My Way News - Israeli, Turk hold secret meeting to mend ties
My Way News reports: "An Israeli Cabinet minister met secretly in Europe with Turkey's foreign minister on Wednesday in an attempt to improve relations rapidly deteriorating over the recent bloodshed on a Gaza-bound flotilla, Israeli government officials said."

My Way News - US, Afghans repel attack against major base
My Way News reports: "U.S. and Afghan troops repelled an attack Wednesday on one of the biggest NATO bases in eastern Afghanistan by militants who used a suicide car bomb, rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons in a failed attempt to breach the defenses."

My Way News - Al-Qaida launches English propaganda magazine
My Way News reports: "Al-Qaida launched its first online propaganda magazine in English on Tuesday, a move that could help the terror group recruit inside the U.S. and Europe."

My Way News - Asian stocks down on worries over Europe
My Way News reports: "Asian stock markets tumbled in early trading Thursday over new concerns on Europe's economic outlook after Moody's Investors Service warned it may downgrade Spain's debt rating [...] On Wall Street overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 96.28 points, 1.0 percent, to 9,774.02, marking the fifth consecutive decline. It was also the lowest finish since early November."

My Way News - Stocks end rough quarter with more questions
My Way News reports: "The stock market closed out a painful second quarter Wednesday and left investors with heavy losses and far more doubts about the economy than they had just months ago. Stocks had their worst quarterly performance since the financial crisis."

My Way News - China, Taiwan sign trade pact linking economies
My Way News reports: "China and Taiwan signed a tariff-slashing trade pact Tuesday that boosts economic ties and further eases political tensions six decades after the rivals split amid civil war."

My Way News - Israeli FM: No Palestinian state by 2012
My Way News reports: "Israel's hard-line foreign minister said Tuesday that there was 'no chance' a Palestinian state would be established by 2012 - a message that threatened to cloud the latest visit by President Barack Obama's Mideast envoy."

My Way News - Pope to create new office to fight secularization
My Way News reports: "Pope Benedict XVI is creating a new Vatican office to fight secularization and 're-evangelize' the West - a tacit acknowledgment that his attempts to reinvigorate Christianity in Europe haven't succeeded and need a new boost."

My Way News - Report: 1 in 9 of histoic English churches at risk
My Way News reports: "About one in nine of England's historically important places of worship are in a bad state of repair, and rural churches tend to be in worse shape than ones in cities, according to research released Wednesday by a conservation group."

My Way News - Stocks skid on renewed fears of global slowdown
My Way News reports: "Stocks and interest rates plunged Tuesday after signs of slowing economies from China to the U.S. spooked traders who were already uneasy about a global recovery. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 268 points, or 2.7 percent, and dropped below 10,000 [...] A drop in the euro to $1.2181 was another sign of traders' nervousness. A slide in the 16-nation currency has for months indicated fading confidence in Europe's ability to handle big budget deficits. Greece is required to make the cuts under terms of a bailout from other European Union members and the International Monetary Fund. Protests over government cost-cutting in Greece renewed concerns about how well European countries will be able to stick to austerity plans.

My Way News - Masked protesters clash with Greek police
My Way News reports: "Dozens of masked youths clashed with police at a union protest Tuesday in Athens during the country's fifth general strike this year against the cash-strapped government's planned pension and labor reforms."

BBC News - Suspected Russian spies charged in US
BBC News reports: "Ten alleged members of a Russian spy-ring have been charged in the US with acting as foreign agents. The suspects are accused of posing as ordinary citizens, some living together as couples for years. They were charged with conspiracy to act as unlawful agents of a foreign government, a crime which carries up to five years in prison [...] they were asked to find information on topics including nuclear weapons, US arms control positions, Iran, White House rumours, CIA leadership turnover, and political parties."

BBC News - Russian 'spies' were no James Bonds
BBC News reports: "There is one diplomatic footnote which might be followed up by the British and Irish governments. They were angered recently by the use by Israelis of fake British and Irish passports in the killing of a Hamas official in Dubai. These new documents indicate the Russians use the same ploy."

Comment: It appears that some in the Russian government thing the Cold War is still going on. Two points about this interest me. First, this is a rather mediocre effort and doesn't speak well for the Russian spy agency. Unless there is more going on that has been revealed, nothing these spies uncovered could not have been easily revealed by standard open source analysis. Second, I'd call you attention to the quoted part of the second report which makes a connection to that Israeli operation a while back that was so very controversial. I wonder if people will be equally enraged at Russia? No, probably not.

Reuters - Russia alarmed by CIA view of Iran's weapons
Reuters reports: "Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Sunday he was alarmed by U.S. assertions that Iran may have enough fuel for two nuclear weapons and warned that if confirmed the Islamic Republic may face new measures."

My Way News - Russian FM: CIA assessment on Iran not new
My Way News reports: "Russia's foreign minister is expressing little concern over U.S. claims that Iran has enough uranium to make two nuclear bombs within two years, saying the information is not new. Speaking in Israel on Tuesday, Sergey Lavrov responded to a new CIA assessment that Iran could produce the bombs by further enriching uranium it already has."

Comment: Russia is alarmed, but the foreign minister is not concerned. Ok, which is it? Does Medvedev have so little clout that his minister can undermine his position in public? Perhaps Putin really is still in charge.

My Way News - Hezbollah not interested in dialogue with US
My Way News reports: "Hezbollah's deputy chief said Monday his group is not interested in a dialogue with Washington until the U.S. changes its Mideast policy, which he said is totally biased in favor of Israel [...] Kassem also said he does not expect a war with Israel, but the group is preparing for it 'as if it is happening tomorrow.'"

My Way News - Iran postpones any nuclear talks until late August
My Way News reports: "Iran will not hold talks with the West over its nuclear program until late August to 'punish' world powers for imposing tougher sanctions against the country, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday. He also vowed that Iran will retaliate should its ships be searched over suspicions that the cargo may violate the new sanctions approved by the U.N. Security Council earlier this month."

My Way News - Turkey closes airspace to some Israeli flights
My Way News reports: "Turkey has closed its airspace to some Israeli military flights following a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship, the Turkish prime minister and officials said Monday. An official said civilian commercial flights were not affected."

My Way News - Chavez: Israel and US 'empire' are enemies
My Way News reports: "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez denounced Israel as a 'genocidal' government on Sunday as he hosted Syrian President Bashar Assad on his first visit to Latin America."

