Promising New Comet Called NEAT Graces Evening Sky
During the next few weeks skywatchers can look for a recently discovered comet that may become plainly visible in the evening sky, and could possibly shine very brightly, just before a close encounter with the Sun. :: This Space report is submitted for your signs in the stars (Luke 21:25) files.

Saddam May Be Creating War Buffer Zone
The sudden expulsion of families from a 20-mile border strip between the autonomous Kurdish north and the rest of Iraq has led to speculation that President Saddam Hussein is clearing a buffer zone to defend against a U.S. invasion from the north. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Is That Really You? Check My DNA
Retinal scans. Fingerprints. Face scans. In the post 9/11 world, these kinds of biometric measures are increasingly used in public places like government offices, airports and rental car kiosks. But one personal identifier may soon trump all others as a tool for security personnel: DNA. :: This Wired report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files.

U.S. Fails to Sway U.N. Council on Iraq
Key members of the U.N. Security Council said Wednesday that the United States has so far failed to convince them that time has run out for a peaceful resolution to the crisis with Iraq. :: This AP report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files and rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Bush's Plan for AIDS in Africa
Details on the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a $15 billion effort proposed by President Bush. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Bush Outlines Case for War With Iraq
President Bush worked to tighten his case against the man he called "the dictator of Iraq" in his State of the Union address, hoping to dispel growing war skepticism among Americans and top allies. Yet even as Bush spoke, a new flare-up of fighting in Afghanistan served as a vivid reminder of troubles elsewhere. :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) files.

A Look at Security Council's Iraq Views
Here's a look at the different views held by the 15 Security Council members regarding potential military action in Iraq. :: This AP report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files.

Moscow, In Need of Christian Workers
For decades Moscow was the capital of communism, the heart of atheism. Public worship was prohibited. The proclamation of the gospel was forbidden. Christians surely gathered -- but only in private. The fall of the Soviet Union now has made communist Moscow a relic of the past. However, from an evangelical standpoint, it's hard to tell. Of the city's 12 million citizens, roughly 10,000 are Christian. Baptist missionary Troy Bush believes Muscovites are open to the gospel, and he senses a responsibility to spread Christ's message. :: This Religion Today report is submitted for your gospel preached to all (Matthew 24:14) files.

Jordan: Palestine Should Top U.S. Agenda
Millions of people in the Middle East believe the United States is indifferent to the region's fate, Jordan's King Abdullah said Sunday, urging Washington to commit itself anew to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) and Jordan (Daniel 11:41) files.

Report: Turkey, U.S. Agree on Troops
Turkey's military will allow up to 20,000 U.S. troops to pass through the country into northern Iraq in the event of war, a newspaper report said Sunday. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Turkey (Ezekiel 38:6) files.

Attack Overwhelms Internet, Slows Traffic
A fast-spreading, virus-like infection dramatically slowed Internet traffic Saturday, overwhelming the world's digital pipelines and interfering with Web browsing and e-mail delivery. :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Palestinian Talks Continue 'Smoothly'
Talks were progressing "smoothly" among Palestinian militant leaders meeting for the second day Saturday in an effort to unify their stance on the uprising against Israel. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files. :: How brazen, having a public summit to discuss how best to destroy Israel. Peace partners, indeed.

Allied Jets Hit Iraqi Anti-Aircraft Site
Allied jets attacked an Iraqi anti-aircraft site Saturday in the southern "no fly" zone in response to "hostile acts" by Iraqi air defenses, the U.S. military said. :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Iraq Faces Massive U.S. Missile Barrage
They're calling it "A-Day," A as in airstrikes so devastating they would leave Saddam's soldiers unable or unwilling to fight. If the Pentagon sticks to its current war plan, one day in March the Air Force and Navy will launch between 300 and 400 cruise missiles at targets in Iraq...The battle plan is based on a concept developed at the National Defense University. It's called "Shock and Awe" and it focuses on the psychological destruction of the enemy's will to fight rather than the physical destruction of his military forces. :: This CBS report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Chinese House Church Leader Sent to Labor Camp
A 47-year-old house church leader has been sent back to labor camp for 18 months, amid fears that he may not survive a further detention. :: This Religion Today report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Danish Scout Camp Features Nazi Game
A Danish scout group acknowledged it "may have crossed the line" by organizing a game of tag in which adults pretending to be Nazis chased children dressed as Jews around a phony concentration camp. :: This AP report is submitted for your wickedness increases (Matthew 24:12) files.

Clonaid Claims 3rd Clone Is Born
Clonaid, the company that claims to have produced the first human clone, said Wednesday that a third cloned child had been born to a Japanese couple. :: This AP report is submitted for your false christs (Matthew 24:4) files.

Thousands Homeless After Mexico Quake
Ignoring police blockades, residents filtered into the ghostly center of this city Thursday to see what was left of their homes and businesses after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated the area. The quake Tuesday killed 28 people, injured 300 and left 10,000 homeless. :: This AP report is submitted for your quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

3 Israelis Killed in West Bank Shooting
Palestinian gunmen opened fire Thursday on three Israelis walking near a settlement in the West Bank, killing all of them, witnesses and rescue officials said...The militant Islamic Hamas group took responsibility. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Space Shuttle Astronauts Videotape New Arc of Light
Astronauts videotaping thunderstorms from the space shuttle Columbia captured what scientists said on Thursday was a never-before-seen red glowing arc of light paralleling the curve of the Earth. "Two nights ago over Africa was an extraordinary image. We saw a huge horizontal line of air glow which has been brightened by lightning below it which extended to several hundred miles horizontally and we feel it may be something new," said Dr. Yoav Yair. :: This Reuters report is submitted for your signs in the heavens (Luke 21:11,25) files.

American Missionary Told to Leave India
An American missionary wounded in an attack by Hindu nationalists was ordered to leave India within a week for preaching illegally. :: This AP report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Hezbollah Shells Israeli Positions
Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas shelled Israeli positions in a disputed border area Tuesday, the first such attack in months, provoking Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire that wounded two civilians, security officials said. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Strong Quake Shakes Mexico City
A powerful earthquake shook west-central Mexico late Tuesday, sending panicked residents spilling into the streets of major cities and knocking out power to many areas. :: This AP report is submitted for your quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Inspectors Eye Mobile Iraq Laboratories
Top U.N. officials warned Iraq on Saturday that it is running out of time to cooperate and avoid war, and arms inspectors examined the type of mobile lab the United States says could be used to make biological weapons. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Inventor's Kin Speaks to Space Station
A century after Guglielmo Marconi ushered in the era of wireless communications, his daughter marked the centennial Saturday by greeting astronauts from close to the same spot where her father sent a historic radio transmission across the Atlantic. :: This AP for your global village (Rev 11:9-10) files. :: Very cool.

The Inconstant Sun
If you thought the sun was an unwavering beacon, you're wrong. Its brightness varies--only by a small amount, but perhaps enough to influence Earth's climate. An experiment called SOLCON on board shuttle mission STS-107 is monitoring the sun's brightness high above Earth's cloudy atmosphere. Researchers say it's crucial data for studies of climate change. :: This NASA Science News report is submitted for your signs in the sun (Luke 21:25) files.

Sen. Feingold Introduces "Total Info" Moratorium Bill
Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) has introduced legislation to place a moratorium on the development of the controversial Total Information Awareness (TIA) project. TIA is a system being developed by Admiral John Poindexter of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that aims to sift though troves of personal information in order to detect potential terrorist activity. Feingold's legislation would stop development of this domestic surveillance system until Congress has had an opportunity to review its implications. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has also introduced legislation to halt the TIA project. :: This EPIC report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on our brave new surveillance society.

IBM's New PDA Provides a Measure of Security
An innovative PDA created by IBM and Consumer Direct Link (CDL) promises to reduce the risk of unauthorized entry into the offices, facilities, manufacturing sites or warehouses of businesses and government agencies. The Paron MPC converged device combines the functions of a Linux-based PDA and mobile phone, with the notable additions of a biometric fingerprint-recognition application and security-oriented hardware/software architecture, in addition to Bluetooth wireless capability. :: This News Factor report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on biometrics and ID tech.

Scientists Develop Simple Test for Plague
Scientists have developed a simple and reliable test to rapidly diagnose plague, a sometimes deadly disease that authorities fear could be used in a bioterror attack. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Chinese Internet Dissident Put on Trial
Human Rights in China reported Wednesday that police in Shanghai have sentenced the leader of an underground Christian church to 18 months in a labor camp. :: This AP report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

S. Asia Cold Weather Kills Nearly 1,000
As fierce winds swept in from the Himalayas, the death toll from a month-long cold spell rose to 986 people in northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh, officials said Monday. :: This AP report is submitted for your fearsome events (Luke 21:11) files.

U.S. Soldiers in Israel for Maneuvers
Hundreds of American soldiers have arrived in Israel for joint maneuvers with anti-missile defenses, aimed at protecting against any Iraqi strikes if the United States attacks Iraq, officials said Tuesday. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) and great eagle (Rev 12:14) files.

Israeli Experts Examine Ancient Tablet
Israeli geologists said Monday they have examined a stone tablet detailing repair plans for the Jewish Temple of King Solomon that, if authenticated, would be a rare piece of physical evidence confirming biblical narrative. :: This AP report is submitted for your Temple Mount (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4) files.

Congolese Tell U.N. of Cannibalism, Rape
Villagers backed up reports of rape, looting and cannibalism in northeast Congo, the United Nations said Saturday after a weeklong investigation in the region. :: This AP report is submitted for your wickedness increases (Matthew 24:12) files.

Pakistan Christians Protest Arrest Delay
More than 100 Pakistani Christians rallied Saturday, calling on police to arrest the assailants who attacked a church on Christmas Day and killed three girls. :: This AP report is submitted for your believers persecuted (Matthew 24:8) files.

North Vietnamese Launch Offensive Against Christians
Police used noxious gas recently to break up a worship gathering attended by 40 Christians in the Dien Bien Dong district. :: This Charisma News/Religion Today report is submitted for your believers persecuted (Matthew 24:8) files.

Lawmaker Spreads Word on Ethiopia Famine
Rep. Frank Wolf never thought he'd see anything as bad as the starvation he saw in Ethiopia nearly 20 years ago. Last week he did — on a return visit to the African nation. :: This AP report is submitted for your famine (Matthew 24:7) files.

Imagis Technologies Provides Face Recognition Software to the City of Brentwood
Imagis Technologies Inc. , a leading developer of law enforcement software and biometric systems using advanced facial and image recognition technology, announced today that the City of Brentwood Police Department of Contra Costa County, CA has purchased Imagis' ID-2000 and CABS systems. :: This PR Newswire report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files.

Iraq: U.S. Wants to Subjugate Middle East
Coalition warplanes struck air defense targets in southern Iraq on Wednesday for the second time this week, and a key Iraqi official said the United States and Britain were bent on war with Baghdad to subjugate the Middle East. :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Microsoft's Gates Touts Consumer Gadgets
Touting an array of "smart" watches and portable video players, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates is offering further evidence that the world's largest software company sees slick consumer gadgets as computing's future. :: This AP report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on pervasive computing.

Britain Orders Ships, Troops to Gulf
Britain ordered a task force of ships and 3,000 Royal Marines to head toward the Persian Gulf and mobilized 1,500 reserve soldiers Tuesday for possible war on Iraq, joining the United States in stepping up military pressure on Saddam Hussein. :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Flu Surpasses AIDS As Killer in U.S.
Influenza has surpassed AIDS as a lethal killer and contributes to an average 36,000 annual U.S. deaths, largely because of a vulnerable aging population for whom the vaccine is often ineffective, government research shows. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

School to Use Eye Scanner for Lunch Fees
A new high school said Wednesday its students will be charged for their lunches with a retina scanning device to prevent poor children who eat for free from being ridiculed in the cafeteria. :: This AP report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on ID tech and m-commerce.

Erratic Star That Erupted in 2000 Ready to Blow
An erratic monster star that lobbed 10,000 times the Earth's mass into space when it erupted two years ago is ready to blow again at any time, astronomers said on Tuesday. :: This Reuters report is submitted for your signs in the stars (Luke 21:25) files.

U.S. Planes Strike Southern Iraqi Radar
U.S. warplanes bombed two Iraqi anti-aircraft radars that threatened pilots patrolling the southern no-fly zone, the military said. The planes used precision-guided weapons to target the mobile radar equipment Monday near Al Amarah, about 165 miles southeast of Baghdad. :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

N. Korea Warns 'Sanctions Mean a War'
A defiant North Korea warned that sanctions against it would "mean a war," as thousands of people rallied Tuesday in the communist capital to support the country's military. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Two Suicide Bombers Kill 15 in Tel Aviv
Two suicide [homicide] bombers blew themselves up minutes apart Sunday in a central Tel Aviv area crowded with foreign workers, killing at least 15 bystanders and wounding 40 just three weeks before Israel's general election...There were reports of conflicting claims of responsibility for Sunday's blasts from the Islamic Jihad group and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a militia linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files. :: I added homicide to the above AP text to note their error. When people kill themselves, it is properly called suicide. When people kill other people, it is called homicide. I wonder why the AP reporter or editor fail understand that distinction?

Reports: 56 Killed in Algerian Fighting
Islamic militants ambushed a military convoy in northeast Algeria and attacked families near the capital, in a bloody weekend of killings that claimed at least 56 lives, Algerian media reported Sunday. :: This AP report is submitted for your nations in distress (Luke 21:25) files. :: Islam, a religion of peace?

Clonaid Claims Second Cloned Human Born
Clonaid, the company that claims to have produced the first human clone, said Saturday a second cloned baby has been born to a Dutch lesbian couple. :: This AP report is submitted for your false prophets (Matthew 24:11) files. :: More information on the Raelians can be found here.

Reports: Britain to Order Troops to Gulf
Defense officials on Saturday refused to confirm newspaper reports that Britain soon will send thousands of troops to the Persian Gulf to increase the pressure on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29,37) files.

Clash Injures Five Israelis, Palestinian
Israeli troops were fired upon while patrolling the West Bank town of Jenin early Saturday, and five soldiers and one Palestinian were wounded in the ensuing gunfight. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Mideast Leaders Urge U.S.-Iraq Peace
The Turkish and Syrian leaders Saturday urged a peaceful resolution to the Iraqi-U.S. standoff, as Ankara launched a diplomatic initiative to reinforce ties with the Arab world ahead of a possible war. Turkey is opposed to military action in Iraq. :: This AP report is submitted for your Turkey (Ezekiel 38:6) and Syria (Isaiah17:1) files.

Bush Says U.S. Ready for War if Needed
Fired-up soldiers cheered President Bush Friday as he told them they may be called into combat "to secure our country and to keep the peace." :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Iraq Preacher Prays for Victory Over U.S.
The preacher at Friday prayers told a story of how God led ancient Arab soldiers to victory over a stronger infidel army, but his message failed to hearten the faithful who fear war with a modern foe - America. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files. :: The mullah prayed that "God save the Iraqi people and give them victory over the Americans." I have news for him, God has rendered a judgment against the Babylonians for their mistreatment of the Jews, a judgment which calls for the total destruction of the geographic region of historical Babylonia now encompassed by modern day Iraq. God's judgment stands.

Clashes in Venezuela Leave Dozens Hurt
Troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas Friday to keep opponents and rock-throwing supporters of President Hugo Chavez from clashing outside the Venezuelan capital's military headquarters. Eighty people were hurt, including three who suffered gunshot wounds. :: This AP report is submitted for your nations in distress (Luke 21:25) files.

At Least 5 Die in Floods Around Europe
Rainstorms flooded towns from Portugal to Germany on Friday, severing power supplies and destroying roads. The storms across Europe have claimed at least five lives, and several people were missing. :: This AP report is submitted for your fearsome events (Luke 21:11) files.

S. Korea Rebuffs North in Nuclear Crisis
South Korea rejected a proposal from the communist North to work together against the United States and told Pyongyang on Thursday to stop saber-rattling. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Israel to Launch Test of Arrow Missile
Israel will soon conduct new tests on its Arrow missile interceptor in the hope that it can be perfected for use before a possible attack by Iraq, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said in comments published Thursday. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Brazil's New Leader Pledges to End Hunger
Brazil's first elected leftist president took office Wednesday, pledging to ease the agony of countless impoverished and hungry Brazilians who inhabit South America's biggest country - a fertile land the size of the continental United States. :: This AP report is submitted for your famine (Matthew 24:7) files.

Palestinians Mark Founding of Fatah
Thousands of Palestinians, many carrying assault rifles and dummy rockets, marched in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Wednesday to mark the founding anniversary of Yasser Arafat's Fatah [Militia] movement. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Allied Planes Strike Iraqi Radar System
U.S. and British warplanes attacked an Iraqi mobile radar system Wednesday after it entered the southern no-fly zone, the U.S. military said in a statement. :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.