Philippine Rebels Say May Kill U.S. Hostages
Muslim guerrillas holding a U.S. missionary couple hostage in the southern Philippines have ruled out negotiations for their release and the pair might be executed, the group's leader said on Wednesday. :: This Reuters report submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

NASA Unveils Images From Hubble's New Camera
NASA unveiled images of a galactic tadpole, a pair of monster mice, a nursery for newborn stars and a giant pillar of dust on Tuesday in the first batch of pictures snapped by Hubble Space Telescope's newest camera. :: This Reuters report submitted for your signs in the stars (Luke 21:25) files.

Swastika Attack on Synagogue Shocks British Jews
Britain's Jews were in shock on Tuesday after a north London synagogue was vandalized and daubed with a swastika -- the kind of attack rarely seen in the traditionally tolerant island state. The synagogue's windows were smashed, paint was thrown over chairs and walls, prayer books strewn across the floor and the attackers defecated in the entrance before they left. :: This Reuters report submitted for your wickedness increases (Matthew 24:12) files.

Wearable chips: Put on your dancin' shirt
Chipmaker Infineon Technologies is weaving its products into an entirely new fashion industry: high-tech textiles. The Munich-based company on Friday showed off new prototype wearable chips that it says can be sewn directly into clothing and other textiles. Infineon's Emerging Technologies Group has developed chips, sensors and packages that allow the processors to be woven into fabrics...Although the company did not announce plans to put these technologies into production, it said possible uses for the chips could be found in areas including entertainment, communications, health care and security. :: This ZDNet report submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files.

'No NATO plans' to intervene in Mid-East
The Secretary General of NATO, Lord Robertson has claimed the regional defence alliance has no plans to intervene with the current crisis in the Middle East. :: This BBC report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Luke 21:20) files.

Arafat, Israelis OK Ramallah Plan
Israel and the Palestinians approved a U.S. plan Sunday that would spring Yasser Arafat from a month-old Israeli siege and let him travel freely for the first time since December. As part of the deal, six Palestinians wanted by Israel would be held in a Palestinian jail under the watchful eyes of American and British guards. :: This AP report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Luke 21:20) files.

Berlin Synagogue Attacked by Petrol Bomb
A petrol bomb was thrown at a synagogue in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin late on Sunday, a police spokesman said. :: This Reuters report submitted for your wickedness increases (Matthew 24:12) files.

U.S. Envisions Blueprint on Iraq Including Big Invasion Next Year
The Bush administration, in developing a potential approach for toppling President Saddam Hussein of Iraq, is concentrating its attention on a major air campaign and ground invasion, with initial estimates contemplating the use of 70,000 to 250,000 troops. :: This New York Times/Yahoo report submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

France's Le Pen Wants Aliens Out
Jean-Marie Le Pen turned up his anti-immigration rhetoric on Friday, saying France should set up "transit camps" for illegal aliens and even organize a "special train" to ship immigrants to Britain. :: What is it about the fascist worldview that always wants to round THEM up and put THEM into camps? Our Enlightenment view of history tells us that we are making progress and building a better future. However, here we are at the dawn of the 21st Century and another European politician is again engaged in the demagoguery of demonizing his fellow humans, calling for them to be rounded up and deported, to get rid of them, the others, the foreigners, the aliens, those not like us. In stark contrast to the Enlightenment view of our ever progressing future, Christianity tells us that humanity is flawed and that this flaw in our nature is constant. The good news is that the flaw had a cause and it can be fixed, our fallen nature can be redeemed, but only by asking the Redeemer.

Twelve Christians Killed in Indonesia's Ambon City
A mob stabbed and burned to death at least 12 Christians in the religiously divided capital of Indonesia's Maluku province Sunday, witnesses said, in the worst violence since a fragile peace was forged earlier this year. :: This AP report submitted for your believers persecuted (Matthew 24:8) files.