CNN - N. Korea: U.S. bringing 'heavy weapons' to border
CNN reports: "North Korean officials are criticizing the U.S. for bringing heavy weapons into a border village in the demilitarized zone that divides the Korean peninsula, state media reported Monday."

The Detroit News - Christian ministers challenge arrests at Arab fest
The Detroit News reports: "The Thomas More Law Center, an Ann Arbor-based Christian legal defense organization, has agreed to represent four evangelists who were arrested on charges of disturbing the peace Friday night at the Arab International Festival."

Comment: Can you imagine, Christians arrested for preaching in America?! Is Detroit under sharia law now? Someone please draw a line and take a stand.

VOA - G8 Urges More Work on Global Economy, Criticizes Iran, North Korea
The Voice of America reports: "World leaders in the Group of Eight (G8) have concluded their summit in Canada with a communique saying the global economy is at an important crossroads, with the world still at the beginning of a fragile recovery from economic crisis. G8 leaders now taking part in the wider G20 summit, also criticize Iran and North Korea over their nuclear programs, and address the situation in Afghanistan."

CNN - G8 criticizes North Korea, Iran in final statement
CNN reports: "The Group of Eight rich nations focused on recovery from a global economic crisis in their two-day summit but made note of other thorny issues in their final statement issued Saturday. In it, they singled out Iran and North Korea for criticism."

My Way News - Iran cancels plan to send ship to Gaza
My Way News reports: "Iran will not be sending a blockade-busting ship to Gaza in defiance of Israeli warnings, an Iranian lawmaker said Saturday, citing Israeli 'restrictions' [...] Israel considers Iran a threat because of its suspect nuclear program, its long-range missiles and its support for Lebanese and Gaza militants."

VOA - New iPhone Well Received Around World
The Voice of America reports: "After much anticipation, people are lining up at stores around the world to purchase the latest smartphone by Apple. The iPhone 4 is now available in the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Japan [...] With competition, experts expect prices to drop, making smartphones much more accessible to consumers around the world."

VOA - Analysts Say Iran-Russia Relations Worsening
The Voice of America reports: "Russia has voted for tougher U.N. sanctions on Iran and has frozen a deal to send anti-aircraft missiles to that country [...] many experts [...] say relations between Russia and Iran have been worsening."

Comment: This is an interesting report, it demonstrates that the formation of the Gog Alliance is only in the earliest of stages. Russia and Iran are not allies so much as trade partners, and as this report notes, the level of trade is not so great that it overcomes security concerns about the Iranian nuclear program.

MSNBC - Quake physically moved city ... a bit
MSNBC reports: "The strong Easter earthquake physically moved the border city of Calexico. NASA data released Wednesday revealed the magnitude-7.2 quake shifted the Calexico region up to 2 1/2 feet in a southerly direction [...] It's not uncommon for massive quakes to move cities. After the magnitude-8.8 Chile quake earlier this year, the city of Concepcion rolled at least 10 feet to the west."

DEBKAfile - Iran on war alert over "US and Israeli concentrations" in Azerbaijan
DEBKAfile reports: "In a rare move, Iran has declared a state of war on its northwestern border [...] Iranian sources report that in the last few days, Israel has secretly transferred a large number of bomber jets to bases in Azerbaijan, via Georgia, and that American special forces are also concentrated in Azerbaijan in preparation for a strike.

Comment: DEBKAfile is a great source for speculative analysis, so file this under rumors of war. I've not been able to find any independent confirmation of this.

The Economic Times - Overshadowed by G20, G8 likely to preserve a role

The Economic Times reports: "The Group of Eight is losing relevance as faster-growing rivals like China and Brazil play a larger role managing the global economy, but it will still endure as a key forum for traditional industrial powers."

Comment: This is an interesting report because although the G8 would appear to be obsolete, the report notes that there are reasons to believe that it may remain an important player for many years to come. For those of you just joining us, we are keeping tabs on alliances and informal groupings such as the G8 as they relate to an important prophecy in the Book of Revelation. The first beast, commonly called the Antichrist, receives power from ten kings, who give him all their authority, and so we are watching these developments. The G8 is but one potential fulfillment of that prophecy, but it will apparently remain a strong contender even as it is eclipsed by the G20. And for those of you who are sticklers for details, yes, it's called the G8, but take a look at the photo above and count the number of leaders in the photo from BBC News (click on the photo for a larger version, part of a sideshow that is apparently unlinkable). There are eight countries represented at G8 summits, but the EU is traditionally accorded two representatives, adding up to ten leaders.

My Way News - Rights group criticizes Hamas treatment of Israeli
My Way News reports: "The treatment of the 23-year-old soldier, captured exactly four years ago by Hamas, is 'cruel and inhuman' and matches a U.N. definition of torture because he is denied any outside contact, the U.S.-based rights group said in a statement. Hamas-affiliated militants captured tank crewman Sgt. Gilad Schalit inside Israel in 2006 and have been holding him since then in Gaza, the coastal Palestinian territory controlled by the militant Islamic organization."

My Way News - Dutch may use 'decoy Jews' to fight racism
My Way News reports: "A hidden-camera video showing Jews being harassed on the street in a Moroccan neighborhood of Amsterdam has led Dutch authorities to consider combating hate crimes with 'decoy Jews' - undercover police officers wearing yarmulkes."

My Way News - Chinese nationalists increasingly strident
My Way News reports: "Upcoming joint U.S.-South Korean naval drills have sparked an unexpected outcry from Chinese nationalists, whose fiery rhetoric has been stoked by their country's rising economic strength and global clout [...] Chinese politicians ignore nationalist voices at their peril, especially with a looming leadership transition set to begin in 2012. At such times, no aspiring leader can afford to appear soft toward the U.S., particularly on an issue as sensitive as Taiwan."

My Way News - Bodies found beheaded in Afghanistan; 4 troops die
My Way News reports: "Four American troops were reported killed and the bodies of 11 Afghan men, some beheaded, were found in rising violence across Afghanistan [...] The coalition is ramping up security in and around Kandahar, the largest city in the south, in an effort to drive out insurgents and bring the area under the control of the central Afghan government in Kabul."

My Way News - Petraeus to face soldier complaints over war rules
My Way News reports: "Those rules, issued a year ago, helped make McChrystal a hero among many Afghans because they brought down the number of civilian casualties blamed on the NATO-led force. The rules were issued at a time of a rising tide of public anger over Afghan civilians killed by mistake in airstrikes and by heavy weapons such as cannons and mortars [...] Some troops believe the rules cost American lives and force them to give up the advantage of overwhelming firepower to a foe who shoots and melts back into the civilian population."

