To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - July 1, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 08:48:15 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

8:30 PM Eastern

 TBN - INT'L INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

9:00

 DISC - SCIENCE MYSTERIES - "Bermuda Triangle" - Experts
   theorize on the mysterious tragedies in the Bermuda
   Triangle.(CC)(TVG)

 TLC - THE HUNT FOR AMAZING TREASURES - "Hunt for
   T-Rex" - The Black Hills of South Dakota are a tyrannosaur
   graveyard.(CC)(TVG)

10:00

 DISC - INTO THE UNKNOWN - "Monsters of the Deep" - Lake
   monsters and sea serpents.(CC)(TVPG)

 HIST - THE STATUE OF LIBERTY - Twenty years of efforts
   result in France's gift of the copper colossus ``Liberty
   Enlightening the World.''(CC)(TVG)

 TLC - STRANGE SCIENCE - "Mysterious Skies" - UFOs;
   the moon; lightning; meteors; atmospheric
   optics.(CC)(TVG)

--- BPR

BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Inside China Today items (7/1/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 09:04:30 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

STATE MEDIA: DISPUTED PANCHEN LAMA BLESSES 16,000 FOLLOWERS IN TIBET
BEIJING -- More than 16,000 Tibetans have paid homage to the
controversial Beijing-picked Panchen Lama in a three-day ritual,
official media said Thursday.
http://www.insidechina.com/news.php3?id=76495&text

US OFFICIAL: US-CHINA MILITARY TIES HALTED, NO RESUMPTION SEEN SOON
WASHINGTON -- Military contacts between the United States and China
have virtually ceased since the May 7 bombing of the Chinese embassy
in Belgrade and they are unlikely to resume soon, a senior US defense
official said Wednesday.
http://www.insidechina.com/news.php3?id=76494&text

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (7/1/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 09:09:37 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

*** U.S. said to intercept Russia planes

WASHINGTON (AP) - Two Russian strategic bombers on a military
exercise were intercepted by U.S. fighter jets last Friday near
Iceland and another two Russian bombers flew down the Norwegian
coastline, The Washington Post reported in its Thursday edition. Four
U.S. F-15 fighters and an American P-3 patrol plane escorted the two
TU-95 Bear bombers in a clockwise flight around Iceland, which like
Norway, is a member of NATO, the newspaper said. It said Norway
scrambled jets to meet a pair of Russian TU-140 Blackjack bombers
flying down the Norwegian coastline but the bombers turned back before
interceptors reached them. U.S. defense officials said the military
exercise was the largest by Russia in a decade and the first time
since the end of the Cold War Russian planes had probed Western air
defenses. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560135611-04f

*** NATO: Europe needs U.S. help in crises

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - U.S. military dominance in Kosovo shows NATO
is a two-tier alliance with comparatively feeble European forces
relying on Americans to fight their battles, the chairman of NATO's
military committee said Wednesday. Italian Adm. Guido Venturoni held
his first news conference since assuming his new role as NATO's chief
military officer in the midst of the allied air campaign in Kosovo,
and he assessed the lessons of the conflict. "The first is that the
United States not only provided approximately 70% of the air assets
for NATO's air campaign, it also provided the lion's share of the
sophisticated aircraft and weaponry," he said. "Indeed, without the
United States' assets, the alliance could never have mounted an
impressive air campaign such as this." See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560132003-392

*** Barak's coalition agrees to disagree

JERUSALEM (AP) - A coalition of rabbis and radicals, settlers and city
folk, puritans and pragmatists assembled Wednesday by Israel's prime
minister-elect is agreeing to disagree on just about everything but
this: The peace process is back on track. Ehud Barak's letter of
intent announcing he had the numbers to form a ruling coalition was
received by the speaker of the Knesset Wednesday evening, less than 48
hours before the deadline for the legal formality. He will present his
government to parliament some time next week. Parliamentary elections
held the same day Barak resoundingly won direct elections for prime
minister created a fractious legislature composed of an unprecedented
15 parties. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560132783-edd

*** Mubarak makes rounds of Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON (AP) - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with top
lawmakers Wednesday, shook hands on the Senate floor and drew words of
encouragement for his efforts to get the Middle East peace process
back on track. "I hope to achieve progress as soon as possible,"
Mubarak said. House Speaker Dennis Hastert said he understands Mubarak
plans to meet with Israel's incoming prime minister, Ehud Barak.
Hastert, R-Ill., said such a meeting would be a positive step toward
achieving a comprehensive peace in the region. Mubarak himself later
suggested that such a meeting would, indeed, occur, but not until
Barak's new government was formed. He told reporters the meeting would
be in Cairo. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560133011-712

