Palestinian Leader Arafat To Meet Pope
An item for your covenant with many files, the latest moves in the "peace process" find Arafat about to chat with the Pope about the situation in the Middle East.

(18:45) Annan Urges World Leaders Not To Focus On Zionism
Another example of how Israel is made to be a focus of world tension.

Blasts Kill Palestinian Militants
Israel continues to go after Hamas militants.

(13:00) UAE Urges UN to Halt Judaization of Holy Sites
Propaganda really is an art form and you have to appreciate those who do it well, as long as you recognize it for what it is.

(20:10) Turkey Says Ties With Israel Will Not Affect Arabs
I wonder whose side Turkey will be on in the next regional war?

Lava Halts Outside Prayer Town
Looks like a wonderful affirmation of the power of prayer, but to whom are they praying?

Russian missile threatens US space shield
An item for your rumor of war files, a report indicating the Russia may be far along in weapons research compensating for any future American missile defense.

Yahoo! and HSBC pioneer payment system
An item for your e-commerce files, net giant Yahoo will soon offer a new person-to-person payment system to be called Yahoo! PayDirect, similar to the popular PayPal system. Just another step away from cash transactions.

Israeli Helicopters Attack Gaza Police
In this latest attack, Israel strikes back at a Palestinian police headquarters building that was being used to make weapons and mortar bombs.

Arab League meets in Syria To Discuss Reviving Israeli Boycott
Representatives from 13 Arab countries are meeting in doomed Damascus to discuss their next moves in the war process.

Israel Promises To Stop Temple Demo
An a follow up, Israel promises to stop Israeli citizens from being in, on, or around the most sacred site of Judaism. Nothing like looking out for the interests of your own people. Can you believe that the Egyptian foreign minister asked the UN Security Council to intervene? Interesting. Stay tuned.

Arab Leaders Warn Against Temple Demo
An item for your abomination in the holy place files, another bit of evidence that the problem in the Middle East is purely religious, and centered on the Temple Mount, site of past and future prophetic events. Keep watching the Temple Mount.

Church Leaders Launch Controversial Courses
An item for your gospel preached to all files, the Alpha course is getting a new advertising campaign.

Israeli Tanks Respond to Killing
Another rumor of war item, Israel strikes back at Force 17 after Palestinians killed a 17 year old Israeli in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Source: U.S. to Retaliate for Iraqi Attack
An item for your rumor of war files, CNN is reporting that the U.S. is planning a military response to the latest Iraqi attempt to shoot down Allied planes. On Tuesday, Iraq attempted to shoot down an American U-2 spy plane over the southern no-fly zone. This is but the latest evidence that Iraqi missile technology has made some amazing advances at a time when weapons and technology imports were to have been reduced by UN sanctions.

India Talks Tough on Kashmir
An item for your rumor of war files, tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir increased again today.

U.S. Rejects Anti-Germ Warfare Treaty
Another NO from the U.S., it seems to be our favorite word lately. The treaty is not perfect, few are, I wonder though if an imperfect treaty is better than no treaty at all? Submitted for your rumor of war files.

Us Lawmakers Warned Of Dark Winter In Case Of Bioterrorist Attack
An item for both your rumor of war files and your pestilence files, more proof that the U.S. is not prepared for bioterrorism. It's great that they conduct these simulations, but isn't it time for a national bioterrorism program, a single command structure, and well funded early warning systems?

Pentagon Shuts Down Websites
An item for your rumor of war files, infowar in this case. The Pentagon has shut down department web sites in an effort to prevent attack by the Code Red worm, reportedly originating in China, our great trade partner and Olympic host.

Palestinians Fight Each Other
Well, this is an interesting turn of events, Hamas forces vs. PLA forces. This is a great idea, we should encourage more of this.

Falling Object Lights Up Sky in Eastern U.S.
An item for your Signs in the Heavens files, a rare sighting of a meteor, described as a fireball, hitting the Earth last night.

