Yahoo News - China church demolition leads to clash
AP reports, "Police clashed with 3,000 Christians protesting the forced demolition of a partially built church in eastern China, leaving four people with serious injuries, a human rights group said Monday. [...] The clash appears to have been one of the largest-scale confrontations in recent years between police and Christian worshippers." [Believers Persecuted, Matthew 24:8]

Jerusalem Post - IDF prepared for attack by Syria
JPost reports, "While Israel is not interested in opening a front against Syria, the IDF will respond harshly and with its full might if President Bashar Assad decides to attack Israel, a high-raking IDF officer in the Northern Command told The Jerusalem Post Sunday." [Doomed Damascus, Isaiah 17:1]

Al-Qaida's No. 2 Leader Threatens Attacks
AP reports, "Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader called Thursday for Muslims to unite in a holy war against Israel and to join the fighting in Lebanon and Gaza until Islam reigns from `Spain to Iraq.'[...] Addressing the world's `downtrodden,' al-Zawahri said non-Muslims should join Islamic militants in the battle against `tyrannical Western civilization and its leader, America.'" [Wars and Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

Bird flu kills Thai youth amid new outbreaks
Reuters reports, "A 17-year-old Thai has died of the H5N1 bird flu virus, the country's 15th death since the virus swept across parts of Asia in late 2003, a senior health official said on Wednesday." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Oxfam: Emergency food aid failing Africa
AP reports, "Governments and aid groups are failing Africa by giving emergency food donations instead of addressing the causes of hunger crises, Oxfam said in a report released Monday.[...] This year, a prolonged drought in East Africa is causing millions to go hungry." [Famine, Matthew 24:7]

Yahoo News - U.S. missionaries ministered to captors
AP reports, "Two U.S. missionaries held hostage for five days in Haiti spent their captivity in a sweltering makeshift cell praying and even ministering to their kidnappers, one of the men said Friday." [Gospel Preached to All Nations, Matthew 24:14]

3,000 Americans emigrate--to Israel!

Any other people would be fleeing a war-torn country like Israel. But 3,000 American Jews are perfoming the exercise known as making aliyah, which literally means "going up" in Hebrew. Add to it that casualties from the rocket barrages have been miraculously light (yes, it is indeed a miracle) and you have yet another sign that the Final Week of Daniel will soon begin.

Yahoo News - Israel preparing Lebanon ground offensive
AP reports, "Israel has decided air power alone will not be enough to drive Hezbollah back from the Israeli-Lebanon border and that a ground force will be needed to establish a zone that is at least 20 miles deep, senior military officials said Thursday."

Yahoo News - Syria isolated but busy with refugees
AP reports on the latest from Damascus (Isaiah 17:1):

Damascus ignored President Bush's expression of disgust with its regime — overheard by accident at the G-8 summit. The quiet masks Syria's role at the heart of the flare-up in Mideast violence. Its alliance with Iran and both countries' strong backing for Hezbollah pit them sharply against much of the West and also their Arab neighbors.

If you are looking for a quick update on the situation in the Middle East, I suggest Mideast Conflict Full Coverage on Yahoo! News for a great list of links to news, commentary and analysis.

Yahoo News - Iran's Hizbollah says ready to attack US, Israel
Reuters reports:

Iran's Hizbollah, which claims links to the Lebanese group of the same name, said on Tuesday it stood ready to attack Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide. [...] Iran's Hizbollah (Party of God) says it is spiritually bound to Shi'ite Muslim guerrillas in Lebanon but its command structure and funding are unclear. [Iran/Persia, Ezekiel 38:5; Wars and Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

Yahoo News - Tsunami kills at least 86 on Java island
AP reports that an earthquake (Matthew 24:6) unleashed a tsunami (Luke 21:25) in Indonesia today that killed over 80 people:

A tsunami crashed into beach resorts and fishing villages on Java island Monday, killing at least 86 people and leaving scores missing after bulletins failed to reach the region because no warning system was in place. The coastal area was spared by the devastating Asian tsunami of 2004, but many residents recognized the danger when they saw the sea recede.

Yahoo News - Israel tightens noose around Lebanon
AP reports on the latest developments in the Hezbollah War:

Waves of warplanes thundering through the darkness bombed Beirut's southern suburbs for hours early Sunday, a day after Israel stepped up its air strikes and tightened a noose around this reeling nation.The Israeli air force on Saturday hit strongholds of the Hezbollah Shiite Muslim guerrilla group, bombed central Beirut for the first time, and pounded seaports and a key bridge. Then, after midnight and until 2:30 a.m., about 18 powerful explosions rocked southern Beirut, where Hezbollah is headquartered and much of the air assault has been aimed since cross-border hostilities erupted Wednesday.

Israeli airstrikes were followed by more rockets attacks by Hezbollah, no doubt a cycle that will become increaasingly familiar over the next few days and weeks. Rockets hit as far south as Tiberias near the Sea of Galilee, much farther south than most expected and an ominous development.