*** UN population conference opens

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Still at odds over sex education and abortion,
delegates from 180 countries opened a three-day special U.N. session
Wednesday to find ways to cope with the world's population as it nears
6 billion. "To no small extent, your efforts will help determine the
way future generations live on this Earth: their health, the range of
their choices, the stability of their societies," Secretary-General
Kofi Annan said in a toast at a luncheon for conference participants.
Five years after 179 countries adopted an ambitious 20-year program to
curb the world's population at a U.N. conference in Cairo, delegates
are meeting to decide on new proposals to implement it. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560133319-696

*** Scottish Parliament opens

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) - It's not just the 17th Earl of Lauderdale,
barred from his family's centuries-old role as the monarch's
flag-bearer in Scotland, who is miffed. Attempts to dilute pomp and
pageantry at Thursday's opening of Scotland's first separate
Parliament in nearly three centuries have backfired: neither the
modernizers nor the traditionalists are happy. Queen Elizabeth II will
formally open the 129-member Parliament, which will have the power to
raise taxes and pass laws. The new Parliament is the centerpiece of a
constitutional shake-up by Prime Minister Tony Blair's 2-year-old
Labor Party government. The aim is to decentralize power from London,
while maintaining the union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560130481-c56

*** Israel welcomes pope statement

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli tourism officials welcomed Pope John Paul
II's statement Wednesday expressing his most serious interest to date
in visiting religious sights in the Middle East, including the Holy
Land. On Tuesday, before a crowd of thousands in St. Peter's Square,
the pope announced his desire to make a "special pilgrimage" in the
upcoming millennial year. Tourism Minister Moshe Katsav, who had
announced earlier this year that the pontiff would visit Israel and
the Palestinian areas in March, said he welcomed the decision. The
Vatican has yet to confirm such a trip. Much may depend on the pope's
health. The frail, 79-year-old pontiff two weeks ago canceled a
hastily arranged trip to Armenia because he was ill. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560130833-38e

*** Earth may have 'twin' somewhere

(AP) - The Earth may have had a twin or even more planetary siblings
when the solar system was born, only to lose them in the vast darkness
of deep space, an astronomer says. These Earth-like planets are still
out there somewhere, and despite their wanderings through the cold,
dark void, they may be capable of supporting life, according to David
Stevenson, a planetary physicist at the California Institute of
Technology. Stevenson advances the theory in Thursday's issue of the
journal Nature. According to this theory, these extra Earth-like
planets were jettisoned into deep space by gravity when they got too
close to Jupiter or other large planets. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2560130142-997

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - States Face Early Y2K Test Thursday
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 10:35:56 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

 States Face Early Y2K Test Thursday

 By Karen Pierog

 CHICAGO (Reuters) - The year 2000 won't begin for another six months,
 but the state of Kansas has put its Y2K SWAT team on high alert for
 Thursday.

 Forty-five other U.S. states are bracing for Thursday as well. That
 is the day that most states begin their fiscal year 2000 -- and it's
 an early test of whether months of work to upgrade computer systems
 and eliminate Year 2000 computer bugs were successful.

 ``We believe we are ready,'' Don Heiman, chief information technology
 officer for the state of Kansas, said. ``But I've got my SWAT team in
 place just in case of any hiccups.'' The team includes a corps of
 accountants and technicians ready to pounce at the first sign of
 trouble.

 Many computers were programmed to recognize only the last two digits
 of the year, and state and local governments have spent millions of
 dollars to replace, repair and test their systems so that they will
 recognize the year 2000.

 While states have been tuning up their systems with Jan. 1, 2000, in
 mind, the switch to fiscal 2000 is a milestone of sorts for their
 financial operations. Many states Thursday will begin processing
 bills, payrolls and other programs against fiscal 2000
 appropriations.

 ``This is an important milestone,'' Heiman said. ``If we don't have
 any glitches, it gives me a lot of confidence in the discipline we've
 been practicing.''

 But Gloria Timmer, executive director of the National Association of
 State Budget Officers, said states would still be paying bills and
 tracking vouchers by actual dates -- accounting transactions that are
 not based on computer calculations involving the year.

 ``I would be surprised if the year 2000 on a column makes a
 difference,'' she added.

 Few problems are expected nationwide. Tom Rubel, director of economic
 development and commerce policy studies for the National Governors
 Association, said states were predicting nothing will happen due to
 the fiscal year switchover.

 ``It's the first step into the Year 2000 issue for a lot of states,''
 he said. ``But it's not an operational test, it's a glitch test.''

 For example, New York state, which began its fiscal year 2000 on
 April 1, reported no computer-related problems moving into its new
 budget year. (New York City begins its fiscal year Thursday.)

 Charlie Gerhards, Pennsylvania's deputy secretary for information
 technology, said his state has been hitting continuous milestones
 testing Y2K compliance, such as sending out vehicle registrations
 through the year 2000.

 ``We think we've done due diligence on this and a lot of testing,''
 he said. ``And we feel comfortable that when the system rolls into a
 new fiscal year this evening that we will be in good shape.''

http://headlines.about.com/index7.htm

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Arutz-7 News items (7/1/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 18:19:29 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

SENATE SUPPORTS ISRAEL
By a margin of 97-2, the U.S. Senate passed a $12.7 billion foreign
aid bill last night - $1.9 billion less than requested by President
Clinton. Of this $1.9 billion, $100 million was to go to Israel,
prompting some to view the vote as "a slap in the face" to the
outgoing Netanyahu government - which was promised the money during
the Wye Accords negotiations. Former Israeli Embassy liaison to
Congress Yoram Ettinger, disagrees. "The press reports are garbled,"
Ettinger told Arutz-7 today. "The Senate vote was not a slap in the
face to Israel, but to the PLO and the Clinton administration!
Clinton had promised $500 million to the Palestinians and Israel
together, including $400 million that he promised Yasser Arafat during
the Congressional Prayer Breakfast in February. The message is clear:
U.S. legislators are making the continuation of financial help to the
PLO dependent upon the fulfillment of Palestinian commitments."

In a separate vote, the Senate rejected a White House motion to cut
back on annual U.S. aid to Israel. News Editor Haggai Segal asked
Ettinger, "Why did Clinton suddenly decide to make the cutbacks, and
why did the Senate oppose the move?" Ettinger explained, "The U.S.
government accepted an Israeli request some years ago to reduce
economic aid to Israel by $120 million annually, and, of that cutback,
to allot $60 million to further U.S. military aid to Israel. Clinton,
in order to show his displeasure with Israel's handling of the Oslo
process, wished to decree further cuts. What the Senate did was to
defend Israel against the Clinton sanction."

Segal turned to U.S. relations with the new Barak government: "Ehud
Barak has indicated that he would prefer to move straight to the
final-status talks with the Palestinians as opposed to carrying out
the Wye withdrawals at this point. Can he count on support from U.S.
legislators for his program?" Ettinger answered:
 "There is no love lost between the U.S. Congress and the Oslo/Wye
agreements. The opposite is true: apathy, ambivalence, and opposition
better describe the majority view. If the Israeli government would
ever begin to appreciate the degree of support it enjoys from the
American public and its lawmakers, it would have more courage to stand
up for its positions. Congress is even more adamant about pro-Israel
issues than our own Knesset! It's the U.S. Congress - not the Knesset
- that is pressing for the extradition of Palestinian murderers to the
U.S., eradication of incitement in the Palestinian educational system,
relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and for the
retreat of Syrian forces from Lebanon!"

THREE WEEKS
The traditional "Three Weeks" mourning period begins today - the 17th
day of Tammuz - in commemoration of the breaching of the walls of
Jerusalem (leading to the destruction of the Holy Temple) and other
national calamities. Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, former Dean of Yeshivat
Yamit and currently head of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem,
explained the significance of this mourning period for today's
generation: "Mourning is carried out for something 'dead,' which is
what Jerusalem and the Temple and the Land of Israel were for the
Jewish people during our Exile, when we were dispersed throughout the
four corners of the globe. Although we must continue to mourn, the
situation now is different: The People of Israel have returned home,
we have Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, and the reality is different,
from a practical and Halakhic point of view. First of all, once we
captured the Temple Mount, the people of Israel are immediately
obligated to renew the Temple worship. Secondly, we must continue to
mourn, but not only the fact that the Temple remains in its desolation
- we must also mourn our own reaction to the events. We and our
leadership, on all levels, have not woken up to the fact that 32 years
ago [when Jerusalem was returned to us during the Six-Day War] things
changed! We are still in 'spiritual exile' and we have not done a
thing to change the situation. This is itself something to cry about!"
 