Powell Seeks Multilateral Support
Gearing up for a new stab at Middle East peacemaking, Secretary of State Colin Powell is looking for support from Europeans, Russia and the United Nations and probably will get it...Powell meets in Washington on Thursday with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and senior officials of the European Union, as he did April 10 in Madrid, Spain, on his way to the Middle East. :: This AP report submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Saudi Proposes Mideast Action Led by the U.S.
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia presented a proposal to President Bush on Thursday calling for an American-led peace initiative in the Mideast. :: This New York Times report submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Palestinians Kill 5 Jewish Settlers
Palestinian gunmen slipped into an Israeli settlement Saturday and went from house to house, shooting residents. The army said four people were killed in one of the worst attacks on a West Bank settlement in months. :: This AP report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Strong Earthquake Rocks Guam
A strong earthquake rocked Guam early Saturday, knocking out electricity across the island and sending several people to a hospital with cuts and bruises. The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.2 and was centered 30 miles southwest of Hagatna, the island capital, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It hit at 2:06 a.m. (12:06 p.m. EDT Friday) at a depth of 47 miles. :: This AP report submitted for your quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Bush: US Won't Let Israel Be Crushed
Urged by Saudi Arabia to temper support for Israel, President Bush said Friday his message to the Arab world is unequivocal: "We will not allow Israel to be crushed...I told the crown prince that we've got a unique relationship with Israel and that one thing that the world can count on is that we will not allow Israel to be crushed," Bush said. :: This AP report of this fantastic and unqualified statement of U.S. support for Israel is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Luke 21:20) files, and perhaps, your answered prayer files.

2002 'warmest for 1,000 years'
The first three months of this year were the warmest globally since records began in 1860 and probably for 1,000 years, scientists said yesterday. Dr Geoff Jenkins, director of the Meteorological Office's Hadley Centre, said the record on land and sea was consistent with computer predictions of the effects of man-made global warming. :: This Daily Telegraph report submitted for your fear for the future (Luke 21:26) files. From what I can tell, the state of the science suggests that the data is not there to confirm global warming as anything more than a trend that could be naturally cyclic. However, the fact that people are worried about what this means for the future of the world (islands sinking, coastlands flooding, ice shelfs melting and possibly releasing dormant viruses into the environement) suggests to me that global warming can be included as a possible fulfillment of this prophetic sign.

UFOs Spotted Hovering Over Beijing
Residents in a Chinese city contacted local media to report UFOs hovering in the sky. The four UFOs surrounded by a bright yellow light were spotted flying over Beijing. They were reportedly flying at a height of 10 kilometres and moving in pairs. The Shanghai Star quotes the Beijing Times as saying they appeared on Monday evening for around an hour. :: This Ananova report submitted for your signs in the heavens (Luke 21:11) files.

Young Egyptians Hearing Call of 'Martyrdom'
Egyptian officials have confirmed that half a dozen people have been stopped trying to sneak into Israel since last week, apparently to carry out attacks. :: This NYT report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Luke 21:20) files.

Saudi Tells Bush U.S. Must Temper Backing of Israel
Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told President Bush that the United States must temper its support for Israel or face grave consequences in the Mideast. :: I don't know, but that sounds amazingly like a threat to me. One expects better from allies, especially an ally whose country we saved in 1991. This NYT report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Luke 21:20) and covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Planets Line Up in Spectacular Show
During late April and May you'll get an opportunity to see the five brightest planets lined up in a single evening. Look West in the early evening sky and you'll be able to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn grouped up. The grouping is fairly rare and won't be seen again until 2040. :: This CfA-Harvard report submitted for your signs in the stars (Luke 21:25) files.

CIA Warns of Chinese Plans for Cyber-Attacks on U.S.
U.S. intelligence officials believe the Chinese military is working to launch wide-scale cyber-attacks on American and Taiwanese computer networks, including Internet-linked military systems considered vulnerable to sabotage, according to a classified CIA report. :: This LA Times report submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

More Users Signing Up for Microsoft Passport
In a survey conducted by Gartner, it shows that Microsoft has managed to double its number of registered Passport users in just six months, from seven million in August 2001 to 14 million in February 2002. :: This Internet News report submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files. Passport is a digital ID service for e-commerce web sites.

New Cases of Mystery Virus Reported
Seven new cases of a mystery virus suspected of causing a potentially fatal heart inflammation were reported in Greece on Wednesday. So far three people, all adults, have died from the infection. :: This Reuters report submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

X-Ray Flashes Linked To Gamma-Ray Bursts
Astronomers announced Tuesday the discovery of what may be the lower-energy "poor relations" of cosmic gamma-ray bursts, the fantastically powerful explosions occurring daily in distant galaxies throughout the universe. If the relationship is confirmed by future observations, this potentially new breed of burst, called an X-ray flash, will provide key information to solve the decades-old puzzle of how these most powerful explosions in the universe are produced. :: This Spaceflight Now article submitted for your signs in the stars (Luke 21:25) files.