My Way News - Divided Koreas commemorate start of Korean War
My Way News reports: "The Korean conflict started in the early hours of June 25, 1950, with an attack on the South by North Korean troops [...] The United States and 15 other countries sent troops to aid South Korea, while Chinese soldiers fought with the North and the Soviet Union provided air support. Three years of combat devastated both sides. The fighting ended with an armistice, not a permanent peace treaty, leaving the peninsula in a technical state of war."

My Way News - N. Korea set no-sail zones off west coast
My Way News reports:: "North Korea banned boats off its west coast, a South Korean official said Friday, in a possible indication the country may hold an artillery drill or even conduct missile tests."

My Way News - N. Korea to elect leaders amid succession campaign
My Way News reports: "North Korea said Saturday it will elect new party leaders at a rare meeting in September in what analysts say could be a move to strengthen a campaign to hand over power from supreme leader Kim Jong Il to his youngest son."

MSNBC - Will humans go extinct within 100 years?
MSNBC reports: "The world's population is forecast to balloon to 7 billion next year, putting a terrible strain on food and water supplies. So much so that Fenner predicts 'food wars' in the coming decades as nations fight to secure dwindling supplies. Global droughts continue to ravage farmland, intensifying widespread malnutrition and poverty."

MSNBC - Quake physically moved city ... a bit
MSNBC reports: "The strong Easter earthquake physically moved the border city of Calexico. NASA data released Wednesday revealed the magnitude-7.2 quake shifted the Calexico region up to 2 1/2 feet in a southerly direction [...] It's not uncommon for massive quakes to move cities. After the magnitude-8.8 Chile quake earlier this year, the city of Concepcion rolled at least 10 feet to the west."

CNN - Iran will not send aid ship to Gaza
CNN reports: "Iran will not send a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza as it had planned to do on Thursday, according to a report from the official news agency of Iran."

My Way News - Youths attack Jewish dance group in Germany
My Way News reports: "Arab youths threw stones at a Jewish dance group during a street festival in Hannover, injuring one dancer and forcing the group to cancel its performance, German police and dance officials said Thursday. The teenagers also used a megaphone to shout anti-Semitic slurs during the attack Saturday, Hannover police spokesman Thorsten Schiewe said."

My Way News - French court sentences cannibal to 30 years
My Way News reports: "A French court on Thursday convicted a man dubbed 'the cannibal of Rouen' of killing his cellmate and eating part of the man's lung and sentenced him to 30 years in prison [...] Cocaign was charged with murder and acts of barbarism at the trial in the Normandy city of Rouen. Cocaign acknowledged responsibility for the 2007 killing in his testimony this week."

My Way News - Report: Toxins found in whales bode ill for humans
My Way News reports: "Sperm whales feeding even in the most remote reaches of Earth's oceans have built up stunningly high levels of toxic and heavy metals, according to American scientists who say the findings spell danger not only for marine life but for the millions of humans who depend on seafood."

My Way News - Israel: Flotillas aim to get weapons to Gaza
My Way News reports: "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu charged Wednesday that the real motivation behind plans to send blockade-busting ships toward Gaza is to allow free flow of weapons into the Palestinian territory."

Comments: Standing with Israel and praying for Netanyahu.

My Way News - Turkey sounds upbeat about joining EU
My Way News reports: "Turkey's president sounded an optimistic note Wednesday about his country's prospects of joining the European Union despite its recent turn toward the East [...] Turkey recently voted 'no' to sanctions on Iran at the U.N. Security Council and defended Tehran's right to acquire nuclear energy for peaceful use."

CNN - Quake shakes southern Canada
CNN reports: "An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.0 struck Wednesday in southern Canada, the U.S. Geological Survey reported."

My Way News - Thousands evacuated from flooded homes in Bosnia
My Way News reports: "Authorities in Bosnia are evacuating thousands of people as heavy rains cause rivers to spill over, cutting off entire towns and villages."

My Way News - Medvedev: New technologies would open access
My Way News reports: "The president has faced criticism that no matter how strong his desire to bring new technologies, business and innovation into Russia, the country's political and economic systems remain too corrupt for outsiders' comfort."

My Way News - Study shows mounting AIDS toll in Swaziland
My Way News reports: "Swaziland's death rate more than doubled in a decade, proof of the toll of AIDS, statisticians in this southern African kingdom said Wednesday [...] The study shows that in 1997, the death rate was 7.6 people in 1,000. By 2007, it was 18.03 per 1,000 people. Life expectancy over the period decreased from 60 to 43 years."

My Way News - Israel launches new spy satellite 'Ofek 9'
My Way News reports: "Israel launched a spy satellite called 'Ofek 9' late Tuesday, Israel's Defense Ministry and officials said, increasing Israel's capacity to keep an eye on enemies like Iran."

My Way News - British death toll in Afghanistan reaches 300
My Way News reports: "Britain marked the 300th fatality of its nine-year campaign in Afghanistan on Monday, a mournful milestone in a country struggling with its role on the front line of the NATO-led war [...] Britain has about 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, the largest international force after the United States."

My Way News - Lasers uncover first icons of Sts. Peter and Paul
My Way News reports: "Twenty-first century laser technology has opened a window into the early days of the Catholic Church, guiding researchers through the dank, musty catacombs beneath Rome to a startling find: the first known icons of the apostles Peter and Paul [...] Rome has dozens of such burial chambers and they are a major tourist attraction, giving visitors a peek into the traditions of the early church when Christians were often persecuted for their beliefs."

UPI - Study finds synchronicity in earthquakes -
UPI reports: "A U.S. seismologist says he's determined earthquakes can occur in synchrony, with big quakes triggering other big quakes along the same fault."

My Way News - Iran bans 2 UN nuclear inspectors from entering
My Way News reports: "Tehran said Monday it had banned two U.N. nuclear inspectors from entering the country because they had leaked 'false' information about Iran's disputed nuclear program."

Israel National News - US, Israel Warships in Suez May Be Prelude to Faceoff with Iran
INN Reports: "Egypt allowed at least one Israeli and 11 American warships to pass through the Suez Canal as an Iranian flotilla approaches Gaza. Egypt closed the canal to protect the ships with thousands of soldiers, according to the British-based Arabic language newspaper Al Quds al-Arabi."

My Way News - Al-Qaida warns of new attacks deadlier than before
My Way News reports: "Al-Qaida's U.S.-born spokesman warned President Barack Obama Sunday that the militant group may launch new attacks that would kill more Americans than previous ones."

