Earthquake Kills More Than 560 in Morocco
AP reports, "A powerful earthquake devastated an isolated,picturesque region of northern Morocco on Tuesday, killing more than 560 people as they slept, injuring hundreds more and laying ruin to villages that suffered for decades under government neglect." :: Submitted for your Quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

MEMRI: Iranian Government Daily: The U.S. & 'Zionists' have Bribed the IAEA to Fabricate Lies About Iran's Nuclear Progress
That Iran blames Israel for their public-relations woes speaks volumes about their ultimate aim: to attack Israel. Ezekiel [chh. 38-39] tells us that they will participate in a Russian-led coalition to do just that--the Gog-Magog War. Ezekiel also tells us [ch. 39] that they will fail, and miserably so.

U.N. Warns HIV on Rise in Western Europe
AP reports, "The virus that causes AIDS is spreading again in Western Europe and is rampaging through Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where it infected 250,000 people last year, a United Nations health official said Monday." :: Submitted for your files on Pestilence (Luke 21:11).

Jerry Golden: A Diabolical plan to destroy Israel, and Gaza may be given to Egypt
He asks why Egypt, for example, was not investigated by the International Atomic Energy Agency, as was Libya. He also questions the wisdom of abandoning settlements in the Gaza Strip. One thing that we ought not to miss, however, is that Israel will never be destroyed, but will be a stumblingblock to the nations [Zechariah 12]. Furthermore, even if the Arabs attack Israel militarily, they will fail [Ezekiel 38-9].

Jerry Golden: Islamic Palestinian Terror Strikes Again
In light of the latest suicide bombing in Jerusalem, Jerry Golden reminds us that Islam has declared jihad, or holy war, against all non-Muslims.

If they are successful in Israel and if George Bush and Ariel Sharon has their way they will be, you are next.

More likely, the Western world will see more terror strikes, as it did in the 1980's. When it does, a military leader might arise who will draw millions to follow his lead to crush Islam once and for all. But this leader will then set up the last evil dictatorship, and people will say of him, Who is like unto the Beast? Who can make war against him? [Revelation 13:4]::Submitted also for your Jerusalem as the stumblingblock to the nations [Zechariah 12] files.

Jerusalem Suicide Bomber Kills Seven
Reuters reports, "A Palestinian suicide bomber killed seven people on a crowded Jerusalem bus Sunday..." :: Submitted for your Battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Faithful Get Sneak Peek at 'Passion'
Yahoo News/AP reports, "The release of "The Passion of the Christ" is just days away, but anticipation is so strong that churches from Maine to California have struck deals to see the film in their local theaters ahead of time." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

Mel Gibson's 'Passion' Already Big at Box Office
Religion Today reports, "Mel Gibson, the producer and director of The Passion of the Christ -- a graphic depiction of the final 12 hours of Jesus' life -- defended the film this week during an hour-long interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC's Primetime Live. Gibson told Sawyer that he simply tried his best to interpret the Gospels. 'Critics who have a problem with me don't really have a problem with me in this film,' he said. 'They have a problem with the four Gospels.'" :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

Haiti Uprising Spreads As PM Seeks Help
AP reports, "Haiti's prime minister warned Tuesday of an impending coup and appealed for international help to contend with a bloody uprising that has claimed 57 lives." :: Submitted for your files on Nations in Distress (Luke 21:25).

Video Reveals Chinese Government Destroying Church
Crosswalk Relgion Today reports, "A shocking video of the destruction of an unregistered Chinese church has been smuggled out of China to a persecution watchdog group. The Tu Du Sha Church in Zhejiang Province was bulldozed to the ground June 26. The church, in Hangzhou City, was founded around 1930 by the group launched in the 19th century by famed missionary Hudson Taylor, China Inland Mission." :: Submitted for your Persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Bird Flu Death Toll Reaches 22 in Asia
AP reports, "Two 4-year-old boys became the latest victims of the bird flu virus sweeping Asia, bringing the human death toll to 22 on Wednesday." :: For your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

German Airport Testing Iris Scan
AP reports, "Travelers at Frankfurt airport, continental Europe's busiest, can now enter Germany with a three-second scan of their eyes, providing they sign up for a test project for iris recognition technology." :: Submitted for your Mark of the Beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on biometric ID technology.

Iraq May Be Slipping Into Civil War
AP reports, "Sunni politicians speak angrily of U.S. bias toward their Shiite rivals. Kurds are more outspoken in demanding self rule - if not independence. And someone - perhaps al-Qaida, perhaps Saddam Hussein loyalists - killed more than 100 people in recent suicide bombings. Rivalry and resentment among Iraq's ethnic and religious groups have become much more pronounced since Saddam's ouster in April. And those tensions are rising as various groups jockey for position with the approaching June 30 deadline for Iraqis to retake power The fault lines are emerging for a possible civil war." :: Submitted for your Wars & Rumors of War (Matthew 24:6) files.

Farthest Known Object From Earth Detected
AP reports, In a discovery that offers a rare glimpse back to when the universe was just 750 million years old, a team of astrophysicists said they have detected a tiny galaxy that is the farthest known object from Earth." :: Submitted for your files on Signs and Wonders in the Heavens (Luke 21:11).

MEMRI: The Mufti of Australia Calls for Jihad; 'Australia was Discovered by Afghan Muslims'
Sheikh Taj Al-Din Hamed Abdallah Al-Hilali trots out the old Muslim play book of holy war against Israel. While he's at it, he makes certain claims about Australian history that rival, in their absurdity, the claims of black supremacist Leonard Jeffries (USA) concerning Egyptian history.

However, much of what the sheikh says about "permissive Western culture" is correct, in that he picks up on things that I, as a Christian, question about contemporary society. This is why I do not believe that the Beast from the Sea can be a caliph or mufti of the world. Islam will, however, be the perfect foil for the Beast.::Submitted for your who can make war against the Beast [Revelation 13] and your they repented not of their murders, drug abuse, sex-capades, and thefts [Revelation 9:21] files.

Two Quakes Kill 20 in Northern Pakistan
AP reports, "Authorities were sending tents, blankets and food to a remote northern area of Pakistan on Sunday, a day after two strong earthquakes triggered landslides and toppled walls that killed at least 20 people and injured about 30 others, officials said." :: Submitted for your Quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Storm Drops 2 Feet of Snow on Mideast
AP reports, "In Jerusalem, heavy snow caused an old wall to collapse on the ramp leading to the Temple Mount, a site holy to Jews and Muslims. No one was injured. Prayers in the adjacent women's section at the Western Wall were canceled."

Top U.S. Commander Escapes Attack in Iraq
AP reports, "The top U.S. commander in the Middle East came under a bold attack Thursday by gunmen in the turbulent Iraqi city of Fallujah. No Americans were hurt, but a local police official said two Iraqis were killed in the shooting." :: For your Wars and Rumors of War (Matthew 24:6) files.

Moderate Quake Hits Israel; No Injuries
AP reports, "A moderate earthquake rumbled through the Middle East early Wednesday, sending jitters throughout the region and causing minor damage to Israel's parliament. No serious injuries were reported." :: Submitted for your Quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Peres Suggests Incentives for Mideast
AP reports, "Europe should provide incentives for the Palestinians and Israelis to make peace, including offering them membership in the European Union, opposition leader Shimon Peres said Wednesday." :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:27) files on the search for Mideast peace. :: This plan has it all, security and border guarantees by the U.S. and E.U., membership for Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinians in the E.U. (thus completing the imperial scope of the once and future empire), and a charter (or covenant) to combat terrorism at the regional level. Thank you Mr. Peres, this will make a fine postwar settlement for all parties.

Silicon Discovery Could Speed Up PCs
AP reports, "In an advance that could inexpensively speed up corporate data centers and eventually personal computers, researchers used everyday silicon to build a device that converts data into light beams...could help make the Internet run faster, build much faster high-performance computers and enable high bandwidth applications like ultra-high-definition displays or vision recognition systems." :: Submitted for your Mark of the Beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on pervasive computing, as well as your files on the Increase in Knowledge (Daniel 12:4).

Gaza Clash Leaves 15 Palestinians Dead -
AP reports, "An Israeli crackdown on Palestinian militants erupted Wednesday into the bloodiest fighting in the Gaza Strip in 16 months, killing 15 Palestinians and wounding more than 50. Hamas, the militant Islamic group, responded with an ominous vow of retaliation, urging all its cells throughout Gaza and the West Bank to attack." :: Submitted for your Battle for Jerusalem files.

Tests Confirm Bird Flu on 2nd Del. Farm
AP reports, "Tests confirmed avian flu on a second central Delaware farm, a surprise that creates a 'serious situation' for the region's poultry industry, state agriculture officials announced Tuesday." :: Submitted for your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files on bird flu.

Russia Tests Measures Vs. Missile Defense
AP reports, "Russia is in the midst of a strategic military exercise motivated in part by Moscow's concerns about U.S. plans to develop new types of nuclear weapons, a top general said Tuesday." :: Submitted for your Rumors of War (Matthew 24:6) files.

Palestinian, Irish PMs seek rapid "quartet" meeting on Mideast Peace
EU Business reports, "Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei on Monday called for an urgent top-level meeting of the international "quartet" which sponsored the Middle East roadmap for peace." :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Danil 9:27) files on the search for Mideast peace.

Israeli Official Urges Muslim Conversions
AP reports, "A hawkish Israeli Cabinet minister has asked Christian missionaries to try to convert Islamic militants, an aide to the minister confirmed Sunday. Tourism Minister Benny Elon made the suggestion during a meeting last Wednesday with visiting Christian leaders from Europe..." Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

Pilot Promotes Christianity on Flight
Miami Herald and AP report that, "An American Airlines pilot asked Christians on his flight to identify themselves and suggested the non-Christians discuss the faith with them...American's Flight 34 was headed from Los Angeles to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport on Friday when the pilot asked Christians on board to raise their hands...The pilot...then suggested the other passengers use the flight time to talk to the Christians about their faith...The pilot also told passengers he would be available for discussion at the end of the flight... the pilot had just returned to work from a weeklong mission trip to Costa Rica." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files. :: If you were on a plane and suddenly asked to share your faith, would you be prepared?

The Passion of The Christ' more than a movie
Dallas Baptist Standard suggests that the movie, "is not the altar call, but it can be the start of a spiritual journey whereby people turn their lives to faith in Jesus [the] Christ..." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

'The Passion' depicts important 12 hours
Another report on the blockbuster movie of 2004, from the Mansfield News Journal.

Iraq boosts Mideast peace hopes-Israel's Peres
Reuters reports, "Israeli opposition leader Shimon Peres said Friday he sensed a change in the Middle East that could foster peace in the region, helped by the U.S.-led ousting of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein." :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:26) files.

MEMRI: New Muslim Brotherhood Leader: Resistance in Iraq and Palestine is Legitimate; America is Satan; Islam Will Invade America and Europe
The "invasion" whereof Muhammad Mahdi Othman 'Akef is pleased to boast is a planned invasion of America and Europe. He is careful mainly to speak of the spread of Islam by conversion--though I would urge him to"dream on" if he thinks that large numbers of people in secular Europe (and an increasingly secularizing USA) will convert to Islam. However, I put it together with other statements he makes in the below article and have to suspect that any invasion of Europe and America will be a real, blood-and-flames invasion--spearheaded perhaps by an Air France or British Airways plane that does not get held on the tarmac and denied take-off clearance at the last minute!

Some people actually think that the real Beast from the Sea will be a restored Muslim caliph. Maybe this man think he can be that caliph. I still think that Islam will be the foil that the real Beast will use as an excuse to (a) establish a one-world government over the entire habitable earth, and (b) label any "religious fundamentalist" as a traitor. That, unfortunately, will include Christians as well--and many commentators in America already suggest that Christians are no better than Muslims when it comes to "wanting to foist their morality on everybody else," et cetera ad nauseam.::Submitted for your ride a red horse [Revelation 6:3-4] and who can make war on the Beast [Revelation 13:4] files.

Gibson Film Gets Huge Marketing Effort
AP. "Churches are reserving entire theaters for opening day. A national evangelical organization is helping sell tickets from its Web site. Pastors are planning sermons timed to the movie's Ash Wednesday release. Mel Gibson's epic, The Passion of the Christ, is the subject of an unprecedented marketing effort that has inspired everyday Christians and their spiritual leaders to sell the film and its message - both to other faithful and the nonreligious." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

MEMRI: Egyptian Government Daily: Suicide Bombings are Legitimate Even if Children Are Killed
MEMRI has seen a lot of this kind of "yellow journalism" in Egyptian government organs lately. Note: "the Zionist entity" is the Republic of Israel, and the "deadly weapons" reference is to an allegation that Israel possesses a nuclear weapon or weapons which they are prepared to detonate if an Arab army overruns their country.::Submitted for your struggle for Jerusalem [Zechariah 12] and Gog-Magog War [Ezekiel 38-9] files.

Arafat Adviser Accuses U.S. of Blackmail
AP reports that, "Israeli and Palestinian officials, meanwhile, failed again Wednesday to reach agreement on a date for a meeting between their two leaders. Such a summit is seen as vital for reviving the U.S.-backed 'road map' peace plan." :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:26) files on the search for Mideast peace.

Experts Worry Terrorists Have Nuke Plans
AP reports, "The nuclear black market that let Iran, Libya and North Korea acquire weapons technology from Pakistan under the noses of international monitors raised suspicions that terror groups also acquired bomb components or plans, experts told The Associated Press." :: Submitted for your Fear for the Future (Luke 21:26) files.

Microsoft Spells Out RFID Strategy
RFID Journal reports, "Microsoft plans to be a major player in the RFID market." :: Submitted for your Mark of the Beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on ID tech.

Authors of alternative Mideast peace plan win EU backing
EU Business reports that, "European Union officials gave their backing Monday to an unofficial Middle East peace plan, the Geneva Initiative, designed to unblock the bloody stalemate." :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:27) files on the search for Mideast peace.

Video reveals neglect of Temple remains
Jerusalem Post reports that, "heaps of garbage on the Temple Mount along with two tractors and piles of new slabs of stone are seen in a video taken secretly at the Jerusalem holy site..." :: Submitted for your files on the Temple Mount (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Archaeologist: Jewish Relics Endangered
AP reports, "An Israeli archaeologist charged that Muslim authorities are excavating a disputed holy site in Jerusalem in a way that endangers what she says may be remains of the biblical Jewish Temples...The sacred hilltop in the Old City of Jerusalem is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism. Today, it houses the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam's third-holiest site. Muslims call it the Noble Sanctuary.":: Submitted for your Holy Place (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4) files on the Temple Mount.

Space militarization looms as threat of 21st century
Space War reports, "The 20th century added a new dimension to warfare with the nuclear bomb, and the 21st could well be remembered for bringing the arms race into space, a French weapons expert said Thursday." :: Submitted for your War (Matthew 24:6) files.

The Golden Report: The promotion of Islam on CNN & BBC
In the face of the latest suicide bombing, all that the BBC or CNN want to talk about is the Hajj.::Submitted for your struggle for Jerusalem [Zechariah 14] and your stumblingblock for the nations [Zechariah 12] files.

MEMRI: Saudi Princess Fahda bint Saud ibn Abd Al-Aziz: Conspiracy Theories and Other Writings
This alleged daughter of the Saudi King shows once again that the Saudis are playing the world for fools. Now she says that neo-conservative conspirators are responsible for recent terrorist operations within Saudi borders. The rest of what she says is a collection of anti-Semitic rants.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] and struggle for Jerusalem [Zechariah 14] files.

China Announces a New Case of SARS
AP reports, "China announced its fourth confirmed SARS case of the season Saturday, saying the patient had already left the hospital after "total recovery" - a disclosure that prompted a strongly worded statement from the World Health Organization urging an urgent investigation." :: Submitted for your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

MEMRI: Arab Press Reactions to President Bush's State of the Union Address
The reaction appears to be uniformly negative--and the Saudis prove once again that they are not friends either of America or of genuine peace in this or any other region.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] and ride a red horse [Revelation 6:3-4] files.

Jerusalem Bus Bomber Kills 10, Injures 50
AP reports, "A suicide bomber struck a bus near Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Jerusalem residence Thursday, killing 10 Israelis and wounding 50 in the deadliest attack in four months and disrupting modest U.S. efforts to restart peace talks." :: Submitted for your War (Matthew 24:6) and Battle for Jerusalem files.

MEMRI: Conflicting Arab Press Reactions to the Gaza Suicide Bombing
The incident in question was the suicide of Reem Saleh Al-Riyashi, age 21, in Gaza on 14 January. Most Arab reaction is favorable--and it's a sad commentary that this includes Egyptian government organs. But not all Arabs agree, and some are beginning to ask what's the point of it all.::Submitted for your struggle for Jerusalem [Zechariah 14] files.

More people attend mosques than Church of England
HindustanTimes reports, "More people in Britain attend mosques than the Church of England. It is for the first time that Muslims have overtaken Anglicans. According to figures 930,000 Muslims attend a place of worship at least once a week, whereas only 916,000 Anglicans do the same." :: This is a worrisome development considering the anti-Jewish and anti-Christian hatred noted in the MEMRI report, Contemporary Islamist Ideology Permitting Genocidal Murder. Perhaps it is time for the nations of Christendom to send missionaries to the UK? :: Submitted for your Persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.

Moderate Quake Jolts Southern Iran - AP
A moderate earthquake jolted the southern Iranian town of Minab on Wednesday, but caused no damage or casualties, the local governor said. The quake was estimated at magnitude 5, Gov. Ali Khorramnasab told The Associated Press. :: Submitted for your Quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Gates Foresees Seamless Software Links - AP
Microsoft founder Bill Gates expressed his vision Wednesday for a future in which advanced software will seamlessly connect personal computers with mobile phones, watches and other small devices.

Our News Feed
Introducing this blogs news feed, powered by Atom. When a regularly updated site such as a blog has a feed, people can subscribe to it using software for reading syndicated content called a "newsreader." People like using readers for blogs because it allows them to catch up on all their favorites at once. Like checking email but without the spam. There are already a bunch of newsreaders that support Atom, including NewsMonster, NewzCrawler, NewsGator and BottomFeeder. You can find a growing list of newsreaders at AtomEnabled.org. To tap our feed, just click on the left over there on the left blog roll, under Subscribe.

Crisis talks as flu hits Bangkok
CNN reports, "Health experts are meeting in Bangkok for crisis talks on the bird flu, as parts of the Thai capital are declared 'danger zones.'" :: Submitted for your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Diplomats Try to Restart Mideast Peace Efforts - FOX News
Mideast diplomacy picked up Monday after a long stalemate, with Egypt planning ... visit the region this week hoping to revive the "road map" peace plan. :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:27) files.

MEMRI: Contemporary Islamist Ideology Permitting Genocidal Murder
The head of MEMRI presented this to the 2004 Stockholm International Forum on Preventing Genocide. It pretty much speaks for itself.::Submitted for your ride a red horse [Revelation 4:3-4] files.

WHO rushing vaccine amid Asian bird flu epidemic - AFP
A prototype vaccine to protect humans from avian influenza could be ready for clinical testing shortly, the WHO said Thursday, as three Asian countries battle with epidemics among their bird populations. :: For your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

MEMRI: Al-Qa'ida's 'Voice of Jihad' Magazine: Issue No. 9
The big news here is that Osama bin Laden would in fact like nothing better than to overthrow the current House of Saud. That family has been playing both ends against the middle for a long time, and now they might be running out of time.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] and ride a red horse [Revelation 6:3-4] files.

Core-Sampling Helps Pin Down Quake Dates
AP reports, "Scientists using sophisticated sonar and seismic instruments to probe a lake bottom near Seattle have confirmed what Northwest Indian oral histories have long described: a major earthquake that struck the area about 300 years ago.And the scientists believe another big quake is due in the next century or two." :: Submitted for your Quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Vietnam Confirms New Bird Flu Death
AP reports, "Thailand's prime minister said Saturday the bird flu epidemic could hurt the country's giant chicken export sector, as Vietnam confirmed that a sixth person had died from the disease." :: Submitted for your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

US Official: Mideast Peace Efforts Hit 'Stalemate'
Voice of America reports, "A top US official says Middle East Peace efforts are 'at a bit of a stalemate,' because Israelis and Palestinians are not helping move the process forward." :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:27) files on the search for Mideast peace.

MEMRI: Lebanese Member of Parliament: 'The Fall of One Jew, Whether Soldier or Civilian, Is a Great Accomplishment'
The parliamentarian involved is one Walid Jumblatt, whom readers might remember as the leader of the Druze militia. Now that he is a "respectable" member of a parliament, you'd think he'd be smarter than to shoot his mouth off like that. Clearly he is not. And that no one has haled him before any sort of committee on standards of conduct speaks volumes about "democracy" in Lebanon.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] and struggle of the Jews [Zechariah 12 and 14] files.

Bush Has Little Hope for Palestinian State in 2004 -MENL
The Bush administration has little hope that an interim Palestinian state will be established in 2004. Officials said President George Bush and his top aides were said to have concluded that the prospect of a dramatic breakthrough that would lead to an agreement for an interim Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and most of the West Bank appears unlikely in 2004. They said the administration envisions a continuing cycle of Israeli-Palestinian violence fueled by Iran and Hizbullah that will rule out virtually any diplomatic gain. :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:27) files on the search for Mideast peace.

MEMRI: The Trial of Saddam Hussein
Nimrod Raphaeli examines in detail all the hows and whys and wherefores of bringing Saddam Hussein to trial.::Submitted for your war [Matthew 24:6] files.

MEMRI: Popular Egyptian Singer's New Song: 'Hey People It was Only a Tower and I Swear by God that They [the U.S.] are the Ones Who Pulled It Down'
So says one Sha'ban Abd Al-Rahim, and the people in Egypt are lapping it up. They will not admit that Arab Muslims knocked down those towers. It's one thing to say to the victim of an atrocity that he deserved it, quite another to say that he did it to himself to frame others.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert with his hand against every man [Genesis 25] and your Ride a Red Horse [Revelation 6:3-4] files.

About This Blog - The Big Picture
The original inspiration for this blog was another blog you may be familiar with, it was the team news blog that eventually evolved in The Command Post. The fist incarnation of TCP was hosted on Blogspot and featured a team of bloggers sharing the latest news of the Iraq war. The idea of a team of bloggers posting links to breaking news stories was what sparked my imagination as I saw the potential for our community of end times watchers. So, Prophecy News Blog Team was born. Right now there are three people manning the blog and we would be happy to welcome new members. If you are a Bible prophecy enthusiast and follow current events closely (very closely) and you get the blog idea, please think about joining the team. Just e-mail portents2@aol.com and let us know you are interested, please also provide links to your Christian blog so we can confirm your bona fides as a member of our little corner of the blogosphere. Thanks to all of you who are frequent visitors, and thank you especially to Temlakos and Karla, for your efforts with this. These are amazing times to live in, keep watching the signs!

Japanese Soldiers Make Historic Foray
AP reports, "Japanese soldiers entered a conflict zone Monday for first time since World War II, crossing into Iraq on a humanitarian mission that has stirred controversy at home while raising great expectations among Iraqis...They will carry arms for self-protection, but their role will be noncombatant." :: Submitted for your War (Matthew 24:6) files. :: I wonder what the reaction will be in Japan when their noncombatants suddenly become victims of combat?

Sharon: Syria Peace Means Golan Pullout
AP reports, "Israel would have to withdraw from the Golan Heights to reach peace with Syria, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Monday, a rare acknowledgment by a hard-line leader that Israel would have to relinquish the territory under an agreement." :: Submitted for your War (Matthew 24:6) files on the still officially ongoing state of war between Israel and Syria, and your Doomed Damascus (Isaiah 17:1) files.

Cheney: Arafat 'torpedoed' peace agreement
The Jerusalem Post reports, "Cheney said that during the change in US administrations, outgoing President Bill Clinton talked repeatedly about his disappointment with Arafat." :: Submitted for your Covenant with Many (Daniel 9:27) files on the Mideast peace process.

Suicide Bomber Kills About 20 in Baghdad
AP reports, "A suicide driver set off a truck bomb at the gates of the U.S.-led coalition headquarters Sunday, killing about 20 people and wounding 63 in the deadliest attack here since Saddam Hussein's capture last month.":: Submitted for your War (Matthew 24:6) files.

MEMRI: Syrian Writers Union Chairman: Syria Hosts Noble Fighters, Not Terrorists
In other words: Blame America, and more to the point, blame Israel.::Submitted for your struggle for Jerusalem [Zechariah 14] files.

Next wave of phone features may have less to do with calls
IHT reports, "DoCoMo, the world's second-biggest mobile phone operator, and Sony, Japan's fifth-biggest cellphone seller, have teamed to add a smart-card computer chip called FeliCa to phones...The chip allows handsets to become payment cards." :: Submitted for your Mark of the Beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on mobile commerce technology.

MEMRI: Renowned Egyptian Liberal Author and Playwright Ridicules Pan-Arab Nationalist Intellectuals
He mainly criticizes certain persons who flocked to Baghdad after Nasser, the big pan-Arab nationalist of his day, died. He also skewers Saddam Hussein and seems to say, "At last, the Arab world can have peace!" Whether he will be any more than the Arab equivalent of an anti-Vietnam peacenik remains for history to determine.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] files.

Old City, Temple Mount most at risk from quake
Ha'aretz reports, "The Temple Mount and the Old City would be the worst hit parts of Jerusalem if a serious earthquake were to strike the capital..." :: Submitted for your Temple Mount (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4) files.

Vaccine Is Said to Fail to Protect Against Flu Strain
The New York Times reports, "A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that this season's influenza vaccine failed to protect against the Fujian strain that has caused most cases." :: Submitted for your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

MEMRI: Saudi Court Finds In Favor of an Author Sued for 'Secularism'
The article mainly contains reaction to the verdict, which actually came down in December 2003. Now maybe MEMRI picked a skewed sample, but it quoted three reactions, all of them highly favorable and some of them saying that the author's plight highlights much of what is wrong with Saudi society. This includes without limitation what the Saudis teach their children in school--something for Americans to remember, given that the Saudis routinely fund schools called madrassas that openly foment hate and arguably incite to treason.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] files.

Jerry Golden: Enough is enough, is enough!
Jerry Golden revisits the whole "Palestinian Authority" question in the wake of a woman, this time from Hamas, blowing herself up to kill other people. He also suggests that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction are to be found in Syria, and claims to know exactly where they lie.::Submitted for your struggle for Jerusalem [Zechariah 14] files.

MEMRI: Yasser Arafat and Ahmad Qurei (Abu 'Alaa) Speeches to PA Legislative Council Prior to Vote on New Government
These speeches sound like trying to placate--or gull--the international community.::Submitted for your struggle for Jerusalem [Zechariah 14] files.

VeriSign to Manage Tags for Consumer Items
AP reports, "The company that manages the Internet's core directory - and has been criticized for trying to take undue advantage of its position - has been hired to perform a similar role in the developing system for radio-frequency identification tags on consumer products." :: Submitted for your Mark of the Beast (Rev 13:13-18) files on ID tech.

MEMRI: Interview with Algerian Terror Leader Associated with Al-Qa'ida: The Islamic State Will Arise Only Through Blood and Body Parts
Half his statements are blaming "the other guy." The other half is a brazen boast that could, however, come right out of the Koran--though few in the West want to admit this.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] and ride a red horse [Revelation 6:3-4] files.

Israel Confirms Secret Talks With Syria
AP reports, "Israel had secret contacts with Syria several months ago - well before recent Syrian overtures - but they broke down after word of the meetings leaked out, Israel's foreign minister said Sunday.The secret meetings appeared part of an effort to restart peace talks between Israel and one of its most intractable enemies. Earlier talks broke down in 2000." :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:27) and Doomed Damascus (Isaiah 17:1) files.

Record Cold Freezes Northeastern States
AP reports, "Temperatures dropped well below zero across the Northeast, making Saturday the coldest day in a decade for some cities and keeping all but the hardiest people indoors. St. Johnsbury, Vt., led the list of records Saturday with a low of 27 below zero, the National Weather Service said. Unofficially, Saranac Lake, N.Y., reported 34 below." :: Submitted for your Fearsome Events (Luke 21:11) files.

Saudi Arabia and Jordan meet on Mideast peace process
Ha'aretz reports, "Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, and King Abdullah of Jordan "talked about the need for Arabs to be pro-active in the peace process..." :: Submitted for your Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:27) files.

Billy Graham to Hold Kansas City Crusade
AP reports, "Evangelist Billy Graham, who's recovering from partial hip replacement surgery this week, will hold a crusade at Arrowhead Stadium." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

China Uses New Approach in SARS Fight
AP reports, "Last year, when what would become SARS first appeared, you couldn't pry information loose from China's secretive government. Now, as the virus edges back into the spotlight, the country's leadership has a different message: Operators are standing by." :: Submitted for your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

MEMRI: Syrian Parliament Chairman: U.S. Representatives Betray Their Country by Bowing to Zionists; The Time Has Come to Create An Arab Lobby in the U.S.
Actually, an Arab lobby already exists. It's called the Council on American-Islamic Relations. But we don't want to hear about that, do we?::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] and struggle for Israel [Zechariah 14] files.

Koreans bring Christ to people
Japan Times reports, "The past decade witnessed a steady increase in the number of preachers from South Korea who engage in missionary work in Japan." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of the Christ' Advance Tickets
Yahoo News reports, "The film, which depicts the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life on earth, is set to be released on Ash Wednesday, February 25, 2004." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

Israel to Take All Remaining 18,000 Ethiopia Jews
Reuters reports, "Israel said Thursday it planned to start moving the remaining 18,000 Ethiopians of Jewish origin to Israel from next week." :: Submitted for your Gathering to Israel (Ezekiel 36 & 37) files.

MEMRI: Arab Media Reactions to Libya's Announcement of WMD Disarmament
The reactions vary from enthusiastic to enraged. But some of them attribute Libya's announcement directly to US action.::Submitted for your who is like unto the beast and who can make war against him [Revelation 13:4] files. (Not to say that the present US government is actually "beastly". But a future US government might well be The Beast.)

The Golden Report - God is getting ready to bring the rest of His people home to Israel
The Knesset moves to grant some, but not total, rights of return to Messianic Jews. Jerry Golden has the details.::Submitted for your regathering of God's people [Nehemiah 1] files.

U.S. Chopper Crashes in Iraq, 9 GIs Killed
AP reports, "A Black Hawk medivac helicopter, clearly marked with a red cross, crashed Thursday after a witness said it was hit by a rocket, killing all nine U.S. soldiers aboard." :: Submitted for your Wars and Rumors of War (Matthew 24:6) files.

Jewish worshipper arrested on Temple Mount
The Jerusalem Post reports, "An Israeli visiting the Temple Mount Wednesday morning was arrested by police after he prostrated himself on the ground in prayer, police said." :: Submitted for your files on activity at the Temple Mount (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

MEMRI: First Audio Recording By Al-Qa'ida Leader in Iraq Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi
This is the brains behind the Millennium Plot, which the Jordanians thwarted.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] files.

Prodi Urges Implementation of EU Charter
AP reports, "The EU's top official warned on Tuesday that some nations may pursue political and economic integration on their own if the European Union as a whole fails to adopt a constitution this year." :: Submitted for your Ten Kings (Rev 17:12-14) files.

MEMRI: Assad Tampers with New York Times Interview: One Message to Americans, Another to Syrians
A Syrian journalist, on a Communist web site, accuses the President of Syria with managing the news. Evidently Assad redacted several paragraphs from the Arabic version of his interview with The New York Times. This wouldn't be the first time that an Arab leader said one thing to Arabs and another thing to foreigners, and nobody would know the difference who didn't speak Arabic and check the translations. But for a Communist to be making such an accusation certainly smacks of hypocrisy.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] files.

White House: Bin Laden Tape Likely Real
AP reports, "A speaker believed to be Osama bin Laden said on an audiotape that the U.S.-led war in Iraq was the beginning of the "occupation" of Gulf states for their oil and called on Muslims to keep fighting a holy war in the Middle East." :: Submitted for your Wars and Rumors of War (Matthew 24:6) files.

China to Slaughter Animals Over SARS Case
AP reports, "Faced with the return of SARS, China on Monday ordered wild animals slaughtered by the thousands in the disease's suspected region of origin, a striking response that elicited calls for caution from international doctors concerned about safety and destroying medical evidence." :: Submitted for your Pestilence files.

MEMRI: The Al-Battar Training Camp: The First Issue of Al-Qa'ida's Online Military Magazine
Al-Quaeda (lit., The Base) publishes a Web-zine for Muslim youth, encouraging them to advance their religion the old-fashioned way--by force of arms. Islam is not a religion of peace.::Submitted for your wild man in the desert [Genesis 25] and your Second Horseman of the Apocalypse [Revelation 6:3-4] files.

Chinese Researcher Confirms SARS Case
Newsday/AP reports, "China's latest suspected SARS patient definitely has the disease and could represent the beginning of a new outbreak, a Chinese researcher said Monday, although the World Health Organization said tests have not yet confirmed that the man has SARS." :: Submitted for your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.

Hundreds see fireballs fall from sky in Spain
Reuters reports, "Hundreds of witnesses reported seeing fireballs cross the skies of northern Spain today in what authorities said may have been a disintegrating meteorite...The bright flashes were spotted in a swathe across the northern half of Spain...In some cases, objects were reported to have fallen to earth." :: Submitted for your Signs in the Heavens (Joel 2:30; Luke 21:11) files.

Quake Hits Indonesia's Bali, 29 Said Hurt
AP reports, "A severe earthquake shook Indonesia's tourist islands of Bali and Lombok on Friday, injuring 29 people and damaging dozens of buildings, officials and witnesses said. The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said the quake had a magnitude of 6.1. The U.S Geological Service recorded the temblor at 5.4." :: Submitted for your Quake (Matthew 24:7) files.

Strong Earthquake Rocks Mexico City
AP reports, "A strong earthquake rocked Mexico City and Acapulco Thursday, shaking buildings and sending some people fleeing into the streets. There were no immediate reports of injury or damage. The quake, centered 25 miles east of the resort of Zihuatanejo, had a preliminary magnitude of 5.7 and struck shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time..." :: Submitted for your Quake (Matthew 24:7) files.