Peace and Security of Jerusalem

My Way News - Orange's pullout from Israel gives lift to boycott movement
My Way News reports: "French telecom giant Orange SA's declaration that it wants to cut business ties with Israel has given a boost to the burgeoning anti-Israel boycott movement while also drawing a sharp rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. [...] Pro-Palestinian activists in France have been pushing for Orange to end the relationship over Partner's activities in Israeli settlements. The settlements, built on land the Palestinians want for a future state, are seen as illegitimate by the international community."

Comment: Just because someone wants something, doesn't create a new reality. The Palestinians can want land all they want, but until an agreement gives them the land, their want has no legal standing.

Rumors of War - War - King of the North

My Way News - Ukraine battle tests cease-fire to breaking point
My Way News reports: "A major battle erupted Wednesday on the western edge of the main separatist rebel stronghold in eastern Ukraine, leaving more than a dozen dead and threatening to tip the country back into full-blown war. Rebels in the city of Donetsk reported 15 dead between civilians and combatants in territory under their control. [...] Ukraine's General Staff said in a statement that rebels deployed around 1,000 fighters and dozens of tanks and self-propelled artillery systems in a major offensive that started before dawn."

Peace and Security of Jerusalem

My Way News - Israel strikes Hamas post in Gaza after rocket attacks
My Way News reports: "Israeli airstrikes hit Hamas training sites in Gaza early Thursday in response to earlier rocket fire toward Israel from the strip, the Israeli military said. Gaza's militant Hamas group said there were no casualties in the attack after they had evacuating their posts earlier in anticipation of the Israeli retaliation. [...] A Jihadist Salafi group that supports the Islamic State took responsibility for the rocket attack toward Israel, the second time it has done so in a week."

Comment: The Palestinians are demonstrating their desire for peace again with another heartfelt gesture. How can one doubt their sincerity?

Covenant With Many

My Way News - UN chief appeals for resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks
My Way News reports: "Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon used the 65th anniversary of the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees to appeal Tuesday for an immediate resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and an end to unilateral actions 'that erode trust.'"

Comment: No one forced the government of Lebanon to keep Palestinians in refugee camps for all these years, it was a choice, and once they can't blame on Israel. 

My Way News - Obama: Israel's commitment to Palestinian state in doubt
My Way News reports: "President Barack Obama said in remarks broadcast Tuesday that Israel's prime minister had reinforced a belief by the international community that Israel is not committed to peace when he said there would be no Palestinian state on his watch."

Pestilence

My Way News - South Korea reports 2 deaths from MERS
My Way News reports: "South Korea on Tuesday confirmed the country's first two deaths from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome as it fights to contain the spread of the virus that has killed hundreds of people in the Middle East. South Korea has reported 24 cases of the disease since diagnosing the country's first MERS illness last month in a man who had traveled to Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries."

Fearsome Events

My Way News - This has been a month of extreme weather around the world
My Way News reports: "Torrential downpours in Texas that have whiplashed the region from drought to flooding. A heat wave that has killed more than 1,800 people in India. Record 91-degree readings in Alaska, of all places. A pair of top-of-the-scale typhoons in the Northwest Pacific. And a drought taking hold in the East."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Obama: No military solution to Iran's nuclear program
My Way News reports: "U.S President Barack Obama reached out to a skeptical Israeli public in an interview aired Monday saying that only an agreement, not military action, can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. [...] Israel has said the emerging nuclear agreement with Iran is a bad deal and that a military option is still on the table to prevent Iran from getting the bomb."

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

My Way News - Pentagon chief criticizes Beijing's South China Sea moves
My Way News reports: "China's land reclamation in the South China Sea is out of step with international rules, and turning underwater land into airfields won't expand its sovereignty, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told an international security conference Saturday, stepping up America's condemnation of the communist giant as Beijing officials sat in the audience."

My Way News - Japan, EU agree to step up defense, economic ties
My Way News reports: "Japanese and European leaders agreed Friday to step up defense and economic ties, and expressed concern about rising tensions in the South China Sea. European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker welcomed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to allow Japan's military a greater international role."

War

My Way News - Kurdish fighters in Syria on the march against IS militants
My Way News reports: "In contrast to the Iraqi army's failures, Kurdish fighters in Syria are on the march against the Islamic State group, capturing towns and villages in an oil-rich swath of the country's northeast under the cover of U.S.-led airstrikes. As the Kurds close in on Tel Abyad, a major commercial center on the Turkish border, their advance highlights the decisive importance of combining airstrikes with the presence of a cohesive and motivated ally on the ground — so clearly absent in Iraq."

Comment: The Kurds are a good example of how to do it right. Anyone paying attention?

Global Government - Ten Kings

My Way News - Top finance officials debate what's needed for global growth
My Way News reports: "Economic growth that's not as strong as everyone would like. Volatile markets. A potential financial blowup in Greece. Those were three of the most pressing topics hanging over top finance officials from the Group of Seven wealthy democracies at their gathering in Dresden, Germany. Finance ministers and central banks traded ideas on growth-boosting reforms and discussed financial markets and monetary policy. The talks were marked by concern over growth that is uneven and below long-term averages."

King of the North - Rumors of War

My Way News - Russia classifies military casualties in peacetime
My Way News reports: "Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to make losses of Russian troops in peacetime a secret. The decree published on the official government website and signed by Putin on Thursday makes it a state secret to divulge information about peacetime losses of Russian troops in 'special operations.' The decree comes as evidence of Russian involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine is mounting."

Pestilence

My Way News - Pentagon: Military mistakenly shipped live anthrax samples
My Way News reports: "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday it is investigating what the Pentagon called an inadvertent shipment of live anthrax spores to government and commercial laboratories in as many as nine states, as well as one overseas, that expected to receive dead spores. [...] The anthrax samples were shipped from Dugway to government and commercial labs in Texas, Maryland, Wisconsin, Delaware, New Jersey, Tennessee, New York, California and Virginia."

Pestilence

My Way News - Man diagnosed with Lassa fever dies in US after Liberia trip
My Way News reports: "A New Jersey man died Monday evening after been diagnosed with Lassa fever — a frightening infectious disease from West Africa that is rarely seen in the United States, a federal health official said. [...] Health officials said they don't think the case is cause for public alarm. Lassa fever is not spread through casual contact."

Fearsome Events

My Way News - Floodwaters deepen in Houston after city gets more rain:
My Way News reports: "Floodwaters deepened across much of Texas on Tuesday as storms dumped almost a foot more of rain on the Houston area, stranding hundreds of motorists and inundating the famously congested highways that serve the nation's fourth-largest city. Meanwhile, the search went on for about a dozen people who were still missing, including a group that disappeared after a vacation home was swept down a river and slammed into a bridge. Several more fatalities were reported — four in Houston and four more in Central Texas. That brought to 17 the number of people killed by the holiday weekend storms in Texas and Oklahoma."

Comment: It is incredible to think that they received more rain in one day than many areas receive in an entire season. 

