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An International Missionary Outreach Dedicated to Evangelizing the Lost and Equipping the Church for Discernment

Weekly News In Review

February 6 - 19, 2006

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The following articles were posted at www.understandthetimes.org this past week:

'Iran is world's most serious threat since WWII'
Iran’s Leader, Ahmadinejad, Calls on Nations to “Remove Israel”
Russia: Hamas Talks Anger Israel
Churches to mark Darwin's birthday
United Arab Emirates firm to operate six major U.S. ports
Church Digs Mel Gibson's $5 Million
Iranian Newspaper Begins Holocaust Cartoon Contest
World Apostolate of Fatima Sees Status Upgraded
Pope Backs More Collaboration With World Council of Churches
Jordan's king urges moderates to unite
Brightest Galactic Flash Ever Detected Hits Earth
Couple's implant chips take love to a new level
Iran to unleash suicide bombers
Iran Recruits Suicide Bombers to Fight "Global Blasphemy"
Toxic toads 'threaten disaster'
Employees get microchip implants
Russian Top Brass Does not Rule Out Use of Military Force Against Iran
White House Defends Port Sale to Arab Co.
Turkey Latest Country to Open Doors to Hamas

Article: Wars And Rumors Of Wars

February 7 - 'Iran is world's most serious threat since WWII'

Israel's Ambassador to the United States Danny Ayalon said on Tuesday morning that Iran is the biggest problem facing the world since World War II.

He said the UN Security Council must force Iran to accept real supervision that would prevent the further development of its nuclear program.

If they continue with their plans, Ayalon warned, Iran may have the know-how needed for the production of nuclear weapons by the end of the year.

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Article: Israel And The Last Days

February 12 - Iran’s Leader, Ahmadinejad, Calls on Nations to “Remove Israel”

At a rally in Teheran, commemorating the 27th anniversary of the revolution that created the Islamic republic, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated his call for Israel’s destruction.

"We ask the West to remove what they created sixty years ago, and if they do not listen to our recommendations, then the Palestinian nation and other nations will eventually do this for them," Ahmadinejad said.

"Remove Israel before it is too late and save yourself from the fury of regional nations," proclaimed Ahamdinejad to a crowd of hundreds of thousands of Iranians, according to state media.

Ahamadinejad compared the Holocaust to the caricatures of Mohammed that ignited a wave of violent protests around the Islamic world. "Now in the West insulting the prophet is allowed, but questioning the Holocaust is considered a crime," he said. The cartoons, he said, were part of a “Zionist plot.”

“We ask, why do you insult the prophet? The response is that it is a matter of freedom, while in fact they are hostages of the Zionists. And the people of the U.S. and Europe should pay a heavy price for becoming hostages to Zionists,” he expounded.

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Article: Israel And The Last Days

February 12 - Russia: Hamas Talks Anger Israel

Israel's politicians continued today to criticize Russia's plan to invite Palestinian election-winner Hamas to Moscow for talks. Some Israeli leaders said the decision might even threaten peacemaking prospects. However, France signaled support on 10 February for the Russian plan.

Israel continues to criticize Russia's decision to invite Hamas leaders for talks, following the Islamist group's victory in the 25 January Palestinian elections.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni used tough language today to denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin for granting a meeting to Hamas.

Speaking on army radio, he said that "the Russian invitation is misplaced, superfluous, and will provoke damage." Livni said that the fact that the organization participated in the Palestinian elections "does not whitewash Hamas, which is a terrorist organization."

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Article: Creation - Evolution Debate.

February 11 - Churches to mark Darwin's birthday

NEW YORK -- Nearly 450 Christian churches around the country plan to celebrate the 197th birthday of Charles Darwin on Sunday with programs and sermons intended to emphasize that his theory of biological evolution is compatible with faith and that Christians have no need to choose between religion and science.

"It's to demonstrate, by Christian leaders and members of the clergy, that you don't have to make that choice. You can have both," said Michael Zimmerman, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, who organized the event.

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Article: Islam

February 13 - United Arab Emirates firm to operate six major U.S. ports

The Bush administration has approved a deal in which a United Arab Emirates company would operate six major ports in the United States.

A U.S. government panel has determined that the UAE firm, DP World, would not endanger national security.
DP World, based in Dubai, has offered $6.8 billion for the purchase of a British firm that operates the ports of Baltimore, Miami, New York, New Jersey, New Orleans and Philadelphia, Middle East Newsline reported.

The United Arab Emirates has been described as a leading military ally of the United States. In 2005, the UAE acquired the first 10 of 80 F-16E/F Block 60 multi-role fighters in a $6.4 billion purchase.

But officials said the UAE has not fully responded to repeated appeals from the Treasury Department to halt money-laundering activities exploited by Al Qaida and aligned groups. They said that for years Dubai served as a base for Al Qaida operatives, including those who destroyed the World Trade Center and a Pentagon wing in 2001.

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Article: Roman Catholicism and the Last Days

February 13 - Church Digs Mel Gibson's $5 Million

Mel Gibson made so much money from “The Passion of the Christ” that he’s now putting it where his mouth is, so to speak. He’s continuing to build a religious compound in Malibu for Catholics who reject Vatican II, and is implicitly endorsing his controversial father’s beliefs by helping him launch a similar church in Pennsylvania.

Last year, according to federal tax filings, Gibson parked $5 million of his "Passion" profits in his tax-free private foundation — the same vehicle he’s used to pour millions into a 17-acre religious compound he’s building in Agoura Hills, Calif., at a “secret” rural location.

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Article: Israel And The Last Days

February 13 - Iranian Newspaper Begins Holocaust Cartoon Contest

A prominent Iranian newspaper opened a competition Monday seeking cartoons about the Holocaust in what it called a test of whether the West would be as supportive of freedom of expression over Nazi genocide as it was with caricatures of the Prophet Mohmmad.
Hamshahri one of Iran's top five newspapers, published the international call for cartoons in English and Farsi under the title: "What is the Limit of Western Freedom of Expression?" on its Web site. The announcement also appeared on page 31 of the print version of the paper.

"We don't intend retaliation over the drawings of the prophet. We just want to show that freedom is restricted in the West," said Davood Kazemi, who has been cartoon editor at the paper since 1992 and is executive manager of the contest.

The contest comes in the wake of widespread Muslim fury over the drawings of the Prophet Muhammad and a few months after hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad provoked outrage in Europe for saying Israel should be "wiped off the map" and that the Holocaust was a "myth."

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Article: Roman Catholic Church And Last Days - Mary

February 14 - World Apostolate of Fatima Sees Status Upgraded

A public ceremony, which included a moment of prayer, was held at the Vatican dicastery on Feb. 3.

"It is with great joy that we celebrate this moment of the consignment of the decree of establishment and approval of the Statutes of the World Apostolate of Fatima," said Archbishop Rylko during the ceremony.

"It indicates the occasion when the Holy See formally and joyfully accepts a new subject which has as its goal the sanctification of its own members and the building up of the whole Church," he explained. "At the same time, the lay faithful are confirmed by the Holy See in their right to associate in order to promote a more perfect Christian life and to develop evangelizing activities throughout the whole world."

Dated on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, last Oct. 7, the decree of establishment states: "The members of the World Apostolate of Fatima, spread throughout numerous countries of the world, commit themselves to become faithful witnesses of the Catholic faith in their own families, at work, in the parishes and communities, participating in this way in the New Evangelization. …

"The message of Fatima is more urgent now than ever before, more actual and more essential to the present state of moral and spiritual crisis of our civilization," contended Lopez Ortiz.

The Virgin of Fatima pleaded for prayer and penance in reparation for sins and the conversion of sinners. She also requested more authentic devotion to the Eucharist, to the rosary and consecration to her Immaculate Heart.

The essential themes of the Virgin's message, in her apparitions in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal, to the three little shepherds Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, may be summarized in the need and importance of persevering and continuous prayer; the call to conversion, and urgent commitment to prayer and sacrifices for the conversion of sinners; confidence, commitment and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as the preferential way of Christian life.

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Article: Ecumenical Movement - Protestants Uniting With Roman Catholics

February 14 - Pope Backs More Collaboration With World Council of Churches

Benedict XVI announced his intention to promote more effective collaboration with the World Council of Churches in order to proclaim the love of God.

"Mindful of our shared baptismal faith in the Triune God," says the Holy Father in his message, written in English, "the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches seek ways to cooperate ever more effectively in the task of witnessing to God's divine love."

"After forty years of fruitful collaboration," which began in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, "we look forward to continuing this journey of hope and promise, as we intensify our endeavors towards reaching that day when Christians are united in proclaiming the Gospel message of salvation to all," the Pope adds.

"Mindful of our shared baptismal faith in the Triune God," says the Holy Father in his message, written in English, "the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches seek ways to cooperate ever more effectively in the task of witnessing to God's divine love."

"After forty years of fruitful collaboration," which began in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, "we look forward to continuing this journey of hope and promise, as we intensify our endeavors towards reaching that day when Christians are united in proclaiming the Gospel message of salvation to all," the Pope adds.

"Mindful of our shared baptismal faith in the Triune God," says the Holy Father in his message, written in English, "the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches seek ways to cooperate ever more effectively in the task of witnessing to God's divine love."

"After forty years of fruitful collaboration," which began in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, "we look forward to continuing this journey of hope and promise, as we intensify our endeavors towards reaching that day when Christians are united in proclaiming the Gospel message of salvation to all," the Pope adds.

"Mindful of our shared baptismal faith in the Triune God," says the Holy Father in his message, written in English, "the Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches seek ways to cooperate ever more effectively in the task of witnessing to God's divine love."

"After forty years of fruitful collaboration," which began in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, "we look forward to continuing this journey of hope and promise, as we intensify our endeavors towards reaching that day when Christians are united in proclaiming the Gospel message of salvation to all," the Pope adds.

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Article: Ecumenical Movement - Christianity Uniting With Other Religions

February 3 - Jordan's king urges moderates to unite

King Abdullah II of Jordan quoted from the Bible and the Koran in a brief speech to a lunchtime crowd of 2,000 mostly evangelical Christians yesterday, invoking "our Judeo-Christian-Islamic heritage" and urging moderates of the three great religions to unite.

"At this point in history, our service to God, our countries and our peoples demands that we confront extremism in its myriad forms," he told listeners at the annual National Prayer Breakfast luncheon at the Washington Hilton.

"To overcome this common foe, we must explore the values that unite us, rather than exaggerating the misunderstandings that divide us."

Earlier yesterday, the king gave the benediction at the National Prayer Breakfast attended by 3,600 guests; the first Muslim head of state to be given such a role.

After yesterday's lunch, the king met privately with 23 religious leaders for an hour. Joseph Lumbard, the king's interfaith adviser and a convert to Islam from the Episcopal Church, called the meeting "very, very, very friendly."

Christian leaders included the Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals; the Rev. Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.; Richard Mouw, the president of the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif.; Don Argue, president of Northwest University in Kirkland, Wash.; and Rabbi Arthur Schneier of Park East Synagogue, an Orthodox congregation, in Manhattan

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Article: Signs Of The Last Times

February 18 - Brightest Galactic Flash Ever Detected Hits Earth

A huge explosion halfway across the galaxy packed so much power it briefly altered Earth's upper atmosphere in December, astronomers said Friday.

No known eruption beyond our solar system has ever appeared as bright upon arrival.

But you could not have seen it, unless you can top the X-ray vision of Superman: In gamma rays, the event equaled the brightness of the full Moon's reflected visible light.

The blast originated about 50,000 light-years away and was detected Dec. 27. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, about 6 trillion miles (10 trillion kilometers).

The commotion was caused by a special variety of neutron star known as a magnetar. These fast-spinning, compact stellar corpses -- no larger than a big city -- create intense magnetic fields that trigger explosions. The blast was 100 times more powerful than any other similar eruption witnessed, said David Palmer of Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of several researchers around the world who monitored the event with various telescopes.

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Article: One World Religion

February 16 - Couple's implant chips take love to a new level

Grand gestures of love take many forms on Valentine's Day -- flowers, chocolate, romantic dinners -- but a tech-savvy couple has taken it to a new level.

Jennifer Tomblin and Amal Graafstra have made the most modern declaration of their affection for each other, with implanted electronic chips that allow them unfettered access to each other's lives.

It's called Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID. Both have had a small electronic chip embedded under their skin that grants access to each other's front doors and home computers.

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Article: Islam

February 20 - Iran to unleash suicide bombers

A GATHERING of Iranians who claim they are dedicated to becoming suicide bombers warned the US and Britain yesterday of attacks on coalition military bases in Iraq if there were a strike against Tehran's nuclear facilities.

"With more than 1000 trained martyrdom-seekers, we are ready to attack the American and British sensitive points if they attack Iran's nuclear facilities," said Mohammad Ali Samadi, the spokesman of Esteshadion (Martyrdom Seekers). "We have registered more than 52,000 people who willingly are ready to defend their country.

"If they strike, we have a lot of volunteers. Their (US and British) sensitive places are quiet close to Iranian borders," Mr Samadi said after a gathering of about 200 students for a seminar on the suicide-bombing tactics at Tehran's Khajeh Nasir University.

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Article: Islam

February 19 - Iran Recruits Suicide Bombers to Fight "Global Blasphemy"

Tehran, Iran, Feb. 19 – A group affiliated to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps launched a new recruitment drive for suicide bombers in Tehran to fight against “Global Blasphemy”, state-run news agencies reported.

The Mehr news agency carried a report on Saturday saying that an event entitled “Analysis of ways to act against the offensive of Global Blasphemy” was held in Tehran to mark the anniversary of the fatwa, or religious edict, by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini for the murder of the Indian-born British author Salman Rushdie.

The conference agenda was dominated by the row over the publication of cartoons of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

Mohammad-Ali Samadi, spokesman for the Headquarters to Commemorate the Martyrs of the Global Islamic Movement, a government-orchestrated campaign to recruit suicide bombers, told the meeting that more that 52,000 “volunteers for martyrdom-seeking operations” have been registered by his organisation, which also calls itself “Estesh’hadioun”, or martyrdom-seekers.

The group was set up by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 2004. Those who join have three choices: To carry out suicide attacks against “the infidels occupying Iraq”, against Israel, or against Salman Rushdie.

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Article: Signs Of The Last Times

February 15, 2006 - Toxic toads 'threaten disaster'

The toxic cane toad in Australia is evolving into an "eco-nightmare" capable of covering huge distances, a study in the journal Nature reports.

Scientists say the species Bufo marinus is developing a leggier, faster-moving form that is now hopping out rapidly across the continent.

The toads were introduced 70 years ago to control pests, but have since wrought havoc on indigenous animals.

They kill snakes, lizards, water birds - even crocodiles and dingos.

...They were first introduced to Queensland from South America in 1935, in an attempt to wipe out cane beetles, a pest that was destroying sugar crops in north-east Australia at the time.

Since then, the toads have been sweeping through Australia leaving a trail of dead creatures in their wake

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Article: Technology For Global Monetary System

February 10, 2006 - Employees get microchip implants

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

A Cincinnati company is requiring any employee who works in its secure data center to be implanted with a microchip.

The video surveillance company CityWatcher.com injected two of its employees in the triceps area of the arm with the VeriChip, a glass-encapsulated RFID, or radio-frequency identification, tag, according to Liz McIntyre, co-author of "Spychips: How Major Corporations and Government Plan to Track Your Every Move with RFID."

...The highly controversial device is being marketed as a way to access secure areas, link to medical records and make purchases like a credit card.

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Article: Wars And Rumors Of Wars

February 16, 2006 - Russian Top Brass Does not Rule Out Use of Military Force Against Iran

Russia's chief of staff has not ruled out the use of military force against Iran.

"Will the events lead to a choice of force?" he said speaking to journalists on Thursday, according to RIA-Novosti news agency. "I do not rule this out but a decision by force is not the best."

On Tuesday, Russian political expert Mikhail Delyagin said the United States would launch a missile attack against Iran this summer already. "Lately the demand of U.S. military actions against Iran has become really obvious," he said.

Last week, the senior Russian parliamentary official and leader of the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Vladimir Zhirinovsky said a U.S. attack against Iran was "inevitable." "Any country claiming a leading position in the world will need to wage wars. Otherwise it will simply not be able to retain its leading position. The date for the strike is already known - it is the election day in Israel (March 28). It is also known how much that war will cost," Zhirinovsky said.

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Article: Islam

February 16, 2006 - White House Defends Port Sale to Arab Co.

The Bush administration on Thursday rebuffed criticism about potential security risks of a $6.8 billion sale that gives a company in the United Arab Emirates control over significant operations at six major American ports.

Lawmakers asked the White House to reconsider its earlier approval of the deal.

The sale to state-owned Dubai Ports World was "rigorously reviewed" by a U.S. committee that considers security threats when foreign companies seek to buy or invest in American industry, National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, run by the Treasury Department, reviewed an assessment from U.S. intelligence agencies. The committee's 12 members agreed unanimously the sale did not present any problems, the department said.

"We wanted to look at this one quite closely because it relates to ports," Stewart Baker, an assistant secretary in the Homeland Security Department, told The Associated Press. "It is important to focus on this partner as opposed to just what part of the world they come from. We came to the conclusion that the transaction should not be halted."

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Article: Israel And The Last Days

February 19, 2006 - Turkey Latest Country to Open Doors to Hamas

Turkey has joined the small but growing number of world nations recognizing the Hamas terrorist group as the legitimate representative of the Arabs of the Palestinian Authority.

Hamas chief Khaled Meshal visited Turkey Thursday, meeting with Turkey's foreign minister, Abdullah Gul.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ra'anan Gissin, in an interview with Turkish television, condemned Turkey's decision to host Meshal. "How would you feel if we got together with Abdullah Ocalan?" Gissin asked. Ocalan is the imprisoned leader of a Kurdish group fighting for autonomy in southeast Turkey.

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