1-Moderate quake hits central Myanmar. 2-Indonesia smoke blankets region. 3-Japan, China: N. Korea test unacceptable.
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.
Moderate quake hits central Myanmar Sun Oct 8, 1:32 PM ET
BANGKOK, Thailand /A moderate earthquake shook central Myanmar and could be felt in neighboring Thailand on Sunday, the Thai meteorological department said.
No damage or injuries were reported. The magnitude 5.6 quake, which occurred early Sunday, was centered in the Tanintharyi region of Myanmar, also known as Burma. The temblor could be felt about 40 miles away in the southern Thai province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, the meteorological department said in a statement.Prachuap Khiri Khan is 140 miles south of Bangkok.
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.
Last Updated: Saturday, 7 October 2006, 13:45 GMT 14:45 UK
Indonesia smoke blankets region
The haze has raised pollution in Singapore to near-record levels Large parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have been hit by smog from illegal bush fires burning on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Visibility in parts of Borneo was reduced to 50m while Singapore recorded its worst pollution levels since 1997. Flights were cancelled, cars put their headlights on in the middle of the day, and Singapore warned citizens against taking exercise outdoors.Indonesians use the fires for land clearance despite a government ban.
Hundreds of fires
Visibility was down to 50m in Central Kalimantan, on Indonesia's part of Borneo island. Environmental agencies reported from 500 to 2,000 fires burning in the flammable peat soils of the region. The worst situation is in Central Kalimantan now. Most areas in the province contain peat,Malaysian forest fire chief Purwasto told Reuters news agency.
We cannot estimate the extent of the fires now.
Singapore's environment agency recorded a pollution index level of 128 early on Saturday and said satellite data showed 506 fires burning on Sumatra island. The pollution index is the highest level seen in Singapore since smog covered the region in 1997, causing billions of dollars in damage and lost tourist revenue. The index had been at 80 on Friday. Any level above 100 is considered harmful.
Plantations blamed
Indonesia has outlawed using fire for land clearance but the laws are widely flouted in remote areas of the country, and the government seems helpless to control the situation, says the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Jakarta. Pungent smoke from the fires is an annual problem across south-east Asia during the dry season. Farmers have traditionally used brush fires in agriculture, but environmentalists claim the problem has become more serious in recent years due to timber and oil palm companies clearing land for plantations.The fires are seasonal and very predictable, but the government never implements effective measures to prevent and manage them,Nordin, a spokesman for Indonesian environmental group Save Our Borneo, told AFP news agency.
INVENTION OF THE ATOMIC BOMB.
2 PETER 3:10-11
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
JOEL 2:20,30-31
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(SIBERIAN DESERT)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
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.
Oct. 8, 2006, 10:07AM
Japan, China: N. Korea test unacceptable
By ALEXA OLESEN Associated Press Writer
BEIJING / Japan and China agreed Sunday that a North Korea nuclear test cannot be tolerated and that Pyongyang should return unconditionally to six-party negotiations on its nuclear programs, the Japanese prime minister said.
Shinzo Abe, speaking to reporters at the end of a day of meetings in Beijing, said he and China's President Hu Jintao agreed that a North Korean nuclear test would be unacceptable.We need to prevent a nuclear North Korea, Abe said. We saw eye-to-eye that North Korea's announcement of a nuclear test cannot be tolerated because it is a great threat to East Asia and the international community.The two leaders meeting for the first summit-level talks between their countries in five years urged North Korea to rejoin the six-nation talks, Abe said. Pyongyang has refused to attend the talks for more than a year to protest financial sanctions imposed by the United States.
The United States has refused to meet with North Korea outside of the negotiations by the Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia. Washington has said it would have bilateral talks with North Korea only in the context of those six-party talks.
President Bush and administration officials have made our position on bilateral talks clear, said Emily Lawrimore, a White House spokeswoman. We will continue to encourage North Korea to participate in six-party talks.Abe's Beijing trip, intended to ease tense relations between the two east Asian nations, took on added urgency after North Korea's announcement last Tuesday that it would conduct a nuclear test at an unspecified time.Meanwhile, a former South Korean lawmaker said North Korea denied a nuclear test was imminent, citing a Chinese diplomat who spoke to officials from the North on Sunday. China is North Korea's closest ally.
There had been speculation that a nuclear test could come Sunday, the anniversary of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's appointment as head of the Korean Workers' Party in 1997.However, former South Korean lawmaker Jang Sung-min said the North told China it had not raised the alert level of its military. He said he spoke to an unidentified Chinese diplomat who learned of North Korea's stance from Pyongyang officials Sunday afternoon.Jang said the North also told China it may drop plans to test its first atomic bomb if the United States holds bilateral talks with Pyongyang or accelerate the plans if the U.S. moves toward sanctions or a military attack. The United States has repeatedly denied it intends to invade North Korea.Jang, who spoke in Seoul, is a former ruling party lawmaker who currently heads a think tank in Seoul and has been active in Northeast Asian affairs.
The Chinese official's comments could not be independently confirmed.Persuading China and South Korea to support forceful diplomacy and potentially tough sanctions against Pyongyang is seen as crucial. Over the past three years, Beijing and Seoul have resisted sanctions and argued for engagement as the best way to deal with the isolated regime.But calls for a harder line have mounted since North Korea's latest threat, with jittery nations warning that a test would unravel regional security and possibly trigger an arms race.The U.N. Security Council issued a stern statement Friday urging the North to abandon its nuclear ambitions and warning of unspecified consequences.Japan's Foreign Ministry said it was prepared to push for punitive measures at the United Nations if the North goes ahead with the test.A top Japanese ruling party official warned of further sanctions if North Korea conducts a nuclear test. Tokyo began stepping up trade restrictions on North Korea in July after it test-fired seven missiles, including a long-range rocket, into the waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula.
We have already imposed financial measures ... but we may have to go further, like stopping imports and exports (from North Korea) if it conducts a nuclear test, Shoichi Nakagawa, the Liberal Democratic Party's policy chief, said on public broadcaster NHK.A midday incursion Saturday by North Korean troops into the southern side of the no-man's-land separating North and South Korea only stoked tensions.
South Korean soldiers rattled off 40 warning shots at the five communist troops who crossed the center line of the Demilitarized Zone.It was unclear whether the North Korean advance was intended as a provocation, or was an attempt to go fishing at a nearby stream, an official at South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on condition of anonymity, citing official policy. No one was hurt, and the North Koreans retreated.While such border skirmishes are not unheard of, they are relatively rare. Saturday's incursion was only the second this year, the official said.
North Korea said Tuesday it decided to act in the face of what it claimed was the U.S. extreme threat of a nuclear war.Talks between Abe and Chinese leaders also focused on mending diplomatic ties.China canceled previous meetings to protest former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to a Tokyo war shrine seen as a symbol of Japan's imperialist past. A handful of war criminals are worshipped in the shrine along with the rest of Japan's fallen soldiers.Associated Press writers Kana Inagaki in Tokyo and Eric Talmadge in Beijing contributed to this report.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Sunday, October 08, 2006
THE RAPTURE FROM NOT THROUGH
THE RAPTURE (WE GET EVACUATED FROM, NOT THROUGH THE WRATH TO COME)
THIS IN ITSELF IS JUST ENOUGH TO GIVE KING JESUS OUR GOD THANKS, THAT WE THE TRUE CHRISTIANS WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WRATH THAT IS COMING ON THE WHOLE WORLD.( WW3 AND DESTRUCTION).
REVELATION 3:10
DBY: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee out of the hour of trial, which is about to come upon the whole habitable world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
KJV: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Isaiah 26 19 KJV
19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Matthew 27:50-53 KJV Fulfilment of Isaiah 26:19
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
This will happen once again, as 1 Thessolians 4:13-18 states. The Dead in Christ rise first to meet him in the Clouds, then we which are still alive will not die but instantly be changed into our new bodies and meet Jesus in the Clouds also. This was a Rapture when Jesus died and came back to life. The same Rapture will be repeated very shortly (anytime now).
REVELATION 4:1-2 KJV
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.(CHRISTIAN INVESTIGATION)
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.(JESUS)
1 CORINTHIANS 15:45-55 KJV
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1 THESSOLIANS 4:13-18 KJV
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Would Jesus really say comfort one and other with this hope if we had to go through WW3 and the death of half of Earths Population! I would say not.
As is said in Isaiah 26:20-21, Jesus protects us from the Wrath to come on all the World, not through.
ISAIAH 26:20-21
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.(The 7 yrs of hell on Earth)
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die).
ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Now if you think God will put his true believers through this, God would not be a loving God. no, God protects us by taking us out of the Wrath he pours on the Godless Earth. The 10 commanadments will be being broken bigtime, thats why the judgements on the Earth. Like I always say, take God out of the Earth and God will do with his actions to prove to the godless whos in control.
GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL THROUGH THE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH, AND THE CHURCH IS PROTECTED FROM IN HEAVEN. WE SEE GOD (JESUS) IS IN CONTROL OF THE EARTHLY AS WELL AS THE HEAVENLY RELMS AT THIS TERRIBLE TIME TO COME.
EXODUS 11:4-7 (ISRAEL PROTECTED THROUGH) KJV
4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:(WORLD)
5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (WORLD) shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt,(WORLD) such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue,(PROTECTION THROUGH) against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians ( WORLD) and Israel.
GENESIS 7:1 KJV
1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.(NOAH PROTECTED THROUGH THE WRATH LIKE ISRAEL WILL BE)
LUKE 21:36 KJV
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
1 JOHN 2:28 KJV
28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.(THE INVESTIGATION AT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH, WE GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO JESUS OF THE WAY WE LIVED OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES)
1 THESSALONIANS 5:9 KJV(CHURCH PROTECTED FROM)
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 THESSALONIANS 1:10 KJV
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
This alone tells us that if Millions of Christians have to give account of their lives to Jesus, it will take years, not no bleep up and back down like some believe, we will need the 7 years to give an account of our lives to Jesus, since everyone on Earth has to, whether Christian (SAVED) or not Saved (LOST), everyone has to stand in front of Jesus and give an account for the things done in their body, whether out in the open or secret, at the Judgement for the (LOST) and the (INVESTIGATION) at the rapture.
2 THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE RAPTURE OCCURS.
1-A FALLING AWAY OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH (ITS HAPPENING)
2 THESSALONIANS 2:2-4 KJV
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2-A GREAT REVIVAL MUST OCCUR
ACTS 3:19-21 KJV
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
SOME ALSO BELIEVE ISRAELIS FROM ALL THE WORLD WILL GO TO ISRAEL BEFORE THE RAPTURE OCCURS.
ROMANS 11:25-27 KJV
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
WATCH ISRAEL! WHAT HAPPENS IN ISRAEL IS A SIGN TO THE WORLD. THIS LEBANON WAR WAS NO ACCIDENT, GOD IS GETTING READY TO DO SOMETHING BIG ON THE EARTH. WHATEVER HAPPENS IN ISRAEL AFFECTS THE WHOLE WORLD.
ISAIAH 8:18 KJV
18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
THIS IN ITSELF IS JUST ENOUGH TO GIVE KING JESUS OUR GOD THANKS, THAT WE THE TRUE CHRISTIANS WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WRATH THAT IS COMING ON THE WHOLE WORLD.( WW3 AND DESTRUCTION).
REVELATION 3:10
DBY: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee out of the hour of trial, which is about to come upon the whole habitable world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
KJV: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Isaiah 26 19 KJV
19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Matthew 27:50-53 KJV Fulfilment of Isaiah 26:19
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
This will happen once again, as 1 Thessolians 4:13-18 states. The Dead in Christ rise first to meet him in the Clouds, then we which are still alive will not die but instantly be changed into our new bodies and meet Jesus in the Clouds also. This was a Rapture when Jesus died and came back to life. The same Rapture will be repeated very shortly (anytime now).
REVELATION 4:1-2 KJV
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.(CHRISTIAN INVESTIGATION)
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.(JESUS)
1 CORINTHIANS 15:45-55 KJV
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1 THESSOLIANS 4:13-18 KJV
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Would Jesus really say comfort one and other with this hope if we had to go through WW3 and the death of half of Earths Population! I would say not.
As is said in Isaiah 26:20-21, Jesus protects us from the Wrath to come on all the World, not through.
ISAIAH 26:20-21
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.(The 7 yrs of hell on Earth)
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die).
ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Now if you think God will put his true believers through this, God would not be a loving God. no, God protects us by taking us out of the Wrath he pours on the Godless Earth. The 10 commanadments will be being broken bigtime, thats why the judgements on the Earth. Like I always say, take God out of the Earth and God will do with his actions to prove to the godless whos in control.
GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL THROUGH THE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH, AND THE CHURCH IS PROTECTED FROM IN HEAVEN. WE SEE GOD (JESUS) IS IN CONTROL OF THE EARTHLY AS WELL AS THE HEAVENLY RELMS AT THIS TERRIBLE TIME TO COME.
EXODUS 11:4-7 (ISRAEL PROTECTED THROUGH) KJV
4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:(WORLD)
5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (WORLD) shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt,(WORLD) such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue,(PROTECTION THROUGH) against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians ( WORLD) and Israel.
GENESIS 7:1 KJV
1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.(NOAH PROTECTED THROUGH THE WRATH LIKE ISRAEL WILL BE)
LUKE 21:36 KJV
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
1 JOHN 2:28 KJV
28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.(THE INVESTIGATION AT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH, WE GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO JESUS OF THE WAY WE LIVED OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES)
1 THESSALONIANS 5:9 KJV(CHURCH PROTECTED FROM)
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 THESSALONIANS 1:10 KJV
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
This alone tells us that if Millions of Christians have to give account of their lives to Jesus, it will take years, not no bleep up and back down like some believe, we will need the 7 years to give an account of our lives to Jesus, since everyone on Earth has to, whether Christian (SAVED) or not Saved (LOST), everyone has to stand in front of Jesus and give an account for the things done in their body, whether out in the open or secret, at the Judgement for the (LOST) and the (INVESTIGATION) at the rapture.
2 THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE RAPTURE OCCURS.
1-A FALLING AWAY OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH (ITS HAPPENING)
2 THESSALONIANS 2:2-4 KJV
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2-A GREAT REVIVAL MUST OCCUR
ACTS 3:19-21 KJV
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
SOME ALSO BELIEVE ISRAELIS FROM ALL THE WORLD WILL GO TO ISRAEL BEFORE THE RAPTURE OCCURS.
ROMANS 11:25-27 KJV
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
WATCH ISRAEL! WHAT HAPPENS IN ISRAEL IS A SIGN TO THE WORLD. THIS LEBANON WAR WAS NO ACCIDENT, GOD IS GETTING READY TO DO SOMETHING BIG ON THE EARTH. WHATEVER HAPPENS IN ISRAEL AFFECTS THE WHOLE WORLD.
