Encephalitis Breaks Out in China
An outbreak of encephalitis that flared up in a southern Chinese province just as the SARS epidemic was dying down has prompted calls in Hong Kong for faster and better reporting of infectious diseases on the mainland. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Rare earthquake rumbles the Amazon
CNN is reporting a rare quake has hit Brazil. Submitted for your quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

EU Leaders Focus on Draft Constitution
According to this AP World News report: "European Union leaders welcomed the draft of the EU's first-ever constitution Friday, but some objected to restrictions on national vetoes and to the omission of any reference to God and Christianity in the text." :: This AP report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files. I know many of you consider the EU the likely political powerbase for the future beast, so I'm linking this news report for your consideration, though for now I'll keep the EU in the possible "ten kings" folder.

Powell Calls Hamas `Enemy of Peace'
AP World News: "Calling Hamas an "enemy of peace," U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday that the Palestinian Authority must take decisive steps to disarm the Islamic militant group. He backed Israel, which has said a cease-fire alone is not sufficient." :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files on the search for Mideast peace.

China arrests 8 Christians
This WorldNetDaily report is submitted for your persecution files.

North Korea?s oppression fails to stamp out the church.
This Mission Network News report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Experts issue SARS warning
In CNN - Health report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

With Rapture Index hitting 168, how to avoid being Left Behind
This Chicago Sun-Times: Religion article reminds us that the signs are real and many people are aware of them. As Jesus said, "as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man" (Matthew 24:27, NIV).

U.S. increases food aid to Ethiopia
This CNN - World report is submitted for your famine (Matthew 24:7) files.

Suicide Attack Dims Mideast Truce Talks
Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas pressed the main Islamic militant groups to halt their attacks to save a U.S-backed peace plan, but hopes for a truce dimmed early Thursday as a suicide attacker killed an Israeli. :: This AP report is submitted for your wars and rumors of war (Matthew 24:6) and covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Identix Awarded $1,000,000 in Additional Funding by DARPA
Identix Incorporated, the world's leading multi-biometrics security technology company, announced today that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded the Company an additional $1 million in funding for continued participation in the Human ID at a Distance program. The overall goal of the Human ID at a Distance program is to promote significant advancement in the state of the art of identification at a distance by combining different technologies, including facial recognition. :: This Business Wire report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on ID technology and biometrics.

China Continues Raids on Worship Services
The Chinese government's concern with the SARS epidemic has not lessened their zeal for arresting Christians. Local Public Security officers raided a house church meeting in Anshan city in the northeast province of Liaoning. About 40 Christians were tied up and their names recorded. They were released the same night but told that their "illegal gathering" was prohibited. A former leader of this house church previously was sentenced to two years "re-education through labor" on the false charge of being a cult leader. The "illegal religious venue" was closed because it represented "disturbance of social order," a common excuse for persecution of unregistered Christians. When asked to define "legality," the police stated that any unregistered religious meeting operating outside of the "patriotic churches," was regarded as illegal. :: This Religion Today/Compass Direct report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Paris To Ask EU For Mideast Force
EU foreign ministers on Monday are set to look at the feasibility of taking part in a peacekeeping force in the Mideast. :: This CNN report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) and battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Canada Put in More Severe SARS Category
The World Health Organization placed Toronto in a more severe category of SARS transmission after an American visitor contracted the virus, but the agency said it had no immediate plans to issue another travel warning for Canada's largest city. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Purported Saddam Letter Warns Foreigners
A letter purportedly written by deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is warning foreigners to leave Iraq or face death. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Violence After Mideast Peace Plan Summit
Here are the most serious violent incidents since the formal launching of the "road map" Mideast peace plan June 4. :: This AP chronology is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) and battle for Jerusalem (Luke 21:20) files.

Wal-Mart to Require 'Smart Tags'
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, is requiring all of its top 100 suppliers to have "smart tags" for better inventory tracking on their pallet shipments by early 2005. :: This AP report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-19) files on commerce and ID technology.

Thousands Gather for Billy Graham Crusade
The Rev. Billy Graham asked thousands of followers to pray for the war-torn Middle East on Thursday night, the first night of a four-day crusade that could be the last for the 84-year-old evangelist. :: This AP report is submitted for your gospel preached to all (Matthew 24:14) files.

