their faeces. Tropical and subtropical mosquitoes transmit yellow fever, dengue, filariasis, encephalitis, bird and human malaria. Although over a hundred species of anopheles mosquitoes have been shown to be capable of transmitting malaria, only about two dozens of them are the real malarial carriers. The Black Death or Plague is one of the oldest known and widely spread diseases across the world. In the fourteenth century, it burst out suddenly killing about one third of the population in the entire Europe. Basically, it is a serious disease of rodents especially the rat. The causative organism of this disease has been found to be bacterium, which is spread to human through a common rat flea called Xenopsylla.This disease has two forms; bubonic plague and pneumonic plague.
The bubonic plague is associated with high fever, headache, muscular aches, shaking chills and pain in the armpits due to the formation of buboes or swollen lymph nodes. When the lungs become infected an infectious pneumonia may develop.
The disease caused by a tiny single celled organism called leishmania is transmitted to human by the bite of an insect called sand fly. Its two forms include the oriental sore and kalaazar. The disease is normally self limiting but can leave the victim with disfiguring scars. It is a widely spread disease throughout North Africa, the Middle East, Asiatic Russia, Iran and around the Mediterranean.
In Kalaazar, the parasites invade the liver, spleen and bone marrow causing serious illness, which, if untreated can lead to death. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as leukaemia or lymphoma due to enlargement of the spleen, anaemia and weight loss. It is more widespread in certain parts of Africa, South Asia and South America. Most cases of leishmaniasis respond well to treatment with an antimony drug if diagnosed at early stage.
Filariasis is a worm infestation confined mainly to the tropics and spreads from person to person through mosquito bites. The severity of the disease depends on the number of worms present. Filariasis affects an estimated 120 million persons in tropical areas of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt, southern Asia, the western Pacific islands, the northeastern coasts of South and Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. The disease is caused by a long thread like worm about 50cm in length which lives under the skin and in lymphatic tissues. The female worms release larvae that circulate in the peripheral blood vessels which then are ingested by mosquitoes and eventually, are transmitted to other humans through the bites.
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium and is spread to humans by tick bites. It is characterized initially by an expanding red rash at the site of the bite often accompanied by headache, muscles and joint aches and fever. Lyme disease occurs in temperate forested regions of Europe, Asia, Pacific coastal regions, Australia, China and Japan. If a rash appears at the site of tick attachment, immediate medical attention should be sought. Lyme disease is effectively treated with oral antibiotics. The well-known malaria is caused by mosquitoes and is distributed extensively over tropical and subtropical countries. Yellow fever is also caused by mosquitoes mainly in tropical Africa and central and South America. Dengue fever is the next disease caused by mosquito mainly in tropical parts of Africa, Southeast Asia and South America.
Japanese Encephalitis is a mosquito borne virus which is found potentially fatal in humans. It is spread throughout eastern Asia, including India, Nepal, Japan, China and Southeast Asia. The ticks also act as the natural carriers of this virus. This micro-organism had made its appearance in Australia for the first time in 1995. The natural cycle of this virus in Asia involves water birds and culex mosquitoes, with pigs being also involved as an amplifying host and providing a link to humans through?their proximity to housing.
Similarly, the Chagas disease is produced through the bite of assassin bug mainly in tropical south and Central America. Skin reactions are commonly associated with bed bug bites resulting mainly from the saliva injected during feeding tenure. It has also been suggested that allergens from bed bugs may be associated with asthmatic reactions. In India, iron deficiency in infants has been associated with severe infestations of bedbugs. Recently however, bed bugs have undergone a dramatic resurgence and there are worldwide reports of increasing numbers of infestations.
Biting insects are active over day and night. The mosquitoes that spread malaria are active generally in dark but the mosquitoes which are related to yellow and dengue fevers remain smart during daylight hours. Warm and humid summer is the optimum period to flourish insect diversity in our surroundings. Our society has very poor understanding about insect's nature and its injurious bite.
Mainly the rural peoples who often face severe epidemic of such diseases are absolutely unaware of biting insects. This clearly indicates an urgent need to launch an effective programme on insect education in relation to its disease and remedies. This can be said beneficial to majority of the villagers to know more about insects and take preventive measures against biting insects especially
during summer months.
U.S. supermarkets pull spinach on E. coli outbreak
By Michelle Nichols
NEW YORK (Reuters) U.S. supermarkets cleared shelves of bagged fresh spinach on Friday after the Food and Drug Administration warned the produce could be the source of a deadly E. coli outbreak across the nation.One person died, eight suffered kidney failure and more than 40 were ill after eating suspected contaminated fresh bagged spinach in Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin, the agency said.I'll grow my own for the time being until they say it's OK,said Charlene Christianson, 78, outside a grocery story in Milwaukee.Fresh unbagged bunches of spinach were not subject to the government warning and were still available in small independent grocery stores in New York. However, larger companies were not taking chances.Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats Markets Inc., the top two natural and organic grocers, and Supervalu Inc., the No. 2 U.S. grocery chain, said they have pulled all fresh spinach from their stores.
This includes all fresh bagged spinach, fresh bulk, fresh spring mix that contains spinach, and fresh spinach used in the deli and salad bar,said a Wild Oats spokeswoman, adding that spinach makes up 1 percent of fresh produce sales.FDA officials said they were working with state authorities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to try to determine if a specific brand of bagged spinach was responsible for the outbreak and where it was sold.We hope to ... narrow the scope as much as we can, Robert Brackett, FDA Centre for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition director, told a food policy conference in Washington. We'd certainly like to find the brands that might be involved.Brackett said there was likely to be more illnesses.
LIFE-SAVING MOVE
The early FDA warning has probably saved lives, the Centre for Science in the Public Interest said, adding that fresh produce is too often contaminated with E. coli, salmonella or other life-threatening pathogens.Contamination can come from use of untreated manure used as fertilizer, irrigation water contaminated with waste from animal agriculture, or cross-contamination during processing,said Caroline Smith DeWaal, the centre's food safety director.E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that causes bloody diarrhoea and dehydration. Children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are at the highest risk.
Until they get it solved, I will keep my menu away from any items with spinach,said South Milwaukee deli operator Greg Castle, 48.Heather Jones, analyst at BB&T Capital Markets, said any impact on bagged spinach sales was likely to be short-lived. An E. coli scare on Dole Food Co. prepackaged salads last year only affected sales for two months, she said.Shares of Chiquita Brands International Inc., which owns No. 1 U.S. bagged salad company Fresh Express, initially dropped about 3 percent on Friday but was down only 1.4 percent in afternoon trade.The No. 2 bagged produce company, Dole Food Co., is privately held.
Sysco Corp., which distributes produce to restaurants, cafeterias and other food vendors, said it has told its companies to stop shipping spinach products.(Additional reporting by Jessica Wohl and Brad Dorfman in Chicago and John Rondy in Milwaukee)
Reuters ,This article: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1369852006
EARTHQUAKES
MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Earthquake Hits Northern Taiwan
September 15, 2006 5:38 a.m. EST,Josephine Roque - All Headline News Staff Writer
Taipei, Taiwan (AHN) - An earthquake hit northern Taiwan with a magnitude of 5.0 on the Richter scale. According to reports, there were no immediate reports of destruction or casualties. The tremor rocked the country at 4:47 a.m. (2047 GMT Thursday) with an epicenter 12 miles northeast of Ilan County. The quake's source has been said to be 45 miles under the sea.The country is situated near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly plagued by earthquakes.The most devastating was a 7.6-magnitude quake that killed an estimated 2,400 people in September 1999.This story is from our news.com.au network Source: AAP
Earth tremor in state's north
September 14, 2006
RESIDENTS of northern Tasmania were woken about 12.30am (AEST) today when an earth tremor rattled cupboards in houses west of Launceston.Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Mark Leonard said the earthquake measured three on the Richter scale but was unlikely to have caused any structural damage.The earthquake hit between Deloraine and the Great Lake area and would have been felt 20 to 30km from the epicentre.While the tremor shocked some residents, Dr Leonard said earthquakes were not uncommon in the state.
Tasmania gets an earthquake this size once every couple of years,he said.Maureen, a radio talkback caller who was sitting on the toilet when the tremor hit, said the event had been frightening.I heard a very, very loud rumbling sound and I dived off (the toilet) and raced to the bedroom where my husband was lying in bed,she told ABC radio.It was very loud and it frightened everything out of me.Roger from Deloraine said he heard the tremor then rolled over and went back to sleep.It was just loud enough and severe enough to rattle a few things in the house,he said.
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.
Lane nears hurricane strength in Mexico By JULIE WATSON, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 27 minutes ago
MEXICO CITY /Tropical Storm Lane neared hurricane strength Friday as it roared toward the tip of the Baja California Peninsula, lashing Mexico's Pacific coast and flooding port cities. The Mexican government issued a hurricane warning for the southern tip of the peninsula and the Islas Marias, an island prison colony.A hurricane watch was in effect along the Pacific coast from Manzanillo to La Cruz, 170 miles south of the resort of Puerto Vallarta, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.Lane's maximum sustained winds were near 70 mph with higher gusts, and it was expected to grow into a hurricane later Friday. The
threshold for hurricane status is sustained winds of 74 mph.Lane was already causing flooding in the port city of Lazaro Cardenas, where more than 500 people were evacuated from their homes after a canal overflowed, the government news agency Notimex reported.Earlier, Lane dumped rain and whipped up waves in Acapulco, where authorities closed the port to small boats and shut down schools Friday across the state of Guerrero.
