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1. Where is the United States in Prophecy?

The Great Depression 2008?
We knew things were bad on Wall Street, but on Main Street it may be worse. Startling official statistics show that as a new economic recession stalks the United States, a record number of Americans will shortly be depending on food stamps just to feed themselves and their families. Dismal projections by the Congressional Budget Office in Washington suggest that in the fiscal year starting in October, 28 million people in the US will be using government food stamps to buy essential groceries, the highest level since the food assistance programme was introduced in the 1960s. The increase – from 26.5 million in 2007 – is due partly to recent efforts to increase public awareness of the programme and also a switch from paper coupons to electronic debit cards. But above all it is the pressures being exerted on ordinary Americans by an economy that is suddenly beset by troubles. Housing foreclosures, accelerating jobs losses and fast-rising prices all add to the squeeze. Emblematic of the downturn until now has been the parades of houses seized in foreclosure all across the country, and myriad families separated from their homes. But now the crisis is starting to hit the country in its gut. Getting food on the table is a challenge many Americans are finding harder to meet. ........ read more

War with Iran May Have Begun with Offensive in Iraq 
The United States military offensive against Iran may have begun with a swiftly escalating series of operations directed against the Mahdi Army, a Shiite militia led by cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, which had been observing a six month old cease-fire. Overall circumstances in support of this conclusion: 1. If attacks against Iran are to commence soon, then it makes sense to weaken those forces considered likely to irrupt in response to such an attack: Better to attack those forces first and separately, throwing them off balance and subjecting them to prolonged siege, thereby depleting their assets and revealing their larger weapon capabilities and stores, prior to an attack on Iran itself; 2. If attacks against Iran are to commence soon, then it makes sense to force an end to the Mahdi Army six month cease-fire and to establish general conditions of conflict, during which accusations and operations against Iran would appear less unprovoked; 3. The recent Bush and Cheney "peace" trips occurred within the planning and operating context of not only the current offensive, but also part of an event platform for operations whose scale and duration certainly extend beyond the forces deployed in the port of Basra during the last week in March, leaving the distinct impression US actions are plan rather than event driven. .... read more

Russia ‘Alarmed’ As US Readies April Nuclear Attack On Iran
Russian Foreign Ministry Officials are reported to be ‘alarmed’ today over a ‘presentation’ made by the United States War Leaders to President Putin at this weeks NATO summit in Romania and which details the Americans plan to begin a nuclear attack against Irans atomic facilities in the next two weeks. Most disturbing of these reports, according to Foreign Ministry Analysts, are the United States ‘offers and threats’ towards Russia to ‘remain neutral’ in this conflict or face the combined weight of the American and EU central banks deliberate collapsing of the Western banking system, and US dollar, and which is estimated will cause the loss of nearly $800 billion of Russian foreign reserves. To the ‘offers’ presented to President Putin for keeping Russia out of this war, these reports continue, will be NATO’s rejection of Ukraine and Georgia membership into the Western Military Alliance and the ending of the planned US Missile Shield being planned for Poland and the Czech Republic... .... read more

The Kingdom 'braces for nuclear war' 
Saudi Arabia is reportedly preparing to counter any 'radioactive hazards' which may result from a US strike on Iran's nuclear plants. Popular government-guided Saudi newspaper Okaz recently reported that the Saudi Shura Council approved of nuclear fallout preparation plans only a day after US Vice President Dick Cheney met with the Kingdom's high ranking officials, including King Abdullah. As a result of the Shura ruling, the Saudi government will start the implementation of 'national plans to deal with any sudden nuclear and radioactive hazards that may affect the Kingdom following expert warnings of possible attacks on Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactors'. As the details of Cheney's recent discussions with his Arab allies remain unclear, pundits have begun to question the timing of the drastic measure by the Shura. Analysts claim the Bush administration had long rattled sabers with Iran over its nuclear program and is now informing its Arab allies of a potential war, in turn, allowing them to take precautionary measures. With the sudden resignation of Admiral William Fallon, a high-ranking US military official who was a fierce critic of White House war rhetoric against Iran, and reports of the recent deployment of a US nuclear submarine in the Persian Gulf; there is speculation that Washington is moving forward with yet another war plan in the oil-rich Middle East. . .... read more

2. Israel - God's Timepiece

Israel looks for position of strength before reaching final peace deal
Two strategic goals currently top the defense establishment's list of priorities: The more urgent one is the neutralization of the rocket and missile threat on all of Israel, while the second is thwarting the Iranian nuclear threat. Should Israel find a technological, operational or political solution to these threats, its main enemies will be left without their violent pressure tactics, with which they hope to defeat Israel in a war of attrition or wipe it off the map. Then Israel will be able to move on to the next stage, during which it will come to the negotiating table from a position of power and reach political agreements with the Palestinains and Syria that will finally determine the permanent borders with Arab consent and international backing. This is the essence of the vision presented by Defense Minister Ehud Barak for Israel. The vision apparently has the support of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, cabinet, the general staff and the heads of Israel's intelligence community. The problem is that even if Israel eventually succeeds in achieving these ambitious goals, three to five years will pass until the country launches an efficient multi-layered system to intercept ballistic missiles and rockets of various models. It will take the same number of years for Israel to establish the technological and operational ability to efficiently obstruct the Iranian threat and deter the Islamic republic. The burning question now is: What do we do until these threats are lifted?......... read more

The Mystery of the Copper Scroll 
In 1947, a Bedouin shepherd wandered the hills of Qumran in search of a missing sheep. He threw a stone into a cave, hoping to drive the lost animal outside. Instead, the sound of shattered pottery drew the shepherd inside the cave. There he stumbled on the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century: the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the years that followed, archaeologists found eleven caves and more than 900 documents here at Qumran. But one scroll was different from all the rest. Instead of leather or parchment, it was made entirely of copper, and it could be the greatest treasure map in history. The Copper Scroll describes a hidden cache of gold and silver buried in more than 60 locations throughout Israel. The monetary value is close to $3 billion, but the historical value - is priceless. The only place in ancient Israel with that much wealth was the Jewish Temple......... read more

Confirmed: Israel, Syria 'talking'
Israel and Syria engaged in recent secret talks mediated by Turkey, Syrian President Bashar Assad confirmed in an interview yesterday. "Turkey is used as a channel of communication" and "listens to both sides' positions," Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Bushra Kanfani told a Kuwaiti newspaper. The confirmation follows an exclusive WND report in February revealing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government has been holding high-level talks with Syria via Turkey regarding renewing negotiations over an Israeli retreat from the strategic Golan Heights. Top diplomatic sources in Jerusalem at the time said Defense Minister Ehud Barak, a former prime minister, had been passing official messages on a regular basis to Syrian President Assad regarding Israel's willingness to negotiate over the Golan. The messages were being transmitted by Turkish mediators with the sanctioning of Turkish President Abdullah Gul. The Golan Heights is strategic, mountainous territory looking down on Israeli and Syrian population centers twice used by Damascus to launch ground invasions into the Jewish state. A number of Israeli diplomats hinted the past few days that Israel and Syria might renew talks............read more

4. Gog/Magog War

Iran Moves to Join Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Iran has lodged a bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that comprises Russia, China and the four ex-Soviet Central Asian states, the country's foreign minister said on Monday. The Islamic Republic, which currently holds an observer status in the regional security group, has long sought to become a full member of the SCO, seen as a counterbalance to U.S. and NATO influence in the region. "Tajikistan supports us in this issue," Manouchehr Mottaki said after a meeting with the foreign ministers of SCO member Tajikistan and Afghanistan, which is another SCO observer along with India, Pakistan and Mongolia. Both China and Russia have major commercial interests in Iran. The energy-hungry Asian nation wants Iranian oil and gas and to sell weapons and other goods to the Islamic Republic. Moscow also hopes to sell more weapons and nuclear energy technology to Tehran... ...... read more

Ezekiel 38 draws closer as Iran forms military pact with Sudan 
Iran jumped in with gusto to meet Sudan president Omar al-Bashir’s application for a military package including arms and training of his army. The application was received after the horrendous Darfur tragedy and Khartoum’s backing for Chad rebels finally convinced Sudan’s traditional arms suppliers, Russia, China and Libya, to back away from arming Sudan’s 120,000-strong army. Beijing came last, sensitized to its international image by the approaching Olympic Games in August. The pacts were signed on March 8 by Iran’s defense minister Gen. Mostafa Mohammad Majjar and his Sudanese counterpart, Gen. Abdul Rahim Mohammad Hussein, a fighter pilot appointed defense minister last month. For years Tehran has been building up its military ties with Khartoum with an eye on its geopolitical assets: a long coast on the Red Sea, a main sea lanes to the Persian Gulf, a Muslim nation located opposite Saudi Arabia and next door to Egypt; Sudan’s command of oil resources and the White Nile, a major water source for an entire African region. This strategic jewel finally dropped into Iran’s fundamentalist lap... ...... read more

5. Apostate Christianity

Popular Bible Stories Re-Written, Include Alcoholic Goliath
Some of the most popular stories in the Bible were recently re-written by a British Anglican vicar, including the story of Goliath, who in the retelling is a celebrity binge drinker. The Rev. Robert Harrison of St. John’s Church in northwest London is behind the reworking of the top 10 Bible stories that were chosen by a poll conducted by the Christian charity Scripture Union. In Harrison’s book, The Must Know Stories, the tale of David and Goliath is retold from the perspective of Goliath, who is portrayed as a “depressed alcoholic” who is hung over on the day of battle with David, according to the U.K.-based Telegraph newspaper. Meanwhile, the well-known story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is twisted so that Adam expresses his obsession with Eve’s naked body. The nativity story is also changed so as to have Jesus born in an overcrowded house instead of a manger, amid family tension stirred by Joseph’s aunt who is upset that Mary and Joseph are not married. Harrison explained that he began the book by asking people which Bible stories they think must be passed down to the next generation. From the responses, the Anglican priest gathered the most popular stories and rewrote them from the perspective of the non-believer. ...... read more

6. The Rise of Islam

Muslims more numerous than Catholics: Vatican
Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world, the Vatican said on Sunday. Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, who compiled the Vatican's newly-released 2008 yearbook of statistics, said Muslims made up 19.2 percent of the world's population and Catholics 17.4 percent. "For the first time in history we are no longer at the top: the Muslims have overtaken us," Formenti told Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano in an interview, saying the data referred to 2006. He said that if all Christian groups were considered, including Orthodox churches, Anglicans and Protestants, then Christians made up 33 percent of the world's population -- or about 2 billion people. The Vatican recently put the number of Catholics in the world at 1.13 billion people. It did not provide a figure for Muslims, generally estimated at around 1.3 billion. Formenti said that while the number of Catholics as a proportion of the world's population was fairly stable, the percentage of Muslims was growing because of higher birth rates........ read more

Koran Film Taken Down 'After Threats' 
Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders' controversial film linking the Koran with extremism and terrorism was removed from a British Internet site Friday, after the site said staff had been threatened. Millions saw the 16-minute film before LiveLeak removed it, and the film was condemned by many, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, a 57-member bloc of Islamic states. "Following threats to our staff of a very serious nature, and some ill-informed reports from certain corners of the British media that could directly lead to the harm of some of our staff, LiveLeak.com has been left with no other choice but to remove Fitna from our servers," the site LiveLeak.com said in a statement. "This is a sad day for freedom of speech on the net but we have to place the safety and well being of our staff above all else. We would like to thank the thousands of people, from all backgrounds and religions, who gave us their support. They realized LiveLeak.com is a vehicle for many opinions and not just for the support of one," the site added. "Perhaps there is still hope that this situation may produce a discussion that could benefit and educate all of us as to how we can accept one another's culture. We stood for what we believe in, the ability to be heard, but in the end the price was too high," the site said.. ..... read more

7. Increase in Knowledge/New Technologies

The Facebook tool which turns your mobile into a snoop
Husbands who are not where they are supposed to be could soon be in danger of being “sniffed” out by a mobile phone service that gives suspicious partners an electronic map showing the location of their spouse. The Social Network Integrated Friend Finder (Sniff) is a new application, accessed via Facebook or mobile phone, which could bring an end to frantic “Where r u?” text messages. The service, popular in Scandinavia, promises to provide users with a detailed map of their friends’ locations, any time and anywhere. However, there are fears that Sniff could be abused by employers to remove the last vestiges of privacy from staff. Employees who are enjoying a long lunch or a secret liaison instead of the business meeting in their diary could also find themselves “sniffed out”. Mr Levin said: “If the employer is paying the phone bill and employees are aware they can be ‘sniffed’, at least everyone knows those are the rules.” Work surveillance is an increasing concern.........  read more

Ghana gets ready for cashless society 
Very soon, traders and restaurant operators in Ghana will accept payment through Point of Sale (POS) machines, as all is set for massive deployment of the POS that will kick-start the national switch, the e-zwich, which would link the payment systems of all banks, savings and loans as well as rural banks in Ghana. The move means the nation is gradually moving from cash into a cashless society. With the e-zwich, one can perform various banking and retail functions including cash withdrawals, payments for goods and services, money transfers and bills payment from any POS or ATM across the country. A South African Company has been selected, out of seven firms to begin the installation of the POS from the beginning of next month since test for the software has been completed.......  read more

We have created human-animal embryos already, say British team
Embryos containing human and animal material have been created in Britain for the first time, a month before the House of Commons votes on new laws to regulate the research. A team at Newcastle University announced yesterday that it had successfully generated “admixed embryos” by adding human DNA to empty cow eggs in the first experiment of its kind in Britain. The Commons is to debate the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill next month. MPs have been promised a free vote on clauses in the legislation that would permit admixed embryos. But their creation is already allowed, subject to the granting of a licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Admixed embryos are widely supported by scientists and patient groups as they provide an opportunity to produce powerful stem-cell models for investigating diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes, and for developing new drugs. Their creation, however, has been opposed by some religious groups, particularly the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the head of the Catholic Church in Scotland, described the work last month as “experiments of Frankenstein proportion” . .. ....  read more

Laser plane could destroy tanks from 10 miles 
The United States Defence Department has developed a prototype of an aircraft armed with a laser gun that could destroy tanks 10 miles away. The weapon is capable of destroying targets up to 15km (10m) away, according to Defense Update online magazine. The ten-centimetre-wide beam will heat targets almost instantly to thousands of degrees and will slice through metal even at maximum range. It is intended both for battlefield use and for missile defense. It is anticipated the beam will be adjustable, allowing the gunner to choose between, for example, targeting a vehicle's fuel tank to destroy it utterly, or slice through a tyre to bring it to a halt without injuring the driver. The laser will be housed in a rotating turret attached to the underside of the aircraft and will be aimed independently of the plane. Early tests have focused on testing the rotation of the laser housing. So far the laser itself has not been tested in flight, but first trials are expected during 2008. Tests on a laser for destroying vehicles will be carried out on the prototype based on the C-130 "Hercules" transport aircraft. A separate version of the missile will be trialled on a Boeing 747... . .. ....  read more

8. Christian Worldview/Issues

Do Jews need Jesus?
Dozens of prominent evangelical leaders recently endorsed a statement declaring a fact that many Christians already hold to be true – that Jewish people need the Gospel and Jesus Christ to receive eternal life. The statement, sponsored by the World Evangelical Alliance, expressed friendship and love for the Jewish people, but unapologetically declared that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. “We want to make it clear that, as evangelical Christians, we do not wish to offend our Jewish friends by the above statements; but we are compelled by our faith and commitment to the Scriptures to stand by these principles,” read the evangelical statement on “The Gospel and the Jewish People.” An ad with the statement appeared in the New York Times on March 28 and will appear in other major secular newspapers and several Christian magazines throughout April and May. “It is out of our profound respect for Jewish people that we seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ with them, and encourage others to do the same, for we believe that salvation is only found in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the World,” the statement continued......... read more

Face of Christianity Will Soon be Black, Says Scholar
Christianity has long been stereotyped as a Western, white man’s religion, but a prominent theologian stated Thursday that that image will soon drastically change. “The new face of Christianity will be the black woman,” said Dr. Kwok Pui Lan to an audience at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Kwok, a professor at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass. Kwok explained that as of last year, Europe still had the largest number of Christians in the world – 532 million. It is followed by Latin America with 525 million and then Africa at 417 million. But by 2025, Africa is projected to shoot up to 634.6 million Christians, followed closely by Latin America at 634.1 million, while Europe will fall to 531 million Christians. The United States had 223 million Christians mid-2007 and is predicted to grow slightly to 252 million by 2025.......... read more

Rotten Fruit - Getting To The Core Of Teen Sex and Religion
Teenagers and sex. This day and time it’s rare to find one without the other, and young evangelicals are no exception. Sociology professor Mark Regnerus has proof. In his recent book, titled Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers, Regnerus reports the findings of 250 interviews and three national surveys, all related to teenage sexuality and religion. “Forbidden Fruit tells the definitive story of the sexual values and practices of American teenagers, paying particular attention to how participating in organized religion shapes sexual decision making,” according to the book jacket. Regnerus’ studies are in-depth and some of his findings startling. For example, he says evangelical teens are slightly more sexually active than are their non-evangelical peers. “Whereas non-evangelical teens have sex for the first time at age 16.7, the average age for evangelical teens is 16.3. Even worse, evangelical teens are more likely to have had three or more sexual partners (13.7%) than their non-evangelical peers (8.9%).” In addition, World Magazine writer and culture critic Gene Edward Veith cites the same study and adds: “Some 80% of teenagers who say they have been ‘born again’ agree that sex outside of marriage is morally wrong. Still, as many as two-thirds of them violate their own beliefs in their actual behavior.” Why? There is a disconnect between their heads and their hearts, and perhaps between the church and its teachings. The professor’s insights boil down to the fact that most religious teens have not internalized nor are they able to articulate the sexual ethic taught by their own denominations. Evangelical teens don’t have sex less than their non-evangelical friends; they just feel guiltier about it.......... read more

New Marriage and Divorce Statistics Released
Most Americans get married at some point in their life: just one out of five adults (22%) has never been married. Among those who have said their wedding vows, one out of three have been divorced at least once, according to a new study from The Barna Group.In addition to finding that four out of every five adults (78%) have been married at least once, the Barna study revealed that an even higher proportion of born again Christians (84%) tie the knot. That eclipses the proportion among people aligned with non-Christian faiths (74%) and among atheists and agnostics (65%). Among adults who have been married, the study discovered that one-third (33%) have experienced at least one divorce. That means that among all Americans 18 years of age or older, whether they have been married or not, 25% have gone through a marital split. The study showed that the percentage of adults who have been married and divorced varies from segment to segment. For instance, the groups with the most prolific experience of marriage ending in divorce are downscale adults (39%), Baby Boomers (38%), those aligned with a non-Christian faith (38%), African-Americans (36%), and people who consider themselves to be liberal on social and political matters (37%). ......... read more

Researchers: Asteroid Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah
A clay tablet that has baffled scientists for 150 years has been identified as a witness's account of the asteroid suspected of being behind the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Researchers who cracked the cuneiform symbols on the Planisphere tablet believe that it recorded an asteroid thought to have been more than half a mile across. The tablet, found by Henry Layard in the remains of the library in the royal place at Nineveh in the mid-19th century, is thought to be a 700 B.C. copy of notes made by a Sumerian astronomer watching the night sky. He referred to the asteroid as a "white stone bowl approaching" and recorded it as it "vigorously swept along." Using computers to recreate the night sky thousands of years ago, scientists have pinpointed his sighting to shortly before dawn on June 29 in the year 3123 B.C. About half the symbols on the tablet have survived and half of those refer to the asteroid. The other symbols record the positions of clouds and constellations. In the past 150 years scientists have made five unsuccessful attempts to translate the tablet.......... read more

9. Other Events To Watch

Tower of Babel: Saudi Prince plans mile-high skyscraper
On a clear day, the view from the top will take in the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Ocean - providing you've a head for heights. Plans for a mile-high tower in the Saudi Arabian desert have been unveiled by the billionaire owner of London's Savoy Hotel. At 5,250ft, the £5billion project, masterminded by two British engineering consultancies, will be twice as high as its nearest rivals, skyscrapers under construction in Dubai and Kuwait, and almost seven times as high as the Canary Wharf tower in London's Docklands. It is being planned for a new city near the Red Sea port of Jeddah. Behind the scheme is 51-year-old Prince al-Walid bin Talal, who bought the Savoy for £1.25billion in 2005. The plan gives the Middle East a clear lead over Asian countries and the U.S., who have vied in the past to construct the world's tallest buildings. None of the other skyscrapers under construction, including New York's Freedom Tower on the World Trade Centre site, will exceed 2,296ft...... read more

'Silent' famine sweeps globe
From India to Africa to North Korea to Pakistan and even in New York City, higher grain prices, fertilizer shortages and rising energy costs are combining to spell hunger for millions in what is being characterized as a global "silent famine." Global food prices, based on United Nations records, rose 35 percent in the last year, escalating a trend that began in 2002. Since then, prices have risen 65 percent. Last year, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization's world food index, dairy prices rose nearly 80 percent and grain 42 percent. "This is the new face of hunger," said Josetta Sheeran, director of the World Food Program, launching an appeal for an extra $500 million so it could continue supplying food aid to 73 million hungry people this year. "People are simply being priced out of food markets. ... We have never before had a situation where aggressive rises in food prices keep pricing our operations out of our reach." The WFP launched a public appeal weeks ago because the price of the food it buys to feed some of the world's poorest people had risen by 55 percent since last June. By the time the appeal began last week, prices had risen a further 20 percent. That means WFP needs $700 million to bridge the gap between last year's budget and this year's prices. The numbers are expected to continue to rise. The crisis is widespread and the result of numerous causes – a kind of "perfect storm" leading to panic in many places:......... read more

Attn Aussies & Kiwis!

Intl Bible Prophecy Expert - Dr. Chuck Missler is Down Under April 5 - 18, NZ April 19-28

Global military buildups... economic uncertianty... global game is changing quickly, but what does it all mean? Direct from spending time in Israel, Dr Chuck Missler will deliver must-hear intel and insight and how it all fits with Bible Prophecy when he visits 15 centres in Aust & NZ in April

Click here for more details

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