The Next Middle East Flashpoint?
An item for your rumor of war and Battle for Jerusalem files, Israel is strengthening defenses on its northern border with Lebanon, the front line in the war against Hezbollah. A few weeks ago we noted here the increase in arms shipments from Iran, through Syria, to Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, just one more sign among many that the region is preparing for a major conflict.

Satellite to Detect Solar Flares is Launched
An item for your Signs in the Sun files, thanks to a new environmental satellite just launched today, space weather forecasters will have better data to predict solar storms.

Identity Theft Overlooked
An item for your Mark of the Beast files, not on biometrics this time, but on arguments for more sophisticated ID tech. Identity theft is becoming more common in the financial industry, it seems, and this report suggests that the use of passwords, rather than SS numbers or your mother's maiden name, would afford greater protection.

Report: China Shuts 2,000 Net Cafes
The PRC, our trade partner and Olympic host, is showing just how open and progressive they have become by...restricting access to the Internet. Let a thousand minds be enslaved.

Global Warming Treaty Agreed
An item for your Fear for the Future files, international efforts to combat global warming (even as the phenomenon is still in dispute) have reached a new high.

G-8 Vows to Attack Poverty
One final article on the G8 summit for your Ten Kings files. Aside from important discussions on poverty, AIDS, climate and missile defense, probably the most important thing to note about the summit was the way the U.S., after the failure of the Tenet and Mitchell Mideast peace efforts, accepted the G8's call for international monitors to be sent to the Middle East. This may well be a watershed event in many ways, especially if it means that the U.S. is pulling back from it's role as primary peace mediator and allowing the G8 to step forward as the primary.

Eye for An Eye
This is a much better article on biometrics than the earlier article I noted. This one focuses on iris scanning biometrics and notes that Big Gov is still the primary consumer of this technology. Submitted for your mark of the beast files.

An update on the mail distribution problem: I received a reply from AOL's Customer Service in which they report: "AOL and Yahoo are currently working to resolve an issue with Yahoo groups mail getting to AOL members." So, at least they are aware of the problem and are working on it.

YahooGroups Mail Problem
I have learned that for some of you, me included, mail from YahooGroups is not reaching you. This problem seems to be restricted to AOL members. This problem means that those of you on the End Times News list, Third Watch, and Bible Prophecy list who are AOL users, may want to check list messages from the YahooGroups web page. Mail traffic has continued this weekend, even as you have not been receiving any posts. I have inquired with Yahoo and AOL Customer Service and will let you know when I learn something more.

Israel Prepares For International Call-Up
An item for your Rumor of War files, Israel is getting prepared to call-up citizens to fight, regardless of where they are.

G8 Leaders Ask for Outside Observers in Mideast
An item for your Ten Kings files and your Covenant With Many files, the G8 leaders have called for international observers to be sent to the Mideast. Actually, not really the Mideast, what they mean is Israel specifically. I'm not really sure what they mean by observers either. What are they thinking - "let's send people to observe how the Israelis and Palestinians kill each other, then our statements deploring the violence will have so much more dramatic impact." Or, perhaps they are offering to provide sacrificial substitutes, new targets for the violence. I'm sure that if the G8 suggested that the Israelis and Palstinians target international observers and stop killing each other, that would go a long way toward decreasing tensions in the area.

International Biometric Group Announces BioPrivacy Best Practices
An international biometrics industry group is seeking to address privacy concerns regarding the use of biometric technology by creating a sort of "Good Housekeeping" seal of approval for institutions in order to ensure that consumer privacy is protected. Don't you just love it when an industry regulates itself.

Rabbis Urge Temple Mount Visit
Things are about to get more heated in the Middle East. A rabbinical council has reversed an earlier edict and is now encouraging Israelis to visit the Temple Mount. As you know, they have been forbidden to pray on the Temple Mount (!) and the Palestinians actually have control and administrative authority over the area. This may be the spark that ignites the conflagration.

G8 Ministers Meet
The foreign ministers of the G8 states met today in Genoa, ahead of this weekends summit of the heads of government. On the agenda, Mideast peace and missile defense. The G8 is a possible fulfillment of the Rev 17:12-14 prophecy about the rise of ten kings who empower the beast. The G8 Summit will begin this weekend in Genoa, Italy. As much as this grouping is called the G7 or the G8 (when Russia is included), it really is a G10 or even G11 depending on who you count, as you can see from this "class photo" of the G8 ministers.

Afghan Cholera Epidemic Kills 45
An item for your pestilence files, an outbreak of cholera in Afghanistan.

War Is Coming
Some interesting commentary from Michael Freund of the Jerusalem Post. Submitted for your rumor of war files.

Israel Strikes Bethlehem, Mortars Fired in West Bank
And in Israel, the ceasefire continues, all is quiet. Really.

Western Aircraft Strike Site in Southern Iraq
In this latest chapter of the Gulf War, allied planes have once again sent a message to Saddam, a sort of anniversary message perhaps, the he is not in control of his country.

Syria Ends 20-year Iraq Snub
Well, it looks like this is International Friendship day or something. First China and Russia get all huggy and now Syria and Iraq are ending rifts.

Bomb Blast Ahead of Genoa Summit
Things are heating up ahead of this weeks G8 Summit. Note to anti-globalist protestors: blowing people up with mailbombs does not win anyone to your cause. I suggest you hire a good PR firm, maybe the ones that helped China win the Olympics, they have a good track record in glossing over unpleasantries.

Russia, China Sign Treaty Amid Concerns About U.S

Isn't it nice to see old friends renew their relationship. And of course, it goes without saying that this treaty is not against anyone (say, the U.S.), nor is it a military alliance, just a nice friendly agreement between neighbors.

G-8 Means Comeback to Italian Leader
An item for your Ten Kings files, it looks as if the current and past leader of Italy is hoping the upcoming G-8 Summit will help burnish his image among his peers. Italy hosts the G-8 Summit starting on Friday. This will also be Bush's first G-8 chatfest. And, in an unusual development, the Pope also has some comments on the upcoming summit. And, finally, don't forget those unruly anti-globalists, who are sure to have more of their photo ops, er, I mean, protests in Genoa.

Pentagon Ends Two-War Strategy
Is this really something we should tell everyone? Note to enemies: please don't attack us if you see that we are already engaged in a major conflict, simply wait your turn and we will get back to you.

Test of Missile Shield Set for Tonight
This should be interesting. I mean, whether the test is a success or not, the political fallout will be huge. Submitted for your rumor of war files.

U.S. Tries to Revive Mid-East Peace
It looks as if Bush has not given up on trying to secure peace in the Middle East. Good luck.

Fighting Breaks Out in Kashmir
An item for your rumor of war files, just as a peace summit gets underway between the leaders of India and Pakistan, fighting breaks out in Kashmir. This is of note because India and Pakistan are both nuclear powers.

Tampa Uses New Face Scan Technology
Another article on the use by the city of Tampa of the FaceIt biometric face scanning technology. This article updates the previous info with reports on the efforts of the AG and the ACLU to stop this technology before it is adopted by other cities. Subitted for your Mark of the Beast files.

Beijing Wins Bid for 2008 Olympics
In awarding the People's Republic of China with the 2008 Olympics, the IOC today rewarded one of the worlds only remaining communist totalitarian governments, a government with a terrible and well documented record of human rights abuses, including torture, religious persecution, slave labor, and repression of dissent. Today's action by the IOC represents a fundamental betrayal of the Olympic ideal. The Olympics were founded in ancient Greece, home of Plato and Aristotle, pillars of the Western tradition. Todays international world system is based on that Western tradition, based on the notion that there are fundamental absolute values, and it is upon these values that civilizations rests. The concept of universal human values is enshrined the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the Rights of Man, the Charter of the United Nations, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. China explicitly rejects the notion that there are universal human rights, and asserts it's own brand of nationalist moral relativism. What may be considered wrong by one country is perfectly acceptable in another. This path leads to anarchy and simply can't be tolerated or condoned by the international community. If the term "rogue state" has any meaning, it is only because we have achieved at the dawn of the 21st century, a global moral consensus. World civilization can only exist on the basis of shared moral values. The IOC has rewarded a county that stands in opposition to the fundamental values of the modern international world system. Today then is a sad day for the international community, and a sad day for lovers of freedom and liberty everywhere.

State Department Condemns Human Trafficking Across Globe
An item for your Wickedness Increases files, a report on the trade in humans. That's right, in the 21st Century, people are still sold into slavery.

U.S. Fast-Tracks Missile Defence
An item for your Rumor of War files, the U.S. pushes ahead with missile defense, while Russia warns it will spark a new arms race.

Nepal Installs Young Girl As New Living Goddess
Nepal has a new goddess, just chosen. You have to wonder about the selection process, how fair and impartial is it, does favoritism play a role? After all, it would hardly do to have a corrupt process for choosing goddesses. On a lighter note, the benefits seem nice and the retirement package is attractive, though apparently the ex-goddesses seldom marry, as men are intimidated with the idea of marrying an ex-goddess. So, I'm assuming this means that Nepal has a whole gaggle of retired goddesses just sitting around with nothing much to do, which seems like a terrible waste of ex-godhood. Really.

Please note that Prophecy News Page was unavailable for some time today, due to an AOL server outage. Fortunately, NewsBlogger is back online, so I will try to update this blog more often, and hopefully AOL Hometown will be back online soon.

Dozens Injured in Turkish Quake
An item for your quake files, a 5.4 mag quake has struck eastern Turkey.

Tanaka, Straw Meet Ahead of G-8
An item for your Ten Kings files, some pre-summit G8 news, the English and Japanese foreign ministers consult on the summit agenda.

Strange Cluster Reveals Star Secrets
An item for your Signs In The Stars files, Hubble continues to bring us some amazing images.

Israel On Alert for Suicide Bombings
An item for your Rumor of War & Battle for Jerusalem files. Things are getting a bit tense in the Mideast. It's not a war yet, but it is certainly not peace.

UFO Cult May Sue U.S. FDA Over Human Cloning
The Raelians are really serious about cloning a human and are prepared to go to court in order to do it. If you have never heard of Rael or his cult, check them out, I think you will be very surprised at what you find. Submitted for your False Prophet files.

Jab Campaign to End Polio Across Central Africa
An item for your Pestilence files, some news about polio and the launch of a massive vaccination effort in Africa.

Tampa Scans the Faces in Crowds for Criminals
An item for your mark of the beast files. As America celebrates freedom today, a sobering report on just how tenuous those freedoms are. Calling the Greatest Generation, we need you again, fascism is alive and well in the United States. Are citizens really presumed to be criminals merely by being in public? Is this the freedom patriots died to defend? God bless America, God save America.

Giant world detected in deep space
An item for your Signs in the Heavens files, astronomers have found a very large object at the edge of the solar system. It's orbit is beyond Neptune and the scientists think there may be other large objects out there, as large or larger than Pluto.

Violence Shakes Mideast Truce
More violence in the Mideast. When is a truce not a truce?

First Case of Mad Cow Disease Hits Greece
An item for your Pestilence files, it seems we have not heard the last of those mad cows.

Father Stabs Three Young Sons
An item for your Wickedness Increases files, AP is reporting yet another case of a parent killing their children. Is this a copycat crime? If so, this is one trend we could do without.

Israeli Planes Attack Syrian Positions

And so it begins. Israel strikes back at Syrian supported Hezbollah positions inside Lebanon in response to Hezbollah attacks days ago. How will Syria respond?

WMD To Be Used in the Next Mideast War

Submitted for your Rumor of War files, this report from the Middle East Newsline states that American defense planners are now actively anticipating the use of weapons of mass destruction in the next Middle East war. It would seem that the region is now at a crossroads. Powell has left without securing his seven day ceasefire, the Tenet accord is still not implemented, same for the recommendations of the Mitchell report, and the low level of violence (meaning people are killed every day) continues.