ISAIAH 8:18 KJV
18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
THANKS KING JESUS FOR YOUR SACRIFICE
1-Thanksgiving Scriptures 2-Coastal communities warned of tide peril as storms sweep in. 3-Heavy rain forces evacuations in Va. 4-Papua New Guinea volcano rumbles on after explosive eruption. 5-Israel seals West Bank, Gaza for Jewish holiday. 6-Seizures of dirty bomb materials rise. 7-Egypt:Coptic Christians Decry State Violation of Human Rights. 8-Right of Reply: Diaspora's future depends on Israel. 9-Red tape stifles free trade by the back door. 10-Syria says prepared for Israeli attack.
Thanksgiving Scriptures
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15
Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us, thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:11
For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 2 Corinthians 9:12
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6
Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.Colossians 2:7
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:1 Timothy 4:4
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.Psalm 95:2
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.Psalm 100:4
Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
We give Thanks to the ONE AND ONLY GOD OF ISRAEL AND THE WORLD (KING JESUS) OUR SAVIOUR.
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.
Coastal communities warned of tide peril as storms sweep in
SHÂN ROSS
SCOTLAND was on flood alert today as gale force winds and some of the highest tides in 20 years hit the west of the country.
Met Office forecasters warned last night that gusts of up to 60mph and large waves could breach coastal defences today. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issued flood watches last night for rivers in Edinburgh and across the Lothians with particular emphasis on the mouth of the River Esk at Musselburgh. Other areas at risk are the Firth of Clyde, rivers in Dumfries and Galloway and the Kyle of Sutherland where roads and bridges are likely to subject to flooding. The agency warned a storm surge combined with high tides and winds could lead to flooding in low-lying areas in the west.
The area most likely to be affected in south-west Scotland is beside the River Nith, south of Dumfries, in the village of Kingholm Quay and on the B725 between Kelton and Glencaple. Several ferry sailings face cancellation this weekend. Caledonian MacBrayne said last night that gales had forced the cancellation of the 7pm service from Craignure to Oban and the 5pm Oban to Colonsay ferry.In the Western Isles, drivers were issued with severe weather warnings and told the worst affected area over the next 24 hours was likely to be Stornoway town centre and the southern isles, with gales expected this evening. Western Isles Council is offering sandbags to householders in low-lying properties.
Northern Constabulary advised drivers that the combination of 30-35mph winds and high tides was expected to cause problems in the southern islands. A spokesman said: This may cause some difficulties in the area for motorists. Drivers are urged to take extra care and make extra time available. Last January, a family of five from South Uist were killed when a freak wave hit their cars as the most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade hit the islands with gusts of up to 124mph. The threat of gales prompted the Shetland Coastguard to issue an urgent appeal for help yesterday morning after a fishing vessel, Helenus, became entangled in its fishing gear and needed a tow to Lerwick.
The Ocean Prospect, an oil rig being towed north past Shetland, responded by sending out the Olympic Hercules, an anchor-handling tug, to undertake the nine-hour journey towing the stricken vessel to Lerwick. Despite a lull today caused by a change in wind direction, coastal areas of southern England have been warned they could be at risk of further flooding tomorrow evening. David Rooke, the head of flood defence at the Environment Agency, which covers England and Wales, said: High tides are expected for this weekend, so anyone out near the coast should be aware of any changes in weather conditions. People are advised to follow latest weather forecasts from the Met Office and see our website for the latest flood information.
Heavy rain forces evacuations in Va. By STEVE SZKOTAK, Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. A storm that dropped as much as 9 inches of rain forced the evacuation Saturday of about 100 people in a six-block section of the capital, caused scattered flooding in the southeastern part of the state and likely contributed to the death of two fishermen. Ferry service across the James River was temporarily suspended because of high waters; one ferry returned to service Saturday afternoon. In southeast Virginia's Isle of Wight, officials evacuated about three dozen people and reported widespread flooding after at least 8 inches of rain since Friday.We have more roads out than we can keep track of,said Don Robertson, a spokesman for the county. We have some bridges that are out (and) a lot of flash flood conditions.
The bodies of cousins David F. Dryden, 70, and John W. Dryden, 59, were found Saturday in the Poquoson River where it empties into Chesapeake Bay, the Coast Guard said. Their boat was found capsized Friday night in seas of up to 5 feet and 50 mph wind gusts, Petty Officer Kip Wadlow said.The National Weather Service said rainfall since Friday ranged from 4 to 9 inches as a storm stalled over the state and a band of rain drenched central Virginia to Hampton Roads. Rain was forecast to taper off later Saturday.
In Richmond's Battery Park, police went door-to-door to more than 40 homes and apartment buildings to enforce the city-ordered evacuation. A month ago, the area was flooded during Tropical Depression Ernesto, causing $9 million in property damage and the condemnation of 68 properties. More than 250 homes were evacuated then.The latest evacuation involved approximately 100 residents, said Britt Drewes, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works. An emergency shelter was opened.These residents are so sad to see this again, Drewes said. When the rain started, everybody cringed. There's just frustration.
The flooding is partly the result of a broken sewer main that fouled the flood waters and brought vermin and snakes into some residents homes during Ernesto. Forty million gallons of water a day is being pumped from the neighborhood, but that doesn't keep up with the rain, Drewes said.At this point, the water is still very high,she reported before noon Saturday.Repairs to the sewer pipe are complicated because it is under a former landfill about a mile from the urban neighborhood.
EARTH DESTROYED WITH THE EARTH
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Papua New Guinea volcano rumbles on after explosive eruption
SYDNEY (AFP) A volcano in Papua New Guinea erupted for a second day but the rumbling peak was calming down and thousands of residents who fled were expected to return, an official said. Ash, steam and lava were still pouring from the Mount Tavurvur volcano after an awe-inspiring eruption on Saturday, said vulcanologist Steve Sanders of PNG's Volcano Observatory in Rabaul on the island of New Britain.
There were one or two explosions early this morning, he told AFP in a telephone interview.There are lava flows coming out to west and northeast, steaming where they are entering the sea.But the flow of ash was much reduced, with gentle emissions of steam and ash billowing out, he said.The gas-rich material erupted yesterday and today gas-poor lava is coming out quietly.
Sanders said shockwaves from the explosions during Saturday's eruption blew out windows at the observatory about 12 kilometres (seven miles) away.The shockwaves also rattled and broke windows in the town as a plume of ash rose some 18 kilometres into the air, sending 2,000 residents fleeing 12 years after Rabaul was largely destroyed in another eruption.Sanders said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, and he expected people to move back home quite soon.Most people were accustomed to ash emissions, although Saturday's eruption was the biggest since 1997, he said.Yesterday was pretty awe-inspiring because of the blast effect as the magma reached the surface with big explosions and shockwaves,he said.
But Sanders said he believed major new eruptions were unlikely.The lava flows may go on for a few days, and ash emissions for a few weeks, but it's unlikely to be explosive, he said.Winds had dispersed much of the ash and it was not more than a centimetre thick where it had settled in the town.Hotelier Bruce Alexander had expressed concerns that there would be looting overnight after people evacuated their homes, but a guest told AFP by phone Sunday that it had been very quiet.They handled it very well, there was a strong police presence. The dust has settled and the sun's coming out,said Ray van Zuyden.In 1994, major eruptions of the 688-metre (2,270-foot) Tavurvur and nearby Mount Vulcan destroyed much of Rabaul, and while loss of life was minimal due to a quick evacuation, looters ransacked the town.
GENESIS 1:14
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:(ISRAELS HOLY DAYS AND SABBATH STARTS AT 6PM) And for SIGNS (PROPHECY SIGNS TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, OUR DAY ON THESE FEAST DAYS)
Israel seals West Bank, Gaza for Jewish holiday Fri Oct 6, 9:06 AM ET
JERUSALEM (AFP) - The Israeli military has imposed a total closure on the Palestinian territories for security reasons ahead of the seven-day Jewish holiday of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. The army said Friday the closure would be imposed from Friday afternoon and would be lifted after an additional security assessment.Sukkot ends on October 15.
More than 7,000 Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be able to enter Israel for work and religious reasons, the army also announced.Israel routinely orders total closures on the Palestinian territories during national holidays and religious festivals.Scuffles broke out at the south entrance to annexed east Jerusalem when 300 Palestinians tried to push past a checkpoint in order to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the second Friday in Ramadan, police said.Border guards fired off stun grenades in order to disperse the crowd although no casualties were reported.Around 100,000 Muslim worshippers took part in Friday prayers at the flashpoint compound, which is the third holiest site in world Islam.
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.
Grant Jeffrey talks about the terrorist groups using dirty bombs in his new book The NEXT WORLD WAR.
Seizures of dirty bomb materials rise
VIENNA, Oct. 6 (UPI) The International Atomic Energy Agency reportedly has found a sharp rise in seizures of smuggled radioactive materials that can be use to make dirty bombs. The Times of London, quoting IAEA figures, says such seizures, mostly in Europe, had doubled in the past four years. The report says there have been more than 300 instances of smugglers caught in such trafficking activities since 2002. The disclosure comes at a time when al-Qaida is reportedly is intensifying its efforts to obtain a radioactive device. The Times said that last year Western security agencies foiled 16 attempts to smuggle plutonium or uranium and that in other instances small quantities of highly enriched uranium were reported missing. Experts say the smugglers are eyeing hospital X-ray equipment and laboratory supplies as a source of radioactive material.
Investigators fear smugglers are only interested in making money and would have no concern selling the materials to terrorist groups, The Times report said. IAEA's Olli Heinonen said while weapons-grade nuclear material smuggling may be rare, there are serious concerns about other sources. A dirty bomb is something that needs to be taken seriously. We need to be prepared for anything because anything could happen, he told The Times.
PERSECUSSION,BEHEADINGS
REVELATION 6:9-11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain(BEHEADED) for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
REVELATION 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Egypt: Coptic Christians Decry State Violation of Human Rights
Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi),October 6, 2006,Washington, DC
Islamic terrorists and Egyptian state security continue to attack and persecute Coptic Christians in the largely Muslim north African nation, a Coptic organization says.The Catholic News Service reports that the American Coptic Union (ACU) claims in a recent letter that human rights abuses against the Copts have been escalating since September 11, 2001, and the Egyptian government has not responded with any protection. ACU is a nonprofit organization that represents Coptic people in the US and Egypt.The daily horrors of shame-rape, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and forced conversion, particularly in the southern part of Upper Egypt, are seriously eroding the Copts' economic, social, and religious existence,says the letter to the American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ahead of her meeting with the Egyptian government.
Despite the good relationship and numerous calls by President George W. Bush to President Hosni Mubarak, the daily life of the Copts continues to deteriorate, the letter says.While the Egypt government continues to isolate its Coptic population, it has never discussed the constitutional rights of Egypt's Christians nor has it legislated any new laws or presidential decrees to ensure human rights for the Copts,it reads.
In fact, human rights activists are often harassed, attacked and falsely imprisoned. ACU says it has documented and reported many of these crimes, which the Egyptian government has ignored. The letter tells of the case of Mary Bulak, a Coptic mother, whose two minor daughters were kidnapped, raped, and forcefully converted to Islam in 2003.
ACU also pointed out that the 2004 murder of human rights lawyer Sabry Zaky has been ignored by officials and remains unsolved.The 2006 CIA World Factbook estimates that nearly 7 million, or 9 per cent, of the ethnic Egyptian population is Coptic, making it the largest Christian community in the Arab world. The term Coptic refers to an ethno-religious group made up of Orthodox, Catholic, and some Protestant Christians originating in Egypt.© 2006 Catholic Information Service for Africa.
ISRAEL ON EARTH DURING TRIBULATION 7 YR PEACE TREATY
ISAIAH 42:1
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
ISAIAH 45:4
4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
ISAIAH 65:9,22
9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
ROMANS 11:28
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Oct. 8, 2006 2:27
Right of Reply: Diaspora's future depends on Israel
By BINYAMIN NETANYAHU
On Friday, The Jerusalem Post published a story that incorrectly claimed that I stated in a closed meeting that there is no future for Jewish life in the Diaspora.I neither said nor believe that. What I said was that there is no future for Jewish life in the Diaspora without the State of Israel. Israel not only guarantees the life of the Jews living in the Jewish state, it also gives focus, purpose and
identity to Jewish people everywhere. That is why I believe that without a state of Israel, Diaspora Jewry will be dealt a fatal blow.
The importance of Israel to the collective destiny of the Jewish people should be obvious to anyone with a sense of history. The fact is that had there been a Jewish state before World War II, there would have been no Holocaust. It is equally true that had there not been a Jewish state after the Holocaust, there would be many fewer Jews in the world today.
Simply look at the numbers. In 1948, there were 12 million Jews in the world, with only 600,000 (5% of world Jewry) in our embryonic state. With even a slow population growth rate over the last 60 years, world Jewry should have at least doubled.
Unfortunately it hasn't. Growth has remained flat because we have lost countless Jews in the Diaspora to assimilation and intermarriage. Though there are roughly the same number of Jews in the world today as there were 60 years ago, now almost six
million Jews (well over 40% of world Jewry) live in Israel. In fact, this year, the Jewish community in Israel became the largest Jewish community in the world for the first time in nearly two millennia. Still, the centrality of Israel is not merely due to the fact that the physical center of collective Jewish life has shifted here. Israel also continues to play an important role in the life of Diaspora Jewry. Many Diaspora Jews work tirelessly to strengthen their own communities connection to Israel, recognizing that in doing so they not only are supporting the only Jewish state we have but also strengthening their own Jewish communities. I applaud efforts to deepen the ties between Israel and Diaspora Jewry and I was proud to be the first Israeli prime minister to invest in programs such as birthright that help achieve this important objective. I did so because just as I believe that a strong Israel makes for a strong Diaspora, I also believe that a strong Diaspora makes for a strong Israel. For the last half-century, the two pillars of Jewish life have been a strong Israel and a strong Diaspora. I hope to continue to fortify these pillars so that we can secure what will always be our common future. The writer is the leader of the Opposition.
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).
The Sunday Times October 08, 2006
Red tape stifles free trade by the back door
IRWIN STELZER-American Account
IF you are the sort who thinks that the free movement of goods, capital and people enriches all the world’s nations, you are probably worried because the Doha round of trade talks is on life support, and the plug is about to be pulled. And you can’t be happy that the EU has decided to load tariffs on inexpensive, Chinese-made shoes, even though EC trade commissioner Peter Mandelson’s proposal that they stay in place for five years has been pared to a mere two. And if you are the sort who worries when another nation’s laws seem to take precedence over your own, and affect the business community, you can’t be happy that some loony magistrate in, say, Spain, can issue an arrest warrant for a British citizen, and have him whisked off to jail without an extradition hearing. Or that American cops can feel the collar of a respected British businessman when he lands at Kennedy airport to attend a meeting of a company engaged in perfectly legal activities.