Rabbi Ariel closed with the Talmudic blessing, "May all who mourn for
Jerusalem merit to see it joyfully rebuilt," but reiterated that we
must take concrete actions of our own. Rabbi Yosef Elbaum, who
regularly takes visitors on tours to Halakhically-permitted areas of
the Temple Mount, told an Arutz-7 correspondent that Jews should show
their connection with the Temple simply by visiting it.

Information about the Three Weeks and the accompanying fast days can
be found on the following websites: Project Genesis -
<http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/3weeks/> The OU -
<http://www.ou.org/yerushalayim/17betammuz/> 613.ORG: -
<http://www.613.org/3weeks.html> Virtual Jerusalem -
<http://www.vjholidays.com/3weeks/17tamuz.htm> Aish HaTorah -
<http://www.aish.edu/calendar/3weeks>

Arutz Sheva News Service
     <http://www.a7.org>
Thursday, July 1, 1999 / Tammuz 17, 5759

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - UN peaceful uses of outer space
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 19:52:31 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

UNISPACE III, an international conference on the peaceful uses of
outer space

The third United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful
uses of outer space (UNISPACE III) will be held in Vienna (Austria)
from 19 to 30 July 1999. High-level government officials and
policy-makers from the 185 Member States of the UN, heads of space
agencies and representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations will gather at this international forum to exchange
ideas on the direction of space activities, establish professional
networks and explore commercial opportunities. Top executives from
space-related firms will also attend the event.

UNISPACE III aims to foster a greater understanding and better use of
space science and technology to assist and stimulate economic and
social growth, particularly in developing countries. It is of great
importance for the European Space Agency. ESA has, for many years,
been a firm advocate for the United Nations Office for Outer Space
Affairs, and on behalf of its Member States, is the largest
contributor to the UN Space Applications programme.

ESA, together with its Member States, has played a key role in
coordinating and securing significant European participation in this
event of worldwide relevance. UNISPACE III, an intergovernmental
conference, will also feature over 40 workshops and several symposia,
seminars and round tables. The opening ceremony is scheduled for
Monday 19 July at the Austria Centre in Vienna (Hall A, 10:00-12:00
hrs). The Director General of ESA, Mr Antonio Rodota`, will address
the audience at the plenary session on Tuesday 20 July (Hall A,
10:00-13:00 hrs).

ESA has also coordinated the organization of three workshops on
Satellite Navigation, Disaster Management (in cooperation with the
Japanese space agency - NASDA) and Intellectual Property and Space
Activities.

An exhibition featuring global achievements in the field of space
technology, current and future development tools, emerging
technologies, and ongoing collaborative projects, will be held during
the first week of the conference. The ESA stand will host a series of
demonstrations, linked to the themes of the conference, with the main
emphasis on satellite communication systems and Earth observation data
exchange and their applications. The exhibition will start on Sunday
18 July at 11:00. It will be open to the public until Friday 23 July
12:00 hrs, except on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 July, which will be
reserved for registered conference participants.

On Tuesday 20 July, ESA astronauts will be available at the conference
for interviews with the media.

More information on the conference and programme can be found on the
Internet at http://www.un.or.at/OOSA/

  [United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

  Preamble, Outer Space Treaty
  Inspired by the great prospects opening up before mankind as a
  result of man's entry into outer space,

  Recognizing the common interest of all mankind in the progress of
  the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes,

  Believing that the exploration and use of outer space should be
  carried on for the benefit of all peoples irrespective of the
  degree of their economic or scientific development.]

Media representatives wishing to attend the conference are kindly
requested to follow the instructions given in the forms attached or to
contact directly : The Media Accreditation Assistant, United Nations
Information Service, Vienna G0537 PO BOX 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria -
Fax. + 43 1 21 346-3342

If you received this press release via e-mail or from the Web, without
attached forms, please obtain an accreditation request form from
http://www.un.or.at/OOSA/unisp-3/accrinfo.html

via: SEDSNEWS@listserv.tamu.edu

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - July 2, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 07:55:28 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

8:00 PM Eastern

 DISC - FIREWORKS! - Pyrotechnicians design fireworks
   shows.(CC)(TVG)

9:00

 PBS - THE ACLU: A HISTORY - The American Civil Liberties
   Union backs individuals' rights, from the Scopes Monkey Trial
   to American Nazi Party marchers; Joe Mantegna tells of its 80
   years.(CC)(TVG)

 DISC - DISCOVERY NEWS - (CC)

