Spaceflight Now - Double Helix Nebula Found in Center of Milky Way
Spaceflight Now reports, "Astronomers report an unprecedented elongated double helix nebula near the center of our Milky Way galaxy, using observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The part of the nebula the astronomers observed stretches 80 light years in length." [Signs in the Stars, Luke 21:25]

Yahoo News - Strong Quake Kills One, Hurts Two in Iran
AP reports, "A strong earthquake jolted western Iran early Friday, killing one person and injuring two others, official state news agency said." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

Yahoo News - Suicide Bomber Kills Three Israelis
AP reports, "A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the northern West Bank settlement of Kedoumim after nightfall Thursday, killing three Israelis, settlers and Israeli media said."

Yahoo News - Air Warming Above Antarctica
AP reports, "The air over Antarctica is warming even faster than in other parts of the world, according to an analysis of 30 years of weather balloon data. While surface warming has been reported in parts of Antarctica, this is the first report of broad-scale climate change across the whole continent, the British Antarctic Survey says in Friday's issue of the journal Science." [Fear/Apprehensive for the Future, Luke 21:26]

Yahoo News - Iran Envoy Rejects Security Council Demand
AP reports, "A top Iranian envoy defiantly rejected a U.N. Security Council demand for a halt in uranium enrichment, saying Thursday that Tehran's activities are 'not reversible,' despite new calls to reconsider from the United States, its key European allies, Russia and China." [Iran/Persia, Ezekiel 38:5]

Yahoo News - Afghan Convert Thanks Pope for Intervening
AP reports, "An Afghan who faced the death penalty in his homeland for converting from Islam to Christianity said Thursday he was certain he would have been killed had he stayed there, and he thanked Pope Benedict XVI for intervening on his behalf." [Believers Persecuted, Matthew 24:8]

Yahoo News - Upcoming Hurricane Season Likely Strong
AP reports, "The top U.S. hurricane expert said Thursday that this year's hurricane season is likely to be stronger than average, though short of the record 2005 season, the costliest on record." [Roaring Waves & Tides, Luke 21:11]

Yahoo News - Study: S. Korea Not 'Most-Wired' Country
AP reports, "Because of its high prevalence of broadband access, South Korea is often considered the world's "most-wired" nation. But a new study of international Internet usage offered evidence that people in other countries are even more connected." [Interactive World Community, Rev 11:9-10]

Yahoo News - Flooding fears after cyclone hits Australia
Reuters reports, "Hundreds of residents on Australia's remote northwest desert coast began mopping up on Friday after a powerful cyclone battered towns with destructive winds and torrential rain." [Roaring Waves & Tides, Luke 21:11]

Yahoo News - Syria's Assad Calls for Better U.S. Ties
AP reports, "Syrian President Bashar Assad has renewed his call for better relations with the United States but at the same time criticized President Bush's government, saying it does not care about peace." [Doomed Damascus, Isaiah 17:1]

My Way News - Thousands Gather in Temple for Eclipse
AP reports, "Thousands of skygazers gathered in an ancient temple of Apollo and let out cheers Wednesday as a total solar eclipse turned day into twilight, casting an eerie blue glow across the sky and the Mediterranean Sea." [Signs in the Sun, Luke 21:25]

Washington Post - Use of Implanted Patient-Data Chips Stirs Debate on Medicine vs. Privacy
The Washington Post reports, "Some doctors are welcoming the technology as an exciting innovation that will speed care and prevent errors. But the concept alarms privacy advocates. They worry the devices could make it easier for unauthorized snoops to invade medical records. They also fear that the technology marks a dangerous step toward an Orwellian future in which people will be monitored using the chips or will be required to have them inserted for surveillance."

My Way News - Carbon Dioxide Hit Record in 2005
AP reports, "The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere climbed to a record 381 parts per million last year, an increase sure to spark further debate on global warming."

My Way News - Iran Leader: Nuclear Path 'Irreversible'
AP reports, "Iran's supreme leader issued a tough line on his country's suspect nuclear program Tuesday, saying it is 'irreversible' and any retreat would endanger the Islamic republic's independence."

My Way News - China and Russia Object to Iran Statement
AP reports, "China and Russia objected Tuesday to a tough U.N. Security Council statement backed by the United States, Britain and France calling for a report in two weeks on Iran's compliance with demands that it suspend uranium enrichment."

My Way News - Billy Graham Returns With Big Easy Sermon
AP reports, "In his first public sermon in nine months, evangelist Billy Graham delivered his message of repentance and salvation Sunday to an overflow arena crowd in this city slowly recovering from devastation." [Gospel Preached to All Nations, Matthew 24:14]

My Way News - Cassini Spots Water Geysers on Saturn Moon
AP reports, "The orbiting Cassini spacecraft has spotted what appear to be water geysers on one of Saturn's icy moons, raising the tantalizing possibility that the celestial object harbors life." [Signs & Wonders in the Heavens, Luke 21:11]

My Way News - Israel to Draw West Bank Borders by 2010
AP reports, "Israel will determine its border with the West Bank in the absence of talks with the Palestinians, and then build a wall and move all settlers to the Israeli side, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in an interview published Friday."

Yahoo News - Annan Urges Overhaul of U.N. Operations
AP reports, "Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged U.N. member states Tuesday to approve a radical overhaul of the world body's operations that would include a 2,500-member rapid reaction team to help millions facing hunger, violence and terrorism [...] The United States has been pushing for a major management overhaul that would give the secretary-general more power and flexibility." [Global Government, Rev 13:7;17]

My Way News - WHO: Africa Needs to Prepare for Bird Flu
AP reports, "African governments need to put aside billions of dollars to compensate farmers whose chickens they slaughter to control the spread of bird flu, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

The Gathering Storm
The clouds of war (Matthew 24:6) on our horizon became much darker today as nuclear powered North Korea fired off a few missiles, Iran continued to defy the global community, and Israel warned the if the Security Council fails to deal with Iran's nuclear ambitions it will have to act unilaterally. Meanwhile, amidst those distractions, the real fuse burns slowly in Damascus (Isaiah 17:1).

Yahoo News - North Korea Test-Fires Two Missiles
AP reports, "North Korea test-fired two short-range missiles Wednesday, an unsettling reminder of the reclusive communist regime's ability to cause instability in the region where a standoff persists over its nuclear program."

Yahoo News - Iran Threatens U.S. Over Nuclear Program
AP reports, "Iran threatened the United States with 'harm and pain' Wednesday if the U.S. tries to use the U.N. Security Council - which has the power to impose sanctions - as a lever to punish Tehran for its suspect nuclear program. Washington warned that Tehran has enough nuclear material for up to 10 atomic bombs."

Yahoo News - Israel will have to act on Iran if UN can't
Reuters reports, "If the U.N. Security Council is incapable of taking action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Israel will have no choice but to defend itself, Israel's defense minister said on Wednesday."

Yahoo News - Scientists Say Sun's Next Cycle Stronger
AP reports, "A new computer model suggests the next solar cycle will be more active than the previous one, potentially spawning magnetic storms that will be more disruptive to communication systems on Earth.The next sunspot cycle will be between 30 percent to 50 percent more intense than the last one, scientists said Monday." [Signs in the Sun, Luke 21:25]

My Way News - Abbas: Al-Qaida Has Infiltrated Gaza Strip
AP reports, "Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said in an interview published Thursday that the al-Qaida terror network has infiltrated the Gaza Strip and West Bank, which could have dire consequences for the Middle East. Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in response Thursday that Israel was intensifying its 'war' against al-Qaida."