Quake Kills One and Topples Mosque Tower in Kosovo
An earthquake toppled a mosque tower, killed at least one person and injured dozens in Kosovo on Wednesday, witnesses and police said. :: The Reuters report submitted for your quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Greece Shuts Schools to Stem Killer Virus Spread
Greece shut down schools for three days Wednesday in a bid to stem the spread of a mystery virus believed to have killed three people and infected another 29 in less than a week. :: This Reuters report submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Relax, It's Only April
It's in the news: The five brightest planets are converging in the western sky. They are a pleasing sight in April ... but the best is yet to come in May. :: This NASA Science News report submitted for your signs in the stars (Luke 21:25) files.

Catholic Teachings Are Among Obstacles to Resolving Crisis
Several prelates of the Roman Catholic Church acknowledged that purifying the church of its criminal priests would be a struggle. :: This NYT report submitted for your wickednes increases (Matthew 24:12 ) files.

Solar blast could spark nighttime fireworks
An explosion from the sun could soon trigger bright displays of the Northern and Southern Lights, according to solar scientists. A powerful Coronal Mass Ejection or CME released a salvo of charged gases over the weekend, which could buffet the Earth's magnetic field on Monday or Tuesday, solar scientists predicted. :: This CNN report submitted for your signs in the sun (Luke 21:25) files.

Jewish Chiefs: Anti-Semitism Grows
World Jewish leaders warned Tuesday that the level of anti-Semitic attacks in Europe is the worst since World War II. :: This AP report submitted for your wickedness increases (Matthew 24:12) files.

Argentine Economic Minister Quits as Bank Plan Falters
Argentina's economic minister resigned on Tuesday after Congress delayed the embattled government's unpopular plans to avert a banking collapse by giving depositors bonds instead of cash. This Reuters report submitted for your nations in anguish (Luke 21:25) files.

Pentagon: Iraq Threatens U.S. Pilots
American and British pilots flying patrols over Iraq face new risks from strengthened air defenses, the Pentagon says. Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he learned Monday that Iraq had moved more surface-to-air missile batteries into the "no fly" zones enforced by allied fighter pilots. Saddam Hussein has offered financial rewards to any defender who downs an American pilot. :: This AP report submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Heavy Gunfire Around Bethlehem's Nativity Church
Heavy gunfire erupted Monday around Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, where Israeli soldiers are locked in a 20-day-old standoff with Palestinian gunmen holed up inside, witnesses said. This Reuters report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Luke 21:20) files.

5.1 Earthquake Rattles Northeast
An earthquake felt from Maine to Maryland rattled the Northeast on Saturday morning with a magnitude of 5.1, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. :: This AP report submitted for your quake files.

G7 Pledge Terror Fund Cooperation
The world's top economic powers, confidently predicting that the global economy was on the mend, agreed Saturday on better cooperation to choke off terrorists' financing. :: This AP report submitted for your ten kings files.

Microsoft Denies Any Big Advantage in Online Identity Field
David Cole, senior vice president for Microsoft's MSN and Personal Services Group, told a federal judge today that the company's control of the Windows operating system did not give it an "insurmountable" advantage in the critical new field of online identity services, contrary to the testimony of a Sun Microsystems executive. :: This NYT report submitted for your mark of the beast files.

U.S. Officials Probe Human Mad Cow Disease Case
Scientists and beef industry officials said on Friday there was no reason for U.S. consumers to be concerned about a report that health authorities were investigating the first suspected case of the human form of mad cow disease in the United States. :: This Reuters report submitted for your pestilence files.

US Planes Bomb Northern Iraq
U.S. and British planes patrolling a no-fly zone over northern Iraq bombed Iraqi air defense systems Friday in response to anti-aircraft fire, U.S. officials said. :: This AP report submitted for your war and Iraq fried to a nuclear wasteland files.

Suicide Bomber Strikes Gaza Strip
A Palestinian homicide bomber blew himself up at an Israeli military checkpoint Friday, ending a period of relative quiet in the Gaza Strip. Israeli troops withdrew from the West Bank town of Jenin in line with a promise to the United States to scale down a 3-week-old military offensive. :: Meanwhile, Hamas boasts it has escaped Israel's military offensive and now threatens to carry out even deadlier attacks — with weapons-grade explosives, not fertilizer bombs. :: These AP reports submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Clinton Offers His Help on Mideast
Former President Clinton said Thursday he would like to have a role in the Middle East peace process but his contribution would depend on what the Bush administration had in mind. This AP report submitted for your covenant with many files.

Scientists Urge Campaign to End Child Prostitution
Scientists called on Friday for an international campaign to curb the growing number of children, some as young as 10 years old, who are forced into prostitution. :: This Reuters report submitted for your wickedness increases files.

Israel Rejects Call for U.N. Force
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan appealed Thursday for a "robust" armed international force to halt the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel said no and the United States said any Mideast solution must have the support of both parties. :: This AP report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Resistant Strep Spreads Among Children
Antibiotic-resistant strep infections among children have risen dramatically in the last year, doctors in Pittsburgh have found, the latest evidence that widespread use of the drugs is making them less effective in fighting infection. :: This Reuters report submitted for your pestilence files.

Digimarc ID Systems to Play Key Role in Hong Kong Smart Identity Card Contract
Digimarc ID Systems LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Digimarc Corp., announced today that it is part of a consortium of companies that was awarded a contract last quarter from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government for the implementation of Hong Kong's Smart Identity Card System. :: This Business Wire report submitted for your mark of the beast files.

Powell: No Cease-fire
After talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Ramallah today, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said that "cease-fire is not a relevant term at the moment." Powell said the Israeli incursion into the West Bank would have to end before a real cease-fire could be discussed. Powell also said that Arafat and the Palestinian Authority "can no longer equivocate" on terrorism and must "dismantle the terrorist infrastructure and stop incitement." :: This CNN report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files. :: So, Powell went, he saw, he condemned... both the Palestinian terrorists and the Irsaeli military response to terrorism, leaving all sides in dismay at this amazing demonstration of American diplomacy. The only real question now is, when does the regional war formally start?

Aurora Warning
On Monday, April 15th (0400 UT), a full-halo coronal mass ejection billowed away from the Sun. The expanding cloud is heading toward Earth and could ignite Northern Lights (most likely at high latitudes but possibly at mid-latitudes as well) when it sweeps past our planet on April 17th or 18th. :: This Space Weather report submitted for your signs in the sun and signs in the heavens files.

Supreme Court Strikes Down 'Virtual' Child Porn Law
The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a federal pornography law that makes it a crime to have computer-generated pictures that look like real children engaged in sexual acts, ruling the law violates free-speech rights. This Reuters report submitted for your wickedness increases files.

Face recognition grew even before 9/11
Interest in facial-recognition technology had picked up among federal agencies even before the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks, according to a new report from the investigative arm of Congress. :: This CNET report submitted for your mark of the beast files.

Powell Likes Mideast Conference Idea
Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday embraced the idea of an international conference aimed at stopping Middle East violence and restarting Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. :: This AP report submitted for your covenant with many files.

Afghanistan Rattled Again by Quakes, Two Dead
Earthquakes have rattled Afghanistan and two people were killed in the northern district of Nahrin where hundreds of people have died in a series of tremors over the last three weeks, local residents said on Monday. :: This Reuters report submitted for your quake files.

Sales of Cold, Cough Meds May Be Bioterror Tip Off
A jump in sales of over-the-counter (OTC) medications could be the "canary in a coal mine" that picks up an outbreak of anthrax or other bioterror-related illness before traditional medical and public health sources of information, according to Pennsylvania researchers. :: This Reuters report submitted for your pestilence and fear for the future files.

Four U.S. Soldiers Killed in KandaharFour American soldiers were killed and one was wounded today when rockets they were disposing of exploded near Kandahar, Afghanistan, defense officials said. :: This NYT/Yahoo report submitted for your war files.

Powell Meets Sharon and Arafat, No Truce in Sight
Secretary of State Colin Powell met Israeli leader Ariel Sharon on Sunday after talks with Yasser Arafat failed to produce agreement on a cease-fire that Palestinians say must start with an Israeli troop pullout. :: This Reuters report submitted for your covenant with many and battle for Jerusalem files.

G8 Divide Over Kyoto Protocol Deepens Dramatically
The divisions between the world's leading nations over the Kyoto protocol on global warming deepened dramatically on Sunday, when informal talks on climate change ended with both the United States and Canada looking increasingly isolated. :: This Reuters report submitted for your ten kings and fear for the future files.

Allied Forces Clash With Terrorists
After weeks of no reported combat with al-Qaida or Taliban fighters, American-led forces clashed with "terrorists" and several of them were believed killed, the U.S. command said Sunday. :: This AP report submitted for your war files.

U.S. Funds Research on Facial Recognition Technology
Federal spending on facial recognition technology doubled in the past five years to more than $10 million, even before the Sept. 11 attacks generated new interest in the technology as a security measure, a congressional study obtained on Friday showed. :: This Reuters report submitted for your mark of the beast files.

Six Die in Jerusalem Market Bombing
A female suicide bomber blew herself up at a bus stop in Jerusalem's crowded outdoor market Friday, killing six people and wounding about 50, police said. :: This AP report of yet another suicide bombing, what the White House is calling a homicide bombing, is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

N. Afghan Quake Kills 30, Ruins Town
An earthquake shook northern Afghanistan on Friday morning, leaving a village in ruins and killing more than 30 people, aid officials said. At least 100 others were injured. :: This AP report submitted for your quake files.

World Crimes Tribunal to Debut
Despite vehement U.S. opposition, the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal will come into force on July 1, after receiving more than the 60 needed ratifications Thursday from U.S. allies and nations around the globe. :: This AP report submitted for your world community/global government files.

General Says Venezuela's Chavez Out of Power
A Venezuelan general said on Thursday that President Hugo Chavez's government had "abandoned its functions" and the South American country was under the control of the armed forces. :: This Reuters report submitted for your distress of nations files.

China Estimates It Has 850,000 HIV Carriers
Chinese health officials estimate that 850,000 people in China have contracted the HIV virus, an increase of more than quarter of a million over last year's figure, the official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday. :: This Reuters report submitted for your pestilence files.

Microsoft Has Shelved Its Internet 'Persona' Service
Microsoft has quietly shelved a consumer information service that was once planned as the centerpiece of the company's foray into the market for tightly linked Web services. :: This e-commerce report from NYT is submmited for your mark of the beast files.

Sharon: Israel Will Keep Fighting
From a West Bank army base overlooking the scene of the deadliest fighting in Israel's 13-day-old offensive, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Wednesday delivered a blunt message: Israel will not pull back until Palestinian militias are crushed. :: This AP report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Weird Stars Show Evidence of New Form of Matter
Two weird stars -- one too cold, the other too small to fit known astronomical models -- show evidence for a completely new form of matter, astronomers said on Wednesday. :: This Reuters report submitted for your signs in the stars files.

EU, Russia, UN Back Powell in Tough Mideast Mission
Secretary of State Colin Powell won strong international backing for his Middle East peace mission Wednesday at talks in Spain but a devastating suicide bombing seemed to decrease the odds of his success. :: This Reuters report submitted for your covenant with many files.

Terror Blast Kills 8
The militant Islamic group Hamas is claiming responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed at least eight people and wounded 14 on an Israeli commuter bus near Haifa today. Elsewhere, the Israel Defense Forces said hundreds of Palestinians were giving themselves up at the refugee camp in the West Bank town of Jenin. :: This CNN report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Blair Says Time Not Yet Right for Iraq Strike
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday the time was not yet right for military action against Iraq but asserted that the world would be a safer place without Saddam Hussein in power. :: This Reuters report submitted for your rumor of war and Iraq files.

Red Heifer Born in Israel
Less than one month ago, a red heifer was born in Israel. After the heifer's owner contacted the Temple Institute, on Friday, April 5th, 2001, Rabbi Menachem Makover and Rabbi Chaim Richman traveled to the farm where the heifer is located, to inspect and validate her status. The rabbis found her to be kosher and were satisfied that this heifer could indeed be a candidate to be used in the process of purification described in the book of Numbers, chapter 19. This is an important development towards the rebuilding of the Holy Temple. :: This Temple Institutde report submitted for your abomination in the holy place files.

China Slams U.S. Vow To Defend Taiwan
China said on Tuesday the United States was rudely meddling in China's internal affairs when a top Pentagon official said Washington would do "whatever it takes" to help Taiwan defend itself. :: This Reuters report submitted for your rumor of war and kings of the East files. I don't like the headline, countries don't slam one another, this is tabloid sensationalism, they criticize each other, they deplore actions, they condemn, but they don't slam. Anyway, it's clear that "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan in not on the agenda, at least not for Taiwan, and the U.S. would be wise to maintain a policy of strategic ambiguity, if indeed it is not too late for that. Unless, of course, the U.S. wants to take on China, Iraq, Syria and Iran all at the same time.

Cholera Kills More Than 50 in Somalia
More than 50 people have died in a cholera outbreak in the past week, health officials said Monday. The disease has hit Beletwein, 185 miles north of Mogadishu, the capital, and Jilib, 217 miles to the south. Officials said dozens more are infected with the disease in both towns and surrounding villages. :: This AP report submitted for your pestilence files.

Hizbollah, Israel Clash Near Lebanese Border
Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas attacked Israeli military positions in a disputed frontier area Monday, drawing Israeli artillery fire and air strikes on south Lebanese border towns, witnesses said. :: This Reuters report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Powell Begins a Crucial Trip to the Mideast
Colin L. Powell took off for the Middle East on Sunday on one of the most urgent and challenging attempts at American peacemaking since the 1970's. :: This NYT report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem and covenant with many files.

Blair: Iraq Must Allow UN Inspectors
Voicing his strongest support yet for possible military action against Iraq, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Sunday that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein must allow U.N. weapons inspectors without conditions. :: This CNN report submitted for your rumor of war and Iraq burned to a toasty cinder files.

Moderate Quake Jolts Eastern Taiwan
A moderate earthquake rattled Taiwan's northeastern coast on Monday. No damage or injuries were immediately reported. :: This AP report submitted for your quake files.

Smart Gadgets Won't Banish Those Shopping Blues
Supermarkets may be using the latest hi-tech wizardry to ease the pain of the weekly grocery shopping, but even electronic shelf labeling and automatic bag packers won't take the "shop" out of shopping. :: This Reuters report on the latest in commerce technology is submitted for your mark of the beast files.

New Study Reveals Twice As Many Asteroids As Believed
Asteroids in our Solar System may be more numerous than previously thought, according to the first systematic search for these objects performed in the infrared, with the European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory. :: This Space Flight Now report submitted for your signs in the heavens files.

UN Security Council Again Wades Into Middle East
The U.N. Security Council set yet another debate on the Middle East on Monday as Israeli forces pounded away at Palestinian areas, defying repeated U.N. calls for them to pull out of West Bank towns. :: This Reuters report submitted for your covenant with many files.

Potent Explosives Fortify Palestinian Arsenal
Israeli officials say they have evidence that the Palestinians have recently augmented their limited arsenal with significantly more powerful explosives. This New York Times article submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Bush: Saddam Hussein Must Go
President Saddam Hussein's days as leader of Iraq are numbered if the United States has anything to do with it, President Bush made clear Saturday during a joint news conference with visiting Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain. This CNN report submitted for your rumor of war files.

Europeans Want in on Mideast Talks
The president of the European Commission insisted Saturday that Europeans be a part of negotiations to end the crisis in the Middle East. Before Bush said Thursday that Secretary of State Colin Powell would be sent to the Middle East, European leaders had suggested the United States step aside and let other nations take the lead in mediating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This AP report submitted for your covenant with many files.

Iraq's Ruling Party Urges Arabs Hit U.S. Interests
Iraq's ruling Baath party urged Arabs on Saturday to strike at U.S. and Israeli interests in the Arab world and to support the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. This Reuters report submitted for your rumor of war files.

Israel Hits Lebanon, Risks of Wider Conflict Mount
Israeli jets and artillery hit targets across south Lebanon on Saturday in retaliation for the most extensive guerrilla attacks on the Jewish state's armed forces since they withdrew from the area two years ago. Submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Bush Calls on Israel to Withdraw
Stepping up U.S. pressure, President Bush on Saturday called on Israel to withdraw "without delay" from Palestinian cities it has occupied. He insisted again that the Palestinian leadership order an immediate cease-fire and crack down on terrorist activity. Fighting spread through the alleys of densely populated West Bank refugee camps, where Palestinian militants reportedly were handing out explosives-packed belts to residents willing to strap them on and challenge Israeli soldiers. This AP report submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Mideast Fighting Ahead of Powell Vist
CNN reports (cue the moaning women) that Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen battled in the narrow streets of Nablus Saturday, after a night of clashes in the West Bank and Gaza.The fighting left at least five Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers dead, according to the Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinian Red Crescent, amid a week-old Israeli offensive in response to Palestinian suicide attacks. Submitted for your battle for Jerusalem & covenant with many files.

Bush Raises Glimmer of Hope in Mideast Conflict
A glimmer of hope dawned in the Middle East on Friday after President Bush called for a halt to Israel's drive into the West Bank and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat endorsed his statement. Bush ordered Secretary of State Colin Powell to go to the region to revive efforts to achieve a cease-fire. :: This Reuters report submitted for your covenant with many & battle for Jerusalem files. In his statement, Bush noted that, "The Chairman of the Palestinian Authority has not consistently opposed or confronted terrorists. At Oslo and elsewhere, Chairman Arafat renounced terror as an instrument of his cause, and he agreed to control it. He's not done so," so I wonder why the U.S. still insists that it is Arafat that Irael must make peace with? If evidence of Arafat's support for terrorism is strong, and it's clear that Arafat has made a strategic choice to support terrorism, why does the U.S. continue to support him as a peace partner for Israel?

Company to Sell Implantable Chip
A company plans to begin selling a computer ID chip that can be embedded beneath people's skin, now that the Food and Drug Administration has said it will not regulate the implant as long as it contains no medical data. Applied Digital Solutions Inc. designed the VeriChip — about the size of a grain of rice — to hold information that could be read with special electronic scanners. The company has touted the chip as a potential way to hold a person's medical records or security codes. :: This AP report is submitted for your mark of the beast files.

Comet And Andromeda Galaxy Visible Together Tonight
For the past few weeks, the brightest comet for nearly 6 years has been visible in the western sky after sunset. On the nights of April 4th and 5th, it passes through the constellation Andromeda, appearing, by chance, in the sky close to a giant spiral galaxy, the Andromeda Nebula, similar to our own Milky Way Galaxy. Should the skies be clear, we will have a chance of seeing both in the same binocular field of view. :: This UniSci report submitted for your signs in the stars files.

Diplomacy In High Gear As Israel Continues Sweep
CNN reports the Israeli military continued its push into the West Bank, completing a takeover of Nablus overnight, diplomats from the U.S. and European Union plan to hold a series of meetings Thursday with top Israeli leaders in an attempt to resolve the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. :: Submitted for your covenant with many files.

Bush Sending Powell to Middle East
In a new push for peace, President Bush on Thursday demanded that Israel pull back its troops from Palestinian cities it pacified in recent days and called on Arab nations to do more to crack down on terrorists. He ordered Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region to carry the message. :: Maybe if we ask nicely, Saddam Hussein will lower the payments he gives to families of suicide bombers. That might help. Submitted for your battle for Jerusalem & covenant with many files.

Sharon Vows to Keep Arafat Caged, Fighting Rages
Reuters reports that shooting erupted near the traditional birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem and Israeli tanks plowed into the West Bank's biggest city Thursday as Israel vowed to pursue an offensive that has divided the world into pro-Israel and pro-Arab camps. Who is in the pro-Irael camp? Well, let's see, there's the U.S., and then there's...the U.S. Interesting pattern. Let's hope the wings of the great eagle do not falter.

'Mood is good,' Hamas Leaders Assert
According to this IHT report, the leaders of Hamas, the militant Islamic movement responsible for the most devastating suicide attacks in Israel during the last week, are pleased and self-satisfied just now with the results of their suicide bombings. Submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Battle In Bethlehem
Israel on Wednesday deepened its military campaign in the West Bank, rolling tanks into the town of Jenin and the village of Salfit, according to this CNN report. Palestinian forces also invaded the Church of the Nativity, something I think is noteworthy, perhaps that would be a headline attention grabber. The Palestinians are actually shot their way into the church and are shooting at Israelis from inside the church. Where is the outrage? Submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

U.S. Urged to Step Down in Mideast
Declaring American mediation in the Middle East a failure, the EU executive urged the United States on Wednesday to stand down as primary peacemaker and let a broad alliance of nations mediate a cease-fire and a durable Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. European Commission President Romano Prodi said the foreign ministers from the European Union should endorse a call for new negotiations, involving not only the United States, but also the European Union, the United Nations, Russia, moderate Arab states, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. This Reuters report submitted for your covenant with many files.

Family Wants Data Chips Implanted
This AP news article described the medical uses of biochip implants and how they may impove the lives of those whose medical condition may not allow them to communicate with doctors: The VeriChip, made by Applied Digital Solutions in Palm Beach County, is about the size of a grain of rice. It would be injected under a person's skin, probably in the arm, and could be read only by scanners. Similar technology has been used in the past few years on millions of dogs and cats as a way to identify the pets if they are lost or stolen. Applied Digital says the chip can provide instant access to a patient's medical records, which is especially valuable in emergencies or in situations in which the patient is unconscious and unable to provide a medical history or, say, allergies to any medications. It could, for example, be used to identify and diagnose a lost Alzheimer's patient. Ultimately, the chips could be coupled with global-positioning satellites to locate Alzheimer's patients who have wandered off, or find kidnapping victims — an idea the company hopes to market in Latin America. The chip could also be used as a security tool. "It can be used as an inexpensive method to gain entry into a secure power plant, the cockpit of an airplane, or any place where a high level of authentication is required for entrance to a building," said Keith Bolton, Applied Digital vice president and chief technology officer. "It's a lot less expensive than retina scanning or thumbprint recognition equipment." The chip has stirred debate over its potential use as a "Big Brother" device to track people or invade the privacy of their homes or workplaces. Civil libertarians call it crypto-fascism or high-tech slavery. Religious advocates say it represents "the mark of the Beast," or the anti-Christ. :: Right. Submitted for your mark of the beast files. No, it's not the mark, but it's worth keeping an eye on.

Gang Attacks American Jews in Berlin Street
A group of seven or eight men attacked two American Jews walking along one of Berlin's smartest streets after they visiting a synagogue, German police said Tuesday. The incident, which happened Sunday, followed attacks in recent days on synagogues in France and Belgium. It was reported after Interior Minister Otto Schily said earlier Tuesday that security had been stepped up around Jewish sites across the country. Submitted for your wickedness increases files.

Israel Proposes Exile for Arafat
Israel has proposed that besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat be flown into exile by European diplomats, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Tuesday, raising such a possibility for the first time in public. Palestinian officials said Arafat would never agree to go into exile. Submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Arafat's Security HQ Under Attack
The Israeli military on Tuesday intensified its attack on Yasser Arafat's preventative security headquarters in Ramallah, hammering the compound with tank shells, rockets from helicopter gunships, machine gun fire and small arms fire. Submitted for your battle for Jerusalem files.

Despite Recent Attack, Christians in Pakistan Celebrate Easter
About 300 people attended the main Easter service for the Christian community, in St. Thomas Church in Islamabad, Pakistan, in spite of the fact they were still feeling effects of a grenade attack at the International Protestant Church (IPC) on March 17. Submitted for your gospel preached to all.

Iraq Urges Use of Oil Weapon Against Israel, U.S.
Iraq has called on Arab states to use oil as a weapon to punish countries supporting Israel and to stop the Jewish state's current military action against Palestinians. "Use oil as a weapon in the battle with the enemy (Israel)," Iraq's ruling Baath party said in a statement published by Baghdad media Monday. The statement appeared to be calling for action similar to a crippling Arab oil embargo imposed in the 1970s against Western nations. Saudi Arabia and other major producers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have made clear they have no intention of repeating the earlier oil embargo that severely hit Western economies. This Reuters report submitted for your rumor of war, battle for Jerusalem, and Iraq files.

Chirac Urges Tighter Security as Synagogues Burn
President Jacques Chirac urged tighter security at religious sites Monday after arson attacks on synagogues in France sparked a warning of a new "Kristallnacht" of violence against Jews. This Reuters report submitted for your wickedness increases files.