10:00

 TLC - STRANGE SCIENCE - "Odd Sounds" - Talking
   ghosts; acoustic sands; glossolalia; ringing rocks; Taos,
   N.M., humming.(CC)(TVG)

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Mark of the Beast
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 07:55:28 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

Jack Van Impe Presents broadcast on TBN 6/30/99:

Windsor Star reports that "British companies seriously consider 'Big
Brother' microchip implants in employees"...Scott MacDonald of Scan
This News says "a lifetime of information can be easily databased
using a microchip system. Every detail of a person's life will soon
be accessible to authorities through the widespread use of implanted
chips. Only those social misfits, kooks, and rebels with something to
hide will hold out strongly. Little will they know the very act of
objecting in itself will suffice to identify them as trouble-makers."

"Destron 101 [phonetic spelling] is being used now for pilots at
Wright Air Force Base here in the USA because they've spent millions
of dollars training them [pilots] and Destron 101 is a microchip with
electromagnetic bar codes to keep track of them wherever they go.
It's already in existence."

--- BPR

BPR Web Site - http://philologos.org/bpr

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - US House Rejects Day of Fasting & Prayer
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 08:16:23 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

U.S. House Rejects Day Of Fasting And Prayer

          WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Supporters of a bill calling for a
          national day of prayer and fasting said they will try again
          to convince Congress that America needs to turn to God.

          The measure -- which called for public repentance and prayer
          -- was introduced by Rep. Helen Chenoweth, R-Idaho. The bill
          failed to win the two-thirds majority needed for passage on
          Tuesday. A two-thirds majority is needed when legislation is
          considered under special rules designed to speed passage of
          noncontroversial bills through the House, the Associated
          Press reported.

          The bill failed on a vote of 275 for, 140 against--two votes
          shy of the required two-thirds majority.

          Chenoweth, said she was not disappointed. "A strong majority
          of the House of Representatives supported this measure, and
          that's good news," she said.

          Chenoweth plans to reintroduce the bill under regular rules,
          which require only a simple majority, as early as today,
          spokesman Kyle Key said. "This won't be the end of it," Key
          said.

          The bill was the latest in a string of religion-related
          measures that have been debated in the House. Last week, the
          House passed a bill allowing the posting of the Ten
          Commandments at schools and other state-run facilities.

          "Our nation is sick and hurting, and now is the time when
          all Americans of faith must come together and pray for
          healing and spiritual renewal," Chenoweth said from the
          House floor Tuesday. "If there ever is a time when we need
          almighty God, it is now."

          Chenoweth mentioned several recent events, including the
          tragic high school shooting in Littleton, Colo., when she
          introduced the bill. "We are witnessing with increasing
          regularity with the effects of violence and murder a
          disregard for life and exploitation of children...the
          breakdown of the family, and, as we know, a general moral
          decay," she said.

          Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, spoke some of the strongest
          words opposing the measure, saying it was unconstitutional
          and morally wrong. Congress has no business telling
          Americans when to pray, he argued, and members of Congress
          should not use God to further their political agendas.

          Edwards said he believed that faith and prayer could improve
          the nation, but he suggested that "members of Congress
          should spend more time praying and less time telling others
          how to pray."

          (CNS -- Charisma News Service)

          (Post date: July 1, 1999)

http://www.mcjonline.com/news/news3205.htm

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Law Professors Reaffirm Marriage
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 08:18:31 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

Law Professors Reaffirm Marriage

          LONDON, U.K. (CNS) -- One hundred sixty-three professors of
          law and jurisprudence joined together across racial,
          cultural and religious lines to reaffirm their support for
          the legal definition of marriage as the union of one man and
          one woman. Their declaration, "To Reaffirm Marriage,"
          appeared in English, Spanish and French on the eve of an
          international conference at King's College Law School in
          London, the Ethics and Public Policy Center reported.

          The conference, "Legal Recognition of Same-Sex
          Partnerships," includes speakers from around the world and
          features leading U.S. professors who support same-sex
          marriage and believe the concept of marriage should be
          redefined by the court to include homosexual couples.

          The professors declared: "We believe that marriage is the
          unique union of a man and a woman, a community of life and
          love. Marriage so understood is built into the fabric of
          social life and cannot be arbitrarily redefined by
          lawmakers. Male-female marriage provides incomparable
          benefits to society, especially for children and for those
          who invest their lives in raising their children. Our
          domestic and international laws should preserve, protect and
          promote the institution of marriage."

          The declaration also stated: "Redefining marriage to include
          same-sex unions will introduce unprecedented moral, social
          and legal confusion into our communities. It will not
          advance the causes of freedom, equality, justice, and human
          rights. Rather it will weaken marriage, and ultimately
          undermine these causes too."

          (CNS -- Charisma News Service)

          (Post date: July 1, 1999)

http://www.mcjonline.com/news/news3207.htm

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - First Openly Gay US Ambassador Takes Oath
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 08:20:16 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

First Openly Gay U.S. Ambassador Takes Oath

          WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) -- On June 29, James Hormel was sworn
          in as the first openly gay U.S. ambassador after a two-year
          delay caused by fierce opposition among conservative
          lawmakers and some Christian groups.

          Hormel took the oath of office to serve as ambassador to
          Luxembourg before State Secretary Madeleine Albright. Many
          supporters attended the ceremony, including Hormel's former
          wife, Alice, his five children and his current partner,
          Timothy Wu.

          Cheers erupted in the normally sedate Ben Franklin room when
          Albright administered the oath. Her message stated, "Neither
          race, creed, gender, nor sexual orientation is relevant in
          selecting an ambassador for the United States."

          Albright then added: "This is one of those glorious days
          [when] the nice guy finishes first."

          Reuters reported that conservative groups lambasted the
          appointment. The Traditional Values Coalition said the
          appointment would be "the grave marker for an administration
          which sold out every core American value."

          Concerned Women for America accused Hormel of sponsoring
          projects that "promote pedophilia and weaken parental
          rights" and said his views, including advocating homosexual
          marriage, "do not reflect the views of the majority of
          Americans."

          (CNS -- Charisma News Service)

          (Post date: July 1, 1999)

http://www.mcjonline.com/news/news3206.htm

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - EU initiates int'l convention on peace process
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 17:43:47 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

 EU INITIATES INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON PEACE PROCESS
 The European Union proposes to convene an international conference
regarding renewed peace negotiations, HA'ARETZ reported. This
initiative was presented by Miguel Mauratinus who serves as the EU
special envoy to the peace process, during his recent visit to Israel.
 According to the EU proposal discussed with the American government,
the convention is intended to resume both multilateral and bilateral
negotiations. The prospective convention's agenda will also encompass
 a "code of conduct" agreement that would require all parties to
refrain from acting unilaterally. In meetings with Knesset Member
Shimon Peres, Foreign Ministry Deputy-General Eitan Ben-Tzur and
Deputy-General of the President's Office Aryeh Schumer, Mauratinus
said that Europe would like to play a part in the peace process and
assist in Israeli negotiations with Syria and Lebanon.

via: Consulate of Israel - New York <nycon@interport.net>
                  Israel Line 07-02-99

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today items (7/2/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 09:11:40 +0000

From: "Moza" <moza@butterfly.mv.com>

Israel water level at unprecedented level

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- According to Israel water officials, the drought
being experienced in the region, particularly in Israel, is the worst
in the state's history. According to Professor Moshe Inbar, the head
of the Department of Geography of Haifa University, the current water
situation is the worst since the establishment of the state in 1948.
The professor stated the damages resulting from the lack of water will
reach in the NIS hundreds of millions and will become one of the worst
natural disasters to hit the state. Professor Inbar explained that
since water levels began being monitored in Kfar Blum fifty-five years
ago, this is the lowest level ever recorded with a total rainfall
accumulation reaching 261 millimeters, about fifty percent of the
average annual rainfall. The Kinneret has already hit an unprecedented
low, with the level expected to drop to the red line by the summer's
end. The Haifa University experts add that if the coming winter is not
an exceptionally wet one, things in the region will become drastically
worse. He explained that even if the rainfall is slightly less than
usual, the water related problems may mount. Inbar called upon all
Israelis to reduce water consumption in every household by at least
ten percent.

Mubarak heads to France

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will hold a working
visit to France that will last for two days, during which he is to
meet with French President Jacque Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel
Jospin. Mubarak's talks in the French capital will start on July 2 and
will deal with the Middle East peace process, in which Egypt and
France can work collectively for the sake of peace. Mubarak said
earlier this week in Washington that the Palestinian track should be
given priority in resuming the Middle East peace process. He said that
implementing signed agreements between Israel and the Palestinians
would give Syrian President Hafez al-Assad confidence in the Middle
East peace process. Mubarak asserted that the cause of Palestine is
the essence of the peace process, and unless the implementation of
what had been agreed upon in Oslo, Cairo and the Wye River agreement
is followed up, no trust will be established among the sides
concerned. He ruled out peace tracks to be resumed unless Israel
succeeds in winning the confidence of other sides through carrying out
its obligations, a matter which will give evidence to President
al-Assad that Israel is ready for peace. Mubarak added that Israel has
to adopt measures for giving al-Assad confidence in the peace process,
especially halting settlement. Mubarak called on Israel to stop
provoking the sentiments of the Palestinians and all Arabs by building
settlements in Abu Ghneim mountain. Mubarak also renewed his call to
dismantle all weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East region,
including Israel and Iran and called on the US to support this
position and allow no exceptions, an official Egyptian statement said.

Syria's Assad plans visit to Russia on Monday

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- Syrian President Hafez al-Assad will visit Moscow
Monday on his first trip to Russia since the collapse of the Soviet
Union, Syria's official news agency SANA said Friday. Assad will fly
to Moscow on an official invitation from President Boris Yeltsin for a
visit originally planned for April, it said. Relations between the two
countries have been strained because Syria never resolved a $12
billion debt for weapons supplied by the Soviet Union. Syrian and
Russian officials have been meeting recently to discuss a new arms
deal the Kremlin said was worth $2 billion. Assad, who trained as a
soldier in the USSR, was scheduled to visit Russia on April 12 and 13,
a period that coincided with the presence of Israeli Foreign Minister
Ariel Sharon in Moscow. He postponed the visit, without giving any
reasons, just a few hours before he was due to arrive in the Russian
capital. The new arms deal includes anti-tank systems, which sparked
protests from the United States, Israel's backer. Washington
threatened to cancel aid to Russia if the sale of anti-tank weapons
goes ahead. Russian diplomats in Beirut have said Moscow was also
ready to supply Syria with the upgraded version of its MiG-29 fighter
aircraft, a reference to the MiG-29 SMT version of the formidable
plane in production since last December. The former Soviet Union was
the main weapons supplier for Syria in its long conflict with Israel,
which occupied and then settled the strategic Syrian Golan heights in
1967.

Forest fires rage in Russia's heatwave of the century

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Yahoo Asia

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- Forest fires raged on the outskirts of Moscow and in
several other regions Friday as the death toll from Russia's biggest
heatwave of the century rose to more than 140. In the Moscow region,
some 126 fires engulfed 145 hectares (362 acres) of forest and bush
while 200 ha. (500 acres) were burning near Saint Petersburg, the
ministry of emergency situations said. "There is no threat to the
populated areas," said Tatiana Timoshenkova, spokesperson for the
emergency situations ministry, adding that authorities were hoping for
a reprieve from the heat to try to contain the spreading fires.

Meteorologists said temperatures might drop a few degrees in the
coming days after hovering at 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) for
weeks. Fire fighters were battling an inferno over more than 22,000
ha. (55,000 acres) of taiga in the Far East region of Magadan while
2,500 ha. (6,250 acres) were in flames in the Siberian region of
Irkutsk, said Timoshenkova. Fires were also reported in the Volga
region of Nizhny-Novgorod; in the northern regions of Arkhangelsk and
Murmansk; near Kamchatka and Sakhalin in the Far East; and near Chita
and Yakutia in western Siberia, she said. Authorities declared a state
of emergency in many of those regions. The scorching heat over the
past month has left scores dead from heatstroke and especially
drowning as Russians seek to cool off in lakes and rivers surrounding
the capital. Authorities have pointed to alcohol as the cause for many
of the deaths that have occurred during afternoons of vodka-soaked
picknicking. Hospitals in Moscow are reporting nearly a doubling in
the number of patients suffering from various heat-related illnesses,
including heart attacks and strokes, said the newspaper Moskovskye
Komsomolets. The temperatures in June have broken all records since
1895, according to Moscow meteorologists.

Turkish president to visit Israe.

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Artuz 7

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- Turkish President Suleyman Demirel will make an
official visit to Israel - including the PA-controlled areas of Gaza
and Ramallah - in two weeks' time. Turkish government sources hope
that the change of power in Israel will not harm the relations between
Jerusalem and Ankara, a partnership that thrived during the term of
the Netanyahu government.

World Bank calls for PA Israeli financial cooperation

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- A senior World Bank official stated on Tuesday that
failure to coordinate policies between Israel and the PLO Authority
(PA) would cause a "nightmare". By 2010, Israel and the PA autonomous
areas will have the highest proportion of economically active
citizens, compared with the region's total population, in the world,
World Bank Vice President Kemal Dervis told a conference of
Palestinian and Israeli academics and officials. Dervis said failure
to cooperate would lead to competition for the region's scarce
resources -- a rivalry that could dissolve into tensions and violence.
"If the Israelis and Palestinians will have made peace with each
other, the Middle East will have an economic golden age," Dervis said.
"But if the two sides do not cooperate ... the opportunity will turn
into a nightmare." Dervis said the sides should improve
infrastructure, including telephone and water lines, to help meet the
challenges for economic prosperity. Some Israeli leaders have promoted
joint economic projects in the past, while others, including incoming
Prime Minister Ehud Barak, advocate economic separation, saying the
two are not ready to get along. Similarly, some Palestinian officials
welcome joint ventures, while others express concerns that Israel's
advanced economy could overwhelm their own and lead to dependence on
Israel.

British concerns over results of Israeli aggression on Lebanon

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- Britain has expressed its deep concern over the
material damage and losses inflicted as a result of the Israeli
attacks last week that targeted the Lebanese infrastructure. The
British ambassador in Beirut, David MacLennan, said on Wednesday
following his meeting with Lebanese Information Minister Anwar
al-Khalik that London considers the April Understanding as the proper
framework to ensure the security of civilians.The British ambassador
called on all sides concerned to resume abiding by this understanding
until peace negotiations can be resumed.

On peace between Syria and Israel

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- The Syrian ambassador in Washington, Walid
al-Mu'allim, has announced that a peace agreement can be reached
between Syria and Israel within a few months if Israel agrees to
withdraw from all the Golan Heights. Israel Radio said that ambassador
al-Mu'allim said in a statement to the Washington-based Middle East
Insight Magazine that this agreement will also be obligatory for the
Hizbullah Party. The Syrian ambassador said, "Hizbullah, being a
national resistance movement will not be an obstacle before attaining
peace if such a peace meets the Syrian and Lebanese national
interests." He continued that the leadership of the Hizbullah Party
has realized that any agreement accepted by Syria, Israel and Lebanon
will be obligatory for it, as well.The Syrian ambassador called on the
US to carry out a more effective role in the peace negotiations. He
expressed doubts about the possibility of reaching an agreement
concerning taking part in the necessary security arrangements without
direct US intervention.

Barak signs agreement with Shas

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak signed the general
terms of a coalition agreement with Shas Wednesday night. Shas sources
said the agreement gives their party control of the Israel Lands
Administration along with the Ministry of National Infrastructures.
Shas sought to include a clause stipulating that in the event of a
violation of the status quo, the coalition would be required make a
correction. But that clause was stricken from the final version, as
One Israel negotiators feared it would be used as a pretext for
legislation aimed at subverting rulings handed down by the High Court
of Justice. Shas officials said they were especially pleased with a
clause which reads, "The government will act to honor the Sabbath and
holidays of Israel, which have preserved our existence as a people."
The officials said that in addition to the symbolic value of the
declaration, it will also lend legitimacy to the continued operation
of the Druze-staffed Sabbath labor law enforcement patrol.

Morocco hosts Euro-Mediterranean conference on human rights and
democracy

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- The EU Migrants Forum's support group for North
Africa will hold in Casablanca next October 22-24 a Euro-Mediterranean
symposium on human rights and democracy in eastern and southern
Mediterranean countries.The encounter will debate the role of civil
society in the respect of human rights, the safeguard of democracy,
and the attainment of integrated and decentralized development in all
eastern and south Mediterranean countries. According to the forum
president, Said Charchira, the forum seeks to contribute to
consolidating the role of non-governmental organizations and
associations and reinforce the symbols of democracy and the respect of
human rights.Attended by observers and participants from Mediterranean
and European countries, the meeting will propose outlines for future
programs of the European Union and of south and east mediterranean
countries with the aim of supporting non-governmental organizations
and components of the civil society.

European loan for Morocco

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arabic News

Fri Jul 2,1999 -- The European Union agreed on granting Morocco a loan
of $4.1 million to be specified for the social development program to
combat poverty.A statement issued by the European Commission in Cairo
today stated that this program will be implemented in coordination
with the Moroccan Ministry of Social Development and Work and that
this loan will be started at the beginning of 2000 and will be
specified for developing rural areas that suffer from a lack of the
essential services.

--- BPR

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