Messianic Jews to protest discrimination Matthew Wagner , THE JERUSALEM POST
A contingent of about 300 Messianic Jews from the US will protest this weekend against what they call Israel's discriminatory immigration policy against Jews who believe that Jesus is the messiah. The Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, an umbrella body for about 80 US congregations, is holding a three-day conference in Jerusalem that starts Thursday. During the conference a number of issues will be discussed - including the recent public burning by haredim of New Testaments distributed by missionaries in Or Akiva, a bomb attack that seriously wounded the son of well-known Messianic Jew in Ariel and the attempt to disqualify a Messianic Jewish high school girl from this year's International Bible Quiz for Jewish youth. We are planning to call on the Israeli government to address the problem of discrimination against Messianic Jews who wish to make aliya, said Rabbi Russ Resnik, executive director of the US-based Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations. Messianic Jews see Israel as the place of our past, from the earliest visit by Abraham to the modern rebirth of the Jewish state. And it is the place of our future, which will culminate in the messiah's return, Resnik said.
We are avid supporters of Israel in the present, and that's why we brought our conference here. But we are also concerned about recent expressions of violence against Messianic Jews.Messianic Jews include all people with Jewish ancestry who identify as Jewish but who believe that Jesus is the messiah, Resnik said. Like Reform Judaism, Messianic Jews recognize both matrilineal and patrilineal descent. Orthodox Judaism recognizes only matrilineal descent.
There are an estimated 12,000 Messianic Jews living in Israel, most of whom made aliya under the Law of Return. There are about a quarter of a million Messianic Jews living in the US. According to the Law of Return, anyone with a Jewish parent or grandparent is eligible for automatic Israeli citizenship. The law was designed to turn Israel into a safe haven for any Jew in the world who would have suffered persecution under the Nazi regime's Nuremberg racial laws. In principle, the Law of Return grants automatic citizenship to all descendants of Jews, regardless of religion. Nevertheless, in 1962 the Supreme Court ruled that Daniel Rufeisen, a Polish Jew who converted to Catholicism and became a Carmelite monk, could not be granted citizenship under the Law of Return. The court based itself on common sense criteria, assuming that the average person would agree that Rufeisen was not Jewish. The Chief Rabbinate argued at the time that Rufeisen should be considered a Jew since according to Halacha a Jew can never repudiate his or her Jewishness. Since then the Supreme Court has ruled that Messianic Jews whose mothers are Jewish can be denied Israeli citizenship. In contrast, those who are Jewish solely through their fathers cannot be denied citizenship. This is based on an interpretation of a 1970 amendment to the Law of Return.
An absurd situation is created in which Messianic Jews have to prove they are not Jewish in order to make aliya, said Calev Myers, a Messianic Jewish attorney who specializes in immigration cases. The Law of Return as envisioned by David Ben-Gurion was originally created to ensure that if you are Jewish enough to die in Auschwitz you are Jewish enough to be granted automatic Israeli citizenship. But that is no longer true.Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, head of the Ataret Yerushalayim Yeshiva and a leading religious Zionist leader, said Messianic Jews should not be considered Jews. It is true that a lot of righteous people were persecuted and murdered by the Nazis, Aviner said. But that does not make them Jewish.He said that Messianic Jews living in Israel should be marginalized and distanced from Jewish communities. Those people are proselytizers. They should not be allowed to have an influence on Jews who might be too weak to resist, Aviner said. Resnik admitted that he wanted to spread the word about the good news of the messiah among the Jews. People need to hear that message. But just because it is such a vital message does not mean that everything goes. Our way is by showing solidarity with the Jewish people, by being part of the people, he said.
FALSE TEACHERS,PROPHETS,DECIEVERS
MATTHEW 24:4-5,11,24-25
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
MARK 13:22-23
22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
2 TIMOTHY 3:13
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
LUKEWARM CHURCHES
REVELATION 3:15-19
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue (VOMIT) thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Religious Americans: My faith isn't the only way Eric Gorski - Associated Press Religion Writer - 6/23/2008 12:15:00 PM
WASHINGTON - America remains a deeply religious nation, but a new survey finds most Americans don't believe their tradition is the only way to eternal life -- even if the denomination's teachings say otherwise. The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don't know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching. In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.
Results from our related poll question.What do you think is the main reason most people no longer believe Jesus is the only way of salvation?
The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep, said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion. There's a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences, he said.Earlier data from the Pew Forum's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, released in February, highlighted how often Americans switch religious affiliation. The newly released material looks at religious belief and practice as well as the impact of religion on society, including how faith shapes political views. The report argues that while relatively few people -- 14 percent -- cite religious beliefs as the main influence on their political thinking, religion still plays a powerful indirect role.
The study confirmed some well-known political dynamics, including stark divisions over abortion and same-sex marriage, with the more religiously committed taking conservative views on the issues. But it also showed support across religious lines for greater governmental aid for the poor, even if it means more debt and stricter environmental laws and regulations.By many measures, Americans are strongly religious: 92 percent believe in God, 74 percent believe in life after death, and 63 percent say their respective scriptures are the word of God. But deeper investigation found that more than one in four Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants, and Orthodox Christians expressed some doubts about God's existence, as did six in ten Jews. Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with eight percent absolutely certain of it.Look, this shows the limits of a survey approach to religion, said Peter Berger, a theology and sociology professor at Boston University. What do people really mean when they say that many religions lead to eternal life? It might mean they don't believe their particular truth at all. Others might be saying, We believe a truth but respect other people, and they are not necessarily going to hell. Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, said that more research is planned to answer those kinds of questions, but that earlier, smaller surveys found similar results.
Nearly across the board, the majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83 percent), members of historic black Protestant churches (59 percent), Roman Catholics (79 percent), Jews (82 percent) and Muslims (56 percent). By similar margins, people in those faith groups believe in multiple interpretations of their own traditions' teachings. Yet 44 percent of the religiously affiliated also said their religion should preserve its traditional beliefs and practices.What most people are saying is, Hey, we don't have a hammer-lock on God or salvation, and God's bigger than us and we should respect that and respect other people, said the Rev. Tom Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. Some people are like butterflies that go from flower to flower, going from religion to religion -- and frankly they don't get that deep into any of them, he said.
Beliefs about eternal life vary greatly, even within a religious tradition. Some Christians hold strongly to Jesus' words as described in John 14:6: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Others emphasize the wideness of God's grace. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the one church of Christ ... subsists in the Catholic Church alone and that Protestant churches, while defective, can be instruments of salvation.Roger Oldham, a vice president with the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, bristled at using the word tolerance in the analysis. If by tolerance we mean we're willing to engage or embrace a multitude of ways to salvation, that's no longer evangelical belief, he said. The word evangelical has been stretched so broadly, it's almost an elastic term.Others welcomed the findings. It shows increased religious security. People are comfortable with other traditions even if they're different, said the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance. It indicates a level of humility about religion that would be of great benefit to everyone.More than most groups, Catholics break with their church, and not just on issues like abortion and homosexuality. Only six in ten Catholics described God as a person with whom people can have a relationship -- which the church teaches -- while three in ten described God as an impersonal force.The statistics show, more than anything else, that many who describe themselves as Catholics do not know or understand the teachings of their church, said Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput. Being Catholic means believing what the Catholic church teaches. It is a communion of faith, not simply of ancestry and family tradition. It also means that the church ought to work harder at evangelizing its own members.
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)
EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
JOEL 2:3,20,30-31
3 A fire(NUCLEAR BOMB) devoureth before them;(RUSSIA-ARABS) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
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.
Arab World nuclear race / Who has what, and from where
By Yoav Stern Haaaretz Tags: saudi arabia
Israel is following with interest the closer nuclear ties France is forging with the Arab world. The Foreign Ministry has declined to go on the record on the issue, but ministry officials say that though they are concerned about the matter, they do not oppose it.
They say it is better for Israel that France is supplying nuclear technology to Arab countries and not nations less friendly to Israel, such as Russia or China.
So who has what?
Morocco: Advancing a civilian nuclear program with France.
Libya: Canceled its military nuclear program in 2003. Libya and France signed an agreement to cooperate on civilian projects.
Egypt: Developing a program for an energy reactor and negotiating a cooperation agreement with the U.S. and France.
Saudi Arabia: Signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with the U.S.
Syria: Interested in developing nuclear activity within an Arab framework, in cooperation with Turkey.
Jordan: Rapidly advancing an energy nuclear reactor and negotiating its erection with France.
United Arab Emirates: Signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with France at the beginning of the year.
Last Saturday, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon signed a cooperation agreement on nuclear issues with his Algerian counterpart while touring the North African country. Algeria has been suspected in the past of conducting a nuclear project for military purposes.
France is also in close contact on this subject with other North African and Arab countries, as well as states in the Persian Gulf.
Officials in the government are concerned about the nuclearization, even if in most cases it is for civilian purposes and not for arms.
The French are ready to supply this technology anywhere, as long as they are being paid. They would sell a nuclear reactor to Israel, too, if it expressed an interest, a source at the ministry said.
The officials said France also wants to be seen as a leader in the regional developments in the Mediterranean and Europe.
France is trying to persuade Algeria to support, or at least not oppose, the Mediterranean Union set to be established in Paris next month.
Arab nuclearization began in recent years mainly in response to Iranian nuclearization. Dr. Ephraim Asculai, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, told Haaretz yesterday: Why are Arab countries waking up all of a sudden about the nuclear issue? Clearly Arab countries are worried about Iran. This is not their response, but rather a statement: We are here.
The sale of nuclear technology by France can provide a livelihood for many of its people. Asculai says billions of dollars are invested in the building of a single reactor, money that no country would scoff at easily.
The Arab nuclear awakening, as well as the search for alternatives to oil, has aroused the major nuclear powers to look for business possibilities. In addition to France, Russia, the United States and China, other powers such as Germany are courting the Arab countries. Iran, for its part, is trying to appear as though it is taking under its wing Muslim countries interested in moving ahead in this area.
In his last visit to Algeria, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad discussed the nuclear issue extensively. But it should be remembered that not every agreement on nuclear cooperation matures into the establishment of reactors or full implementation. Declarations of intent do not necessarily obligate the parties.
Among those expressing themselves on the nuclear issue is King Abdullah of Jordan, who told the Washington Post last week at the Petra Conference that Jordan would be quicker than other Arab countries in obtaining nuclear energy.
He said that Jordan's goals were entirely civilian. Jordan was considering placing nuclear energy in the hands of a civilian firm to decrease concerns, he said.
In Syria, which officially denies that the facility bombed in September was nuclear, Oil Minister Sufian Alao said recently that his country would move ahead on joint nuclear activities with Turkey, as reported by Turkey's Anatolian News Agency.
The extent of Syria's cooperation with North Korea and Iran in the nuclear realm is disturbing to many, and no single answer is forthcoming. Syrian President Bashar Assad says his country wants to develop a nuclear program in an Arab framework, meaning with other Arab countries under the umbrella of the Arab League.
Egypt uses the nuclear issue to prove its advanced patriotic activities, with promotion of the issue associated with President Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal Mubarak.
Saudi Arabia has raised the issue in various forums and is holding talks with the U.S. and France. The Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes most of the Arab states in the Persian Gulf, has declared that it would promote cooperation on this issue.
According to Asculai, a number of Arab states have poor scientific infrastructure that will make it difficult for them to develop independent nuclear programs. He says technical difficulties will block the Gulf states from building a nuclear reactor.
A nuclear reactor for energy must be profitable only if it produces a great deal of electricity. For the countries to collaborate on this issue, they will have to upgrade the infrastructure for delivering electricity, he said.
Algeria: Advancing a nuclear program for civilian purposes with France and Iran. It has several facilities that are suspected of being used in the past for military purposes.
Russian flights smack of Cold War U.S. fighters ID bombers near Alaska Rowan Scarborough (Contact) Thursday, June 26, 2008
Russian bombers have stepped up provocative flight exercises off the Alaskan coast, reminiscent of Cold War incursions designed to rattle U.S. air defenses. U.S. Northern Command, which protects North American airspace, told The Washington Times that TU-95 Bear bombers on 18 occasions the past year have skirted a 12-mile air defense identification zone that protects Alaska. The incursions prompted F-15s and F-22 Raptor fighters to scramble from Elmendorf Air Force Base and intercept the warplanes. The last incident happened in May. The venerable propeller-driven TU-95 came to symbolize the Cold War, as did its counterpart, the U.S. B-52 Stratofortress. They have flown close enough to deem it necessary to ID and monitor them, said Maj. Allen Herritage, a base spokesman. They come. We ID. We go back to our base. They go back to their base. Elmendorf is headquarters for the Alaskan region of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Air defense identification zones are military boundaries designed to guard the U.S. and Canada against attack. To enter the zones legally, pilots must file flight plans with air controllers. Russian bombers do not file flight plans, so U.S. and Canadian jets are required to scramble to identify the planes and warn them away from the area.
They have not been filing a flight plan and that is the problem, Maj. Herritage said. Moscow's sophisticated show of force has some in the Pentagon paying more attention to the long-term goals of a Russian military, which is being rebuilt with proceeds from the country's huge oil and gas revenues. NORAD is more sensitive than ever to wayward aircraft, given the Sept. 11 attacks by hijackers and the lack of military coordination at the time to track, and perhaps destroy, the planes. Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the Joint Chiefs chairman, talked on Monday of the challenges we have with a resurgent Russia while addressing Pentagon workers at a town-hall-style meeting. Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., chief of NorthCom, said earlier this month that I think the Russians are not a near-term military threat, while noting they had renewed military flights over the polar region. This is the route U.S. or Russian bombers would travel to bomb the other's country. I think we do have to make sure, you know, post-9/11 world, that we never let an unidentified aircraft come into our airspace, and that we determine who they are and what they're doing, and if it is a Russian aircraft on a training mission, we allow them to continue to do their job, Gen. Renuart said on WUSA-TV's This Week in Defense News.
Although Gen. Renuart downplayed the incursions, other air-power authorities said Vladimir Putin, as Russian president, began flexing his military's muscle last year as a message to Washington.
Putin is trying to get the military rejuvenated and trying to show they are a military power, said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas G. McInerney, who commanded NORAD's Alaska region. He's doing it for a whole host of things. It's really muscle-flexing.When told that 18 Russian incursions had been reported in 12 months, Mr. McInerney said, That's a lot.Mr. Putin, who relinquished the presidency in May and is now prime minister, has been at odds with President Bush over NATO expansion and the invasion of Iraq. At times, he has made strong anti-U.S. statements that stirred Cold War memories. A NorthCom statement to The Times said, Russia has indicated in open press reporting its intention to proceed with navigation and operational training.Mr. McInerney said the incursions are the most sophisticated since the Cold War. He made the assessment based on an Air Force briefing he received last fall at Elmendorf. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images PUSHING IT: A U.S. warplane (right) intercepts a TU-95 Bear, a Russian plane commonly used during the Cold War, in February. The American plane escorted the bomber away from a carrier south of Japan after the Russian plane came threateningly close.The retired general called the exercises coordinated attacks coming into our air defense identification zone. They are very sophisticated attack training maneuvers. These incursions are far more sophisticated than anything we had seen before.He said the Russian army air force is launching Bear bombers from Tiksi on the Arctic Ocean and Anadyr in Siberia. They are flying against the air defense identification zone from both the polar caps and from the south. The Air Force statement said it has monitored Russian aircraft taking off from a variety of air bases across their country.
Bolton: Israel Will Strike Iran if Obama is Elected Wednesday, June 25, 2008 4:32 PM By: Rick Pedraza
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton believes Israel will stage a raid against Iran's nuclear facilities if Democratic nominee Barack Obama wins the upcoming presidential election in November. Bolton, often labeled a resolute neo-conservative, believes the Israeli attack would take place sometime between the day after Obama's win and his inauguration on January 20of next year. In an interview with FOX News, Bolton says, I think if they are to do anything, the most likely period is after our elections and before the inauguration of the next President.Bolton reasons Israel won’t be able to hold off a strike on Iran any longer than that given the Illinois senator's intended foreign policy toward the Islamic Republic. I don’t think they [the Israeli government] will do anything before our election because they don’t want to affect it, he says, adding, They’d have to make a judgment whether to [strike] during the remainder of President Bush’s term in office or wait for his successor.Bolton points to Obama’s statements in which he says he would engage Iran in direct talks and take the military option for dealing with Iran's quest for nuclear weapons off the table, a position he believes will further embolden Tehran to build a nuclear bomb.
In a related interview with The Telegraph, Bolton says he believes Arab countries will support an Israeli strike, effectively ending Iran's nuclear ambitions, while publicly denouncing it. Their reaction, he tells the British paper, will be positive privately. I think there'll be public denunciations, but no action.Bolton thinks Israel may consider postponing the attack, however, if Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., emerges as the victor in the presidential race. He says McCain's stance on Iran is far more realistic than that of the Bush administration.Bolton doubts Iran would respond immediately with a counterstrike of its own, partially because Tehran would fear an American reprisal. Earlier this month, Israel held a massive air force exercise over Greece that U.S., Israeli and Greek sources later confirmed was a test run for a strike on Iran's main uranium enrichment plant.2008 Newsmax.
* * * * FLASH TRAFFIC: WASHINGTON UPDATE * * * *
IRAQI PRESIDENT SHAKES HAND WITH ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER
Why isn't Jalal Talabani on the cover of Time? By Joel C. Rosenberg
(Washington, D.C., July 2, 2008) -- Please forgive me for not writing Flash Traffic or updating my blog as often as usual this summer. The main reason is that I'm immersed in writing a new non-fiction book, Inside The Revolution, about the battle between Radicals and Reformers in the Middle East for the soul of the Islamic world.
One of the Reformers that has most intrigued me is a man by the name of Jalal Talabani. As the first truly democratically elected President of Iraq in human history and one who has consistently put his life on the line to fight the jihadists in his country, Talabani is a man who should be on the cover of Time and Newsweek. He should be the subject of lengthly profiles by network TV news magazines. One should be able to buy a New York Times best-selling biography of him. In short, Jalal Talabani should be a household name in the U.S. for the convictions he holds, the risks he takes, and the success he is achieving, bit by bit, day by day, week by week. And yet he receives almost no serious press coverage in the U.S. or Europe.
Over the past few months, I have interviewed those who know this 74-year old Kurdish patriot well. I've read hundreds of pages of speeches by him and articles about him, trying understand how this former violent rebel leader somehow transformed into a Jeffersonian Democrat in pursuit of a peaceful, prosperous, tolerant and pluralistic Iraqi society, friendly towards the U.S., friendly towards Jews and Christians, and deeply opposed to radical Islam. It's a story that intrigues me and, I confess, still baffles me. But I'm hunting down every lead I can, and praying for an opportunity to actually interview Talabani on my next trip to Iraq.
That said, perhaps you can understand how interesting I found this story of President Talabani smiling and shaking hands with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, now Israel's Defense Minister. What's more, the meeting was arranged by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, of all people. It was a small but historic moment that took place yesterday at a conference just outside of Athens, Greece.
Talabani's office downplayed its significance tot he Iraqi press so as not to stir up more trouble inside their troubled country. But the truth is, it was significant. The last President of Iraq -- Saddam Hussein -- vowed to incinerate half of Israel with chemical weapons....and went on to launch 39 ballistic missiles at the Jewish State during the first Gulf War. Clearly, Talabani is cut from wholly different cloth. And thank God. Worth watching, to say the least.
IFCJ BANQUET
http://www.ifcj.org/site/PageNavigator/eng/25th_anniversary/banquet/banquet_page?s_subsrc=E8FLFEM&JServSessionIdr009=jd05klysx1.app1b
IFCJ SCHEDUALE
http://www.ifcj.org/site/PageNavigator/eng/25th_anniversary/banquet/banquet_schedule
The CARMEL ALERT June 27th 2008 A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying for Israel and the salvation of the Jewish people.David's Comment: A Closer Look at Current Realities in Israel
The Peace Process: The truce or ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is almost a week old. Hamas continues to smuggle weapons accross the Egyptian / Gaza border, while Israel demands that one of the main dynamics of the truce is that the smuggling stop. Two Kassam rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel on Tuesday and the IDF killed 2 Arab terrorist leaders in retaliation. So the truce is holding, but most commentators are predicting that thus cease fire will soon go the way of all its predecessors. Israel ceases and the enemy continues to fire. Israel has said that failure of this truce will result in a major military offensive to root out the source of the missile attacks. However the current Israeli leadership seems incapable of making and carrying out such a decision, primarily because George and Condi wont be happy.
Out if one side of his mouth, French leader Sarkozy said that France was committed to Israel's right to exist in peace and safety, but in typical political doublespeak out of the outer side of his mouth called for Israel to give the terrorists all of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and half of Jerusalem. What is it with these politiicans ? What gives them any right to demand that Israel gives away even an inch of land that God gave to Israel as an everlasting inheritance ?
In reality the prospects of true peace for Israel are as fragile as ever.
The Government: The current government is in its death throws. Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmet is refusing to concede it is doomed to an early demise. Olmert is under police investigation accused of serious financial corruption. He is the most accused and unpopular leader in modern Israel's history. Politicians from all sided are calling for his resignation. The opposition Labour party led by Ehud Barak intended to vote for dissolution of the Olmert government, which if successful would meant an early election. However in a typical Israeli last minute dirty deal Olmert managed to get Barak to agree to some kind of deal if he agreed not to go ahead with the vote. Now we are stuck with Olmert at least until Septmeber. Only God knows how much more damage Olmert can do in that time.
The Economy: The Israeli economy seems to be very strong. Although the average person is not better off than they were 12 months ago, and many Israeli families live under the poverty line, the Shekel is the strongest it has been for years. In the past year, the Shekel has risen by more than 25% over the US Dollar and most other major currencies. Good news for the country, but bad news for all of the congregations and ministries who rely on financial support from the nations.
As we reported last week, tourism is booming to record levels and many other industries that export to the nations are also doing very well. The Real Estate market is stable. Looking at things prophetically, Israel has the best long term prospects of any nation as YHVH says many times in His Word that He is going to destroy the nations and establish His Kingdom on Jerusalem, the undivided capital of Israel. If you have funds available invest in Israel now.
The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist on the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel . Lets pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent, but share this with your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to. Lets also pray for that breakthrough to the Muslims, and please remember to pray for our son Jordan, and all of his fellow soldiers in the IDF.
Shabbat Shalom ... David & Josie
Friday, July 04, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
POLAND - US REACH MISSLE DEFENCE DEAL
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Tropical Storm Bertha forms in the Atlantic JULY 3,08
MIAMI - Tropical Storm Bertha has formed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. At 11 a.m. EDT Thursday, the center of the storm was located about 190 miles south-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.The second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season is moving toward the west-northwest at about 14 mph, and forecasters expect that to continue for the next couple of days.Maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph. Some gradual strengthening is forecast during the next day or two.It's still too early to say if or where Bertha will hit land.The first named storm this year, Arthur, formed in the Atlantic the day before the season officially started June 1 and soaked the Yucatan Peninsula.
Tropical depression forms in Atlantic Ocean Thu Jul 3, 5:33 AM ET
MIAMI - A tropical depression has formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. But some strengthening was forecast and the National Hurricane Center said early Thursday that the depression could become a tropical storm later in the day.The storm is located about 250 miles south-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands.The depression is moving toward the west-northwest at about 9 mph, and forecasters are expecting that to continue with some increase in speed over the next couple days.
Tropical Storm Douglas forms off Mexico Thu Jul 3, 12:46 AM ET
MEXICO CITY - Tropical Storm Douglas formed off Mexico's west coast on Wednesday and as with two other recent storms this eastern Pacific season, it was not expected to hit land. Douglas was located about 290 miles (465 kilometers) south of Cabo San Lucas, on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.Douglas had winds of about 40 mph (65 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, which said the storm could dump heavy rains between Lazaro Cardenas and Puerto Vallarta, on the mainland Pacific coast.Baja California will also get some rough weather and people there should watch out for any change in course, said James Franklin, senior hurricane specialist with the center.Right now we are not forecasting it to hit land but there is always uncertainty, Franklin said. We couldn't rule out at this point some impact in the southern Baja Peninsula.The storm was moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph). Forecasters described the storm as poorly organized and said it might strengthen slightly before moving over cooler waters and weakening out at sea.Meanwhile, former hurricane Boris lost force far out in the Pacific and declined to tropical storm status. Boris' winds fell to about 60 mph (95 kph), and were expected to weaken further.Tropical Storm Cristina dissipated without reaching land at the end of June.The first tropical storm of the eastern Pacific season, Alma, hit Nicaragua's northwest corner.
Mich., Ohio storms bring flooding, power outages JULY 3,08
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Severe thunderstorms swept across parts of Michigan, flooding streets and cutting power to hundreds of thousands of residents. Jackson-based CMS Energy Corp. said about 156,000 of its customers had no electricity as of 4 a.m. Thursday. In the Detroit area, DTE Energy Co. said about 30,000 of its customers were without power. Water on freeways also disrupted the morning rush hour commute.A lightning strike apparently sparked a house fire in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, injuring a firefighter, but not seriously.More than 4 inches of rain was reported in Lenawee County.The storm system also brought heavy rain late Wednesday and early Thursday to parts of Ohio, including Toledo, were 3 1/2 inches fell.A rotating funnel cloud was spotted west of Toledo, but National Weather Service meteorologist Karen Oudeman said no tornado touchdowns were reported. Flooding closed a portion of Interstate 475 in the area early Thursday.About 3,000 customers lost power, Toledo Edison said, but most were back up by Thursday morning.To the west, authorities said a tornado damaged some farm buildings late Wednesday in Iowa's Benton County, but no one was hurt.
REVELATION 9:1-6
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
U THINK THESE BUGS ARE BAD THE DEMONIC LOCUSTS WILL TORTURE SINNERS FOR 5 MONTHS, NOW THATS GONNA BE PAIN AND SUFFERING.
First floods, now pesky mosquitoes for Midwest By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer Wed Jul 2, 5:52 PM ET
CHICAGO - First came the floods — now the mosquitoes. An explosion of pesky insects are pestering clean-up crews and just about anyone venturing outside in the waterlogged Midwest. In some parts of Iowa there are 20 times the normal number, and in Chicago up to five times more than usual.The good news is these are mostly floodwater mosquitoes, not the kind that usually carry West Nile virus and other diseases. But they are very hungry, and sometimes attack in swarms with a stinging bite.Heavy rain followed by high temperatures creates ideal conditions for these bugs, whose eggs hatch in the soil after heavy rains. Scientists call them nuisance mosquitoes. You could call that an understatement.About 3 p.m. the bugs come out pretty bad. They're all over the place, Bill Driscoll, a flood cleanup worker in Palo, Iowa, said this week. We've been burning through the repellent with the volunteers.In Lisbon, Iowa, about 20 miles east of flood-ravaged Cedar Rapids, biker Larry Crystal said mosquitoes have made his rides miserable.
Every time I stop to rest at a rest area these buggers just find a way to bite me all over my neck area between my helmet and jacket, he wrote on a bikers' blog.They seem to be very aggressive, they're even coming into my helmet, finding any bits of skin, Crystal told The Associated Press. They're just going at it.Some mosquito surveillance traps in Iowa have up to 20 times more mosquitoes than in recent years, said Lyric Bartholomay, an Iowa State University insect expert.For example, last week, 3,674 mosquitoes were counted in Ames-area traps, compared with 182 for the same week last year, Bartholomay said Wednesday. Trap quantities are just a tiny snapshot of the true numbers of mosquitoes flying around.In Iowa, the main culprit is the Aedes trivittatus, a common nuisance mosquito with a voracious appetite and they hurt when they feed on you, she said.A relative called Aedes vexans is doing much of the biting in Chicago's suburbs, hit by recent heavy rains, said Mike Szyska of the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District.Mosquito numbers in northwestern suburbs peaked last week at about five times higher than normal for this time of year, Szyska said.
Complaints and requests for insecticide spraying have the district working day and night. We're extremely busy, he said.Right now there's no evidence of higher than normal numbers of Culex mosquitoes, more commonly associated with West Nile virus. Several states have found evidence of West Nile, but only a few cases, which tend to start occurring later in July.But health authorities say that could change with drier weather, which Culex mosquitoes prefer, so they're advising people to take precautions.Culex mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and sludge in protected areas like ditches, storm drains or backyard bird baths and discarded tires, Szyska said.One thing that we're warning people with the flooded homes, as they're gutting them and getting rid of debris, make sure you dispose of that kind of stuff correctly, said Howard Pue of Missouri's Department of Public Health. In the meantime, the explosion of floodwater mosquitoes has left many people feeling like mosquito magnets. And about 10 percent of the population actually qualifies, according to entomologist Jerry Butler, a professor emeritus at the University of Florida. These are the people who get covered in bites while their porch partners or biking buddies are left unscathed. Many of them get exaggerated skin reactions to the bugs — hard red welts or hives that can itch for days. Children are more susceptible to these reactions, which can cause a lot of discomfort but generally are not dangerous, said Dr. Anju Peters, an allergy specialist at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Her 7-year-old daughter got several bites and broke out in hives last week inside the family's Chicago home when an outside door was left open for just a few minutes, Peters said.
Some people have allergies to mosquitoes, developing limited but severe skin reactions that researchers call skeeter syndrome. Some can develop potentially dangerous, widespread reactions including wheezing, and, rarely, life-threatening throat-swelling and breathing problems. Research is under way to develop skin tests and treatment for these allergies using mosquito saliva. Because tests are not widely available, allergic reactions to mosquitoes are underdiagnosed and undertreated, according to the University of Manitoba's Dr. Estelle Simons, a leading mosquito allergy expert.
Whether true allergies or normal reactions to mosquito saliva, the bumps and itching can sometimes be eased, though not prevented. Using over-the-counter antihistamines such as Zyrtec and Claritin throughout mosquito season or after a bite can help, doctors say.
Sweat and carbon dioxide given off by the skin and from breathing are among the best known mosquito magnets, said Butler, who has long studied which odors and substances attract mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes often target larger people, who tend to give off more carbon dioxide, he said. And alcohol is another lure, so people who have been drinking are going to be more attractive to the bugs, he said. Alcohol in lotions and perfumes also attracts mosquitoes, as do some cosmetic fragrances including lavender, Butler said. Also, he said, there's evidence that people with very high cholesterol levels often are mosquito magnets. Butler said mosquitoes need fats like cholesterol but can't make them so get them by feeding on others. On the Net: Iowa State: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu
West Nile: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
FAMINE
REVELATION 6:5-6
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.(A DAYS WAGES FOR A LOAF OF BREAD)
OIL PRICES ENTICE BEAR MARKET
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=8620072&ch=4226720&src=news
THEM BILDERBERGS HAVE THE WORLD ECONOMY WELL IN CONTROL AT THEIR MEETING THEY SAID BY JULY 4 OIL WOULD BE AROUND $150.00 A BARREL.
Oil hits new record above $145 By PABLO GORONDI, Associated Press Writer JULY 3,08
Oil prices briefly soared to a record near $146 a barrel Thursday, then eased when the European Central Bank did not signal more rate hikes and a report showed unemployment in the United States has continued to climb. Earlier in the session, prices were lifted to new highs by concerns over a larger-than-expected drop in U.S. oil stockpiles, the threat of violent conflict with Iran and comments by Saudi Arabia's oil minister suggesting his country would not boost production.Light, sweet crude for August delivery rose 2 cents to $143.59 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Earlier in the session, it rose as high as $145.85 a barrel, a new trading record.On Wednesday, the contract set a new closing record for floor trade at $143.57 — a full $2.60 above the previous close.
With the latest spike, the price of crude has risen more than 50 percent since the end of last year, when oil was going for $96 a barrel.In London, Brent crude futures rose to a trading record of $146.69 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange before retreating to $144.68, up 42 cents.The push above $145 a barrel was seen as the last technical barrier to prices hitting $150, in what analyst Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland called the Morgan Stanley self fulfilling prophecy.In early June, Morgan Stanley analyst Ole Slorer predicted oil prices could reach $150 by the July 4 weekend, preceding a nearly $11 one-day jump in the Nymex contract.U.S. employers cut payrolls by 62,000 in June, the sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, underscoring the economy's fragile state. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.5 percent. The weak economy has U.S. consumers cutting back on driving and paring other energy related costs.The nation's services sector declined unexpectedly in June after two months of growth, as new orders fell sharply and oil prices took their toll on businesses.
The Institute for Supply Management said Thursday that the services sector reading fell to 48.2 in June from 51.7 in May. It missed economists' prediction of a reading of 51.0, according to the consensus estimate of Wall Street economists surveyed by Thomson Financial/IFR. A reading above 50 signals growth.Thursday's ECB decision to raise interest rates in the 15-nation euro zone by a quarter percentage point to 4.25 percent already had been priced in by the markets. Comments by ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet suggesting that further rate cuts — also expected by the market — were far from certain helped strengthen the dollar.When the dollar weakens, it usually drives oil prices higher as investors turn to commodities as a hedge against a falling greenback.After Trichet's comments, the euro sank to $1.5754, from 1.5885 on Wednesday. The U.S. currency also rose to 106.64 Japanese yen, from 106.01 yen the day before.Speaking Thursday in Madrid, Saudi Arabia's oil minister, Ali Naimi, left the door open for increased output, but said the kingdom's oil customers were satisfied and that no production growth was planned for now.The Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said Wednesday crude oil supplies fell by 2 million barrels last week, or about 800,000 barrels more than analysts surveyed by the energy research firm Platts had predicted.However, the report offered a mixed picture of energy use by the world's thirstiest oil consumer. Gasoline supplies unexpectedly grew by a considerable amount, and demand continued to slide — suggesting record fuel prices are prompting a shift in American driving habits.Ongoing rhetoric about possible attacks on Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer and OPEC's second-largest exporter, also left the market jittery. Traders are worried Tehran could try to halt shipments and seize control of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz if attacked by Israel or the United States. About 40 percent of the world's tanker traffic passes through the Middle Eastern choke-point.
Iran's foreign minister did not rule the possibility that Iran could try to restrict oil traffic in the strait if the country was attacked. In Iran we must defend our national security, our country and our revolutionary system and we will continue to do so, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in an interview with The Associated Press in New York. Mottaki said he does not believe Israel or the United States will attack, however, calling the prospect of another war in the Middle East craziness.A senior U.S. military commander vowed to ensure that the strait remains open. We will not allow Iran to close it, said Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, commander of the 5th Fleet based in Bahrain, after talks with naval commanders of Persian Gulf countries in the United Arab Emirates.
The saber-rattling has left energy traders on edge as they try to ascertain the likelihood of a Middle East flare-up and the effect it could have on the world's already tight supply of oil. In other Nymex trading, heating oil futures added 0.3 cent to $4.1062 a gallon (3.8 liters), while gasoline futures rose 1.96 cents to $3.5690 a gallon. Natural gas futures gained 0.1 cent to $13.39 per 1,000 cubic feet. AP Business Writer Adam Schreck in New York and AP writers Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and George Jahn in Madrid, Spain, contributed to this report.
WILDFIRE NEARING BIG SUR
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=8654398&ch=4226713&src=news
BIG SUR EVACUATION ORDERED
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=8654048&ch=4226713&src=news
Big Sur evacuates as massive wildfire spreads By AMANDA FEHD, Associated Press Writer Thu Jul 3, 7:11 AM ET
BIG SUR, Calif. - Flames ominously licked the ridge overlooking this scenic coastal community, which appeared nearly abandoned Thursday after an explosive wildfire caused authorities to order more residents out of the area. New mandatory evacuation notices were issued Wednesday for an additional 16-mile stretch along Highway 1 after the blaze jumped a fire line in the Los Padres National Forest. A total of 31 miles of the coastal highway, lined with homes and businesses, is now closed.Several hundred evacuees attended a meeting Wednesday evening where officials braced them for a long fire season. The blaze, which already has burned 16 homes and nearly 88 square miles, was only 3 percent contained and wasn't expected to be fully surrounded until the end of the month.
John Friel, 62, who had been living with his kitten in his car for the past three days after being forced to leave his mobile home, was disappointed by the news.I've had six strokes this year and a heart attack. I'm feeling pretty scattered, said the retiree, who moved to Big Sur three years ago. It was like putting a Rubik's Cube back together before, so this ain't helping. It just notches up the stress level.The blaze near Big Sur was one of more than 1,700 wildfires — most ignited by lightning — that have scorched more than 770 square miles and destroyed 64 structures across northern and central California since June 20, according to state officials.Mild temperatures and light winds did little to calm the inferno near Big Sur, which officials described as fuel-driven rather than wind-driven. A statewide drought has created tinder-like trees and brush, feeding the flames in California's forests.
The fire is just a big raging animal right now, said Darby Marshall, spokesman for the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services.Janna Fournier, one of the 850 Big Sur residents affected by the evacuation order, went to retrieve artwork and rescue her pet tarantula before roads closed Wednesday afternoon.I feel sad for the wilderness and the people who lost their homes, Fournier said. We chose to live in a wilderness among all this beauty, so I know there's that chance you always take.Helicopters hauling large containers of water droned loudly overhead as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, R. David Paulison, visited the area.If people evacuate like they're told to, we shouldn't lose any lives, Paulison said in an interview. My only concern is that people don't take it seriously enough.Some residents did choose to ignore the evacuation order, including Scott Parker, who stopped by the local general store as firefighters trimmed trees above the store to ward off flames snaking along the hillside a quarter-mile away.My wife and I are going to stay at least until we are in imminent danger. If there's a possibility of saving the house, then we're going to do it, said Parker, a landscaper who moved to Big Sur 30 years ago. We've had a couple close ones, but this is the closest.Meanwhile, a fire in the southern extension of the Los Padres forest north of Santa Barbara forced about 45 residents to evacuate as winds up to 35 mph pushed flames toward homes in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains.
The blaze has burned nearly 2 square miles of rough terrain, officials said. As night fell Wednesday, about 150,000 Southern California Edison customers in Goleta and Santa Barbara lost power when thick smoke forced the shutdown of power transmission lines. Crews restored power to about half of the affected customers.In the Sequoia National Forest east of Bakersfield, firefighters struggled to contain a 22-square-mile blaze. Powerful gusts and choking smoke traveling up the steep canyons hampered their progress, and residents of neighboring towns were ordered to evacuate.Back in Big Sur, construction worker Billy Rose helped clear brush around local businesses to protect the community where he grew up. Big Sur people are used to stress — rock slides, water spouts, 40-foot waves, you get numb to it, he said, looking weary as he sharpened his chain saw. You can't tame Big Sur — this place is untamable.
Associated Press writers Marcus Wohlsen and Scott Lindlaw in San Francisco and Raquel Maria Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADE BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Poland and US reach missile defence deal
LEIGH PHILLIPS JULY 3,08 Today @ 09:26 CET
The US and Poland have reached an agreement that will see sections of the American missile defence system based in the former Eastern Bloc nation, according to officials from both countries.Poland's deputy foreign minister, Witold Waszcykowski has said that he had completed negotiations with US negotiator John Rood on the matter on Tuesday (1 July), according to the AP. The US defence system looks set to have 10 interceptor missiles based in Poland (Photo: wikipedia)
Officials from the Bush administration confirmed the conclusion of the deal, but remained nameless as the deal must still be approved by the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk.The US wants 10 interceptor missiles to be based on Polish territory. Washington says the system is necessary for defence against possible nuclear attacks from Iran. Russia however, which is steadfastly opposed to a US missile defence being based in EU countries, argues that the system is targeted at itself, and diminishes its nuclear deterrent.
Details of the agreement have yet to be released, but in negotiations Poland was demanding billions of euros to renovate its own air defences. The work would be necessary, the country argued, due to the increased threat from Russia in the wake of the basing of missile defence on its territory.Russia has said that should Poland agree to hosting missiles, it would target the country, a threat that has also been made against the Czech Republic, which recently agreed to host the advanced radar system for US missile defence.The Bush administration is hoping to begin construction in the two countries before the end of the president's term of office, as it would limit his replacement's ability to back-track on the deal.Presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain backs missile defence, while the Democrats' Barack Obama has expressed misgivings.The system, which has cost more than €63 billion ($100 billion) to develop and costs €7 billion a year to maintain – the single biggest line item in the Pentagon's budget – is unpopular in the US Congress too, where congress members argue the technology remains unproven. Most Poles and Czechs also oppose the plan, according to polls.
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.( BE HEAD OF 3 NATIONS)
25 And he (EU PRESIDENT) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.(3 1/2 YRS)
DANIEL 8:23-25
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king (EU DICTATOR) of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,(FROM THE OCCULT) shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:(SATANS POWER) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;(JESUS) but he shall be broken without hand.
DANIEL 11:36-39
36 And the king (EU DICTATOR) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS JEWISH) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.(CLAIM TO BE GOD)
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(WAR) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,(DESTROY TERROR GROUPS) whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
UK foreign minister backs French defence plans
ELITSA VUCHEVA JULY 3,08 Today @ 09:16 CET
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Wednesday (2 July) backed French plans to boost European defence, saying they were not incompatible with NATO and stressing they did not mean creating a European army.The countries of Europe need to be better at using hard power. That is why I strongly welcome President Sarkozy's proposals to reintegrate France into NATO's military structure and support his call for the EU to play a greater role in crisis management, Mr Miliband told Progress, an independent organisation of Labour Party members, Reuters reports.Mr Miliband backed France's plans to boost European defence - but reiterated his opposition to creating a European army. (Photo: eurocorps.net)
Paris has said that strengthening Europe's defence policy would be one of the main priorities of its six-month EU presidency, which started on 1 July, and securing the backing of the UK as another military heavyweight in the EU was seen as essential in that respect.Mr Miliband's statements are the first to openly support Mr Sarkozy's defence plans coming from a UK politician of this rank. Britain has traditionally been wary of such ideas – fearing they could undermine NATO, or pose a threat to its national sovereignty.
The British foreign secretary stressed, however, that strong European defence was fully compatible with the North Atlantic alliance and was in no way a threat to it.NATO would remain the cornerstone of European defence, he said, adding that the US ambassador to the organisation, Victoria Nuland, had herself spoken in favour of a more capable European defence capacity.As the Balkans wars in the 1990s demonstrated, unless Europe can develop its own capabilities, Mr Miliband added, it will be consigned always to wait impotently until the US and NATO are ready and able to intervene.The foreign secretary also underlined that the French plans did not mean creating a supranational European army – something still strongly opposed by the UK.There's no question of a European army. President Sarkozy is against a European army and so am I. What we are in favour of is British, French and other troops working together, he later told Channel Four news television.In a speech in June, the French president made a similar statement, saying that French forces are and will remain national. They will not be integrated into any supranational force.On Wednesday, Mr Miliband also expressed a more general UK support for the priorities France has set for its time at the EU helm.What strikes me about the French priorities for their presidency is how closely they tie in with our own ambitions for the EU… whether on energy and climate change, migration, near neighbourhood policy, or the next steps on European defence, he said.
LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Tropical Storm Bertha forms in the Atlantic JULY 3,08
MIAMI - Tropical Storm Bertha has formed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. At 11 a.m. EDT Thursday, the center of the storm was located about 190 miles south-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.The second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season is moving toward the west-northwest at about 14 mph, and forecasters expect that to continue for the next couple of days.Maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph. Some gradual strengthening is forecast during the next day or two.It's still too early to say if or where Bertha will hit land.The first named storm this year, Arthur, formed in the Atlantic the day before the season officially started June 1 and soaked the Yucatan Peninsula.
Tropical depression forms in Atlantic Ocean Thu Jul 3, 5:33 AM ET
MIAMI - A tropical depression has formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. But some strengthening was forecast and the National Hurricane Center said early Thursday that the depression could become a tropical storm later in the day.The storm is located about 250 miles south-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands.The depression is moving toward the west-northwest at about 9 mph, and forecasters are expecting that to continue with some increase in speed over the next couple days.
Tropical Storm Douglas forms off Mexico Thu Jul 3, 12:46 AM ET
MEXICO CITY - Tropical Storm Douglas formed off Mexico's west coast on Wednesday and as with two other recent storms this eastern Pacific season, it was not expected to hit land. Douglas was located about 290 miles (465 kilometers) south of Cabo San Lucas, on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.Douglas had winds of about 40 mph (65 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, which said the storm could dump heavy rains between Lazaro Cardenas and Puerto Vallarta, on the mainland Pacific coast.Baja California will also get some rough weather and people there should watch out for any change in course, said James Franklin, senior hurricane specialist with the center.Right now we are not forecasting it to hit land but there is always uncertainty, Franklin said. We couldn't rule out at this point some impact in the southern Baja Peninsula.The storm was moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph). Forecasters described the storm as poorly organized and said it might strengthen slightly before moving over cooler waters and weakening out at sea.Meanwhile, former hurricane Boris lost force far out in the Pacific and declined to tropical storm status. Boris' winds fell to about 60 mph (95 kph), and were expected to weaken further.Tropical Storm Cristina dissipated without reaching land at the end of June.The first tropical storm of the eastern Pacific season, Alma, hit Nicaragua's northwest corner.
Mich., Ohio storms bring flooding, power outages JULY 3,08
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Severe thunderstorms swept across parts of Michigan, flooding streets and cutting power to hundreds of thousands of residents. Jackson-based CMS Energy Corp. said about 156,000 of its customers had no electricity as of 4 a.m. Thursday. In the Detroit area, DTE Energy Co. said about 30,000 of its customers were without power. Water on freeways also disrupted the morning rush hour commute.A lightning strike apparently sparked a house fire in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, injuring a firefighter, but not seriously.More than 4 inches of rain was reported in Lenawee County.The storm system also brought heavy rain late Wednesday and early Thursday to parts of Ohio, including Toledo, were 3 1/2 inches fell.A rotating funnel cloud was spotted west of Toledo, but National Weather Service meteorologist Karen Oudeman said no tornado touchdowns were reported. Flooding closed a portion of Interstate 475 in the area early Thursday.About 3,000 customers lost power, Toledo Edison said, but most were back up by Thursday morning.To the west, authorities said a tornado damaged some farm buildings late Wednesday in Iowa's Benton County, but no one was hurt.
REVELATION 9:1-6
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
U THINK THESE BUGS ARE BAD THE DEMONIC LOCUSTS WILL TORTURE SINNERS FOR 5 MONTHS, NOW THATS GONNA BE PAIN AND SUFFERING.
First floods, now pesky mosquitoes for Midwest By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer Wed Jul 2, 5:52 PM ET
CHICAGO - First came the floods — now the mosquitoes. An explosion of pesky insects are pestering clean-up crews and just about anyone venturing outside in the waterlogged Midwest. In some parts of Iowa there are 20 times the normal number, and in Chicago up to five times more than usual.The good news is these are mostly floodwater mosquitoes, not the kind that usually carry West Nile virus and other diseases. But they are very hungry, and sometimes attack in swarms with a stinging bite.Heavy rain followed by high temperatures creates ideal conditions for these bugs, whose eggs hatch in the soil after heavy rains. Scientists call them nuisance mosquitoes. You could call that an understatement.About 3 p.m. the bugs come out pretty bad. They're all over the place, Bill Driscoll, a flood cleanup worker in Palo, Iowa, said this week. We've been burning through the repellent with the volunteers.In Lisbon, Iowa, about 20 miles east of flood-ravaged Cedar Rapids, biker Larry Crystal said mosquitoes have made his rides miserable.
Every time I stop to rest at a rest area these buggers just find a way to bite me all over my neck area between my helmet and jacket, he wrote on a bikers' blog.They seem to be very aggressive, they're even coming into my helmet, finding any bits of skin, Crystal told The Associated Press. They're just going at it.Some mosquito surveillance traps in Iowa have up to 20 times more mosquitoes than in recent years, said Lyric Bartholomay, an Iowa State University insect expert.For example, last week, 3,674 mosquitoes were counted in Ames-area traps, compared with 182 for the same week last year, Bartholomay said Wednesday. Trap quantities are just a tiny snapshot of the true numbers of mosquitoes flying around.In Iowa, the main culprit is the Aedes trivittatus, a common nuisance mosquito with a voracious appetite and they hurt when they feed on you, she said.A relative called Aedes vexans is doing much of the biting in Chicago's suburbs, hit by recent heavy rains, said Mike Szyska of the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District.Mosquito numbers in northwestern suburbs peaked last week at about five times higher than normal for this time of year, Szyska said.