The bad news is that there is a lot more to worry about than you might think, as the markets realised when American lawmakers attached to the Safe Ports bill a provision that will bar the 12m American online betters from using credit cards, bank cheques and electronic fund transfers. That, in effect, ends internet gambling in America, and wiped £4 billion off the value of an industry that started the day worth an estimated £6 billion. The decision by the US Congress and President George Bush to appease the social conservatives who see gambling as evil knocked £2.5 billion off the share price of Party Gaming, the industry leader that counted on American punters for about 80% of its revenues. Other British companies also felt the impact of the American decision: the market value of Sportingbet fell almost £500m, forcing it to call off merger talks with World Gaming.
As Robert Cole pointed out in The Times: If online gaming is outlawed simply because it is distasteful to a certain breed of regulator, it will create fear that other enterprises will be banned for illogical or spurious reasons. That fear is already more than justified, and not only in the case of gambling. The process of passing national laws that affect foreign companies is widespread. The Chinese have a variety of ways of restricting the activities of Google, Yahoo and other such firms, restraining trade every bit as much as if they told the World Trade Organisation (WTO) never to darken their nation’s doorstep again.
The Russians, who are clamouring for admittance to the WTO on the grounds that theirs is a market economy eligible to sit at the table of free-trading nations, are using environmental regulations and national laws to wring concessions from international oil companies. Vladimir Putin’s government contends that Total’s licence to explore in the Arctic circle, and Royal Dutch Shell’s contract to develop natural gas in Sakhalin, on an island in Russia’s Far East, violate its environmental regulations, and that Exxon’s contract in Sakhalin doesn’t convey the rights the company believed it did. Besides, the terminal through which Exxon’s oil would pass on its way to market suddenly seems to the safety inspectors less safe than when they approved it. Only the churlish would contend that Putin is unhappy with these deals, signed when Boris Yeltsin was president, Russia was desperate for foreign investment, and oil was selling at less than $20 a barrel.
No matter: they are yet another example of a country using its laws in a way that harms the companies of other nations France (Total), the Netherlands (Shell) and America (Exxon).
Then there is the EU, probably the world’s leading practitioner of the art of using national rules to stifle the activities of foreign companies while appearing to have no such object in mind. Last week the WTO finally made available to the public its 1,000-page report holding that the EU violated WTO rules by banning genetically modified (GM) products between 1998 and 2004. The EU knew this was coming, and so substituted a product-by-product review process for the general ban, which allows it to contend that it is testing the safety of each of the foods that Americans consume quite happily and with no ill effects. US trade representative Susan Schwab points out that the EU has approved only a handful of biotech applications, and that some such applications have been pending for 10 years or more and applications for many commercially important products continue to face unjustified, politically motivated delays. Indeed, Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Luxembourg have gone further, and continue to ban even those GM crops that have been approved by the EU. What America’s social conservatives have done to British gaming companies, and Russia’s siloviki are doing to international oil companies, EU protectionists are trying to do to American farmers.
All of this means that there is more going on in world markets than we usually consider. Yes, China hurts European and American companies by keeping its currency undervalued. Yes, EU and US agricultural protectionism mightily affect farmers in poor countries. And yes, decisions by the Federal Reserve Board affect the value of the dollar and therefore the competitiveness and fortunes of companies the world over. In all of these and other cases, decisions by one country have profound effects on another.
But there is more to the story of international interdependence than most people realise. A nation’s laws and regulations can have serious effects, some intended, some not, far beyond its own borders. Irwin Stelzer is a business adviser and director of economic policy studies at the Hudson Institute
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(MOSCOW) 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)
JOEL 2:20,30
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(SIBERIAN DESERT)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Syria says prepared for Israeli attack
7 October 2006 | 13:26 | Source: AP, Jerusalem Post
DAMASCUS Syrian President Bashar Assad said Friday that Syria has begun preparations to counter an Israeli attack at any moment.
The president told the Kuwaiti daily Al-Anba that Israel had given up on the peace process, even though most of the issues of contention between the two countries were resolved.Assad also said that if Iran attacked any Arab country, Syria would send armed forces in response as required by the Joint Defense Treaty. Turning to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Assad said that the three Arab countries should consult less now and should work together toward helping the hundreds of millions of Arabs in region, and called on Egypt and Saudi Arabia to return to holding summits with Damascus.
We hope that we go back soon to the idea of holding Syrian-Egyptian-Saudi summits like we used to do in the 1990s, Assad said.
Assad has been making attempts to align Syria with other Middle East heavyweights and play a stronger role in the region's politics. He also has been trying to mend rifts with Egypt and Saudi Arabia since describing Mideast leaders as half men during a televised speech in August. But Assad later claimed that he did not specifically mean the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, who had criticized Syrian-backed Hizbullah's capture of two IDF soldiers July 12 that sparked the Israeli assault on Lebanon.
Thanksgiving Scriptures
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15
Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us, thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:11
For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 2 Corinthians 9:12
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6
Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.Colossians 2:7
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:1 Timothy 4:4
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.Psalm 95:2
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.Psalm 100:4
Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
We give Thanks to the ONE AND ONLY GOD OF ISRAEL AND THE WORLD (KING JESUS) OUR SAVIOUR.
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.
Coastal communities warned of tide peril as storms sweep in
SHÂN ROSS
SCOTLAND was on flood alert today as gale force winds and some of the highest tides in 20 years hit the west of the country.
Met Office forecasters warned last night that gusts of up to 60mph and large waves could breach coastal defences today. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issued flood watches last night for rivers in Edinburgh and across the Lothians with particular emphasis on the mouth of the River Esk at Musselburgh. Other areas at risk are the Firth of Clyde, rivers in Dumfries and Galloway and the Kyle of Sutherland where roads and bridges are likely to subject to flooding. The agency warned a storm surge combined with high tides and winds could lead to flooding in low-lying areas in the west.
The area most likely to be affected in south-west Scotland is beside the River Nith, south of Dumfries, in the village of Kingholm Quay and on the B725 between Kelton and Glencaple. Several ferry sailings face cancellation this weekend. Caledonian MacBrayne said last night that gales had forced the cancellation of the 7pm service from Craignure to Oban and the 5pm Oban to Colonsay ferry.In the Western Isles, drivers were issued with severe weather warnings and told the worst affected area over the next 24 hours was likely to be Stornoway town centre and the southern isles, with gales expected this evening. Western Isles Council is offering sandbags to householders in low-lying properties.
Northern Constabulary advised drivers that the combination of 30-35mph winds and high tides was expected to cause problems in the southern islands. A spokesman said: This may cause some difficulties in the area for motorists. Drivers are urged to take extra care and make extra time available. Last January, a family of five from South Uist were killed when a freak wave hit their cars as the most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade hit the islands with gusts of up to 124mph. The threat of gales prompted the Shetland Coastguard to issue an urgent appeal for help yesterday morning after a fishing vessel, Helenus, became entangled in its fishing gear and needed a tow to Lerwick.
The Ocean Prospect, an oil rig being towed north past Shetland, responded by sending out the Olympic Hercules, an anchor-handling tug, to undertake the nine-hour journey towing the stricken vessel to Lerwick. Despite a lull today caused by a change in wind direction, coastal areas of southern England have been warned they could be at risk of further flooding tomorrow evening. David Rooke, the head of flood defence at the Environment Agency, which covers England and Wales, said: High tides are expected for this weekend, so anyone out near the coast should be aware of any changes in weather conditions. People are advised to follow latest weather forecasts from the Met Office and see our website for the latest flood information.
Heavy rain forces evacuations in Va. By STEVE SZKOTAK, Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. A storm that dropped as much as 9 inches of rain forced the evacuation Saturday of about 100 people in a six-block section of the capital, caused scattered flooding in the southeastern part of the state and likely contributed to the death of two fishermen. Ferry service across the James River was temporarily suspended because of high waters; one ferry returned to service Saturday afternoon. In southeast Virginia's Isle of Wight, officials evacuated about three dozen people and reported widespread flooding after at least 8 inches of rain since Friday.We have more roads out than we can keep track of,said Don Robertson, a spokesman for the county. We have some bridges that are out (and) a lot of flash flood conditions.
The bodies of cousins David F. Dryden, 70, and John W. Dryden, 59, were found Saturday in the Poquoson River where it empties into Chesapeake Bay, the Coast Guard said. Their boat was found capsized Friday night in seas of up to 5 feet and 50 mph wind gusts, Petty Officer Kip Wadlow said.The National Weather Service said rainfall since Friday ranged from 4 to 9 inches as a storm stalled over the state and a band of rain drenched central Virginia to Hampton Roads. Rain was forecast to taper off later Saturday.
In Richmond's Battery Park, police went door-to-door to more than 40 homes and apartment buildings to enforce the city-ordered evacuation. A month ago, the area was flooded during Tropical Depression Ernesto, causing $9 million in property damage and the condemnation of 68 properties. More than 250 homes were evacuated then.The latest evacuation involved approximately 100 residents, said Britt Drewes, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works. An emergency shelter was opened.These residents are so sad to see this again, Drewes said. When the rain started, everybody cringed. There's just frustration.
The flooding is partly the result of a broken sewer main that fouled the flood waters and brought vermin and snakes into some residents homes during Ernesto. Forty million gallons of water a day is being pumped from the neighborhood, but that doesn't keep up with the rain, Drewes said.At this point, the water is still very high,she reported before noon Saturday.Repairs to the sewer pipe are complicated because it is under a former landfill about a mile from the urban neighborhood.
EARTH DESTROYED WITH THE EARTH
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Papua New Guinea volcano rumbles on after explosive eruption
SYDNEY (AFP) A volcano in Papua New Guinea erupted for a second day but the rumbling peak was calming down and thousands of residents who fled were expected to return, an official said. Ash, steam and lava were still pouring from the Mount Tavurvur volcano after an awe-inspiring eruption on Saturday, said vulcanologist Steve Sanders of PNG's Volcano Observatory in Rabaul on the island of New Britain.
There were one or two explosions early this morning, he told AFP in a telephone interview.There are lava flows coming out to west and northeast, steaming where they are entering the sea.But the flow of ash was much reduced, with gentle emissions of steam and ash billowing out, he said.The gas-rich material erupted yesterday and today gas-poor lava is coming out quietly.
Sanders said shockwaves from the explosions during Saturday's eruption blew out windows at the observatory about 12 kilometres (seven miles) away.The shockwaves also rattled and broke windows in the town as a plume of ash rose some 18 kilometres into the air, sending 2,000 residents fleeing 12 years after Rabaul was largely destroyed in another eruption.Sanders said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, and he expected people to move back home quite soon.Most people were accustomed to ash emissions, although Saturday's eruption was the biggest since 1997, he said.Yesterday was pretty awe-inspiring because of the blast effect as the magma reached the surface with big explosions and shockwaves,he said.
But Sanders said he believed major new eruptions were unlikely.The lava flows may go on for a few days, and ash emissions for a few weeks, but it's unlikely to be explosive, he said.Winds had dispersed much of the ash and it was not more than a centimetre thick where it had settled in the town.Hotelier Bruce Alexander had expressed concerns that there would be looting overnight after people evacuated their homes, but a guest told AFP by phone Sunday that it had been very quiet.They handled it very well, there was a strong police presence. The dust has settled and the sun's coming out,said Ray van Zuyden.In 1994, major eruptions of the 688-metre (2,270-foot) Tavurvur and nearby Mount Vulcan destroyed much of Rabaul, and while loss of life was minimal due to a quick evacuation, looters ransacked the town.
GENESIS 1:14
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:(ISRAELS HOLY DAYS AND SABBATH STARTS AT 6PM) And for SIGNS (PROPHECY SIGNS TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, OUR DAY ON THESE FEAST DAYS)
Israel seals West Bank, Gaza for Jewish holiday Fri Oct 6, 9:06 AM ET
JERUSALEM (AFP) - The Israeli military has imposed a total closure on the Palestinian territories for security reasons ahead of the seven-day Jewish holiday of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. The army said Friday the closure would be imposed from Friday afternoon and would be lifted after an additional security assessment.Sukkot ends on October 15.
More than 7,000 Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be able to enter Israel for work and religious reasons, the army also announced.Israel routinely orders total closures on the Palestinian territories during national holidays and religious festivals.Scuffles broke out at the south entrance to annexed east Jerusalem when 300 Palestinians tried to push past a checkpoint in order to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the second Friday in Ramadan, police said.Border guards fired off stun grenades in order to disperse the crowd although no casualties were reported.Around 100,000 Muslim worshippers took part in Friday prayers at the flashpoint compound, which is the third holiest site in world Islam.
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.
Grant Jeffrey talks about the terrorist groups using dirty bombs in his new book The NEXT WORLD WAR.
Seizures of dirty bomb materials rise
VIENNA, Oct. 6 (UPI) The International Atomic Energy Agency reportedly has found a sharp rise in seizures of smuggled radioactive materials that can be use to make dirty bombs. The Times of London, quoting IAEA figures, says such seizures, mostly in Europe, had doubled in the past four years. The report says there have been more than 300 instances of smugglers caught in such trafficking activities since 2002. The disclosure comes at a time when al-Qaida is reportedly is intensifying its efforts to obtain a radioactive device. The Times said that last year Western security agencies foiled 16 attempts to smuggle plutonium or uranium and that in other instances small quantities of highly enriched uranium were reported missing. Experts say the smugglers are eyeing hospital X-ray equipment and laboratory supplies as a source of radioactive material.
Investigators fear smugglers are only interested in making money and would have no concern selling the materials to terrorist groups, The Times report said. IAEA's Olli Heinonen said while weapons-grade nuclear material smuggling may be rare, there are serious concerns about other sources. A dirty bomb is something that needs to be taken seriously. We need to be prepared for anything because anything could happen, he told The Times.
PERSECUSSION,BEHEADINGS
REVELATION 6:9-11
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain(BEHEADED) for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
REVELATION 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Egypt: Coptic Christians Decry State Violation of Human Rights
Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi),October 6, 2006,Washington, DC
Islamic terrorists and Egyptian state security continue to attack and persecute Coptic Christians in the largely Muslim north African nation, a Coptic organization says.The Catholic News Service reports that the American Coptic Union (ACU) claims in a recent letter that human rights abuses against the Copts have been escalating since September 11, 2001, and the Egyptian government has not responded with any protection. ACU is a nonprofit organization that represents Coptic people in the US and Egypt.The daily horrors of shame-rape, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and forced conversion, particularly in the southern part of Upper Egypt, are seriously eroding the Copts' economic, social, and religious existence,says the letter to the American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ahead of her meeting with the Egyptian government.
Despite the good relationship and numerous calls by President George W. Bush to President Hosni Mubarak, the daily life of the Copts continues to deteriorate, the letter says.While the Egypt government continues to isolate its Coptic population, it has never discussed the constitutional rights of Egypt's Christians nor has it legislated any new laws or presidential decrees to ensure human rights for the Copts,it reads.
In fact, human rights activists are often harassed, attacked and falsely imprisoned. ACU says it has documented and reported many of these crimes, which the Egyptian government has ignored. The letter tells of the case of Mary Bulak, a Coptic mother, whose two minor daughters were kidnapped, raped, and forcefully converted to Islam in 2003.