My Way News - Radar reveals extent of buried ancient Egypt city
My Way News reports: "An Austrian archaeological team has used radar imaging to determine the extent of the ruins of the one time 3,500-year-old capital of Egypt's foreign occupiers, said the antiquities department Sunday. Egypt was ruled for a century from 1664-1569 B.C. by the Hyksos, a warrior people from Asia, possibly Semitic in origin, whose summer capital was in the northern Delta area."

Comment: This is interesting because it has been suggested that it was the Hyksos who were ruling Egypt when Joseph's family fled famine and found refuge in Egypt. The Hyksos were a nomadic people and therefore had sympathy for the Israelites, taking them in and letting them tend to their own land in Egypt, where they flourished for many generations. The Egyptians revolted years after and overthrew the Hyksos and it was the later native-Egyptian rulers who became hostile to the Jews, setting the stage for Moses and the events of the Book of Exodus.

My Way News - Turkey opposition gains ground amid eastward drift
My Way News reports: "The movement has a popular new leader following the resignation of its chairman over a sex scandal and many have high hopes that he can rejuvenate the party, presenting a viable alternative to Erdogan and anchoring Turkey firmly back in its Western orientation."

Comment: This is a promising development. Historically in Turkey, it would fall to the military to intervene in defense of the secular order. It's now increasingly unlikely that the military would act against the Islamist faction and therefore a welcome development to see democratic support for the alternative.

My Way News - Abnormal radiation detected near Korean border
My Way News reports: "The Science Ministry said its investigation ruled out a nuclear test by North Korea, but failed to determine the source of the radiation. It said there was no evidence of an earthquake, which follows an atomic explosion [...] The news of the detected radiation comes as tension is running high on the Korean peninsula over the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on a North Korean torpedo attack."

My Way News - NYC car bomb suspect pleads guilty, calls it `war'
My Way News reports: "Calling himself a Muslim soldier, a defiant Pakistan-born U.S. citizen pleaded guilty Monday to carrying out the failed Times Square car bombing and left a sinister warning that unless the U.S. leaves Muslim lands alone, 'we will be attacking U.S.'"

CNN - Turkish soldiers killed in border clashes
CNN reports: "Fighting between the Turkish military and Kurdish rebels erupted along the Turkish-Iraq border and left several troops dead, the military and a rebel group said on Saturday. The Turkish military said at least eight Turkish soldiers and 12 Kurdish rebels died."

CNN - Turkey emerges as Middle East leader
CNN reports: "Turkey has also used its increasingly rancorous disputes with Israel to advance its status in the Middle East at the expense of traditional leaders across the region."

Comment: Turkey continues to get a free pass from the U.S. and the West. When will they realize that Turkey has changed?

My Way News - Flooding deaths rise to 132 in southern China
My Way News reports: "Massive flooding in southern China has killed 132 people and forced 860,000 to flee their homes, and more storms were forecast, the government said Sunday [...] Thousands of houses have been destroyed and economic losses have topped 14 billion yuan, the ministry said."

My Way News - Korea, war without end, casts a long shadow
My Way News reports: "The war without end began that long-ago Sunday when North Korea invaded the south to try to reunify the nation, a liberated Japanese colony sliced in two in 1945 by the U.S. and Soviet victors of World War II. At first, the invaders almost drove a weak South Korean-U.S. force off the peninsula, but U.S. reinforcements poured in, rolled back the northerners and drove deep into North Korea. Then, in late 1950, communist China stepped in, its massed divisions throwing the Americans and South Koreans back to the peninsula's midsection, where the two sides waged a costly seesaw war over bits of ground for two years, ending with a stalemate, a July 1953 armistice - not a peace, but a war on hold."

Comment: The demilitarized zone between North and South Korea is still the most dangerous tripwire in the world, a place where one misstep would mean automatic war for three countries (North and South Korea and the United States) and a dangerous moment of decision for neighboring countries like China and Russia.

My Way News - Pakistani officials: Suspected US strike kills 13
My Way News reports: "A suspected U.S. missile strike killed 13 people Saturday in a Pakistani tribal region where several militant outfits plot attacks on Western troops across the border in Afghanistan, officials said [...] The U.S. frequently uses missile strikes to take out Taliban and al-Qaida targets in Pakistan's northwest, especially the lawless tribal regions where many insurgents hide."

Mail Online - Inside the Muslim Eton
Mail Online reports: "The leading voice in Britain is Riyadh ul Haq, a graduate of the Darul Uloom school in Bury. Aged 36, ul Haq is seen as the dominant influence on Deobandi mosques in Britain, which account for 600 of Britain’s 1,400 mosques [...] Ul Haq is not only the leading voice of Deobandi in Britain, he is invited around the world to speak, where he openly attacks British culture, Jews, Christians and homosexuals."

Comment: This is a scary report about the spread of Islamic religious schools in Great Britain and how those schools are encouraged and accepted, despite the hostility of alumni noted in the above excerpt. Can multiculturalism be a form of madness? It certainly can seem a bit irrational to promote cultures with values at odds with the dominant culture. I guess we live in irrational times. How is this related to Bible prophecy? The spread of Islamic culture and values creates zones of intolerance towards other faiths, particularly Christianity and Judaism, and that is something that should not be encouraged anywhere, let alone in one of the great countries of the West.

My Way News - 5 NATO troops including 3 US killed in Afghanistan
My Way News reports: "Five NATO troops including three Americans died in fighting Friday in Afghanistan, raising to 34 the number of U.S. troops killed in the war so far this month [...] June is shaping up to be one of the deadliest months for U.S. troops in the nearly 9-year-old Afghan war, as insurgents have stepped up attacks in response to a NATO push into Taliban strongholds in the south."

My Way News - Elton John aside, Israelis feel growing isolation
My Way News reports: "Ecuador, South Africa and Turkey recalled their ambassadors and Nicaragua broke off diplomatic relations following the raid. Vietnam put off a visit by Israel's president, Greece suspended military exercises and Swedish dockworkers launched a weeklong boycott of Israeli ships and goods. Even the United States, Israel's closest ally, criticized the raid and forced Israel to set up a panel with two foreign observers to investigate the raid. Many in Israel, including in the country's leadership, have concluded that the war over world opinion is lost, said Israeli commentator Ronen Bergman."

My Way News - Al-Qaida in Iraq adopting Taliban tactics
My Way News reports: "An al-Qaida in Iraq front group claimed responsibility Thursday for an unusual attack more typical of the Taliban in Afghanistan - a commando-style assault in which suicide bombers wearing military uniforms stormed the Central Bank during rush hour in Baghdad."

My Way News - Israel agrees to ease Gaza land blockade
My Way News reports: "Israel agreed Thursday to ease its three-year-old land blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, hoping to quell international outrage over its deadly raid on a flotilla bound for the Palestinian territory."

My Way News - 6.3 quake hits off Japanese coast; no damage seen
My Way News reports: "An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 has rattled northern Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami. The quake occurred off the coast of the northern main island of Hokkaido at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) at 11:23 a.m. Friday (0223 GMT). The epicenter was about 280 kilometers (174 miles) east of Hokkaido."

LA Times - Earthquake activity remains at 'elevated level' amid more aftershocks, USGS says
The Los Angeles Times reports: "The California-Mexico border continued to rattled by what the U.S. Geological Survey called an 'elevated level' of earthquake activity as hundreds of aftershocks to Monday's 5.7 temblor were recorded."

My Way News - Military: Turkish troops cross into northern Iraq
My Way News reports: "Turkey sent hundreds of elite troops into northern Iraq on Wednesday to chase Kurdish guerrillas in an operation that could increase tensions within the region."

My Way News - Israel expected to ease Gaza blockade
My Way News reports: "Israel is likely to significantly ease the land blockade of Gaza in coming days in an effort to blunt the international outcry over its deadly raid on a blockade-busting flotilla, officials said Wednesday."

As the Sun Awakens, NASA Keeps a Wary Eye on Space Weather - NASA Science
NASA reports: "Earth and space are about to come into contact in a way that's new to human history [...] 'The sun is waking up from a deep slumber, and in the next few years we expect to see much higher levels of solar activity. At the same time, our technological society has developed an unprecedented sensitivity to solar storms.'"

DEBKAfile - Iranian threats over Gaza keep USS Truman carrier in Mediterranean
DEBKAfile reports: "The administration's decision was prompted by incoming intelligence attesting to heightened marine and military tensions between Israel, Turkey and Iran, in the wake of the Turkish premier Recep Erdogan's determination to give his screws on Israel another turn - or two."

DEBKAfile - Heavily-armed couple stopped at gate of CENTCOM HQ in Florida
DEBKAfile reports: "Two heavily-armed individuals, a man and a woman, stopped at the Bayshore Gate of MacDill Air Force Base outside Tampa, Florida early Tuesday, June 15, with fake IDs, were described later as Caucasians in their mid-20s. The man is an active duty military serviceman on AWOL; the woman has no military connection. Their names have not been released."

North Korea rejects torpedo findings, threatens war - CNN.com
CNN reports: "North Korea on Tuesday rejected international findings that it sank a South Korean ship, warning at the United Nations the dispute could lead to war. 'A war may break out any time,' Ambassador Sin Son Ho said, accusing South Korea of 'fabricating' the results of the investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan."

My Way News - Strong quake rocks eastern Indonesia; no damage
My Way News reports: "A powerful earthquake hit eastern Indonesia on Wednesday, sending residents fleeing from their buildings in panic. There were no initial reports of damage. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 and was centered 88 miles (33 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor off the northern coast of Papua province, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its website."

My Way News - NKorea warns of military response on ship sinking
My Way News reports: "North Korea warned Tuesday that its military forces will respond if the U.N. Security Council questions or condemns the country over the sinking of a South Korean navy ship, which it vehemently denies."

My Way News - 5 NATO troops, Afghan official die as attacks rise
My Way News reports: "Five NATO troops including one American died Tuesday, continuing a grim trend that could make June among the deadliest months of the nearly 9-year-old Afghan war."

My Way News - Hamas TV forced to halt broadcasts to Europe
My Way News reports: "The Hamas station - best known for its children's programs glorifying violence against Israel - is the centerpiece of a growing media operation of Gaza's Islamic militant Hamas rulers. Losing the satellite provider will hamper the group's attempts to spread its message and raise funds abroad."

My Way News - Border jolt biggest aftershock from Easter quake
My Way News reports: "Monday night's magnitude-5.7 earthquake was the kind of aftershock they expected from the deadly magnitude-7.2 Easter Sunday quake centered in Baja California two months earlier."

My Way News - Earthquake measured at 5.7 shakes Southern Calif.
My Way News reports: "The California-Mexico border region was rocked by a magnitude-5.7 quake Monday, rattling nerves from San Diego north to Orange County and Los Angeles. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered five miles southeast of Ocotillo in Imperial County - about 85 miles east of San Diego. It struck Monday at 9:26 p.m. PDT."

Times Online - Saudi Arabia gives Israel clear skies to attack Iranian nuclear sites
Times Online reports: "In the week that the UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions on Tehran, defence sources in the Gulf say that Riyadh has agreed to allow Israel to use a narrow corridor of its airspace in the north of the country to shorten the distance for a bombing run on Iran."

My Way News - Israel approves inquiry into Gaza flotilla raid
My Way News reports: "Israel's government on Monday approved an investigation into the deadly raid on a flotilla trying to break the blockade of Gaza, rejecting calls for an international inquiry but allowing the participation of two accomplished foreign observers to try to deflect the criticism."

My Way News - EU agrees on new set of Iran sanctions
My Way News reports: "European foreign ministers agreed Monday to recommend a package of additional sanctions against Iran over that country's disputed nuclear program. The move came after EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton invited Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili to discuss the nuclear issue."

Israel National News - Turkish Flag Flew over Temple Mount
Israel National News reports: "The Turkish flag was raised over the Temple Mount last week, following the flotilla clash while Jerusalem police banned Jews from holding the monthly march around the ancient gates of the holy site because of “security concerns.”"

My Way News - Iran to start building new nuclear site by March

My Way News reports: "Iran's nuclear chief says his country will begin construction of a new uranium enrichment plant by March of next year [...] The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday passed a fourth sanctions resolution meant to curtail Iran's nuclear activity."

Comment: Well, there it is, Iran has responded to the U.N. with an obscene hand gesture known the world over. The U.N. will no doubt talk some more about this, debate is what the U.N. does best, but it appears that we are approaching the limits of what diplomacy can do in the face of extreme defiance. Eventually a point is reached, after threats and sanctions are tried, at which the only way to force a country to do what you want them to is to use military force. While we can speculate how near or far that point now is, it's clear that Iran will not compromise on their "peaceful" nuclear program unless they are forced to by another country. An attack on Iran may not be imminent but it is inevitable.