Wars and Rumors of War

My Way News - Legion of foreign fighters battles for Islamic State
My Way News reports: "The contingent of foreigners who have taken up arms on behalf of Islamic State during the past 3 1/2 years is more than twice as big as the French Foreign Legion. The conflict in Syria and Iraq has now drawn more volunteer fighters than past Islamist causes in Afghanistan and the former Yugoslavia — and an estimated eight out of 10 enlistees have joined Islamic State."

My Way News - Islamic State seizes ancient town of Palmyra in Syria
My Way News reports: "Islamic State extremists captured the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra after government defense lines there collapsed Wednesday, a stunning triumph for the group only days after it captured the strategic city of Ramadi in Iraq. "

Future Fear

My Way News - Merkel, Hollande commit to global climate protection
My Way News reports: "German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande confirmed their commitment to fighting global warning Tuesday, gathering with others in Berlin to prepare for this year's U.N. Climate Change Conference."

My Way News - Future for warming US: Not just the heat but the humanity
My Way News reports: "The combination of global warming and shifting population means that by mid-century, there will be a huge increase in the number of Americans sweating through days that are extremely hot, a new study says. People are migrating into areas — especially in the South — where the heat is likely to increase more, said the authors of a study published Monday by the journal Nature Climate Change. "

Wars

My Way News - Rout in Ramadi calls US Iraq strategy into question
My Way News reports: "On Monday, administration officials acknowledged the fall of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, as a "setback" in America's latest effort in Iraq. They still maintained the campaign would ultimately bring victory. But anything close to a victory appeared far off."

Comment: So strange that these modern wars never really seem to end. Have we entered an era of war without end?

Wars and Rumors of War

My Way News - IS group seizes government compound in Iraq's Ramadi
My Way News reports: "Islamic State militants seized the main government headquarters in Ramadi, raising their black flag over the compound and setting it ablaze hours after a series of suicide car bombings heralded the start of a major new offensive by the extremists on the strategic city. The advance marked a significant setback for the Iraqi government in its long fight to defend Ramadi, the capital of western Anbar province, where Iraqi forces have made little progress against the extremist group despite months of U.S.-led airstrikes."

Comment: It would be unfortunate if IS took and secured Ramadi. It would be hard to make the case that IS is in retreat if that happens.

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Obama: Gulf nation leaders support Iran nuclear talks
My Way News reports: "President Barack Obama says leaders of Gulf allies at a summit have agreed that a comprehensive, verifiable deal that blocks Iran's pathway to a nuclear weapon would serve everyone's interests. But Obama says the region will still face a range of threats whether a final deal is or isn't reached with Iran by a June 30 deadline. He says the U.S. and the Gulf nations pledged Thursday to work together to address the threats, including those blamed on destabilizing behavior by Iran."

Covenant With Many

Reuters - Vatican agrees first treaty with State of Palestine, solidifying relationship
Reuters reports: "The Vatican concluded its first treaty that formally recognises the State of Palestine, a move that gives legal weight to the Holy See's years-long recognition and that drew fast criticism from supporters of Israel. [...] The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution on Nov. 29, 2012 recognising Palestine as an observer non-member state."

Famine

My Way News - Survey: More than 40 percent of bee hives died in past year
My Way News reports: "More than two out of five American honeybee colonies died in the past year, and surprisingly the worst die-off was in the summer, according to a federal survey. Since April 2014, beekeepers lost 42.1 percent of their colonies, the second highest loss rate in nine years, according to an annual survey conducted by a bee partnership that includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

Rumors of War - Peace of Jerusalem

My Way News - Israel military official: Hezbollah hiding arms in villages:
My Way News reports: "The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has built up a massive arsenal of rockets and other advanced weapons in Shiite villages of southern Lebanon, a senior Israeli intelligence official said Wednesday, warning civilians would be at risk if war breaks out. According to the official, Hezbollah has an estimated 100,000 short-range rockets capable of striking northern Israel, several thousand missiles that can reach Tel Aviv and central Israel and hundreds more that can strike the entire country."

Persecution

My Way News - Holy Land Christians celebrate sainthood of Arab nuns
My Way News reports: "In the birthplace of Christianity, Christians are a tiny minority, making up less than 2 percent of the population of Israel and the Palestinian territories. Although they have not experienced the violent persecution that has decimated Christian communities elsewhere in the region, the population has gradually shrunk over the decades as Christians have fled conflict or sought better opportunities abroad. Pope Francis has raised the plight of Christians across the Middle East as a cause for concern."

Earthquakes

My Way News - Another deadly earthquake spreads fear and misery in Nepal
My Way News reports: "Thousands of fear-stricken people spent the night out in the open as a new earthquake killed dozens of people and spread more misery in Nepal, which is still struggling to recover from a devastating quake nearly three weeks ago that left more than 8,000 dead. [...] Most of the casualties Tuesday's magnitude-7.3 quake were in Dokha district, located northeast of Kathmandu, the district's chief government administrator, Prem Lal Lamichane, said Wednesday."

My Way News - Strong quake shakes northeast Japan, no tsunami risk
My Way News reports: "A strong earthquake hit Japan on Wednesday in the same region devastated by a major quake and tsunami in 2011. Authorities said there was no risk of tsunami. The magnitude 6.8 quake struck at 6:12 a.m. at a depth of 46 kilometers (29 miles) off the coast of Miyagi prefecture, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. "

Pestilence

My Way News - Liberia's government holds celebration to mark Ebola's end
 My Way News reports: "Liberians gathered in the streets of the capital on Monday to celebrate the end of the Ebola epidemic in this West African country. The festivities come after the World Health Organization declared over the weekend that Liberia was finally Ebola-free. More than 4,700 people died during the Ebola crisis in Liberia, the country hardest hit by the outbreak. Ebola continues to claim victims in Sierra Leone and Guinea, where health officials have had difficulty tracing new cases."

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

My Way News - North Korea says it tests ballistic missile from submarine
My Way News reports: "North Korea said Saturday that it successfully test-fired a newly developed ballistic missile from a submarine in what would be the latest display of the country's advancing military capabilities. Hours after the announcement, South Korean officials said the North fired three anti-ship cruise missiles into the sea off its east coast."

Rumors of War

UPI.com - Threat level increased at U.S. military bases
UPI reports: "Security at military bases in North America was increased Friday out of concern about potential terrorist threats. Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of the U.S. Northern Command, ordered the force protection level be raised from Alpha to Bravo, the third-highest threat level of a five-tier scale used by the U.S. Department of Defense. [...] The military was put on heightened alert this week after two men, one with suspected ties to the Islamic State group, allegedly opened fire outside a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Garland, Texas."

Covenant With Many

My Way News - Israel's Netanyahu completes formation of government
My Way News reports: "During the campaign, Netanyahu angered the White House when he said that he would not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state on his watch. Although he has tried to backtrack, the White House has reacted with skepticism. Netanyahu's Likud Party is dominated by hard-liners opposed to Palestinian independence, a position that is shared by the Jewish Home. The odds of peace talks restarting — much less making any progress — appear slim."

