BPR Mailing List Digest: 01/20/00

Philologos
BPR Mailing List Digest
January 20, 2000

Digest Home | 2000 | January, 2000

To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - 300 Rabbis in U.S. Group Say Jerusalem Is Shareable
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 11:54:21 -0500

From: owner-bpr@philologos.org

January 20, 2000

300 Rabbis in U.S. Group Say Jerusalem Is Shareable
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR

A group of American rabbis, concerned that the Israel-
Palestinian peace talks might collapse over the tangled issue of
Jerusalem, called yesterday for the two sides to share the city.

"The question is whether Jerusalem should be under the
exclusive sovereignty of one nation," read a statement signed by
more than 300 rabbis from the group, calling itself the Jewish
Peace Lobby. "The question is whether the pursuit of both
justice and peace requires that, in some form, Jerusalem be
shared with the Palestinian people. We believe that it does."

Full story:
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/world/us-rabbis-jerusalem.html

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Edupage items (1/19/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 13:02:23 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

STATES TO MOVE TO PROTECT ONLINE PRIVACY
State governments are cranking out online privacy legislation
like never before in an attempt to stem the flow of personal
information from government, financial, medical, and online
sources. The latest states to unveil sweeping privacy
legislation packages include Maryland, Minnesota, and Utah. New
York is set to announce its own privacy initiatives next week.
"Our fundamental right of privacy has been almost completely
eroded by rapid advances in computers," says New York Attorney
General Eliot Spitzer. The state-led war to protect privacy is
being fought on a number of fronts. A dozen or more states are
heading an effort to protect consumers' privacy rights from the
financial industry, while others are attempting to ensure the
privacy of computerized health records. The fight to protect
online privacy has been joined by several states that have
targeted online companies' ability to sell personal data.
(USA Today, 19 Jan 2000)

INTERNET THREATENS PRINTED WORLD
New Internet-based technologies that promise to replace paper are
expected to become more sophisticated and widely used in coming
years, possibly posing a large threat to the paper market within
10 years. Already, digital media are challenging newspapers and
e-mail is replacing paper for communications in large companies.
Paper documents represented 90 percent of organizations'
documents in 1995, but that figure is expected to drop to 30
percent by 2005, according to Xplor International, a
representative of the document management industry. Although
readers enjoy the feel of reading on paper rather than on screen,
digital media offers many advantages. Emerging technologies such
as Microsoft's ClearType offer to improve the experience of
reading on a screen. ClearType's main target is the e-book
market. E-books also try to replicate the experience of reading
an actual book, and can store thousands of pages that are
downloaded over a modem. Meanwhile, the Xerox Palo Alto Research
Center has developed electronic paper that looks and feels much
like a traditional newspaper, but can update information when an
electrically charged device is waved over the surface.
(Financial Times, 19 Jan 2000)

Y2K CENTRAL: NET WATCHDOG?
President Clinton's council on the Y2K bug would like to make its
Information Coordination Council (ICC) a permanent infrastructure
monitor. The ICC established a Washington, D.C., nerve center
from which it could monitor the fuel, power, medical,
telecommunications, and food industries for Y2K, and some
industry people agree with officials that the unique
infrastructure should be maintained. Internet Operators Group
executive director Ira Richar says it would still be useful for
ISPs to be aware of power failures, and AboveNet chief technical
officer Dave Rand says it will be helpful to have a central
information site. But industry executives were hesitant to let
the federal government look too far into the Internet, which they
fear could cause the government to inaccurately assess the
industry. Another problem is that negative information might not
be reported to the ICC. Network engineer Sean Donelan says four
ISPs' engineers told him their managers wanted them to report
positive things only, and the Department of Defense waited until
there was some good news before it made reports on satellite
ground station problems. (Interactive Week, 10 Jan 2000)

via: EDUCAUSE <EDUCAUSE@EDUCAUSE.EDU>

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today (1/19/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 13:02:23 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Rabbi Mordehai Eliyahu: Let Syria return Damascus

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- Former Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Mordehai Eliyahu, stated on
Tuesday in a Chabad gathering in Tel Aviv, "Syria should return Damascus to
Israel, since they took it in the time of King David". Rabbi Eliyahu added that
we should be in mourning over the government's desire to withdraw from
territories in the Golan. He said this is a dark time for the Jews, and that we
need to look for the light. Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner, who served as the
Lubavitcher Rebbe's secretary, stated that it is necessary to fight against a
government that wants to give away territory, to rousing applause from the
audience.

Israelites hopes trees for Tu B'Shvat will be boon for bees

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Arutz-7

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- Israel's bee-raisers have planted some 50,000
eucalyptus trees in honor of the upcoming arbor holiday of Tu B'Shvat. Their
objective is to increase the amount of nectar sources within Israel. Shachar
Teneh, Director-General of the Honey Council, explained today that the need
for fresh sources has increased, in light of the paving of new highways, the
rapid pace of construction throughout the country, and the theft of thousands
of beehives by Palestinian Arabs. Some 45,000 eucalyptus trees were
planted last year for the same purpose, leading to an expected increase in
honey production of 500,000 kilograms per year.

Jerusalem mayor says PM is not dividing the city

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- Speaking to leaders of the Council of Jewish
Settlements in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert
defended the Barak administration, stating that Prime Minister Ehud Barak is
not planning to hand over Abu Dis or other areas in the Jerusalem periphery
to the PLO Authority (PA). Abu Dis has already been mentioned as a
possible capital for a Palestinian state, an Israeli alternative aimed at
placating the PA and hoping to thwart demands for eastern Jerusalem as the
capital of a Palestinian state. The mayor, a member of the Likud opposition
party and possible Likud candidate for prime minister in the future, turned
down a request by Yesha Council Executive Director Benny Kashriel to head
the lobby to preserve a united Jerusalem. Olmert told Kashriel and the forum
that he was convinced the prime minister=92s statements vis-=E0-vis Jerusalem
were genuine and believed the current administration has no intentions of
dividing Jerusalem.

6.0 strong quake jolts northern Pakistan, Afghanistan

Weekend News Today
By Weekend Staff
Source: Yahoo! Reuters

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- A strong earthquake with strength at 6 on the Richter
scale, rocked northern Pakistan and parts of neighboring Afghanistan on
Wednesday at 12:10 p.m., jolting buildings in the Pakistani capital
Islamabad and several other cities, and the Afghan capital Kabul, Reuters
reported. Its epicenter was 150 miles north of there in the Hindukush
mountains on the Pakistan-Afghan border. Afghans ran from their houses
into the streets of Kabul when the tremor was felt, the same time that
residents of the Pakistan capital, Islamabad, said buildings shook and
swayed. Islamabad residents said the tremor lasted less than 10 seconds,
but workers in high-rise towers said it was strong enough to make their
buildings sway alarmingly.

Iran worried about Turkish-Israeli ties, says Israel threat to it's regional
stability

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Turkish Daily News

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- Two complicated issues dominated the diplomatic
agenda during Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi recent visit to Ankara:
Iran's concerns about growing Turkish-Israeli ties and Turkey's security
concerns about Iran sheltering Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists.
Kharrazi indicated that he had conveyed Iran's concerns about growing
Turkish-Israeli relations during the meetings. He added: "The existence of
Israel poses a threat to regional stability. I discussed all of these concerns
with my colleague. We hope that by establishing a security mechanism, we
will be able to solve the problems." Responding to Kharrazi's statement,
Cem assured his Iranian counterpart that his government on principle would
not allow military ally Israel to attack any of its neighbors from Turkish soil.
"It is out of the question that any foreign power -- I am referring to Israel --
would use our territory to make a move against a neighbor." "If Iran has
evidence detailing how Israel can threaten Iran through Turkey, they should
bring all this evidence to the table and we can discuss the matter," he
added. Iran insists that no Muslim country should have ties with the Jewish
state. Turkey, which is officially secular but whose people are predominantly
Muslim, insists its ties with Israel do not pose a threat to any country.

Russian Duma elects Communist speaker Gennady Seleznyov

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Yahoo

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- Russia's Acting President Vladimir Putin called on
Tuesday for a new era of cooperation with parliament, and lawmakers
answered with a deal splitting control of the lower house among the
Communists and a pro-Kremlin party. The Duma elected Communist
Gennady Seleznyov as speaker at its first session since an election on
December 19. But the deal gave control of a large number of key
parliamentary committees to the Unity bloc, created three months ago to
support Putin. The deal drew furious criticism from a host of smaller parties
whose members quit the hall in disgust after it became clear they could not
oppose the Unity-Communist alliance. But it was clearly a victory for the
acting president, who had opened the session by telling deputies he wanted
to end the tradition of bitter relations between parliament and government
that had been the hallmark of President Boris Yeltsin's rule.

Iran wants Western forces out of Gulf

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- Iranian President Mohammad Khatami called
Wednesday for an end to the presence of Western forces in the Gulf, saying
Gulf countries could police the oil-rich region themselves. "The presence of
foreign forces is at odds with our interests and those of other nations in the
region...It is in fact an insult, a source of tension," Khatami said. Iranian
destroyers, submarines and hovercraft held exercises to "display part of their
might" during Khatami's visit to Iran's Gulf coast. "Through their presence,
these countries want to ensure their unjust domination of the world...They
are not here to avert crisis. Their presence in this sensitive region causes
crisis and fans disputes under various pretexts," Khatami said. "We must
show to the world we are capable of protecting the Persian Gulf's security
and independence. We can protect it as well for foreigners and the world," he
said. "We advocate peace based on justice in the world. Our armed forces
are not aggressive and have indeed withstood any act of aggression."

E.U. defense explained to U.S. by French minister

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- French Defence Minister Alain Richard said on
Wednesday he would go to the United States next month to head off
possible misunderstandings over EU plans for a military task force. "We
must strive for more harmonious and productive relations about the
respective defence responsibilities of the European Union and the Atlantic
Alliance," he told ambassadors and military attaches from NATO and EU
states, many of whose members belong to both bodies. "The start of the
year 2000 is the right time to strive for complete serenity in relations between
the two groups. "That is one of the aims of a visit I will make to the United
States and to Canada to further explain and shed light on the future to avoid
misunderstandings between the Alliance and the Union," he said. "We
(Europeans) showed we could play an influential, even a central role, in the
political sphere and we want to do the same militarily," Richard said, adding
that he expected new European command and evaluation structures to be in
place by March. "The past year saw an acceleration in the construction of a
European defence entity which will be a factor for world stability," he said.

Momentum in Mideast peace talks seen by Britain after talks with Jordan's
King

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said on
Wednesday Middle East peacemaking had achieved a momentum strong
enough to overcome recent setbacks in Israel's talks with Syria and the
Palestinians. Cook, speaking in Jordan after talks with King Abdullah, said
he had discussed the shape of regional cooperation between Israel and the
Arab world after the successful conclusion of current peace talks. "Both
Britain and Jordan are hopeful that the current hiccups in talks will prove to
be that, and not a crisis," Cook said of this week's postponement of a third
round of talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Syrian Foreign
Minister Farouq al-Shara.

Israel, Egypt to cooperate on tourism

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Ha'aretz

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- Israel and Egypt are establishing joint teams to develop
package tours that cover both countries. The decision to work together came
at a Taba-Eilat tourism conference sponsored by the Peres Center for
Peace. The first packages the joint teams are planning would be aimed at
the Eilat-Taba-Sharm el Sheikh areas. Other joint projects include the
creation of an Internet site devoted to the tourism offers of both countries,
joint appeals for financing from European and American investors, and
professional exchanges of tourism professionals from both countries to visit
the other. The head of the Eilat hotel association, Aharon Dekel, said he
envisioned the Eilat-Taba area as a preferred winter destination for
Europeans. The head of the Egyptian travel agent association, El Hami al
Zayat, said that "in an era of globalization and mergers, it's time for the
private sector to start managing things."

Jordan may buy water from Turkey and transport it via Israel

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Ha'aretz

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- Israel will decide in April whether to buy water from
Turkey, the head of Turkey's State Waterworks, Dogan Altinbilek, said this
week. Altinbilek added that he thought the decision would be made "in
tandem with the peace process." The Turkish official made the comment in
connection with the possibility that Jordan, too, may purchase water from
Turkey and transfer it to Jordan via Israel, in order to alleviate the severe
water shortage in the largely desert country. The idea was discussed this
week by Jordan's water minister, Kamal Mahadin, during a three-day visit to
Turkey that concludes today. Before leaving for the visit, he stated that one
option to be discussed was to transfer the water via tankers to an Israeli port
and from there over land, possibly by a pipeline, to Jordan. Sources in Jordan
said that Turkey insists that Amman reach a separate agreement with Israel
on moving the water from the port in question - perhaps Haifa - to Jordan.
Turkey's deputy prime minister and minister of energy, Cumhur Ersumer,
said his country will be pleased if it can contribute to the peace process by
means of its water potential. He said that Israel, too, had shown "serious
interest" in the possibility of purchasing water from Turkey.Sources in Israel
said yesterday that it would be in Israel's interest if the Jordanian plan comes
to fruition. "From Israel's point of view, that could add further substance to
the peace treaty with Jordan," one source said.

N. Korea warns Israel about arms sales to South

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Ha'aretz

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- North Korean warned Israel not to sell Harpy pilotless
drones to South Korea. The statement said the $52 million deal "was a
dangerous act of further aggravating the tense situation on the Korean
peninsula." The Harpy is a pilotless plane built in Israel with a range of 150
km. It is particularly effective against radar control stations, thus blinding anti-
aircraft defense systems and enabling aircraft to penetrate enemy territory.
The only way to prevent Harpy attacks on radar control stations is to turn off
radar, which in effect accomplishes the same thing as destroying radar
stations - opening corridors of penetration for attack craft. The deal with
South Korea was signed three years ago but was announced only last week
in Seoul. Other South Korean purchases of Israeli weapons include a $100-
million Popeye missile deal. Israel Aircraft Industries put in a bid for a deal to
build an airborne early-warning aircraft (AWACS) for the South Korean Air
Force, but the downturn in the South Korean economy in the late 1990s
froze Seoul's plans for the plane. Israel had expected a reaction from North
Korea. Government sources yesterday responded saying that "a country that
supplies ballistic missiles to Iran, which threatens to use them against
Israel, should check its own baggage before complaining about others."

Isreali FM meets EU delegation

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- On Monday, Israel's Foreign Minister David Levy met
with a delegation from the EU, which included Portuguese Foreign Minister
and President of the European Union Council of Ministers Jaime Gama. The
two parties discussed cooperation between the EU and Israel and the
Foreign Minister briefed the delegation on the progress on the various tracks
of the peace process. Levy said that the negotiations with Syria would
resume this week, emphasizing that the talk=92s success depends on the
goodwill of both sides. He expressed the hope that Lebanon would join the
peace process, adding that Israel is determined to leave southern Lebanon
even without an agreement. The Foreign Minister briefed the delegation on
the progress in the negotiations with the PLO Authority (PA) and on the
implementation of the Wye-2 (Sharm el-Sheik) agreement, stating that the
future of the peace between the two nations requires cooperation against
terrorism and preventing incitement and hatred. He also briefed the
delegation on Israel=92s relations with Jordan, Egypt and Morocco, from which
the Foreign Minister has recently returned. Gama congratulated Israel for the
steps taken in the peace process, emphasizing the EU=92s wish to make
practical contributions to the peace process in fields such as regional
development and water. He said that this dialogue is proof of a new stage in
Israeli-EU relations.

Lebanon may be compelled to agree to peace

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Wed Jan 19,2000 -- According to the Lebanese media, breaking from its
former position, the government of Lebanon on Tuesday was reported to have
stated that it might have to agree to prearranged security conditions to
achieve peace with Israel. This contradicts previous statements that
Lebanese officials are demanding an unconditional Israeli withdrawal from the
security zone. To date, Lebanon has demanded an Israeli withdrawal under
United Nations resolutions 242 and 425, rejecting Israeli calls for a deal with
Syria and Lebanon prior to a withdrawal.

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - First internet religious confessional
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 18:13:38 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

First Internet religious confessional

A London religious broadcasting station launched what it claimed was the
first-ever Internet confessional.

January 20, 2000, 10:47 AM

LONDON (AFP) - A London religious broadcasting station Friday launched
what it claimed was the first-ever Internet confessional, enabling repentant
sinners to use their computers to confess their misdeeds online.

Premier Christian Radio described its site, www.theconfessor.co.uk, as "an
opportunity for confession and repentence -- by the grace of God, there is a
real possibility that the time spent here (on the Internet site) will have real
healing consequences."

Peter Kerridge, managing director of Premier Christian Radio, said: "This is
between you and God, and your privacy is totally respected."

The confessions cannot be accessed or stored, the organisers reassured
their estimated audience of some 200,000.

http://www.arabia.com/article/0,1690,ArabiaLife-11284,00.html

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia Today items
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 18:19:45 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Russia =91Seriously Concerned=92 By U.S.
Warhead Test

                 MOSCOW, Jan 19, 2000 -- (Reuters) A top
                 Russian general said on Wednesday Moscow was
                 seriously concerned at news the United States had
                 carried out a test firing of its planned national missile
                 defense system.

                 The test ended in failure when an intercept weapon
                 fired from a Pacific atoll missed a warhead launched
                 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, 4,300
                 miles (6,900) km away on Tuesday. But the failure
                 did nothing to soothe Russian fears about the planned
                 system.

Full Story:
http://www.russiatoday.com/news.php3?id=3D126995
--------------------

Putin Faces Questions After Deal With
Communists

                 MOSCOW, Jan 19, 2000 -- (Reuters) Centrists and
                 reformers said they will be on tenterhooks on
                 Wednesday to see how Russia's Acting President
                 Vladimir Putin reacts to a deal to divide control over
                 parliament between his allies and the Communists.

                 Under the deal cut on Tuesday Communist Gennady
                 Seleznyov became speaker of the State Duma, while
                 Unity, a party formed three months ago with no
                 platform beyond its support for Putin, won control of
                 nearly half the key committees.

                 Other parties were locked out of leadership positions
                 altogether, or given only a handful of posts. Before
                 the voting for speaker, more than a third of deputies stormed out of the hall,
                 including many who had called themselves Putin's backers.

Full Story:
http://www.russiatoday.com/news.php3?id=3D126739

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia/China deal
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 18:23:12 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Russian Leader Seals Strategic Ties
With Chinese Defense Minister

                 MOSCOW, Jan 19, 2000 -- (Agence France
                 Presse) Russia and China said they had cemented ties
                 Tuesday in a Kremlin meeting between acting
                 President Vladimir Putin and China's Defense
                 Minister Chi Haotian.

Full Story:
http://www.insidechina.com/news.php3?id=126588&text

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

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