Streets were covered in up to 16 inches of water including the beachside Costera Miguel Aleman, which runs past many luxury hotels.There was also some flooding at the Acapulco airport, although service was not interrupted.By late morning, the storm was centered 135 miles northwest of Manzanillo and about 325 miles southeast of the resort of Cabo San Lucas. It was moving northwest near 10 mph.Its current path would take it parallel to Mexico's Pacific coast, although a slight deviation could bring hurricane conditions onshore.The storm was following the same path as Hurricane John, which raked Mexico's Pacific coast early this month before slamming into Baja California, killing five people and damaging 160 homes.
Forecasters warned that Lane could dump up to a foot of rain and cause life-threatening mudslides and flooding.
Hurricane Gordon drops to Category 1 45 minutes ago
MIAMI /Hurricane Gordon was downgraded to a Category 2 storm, and Tropical Storm Helene strengthened in the open Atlantic Friday, but neither posed any immediate threat to land, forecasters said. Gordon's top sustained winds were near 100 mph, down 10 mph from earlier in the day and 5 mph from being lowered to a Category 1 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.At 11 a.m. EDT, Gordon was centered about 680 miles east of Bermuda and moving northeast at near 7 mph. It was expected to continue weakening over the next day, said Jamie Rhome, a hurricane specialist.Helene had top sustained winds near 60 mph, up from 45 mph earlier in the day, and could become a hurricane, forecasters said. It was centered about 1,355 miles east of the Leeward Islands and moving west-northwest near 13 mph. Forecasts predicted it would be well east of Bermuda in five days.
The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. The National Hurricane Center's latest forecast for the season expects between seven and nine hurricanes, a slight reduction from earlier predictions.Federal scientists said this week that the
season hasn't been as busy because weak El Nino conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific. El Nino means higher ocean temperatures that inhibit hurricanes by increasing crosswinds over the Caribbean. This vertical wind shear can rip storms apart or even stop them from forming.But National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists warned that the El Nino impacts on hurricanes have been small so far. And the season is still at its traditional peak, so residents should stay prepared, forecasters said.
15 September 2006
Clear up continues after Yorkshire storms
A clear up operation in North and West Yorkshire was continuing today after heavy rain and tornadoes struck the area on Thursday.Leeds and Harrogate were among the worst affected areas where some schools remain closed today.Train services were disrupted after lightning knocked out signalling at Leeds station.Insurance assessors are expected to visit the area today to inspect the damage caused by the tornadoes which damaged roofs and trees.Fire and Rescue services were called to premises to help deal with flooding in premises in Harrogate, Selby and Reeth.The storm which lasted some two hours dumped so much rain on buildings that several were flooded by a build up of rainwater on the roof which then flooded into the building.There are reports that a house in Harehills in Leeds had its roof blown completely off. One man was injured by a falling tree.Leeds City Council said that an information centre was being set up at the Crompton Road Library to provide advice for those affected by the storm. Three schools in the area are closed today due to damage caused by the flash flood.(SP/KMcA)
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.
More people evacuated due to raging forest fires in northwestern Ontario Canadian Press Friday, September 15, 2006
DRYDEN, Ont. (CP) - Raging forest fires are forcing more people to leave their remote northwestern Ontario communities.Another 83 people from two aboriginal communities - Longlac First Nation and Aroland First Nation were forced from home today because of smoke from 290 burning fires. More than 1,000 people have already been moved to community centres and hotels near Thunder Bay, Ont., because of the unseasonably late fires. Debbie MacLean, with the Ministry of Natural Resources in Dryden, Ont., says hot, dry and windy weather have been fuelling the fires many of which were started by lightning. Ministry officials have been scrambling for weeks to contain the fires which caught firefighters off-guard because the lateness in the season.
Still, MacLean says the number of new fires being reported daily has dropped from between 60 and 100 to 28. The number of fires that we're picking up daily has dropped dramatically compared to what we were getting the previous days,MacLean said. We're down to 28 but believe it or not, those numbers are low. While MacLean said some of the communities may be threatened by flames, billowing smoke from the fires is the more immediate health risk. Many residents of Pays Plat First Nations, Sandy Lake, Deer Lake, Keewaywin, Gull Lake and North Spirit Lake have already left. Most are women, children and those with respiratory problems. The town of Cochrane, Ont., has activated its emergency plan to cope with an influx of evacuees. Early today, a bus full from the Greenstone area arrived. In all, Cochrane is now housing 178 Aroland First Nation people in various motels. It's unknown how long it will be before the fires are brought under control and the people can return. © The Canadian Press 2006
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.(TR 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)
Danish PM backs EU frontier force
Denmark will push for more co- operation amongst EU members in order to stop illegal immigration to Mediterranean countries, said reports from Copenhagen on Thursday.
The prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, has pledged to devote more resources to
shoring up the European Union's southern frontier, reported daily newspaper Politiken. Denmark already has one police officer stationed in Malta as a member of Frontex, the EU's border agency. Visiting the island Wednesday, Rasmussen said that Denmark would do more to help the island prevent illegal immigration from Africa, though he stopped short of making any promises.
I know that illegal immigration places an overwhelming burden on Malta and its public institutions. We view this as a political matter that we need to deal with through increased EU co-operation, Rasmussen said. In addition to calling for a strengthened Frontex, the prime minister expressed his support for the European Commission's two most recent initiatives to stop illegal immigration. On 19
July, the Commission set forth a proposal to establish rapid reaction teams of border guards that can be deployed to union frontiers.
It also suggested earmarking 1.82 billion euros ( about 2.33 billion U.S. dollars) to assist countries facing illegal immigration crises.
Source: Xinhua
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
Insect-borne Diseases In Humans [ 2006-9-15 ]
By Bhaiya Khanal
Minor insect bites can transmit serious diseases in human and other animals. Many species of common insects act as vectors for diseases causing pathogens. This aspect of medical entomology is still under the process of investigation and many new findings are coming out frequently about insect borne diseases which are highly injurious to human health.
A vast species of insects are still unknown about their roles in our society. Epidemic typhus is caused by rickettsias which multiply in the intestinal epithelial cells of the lice and are voided with their faeces. There are several varieties of typhus all of which cause fever, severe headache and a skin rash and the severity of the illness varies greatly according to different types. In the past, outbreak of typhus fever had been responsible for thousands of deaths. Epidemic typhus is more likely to affect volunteer workers who come into close contact with infected locals mostly in the rural areas.
Trench fever is also spread by louse faeces. Transmission results by contamination of bite with their faeces. Tropical and subtropical mosquitoes transmit yellow fever, dengue, filariasis, encephalitis, bird and human malaria. Although over a hundred species of anopheles mosquitoes have been shown to be capable of transmitting malaria, only about two dozens of them are the real malarial carriers. The Black Death or Plague is one of the oldest known and widely spread diseases across the world. In the fourteenth century, it burst out suddenly killing about one third of the population in the entire Europe. Basically, it is a serious disease of rodents especially the rat. The causative organism of this disease has been found to be bacterium, which is spread to human through a common rat flea called Xenopsylla.This disease has two forms; bubonic plague and pneumonic plague.
The bubonic plague is associated with high fever, headache, muscular aches, shaking chills and pain in the armpits due to the formation of buboes or swollen lymph nodes. When the lungs become infected an infectious pneumonia may develop.
The disease caused by a tiny single celled organism called leishmania is transmitted to human by the bite of an insect called sand fly. Its two forms include the oriental sore and kalaazar. The disease is normally self limiting but can leave the victim with disfiguring scars. It is a widely spread disease throughout North Africa, the Middle East, Asiatic Russia, Iran and around the Mediterranean.
In Kalaazar, the parasites invade the liver, spleen and bone marrow causing serious illness, which, if untreated can lead to death. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as leukaemia or lymphoma due to enlargement of the spleen, anaemia and weight loss. It is more widespread in certain parts of Africa, South Asia and South America. Most cases of leishmaniasis respond well to treatment with an antimony drug if diagnosed at early stage.
Filariasis is a worm infestation confined mainly to the tropics and spreads from person to person through mosquito bites. The severity of the disease depends on the number of worms present. Filariasis affects an estimated 120 million persons in tropical areas of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt, southern Asia, the western Pacific islands, the northeastern coasts of South and Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. The disease is caused by a long thread like worm about 50cm in length which lives under the skin and in lymphatic tissues. The female worms release larvae that circulate in the peripheral blood vessels which then are ingested by mosquitoes and eventually, are transmitted to other humans through the bites.