Rumors of War - War

My Way News - Islamic State claims responsibility for Texas cartoon attack
My Way News reports: "The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a weekend attack at a center near Dallas, Texas, that was exhibiting cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad — though it offered no evidence of a direct link to the attackers. [...] The Islamic State did not provide details and it was unclear whether the group was opportunistically claiming the attack. It was the first time the extremists, who frequently call for attacks against the West, claimed responsibility for one in the United States."

My Way News - In the face of IS successes, al-Qaida adapts, grows stronger
My Way News reports: "In a competition with the Islamic State group for recruits and prestige across the Middle East, al-Qaida has sought to distinguish itself from its rival's bloodthirstiness, taking an approach that in jihadi circles would be considered pragmatic. It is building alliances with local players, even old enemies, to seize new territory. Its leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, has told his followers to avoid IS-style brutalities against civilians in order to build support among local populations. The strategy has paid off, winning new gains for al-Qaida."

My Way News - Jordan hosts 18-country military drill amid wars, tensions
My Way News reports: "Jordan has kicked off a two-week military exercise with some 10,000 participants from 18 countries, many members of a U.S.-led military coalition against the Islamic State group, which controls much of neighboring Iraq and Syria."

Rumors of War - King of the North

My Way News - Russia's new Armata tank makes debut in parade rehearsal
My Way News reports: "Russian and some Western military experts say the Armata will surpass all Western versions. The tank is the first to have an internal armored capsule housing its three-man crew and a remotely controlled turret with an automatic weapons loading system, features that allow for increasing both the level of crew protection and the efficiency of the tank's weapons."

Roaring Waves

My Way News - Huge waves in California lure bodysurfers, crowds to beaches
My Way News reports: "Hundreds of spectators lined the beach and gasped, cheered and clapped on Monday as bodysurfers braved 15-foot waves at The Wedge, a Newport Beach break known for its powerful waves."

Earthquakes

My Way News - Nepal quake could have been much worse: Here's why
My Way News reports: "The Nepal quake released 16 times the energy of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, where death estimates ranged from 100,000 to 300,000, yet the death toll in Nepal now stands at more than 6,600. This is a huge loss of life, but far less than recent estimates that 100,000 people might die in Nepal's next major earthquake.

My Way News - Nepal quake victims trek through mountains to get needed aid
My Way News reports: "Five days after the massive quake, U.N. aid trucks were finally arriving — after a few false starts. Their dogged and determined drivers successfully pushed through rain-swamped and washed-out roads. They were being joined by all manner of enthusiastic and concerned people, as local charities, foreign tourists and able-bodied village youths pitched in"

My Way News - A week after earthquake, Nepal still needs tents and food
My Way News reports: "Nepal's government renewed its appeal to international donors to send tents, tarpaulins and basic food supplies in the wake of last weekend's devastating earthquake, saying some of the items being sent are of little use. The government also asked donors to send money to help with relief efforts if they cannot send things that are immediately necessary."

Wickedness Increases - Love Grows Cold

My Way News - Rage to relief in Baltimore as 6 officers charged in death
My Way News reports: "State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Gray's arrest was illegal and unjustified, and that his neck was broken because he was handcuffed, shackled and placed head-first into a police van, where his pleas for medical attention were repeatedly ignored as he bounced around inside the small metal box. [...] The police had no reason to stop or chase after Gray, Mosby said. They falsely accused him of having an illegal switchblade when in fact it was a legal pocketknife. The van driver and the other officers failed to strap him down with a seatbelt, a direct violation of department policy, and they ignored Gray's repeated pleas for medical attention, even rerouting the van to pick up another passenger."

Comment: The arresting officers showed a callous disregard for human life and when that happens among those who are supposed to serve and protect life, well, that's just evil. 

Covenant With Many

My Way News - Israel blames Arab neighbors for stalling on nuke-free zone
My Way News reports: "Establishing such a zone in one of the world's most tense regions is an area of rare agreement these days between the United States and Russia, which otherwise have descended into a Cold War-like gloom. Both countries this week urged progress, with Russia expressing its 'grave dissatisfaction' at the delay and Secretary of State John Kerry calling the proposed zone an 'ambitious goal and fraught with challenges' but worth pursuing."

Comment: Many believe that the "covenant with many" will be a peace treaty between Israel and her Arab neighbors.  This is one alternative scenario.

Pestilence

My Way News - UN says it will try to identify all Ebola cases by June
My Way News reports: "The World Health Organization says it aims to identify and isolate all new Ebola cases in West Africa by the end of May to stop the spread of the lethal virus before the rainy season. In a new Ebola plan released on Tuesday, the U.N. health agency said it hopes to limit transmission of the virus to the coastal areas of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone before the rainy season begins, normally in April or May."

Rumors of War - Persia

Iranian Revolutionary Guards seize cargo ship in Gulf | Reuters
Reuters reports: "Iranian patrol boats intercepted a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday and forced it into Iranian territorial waters by firing shots across its bow, prompting the U.S. Navy to send a destroyer and reconnaissance plane to monitor the situation."

Wickedness Increases

My Way News - Police clash with Baltimore protesters for a second night
My Way News reports: "A line of police behind riot shields hurled tear gas canisters and fired pepper balls at as many as 200 protesters Tuesday night to enforce a citywide curfew, imposed after the worst outbreak of rioting in Baltimore since 1968. [...] Monday's outbreak of looting, arson and rock- and bottle-throwing by mostly black rioters erupted just hours after Gray's funeral."

Rumors of War - Kings of the East

My Way News - In US-Japan talks, China is the elephant in the room
My Way News reports: "Ahead of Tuesday's talks, Japanese and U.S. foreign and defense ministers approved revisions to the U.S.-Japan defense guidelines that boost Japan's military capability amid growing Chinese assertiveness in disputed areas in the East and South China Sea claimed by Beijing. The changes, which strengthen Japan's role in missile defense, mine sweeping and ship inspections, are the first revisions in 18 years to the rules that govern U.S.-Japan defense cooperation."

Earthquakes

My Way News - Nepal quake: Over 1,000 dead, history razed, Everest shaken
My Way News reports: "Tens of thousands of people prepared to spend the night in the open under a chilly and thundery sky after a powerful earthquake shook Nepal on Saturday, killing more than 1,180 people, collapsing modern houses and centuries-old temples, and triggering a landslide on the slopes of Mount Everest. Officials said the death toll will rise as more reports from far-flung areas come in. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake, which originated outside the capital Kathmandu, was the worst tremor to hit the poor South Asian nation in over 80 years."

Persecution

My Way News - Armenians around the world mark 1915 genocide
My Way News reports: "Around the world on Friday, tens of thousands of people of Armenian descent commemorated the genocide 100 years ago of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks. [...] An estimated 1.5 million died in massacres, deportations and forced marches that began in 1915 as Ottoman officials worried that the Christian Armenians would side with Russia, its enemy in World War I. The event is widely viewed by historians as genocide."

