"A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished."   Proverbs 22:3 and Proverbs 27:12  KJV   Word study on this verse

US durable goods orders slide ft.com 2/28/7 ["There was an unexpected drop in orders of durable goods across industry sectors as demand slid by a record 8 per cent to $204bn in January. The biggest monthly fall ever recorded underlined the continued risks to US economic growth from weak domestic business demand"]
Chinese stock plunge sets off a worldwide sell-off iht.com 2/28/7 ["as concerns that the Chinese and American economies were cooling and fears that shares were overvalued sparked a global market decline.  At one point the Dow industrial average was down more than 546 points, or 4.3 percent, at 12,086, but it recovered some ground in the last 90 minutes of trading to close at 12,216.24, down 416.02 points, or 3.3 percent, the worst drop since Sept. 17, 2001."]
Asian stocks skid after China, Wall St slide smh.com.au 2/28/7 ["Spooked by a collapse in Chinese stocks and weak US manufacturing data, investors fled to safety, pouring money into less-risky bonds and sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average down in its worst slide in point terms since the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks."]
Israel to hold nationwide nuclear attack drill spacewar.com 2/28/7 ["The main scenarios which will be simulated are a massive rocket attack on cities as well as a "conventional and non-conventional missile attack," Magen David Adom rescue services spokesman Yerucham Mandola told AFP."]
Israeli Official: "Syria, Hizbullah Will Attack if Iran is Hit" israelnationalnews.com 2/28/7 ["Israeli security officials said if any war breaks out involving Iran, they expect Syria, Hizbullah and terrorist groups in Judea, Samaria and Gaza to join the fray and attack Israel. This assumption is echoed by terrorist leaders from several groups."]
Bible Scholars: Ten Reasons Why Jesus Tomb Claim is Bogus dakotavoice.com 2/28/7 ["...The name "Jesus" was a popular name in the first century, appearing in 98 other tombs and on 21 other ossuaries  ...Fourth-century church historian Eusebius makes quite clear that the body of James, the brother of Jesus, was buried alone near the temple mount and that his tomb was visited in the early centuries, making very unlikely that the Talipot tomb was Jesus' "family tomb""]
Study links big egos in youths to programs for self-esteem mercurynews.com 2/28/7 ["The Internet, with all its MySpace.com and YouTube braggadocio, is letting that self-regard blossom even more, said the analysis titled ``Egos Inflating Over Time."'  In the study released today, researchers warn that a rising ego rush could bring personal and social problems for the Millennial Generation, also called Gen Y. People with an inflated sense of self tend to have less interest in emotionally intimate bonds and can lash out when rejected or insulted."  ...Other trends in U.S. culture such as permissive parenting, increased materialism and the fascination with celebrities and reality TV shows may also heighten self-regard]
Ontario: Homosexual Activists Consider Targeting Private Christian Schools for "Homophobia" lifesite.net 2/28/7 ["n October 2006 the Quebec government ordered private Christian schools in the province to begin teaching sex education and Darwinism in compliance with the provincial curriculum, threatening schools with closure if they failed to comply."]
British Government Drops Plans to Ban Human/Animal Hybrids lifesite.net 2/28/7 ["after a group of 45 scientists, ethicists and politicians published an open letter in January saying that a ban would hold back the advancement of British science."]
Alberta: Porn a major presence in lives of youth upi.com 2/28/7 ["Ninety percent of males and 70 percent of females reported accessing sexually explicit media content at least once, said study author Sonya Thompson, a graduate student at the University of Alberta in Edmonton."]
Immigrants who wire money get help from the Fed sun-sentinel.com 2/28/7 ["Dubbed Directo a Mexico, the Federal Reserve-sponsored service allows customers without Social Security numbers to wire money through the Fed system to Mexico's central bank at little cost. In September, the Fed expanded the remittance program by allowing immigrants, legal or not, to open accounts at participating banks and credit unions in the U.S. or Mexico. About 27,000 transfers are made through the program each month."]
 

Authorities Ask German Homeschooling Family to Give up Custody of Other 5 Children lifesite.net 2/27/7 ["Hubert Busekros, the girl’s father, told HLSDA he and his lawyer were offered a resolution to the situation that required the Busekros’ to give up custody of their five other children. Mr. Busekros said the authorities are considering performing psychiatric evaluations of the other children, he fears with the intent of discrediting the couple as parents and permanently breaking up the family."]
Central banks cutting holdings of U.S. dollar iht.com 2/27/7 ["Italy, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland have made "major adjustments" in foreign-exchange holdings favoring the euro and the pound, according to the poll, which was conducted by Central Banking Publications between September and December 2006."]
US mortgage default fears grow ft.com 2/27/7 ["The latest concerns centre on the Alt-A market, in which consumers with slightly better credit than the weakest subprime borrowers can obtain loans with loose terms - such as no proof of income. Late payments and defaults on such loans are running at four times the historical rate."]
Court backs $3 billion California stem cell plan reuters.com 2/27/7 ["A California appeals court on Monday upheld the legality of a voter-approved program to sell $3 billion in bonds to support stem cell research."]
Gulf countries: No air space for Israel upi.com 2/27/7 [" Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa told reporters in Cairo the foreign ministers of Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates said there is no agreement allowing Israeli jets to use their air space to reach Iran.  His remarks came a day after Israel's Haaretz daily said Israel has received a green light from these three oil-rich states to pass through their air space to launch air strikes"]
America tortures (yawn) latimes.com 2/27/7 ["If you need any more evidence that the American public has gotten blasé about torture, consider the hit Fox action drama "24." The show featured 67 torture scenes during its first five seasons, and most of those depicted torture being used by "heroic" U.S. counter-terror agents."]
 

New film claims Jesus buried in Talpiot jpost.com 2/26/7 ["...Kloner, who said he was interviewed for the new film but has not seen it, said the names found on the ossuaries were common, and the fact that such apparently resonant names had been found together was of no significance. He added that "Jesus son of Joseph" inscriptions had been found on several other ossuaries over the years.  "There is no likelihood that Jesus and his relatives had a family tomb," Kloner said. "They were a Galilee family with no ties in Jerusalem. The Talpiot tomb belonged to a middle-class family from the 1st century CE." "  Editor:  The TIME magazine's blog article, Jesus: Tales from the Crypt, does not mention these caveats.  I Corinthians 15:14-20 reminds us, "...if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."  Jesus' disciples and followers did not die martyr's death because of a lie - they were just a few of the eyewitnesses to His resurrection.]
Analyst: Israel needs to beware of Iranian space capabilities jpost.com 2/26/7 ["Iran's successful test of a space-bound rocket on Sunday should serve as a "wake-up call" for the defense establishment concerning Teheran's potential to use ballistic missiles to destroy satellites..."]
More and more Americans pushed into poverty miami.com 2/26/7 ["The share of poor Americans in deep poverty has climbed slowly but steadily over the last three decades. But since 2000, the number of severely poor has grown ''more than any other segment of the population,'' according to a recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.  ...Severe poverty is worst near the Mexican border and in some areas of the South, where 6.5 million severely poor residents are struggling to find work as manufacturing jobs in the textile, apparel and furniture-making industries disappear. The Midwestern Rust Belt and areas of the Northeast also have been hard hit as economic restructuring and foreign competition have forced numerous plant closings.  At the same time, low-skilled immigrants with impoverished family members are increasingly drawn to the South and Midwest to work in the meatpacking, food processing and agricultural industries."]
U.N. rights experts slam Nigeria gay marriage bill signonsandiego.com 2/26/7 ["Homosexuality is already illegal in Nigeria but the government introduced a bill explicitly outlawing gay marriage after a number of Western countries authorised same-sex unions."]
America Is Insolvent newswithviews.com 2/26/7 [By Betty Freauf  "Every since the election of Democrat FDR, and his nearly four terms as president, our once Republic has been gradually changing to a collective, tyrannical Democracy/Mobocracy. The Comptroller says commitments and other fiscal exposures continue to grow and now total approximately $50 trillion  But Broder reports in fiscal 2006, the past year, the total federal debt was $8.45 trillion. In 2012, by Bush’s optimistic estimate, it will reach $11.49 trillion. That is $3 trillion of added debt in just six years."]
 

U.S. court upholds same-sex teaching to children reuters.com 2/25/7 ["Federal Judge Mark Wolf ruled on Friday that public schools are "entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy."  "Diversity is a hallmark of our nation. It is increasingly evident that our diversity includes differences in sexual orientation," he said."]
U.S. developing contingency plan to bomb Iran: report reuters.com 2/25/7 ["Despite the Bush administration's insistence it has no plans to go to war with Iran, a Pentagon panel has been created to plan a bombing attack that could be implemented within 24 hours of getting the go-ahead from President George W. Bush"]
Canada Rules Indefinite Detention Wrong myway.com 2/25/7 ["declared it unconstitutional to detain foreign terror suspects indefinitely while the courts review their deportation orders."]
White House conducts bomb drill seattlepi.nwsource.com 2/25/7 ["Dozens of high-level officials joined in a White House drill Saturday to see how the government would respond if several cities were attacked simultaneously by the type of the roadside bombs used against American troops in Iraq.  ...Townsend's scenario envisioned requests pouring in from state and local authorities, and also assumed many local abilities would be diminished by the scale of the disaster."]
 

Illinois Senate OKs Stem Cell Research forbes.com 2/24/7 ["voted Friday to spend state tax dollars on embryonic stem cell research, despite objections from those who argue the research destroys human life."]
Texas families file lawsuit to block governor's order requiring cervical cancer vaccine iht.com 2/24/7 ["Critics also have questioned Perry's ties to drugmaker Merck & Co., which launched Gardasil, the first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, in June. Mike Toomey, Perry's former chief of staff, now lobbies for the drug company. And the governor accepted a total of $6,000 (€4,578) from Merck during his re-election campaign."]
Russia warns U.S. on Iran moves upi.com 2/24/7 ["Russia's foreign minister Wednesday warned the United States not to take military action against Iran.  "The Russian foreign minister said Wednesday U.S.-led multinational foreign forces in Iraq must not conduct military operations outside the country, including against Iran," the RIA Novosti news agency reported. "]
Vermont May Be the Next State to Legalize Assisted Suicide lifesite.net 2/24/7 ["The Vermont legislature is set to begin a week of debate on assisted suicide, following the introduction of a House bill that would see Vermont follow Oregon in authorizing doctors to prescribe lethal medication."]
Senate illegals bill near complete washingtontimes.com 2/24/7 ["Senators and lobbyists are putting the final touches on a comprehensive immigration-reform bill that includes an easier citizenship path for illegal aliens and weaker enforcement provisions than were in the highly criticized legislation that the Senate approved last year."]
 

Mainstream Media: Pre-term Baby’s Survival Will Have Big Impact on Abortion Debate lifesite.net 2/23/7 ["Mainstream media outlets in the United States have acknowledged that the baby’s life raises “big questions” about legal abortion  ...Amillia was born one month earlier than the date considered viable for most babies, 25 weeks. About half of the babies born at 25 weeks will survive. Abortion laws are often based on an assumption of viability, with the cut-off being set at the point where babies would be likely to survive outside the womb.  ...35 weeks from conception, Amillia is still three weeks from her natural birth date and could legally be aborted in many states if she had remained in her mother‘s womb."]
Gold Rises to 9-Month High on Inflation Concerns; Silver Gains bloomberg.com 2/23/7 ["Gold climbed 23 percent last year as consumer prices gained 2.5 percent."]
The Cloning Of The American Mind & Abortion newswithviews.com 2/23/7 [by Devvy Kidd  "Communist goal: Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as normal, natural and healthy. Worked like a charm as anyone can see by tearing down all social barriers and encouraging sluttish behavior... ...Merck, who manufactures this poison forgot to tell you is that this vaccine isn't going to prevent your daughter from getting cervical cancer. It's an untested vaccine being unleashed to fill Merck's coffers to stave off possible financial ruin as a result of all the lawsuits over another one of their "safe" drugs, VIOXX."]
Lawmaker revises spanking ban bill latimes.com 2/23/7 ["A Bay Area lawmaker retreated from her proposed ban on spanking and instead offered a bill Thursday that would criminalize parental discipline involving a fist, belt, electrical cord, shoe or other objects.  Additionally, the legislation by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, would make it easier to prosecute anyone who throws, kicks, burns, chokes or cuts a child younger than 18. Also included would be the acts of striking a child younger than 3 in the head or face, and vigorously shaking a baby or toddler."]
Hitachi shows off powder-sized smart tag mercurynews.com 2/23/7 ["...RFID, chips that are just 0.002 inches by 0.002 inches and look like bits of powder. They're thin enough to be embedded in a piece of paper..."]
More cashless vending machines rolling out scotsman.com 2/23/7 ["Making it easier than ever for Americans to spend their money, and creating new business for credit and debit card companies, three of the biggest snack and soda makers are rolling out more vending machines that take plastic.  Coca-Cola Co. , Cadbury Schweppes and PepsiCo are all testing vending machines that don't require cash in various U.S. cities.  ...In 2004, a USA Technologies study found that people on average spend as much as 36 percent more at vending machines when they use plastic."]
I Love The Law Of God newswithviews.com 2/23/7 [by Coach Dave Daubenmire  "For some reason in modern Christianity we have been taught that the Law is no longer important. “Jesus came to save us from the law,” I often hear. That is true, but we are also told in Galatians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ…”..."]
Stennis arrives in 5th Fleet area upi.com 2/23/7 ["The Stennis CSG brings more than 6,000 sailors and Marines to the region. In addition to the Nimitz-class carrier, it includes cruisers and destroyers."]
 

U.S. House to Vote on Special “Hate Crime” Protection for Sexual Orientation lifesite.net 2/22/7 ["Introduced on Jan. 5, 2007, by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, HR 254 would establish a new federal offence for hate crimes, mandating a separate federal criminal prosecution for state offenses with the possibility of life imprisonment for crimes motivated by “the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of any person.”  ...The American Family Association warned that, if passed, the legislation would open the door to a ban on church preaching against homosexuality and the loss of tax-exempt status for churches who opposed the homosexual lifestyle."]
Evangelicals rally around — and disagree on — 'Grace' usatoday.com 2/22/7 ["in the film, Wilberforce (played by Ioan Gruffudd) seeks God in a garden, not a church. He never refers to Jesus. He displays none of the historical figure's passion for winning converts to Christianity.  ...His stance (on slavery) might seem 'obvious' to us today, but it was inexplicable in his day without his deep evangelical faith"  Editor: This is a good opportunity to emphasize that Christians have no place in the world's movie theaters and venues.  Going to a venue that promotes the destructions of morals and faith just because they happen to show a movie that has a quasi-'christian' theme is akin to going to the local bar to buy a ginger ale soda.  Not to mention the obvious lack of 'christian' substance in this media piece.]
The Menace Of The Religious Movie biblebb.com 2/22/7 [by A.W. Tozer  "The "service" where such a movie would be shown might seem much like any other service until time for the message from the Word of God. Then the lights would be put out and the picture turned on. The "message" would consist of this movie. What followed the picture would, of course, vary with the circumstances, but often an invitation song is sung and a tender appeal is made for erring sinners to return to God.  Now, what is wrong with all this? Why should any man object to this or go out of his way to oppose its use in the house of God?"]
Iran Admits: We're Dumping Dollars newsmax.com 2/22/7 ["Iran holds less than 30 percent of its reserves in dollars and will continue to cut holdings in the U.S. currency to the "minimum level" needed to meet payment commitments, the central bank governor said on Wednesday."]
Planned Parenthood Launches Nationwide Pro-Abortion Cell Phone Service lifenews.com 2/22/7 ["The nation's largest abortion business has started a new wireless communications system partnering with a long-time pro-abortion long-distance carrier. Planned Parenthood's new cell phone service will allow pro-abortion activists to not only make calls but get action alerts from the organization.  ...not to be outdone, the pro-life side of the abortion debate also has companies that provide telephone service."]
Europe’s Plan to Track Phone and Net Use nytimes.com 2/22/7 ["European governments are preparing legislation to require companies to keep detailed data about people’s Internet and phone use that goes beyond what the countries will be required to do under a European Union directive.  ...A draft law in the Netherlands would likewise go further than the European Union requires, in this case by requiring phone companies to save records of a caller’s precise location during an entire mobile phone conversation."]
US 'Iran attack plans' revealed bbc.co.uk 2/22/7 [Editor: regardless of whether the info or rumor is true, it should catch our attention that this information is being published by the BBC for their audience to consider.  The effect could be used to sway popular opinion regarding America, or involvement in the Middle East.]
 

"The Secret" - Christianity Or New Age? newswithviews.com 2/21/7 [By Lynn Stuter  "On Friday, February 16, 2007, two of the promoters of The Secret appeared for the second time on the Oprah show. For the discerning, what spewed from the mouths of these two men, Michael Beckwith and James Ray, was New Age.  ...announced to all that “God is within.”  This is another New Age precept—God dwells within us, man is divine, self-divination.  ...Also evident in the press kit trailer is the promotion of The Secret by Jack Canfield, New Age guru of long standing; disciple of the likes of theosophist Alice Bailey  ...So, if you don’t participate, why should you be concerned?  ...Has Rick Warren and his “Purpose Driven” agenda been brought in and accepted by your church? Is your pastor aware of the connection between Rick Warren and such New Age gurus as Neale Donald Walsch, Robert Schuller, Bernie Siegel and Marianne Williamson? Why would a church, supposedly Christian in foundation, agree to teach New Age principles and precepts to its congregation?"]
Report finds U.S. terrorism statistics inaccurate reuters.com 2/21/7 ["Nearly all of the terrorism-related statistics reported by the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI from the September 11 attacks until early 2005 had some inaccuracies, the department's inspector general said on Tuesday.  ...We found many cases involving offenses such as immigration violations, marriage fraud, or drug trafficking where department officials provided no evidence to link the subject of the case to terrorist activity"]
Great Britain to begin pulling troops from Iraq usatoday.com 2/21/7 ["Great Britain has told the United States it will begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within weeks, Bush administration officials confirmed Tuesday."]
"Huge Victory" as Court Rules Against Ohio Police in Case of 'Anti-Abortion' Harassment lifesite.net 2/21/7 ["successfully argued that the lengthy detention - so that the FBI could "gather intelligence" on the pro-life demonstrators - violated the demonstrators' Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable police searches and seizures. He further succeeded in showing that the police violated the demonstrators' First Amendment rights by targeting them for disfavored treatment because they were "anti-abortion.""]
Somalia to get 8,000 peacekeepers news.bbc.co.uk 2/21/7 ["The 8,000 strong force will have the mandate to help stabilise the situation in the north-east African country.  A resolution has urged all AU member states to contribute troops. Moreover, a UN force may arrive in six months."]
World's Most Premature Baby Amillia Goes Home After Early Birth lifenews.com 2/21/7 ["With no baby born before 23 weeks surviving at length, Amillia has gone home to be cared for under the watchful eye of her parents.  Taylor was just 284 grams (10 ounces) and 24 centimeters (9.25 inches) long when she was born and doctors typically say that babies weighing less than 400 grams have very little change of surviving."]
Texas expected to approve shooting first in self-defence gulfnews.com 2/21/7 ["state lawmakers are weighing a Bill that would give Texans the right to use deadly force as a first resort when they feel their safety is threatened."]
Mexicans cross 'the border' – at a theme park csmonitor.com 2/21/7 ["The attraction, criticized by some as a training ground for would-be illegal migrants, is meant to help the local economy."]
Guantanamo Inmates' Suits Rejected by Appeals Court bloomberg.com 2/21/7 ["The court upheld a military-tribunal law signed Oct. 17 by President George W. Bush that bars the inmates from pursuing their claims in federal trial courts. Today's ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit applies to detainees who haven't been charged with a crime -- the vast majority of about 400 inmates held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay."]
Villages sealed off as bird flu reaches outskirts of capital timesonline.co.uk 2/21/7 ["Health officials confirmed that chickens at two farms within 30 miles (49km) of the capital had died from the H5N1 strain of the virus. Dead birds suspected of being contaminated were also being tested at three other locations near Moscow.  ...Police visited every house in the affected districts to seek information about possible sick birds, while road traffic inspectors were checking all poultry vehicles."]
Normal social restraints are weakened in cyberspace. iht.com 2/21/7 ["In face-to-face interaction, the brain reads a continual cascade of emotional signs and social cues, instantaneously using them to guide our next move so that the encounter goes well. Much of this social guidance occurs in circuitry centered on the orbitofrontal cortex, a center for empathy.  This cortex uses that social scan to help make sure that what we do next will keep the interaction on track."]
 

Iran Launches Large-Scale War Games Ahead of U.N. Deadline foxnews.com 2/18/7 ["State television said the exercise is the biggest since last March and is taking place in 16 of Iran's 30 provinces. The broadcast said an estimated 60,000 troops are participating in the maneuvers."]
Intelligence Chief: Hizbullah is Stronger than Before War israelnationalnews.com 2/18/7 ["Peretz said, "Hizbullah has not increased its strength, but merely its potential." Beiditz quickly agreed with Peretz, arousing a storm of protest from opposition MKs."]
Report calls on churches to reunite theage.com.au 2/18/7 ["The Roman Catholic and Anglican churches should reunite under the leadership of the Pope, according to a landmark report.  ...the theologians had produced common statements on ministry, the Eucharist, authority (including recognising the primacy of the Pope), salvation and justification, morals and Mary. Not all had yet been considered by both churches, but if accepted they provided a basis for fuller union."]
 

Blair Backs Tougher Gun Laws for Youths washingtonpost.com 2/17/7 ["Prime Minister Tony Blair announced Sunday that he wanted to lower to 17 the age at which a mandatory five-year sentence could be imposed for illegally possessing a gun. The announcement followed the shooting deaths of three teenagers."]
Grocery industry prepares for bird flu kansascity.com 2/17/7 ["Unlike other critical infrastructure sectors like water, energy and health care, the food industry isn't getting much help from state and federal governments when it comes to disaster planning. That puts the burden on individual supermarket chains and wholesalers to deal with a potentially large number of sick workers that could affect store operations and disrupt the food supply."]
Civil unions available in NJ to gay couples starting Monday boston.com 2/17/7 ["With the law in place, New Jersey is becoming one of just five states to offer all the legal benefits of marriage to gay partners.  ...At least few hundred of the state's estimated 20,000 gay couples -- those who have civil unions or marriages from other states or nations that allow them -- were automatically considered to be in civil unions in New Jersey at 12:01 a.m. Monday."]
Thousands of illegal aliens held in camps and legal limbo news.yahoo.com 2/17/7 ["The government has also created an immigrant detention center in Raymondville, Texas, just a few kilometers (miles) from the Mexican border, where 2,000 detainees live in big tents without windows awaiting deportation.  The immigrants held there have no access to lawyers, and the conditions of their detention have sparked criticism from various organizations, including the American Bar Association (ABA), which has sent the government a letter to express its concern."]
Mardi Gras revellers pack New Orleans reuters.co.uk 2/17/7 ["Attendance this year is expected to be above last year, when estimates ranged as low as 400,000, but still below the pre-storm level of about 1 million people."]
 

Use of the Words 'Natural Family' Ruled Hate Speech, Appeal Hearing Underway lifesite.net 2/15/7 ["On Thursday morning, in a special session being held at the Stanford University Law School campus a critical First Amendment case is being argued before the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case deals squarely with the issue of whether Christians have a right to use neutral language in the workplace to talk about same-sex marriage and other issues at the forefront of national debate."]
Olmert: Israel Will Have To Surrender Golan For Peace With Syria allheadlinenews.com 2/15/7 ["The whole world knows that in any future negotiations, if they are renewed, we will have to give up on the entire Golan Heights  ...Six Day War. During the 19 years prior to that conflict, Syria used the plateau to perpetrate constant shelling and sniping attacks on Israelis living in the valleys below, and even tried to divert streams originating on the Golan that provide one-third of Israel's water."]
India, China, Russia call for fairer world order washingtonpost.com 2/15/7 ["I believe there is great complementarity and potential for tripartite cooperation ... We discussed how to widen and deepen cooperation in fields like energy, transport, economy and trade."  Analysts said economic necessities would likely override pending security concerns between India and China, at least at this summit. China's close relationship with India's arch-rival Pakistan and its military power have long worried New Delhi."]
States Struggle To Cover Retirees newswithviews.com 2/15/7 [By: Devvy Kidd  "...how to close a $51 trillion dollar fiscal gap: "To give you idea how big the problem is, you'd have to have an immediate and permanent 78 percent hike in the federal income tax. More than double the payroll tax, immediately and forever, from 15.3 percent of wages to nearly 32 percent; Raise income taxes by two thirds (roughly 78%), immediately and forever; Cut Social Security and Medicare benefits by 45 percent, immediately and forever;""]
Forget the "E-Word" - Let's Save the "C-Word" newswithviews.com 2/15/7 [By Paul Proctor  "But it's not just the definition of the "E-Word" (Evangelical) or the new dirty "F-Word" (Fundamentalist) that has changed. The "C-Word" has also lost its meaning and value. I mean, just stop for a moment and consider who and what are being called "Christian" these days:..."]
Immigration fees spike up to 86% philippinenews.com 2/15/7 ["The proposed fee increases range from $65 to as much as $2,350, depending on the type of immigration or naturalization application the applicant is seeking. Across the board, the proposal highlights an average increase for application and petition fees of approximately 86 percent.  USCIS claims, however, the increase in actual costs will be only 66 percent because applicants for adjustment of status will no longer be required to pay a fee to apply for interim benefits."  Editor: this will just encourage illegal immigration.]
Planned Parenthood Promotes Morning After Pill Bill With Rallies lifenews.com 2/15/7 ["Studies, including one done by a Planned Parenthood medical director in San Francisco, find the morning after pill does not reduce abortion and pregnancy rates."]
Lego Bionicles: Good or bad? crossroad.to 2/15/7 ["Lego is promoting new age role playing along with "dumbing down" what used to be an educational toy!"]
Philadelphia 11' told 'gays' limited speech worldnetdaily.com 2/15/7 ["The judge's precedent would allow police to arrest anyone at any public gathering simply because they have what the judge called "a contrary message,""]
Churches in praise of … Darwin! answersingenesis.org 2/15/7 ["hundreds of churches are gearing up to celebrate—yes—“Evolution Sunday” this weekend (February 11). These “Evolution Sundays” are held near the time of Charles Darwin’s birthday (February 12)."]
 

San Francisco: Anniversary of same-sex weddings sfgate.com 2/14/7 ["San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom received a hero's tribute from hundreds of same-sex couples and their supporters at a rally Monday to mark the three-year anniversary of the granting of marriage licenses to more than 4,000 gay and lesbian couples."]
Outsourcing: Ripoff Nation businessweek.com 2/14/7 ["entrepreneurs who are considering outsourcing their manufacturing to China are aware of the risks: quality problems, postponed deliveries, and the ever-present intellectual-property theft, for starters.  ...experts say manufacturers there can undercut their clients by producing similar products at cheaper prices in as little as two years."]
Network of Homosexual Political Donors Influencing State Election Campaigns lifesite.net 2/14/7 ["a network of wealthy homosexual philanthropists, led by Colorado technology billionaire Tim Gill, who joined forces in the last election to target state level politicians opposed to homosexuality by donating to competing candidates.  ...Gill’s network of donors contributed more than $3 million to target specific state-level candidates in the 2006 elections. Fifty of the seventy targeted candidates were defeated."]
Israel: Ruins discovered at Mughrabi site jpost.com 2/14/7 ["As the controversy swirls around the construction of the new bridge leading to the Temple Mount at the Mughrabi Gate, archeologists have already uncovered finds from the medieval period and early Islamic era that shed new light on Jerusalem's history.  ...the most interesting find is that we have found the evidence which suggests that right under the Umayyad ruins are Byzantine ruins [135-638], and under these, we believe there are Herodian roads and other ruins from the Second Temple period."]
France takes the plunge into globalized education iht.com 2/14/7 ["The idea now is not to set a divide between the nationals and the foreigners, but to have a constant mix, all the time, and learn from each other as they discover different ways of looking at life.  ...We live in an international world and should be able to enjoy the riches that Europe has to offer in terms of culture, knowledge and economy," Reilly said. "Our work is to promote a sense of cultural diversity."]
N. Korea: Nuclear shutdown temporary jpost.com 2/14/7 ["North Korean state media said Tuesday evening that the international pact Pyongyang agreed to earlier in the day requires only a temporary suspension of the country's nuclear facilities.  ...Under the deal, the North would receive an initial 50,000 tons worth of aid in heavy fuel oil for shutting down and sealing its main nuclear reactor, to be confirmed by international inspectors, Chinese envoy Wu Dawei said. The North would eventually receive another 950,000 tons in aid for irreversibly disabling the reactor."]
Trade gap sets record for 5th year azcentral.com 2/14/7 ["the gap between what America sells abroad and what it imports rose to a record $763.6 billion last year, a 6.5 percent increase from the previous record $716.7 billion set in 2005.  ...more than 3 million manufacturing jobs have been lost since Bush took office, with about one-third of those losses attributed to the rising deficit in manufactured goods."]
Towns Chasing Workers, Not Just Jobs businessweek.com 2/14/7 ["The region surrounding Grand Rapids lost some 27,000 jobs between 2000 and 2004, 90% of them in manufacturing. And service jobs that took their place pay, on average, about half as much.  ...The alliance wants to woo virtual workers, or professionals who can work from their homes or other nonoffice settings, regardless of the employer's location."]
God, Darwin clash again in Kansas reuters.com 2/14/7 ["the board's move to restore standards that anti-evolution forces rewrote in 1999, only to be followed with a rewrite by evolution supporters in 2001 and then the anti-evolution board in 2005."]
 

Accelerating Middle Class Poverty newswithviews.com 2/13/7 [By Frosty Wooldridge  "In Bedford Heights, Cleveland, Ohio five years ago, a Hunger Network food pantry served 50 families per month. Today, 700 families depend on the pantry for food. Why? Manufacturing jobs shrink with outsourcing, offshoring, insourcing and millions of ILLegal migrants taking jobs from American citizens."]
Jerusalem mayor suspends Temple Mount work ynetnews.com 2/13/7 ["Mayor Lupolianski postpones work on bridge near Temple Mount in a bid to ease Muslim anger at disputed construction plans, giving public time to file letters of reservation"]
 

Abortion in Portugal to be legalised theaustralian.news.com.au 2/12/7 ["ruling Socialists will use their majority in parliament to legalise abortion after today's referendum on the issue failed because turnout was too low to make it binding.  ...Those who oppose abortion questioned Mr Socrates' interpretation of the vote.   ...Low voter turnout has confirmed that (abortion) was not a critical issue."]
Anti-Immigration Fuels KKK Resurgence cbsnews.com 2/12/7 ["As it did from its founding, the KKK views itself has having a religious dimension. Members see "lighting" a cross as a symbol of faith. Today, Christian Evangelicals are much more likely than mainstream Protestants or Roman Catholics to believe that "newcomers threaten traditional American customs and values," according to the Pew Research Center.  It is this trend in attitudes that the Klan hopes to use in recruiting new supporters among those opposed to U.S. immigration policies and practices, according to Klan leaders and expert observers. "  Editor: two for the price of one.  One: suggest evangelicals are likely candidates for bigotry. 2: suggest that those concerned about illegal immigration are harborouring KKK sentiments.]
Mobile carriers facilitate cash transfers reuters.co.uk 2/12/7 ["Mobile communications operators and banks joined forces on Monday to make it easier and cheaper for hundreds of millions of immigrants and migrant workers to send money home by using their mobile phones.  The aim is to reduce the transaction costs of sending small amounts of cash to just a few percent, from a current 24 percent for amounts as small as 25 pounds."]
High Alert in Jerusalem as Arab Leadership Plans More Rioting israelnationalnews.com 2/12/7 ["Supreme Supervision Committee of Israel's Arabs announced Saturday that it does not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the site of the Al-Aksa mosque, and sees the eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem as occupied territory. The committee, which includes representatives from most factions and organizations in the Israeli Arab sector, held a special session to discuss the renovation work being done near the Rambam Gate."]
Strict Abortion Bill Revisited in S.D. heraldsun.com 2/12/7 [""]
US ‘prepares for failure’ in Iraq surge timesonline.co.uk 2/12/7 ["At least one Iraqi brigade showed up for duty last week at only 55% or 60% of its full strength. Gates told the Senate armed services committee last week that it was not “good enough”. “We are hoping it [the surge] will succeed, planning for it to succeed, allocating the resources for it to succeed,” Gates said, but he added that troops could be moved “out of harm’s way” if it failed."]
 

Putin Blasts U.S. for Its Use of Force guardian.co.uk 2/11/7 ["blasted the United States Saturday for the ``almost uncontained'' use of force in the world, and for encouraging other countries to acquire nuclear weapons."]
Islamic Jihad to support new PA gov't jpost.com 2/11/7 ["Saudi Arabia promised $1 billion in aid to the Palestinians after Hamas and Fatah delegates reached a breakthrough.  ...the unity government has been asked to "honor" the agreements with Israel, as well as resolutions of the United Nations and Arab summits pertaining to the Israeli-Arab conflict.  Moreover, the Fatah-Hamas agreement does not require the unity government to explicitly recognize Israel's right to exist or Hamas to renounce violence, which was another of the Quartet's requirements.  The two parties agreed to end internecine fighting and to work toward consolidating national unity. "]
US masons rev up to attract members news.scotsman.com 2/11/7 ["The Scottish Rite, which represents more than 500,000 freemasons across the United States, has joined major American brands such as Budweiser as a sponsor of Nascar racing. The masons will this year be the principal sponsors of car number 34, driven by rookie Brian Conz who is himself a member of the organisation.  There will be no charge to the organisation, however - instead they will offer masonic activities to the racing team. "]
Financial world braces for huge Chinese investment fund news.yahoo.com 2/11/7 ["The State Foreign Exchange Investment Company is expected to spend its money on a wide array of investment targets at home and abroad, from oil and gas to financial assets and entire companies, analysts said.  ...estimates that the share of US-dollar Treasury bonds is now 60 percent of China's forex reserves, down from 70 percent five years ago.  ...It is an amount of money that could rattle global financial markets if allowed to flow out of China in a reckless manner, according to commentators."]

Violent clashes at Temple Mount over renovations news.independent.co.uk 2/10/7 ["Riot police moved into the grounds using teargas and stun grenades in an operation which sent smoke rising from the compound and which they said was to disperse protesters throwing stones, metal bars and rubbish at the end of Friday noon prayers in the mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine."]
 Gay actors find Hollywoodn't seattlepi.nwsource.com 2/10/7 ["The mellow response to these celebrity self-outings is a far cry from what happened after DeGeneres' "Yep, I'm Gay" announcement on the cover of Time magazine. Back then, some predicted the end of DeGeneres' career. Ten years later, she's anything but unemployed: She's hosting next month's Oscars, currently helming her own Emmy-winning talk show and serving as one of the celeb faces of American Express."]
 Engineer: GPS shoes make people findable boston.com 2/10/7 ["The company is selling 1,000 limited-edition shoes online and already has orders for 750"]
 EU Threatens to Withdraw Aid to Nicaragua if Pro-Life Law Remains lifesite.net 2/10/7 ["Nicaragua’s previous abortion law had a loophole which allowed for the killing of the unborn child if the life or health of the mother was determined to be in danger. The ambiguity of the “health” clause in most countries around the globe has eventually led to practical abortion on demand. Nicaragua’s previous law also allowed the child to be killed in utero if she was conceived through rape."]
 China builds a superpower fighter iht.com 2/10/7 ["Footage of the new aircraft firing missiles and refueling in flight was shown on state-controlled television, and Chinese defense magazines have published lengthy reports with photographs of the single-engine fighter.  ...the new fighter is further evidence that double-digit increases in defense spending over much of the last 15 years are being converted into sharply increased firepower for the People's Liberation Army.  ...China had so far put about 60 J-10s into service and that these, in combination with China's advanced Russian-designed fighters, would give the mainland "supremacy over Taiwan in the air.""]
 Italy, U.K., Canada Plan $1.5 Billion Vaccine Fund bloomberg.com 2/10/7 ["to help develop vaccines for infectious diseases and curb infant mortality in the developing world in a pilot project run by the G-7 group of nations.  Italy will be the biggest donor, giving $635 million, with the U.K. putting in $485 million and Canada $200 million, according to a statement released at a ceremony in Rome today. Norway will contribute $54 million and Russia will give $80 million. Microsoft Corp. Chairman and philanthropist Bill Gates will provide $50 million.  ...The delegation traveled to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI before the briefing."]
 Study Shows Higher Rate of Birth Defects in Babies Conceived Through Fertility Treatment lifesite.net 2/10/7 ["The most common defect found in artificially conceived children was in the gastrointestinal region and varied from defects in the structure of the abdominal wall to internal organs developing in the wrong place. Artificially conceived children were 9 times more likely to suffer such problems - which translates into 1 in 200 births versus 6 per 10,000 for children conceived naturally."]

 ‘Contraceptive’ Push by Abortion Business Leads to Largest Ever Surge in UK Abortion lifesite.net 2/9/7 ["Almost 6,000 abortions were carried out in January alone by the nine Marie Stopes International abortion centers in the UK, the highest rate ever in the last 32 years.
MSI staff professed themselves “taken aback” at the surge in abortion demand despite a campaign to promote the use of emergency contraception. Described as a massive publicity drive, the campaign urged women to purchase the morning-after pill and promoted the MSI “party purse”, according to a report by the UK News, including the pill, condoms and a guide to sexual health."]
 High yields are driving Wall Street into 'catastrophe' bonds iht.com 2/9/7 ["Swiss Reinsurance, the world's largest reinsurer, estimates that the market for insurance-linked securities, which includes things like "bird flu bonds," will grow to $350 billion in a decade after more than quadrupling to $27 billion in the past five years."  Editor: Signs of the times...]
 China Province Will Release Names of Forced Abortion Policy Violators lifenews.com 2/9/7 ["Those who violate the one-child law can be fined as much as $6,000 but the amount has not deterred wealthier Chinese from flouting the policy."]
 'Doomsday' vault design unveiled news.bbc.co.uk 2/9/7 ["The final design for a "doomsday" vault that will house seeds from all known varieties of food crops has been unveiled by the Norwegian government.  ...Can you imagine an effective, efficient, sustainable response to climate change, water shortages, food security issues without what is going to go in the vault - it is the raw material of agriculture."  Editor: Another sign of our times...]
 Iran tests Sark anti-ship missiles upi.com 2/9/7 ["The tests came the same day that Iran said it had also "successfully tested a TOR-M1 air defense missile system recently supplied by Russia. "]
 

 Officials urged to resign for lie about border agents wnd.com 2/8/7 ["A Republican congressman is calling for the resignation of Department of Homeland Security officials who he says lied about the case of two Border Patrol agents imprisoned for their actions in the shooting of a drug smuggler."]
 From 2003-2006 Bush Administration - $122 Million to Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research lifesite.net 2/8/7 ["The $122 million were spent specifically on research with stem cell lines derived from experimentation with live human embryos which resulted in their deaths.  Through the National Institutes of Health, the Bush administration also funded human non-embryonic (adult) stem cell research at higher levels. From 2003-2006, the Bush administration spent $799 million on such research. Non-human (animal) embryonic and non-embryonic stem cell research was also funded in the hundreds of millions."]
 Questioning Vaccines Is Not "Fueled By Ignorance" newswithviews.com 2/8/7 [Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, DO  "But vaccine injuries are real despite claims that occurrences are rare. Fears of developing autism as a result of vaccination have been dismissed by mainstream medicine which prefers to attribute the increase incidence of autism, currently at 1 in 166 children...  If vaccines were safe, manufacturers would not require federal legislation to protect them from liability. If vaccines were effective, no one would question the value of their use. If vaccines were good for us, state mandates would not be necessary to force them upon children."]
 Iran’s Guards to hold war games in Gulf, reports say ynetnews.com 2/8/7 ["Missile units of Revolutionary Guard’s naval and air forces to hold two days of military exercises that will focus on launching missiles, Islamic Republic news agencies say "]
 Managing Globalization: The global quest for a second passport 2/8/7 ["While global capital and trade flows continue to increase, and indeed to accelerate, labor is the factor whose mobility always seems to lag. Political and cultural constraints have slowed the formulation of economically driven migration policies. As a result, people around the world have been resorting to a much more idiosyncratic means of migration: the pursuit of citizenship."]
 Harvard in biggest curriculum overhaul in 30 years iht.com 2/8/7 ["The curriculum at the oldest U.S. university has been criticized as focusing too narrowly on academic topics instead of real-life issues  ...One of the eight new required subject areas -- "societies of the world" -- aims to help students overcome U.S. "parochialism" by "acquainting them with the values, customs and institutions that differ from their own  ...Other new requirements include the study of empirical reasoning, ethical reasoning, the science of living systems, the science of the physical universe, and "aesthetic and interpretive understanding"."]
 Gay teens coming out earlier to peers and family usatoday.com 2/8/7 ["In my generation, you definitely didn't come out in high school. You had to move away from home to be gay," says Kevin Jennings, 43, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a national group that promotes a positive school climate for gay kids. "Now so many are out while they're still at home. They're more vocal than we were.  ...Youths also swim in a cultural sea that's far more pro-gay than ever, says Ritch Savin-Williams, a psychologist at Cornell University and author of The New Gay Teenager. From MTV's The Real World to Will & Grace and Ellen DeGeneres hosting the Oscars, "kids can see gays in a positive light," he says. "]
 

 U.S. companies prepare for bird flu pandemic reuters.com 2/7/7 ["a few international companies and small regional firms were already making bird flu planning a full-time job, and said on Tuesday they have had to prepare for the unthinkable.  ...During a pandemic, workplaces can likely experience high absenteeism -- probably as much as 40 percent of the workforce," OSHA official Amanda Edens told reporters."]
 War tax sought as US Congress debates Bush budget alertnet.org 2/7/7 ["U.S. debt has risen $3 trillion since Bush took office in 2001. That debt skyrocketed following an economic slowdown that began in late 2000 and Bush tax cuts amid huge increases in spending for government-run health programs, the military and domestic security after Sept. 11.  ...it was unacceptable to eliminate federal reimbursements for costs of jailing illegal immigrants."]
 UK poultry import bans to cost millions ft.com 2/7/7 ["Ireland, Russia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Korea, Japan and Jersey announced bans on imports of poultry from the UK, which Defra, the food, agriculture and rural affairs department, said it expected to last until the UK had achieved “disease free status”.  The action came as veterinary officials moved last night towards completing the cull of 159,000 turkeys in the Holton site of Bernard Matthews, the UK-based private poultry producer, where infected birds began dying last Tuesday."]
 Gun sales triple in Lebanon ynetnews.com 2/7/7 ["With the increased armament, there was growing concern over the eruption of a civil war, like the one that ravaged Lebanon from 1975 to 1990."]
 

 Service sector growth rate continues monthly increase azcentral.com 2/6/7 ["The service industries covered by the ISM report represent about 80 percent of the nation's economic activity, and economists are looking for the sector to be a driver of growth in 2007 as the manufacturing sector struggles with weakness in the automotive and housing industries."]
 Action Call as German Homeschooled 17-year-old Sentenced to Child Psychiatry Unit lifesite.net 2/6/7 ["Home school legal defense explains the situation stressing that this is a case of Germany attempting to keep down a surge in the popularity of homeschooling which remains illegal in Germany. "Homeschooling was first banned under Adolf Hitler, and that ban is still enforced today," says the association."]
 Fellow Americans In Colorado Need Your Help Now newswithviews.com 2/6/7 [By Devvy Kidd"Right now our fellow Americans in Southeastern Colorado face losing their homes, their land and their way of life. The U.S. Army is seeking to take over the entire Southeastern corner of Colorado to expand their training facility called Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site"]
 U.S. set to begin a vast expansion of DNA sampling iht.com 2/6/7 ["The Justice Department is completing rules to allow the collection of DNA from most people arrested or detained by federal authorities, a vast expansion of DNA gathering that will include hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants, by far the largest group affected.  The new forensic DNA sampling was authorized by Congress in a little-noticed amendment to a January 2006 renewal of the Violence Against Women Act..."]
 Pro-Life Group Says Arkansas' Ratifying ERA Would Promote Abortion lifenews.com 2/6/7 [""In other states, major national pro-ERA organizations have argued that laws limiting tax-funded abortions or requiring parental consent for minors' abortions violate ERAs..."]
 UK: Animal-human hybrid embryos get go-ahead news.independent.co.uk 2/6/7 ["The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has told MPs that it does not believe the innovative research, which could help patients with Alzheimer's disease, should be outlawed."]
 Planned Slavery newswithviews.com 2/6/7 [By Dennis L. Cuddy, Ph.D.  "Remember, the WTO has literally told the U.S. Congress which federal laws Congress had to change to comply with WTO rulings, and Congress has complied.  ...U.S. tax laws for a long time have said if a corporation relocates a factory overseas and repatriates its profits back into the U.S., the corporation has to pay taxes on those profits. But if the corporation keeps its profits overseas, they are not taxed! Could there be any greater incentive for corporations to destroy American workers' jobs and keep their profits away from the U.S.?"]
Russia: Member of State Duma Chuyev considers gay parades as propaganda of homosexuality interfax-religion.com 2/6/7 ["According to Chuyev, homosexuality propaganda ‘is really destructing’ as it leads ‘to destruction of families, atomization of society and breaking of normal and natural gender relations.’"]
 German Court Bars Stealth PC Search abclocal.go.com 2/6/7 ["The decision of the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe bars police from using software to search through remote hard drives unless parliament passes a law explicitly allowing the technique. Police, however, still will be allowed to seize evidence from PCs when conducting searches in person."]
 Idea Would Require Couples to Have Kids sfgate.com 2/6/7 ["Proponents of same-sex marriage have introduced a ballot measure that would require heterosexual couples to have a child within three years or have their marriages annulled.  ...The group said the proposal was aimed at "social conservatives who have long screamed that marriage exists for the sole purpose of procreation.""]
 Kids' Suicides Rise, CDC Report Finds time.com 2/6/7 ["the increase coincided with regulatory action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that led to a black box warning on prescription packages cautioning that antidepressants could cause suicidal behavior in children."  Editor:  hmmm, I wonder what is causing it?]
 

 Tolerance As A Tool For Transformation newswithviews.com 2/5/7 [By Berit Kjos  "During the 20th century, socialist visionaries redefined tolerance and began using it as an effective weapon against Biblical values. Trained facilitators (in schools, government, corporations and churches) began turning cultural norms upside down -- then held the masses accountable to the new cultural guidelines."]
 U.S. contractors becoming a virtual fourth branch of government iht.com 2/5/7 ["On the rise for decades, spending on federal contracts has soared during the Bush administration, to about $400 billion in 2006 from $207 billion in 2000, fueled by the war in Iraq, domestic security and Hurricane Katrina, but also by a philosophy that encourages outsourcing almost everything government does.  Contractors still build ships and satellites, but they also collect income taxes and work up agency budgets, fly pilotless spy aircraft and take the minutes at policy meetings on the war. They sit next to federal employees at nearly every agency; far more people work under contracts than are directly employed by the government."]
 France Tells U.S. to Sign Climate Pacts or Face Tax nytimes.com 2/5/7 ["a carbon tax across Europe on imports from nations that have not signed the Kyoto treaty could be imposed to try to force compliance. The European Union is the largest export market for American goods."]
 New report says military attack on Iran would be disastrous iht.com 2/5/7 ["Iran's links with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the West Bank and Gaza as well as Shia constituencies in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf States make regional retaliation against any military attack on Iran likely," the report said. "U.K. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan could be particularly vulnerable, with significant losses possible."]
 

 Bomber Kills As Many As 121 in Baghdad abcnews.go.com 2/4/7 ["The Health Ministry put the figure at 105 killed and 331 wounded. 
Maj. Gen. Jihad al-Jabiri of the Interior Ministry told state television the truck was carrying a ton of explosives and destroyed 10 buildings. "]
 Floods in Indonesian capital worsen; 145,000 now homeless iht.com 2/4/7 ["Government agencies are struggling to provide aid to the homeless, many of whom are staying with friends or family on higher ground at mosques and government agencies. Some are holding out on the second floors of their homes, refusing to be relocated by soldiers in rubber dinghies, officials said."]
 46 Nations Back Body to Protect Planet abcnews.go.com 2/4/7 ["The charge led by French President Jacques Chirac came a day after the release of an authoritative and disturbingly grim scientific report in Paris that said global warming is "very likely" caused by mankind and that climate change will continue for centuries even if heat-trapping gases are reduced.  ...The United Nations also is considering a summit of world leaders to tackle global warming"]
 $65 Harry Potter Edition Topping Charts chippewa.com 2/4/7 ["It's months away from being on bookshelves, but fans can't get enough of the seventh _ and final _ Harry Potter book, no matter the cost.  ...Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," published in 2005, had an announced first U.S. printing of 10.8 million copies and sold 6.9 million copies in its first 24 hours."]
 

 US fighter jets to patrol Iran-Iraq border, report says ynetnews.com 2/2/7 ["Such missions also could position the Air Force to strike suspected bomb suppliers inside Iraq to deter Iranian agents that US officials say are assisting Iraqi militias, outside military experts were quoted by the LA Times said."]
 CDC practices for the 'Big One' mercurynews.com 2/2/7 ["The drill involved close to 300 CDC employees and was designed to run over a 24-hour period, from Wednesday to Thursday. Most of the action was at CDC's emergency operations center - the agency's equivalent to NASA's Mission Control in Houston."]
 'Proof' Temple Mount 'belongs to Muslims' worldnetdaily.com 2/2/7 ["At a ceremony in the Al Aqsa Mosque, the podium is set to be unveiled and installed at the "exact spot" Waqf officials state the prophet Muhammad went up to heaven to receive revelations from Allah. The podium will be used by Al Aqsa preachers to deliver sermons.  The new stand replaces a 1,000-year-old podium believed to have been shipped to Jerusalem by the Islamic conqueror Saladin. That stand was destroyed in 1969, when an Australian tourist set fire to the Al Aqsa Mosque. "]
 Montana moves to reject Real ID law usatoday.com 2/2/7 ["The Montana House of Representatives expects to vote today on a bill that would make Montana the first state to ignore the Real ID law, which requires states to demand a minimum standard of proof of residency from people seeking driver's licenses.  ...Residents of states that don't comply will be barred from using their licenses or state IDs to board airplanes, open bank accounts or enter federal buildings."]
 He Calls Himself God msnbc.msn.com 2/2/7 ["he presides over a sprawling organization that includes more than 300 congregations in two dozen countries, from Argentina to Australia. He counts more than 100,000 followers and claims to reach millions more through a 24-hour TV channel, a radio show and several Web sites. He is supported by the generosity of his devotees, who have launched some 450 businesses to pour cash into Growing in Grace's coffers.  ...Some observers call Growing in Grace a cult. De Jesus exerts total authority over the ministry."  Editor:  Mat 24:23-24 reminds us "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."]
 Somalia imposes martial law, AU to send in troops taipeitimes.com 2/2/7 [" "Martial law will be implemented across government-controlled areas, starting with Baidoa tonight," he announced late on Tuesday on state-run radio, invoking a three-month emergency law passed by parliament on Jan. 13.  He warned that remnants of the ousted Islamic movement had returned to some areas and would try to further destabilize the already lawless country."]
 Gay Mexican cleared to call US home theage.com.au 2/2/7 ["A GAY Mexican has been granted asylum in the US after an immigration judge ruled that homosexuals suffered severe persecution in Mexico.  ...It's been a long, long wait to get to this point where I feel today, secure and happy," he said."]
 Lesbians form Mexico's first gay civil union reuters.com 2/2/7 ["The law recognizing gay unions, which was passed on January 11, gives homosexual couples similar rights to heterosexual married couples."]
 Cost balloons when 'surge' support troops are counted cnn.com 2/2/7 ["It estimates that under past proportions, 28,000 support troops would be added to the 20,000 combat troops. But it revises that figure to 15,000 support troops for a new deployment.  That would bring the total number of forces being added in Iraq to between 35,000 and 48,000 troops, the report said.  The report estimates that a four-month deployment of the additional troops -- both combat and support -- could cost $9 billion to $13 billion and a 12-month deployment could cost $20 billion to $27 billion."]
 

 Evidence of Media Bias: Big Three Networks Ignore March for Life but not 'Peace Surge' lifesite.net 2/1/7 ["On Monday, January 22, none of the networks sent a Washington reporter a few blocks down to the March for Life. CBS and NBC offered brief anchor snippets noting "both sides" of the abortion debate would protest on the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision, ignoring that one side brings tens of thousands to Washington, and the other side numbers in the tens. ABC did nothing."]
 Chavez gains free rein in Venezuela chron.com 2/1/7 [""Long live the sovereign people! Long live President Hugo Chavez! Long live socialism!" said National Assembly President Cilia Flores as she proclaimed the "enabling law" approved by a show of hands. "Fatherland, socialism or death! We will prevail!"  The law gives Chavez, who is beginning a fresh six-year term, more power than he has ever had in eight years as president, and he plans to use it during the next 18 months to transform broad areas of public life, from the economy and the oil industry in particular, to "social matters" and the very structure of the state."]
 Because of waning loan revenues, IMF advised to sell gold reserves to help meet expenses iht.com 2/1/7 ["The sale would raise about $6.6 billion (€5.1 billion) and profits could yield some $195 million (€150.5 million) a year in returns, the report said.  ...That proposal has been opposed by the United States and some of the other major industrialized countries, worried that any sale could destabilize the gold market. The United States is the largest shareholder in the IMF and could block any gold sale."]
 Indonesia plans to declare bird flu a national disaster canada.com 2/1/7 ["Indonesia will declare bird flu a national disaster, giving the government access to special funds to combat the disease that has killed 63 people, the planning minister said.  "It has become an epidemic," Paskah Suzetta said Wednesday in Jakarta, where authorities were preparing for the compulsory slaughter of thousands of backyard chickens as part of high-profile efforts to fight the H5N1 bird flu virus."]
 Should Christian Bookstores Offer Anything From Bibles To Porn? newswithviews.com 2/1/7 [By Paul Proctor  "It makes me wonder if this could be the reason many owners and operators of so called "Christian bookstores" secretly offer books and materials they know are unbiblical and spiritually dangerous to their unsuspecting customers - because they won't know the difference."]
 US strike group transits Suez Canal jpost.com 2/1/7 ["The seven-vessel Bataan group includes 2,200 US Marines and sailors, helicopters and Harrier fighter jets, the Navy said in Bahrain.  The US Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, will be overseeing around 50 warships in the Mideast after the arrival of the Bataan and an American aircraft carrier group in February, said US Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown.  The Fifth Fleet normally commands a fleet of about 45 ships, about a third of them from US-allied navies, Brown said. "]
 Utah State House Committee Approves Bill Banning Most Abortions lifenews.com 2/1/7 ["The House Health and Human Services Committee adopted the abortion ban that would prohibit abortions except to save the mother's life, in cases of rape or incest or ''substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.''  Rep. Paul Ray, a Republican, sponsored the measure and told the Tribune newspaper he looks forward to a likely legal challenge. He also said the state would put together a fund that pro-life advocates could contribute to that would gather as much as $1 million for legal defense of the bill."]
 Florida governor wants to dump touch-screen voting sciam.com 2/1/7 ["Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday said he would propose abandoning touch-screen voting machines adopted after the disputed 2000 presidential race and replacing them with devices that provide a paper record."]