Bus Blast, Airstrikes Shake Mideast Hopes
The cycle of bloodletting escalated Wednesday as a Palestinian blew himself up on a Jerusalem bus and killed 16 other people, and Israel retaliated with rocket attacks that left nine dead in Gaza, including two Hamas militants. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Saddam Said to Pay Bounty for Killings
Saddam Hussein has been seen north of Baghdad and is paying a bounty for every American soldier killed, the leader of an Iraqi exile group said Tuesday. Saddam has $1.3 billion in cash taken from the Central Bank on March 18, is bent on revenge and believes he can "sit it out and get the Americans going," said Ahmed Chalabi, head of the Iraqi National Congress. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war files.

British Scientist Puts Odds for Apocalypse at 50-50
This is the way the world might end: A genetically engineered pathogen is released, debris from an erupting "supervolcano" blocks the sun or scientists in the biggest "bioerror" of them all accidentally trigger a matter-squeezing "big bang." The demise of civilization has been predicted since it began, but the odds of keeping Planet Earth alive and well are getting worse amid a breakneck pace of scientific advances, according to Martin Rees, Britain's honorary astronomer royal. :: This Reuters report is submitted for your fear for the future (Luke 21:26) files.

Plan to Pull Troops Off DMZ Causes Stir
The Pentagon's announcement this week that American forces will pull back from the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea after 50 years of duty threatens to change the dynamic along the boundary. :: This AP report is submitted for your wars and rumors of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Sharon, Abbas Pledge Mideast Cooperation
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pledged Wednesday to dismantle illegal outposts in Palestinian areas, while the new Palestinian leader renounced terrorism against Israel. Both steps were sought by President Bush as he brought the two sides together in a dramatic bid to advance Middle East peace. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

G-8 Leaders Divided Over 'Axis of Evil'
One down, two to go? Differences over Iraq behind them, leaders of the world's wealthiest nations have turned their attention to Iran and North Korea, warning them not to develop weapons of mass destruction. :: This AP report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files.

AOL, Microsoft Vow Messaging Cooperation
As part of their $750 million peace treaty, AOL Time Warner Inc. and Microsoft Corp. promised to try to make their popular Internet instant-messaging programs work together. :: This AP report is submitted for your world community and global village (Rev 11:9-10) files.

Sharon, Abbas Pledge Mideast Cooperation
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pledged Wednesday to dismantle illegal outposts in Palestinian areas, while the new Palestinian leader renounced terrorism against Israel. Both steps were sought by President Bush as he brought the two sides together in a dramatic bid to advance Middle East peace. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many files on the search for Mideast peace.

Unmanned Spacecraft Blasts Off for Mars
An unmanned spacecraft built by the European Space Agency blasted off atop a Russian rocket Monday on a mission to Mars, where it will orbit the planet for nearly two years and search for signs of life. :: This AP report is submitted for your signs in the heavens and stars (Luke 21:11, 21:25) files.

G-8 Leaders Divided Over 'Axis of Evil'
One down, two to go? Differences over Iraq behind them, leaders of the world's wealthiest nations have turned their attention to Iran and North Korea, warning them not to develop weapons of mass destruction. :: This AP report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files.

AOL, Microsoft Vow Messaging Cooperation
As part of their $750 million peace treaty, AOL Time Warner Inc. and Microsoft Corp. promised to try to make their popular Internet instant-messaging programs work together. :: This AP report is submitted for your wired world and global village (Rev 11:9-10) files.

China, Russia Issue Multipolar World Call
Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday called for a "multipolar world" and a strategic partnership with Russia to counter U.S. dominance. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6), Kings of the North and East (Ezekiel 38:3/Daniel 11:40/ Rev 16:12) files.

Canada Quarantines School on SARS Scare
A suburban Toronto high school was closed and its 1,700 students and staff placed under quarantine after a classmate showed symptoms of SARS, health officials said Wednesday. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files on the SARS epidemic.

Bush Summit With Mideast Leaders Set
President Bush thrust himself deeper into the Mideast peace process Wednesday, arranging to meet in Jordan next week with the prime ministers of Israel and the Palestinians and planning to attend a separate summit in Egypt with Arab leaders. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many files (Daniel 9:27) on Mideast peace.

Solar Activity Soars
Big sunspot 365 unleashed a series of powerful X-class solar flares on May 27th and 28th. At least one coronal mass ejection (CME) appears to be heading toward Earth. The CME could trigger auroras when it sweeps by our planet later this week. The sunspot itself is big and impressive; you can see it using safe solar projection techniques. This Space Weather report is submitted for your signs in the sun (Luke 21:25) files.

Seeing Islam as 'Evil' Faith, Evangelicals Seek Convert
In evangelical churches and seminaries across the country, lectures and books criticizing Islam and promoting strategies for Muslim conversions are gaining currency. More than a dozen recently published critiques of Islam are now available in Christian bookstores. :: This report from the New York Times is submitted for your gospel preached to all (Matthew 24:14) files.

World's SARS Death Toll Breaks 700
The worldwide death toll from the SARS virus surpassed 700 on Sunday after Taiwan reported 12 new deaths and China reported seven. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files on the global SARS epidemic.

Israel Approves U.S.-Backed Peace Plan
In a historic vote cast under intense U.S. pressure, Israel's government narrowly approved an internationally backed "road map" to peace Sunday and for the first time recognized the Palestinians' right to statehood. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files on Mideast peace developments.

AP: Main Points of Mideast Peace Plan

GPS implant designed for humans 'tested'
A prototype GPS tracking device, designed to be implanted inside a person, has been successfully tested, claims its manufacturer. However, technical experts are questioning whether the system could really work. :: This New Scientist report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-19) files on sub-dermal technology.

Toronto Faces Possible New SARS Cluster
U.S. health officials reinstated a travel alert for Toronto Friday as Canada announced a new cluster of about 20 possible SARS cases in Toronto. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence files.

Sharon Agrees to U.S.-Backed 'Road Map'
After weeks of hesitation, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the United States on Friday that he accepts a U.S.-backed peace plan that would create a Palestinian state within three years. Sharon said he will present the plan to his Cabinet for approval as early as Sunday. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many files on the search for Mideast peace.

U.N. Approves U.S.-British Rule of Iraq
Putting aside bitter divisions over the Iraqi war, the U.N. Security Council gave the United States and Britain a mandate Thursday to govern Iraq and use its oil riches to rebuild the country. The resolution opened the door to a quick resumption of oil exports. The 14-0 vote was a victory for the Bush administration, which won the backing of the chief opponents to the Iraq war - France, Russia and Germany - even though those nations felt the United Nations wound up with too little say in shaping Iraq's future. :: This AP report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files.

Algeria Earthquake Death Toll Nears 1,100
Rescuers clawed by hand through rubble as stunned and weeping survivors wandered through collapsed buildings Thursday, after Algeria's worst earthquake in two decades killed nearly 1,100 people, injured thousands and left thousands more homeless. :: This AP report is submitted for your quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Algerian Earthquake Kills at Least 538
A powerful earthquake struck the Algerian capital region Wednesday night, killing at least 538 people and injuring more than 4,600, according to the Interior Ministry. :: This AP report is submitted for your quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Alarm at Pentagon's Email Snooping
Civil liberties groups raised their concerns yesterday about the Pentagon's plans for cyber-surveillance systems which would give the government access to private emails and medical, education, travel and financial records. The fears were expressed as the defence department reported on its plans for the total information awareness (Tia) programme. :: This report from The Guardian is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-19) files on big brother spy tech.

G-8 Countries Arming Rights Abusers, Says Amnesty
The U.S., UK, Russia, France and Germany--five members of the G-8 meeting in two weeks in France--are responsible for more than two-thirds of global arms transfers, much of which ends up in the hands of the world's worst abusers of human rights, charges a new report from Amnesty International. This Amnesty report is submittted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files on the G8.

GPS implant designed for humans 'tested'
A prototype GPS tracking device, designed to be implanted inside a person, has been successfully tested, claims its manufacturer. However, technical experts are questioning whether the system could really work. :: This New Scientist report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-19) files on implanted chip technology.

Israel Weighs Response to Suicide Bombers
A Hamas suicide attacker disguised as an observant Jew with a prayer shawl and skullcap killed seven Israeli bus passengers Sunday, a bombing that endangered a U.S.-backed peace plan before it got off the ground. :: This AP report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem and your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Powell Looks to Bush on Mideast Stalemate
Stymied in his efforts to wring concessions from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, a weary Secretary of State Colin Powell is looking to President Bush to break the stalemate when he meets with Sharon at the White House next week. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Study Finds Large Drop in Predatory Fish
Scientists reported a 90 percent decline in large predatory fish in the world's oceans since a half century ago, a dire assessment that drew immediate skepticism from commercial fishermen. :: This AP report is submitted for your fear for the future (Luke 21:26) files.

Israelis, Palestinians Prepare for Summit
Israeli and Palestinian leaders prepared for a weekend summit - their first in almost three years, but a senior Palestinian official said Wednesday that Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas would not crack down on militants until his Israeli counterpart accepts the "road map" peace plan. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Ethiopia's Dying Children
We've all been distracted by Iraq, but an incipient famine in the Horn of Africa has been drastically worsening just in the last few weeks. It has garnered almost no attention in the West, partly because it's not generally realized that people are already dying here in significant numbers. But they are. And unless the West mobilizes further assistance immediately to Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, the toll could be catastrophic. :: This New York Times report is submitted for your famine (Matthew 24:7) files.

Tornadoes Tear Through Ill., Mo. and Ky.
Rescue and cleanup crews picked through wreckage in several states on Sunday after another batch of storms roared through the middle of the country, doing heavy damage in Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee. :: This AP report is submitted for your fearsome events (Luke 21:11) files.

Palestinian PM Ready to Start Peace Talks
Palestinian leaders have put aside reservations to parts of the U.S.-developed plan for peace with Israel and are ready to get started on it, Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday, heeding an appeal by Secretary of State Colin Powell. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many files on Mideast peace developments.

Microsoft Admits Passport Security Flaw
Microsoft acknowledged a security flaw Thursday in its popular Internet Passport service that left 200 million consumer accounts vulnerable to hackers and thieves - an admission that could expose the company to a hefty fine from U.S. regulators. :: This AP report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-19) files on digital ID verification technology and e-commerce. :: Do you trust Microsoft with your financial data?

Study in Hong Kong Suggests a Higher Rate of SARS Death
Unless the numbers fall drastically, SARS would be among infectious diseases with the highest death rates. :: This New York Times report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

G8 States Back High-Tech Passport Plan
G8 states agreed on Monday to develop a new high-tech passport to help the fight against terrorism, but Britain warned against rushing to meet a U.S. deadline of October 2004. The identity documents could include fingerprints and details of the bearer's iris, as well as a photograph...G8 states agreed biometric passports were the best way forward but said it was unclear if the U.S. deadline applied to passports or just visas. :: This Reuters report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-19) files on ID technology and your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files.

Bomb Blast at Lebanon Home of Dutch Missionary
A bomb exploded outside the home of a Western Christian missionary couple in northern Lebanon overnight, killing one person, security sources said on Wednesday. :: This Reuters report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Israel Throws Mideast 'Road Map' in Doubt
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon threw a U.S.-backed peace plan into doubt Tuesday, saying the Palestinians must drop their demand for Arab refugees' "right of return" to Israel if negotiations are to proceed. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files on the Mideast peace process.

Strong Earthquake Hits Northwestern China
A strong earthquake jolted a northwestern region of China still recovering from a temblor earlier this year, flattening houses, killing livestock and causing a 72-year-old man to die of heart failure, officials said Monday. :: This AP report is submitted for your quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Thousands quarantined as SARS riots hit China
China quarantined 10,000 more citizens in its desperate efforts to contain SARS as panic riots hit rural areas despite global successes in halting the spread of the virus. :: This AFP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

U.S. Envoy Discusses Peace Plan with Palestinian PM
A senior U.S. envoy told Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas on Monday that President Bush was determined to pursue energetically the creation of a Palestinian state under a new peace plan. :: This Reuters report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

G8: al-Qaida Threat Remains Serious
The al-Qaida terror network remains a serious threat, with sleeper cells and agents "ready to act" and bases apparently relocated outside of Afghanistan, the world's top justice and interior ministers said Monday. In a grim assessment, ministers from the Group of Eight nations said terrorism is still "a pervasive and global threat" and warned that terrorists could use chemical, biological or nuclear weapons in attacks. :: This AP report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files on the G8, as well as your fear for the future (Luke 21:26) files.

Mutating SARS Virus Hampering Diagnosis
The SARS virus is mutating rapidly, developing at least two forms, which could complicate efforts to develop a solid diagnosis and a vaccine, researchers said Friday. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

N. Korea Urges Workers to Be Combat-Ready
North Korea marked May Day on Thursday by urging its workers to prepare for war with the United States, while South Korea's president said he will visit Washington to seek a peaceful solution to the nuclear crisis. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Powell: Don't Derail Mideast 'Road Map'
Secretary of State Colin Powell warned Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Thursday against letting violence "immediately contaminate the road map" toward peace that President Bush has offered. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Israelis, Palestinians Get New Peace Plan
International mediators presented Israeli and Palestinian leaders Wednesday with a new Middle East "road map," an ambitious blueprint for ending 31 months of violence and establishing a Palestinian state. The U.S.-backed plan is supported by a unique consensus of world leaders and comes at a time when U.S. clout is at a high point in the wake of Saddam Hussein's ouster in Iraq. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Bush to Stay Overnight in France During G8 Summit
The White House on Thursday quashed rumors that President Bush would not stay overnight in France during his trip to the G8 economic summit in Evian later this spring. :: This Reuters report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files.

Bush Pressured to Limit EU, UN Role in 'Road Map'
Amid lingering bitterness over European opposition to the war in Iraq, the Bush administration is under mounting pressure to relegate the European Union, the United Nations and Russia to the sidelines of the Israeli-Palestinian "road map" they helped craft. :: This Reuters report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Iran Is Said to Send Agents Into South Iraq
Iranian-trained agents have crossed into Iraq and areworking to advance Iranian interests, according to U.S. officials. :: This New York Times report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

3rd Guilty Plea in Ga. Gang-Rape Case
A third defendant pleaded guilty Tuesday in the case of 18 young men accused of gang-raping a mentally disabled 13-year-old girl over two days. :: This AP report is submitted for your wickedness increases (Matthew 24:12) files.

Ethiopia's worst famine in 20 years
The largest emergency food aid programme in the world is in top gear, shipping tens of thousands of tonnes of mainly US grain to Ethiopia each month, but it is proving pitifully inadequate for what are thought to be millions of people in Tadese's situation. Ethiopia, in the grip of drought, needs far more food than expected only three months ago. Because of a sixth poor rainy season in three years, the authorities and western charities overseeing food distribution are beginning to accept that 20 million people - not 13 million as originally thought - may now need help at least until the end of the year to avoid destitution and starvation. :: This report from The Guardian is submitted for your famine (Matthew 24:7) files.

Scientists Confirm Virus As Cause of SARS
Experiments in monkeys have confirmed the identity of the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, the World Health Organization announced Wednesday, an important step toward developing new drugs to combat the disease. :: This AP report on SARS is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

10 New Nations Join European Union
In the heart of the city that gave birth to European democracy, leaders of 25 nations signed treaties Wednesday sweeping away the 20th century's Iron Curtain divide. Meeting in the shadow of the ancient Acropolis, 10 nations committed to joining the European Union. The new members include eight former Communist countries cut off from their Western neighbors until little more than a decade ago. :: This AP report is submitted for your ten kings (Rev 17:12-14) files on European integration.

Prankster Web Site Draws Wal-Mart Ire
The very technology that revolutionized retail checkout - the bar code - is now being subverted by anti-capitalist protesters who fancy themselves cyberpranksters. :: This AP report on the use and misuse of transaction technology is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-19) files.

Israeli, U.S. Officials Discuss Roadmap
In formulating a roadmap to peace in the Middle East, the Bush administration has agreed to take into account Israel's security concerns and a need to end terror, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's envoy said after talks with high-level U.S. officials. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

U.S. Considers Sanctions Against Syria
The Bush administration is sharpening its rhetoric against Syria, demanding it stop sponsoring terrorism and harboring remnants of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi regime or face diplomatic or economic sanctions. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and doomed Damascus (Isaiah 17:1) files.

Group Banned From Praying at Western Wall
The Israeli Supreme Court on Sunday barred a Jewish women's group from worshipping at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, but ruled that the government had to name an alternative prayer site within a year. :: This AP report is submitted for your Temple Mount (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4) files.

Europe Studies Missions to Safeguard the Earth
Early on the morning of June 30, 1908, the vast forest of western Siberia was illuminated by a strange apparition: an alien object streaking across the cloudless sky. White hot from its headlong plunge into the Earth's atmosphere, the intruder exploded about 8 km above the ground, flattening trees over a vast area. :: This Spaceflight Now report is submitted for your signs in the heavens (Joel 2:30; Luke 21:11,25) files.

Christians in war zone fear Islamists
The Christian minority in Iraq fears reprisals from Muslim extremists who associate them with the so-called "Christian" West, reports Assist News Service. According to the report, The Barnabas Fund, an organization that helps and reports on persecuted Christians, says Christian leaders in Iraq fear it would only take one small spark - an aggressive anti-Christian sermon preached in a mosque or an argument between a Christian and a Muslim neighbor - to trigger violent attacks on churches and Christian homes. :: This World Net Daily report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Police to Use Biometric Facial Recognition to Identify Suspects in Seconds
Imagis Technologies Inc., a leading developer of law enforcement software and biometric systems using advanced facial and image recognition technology, announced today that Steria, a leading European IT services provider and one of Imagis' business partners, has been chosen by the Grampian Police Force in Scotland to provide a biometric facial recognition system that will dramatically enhance the investigative capabilities of the force. :: This PR Newswire report is submitted for your mark of the beast (Rev 13:16-19) files on biometrics and facial recognition technology.

Ill Boy Makes Wish for African Pastors to Be Given Bibles
An ill Texas boy recently chose to supply Bibles to African pastors when he was granted a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. :: This Religion Today report is submitted for your gospel preached to all (Matthew 24:14) files.

No Drugs Treat Mystery Illness, U.S. Says
U.S. health officials said Saturday that none of the antiviral drugs and other treatment they have tested are effective against a flu-like disease that has killed at least 54 people and sickened nearly 1,500 others around the world. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Iraqi VP Threatens More Suicide [Homicide] Bombings
A bomber posing as a taxi driver summoned American troops for help, then blew up his vehicle Saturday, killing himself and four soldiers and opening a new chapter of carnage in the war for Iraq. Iraq's vice president said such attacks would be "routine military policy." :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Babylonia destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Meteor Showers Rocks on Midwestern Homes
The midnight sky flashed an eerie blue early Thursday over four Midwestern states as a meteorite exploded in the atmosphere, sending rocks as big as softballs crashing through some houses. :: This AP report is submitted for your signs in the heavens, fearsome events, and signs in the stars (Luke 21:11; 21:25) files.

Bibles, Other Religious Book Sales High in January
Preparation for war may have boosted sales of Bibles and other religious books in America, the Financial Times reported. U.S. publishers collected almost $15 million in religious book revenues in January. "Is this a result of the war? A fear of the unknown? Could be," said Mark Rice, a spokesman for Zondervan, a leading Bible publisher. Revenues from the company's Bible sales in January were 10 percent higher than the year before -- and the earlier sales had been influenced by the Sept. 11 attacks. :: This Religion Today report is submitted for your gospel preached to all (Matthew 24:14) files.

Stunning Hubble Images of Mysterious Erupting Star
In January 2002, a dull star in an obscure constellation suddenly became 600,000 times more luminous than our Sun, temporarily making it the brightest star in our Milky Way galaxy. The mysterious star has long since faded back to obscurity, but observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope of a phenomenon called a "light echo" have uncovered remarkable new features. :: This Spaceflight Now report is submitted for your signs in the stars (Luke 21:25) files.

Iraqi Troops in Civilian Clothes Taking Over Baghdad Homes
At this moment (4:00 am Mountain time), Fox News is reporting that in villages around Nasaryiah, Iraqi troops are seizing males, including children, from their homes and ordering them to shoot at Allied forces or be shot themselves. :: This USA Today report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) files.

Stunning Hubble Images of Mysterious Erupting Star
In January 2002, a dull star in an obscure constellation suddenly became 600,000 times more luminous than our Sun, temporarily making it the brightest star in our Milky Way galaxy. The mysterious star has long since faded back to obscurity, but observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope of a phenomenon called a "light echo" have uncovered remarkable new features. :: This Spaceflight Now report is submitted for your signs in the stars (Luke 21:25) files.

Blair, ahead of Bush war summit: Mideast solution is vital
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, addressing parliament before leaving for a Camp David "war summit" Wednesday with President George Bush, declared that he and Bush believed it vital to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling it the one issue that most divides the pan-Muslim world from the West. :: This New York Times (reg required) report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Mystery Illness May Come From Common Cold
U.S. and international health officials now believe a flu-like illness from Asia that has sickened hundreds of people may actually be a new, virulent version of an old enemy: the common cold virus. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

U.S. Fights Elite Force on Way to Baghdad
U.S. forces are using air power, helicopters and artillery to "beat down those Republican Guard positions" before ground troops move ahead in the battle for Baghdad, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday. :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq destroyed (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Thousands of Troops Request Bibles
As coalition forces continue their push into Iraq, thoughts of the battle that awaits them in Baghdad weigh heavy..."The reality of death for a young person becomes quite apparent when you're going into battle. If you have faith in Christ, that gives you peace that passes all understanding, even in the midst of the storm or the battle." :: This WND report is submitted for your gospel preached to all (Matthew 24:14) files.

Bible Prophecy In The News
With the Iraq war dominating the headlines, religion editors have discovered a link between Iraq and Bible prophecy. This is not so much prophecy news, as prophecy in the news. Here are some recent articles in major newspapers about the connection between Bible prophecy and Iraq.

Direst of Predictions For War in Iraq
"In recent weeks, the prophetic interpreters have been citing a new reason they believe the end is coming: the impending U.S. war with Iraq. Anxious discussions have arisen on prophecy Web sites, in Bible study groups and churches, and at such gatherings as last month's 20th International Prophecy Conference in Tampa. Its title: "Shaking of Nations: Living in Perilous Times."

Some see Iraq war in Scripture
"For millions of Americans, the looming war with Iraq is far more than an effort to eliminate a dictator and his weapons of mass destruction. Citing Scripture, they fervently believe that the conflict is yet another strong sign that the end of time is approaching."

Threat of war conjures visions of Armageddon
"Dr. Stephen Hankins is dean of the Bob Jones University Seminary and a man who believes with all his heart there will be a battle at Armageddon, pitting Jesus Christ against nations led by a smooth-talking Antichrist. But first, he says, there must be a Rapture, in which faithful Christians will be taken up with God. That will be followed by a seven-year Tribulation, a time of international catastrophe like the Earth has never seen."

Sun's Output Increasing in Possible Trend Fueling Global Warming
In what could be the simplest explanation for one component of global warming, a new study shows the Sun's radiation has increased by .05 percent per decade since the late 1970s. :: This Space report is submitted for your signs in the sun (Luke 21:25) files.

IFC Special Edition: War in Iraq
The opening salvoes of war in Iraq have been fired. For months, Christians have discussed and debated the difficult questions of war, violence, and justice. Now the attention of the world is focused on the events unfolding in the Iraqi deserts and cities, and Christians and ministries around the world are responding. Gospelcom.net ministries have provided resources to help you find a Biblical perspective on this second Gulf War.

Iraqi Christians Face Unknowns of War
As a U.S.-led war to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein begins, Iraq’s small Christian minority fears more than American bombs. They expect to be targeted by a growing tide of Islamic militancy now being encouraged in the secularized Arab state. Numbering less than 400,000, Iraq’s Christian community has in recent months become the object of overt discrimination by Muslim elements. The attacks have ranged from verbal abuse and graffiti campaigns to stone-throwing and even brutal assassinations. Over the past few weeks, anti-Christian rhetoric has dominated Friday-prayer sermons in Baghdad’s mosques. :: This Religion Today report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Bush Launches Military Strikes On Iraq
Taking the nation to war, President Bush said the conflict in Iraq may be long and difficult but the U.S. troops will succeed at their mission "to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger." :: This AP report is submitted for your war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

The Iraqi Threat For Israel
This IDF webpage contains a general overview of Iraq, its history, its involvement in the two Gulf Wars and their aftermath and the threat Iraq poses to Israel and other countries in the region; the Iraqi armed forces, the missiles and unconventional weapons at its disposal, as well as the Israeli response; and Iraq's blatant violations of human rights as presented by numerous human right's organizations and reports.

Muslim Mob Invades Christian Village in Western Nigeria
More than 100 persons died when a Muslim mob attacked a Christian community in western Nigeria’s Adamawa state apparently in retaliation for the deaths of 16 Muslims three months ago. :: This Religion Today report is submitted for your believers persecuted (Matthew 24:8) files.

Bush, Allies Set Monday Deadline on Iraq
On the brink of war, President Bush and summit partners from Britain and Spain gave the United Nations a Monday deadline to endorse the use of force to compel Iraq's immediate disarmament. :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Saddam Warns of World War if U.S. Attacks
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein warned Sunday that if Iraq is attacked, it will take the war anywhere in the world "wherever there is sky, land or water." :: This AP report is submitted for your rumor of war (Matthew 24:6) and Iraq (Jeremiah 51:29&37) files.

Mystery Outbreak May Be New Strain of Flu
A deadly, mysterious respiratory illness spread largely among health care workers in Asia could be a new strain of flu or even an exotic virus passed from animals to people, a health official said Sunday. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Palestinian Statehood Plan Said Positive
Palestinian legislators said Saturday the U.S. administration's promise to adhere to last year's "road map" for Palestinian statehood was a positive sign, signaling that President Bush would push for the plan's implementation without any changes. :: This AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

WHO Sends Alert on Pneumonia-Like Illness
The World Health Organization warned Saturday that a highly contagious and deadly pneumonia-like illness of unknown cause is fast becoming a worldwide health threat. :: This AP report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

U.S. vows to keep pushing for Palestinian statehood by 2005
The United States vowed Monday to stick with its roadmap for a Palestinian state by 2005 even while war clouds gathered over Iraq. :: This Ha'Aretz & AP report is submitted for your covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Saudis Won't Allow Churches on Its Land
Saudi Arabia, as the birthplace of Islam, will not allow churches to be built on its land, according to Defense Minister Prince Sultan...On Thursday, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent federal agency, complained that a new State Department list of countries that severely limit religious freedom omits several that deserve censure, including U.S. ally Saudi Arabia. The commission's annual reports say that religious freedom "does not exist" in the Gulf Kingdom. :: This AP report is submitted for your persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Eritrea and Ethiopia Face Food and Funding Crisis
Food shortages in Eritrea have now become critical, and humanitarian efforts are facing a severe funding crisis, the United Nations has warned. :: This ENS report is submitted for your famine (Matthew 24:7) files

Ebola Virus Invades Congo, 81 Dead
Thousands of people have fled a town in the Republic of Congo from fear of contracting the Ebola virus, which has killed more than 80 people in the last two months. :: This Disaster Relief report is submitted for your pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Chaplains: Prelude to War Prompting Soldiers to Seek Christ
Chaplains in the Middle East are reporting a swell of spiritual interest among troops preparing for war -- including capacity crowds at chapel services and numerous professions of faith. "Now is a golden opportunity to reach soldiers for Christ. I am witnessing all the time and it is the soldiers who want to talk about God and their faith," said Maj. Keith Kilgore, a U.S. Army chaplain currently based in Kuwait. :: This Religion Today/Baptist Press report is submitted for your gospel preached to all (Matthew 24:14) files.

Newsweek: Bush Administration Most Resolutely Faith Based in Modern Times
According to a cover story profile in this week's "Newsweek," although President Bush's Christianity is well known, the anticipated conflict in Iraq has highlighted that the president and his administration are "the most resolutely 'faith-based' in modern times, an enterprise founded, supported and guided by trust in the temporal and spiritual power of God." The administration is "dedicated to the idea that there is an answer to societal problems here and to terrorism abroad: give everyone, everywhere, the freedom to find God, too." The report traces the president's "defining journey" of faith, beating a drinking problem after becoming a Christian through a small-group Bible study it describes as "a baby-boomerish mix of self-help, self-discipline, group therapy ... and worship." It tells how he "talks regularly to pastors, and loves to hear that people are praying for him." Insiders say that the atmosphere at the White House is "suffused with an aura of prayerfulness," it adds. According to "Newsweek," aides say that President Bush's "quiet but fervent faith gives him strength but does not dictate policy." He only appears to be "preacher in chief" because of "a confluence of events" -- the 9/11 attacks, the terror alerts and the Columbia shuttle loss -- they say. Meanwhile, the news weekly notes, President Bush has recently been finding comfort and strength in his daily, early morning devotions from Oswald Chambers' classic "My Utmost for His Highest." :: This Religion Today/Charisma News report is submitted for your gospel preached to all (Matthew 24:14) files.

Suicide Bomber Kills 15 in Haifa
A suicide bomber blew himself up aboard a crowded bus in the northern city of Haifa on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens in the first terrorist attack in two months, officials said. :: This Washington Post report is submitted for your battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Nigerian Christians Arrested Following Riots
Seventeen Christians from various denominations in Aba, a city in the country's southern Abia state, were arrested last month over reprisal attacks on Muslims. According to Compass Direct, sources said the believers were reacting to "incessant" assaults on Christians in northern Nigeria by Muslim extremists. Religious clashes on Jan. 11 in Central Nigeria's Plateau state left one Christian dead. Joel Nimfa, a Christian leader in the Kanam community, was killed in his farmhouse when Muslim bandits attacked the farm and other Christian settlements. Christian leaders in the northern state of Kaduna filed a lawsuit last month against the Nigerian and the Kaduna state governments and the newspaper, "ThisDay," over last November's religious riots. An article in "ThisDay" has been blamed for the death of 1,000 people and the destruction of about 125 churches in the city of Kaduna, Compass reported. "We are also aware that no amount of wealth can pay for a single human life, and that is why we are demanding compensation for destroyed churches and not for lives," said Joseph Danlami Bagobiri, Catholic Bishop of the Kafanchan Diocese and the chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria. :: This Charisma News report is submitted for your believers persecuted (Matthew 24: 8) files.