To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Aug 1, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 08:40:32 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
8:00 PM Eastern
CNN - CNN & TIME - Computer hacker Justin
Petersen.(CC)
9:00
CNN - THE PEOPLE'S PRESIDENT - Iranian President Mohammad
Khatami.(CC)
HIST - SWORN TO SECRECY - "Secret Weapons of the Third
Reich" - Espionage plays a crucial role in the development of
secret weapons.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - INTIMATE UNIVERSE: THE HUMAN BODY - "Brain Power" -
The brain is the complex organ that drives the human
body.(CC)(TVPG)
10:00
HIST - HISTORY UNDERCOVER - "Banking With Hitler" -
Banks from the United States, England and Switzerland helped
fund the Nazi regime.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - INTIMATE UNIVERSE: THE HUMAN BODY - "As Time Goes By"
- The aging process.(CC)(TVPG)
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Living Hell of Scientists Who Play God
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 08:50:56 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Source: The Scotsman
http://www.scotsman.com/
Creating havoc
Lewis Stewart explains the living hell of scientists who play God
GOD is dead, trumpeted Friedrich Nietzsche. "Maybe, maybe not,"
say today's scientists. "But redundancy is on the cards. One by
one, we are chipping away at his monopolies."
The plants that grow, the beasts in the field, even man
himself. If the scientists have not actually earned the T-shirt,
they're pretty darn sure they know how the trick was done.
They are even on the verge of cracking the last barrier, the
creation of life itself. It is this breakneck rush to exploit
each and every genetic loophole that lies at the heart of the
public fear and loathing of the technology.
That is why Lord Melchett and his Greenpeace cronies are
treated like conquering heroes, instead of rabid vandals, when
they stomp about a field of genetically modified crops. It also
explains the outcry at the admission from John Reid, the
Scottish Secretary, that three years ago fish had their DNA
tweaked before being reared in Scotland.
Their causes may be flawed, their actions counterproductive -
after all, the crops Lord Melchett, Greenpeace et al ruined
might have proved their case - but there also is a hazy
realisation we are witnessing the opening salvoes in a bigger
battle.
At the moment, there are two factors at play. One is a
superstitious respect for the Biblical Tree of Knowledge and a
visceral fear of what happens when we strip it bare.
The other is the realisation that unlike any previous forms of
life, the new ones come with trademarks and patent rights that
are the commercial engine powering the genetic revolution.
Taking over from its gods has been mankind's dream since
prehistoric times. In the same way that Greek mythology tells
how the young gods overthrew their forefathers to snatch power,
there has always been an element within humanity that wants to
take over from their deities. This time, it's not so much
Prometheus unbound as Prometheus cloned.
Most people look on such untrammelled power with a mixture of
awe and suspicion. We have no idea how it works, if it works, or
what it means.
Ordinary mortals may reap some of the potentially huge rewards;
or they may pay the potentially catastrophic price. One thing is
certain: somebody somewhere gets very, very rich.
Make no mistake, life will be created. Dr Craig Venter from the
Institute of Genetics Research in Rockville, Maryland, in the US
knows how to do it. He says he is not about to test his concept
because he is worried about the ethics, but if he doesn't,
somebody else will. It's like pulling a worm out of its hole.
Once it is out, it's out. You cannot stuff it back in again.
The gene sequence is even available on the internet.
As with all the best pieces of DIY, the trick is to start
simple. He started with some straightforward bacteria and took
their DNA to pieces to find out what made it work. He ended up
with about 300 genes that seem to be essential. Next: get the
proteins, build the genes, glue them together and you should
have a serviceable form of man-made life.
Depending on how you rate sulphur breathing rock worms, it will
be only the second or third time the trick has been done in the
four-billion years of world history. In reality, it is not quite
as simple as that but, given time and patience, it will happen.
Ten years should be more than enough.
And whether it is Dr Venter or one of his rivals, the trick
will be done for the best of motives; curing disease or clearing
pollution. One thing that 5,000 years of technological invention
has proved is that the two biggest spurs to scientific ingenuity
are taking life and saving it. The only force more powerful than
finding a cure for cancer, heart disease, plague, pimples or
whatever is blowing up people/buildings/countries more
efficiently.
Dr Venter says he is interested in creating bacteria to deliver
drugs to specific parts of the body - a medical breakthrough
with huge life-saving possibilities since many drugs that do
their jobs perfectly have to be abandoned because they also
damage healthy parts of the body. Targeted delivery is a medical
dream that may hold the cure of killer diseases, including many
cancers.
A spin off may be bugs that eat pollution. Imagine being able
to mop up an Exxon Valdez oil spill with a creature that gobbles
the pollutant and then starves to death.
Public perception remains a problem, nobody reading the
"Franken-foods" headlines can doubt that.
Traditionally anybody wanting to create life has been viewed
with total antagonism. The homunculi of the medieval alchemists
were ubiquitously evil and most world religions treat the
concept of man-created life as a variation of that theme.
Dr Frankenstein beat Dr Venter to the punch by almost 200
years, spawning horror and headlines in equal measure. As Mary
Shelley pointed out, the problem with playing God is that you
lose control of your creation.
EVOLUTION is a tricky enough business without mankind sticking
its oar in and there has to be a limit to the territory explored
by science.
The theme has been echoed hundreds of times. Aldous Huxley's
Brave New World looks increasingly prophetic while Jurassic Park
is just the latest popular retelling of the tale.
The common thread is that humanity's creation runs amok. If God
couldn't control his handiwork, so what hope for the men and
women trying to mimic him?
Let us be clear, the project may start with a tiny innocuous
bacteria, Mycoplasma genitalium, but as with any piece of DIY,
it's a case of starting simple before embarking on more
complicated tasks. The designer foods that use up acres of
newsprint, as well as acres of arable land, started with a
similarly small step.
Before announcing how to create life, Dr Venter was best known
as the man who promised to publish the 60,000-long human gene
sequence by the end of next year. His laboratory is dominated by
a 26,000 sq ft computer devoted to the task.
Individual human chromosomes, the 46 parcels in which the genes
are packaged, have already been manufactured at the Case Western
Reserve University in Cleveland. Sooner or later the two
technologies will merge.
Only ethical worries will stand in the way of artificial humans
and/or high-powered genetic manipulation of the human form.
History shows such considerations do not last long when wars or
big bucks are at stake.
We may be a couple of generations away from a Blade Runner
society, but the lure of artificial life will prove
irresistible. It may start with the threat of exotic forms of
biological warfare but it is hard to imagine the military
resisting the temptation of soldiers without grieving families
to mess up the PR effort.
With no relatives grouped round the coffin as the cameras zoom
in on their anguish, they wouldn't have to own up to any
casualties. Bury them in secret and get on with the business of
propaganda. As in 1914-18, casualties would not matter. Ten
thousand dead? No probem, just grow some more.
Far fetched? Maybe. But remember that killing remains one of
the big two in providing the spark behind scientific research.
Scientists cannot help themselves. Present them with new
concept and the image of a rabbit in a car's headlights springs
irresistibly to mind.
Within 40 years of Albert Einstein pointing out that matter can
be converted into huge amounts of energy, the task had been
achieved. People in Hiroshima and Nagasaki quickly cottoned onto
the problems this created. The rest of the world took a bit
longer, but post-Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, people accept
there is no such thing as a free lunch. The question is whether
the benefits outweigh the problems. Only if both are fully
explained can we make a balanced judgment.
And the godliness of science is already an issue as recent
publicity over genetically modified food shows. Long before
creating life became an issue, we were improving God's creations.
Is maize that kills butterflies worth it to get rid of the corn
borer (itself a recent immigrant to the US)? Is the welfare of
individial farmers worth more than the risks of modified cotton?
The list goes on.
Last year, 30 million hectares were planted with genetically
modified crops. Half the world harvest of soybean and about a
third of the corn harvest comes from plants that have had their
genetic structures tinkered with. The American Food and Drug
Administration has estimated that within ten years, up to 90 per
cent of some crops could have an artificial gene. In most cases,
nobody knows if the benefits are real or the product of
commercial imagination. And that is the crux of the problem. The
issue is cash driven, powered by greed, not need.
Nobody has sued a beehive for the way its drones infringe on
patent rights by collecting pollen from trademarked plants but
do not be surprised if the human in charge ends up in court on a
similar charge.
WHY else would the potential devastation of the so-called
"terminator gene" have been contemplated. Why else would
hundreds of farmers in the US be facing court for breaking
patent rights by saving some of last year's harvest for this
year's crop.
The claim that it is all about feeding the world is rubbish:
the world grows more than it can eat. Starvation is a
distribution, not a production, problem and unless genetic
modification can cure civil war and drought, it can do nothing
to end the world's famines. In Scotland we know all about the
next stage. We know all about Dr Ian Wilmut and the Roslin
Institute's Dolly the sheep. Teruhiko Wakayama may be less well
known but not only has he adapted the technique to mice but now
he is on to the second and third generations of adult clones. In
South Korea, it has been claimed a human was cloned but the
cells were destroyed after only a few days.