Yahoo News - Indonesian man dies from bird flu
AP reports, "A 44-year-old man died of bird flu in Indonesia, a senior health official said Sunday, putting the country on the cusp of being the world's hardest hit by the disease." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Yahoo News/Reuters - Syria says fully backs Hizbollah against Israel:

Syria will support Hizbollah and Lebanon against Israel's attacks on the country, the ruling Baath Party said on Friday, defying the Jewish state and its chief ally Washington. "The Syrian people are ready to extend full support to the Lebanese people and their heroic resistance to remain steadfast and confront the barbaric Israeli aggression and its crimes," said a communiqué from the party's national command issued after a meeting.

Let's keep a close eye on Damascus (Isaiah 17:1). Syria and Iran have a mutual defense pact and Iran seems to be offering a lot of encouragement to Syria, this could well prompt Syria to make a costly mistake.

Yahoo News/ AFP - Hezbollah declares open war on Israel:

Israel is keeping up its blistering offensive against Lebanon after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared open war in a conflict that appears to be spiralling dangerously out of control despite international calls for restraint. Combat jets bombarded Lebanon in a series of dawn raids, slamming missiles into bridges and petrol stations and killing four people on the fourth day of fighting that has so far claimed the lives of around 90 people on both sides. Emerging unscathed after Israeli air strikes late Friday on his home and office in Hezbollah's southern suburbs, Nasrallah warned: "You wanted an open war, you will get an open war." And in a dramatic new development, Nasrallah boasted that Hezbollah struck an Israeli warship patrolling off the coast of Lebanon, telling his supporters to "watch it burning."

Missile Tech
Given all the talk about missiles raining down on Israel from Lebanon, you may be wondering what kind of missiles they are, what their range is, and what kind of payload they can carry. Check out the Federation of American Scientists website for an overview of the many different kinds of missiles that are out there.

Yahoo News - Iran warns Israel against extending conflict
AFP reports, "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boasted that Israel is not powerful enough to take on Iran after warning the Jewish state not to attack regional ally Syria. [...] He was speaking as Israel continued its offensive in Lebanon sparked by the capture Wednesday by Iran- and Syria-backed Hezbollah militiamen of two Israeli soldiers and the killing of eight others." [Iran/Persia, Ezekiel 38:5]

Wars and Rumors of wars....

FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
Report: Syrians shoot at Israel
Lebanese sources predict provocation from Damascus
Posted: July 14, 20061:35 p.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein© 2006
WorldNetDaily.com http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51058
AL-ZAURA REGION, Golan Heights – While Israeli military sources in the Golan Heights are reporting Syrian military gunfire directed inside the Jewish state, Lebanese political sources are telling WND they expect a provocation of some kind from Damascus.
Israeli Defense Forces are attempting to determine the exact source of the gunfire. If the source cannot be determined, sources say, Israel may choose to ignore or officially deny it occurred in an effort to avoid widening what is rapidly becoming a regional conflict.

Yahoo News - Iran warns Israel not to attack Syria
Reuters reports, "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday an Israeli strike on Syria would be considered an attack on the whole Islamic world that would bring a 'fierce response,' state television reported." [Doomed Damascus, Isaiah 17:1]

Yahoo News - Israel blasts Beirut's airport,highways
AP reports, "Israel unleashed a furious military campaign on Lebanon's main airport, highways, military bases and other targets Thursday, retaliating for scores of Hezbollah guerrilla rockets that rained down on Israel and reached as far as Haifa, its third-largest city, for the first time."

European Missile Shield?
The EUobserver reports, "NATO headquarters have been warming up to the idea of a Europe-wide missile defence system, with the alliance's ambassadors set to debate a report arguing in favour of such a scheme."

I wonder if they might cover Israel under their missile shield under certain circumstances?

Yahoo News - Agency hacking said to originate in Asia
AP reports on a rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) or rather, cyber-war: Computer break-ins at the State Department that caused broad disruptions in recent weeks apparently originated in the East Asia-Pacific region, a department spokesman said Wednesday.

WaPo - Cyber-Savvy Pastors Blog When the Spirit Moves Them
The Washington Post reports on how some churches and pastors are using the latest internet technology to share the gospel (Matthew 24:14):

Reaching out to younger generations has long been one of the major challenges for ministers, but hundreds think they have found an answer in blogging. A growing number are taking the Gospel to the Web hoping to get people thinking daily about faith. Many pastors say blogging has become an increasingly integral part of their ministry as they attempt to reverse the decline in church attendance by people in their twenties and thirties.

Pajamas blog offers a great roundup of links related to events in the Mideast.

CNN - Israel sends tanks into Lebanon after Hezbollah attack:

Hezbollah guerrillas killed seven Israeli soldiers and captured two more Wednesday, prompting Israeli airstrikes and military raids inside southern Lebanon, Israeli officials said [...] Hezbollah is designated a terrorist group by the United States and Israel but is a significant player in Lebanon's fractious politics.

This is a very serious matter, when one state attacks another, I hope Lebanon is prepared for the consequences of this attack. Labanon was only recently freed from the yoke of Syrian occupation, it would be a shame for them to lose lives or territory because of the work of terrorist agents operating from within their country.

Russia & Bible Prophecy
As Russia assumes a leadership role at the upcoming G8 Summit, UPI takes a look at the enigma of Russian power (SpaceWar - Is Russia Strong Or Weak?):

"Russia is never as strong as she looks; Russia is never as weak as she looks." This quotation, or ones similar to it, have been attributed to Talleyrand, Metternich, and Churchill. In May 2002, Putin pronounced a modified version of it (which he attributed to Churchill): "Russia was never so strong as it wants to be and never so weak as it is thought to be."

Our interest in Russia stems from the popular identification of Russia as the King of the North found in Ezekiel 38:3 and Daniel 11:40. Students of military history and more recent history will note that Russia is not in a position to invade Chechnya, much less Israel, so we expect these prophecies to be fulfilled at some future date after the fortunes of Russia have been revived. For this reason I place the Ezekiel invasion at some point after the middle of the Tribulation and not at the start, which is another popular scenario you may already be familiar with. Of course, we could all be wrong about Russia, so it remains wise to monitor any military developments to the north of Jerusalem.

CBS News - Billy Graham's Final Sermon?
AP reports:

The Rev. Billy Graham preached his final crusade in New York a year ago, but he made a rare appearance in Baltimore on Sunday at a revival hosted by his son, the Rev. Franklin Graham [...] The 87-year-old evangelist said it may be the last time he has an opportunity to preach the gospel to such a large audience.

Comment: I really admire Billy Graham, he is probably the greatest living Christian evangelist. I think the secret to his success is that he never strayed from presenting the simple message of the gospel (Matthew 24:14). Times changed greatly over the course of his career, politics alternated between liberal and conservative extremes and culture wars raged, but he never allowed himself to get tripped up by any of that, he stayed on message and that message was always salvation through faith in Jesus.

Yahoo News - Israel rejects Hamas' bid for cease-fire
AP reports, "The head of the Hamas-led Palestinian government called Saturday for a truce to halt the Israeli offensive in Gaza, but Israel demanded that Hamas first free a captured Israeli soldier and halt rocket attacks on its southern towns."

Yahoo News - Iran president criticizes Israeli offensive
AP reports, "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital, Tehran, to condemn the strikes in the Gaza Strip that Israel's backers could be the target of revenge by Muslims." [Persia/Iran, Ezekiel 38:5]

Comment: Another rant by the Iranian leader against Israel and the West, I know this will surprise no one.

Yahoo News - No G-8 seat for China, other big economies
AP reports, "The G-8 summit that President Bush and seven other world leaders are attending next weekend in Russia is often billed as a gathering of the world's leading economic powers. It is not. Consider: China, now the world's fourth-largest economy and the nation with the most influence over renegade North Korea, is not a member." [ Rev 17:12-14]

Comment: Most Bible prophecy commentators view the ten kings of Rev 17 as a representation of the political power base of the first beast of Revelation and the consensus seems to be (based on Daniel) that this group arises from within the European Union as the latter day Roman Empire. However, I'm open to the possiblity that the ten could be a representation of some other political or economic alliance, and so I also pay attention to efforts to expand the G8 as well as the U.N. Security Council. I am the first to admit that I don't know how this prophecy will be fulfilled, only that after the fact we will be able to look back and find that it was fulfilled to the letter of prophetic scripture. Finally, note in your study of Rev 17 that the first beast does not have power (or kingship) in his own right but is given power by the ten and that this power is global in scope. This tells us that we are looking for a group that already has global power that they can then legitimately give to another.

Yahoo News - FBI thwarts terrorist plot against New York
AP reports, "A terrorist plot to flood lower Manhattan by attacking train tunnels under the Hudson River used by tens of thousands of commuters was thwarted before the conspirators could travel to the United States, authorities said Friday." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

My Way News - Spain Confirms Its First Case of Bird Flu
AP reports, "Spain has recorded its first case of H5N1 bird flu, the Agriculture Ministry said Friday. The deadly strain was found in a water fowl in a marsh area outside the northern city of Vitoria." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Yahoo News - Video: 2 London bombers al-Qaida trained
AP reports, "Two of the four suicide bombers who attacked London last July 7 spent time at an al-Qaida camp to prepare themselves for a suicide mission, the deputy leader of the terror network claimed in a video Friday." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

My Way News - EU Tones Down Criticism of Israel
AP reports, "The shift is subtle but unmistakable. European governments - long accused of being pro-Arab - have toned down criticism of Israel, left in shock by the rise to power of Islamic Hamas which they consider a terrorist outfit."

This is a positive trend, let's hope it continues. If it does, perhaps it's part of the Covenant With Many of Daniel 9:27.

My Way News - N. Korea Threatens to Fire More Missiles
AP reports, "North Korea angrily mocked international criticism of its multiple missile tests, threatening on Thursday to fire off more rockets." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

I don't want to hype this at all, this is nothing more than a dictator throwing a tantrum, it's not a serious "rumor of war" or a real international crisis, so please don't be alarmed by other reports that seek to sensationalize this. Keep your attention focused on Jerusalem and Damascus.