Saturday, April 30, 2011

My Way News - Egypt's plan to open Gaza border reveals shifts
My Way News reports: "Egypt's announcement that it will open a key border crossing with the Palestinian Gaza Strip within days sparked concern in Israel on Friday and revealed how the upheaval in the Arab world is shifting the Mideast conflict [...] Egypt's new transitional Cabinet and ruling military council are taking a cooler line toward Israel and the U.S. Egypt has also been warming its ties with Israel's enemies, chiefly Hamas and its main backer, Iran."
UPI.com - Earthquake rattles Panama
UPI reports: "The U.S. Geological Survey says a 6-magnitude earthquake shook southern Panama Saturday [...] There were no immediate reports of damage or injury from the quake, which hit about 238 miles southwest of the capital of Panama City."
My Way News - NATO strike kills Gadhafi's son but leader escapes
My Way News reports: "Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi escaped a NATO missile strike in Tripoli on Saturday, but his youngest son and three grandchildren under the age of 12 were killed, a government spokesman said."

Comment: So they went from enforcing a no-fly zone to bombing civilian neighborhoods and targeting the leaders home. Interesting development.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Yahoo! News - Syrian forces kill 62, U.S. tightens sanctions
Yahoo! News reports: "A medical source told Reuters that soldiers in Deraa killed 19 people on Friday when they fired on thousands of protesters descending from nearby villages in a show of solidarity with the southern city where Syria's uprising broke out six weeks ago."
Yahoo! News - German police arrest three al Qaeda suspects
Yahoo! News reports: "German police arrested three suspected members of al Qaeda on Friday, averting 'a concrete and imminent danger' of a terrorist operation, authorities said. The newspaper Bild quoted security sources as saying the three, all young Moroccans, were arrested in Duesseldorf and Bochum. It said police seized large amounts of explosives."
Yahoo! News - Six Planets Now Aligned in the Dawn Sky
Yahoo! News reports: "While astrologers view planetary alignments as foretellers of disasters, modern amateur astronomers look forward to them as nothing more than grand photo ops. If you go out any morning for the next four days, you’ll be treated to a view of the crescent moon and all but one of the naked eye planets."
My Way News - US urges Turkey on Iran sanctions
My Way News reports: "Iran could try to exploit growing trade ties with Turkey, a neighbor with a booming economy, in order to circumvent international sanctions aimed at forcing it to stop its suspected efforts to make nuclear weapons, a U.S. Treasury Department official said Wednesday [...] Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in February that annual trade with Iran had reached $10 billion and the aim was to reach $30 billion in the next few years."
My Way News - Kenya cuts tax on maize, wheat; 4 die from hunger
My Way News reports: "An infant was left suckling on her mother's lifeless body last week after the woman died of hunger in Kenya's drought-stricken north. The heartbreaking scene is one reason the government on Wednesday cut taxes on maize and wheat. Prices on food and fuel are rising globally, but higher costs are hitting residents in East Africa particularly hard."
My Way News - Even rescuers hobbled by worst twisters since 1932
My Way News reports: "Southerners found their emergency safety net shredded Friday as they tried to emerge from the nation's deadliest tornado disaster since the Great Depression. Emergency buildings are wiped out. Bodies are stored in refrigerated trucks. Authorities are begging for such basics as flashlights. In one neighborhood, the storms even left firefighters to work without a truck."

Comment: I suppose that a firehouse, a hospital or police station area buildings like any other building, but one doesn't usually think of them being hit by a tornado. I know they're not exempt, but it's just one more example of the destructive power of these storms.
My Way News - Live streamed royal wedding reigns on the Web
My Way News reports: "Prince William and Kate Middleton may have had a traditional wedding, but the Internet traffic that accompanied the ceremony was something very new for the royal family. Millions followed the affair in live streams on their computers, all the while commenting on social media sites."

Thursday, April 28, 2011

My Way News - Killer twisters likely among largest, strongest
My Way News reports: "Some of the killer tornadoes that ripped across the South may have been among the largest and most powerful ever recorded, experts suggested, leaving a death toll that is approaching that of a tragic 'super outbreak' of storms almost 40 years ago."

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

My Way News - Rival Palestinian factions reach unity agreement
My Way News reports: "Rival Palestinian groups said they reached an agreement Wednesday on reuniting their governments in the West Bank and Gaza after years of bitter infighting that weakened them politically and caused the deaths of hundreds in violent clashes and crackdowns since [...] unity between the rival groups Fatah and Hamas appeared unlikely to jump start negotiations with Israel for an independent Palestinian state."

