NASA Science News reports that a meteoroid crashed into the Moon last month, and they have the video of the event. [Signs in the Moon, Luke 21:25]

Yahoo News - Israel: Final peace talks unrealistic
AP reports, "Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Sunday that Israel wants to negotiate with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas but insisted it's 'not realistic' to pursue a final peace deal with him while the Hamas militants controlling the Palestinian government refuse to moderate." [Covenant With Many, Daniel 9:27]

My Way News - Iran Accepts Parts of Western Nuke Offer
AP reports, "Iran said Sunday that it accepted some parts of a Western offer aimed at getting Tehran to drop its nuclear program, but it rejected others while calling the central point ambiguous."

Yahoo News - Strong quake shakes southern Japan
AP reports, "A strong earthquake rattled southern Japan early Monday followed by a milder temblor in the north, but there was no danger of a tsunami from either, the nation's meteorological agency said." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

Yahoo News - KKK stages rally at Civil War battlefield
AP reports, "Members of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups rallied Saturday at the Antietam National Battlefield, believed to be the first time a group was given permission to demonstrate at the site of the bloodiest day of the Civil War." [Wickedness Increases, Matthew 24:12]

My Way News - China's Thirst for Oil Rattles Old Order
AP reports, "The shifting pattern of energy consumption is rattling Washington and aggravating an already intense rivalry with neighboring Japan over access to oil and gas supplies, adding to tensions in an already volatile region."

My Way News - Abbas Sets Date for Referendum on Israel
AP reports, "Moderate President Mahmoud Abbas, defying the Hamas militants who run the government, said Saturday that Palestinians would vote next month on whether to establish a state alongside Israel, effectively recognizing the Jewish nation."

Yahoo News - Hamas Military Wing Calls Off Israel Truce
AP reports, "Hamas militants called off a truce with Israel on Friday after a barrage of Israeli artillery shells tore into Palestinians at a beachside picnic in the Gaza Strip, killing seven dcivilians."

Yahoo News - Banking on credit cards at the ballpark
AP reports, "The Texas Rangers hope to boost hot dog and beer sales this summer not only with a better team but with an innovation at the concession stands — swipe-free credit-card terminals." [Mark of the Beast/commerce tech, Rev 13:16-18]

Comment: No, not the mark, but we do follow commerce tech, and this is an innovative use of contactless card tech, let's see if it catches on.

Yahoo News - Curiosity, humor surround June 6, 2006
AP reports, "There's a devilishly odd nexus of theology, mathematics and commercialism on the sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year." [Mark of the Beast, Rev 13:16-18]

Comment: This news report is noteworthy because it contains a helpful primer on the history and interpretations of the Biblical "mark of the beast." There is much that the report leaves out, so here are a few questions you may wish to consider in your study of this important prophecy: Who imposes the mark of the beast? What happens to people who do not accept the mark of the beast? What happens to people who do accept the mark?

WorldNetDaily: Physicist: Cell-like structures could be microbes from space

The cells--if indeed that be what they are--are extremophiles, or microbes that thrive under extreme conditions--in this case, tremendous heat and pressure, or "superheating" (to 600 degrees Fahrenheit). Godfrey Louis, their putative discoverer, claims that they are not just extremophilic but are in fact extraterrestrial in origin. His main basis for that claim is that they have no DNA--a finding which itself is in dispute.

Of greater interest to prophecy students is that Dr. Louis has found a collaborator: Dr. Chandra Wickramasing, professor of astronomy at Cardiff University in Wales. He is a proponent of a theory called panspermia, the notion that life can be found all over the universe, that something (a comet's tail, perhaps?) somehow seeded the earth with life, and that something else might re-seed the earth from time to time. Dr. Wickramasing evidently believes that Dr. Louis' extremophiles are such a re-seed.

This is not the same as the theory of directed panspermia (that life was deposited on earth by a guided missile) proposed by Francis Crick and Leslie H. Orgel. But it's close. And it illustrates a trend: forced to abandon evolution as an untenable theory of life's origins, the enemies of God turn to ever-wilder theories, including some that would suggest that the salvation of mankind will come from a natural, physical entity beyond the earth. (Perhaps this would include the Star Trek concept of the "Progenitors"--begging the question of who "generated" that fictional race.)

What's next? Will the government itself tell people to watch the skies? After the Rapture occurs [I Thess. 4:16-18], it just might.

Yahoo News - Bird flu explodes in Indonesia
AP reports, "Indonesia averaged one human bird flu death every 2 1/2 days in May, putting it on pace to soon surpass Vietnam as the world's hardest-hit country." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Yahoo News - Forecaster expects active hurricane season
AP reports, "The Atlantic hurricane season that starts Thursday will be active, but it shouldn't be as destructive as last year's record-setting season, one of the nation's top hurricane forecasters said Wednesday. The latest forecast from William Gray's team at Colorado State University calls for 17 named storms for the 2006 season. Nine storms are expected to become hurricanes, and five of those are expected to have winds of 111 mph or greater, the forecasters said." [Roaring Seas and Tides, Luke 21:25]

My Way News - U.S. Military Joins Indonesia Quake Relief
AP reports, "U.S. Marines joined an international effort Tuesday to deliver aid and medical equipment to some 200,000 Indonesians left homeless by a devastating earthquake, as hopes faded of finding more survivors." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

Yahoo News - Tests find bird flu kills in Indonesia
AP reports, "Preliminary tests have found that bird flu has killed another person in Indonesia, as the country struggles to get a grip on a spike in cases, a local health official said Wednesday." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Comments: The human-to-human transmission of the bird flu remains the tripwire in this potential pandemic, these cases need to be examined carefully.

Yahoo News - Security Council meeting degenerates
AP reports, "Syrian and Iranian diplomats traded barbs with Israel's U.N. ambassador on Tuesday, as a routine Security Council meeting on fighting terrorism degenerated into insults and accusations."

Commentary: I expect more calls from the anti-Western axis for transparency in Israel's nuclear program and continued efforts to generate sympathy for the Palestinians. Where does Israel and the status of Jerusalem rank on the international agenda? Is it among the top ten issues? The top five? The number one issue? The answer to that question provides something of a marker as we count down to the end of this age.

Yahoo News - 'Da Vinci' Opens Amid Hoopla and Rage
AP reports, "The director huffed, offended believers protested and the critics carped as 'The Da Vinci Code' premiered and started its march around the world Wednesday. [...] The screen adaptation, like the novel, suggests that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene and fathered a child." [False Christs, Matthew 24:4; Persecution, Matthew 24:8]

Commentary: There is a debate in Christendom about how to approach this movie. Some would prefer to boycott the movie, agitate against it, and seek to derail it. Others would rather see the movie and engage with the culture and use it to witness for the validity of the gospels and the deity of Jesus. I side with those who see this as a teachable moment, a time to take this piece of pop culture and use it to proclaim the gospel. Let's remember Peter's advice (1 Peter 3:15):

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

This is a model for sharing faith, not for lecturing, not for protesting, not for confrontation, but peacefully and calmly sharing the Good News of salvation through Jesus.

The Jesus Dynasty: How to Explain Away the New Testament - Christianity Today Magazine

This review of a work (by one James Tabor) that closely parallels the work of Dan (The DaVinci Code) Brown is quite timely. Tabor offers us an entirely human Jesus, in whom one can reconcile the competing doctrines of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Such a figure would be a false Christ figure--indeed, a false prophet (Revelation 13:11-18)--literally, another monster of the same kind as the military monster from the sea.

Yahoo News - Scientists Test Tsunami-Warning System
AP reports, "Scientists tested the Pacific Ocean's tsunami-warning system Tuesday, sending alarms about imaginary earthquakes to more than 30 countries at risk for another disaster like the one that swept the Indian Ocean in 2004." [Roarings Seas & Tides, Luke 21:25]

Yahoo News - Moscow, China Won't Back Force Vs. Iran
AP reports, "Russia and China will not vote for the use of force in resolving the Iranian nuclear dispute, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday after meeting with Chinese officials." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

SpaceWar - Israel Seen As World's Sixth Nuclear Power
AFP reports, "Israel, which Tuesday warned Iran against any future attack, is regarded as the sixth country in the world to acquire nuclear weapons -- a title its government has never confirmed or denied. Despite its ambiguous position, the Jewish state is widely regarded as owning at least 200 atomic warheads, making it the only nuclear power in the Middle East."

WND - North Korea trying to weaponize bird flu
World Net Daily reports, "The pariah state of North Korea is trying to weaponize the bird flu virus, making it the ideal threat for al-Qaida, the British intelligence agency MI6 has learned." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

NYT - Christian Foes of 'Da Vinci Code' Mull Tactics
The New York Times reports, "Many Christian leaders across the country are girding themselves for battle with "The Da Vinci Code," the movie based on the blockbuster novel by Dan Brown that opens on May 19...But they are not at all in agreement on how to best respond to a movie that one leader called 'blasphemy on steroids.'"

Yahoo News - Israel Offers Outline to Divide Jerusalem
AP reports, "Israel's new government is drawing up a blueprint for dividing the holy city of Jerusalem — a once inconceivable notion — giving the Palestinians nearly all the Arab neighborhoods while holding onto Jewish areas and disputed holy shrines." [Holy Place/Temple Mount, Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Status of Jerusalem, Ezekiel 38:8, Zechariah 12 & 14; Luke 21:20]

Yahoo News - Chaos Feared in Pandemic Flu Plan
AP reports, "President Bush's plan for dealing with a flu pandemic warns that the federal government won't be able to bail out communities reeling from illness and economic upheaval, and calls on businesses and individuals to take steps now to keep vital services running." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Washington Post - Business Plan for a Pandemic?
WaPo reports, "More than half of US companies think there will be a global flu epidemic in the next two years. Two-thirds think it will seriously disrupt their operations as well as foment social unrest. But two-thirds also say they aren't prepared." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

ABC News - Iran Threatens Israel if U.S. Attacks
AP reports, "A top Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said Tuesday that Israel would be Iran's first retaliatory target in response to any U.S. attack." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

Yahoo Groups - U.S. Sends Diplomat for Darfur Talks
AP reports, "Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick was dispatched to Africa on Monday to push for a peace agreement to end political and ethnic conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan. [...] By some estimates, at least 200,000 people have been killed and 2 million driven from their homes since 2003 in the western Sudan province." [Nations in Distress, Luke 21:25]

Nukestrat - Global Strike Nuclear Simulation In Nevada
Nukestrat reports, "The Divine Strake explosion scheduled at the Nevada Test Site in June 2006 will simulate use of a low-yield nuclear weapon against a tunnel. The simulation is "an integral part" of STRATCOM's new Global Strike mission and follows a secret directive signed by President George W. Bush in 2004 that ordered STRATCOM to 'extend Global Strike to counter all [Hard and Deeply Buried Targets] to include both tactical and strategic adversarial targets.' [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

WND - 'American Hiroshima' lnked with Iran attack
World Net Daily reports, "Al-Qaida has already obtained nuclear suitcase weapons from the Russian black market, weapons tested in Afghanistan in 2000, and they may have already been forward-deployed inside the U.S., according to the only journalist to interview Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri in the wake of Sept. 11. He believes that an "American Hiroshima" will occur as soon as the U.S. launches an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

Yahoo News - NASA Says Comet Fragments Won't Hit Earth
Space.com reports, "Chunks of a comet currently splitting into pieces in the night sky will not strike the Earth next month, nor will it spawn killer tsunamis and mass extinctions, NASA officials said Thursday.[...] Aside from a great sky show, the comet poses no danger to Earth and its inhabitants, NASA officials said." [Signs and Wonders in the Heavens, Luke 21:11]

My Way News - Visa, Nokia Launch Phone Payment Project
AP reports, "Visa International and Finnish cell phone maker Nokia Corp. (NOK) jointly released the world's first credit card payment pilot system in Malaysia, allowing consumers to shop and pay using their mobile phones." [Mark of the Beast, Rev 13:16-18]

Again, this is not the mark of the beast, just some interesting payment tech trends.

My Way News - Iran Gets First North Korean-Made Missiles
AP reports, "Iran has received its first batch of North Korean-made surface-to-surface missiles that put European countries within firing range, Israel's military intelligence chief said in an interview published Thursday." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

My Way News - U.N. Says Bird Flu Spreading
AP reports, "Bird flu has hit 45 countries, killed more than 100 people and seems to be spreading quickly, the U.N. official in charge of tracking the virus said Wednesday." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

My Way News - Iran Leader Warns U.S. Against Attacking
AP reports, "Iran's supreme leader warned the United States on Wednesday that his nation would hit back twice as hard if America attacked its nuclear sites." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

My Way News - U.N. Envoy Warns of Mideast Deterioration
AP reports, "Clashes between Palestinian groups, a fiscal crisis for the new Palestinian government, and Israel's closing of border crossings represent a dangerous deterioration in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the U.N. Mideast envoy said Monday. [...] Secretary-General Kofi Annan has invited the Quartet that drafted the roadmap - the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia - to a meeting at U.N. headquarters on May 9 to discuss the deteriorating situation." [Covenant With Many, Daniel 9:27]

Yahoo News - Poll Shows Fear of Bird Flu Widespread
AP reports, "Their expectations shaken by Katrina, Americans are divided over whether the government is likely to do a good job handling the bird flu if it reaches the U.S., a poll finds. People want a resolute response that includes quarantines if Americans do become infected. The AP-Ipsos survey, out Friday, found widespread belief that birds will become infected in this country in the next year, as the government has predicted." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Yahoo News - Mideast 'axis' forms against West
The Christian Science Monitor reports, "Rising tension between the West and Iran is coinciding with the emergence of a loose anti-Western alliance - Israel now dubs it an 'axis of terror' - spanning the Middle East, presenting a new challenge to the US's regional ambitions."

Yahoo News - Huge Quake Rattles Russian Hinterlands
AP reports, "A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit a distant, sparsely populated region of Russia's Far East on Friday, and there were reports in at least one coastal village of minor injuries and damaged buildings - including schools and a hospital." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

Yahoo News - Bush won't rule out nuclear strike on Iran
Reuters reports, "President Bush refused on Tuesday to rule out nuclear strikes against Iran if diplomacy fails to curb the Islamic Republic's atomic ambitions." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

MyWayNews - Palestinians: Tel Aviv Bombing Justified
AP reports, "A Palestinian suicide bomber struck a packed fast-food restaurant during Passover on Monday, killing nine other people and wounding dozens in the deadliest attack in more than a year."

Yahoo News - Pilgrims Retrace Jesus' Route in Jerusalem
AP reports, "Thousands of Christian pilgrims filled the narrow streets of Jerusalem's Old City on Good Friday, retracing the route that Jesus followed on the way to his crucifixion. [...] worshippers from India, the Philippines, Germany, Spain, Indonesia, France, Switzerland, Italy, and many other countries paused to pray and sing at each of the 14 stations of the cross." [Gospel Preached to All Nations, Matthew 24:14]

Yahoo News - Iran President Again Lashes Out at Israel
AP reports, "The president of Iran again lashed out at Israel on Friday and said it was `heading toward annihilation,' just days after Tehran raised fears about its nuclear activities by saying it successfully enriched uranium for the first time." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Persia/Iran, Ezekiel 38:5]

SpaceWar - Weaponization Of Space Will Have Unpredictable Consequences
RIA reports, "The United States has promised to make public in the next few months its new space doctrine, which allows for the deployment of weapons in outer space. Colonel Anthony Russo, chief of the U.S. Strategic Command's space and global strike division, said the time was ripe for clearly stipulating the Pentagon's responsibility for the security of the national space group." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

Yahoo News - NASA to Crash Space Probe Into Moon
AP reports, "NASA plans to crash a space probe into the moon in 2009 - a collision so violent it will be visible on Earth through a telescope, the space agency said Monday." [Signs in the Moon, Luke 21:25]

Yahoo News - US considers use of nuclear weapons against Iran
AFP reports, "The administration of President George W. Bush is planning a massive bombing campaign against Iran, including use of bunker-buster nuclear bombs to destroy a key Iranian suspected nuclear weapons facility, The New Yorker magazine has reported in its April 17 issue. [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Iran/Persia, Ezekiel 38:5]

Daily Telegraph (UK) - Iran has missiles to carry nuclear warheads: "Detailed analysis of recent test firings of the Shahab-3 ballistic missile by military experts has concluded that Iran has been able to modify the nose cone to carry a basic nuclear bomb. The discovery will intensify international pressure on Teheran to provide a comprehensive breakdown of its nuclear research programme." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Iran/Persia, Ezekiel 38:5]

Yahoo News - Hamas seeks talks to clarify two-state solution
Reuters reports, "Hamas is prepared to discuss the concept of a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict that would recognize Israel's right to exist, the Palestinian foreign minister said in comments published on Friday. Mahmoud al-Zahar, who is also a senior Hamas leader, said he wanted clarification on the two-state proposal from the "Quartet" of Middle East mediators -- the United Nations, the United States, European Union and Russia." [Covenant With Many, Daniel 9:27]

Yahoo News - When atheist Hu meets proudly religious Bush
Reuters reports, "Days before a summit between presidents Hu Jintao and George W. Bush in Beijing last November, China jailed a Protestant minister for illegally printing Bibles, ignoring U.S. concerns." [Believers Persecuted, Matthew 24:8]

Yahoo News - PayPal Offers Text Message Payment
AP reports, "Customers of the PayPal online payment service can now use their cell phones to instantly send money, buy items or donate to charities [...] Every customer is assigned an identification number needed for each order." [Mark of the Beast/Commerce Tech, Rev 13:16-18]

The usual disclaimer applies, this is not the mark, don't be afraid of PayPal, we are just watching the trends. I feel like I need to say this, you would be would amazed at some of the e-mails I get on this subject from people afraid of commerce tech. I don't want to inspire fear, just watchfulness.

My Way News - Egypt Reports 9th Human Case of Bird Flu
AP reports, "An Egyptian toddler has been infected with the virulent strain of bird flu, bringing the number of human cases in the country to nine, the Health Ministry said Wednesday." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

My Way News - Iran Test-Fires 'Top Secret' Missile
AP reports, "Iran said Wednesday it has successfully test-fired a 'top secret' missile, the third in a week, state-run television reported."

My Way News - Some Say Iran's Weapons Come From Russia
AP reports, "Iran has unveiled with great fanfare a series of what it portrays as sophisticated, homegrown weapons - flying boats and missiles invisible to radar, torpedoes too fast to elude. But experts said Tuesday it appears much of the technology came from Russia and questioned Iran's claims about the weapons' capabilities."

Yahoo News - U.N. Notes Quick Spread of Bird Flu
AP reports, "The deadly bird flu virus has spread at lightning speed over the past three months, infecting birds in 30 new countries - double the number previously stricken since 2003, the U.N.'s bird flu point man said Tuesday." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

My Way News - Iran Tests Second New Torpedo in Gulf
AP reports, "Iran successfully tested its second new torpedo in as many days Monday, the latest weapon to be unveiled during war games in the Gulf that the military said are aimed at preparing the country's defenses against the United States."

My Way News - Iran Quake Survivors Fear New Temblor
AP reports, "Italy and Russia sent planeloads of tents, blankets and other supplies Saturday to help 21,000 Iranian families left homeless by three strong earthquakes that hit in quick succession, killing 70 people." [Quakes, Matthew 24:6]

Yahoo News - Iran Test-Fires Missile Able to Duck Radar
AP reports, "Iran's military said Friday it successfully test-fired a missile not detectable by radar that can use multiple warheads to hit several targets simultaneously, a development that raised concerns in the United States and Israel." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Iran/Persia, Ezekiel 38:5]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Way News - Bird Flu Found in Cat in Germany
AP reports, "The deadly strain of bird flu has been found in a cat in Germany, officials said Tuesday, the first time the virus has been identified in an animal other than a bird in central Europe." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

My Way News - Spy Chief: Iraq May Spark Regional Battle
AP reports, "A civil war in Iraq could lead to a broader conflict in the Middle East, pitting the region's rival Islamic sects against each other, National Intelligence Director John Negroponte said in an unusually frank assessment Tuesday." [Wars and Rumors of Wars, Matthew 24:6]

UN warns world on Africa drought
When I saw this my heart just dropped. It just makes me so sad. You can also see in the previous blogpost that there was an earthquake in Mozambique.

"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, earthquakes in various places. [But] All these are [only] the beginning of birth pains." (Matt. 24:7-8)

Maranatha!

Yahoo News - Magnitude 7.5 Earthquake Hits Mozambique
AP reports, "A powerful earthquake struck Mozambique early Thursday morning, shaking buildings and forcing people from hundreds of miles around to dash into the streets for safety. There were no immediate reports of injuries." [Quakes, Matthew 24:7]

NYT- A Card We Should All Carry
How would you go about selling national ID cards to the U.S.? This op-ed in The New York Times has the answer to that question. [Marks of the Beast, Rev 13:16-18]

Yahoo News - France Accuses Iran of Making Nuclear Arms
AP reports, "France accused Iran on Thursday of secretly making nuclear weapons, ditching Europe's traditional diplomatic caution for bluntness in remarks that echoed the tough U.S. stance on Iran's disputed nuclear program." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6; Persia/Iran, Ezekiel 38:5]

Yahoo News - Greenland Glaciers Dumping More Ice
AP reports, "Warmer temperatures over the past decade have sped up the march of Greenland's southern glaciers to the Atlantic Ocean, where the ice and water they spill contribute more to the global rise in sea levels than previously thought." [Roaring Seas and Tides, Luke 21:25]

Yahoo News - Virgin Mobile Launches Mobile TV Service
News Factor reports, "Virgin Mobile has become the first European cellular operator to deliver live TV to its customers. The company has hooked up with Microsoft and wireless technology giant BT to provide both video and audio content using new broadcast technologies." [Interactive Global Community, Rev 11:9]

Yahoo News - Russia Warns U.S. Against Striking Iran
AP reports, "Russia's top military chief on Thursday warned the United States against launching a military strike against Iran and a top diplomat voiced hope that close cooperation with China could help resolve the Tehran nuclear crisis." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:5; King of the North/Russia, Ezekiel 38:3/Daniel 11:40)

MEMRI: Syrian Gov't Daily Suggests Israel Created, Spread Avian Flu Virus

I know you've heard everything. This is of a piece with the rest, right? You decide.

On November 16, 1998, the British newspaper Sunday Times published details about what was later dubbed 'the Israeli race bomb.' It reported that Zionist experts were trying to identify genes unique to Arabs, in order to create, through genetic engineering, dangerous viruses and bacteria that would exclusively attack these genes. The paper stated that the race bomb program was being carried out in the secret Nes Ziona Institute, near Tel Aviv, which specializes in production of chemical and biological weapons. In October 1999, the newspaper again emphasized that the Zionist entity was increasing its scientific efforts [to develop] the race bomb.

The term Zionist entity means the Republic of Israel.

Two things wrong with that statement:

1. The avian flu is very catholic in its tastes, and does not limit itself to attacking the sons of Ishmael.
2. God knows no race save the human race. God set aside one particular family--that of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--but not because they were genetically any more "pure" than were any other people.

My Way News - Britain's Lower House Passes ID Card Bill
"Britain's lower chamber of Parliament voted on Monday to require all citizens who want a passport to have a national identity card as well - a compromise on a measure that originally required all Britons to carry a national ID card." [Mark of the Beast, Rev 13:16-18]

My Way News - Europe Scrambles to Curb Bird Flu
AP reports, "European Union veterinary experts on Wednesday backed plans to boost surveillance of migratory birds and stricter bans on imports as officials scrambled to find ways to curb the spread of deadly bird flu in Europe." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Yahoo News - 2 Workers Have Chips Embedded Into Them
AP reports, "Tiny silicon chips were embedded into two workers who volunteered to help test the tagging technology at a surveillance equipment company, an official said Monday." [Mark of the Beast, Rev 13:16-18]

Commentary: The usual disclaimer applies, this is not the mark, just some interesting identification technology to keep an eye on.

Yahoo News - Putin tries to restore Russia's role in Middle East
Reuters reports, "By inviting Hamas for talks, Vladimir Putin has taken a bold but risky plunge into the Middle East peace process that he hopes will restore Russia's role as a player on the world stage, experts say. [...] Russia is a member of the Quartet, that also groups the United States, the European Union and the United Nations. [Covenant With Many, Daniel 9:27]

Yahoo News - U.S. Missionaries Leave Venezuela Outposts
AP reports, "U.S. missionaries accused by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of espionage have been forced from their remote outposts among jungle tribes by a government order, the final pair leaving Thursday after years of evangelical work." [Believers Persecuted, Matthew 24:8]

Yahoo News - Fires Reported at 4 More Ala. Churches
AP reports, "Fires damaged or destroyed four more Baptist churches across the Alabama countryside Tuesday, less than a week after a string of five blazes that were ruled arson." [Believers Persecuted, Matthew 24:8]

Yahoo News - Al-Qaeda, Iran and North Korea top threats: US intel chief
AFP reports, "Iran and North Korea are 'states of highest concern' because of the danger of nuclear proliferation but Al-Qaeda remains the top US security threat, the chief of US intelligence said." [Wars and Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

My Way News - Turkey Seems to Be Winning Bird Flu Fight
AP reports, "Turkey appears to be winning the battle against a bird flu outbreak that killed four children this month, with no new human cases reported since Jan. 18, but experts warned that the lethal H5N1 strain could still pose a serious threat to the country." [Pestilence, Luke 21:11]

Rapture Ready - Bush: US would defend Israel against Iran
Reuters reports, "President George W. Bush vowed on Wednesday the United States would defend Israel militarily if needed against Iran and denounced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for 'menacing talk' against Israel." [Rumors of War, Matthew 24:6]

My Way News - Study Finds New Planet Bigger Than Pluto
AP reports, "Scientists say they have confirmed that a so-called 10th planet discovered last year is bigger than Pluto, but that likely won't quell the debate over what makes a planet." [Signs in the Heavens & Stars, Luke 21:11, 25; Knowledge Increases, Daniel 12:4]