The money gene has made sure that governments across the
Western world have already decided bioengineering will bring the
economic stimulation to the next decade that computers brought
to this.
They say they have no choice about joining the race. It is
either genetics or poverty. They are probably right. Genetically
modified food is inevitable. So are cloned animals to produce
our medicines. So is artificial life. God will not get a say.
The question is: do we sign him up for his pension and get on
with running things ourselves? Or do we demand deity demarcation
rights?
cThe Scotsman Publications Ltd
via: isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Connection between hate crimes and 'churches'
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 09:00:49 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Connections between hate crimes and 'churches'
July 29, 1999
A recent spate of crimes points up a growing connection - one that is
troubling to many Americans - between hateful actions and
organizations calling themselves churches.
Two brothers from northern California reportedly linked to such a
group were charged this week for the killing of two gay men near
Redding. Benjamin Matthew Williams and James Tyler Williams also are
suspects in the firebombing of three synagogues in the Sacramento area
last month.
According to personal acquaintances as well as law enforcement
officials, the Williams brothers were involved in Christian Identity,
a religion that holds Jews and nonwhites to be subhuman and is closely
tied to the Aryan Nations white-supremacist group based in northern
Idaho.
Meanwhile, officials are investigating the links between Benjamin
Smith and the World Church of the Creator. Over Independence Day
weekend in Illinois and Indiana, Mr. Smith shot Asians, Jews, and an
African-American (killing two and injuring nine) before killing
himself.
The World Church of the Creator, founded by an avowed atheist,
publishes ``The White Man's Bible.'' In the book, ``the Mud Races''
(nonwhites) are denounced, and ``what is good for the White Race'' is
proclaimed ``the highest virtue ... what is bad for the White Race ...
the ultimate sin.'' According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the
East Peoria, Ill.-based organization advocates deportation of Jews and
nonwhites and calls for ``RAHOWA'' - the acronym standing for Racial
Holy War and frequently associated with racist skinheads.
David Neiwert, Seattle-based author of the recent book ``In God's
Country: The Patriot Movement and the Pacific Northwest,'' sees
Christian Identity as the thread connecting otherwise distinct
extremist groups.
``Adherence to it is probably the single greatest common denominator
among all the various fragmented factions of the radical right wing in
America,'' he writes. ``It is practiced by the neo-Nazis of the Aryan
Nations, by the leaders of the Militia of Montana, and by the remnants
of the Ku Klux Klan in the South.''
He describes Christian Identity's core beliefs as ``so far astray from
those of mainstream Christianity - and so repellent to average
Americans - that they induce in the religion's followers a cult-like
closed mind-set: a sense of persecution coupled with
self-righteousness.''
Eric Rudolph, wanted by authorities for the bombing of the 1996
Olympic summer games in Atlanta and attacks on clinics that performed
abortions, reportedly is a Christian Identity believer.
While such thinking typically is associated with the Klan in the South
and neo-Nazis in the Pacific Northwest, it is by no means confined to
these regions.
The Center for New Community, a faith-based community-organizing group
in Oak Park, Ill., reports that there are 272 hate groups in the
Midwest, including those with ties to Christian Identity. More than a
dozen white-supremacist factions have been identified in southwest
Missouri alone. In all, there are estimated to be about 90 Christian
Identity ministries in 34 states.
Hate crimes against Latinos
The National Council of La Raza reported this week that hate crimes
against Latinos have been steadily climbing in recent years. ``The
perception that Latinos are 'foreign,' 'un-American' or illegal
immigrants has translated into numerous incidents of discrimination,
threats and actual violence,'' the civil rights group reported at its
annual meeting in Houston. To what degree these incidents (estimated
to total more than 600 a year) are tied to hateful religious beliefs
is unclear. But Christian Identity literature - which speaks
disparagingly of ``mestizos'' - indicates that they well could be.
Just this week, for instance, Jules Fettu, former Florida director of
the World Church of the Creator, was convicted of a hate crime for
beating a man of Cuban descent.
Numbers of adherents to Christian Identity are hard to come by,
scattered as they are among small groups and loosely linked through
crude publications and Internet sites.
Rosemary Radford Ruether, professor of applied theology at the Garrett
Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University in
Evanston, Ill., estimates there are some 50,000 ``core'' adherents who
call themselves ``Identity Christians.'' But writing in the Chicago
Tribune recently, she also noted that ``they have recently targeted
alienated white youth in affluent suburbs and have considerable
presence through a number of Web sites and the promotion of racist
music aimed at the young.''
Some experts see this cultural infiltration of hate aimed at young
people especially concentrated in so-called ``extreme music.''
``Just as the neo-nazi skinheads sought to enter the punk and ska
music scenes in the 1980s, racist bands such as Blood Axis, Electric
Hellfire Club, and Thor's Hammer are now seeking to enter and
influence the extreme music scene,'' says Eric Ward, regional
coordinator for the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment
in Seattle.
``Numerous Identity 'churches' have established a Web presence in
recent years, among them America's Promise Ministries, Stone Kingdom
Ministries, and Kingdom Identity Ministries,'' reports the New
York-based Anti-Defamation League. ``Many of these organizations have
made good use of the Web to market their pamphlets, books, and
videotapes to their supporters.''
The World Church of the Creator also maintains an extensive Web site
detailing its beliefs and marketing literature and video tapes.
Some experts note a growing coincidence between attacks based on
religion, race, or other personal characteristics and religious groups
espousing hate. Leonard Zeskind, president of the Kansas City,
Mo.-based Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights and a
leading analyst of white-supremacist movements, sees ``a merger of
Christian nationalism with white nationalism'' now occurring in the
United States.
``We have to confront that, or we face becoming another Yugoslavia,''
Mr. Zeskind warns in the latest issue of the Southern Poverty Law
Center's quarterly Intelligence Report.
In response to recent hate crimes, including those whose perpetrators
had ties to groups such as Christian Identity and the World Church of
the Creator, there are several efforts to send the message that hate
beliefs and activities are not acceptable:
A Kansas University student recently was sentenced to 30 days in jail
for burning a swastika into the carpet of a dorm. The student had
argued that his action was merely a ``prank,'' but Douglas County
Judge Paula Martin thought otherwise. ``You chose a swastika, a symbol
of the Nazi Party and a symbol of hate to convey your message,'' Judge
Martin told the student. ``How did you think that burning a swastika
would be perceived?... To say that this was not a hate crime is beyond
comprehension.''
Suing Aryan Nations
The Montgomery, Ala.-based Southern Poverty Law Center, which has won
multimillion dollar settlements against the Ku Klux Klan, is suing the
Aryan Nations (which is headed by Pastor Richard Butler, a leader of
Christian Identity). The civil rights group hopes to put the Aryan
Nations out of business by winning large civil penalties against
members who allegedly assaulted a woman and her son last summer.
In Washington this week, the announcement of a new Internet Service
Provider highlighted a filter that will help parents prevent their
children from seeing objectionable material - including Web sites
preaching racial and religious hatred. Since parents will be able to
turn off the filter using a password, civil libertarians do not find
this as objectionable as government-mandated filtering.
The US Senate last week approved legislation that would expand federal
authority to prosecute hate crimes and include people victimized
because of their sexual orientation, gender, or disability. The bill
has 180 co-sponsors in the House.
(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Anglican Chief Questions Jesus' Resurrection
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 09:06:47 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Sunday August 1 12:10 AM ET
Anglican Chief Questions Jesus' Resurrection
LONDON (Reuters) - Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, leader of
the world's 70 million Anglican faithful, has triggered a religious
storm after questioning the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a report in
the Mail Sunday said.
Carey undermines the central tenet of Christian belief in his
Millennial message which will tell millions of Anglicans that we
``cannot know'' whether Jesus rose from the dead, said the report.
``I can tell you frankly that while we can be absolutely sure that
Jesus lived and that he was certainly crucified on the cross, we
cannot with the same certainty say that we know he was raised by God
from the dead.''
The report said Carey's message, to be given in a few months time,
goes on to say that while he firmly believes in the resurrection, ``it
goes against human experience and our first instinct is incredulity.''
The Archbishop's own faith had been ``greatly tested and sorely won''
over the years, said the report. Carey admitted his comments were sure
to have ``journalists reaching for their pens.''
The Archbishop's ``Jesus 2000'' message goes on to launch a broader
attack on the Church's record through history, stating it ``defamed
the name of Jesus'' by contributing to the Jewish Holocaust.
The Church establishment played ``a part in the victimization of Jews
in the Middle Ages and in Nazi Germany,'' Carey is quoted saying in
the report. It had also been ``a stumbling block'' to peace in
Northern Ireland. As if that was not a damning enough legacy, he
added:
``It has also contributed to the oppression of women, to policies of
imperialism, slavery and the repression of free speech...all these
examples, a mere selection, demonstrates the terrible way in which we
have let Jesus Christ down.''
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ts/story.html?s=v/nm/19990801
/ts/reli gion_carey_3.html
via: End_Times_News@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Taj Mahal
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 12:53:55 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
The Taj Mahal has been described as the most beautiful building in
the world. It is a testament to the love of one man for his deceased
wife--or is it? Scholars are starting to question the basic
assumption that it was built purely as a resting place for Shah
Jahan's beloved wife Arjumand Banu aka Mumtaz Mahal aka Taj Mahal
("Crown of the Palace").
Shah Jahan's true motive for building the Taj Mahal complex seems to
have been lost in the romanticised version that circulates to this
day. Yes, he and his wife enjoyed an extraordinary relationship as is
attested to by the fact that she alone of his harem bore all of
his 14 children; she went everywhere with him and was even consulted
in matters of state. But was that enough to inspire him to such a
feat? History records quite a different Shah Jahan than the grief
stricken, love-sick man driven to commemorate the great love of his
life.
His name means "King of the World" and he claimed descent from
Genghis Khan and his successors. Architecture was a means for him to
show off his greatness and rival God in creation. Fueled by the
notion that he was somehow meant for greatness because he was born in
the 1,000th year of Islam, his megalomania reached to the very
heavens and he set out to build paradise on earth, complete with the
throne of God. Only a great man could accomplish such a task,
therefore, he dubbed himself "Lord of the Age," "Shadow of God," and
"August Representative of God on Earth" which were Sufic
[mystic branch of Islam] titles used to describe "the perfect man."
Armed with a copy of "Revelations of Mecca," Shah Jahan set out to
replicate a diagram contained in the book. "The Plain of Assembly on
the Day of Judgment" shows a heavenly paradise set out in a
rectangular design. The grand gate-way, the trees, water and Taj
Mahal building itself are all placed in a specific pattern to this
end and all Koranic verses within the compound reflect the themes of
the day of judgment and paradise. The notion that heaven is like a
set of beautiful gardens, the Gardens of Paradise, is seen everywhere
throughout the complex. Shah Jahan was obsessed with emblems of
power, especially thrones, and the throne of God, the Taj Mahal
building, within the garden of his paradise was the greatest symbol
of his nobility and lives on today as one of the best examples of
Mohammedan architecture that the world has ever known.
This seems to be Shah Jahan's and Islam's version of the New
Jerusalem with its carnelian from Iraq, green jade from China, lapis
lazuli and sapphire from Sri Lanka, jasper, malachite and turqoise
from Tibet, and agate and amethyst from Yemen and Persia. The marble
domes were once covered with pure gold and studded with jewels
furnished from the royal treasury. Every aspect of the garden tomb of
the Taj Mahal seems to be a counterfeit to that heavenly city found
in the Bible's book of Revelation.
What happened to Shah Jahan himself? He became ill and his sons
fought for his decadent kingdom. One of his sons killed 3 others and
took over, throwing his father into prison for the last eight years
of his life. Not that he was lonely as he was allowed to bring his
court with him, but his freedom was curtailed. The new ruler's next
order of business was to purge the palace of rampant orgies and
alcohol abuse permitted by his father's regime. The "perfect" Shah
Jahan died on January 31, 1666 at age 74 of a massive overdose of
aphrodisiacs. His love story lives on, but the real questions are:
"Where is the spirit of Shah Jahan now? Is he enjoying the delights
of Paradise? Has he seen God? What did they say to each other?"[1]
References:
1. The Mystery of the Taj Mahal, The Learning Channel
2. Collier's Encyclopedia
3. Universal Standard Encyclopedia
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Bill Gates to Become World's Biggest Donor
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 12:56:13 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Sunday, August 1, 1999: The Living Channel
Bill Gates to Become World's Biggest Donor
LONDON (AFP) - Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates intends to
become known as the world`s biggest benefactor, to rid the
planet of AIDS and malaria, his father told Britain`s The Sunday
Times newspaper.
According to the father of the richest man in the world, Gates
plans to hand over his 65 billion pound (100 billion dollar)
fortune to the William H Gates Foundation, run by Gates Senior.
The software tycoon is expected to donate the majority of the
money to funding vaccines to combat diseases such as malaria and
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Gates` father, 73, said his son was shocked by the levels of
disease and poverty encountered during travels to developing
countries with his wife.
Critics point out that Gates will receive generous tax breaks
in the United States for his donations, the paper said.
But a foundation spokesman denied that there was any link
between the gifts and a dispute with the US government over an
alleged illegal monopoly, the paper added.
http://www.arabia.com/content/living/8_99/gates_1.shtml
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Aug 2, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 08:26:55 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
6:00
HIST - HIGH POINTS IN HISTORY - History of USAF.
9:00
TLC - INTIMATE UNIVERSE: THE HUMAN BODY - "Life's Last
Chapter" - The biological implications of death; cell
reformation.(CC)(TVPG)
10:00
DISC - WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? - "Castles, Tombs and Leonardo"
- Castle Frankenstein; Austrian emperor builds a tomb;
inventions of Leonardo da Vinci; haunted house in England;
the truth behind Jekyll and Hyde.(CC)(TVG)
HIST - NEW YORK BRIDGES - Eighteen bridges connect
Manhattan Island to its neighbors.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - INTIMATE UNIVERSE: THE HUMAN BODY - "Making of
Intimate Universe: The Human Body" - Techniques used to film
inside the human body; 3-D computer graphics illustrate body
systems.(CC)(TVPG)
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Big Brother Blair plans 'snooper computer'
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 08:38:18 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
From The Independent,
http://www.independent.co.uk/sindy/stories/A0108901.html
-
Big Brother Blair plans 'snooper computer'
By Rachel Sylvester
PERSONAL bank accounts, confidential medical records and individual
tax files are set to be accessed by the Government as part of a
far-reaching clamp down on fraud being actively considered by Downing
Street. The proposal was immediately condemned by civil libertarians
last night as a further step towards "big brother Britain."
A report sent to Tony Blair by the inter-departmental ministerial
group on fraud, recommends drastic changes to the law to give
Whitehall departments sweeping new powers to compare files and obtain
private information.
Ministers want Government officials to be able to cross check data
given to different departments and local authorities so they can
identify fraudulent benefits claims and tax returns. They are also
discussing giving inspectors access to individuals' bank and building
society accounts so they can catch people who lie about how much money
they have.
The proposals, which would almost certainly involve rewriting the Data
Protection Act, will infuriate Labour left-wingers and civil liberties
campaigners who will see them as an unacceptable invasion of privacy.
The Government is already under fire for watering down its commitment
to release its own documents to the public through the Freedom of
Information Act.
The plans are also being fiercely resisted by the Inland Revenue which
fears that they will encourage people to fiddle their tax returns to
prevent details of their income being used against them by other
Government departments.
However, ministers at the Department for Social Security and the
Treasury are determined to "think the unthinkable" in their battle to
combat fraud, which is costing the taxpayer billions of pounds a year.
"The exchange of information poses no threat to the law abiding
citizen," one senior Government source said.
Legislation introduced by the last Conservative Government in 1997
allows some cross-checking between the Department for Social Security,
the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise in certain narrowly-defined
cases. But there are very strict criteria about the conditions in
which facts can be passed on and information can only be released if
there is a suspicion of fraud.
Ministers want to change the law to allow much more proactive
investigations and extend data-matching across Whitehall. For example,
they want to give the Benefits Agency access to claimants' medical
records, so it can identify people wrongly claiming incapacity
benefit, and to their tax files so it can go on "fishing expeditions"
to identify those lying about their income.
More controversially still, the Government is considering extending
the principle to the private sector by giving the Department for
Social Security access to bank and building society accounts. Although
ministers admit this would be politically sensitive, they believe
there is a strong case for pressing ahead.
The target would be income support claimants who become ineligible for
the benefit if they have more than =A38,000. "We depend on their honesty
to declare this and some are not honest," one DSS source said.
The Inland Revenue could also use the access to financial details to
clamp down on black market workers who fail to declare their earnings
in full.
The aim of the drive to extend data matching is to effectively create
a single Government "file" for each person by cross-checking claims
made to different departments.
There is a growing problem of people defrauding the system by creating
multiple identities and claiming benefits under different names. "The
idea is that we should be able to look at people's applications to
different arms of Government to see if they add up and are
consistent," one ministerial source said. "That could apply to
anything from medical records to applications for fishing licenses."
Civil liberties campaigners reacted furiously to the proposals last
night. John Wadham, director of Liberty, said they were a "fundamental
breach of the right to privacy". "Information that we are all forced
to provide belongs not to the Government but to us and they have no
right to pass it on," he said.
via: isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - China News Digest items (8/2/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 08:40:26 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
United States Has No Obligation to Extradite Falungong Leader
[CND, 08/01/99] The United States has declined to remark on Beijing's
arrest warrant for the New York-based Falungong leader LI Hongzhi
after the Chinese Acting Ambassador LIU Xiaoming met with Acting
Assistant Secretary of State for Asian Affairs Susan Shirk to talk
about the issue, the Hong Kong Standard reported on Saturday.
A State Department spokesman said that both officials exchanged
opinions, but neither the department nor Chinese embassy spokesman YU
Shuning revealed details about the talk. A department spokesman said
when demanded to comment: "We don't have an extradition treaty or
agreement with the PRC."
A White House spokesman pointed out that Beijing would gain little
sympathy in the U.S. government for its attempt to get Li back. White
House spokesman Michael Hammer said that the U.S. government had
conveyed its concern to China about respecting the international
standards of human rights concerning freedom of assembly and
expression because China had signed the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and other covenants. He added that the U.S. government did not
really have any viewpoint regarding the worthiness or deeds of the
Falungong organization.
Mr. Yu commented that China's Interpol Central Bureau had delivered
notices to member Interpol agencies around the world seeking for
collaboration in arresting and sending Li Hongzhi back to China for
trial.
US officials indicated that Interpol arrest warrants are just notices
without judicial power, which cannot press a government to do
anything.
At the same time, a group of Falungong practitioners in New York has
pleaded to the United States to guarantee the safety of Li Hongzhi and
safeguard him from any Chinese attempt to have him extradited.
In Washington, Falungong members met with influential members of
Congress and staffers to push their case. After the meeting, House
International Relations Committee Chairman Benjamin Gilman appealed
Beijing to "stop its persecution of members of the Falungong group."
He added that Chinese people should be free to affiliate with any
organization they prefer. (ZHOU Haosheng, WU Yiyi)
Magazine Probes Lies and Fallacies of Falungong
[CND, 08/01/99] An influential bimonthly Chinese magazine, "Seeking
Truth," published a special issue condemning Falungong founder LI
Hongzhi for creating a cult that is a misleading blend of
Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, reported the China Daily on
Saturday.
According to the magazine, Falungong's promises of "truthfulness,
benevolence, and tolerance" are anything but. Instead of being
truthful, Li lied about his date of birth, making it the same day as
the founder of Buddhism, lied about his age, and resorted to
ghostwriters to produce his own books.
The most serious accusation the magazine makes is that Li's teachings
are contrary to his own practices: while seeking the care of
physicians and using medicines himself, he tells his followers that
faith and exercise can heal. "Seeking Truth" asserts that many of his
acolytes who refused to see doctors or take medicines are now dead.
Concerning Li's alleged lack of benevolence: rather than taking in the
sick and comforting the incurably ill, he refuses to convert them to
Falungong.
As for lack of tolerance, the magazine claims that Li and his
followers never accept criticism or opposition. It is reputed that the
Falungong faithful have a history of harassing or threatening those
with differing opinions. Falungong members are said to have disrupted
public tranquility by harassing the Party, government headquarters,
and news organizations.
On Saturday, even the monks of Wutai Mountain in northern China's
Shanxi Province take exception that their Buddhist beliefs might be
confused with the tenants of Falunggong. They criticized the sect of
using religion as a means to cheat people, said the magazine. (Sue
Bruell, WU Yiyi)
Beijing Heat Wave Kills Elderly
[CND, 08/01/99] Beijing's record high heat wave has killed at least
six elderly people in the city, AFP reported on Thursday.
The elderly poeple who died have been struck by heatstroke, which led
to other complications. "Between 20 and 30 people have come to the
center recently for treatment for heatstroke, six or seven of them are
still hospitalized," said WANG Ying, Director of Emergency Relief
Division of the city's First Aid Center. The center has made an
average of 260 ambulance trips daily, a 20 percent increase, for those
who suffered from heatstrokes, including migrant workers and street
vendors.
The city is getting some relief from the weather, with temperatures
moving down to more seasonal 35 degrees centigrade from 42 degrees
over the last few days. (Dong LIU, YIN De An)
U.S. to Pay $4.5 Million to Victims of Embassy Bombing
[CND, 08/01/99] The United States on Friday agreed to pay the Chinese
government US$4.5 million as compensation to the victims of NATO's
bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, AFP reported on Friday.
The money will be shared by the relatives of the three people killed
and the 20 others injured during the bombing, the Xinhua News Agency
quoted foreign ministry officials as saying. (LIU Weimin, YIN De An)
Former U.S. Visa Officer Accused of Favoritism
[CND, 08/01/99] A former visa officer of the American embassy in
Beijing may have issued visas in exchange for personal favors, accused
a congressional panel that investigates the irregularities in
Democratic fundraising during the 1996 presidential election, AP
reported on Saturday.
The accused, Charles Parish, refused to answer questions when he
appeared to testify in front of the House Government Reform and
Oversight Committee. He invoked his right against self-incrimination
and said he will not answer any question in the future. Parish was
removed from his job in 1996 and had been investigated by the State
Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He retired in
1998.
The Committee stated in a report that it has proof that Parish
received gifts from a Chinese public firm, COFCO, and from its
subsidiary in the United States. In return, the Committee believes he
granted visas for COFCO's personnel. The report, however, did not cite
any evidence that anyone connected with the fundraising scandal
received an American visa improperly. (Andrea Settime, WU Yiyi)
via: CND-Global Editors <cnd-editor@cnd.org>
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (8/2/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 08:54:40 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** Bigger NATO role for Europe sought
GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) - British Defense Minister George Robertson,
who is expected to be named NATO's next secretary-general, said Sunday
that European nations must strengthen their role in the alliance.
Ambassadors from the 19 NATO nations were expected to appoint
Robertson at a meeting Monday to succeed current Secretary-General
Javier Solana, who is leaving a few months early to take over a post
as foreign policy coordinator for the European Union. Support has been
growing for Robertson, whose nomination for the four-year term was
announced Friday by Prime Minister Tony Blair. The previous favorite
for the job, German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping, has made clear
he wants to stay in the German government. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560527323-9a7
*** Arafat meets rival PLO faction
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Yasser Arafat and a rival PLO faction opposed to
the peace process moved toward reconciliation Sunday as the
Palestinian leader tried to build strength for the last stage of
negotiations with Israel. Representatives of Arafat's Fatah faction
and those of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine were
upbeat after seven hours of talks in Cairo, their first encounter
since Arafat signed a peace accord with Israel in Oslo in 1993. The
PFLP has been a staunch opponent of Oslo, but Abu Ali Moustafa, who
led the talks in Cairo, said the accord had to be dealt with as "a
political reality." Both sides have their own reasons for trying to
end years of rivalry caused by internal differences and the peace
process. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560528242-108 ***
Also: Arafat tries uniting Palestinians, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560522169-b29
*** Israel Parliament OKs bigger Cabinet
JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli Parliament voted Sunday to allow an
increase in the number of Cabinet posts, a move Prime Minister Ehud
Barak hopes will give him the broad backing he needs to accelerate
peace talks with the Arabs. Under the new legislation, the number of
Cabinet seats is to be determined by the sitting prime minister, said
Giora Pordes, spokesman for the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Barak
says he wants 24 ministerial seats. Barak has argued that the previous
cap at 18 positions made it impossible to satiate all seven of the
parties in his broad coalition. Barak's goal has been to have the most
support possible for his peace policies within his government and the
Knesset. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560526335-868
*** Iraqi official visits Saudi Arabia
JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Iraq's justice minister traveled to Saudi
Arabia Sunday to discuss a regional anti-terrorism pact with Crown
Prince Abdullah, the highest level visit by an Iraqi official to the
Middle Eastern kingdom since the neighboring nations severed relations
during the 1990 Gulf crisis. Iraqi Justice Minister Shabib al-Malki
planned to meet later Sunday with Abdullah, who is the acting ruler of
Saudi Arabia in the absence of King Fahd, his brother, who is
vacationing in Spain. Saudi Arabia broke relations with Iraq after it
invaded Kuwait and threatened to cross into Saudi territory. The
Iraqis were ousted by U.S.-led multinational forces in Feb. 1991. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560528259-c5a ***
Also: Iraq, Jordan foster business ties, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560515283-0c5 ***
And: Saddam's daughter wins back $1 mln, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560526180-05c
*** Spacecraft hits moon, no dust seen
WASHINGTON (AP) - Lunar Prospector's violent collision with the moon
Saturday left no visible cloud of dust, but researchers still hope to
find traces of water in a vapor plume possibly created by the impact.
At least 20 observatory telescopes focused on the moon's south pole as
the spacecraft, in its final task for science, dove toward a frozen
crater and smashed itself around 5:52 a.m. ET. Experts hoped the fire
and violence of the collision, unseen from the Earth, would vaporize
ice thought to exist in the shaded crater and send a wet plume,
detectable by special instruments, spiraling into the lunar sky. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560512972-4f7
*** Mall offers close-up of eye surgery
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - Squeamish shoppers beware: They're slicing
eyeballs at the Fair Oaks Mall. No, they're not filming a schlock
horror movie. It's just business as usual at the Visual Freedom
Center, believed to be the first eye surgery center to open in a
shopping mall. Passersby can watch the surgeries, intended to correct
nearsightedness and farsightedness, live on a TV screen. It's an odd
marketing strategy, but for every grossed-out passerby there are
dozens of shoppers who can't help but stop for a peek. That's what
ophthalmologist Robert Johnston had in mind when he moved his office
to the mall in February and began televising the operations. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560526191-15b
*** Viagra nixed as golf tourney prize
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - The organizers of a charity golf
tournament have withdrawn a year's supply of Viagra as a top prize
after people complained they were promoting irresponsible use of the
drug, a news report said Saturday. Several Malaysians wrote protest
letters last week after learning that the impotence drug produced by
Pfizer Inc. would be offered as one of the prizes for male golfers who
score a hole-in-one in the Aug. 11 tournament organized by The
Catholic Doctors Association. The organizers are now offering a cash
prize. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560508283-36f
*** Calif. street kids get a prom night
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Her stringy green hair dyed gold, her emerald
eyes framed by lavender liner, she steps out of the limo - a real-life
Cinderella in a purple satin dress. People on the sidewalk stop to
stare as the girl and her handsome date move from the twilight into a
shimmering, candlelit ballroom for a four-course meal and a night of
music and dancing. On any other night, she would be sitting on the
gum-stained steps of the public square she calls home, chain-smoking
cigarettes alongside other homeless kids with Mohawk haircuts, body
piercings and tattoos. But for a few hours on prom night, Sunday, June
27, the cold rain, the drugs and loneliness are behind them. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560525808-202
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia, Belarus, Yugoslavia Union
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 09:01:45 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Russia, Belarus, Yugoslavia Prepare For New Union
BELGRADE, Aug 2, 1999 -- (Reuters) Parliamentarians from
Russia, Belarus and Yugoslavia have agreed to set up a joint
commission to prepare for Belgrade to join an existing loose
union between the other two states, the official Tanjug news
agency reported on Saturday.
After four days of talks between a delegation of the Russian-
Belarus Interparliamentary Assembly and members of the Yugoslav
parliament, delegates told a news conference the commission
would hold its first meeting in early September.
It would be made up of 10 members -- four from the Yugoslav
parliament, two each from the Russian and Belarussian
parliaments and two from the interparliamentary assembly. The
commission would meet at least once a month, in a different
country, the delegates said.
The head of the joint Russian-Belarus delegation, Boris
Bikinin, said the commission would work on resolving practical
issues on the admission of Yugoslavia, which has no common
border with either Russia or Belarus, Tanjug reported.
The union between Russia and the former Soviet republic of
Belarus commits them to vaguely defined goals of economic and
political integration, while both remain independent.
Lawmakers of the two countries invited fellow Slav and Orthodox
Christian Yugoslavia to join the union as a sign of solidarity
during NATO's 11-week bombardment of the country. The Yugoslav
parliament voted overwhelmingly in April to apply for membership.
After both the Russian and Belarus parliaments voted to approve
the bid, their interparliamentary assembly, which has no
legislative powers, backed the decision earlier this month.
After that vote, the Communist speaker of Russia's State Duma
(lower house of parliament), Gennady Seleznyov, acknowledged
Yugoslavia was unlikely to be admitted to the union early but
said it was important to give political support to the Yugoslav
people. ((c) 1999 Reuters)
http://www.russiatoday.com/news.php3?id=82644&text
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - 1996 Abortions
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 09:03:35 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
California and New York had the highest abortion rates in the
country in 1996. The federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in Atlanta released the findings of a state-by-state
study of abortion statistics for 1996, the latest year for which
figures are available, Reuters said. A total of 1,221,585 legal
abortions were performed in the United States that year. The
abortion rate rose only slightly that year, but remained near its
lowest level in more than two decades, the CDC said. ...California had
280,180 legal abortions in 1996, about 39 for every 1,000 women of
child-bearing age. That was down from 1994, when it had the most in
the nation with 308,564 abortions. New York had the second-highest
number with 152,991, or 37 per 1,000 women. Wyoming had the nation's
lowest rate, with 208 legal abortions in 1996, or 2 per 1,000 women.
http://www.religiontoday.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today items (8/1/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 09:06:03 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Barak plans to begin Wye implementation by month's end
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- Reporting to the cabinet on Sunday, Prime Minister
Ehud Barak stated that the government plans to begin implementing the
Wye River Memorandum this month and move ahead with the planned land
withdrawals from areas throughout Judea and Samaria, perhaps by
October 1. Mr. Barak added that the final status talks would begin
soon but no exact timetable was presented. Barak explained that the
Wye implementation would move forward with or without the PLO
Authority's approval of Israeli changes, but if they do not approve of
the modifications made by his administration, the future talks would
be more difficult.
Wye steering committee adjourns with PA expressing displeasure
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- Despite repeated assurances from the prime minister
regarding the government's commitment to the agreements signed, the
Wye steering committee which met on Sunday night adjourned without
reaching an agreement between the Israeli and PLO Authority (PA)
delegates reaching an agreement regarding the scope and timetable of
the planned Israeli land retreats. PLO Authority (PA) negotiators were
quoted as saying the situation was a "crisis". The prime minister's
aides indicated the government would continues searching for the
correct formula that would satisfy both parties and continue with
Israeli confidence building measures.
Jerusalem considers demilitarizing
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- Shalom Goldstein, the capital's legal advisor is
suggesting that the border police troops be removed from the capital
and replaced by regular police in traditional blue uniforms to give
the city a calmer appearance. The recommendation was part of
Goldstein's report submitted to Minister Haim Ramon who oversees
Jerusalem affairs. Goldstein explained that the presence of border
police units in their military garb and jeeps gives one the appearance
that Jerusalem is under occupation. The report also dealt with the
Orient House, described by Goldstein as an autonomous PLO Authority
(PA) structure in the midst of Jerusalem. In addition, the city's top
legal authority pointed out that the PA continued its efforts to
takeover control of hospitals and medical facilities in eastern
sectors of Jerusalem.
Israeli Border police arrest Arabs in capital carrying tank parts
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- Border police arrested three Arab men who were found
to be carrying tank parts in their truck. The three were stopped at a
checkpoint near Abu Dis. The stolen tank parts were recently used as
targets in military exercises. The three were apprehended as they were
making their way to the nearby PLO Authority (PA) autonomous area of
Bethlehem.
Israel says troop withdrawals won't begin until Oct. 1
Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: AP
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- Prime Minister Ehud Barak told his Cabinet on Sunday
that implementation of parts of a suspended Mideast peace accord might
begin within a month, a cabinet statement said. But Israeli media said
actual troop withdrawals would not begin until Oct. 1. The cabinet
statement did not specify when withdrawals from the West Bank would
begin, but Barak spokesman David Zisso said the ``physical
implementation'' of the agreement would begin Oct. 1. He would not
elaborate. More delays would likely anger the Palestinians, who have
called for immediate implementation of the U.S.-brokered Wye River
accord. The pact was frozen under Barak's hard-line predecessor,
Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat reiterated his
stance against any delays in carrying out Wye, according to a
statement released by the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
Palestinians show interest in Barak's proposals
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams will meet
today to discuss Barak's proposal to delay parts of the Wye Agreement.
The Palestinian Authority leadership decided officially yesterday to
reject the idea. Israel assumes, however, that this is not its final
word on the matter, and that the PA is waiting for Madeleine Albright
to arrive in the region. The Israeli optimism "is based on information
that the Palestinians have conveyed in private channels to the Israel
team". "The very fact that the two sides are meeting today - despite
the formal declarations - is an indication that they feel there is
something to talk about. In addition, the Palestinians have themselves
conveyed certain counter-requests in response to the Israeli
proposals, which is another sign that they are taking these issues
seriously." "Barak's strategy is to tempt the Palestinians with offers
that may be even more important to them than land," Huberman said.
"The freeing of prisoners is one such area. For some time now, there
has been talk of relaxing the criteria for release, such that
terrorists who did not actually murder, but merely injured their
victims, may be released... Another issue is the construction of a
passage from Gaza to Judea and Samaria, which until now has been
stalled, because Israel has insisted on its security concerns,
including extensive security checks," Huberman explained. "A third
area of great interest to the Palestinians is what is referred to as a
'qualitative withdrawal.' This does not just mean the connection of
Palestinian areas, like Shechem and Jenin, since this is something
that was already set forth in Wye and agreed upon by Netanyahu. In an
effort to shrink the size of the withdrawals, Barak will propose the
extension of Palestinian-controlled area to somwhere northwest of
Jenin, all the way up to the Green Line. Netanyahu had provided for a
large Israeli-controlled buffer between Jenin and the Green Line
settlements." Huberman said that Barak's plan would set a precedent in
granting Palestinian control up to the Green Line border.
Starting September 1999 - Israeli law may not apply to residents of
Yesha
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- According to an internal Justice Ministry
memorandum, residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) may find
themselves without any law following a decision not to extend
emergency bylaws governing the 'state of emergency' that applies in
Yesha areas. The bylaws were implemented in 1967 and are the basis for
Israeli law being applied throughout those areas for the approximately
170,000 Israelis residents as well as the IDF Civil Administration
which governs Arab residents of Yesha who do not live in PLO Authority
(PA) autonomous areas. Last Wednesday, the Knesset voted not to extend
the laws and in September, the Yesha residents may find themselves
without any law governing over them. The opposition parties voted
against the law, which ties the Yesha communities to Israel, a move
that Justice Minister Yossi Beilin explains would make the status of
Israelis living in Yesha communities the same as the Arabs in the same
areas. Some of the results of such a move would include: 1) Residents
would not be compelled to serve in the IDF; 2) Residents would not be
compelled to pay income tax to Israeli authorities; 3) Residents would
not be entitled to receive payments from the National Insurance
Institute or Israeli health insurance; 4) Residents would not be
permitted to obtain Israeli drivers licenses; 5) Residents would not
be entitled to compensatory payments for injuries incurred while
performing guard duty in communities, schools, or Mishmar Ezrahi
(auxiliary police) in Yesha areas; 6) Law breakers would be tried in
military courts; 7) Israeli courts would not hear civil cases filed by
Yesha residents against residents of PA autonomous areas; 8) Residents
would not be permitted to be attorneys in "Israel proper"; 9) A
restraining order barring an Israeli from leaving the country would no
longer be binding. Beilin stated the government would now have to
begin the legislation anew, beginning with the cabinet agreeing to do
so at the Sunday cabinet meeting. The justice minister stated that the
issues at hand were most problematic, especially the logistical
reality that the Knesset last week adjourned for its summer recess and
is not scheduled to resume regular sessions until following the
holidays in October. The justice minister is hopeful that several
special sessions will be convened to deal with the problems and to
legislate the necessary laws to avoid a situation of lawlessness.
France calls on Israel to implement Wye
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- The government of France last week called upon
Israel to implement the Wye agreement that was signed with the PLO
Authority (PA). French officials stated the implementation by Israel
"was indispensable" in order for both sides to establishment a working
trust. In addition, French officials calls upon Israel to release Arab
terrorists from its jails as is being requested by the PA.
PA indicates delay in Wye may lead to crisis
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- PLO Authority (PA) officials over the weekend
rejected an Israeli request to incorporate the implementation of the
Wye River Memorandum in the final status talks. Senior PA officials
indicated that a delay "would push the situation towards a crisis."
"The Palestinian leadership hopes that the Israeli side would come to
the next meeting with official and actual commitment to carry out the
Wye River deal and within a time frame not more than three weeks,"
officials in the PA stated on Sunday
Lebanon says Israeli withdrawal must be complete, unconditional
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said yesterday in a
letter to the Lebanese army on the occasion of Army Day that Lebanese
soldiers should be in a state of exceptional alert to be ready for
coming regional developments, the Lebanon National News Agency said.
Lahoud said that Lebanon opposes conditional withdrawal of Israeli
occupation troops from south Lebanon, adding that if Lebanon had
agreed to conditions, Lebanese absorption of refugees would have been
one of the conditions called for by Israel. He also reiterated
committment to the unity of the Syrian and Lebanese peace tracks, NNA
said.
Moussa confirms European peace role
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa emphasized the
importance of the European role in fulfilling the Middle East peace
process, adding that this topic will be tackled during discussions
President Mubarak is to hold with Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja
Halonen, who is to arrive in Alexandria tomorrow in the company of the
European Union's envoy for the Middle East peace process, Miguel
Moratinos. Moussa added that he would hold talks with his Finnish
counterpart, whose country is the current president of the EU,
addressing the activation of the European role in the revitalization
of peace. Moussa said his talks with Halonen would also tackle the
Egyptian - European partnership, and Euro - Mediterranean cooperation
in light of the Barcelona process. The Finnish minister's visit to
Egypt will be a part of tour that will take her to Israel, Syria,
Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon.
Barak allegedly told American Jewish leaders not to push for embassy
move
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Sun Aug 1,1999 -- In an interview on an Israel Radio talk show on
Reshet Bet, MK Uzi Landau of the Likud stated he has learned that
during his recent visit to the United States, Prime Minister Ehud
Barak instructed American Jewish leaders not to push the Clinton
administration to relocate its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to
Jerusalem. Danny Yatom, the prime minister's chief of staff, stated
the comments made by Landau were untrue and he was present at the
meeting referred to by Landau. According to Yatom, Mr. Barak never
made any such statements. Yatom quoted the prime minister's position
vis-=E0-vis Jerusalem as being the undivided capital of the Jewish
people, adding the prime minister favored all foreign embassies being
located in Jerusalem.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Rosh HaShanah
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 12:40:05 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Note from Bill Koenig:
I have provided below some very interesting links about Rosh
Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets. These web sites explain the
significance of Rosh Hashanah and what it stands for as a Jewish
festival (a list of Names, Themes and Idioms for the festival are
below). This year Rosh Hashanah falls on September 10th and 11th.
Rosh Hashanah is the "no man knows the day or hour" festival; it is
the celebration where the "last trump" is played; it is the wedding
ceremony; and it stands for many other things including the "day of
judgment" and "repentance." (NOTE: Please read carefully the "Wedding
of the Messiah," in Eddie Chumney's material, beginning on page 14.
In Jewish customs the bride does not go through "harsh" and "horrible"
tribulation before her wedding day. In the Bible the bridegroom is
Jesus Christ and the bride stands for the church (Christians).)
I have included Chuck Missler, Greg Killian and Joseph Good's
material on Rosh Hashanah too.
I have also included a few web sites that discuss the possibility of
September 11, being the 6000th anniversary of Adam's creation.
I hope you enjoy this very fascinating and intriguing information.
There will be more to follow in the very near future.
******
ROSH HASHANAH:
Eddie Chumney
Rosh Hashanah / Jacob's Trouble / The Wedding of the Messiah
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/2175/chap7.html
The Rosh Hashanah celebration: Names, Themes and Idioms.
Below are the names, themes and idioms of the Rosh Hashanah
celebration.
Teshuvah (repentance)
Rosh HaShanah (Head of the Year, Birthday of the World)
Yom Teruah (the Day of the Awakening Blast [Feast of Trumpets)
Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgment)
HaMelech (the Coronation of the Messiah)
Yom HaZikkaron (the Day of Remembrance or memorial)
The time of Jacob's (Ya'akov) trouble (the birthpangs of the Messiah, Chevlai shel Mashiach)
The opening of the gates
Kiddushin/Nesu'in (the wedding ceremony)
The resurrection of the dead (rapture, natza1)
The last trump (shofar)
Yom Hakeseh (the hidden day)
Chuck Missler
Rosh Hashanah - The Feast of Trumpets
http://www.khouse.org/trumpets.html
Greg Killian
The Messianic Significance of Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah)
http://members.aol.com/gkilli3/home/teruah.html
Joseph Good
Rosh Hashanah: No man knows the day or the hour
http://www.Hatikva.org/noman.html
Joseph Good
The Coming of The Messiah & Yom Kippur (The Second Coming and Mount
Olives) http://www.Hatikva.org/yk-messiah.html
*******
THE 6000TH ANNIVERSARY?
Michael Rood
6001 Day of the Lord
http://www.6001.com/
Avi Ben Mordechai
Millennium 7000
http://www.millennium7000.com/
Vince Aquilino
Prophecy and Current Events
September 11, 1999 - Is it the Rapture?
http://aplus-software.com/thglory/7000year.htm
Yacov Rambsel
http://www.yacovrambsel.com
Yacov believes the 6000 anniversary of Adam's creation is also on Rosh
Hashanah 1999, but he doesn't have anything about it on his new web
site yet.
Bonnie Gaunt
In Bonnie's book, "The Coming of Lord Jesus," she used her
expertise in astronomy (signs in the skies); knowledge of Hebrew,
Greek and English gematria (numbers); her knowledge and experience in
the Bible Codes; and most importantly her indepth knowledge of the
Word of God, to determine that this year's Rosh Hashanah is the 6000th
anniversary of Adam's creation.
via: "Koenig's International News" <bill@watch.org>
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Hong Kong Theme Park To Feature Creationism
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 17:27:59 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
Hong Kong Theme Park To Feature Creationism
HONG KONG, China (EP) -- A Bible-based Noah's Ark housing a
creation science museum will be part of a unique theme park on
Ma Wan Island in Hong Kong harbor.
Dr. David Wang, executive director for the Christian-related
projects in the park, says other attractions at the facility
will include an aquatic research center, an archaeological
museum, a solar observatory, and a meditative prayer garden with
arts collected from Christian artists around the world.
Wang has been the leader of the Hong Kong-based Asian Outreach
for more than 30 years and is widely recognized as a mission
statesman from Asia. He told British journalist Dan Wooding that
he considers this project to be "the most innovative in reaching
out to the inquiring mind-both the young and old."
The project is being funded by Hong Kong's largest property
development company. A Christian team of experts on theme parks
and World Expositions has been gathered to develop the project
for an expected opening in April, 2002.
Disney is reportedly planning to build a theme park on a nearby
island, news that excites Wang. "Now that our neighbors are
Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, our anticipated attendance has
grown tremendously," he said. "At first we thought it would be
two million visitors a year. Now it could be three times higher."
Organizers expect half of the visitors to the attraction to
come from mainland China. The Noah's Ark feature will not only
discuss biblical creationism, but will also be a tool for
evangelism. "The Ark and its surrounding Rainbow Paradise are
the main children's attraction of the park," says Wang.
"Visitors will learn about the days of Noah and that God has a
saving plan, and He signed His plan with the signature of a
rainbow."
The first phase of the project is a 55,000 square foot
"Heavenly Blessings Garden." It will be a quiet, meditative
garden, displaying international Bible-theme arts and
sculptures, encouraging thoughtful reflection and fellowship
with God.
The second phase is the Noah's Ark exhibit, which will be
partially buried in rocks and sediment to make it look as though
it has been discovered on Mount Ararat.
Other attractions will include a Bible theme restaurant and
multipurpose function halls for Christian performing arts.
(c 1999, Evangelical Press News Service)
http://www.mcjonline.com/news/news3289.htm
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - British 'supergerm' is created for defense
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 17:32:47 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
From The Washington Times,
http://www.washtimes.com/internatl/internatl1.html
August 2, 1999
British 'supergerm' is created for defense
By Joe Murphy
LONDON SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
Britain's Ministry of Defense has disclosed that it is creating
lethal genetically modified (GM) organisms in a secret program
to prepare defenses against a new era of germ warfare.
Tests of the potential of "GM supergerms" are being conducted
at Porton Down, the headquarters of the government's chemical
and biological defense establishment.
The research uses similar genetic engineering techniques to
those that create GM foods sold in supermarkets. It was launched
to study the implications should such technology be developed
for weapons of mass destruction by an enemy power.
The government has kept the experimental research secret, but
the London Sunday Telegraph has learned it has been going on for
at least five years.
The theoretical threat posed by GM germs has alarmed the
Ministry of Defense. Genetic techniques can make biological
weapons more dangerous to humans and less easy to detect or
counter.
It is already feasible to use genetic engineering to introduce
a lethal toxin into a pathogen -- an organism that attacks
humans -- to increase its killing potential. Organisms can also
be modified to resist antidotes.
In the future, it may be possible to wipe out an army with
mutant germs that would then be made benign by a genetic flaw,
enabling an enemy force to invade in safety.
An enemy may be more ready to deploy such "controllable" GM
weapons than existing organisms such as anthrax. Ultimately, it
may be possible to develop an "ethnic destruction" germ, that
is, an organism that would attack the genes of a particular race.
In January, a study by the British Medical Association warned
that a plague or toxin designed to kill specific racial groups
could be only five to 10 years away.
Britain has signed treaties prohibiting the creation of
biological weapons for military purposes. The sole reason for
the research at Porton Down is to develop protection measures
against any threat posed to the population or to servicemen.
A Ministry of Defense spokesman said: "To perform this task our
scientists have to be at the cutting edge of biological
scientific knowledge, including the techniques of genetics."
via: isml@onelist.com
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (8/2/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 17:40:03 +0000
From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>
*** Israel expands Bethlehem checkpoint
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) - Israeli construction at the entrance to
Bethlehem, including plans to expand a major military checkpoint, will
make it more difficult for pilgrims to visit the biblical city, the
Palestinian mayor said Monday. Palestinian-run Bethlehem is just five
miles south of Jerusalem, which is under Israeli control. Both cities
are expected to draw millions of visitors during millennium
celebrations in the Holy Land. "They (the Israelis) are targeting the
city," the mayor, Hanna Nasser, told a news conference. "They have
political interest in cutting off the city from Jerusalem and to bury
tourism, especially the millennium celebrations." See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560538672-1f3
*** Netanyahu to be high-tech consultant
JERUSALEM (AP) - Benjamin Netanyahu is back in business - as a
consultant to an Israeli high-tech company. The former prime minister
has taken a job as strategic marketing consultant for BATM, an Israeli
datacommunications engineering company. "He will help us with our work
in the United States and elsewhere and we think he has the talent to
do the job," BATM president Tsvi Merom said. Netanyahu's salary was
not disclosed. Netanyahu was overwhelmingly defeated in the May 17
election. He has an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and had a brief career in the private sector before entering politics.
See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560540441-2c4
*** Cosmonauts begin shutting down Mir
MOSCOW (AP) - In response to a computer malfunction, the crew aboard
Russia's Mir space station Monday began preparations earlier than
scheduled to abandon the orbiter, a news report said. The three-man
crew is scheduled to leave near the end of August, and the Mir will
stay in orbit until February or March. A final crew will then go up
briefly to lower the station's orbit, and mission controllers will
then send it to burn up in the atmosphere. Preparations for abandoning
the Mir were scheduled to start Thursday, but mission controllers
decided to speed up the timetable when the main computer failed last
Friday, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported, citing the Russian Space
Agency. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560536244-400
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Is That The U.N. Fleet?
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 08:34:23 -0500
From: owner-bpr@philologos.org
Source: The Morrock News Digest (http://morrock.com).
IS THAT THE U.N. FLEET?
The AllTexas.Net Website (http://www.alltexas.net/news/bastrop.html)
features a quantity of photos, seemingly taken from the air, that
purport to show a growing, multi-million-dollar fleet of nearly 1,000 brand-new
SUVs, 4WD pickups, suburbans and vans rowed up behind a hillside
on federal prison property in Bastrop County, Texas. The fleet
is owned by the federal government, according to the text
accompanying the photos, and the vehicles' presence is feeding
local rumors that they are meant to be part of a U.N. police
force. The government reportedly says the vehicles are intended
for use by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, but the
Web site says the vehicles are just "sitting idle, soaking up
Texas sun."
--- BPR
BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today items (8/4/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 21:37:34 -0500
From: moza@butterfly.mv.com
North Korea warns U.S. mainland
Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Drudge Report
Tue Aug 3,1999 -- North Korea's official news agency on Tuesday warned
that there is "no guarantee for the safety of the U.S. mainland when the
U.S. ignites a war against the north in the Korean peninsula." The
threat
came on the same day North Korea acknowledged for the first time that it
is preparing to test a missile. U.S. military officials now believe that
North Korea could, within the next few weeks, test a Taepodong 2 missile
-- a powerful new rocket with a range of 3,800 to 6,000 miles that would
put Alaska or Hawaii within its reach. The United States has threatened
to
use "all available means" if North Korea goes ahead with a Taepodong 2
test. Wednesday's NEW YORK TIMES, which leads with a N. Korea story,
runs
quotes predicting that if a Korean missile should fall in Japanese
territory, and particularly cause casualties or some destruction, Japan,
with the help of the U.S., could then "destroy North Korean missile
sites". The Korean Central News Agency warned:, "A war on the Korean
peninsula is neither a war like a military drill of unilateral offensive
as in Yugoslavia and Iraq nor a dispute like a simple conflict. A war
here
is a large thermo-nuclear war in which more than a thousand nuclear
bombs
with explosive power of 13,000 kilotons deployed in South Korea will go
off and a world war which will soon escalate beyond the Korean
peninsula."
PA claims Israeli construction in Bethlehem will deter millennium
tourists
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Tue Aug 3,1999 -- The mayor of the PLO Authority (PA) autonomous city of
Bethlehem, Hanna Nasser, stated at a Monday news conference that
continued
Israeli construction at the Tomb of Rachel and the adjacent military
compound, both located in the city, would deter tourists from visiting
the
city. Mayor Nasser stated that the ongoing work would complicate the
logistics for Christian pilgrims who will be trying to visit the area.
Millions of pilgrims are expected during 2000 to visit the Christian
holy
sites in that city. "They are targeting the city. They have political
interest in cutting off the city from Jerusalem and to bury tourism,
especially the millennium celebrations," stated Nasser. The statements
refer to the ongoing construction of a stairway at Rachel's Tomb, a move
that is a bone of contention by the PA as well as local Bethlehem
officials. PA officials have made numerous statements accusing Israel of
violating the "spirit" of the agreements signed since both sides agreed
to
avoid making any unilateral changes in the area. Nasser added that a
planned walkway to the military complex would create a fenced in `cattle
pen' that the thousands of Arab laborers entering into "Israel proper"
daily would be required to pass through and that was unacceptable.
Attack against Arafat by Syrian defense minister outrages PA officials
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire
Tue Aug 3,1999 -- Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas on Tuesday
lashed out at PLO Authority (PA) Chairman Yassir Arafat, accusing him of
selling out his people and Jerusalem. The remarks were made on Syrian
Army
Day, during which the defense minister called Arafat obscenities,
accusing
him of selling out his nation. Senior PA officials called upon President
Hafez el-Assad to dismiss the defense minister for his remarks. Tlas
accused Arafat of making concession to Israel "like a stripper". "But a
stripper becomes more beautiful with every layer she removes, while
Arafat
turns uglier," Tlas added.
Turkey's army dismisses suspected Islamic officers
Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: AP
Tue Aug 3,1999 -- Turkey's military has dismissed 58 officers in a bid
to
rid the army of suspected Islamic militants and other extremists, news
reports said Tuesday. Over the past three years, the army has purged
more
than 350 officers from its ranks for having ties to radical Islamic
groups. Turkey's powerful pro-secular army, which sees Islamic
radicalism
as a challenge to the nation's secular traditions, forced the country's
first Islamic-led government out of power in 1997.
Iraq moves missiles into southern no-fly zone
Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: AP
Tue Aug 3,1999 -- Iraq has moved more anti-aircraft missiles into the
southern ``no-fly'' zone patrolled by U.S. and British aircraft,
possibly
posing an increased risk to allied pilots, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
Spokesman Kenneth Bacon said the movements do not necessarily indicate
Iraqi preparations to challenge enforcement of the ``no-fly'' zone more
aggressively, but they fit a pattern of Iraqi behavior.
Russia against attacks on Iraq
Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters
Tue Aug 3,1999 -- Russia's Security Council representative criticised on
Tuesday U.S. and British attacks in no-fly zones over Iraq. Russia
argues
the no-fly zones, established by the Western powers after the 1991 Gulf
war, are illegal and the air strikes harm civilians and damage the Iraqi
economy. Iraq said nine people were killed and 23 wounded last Friday in
raids on the country's northern and southern no-fly zones. The previous
day it said eight civilians were killed by air attacks in southern Iraq.
Council members said the United States on Tuesday gave its usual
response
that the zones were set up to protect Iraqis from the depredations of
their own government. This is a reference to attacks by Iraqi troops
after
the Gulf war against Kurdish dissidents in the north of the country and
Shiites in the south. The United States also said allied planes only
attacked installations that targeted them with radar or launched
ground-to-air missiles. China and Malaysia were also said to have called
for an end to the no-fly zones while Bahrain said the situation only
emphasised the need for the divided Security Council to come up with a
unified policy on Iraq. Iraq's news agency reported Tuesday that Iraqi
Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf sent letters asking the United
Nations and the Arab League to press the United States and Britain not
to
bomb civilian sites in the no-fly zones. He also said Iraq held
responsible all states whose planes carried out ``these criminal acts''
and those whose territories were used by the planes, such as Saudi
Arabia,
Kuwait and Turkey.
Jerusalem water cut off
Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arutz 7
Tue Aug 3,1999 -- Despite earlier promises not to shut off the water
to Jerusalem - explaining it would compromise the water supply to the
PLO
Authority (PA) autonomous areas, the striking Mekorot Water Company
employees have shut off the water supply to the capital Tuesday
afternoon.
Water was also cut off to Betar Elite, Shoham, Har Adar, Rosh HaAyin,
Ceasarea, Savion, Ohr Yehuda, Yehud, Nevei Samuel and Givon HaHadasha.
The
return of regular water service should be four hours following the start
of sanctions.
========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Israel Line (8/3/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 21:39:45 -0500
From: moza@butterfly.mv.com
RUSSIA WISHES TO PLAY CENTRAL ROLE IN PEACE PROCESS
Russian leaders told Prime Minister Ehud Barak during his visit to
Moscow that they would like to assist in the Middle East peace process,
Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. One of Barak's chief advisors
characterized the meetings as "the best visit ever for an Israeli Prime
Minister in Russia." According to HA'ARETZ, Barak raised concern over
Russian weaponry and missile technology leaking into Iran, and the
removal of international inspection of Iraq's militarization efforts.
He said, however, that Israel will refrain from exerting pressure on
Russia, as was done by Netanyahu's government. In response, the
Russians told Barak, "if you present us with facts, we will act
together to prevent these things from happening." According to YEDIOT
AHARONOT, Barak announced, "I am not optimistic. Despite the promises I
received from President Yeltsin and his senior ministers, I think the
Russians will continue providing aid to Iran's proliferation of nuclear
and ground missiles that are capable of reaching numerous targets,
including our own." HA'ARETZ reported that during the meeting, the two
sides also agreed to establish a Joint Economic Commission to Israel
and Russia, and discussed undertaking measures to fight terrorism and
crime. In a related matter, following the desecration of six Jewish
graves in Siberia last weekend, Russian officials fiercely condemned,
in meetings with Barak, the recent wave of anti-Semitic acts. The
prosecutor in charge of the investigation stated that the Russian
authorities will severely punish those who try to incite racial and
religious hatred.
BARAK: PEACE WITH SYRIA ON THE HORIZON
Prime Minister Ehud Barak told Russian leaders on Monday that he
believes there is a great likelihood that peace between Israel and
Syria will be within reach upon resumption of bilateral talks, HA'ARETZ
reported. Barak noted, however, that new negotiations are being
hindered by alleged past declarations which make it difficult to find
an agreeable formula for reopening negotiations. Barak asked Russian
leaders, who hosted Syrian President Hafez Assad four weeks ago,
whether they thought the Syrians were ripe for new talks. President
Boris Yeltsin and senior Russian officials unanimously responded that
they believe there is now a good opportunity to achieve an
Israeli-Syrian agreement. Barak said he would be amenable to any way
that Assad wants to renew talks. "We are focused on the negotiations
themselves, rather than on the question of how they are to be opened,"
he said. A senior official in Barak's entourage refused to say whether
secret talks between the countries are taking place.
BARAK PROPOSES STEPS FOR WYE IMPLEMENTATION
During his visit to Russia on Monday, Prime Minister Ehud Barak
presented Russian leaders with his view that if the Wye River
Memorandum is to be carried out verbatim, security issues -as well as
internal political difficulties- would make a final settlement
extremely difficult, HA'ARETZ reported. Barak's current proposal
reserves the month of August for studying the clauses comprising the
agreement and devising ways to implement them. According to the
Premier's plan, September 1 will constitute the implementation
schedule, as well as the beginning of intensive final status
negotiations. The next withdrawal should be completed by October 1 and
part of the redeployment agreed upon in a final settlement would be
carried out by November 1. According to this plan, the major
components of the final withdrawal would be concluded, as well as a
statement of principles concerning the final settlement, by February
2000. Meanwhile, YEDIOT AHARONOT reported that Foreign Minister David
Levy blamed the Palestinians on Monday for creating an artificial
crisis in order to coax more American involvement in the peace talks.
Levy was reacting to Palestinian claims, voiced by Palestinian
Authority leader Yasser Arafat, that "Israel is trying to avoid having
to carry out the agreements in precision."
ISRAELI-PA ECONOMIC COMMITTEE RECONVENES
Minister of Finance Avraham Shochat and Palestinian Authority Minister
of Trade and Economy Maher Al-Masri decided to reconvene the joint
Israeli-Palestinian Economic Committee, HA'ARETZ reported. The
Committee is expected to discuss the Palestinian Authority's debts to
Israel, theft of Israeli cars by Palestinians, expansion of the list of
products allowed for import into the Palestinian Authority and the
settling of mutual sales tax accounts. Shochat underscored the
importance of a joint effort to settle Palestinian debt to Israeli
businesses and organizations. During the meeting, Shochat phoned
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and stressed that a good
economic situation was the foundation for moving forward. Shochat said
that the regional economy must be improved in tandem with the peace
process. Meanwhile, THE JERUSALEM POST reported that Israel and the PA
are planning a joint operation to prepare for the expected influx of
pilgrims at Christian sites during the millennium year. One common aim
is to designate alternative tourist attractions aimed at siphoning off
the crowds at the most popular sites in the Holy Land. Israeli
officials expect some four million tourists to visit Israel next year,
with 15,000 to 20,000 expected to converge on Jerusalem daily.
HALONEN INVITES LEVY TO ADDRESS EU
Foreign Minister David Levy met on Monday with Finnish Foreign Minister
Tarja Halonen, who is currently chairing the European Union, HA'ARETZ
reported. Halonen invited Levy to address the EU Council of Foreign
Ministers at the beginning of September, and also proposed that the
multilateral talks be resumed. Halonen promised to aid the peace
process to the best of her ability and expressed the EU's desire for
full cooperation with Israel in the future. She expressed both her and
the EU's support for the Israeli Government and its political momentum,
and discussed Europe's place in the process. The two foreign ministers
also discussed the EU's rules of political conduct. Levy said that "It
cannot be that every time there is a disagreement, it will be
discussed in international fora."
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES INAUGURATES US-ISRAEL LINE
United States airline, Continental, on Monday inaugurated an aviation
line between Israel and the U.S., HATZOFEH reported. Gregg Branman,
Continental President and General Manager of Continental, flew on the
inaugurated flight along with other high-ranking executives from the
company. Branman indicated at the festive inauguration ceremony, held
at the Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel, that this line has already proven
to be the most successful of the 17 lines the company ventured upon in
the past year. Continental Airlines is the sixth largest airline
company in the world, operating more than 2,200 flights each day to 130
destinations in the U.S. and to 85 destinations abroad.
via: Consulate of Israel - New York <nycon@interport.net>
Please be advised that this domain (Philologos.org) does not endorse 100 per cent any link contained herein. This forum is for the dissemination of pertinent information on an end-times biblical theme which includes many disturbing, unethical, immoral, etc. topics and should be viewed with a mature, discerning eye.