ACU also pointed out that the 2004 murder of human rights lawyer Sabry Zaky has been ignored by officials and remains unsolved.The 2006 CIA World Factbook estimates that nearly 7 million, or 9 per cent, of the ethnic Egyptian population is Coptic, making it the largest Christian community in the Arab world. The term Coptic refers to an ethno-religious group made up of Orthodox, Catholic, and some Protestant Christians originating in Egypt.© 2006 Catholic Information Service for Africa.
ISRAEL ON EARTH DURING TRIBULATION 7 YR PEACE TREATY
ISAIAH 42:1
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
ISAIAH 45:4
4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
ISAIAH 65:9,22
9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
ROMANS 11:28
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Oct. 8, 2006 2:27
Right of Reply: Diaspora's future depends on Israel
By BINYAMIN NETANYAHU
On Friday, The Jerusalem Post published a story that incorrectly claimed that I stated in a closed meeting that there is no future for Jewish life in the Diaspora.I neither said nor believe that. What I said was that there is no future for Jewish life in the Diaspora without the State of Israel. Israel not only guarantees the life of the Jews living in the Jewish state, it also gives focus, purpose and
identity to Jewish people everywhere. That is why I believe that without a state of Israel, Diaspora Jewry will be dealt a fatal blow.
The importance of Israel to the collective destiny of the Jewish people should be obvious to anyone with a sense of history. The fact is that had there been a Jewish state before World War II, there would have been no Holocaust. It is equally true that had there not been a Jewish state after the Holocaust, there would be many fewer Jews in the world today.
Simply look at the numbers. In 1948, there were 12 million Jews in the world, with only 600,000 (5% of world Jewry) in our embryonic state. With even a slow population growth rate over the last 60 years, world Jewry should have at least doubled.
Unfortunately it hasn't. Growth has remained flat because we have lost countless Jews in the Diaspora to assimilation and intermarriage. Though there are roughly the same number of Jews in the world today as there were 60 years ago, now almost six
million Jews (well over 40% of world Jewry) live in Israel. In fact, this year, the Jewish community in Israel became the largest Jewish community in the world for the first time in nearly two millennia. Still, the centrality of Israel is not merely due to the fact that the physical center of collective Jewish life has shifted here. Israel also continues to play an important role in the life of Diaspora Jewry. Many Diaspora Jews work tirelessly to strengthen their own communities connection to Israel, recognizing that in doing so they not only are supporting the only Jewish state we have but also strengthening their own Jewish communities. I applaud efforts to deepen the ties between Israel and Diaspora Jewry and I was proud to be the first Israeli prime minister to invest in programs such as birthright that help achieve this important objective. I did so because just as I believe that a strong Israel makes for a strong Diaspora, I also believe that a strong Diaspora makes for a strong Israel. For the last half-century, the two pillars of Jewish life have been a strong Israel and a strong Diaspora. I hope to continue to fortify these pillars so that we can secure what will always be our common future. The writer is the leader of the Opposition.
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).
The Sunday Times October 08, 2006
Red tape stifles free trade by the back door
IRWIN STELZER-American Account
IF you are the sort who thinks that the free movement of goods, capital and people enriches all the world’s nations, you are probably worried because the Doha round of trade talks is on life support, and the plug is about to be pulled. And you can’t be happy that the EU has decided to load tariffs on inexpensive, Chinese-made shoes, even though EC trade commissioner Peter Mandelson’s proposal that they stay in place for five years has been pared to a mere two. And if you are the sort who worries when another nation’s laws seem to take precedence over your own, and affect the business community, you can’t be happy that some loony magistrate in, say, Spain, can issue an arrest warrant for a British citizen, and have him whisked off to jail without an extradition hearing. Or that American cops can feel the collar of a respected British businessman when he lands at Kennedy airport to attend a meeting of a company engaged in perfectly legal activities.
The bad news is that there is a lot more to worry about than you might think, as the markets realised when American lawmakers attached to the Safe Ports bill a provision that will bar the 12m American online betters from using credit cards, bank cheques and electronic fund transfers. That, in effect, ends internet gambling in America, and wiped £4 billion off the value of an industry that started the day worth an estimated £6 billion. The decision by the US Congress and President George Bush to appease the social conservatives who see gambling as evil knocked £2.5 billion off the share price of Party Gaming, the industry leader that counted on American punters for about 80% of its revenues. Other British companies also felt the impact of the American decision: the market value of Sportingbet fell almost £500m, forcing it to call off merger talks with World Gaming.
As Robert Cole pointed out in The Times: If online gaming is outlawed simply because it is distasteful to a certain breed of regulator, it will create fear that other enterprises will be banned for illogical or spurious reasons. That fear is already more than justified, and not only in the case of gambling. The process of passing national laws that affect foreign companies is widespread. The Chinese have a variety of ways of restricting the activities of Google, Yahoo and other such firms, restraining trade every bit as much as if they told the World Trade Organisation (WTO) never to darken their nation’s doorstep again.
The Russians, who are clamouring for admittance to the WTO on the grounds that theirs is a market economy eligible to sit at the table of free-trading nations, are using environmental regulations and national laws to wring concessions from international oil companies. Vladimir Putin’s government contends that Total’s licence to explore in the Arctic circle, and Royal Dutch Shell’s contract to develop natural gas in Sakhalin, on an island in Russia’s Far East, violate its environmental regulations, and that Exxon’s contract in Sakhalin doesn’t convey the rights the company believed it did. Besides, the terminal through which Exxon’s oil would pass on its way to market suddenly seems to the safety inspectors less safe than when they approved it. Only the churlish would contend that Putin is unhappy with these deals, signed when Boris Yeltsin was president, Russia was desperate for foreign investment, and oil was selling at less than $20 a barrel.
No matter: they are yet another example of a country using its laws in a way that harms the companies of other nations France (Total), the Netherlands (Shell) and America (Exxon).
Then there is the EU, probably the world’s leading practitioner of the art of using national rules to stifle the activities of foreign companies while appearing to have no such object in mind. Last week the WTO finally made available to the public its 1,000-page report holding that the EU violated WTO rules by banning genetically modified (GM) products between 1998 and 2004. The EU knew this was coming, and so substituted a product-by-product review process for the general ban, which allows it to contend that it is testing the safety of each of the foods that Americans consume quite happily and with no ill effects. US trade representative Susan Schwab points out that the EU has approved only a handful of biotech applications, and that some such applications have been pending for 10 years or more and applications for many commercially important products continue to face unjustified, politically motivated delays. Indeed, Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Luxembourg have gone further, and continue to ban even those GM crops that have been approved by the EU. What America’s social conservatives have done to British gaming companies, and Russia’s siloviki are doing to international oil companies, EU protectionists are trying to do to American farmers.
All of this means that there is more going on in world markets than we usually consider. Yes, China hurts European and American companies by keeping its currency undervalued. Yes, EU and US agricultural protectionism mightily affect farmers in poor countries. And yes, decisions by the Federal Reserve Board affect the value of the dollar and therefore the competitiveness and fortunes of companies the world over. In all of these and other cases, decisions by one country have profound effects on another.
But there is more to the story of international interdependence than most people realise. A nation’s laws and regulations can have serious effects, some intended, some not, far beyond its own borders. Irwin Stelzer is a business adviser and director of economic policy studies at the Hudson Institute
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(MOSCOW) 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)
JOEL 2:20,30
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(SIBERIAN DESERT)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Syria says prepared for Israeli attack
7 October 2006 | 13:26 | Source: AP, Jerusalem Post
DAMASCUS Syrian President Bashar Assad said Friday that Syria has begun preparations to counter an Israeli attack at any moment.
The president told the Kuwaiti daily Al-Anba that Israel had given up on the peace process, even though most of the issues of contention between the two countries were resolved.Assad also said that if Iran attacked any Arab country, Syria would send armed forces in response as required by the Joint Defense Treaty. Turning to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Assad said that the three Arab countries should consult less now and should work together toward helping the hundreds of millions of Arabs in region, and called on Egypt and Saudi Arabia to return to holding summits with Damascus.
We hope that we go back soon to the idea of holding Syrian-Egyptian-Saudi summits like we used to do in the 1990s, Assad said.
Assad has been making attempts to align Syria with other Middle East heavyweights and play a stronger role in the region's politics. He also has been trying to mend rifts with Egypt and Saudi Arabia since describing Mideast leaders as half men during a televised speech in August. But Assad later claimed that he did not specifically mean the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, who had criticized Syrian-backed Hizbullah's capture of two IDF soldiers July 12 that sparked the Israeli assault on Lebanon.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
SUKKOT FEAST OF BOOTHS TABERNACLES
1-This Week with Rabbi Eckstein (SUKKOT). 2-Hikes, Concerts and Festivities Planned For Sukkot Holiday. 3-Nor'easter taking shape in Mid-Atlantic 4-Typhoon Xangsane, flood toll reaches 169. 5-Israeli Company Strikes Oil Near Dead Sea. 6-Commission bureaucrats are getting too powerful, says Verheugen. 7-Syria and EU Discuss Situation in the Region. 8-Iran: Foreign tourists welcome at nuclear sites. 9-No Future for the Jews in the Diaspora. 10-EU wise group welcomes Sarkozy constitution initiative. 11-EU, U.S. reach deal on sharing passenger data from trans-Atlantic flights. 12-Source of E. coli outbreak sought.
Holiday of Sukkot, (known commonly as the Festival of Booths or
Feast of Tabernacles)This Week with Rabbi Eckstein
October 5, 2006
Dear Friend of The Fellowship,
Yom Kippur, a solemn and introspective holiday during which Jews atone for their sins against God and man, ended this past Monday evening. And today, Jews begin the transition into one of the most joyous times on the Jewish calendar as we celebrate the festival of Sukkot.
This wonderful holiday which starts this Friday at sunset, is both a harvest festival celebrating God's faithful blessings and a time remembering the Exodus from Egypt and our forefathers' journey into the Promised Land. In recalling God's favor in rescuing them from the hands of their captors, we build sukkot (booths for temporary dwelling) that resemble the shelters used during their period of wandering in the desert (Leviticus 23:39-43). Today, these booths are colorfully decorated and serve as festive gathering places for family and friends during the seven-day observance of Sukkot.
http://www.ifcj.org/site/PageServer?pagename=rabbistudy_holidays_Sukkot
This theme of displacement, wandering, and return to the Holy Land is a common thread in Jewish life, even in modern times. For example, after the Holocaust in the 1940's, hundreds of thousands of Jews from Europe and Arab lands came to the newly-formed state of Israel. In the '80s, Operation Solomon brought the first of thousands of Ethiopian Jews to the Israel - and more continue to arrive each month. And in just a few weeks, over two hundred Bnei Menashe, descendants of the ancient Jewish tribe of Menashe who settled in northeast India, will begin the next chapter of their historic return to the home of their forefathers.
Today, through our On Wings of Eagles program, The Fellowship continues to help fulfill biblical prophecy by bringing needy Jews living under anti-Semitic oppression back home to Israel. One of our critical tasks in this ministry is helping those who make aliyah adapt to their new lives in Israel.
Sadly, the Israeli government simply cannot provide new émigrés with all they need during this time of transition. This is because the tremendous need to defend against terrorism and to rebuild after last summer's devastating war launched by Hezbollah has stretched social services resources to the limit, and beyond.
And now, by helping with klitah (resettlement), our On Wings of Eagles outreach provides new émigrés with short-term needs such as food, shelter, and medical care, as well as long-term needs for job and language training. That is why I prayerfully ask for your continued support of this important work. Each dollar you contribute helps needy émigrés realize the promise of a new life in the Holy Land and become full, productive citizens of Israel. Your gift now during Sukkot, is further evidence to them that their days of wandering are over and that they have finally come home to Israel.
My deepest appreciation to you, dear faithful partner, for your support of this important and prophetic ministry. May God continue to bless you, as you have blessed His people.
With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President
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Hikes, Concerts and Festivities Planned For Sukkot Holiday
By Ezra HaLevi(INN)
Scores of events are set to take place across Israel in honor of the week-long Sukkot holiday, the Festival of Booths. Concerts, hikes and other recreational activities, as well as gatherings marking the traditional pilgrimage to Jerusalem are planned.
Exploring the Land of Israel
The Jewish Agency has arranged for all nature preserves and parks in northern Israel to be open to the public free of charge during the course of the festival. The initiative aims to encourage tourism to the north, which was devastated by the recent war with Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon.
The sites include:
Zippori National Park
Ahziv National Park
Horshat Tal National Park
Baram National Park
Tel Hazor National Park
Nahal Ayoun Nature Reserve
Nimrod Fortress National Park
Kursi National Park
Corazim National Park
Ein Afek Nature Reserve
Nahal Amoud Nature Reserve
Hamat Tiberias National Park
Beit She'arim National Park
Beit Alfa Synagogue National Park
Kochav Hayarden National Park
Tel Megiddo National Park
Nahal Me'arot Nature Reserve
Majersa (Batiha) Nature Reserve
Gamla Nature Reserve
Hula Valley Nature Reserve
Yehiam Fortress National Park
Beit She'an National Park
Agmon Hahula Yarden Park
More details can be found at JewishAgency.org
On Tuesday, October 10, a hike through the Judean Hills from one of the largest towns in the Hevron region to one of the smallest and youngest hilltop communities will take place. The hike, billed as In the footsteps of our fathers and organized by Youth for the Land of Israel, will depart from Kiryat Arba and reach Maaleh Hever in the Hevron Hills. The rugged hike begins at 11 AM, leaving from Kiryat Arba’s Nir yeshiva. Motorists will meet behind the local municipality and tour local hilltop communities, traveling in a convoy along the route King David used to escape King Saul, and joining the festivities in Maaleh Hever as well.
There will also be a shorter, downhill, hiking route available for families with strollers or small children. For more information, call: 052 580 2666, 052 655 5184 or 052 311 4627
Dozens of hikes and tours of the Gush Etzion region are being offered by the Kfar Etzion field school. Places like the flat-topped Herodion mountain fortress, caves and natural springs will be explored. Click here for more information (in Hebrew).On October 9-11 the town of Sussia, in the Hevron hills, will be recreating life there 1,200 years ago, with performances, hikes, barefoot grape juicing and other activities. For more information call 02 996 3424, email info [at] susya.org.il or visit Susya.org.il. On October 10-11 the Dwelling in the Desert Festival will take place at the Joe Alon Center in the northern Negev Desert. The festival includes models of sukkahs throughout Jewish history as well as desert tents, musical instruments and a photography exhibition about the development of the Negev. For more information call 050-7366125 or click here (Hebrew).The Gush Katif women's seminary, reestablished in the Lachish region, is hosting a family wine and cave experience on October 9, from 10:30 AM to 5 PM. Wine will be hand-prepared in ancient presses and the network of caves used during the Bar Kokhba revolt against the Romans will be open to visitors and explored with the help of guides. For more information, call: 054 667 1554 or 054 667 1555.
The fourth annual Judean Kite Festival will take place in the hilltop community of Pnei Kedem, located in southeast Gush Etzion
Tuesday, October 10 from 11 to 5. For information and schedules of chartered buses call 02-930.9076 or email: mollmutty@yahoo.com
Western Wall and Temple Mount
Each day of the festival (as well as Friday night), prayers will take place at the Western Wall with lengthy singing and dancing in the tradition of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. The daily morning prayers, which include the Hallel prayer and marching with the four species, will begin each day except Monday (see below) at 8:15 AM and be held up against the middle divider between the men’s and women’s sections. For more information call 054-596-9598.Visits for Jewish men and women who wish to ascend the Temple Mount in accordance with Jewish law are being offered over the course of the Sukkot Festival. All tours begin at 7.30 AM, beginning at the Mughrabi Gate, adjacent to the main entrance to the Western Wall plaza.
Tours will be offered each day in various languages:
Sunday October 8: Dr. Yoel Elitzur (Hebrew), Rabbi Chaim Richman (English), Shmuel Ben Hamu (French)
Monday October 9: Dr. Michael Ben-Ari (H), Nachum Schnitzer (E), Archeologist Yaffa Musaii (Women only, Hebrew)
Tuesday October 10: Dr. Yaacov Heyman (H), Rabbi Nachman Kupietzky (E), Yosef Dayan (Spanish)
Wednesday October 11: Menachem Ben-Yashar (H), Rabbi Zvi Rugan (E), Lily Richman (Women only, Bilingual)
Thursday October 12: Golan Shai-Cohen (H), Adv. Shmuel Caspar (E), Moshe Garbuz (Russian)
Sunday October 15: Yoel Lerner (Bilingual)
Participants must undergo physical preparations and immerse in a ritual bath beforehand, as well as arrive dressed in non-leather shoes. Police currently require a passport to ascend the mount and forbid the carrying up of religious articles aside from tzitzit and head coverings. For more information about the free tours and instructions on how to prepare, call (02) 571 0171 or 050 658 0224
(from outside Israel: +972 2 571 0171 or +972 50 658 0224).
Jerusalem’s Municipality has erected Israel’s largest sukkah. The temporary structure is constructed by each Jewish family and is a staple of the festival, which entails dwelling in sukkot. The municipal Sukkah of Stars is decorated with light fixtures from France and is located in Safra Square, just outside the Old City. It has an area of 500 square meters, measures six meters tall, and will be
open to the public all through the week.On Sunday, October 8 a joyous Simchat Beit HaShoeva, which commemorates the water libation performed in the Holy Temple, will take place in Jerusalem’s City of David, just below the Old City’s Dung Gate. Hassidic singers Yaakov Shweky and Chaim Yisrael will be performing. The event begins at 5:30 PM Several other City of David hikes and tours will be offered, including the Pilgrims' Route, ancient aqueducts tour, the newly established Jerusalem Trail and a survey of the sifting Temple Mount remnants in the Emek Tzurim valley. For more information, visit cityofdavid.org.il/succoth.asp or email
Foundation [at] cityofdavid.org.il
Several tours are being offered of the Jewish sites and residences in Jerusalem’s eastern half, liberated in 1967 and developed ever since. Half-day tours, offered by the Jerusalem Capital Development Fund will visit historical sites including the huge Jewish cemetery on the Mt.of Olives and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem. Jewish homes in the Shimon Hatzadik, Maaleh Hazeitim and other eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods will be visited as well. For more information, visit: http://www.jcdf.org/tournow.html or contact
Reuven Grossman at tours [at] jcdf.org or 052-579-0958.Beit Orot will also be offering a 3 1 hour tour of the area, visiting the same sites and following in the footsteps of the IDF soldiers who liberated the eastern half of the capital in 1967. For more information or to join a group, email: trips [at] beitorot.org or call (from the US) 201 530 0210 or (from Israel) 02 628 4155.
Lectures, Film Screenings and Conferences
A new documentary about the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif will be screened each night of the intermediate days of the festival in downtown Jerusalem. The movie, Home Game, uses the metaphor of Gaza's Jewish basketball competition to portray the pain of the Disengagement and determination of the evicted residents.The screenings will take place at the OU Israel Center in Jerusalem (22 Keren HaYesod, diagonally opposite the Dan Panorama Hotel) on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 8 PM during the holiday.The 27th annual Christian Feast of the Tabernacles will also take place in Jerusalem over the festival, attended by more than 4,000 Christians from more than 80 nations who will arrive in Jerusalem. The event is sponsored by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. Israel’s Ministry of Tourism bills the Feast of Tabernacles as the largest annual tourism event in Israel.
Concerts
On Sunday and Monday, October 8-9, the entire Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron will be open to the public, including the Tomb of Isaac, which is usually used as a mosque by local Arabs. Guided tours of the city will be given and large musical morning prayers will take place at 9:15 AM each day. Klezmer sensation Moussa Berlin will accompany the Hallel prayer and hassidic singer Mordechai Ben David will perform in the afternoon on the second day. Other performers include Adi Ran, Daklon, Shlomo Katz, Chaim Dovid Saracek, Shira Hadasha, Udi Davidi, Yoni Shlomo and Mendy Jerufy. For more information, call 1-800-400-456.The annual three-day free Beit Shemesh music festival will take place from October 8-10, featuring The Andalusi Orchestra (Sunday at 8 PM), Rockia, Para Aduma, Haakevot, Shlock Rock, Aaron Razel, Adi Ran, Moshav Band and Shai Gabso (Monday from 8 PM) and Udi Davidi, Naftali Abramson, Pey Dalid, Chaim Dovid, Shlomo Katz, Shlomo Gronich and Reva L'Sheva Tuesday night at 8 PM. For more information, visit shemeshfest.com
Tuesday night October 10 a cantorial concert will take place at Jerusalem’s Menachem Begin Heritage Center, entitled And they
came to Zion in Song.Performing with the Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute will be Chazan Naftali Hershtik. For more information and tickets, call: 02-565-2020.Information about many more concerts, lectures and celebrations can be found on the web site of the Jerusalem Municipality.
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.
Nor'easter taking shape in Mid-Atlantic W. Verno, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel Fri Oct 6, 9:17 AM ET
Northeast
The Mid-Atlantic will be impacted by increasing rain, wind, and possible flooding into the weekend. A strong upper level disturbance will interact with a front over the Mid-Atlantic, and result in rain, heavy at times, from Philadelphia and Washington, south through Virginia. In addition to the threat for possible flooding, a few stronger thunderstorms will also be possible over southern Virginia.
Strong northeast winds will also increase across these areas making for a raw day. Meanwhile, high pressure will span the New England States, resulting in dry, but cool conditions today, with some areas experiencing freezing temperatures overnight Friday into Saturday morning. This general weather pattern will continue into Saturday, but by Sunday, the rains and wind over the Mid-Atlantic should lessen, and the temperatures should begin to moderate over the Northeast.
West
A strong upper disturbance will continue to transport abundant moisture northward through the four corners area today. Numerous showers the thunderstorms will impact pasts of southwest California, Arizona, Utah, western Colorado, and southern Idaho today.
The potential for heavy downpours moving over the same areas will increase the threat for flash flooding, particularly over Arizona and Utah. Also in these areas, a few severe thunderstorms will also be possible today. Meanwhile, over the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, a cold front will trigger a few showers there, along with cool temperatures. Into Saturday, a deep low pressure is forecast to develop over the northern Rockies. This will produce increased wind and rain, with some higher elevation snows over that area, while pulling the persistent showers and thunderstorms over the four Corners, a bit further east into New Mexico and Colorado.
Dry conditions will build across the west coast as the unsettled weather shifts further east.
South
A cold front will move south through the southeastern states today, producing a few showers over southern Georgia, into South Carolina.
High pressure will build across much of the south behind this front, resulting in partly cloudy skies, and cooler temperatures. Afternoon highs today will range from the 70s from Atlanta to Memphis, to the 80s along the Gulf Coast, to the 90s in Florida and southern Texas.
Meanwhile, a strong upper level disturbance impacting the Mid-Atlantic will spread increased chances of rain and wind into North Carolina, including the Raleigh area. This general weather pattern will persist into Saturday, with cooler conditions remaining in place over much of the south, and rains over the Carolinas.
Midwest
Large high pressure will span much of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Plains today, resulting in mostly sunny skies and dry conditions. Cool conditions will remain in the Great Lakes and Midwest, where afternoon temperatures will be in the 60s, warming to the 70s and 80s westward over the High Plains. Winds will also be increasing over the Plains today, as strong southerly flow develops on the backside of high pressure. These general conditions will persist over the Great Lakes and Midwest into Saturday, however over the central Plains; very windy conditions will develop as a deep low pressure rapidly forms over the northern Rockies.
Temperatures will also soar Saturday afternoon in these areas under strong southerly flow, with readings into the 80s.
Typhoon Xangsane, flood toll reaches 169 Thu Oct 5, 12:57 AM ET
HANOI (Reuters) - Flooding killed dozens of people in the days after Typhoon Xangsane raked the Philippines and Vietnam, officials said on Thursday as the combined death toll rose to at least 169 with 79 others missing. The Vietnam government said 59 people died and 7 were missing after the typhoon hit on Sunday, but state-run media accounts indicated a higher death toll of at least 68, citing provincial disaster reports.The typhoon's fierce winds and rain destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of homes when it slammed into Vietnam's central coast after bringing parts of the Philippines, including the capital Manila, to a standstill last week.
In Vietnam, nearly 320,000 homes were destroyed or submerged. Xangsane, which means elephant in the Lao language, damaged roads, telecommunications and power networks, fisheries and crops along a roughly 1,000 km (600-mile) stretch.The government estimated the cost of the damage at 10 trillion dong ($624 million).Workers have been cleaning up the resort city of Danang and the nearby UNESCO-heritage town of Hoi An. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) tourism ministers meeting is scheduled for October 12 to 17 in Hoi An.In the Philippines, the typhoon killed 110 people, injured 88 and 72 were missing, officials said on Thursday.
More than 2.3 million people were affected by the typhoon in the Philippines and about 80,000 remained in temporary shelters after losing their homes in the disaster.The typhoon weakened into a tropical storm, moved west to Laos and dissipated over northern Thailand.Hundreds, if not thousands, of people are killed and property and crops damaged each year by tropical storms in Vietnam and the Philippines, which has the South China Sea between them.(Reporting by Ho Binh Minh in HANOI; Carmel Crimmins in MANILA)
Israeli Company Strikes Oil Near Dead Sea
14:38 Oct 05, '06 / 13 Tishrei 5767
by Hillel Fendel(INN)
An Israeli company reports it has struck oil in the Dead Sea region, possibly worth up to $350 million. The company, Ginko Oil Exploration, says that oil spurted on Monday from a depth of 1,800 meters (1.12 miles), and that further tests will be carried out in the coming days. The oil, estimated at about 6.5 million barrels' worth, was found just north of the Dead Sea.Ginko extracted about 120,000 barrels of crude oil from the site about ten years ago, but gave up the initiative. The drilling has now been renewed, as it has in many places around the world, because of the steep increase in oil prices. Ginko has already acquired pipelines and containers for transporting the extracted fuel. In April 2004, Ginko discovered a seven-meter layer of natural gas in the same region. Israel has produced only 20 million barrels of oil in the last half-century, the Associated Press reports - less than what the Saudis produce every three days.
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).
Commission bureaucrats are getting too powerful, says Verheugen
05.10.2006 - 09:39 CET | By Honor Mahony
European Commission vice-president Guenter Verheugen has spoken out strongly against the power of high-ranking civil servants within the commission who are able to influence decisions according to their personal whims.In an interview with German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the German commissioner in charge of the important industry portfolio said the whole development in the last ten years has brought the civil servants such power that in the meantime the most important political task of the 25 commissioners is controlling this apparatus.There is a permanent power struggle between commissioners and high ranking bureaucrats. Some of them think: the commissioner is gone after five years and so is just a house keeper, but I'm sticking around, he continued.
He suggests that his own project to simplify 54 EU laws has fallen foul of stubborn commission bureaucrats. Before the summer he strongly criticised internally some general directorates who evidently did not want to take the head of the commission's aim to reduce bureaucracy seriously, because it did not fit in with their own ideas.Mr Verheugen, who is now in his second term as EU commissioner having previously been in charge of enlargement, noted that the problem will get worse again once Bulgaria and Romania join the EU because then there will be two new general directorates units in the commission that deal with specific areas and that is a problem.
Illustrating how power struggles happen, the commissioner said it all occurs under the surface.The commissioners have to take extreme care that important questions are decided in their weekly meeting, and not decided by the civil servants among themselves.Unfortunately it sometimes happens in the communication with member states or parliament that civil servants put their own personal perspective across as the view of the commission, he told the newspaper.Citing a concrete example the 62-year old social democrat commissioner said that commission bureaucrats had tried to sort out the use of pesticides between them and the issue only came to the attention of their political masters the commissioners when the bureaucrats fell out over the issue.
Noting that the way some commission officials communicate is technical and arrogant, which he finds appalling, Mr Verheugen said that only a change in political culture in the commission would improve the situation.He suggests that commissioners should be able to move around the powerful general directors, something which they cannot do at the moment, pointing out that when something goes wrong then it is always commissioners who take the flak.In my opinion, too much is decided by civil servants,he said in conclusion.
Syria and EU Discuss Situation in the Region
Wednesday, October 04, 2006 - 04:15 PM
DAMASCUS, (SANA) Syria and EU Discussed on Wednesday bilateral relations and the Mideast peace process.
Talks during a meeting between Members of the European Commission delegation headed by Chairman of Mideast Unit at the European Union Alan Seater and Assistant Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous dealt with the peace process in the Middle East and implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions, in addition to the situation in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq .They also discussed the Syrian-European relations and aid programs which the commission intends to extend to Syria during the upcoming period of 2007-2010 as well as priorities that Syria sees in these programs.
Discussions between members of the European Commission delegation and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdullah al-Dardari touched upon importance of boosting relations between Syria and European Union to cover different fields of developments.They also conferred on having a look at the suggested program in the blue print of the EU strategy for cooperation with Syria during 2007- 2010 in the economic reform domains and networks of social protection in addition to develop business environment and public and local services .Both sides agreed to continue discussions aiming at reaching a joint action paper in order to help in enhancing prospects of cooperation and pushing them forward.Thawra –Sawsan
EZEKIEL 38:3-6
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) 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.