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium and is spread to humans by tick bites. It is characterized initially by an expanding red rash at the site of the bite often accompanied by headache, muscles and joint aches and fever. Lyme disease occurs in temperate forested regions of Europe, Asia, Pacific coastal regions, Australia, China and Japan. If a rash appears at the site of tick attachment, immediate medical attention should be sought. Lyme disease is effectively treated with oral antibiotics. The well-known malaria is caused by mosquitoes and is distributed extensively over tropical and subtropical countries. Yellow fever is also caused by mosquitoes mainly in tropical Africa and central and South America. Dengue fever is the next disease caused by mosquito mainly in tropical parts of Africa, Southeast Asia and South America.
Japanese Encephalitis is a mosquito borne virus which is found potentially fatal in humans. It is spread throughout eastern Asia, including India, Nepal, Japan, China and Southeast Asia. The ticks also act as the natural carriers of this virus. This micro-organism had made its appearance in Australia for the first time in 1995. The natural cycle of this virus in Asia involves water birds and culex mosquitoes, with pigs being also involved as an amplifying host and providing a link to humans through?their proximity to housing.
Similarly, the Chagas disease is produced through the bite of assassin bug mainly in tropical south and Central America. Skin reactions are commonly associated with bed bug bites resulting mainly from the saliva injected during feeding tenure. It has also been suggested that allergens from bed bugs may be associated with asthmatic reactions. In India, iron deficiency in infants has been associated with severe infestations of bedbugs. Recently however, bed bugs have undergone a dramatic resurgence and there are worldwide reports of increasing numbers of infestations.
Biting insects are active over day and night. The mosquitoes that spread malaria are active generally in dark but the mosquitoes which are related to yellow and dengue fevers remain smart during daylight hours. Warm and humid summer is the optimum period to flourish insect diversity in our surroundings. Our society has very poor understanding about insect's nature and its injurious bite.
Mainly the rural peoples who often face severe epidemic of such diseases are absolutely unaware of biting insects. This clearly indicates an urgent need to launch an effective programme on insect education in relation to its disease and remedies. This can be said beneficial to majority of the villagers to know more about insects and take preventive measures against biting insects especially
during summer months.
U.S. supermarkets pull spinach on E. coli outbreak
By Michelle Nichols
NEW YORK (Reuters) U.S. supermarkets cleared shelves of bagged fresh spinach on Friday after the Food and Drug Administration warned the produce could be the source of a deadly E. coli outbreak across the nation.One person died, eight suffered kidney failure and more than 40 were ill after eating suspected contaminated fresh bagged spinach in Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin, the agency said.I'll grow my own for the time being until they say it's OK,said Charlene Christianson, 78, outside a grocery story in Milwaukee.Fresh unbagged bunches of spinach were not subject to the government warning and were still available in small independent grocery stores in New York. However, larger companies were not taking chances.Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats Markets Inc., the top two natural and organic grocers, and Supervalu Inc., the No. 2 U.S. grocery chain, said they have pulled all fresh spinach from their stores.
This includes all fresh bagged spinach, fresh bulk, fresh spring mix that contains spinach, and fresh spinach used in the deli and salad bar,said a Wild Oats spokeswoman, adding that spinach makes up 1 percent of fresh produce sales.FDA officials said they were working with state authorities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to try to determine if a specific brand of bagged spinach was responsible for the outbreak and where it was sold.We hope to ... narrow the scope as much as we can, Robert Brackett, FDA Centre for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition director, told a food policy conference in Washington. We'd certainly like to find the brands that might be involved.Brackett said there was likely to be more illnesses.
LIFE-SAVING MOVE
The early FDA warning has probably saved lives, the Centre for Science in the Public Interest said, adding that fresh produce is too often contaminated with E. coli, salmonella or other life-threatening pathogens.Contamination can come from use of untreated manure used as fertilizer, irrigation water contaminated with waste from animal agriculture, or cross-contamination during processing,said Caroline Smith DeWaal, the centre's food safety director.E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that causes bloody diarrhoea and dehydration. Children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are at the highest risk.
Until they get it solved, I will keep my menu away from any items with spinach,said South Milwaukee deli operator Greg Castle, 48.Heather Jones, analyst at BB&T Capital Markets, said any impact on bagged spinach sales was likely to be short-lived. An E. coli scare on Dole Food Co. prepackaged salads last year only affected sales for two months, she said.Shares of Chiquita Brands International Inc., which owns No. 1 U.S. bagged salad company Fresh Express, initially dropped about 3 percent on Friday but was down only 1.4 percent in afternoon trade.The No. 2 bagged produce company, Dole Food Co., is privately held.
Sysco Corp., which distributes produce to restaurants, cafeterias and other food vendors, said it has told its companies to stop shipping spinach products.(Additional reporting by Jessica Wohl and Brad Dorfman in Chicago and John Rondy in Milwaukee)
Reuters ,This article: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1369852006
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