Comment: Yes, very unlikely. Hamas wants to destroy Israel and Fatah wants a peace agreement, there would seem to be very little common ground. Worse, the prospect of elections means that Hamas could win yet another popular election and this time the international community will find it hard to ignore that outcome as they did the last time. If the Palestinian people vote for the war party, what will Israel and the West do then? Will they finally acknowledge that the Palestinians don't want peace, or will they continue down the path of appeasement?
My Way News - Afghan officer opens fire, kills 9 Americans
My Way News reports: "A veteran Afghan military pilot said to be distressed over his personal finances opened fire at Kabul airport after an argument Wednesday, killing eight U.S. troops and an American civilian contractor."
My Way News - Storms kill 72 around South, including 58 in Ala.
My Way News reports: "A wave of tornado-spawning storms strafed the South on Wednesday, splintering buildings across hard-hit Alabama and killing 72 people in four states."
My Way News - Iran's Ahmadinejad in growing rift with top cleric
My Way News reports: "Iran's president on Wednesday shunned a Cabinet meeting for the second consecutive time this week, apparently showing his discontent over a recent government appointment by the country's supreme leader. The no-show appears to be part of a growing rift between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader who has final say in all state matters in Iran."
My Way News - NATO jets stop attack on rebel-held port in Libya
My Way News reports: "NATO warplanes pounded forces loyal to Libyan leader Moaamar Gadhafi attacking the rebel-held city of Misrata, blasting fighting vehicles advancing on the port that serves as the besieged city's sole lifeline, a NATO spokeswoman said on Wednesday."

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

CNN.com - Iranian official: New computer worm discovered
CNN reports: "Iran has been targeted by a new computer worm named Stars, according to an Iranian official. 'The damage is very slight in the initial stage,' defense official Gholam Reza Jalali told the semi-official news agency Mehr. It was unclear how long ago the worm was discovered or which systems in Iran it was designed to penetrate."
My Way News - Government forces bombard Libyan port
My Way News reports: "Libyan government forces on Tuesday bombarded the port of Misrata, in a virtually nonstop assault on the sole lifeline of a battered population that has been under siege for the past two months."
My Way News - Jordanian police recover 7 ancient manuscripts
My Way News reports: "Jordan's archaeology chief says security police have recovered seven ancient manuscripts from local smugglers [...] if verified, the relics could be the most significant find in Christian archaeology since the 1947 discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls."
My Way News - Quake shakes Acapulco, tourists to streets
My Way News reports: "A moderate earthquake shook the Mexican Pacific coast resort of Acapulco on Tuesday, forcing dozens of nervous spring vacationers into the streets. No damages or injuries were reported. The magnitude-5.7 quake occurred at 6:07 a.m. local time (1107 GMT) and was centered about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Acapulco, in the state of Guerrero, the U.S. Geological Survey in Colorado reported on its website. It was followed by a magnitude-4.6 replica at 6:18 a.m. (1118 GMT), the agency said."

My Way News - Earthquake in central Indonesia panics residents
My Way News reports: "An earthquake has hit waters off Indonesia's main island of Java, sending panicked residents fleeing from their homes and office buildings. No tsunami warning has been issued, and there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.4. It says it hit 88 miles (140 kilometers) south of Cirebon city and was centered nearly 50 miles (78 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor."

Monday, April 25, 2011

My Way News - Japan's Christians celebrate Easter amid disaster
My Way News reports: "Christians represent a tiny minority in Japan - less than 1 percent of the population by most estimates. Although Christianity has centuries-old roots in the country, the religion has struggled to gain momentum as it has in neighboring South Korea and China. Japanese society today is largely secular, sprinkled with Shinto and Buddhist ritual depending on the occasion."

My Way News - In Easter message, pope urges diplomacy in Libya
My Way News reports: "This year, Easter fell on the same day in the Orthodox and Roman Catholic church calendars, and in Jerusalem, Orthodox and Catholics worshipped at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, revered as the site of Jesus' Good Friday crucifixion and burial and of his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Protestants held their own ceremonies outside the walled Old City at the Garden Tomb, which some identify as the site of Jesus' burial."
My Way News - 7 wounded in Easter bombing outside Baghdad church
My Way News reports: "At least seven people were injured when a bomb outside the entrance of a Baghdad church exploded on Easter Sunday, an Iraqi police official said [...] Iraqi Christians have faced a recent wave of violence, including an attack last year against a Baghdad church that killed 68 people."

NYTimes.com - Chinese Detained After Attempt to Hold Easter Services
The New York Times reports: "The authorities stepped up a three-week campaign against an underground Christian church on Sunday, detaining hundreds of congregants in their homes and taking at least 36 others into custody after they tried to hold Easter services in a public square, church members and officials said."
My Way News - NATO strike on Gadhafi HQ raises pressure on him
My Way News reports: "The latest NATO airstrike on Moammar Gadhafi's compound that reduced parts of it to a smoldering ruin steps up pressure on the increasingly embattled Libyan leader as he struggles to hold onto the western half of the country."
My Way News - Thousands of Syrian troops raid rebellious city
My Way News reports: "Thousands of soldiers backed by tanks and snipers moved in before dawn to the city where Syria's anti-government uprising began, causing panic in the streets when they opened fire indiscriminately on civilians and went house-to-house rounding up suspected protesters. At least 11 people were killed and 14 others lay in the streets - either dead or gravely wounded, witnesses said."