Complaints and requests for insecticide spraying have the district working day and night. We're extremely busy, he said.Right now there's no evidence of higher than normal numbers of Culex mosquitoes, more commonly associated with West Nile virus. Several states have found evidence of West Nile, but only a few cases, which tend to start occurring later in July.But health authorities say that could change with drier weather, which Culex mosquitoes prefer, so they're advising people to take precautions.Culex mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and sludge in protected areas like ditches, storm drains or backyard bird baths and discarded tires, Szyska said.One thing that we're warning people with the flooded homes, as they're gutting them and getting rid of debris, make sure you dispose of that kind of stuff correctly, said Howard Pue of Missouri's Department of Public Health. In the meantime, the explosion of floodwater mosquitoes has left many people feeling like mosquito magnets. And about 10 percent of the population actually qualifies, according to entomologist Jerry Butler, a professor emeritus at the University of Florida. These are the people who get covered in bites while their porch partners or biking buddies are left unscathed. Many of them get exaggerated skin reactions to the bugs — hard red welts or hives that can itch for days. Children are more susceptible to these reactions, which can cause a lot of discomfort but generally are not dangerous, said Dr. Anju Peters, an allergy specialist at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Her 7-year-old daughter got several bites and broke out in hives last week inside the family's Chicago home when an outside door was left open for just a few minutes, Peters said.
Some people have allergies to mosquitoes, developing limited but severe skin reactions that researchers call skeeter syndrome. Some can develop potentially dangerous, widespread reactions including wheezing, and, rarely, life-threatening throat-swelling and breathing problems. Research is under way to develop skin tests and treatment for these allergies using mosquito saliva. Because tests are not widely available, allergic reactions to mosquitoes are underdiagnosed and undertreated, according to the University of Manitoba's Dr. Estelle Simons, a leading mosquito allergy expert.
Whether true allergies or normal reactions to mosquito saliva, the bumps and itching can sometimes be eased, though not prevented. Using over-the-counter antihistamines such as Zyrtec and Claritin throughout mosquito season or after a bite can help, doctors say.
Sweat and carbon dioxide given off by the skin and from breathing are among the best known mosquito magnets, said Butler, who has long studied which odors and substances attract mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes often target larger people, who tend to give off more carbon dioxide, he said. And alcohol is another lure, so people who have been drinking are going to be more attractive to the bugs, he said. Alcohol in lotions and perfumes also attracts mosquitoes, as do some cosmetic fragrances including lavender, Butler said. Also, he said, there's evidence that people with very high cholesterol levels often are mosquito magnets. Butler said mosquitoes need fats like cholesterol but can't make them so get them by feeding on others. On the Net: Iowa State: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu
West Nile: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
FAMINE
REVELATION 6:5-6
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.(A DAYS WAGES FOR A LOAF OF BREAD)
OIL PRICES ENTICE BEAR MARKET
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THEM BILDERBERGS HAVE THE WORLD ECONOMY WELL IN CONTROL AT THEIR MEETING THEY SAID BY JULY 4 OIL WOULD BE AROUND $150.00 A BARREL.
Oil hits new record above $145 By PABLO GORONDI, Associated Press Writer JULY 3,08
Oil prices briefly soared to a record near $146 a barrel Thursday, then eased when the European Central Bank did not signal more rate hikes and a report showed unemployment in the United States has continued to climb. Earlier in the session, prices were lifted to new highs by concerns over a larger-than-expected drop in U.S. oil stockpiles, the threat of violent conflict with Iran and comments by Saudi Arabia's oil minister suggesting his country would not boost production.Light, sweet crude for August delivery rose 2 cents to $143.59 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Earlier in the session, it rose as high as $145.85 a barrel, a new trading record.On Wednesday, the contract set a new closing record for floor trade at $143.57 — a full $2.60 above the previous close.
With the latest spike, the price of crude has risen more than 50 percent since the end of last year, when oil was going for $96 a barrel.In London, Brent crude futures rose to a trading record of $146.69 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange before retreating to $144.68, up 42 cents.The push above $145 a barrel was seen as the last technical barrier to prices hitting $150, in what analyst Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland called the Morgan Stanley self fulfilling prophecy.In early June, Morgan Stanley analyst Ole Slorer predicted oil prices could reach $150 by the July 4 weekend, preceding a nearly $11 one-day jump in the Nymex contract.U.S. employers cut payrolls by 62,000 in June, the sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, underscoring the economy's fragile state. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.5 percent. The weak economy has U.S. consumers cutting back on driving and paring other energy related costs.The nation's services sector declined unexpectedly in June after two months of growth, as new orders fell sharply and oil prices took their toll on businesses.
The Institute for Supply Management said Thursday that the services sector reading fell to 48.2 in June from 51.7 in May. It missed economists' prediction of a reading of 51.0, according to the consensus estimate of Wall Street economists surveyed by Thomson Financial/IFR. A reading above 50 signals growth.Thursday's ECB decision to raise interest rates in the 15-nation euro zone by a quarter percentage point to 4.25 percent already had been priced in by the markets. Comments by ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet suggesting that further rate cuts — also expected by the market — were far from certain helped strengthen the dollar.When the dollar weakens, it usually drives oil prices higher as investors turn to commodities as a hedge against a falling greenback.After Trichet's comments, the euro sank to $1.5754, from 1.5885 on Wednesday. The U.S. currency also rose to 106.64 Japanese yen, from 106.01 yen the day before.Speaking Thursday in Madrid, Saudi Arabia's oil minister, Ali Naimi, left the door open for increased output, but said the kingdom's oil customers were satisfied and that no production growth was planned for now.The Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said Wednesday crude oil supplies fell by 2 million barrels last week, or about 800,000 barrels more than analysts surveyed by the energy research firm Platts had predicted.However, the report offered a mixed picture of energy use by the world's thirstiest oil consumer. Gasoline supplies unexpectedly grew by a considerable amount, and demand continued to slide — suggesting record fuel prices are prompting a shift in American driving habits.Ongoing rhetoric about possible attacks on Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer and OPEC's second-largest exporter, also left the market jittery. Traders are worried Tehran could try to halt shipments and seize control of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz if attacked by Israel or the United States. About 40 percent of the world's tanker traffic passes through the Middle Eastern choke-point.
Iran's foreign minister did not rule the possibility that Iran could try to restrict oil traffic in the strait if the country was attacked. In Iran we must defend our national security, our country and our revolutionary system and we will continue to do so, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in an interview with The Associated Press in New York. Mottaki said he does not believe Israel or the United States will attack, however, calling the prospect of another war in the Middle East craziness.A senior U.S. military commander vowed to ensure that the strait remains open. We will not allow Iran to close it, said Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, commander of the 5th Fleet based in Bahrain, after talks with naval commanders of Persian Gulf countries in the United Arab Emirates.
The saber-rattling has left energy traders on edge as they try to ascertain the likelihood of a Middle East flare-up and the effect it could have on the world's already tight supply of oil. In other Nymex trading, heating oil futures added 0.3 cent to $4.1062 a gallon (3.8 liters), while gasoline futures rose 1.96 cents to $3.5690 a gallon. Natural gas futures gained 0.1 cent to $13.39 per 1,000 cubic feet. AP Business Writer Adam Schreck in New York and AP writers Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and George Jahn in Madrid, Spain, contributed to this report.
WILDFIRE NEARING BIG SUR
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BIG SUR EVACUATION ORDERED
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Big Sur evacuates as massive wildfire spreads By AMANDA FEHD, Associated Press Writer Thu Jul 3, 7:11 AM ET
BIG SUR, Calif. - Flames ominously licked the ridge overlooking this scenic coastal community, which appeared nearly abandoned Thursday after an explosive wildfire caused authorities to order more residents out of the area. New mandatory evacuation notices were issued Wednesday for an additional 16-mile stretch along Highway 1 after the blaze jumped a fire line in the Los Padres National Forest. A total of 31 miles of the coastal highway, lined with homes and businesses, is now closed.Several hundred evacuees attended a meeting Wednesday evening where officials braced them for a long fire season. The blaze, which already has burned 16 homes and nearly 88 square miles, was only 3 percent contained and wasn't expected to be fully surrounded until the end of the month.
John Friel, 62, who had been living with his kitten in his car for the past three days after being forced to leave his mobile home, was disappointed by the news.I've had six strokes this year and a heart attack. I'm feeling pretty scattered, said the retiree, who moved to Big Sur three years ago. It was like putting a Rubik's Cube back together before, so this ain't helping. It just notches up the stress level.The blaze near Big Sur was one of more than 1,700 wildfires — most ignited by lightning — that have scorched more than 770 square miles and destroyed 64 structures across northern and central California since June 20, according to state officials.Mild temperatures and light winds did little to calm the inferno near Big Sur, which officials described as fuel-driven rather than wind-driven. A statewide drought has created tinder-like trees and brush, feeding the flames in California's forests.
The fire is just a big raging animal right now, said Darby Marshall, spokesman for the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services.Janna Fournier, one of the 850 Big Sur residents affected by the evacuation order, went to retrieve artwork and rescue her pet tarantula before roads closed Wednesday afternoon.I feel sad for the wilderness and the people who lost their homes, Fournier said. We chose to live in a wilderness among all this beauty, so I know there's that chance you always take.Helicopters hauling large containers of water droned loudly overhead as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, R. David Paulison, visited the area.If people evacuate like they're told to, we shouldn't lose any lives, Paulison said in an interview. My only concern is that people don't take it seriously enough.Some residents did choose to ignore the evacuation order, including Scott Parker, who stopped by the local general store as firefighters trimmed trees above the store to ward off flames snaking along the hillside a quarter-mile away.My wife and I are going to stay at least until we are in imminent danger. If there's a possibility of saving the house, then we're going to do it, said Parker, a landscaper who moved to Big Sur 30 years ago. We've had a couple close ones, but this is the closest.Meanwhile, a fire in the southern extension of the Los Padres forest north of Santa Barbara forced about 45 residents to evacuate as winds up to 35 mph pushed flames toward homes in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains.
The blaze has burned nearly 2 square miles of rough terrain, officials said. As night fell Wednesday, about 150,000 Southern California Edison customers in Goleta and Santa Barbara lost power when thick smoke forced the shutdown of power transmission lines. Crews restored power to about half of the affected customers.In the Sequoia National Forest east of Bakersfield, firefighters struggled to contain a 22-square-mile blaze. Powerful gusts and choking smoke traveling up the steep canyons hampered their progress, and residents of neighboring towns were ordered to evacuate.Back in Big Sur, construction worker Billy Rose helped clear brush around local businesses to protect the community where he grew up. Big Sur people are used to stress — rock slides, water spouts, 40-foot waves, you get numb to it, he said, looking weary as he sharpened his chain saw. You can't tame Big Sur — this place is untamable.
Associated Press writers Marcus Wohlsen and Scott Lindlaw in San Francisco and Raquel Maria Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADE BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Poland and US reach missile defence deal
LEIGH PHILLIPS JULY 3,08 Today @ 09:26 CET
The US and Poland have reached an agreement that will see sections of the American missile defence system based in the former Eastern Bloc nation, according to officials from both countries.Poland's deputy foreign minister, Witold Waszcykowski has said that he had completed negotiations with US negotiator John Rood on the matter on Tuesday (1 July), according to the AP. The US defence system looks set to have 10 interceptor missiles based in Poland (Photo: wikipedia)
Officials from the Bush administration confirmed the conclusion of the deal, but remained nameless as the deal must still be approved by the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk.The US wants 10 interceptor missiles to be based on Polish territory. Washington says the system is necessary for defence against possible nuclear attacks from Iran. Russia however, which is steadfastly opposed to a US missile defence being based in EU countries, argues that the system is targeted at itself, and diminishes its nuclear deterrent.
Details of the agreement have yet to be released, but in negotiations Poland was demanding billions of euros to renovate its own air defences. The work would be necessary, the country argued, due to the increased threat from Russia in the wake of the basing of missile defence on its territory.Russia has said that should Poland agree to hosting missiles, it would target the country, a threat that has also been made against the Czech Republic, which recently agreed to host the advanced radar system for US missile defence.The Bush administration is hoping to begin construction in the two countries before the end of the president's term of office, as it would limit his replacement's ability to back-track on the deal.Presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain backs missile defence, while the Democrats' Barack Obama has expressed misgivings.The system, which has cost more than €63 billion ($100 billion) to develop and costs €7 billion a year to maintain – the single biggest line item in the Pentagon's budget – is unpopular in the US Congress too, where congress members argue the technology remains unproven. Most Poles and Czechs also oppose the plan, according to polls.
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.( BE HEAD OF 3 NATIONS)
25 And he (EU PRESIDENT) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.(3 1/2 YRS)
DANIEL 8:23-25
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king (EU DICTATOR) of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,(FROM THE OCCULT) shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:(SATANS POWER) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;(JESUS) but he shall be broken without hand.
DANIEL 11:36-39
36 And the king (EU DICTATOR) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS JEWISH) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.(CLAIM TO BE GOD)
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(WAR) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,(DESTROY TERROR GROUPS) whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
UK foreign minister backs French defence plans
ELITSA VUCHEVA JULY 3,08 Today @ 09:16 CET
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Wednesday (2 July) backed French plans to boost European defence, saying they were not incompatible with NATO and stressing they did not mean creating a European army.The countries of Europe need to be better at using hard power. That is why I strongly welcome President Sarkozy's proposals to reintegrate France into NATO's military structure and support his call for the EU to play a greater role in crisis management, Mr Miliband told Progress, an independent organisation of Labour Party members, Reuters reports.Mr Miliband backed France's plans to boost European defence - but reiterated his opposition to creating a European army. (Photo: eurocorps.net)
Paris has said that strengthening Europe's defence policy would be one of the main priorities of its six-month EU presidency, which started on 1 July, and securing the backing of the UK as another military heavyweight in the EU was seen as essential in that respect.Mr Miliband's statements are the first to openly support Mr Sarkozy's defence plans coming from a UK politician of this rank. Britain has traditionally been wary of such ideas – fearing they could undermine NATO, or pose a threat to its national sovereignty.
The British foreign secretary stressed, however, that strong European defence was fully compatible with the North Atlantic alliance and was in no way a threat to it.NATO would remain the cornerstone of European defence, he said, adding that the US ambassador to the organisation, Victoria Nuland, had herself spoken in favour of a more capable European defence capacity.As the Balkans wars in the 1990s demonstrated, unless Europe can develop its own capabilities, Mr Miliband added, it will be consigned always to wait impotently until the US and NATO are ready and able to intervene.The foreign secretary also underlined that the French plans did not mean creating a supranational European army – something still strongly opposed by the UK.There's no question of a European army. President Sarkozy is against a European army and so am I. What we are in favour of is British, French and other troops working together, he later told Channel Four news television.In a speech in June, the French president made a similar statement, saying that French forces are and will remain national. They will not be integrated into any supranational force.On Wednesday, Mr Miliband also expressed a more general UK support for the priorities France has set for its time at the EU helm.What strikes me about the French priorities for their presidency is how closely they tie in with our own ambitions for the EU… whether on energy and climate change, migration, near neighbourhood policy, or the next steps on European defence, he said.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
PALESTINIAN ON RAMPAGE
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)
EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
JOEL 2:3,20,30-31
3 A fire(NUCLEAR BOMB) devoureth before them;(RUSSIA-ARABS) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
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.
PALESTINIAN MUSLIM ON RAMPAGE
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TRACTOR SLAMS INTO BUS
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Palestinian goes on rampage in Jerusalem; 3 killed By STEVEN GUTKIN, Associated Press Writer JULY 02,08
JERUSALEM - A Palestinian man plowed an enormous construction vehicle into cars, buses and pedestrians on a busy street Wednesday, killing at least three people and wounding at least 45 before he was shot dead by security officers. The violence, the first major attack in Jerusalem since March, wreaked havoc in the heart of downtown. Hundreds of people fled in panic through the streets as medics treated the wounded.Three Palestinian militant groups took responsibility for the attack, but the claims could not be independently verified. Israeli police referred to the attacker as a terrorist acting on his own and said he was a bulldozer operator who worked in the area for a construction firm.The attack took place in front of a building housing the offices of The Associated Press and other media outlets. British Broadcasting Corp. footage captured the huge front loader crushing a vehicle and an off-duty soldier shooting the perpetrator in the head several times at point-blank range as onlookers screamed.Israel's national rescue service confirmed three deaths, and the bodies lay motionless on the ground covered in plastic.Hen Shimon, a 19-year-old soldier, said the whole scene was a nightmare.I just got off the bus and I saw the tractor driving and knocking everything down in his path, she said. Everything he saw he rammed.
Eyal Lang Ben-Hur, 16, was in a bus when the driver yelled Get out of the vehicle! Everyone out! People fled in a panic, he said, and the bus was hit an instant later.Eli Mizrahi, an officer in a special anti-terror unit, said he and his partner sped to the scene on a motorcycle from the nearby Mahane Yehuda market in downtown Jerusalem. An off-duty soldier had just shot the attacker, but not killed him.I ran up the stairs (of the vehicle) and, when he was still driving like crazy and trying to harm civilians, I fired at him twice more and, that's it, he was liquidated, Mizrahi told reporters.The attack occurred in an area where Jerusalem is building a new train system. The project has turned many parts of the city into a big construction zone.Wednesday's attack represented a departure from militants' previous methods, which were mostly suicide bombings and shootings.During the second Palestinian uprising, which erupted in late 2000, Jerusalem experienced dozens of suicide bombings and other attacks. The city has been largely quiet in the past three years, though sporadic attacks have persisted. In March, a Palestinian gunman entered a Jerusalem seminary and killed eight young students.Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev called Wednesday's attack a senseless act of murderous violence.President Bush called Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to express condolences about the attack and planned to call Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well, White House press secretary Dana Perino said.The three organizations that took responsibility for the attack included the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, which is affiliated with Abbas. Abbas aide Saeb Erekat condemned the violence.The other two are the Galilee Freedom Battalion, which is suspected of being affiliated with Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a fringe left-wing militant group.The Hamas militant group, which runs the Gaza Strip and is currently maintaining a fragile cease-fire with Israel, said it did not carry out the attack but nevertheless praised it. We consider it as a natural reaction to the daily aggression and crimes committed against our people in the West Bank and all over the occupied lands, said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. Despite the Palestinian claims of responsibility, Israeli police chief Dudi Cohen said the attacker appeared to be acting alone. It looks as if it was a spontaneous act, he said. Major Israeli retaliation appeared unlikely given the police chief's claim that the attacker acted alone and the Jewish state's desire to maintain the Gaza cease-fire and to support Abbas' security forces in the West Bank. Israeli police said the man, a father of two children, was an Arab in his 30s from east Jerusalem and had a criminal background. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said he had worked as a construction worker on the railway project. Later Wednesday, five military vehicles gathered outside the man's two-story home in east Jerusalem. Police entered the house, took pictures and questioned relatives for an hour before leaving without making arrests.
Friends of the family identified the attacker as Hussam Dwikat. They said the 29-year-old was a devout Muslim, but had no known ties to any militant groups. Everybody is in shock. When I was told what happened I started to curse Hussam because this is the first time he has done something like this, said Salayan Weyed, a friend of the attacker's wife. In contrast to West Bank Palestinians, Arab residents of Jerusalem have full freedom to work and travel throughout Israel. About two-thirds of Jerusalem's 700,000 residents are Jews, and the rest are Palestinians who came under Israeli control when Israel captured their part of the city in 1967. Israel's national rescue service said at least 45 people were wounded in Wednesday's attack. Wounded people sat dazed on the ground amid piles of broken glass and blood stains on the street. A half-dozen cars were flattened and others were overturned by the Caterpillar vehicle. A bus was overturned and another bus was heavily damaged. A woman sprinkled water over a baby's bloodied face, a rescue worker stroked the hair of a dazed elderly pedestrian and a loved one raised the bleeding leg of a woman sitting outside the overturned bus. Yosef Spielman, who witnessed the attack, said the construction vehicle picked up a car like a toy.I was shocked. I saw a guy going crazy, he said. All the people were running. They had no chance.Esther Valencia, a 52-year-old pedestrian, said she barely escaped the carnage. He almost hit me. Someone pushed me out of the way at the last moment. It was a miracle that I got out of there.Cassia Pereira, office manager for AP's Jerusalem bureau, watched the attack unfold outside her window. I saw him but it was too late and there was nothing to do, she said, with tears in her eyes. I was in panic I couldn't say a word ... I realized something was not normal, something was wrong.
The mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski, said his daughter was on one of the buses rammed by the attacker, but she was not injured.
To our regret the attackers do not cease coming up with new ways to strike at the heart of the Jewish people here in Jerusalem, Lupolianski said. Associated Press Writer Aron Heller contributed to this report.
Hezbollah confirms prisoner exchange with Israel JULY 02,08
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah's leader says his group will hand over two captured Israeli soldiers in exchange for five Lebanese prisoners in Israel. It's Hezbollah's first confirmation of the deal, which was approved by Israel's Cabinet on Sunday.Israel's prime minister has said he believes the two soldiers, captured in a July 2006 raid that sparked a war between Israel and Hezbollah, are dead. But the militant group has never confirmed that.Sheik Hassan Nasrallah says he'll also provide information on missing Israeli airman Ron Arad.Nasrallah spoke by video link to reporters Wednesday in Beirut.
Iran says any attack would provoke fierce reaction By GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press Writer JULY 02,08
MADRID, Spain - With Middle East tensions building, Iran's oil minister warned Wednesday that an attack on his country would provoke an unimaginably fierce response. Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said, however, that Tehran would not cut oil deliveries and would continue supplying the market even if struck by Israel or the United States.Tehran is not going to be quiet, if attacked, Nozari told reporters. It's going to react fiercely, and nobody can imagine what would be the reaction of Iran, he added.Over the weekend, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned that Tehran would respond to an attack by barraging Israel with missiles and could seize control of a key oil passageway in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz.But a senior U.S. military commander said Wednesday that Washington would not allow that to happen.Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, commander of the 5th Fleet spoke to reporters after talks with naval commanders of Gulf countries in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi. The one-day meeting was to focus on the security of the region's maritime and trade routes and the threat of terrorism.The 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain, across the Gulf from Iran. Cosgriff said that if Iran choked off the Strait of Hormuz, it would be saying to the world that 40 percent of oil is now held hostage by a single country.
We will not allow Iran to close it, he told reporters.
Minister Nozari addressed rising tensions outside the 19th World Petroleum Congress after a presentation on Iran's oil and gas industry to a packed audience, including representatives of European and U.S. energy companies.Tehran is under U.N., U.S. and European sanctions because it has defied U.N. Security Council demands to suspend its uranium enrichment program. But with oil supplies tight and prices at unprecedented levels, the energy industry remains tempted by the possibilities of investing in Iran, OPEC's second largest oil producer and No. 2 in terms of the world's natural gas reserves.President Bush has repeatedly said that a military strike on Tehran is possible as a last-resort if Iran continues to pursues uranium enrichment and fails to heed other Security Council demands.Last month, Israel sent warplanes on a major exercise in the eastern Mediterranean that U.S. officials said was a message to Iran — a show of force as well as practice in the operations needed for a long-range strike mission.ABC News quoted an unnamed senior Pentagon official warning of an increasing likelihood that Israel will strike Iran's nuclear facilities before the end of the year.Nozari said such any attack would send oil prices further into uncharted territory.We don't think the wise people in the world even think about any action like that, he said. Can you imagine ... what would be the result in the oil market?
Oil prices hit a record high above $143 this week.
But Nozari indicated Iran would not withhold its crude from the market even if attacked.Iran has always been a reliable source of supply to the market, and Iran remains a (reliable) source of supply, he said. He dismissed suggestions that the standoff over Iran's nuclear program has diminished Iran's oil and gas exports, despite U.S. sanctions that prohibit American companies from doing business with Tehran and growing pressure from Washington on other countries to follow suit. We have increased our production in the past two years by 250,000 barrels a day and we have added to the production of our gas, he told the AP.
FAMINE
REVELATION 6:5-6
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.(A DAYS WAGES FOR A LOAF OF BREAD)
Oil prices advance as US oil supplies fall By ADAM SCHRECK, AP Business Writer JULY 02,08
NEW YORK - Oil prices are rising after the government reported U.S. crude oil supplies fell more than expected last week, although trading is volatile as the report also showed gasoline stockpiles unexpectedly grew. The Energy Department's Energy Information Administration reported crude oil supplies fell by 2 million barrels. Analysts surveyed by the energy research firm Platts predicted a decline of 1.2 million barrels.Light, sweet crude for August delivery is up 46 cents at $141.43 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.Gasoline stockpiles rose by 2.1 million barrels, although analysts predicted they would decline by half a million barrels.
Energy experts puzzled over oil prices By GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press Writer Wed Jul 2, 6:12 AM ET
MADRID, Spain - As crude soared to a new record, the head of the International Energy Agency declared that the world was in the grip of an oil shock, and the president of OPEC acknowledged he could not say whether prices would flatten out or continue to soar. The comments by IEA chief Nobuko Tanaka, OPEC chief and Algerian Energy minister Chakib Khelil and other industry leaders at the 19th World Petroleum conference reflected the concern surrounding record oil prices that seem ready to spike higher.An IEA report released at the conference confirmed what most consumers fear: that supplies of oil will remain tight, whether for cooking fires in the poorest countries or powering cars and cooling or heating homes in the richest. And that's despite record prices and reduced demand as costly crude dampens the world's oil hunger.Reflecting the world's oil price doldrums, light, sweet crude for August delivery rose 97 cents to settle at a new high of $140.97 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices at one point rose as high as $143.33, just 34 cents shy of Monday's trading record.We are clearly in the third oil price shock, declared Tanaka, comparing the effects to periods of soaring prices in the 1970s and 1980s.But he suggested there is less of a likelihood of a quick fix this time.Those price peaks forced consumers into saving oil and oil companies to look for new wells, said Tanaka, but now the biggest energy savings have been made (and) ... the easy oil outside (of) a few countries has been found.His agency's report said the world's estimated daily oil needs would rise from 86.87 million barrels this year to 94.14 million barrels in 2013 — less than anticipated in its 2007 report because of skyrocketing prices.
The energy agency predicted producers would be able to meet world needs — but noted that supply will exceed projected demand only by a daily 2 million barrels, a relatively thin cushion.Tanaka said that tight supplies despite a price surge that would normally lead to increased availability came as a shock.His comments reflected the high-level bedevilment at the meeting about what is causing prices to sizzle.In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, earlier this month, the kingdom said it would add 200,000 barrels per day in July to a 300,000 barrel per day production increase it first announced in May, raising total daily output to 9.7 million barrels. Production increases normally check prices, but the market has shrugged off the Saudi gesture and set several new records since.Khelil, the OPEC president, offered no solace to consumers.We are very uncertain about the oil prices since it's highly volatile and we don't really know whether it is going to be stabilizing or going to lower levels, he told delegates. But everybody agrees that oil prices are too high.There is a lot of uncertainty about demand, Khelil said. Consequently there is a lot of uncertainty about the decision of investing the tens of billions of dollars needed to make additional crude and refined supplies available.He identified the main driver of prices as the weak U.S. dollar and the linked subprime crisis in America; geopolitical tensions, and increased emphasis on U.S. bioethanol production which he suggested diverted production of diesel and led to shortages.Urging the world to brace for a really big reshuffle in energy expectations, Christophe de Margerie, CEO of French energy giant Total SA, said he expected oil production to plateau in just 12 years at 94 million barrels a day —less then 10 million barrels more than available now. And he warned the forecast was optimistic.We will have to fight against the natural decline of (present) oil fields, he told the same forum Khelil attended. It will not go smoothly.Producers and refiners in the Spanish capital are also looking to find answers not only on how to ensure stable supply, but also on doing it in a way that minimizes emissions of the greenhouse gases believed to cause global warming. Still the primary concern at the meeting was over availability and prices that have been bouncing from record to record over the past few months — a worry echoed by de Margerie.
Consumers worldwide expect a better environment, he said. But they expect first access to energy.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
BIG SUR BLAZE HARD TO CONTAIN
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National Guard troops set to relieve fire crews By GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press Writer JULY 02,08
FRESNO, Calif. - Weary crews battling wildfires across northern and central California are going to get help from the National Guard, the first time the military has been called to ground-based firefighting duty since 1977. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday ordered 200 guardsmen to report for fire training to begin assisting on the fire lines early next week. The extra hands are expected to boost the nearly 19,000 personnel currently fighting the fires.I think that they all are doing a great job, but the danger is that our firefighters get stretched thin, the governor said. A lot of them are working overtime, and they are staying up there for more than 12 hours, sometimes 24 hours, 36 hours. So we have to be very careful that they get enough sleep and they get enough rest.The governor and the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, David Paulison, planned to visit Big Sur on Wednesday for a briefing on firefighting efforts in that hard-hit region.Already this year, drought conditions, high temperatures and a series of lightning storms have contributed to more than 680 square miles of land being charred statewide.Federal fire managers predict an increase in severe wildfire activity in northern California through October due to unusually hot, dry weather and scant rain.The National Interagency Fire Center, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, issued a 2008 Wildland Fire Outlook on Tuesday forecasting significant fire activity to increase or persist in California, as well as in parts of the western Great Basin in Nevada, the northern Rocky Mountains, Texas, and West Virginia.
The agency also upped its national preparedness level Tuesday to Level 5, its highest — a warning that there are major fires that have the potential to exhaust firefighting resources. It's the second earliest date the agency has reached Level 5 since 1990.
California has endured the worst of the fires so far this year, raging from the western edge of the Sierra Nevada to coastal mountains near Big Sur. They have created a smoky haze so stifling that some doctors in the San Joaquin Valley say their waiting rooms have been crowding with patients struggling to breathe.In the Big Sur region of the Los Padres National Forest, about 200 people along a roughly 15-mile stretch of Highway 1 were ordered to leave their homes and businesses. Evacuation orders also remained in place for occupants of at least 75 homes who were forced to leave the region last week, as a 47,000-acre blaze burning through uninhabited forest land moved closer.In Southern California, a fire in the southern extension of the Los Padres forest north of Santa Barbara also prompted mandatory evacuations as wind up to 35 mph pushed flames toward homes in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Officials said the fire had burned nearly 100 acres of heavy brush by Wednesday morning.Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow said about 40 homes were evacuated. County spokesman William Boyer said he didn't know how close flames had gotten to homes.In the Sequoia National Forest east of Bakersfield, crews struggled to contain an 11,500-acre blaze there. Powerful gusts and choking smoke traveling up the steep canyons hampered their progress, and residents of neighboring towns were ordered to evacuate.Even without the blazes, the farming towns and subdivisions dotting the valley are typically shrouded in a layer of smog during the summer. But airborne ash from the blazes caused such a spike in air pollution over the weekend that meteorologist Shawn Ferreria said it took his breath away.I went and bought a mask because my lungs were not happy with me, said Ferreria, a senior air quality specialist for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. What we are experiencing is out of historical norms.Officials had hoped a fog bank along the Northern California coast would help with fire suppression, but the moisture did not extend inland, said Brian Tentinger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey.Air district officials grew concerned that wind patterns could send more smoke billowing into the valley, which is bordered on three sides by mountains. Once the tiny particles of soot — which are blamed for triggering asthma and other respiratory problems — are carried inland, they're sealed in under a layer of warm air created by hot summer temperatures.Our waiting rooms are full of people with sore throats, itchy eyes and sniffles, said Kevin Hamilton, a respiratory therapist with Sequoia Community Health Center in Fresno.
Schools canceled outdoor activities and residents were warned to stay inside with the air conditioner running. For households lacking air conditioners, the district recommended families hole up in local malls. Since there's fires to the north, west and east of us we're kind of surrounded, said Gary Arcemont, a meteorologist with the Fresno-based air district. Depending on what happens with the intensity and the winds in the next few days, we could be breathing the smoke from any of them.Associated Press writers Tracie Cone in Fresno, Scott Lindlaw in San Francisco, and Jessie Bonner in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
SALMONELLA OUTBREAK
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SALMONELLA OUTBRAKE STILL UNCLEAR
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Salmonella probe adds foods served with tomatoes By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer Wed Jul 2, 6:21 AM ET
WASHINGTON - Adding to tomato confusion, the government is about to start testing numerous other types of fresh produce in the hunt for the source of the nation's record salmonella outbreak — even as it insists tomatoes remain the leading suspect. Investigators are mum on exactly what other vegetables are getting tracked.Items commonly served with fresh tomatoes is the only hint Food and Drug Administration food safety chief Dr. David Acheson would give, calling it irresponsible to point a finger until he has more evidence that some other food really deserves the extra scrutiny.
Tomatoes aren't off the hook, he stressed. It's just that there is clearly a need to think beyond tomatoes.Still, Acheson widened FDA's probe on Tuesday, activating an emergency network of food laboratories around the country in anticipation of lots of additional samples to test.The reason is that the outbreak continues, with 869 people now confirmed having taken ill. Most troublesome, at least 179 of them fell ill in June, the latest on June 20. That is more than two months after the first salmonella illnesses appeared, meaning the outbreak is continuing weeks longer than food-poisoning specialists had expected — and suggesting the culprit is still on the market.Over the weekend, disease detectives with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began interviewing people sickened in June to find out what they ate and to compare their diets with those of healthy relatives and neighbors. Officials wouldn't reveal early findings, except to say they supported the investigation's new move.Among the possibilities FDA is exploring is whether tomatoes and other produce are sharing a common packing or shipping site where both might become contaminated, or whether multiple foods might be tainted while being grown on adjoining farms or with common water sources.
Pressure is increasing on the FDA to solve the case, with the tomato industry suffering millions of dollars in losses and pushing for Congress to investigate how the agency handled the outbreak.
But Acheson said Tuesday that there's a growing misconception in the public that if tomatoes really were to blame, the outbreak would only have lasted six weeks.That's just not true, he said, pointing to farms that rotate harvests so as to keep producing tomatoes for months.Tomatoes first became a suspect because of what are called case-control studies rapidly conducted in New Mexico and Texas, the outbreak's center, CDC food-poisoning specialist Dr. Robert Tauxe said.Those kinds of studies compare the sick to people who are otherwise similar — in income, lifestyle, where they live — but healthy. In those initial studies, about 80 percent of the ill reported eating certain types of fresh tomatoes, far more than the healthy group did, Tauxe said. Statistically, the association was too strong to think it a coincidence.Some food-poisoning experts say the CDC missed a key step in not taking those studies a step further and trying to trace why some of the healthy ate tomatoes without harm.For now, the FDA continues to urge consumers nationwide to avoid raw red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes unless they were grown in specific states or countries that the agency has cleared of suspicion. Check the FDA's Web site — http://www.fda.gov — for an updated list. Also safe are grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached.That advice is coming under fire too because tomatoes are sent through multiple repacking and distribution sites around the country, even to Mexico and back, regardless of where they're grown. But Acheson said the advice would be fine-tuned only if new science emerges.
Even Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt expressed frustration Tuesday that the case isn't solved.Nothing happens fast enough when you have a problem like this, Leavitt said as he asked Congress for more funds and stronger legal powers for food and consumer safety agencies. Still, I feel confident we will find the solution to this problem.Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADE BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
EU trade commissioner hits back at Sarkozy
ELITSA VUCHEVA JULY 02,08 Today @ 09:24 CET
EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has fired back at criticism by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, arguing that Mr Sarkozy's statements were undermining the EU's position in world trade talks.
I am being undermined and Europe's negotiating position in the world trade talks is being weakened and I regret that, Mr Mandelson told the BBC's Newsnight programme on Tuesday (1 July). The trade commissioner is mystified by Mr Sarkozy's criticism (Photo: wikipedia)It is very disappointing because the mandate under which I am negotiating in the world trade talks - and trying on Europe's behalf to bring them to a successful conclusion - has been agreed by all the member states, he added.Speaking on French national television on Monday – on the eve of the launch of the French EU presidency – France's president again accused the British commissioner of offering too many concessions during the talks.
[WTO chief] Mr Lamy and Mr Mandelson want to make us accept a deal under which Europe would commit to cutting farm output by 20 percent and reduce farm exports by 10 percent, Mr Sarkozy told national television channel France 3 on Monday.That would be 100,000jobs lost, I won't let it happen, he added.The current round of talks on trade liberalisation – the Doha round – was launched in 2001, but has long failed to progress, as all sides have been refusing to make significant compromises.On Monday, France stressed once again it would veto any deal sacrificing agricultural production on the altar of global liberalism. Paris has also long defended the EU's farm spending – known as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - as well as its own subsidies for farmers, and opposed any reforms that it sees as too liberalising and potentially destructive.France has set the CAP and its review – or health check – as one of its EU presidency priorities.For his part, Mr Mandelson expressed regret that Mr Sarkozy's intervention last night will make it harder for me.Earlier in the day, his spokesperson in Brussels defended the commissioner's actions and challenged Mr Sarkozy's figures, saying the decrease in farm production and the job losses would be much smaller than what he had presented.The French president has made a number of similar attacks against the EU's trade chief, and in June he suggested that he had played a part in the negative outcome of the Irish referendum on the Lisbon treaty – an accusation that mystified Mr Mandelson.
Sarkozy offers more protectionist Europe as French EU presidency opens ELITSA VUCHEVA 01.07.2008 @ 09:31 CET
During a one-hour television address, the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, promised to protect Europeans during France's time at the EU helm. The French EU presidency, which begins Tuesday (1 July), is saddled with some of the biggest conundrums to face the bloc in years: Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon treaty and the climate of growing discontent among citizens towards what they see as the EU's poor response to growing food and fuel prices.The Eiffel tower will be lit up in the colours of Europe every evening in the next two months. (Photo: wikipedia)We have to profoundly change our way of building Europe, Mr Sarkozy said during his talk on TV channel France 3 on Monday (30 June).There is something wrong, Europe worries today and even worse, [European] citizens are wondering whether in the end they are not better protected at the national rather than at the European level, he added.
Consequently, we must not be afraid of the word protection… We have to reflect on how to turn Europe into a means of protecting Europeans in their everyday lives, he argued.Mr Sarkozy explained that he wanted to provoke a salutary shock through a change in order to save the European idea, which would be in danger if one does not protect the people.The French leader stated on an earlier occasion that one of the things Europeans expected from the EU is to shield them from globalisation's negative effects – but France's protectionist streak is unlikely to be welcomed unanimously by all other 26 member states.He has also opposed the European Commission's position in global trade talks and recently publicly criticised EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson for pursuing a trade liberalisation deal that he said would lead to a one-fifth cut in agricultural production and a reduction in farm exports, while a child dies of hunger every 30 seconds.A review – or health check – of the EU's farm spending is planned before the end of the year.
In the aftermath of the Irish No
A couple of hours after Mr Sarkozy's TV intervention, the Eiffel tower was lit up in the blue and golden glow of the EU's colours under the gaze of of France's foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, and the ambassadors of the other 26 EU states in Paris, as the French EU presidency was officially launched.Despite its ambitious goals however, many analysts argue France's six-month chairmanship of the EU will be clouded by Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon treaty in June.While evoking immigration, climate change and agriculture as some of the main dossiers on which the French presidency will focus, Mr Sarkozy did not offer further details on his plans on defence in his TV speech.Boosting up EU defence has been another one of Paris' declared priorities for the next six months, but also a point on which its rhetoric may need to be toned down, in particular if Irish citizens, wary of EU military plans, are to vote a second time on the Lisbon treaty – as Mr Sarkozy himself has implied they might.France has also proposed a plan to co-ordinate a crackdown on clandestine immigrants - making it harder to come into Europe.But the so-called immigration pact has already been opposed by Spain and watered down under Madrid's pressure.Some of the measures contained in the document were judged too tough by Spain – such as the putting in place of compulsory integration contracts, and making it obligatory for the immigrants to adopt national and European values.Madrid fears the requirement may dissuade legal workers, which it needs to boost its economy.
The French minister of immigration and integration, Brice Hortefeux, will officially present a new version of his plans to EU interior and justice ministers on 7 July, Le Figaro reports.On Monday, the French president also defended once again his plans to cut VAT on fuels in response to the soaring fuel prices – a move opposed by a number of member states, in particular Germany.
ID SAY GODS WORD IS COMING TO PASS THAT THE EU WILL BE A DICTATORSHIP AND THEN CONTROL THE WORLD TO MAKE IT A DICTATORSHIP HEADED BY THE GODLESS PRESIDENT IN THE FUTURE AND EVEN NOW IN ITS EARLY STAGES.
Latin American leaders condemn racist EU law
LEIGH PHILLIPS JULY 02,08 Today @ 09:14 CET
Latin American leaders have sharply criticised as barbarous, xenophobic and racist new European Union legislation on clandestine immigration that allows extended detention of undocumented workers.
It hurts us deeply that there is no respect for the human rights of Latin American immigrants, who had to leave and seek elsewhere what they don't have in their own lands - just like their grandparents did, said Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, speaking at the 35th summit of the Mercosur trade bloc in Argentina.The EU laws are xenophobic and discriminatory, he said, Bloomberg reports.The EU's return directive, which was passed by the European Parliament in June, allows the detention of irregular immigrants up to 18 months, and bans re-entry for scofflaws for five years.The law has received repeated strong criticism from South American leaders, who were intent on issuing a resolution condemning the policy during the Mercosur meeting. Combined, the bloc is the fifth largest economy in the world, which together with the other South American trade zone, the Andean Community, aims to form a South American Union, Unasur, modelled on the EU.
Legalised barbarism
The Mercosur member states and associate states reject any attempt to criminalise the irregular migration and the adoption of restrictive immigration policies, reads the resolution, which also noted how, conversely South America had welcomed with generosity and solidarity millions of European migrants in previous centuries.
The contrast in the two continents' attitude towards immigration was a common theme amongst the leaders.Europeans who landed in the Americas took possession of thousands of hectares of land, mines, natural resources and exploited our people, accused Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, while immigrants in Europe are not exploiting anyone - they are not taking possession of thousands of hectares of land and mines; they are not destroying the natural resources.We were very generous with the Europeans who arrived in our land in the last century, and the truth is that it is not fair for our people to get a denigrating treatment, said Chile's Michelle Bachelet.Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, for his part, said that the Return Directive embodies racism and discrimination.
We need a strong stance...in defense of the dignity of our people, Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez told his fellow leaders, according to the Associated Press. Civilized Europe - I say that ironically - has legalised barbarism.Mercosur brings together Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela, while Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru have associate member status. Mexico is an observer.
Polish president softens tone on EU treaty
PHILIPPA RUNNER JULY 02,08 Today @ 09:24 CET
Polish President Lech Kaczynski on Tuesday (1 July) toned down his rhetoric against the Lisbon treaty, with the French EU presidency also downplaying the mini-crisis and analysts saying Mr Kaczynski's stance is a bargaining tool for foreign policy concessions.If the Irish change their mind, not under pressure, but of their own free will, there will not be the slightest obstacle to ratification from the Polish side...I will also sign the treaty, he said on a visit to Georgia, PAP reports. I had a big role in negotiating this treaty, and I support it.The comments come after Mr Kaczynski in a newspaper interview earlier the same day said signing the treaty would be pointless after the Irish voted No in June. The Polish parliament approved Lisbon in April but the president must now ink a so-called Ratification Act.The Polish president is an honest, politically-engaged man and I don't doubt for a moment he will keep his word, French leader Nicolas Sarkozy said at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday. I can't imagine that someone who negotiated the treaty and signed it would question their own signature.It's not a Polish refusal to sign, French foreign ministry spokesman, Eric Chevallier, added, Le Monde reports. The president said that, for the moment, he has chosen to postpone his ratification signature. He didn't say I will never sign he said for the moment.
France plans to hold high-level talks with Poland to resolve the situation, using Mr Kaczynski's desire to give Ukraine an EU membership perspective as leverage, French diplomats explained. We have to try and keep everyone together, keep the European family together, one diplomat said.
The Lisbon gambit
Polish neighbours and analysts speculate the president's stance is not really designed to protect Irish voters or the EU principle of unanimity, with Czech Europe minister Alexandr Vondra and Swedish Europe minister Cecilia Malmstrom both saying it is a tactical move in internal Polish games.Mr Kaczynski is fighting to win oversight powers on Polish government behaviour in EU negotiations and to get government approval for Poland to host a US missile shield. The Lisbon row also generates momentum for his flagging conservative opposition party, as campaigning slowly begins for the 2009 European Parliament elections.If Lech Kaczynski signs the treaty it will be a victory for [Polish liberal Prime Minister Donald] Tusk. So the president wants his own victory by winning concessions from the liberals, Polish Institute of Political Sciences analyst Kazimierz Kik told AFP.Support for the treaty could also be traded [with France and Germany] for support for a Polish candidate for one of the most important EU positions [such as European Parliament president], Polish daily Rzeczpospolita wrote in an editorial comment.
Heating things up
Mr Kaczynski's remarks on the pointlessness of Lisbon caused outrage inside Poland, with socialist and liberal MPs tabling a parliamentary resolution urging him to sign and Prime Minister Tusk saying it is needless for Poland to find itself attached to Ireland as a country...in a difficult situation.A European Commission statement on Tuesday reminding Mr Kaczynski that he is obliged to ratify the treaty after his part in the signing ceremony in Lisbon last year also generated heat.With all due respect, the European Commission is a European Union organ without the authority to evaluate the decisions of the leaders of individual member states, the Polish president said.
European Commission puts social conscience on show
LUCIA KUBOSOVA JULY 02,08 Today @ 17:45 CET
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission has come up with a renewed social agenda to highlight its efforts for better protection of citizens, despite criticism by some in the European Parliament and in national capitals, accusing Brussels of a narrow focus on economic growth and the internal market.Europe's social dimension has never been as relevant as it is today, commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said on Wednesday (2 July) in a statement on a package of documents addressing the key social policy areas where Europe is currently active.Patients' rights and a new anti-discrimination bill have so far attracted the most attention in the basket of policies, but the social agenda also includes specific ideas on how to help Roma people, as well as a proposal on works councils which currently operate in 820 major firms and cover some 14.5 million employees.Brussels argues the role of works councils in big multinational companies should be strengthened, so as to help foster transnational social dialogue in large enterprises, to improve corporate governance and to anticipate and manage change in a socially responsible way.
Employers' groups fear the move would mean a slow-down in corporate decision-making. The commission's proposal runs counter to its intention of having a social agenda that is responsive to change, reacted BusinessEurope, an umbrella group of big businesses.Arnaldo Abruzzini of Eurochambres commented we question the rationale of the whole package, which appears like a patchwork of a dozen of initiatives, randomly put together without any clear coherence, adding that there could be questionable impact on businesses from some of the proposals.On the other hand, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) argues Brussels has made a modest step forward with its social agenda in general and on works councils in particular.But ETUC chief John Monks said We are waiting for stronger and more ambitious initiatives.In a similar tone, The Social Platform, the alliance of European NGOs active in the social sector expressed some measured optimism on the commission's package while noting that a clear commitment to making social issues central to EU strategy is still some way off.Until the commission puts forward a social pact, making concrete pledges for social progress central to its vision for the EU, equality for all and the eradication of poverty will be impossible to achieve, said Conny Reuter, president of the Social Platform.In a final remark in his briefing to journalists on Wednesday, social policy commissioner Vladimir Spidla said if you expect social progress, don't expect it will arrive by mere action in Brussels. We all together make up Europe and we all have to work together to achieve it.
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)
EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
JOEL 2:3,20,30-31
3 A fire(NUCLEAR BOMB) devoureth before them;(RUSSIA-ARABS) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
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.
PALESTINIAN MUSLIM ON RAMPAGE
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TRACTOR SLAMS INTO BUS
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Palestinian goes on rampage in Jerusalem; 3 killed By STEVEN GUTKIN, Associated Press Writer JULY 02,08
JERUSALEM - A Palestinian man plowed an enormous construction vehicle into cars, buses and pedestrians on a busy street Wednesday, killing at least three people and wounding at least 45 before he was shot dead by security officers. The violence, the first major attack in Jerusalem since March, wreaked havoc in the heart of downtown. Hundreds of people fled in panic through the streets as medics treated the wounded.Three Palestinian militant groups took responsibility for the attack, but the claims could not be independently verified. Israeli police referred to the attacker as a terrorist acting on his own and said he was a bulldozer operator who worked in the area for a construction firm.The attack took place in front of a building housing the offices of The Associated Press and other media outlets. British Broadcasting Corp. footage captured the huge front loader crushing a vehicle and an off-duty soldier shooting the perpetrator in the head several times at point-blank range as onlookers screamed.Israel's national rescue service confirmed three deaths, and the bodies lay motionless on the ground covered in plastic.Hen Shimon, a 19-year-old soldier, said the whole scene was a nightmare.I just got off the bus and I saw the tractor driving and knocking everything down in his path, she said. Everything he saw he rammed.
Eyal Lang Ben-Hur, 16, was in a bus when the driver yelled Get out of the vehicle! Everyone out! People fled in a panic, he said, and the bus was hit an instant later.Eli Mizrahi, an officer in a special anti-terror unit, said he and his partner sped to the scene on a motorcycle from the nearby Mahane Yehuda market in downtown Jerusalem. An off-duty soldier had just shot the attacker, but not killed him.I ran up the stairs (of the vehicle) and, when he was still driving like crazy and trying to harm civilians, I fired at him twice more and, that's it, he was liquidated, Mizrahi told reporters.The attack occurred in an area where Jerusalem is building a new train system. The project has turned many parts of the city into a big construction zone.Wednesday's attack represented a departure from militants' previous methods, which were mostly suicide bombings and shootings.During the second Palestinian uprising, which erupted in late 2000, Jerusalem experienced dozens of suicide bombings and other attacks. The city has been largely quiet in the past three years, though sporadic attacks have persisted. In March, a Palestinian gunman entered a Jerusalem seminary and killed eight young students.Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev called Wednesday's attack a senseless act of murderous violence.President Bush called Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to express condolences about the attack and planned to call Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well, White House press secretary Dana Perino said.The three organizations that took responsibility for the attack included the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, which is affiliated with Abbas. Abbas aide Saeb Erekat condemned the violence.The other two are the Galilee Freedom Battalion, which is suspected of being affiliated with Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a fringe left-wing militant group.The Hamas militant group, which runs the Gaza Strip and is currently maintaining a fragile cease-fire with Israel, said it did not carry out the attack but nevertheless praised it. We consider it as a natural reaction to the daily aggression and crimes committed against our people in the West Bank and all over the occupied lands, said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. Despite the Palestinian claims of responsibility, Israeli police chief Dudi Cohen said the attacker appeared to be acting alone. It looks as if it was a spontaneous act, he said. Major Israeli retaliation appeared unlikely given the police chief's claim that the attacker acted alone and the Jewish state's desire to maintain the Gaza cease-fire and to support Abbas' security forces in the West Bank. Israeli police said the man, a father of two children, was an Arab in his 30s from east Jerusalem and had a criminal background. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said he had worked as a construction worker on the railway project. Later Wednesday, five military vehicles gathered outside the man's two-story home in east Jerusalem. Police entered the house, took pictures and questioned relatives for an hour before leaving without making arrests.
Friends of the family identified the attacker as Hussam Dwikat. They said the 29-year-old was a devout Muslim, but had no known ties to any militant groups. Everybody is in shock. When I was told what happened I started to curse Hussam because this is the first time he has done something like this, said Salayan Weyed, a friend of the attacker's wife. In contrast to West Bank Palestinians, Arab residents of Jerusalem have full freedom to work and travel throughout Israel. About two-thirds of Jerusalem's 700,000 residents are Jews, and the rest are Palestinians who came under Israeli control when Israel captured their part of the city in 1967. Israel's national rescue service said at least 45 people were wounded in Wednesday's attack. Wounded people sat dazed on the ground amid piles of broken glass and blood stains on the street. A half-dozen cars were flattened and others were overturned by the Caterpillar vehicle. A bus was overturned and another bus was heavily damaged. A woman sprinkled water over a baby's bloodied face, a rescue worker stroked the hair of a dazed elderly pedestrian and a loved one raised the bleeding leg of a woman sitting outside the overturned bus. Yosef Spielman, who witnessed the attack, said the construction vehicle picked up a car like a toy.I was shocked. I saw a guy going crazy, he said. All the people were running. They had no chance.Esther Valencia, a 52-year-old pedestrian, said she barely escaped the carnage. He almost hit me. Someone pushed me out of the way at the last moment. It was a miracle that I got out of there.Cassia Pereira, office manager for AP's Jerusalem bureau, watched the attack unfold outside her window. I saw him but it was too late and there was nothing to do, she said, with tears in her eyes. I was in panic I couldn't say a word ... I realized something was not normal, something was wrong.
The mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski, said his daughter was on one of the buses rammed by the attacker, but she was not injured.
To our regret the attackers do not cease coming up with new ways to strike at the heart of the Jewish people here in Jerusalem, Lupolianski said. Associated Press Writer Aron Heller contributed to this report.
Hezbollah confirms prisoner exchange with Israel JULY 02,08
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah's leader says his group will hand over two captured Israeli soldiers in exchange for five Lebanese prisoners in Israel. It's Hezbollah's first confirmation of the deal, which was approved by Israel's Cabinet on Sunday.Israel's prime minister has said he believes the two soldiers, captured in a July 2006 raid that sparked a war between Israel and Hezbollah, are dead. But the militant group has never confirmed that.Sheik Hassan Nasrallah says he'll also provide information on missing Israeli airman Ron Arad.Nasrallah spoke by video link to reporters Wednesday in Beirut.
Iran says any attack would provoke fierce reaction By GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press Writer JULY 02,08
MADRID, Spain - With Middle East tensions building, Iran's oil minister warned Wednesday that an attack on his country would provoke an unimaginably fierce response. Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said, however, that Tehran would not cut oil deliveries and would continue supplying the market even if struck by Israel or the United States.Tehran is not going to be quiet, if attacked, Nozari told reporters. It's going to react fiercely, and nobody can imagine what would be the reaction of Iran, he added.Over the weekend, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned that Tehran would respond to an attack by barraging Israel with missiles and could seize control of a key oil passageway in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz.But a senior U.S. military commander said Wednesday that Washington would not allow that to happen.Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, commander of the 5th Fleet spoke to reporters after talks with naval commanders of Gulf countries in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi. The one-day meeting was to focus on the security of the region's maritime and trade routes and the threat of terrorism.The 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain, across the Gulf from Iran. Cosgriff said that if Iran choked off the Strait of Hormuz, it would be saying to the world that 40 percent of oil is now held hostage by a single country.
We will not allow Iran to close it, he told reporters.
Minister Nozari addressed rising tensions outside the 19th World Petroleum Congress after a presentation on Iran's oil and gas industry to a packed audience, including representatives of European and U.S. energy companies.Tehran is under U.N., U.S. and European sanctions because it has defied U.N. Security Council demands to suspend its uranium enrichment program. But with oil supplies tight and prices at unprecedented levels, the energy industry remains tempted by the possibilities of investing in Iran, OPEC's second largest oil producer and No. 2 in terms of the world's natural gas reserves.President Bush has repeatedly said that a military strike on Tehran is possible as a last-resort if Iran continues to pursues uranium enrichment and fails to heed other Security Council demands.Last month, Israel sent warplanes on a major exercise in the eastern Mediterranean that U.S. officials said was a message to Iran — a show of force as well as practice in the operations needed for a long-range strike mission.ABC News quoted an unnamed senior Pentagon official warning of an increasing likelihood that Israel will strike Iran's nuclear facilities before the end of the year.Nozari said such any attack would send oil prices further into uncharted territory.We don't think the wise people in the world even think about any action like that, he said. Can you imagine ... what would be the result in the oil market?
Oil prices hit a record high above $143 this week.
But Nozari indicated Iran would not withhold its crude from the market even if attacked.Iran has always been a reliable source of supply to the market, and Iran remains a (reliable) source of supply, he said. He dismissed suggestions that the standoff over Iran's nuclear program has diminished Iran's oil and gas exports, despite U.S. sanctions that prohibit American companies from doing business with Tehran and growing pressure from Washington on other countries to follow suit. We have increased our production in the past two years by 250,000 barrels a day and we have added to the production of our gas, he told the AP.
FAMINE
REVELATION 6:5-6
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.(A DAYS WAGES FOR A LOAF OF BREAD)
Oil prices advance as US oil supplies fall By ADAM SCHRECK, AP Business Writer JULY 02,08
NEW YORK - Oil prices are rising after the government reported U.S. crude oil supplies fell more than expected last week, although trading is volatile as the report also showed gasoline stockpiles unexpectedly grew. The Energy Department's Energy Information Administration reported crude oil supplies fell by 2 million barrels. Analysts surveyed by the energy research firm Platts predicted a decline of 1.2 million barrels.Light, sweet crude for August delivery is up 46 cents at $141.43 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.Gasoline stockpiles rose by 2.1 million barrels, although analysts predicted they would decline by half a million barrels.
Energy experts puzzled over oil prices By GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press Writer Wed Jul 2, 6:12 AM ET
MADRID, Spain - As crude soared to a new record, the head of the International Energy Agency declared that the world was in the grip of an oil shock, and the president of OPEC acknowledged he could not say whether prices would flatten out or continue to soar. The comments by IEA chief Nobuko Tanaka, OPEC chief and Algerian Energy minister Chakib Khelil and other industry leaders at the 19th World Petroleum conference reflected the concern surrounding record oil prices that seem ready to spike higher.An IEA report released at the conference confirmed what most consumers fear: that supplies of oil will remain tight, whether for cooking fires in the poorest countries or powering cars and cooling or heating homes in the richest. And that's despite record prices and reduced demand as costly crude dampens the world's oil hunger.Reflecting the world's oil price doldrums, light, sweet crude for August delivery rose 97 cents to settle at a new high of $140.97 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices at one point rose as high as $143.33, just 34 cents shy of Monday's trading record.We are clearly in the third oil price shock, declared Tanaka, comparing the effects to periods of soaring prices in the 1970s and 1980s.But he suggested there is less of a likelihood of a quick fix this time.Those price peaks forced consumers into saving oil and oil companies to look for new wells, said Tanaka, but now the biggest energy savings have been made (and) ... the easy oil outside (of) a few countries has been found.His agency's report said the world's estimated daily oil needs would rise from 86.87 million barrels this year to 94.14 million barrels in 2013 — less than anticipated in its 2007 report because of skyrocketing prices.
The energy agency predicted producers would be able to meet world needs — but noted that supply will exceed projected demand only by a daily 2 million barrels, a relatively thin cushion.Tanaka said that tight supplies despite a price surge that would normally lead to increased availability came as a shock.His comments reflected the high-level bedevilment at the meeting about what is causing prices to sizzle.In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, earlier this month, the kingdom said it would add 200,000 barrels per day in July to a 300,000 barrel per day production increase it first announced in May, raising total daily output to 9.7 million barrels. Production increases normally check prices, but the market has shrugged off the Saudi gesture and set several new records since.Khelil, the OPEC president, offered no solace to consumers.We are very uncertain about the oil prices since it's highly volatile and we don't really know whether it is going to be stabilizing or going to lower levels, he told delegates. But everybody agrees that oil prices are too high.There is a lot of uncertainty about demand, Khelil said. Consequently there is a lot of uncertainty about the decision of investing the tens of billions of dollars needed to make additional crude and refined supplies available.He identified the main driver of prices as the weak U.S. dollar and the linked subprime crisis in America; geopolitical tensions, and increased emphasis on U.S. bioethanol production which he suggested diverted production of diesel and led to shortages.Urging the world to brace for a really big reshuffle in energy expectations, Christophe de Margerie, CEO of French energy giant Total SA, said he expected oil production to plateau in just 12 years at 94 million barrels a day —less then 10 million barrels more than available now. And he warned the forecast was optimistic.We will have to fight against the natural decline of (present) oil fields, he told the same forum Khelil attended. It will not go smoothly.Producers and refiners in the Spanish capital are also looking to find answers not only on how to ensure stable supply, but also on doing it in a way that minimizes emissions of the greenhouse gases believed to cause global warming. Still the primary concern at the meeting was over availability and prices that have been bouncing from record to record over the past few months — a worry echoed by de Margerie.
Consumers worldwide expect a better environment, he said. But they expect first access to energy.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
BIG SUR BLAZE HARD TO CONTAIN
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National Guard troops set to relieve fire crews By GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press Writer JULY 02,08
FRESNO, Calif. - Weary crews battling wildfires across northern and central California are going to get help from the National Guard, the first time the military has been called to ground-based firefighting duty since 1977. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday ordered 200 guardsmen to report for fire training to begin assisting on the fire lines early next week. The extra hands are expected to boost the nearly 19,000 personnel currently fighting the fires.I think that they all are doing a great job, but the danger is that our firefighters get stretched thin, the governor said. A lot of them are working overtime, and they are staying up there for more than 12 hours, sometimes 24 hours, 36 hours. So we have to be very careful that they get enough sleep and they get enough rest.The governor and the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, David Paulison, planned to visit Big Sur on Wednesday for a briefing on firefighting efforts in that hard-hit region.Already this year, drought conditions, high temperatures and a series of lightning storms have contributed to more than 680 square miles of land being charred statewide.Federal fire managers predict an increase in severe wildfire activity in northern California through October due to unusually hot, dry weather and scant rain.The National Interagency Fire Center, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, issued a 2008 Wildland Fire Outlook on Tuesday forecasting significant fire activity to increase or persist in California, as well as in parts of the western Great Basin in Nevada, the northern Rocky Mountains, Texas, and West Virginia.
The agency also upped its national preparedness level Tuesday to Level 5, its highest — a warning that there are major fires that have the potential to exhaust firefighting resources. It's the second earliest date the agency has reached Level 5 since 1990.
California has endured the worst of the fires so far this year, raging from the western edge of the Sierra Nevada to coastal mountains near Big Sur. They have created a smoky haze so stifling that some doctors in the San Joaquin Valley say their waiting rooms have been crowding with patients struggling to breathe.In the Big Sur region of the Los Padres National Forest, about 200 people along a roughly 15-mile stretch of Highway 1 were ordered to leave their homes and businesses. Evacuation orders also remained in place for occupants of at least 75 homes who were forced to leave the region last week, as a 47,000-acre blaze burning through uninhabited forest land moved closer.In Southern California, a fire in the southern extension of the Los Padres forest north of Santa Barbara also prompted mandatory evacuations as wind up to 35 mph pushed flames toward homes in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Officials said the fire had burned nearly 100 acres of heavy brush by Wednesday morning.Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Eli Iskow said about 40 homes were evacuated. County spokesman William Boyer said he didn't know how close flames had gotten to homes.In the Sequoia National Forest east of Bakersfield, crews struggled to contain an 11,500-acre blaze there. Powerful gusts and choking smoke traveling up the steep canyons hampered their progress, and residents of neighboring towns were ordered to evacuate.Even without the blazes, the farming towns and subdivisions dotting the valley are typically shrouded in a layer of smog during the summer. But airborne ash from the blazes caused such a spike in air pollution over the weekend that meteorologist Shawn Ferreria said it took his breath away.I went and bought a mask because my lungs were not happy with me, said Ferreria, a senior air quality specialist for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. What we are experiencing is out of historical norms.Officials had hoped a fog bank along the Northern California coast would help with fire suppression, but the moisture did not extend inland, said Brian Tentinger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey.Air district officials grew concerned that wind patterns could send more smoke billowing into the valley, which is bordered on three sides by mountains. Once the tiny particles of soot — which are blamed for triggering asthma and other respiratory problems — are carried inland, they're sealed in under a layer of warm air created by hot summer temperatures.Our waiting rooms are full of people with sore throats, itchy eyes and sniffles, said Kevin Hamilton, a respiratory therapist with Sequoia Community Health Center in Fresno.
Schools canceled outdoor activities and residents were warned to stay inside with the air conditioner running. For households lacking air conditioners, the district recommended families hole up in local malls. Since there's fires to the north, west and east of us we're kind of surrounded, said Gary Arcemont, a meteorologist with the Fresno-based air district. Depending on what happens with the intensity and the winds in the next few days, we could be breathing the smoke from any of them.Associated Press writers Tracie Cone in Fresno, Scott Lindlaw in San Francisco, and Jessie Bonner in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.
DISEASES
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
SALMONELLA OUTBREAK
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SALMONELLA OUTBRAKE STILL UNCLEAR
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Salmonella probe adds foods served with tomatoes By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer Wed Jul 2, 6:21 AM ET
WASHINGTON - Adding to tomato confusion, the government is about to start testing numerous other types of fresh produce in the hunt for the source of the nation's record salmonella outbreak — even as it insists tomatoes remain the leading suspect. Investigators are mum on exactly what other vegetables are getting tracked.Items commonly served with fresh tomatoes is the only hint Food and Drug Administration food safety chief Dr. David Acheson would give, calling it irresponsible to point a finger until he has more evidence that some other food really deserves the extra scrutiny.
Tomatoes aren't off the hook, he stressed. It's just that there is clearly a need to think beyond tomatoes.Still, Acheson widened FDA's probe on Tuesday, activating an emergency network of food laboratories around the country in anticipation of lots of additional samples to test.The reason is that the outbreak continues, with 869 people now confirmed having taken ill. Most troublesome, at least 179 of them fell ill in June, the latest on June 20. That is more than two months after the first salmonella illnesses appeared, meaning the outbreak is continuing weeks longer than food-poisoning specialists had expected — and suggesting the culprit is still on the market.Over the weekend, disease detectives with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began interviewing people sickened in June to find out what they ate and to compare their diets with those of healthy relatives and neighbors. Officials wouldn't reveal early findings, except to say they supported the investigation's new move.Among the possibilities FDA is exploring is whether tomatoes and other produce are sharing a common packing or shipping site where both might become contaminated, or whether multiple foods might be tainted while being grown on adjoining farms or with common water sources.
Pressure is increasing on the FDA to solve the case, with the tomato industry suffering millions of dollars in losses and pushing for Congress to investigate how the agency handled the outbreak.
But Acheson said Tuesday that there's a growing misconception in the public that if tomatoes really were to blame, the outbreak would only have lasted six weeks.That's just not true, he said, pointing to farms that rotate harvests so as to keep producing tomatoes for months.Tomatoes first became a suspect because of what are called case-control studies rapidly conducted in New Mexico and Texas, the outbreak's center, CDC food-poisoning specialist Dr. Robert Tauxe said.Those kinds of studies compare the sick to people who are otherwise similar — in income, lifestyle, where they live — but healthy. In those initial studies, about 80 percent of the ill reported eating certain types of fresh tomatoes, far more than the healthy group did, Tauxe said. Statistically, the association was too strong to think it a coincidence.Some food-poisoning experts say the CDC missed a key step in not taking those studies a step further and trying to trace why some of the healthy ate tomatoes without harm.For now, the FDA continues to urge consumers nationwide to avoid raw red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes unless they were grown in specific states or countries that the agency has cleared of suspicion. Check the FDA's Web site — http://www.fda.gov — for an updated list. Also safe are grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached.That advice is coming under fire too because tomatoes are sent through multiple repacking and distribution sites around the country, even to Mexico and back, regardless of where they're grown. But Acheson said the advice would be fine-tuned only if new science emerges.
Even Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt expressed frustration Tuesday that the case isn't solved.Nothing happens fast enough when you have a problem like this, Leavitt said as he asked Congress for more funds and stronger legal powers for food and consumer safety agencies. Still, I feel confident we will find the solution to this problem.Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADE BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
EU trade commissioner hits back at Sarkozy
ELITSA VUCHEVA JULY 02,08 Today @ 09:24 CET
EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has fired back at criticism by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, arguing that Mr Sarkozy's statements were undermining the EU's position in world trade talks.
I am being undermined and Europe's negotiating position in the world trade talks is being weakened and I regret that, Mr Mandelson told the BBC's Newsnight programme on Tuesday (1 July). The trade commissioner is mystified by Mr Sarkozy's criticism (Photo: wikipedia)It is very disappointing because the mandate under which I am negotiating in the world trade talks - and trying on Europe's behalf to bring them to a successful conclusion - has been agreed by all the member states, he added.Speaking on French national television on Monday – on the eve of the launch of the French EU presidency – France's president again accused the British commissioner of offering too many concessions during the talks.
[WTO chief] Mr Lamy and Mr Mandelson want to make us accept a deal under which Europe would commit to cutting farm output by 20 percent and reduce farm exports by 10 percent, Mr Sarkozy told national television channel France 3 on Monday.That would be 100,000jobs lost, I won't let it happen, he added.The current round of talks on trade liberalisation – the Doha round – was launched in 2001, but has long failed to progress, as all sides have been refusing to make significant compromises.On Monday, France stressed once again it would veto any deal sacrificing agricultural production on the altar of global liberalism. Paris has also long defended the EU's farm spending – known as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - as well as its own subsidies for farmers, and opposed any reforms that it sees as too liberalising and potentially destructive.France has set the CAP and its review – or health check – as one of its EU presidency priorities.For his part, Mr Mandelson expressed regret that Mr Sarkozy's intervention last night will make it harder for me.Earlier in the day, his spokesperson in Brussels defended the commissioner's actions and challenged Mr Sarkozy's figures, saying the decrease in farm production and the job losses would be much smaller than what he had presented.The French president has made a number of similar attacks against the EU's trade chief, and in June he suggested that he had played a part in the negative outcome of the Irish referendum on the Lisbon treaty – an accusation that mystified Mr Mandelson.
Sarkozy offers more protectionist Europe as French EU presidency opens ELITSA VUCHEVA 01.07.2008 @ 09:31 CET
During a one-hour television address, the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, promised to protect Europeans during France's time at the EU helm. The French EU presidency, which begins Tuesday (1 July), is saddled with some of the biggest conundrums to face the bloc in years: Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon treaty and the climate of growing discontent among citizens towards what they see as the EU's poor response to growing food and fuel prices.The Eiffel tower will be lit up in the colours of Europe every evening in the next two months. (Photo: wikipedia)We have to profoundly change our way of building Europe, Mr Sarkozy said during his talk on TV channel France 3 on Monday (30 June).There is something wrong, Europe worries today and even worse, [European] citizens are wondering whether in the end they are not better protected at the national rather than at the European level, he added.
Consequently, we must not be afraid of the word protection… We have to reflect on how to turn Europe into a means of protecting Europeans in their everyday lives, he argued.Mr Sarkozy explained that he wanted to provoke a salutary shock through a change in order to save the European idea, which would be in danger if one does not protect the people.The French leader stated on an earlier occasion that one of the things Europeans expected from the EU is to shield them from globalisation's negative effects – but France's protectionist streak is unlikely to be welcomed unanimously by all other 26 member states.He has also opposed the European Commission's position in global trade talks and recently publicly criticised EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson for pursuing a trade liberalisation deal that he said would lead to a one-fifth cut in agricultural production and a reduction in farm exports, while a child dies of hunger every 30 seconds.A review – or health check – of the EU's farm spending is planned before the end of the year.
In the aftermath of the Irish No
A couple of hours after Mr Sarkozy's TV intervention, the Eiffel tower was lit up in the blue and golden glow of the EU's colours under the gaze of of France's foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, and the ambassadors of the other 26 EU states in Paris, as the French EU presidency was officially launched.Despite its ambitious goals however, many analysts argue France's six-month chairmanship of the EU will be clouded by Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon treaty in June.While evoking immigration, climate change and agriculture as some of the main dossiers on which the French presidency will focus, Mr Sarkozy did not offer further details on his plans on defence in his TV speech.Boosting up EU defence has been another one of Paris' declared priorities for the next six months, but also a point on which its rhetoric may need to be toned down, in particular if Irish citizens, wary of EU military plans, are to vote a second time on the Lisbon treaty – as Mr Sarkozy himself has implied they might.France has also proposed a plan to co-ordinate a crackdown on clandestine immigrants - making it harder to come into Europe.But the so-called immigration pact has already been opposed by Spain and watered down under Madrid's pressure.Some of the measures contained in the document were judged too tough by Spain – such as the putting in place of compulsory integration contracts, and making it obligatory for the immigrants to adopt national and European values.Madrid fears the requirement may dissuade legal workers, which it needs to boost its economy.
The French minister of immigration and integration, Brice Hortefeux, will officially present a new version of his plans to EU interior and justice ministers on 7 July, Le Figaro reports.On Monday, the French president also defended once again his plans to cut VAT on fuels in response to the soaring fuel prices – a move opposed by a number of member states, in particular Germany.
ID SAY GODS WORD IS COMING TO PASS THAT THE EU WILL BE A DICTATORSHIP AND THEN CONTROL THE WORLD TO MAKE IT A DICTATORSHIP HEADED BY THE GODLESS PRESIDENT IN THE FUTURE AND EVEN NOW IN ITS EARLY STAGES.
Latin American leaders condemn racist EU law
LEIGH PHILLIPS JULY 02,08 Today @ 09:14 CET
Latin American leaders have sharply criticised as barbarous, xenophobic and racist new European Union legislation on clandestine immigration that allows extended detention of undocumented workers.
It hurts us deeply that there is no respect for the human rights of Latin American immigrants, who had to leave and seek elsewhere what they don't have in their own lands - just like their grandparents did, said Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, speaking at the 35th summit of the Mercosur trade bloc in Argentina.The EU laws are xenophobic and discriminatory, he said, Bloomberg reports.The EU's return directive, which was passed by the European Parliament in June, allows the detention of irregular immigrants up to 18 months, and bans re-entry for scofflaws for five years.The law has received repeated strong criticism from South American leaders, who were intent on issuing a resolution condemning the policy during the Mercosur meeting. Combined, the bloc is the fifth largest economy in the world, which together with the other South American trade zone, the Andean Community, aims to form a South American Union, Unasur, modelled on the EU.
Legalised barbarism
The Mercosur member states and associate states reject any attempt to criminalise the irregular migration and the adoption of restrictive immigration policies, reads the resolution, which also noted how, conversely South America had welcomed with generosity and solidarity millions of European migrants in previous centuries.
The contrast in the two continents' attitude towards immigration was a common theme amongst the leaders.Europeans who landed in the Americas took possession of thousands of hectares of land, mines, natural resources and exploited our people, accused Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, while immigrants in Europe are not exploiting anyone - they are not taking possession of thousands of hectares of land and mines; they are not destroying the natural resources.We were very generous with the Europeans who arrived in our land in the last century, and the truth is that it is not fair for our people to get a denigrating treatment, said Chile's Michelle Bachelet.Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, for his part, said that the Return Directive embodies racism and discrimination.
We need a strong stance...in defense of the dignity of our people, Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez told his fellow leaders, according to the Associated Press. Civilized Europe - I say that ironically - has legalised barbarism.Mercosur brings together Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela, while Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru have associate member status. Mexico is an observer.
Polish president softens tone on EU treaty
PHILIPPA RUNNER JULY 02,08 Today @ 09:24 CET
Polish President Lech Kaczynski on Tuesday (1 July) toned down his rhetoric against the Lisbon treaty, with the French EU presidency also downplaying the mini-crisis and analysts saying Mr Kaczynski's stance is a bargaining tool for foreign policy concessions.If the Irish change their mind, not under pressure, but of their own free will, there will not be the slightest obstacle to ratification from the Polish side...I will also sign the treaty, he said on a visit to Georgia, PAP reports. I had a big role in negotiating this treaty, and I support it.The comments come after Mr Kaczynski in a newspaper interview earlier the same day said signing the treaty would be pointless after the Irish voted No in June. The Polish parliament approved Lisbon in April but the president must now ink a so-called Ratification Act.The Polish president is an honest, politically-engaged man and I don't doubt for a moment he will keep his word, French leader Nicolas Sarkozy said at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday. I can't imagine that someone who negotiated the treaty and signed it would question their own signature.It's not a Polish refusal to sign, French foreign ministry spokesman, Eric Chevallier, added, Le Monde reports. The president said that, for the moment, he has chosen to postpone his ratification signature. He didn't say I will never sign he said for the moment.
France plans to hold high-level talks with Poland to resolve the situation, using Mr Kaczynski's desire to give Ukraine an EU membership perspective as leverage, French diplomats explained. We have to try and keep everyone together, keep the European family together, one diplomat said.
The Lisbon gambit
Polish neighbours and analysts speculate the president's stance is not really designed to protect Irish voters or the EU principle of unanimity, with Czech Europe minister Alexandr Vondra and Swedish Europe minister Cecilia Malmstrom both saying it is a tactical move in internal Polish games.Mr Kaczynski is fighting to win oversight powers on Polish government behaviour in EU negotiations and to get government approval for Poland to host a US missile shield. The Lisbon row also generates momentum for his flagging conservative opposition party, as campaigning slowly begins for the 2009 European Parliament elections.If Lech Kaczynski signs the treaty it will be a victory for [Polish liberal Prime Minister Donald] Tusk. So the president wants his own victory by winning concessions from the liberals, Polish Institute of Political Sciences analyst Kazimierz Kik told AFP.Support for the treaty could also be traded [with France and Germany] for support for a Polish candidate for one of the most important EU positions [such as European Parliament president], Polish daily Rzeczpospolita wrote in an editorial comment.
Heating things up
Mr Kaczynski's remarks on the pointlessness of Lisbon caused outrage inside Poland, with socialist and liberal MPs tabling a parliamentary resolution urging him to sign and Prime Minister Tusk saying it is needless for Poland to find itself attached to Ireland as a country...in a difficult situation.A European Commission statement on Tuesday reminding Mr Kaczynski that he is obliged to ratify the treaty after his part in the signing ceremony in Lisbon last year also generated heat.With all due respect, the European Commission is a European Union organ without the authority to evaluate the decisions of the leaders of individual member states, the Polish president said.
European Commission puts social conscience on show
LUCIA KUBOSOVA JULY 02,08 Today @ 17:45 CET
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission has come up with a renewed social agenda to highlight its efforts for better protection of citizens, despite criticism by some in the European Parliament and in national capitals, accusing Brussels of a narrow focus on economic growth and the internal market.Europe's social dimension has never been as relevant as it is today, commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said on Wednesday (2 July) in a statement on a package of documents addressing the key social policy areas where Europe is currently active.Patients' rights and a new anti-discrimination bill have so far attracted the most attention in the basket of policies, but the social agenda also includes specific ideas on how to help Roma people, as well as a proposal on works councils which currently operate in 820 major firms and cover some 14.5 million employees.Brussels argues the role of works councils in big multinational companies should be strengthened, so as to help foster transnational social dialogue in large enterprises, to improve corporate governance and to anticipate and manage change in a socially responsible way.
Employers' groups fear the move would mean a slow-down in corporate decision-making. The commission's proposal runs counter to its intention of having a social agenda that is responsive to change, reacted BusinessEurope, an umbrella group of big businesses.Arnaldo Abruzzini of Eurochambres commented we question the rationale of the whole package, which appears like a patchwork of a dozen of initiatives, randomly put together without any clear coherence, adding that there could be questionable impact on businesses from some of the proposals.On the other hand, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) argues Brussels has made a modest step forward with its social agenda in general and on works councils in particular.But ETUC chief John Monks said We are waiting for stronger and more ambitious initiatives.In a similar tone, The Social Platform, the alliance of European NGOs active in the social sector expressed some measured optimism on the commission's package while noting that a clear commitment to making social issues central to EU strategy is still some way off.Until the commission puts forward a social pact, making concrete pledges for social progress central to its vision for the EU, equality for all and the eradication of poverty will be impossible to achieve, said Conny Reuter, president of the Social Platform.In a final remark in his briefing to journalists on Wednesday, social policy commissioner Vladimir Spidla said if you expect social progress, don't expect it will arrive by mere action in Brussels. We all together make up Europe and we all have to work together to achieve it.
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