My Way News - 1.3 million flee as China flooding kills 155
My Way News reports: "Unusually heavy seasonal flooding in China has killed at least 155 people and forced more than 1 million to flee as water levels in some areas reached at their highest in more than a decade, the government reported Saturday."

My Way News - Ethnic riots sweep Kyrgyzstan, govt begs for help
My Way News reports: "Ethnic riots wracked southern Kyrgyzstan on Saturday, forcing thousands of Uzbeks to flee as their homes were torched by roving mobs of Kyrgyz men. The interim government begged Russia for troops to stop the violence, but the Kremlin offered only humanitarian assistance [...] As Uzbek refugees, mostly women and children, fled the city toward the border, they were shot at and many were killed, witnesses said. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had received reports of tens of thousands people fleeing the fighting and looting."

My Way News - Strong earthquake shakes northern Japan
My Way News reports: "A strong earthquake rattled northern Japan on Sunday, but authorities said no tsunami was expected in the area. The Japan Meteorological Agency says the quake Sunday afternoon had a preliminary magnitude of 6.2."

CNN - 7.5-magnitude quake strikes off India coast
CNN reports: "A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of India early Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties."

BBC News - Russia backs away from Iran missile deal
BBC News reports: "Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said Moscow will freeze the sale of surface-to-air missiles to Iran, according to French officials [...] Russia agreed to supply Iran with S-300 systems several years ago but has not delivered them [...] the S-300 systems could enhance Iran's defence of its nuclear facilities against attack from the air."

My Way News - NKorea vows to blow up South propaganda facilities
My Way News reports: "North Korea vowed Saturday to launch an all-out attack against South Korean loudspeakers and other propaganda facilities along their heavily fortified border, warning it can even turn Seoul into a 'sea of flame.'"

World Net Daily - 'Israel may strike Iran next month'
WND reports: "The Egyptian government believes July will be a decisive month that may see an Israeli military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, according to a senior Egyptian security official speaking to WND. The official said Egypt already has implemented security measures that take into account an Israeli strike against Iran within the next month or so."

My Way News - Iran opposition cautious on election anniversary
My Way News reports: "The two events appeared to reinforce the overall narrative of the past months: The intense crackdown and threats by authorities have intimidated the opposition leadership and - without the stomach for more street confrontations - their followers have few other outlets besides the Internet."

AFP: Africa: where spilled grains offer chance to beat famine
AFP reports: "The crisis extends beyond Niger -- the United Nations says 10 million are affected in the Sahel region, a belt of land stretching right across northern Africa and covering parts of more than 10 countries. Niger is worst hit, with more than seven million people in need of food representing nearly half the population."

My Way News - Arab nations cheer Turkey for tough Israel stand
My Way News reports: "Turkey's popularity in the Muslim world has surged as it led the world in condemning Israel for the raid on ships trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza. Turkey - a non-Arab, predominantly Muslim country - also won favor among Arab allies for objecting to new sanctions against Iran [...] Turkey has also strengthened its ties with its Arab neighbors by mediating several conflicts, cultivating new relationships with former rivals such as Syria and Iran, forging free trade zones and gradually lifting mutual visa requirements."

My Way News - Iran opposition leaders slash plans for mass rally
My Way News reports: "Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi issued a joint statement saying that hard-liners are preparing to crack down on the protesters. They say they are canceling the rally 'in order to protect people's lives and property.'"

My Way News - Iran leader in China after about-face on sanctions
My Way News reports: "Ahmadinejad was not scheduled to meet with Chinese leaders while in China. He also skipped Thursday's summit in Uzbekistan of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which was attended by Chinese president Hu Jintao. Iran is an observer in that group."

USA Today - Study: Shrinking glaciers to spark food shortages in Asia
USATODAY.com reports: "Nearly 60 million people living around the Himalayas will suffer food shortages in the coming decades as glaciers shrink and the water sources for crops dry up, a study said Thursday."

My Way News - China wants more dialogue on Iran nuclear issue
My Way News reports: "China, which voted for new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, said Thursday that the punishment does not mean the door to a diplomatic solution is closed and called for renewed efforts at negotiations [...] China depends on oil- and gas-rich Iran for 11 percent of its energy needs and last year became Tehran's biggest trading partner, according to Iranian figures."

CNN.com - U.N. votes to slap new sanctions on Iran

CNN reports: "The United Nations Security Council voted Wednesday to impose new sanctions on Iran to try to force it to suspend its nuclear program. U.S. President Barack Obama called them 'the toughest sanctions ever faced by Iran.' [...] The vote was 12-2, with Lebanon abstaining. Brazil and Turkey opposed the sanctions -- the fourth set of measures to try to rein in Iran since 2006."

CNN - Iran's Ahmadinejad slams Israel, proposed sanctions
CNN reports: "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at Israel and warned the United States against pushing for new sanctions on his country a news conference on the sidelines of an Asian security summit here Tuesday [...] Host country Turkey, once Israel's close Middle Eastern ally, has called on member countries to condemn Israel's raid on the aid convoy. The incident has pushed Turkey to side with Israel's enemies Iran and Syria, in harshly condemning the Jewish state. Russia, which is also a member of CICA, condemned the attack as well, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in remarks carried on Russian state TV."

My Way News - Gates: Progress in Afghan war must come this year
My Way News reports: "Public support for the war in Afghanistan will evaporate unless the nations leading the fight against insurgents can show by the end of this year that the 8-year war is not locked in stalemate, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday."

My Way News - US pushes Europe to provide more war advisers
My Way News reports: "The United States will press its NATO allies Thursday to send additional advisers to train Afghan military forces, as several countries promised after refusing to supply more combat troops."

My Way News - N. Korea warns UN not to discuss warship sinking
My Way News reports: "North Korea sent the U.N. Security Council a letter warning the world body to not even open debate on the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on Pyongyang, state media reported Wednesday [...] The Security Council has several choices: a resolution with or without new sanctions against North Korea, a weaker presidential statement calling for specific actions, or a press statement."

Comment: They will punish North Korea by using very strong words. History shows that when dictators are confronted by strong words, they back down. Nice to see the U.N. Security Council is on the job and preserving world peace, we can all sleep well tonight.

My Way News - Afghans burn pope effigy over proselytizing claims
My Way News reports: "Afghans have burned an effigy of Pope Benedict XVI out of anger over claims charities preached Christianity in the Muslim country. U.S.-based Church World Service and Norwegian Church Aid deny spreading Christianity."

SMH - South Pacific hit by 6.0 earthquake
The Sydney Morning Herald reports: "A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck the tiny Pacific nation Vanuatu, seismologists said, but there was no tsunami warning or reports of casualties or damage."

My Way News - China trade surges in positive sign for growth
My Way News reports: "China's imports and exports both surged by nearly 50 percent in May over a year earlier in a positive sign for growth in the third-largest economy. Exports rose 48.5 percent in May, while imports were up 48.3 percent, the Chinese customs agency reported Thursday."

My Way News - Pope urges support for Mideast Christians
My Way News reports: "Pope Benedict XVI appealed Saturday for support for embattled Christian communities in the Middle East, calling them a vital force for peace in the region [...] War and harsh economic conditions have led to the exodus of thousands of Christians from the Holy Land, Iraq and elsewhere in recent years."

Newsweek - France’s New Western Idea
Newsweek reports: "Sarkozy's mettle as a Western leader will be tested when, as president of the EU for six months starting on July 1, he'll get to shape the European agenda on defense, climate, energy and immigration policies. And if EU members ratify the mini-treaty this year, Sarkozy will help pick the first full-time European president. He's thought to favor Tony Blair, but if he didn't have a day job, he'd probably be angling for the post himself."

My Way News - Bar codes get around town and get more useful
My Way News reports: "What has changed now, though, is that consumers are increasingly engaging with their mobile devices for more than making phone calls, texts and checking e-mails. And smart phones can easily download scanning applications that make it possible for product codes to leap from store shelves to the wider world."

My Way News - Egyptians married to Israelis to lose citizenship
My Way News reports: "An Egyptian appeals court on Saturday upheld a ruling that orders the country's Interior Ministry to strip the citizenship from Egyptians married to Israeli women. The case underlines the deep animosity many Egyptians still hold toward Israelis, despite a peace treaty signed between the two countries 31 years ago."

The Guardian - Gaza blockade: Iran offers escort to next aid convoy
The Guardian reports: "Iran has warned that it could send Revolutionary Guard naval units to escort humanitarian aid convoys seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza – a move that would certainly be challenged by Israel [...] President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regularly predicts the disappearance of the Jewish state as well as denying the Holocaust."

Comment: This is the train wreck everyone can see coming.

My Way News - Iran sanctions vote Wed, Gates predicts passage
My Way News reports: "The United States and its allies called for a U.N. vote Wednesday on imposing new sanctions on Iran's suspect nuclear program, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said those would be followed by even stricter unilateral penalties by Washington and others."

My Way News - Britain gives US strongest pledge to stay in war
My Way News reports: "Britain's new government publicly assured the United States on Tuesday that it remains committed to its central role in the war in Afghanistan, despite heavy losses in what U.S. defense chief Robert Gates called the 'absolute middle of the thick of the fight.'"

BBC News - What now in Afghanistan's crucial year?
BBC News reports: "Now that the peace jirga is over, the focus will shift to what is expected to be mounting pressure on the Taliban in Kandahar province, including Kandahar city."

BBC News - Nato loses 10 troops in deadly Afghanistan day
BBC News reports: "In the worst of several attacks, five US soldiers died in an improvised bomb blast in east Afghanistan, the US said. Five other Nato troops were killed in a spate of attacks across the country's restive South and East, where Isaf is battling the Taliban."

My Way News - Iraq protests to Iran over shelling in north
My Way News reports: "Iranian troops with artillery and tanks crossed the Iraqi border last Thursday and began building an outpost and a road leading back into the Iranian side of the border, he said."

My Way News - France: EU can check ships heading to Gaza
My Way News reports: "The European Union is willing to check cargo on board ships heading to the Gaza Strip if Israel ends its blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory, France's Foreign Minister said Sunday [...] France and Britain have pushed urgently for an end to the blockade since a deadly raid last week on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Nine activists were killed in an Israeli commando mission."

My Way News - Helen Thomas ends White House career amid uproar
My Way News reports: "Helen Thomas, the opinionated White House correspondent who used her seat in the front row of history to grill 10 presidents and often exasperate them, lost her storied perch Monday in a flap over calling on Israelis to get 'out of Palestine.'"

Comment: It always amazes me how otherwise bright and informed people can have their minds twisted by hate. Hopefully someone has given her a history book so she can educate herself.

The Age - UFO sighting likely to be US rocket
The Age reports: "A bright spiralling light spotted in the sky over eastern Australia yesterday was probably a rocket, a Sydney astronomer said. Onlookers in Victoria, New South and Queensland reported a UFO heading east just before 6am."

My Way News - Defiant Israel says activists prepared to fight
My Way News reports: "Israel's prime minister claimed Sunday that the Turkish activists who battled Israeli naval commandos in a deadly clash last week prepared for the fight ahead of time, before boarding the ship in a different city from the rest of the passengers [...] The fighting took place on the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, and the dead included eight Turks and a Turkish-American man. The ship was organized by the IHH, a Turkish Islamic charity that Israel has outlawed because of its alleged ties to Hamas."

My Way News - AP INTERVIEW: Turkish aid group had terror ties
My Way News reports: "The Turkish Islamic charity behind a flotilla of aid ships that was raided by Israeli forces on its way to Gaza had ties to terrorism networks, including a 1999 al-Qaida plot to bomb Los Angeles International Airport, France's former top anti-terrorism judge said Wednesday."

Comment: It seems clear that these activists are not motivated by a humanitarian agenda, they are motivated by an anti-Israel agenda, a jihadist agenda. That they have duped Western aid activists into joining them is not surprising, just a bit sad. It's always amazing how easily people can be manipulated. Still, you can never go wrong in following the money. Who organized the flotilla? Who paid for it? Why did they go for a PR stunt instead of just quietly delivering aid to Israel to inspect and transport to Gaza? I think the answers to these questions reveal that Turkey is becoming an Islamic state bent on regional domination with an overtly anti-Israel agenda. It seems we now have Turkey competing with Iran to see who can be the better patron for Hamas - and that is very bad news for the security of Israel and the region.

My Way News - Germany, Russia: We support new Iran nuke sanction
My Way News reports: "Germany and Russia declared Saturday that the five world powers negotiating with Iran support a fresh set of international sanctions, and Chancellor Angela Merkel said they could pass soon [...] Russia has been traditionally opposed to sanctions for Iran, a longtime trade partner, but in recent months officials have shown less patience with Iran's refusal to stop enriching uranium and heed other council demands meant to reduce suspicions over its nuclear aims."

My Way News - Gulf oil spill's threat to wildlife turns real
My Way News reports: "Pelicans struggle to free themselves from oil, thick as tar, that gathers in hip-deep pools, while others stretch out useless wings, feathers dripping with crude. Dead birds and dolphins wash ashore, coated in the sludge. Seashells that once glinted pearly white under the hot June sun are stained crimson [...] Experts say the Gulf's marshes, beaches and coastal waters, which nurture a dazzling array of life, could be transformed into killing fields, though the die-off could take months or years and unfold largely out of sight. The damage could be even greater beneath the water's surface, where oil and dispersants could devastate zooplankton and tiny invertebrate communities at the base of the aquatic food chain."

Comment: Is this the start of the death of the oceans foretold in Revelation 8:8-9?

My Way News - Roman Catholic bishop's driver charged with murder
My Way News reports: "The killing of Monsignor Luigi Padovese outside his home in the Mediterranean port of Iskenderun on Thursday was the latest in a string of attacks in recent years on Christians in predominantly Muslim Turkey, where Christians make up less than 1 percent of the 70 million population."

My Way News - Gates accuses N. Korea of reckless aggression
My Way News reports: "The sinking of a South Korean warship is part of a reckless pattern of aggression by North Korea, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Saturday, as the U.S. and its allies turned up the rhetorical heat on the communist country."

My Way News - S. Korea seeks UN action against N. Korea over ship
My Way News reports: "South Korea officially referred North Korea to the U.N. Security Council on Friday over the sinking of a navy ship that killed 46 sailors, taking its strongest step ever toward making the communist North face international punishment."

My Way News - Turkish group behind flotilla is Gaza's new hero
My Way News reports: "The Turkish group that bankrolled the aid flotilla raided by Israel has big plans for Gaza. Its bearded 50-year-old leader has assumed hero status in the impoverished Palestinian territory, where he says his group plans to spend $25 million on housing, medical care and education [...] Seen as a kind of unofficial ambassador to Gaza, Kaya symbolizes Turkey's dramatic shift toward Hamas' key patrons Iran and Syria, at the expense of its traditional alliance with Israel."

Comment: Gaza used to belong to Egypt, then they lost it to Israel in the 1967 war, and then Israel decided to give it to the Palestinians in 2005 (land for peace didn't work out well at all, did it?), and then Hamas (a Palestinian political party and militia) took it over in 2007 and runs it as a semi-autonomous Islamist state within the broader Palestinian Authority. Turkey has never been involved, so what business do they have acting as a champion for Gaza? What is the Turkish agenda? And why are Turks shouting "death to Israel" in the streets of Istanbul? Looks like Ezekiel got it right, as if there was any doubt.

My Way News - Israeli PM: Gaza blockade prevents attacks
My Way News reports: "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected criticism of a deadly raid against a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza earlier this week, saying the blockade of the Palestinian territory is needed to prevent missile attacks against Tel Aviv and Jerusalem."

My Way News - NKorean official says war possible at 'any moment'
My Way News reports: "A senior Pyongyang official has warned that the Korean peninsula could see 'all-out war' as tensions mount from North Korea's believed sinking of a South Korean warship. North Korea's deputy ambassador in Geneva, Ri Jang Gon, accuses Washington and Seoul of causing the crisis, and says military action or sanctions would prompt defense from the isolated communist nation with 'tough measures including all-out war.'"

My Way News - Amateur astronomer spots another Jupiter strike
My Way News reports: "Jupiter has gotten whacked again. An amateur astronomer in Australia peering at the giant gas planet Thursday reported witnessing a bright flash from an object hitting Jupiter and apparently burning up in the atmosphere."

My Way News - Israeli prime minister defends Gaza blockade
My Way News reports: "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected international criticism of a deadly raid against a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza earlier this week, saying Wednesday the blockade of the Palestinian territory is needed to prevent missile attacks against Tel Aviv and Jerusalem."

My Way News - Israel to expel all activists by day's end
My Way News reports: "Israel's attorney general says all of the nearly 700 activists detained in a deadly raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip will be deported by the end of the day."

My Way News - Israeli blockade of Gaza at heart of crisis
My Way News reports: "What's allowed in: Israel transfers an average of 15,000 tons of humanitarian supplies a week into Gaza, including basic food, clothing, footwear and limited quantities of building supplies."

Comment: The media is in full-hype mode and is not telling you that Israel routinely let's aid and supplies into Gaza. They are not telling you that Israel offered to allow the flotilla ships to dock, be searched for contraband, and then actually offered to help distribute aid to Gaza - the activists refused. The activists wanted to force a confrontation, they had no interest in actually delivering aid, they wanted blood, and they wanted to film it so they could slam Israel. These are the people that the media are painting as heroes. The media is hyping a very simple narrative - Israel bad, activists good. Don't buy it.

My Way News - Iran accuses nuclear agency of false reporting
My Way News reports: "A senior Iranian envoy accused the International Atomic Energy Agency on Wednesday of false reporting in saying that agency inspectors probing a laboratory for suspected undeclared nuclear experiments found some equipment removed."

My Way News - Magnitude 6.2 earthquake rattles Papua New Guinea
My Way News reports: "The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has rattled the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea. No casualties or damage was immediately reported."

My Way News - Israel boat raid sparks condemnations, protests
My Way News reports: "Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and called for an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council as condemnations erupted across Europe and the Arab world Monday over Israel's deadly commando raid on ships taking humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip."

My Way News - Ties with Israel may outlast Turkish anger at raid
My Way News reports: "Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship has ignited unprecedented anger in Turkey and driven the Jewish state's relations with its most important Muslim ally to their lowest point in six decades. There are signs, however, that the countries' long-term strategic alliance and military ties will endure."

Comment: This seems to be a decisive moment the for long anticipated transition from Turkey as pre-Western power to Turkey as Islamist power. Turkey was actually an unofficial sponsor of the Gaza activists and they are actively instigating "outrage" over Israel's defense of the blockade. It seems clear that they are manufacturing this crisis but their long-term agenda is not clear. How will this effect the military ties between the two countries? Does Turkey mean to sever the relationship? We know that eventually they will fall into a future alliance with Iran and Russia against Israel, but I'm just very surprised to see events move so quickly. Isn't it funny how all the "outrage" is directed as Israel and none at Egypt, which also maintains a blockade on Gaza.