My Way News - Moroccan cities see new political protests
My Way News reports: "Several thousand protesters have staged protests in cities around Morocco to demand more political changes. A participant said that a group of fewer than 5,000 protesters organized a march through a working-class neighborhood of the capital Rabat to call for constitutional reforms and new parliamentary elections."
My Way News - Strong, shallow earthquake hits eastern Indonesia
My Way News reports: "A strong, shallow earthquake hit eastern Indonesia early Monday, sending residents, hotels guests and patients from a hospital fleeing in panic. Some homes were damaged, with windows shattered and walls cracked, but there were no immediate reports of injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-6.2 quake struck the southeastern tip of Sulawesi island."
My Way News - Nigeria radical Muslim sect vows to keep fighting
My Way News reports: "A radical sect blamed for killings in northeastern Nigeria is vowing to fight until its says Muslims regain their freedom all over Nigeria. In a statement released Sunday, the group known as Boko Haram called on the Nigerian government to embrace Islam, drop the constitution and adopt the laws in the Qur'an. Boko Haram's message comes amid deadly postelection rioting elsewhere in the north following the election of a Christian president."

Friday, April 22, 2011

Yahoo! News - Christian pilgrims fill Jerusalem for Good Friday
Yahoo! News reports: "Christian pilgrims filled the cobblestone alleyways of old Jerusalem to mark Good Friday, commemorating Jesus' crucifixion in the city two millennia ago. Thousands of international visitors and local Christians retraced Jesus' last steps down the Via Dolorosa, which is Latin for 'Way of Suffering.' The route ends at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, revered as the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and his resurrection two days later on Easter Sunday."

Comment: This is a good report that does not use politically correct terms to set the scene. They don't, for example, says things like "they believe" or "believed to be" when describing the events. Some reports do, and I'm always a bit sensitive to that as it reflects the amazing transformation on our Western culture, so rich with Christian history and tradition, and yet now afraid of acknowledging our own history.

Have you seen a news report that depicts the events of holy week as a myth or a story? If so, please feel free to share them in the comments section and then let's visit those sites to defend the truth of the gospel in their comments section.
Yahoo! News - Dozens killed in bloodiest day of Syria uprising
Yahoo! News reports: "Syrian security forces fired bullets and tear gas Friday at tens of thousands of protesters across the country, killing at least 75 people in the bloodiest day of the monthlong uprising and signaling that the authoritarian regime was prepared to turn more ruthless to put down the revolt against President Bashar Assad."
Yahoo! News - Russia says kills al Qaeda militant in North Caucasus
Yahoo! News reports: "A decade after federal forces drove a separatist government from power in Chechnya in a war that started in 1999, Moscow is struggling to contain a growing Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus. Russian officials say the insurgency depends on ideological and financial patronage from the Middle East and militant Islamist groups like al Qaeda, although analysts dispute the extent of those links."
Crowds protest Christian governor in south Egypt - Yahoo! News
My Way News reports: "Tens of thousands of Egyptians led by hard-line Islamists escalated their protests Friday over the appointment of a Coptic Christian governor in southern Egypt, deepening mistrust between religious communities during the bumpy aftermath of Egypt's revolution."

Comment: It was not a good Friday in Egypt. I wonder how those nice Islamists would react if Christians protested on one of their holy days? Riots? Such a religion of peace.
Yahoo! News - Fear in Pakistani village dominated by Christians
Yahoo News reports: "Khushpur is almost entirely Catholic, and for decades it has been an oasis for Christians in a nation where 95 percent of people are Muslim and Islamist extremism is spreading [...] While Pakistan has never carried out a death sentence for blasphemy, people can lose months or years of their lives in prison. Dozens have been killed by extremists during the trial process or after they are released. While many of those accused under the law are Muslim, Christians are disproportionately targeted. Already, Christians in this nation of 180 million face daily discrimination and often hold low-level jobs, such as street sweeping. "
My Way News - Europe, especially France, hit by measles outbreak
My Way News reports: "Europe, especially France, has been hit by a major outbreak of measles, which the U.N. health agency is blaming on the failure to vaccinate all children. The World Health Organization said Thursday that France had 4,937 reported cases of measles between January and March - compared with 5,090 cases during all of 2010. In all, more than 6,500 cases have been reported in 33 European nations."

Comment: Come on people, get your kids vaccinated. I think it's a sad phenomenon of the modern age that at the same tools that can enlighten us (like the internet) can also spread doubt and fear. It's an age when people doubt their faith both in God and in science, and age without faith, only fear.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

My Way News - Libyan rebels report gains in Misrata fighting
My Way News reports: "Rebels battled Moammar Gadhafi's troops Thursday for control of central Misrata, driving dozens of snipers from tall buildings in hours of urban warfare and gaining a tactical advantage in the only major city held by the opposition in western Libya, witnesses said."

Yahoo! News - Obama OKs use of armed drone aircraft in Libya
Yahoo! News reports: "President Barack Obama has approved the use of armed drones in Libya, authorizing U.S. airstrikes on ground forces for the first time since America turned over control of the operation to NATO on April 4."
My Way News - Bomb blast kills 3 policemen in Afghanistan
My Way News reports: "Fighting has escalated in eastern Afghanistan as Afghan and coalition forces step up their attacks on insurgents along the Pakistan border and militants retaliate with attacks on pro-government forces, including a bomb blast Thursday that killed three Afghan policemen."
My Way News - Troops from Thailand, Cambodia in border clash
My Way News reports: "A long-running border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia flared anew Friday, with troops from the two Southeast Asian countries exchanging fire along their disputed frontier, security officials from both nations said."

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

My Way News - Thousands protest in Syria, brushing off reforms
My Way News reports: "Thousands of students held demonstrations Wednesday against Syria's authoritarian regime, brushing off President Bashar Assad's sweeping declarations of reform as the country's growing protest movement vowed to stage the biggest rallies to date on Friday."

My Way News - Misrata residents describe nonstop shelling
My Way News reports: "For nearly two months, Gadhafi's forces have laid siege to the only major city in western Libya still in opposition hands, and its residents said the attacks have been relentless and hundreds of people have been killed."
My Way News - 47 Israeli intellectuals back Palestinian state
My Way News reports: "Prominent Israeli intellectuals and artists have come out in favor of creating a Palestinian state based on the 1967 line marking the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The 47 signatories include 16 recipients of the Israel Prize, the country's highest civilian honor. Among them are civil rights pioneer Shulamit Aloni, actress Hannah Marom and Holocaust historian Yehuda Bauer."

My Way News - Palestinian leader: There will be no new uprising
My Way News reports: "The Palestinian president said Wednesday he is opposed to another armed uprising against Israel, even if faltering peace efforts fail later this year [...] he remains committed to the U.S.-backed target of reaching a negotiated peace agreement with Israel by September."
My Way News - Iran lawmakers: Ahmadinejad must back intel chief
My Way News reports: "Political pressures mounted on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after more than 200 lawmakers warned Wednesday that he must obey an order from the country's supreme leader reinstating Iran's powerful intelligence minister."
My Way News - 15-state tornado outbreak deadliest since 2008
My Way News reports: "The devastation is stunning - homes and lives shattered as the deadliest swarm of twisters in three years battered up to 15 states. Ultimately, this could turn out to be among the top 10 three-day outbreaks for number of tornadoes, though experts can't be sure until all the reports are sorted, said Greg Carbin of the federal Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla."

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

My Way News - Egypt traffic dispute turns into sectarian brawl
My Way News reports: "Local residents of small village in the province of Minya were incensed by the presence of a large speed bump outside the villa of a prominent Coptic Christian lawyer and member of the former ruling party [...] The dispute with the house guards turned violent and they opened fire, killing two bystanders and incensing the local community. A mob then ransacked a cafe owned by the lawyer and several homes of local Christians."

Comment: Please join me in praying for the church in Egypt, not just for their safety, but for their faith. Can they demonstrate that Christians react to persecution differently than those of other faiths? Or will they give in to the way of the world and seek revenge?
My Way News - Syria lifts hated law, but protesters unimpressed
My Way News reports: "Syria did away with 50 years of emergency rule Tuesday, but emboldened and defiant crowds accused President Bashar Assad of simply trying to buy time while he clings to power in one of the most repressive regimes in the Middle East."

Comment:
What happens when you back a dictator into a corner? Nothing good.
My Way News - British military advisers to help Libyan rebels
My Way News reports: "Europe is ready to send an armed force to Libya to ensure delivery of humanitarian aid and Britain said Tuesday it will dispatch senior military officers to advise the opposition - signs that Western nations are inching closer to having troops on Libyan soil."
My Way News - Police: Baby cut out of pregnant Kentucky woman
My Way News reports: "A woman used a stun gun to subdue an expectant mother before killing her and cutting the baby boy from her body, a Kentucky State Police investigator testified Tuesday."

Comment: This is really horrible, only read it if you have a strong stomach. She acted alone, but only after asking her kids (yeah, she already had kids!) if they would help kill the woman with the baby.

Monday, April 18, 2011

My Way News - Egypt Islamists defiant over Christian governor
My Way News reports: "Protesters led by hardline Islamists in southern Egypt held their ground Monday, saying they won't end their campaign of civil disobedience until the government removes a newly appointed Coptic Christian governor [...] Since the Feb. 11 ousting of President Hosni Mubarak in popular protests, Islamist groups have have been flexing their muscles and are vowing to take a more active political role as Egypt is still drawing its transition to democracy [...] tensions were so high that the local Christian residents had to stay inside and couldn't go to church to celebrate Palm Sunday."

Comment: Please join me in praying for the persecuted church in Egypt
My Way News - Christians mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem
My Way News reports: "Thousands of Christians from around the world, beating drums and holding green palm fronds, marked Palm Sunday in Jerusalem, celebrating the time when, according to the New Testament, Jesus Christ arrived in the city two millennia ago."
My Way News - 15-state tornado outbreak deadliest since 2008
My Way News reports: "The devastation is stunning - homes and lives shattered as the deadliest swarm of twisters in three years battered up to 15 states. Ultimately, this could turn out to be among the top 10 three-day outbreaks for number of tornadoes, though experts can't be sure until all the reports are sorted, said Greg Carbin of the federal Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla."

Comment: Yes, I know, it's just weather, but history-making and nearly-unprecedented weather is always notable. In this case, these storms support the idea that changing weather patterns attributed to global warming are making large storms larger, both on land and at sea. If the pattern holds we can expect more of the same.
My Way News - North African immigrants straining Europe's unity
My Way News reports: "While no single issue will sever the strong, deep ties between the nations of the EU, many observers see significant long-term damage to the idea of uniting vastly dissimilar cultures and economies in a single confederation."

Comment: These are dark days for the E.U. and for the wider European project. It's time to start thinking about devolution instead of integration. But, who knows, perhaps a phoenix will rise from the ashes and the dream will live again.
My Way News - Stocks sink after S&P issues warning on US debt
My Way News reports: "U.S. government bonds are widely seen as the benchmark for the safest kind of debt. The highly unusual move by the ratings agency to lower its outlook for U.S. debt to 'negative' from 'stable' caught investors off guard."

Comment: Question - What is the one thing holding the global financial system together? Answer: The U.S. economy. The age of the dollar is ending, thanks in no small part of small minded politicians who can't quite grasp basic economics.
My Way News - Iran: Computer worm could have caused huge damage
My Way News reports: "It first emerged in September that Iran was battling a powerful computer worm known as Stuxnet, which has the ability to send centrifuges - used in nuclear fuel production - spinning out of control. Its appearance and the suspicion that Israel and the U.S. might have been involved raised the prospect of covert attempts to thwart a nuclear program that the West fears is aimed at weapons production."

Comment: Cyberwar is a Pandora's box of danger, once opened, who can stop it? Stopping the Iranian nuclear program is an important goal, no doubt, but the West is not exactly up to speed on cyber-defenses, I'm worried about the Iranian counterstrike.
Yahoo! News - Syrian activists begin sit-in for Assad ouster
Yahoo! News reports: "More than 5,000 anti-government protesters in Syria took over the main square of the country's third-largest city Monday, vowing to occupy the site until President Bashar Assad is ousted and defying authorities who warn they will not be forced into reforms."
My Way News - Study: 40 Mediterranean fish species could vanish
My Way News reports: "The study released Tuesday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature says almost half of the species of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean and at least 12 species of bony fish are threatened with extinction due to overfishing, pollution and the loss of habitat. Commercial catches of bluefin tuna, sea bass, hake and dusky grouper are particularly threatened, said the study by the Swiss-based IUCN, an environmental network of 1,000 groups in 160 nations."

Friday, April 15, 2011

Yahoo! News - Strong quake shakes buildings in Tokyo
Yahoo! News reports: "A strong earthquake of magnitude 5.8 hit central Japan on Saturday morning, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake, which shook buildings in Tokyo, struck at 11:19 am (0219 GMT), 83 kilometres (52 miles) north of the capital and at a depth of 20 kilometres, the USGS said."

Comment: Another aftershock. Actually, I'm not clear on when they are to be called aftershocks or new earthquakes? At any rate, yet another one hits Japan.
My Way News - Tear gas, batons thwart Syrian march on capital
My Way News reports: "Tens of thousands of protesters shouting 'We want freedom!' made a bold march on the Syrian capital Friday, but security forces beat them back with tear gas and batons as the country's monthlong uprising swelled to the largest and most widespread gatherings to date, witnesses and activists said."

Comment: Very surprised at Assad's restraint, it must mean he feels secure enough to allow such demonstrations to continue.
My Way News - China's Hu calls for Asian security cooperation
My Way News reports: "Chinese President Hu Jintao called Friday for Asian nations to better cooperate in security matters in a region increasingly beset by rival territorial claims - often involving China. Hu offered only vague ideas about a 'new security concept,' but his remarks appeared aimed at reassuring neighbors unsettled by Beijing's soaring economic growth and by its beefed-up military, which has been more assertive in staking China's territorial claims."
My Way News - Small earthquake rattles rural Tanzania
My Way News reports: "The U.S. Geological Survey says a 4.8-magnitude earthquake shook rural Tanzania southwest of Mount Kilimanjaro. Friday's earthquake could be felt as far away as Nairobi, Kenya, by people on high floors of downtown buildings. Nairobi is 220 miles (350 kilometers) northeast of the epicenter."
My Way News - Clinton calls for Russian military transparency
My Way News reports: "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is urging Russia to be 'completely transparent' about its military forces as Washington and NATO allies strive for closer cooperation with Moscow. Clinton spoke as NATO foreign ministers were joined Friday by their Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov."

Thursday, April 14, 2011

My Way News - Gadhafi defiant despite NATO airstrikes in Tripoli
My Way News reports: "Moammar Gadhafi rolled defiantly through the streets of Tripoli, pumping his fists as he poked through the sun roof of an SUV on Thursday - the same day that NATO airstrikes shook the city."

Comment: This is a very odd revolution, but it has the potential to destabilize much of the region, so we should continue to watch it carefully.
My Way News - Diplomats say Palestinians ready for statehood
My Way News reports: "A group of international negotiators says the Palestinian Authority has succeeded in building the capabilities needed to run a country - and now the political work of a permanent peace just needs to catch up."

Comment: Which Palestinians? The Palestinian Authority or Hamas? Or doesn't it matter to them?
My Way News - Spring fighting season to test gains in Afghan war
My Way News reports: "Afghanistan's fighting season will begin in full force by the end of this month as the trees bud and the last of the snows melt off the mountain tops - and with it, a chance to measure the success of NATO efforts to turn back the Taliban."
My Way News - BRICS members warn of financial volatility
My Way News reports: "The world's largest emerging economies are urging tougher measures to guard against financial instability and say they back studies into expanding the use of Special Drawing Rights in the international monetary system."
My Way News - France regrets delay of Mideast meeting
My Way News reports: "France regrets the delay of a meeting expected this week of the Quartet of mediators seeking peace in the Middle East, officials said Wednesday. Diplomats have said the U.S. blocked an initiative by France, Britain and Germany to restart stalled Israeli-Palestinian talks by proposing the outlines of a final settlement at the meeting."

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

My Way News - Chinese democracy activist charged with subversion
My Way News reports: "A veteran democracy activist has become the latest person to be charged with subversion by Chinese authorities in a widening crackdown on dissent that follows anonymous calls for anti-government protests like those in the Middle East and Africa, a rights group said Wednesday."

My Way News - China security puts Tibetan monastery on lockdown
My Way News reports: "Chinese security forces have locked down a Tibetan monastery in western China and clashed with local residents as they blocked troops from taking monks away, Tibetan rights groups and an exiled monk said Wednesday."

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

My Way News - New battles in Libya, strains in NATO campaign
My Way News reports: "Moammar Gadhafi's forces fired rockets along the eastern front line and shelled the besieged city of Misrata Tuesday as France and Britain urged their NATO allies, including the United States, to intensify the campaign against the Libyan regime."
My Way News - Japan leader urges no panic in nuclear crisis
My Way News reports: "Japan's prime minister is urging the public not to panic after the government boosted the severity level of the crisis at a tsunami-damaged nuclear plant to the highest rating - on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster."

Monday, April 11, 2011

At least 6 killed in new Japan earthquake
CNN reports: "At least six people were killed when a magnitude-6.4 earthquake struck Japan Tuesday morning, a local fire department said. The six were killed when a landslide triggered by the quake buried three homes in Iwaki, the city's fire department said. Three people were rescued and hospitalized, and fire officials were working to rescue an unknown number of others believed to be trapped, the department said."

Comment: How much more can Japan take? Praying for the church in Japan, that they will bring peace, love, and compassion to their neighbors suffering from these disasters.
My Way News - Outside pressure on Syria grows, 1 dies in protest
My Way News reports: "International pressure mounted on Syria's president Monday, with key European governments and the United Nations denouncing a deadly crackdown that has failed to dampen a popular uprising against the authoritarian regime. In the latest violence, security forces killed a student Monday during a protest at Damascus University in the capital, bringing the death toll to well over 170 after more than three week of unrest, activists said."
My Way News - Iran to build new research reactors
My Way News reports: "Iran will need more enriched uranium to fuel the 'four or five' new research reactors it is planning on building, the country's nuclear chief said on Monday. Fereidoun Abbasi told the semi-official ISNA news agency that Iran is planning to build the new research reactors 'in the next few years' to produce medical radioisotopes for patients."

Comment: Right, they should build more nuclear reactors in earthquake prone areas, what could go wrong?
My Way News - Israel delays approval of east Jerusalem housing
My Way News reports: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked a government panel to put off final approval of 2,500 new apartments in east Jerusalem, an official said Monday - a reflection of the intense international pressure Israel is under to avoid friction with the Palestinians."
My Way News - Japan ups nuke crisis severity to match Chernobyl
My Way News reports: "Japan's nuclear regulators raised the severity level of the crisis at a stricken nuclear plant Tuesday to rank it on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, citing the amount of radiation released in the accident."

Saturday, April 09, 2011

NYTimes.com - China Detains Church Members Over Public Praying
The New York Times reports: "The police detained dozens of members of an underground Protestant church on Sunday morning, after the congregation tried to pray in a public plaza in the north of the capital [...] There are as many as 60 million Protestants in China, with a growing number choosing house churches."

Comment: I wonder what they are so afraid of? Christian values could be a stabilizing force in a society that fears instability. Or maybe they need to have someone explain to the Communist (capitalist) Party the role of the "Protestant work ethic" in promoting entrepreneurial economic development. For some reason though, they don't quite get that. Please join me in praying for the persecuted church in China.