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)
JOEL 2:20,30
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(SIBERIAN DESERT)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Iran: Foreign tourists welcome at nuclear sites
Journalists, U.N. inspectors have had trouble getting easy access
MSNBC News Services
TEHRAN, Iran /Iran’s hard-line president has ordered nuclear facilities opened to foreign tourists to prove that the nation’s disputed atomic program is peaceful, state-run television reported on Wednesday.After an order by the president ... foreign tourists can visit Iran’s nuclear facilities,the head of Iran’s tourism division, Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, was quoted as saying.Mashai said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued the order to show that Iran’s nuclear program it aims to generate fuel, not weapons.We are reviewing the related instructions in this regard,he reportedly said.An official said tourists could visit the facilities, including the Natanz uranium enrichment plant, 150 miles south of Tehran, the centerpiece of Iran’s disputed atomic fuel drive.
New tourism niche?
Despite offering attractions such as ancient Persian ruins, intricately tiled mosques and spice-filled bazaars, as well as skiing in its northern mountains, tourism is underdeveloped in the Islamic Republic, where strict religious dress codes require women to cover their heads and bodies.And it is unclear whether tourists will flock to see Iran’s nuclear facilities, which are ringed by anti-aircraft batteries.Foreign and Iranian journalists, who often request visits, have been given only occasional tours of Natanz, the uranium conversion facility of Isfahan or Bushehr, the site of Iran’s first nuclear power plant that is still being built.Even U.N. inspectors, who are given routine access to nuclear sites, have complained about some restrictions in the past, although Iran denies causing any
obstructions.
U.S. visitors might be fingerprinted
The report did not clarify the definition of a foreign tourist. The announcement came a day after Iran’s parliament voted to debate a bill that would require the government to fingerprint all U.S. citizens visiting Iran.The draft law would require all American citizens to be fingerprinted when they enter Iran.
The measure was in retaliation for the fingerprinting of Iranian travelers visiting the United States a procedure implemented in 2002 for Iranians and citizens of several other countries.The U.S. and some of its allies fear Iran is seeking to enrich uranium to develop nuclear weapons.Senior U.N. diplomats said Tuesday that Iran’s refusal to freeze uranium enrichment had sabotaged talks meant to defuse the standoff over its nuclear program, opening the way for the Security Council to start considering sanctions next week.The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
No Future for the Jews in the Diaspora
By Hana Levi Julian(INN)
Likud Knesset opposition leader Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu warned American Jews on Thursday There is no future for Jews in the Diaspora.An Islamic terror plot was foiled in Prague. Netanyahu cited assimilation and intermarriage as the main reasons for the statement on Thursday. He cautioned American financial supporters of the IDF Nahal hareidi program to work especially against assimilation in their communities.The only hope for the Jewish people in the Diaspora is Israel,he said, to the surprise of the leaders and other Diaspora Jews in the room. Sources close to Netanyahu confirmed he had made the statements, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Not The First Warning by Israeli Leaders
President Moshe Katsav issued a similar warning six years ago when he said in September 2000, The only branch that can ensure the continuation of the Jewish nation is the Jewish State.Katsav insisted at the time that Jewish education in the Diaspora was a short-term solution that would last at most two or three generations. We have legitimized living in the Diaspora and have said it does not bother us, he said, but caused a groundswell of shock and anger when he maintained that Israeli leaders should no longer justify Jews remaining in countries outside the State of Israel.
An Ominous New Threat to Diaspora Jews in the Czech Republic
A report by the Yediot Aharonot daily newspaper Friday added an additional grim reason to the concern for the future of Diaspora Jewry: the threat of Islamic terrorism.Reports of an Islamic terrorist plot to kidnap and ultimately murder a large group of Jews in Prague brought back frightening echoes of the pogroms of Eastern Europe.
The plot, which came to light around Rosh Hashana, has meant increased police patrols and questions for residents and tourists in the Czech capital. The Mlada Fronta Dnesnewspaper quoted unnamed intelligence sources who said the terrorists would have imprisoned the captives in the Great Synagogue of Prague while demanding unspecified terms they knew would not be met. According to the source, the terrorists planned to blow up the building, destroying everything and everyone inside. The report did not include information on whether anyone had been arrested in connection with the plot, nor did it offer any clue as to the identity of the conspirators.
The Feeling Will be Different From Now On
Rabbi Manis Barash, head of the Chabad House in the Czech Republic’s capital noted, Unfortunately the Jewish communities in Europe are used to threats and actions as well. Now it has reached us. Israeli officials have been monitoring the situation, said a member of the Jewish community who asked to remain anonymous. A similar situation recently occurred in Norway as well, noted Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.We are aware of the existence of extremist groups in the European continent that wish to harm Israeli representatives and local Jewish communities,he said, adding that Israeli consulates and embassies are dealing with the situation. Regev did not specify the security measures which were in place. As Czech Jews enter the holiday of Sukkot, (known commonly as the Festival of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles) Rabbi Barash said Jewish life in the city, that draws countless tourists from Israel and other countries, is tense. Terror alerts at the airport, the Jewish Quarter and other areas in the capital have raised the stress level to an unprecedented high.The feeling will be different from now on,he commented.We still walk on the streets, but on this holiday we are naturally more fearful and suspicious.
EU wise group welcomes Sarkozy constitution initiative
05.10.2006 - 17:13 CET | By Mark Beunderman
EUOBSERVER /
BRUSSELS /Members of a select group of EU politicians tackling the bloc's constitutional deadlock have told EUobserver they are open to changes to the EU constitution, welcoming the fact that French minister Sarkozy recently re-opened
the debate on the charter.The circle of high-profile European politicians led by Italian interior minister Giuliano Amato last weekend (29-30 September) held its first meeting in Rome, with two members of the group telling EUobserver after the talks that they have no taboos.The substance of the EU constitution is more important than its form,said Belgian MEP and former prime minister Jean-Luc
Dehaene who was one of the senior architects of the charter rejected by French and Dutch voters last year.
Another member of the group, Spanish centre-right MEP Inigo Mendez de Vigo, said the Rome meeting had welcomed recent proposals by French interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy for a mini treaty made up of only parts of the constitution. We discussed the proposal of Mr Sarkozy and we thought it was a good initiative,he said. We may not fully agree with it but it made a difference that a French politician who has important responsibilities takes the initiative himself of saying: this is what I think. We appreciated the fact that Mr Sarkozy has gone into the arena. Mr Mendez de Vigo added that another plan by Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt to create a nucleus of closely integrated eurozone states, was also mentioned by participants as another proposal that we have.
But the text of the constitution remains an important point of departure for the group which will hold its next conclave in December, the Spanish politician indicated. We will think for the next meeting: what are the essential parts of the constitution? What is really essential in the constitution for Europe to work in the forthcoming years?
Vitorino joins group
The Amato group includes two former prime ministers Paavo Lipponen of Finland and Wim Kok of the Netherlands as well as two European commissioners Danuta Hubner (regional policy) and Margot Wallstom (communications) and German interior minister
Wolfgang Schauble plus his predecessor Otto Schily.
France also has two particpants former foreign minister Michel Barnier and former finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn while UK ex-commissioner Chris Patten is another prominent member. Mr Mendez de Vigo said the group will soon be joined by Antonio Vitorino, a Portuguese ex-commissioner, plus one member from a Baltic state and one from a central European country, bringing the total number of 'wise' men and women to 14. The group, which will produce a report just before next year's June EU leaders summit on the constitution, strongly stresses its independence, having its own €100,000 budget provided by the German Bosch Foundation.
We are a group of private participants,said Mr Dehaene, with commission officials stressing that Ms Hubner and Ms Wallstrom are participating in their private capacity.
High political stakes
But the political weight of the group is highlighted by the fact that both Germany and France have two members, each representing the main centre-right and centre-left political forces. Germany in particular has high stakes in the group, as it holds the EU presidency in the first half of next year and is tasked with making concrete proposals on how to deal with the shelved constitution.
We know that others will deal with decisions,said Mr Mendez de Vigo. We started from the idea that the German presidency has to make a proposal on the procedure, but also, surely, on content [of a new treaty]. Our motto is: we'll try to give you a hand.
EU, U.S. reach deal on sharing passenger data from trans-Atlantic flights Updated 10/6/2006 11:25 AM ET
LUXEMBOURG (AP) The European Union and the United States agreed Friday on a new anti terrorism agreement that will give the FBI and other U.S. law enforcement agencies access to data about passengers on U.S.-bound flights.
The interim deal reached after a nine-hour, trans-Atlantic video conference that took place nearly a week after negotiators missed an Oct. 1 deadline replaces a 2004 air passenger privacy agreement the EU's high court voided last May for purely technical reasons.The agreement is valid until July 2007, after which the EU and the U.S. plan to have a permanent accord. The 25 EU governments are expected to give final approval to the interim deal next week.
EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini welcomed the agreement, saying the United States and the EU will employ comparable standards of data protection.He said the deal should defuse fears in the European Parliament of a loss of privacy for Europeans flying to the United States.Under the agreement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security no longer will have an automatic right to pull data from European airlines' computer systems, but must ask for such information.The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency may disclose passenger data to other American law enforcement agencies only if they have comparable standards of data protection, Frattini told reporters.
He said it cannot give them direct electronic access to the data and limits the duration of its storage.EU negotiator Jonathan Faull said the EU and the U.S. are aiming for a broader deal after July 2007 that would provide for sharing of more data than the 34 details listed under Friday's agreement.
British Home Secretary John Reid called the interim agreement another major step in the fight against terrorism (showing that) the common alliance against terrorism is, on both sides of the Atlantic, very strong.French Justice Minister Pascal Clement said the Europeans got concrete guarantees with respect to privacy protection for EU nationals.Negotiations collapsed last week when the EU denied a request by U.S.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for a more routine sharing of passenger data among U.S. law enforcement agencies.The new agreement lets airlines continue to legally submit 34 pieces of data such as passenger names, addresses, seat numbers, credit card and travel details, as well as their no-show records for transfer to U.S. authorities within 15 minutes of a flight's departure for the United States.Frattini said there was a concrete risk of privacy erosion had a trans-Atlantic accord not been reached. In that case, a patchwork of bilateral agreements would have been the privacy protection basis.
EU officials said they shared Washington's concerns about terrorism, but demanded strict data protection guarantees in return for a more routine sharing of personal details of air passengers among U.S. law enforcement officials.Washington had warned that airlines failing to share passenger data would face fines of up to US$6,000 (euro4,700) per passenger and the loss of landing rights.
The negotiations revealed divisions between the U.S. and the Europeans over how far governments should go in curbing personal freedoms to prevent terrorist attacks.Privacy restrictions tend to be tougher in Europe than in the United States, and the Europeans wanted to deny U.S. officials the right to go into airline reservation systems.
Martine Roure, a spokesman for the Socialists, the European Parliament's second-largest group, expressed satisfaction there is a new agreement. The U.S. authorities must now apply all the data protection guarantees we ask of them.Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Posted 10/6/2006 10:35 AM ET
Source of E. coli outbreak sought
Tainted spinach was the source of an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. recently.
Carly Weeks, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
OTTAWA /The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Ontario health ministry are trying to determine the source of an E. coli outbreak that has left more than 30 people sick, including five who required hospitalization, in two different Ontario cities. Health officials believe there is a link between the reports of illnesses that have streamed in from Sudbury, Ont., and Hamilton.
But they have not been able to determine what food caused the outbreak of the potentially deadly bacteria.While officials believe the bacteria likely came from fresh produce most likely lettuce the food inspection agency said there’s little hope it will be able to determine the source of the outbreak.The food link has not been demonstrated yet by tests,said CFIA spokesman Marc Richard. Should there be a food link demonstrated, then we can recall (the product), but given this is a fresh product, that is less likely because it was all eaten or thrown away weeks ago.Health officials are also trying to figure out how two communities located in different parts of the province were affected by the same bacteria outbreak, and why no other community seems to have experienced similar problems. The news of the outbreak comes on the heels of a massive E. coli outbreak that claimed the lives of two people, including a two-year-old boy, in the United States, and made more than 190 others sick, including an Ontario woman.Officials in Hamilton are investigating 20 cases of E. coli, of which 11 have been confirmed. All of the cases are confined to Hillfield Strathallan College, a private-run school.
Officials first learned of the outbreak on Sept. 26, he said.
In Sudbury, health officials are investigating 14 cases. Four people in that city had to be hospitalized after eating food that had been contaminated with E. coli bacteria. Most of the people affected are believed to have eaten contaminated food at a local restaurant. © CanWest News Service
Holiday of Sukkot, (known commonly as the Festival of Booths or
Feast of Tabernacles)This Week with Rabbi Eckstein
October 5, 2006
Dear Friend of The Fellowship,
Yom Kippur, a solemn and introspective holiday during which Jews atone for their sins against God and man, ended this past Monday evening. And today, Jews begin the transition into one of the most joyous times on the Jewish calendar as we celebrate the festival of Sukkot.
This wonderful holiday which starts this Friday at sunset, is both a harvest festival celebrating God's faithful blessings and a time remembering the Exodus from Egypt and our forefathers' journey into the Promised Land. In recalling God's favor in rescuing them from the hands of their captors, we build sukkot (booths for temporary dwelling) that resemble the shelters used during their period of wandering in the desert (Leviticus 23:39-43). Today, these booths are colorfully decorated and serve as festive gathering places for family and friends during the seven-day observance of Sukkot.
http://www.ifcj.org/site/PageServer?pagename=rabbistudy_holidays_Sukkot
This theme of displacement, wandering, and return to the Holy Land is a common thread in Jewish life, even in modern times. For example, after the Holocaust in the 1940's, hundreds of thousands of Jews from Europe and Arab lands came to the newly-formed state of Israel. In the '80s, Operation Solomon brought the first of thousands of Ethiopian Jews to the Israel - and more continue to arrive each month. And in just a few weeks, over two hundred Bnei Menashe, descendants of the ancient Jewish tribe of Menashe who settled in northeast India, will begin the next chapter of their historic return to the home of their forefathers.
Today, through our On Wings of Eagles program, The Fellowship continues to help fulfill biblical prophecy by bringing needy Jews living under anti-Semitic oppression back home to Israel. One of our critical tasks in this ministry is helping those who make aliyah adapt to their new lives in Israel.
Sadly, the Israeli government simply cannot provide new émigrés with all they need during this time of transition. This is because the tremendous need to defend against terrorism and to rebuild after last summer's devastating war launched by Hezbollah has stretched social services resources to the limit, and beyond.
And now, by helping with klitah (resettlement), our On Wings of Eagles outreach provides new émigrés with short-term needs such as food, shelter, and medical care, as well as long-term needs for job and language training. That is why I prayerfully ask for your continued support of this important work. Each dollar you contribute helps needy émigrés realize the promise of a new life in the Holy Land and become full, productive citizens of Israel. Your gift now during Sukkot, is further evidence to them that their days of wandering are over and that they have finally come home to Israel.
My deepest appreciation to you, dear faithful partner, for your support of this important and prophetic ministry. May God continue to bless you, as you have blessed His people.
With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President
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Hikes, Concerts and Festivities Planned For Sukkot Holiday
By Ezra HaLevi(INN)
Scores of events are set to take place across Israel in honor of the week-long Sukkot holiday, the Festival of Booths. Concerts, hikes and other recreational activities, as well as gatherings marking the traditional pilgrimage to Jerusalem are planned.
Exploring the Land of Israel
The Jewish Agency has arranged for all nature preserves and parks in northern Israel to be open to the public free of charge during the course of the festival. The initiative aims to encourage tourism to the north, which was devastated by the recent war with Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon.
The sites include:
Zippori National Park
Ahziv National Park
Horshat Tal National Park
Baram National Park
Tel Hazor National Park
Nahal Ayoun Nature Reserve
Nimrod Fortress National Park
Kursi National Park
Corazim National Park
Ein Afek Nature Reserve
Nahal Amoud Nature Reserve
Hamat Tiberias National Park
Beit She'arim National Park
Beit Alfa Synagogue National Park
Kochav Hayarden National Park
Tel Megiddo National Park
Nahal Me'arot Nature Reserve
Majersa (Batiha) Nature Reserve
Gamla Nature Reserve
Hula Valley Nature Reserve
Yehiam Fortress National Park
Beit She'an National Park
Agmon Hahula Yarden Park
More details can be found at JewishAgency.org
On Tuesday, October 10, a hike through the Judean Hills from one of the largest towns in the Hevron region to one of the smallest and youngest hilltop communities will take place. The hike, billed as In the footsteps of our fathers and organized by Youth for the Land of Israel, will depart from Kiryat Arba and reach Maaleh Hever in the Hevron Hills. The rugged hike begins at 11 AM, leaving from Kiryat Arba’s Nir yeshiva. Motorists will meet behind the local municipality and tour local hilltop communities, traveling in a convoy along the route King David used to escape King Saul, and joining the festivities in Maaleh Hever as well.
There will also be a shorter, downhill, hiking route available for families with strollers or small children. For more information, call: 052 580 2666, 052 655 5184 or 052 311 4627
Dozens of hikes and tours of the Gush Etzion region are being offered by the Kfar Etzion field school. Places like the flat-topped Herodion mountain fortress, caves and natural springs will be explored. Click here for more information (in Hebrew).On October 9-11 the town of Sussia, in the Hevron hills, will be recreating life there 1,200 years ago, with performances, hikes, barefoot grape juicing and other activities. For more information call 02 996 3424, email info [at] susya.org.il or visit Susya.org.il. On October 10-11 the Dwelling in the Desert Festival will take place at the Joe Alon Center in the northern Negev Desert. The festival includes models of sukkahs throughout Jewish history as well as desert tents, musical instruments and a photography exhibition about the development of the Negev. For more information call 050-7366125 or click here (Hebrew).The Gush Katif women's seminary, reestablished in the Lachish region, is hosting a family wine and cave experience on October 9, from 10:30 AM to 5 PM. Wine will be hand-prepared in ancient presses and the network of caves used during the Bar Kokhba revolt against the Romans will be open to visitors and explored with the help of guides. For more information, call: 054 667 1554 or 054 667 1555.
The fourth annual Judean Kite Festival will take place in the hilltop community of Pnei Kedem, located in southeast Gush Etzion
Tuesday, October 10 from 11 to 5. For information and schedules of chartered buses call 02-930.9076 or email: mollmutty@yahoo.com
Western Wall and Temple Mount
Each day of the festival (as well as Friday night), prayers will take place at the Western Wall with lengthy singing and dancing in the tradition of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. The daily morning prayers, which include the Hallel prayer and marching with the four species, will begin each day except Monday (see below) at 8:15 AM and be held up against the middle divider between the men’s and women’s sections. For more information call 054-596-9598.Visits for Jewish men and women who wish to ascend the Temple Mount in accordance with Jewish law are being offered over the course of the Sukkot Festival. All tours begin at 7.30 AM, beginning at the Mughrabi Gate, adjacent to the main entrance to the Western Wall plaza.
Tours will be offered each day in various languages:
Sunday October 8: Dr. Yoel Elitzur (Hebrew), Rabbi Chaim Richman (English), Shmuel Ben Hamu (French)
Monday October 9: Dr. Michael Ben-Ari (H), Nachum Schnitzer (E), Archeologist Yaffa Musaii (Women only, Hebrew)
Tuesday October 10: Dr. Yaacov Heyman (H), Rabbi Nachman Kupietzky (E), Yosef Dayan (Spanish)
Wednesday October 11: Menachem Ben-Yashar (H), Rabbi Zvi Rugan (E), Lily Richman (Women only, Bilingual)
Thursday October 12: Golan Shai-Cohen (H), Adv. Shmuel Caspar (E), Moshe Garbuz (Russian)
Sunday October 15: Yoel Lerner (Bilingual)
Participants must undergo physical preparations and immerse in a ritual bath beforehand, as well as arrive dressed in non-leather shoes. Police currently require a passport to ascend the mount and forbid the carrying up of religious articles aside from tzitzit and head coverings. For more information about the free tours and instructions on how to prepare, call (02) 571 0171 or 050 658 0224
(from outside Israel: +972 2 571 0171 or +972 50 658 0224).
Jerusalem’s Municipality has erected Israel’s largest sukkah. The temporary structure is constructed by each Jewish family and is a staple of the festival, which entails dwelling in sukkot. The municipal Sukkah of Stars is decorated with light fixtures from France and is located in Safra Square, just outside the Old City. It has an area of 500 square meters, measures six meters tall, and will be
open to the public all through the week.On Sunday, October 8 a joyous Simchat Beit HaShoeva, which commemorates the water libation performed in the Holy Temple, will take place in Jerusalem’s City of David, just below the Old City’s Dung Gate. Hassidic singers Yaakov Shweky and Chaim Yisrael will be performing. The event begins at 5:30 PM Several other City of David hikes and tours will be offered, including the Pilgrims' Route, ancient aqueducts tour, the newly established Jerusalem Trail and a survey of the sifting Temple Mount remnants in the Emek Tzurim valley. For more information, visit cityofdavid.org.il/succoth.asp or email
Foundation [at] cityofdavid.org.il
Several tours are being offered of the Jewish sites and residences in Jerusalem’s eastern half, liberated in 1967 and developed ever since. Half-day tours, offered by the Jerusalem Capital Development Fund will visit historical sites including the huge Jewish cemetery on the Mt.of Olives and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem. Jewish homes in the Shimon Hatzadik, Maaleh Hazeitim and other eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods will be visited as well. For more information, visit: http://www.jcdf.org/tournow.html or contact
Reuven Grossman at tours [at] jcdf.org or 052-579-0958.Beit Orot will also be offering a 3 1 hour tour of the area, visiting the same sites and following in the footsteps of the IDF soldiers who liberated the eastern half of the capital in 1967. For more information or to join a group, email: trips [at] beitorot.org or call (from the US) 201 530 0210 or (from Israel) 02 628 4155.
Lectures, Film Screenings and Conferences
A new documentary about the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif will be screened each night of the intermediate days of the festival in downtown Jerusalem. The movie, Home Game, uses the metaphor of Gaza's Jewish basketball competition to portray the pain of the Disengagement and determination of the evicted residents.The screenings will take place at the OU Israel Center in Jerusalem (22 Keren HaYesod, diagonally opposite the Dan Panorama Hotel) on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 8 PM during the holiday.The 27th annual Christian Feast of the Tabernacles will also take place in Jerusalem over the festival, attended by more than 4,000 Christians from more than 80 nations who will arrive in Jerusalem. The event is sponsored by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. Israel’s Ministry of Tourism bills the Feast of Tabernacles as the largest annual tourism event in Israel.
Concerts
On Sunday and Monday, October 8-9, the entire Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron will be open to the public, including the Tomb of Isaac, which is usually used as a mosque by local Arabs. Guided tours of the city will be given and large musical morning prayers will take place at 9:15 AM each day. Klezmer sensation Moussa Berlin will accompany the Hallel prayer and hassidic singer Mordechai Ben David will perform in the afternoon on the second day. Other performers include Adi Ran, Daklon, Shlomo Katz, Chaim Dovid Saracek, Shira Hadasha, Udi Davidi, Yoni Shlomo and Mendy Jerufy. For more information, call 1-800-400-456.The annual three-day free Beit Shemesh music festival will take place from October 8-10, featuring The Andalusi Orchestra (Sunday at 8 PM), Rockia, Para Aduma, Haakevot, Shlock Rock, Aaron Razel, Adi Ran, Moshav Band and Shai Gabso (Monday from 8 PM) and Udi Davidi, Naftali Abramson, Pey Dalid, Chaim Dovid, Shlomo Katz, Shlomo Gronich and Reva L'Sheva Tuesday night at 8 PM. For more information, visit shemeshfest.com
Tuesday night October 10 a cantorial concert will take place at Jerusalem’s Menachem Begin Heritage Center, entitled And they
came to Zion in Song.Performing with the Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute will be Chazan Naftali Hershtik. For more information and tickets, call: 02-565-2020.Information about many more concerts, lectures and celebrations can be found on the web site of the Jerusalem Municipality.
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.
Nor'easter taking shape in Mid-Atlantic W. Verno, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel Fri Oct 6, 9:17 AM ET
Northeast
The Mid-Atlantic will be impacted by increasing rain, wind, and possible flooding into the weekend. A strong upper level disturbance will interact with a front over the Mid-Atlantic, and result in rain, heavy at times, from Philadelphia and Washington, south through Virginia. In addition to the threat for possible flooding, a few stronger thunderstorms will also be possible over southern Virginia.
Strong northeast winds will also increase across these areas making for a raw day. Meanwhile, high pressure will span the New England States, resulting in dry, but cool conditions today, with some areas experiencing freezing temperatures overnight Friday into Saturday morning. This general weather pattern will continue into Saturday, but by Sunday, the rains and wind over the Mid-Atlantic should lessen, and the temperatures should begin to moderate over the Northeast.
West
A strong upper disturbance will continue to transport abundant moisture northward through the four corners area today. Numerous showers the thunderstorms will impact pasts of southwest California, Arizona, Utah, western Colorado, and southern Idaho today.
The potential for heavy downpours moving over the same areas will increase the threat for flash flooding, particularly over Arizona and Utah. Also in these areas, a few severe thunderstorms will also be possible today. Meanwhile, over the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, a cold front will trigger a few showers there, along with cool temperatures. Into Saturday, a deep low pressure is forecast to develop over the northern Rockies. This will produce increased wind and rain, with some higher elevation snows over that area, while pulling the persistent showers and thunderstorms over the four Corners, a bit further east into New Mexico and Colorado.
Dry conditions will build across the west coast as the unsettled weather shifts further east.
South
A cold front will move south through the southeastern states today, producing a few showers over southern Georgia, into South Carolina.
High pressure will build across much of the south behind this front, resulting in partly cloudy skies, and cooler temperatures. Afternoon highs today will range from the 70s from Atlanta to Memphis, to the 80s along the Gulf Coast, to the 90s in Florida and southern Texas.
Meanwhile, a strong upper level disturbance impacting the Mid-Atlantic will spread increased chances of rain and wind into North Carolina, including the Raleigh area. This general weather pattern will persist into Saturday, with cooler conditions remaining in place over much of the south, and rains over the Carolinas.
Midwest
Large high pressure will span much of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Plains today, resulting in mostly sunny skies and dry conditions. Cool conditions will remain in the Great Lakes and Midwest, where afternoon temperatures will be in the 60s, warming to the 70s and 80s westward over the High Plains. Winds will also be increasing over the Plains today, as strong southerly flow develops on the backside of high pressure. These general conditions will persist over the Great Lakes and Midwest into Saturday, however over the central Plains; very windy conditions will develop as a deep low pressure rapidly forms over the northern Rockies.
Temperatures will also soar Saturday afternoon in these areas under strong southerly flow, with readings into the 80s.
Typhoon Xangsane, flood toll reaches 169 Thu Oct 5, 12:57 AM ET
HANOI (Reuters) - Flooding killed dozens of people in the days after Typhoon Xangsane raked the Philippines and Vietnam, officials said on Thursday as the combined death toll rose to at least 169 with 79 others missing. The Vietnam government said 59 people died and 7 were missing after the typhoon hit on Sunday, but state-run media accounts indicated a higher death toll of at least 68, citing provincial disaster reports.The typhoon's fierce winds and rain destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of homes when it slammed into Vietnam's central coast after bringing parts of the Philippines, including the capital Manila, to a standstill last week.
In Vietnam, nearly 320,000 homes were destroyed or submerged. Xangsane, which means elephant in the Lao language, damaged roads, telecommunications and power networks, fisheries and crops along a roughly 1,000 km (600-mile) stretch.The government estimated the cost of the damage at 10 trillion dong ($624 million).Workers have been cleaning up the resort city of Danang and the nearby UNESCO-heritage town of Hoi An. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) tourism ministers meeting is scheduled for October 12 to 17 in Hoi An.In the Philippines, the typhoon killed 110 people, injured 88 and 72 were missing, officials said on Thursday.
More than 2.3 million people were affected by the typhoon in the Philippines and about 80,000 remained in temporary shelters after losing their homes in the disaster.The typhoon weakened into a tropical storm, moved west to Laos and dissipated over northern Thailand.Hundreds, if not thousands, of people are killed and property and crops damaged each year by tropical storms in Vietnam and the Philippines, which has the South China Sea between them.(Reporting by Ho Binh Minh in HANOI; Carmel Crimmins in MANILA)
Israeli Company Strikes Oil Near Dead Sea
14:38 Oct 05, '06 / 13 Tishrei 5767
by Hillel Fendel(INN)
An Israeli company reports it has struck oil in the Dead Sea region, possibly worth up to $350 million. The company, Ginko Oil Exploration, says that oil spurted on Monday from a depth of 1,800 meters (1.12 miles), and that further tests will be carried out in the coming days. The oil, estimated at about 6.5 million barrels' worth, was found just north of the Dead Sea.Ginko extracted about 120,000 barrels of crude oil from the site about ten years ago, but gave up the initiative. The drilling has now been renewed, as it has in many places around the world, because of the steep increase in oil prices. Ginko has already acquired pipelines and containers for transporting the extracted fuel. In April 2004, Ginko discovered a seven-meter layer of natural gas in the same region. Israel has produced only 20 million barrels of oil in the last half-century, the Associated Press reports - less than what the Saudis produce every three days.
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).
Commission bureaucrats are getting too powerful, says Verheugen
05.10.2006 - 09:39 CET | By Honor Mahony
European Commission vice-president Guenter Verheugen has spoken out strongly against the power of high-ranking civil servants within the commission who are able to influence decisions according to their personal whims.In an interview with German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the German commissioner in charge of the important industry portfolio said the whole development in the last ten years has brought the civil servants such power that in the meantime the most important political task of the 25 commissioners is controlling this apparatus.There is a permanent power struggle between commissioners and high ranking bureaucrats. Some of them think: the commissioner is gone after five years and so is just a house keeper, but I'm sticking around, he continued.