Fearsome Events

My Way News - Chilean village a ghost town after Calbuco's twin eruptions
My Way News reports: "The volcano, which had been dormant for 42 years, erupted Wednesday, spewing a plume of ash more than 6 miles (10 kilometers) high. A second, spectacular outburst came early Thursday, with lightning crackling through a dark sky turned reddish orange by the explosion."

Finale Empire - World Government

My Way News - EU leaders commit ships, aid to address migrant crisis
My Way News reports: "For several years as death tolls have mounted, EU leaders have done little more than deplore the loss of lives and mark tragedies with moments of silence and wreaths instead of fundamental action. [...] On Thursday, EU leaders pledged to do more, committing at least nine vessels to monitor the waters for traffickers and intervene in case of need. Other member states, from France to Latvia, also lined up more ships, planes and helicopters that could be used to rescue migrants. The member states agreed to triple funding to 9 million euros ($9.7 million) a month for the EU's border operation that patrols the Mediterranean. They also assigned EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to line up the diplomatic options that would allow EU militaries to strike against the boats used by traffickers."

Earthquakes

My Way News - Scientists: Over 143M Americans live in quake-prone areas
My Way News reports: "More than 143 million people in the Lower 48 states now live on shaky ground, earthquake scientists say. That's because more people have moved into the quake-prone West Coast and some quake zones were recently expanded, according to researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey."

Rumors of War

My Way News - New Pentagon strategy warns of cyberwar capabilities
My Way News reports: "A new Pentagon cybersecurity strategy lays out for the first time publicly that the U.S. military plans to use cyberwarfare as an option in conflicts with enemies. [...] The strategy also, for the first time, includes a small section on U.S. concerns about continued cyberespionage by China against U.S. companies and agencies. It says the U.S. will continue to try to work with Beijing to bring greater understanding and transparency of each nation's cyber missions to 'reduce the risks of misperception and miscalculation.'"

My Way News - NATO to hold major cyber defense drill in Estonia
My Way News reports: "About 400 computer experts will participate in a major cybersecurity drill in Estonia this week as part of NATO's efforts to upgrade its capability to counter potentially debilitating hacker attacks. Teams from 16 nations will take part in the Locked Shields 2015 exercise at NATO's cyberdefense center in Tallinn. The annual drill is one of the largest of its kind."

Earthquakes

My Way News - Study links swarm of quakes in Texas to natural gas drilling
My Way News reports: "With real-time monitors, scientists have linked a swarm of small earthquakes west of Fort Worth, Texas, to nearby natural gas wells and wastewater injection. [...] This adds to other studies that linked injecting wastewater from energy wells to a tremendous jump in earthquakes in Oklahoma and southern Kansas, where there have been more than 950 magnitude 2 or higher quakes so far this year, according to the USGS."

Holy Place - Temple Mount

My Way News - Replacing carpet at Jerusalem shrine reveals religious rift
My Way News reports: "Ancient Jewish traditions say the gold-cased Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Ten Commandments, may have been hidden away in a chamber when the First Jewish Temple was destroyed some 2,500 years ago. It's an Indiana Jones-type mystery that touches upon a holy grail for biblical enthusiasts. While Jerusalem may be the most excavated city in the world, the Dome of the Rock and its hilltop plaza are an archaeological gold mine that has never been properly dug because of the political sensitivities surrounding the site, which is considered Judaism's holiest spot and Islam's third holiest."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - US warship heads to Yemeni waters; could block Iran weapons
My Way News reports: "In a stepped-up response to Iranian backing of Shiite rebels in Yemen, the Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is steaming toward the waters off Yemen to beef up security and join other American ships that are prepared to intercept any Iranian vessels carrying weapons to the Houthi rebels."

My Way News - Obama open to 'creative negotiations' on Iran sanctions
My Way News reports: "Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani insisted last week that they would not sign a deal unless it lifts all sanctions on its first day. Obama initially portrayed their comments as a reflection of internal political pressure, while pointing out that the initial framework agreement reached earlier this month allows for sanctions to be phased out once international monitors verify that Tehran is abiding by the limitations."

My Way News - Obama invites Mideast leaders to White House, Camp David
My Way News reports: "President Barack Obama has invited the heads of Gulf Cooperation Council countries to the White House and then to Camp David. Negotiations over Iran's nuclear capabilities and the turmoil in Yemen are topics high on the agenda. The White House said Obama will meet with the leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in the White House on May 13 and then at Camp David, the presidential mountaintop retreat in Maryland, on May 14. "

My Way News - Lawyer: Washington Post reporter in Iran faces 4 charges
My Way News reports: "A Washington Post reporter jailed for nearly nine months in Iran faces charges of espionage and three other crimes, his lawyer revealed Monday following her first in-depth meeting with the journalist."

Persecution

The Washington Post - Purported ISIS video shows militants killing groups of Ethiopian Christians
The Washington Post reports: "Islamic State militants in Libya shot and beheaded two groups of Ethiopian Christians, a video purportedly from the extremists showed Sunday, according to the Associated Press. [...] The new 29-minute video showing captured Ethiopian Christians starts with what it called a history of Christian-Muslim relations and includes scenes of militants destroying churches, graves and icons. [...] The video alternates between footage of the captives in the south being shot dead and the captives in the east being beheaded on a beach, the AP report says."

Comment: Please join me in praying for the persecuted church in Libya, that the Holy Spirit will guide them in perseverance, faith, grace and forgiveness. 

Future Fear - Roaring Waves

My Way News - The globe's record heat keeps on broiling into this year
My Way News reports: "There's been no break from the globe's record heat — the first three months of 2015 have set new high temperature marks. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said last month's average temperature of 56.4 degrees (13.6 degrees Celsius) was the hottest March on record, averaging 1.5 degrees above the average for the 20th century. It broke a record set in 2010. For the first three months of 2015, the globe was 55.6 degrees (13.1 degrees Celsius), breaking the record set in 2002. Records go back to 1880."

Rumors of War - War

My Way News - Australia arrests 5 on charges of plotting ANZAC Day attack
My Way News reports: "Five Australian teenagers were arrested Saturday on suspicion of plotting an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack at a Veterans' Day ceremony that included targeting police officers, officials said. [...] Police said they believe the plot was inspired by the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, and was to have involved 'edged weapons'."

Persecution

My Way News - Police: Muslims threw Christians overboard during Med voyage
My Way News reports: "Italy's migration crisis took on a deadly new twist Thursday as police in Sicily reported that Muslim migrants had thrown 12 Christians overboard during a recent crossing from Libya, and an aid group said another 41 were feared drowned in a separate incident."

Rumors of War - War - Persia

My Way News - Saudi-Iran rivalry over Yemen deepens Mideast sectarianism
My Way News reports: "Saudi Arabia's government insists it is not at war with Iran despite its three-week air campaign against Tehran-backed rebels in Yemen, but the kingdom's powerful clerics, and its regional rival's theocratic government, are increasingly presenting the conflict as part of a region-wide battle for the soul of Islam. [...] The Saudi government says its coalition of 10 Arab countries is bombing the Houthi rebels in Yemen to restore the country's internationally recognized president, who was forced to seek refuge in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis and the U.S. accuse Iran of arming the Houthis, but Tehran says it only provides aid and political support."

Gospel Preached to All Nations

My Way News - Tennessee plan to make Bible 'official' book derailed
My Way News reports: "The Bible usually unites Republicans in conservative Tennessee, but lately it is proving to be — as an epistle writer put it — more powerful and sharper than a double-edged sword. Legislators here are deeply divided over a proposal to make the holy text an official state book, with some saying it's far too sacred to be trivialized like the state fruit (tomato), the state amphibian (Tennessee cave salamander) and several state songs ('Tennessee Waltz' and 'Rocky Top'). [...] House lawmakers on Wednesday voted 55-38 in favor of the plan. On Thursday, the proposal was derailed when the Senate voted 22-9 to send it back to a committee that has been closed, effectively killing it for the year."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Israel premier likens Iran to Nazis at Holocaust remembrance
My Way News reports: "As Israel marked its Holocaust memorial day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared Iran to the Nazis on Wednesday and warned the Islamic Republic must be prevented from obtaining nuclear weapons. Netanyahu linked the Nazi genocide of 6 million Jews in World War II to Iran's contested nuclear program and some of the Islamic Republic leaders' repeated references to the destruction of Israel."

Rumors of War - Persia - King of the North - Gog Alliance

My Way News - Iran expects delivery of Russian missiles by end of the year
My Way News reports: "Russia said Tuesday that it would be at least six months before it could deliver the S-300 air defense missile system to Iran, but the Kremlin confirmed that a barter deal to supply Russian goods in exchange for Iranian oil was already being implemented. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed his move in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling him that Israel shouldn't be worried about the 'purely defensive' weapon."

Rumors of War - Persia - King of the North - Gog Alliance

My Way News - Russia lifts ban on delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran
My Way News reports: "President Vladimir Putin on Monday sanctioned the delivery of a highly capable Russian air defense missile system to Iran, a game changer move that would significantly bolster the Islamic republic's military capability and fuel Israel's concerns. [...] The S-300 missile system, which has a range of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) and the capability to track down and strike multiple targets simultaneously, is one of the most potent air defense weapons in the world. [...] Deployed in big numbers, the system could provide a strong deterrent against any air attack. If Israel decides to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, the S-300s would further complicate the already daunting task."

False Christs

My Way News - HBO scientology film proves popular for network:
My Way News reports: "If the Church of Scientology was hoping that HBO's withering documentary on the religion's practices would pass by with little notice, that turned out to be a miscalculation. 'Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief' has been seen by more than 5.5 million people since its debut two weeks ago. It is likely to wind up being second only to a 2013 movie on Beyonce as the premium cable network's most-watched documentary of the past decade, HBO said Monday."

Pestilence

My Way News - UN: Ebola still global emergency despite big drop in cases
My Way News reports: "The World Health Organization says the year-long Ebola outbreak in West Africa still qualifies as an international emergency even though the number of cases has plummeted. Last August, the U.N. health agency declared the epidemic of the lethal virus to be a global emergency after the deaths of nearly 1,000 people, mostly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia."

Future Fear

My Way News - Researchers say permafrost carbon release will be gradual
My Way News reports: "As the climate warms and permafrost thaws, microbes decompose organic material in permafrost, releasing carbon dioxide or more potent methane. Those greenhouse gases create additional warming. In the last 30 years, permafrost in Alaska, Russia and other Arctic regions has warmed nearly 11 degrees, climbing from an average temperature just under 18 degrees to just over 28 degrees Fahrenheit, according to research cited."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Iran aims high ahead of push for final nuclear deal
My Way News reports: "Iran is staking out a tough bargaining stance for the final phase of nuclear negotiations, with both its supreme leader and its moderate president saying Thursday that any deal must include an immediate lifting of withering sanctions. While that might be popular domestically, it could be setting the bar too high for what negotiators will be able to deliver in the final deal they hope to reach by June 30."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Iran sends navy vessels to waters off Yemen, raising stakes
My Way News reports: "Iran dispatched a destroyer and another naval ship to waters off Yemen on Wednesday, raising the stakes amid a Saudi-led air campaign targeting Iranian-backed Shiite rebels fighting forces loyal to the country's embattled president."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Analysis: Iran nuke deal tough - but could be circumvented
My Way News reports: "Iran can afford to bide its time — it resisted efforts to demolish its nuclear infrastructure, leaving it intact. That allows it to quickly expand to dimensions dwarfing its present capacities once constraints are lifted, starting 10 years after any accord takes hold. Obama on Tuesday acknowledged as much, telling NPR News that Iran could have the capacities to build a nuclear bomb within roughly 13 years of the emerging nuclear deal. As negotiators try to turn a sketchy understanding into a comprehensive deal by June 30, Tehran's nuclear history cannot be ignored."

My Way News - Obama says Iran time to build nuke could drop after 13 years
My Way News reports: "Under the framework announced last week, Iran would be kept at least one year away from a bomb for the first decade of the deal, Obama said as he sought to sell the deal to skeptics. Yet that constraint would stay in place only for 10 years, at which point some restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities would be eased. [...] House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, reacted tersely to Obama's comments, arguing that the president had confirmed what critics of the deal have long feared. He said Tehran was taking the long view and cautioned that the Iranian regime could exploit the easing of restrictions to fulfill its ambitions of exporting revolution across the globe."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Israel prepares lobbying strategy against Iran deal
My Way News reports: "Israel's prime minister on Sunday urged world powers to step up pressure on Iran as they finalize a nuclear deal in the coming months, saying there was still time to improve what he said was a deeply flawed framework agreement reached last week."

My Way News - Israel official: Military action against Iran still possible
My Way News reports: "A senior Israeli government minister on Monday warned that taking military action against Iran's nuclear program is still an option — despite last week's framework deal between world powers and the Islamic Republic. "

War - Doomed Damascus

My Way News - IS enters Palestinian camp in Damascus; Jordan closes border
My Way News reports: "Islamic State militants infiltrated a Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus on Wednesday and were clashing with a Palestinian group, the deepest foray yet by the extremist group into the Syrian capital, seat of President Bashar Assad's power, according to opposition activists and Palestinian officials."

Gospel Preached to All Nations

My Way News - 'A.D. The Bible Continues' goes beyond the biblical epic
My Way News reports: "Politics in Jerusalem 33 A.D. was just as complex and dangerous as it is today and NBC's new series, 'A.D. The Bible Continues' fuses the biblical epic with the current rage for taut political dramas — 'House of Cards' in sandals. The first of the 12 episodes airs at 9 p.m. EDT Easter, picking up where its predecessor, the wildly popular 'The Bible' series from the History Channel left off and going on to tell the story of what happened to Christ's disciples after the crucifixion. It is choosing this time period that makes 'A.D.' such a departure from past Bible stories, most of which end with the resurrection."

Comment: I'm keeping an open mind. This series has the potential to teach millions of people about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It could inspire curiosity among those who are unfamiliar with Christianity and lead them to a spiritual epiphany. On the other hand, it could also be a series heavy with secular themes told in a manner to titillate modern audiences without sharing the message of salvation. I'm hoping for the former, but would not be at all surprised by the latter.

Pestilence

My Way News - 10 Ebola cases found during Sierra Leone's shutdown
My Way News reports: "Sierra Leone found 10 new Ebola cases during a three-day countrywide shutdown, an official said Wednesday, declaring that the West African country is now at the 'tail end' of the epidemic."

Wickedness Increases - Love Grows Cold

My Way News - 11 former Atlanta educators convicted in cheating scandal
My Way News reports: "In one of the biggest cheating scandals of its kind in the U.S., 11 former Atlanta public school educators were convicted Wednesday of racketeering for their role in a scheme to inflate students' scores on standardized exams. The defendants, including teachers, a principal and other administrators, were accused of falsifying test results to collect bonuses or keep their jobs in the 50,000-student Atlanta school system."

Comment: These "educators" demonstrated an incredible betrayal of trust and a total disregard for the welfare of their students.

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Iran nuclear talks near deadline; differences remain
My Way News reports: "With Tuesday's target date for a framework accord just hours away, the top diplomats from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany were meeting with Iran to try to bridge remaining gaps and hammer out an understanding that would serve as the basis for a final accord to be reached by the end of June. [...] Officials in Lausanne said the sides were advancing on limits to aspects of Iran's program to enrich uranium, which can be used to make the core of a nuclear warhead."

False Christs

LA Times - Review: HBO's 'Going Clear' a remarkable glimpse into Scientology
The LA Times reports: "It's well-known that Hubbard started out as a writer of pulp fiction, including science fiction; but, notwithstanding his oft-repeated assertion that (as given here in the words of his unacknowledged second wife Sara Northrup) 'the only way to make any real money was to have a religion, a religion where he could have an income and the government wouldn't take it away from him in the form of taxes,' he seems to have truly believed that he had discovered a force for world-changing good. [..] from the outside, the rites and rituals of the church can seem a little absurd, including the "e-meter' that supposedly measures 'the mass of thoughts'; the 'billion-year' contract signed by members of the inner-circle Sea Organization; the unquestioning reverence for Hubbard as the sole source of these revelations."

Rumors of War - Jerusalem Surrounded

My Way News - Arabs inch closer to old dream of joint Arab force
My Way News reports: "Arab leaders meeting this weekend in this Egyptian Red Sea resort are moving closer than ever to creating a joint Arab military force, a sign of a new determination among Saudi Arabia, Egypt and their allies to intervene aggressively in regional hotspots, whether against Islamic militants or spreading Iranian power."

Comment: Stopping the spread of Iranian power is a good thing, but what happens when they turn their attention to Israel? 

Wickedness Increases - Love Grows Cold

My Way News - Co-pilot deliberately slams plane in Alps; families ask why
My Way News reports: "Passengers with moments to live screamed in terror and the pilot frantically pounded on the locked cockpit door as a 27-year-old German co-pilot deliberately and wordlessly smashed an Airbus carrying 150 people into an Alpine mountainside."

My Way News - Filing: Teen says mom killed her siblings found in freezer:
My Way News reports: "A teenager told authorities that her mother killed two siblings and forced her to put one of the bodies in the freezer of their Detroit home where both were found by an eviction crew. [...] In a court filing, the state said the teen described a house of horror, where she and her surviving brother were beaten with an extension cord and piece of wood, hit with a hot curling iron and burned with a clothing iron."

CNN - No murder charge in Craigslist case baby cut from womb
CNN reports: "A former nurse's aide will not face murder charges for allegedly cutting and removing an unborn baby from the mother's womb, Boulder County, Colorado, prosecutor Stanley Garnett said Thursday. "

Wars - Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - President of Yemen flees by sea; Saudis begin airstrikes
My Way News reports: "President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi fled Yemen by sea Wednesday as Shiite rebels and their allies moved on his last refuge in the south, captured its airport and put a bounty on his head, officials said. Hours later, Saudi Arabia announced it had begun airstrikes against the Houthi rebels. [...] The White House said in a statement late Wednesday that the U.S. was coordinating military and intelligence support with the Saudis but not taking part directly in the strikes. [...] Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies believe the Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, are tools for Iran to seize control of Yemen and say they intend to stop the takeover. The Houthis deny they are backed by Iran."

My Way News - US conducting airstrikes to help Iraq retake Tikrit
My Way News reports: "At Iraq's request, the U.S. began airstrikes in Tikrit on Wednesday in support of a stalled Iraqi ground offensive to retake the city from Islamic State fighters. The bombing marked a significant expansion of the U.S. military role in Iraq. [...] U.S. airstrikes in Tikrit raise highly sensitive questions about participating in an Iraqi campaign that has been spearheaded by Iraqi Shiite militias trained and equipped by Iran, a U.S. adversary."

Rumors of War - King of the North

France 24 - Putin stages military drills in game of 'brinkmanship' with West 
AFP reports: "Since the start of the Ukraine crisis more than a year ago, Russia has flexed its muscles with a series of war games but the scale of the latest military exercises -- including sending nuclear bombers to Crimea and ballistic missiles to Kaliningrad in central Europe -- has triggered a series of new questions. Experts say whatever the purpose of the latest manoeuvres involving tens of thousands of troops, the intent is clear: to show Putin's Russia will stop at nothing to protect its interests."

Signs in the Sun - Signs in the Heavens

My Way News - Ring of light: Total eclipse over Svalbard islands in Arctic
My Way News reports: "Sky-gazers looked up in awe Friday as the moon blocked the sun in a total solar eclipse that momentarily darkened a slice of northern Europe. The most spectacular viewing came on Norway's Svalbard islands near the North Pole, where a bright clear day and blindingly white snow highlighted the cosmic wonder that used to bring ancient civilizations to a trembling halt. Visitors to the Arctic islands were treated to a full view of the sun's corona — a faint ring of rays surrounding the moon — that is only visible during a total eclipse."

Signs in the Sun

Yahoo News Digest — Friday's solar eclipse is like nothing we'll see for another 19 years
Yahoo News reports: "This Friday, a rare total solar eclipse will be visible across parts of Greenland, Europe, and North Africa. Not only is this the only total solar eclipse in 2015, it’s the last of its kind for another 19 years. Total solar eclipses are pretty rare in themselves, but it’s also the first total solar eclipse of the 21st century that occurs on the same day as the first day of spring. To have the moon block out the sun on the same day as the vernal equinox, the first day of spring, is even more rare. It won’t happen again until the year 2034."

Covenant With Many

My Way News - Netanyahu victory leaves damage in wake
My Way News reports: "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strong showing in national elections this week has come with a price: He has managed to antagonize friends and foes alike with hard-line rhetoric on the campaign trail. [...] He vowed to increase settlement construction in east Jerusalem, the Palestinians' would-be capital, and rejected the idea of a Palestinian state in current conditions — putting him at odds with U.S. and European positions and reversing his own policy of the past six years."

War

My Way News - Museum attack in Tunisian capital kills 19; 2 gunmen slain
My Way News reports: "Foreign tourists scrambled in panic Wednesday after militants stormed a museum in Tunisia's capital and killed 19 people, 'shooting at anything that moved,' a witness said. [...] Tunisia has been more stable than other countries in the region, but has struggled with violence by Islamic extremists who have sworn allegiance to both al-Qaida and the Islamic State group."

Future Fear

My Way News - Winter sets global heat record despite US East's big chill
My Way News reports: "Federal records show that this winter and the first two months of 2015 were the hottest on record globally, with a chilly U.S. East sticking out like a cold thumb in a toastier world. At nearly 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit above 20th century average, last month was the second warmest February on record globally, slightly behind 1998."

Comment: Although there is a healthy debate going about whether climate change is a result of a natural cycle or due to human activity, or to some combination of the two, there is now little doubt that change is happening. Only the most extreme (and well paid) of the climate deniers dispute that. 

Pestilence

My Way News - Sierra Leone plans another shutdown to stop Ebola's spread
My Way News reports: "Sierra Leone is planning another three-day, countrywide shutdown later this month to ferret out Ebola cases, remind people how to protect themselves from the disease and control its transmission. The West Africa Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 10,000 people is declining but the disease has remained stubbornly entrenched in parts of Guinea and Sierra Leone. Liberia, the third country severely affected, currently has no Ebola cases."

Comment: Although the media moved on to the next sensational story, Ebola is still a thing. 

Signs in the Sun

St. Patrick's Day Solar Storm Sets Off Green Northern Lights - NBC News.com
NBC News reports: "A massive solar storm is bombarding Earth now, and it could supercharge the northern lights to offer a better chance of seeing dancing green auroras just in time for St. Patrick's Day, weather permitting. The surprisingly strong solar storm — ranked as a G4 geomagnetic storm by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center — could trigger brilliant auroras for people in dark areas as far south as Tennessee on Tuesday night if the space storm continues."

My Way News - Major solar storm hits Earth, may pull northern lights south
My Way News reports: A severe solar storm smacked Earth with a surprisingly big geomagnetic jolt Tuesday, potentially affecting power grids and GPS tracking while pushing the colorful northern lights farther south, federal forecasters said. So far no damage has been reported."

Covenant With Many

My Way News - Netanyahu promises no Palestinian state if he is re-elected
My Way News reports: "In a frenzied last day of campaigning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday ruled out the establishment of a Palestinian state and vowed to keep building east Jerusalem settlements as he appealed to hard-line voters on the eve of Israel's closely contested general election. [...] The international community overwhelmingly supports the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, areas captured by Israel in 1967, and opposes settlement construction. Netanyahu's tough new position is likely to worsen his already strained ties with his western allies if he is re-elected."

Comment: Is it any wonder they are out to get him? 

Persecution

My Way News - Suicide bombers kill 15 people outside Pakistani churches
My Way News reports: "A pair of suicide bombers attacked two churches in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday as worshippers prayed inside — killing 15 people in the latest assault against religious minorities in this increasingly fractured country, officials said. [...] Life in Pakistan is increasingly dangerous for religious minorities, especially Christians. They have been targeted by extremist Sunni Muslim militants and are also discriminated against in the wider society, where they are often limited to menial jobs like garbage collection."

Comment: Please join me in praying for believers in Pakistan, that the Holy Spirit will comfort them in their grief and strengthen their faith in the midst of persecution, giving them a forgiving heart and not one bent on revenge.  

Fearsome Events - Roaring Seas & Waves

My Way News - Vanuatu struggles to account for cyclone damage, deaths
My Way News reports: "Officials struggled on Sunday to determine the scale of the devastation wrought by a monstrous cyclone that tore through the tiny South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, with death counts varying in the single digits but expected to rise once communications are restored with outlying islands. Packing winds of 270 kilometers (168 miles) per hour, Cyclone Pam tore through Vanuatu early Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction and unconfirmed reports of dozens of deaths."

Rumors of War - War - Persia

My Way News - Iraq militia leader hails Iran's 'unconditional' support
My Way News reports: "The U.S. has failed to live up to its promises to help Iraq fight Islamic State extremists, unlike the 'unconditional' assistance being given by Iran, the commander of Iraq's powerful Shiite militias alleged Friday. [...] The Iranian-backed Shiite militias have played a crucial role in regaining territory from the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group, supporting Iraq's embattled military and police forces."

Comment: This has done nothing except strengthen Iran, it does not bode well for the future of the region. 

Earthquakes

My Way News - Report: Chance of mega-quake hitting California increases
My Way News reports: "Scientists are virtually certain that California will be rocked by a strong earthquake in the next 30 years. Now they say the risk of a mega-quake is more likely than previously thought. The chance of a magnitude-8 quake striking the state in the next three decades jumped to 7 percent from 4.7 percent, mainly because scientists took into account the possibility that several faults can shake at once, releasing seismic energy that results in greater destruction."

Temple Mount - Jerusalem Security

My Way News - Palestinian assailant wounds 5 Israelis in car attack
My Way News reports: "A Palestinian rammed his car into a group of Israeli pedestrians near a border police station in east Jerusalem on Friday, injuring four officers and a bystander, police said. [...] Friday's attack mirrored a spate of similar assaults on Israelis involving cars late last year, in the same part of Jerusalem. The attacks were linked to tensions over the city's most sensitive holy site, revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and by Jews as the Temple Mount."

Kings of the East

My Way News - China defense spending to grow 10.1 percent in 2015
My Way News reports: "China said Thursday it will boost defense spending by 10.1 percent, a smaller rise than last year but in line with large annual increases that have drawn concern among the country's neighbors over Beijing's military and territorial ambitions. Beijing says the higher spending is needed to modernize equipment and improve conditions for the 2.3 million-member People's Liberation Army, the world's largest standing military."

Pestilence

My Way News - WHO to begin large-scale testing of Ebola vaccine in Guinea
My Way News reports: "The World Health Organization will start large-scale testing of an experimental Ebola vaccine in Guinea on Saturday to see how effective it might be in preventing future outbreaks of the deadly virus."

Rumors of War - Jerusalem Security

My Way News - PLO calls for ending security coordination with Israel
My Way News reports: "A top body in the Palestine Liberation Organization has called for ending security coordination with Israel — a step that could lead to an escalation of tensions. It is not clear if Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will implement Thursday's resolution by the PLO's Central Council."

Global Community

My Way News - Google, Facebook update contrasting plans to connect world
My Way News reports: "Google and Facebook want more people online, searching around and clicking on ads. And they are finding new ways to make it happen — from selling smartphone data plans, to using solar-powered drone aircraft as floating cell towers to partnering with telecom providers in the developing world to get people hooked on apps. [...] they are taking very different approaches to getting the world connected."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - Netanyahu warns US 'bad deal' would put Iran on nuclear path
My Way News reports: "In a direct challenge to the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before Congress on Tuesday and bluntly warned the U.S. that an emerging nuclear agreement with Iran 'paves Iran's path to the bomb.' President Barack Obama pushed back sternly, saying the U.S. would never sign such a deal and Netanyahu was offering no useful alternative."

Roaring Waves

My Way News - The big melt: Antarctica's retreating ice may re-shape Earth
My Way News reports: "Water is eating away at the Antarctic ice, melting it where it hits the oceans. As the ice sheets slowly thaw, water pours into the sea — 130 billion tons of ice (118 billion metric tons) per year for the past decade, according to NASA satellite calculations. That's the weight of more than 356,000 Empire State Buildings, enough ice melt to fill more than 1.3 million Olympic swimming pools. And the melting is accelerating. In the worst case scenario, Antarctica's melt could push sea levels up 10 feet (3 meters) worldwide in a century or two, recurving heavily populated coastlines."

Jerusalem Peace and Security

My Way News - Netanyahu assails Iran deal, touts US-Israel ties
My Way News reports: "Seeking to lower tensions, Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. officials cast their dispute over Iran as a family squabble on Monday, even as the Israeli leader claimed President Barack Obama did not — and could not — fully understand his nation's vital security concerns."

Comment: I received a prayer request today from For Zion's Sake Ministries. They are asking for prayer on the eve of Netanyahu's speech tomorrow.  Here is what they wrote:

In light of the enormous political pressure that is currently placed upon Israel and especially Benyamin Netanyahu in this critical hour, I would like to request a global call to prayer for a powerful anointing upon Netanyahu as he delivers his speech before congress on March 3rd. Please also pray for his protection and the many closed door meetings he will have. Pray that many deaf ears would be opened to the truth and the warning will be heeded by many. Perhaps also you can join with the Jewish people in the traditional “Esther Fast” from dawn until dusk on Purim eve if you are able? Thank you for standing with Israel and the Jewish people in their time of need! 

Would you join me in praying for Netanyahu and for the peace of Jerusalem?

Away

Taking a break, will be back shortly.

War

My Way News - Obama asks fresh war powers, says IS group 'going to lose'
My Way News reports: "Vowing that Islamic State forces are 'going to lose,' President Barack Obama urged Congress on Wednesday to authorize military action against terrorists who are cutting a swath across the Middle East. Yet he ruled out large-scale U.S. ground combat operations reminiscent of Iraq and Afghanistan."

Wars & Rumors of War

My Way News - Islamic State says airstrike killed US hostage, US skeptical
My Way News reports: "Islamic State extremists claimed that an American woman held hostage by the group was killed Friday in a Jordanian airstrike in northern Syria, but the government of Jordan dismissed the statement as 'criminal propaganda' and the U.S. said it had not seen any evidence to corroborate the report."

My Way News - Putin, Ukraine leader to hold 4-way phone call on peace plan
My Way News reports: "Talks among the leaders of Russia, France and Germany on a peace initiative for Ukraine ended early Saturday with an announcement that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart would discuss a proposal to end the fighting in a four-way telephone call this weekend. [...] The resurgent fighting has fueled fears the conflict is threatening Europe's overall security and has prompted the U.S. to consider giving lethal weapons to Ukraine, an option opposed by European nations."

My Way News - Jordan's king thrusts country to center of Islamic State war
My Way News reports: "King Abdullah II has thrust Jordan to the center of the war against the Islamic State group with his pledge of relentless retaliation for the killing of one of his pilots. [...] The military carried out airstrikes on Islamic State weapons depots and training sites on Thursday and Friday."

Reuters - Iran is using Israel to distract from its real aims in the Persian Gulf
Reuters reports: "This Iranian threat is as real and serious to the Arab Gulf states — and to the flow of petroleum exports to the global economy — as its nuclear threat. It is the reason why Saudi Arabia and the other Arab Gulf states — as well as the United States, Britain, and France — have built up their naval, air, mine warfare, and missile forces in the Gulf."

War and Rumors of War

My Way News - Jordan launches new airstrikes after vowing harsh war on IS
My Way News reports: "Dozens of Jordanian fighter jets bombed Islamic State training centers and weapons storage sites Thursday, intensifying attacks after the militants burned to death a captured Jordanian pilot. As part of the new campaign, Jordan is also attacking targets in Iraq, said Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. Up to now, Jordan had struck IS targets in Syria, but not Iraq, as part of a U.S.-led military coalition."

My Way News - French, German leaders push new peace plan for east Ukraine
My Way News reports: "The trip by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, who will follow by meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Moscow, came as concerns rose about whether the U.S. would grant lethal aid to Ukraine and as NATO formed a quick-reaction force of 5,000 soldiers in response to Russia's increased military muscle-flexing. [...] More than 5,300 people have been killed since the fighting started in April."

My Way News - NATO beefs up response force to face Russia, Islamic threats
My Way News reports: "NATO defense ministers agreed Thursday to more than double the size of the alliance's Response Force and create a new quick-reaction force of 5,000 troops to meet simultaneous challenges from Russia and Islamic extremists. [...] NATO's total Response Force was increased from 13,000 to 30,000 troops and its new rapid reaction force should start to deploy within 48 hours, Stoltenberg said."

War

My Way News - Jordan says IS can be defeated; uproar over burn video
My Way News reports:  "Jordan called Wednesday for a decisive battle against the Islamic State group, declaring "this evil can and should be defeated," after the militants burned a Jordanian pilot to death in a cage and gleefully broadcast the horrific images on outdoor screens in their stronghold."

Rumors of War - Persia

My Way News - AP Exclusive: US, Iran discussing nuclear talks compromise
My Way News reports: "With time for negotiations running short, the U.S and Iran are discussing a compromise that would let Iran keep much of its uranium-enriching technology but reduce its potential to make nuclear weapons, two diplomats tell The Associated Press. [...] Experts warn that any reduction in centrifuge efficiency is reversible more quickly than a straight decrease in the number of machines, an argument that could be seized upon by powerful critics of the talks in the U.S. Congress."

Comment: Could it be that Obama needs a deal more than Iran needs to compromise? 

Temple Mount

My Way News - Jordan says its ambassador will return to Israel after spat
My Way News reports: "A spokesman for Jordan's government says its ambassador will return to Israel after he was pulled over growing confrontations at a hilltop site in Jerusalem holy to both Jews and Muslims. Mohammad al-Momani told journalists Monday that the ambassador would return to Tel Aviv. The trapezoid-shaped compound, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, is at the heart of the territorial and religious conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbors."