EPIC - 2005 Privacy Year in Review
Here is a year-end review from the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). In their report they note, "It's been an eventful year in privacy, right up to the end, with revelations of government surveillance of activists, warrantless wiretaps by the National Security Agency, and a Congressional staring contest over the renewal of the Patriot Act. And the months preceding this one were no less impressive, with data security laws, RFID, and voter privacy making headlines." [Mark of the Beast, Rev 13:16-18]

WND - Lebanese leader claims Syria blackmailing U.S.
World Net Daily reports, "Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is supporting the insurgency against civilians and U.S. troops in Iraq and using the violence he aids to blackmail the U.S. and international community into easing the push for United Nations sanctions against his country..." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Doomed Damascus, Isaiah 17:1]

MyWay News - Gaza-Egypt Border Open After Being Overrun
AP reports, "Palestinian policemen angry over the killing of a fellow officer stormed the Gaza-Egypt border crossing Friday, firing in the air and forcing European monitors to flee and close the terminal for several hours, Palestinian and European officials said."

Commentary: As the Palestinian civil war escalates, we now face the danger that they will use their Iranian, Syrian and Russian supplied weapons against each other as well as against Israel. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

MLive.com - Drought Strikes Three E. African Nations
AP reports, "Drought has triggered extreme food shortages in three East African countries, putting millions of people at risk of famine as the lean dry season approaches, a humanitarian group said." [Famine, Matthew 24:7]

Crosswalk - A Year of Violence Against India's Catholics
This is a report from Compass Direct, it details incidents of religious persecution in India over the past year. According to the report, "Many incidents of violence against both Catholics and Protestants went unreported, since the police often refused to record the victims' complaints, but by last June the number of violent attacks recorded by Christian organizations had reached over 200. This number was expected to double by year's end." [Believers Persecuted, Matthew 24:8]

Jerusalem Post - Syria bought Russian-made rockets fired at Israel
AP reports, "Projectiles that were fired by Lebanese guerrillas into northern Israel in recent weeks were made in Russia and sold to Syria, the Yediot Ahronot newspaper reported Thursday." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Doomed Damascus, Isaiah 17:1]

ABC News - Palestinian Bomber Kills Israeli Soldier
AP reports, "A Palestinian suicide bomber trying to enter Israel blew himself up Thursday at a military checkpoint set up to foil attackers, killing an Israeli soldier and two other Palestinians."

Israel: Orthodox Jews Disrupt Messianic Worship Service

I've never seen anything like this. Orthodox Jews in the USA don't do this kind of thing; they do their best to avoid trouble. This incident in the Israeli town of Beer-sheba reminds me forcefully of the riotous greeting of Paul in Ephesus, and especially of the mob that dragged Paul out of the Temple of Jerusalem and beat him about his body before Claudius Lysias, Roman tribune, arrived in force to quell the disturbance and take Paul into custody. Notice also an incident involving someone telling something not to do something because it was a Sabbath break. Jesus heard that kind of talk several times.

Eventually, those Orthodox Jews will wake up and find that all the Messianics have disappeared. What happens to them next--well, it's all foretold, but it doesn't make it any more pleasant.

Reuters AlertNet - Israel immigration marks first jump since uprising
Reuters reports, "Immigration to Israel rose in 2005 for the first time since the start of a five-year-old Palestinian uprising, the Jewish Agency that encourages new immigrants said on Wednesday."

ABC News - Galileo Navigation Satellite Launched
AP reports, "The European Union launched the first satellite in its Galileo navigation program on Wednesday, which European officials expect one day will end the continent's reliance on the U.S. Global Positioning System."

LA Times - Israel Strikes Palestinian Base in Lebanon After Rocket Fire
AP reports, "Israeli jets attacked a Palestinian militant group's training base in southern Lebanon early today, hours after an Israeli border town was hit by rocket fire, the military said."

INN - Terrorists in Lebanon Bombard Northern Israel
Israel National News reports, "Arab-fired katyusha rockets at northern Israel scored direct hits on two civilian homes. IDF Northern Commander: 'Merely the same rockets that we know well.' IDF retaliation wounds 2 terrorists."

Chicago Sun-Times - Pope: Christians persecuted even today
AP reports, "Pope Benedict XVI Monday marked the feast of Christianity's first martyr, noting that Christians still are persecuted for their faith in some parts of the world." [Persecution, Matthew 24:8]

MyWayNews - Mayor: Terrorists Tried to Attack London
AP reports, "Terrorists tried to attack London eight times between the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States and last July 7, when suicide bombers killed dozens on the city's transport system, London's mayor said Monday." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

WorldNetDaily: Muslim grinches steal Bethlehem Christmas

So much for "religions of peace." File this in your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] files. Add to it that Muslims claim that Bethlehem is sacred to them, because Muhammad stopped there, and an angel led him to Jerusalem.

Washington Times - Majority in U.S. believes in God
According to this report, "Traditional religion is still the bedrock of America, with 'very large majorities' of the public steadfast in their belief in God and the birth and Resurrection of Jesus Christ -- with belief in astrology, ghosts and other New Age hallmarks lagging behind." [Gospel Preached to All Nations, Matthew 24:14]

MyWayNews - Bethlehem, Vatican Pilgrims Mark Christmas
AP reports, "Christian pilgrims packed Bethlehem's Manger Square and the Vatican on Christmas Day to pray for a tranquil 2006 and remember those killed in the terrorist attacks and natural disasters that marked the waning year."

Merry Christmas everyone!

MyWayNews - Earthquake Rattles Ecuador's Amazon Jungle
AP reports, "A strong earthquake shook parts of Ecuador's Amazon jungle Friday but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, the country's Geophysics Institute said." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

Science@NASA - An Explosion on the Moon
NASA reports, "NASA scientists have observed an explosion on the moon. The blast, equal in energy to about 70 kg of TNT, occurred near the edge of Mare Imbrium (the Sea of Rains) on Nov. 7, 2005, when a 12-centimeter-wide meteoroid slammed into the ground traveling 27 km/s." [Signs in the Moon, Luke 21:25]

MyWayNews - Indonesia Deploys Troops After Warnings
AP reports, "Indonesia deployed thousands of troops to guard churches and places where foreigners gather Friday amid warnings that al-Qaida-linked militants were planning Christmas terror attacks in the world's most populous Muslim nation." [Believers Persecuted, Matthew 24:8]

MyWayNews - Israel Threatens Response for Rocket Fire
AP reports, "Israel threatened a harsh response to Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza after five soldiers were hurt and did not rule out a ground attack. Israeli security officials said Thursday that Palestinians will be banned from areas near the border, especially from the ruins of the Jewish settlements."

CNN - Muslim leader calls Holocaust a 'myth'
AP reports, "The leader of Egypt's main Islamic opposition group said Thursday the Holocaust was a 'myth,' and he slammed Western governments for criticizing disclaimers of the Jewish genocide."

CNN - China's military a danger: Japan
AP reports, "China's expanding military budget represents a danger and is fueling suspicion among other nations, Kyodo News agency quoted Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso as saying Thursday." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

CNN - Bird flu shows resistance to Tamiflu
AP reports, "In a development health experts are calling alarming, two bird flu patients in Vietnam died after developing resistance to Tamiflu, the key drug that governments are stockpiling in case of a large-scale outbreak." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Science Daily - Jesus is taboo for U.S. military chaplains
UPI reports, "A U.S. Navy chaplain has begun a hunger strike in Washington to protest a military policy that bans mentioning Jesus in Christian prayer."

Yahoo News - Russia Test-Launches Ballistic Missile
AP reports, "Russia successfully test-launched a newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday for the first time under water, the navy said...Russia's navy is to get two newly equipped nuclear submarines in 2006, armed with the new Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, the navy commander said in April. The missiles have a range of 5,000 miles." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Judge: Pa. Intelligent Design Mandate Unconstitutional

HARRISBURG, Pa. — "Intelligent design" cannot be mentioned in biology classes in a Pennsylvania public school district, a federal judge said Tuesday, ruling in one of the biggest courtroom clashes on evolution since the 1925 Scopes trial.

EU Observer - EU ministers ditch sensitive Israel report
The EU Observer reports, "EU foreign ministers have shelved a confidential and critical report on the Israeli Jerusalem policy due to its highly sensitive nature."

Israel National News - MK Dr. Eldad: Sharon Physically Unfit to Run State
"Someone who is 78, overweight, short of breath and had a stroke cannot run a country." So says MK Aryeh Eldad, the former IDF Chief Physician. Hadassah Hospital doctors say Sharon is OK. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a TIA (transient ischemic attack) last night, was rushed to Jerusalem's Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital, and is expected to remain hospitalized until at least tomorrow. A TIA, sometimes called a mini-stroke, involves a brief deprivation of adequate oxygen to part of the brain.

Chron.com | Israel's Sharon rushed to hospital

JERUSALEM %u2014 Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was rushed to the hospital today after feeling ill while working in his office, and a hospital official said he was awake and undergoing medical tests.

BREAKING NEWS - Israel's Sharon taken to hospital
BBC reports, "Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been taken to hospital, local media have reported, without giving further details on the cause or his condition."

SpaceWar - US Ignores Chinese Military Advances At Their Peril
AFP reports, "The United States must prepare an effective strategy to face China's rising military power and not freeze at the Asian giant 'like a deer in the proverbial headlights,' a new study warned Wednesday." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Kings of the East, Rev 16:12]

Yahoo News - Top Science Stories of 2005: A Year of Incredible Impact
Space.Com reports, "Rarely have science and nature dominated daily life and generated so much debate as in 2005. It was a year of clashes, between nature and man, science and religion, and sometimes even between scientists. Along the way, some important and amazing discoveries were made." [Knowledge Increases, Daniel 12:4]

Commentary: This is a comprehensive summary of the top science news of the year, including record breaking catastrophic weather, cloning, astronomical discoveries, nonotech breakthroughs and the global warming debate.

Yahoo News - Iran Could Be Sanctioned for Riling Israel
AP reports, "Iran could face sanctions if it keeps provoking Israel and the West, European leaders warned Saturday, even as the Tehran regime's interior minister said the Iranian president's remarks had been 'misunderstood.' " [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Persia, Ezekiel 38:5]

Commentary: Any clues from BP regarding the status of Iran? Zeke suggests that Iran will remain confident and aggressive right up to the point at which they invade Israel. Of course, at that point, Iran's fate is sealed.

Yahoo News - 6.2-Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Japan
AP reports, "An undersea earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 shook northern Japan early Saturday, but there was no danger of a tsunami, the Meteorological Agency said. There were no immediate reports of damages or injuries." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

Yahoo News - Half of Israelis favor deal on Jerusalem: poll
Reuters reports, "Nearly half of Israelis would support giving up parts of Arab East Jerusalem under any eventual peace deal with the Palestinians, a poll published on Friday showed." [Status of Jerusalem, Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Zechariah 14; Luke 21:20]

Commentary: I'm not surprised at these poll results, the illusion of peace can be quite appealing, and there will be peace, for a time. The barrier wall will be torn down, Israel will appear to be secure...appearances can be deceiving.

Yahoo News - China Reports Sixth Human Case of Bird Flu
AP reports, "China on Thursday reported its sixth human case of bird flu and a new outbreak in a flock of ducks. The latest human infection is a 35-year-old man in Suichuan County in the eastern province of Jiangxi, the official Xinhua News Agency said, citing a Health Ministry statement. It didn't give any other details." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

And some good news:
Yahoo News - Pandemic Flu-Vaccine Prototype Promising

Yahoo News - Bethlehem Mayor Asks Pilgrims to Visit
AP reports, "The mayor of Jesus' traditional birthplace on Wednesday asked pilgrims to visit in large numbers during Christmas and help pressure Israel to dismantle the barrier that separates the city from Jerusalem." [Status of Jerusalem, Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Zechariah 14; Luke 21:20]

Commentary: Perhaps it would be good for Christians to visit and then express their support for the barrier in general and Jerusalem in particular?

Yahoo News - Iranian President Calls Holocaust a 'Myth'
AP reports, "Iran's hard-line president lashed out with a new outburst at Israel on Wednesday, calling the Nazi Holocaust a 'myth' used as a pretext for carving out a Jewish state in the heart of the Muslim world." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Persia, Ezekiel 38:5]

Commentary: The new leader of Iran wants to relocate Israel to Europe or Alaska. I wonder if that is his final solution?

Yahoo News - Nobel Winner ElBaradei: Nuke Risk Remains
AP reports, "Fifteen years after the end of the Cold War, the risk of nuclear disaster is as great as ever with terrorists zealously pursuing atomic weapons, chief U.N. nuclear inspector Mohamed ElBaradei said Saturday in accepting the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Fear and Apprehension for the Future, Luke 21:11]

Commentary: There is one country in the world that I bet he is most eager to help rid of those dangerous nuclear weapons, care to guess which one?

Yahoo News - Government Tests Readiness for Pandemic
AP reports, "After role-playing an outbreak of pandemic flu, federal officials said Saturday that saving lives and containing the economic damage will require more planning in local communities and increased production of vaccines and medications." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Commentary: Let's hope their role-playing is better than that done before Hurricane Katrina.

WorldNetDaily: Israel plans strike on nuclear Iran

For your wars and rumors of wars files.

Yahoo News - Iranian President Jabs at Israel Again
AP reports, "Iran's hard-line president, who once called for Israel to be 'wiped off the map,' again sparked a barrage of international criticism Thursday, saying the Jewish state should be moved to Europe and questioning whether the Holocaust took place." [Rumors of War/Persia, Matthew 24:6/Ezekiel 38:5]

Yahoo News - China Confirms New Human Case of Bird Flu
AP reports, "A 10-year-old girl in southern China has tested positive for the deadly H5N1 virus, the government said Tuesday, making her the country's fourth human bird flu case." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Yahoo News - Netanyahu Backs Pre-Emptive Strike on Iran
AP reports, "Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in remarks published Monday that he would support a pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear program." [Rumors of War & Persia, Matthew 24:6 & Ezekiel 38:5]

Yahoo News - Iran confident in nuclear row with West
Reuters reports, "Iran is confident enough of its diplomatic position to risk a major confrontation with the United States and Europe over its nuclear program, a U.S. report said. The report, by the government-funded but independent United States Institute of Peace, said the outcome of the standoff would depend on whether Washington and its allies could remain united, including on the issue of possible sanctions." [Persia, Ezekiel 38:5]

Yahoo News - Islamic Jihad Suicide Bomber Kills Five
AP reports, "A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up among shoppers outside a mall Monday, killing at least five people and putting pressure on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for a tough response ahead of a fierce election campaign."

Yahoo News - Quake Buries Children in Rubble in Congo
AP reports, "A powerful earthquake Monday toppled dozens of homes and buried children in rubble in eastern Congo, killing at least two people in a region already beset by chronic violence and grinding poverty. The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8, struck at 2:20 p.m. (7:20 a.m. EST) and was centered beneath Lake Tanganyika on the Congo-Tanzania border, about 600 miles southwest of Nairobi, Kenya, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

My Way News - Zimbabwe Signs U.N. Food Aid Agreement

AP reports, "Zimbabwe signed an agreement Thursday with the United Nations food agency to feed at least 3 million people after previously denying major shortages in the troubled southern African country." [Famine, Matthew 24:7]

My Way News - U.N. Official Appeals for Quake Aid Funds

AP reports, "The World Food Program chief appealed Saturday for urgent funds to keep an airlift flying to quake-ravaged areas through the winter, calling it 'the most difficult' logistical task the U.N. agency has ever faced." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

My Way News - Pope and Abbas Discuss Middle East Peace
AP reports, "Pope Benedict XVI met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday and stressed the need to integrate all Palestinians in the peace process, the Vatican said - an apparent reference to extremist elements blamed for recent violence." [Covenant With Many, Daniel 9:27]

My Way News - Russia: Weapons to Iran for Defense Only

AP reports, "Russia's weapons sales to Iran are purely for defensive purposes, a government spokesman said Saturday, in response to reports that Russia was selling $1 billion worth of weapons to Iran."

My Way News - Iran Moves Closer to Blocking Inspections

AP reports, "Iran's hard-line constitutional watchdog approved a bill Saturday blocking international inspections of atomic facilities if the nation is referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions, state-run television reported."

My Way News - Key al-Qaida Leader Killed in Pakistan

AP reports, "One of al-Qaida's top five leaders, said to be responsible for planning overseas strikes, was killed by Pakistani security forces in a rocket attack near the Afghan border with U.S. help, American and Pakistani officials said Saturday." [Wars and Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

Yahoo News - Russia Reportedly to Sell Missiles to Iran
AP reports, "Russia has agreed to sell more than $1 billion worth of missiles and other defense systems to Iran, Russian news media reported Friday, a move expected to draw a heated reaction from the United States....On Friday, Israel carried out a successful test of its Arrow missile defense system, intercepting and destroying a missile similar to Iran's long-range Shahab-3." [Persia/Iran, Ezekiel 38:5]

Yahoo News - Nations Promote Awareness on AIDS Day
AP reports, "About 40 million people worldwide are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Some 3 million of them are expected to die of AIDS this year. Africa, with only 10 percent of the world's population, suffers over half of its HIV infections." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]