He suggests that his own project to simplify 54 EU laws has fallen foul of stubborn commission bureaucrats. Before the summer he strongly criticised internally some general directorates who evidently did not want to take the head of the commission's aim to reduce bureaucracy seriously, because it did not fit in with their own ideas.Mr Verheugen, who is now in his second term as EU commissioner having previously been in charge of enlargement, noted that the problem will get worse again once Bulgaria and Romania join the EU because then there will be two new general directorates units in the commission that deal with specific areas and that is a problem.
Illustrating how power struggles happen, the commissioner said it all occurs under the surface.The commissioners have to take extreme care that important questions are decided in their weekly meeting, and not decided by the civil servants among themselves.Unfortunately it sometimes happens in the communication with member states or parliament that civil servants put their own personal perspective across as the view of the commission, he told the newspaper.Citing a concrete example the 62-year old social democrat commissioner said that commission bureaucrats had tried to sort out the use of pesticides between them and the issue only came to the attention of their political masters the commissioners when the bureaucrats fell out over the issue.
Noting that the way some commission officials communicate is technical and arrogant, which he finds appalling, Mr Verheugen said that only a change in political culture in the commission would improve the situation.He suggests that commissioners should be able to move around the powerful general directors, something which they cannot do at the moment, pointing out that when something goes wrong then it is always commissioners who take the flak.In my opinion, too much is decided by civil servants,he said in conclusion.
Syria and EU Discuss Situation in the Region
Wednesday, October 04, 2006 - 04:15 PM
DAMASCUS, (SANA) Syria and EU Discussed on Wednesday bilateral relations and the Mideast peace process.
Talks during a meeting between Members of the European Commission delegation headed by Chairman of Mideast Unit at the European Union Alan Seater and Assistant Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous dealt with the peace process in the Middle East and implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions, in addition to the situation in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq .They also discussed the Syrian-European relations and aid programs which the commission intends to extend to Syria during the upcoming period of 2007-2010 as well as priorities that Syria sees in these programs.
Discussions between members of the European Commission delegation and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdullah al-Dardari touched upon importance of boosting relations between Syria and European Union to cover different fields of developments.They also conferred on having a look at the suggested program in the blue print of the EU strategy for cooperation with Syria during 2007- 2010 in the economic reform domains and networks of social protection in addition to develop business environment and public and local services .Both sides agreed to continue discussions aiming at reaching a joint action paper in order to help in enhancing prospects of cooperation and pushing them forward.Thawra –Sawsan
EZEKIEL 38:3-6
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) 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.
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)
JOEL 2:20,30
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(SIBERIAN DESERT)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Iran: Foreign tourists welcome at nuclear sites
Journalists, U.N. inspectors have had trouble getting easy access
MSNBC News Services
TEHRAN, Iran /Iran’s hard-line president has ordered nuclear facilities opened to foreign tourists to prove that the nation’s disputed atomic program is peaceful, state-run television reported on Wednesday.After an order by the president ... foreign tourists can visit Iran’s nuclear facilities,the head of Iran’s tourism division, Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, was quoted as saying.Mashai said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued the order to show that Iran’s nuclear program it aims to generate fuel, not weapons.We are reviewing the related instructions in this regard,he reportedly said.An official said tourists could visit the facilities, including the Natanz uranium enrichment plant, 150 miles south of Tehran, the centerpiece of Iran’s disputed atomic fuel drive.
New tourism niche?
Despite offering attractions such as ancient Persian ruins, intricately tiled mosques and spice-filled bazaars, as well as skiing in its northern mountains, tourism is underdeveloped in the Islamic Republic, where strict religious dress codes require women to cover their heads and bodies.And it is unclear whether tourists will flock to see Iran’s nuclear facilities, which are ringed by anti-aircraft batteries.Foreign and Iranian journalists, who often request visits, have been given only occasional tours of Natanz, the uranium conversion facility of Isfahan or Bushehr, the site of Iran’s first nuclear power plant that is still being built.Even U.N. inspectors, who are given routine access to nuclear sites, have complained about some restrictions in the past, although Iran denies causing any
obstructions.
U.S. visitors might be fingerprinted
The report did not clarify the definition of a foreign tourist. The announcement came a day after Iran’s parliament voted to debate a bill that would require the government to fingerprint all U.S. citizens visiting Iran.The draft law would require all American citizens to be fingerprinted when they enter Iran.
The measure was in retaliation for the fingerprinting of Iranian travelers visiting the United States a procedure implemented in 2002 for Iranians and citizens of several other countries.The U.S. and some of its allies fear Iran is seeking to enrich uranium to develop nuclear weapons.Senior U.N. diplomats said Tuesday that Iran’s refusal to freeze uranium enrichment had sabotaged talks meant to defuse the standoff over its nuclear program, opening the way for the Security Council to start considering sanctions next week.The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
No Future for the Jews in the Diaspora
By Hana Levi Julian(INN)
Likud Knesset opposition leader Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu warned American Jews on Thursday There is no future for Jews in the Diaspora.An Islamic terror plot was foiled in Prague. Netanyahu cited assimilation and intermarriage as the main reasons for the statement on Thursday. He cautioned American financial supporters of the IDF Nahal hareidi program to work especially against assimilation in their communities.The only hope for the Jewish people in the Diaspora is Israel,he said, to the surprise of the leaders and other Diaspora Jews in the room. Sources close to Netanyahu confirmed he had made the statements, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Not The First Warning by Israeli Leaders
President Moshe Katsav issued a similar warning six years ago when he said in September 2000, The only branch that can ensure the continuation of the Jewish nation is the Jewish State.Katsav insisted at the time that Jewish education in the Diaspora was a short-term solution that would last at most two or three generations. We have legitimized living in the Diaspora and have said it does not bother us, he said, but caused a groundswell of shock and anger when he maintained that Israeli leaders should no longer justify Jews remaining in countries outside the State of Israel.
An Ominous New Threat to Diaspora Jews in the Czech Republic
A report by the Yediot Aharonot daily newspaper Friday added an additional grim reason to the concern for the future of Diaspora Jewry: the threat of Islamic terrorism.Reports of an Islamic terrorist plot to kidnap and ultimately murder a large group of Jews in Prague brought back frightening echoes of the pogroms of Eastern Europe.
The plot, which came to light around Rosh Hashana, has meant increased police patrols and questions for residents and tourists in the Czech capital. The Mlada Fronta Dnesnewspaper quoted unnamed intelligence sources who said the terrorists would have imprisoned the captives in the Great Synagogue of Prague while demanding unspecified terms they knew would not be met. According to the source, the terrorists planned to blow up the building, destroying everything and everyone inside. The report did not include information on whether anyone had been arrested in connection with the plot, nor did it offer any clue as to the identity of the conspirators.
The Feeling Will be Different From Now On
Rabbi Manis Barash, head of the Chabad House in the Czech Republic’s capital noted, Unfortunately the Jewish communities in Europe are used to threats and actions as well. Now it has reached us. Israeli officials have been monitoring the situation, said a member of the Jewish community who asked to remain anonymous. A similar situation recently occurred in Norway as well, noted Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.We are aware of the existence of extremist groups in the European continent that wish to harm Israeli representatives and local Jewish communities,he said, adding that Israeli consulates and embassies are dealing with the situation. Regev did not specify the security measures which were in place. As Czech Jews enter the holiday of Sukkot, (known commonly as the Festival of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles) Rabbi Barash said Jewish life in the city, that draws countless tourists from Israel and other countries, is tense. Terror alerts at the airport, the Jewish Quarter and other areas in the capital have raised the stress level to an unprecedented high.The feeling will be different from now on,he commented.We still walk on the streets, but on this holiday we are naturally more fearful and suspicious.
EU wise group welcomes Sarkozy constitution initiative
05.10.2006 - 17:13 CET | By Mark Beunderman
EUOBSERVER /
BRUSSELS /Members of a select group of EU politicians tackling the bloc's constitutional deadlock have told EUobserver they are open to changes to the EU constitution, welcoming the fact that French minister Sarkozy recently re-opened
the debate on the charter.The circle of high-profile European politicians led by Italian interior minister Giuliano Amato last weekend (29-30 September) held its first meeting in Rome, with two members of the group telling EUobserver after the talks that they have no taboos.The substance of the EU constitution is more important than its form,said Belgian MEP and former prime minister Jean-Luc
Dehaene who was one of the senior architects of the charter rejected by French and Dutch voters last year.
Another member of the group, Spanish centre-right MEP Inigo Mendez de Vigo, said the Rome meeting had welcomed recent proposals by French interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy for a mini treaty made up of only parts of the constitution. We discussed the proposal of Mr Sarkozy and we thought it was a good initiative,he said. We may not fully agree with it but it made a difference that a French politician who has important responsibilities takes the initiative himself of saying: this is what I think. We appreciated the fact that Mr Sarkozy has gone into the arena. Mr Mendez de Vigo added that another plan by Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt to create a nucleus of closely integrated eurozone states, was also mentioned by participants as another proposal that we have.
But the text of the constitution remains an important point of departure for the group which will hold its next conclave in December, the Spanish politician indicated. We will think for the next meeting: what are the essential parts of the constitution? What is really essential in the constitution for Europe to work in the forthcoming years?
Vitorino joins group
The Amato group includes two former prime ministers Paavo Lipponen of Finland and Wim Kok of the Netherlands as well as two European commissioners Danuta Hubner (regional policy) and Margot Wallstom (communications) and German interior minister
Wolfgang Schauble plus his predecessor Otto Schily.
France also has two particpants former foreign minister Michel Barnier and former finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn while UK ex-commissioner Chris Patten is another prominent member. Mr Mendez de Vigo said the group will soon be joined by Antonio Vitorino, a Portuguese ex-commissioner, plus one member from a Baltic state and one from a central European country, bringing the total number of 'wise' men and women to 14. The group, which will produce a report just before next year's June EU leaders summit on the constitution, strongly stresses its independence, having its own €100,000 budget provided by the German Bosch Foundation.
We are a group of private participants,said Mr Dehaene, with commission officials stressing that Ms Hubner and Ms Wallstrom are participating in their private capacity.
High political stakes
But the political weight of the group is highlighted by the fact that both Germany and France have two members, each representing the main centre-right and centre-left political forces. Germany in particular has high stakes in the group, as it holds the EU presidency in the first half of next year and is tasked with making concrete proposals on how to deal with the shelved constitution.
We know that others will deal with decisions,said Mr Mendez de Vigo. We started from the idea that the German presidency has to make a proposal on the procedure, but also, surely, on content [of a new treaty]. Our motto is: we'll try to give you a hand.
EU, U.S. reach deal on sharing passenger data from trans-Atlantic flights Updated 10/6/2006 11:25 AM ET
LUXEMBOURG (AP) The European Union and the United States agreed Friday on a new anti terrorism agreement that will give the FBI and other U.S. law enforcement agencies access to data about passengers on U.S.-bound flights.
The interim deal reached after a nine-hour, trans-Atlantic video conference that took place nearly a week after negotiators missed an Oct. 1 deadline replaces a 2004 air passenger privacy agreement the EU's high court voided last May for purely technical reasons.The agreement is valid until July 2007, after which the EU and the U.S. plan to have a permanent accord. The 25 EU governments are expected to give final approval to the interim deal next week.
EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini welcomed the agreement, saying the United States and the EU will employ comparable standards of data protection.He said the deal should defuse fears in the European Parliament of a loss of privacy for Europeans flying to the United States.Under the agreement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security no longer will have an automatic right to pull data from European airlines' computer systems, but must ask for such information.The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency may disclose passenger data to other American law enforcement agencies only if they have comparable standards of data protection, Frattini told reporters.
He said it cannot give them direct electronic access to the data and limits the duration of its storage.EU negotiator Jonathan Faull said the EU and the U.S. are aiming for a broader deal after July 2007 that would provide for sharing of more data than the 34 details listed under Friday's agreement.
British Home Secretary John Reid called the interim agreement another major step in the fight against terrorism (showing that) the common alliance against terrorism is, on both sides of the Atlantic, very strong.French Justice Minister Pascal Clement said the Europeans got concrete guarantees with respect to privacy protection for EU nationals.Negotiations collapsed last week when the EU denied a request by U.S.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for a more routine sharing of passenger data among U.S. law enforcement agencies.The new agreement lets airlines continue to legally submit 34 pieces of data such as passenger names, addresses, seat numbers, credit card and travel details, as well as their no-show records for transfer to U.S. authorities within 15 minutes of a flight's departure for the United States.Frattini said there was a concrete risk of privacy erosion had a trans-Atlantic accord not been reached. In that case, a patchwork of bilateral agreements would have been the privacy protection basis.
EU officials said they shared Washington's concerns about terrorism, but demanded strict data protection guarantees in return for a more routine sharing of personal details of air passengers among U.S. law enforcement officials.Washington had warned that airlines failing to share passenger data would face fines of up to US$6,000 (euro4,700) per passenger and the loss of landing rights.
The negotiations revealed divisions between the U.S. and the Europeans over how far governments should go in curbing personal freedoms to prevent terrorist attacks.Privacy restrictions tend to be tougher in Europe than in the United States, and the Europeans wanted to deny U.S. officials the right to go into airline reservation systems.
Martine Roure, a spokesman for the Socialists, the European Parliament's second-largest group, expressed satisfaction there is a new agreement. The U.S. authorities must now apply all the data protection guarantees we ask of them.Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Posted 10/6/2006 10:35 AM ET
Source of E. coli outbreak sought
Tainted spinach was the source of an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. recently.
Carly Weeks, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
OTTAWA /The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Ontario health ministry are trying to determine the source of an E. coli outbreak that has left more than 30 people sick, including five who required hospitalization, in two different Ontario cities. Health officials believe there is a link between the reports of illnesses that have streamed in from Sudbury, Ont., and Hamilton.
But they have not been able to determine what food caused the outbreak of the potentially deadly bacteria.While officials believe the bacteria likely came from fresh produce most likely lettuce the food inspection agency said there’s little hope it will be able to determine the source of the outbreak.The food link has not been demonstrated yet by tests,said CFIA spokesman Marc Richard. Should there be a food link demonstrated, then we can recall (the product), but given this is a fresh product, that is less likely because it was all eaten or thrown away weeks ago.Health officials are also trying to figure out how two communities located in different parts of the province were affected by the same bacteria outbreak, and why no other community seems to have experienced similar problems. The news of the outbreak comes on the heels of a massive E. coli outbreak that claimed the lives of two people, including a two-year-old boy, in the United States, and made more than 190 others sick, including an Ontario woman.Officials in Hamilton are investigating 20 cases of E. coli, of which 11 have been confirmed. All of the cases are confined to Hillfield Strathallan College, a private-run school.
Officials first learned of the outbreak on Sept. 26, he said.
In Sudbury, health officials are investigating 14 cases. Four people in that city had to be hospitalized after eating food that had been contaminated with E. coli bacteria. Most of the people affected are believed to have eaten contaminated food at a local restaurant. © CanWest News Service
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