Friday, April 08, 2011

My Way News - Army beats protesters as it breaks up Egypt rally
My Way News reports: "Soldiers beat hundreds of protesters with clubs and fired heavy volleys of gunfire into the air in a pre-dawn attack that broke up a demonstration in Cairo's central Tahrir Square, a sign of the increasing tensions between Egypt's ruling military and the country's protest movement."

Comment: It's nice to see that the Army is firmly in control in Egypt, it means that the Islamic Brotherhood will not be handed the state on a silver platter. The military leaders have said they will continue to honor the peace treaty with Israel, so their continued rule is good news for Israel and for the prospects of peace in the Middle East.
My Way News - Israel strikes hard in Gaza after school bus hit
My Way News reports: "Israeli aircraft and tanks pounded Gaza on Friday, killing seven Hamas militants and five civilians in a surge of fighting sparked by a Palestinian rocket attack on an Israeli school bus the day before. Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers seemed on the brink of another round of intense violence, just a little over two years after a three-week war in which persistent rocket fire from Gaza triggered a devastating Israeli military offensive in the territory."

BBC News - Israeli new missile defence in action
BBC News reports: "Israel's new Iron Dome mobile short-range missile defence system was used in a combat operation for the first time on Thursday, Israeli officials say. A battery located near the southern coastal town of Ashkelon brought down what was thought to be a Grad rocket fired from the Gaza Strip."

Comment: Following on the comment on the above post, just because Egypt and Israel may still be at peace we can't be too reassured, as a war with Hamas could break out at any moment. Remember that Hamas has been receiving secret weapons shipments from Iran and Syria and both those countries may seek to instigate a war meant to rally public opinion and distract people from their domestic problems. Nothing like hatred for Israel to make them forget their reformist agenda.
My Way News - Explosions hit 3 gas pipelines in Iran, halt flow
My Way News reports: "Iran's semiofficial Mehr News Agency says three explosions have hit gas pipelines near the country's holy city of Qom, in the same area where simultaneous blasts took place two months ago. The lines carry gas from Iran's gas refineries in the south to the country's northwest [...] In February, officials said the blasts were not caused by technical failures but did not say if they were acts of sabotage."

My Way News - Iran launches probe into nuke delay
My Way News reports: "A lawmaker says Iran's parliament has launched an investigation into repeated delays in the startup of the Bushehr nuclear power plant [...] Foreign intelligence reports have said the control systems at Bushehr were penetrated by the mysterious computer worm known as Stuxnet."
My Way News - Official: Pakistani troops kill 30 militants in NW
My Way News reports: "Pakistani security forces killed 30 alleged Islamist militants Friday in a region close to the Afghan border, a government official said, bringing to more than 80 the number purportedly killed in two days of fighting there."
My Way News - Japan aftershock raises anxiety, knocks out power
My Way News reports: "Shoppers emptied store shelves, traffic snarled after stoplights lost power and drivers waited in long lines to buy gasoline in a new wave of anxiety Friday after a magnitude-7.1 aftershock struck disaster-weary northeastern Japan."
My Way News - Researchers find superbug gene in New Delhi water
My Way News reports: "A gene that can turn many types of bacteria into deadly superbugs was found in about a quarter of water samples taken from drinking supplies and puddles on the streets of New Delhi, according to a new study. Experts say it's the latest proof that the new drug-resistance gene, known as NDM-1, named for New Delhi, is widely circulating in the environment - and could potentially spread to the rest of the world."

Thursday, April 07, 2011



My Way News - Strongest aftershock since Japan tsunami kills 2
My Way News reports: "A strong aftershock ripped through northeastern Japan, killing two, injuring dozens and piling misery on a region still buried under the rubble of last month's devastating tsunami [...] the 7.1-magnitude quake knocked out power to much of the area."

My Way News - Earthquake shakes wide area of southern Mexico
My Way News reports: "A magnitude-6.5 earthquake shook a wide area of southern and central Mexico on Thursday, sending people fleeing into the streets, but causing only minor reported damage [...] The temblor also was felt strongly in the state of Chiapas, bordering Guatemala, where there also were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, as well as the Pacific coast state of Guerrero."

Comment: Two large earthquakes on the same day certainly do grab our attention, don't they.
My Way News - Space telescopes observe unusual cosmic blast
My Way News reports: "Astronomers are puzzling over an extraordinary cosmic blast in a distant galaxy. The gamma-ray explosion was observed on March 28 by NASA's Swift satellite. Flaring from such an event usually lasts a couple of hours. Scientists say this blast is unusual because the effects are long-lasting. More than a week later, they continue to see high-energy radiation spiking and fading at the source. The burst was likely caused by a star that was ripped apart after drifting too close to a supermassive black hole."
My Way News - Gates: Some US troops may stay if Iraq wants
My Way News reports: "Even with the burdens of combat in Afghanistan and unrest in the Arab world, the U.S. would keep American troops in Iraq beyond the agreed 2011 final withdrawal date if Iraq's government asked for extra help, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday."

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

My Way News - Protesters in Yemen defy govt, return to streets
My Way News reports: "Defying a deadly government crackdown, tens of thousands of protesters on Wednesday poured into the streets of Yemen's second largest city in the latest demonstrations against the long serving president."

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

UPI.com - Israelis to propose new peace plan
UPI reports: "A group of prominent Israeli defense officials in Tel Aviv appears ready to unveil a proposal for a new peace initiative with the Arab world. The group which includes the former heads of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and Israel Security Agency plan to reveal their proposal at a press conference Wednesday, The New York Times reported, noting it had obtained a copy of the initiative."

Comment: The peace process is dead, long live the peace process. It's always amazed me how they don't allow facts on the ground to get in the way of illusions of peace. Never mind the rockets that rain down on Israel, never mind that the Palestinians have made no significant gesture for peace in years, never mind that the protest movement in the region has strengthened Islamists and overthrown moderates (like Mubarak, an ally of the West and enforcer of a peace treaty with Israel), they will go on acting like it's possible to negotiate peace.
My Way News - Islamists look for gains in Egypt's freer politics
My Way News reports: "Islamic hard-liners, some of them heavily suppressed under three decades of Hosni Mubarak's regime, are enthusiastically diving into Egypt's new freedoms, forming political parties to enter upcoming elections and raising alarm that they will try to lead the country into fundamentalist rule."

Comment: Just what the world needs, another Islamist state bent on the destruction of Israel. Events in Egypt coupled with recent gains by Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and a hardline against reform in Damascus have me wondering if the Psalm 83 war will happen this year?
My Way News - UN: Judge hasn't asked Gaza report to be nixed
My Way News reports: "The U.N.'s top human rights body that commissioned an investigation of Israel's 2009 incursion into Gaza will continue to treat it as a legitimate working document, even though the lead author has backtracked from some of the report's most damning allegations against Israel."'

Comments: One doesn't have to look far for proof of the U.N.'s bias against Israel.
Ynetnews - US suspends arms aid to Lebanon
Ynetnews reports: "Fearing weapons would fall into Hezbollah's hands, US halts arms deliveries to Lebanon. Since 2006, US provided Lebanon with $720 million in military aid, Wall Street Journal reports"

Comment: I suspect that the intel community knows it's too late, arms have already fallen into the hands of Hezbollah, it's only a question of stopping the flow. Sometimes, the U.S. can be their own worst enemy.

Monday, April 04, 2011

My Way News - Iran presses rival Saudi Arabia over Gulf's unrest
My Way News reports: "Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on regional rival Saudi Arabia to pull its troops out of Bahrain, where they are helping a Sunni monarchy put down a Shiite-led protest movement demanding equal rights and a political voice."

My Way News - Gulf bloc strongly condemns Iran over Bahrain
My Way News reports: "Bahrain's state-run news agency says the Gulf's main political bloc has condemned Iran, accusing the Shiite country of trying to promote sectarian divisions in Bahrain. The statement comes after an emergency meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday. Members discussed the tense situation in Bahrain, where mostly Shiite demonstrators are demanding the fall of the island's Sunni monarchy."

Comment: Iran has seized the opportunity provided by the wave of political unrest to export their Shiite Islamic revolution to neighboring Sunni states. It's not clear if they will they succeed, but the security of the region (and of Israel) hangs in the balance.
My Way News - Japan nuke plant dumps radioactive water into sea
My Way News reports: "Workers were pumping more than 3 million gallons of contaminated water from Japan's tsunami-ravaged nuclear power complex into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, freeing storage space for even more highly radioactive water that has hampered efforts to stabilize the plant's reactors [...] Radioactivity is quickly diluted in the ocean, and government officials said the dump should not affect the safety of seafood in the area."

Comment: Well, that can't be good and I'm not sure I believe them about the radioactivity quickly dissipating.
My Way News - Shooter in Afghan uniform kills 2 US personnel
My Way News reports: "A man wearing an Afghan border police uniform shot dead two American military personnel tasked with helping train members of the country's security forces on Monday, NATO and Afghan officials said."

Saturday, April 02, 2011

My Way News - Israeli tells citizens to leave Sinai immediately
My Way News reports: "Israel warned its citizens in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to evacuate immediately Saturday, hours after launching an airstrike that killed three Hamas militants accused of planning to abduct Israelis over the upcoming Jewish festival of Passover."

Friday, April 01, 2011

My Way News - Israeli airstrike kills Gaza militants
My Way News reports: "Israeli aircraft killed 3 Palestinian militants who were planning to abduct Israelis over the upcoming Jewish festival of Passover, the military said early Saturday. An Israeli military spokeswoman said that an 'aircraft had fired at a terror squad of the terror group Hamas that was planning to carry out kidnappings.' She said the group was plotting the attacks for the Jewish festival of Passover later this month."

My Way News - Israeli map shows nearly 1,000 Hezbollah sites
My Way News reports: "The Israeli military on Thursday released a map detailing what it says are nearly 1,000 underground bunkers, weapons storage facilities and monitoring sites built by the militant Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon."