To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Arctic thunderstorms seen as latest signal of climate change
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 13:20:36 -0000
http://www.canoe.ca/NationalTicker/CANOE-wire.Thunder-Arctic.html
November 14, 2000
Arctic thunderstorms seen as latest signal of climate change
OTTAWA (CP) -- Canada's Inuit are seeing something unknown in their
oral history -- thunder and lightning.
Electric storms in the High Arctic are among the evidence of climate
change being reported in a new study by the Winnipeg-based
International Institute for Sustainable Development.
The study is believed to be the first to intensively document
aboriginal knowledge of changes in the Arctic environment.
"When I was a child I never heard thunder or saw lightning, but in
the last few years we've had thunder and lightning," Rosemarie
Kuptana of Sachs Harbour, N.W.T., said Tuesday.
"The animals really don't know what to do because they've never
experienced this kind of phenomenon."
Researchers spent a year visiting the community of Sachs Harbour,
accompanying people on their hunting and fishing trips and recording
their observations on videotape.
The result is a powerful portrait of environmental upheaval --
melting permafrost, thinning ice, mudslides, even the disappearance
of an entire lake as its once-frozen shores gave way.
The freshwater fish that lived in the lake were killed as it drained
into the ocean.
"You used to be able to walk along the beach there, now it's all
mud," said hunter John Keogak, one of those interviewed on the video,
pointing to a shoreline area.
Thinner ice has made it dangerous to pursue polar bears and seals and
more difficult for the bears to pursue their prey.
"If this keeps up ... the polar bears, how are they going to
survive?" asks Inuit hunter Peter Esau.
Residents say the seals used to bask on ice floes in the harbour
throughout the summer, but in recent summers the floes have
disappeared.
People now see robins and barn swallows -- species that never used to
come so far north. There are unfamiliar beetles and sand flies.
Melting permafrost is causing buildings to tilt and has rendered
roads unusable.
"Climate change isn't any longer a theory but is in fact something
that's happening right now and it's affecting the lives of many of
Canada's northern people," said scientist Graham Ashford, project
manager at the institute in Winnipeg.
He noted the Inuit possess knowledge that can't be obtained from
other sources.
"The Inuvialuit hunt and trap and they're out on the land all the
time. They notice very small changes.
"They're telling us very clearly, it wasn't like this before, and
they give examples of how they know that it's different."
Ashford said the study underlines the need for Canada to take a lead
in negotiations on climate change currently taking place in The
Hague.
"Canada needs to take a lead internationally. We stand to lose a lot
in terms of the economic, social and environmental costs created by
the impacts of climate change."
At the Kyoto conference of 1997, Canada committed itself to reducing
greenhouse emissions six per cent from 1990 levels by 2010, but
emissions have grown some 13 per cent since then.
The Environment Department announced Tuesday that Foreign Affairs
Minister Lloyd Axworthy will lead the Canadian team in ministerial-
level talks at The Hague.
Greenhouse gases, produced by burning fossil fuels, trap solar heat
in the atmosphere, preventing it from radiating out into space.
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Subject: [bprlist] Nov 15, 2000 TV Programs
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:23:58 -0500
8:00 PM Eastern
DISC - ON THE INSIDE - "Doomsday Cults" -
Psychological manipulation.(CC)(TVG)
9:00
PBS - NAPOLEON, AN EMPIRES SPECIAL - "The Summit of
Greatness; The End" - Conquest of Europe; Battle of
Austerlitz; Spain; downfall; Russia; final battles; Waterloo;
memoirs.(CC)(TVPG)
DISC - RAGE TO REVENGE: THE SCIENCE OF VIOLENCE -
Environmental, biological and genetic factors play into
impulse violence.(CC)(TVPG)
HIST - D-DAY: THE TOTAL STORY - "H-Hour" - Bad weather, poor
information and human error threaten the success of the
Normandy invasion.(CC)(TVG)
9:30
TBN - JACK VAN IMPE PRESENTS
10:00
NBC - LAW & ORDER - "Return" - The prime suspect
in a store-owner's murder flees to
Israel.(CC)(TV14)
DISC - INSIDE THE KKK: FACES OF HATE - Tactics and factions
of the group.(CC)(TVG)
HIST - GADGETS - Mechanical and electronic devices make life
easier.(CC)(TVG)
TLC - STORM OF THE CENTURY - In October 1991, three storm
systems merge, causing disasters at sea.(CC)
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Update - GM Continues to Sponsor Ariel Conference
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:23:59 -0500
CJS Update - General Motors Continues to Sponsor Ariel Conference
By Jerusalem Post Staff
November 15, 2000
NEW YORK - Despite published reports to the contrary and pressure from
Arab groups, General Motors said yesterday it is continuing its
sponsorship of a conference at the College of Judea and Samaria in Ariel.
GM's subsidiary in Israel, GM-UMI Technology R&D, was pressured to cancel
its sponsorship by the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee and the
left-wing Israeli organization Gush Shalom. Both groups opposed the
conference's location in the West Bank town, and called on supporters to
pressure officials at GM's Detroit headquarters and conference
participants to withdraw.
On Sunday, the Israel-based Independent Media and Review Analysis quoted
college president Dan Meyerstein expressing his disappointment that GM
had backed out. The three-day conference, which ends today, is entitled,
"Mathematical Modeling and Simulation of Metal Technologies." Yesterday
morning GM broke its silence concerning its status at the college with a
press release reaffirming its sponsorship.
"The conference is a peaceful, international forum to discuss mathematical
modeling and simulation of metal technology that would benefit all
people," said GM's director of international communications, John Mueller.
"Obviously, our co-sponsorship of a scientific conference is in no way
intended to take sides in the current conflict, nor to inject our company
into a political controversy."
Meyerstein expressed satisfaction with GM's press release. "As far as I
know, we are doing science, independent of politics." Meyerstein said that
an estimated 80 academics are participating, more than 35 from foreign
institutions.
He said that at least three academics from abroad cancelled because of the
current unrest. No one, said Meyerstein, expressed opposition to the
college's location. "We can see people from 15 countries dancing the hora
in Ariel, without any problems," he said.
Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham Foxman praised GM for
not bowing to the pressure exerted by the ADC and Gush Shalom.
"It's a welcome event," said Foxman. "An American company acts not only
with wisdom but with courage, and says no. Hopefully it will be a model
for those corporations, who, in the past, have buckled under to blackmail
and boycott threats."
"IMRA Newsletter" <imra-l@lyris.vcix.com>
Wed, 15 Nov 2000 10:40:23 +0200
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Subject: [bprlist] 'Immortal Skin'
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:23:59 -0500
Chance Discovery of 'Immortal Skin' Holds Medical Promise
Nov. 14, 2000 | 2:05 p.m.
ATTENTION: Medical editors
MADISON, Wis., Nov. 14 (AScribe News) -- From a routine study of the life
span of human skin cells, a University of Wisconsin-Madison research
project gave rise to an astonishing accident: A line of skin cells that
simply wouldn't die.
The research team witnessed a rare ``spontaneous mutation'' when a small
cluster of cells in a petri dish continued to actively divide. The amazed
scientists continued to grow this unique cell line over the course of a
year without the cells showing any signs of slowing down.
Today, this laboratory anomaly has proven to be more than skin deep. The
effort has grown into a patented product, a full-fledged commercial
venture and a series of new medical research pursuits.
A new UW-Madison spin-off company called Stratatech, housed at University
Research Park in Madison, is actively pursuing a number of markets for its
patented ``immortal human skin,'' including the prospect of much-needed
tools for treatment of severe burn patients.
``There are a lot of opportunities dovetailing out of this single basic
discovery that are very exciting,'' says Lynn Allen-Hoffmann, a professor
of pathology in the UW-Madison Medical School and managing director of
Stratatech.
``It would be a career dream come true to develop some kind of
off-the-shelf product that would be available to doctors,'' she adds.
Clinical applications are several years away, but the company recently
received promising news: Its first animal tests confirmed that the novel
skin will cover and heal superficial wounds. Most importantly,
Allen-Hoffmann says the cells grow into distinct stratified layers to
become essentially no different from normal skin.
``That was the really big finding in all this, the critical piece of
information we needed to prove,'' she says. ``These cells proved to be
incredibly normal.''
The unique tissue is comprised entirely of keratinocyte cells, which make
up the vast majority of human skin cells. Allen-Hoffmann says the cells
can be genetically engineered to fit different medical or research needs.
Stratatech currently has contracts with a major cosmetics company to use
the skin line for consumer products testing. By using the Stratatech
product, the company can prove its products are safe for humans without
the need for animal testing.
Another very promising market for the cell line, called NIKS (for
Near-diploid Immortalized Keratinocyte Skin), is in drug discovery.
Allen-Hoffmann says scientists can engineer different diseases of human
skin, such as cancers or viral infections, and be able to test drugs
within that ``normal'' tissue environment. Allen-Hoffmann's lab currently
has studies under way using the NIKS cells to study skin cancer and
effects of environmental toxicants such as dioxin.
But the technology's value to burn medicine may be most dramatic. That
point was driven home for Allen-Hoffmann when she was invited to observe a
grafting procedure at UW Hospital on a man who suffered third-degree burns
on the majority of his body.
The surgeon, Michael Schurr of the UW Hospital Burn Center, wanted to
illustrate how current methods are woefully inadequate. ``It was an
absolute epiphany for me,'' Allen-Hoffmann says. ``I saw what little was
available to him in terms of how he treats a patient like this. It was
very humbling.''
Schurr is an advisor to Stratatech and is also collaborating with
Allen-Hoffmann on ongoing medical research projects. The need for burn
treatment alternatives is acute, with more than 13,000 burn
hospitalizations each year requiring extensive skin grafting.
A key milestone remains in proving the tissue would not be rejected by
human patients, she says.
Stratatech has plans to move quickly toward possible medical uses, with
clinical trials and work with regulatory agencies leading to initial human
trials by 2002. Allen-Hoffmann says a number of basic research projects at
UW-Madison and elsewhere also are likely to capitalize on this newfound
ability to develop realistic models of human skin disease.
Allen-Hoffmann notes that what exactly happened to create these cells
remains shrouded in mystery. They arose from a 1996 project in which her
research team was studying aging of human skin. The skin used for the
experiment was from discarded foreskin from a circumcision. Lab manager
Sandy Schlosser, co-discoverer of the NIKS cells, noticed tiny cluster of
cells emerged in a petri dish of dead skin cells and ultimately
``wound-healed'' across the entire dish.
The researchers know how these cells differ genetically, in that they have
a duplication of one section of the long arm of chromosome eight. Beyond
that, they are remarkably similar to the parent cells. But the group tried
to regenerate the same cell line in experiments and were unable to do so.
Allen-Hoffman says these types of mutations are one in a million in
science. There are only four other documented examples of ``immortal''
cells developing out of laboratory work, and all of those cases have
caveats that limit their usefulness.
Operating out of rapidly filling space at the MGE Innovation Center,
Stratatech now has a dozen employees and includes some of Allen-
Hoffmann's
graduate students who were part of the initial discovery. Her husband,
UW-Madison oncology professor Michael Hoffmann, is director of business
development and is researching cancer-related applications.
-30-
Media Contact: Lynn Allen-Hoffman, 608-262-2884 or 608-441-2750
Brian Mattmiller, UW-Madison News Service, 608-262-9772;
bsmattmi(at)facstaff.wisc.edu
AScribe - The Public Interest Newswire / 510-645-4600 $$
AP-NY-11-14-00 1503EST
http://www.postnet.com/postnet/news/wires.nsf/StateRegion/85A1D92249F72
EF086 256997006E3189?
via: isml@egroups.com
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Subject: [bprlist] IDF Spokesperson's Response to CPJ Report
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:23:59 -0500
IDF Spokesperson: IDF Spokesperson's Response to the Committee for the
Protection of Journalists (CPJ) Report
15 November 2000
The IDF allows free press coverage for foreign media throughout the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip and foreign journalists have full access anywhere
in Israel and the territories. Consequently, the IDF is surprised by
recent claims of the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ),
that Israeli troops intentionally target journalists in the field.
The IDF's rules of engagement strictly prohibit its troops from firing at
any person who does not directly endanger lives of soldiers or civilians.
On some occasions journalists were shot unintentionally because they
positioned themselves in the line of fire between Palestinian gunmen and
rioters and Israeli troops in order to obtain a better photograph or due
to simple inexperience. It is noteworthy that the CPJ report mentions that
"No conclusive evidence exists that the IDF intentionally fired at
journalists." Despite this journalists quoted in the CPJ report invariably
place accusations upon Israeli troops whenever a journalist is shot. This
ignores the fact that the Palestinians are in possession of over 40,000
rifles - which they use recklessly, firing at any target, something that
they have done on over 1,400 occasions over the past six weeks. It is
ironic that Palestinians are never considered culprits in incidents where
journalists are shot.
Interestingly, the CPJ piece barely refers to the harassment and violent
threats of foreign journalists by Palestinians. This is surprising in the
face of numerous reports of brutal attacks and threats to the life of
journalists who cover events inside the Palestinian Authority. Indeed,
several journalists have fled Israel due to fear of Palestinian reprisals
for "unfavorable reporting". A prominent example is Riccardo Cristiano,
the former Italian RAI bureau chief in Israel, who wrote a letter denying
that he had filmed the brutal lynching of two Israeli soldiers in Ramallah
and apologizing for his coverage of the Palestinian Authority. Curiously,
Cristiano, whose own behavior was widely criticized by his colleagues and
who was later fired by his own network, is mentioned as a victim of
Israeli "security policy" in the report.
The IDF will continue to allow free foreign media coverage in the
territories, and hopes that the foreign journalists will act prudently,
and report objectively.
"IMRA Newsletter" <imra-l@lyris.vcix.com>
Wed, 15 Nov 2000 11:05:01 +0200
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Subject: [bprlist] Zenit news items (11/14/00)
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:23:59 -0500
MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS MEET FRATERNALLY IN U.S.
Chiara Lubich and W.D. Muhammad Among Convention Participants
WASHINGTON, D.C., NOV. 14, 2000 (ZENIT.org).- About 10,000 Muslims,
Christians and members of other religions convened Sunday to witness to
fraternity among believers of the two monotheist faiths.
Among the speakers at the convention were Chiara Lubich, founder of the
Focolare Movement; Cardinal William H. Keeler, archbishop of Baltimore;
and imam W.D. Muhammad, religious leader of moderate black Muslims.
In a papal message sent for the occasion and read by Cardinal Keeler, John
Paul II said: "At a time of tension in the world, the great religious
traditions have a vital contribution to make to the search for peace, on
the basis of the transcendent values found in them."
The papal message continued: "Only true dialogue can open the way to a
future worthy of the human family and only a falsification of religion can
collude with violence."
After alluding to the sufferings caused by racism, Muhammad said that
God's love allows for a recovery of identity that allows men to feel like
one universal family, created by a common Father.
"In these times we can no longer live in isolation," the Muslim leader
said. "Christians and Muslims need to meet and get to know each other.
"This is what we can show to the world: people of different religions who
see themselves as all belonging to one humanity; people who have found a
new life because the way to prejudice has been lifted from their hearts."
Lubich observed, "God, who guides history, at times offers special gifts,
charisms. Humanity is called by God to form only one family. We have been
given this charism precisely to be able to offer a contribution to the
realization of this divine plan."
In 1997, Lubich was invited by the imam to speak about her spiritual
experience in the Malcolm X Mosque in Harlem, in New York City, to
thousands of black Muslims. She was the first white, lay woman to speak in
that mosque.
Since that time, relationships between members of the Focolare and Muslim
communities have multiplied in many American cities. This friendship has
given rise to numerous collaborative initiatives.
W.D. Muhammad, 67, is the son of Elijah Muhammed (their names are
spelled
differently), founder of the Nation of Islam, which came into being for
the purpose of raising the moral and social standing of black Americans.
W.D. Muhammad is the founder and leader of the pacifist wing of this
movement, the America Muslim Mission, which has 2 million adherents. He
is
also one of the presidents of the World Conference of Religions for Peace
and has worked for many years in the field of interreligious dialogue. He
recently offered his friendship and forgiveness to his old rival Louis
Farrakhan.
In October 1999 he joined religious leaders in a large interreligious
meeting in St. Peter's Square, attended by the Holy Father.
Lubich is founder and president of a movement that has spread to more than
180 countries and has 7 million adherents and sympathizers.
It aims to build unity in the human family through dialogue among
religions and even nonbelievers. Its first contact with the Islamic world
took place in Algeria in the 1960s, when a promising dialogue began.
ZE00111407
--------------
PATH TO PEACE FOUNDATION AWARDS KNIGHTS OF MALTA
President of National Right to Life Committee Also Honored
NEW YORK, NOV. 14, 2000 (ZENIT.org).- The Vatican's U.N. representative
conferred the Champion of Peace award on three Knights of Malta
associations in the United States. Another honor went to the president of
the National Right to Life Committee.
The peace award, made Monday by the Path to Peace Foundation, which
depends on the Vatican mission to the United Nations, is conferred on
institutions committed to fostering harmony and aid to the weakest.
The meeting was attended by Cardinal Pio Laghi, cardinal patron of the
Knights of Malta and former apostolic nuncio in the United States.
In conferring the peace award, the Vatican's U.N. permanent observer,
Archbishop Renato Martino, said, "Despite the fact that in many areas of
the world, wars, sicknesses, oppressions and other sufferings of all kinds
afflict the human family, the witness of these sons and daughters of God
tells us that we do not wait in vain."
When receiving the award, Fra Andrew Bertie, grand master of the Sovereign
Order of Malta, mentioned that the daily prayer of the members ends with
an invocation that they be given the strength to defend the glory of God,
peace, and the weakest men.
The Sovereign Order of Malta ( http://www.smominfo.org ) is present in
more than 100 countries. Its humanitarian action includes more than 100
hospitals and thousands of day clinics, and aid to victims of natural
calamities and wars.
The Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem was
created in 1099 to house pilgrims and the sick of Jerusalem. It is
recognized as a sovereign nation by 85 states, and has a permanent
observer at the United Nations, like Switzerland and the Vatican.
Archbishop Martino also conferred Champion of Peace awards to individuals
for their work in promoting harmony and fraternity.
The recipients were Wanda Franz, president of the U.S. National Right to
Life Committee; Argentine ambassador Esteban Juan Caselli; Catholic
activist Edward Ochylski; Jose Isidro Rodriguez, mayor of Zaragoza, El
Salvador; and Giuseppe Salvatore Satriano, founder of "Rescue Friend."
In memoriam awards were conferred on Sister Erminia Cazzaniga and Sister
Celeste Pinto de Carvalho, killed in East Timor while helping victims of
the Asian-island conflict.
The Path to Peace Foundation's most recent projects and programs include
the publication of the volume "John Paul II for Peace in the Middle East
War in the Gulf, Glancing Through the Pages of L'Osservatore Romano," and
the book "The Holy See and Children: Participation of the Holy See at the
World Summit for Children."
Its seminars at the United Nations have focused on the encyclicals
"Sollecitudo Rei Socialis" and "Centesimus Annus"; racism; refugees; and
John Paul II's U.N. address.
The foundation has also given a lecture at the United Nations on Christian
archaeology in the Holy Land, as well as four presentations on the
restoration of Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, and two
performances of Gregorian chant.
The foundation's humanitarian activities include emergency aid and
pastoral care for refugees and displaced persons in East Asia and the
Mideast, seed money for self-help projects in hospices for lepers, and
collaboration in health projects for African children infected with
HIV/AIDS. ZE00111408
----------
HACKERS ATTACK VATICAN JUBILEE WEB SITE
Transmit Pernicious Virus Called "Navidad.exe"
ROME, NOV. 14, 2000 (ZENIT.org).- Unidentified hackers have attacked the
Web site of the Vatican's Central Committee for the Jubilee, spreading a
virus through electronic mail that paralyzes the recipients' computers.
When opening a message with an attached file, with the enticing Spanish
name "Navidad.exe," dozens of innocent journalists, who receive the
information service of the Vatican committee, received a nasty surprise.
On opening the file, the journalists activated an irreversible computer
program that destroyed data and executable files in their system.
After receiving protest calls, the managers of the Vatican service sent an
electronic message warning about the dangers present in the "Navidad"
(Spanish for Christmas) archive, and stating that they had notified
Italian authorities.
The hackers were successful in invading the service of the Jubilee Central
Committee, which handles pilgrims' reservations, and replaced it with the
"Navidad.exe" virus. The infected message was sent to all addresses on the
committee's list, including the Vatican secretariat of state. ZE00111409
----------
MASS CELEBRATED FOR CARDINALS AND BISHOPS WHO DIED THIS
YEAR
"They Did Good," John Paul II Says
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 14, 2000 (ZENIT.org).- John Paul II concelebrated
Mass
this morning in memory of all the cardinals, archbishops and bishops who
died during this Jubilee Year.
"Their memory, together with that of all the deceased archbishops and
bishops, comes to mind: They proclaimed the Gospel during their life,
edified the Church, and distributed the gifts of grace of the sacraments;
they did good," the Pontiff said.
During the homily, the Holy Father mentioned the names of the cardinals
who died over the past months: Paolo Dezza, Ignatius Kung Pin-mei, Antony
Padiyara, Bernardino Echeverr=EDa Ruiz, John O'Connor, Vincentas
Sladkevicius, Paul Zoungrana, Augusto Vargas Alzamora, Vincenzo Fagiolo,
Paul Gouyon, Egano Righi-Lambertini and Pietro Palazzini.
John Paul II said that man's pilgrimage on earth "is a more or less long
time, which is given to us to know Christ and to grow in communion with
him. Whoever believes in the incarnate Son of God will live forever;
whoever loves him, must not fear; whoever leans on him, cannot be
frightened by any obstacle. Christ is the fundamental object of his
existence."
This year 104 archbishops and bishops have died, 11 of them cardinals,
according to the Church's central statistical office. At present, there
are 4,500 bishops worldwide, more than 3,100 appointed by John Paul II.
ZE00111410
----------
HOSPITAL STORED FETUSES WITHOUT PARENTS' CONSENT
Liverpool Facility in Center of Scandal Again
LIVERPOOL, England, NOV. 14, 2000 (ZENIT.org).- Liverpool's Alder Hey
Children's Hospital is at the center of another scandal after the bodies
of 400 fetuses were discovered.
The hospital was already being investigated over the retention of internal
organs from 800 babies without parental consent. The fetuses were mainly
the result of stillbirths or abortions.
Ed Bradley, spokesman for an Alder Hey parents' group, Pity2, said he was
"horrified" at the storing of fetuses.
He said: "Alder Hey knew about this and should have made this known
months
ago."
The fetuses were sent to the Liverpool hospital by other hospitals in the
city.
They were collected by Dick Van Velzen, the pathologist at the center of
the organ retention scandal at the hospital, who also carried out
pathology work for other hospitals.
He worked at the hospital between 1988 and 1995 and the fetuses date back
to that time.
Some have been used for research at Liverpool University.
A spokesman for Alder Hey said that parents' groups had been informed of
the collection of fetuses in December 1999. He said that talks were going
on to decide what should be done with them. ZE00111401
ZENIT, November 14, 2000 - DAILY DISPATCH - The World Seen From Rome
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Subject: [bprlist] Militias formed by Fatah active in Nablus
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:23:59 -0500
Ha'aretz: Militias formed by Fatah including members of PA security and
Hamas active in Nablus
By Amos Harel Ha'aretz Military Correspondent 15 November 2000
Violent assaults against the IDF in the Nablus area are being directed by
local, armed militias which were nurtured originally by the Fatah
movement, according to the IDF.
Observing the spread of this local militia phenomenon in other West Bank
cities, such as Ramallah and Jenin, Israeli officials are now wondering
whether the trend attests to the collapse of Palestinian Authority
control.
Three local militias are known to be operating in the Nablus area. They do
not receive specific instructions from the Fatah leadership - at most,
Fatah confers a general clearance for them to operate. The three militias
work as independent groups, leading campaigns against the IDF.
Members of the PA security apparatus have joined the militias, as have
persons affiliated with Hamas and other extremist groups. Some militia
members have criminal records, but have been exempted from punishment to
participate in the campaign against Israel.
During the past two weeks, Fatah members imposed a special "war tax" on
business proprietors to support the militias' activities.
According to an Israeli source, "to a large extent, control in the city of
Nablus is moving away from the official apparatus, comprised of
uniform-wearing officials, and [going to] the militias and criminal
offenders. City officials are virtually helpless and unable to confront
them. Shots were fired at the home of one such official.
via: "IMRA Newsletter" <imra-l@lyris.vcix.com>
Wed, 15 Nov 2000 11:10:31 +0200
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Subject: [bprlist] Military anguishes over missing ballots
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:23:59 -0500
Military anguishes over missing ballots
Some claim overseas mail sent 4th-class instead of 1st
By Jon E. Dougherty
=A9 2000 WorldNetDaily.com
As the historic and unprecedented presidential election drama that began
Nov. 7 continues to play itself out in Florida, military personnel and
other Americans living abroad who list Florida as their state of residence
increasingly see their voices as not only relevant, but very likely the
decisive factor in determining the next president.
Many overseas military personnel, however, continue to say they have been
"cheated" out of their vote -- due to their absentee ballots either
arriving late or never arriving at all.
WorldNetDaily has received an enormous amount of e-mail from military
families overseas, or their stateside relatives, complaining that the
service personnel did not receive absentee ballots they had requested. A
number of WND's military readers have specifically reported that their
ballots were sent fourth class "bulk mail" -- which in some cases delays
delivery by a month or more -- instead of first class.
In fact, one former U.S. Navy officer who served as the postal officer
aboard two warships -- and who asked not to be identified for this report
-- said, "If military units are missing ballots or absentee voting
supplies, it is because they were mailed bulk mail."
As the postal officer, he said he could attest to the fact that "the
[military postal] system in place for military mail movement is excellent
and, in many cases, it took longer to move mail from the military mail hub
in New York City to Virginia than it took to move mail from [warships] in
remote areas to the U.S."
The now-retired officer said overseas military mail traveling in
fourth-class bulk is put in containers at fleet post office centers in New
York City and elsewhere that have "to be filled before they are sealed and
shipped. These can be containers that travel ... literally [on] slow boats
to the U.S. or overseas destinations," the officer said.
A reader in Heidelberg, Germany, who is married to a U.S. Army colonel,
had applied for absentee ballots "by the end of September." Yet by Oct.
24, they still had not arrived, so she called her county clerk in the U.S.
to see if they had been sent out.
According to the reader, she was told the ballots had been sent Oct. 19,
but "by the 28th we still didn't have [them]."
With time growing short, she then went to the Army post office and asked
if the clerk there knew anything about the couple's ballots.
"The soldier went to look and came back with them," the reader told
WorldNetDaily. "She said that she had found them in bulk mail, which is
where the magazines and newspapers are kept. Our magazines and
newspaper are always months late, as the post office is understaffed."
"Absentee ballot envelopes were clearly marked as such and should not have
been filed in bulk mail," she said. "They were small enough to fit into
our post office box and should have been placed with our letters and
bills."
She and her husband filled out the ballots and mailed them the next day,
"return receipt requested," she said.
"Today is Nov. 11 and we have yet to receive the return receipt," she
said, "so I do not know if our ballots arrived" in the U.S.
"I have talked to several persons over here, both military and civilian,
who were having a hard time receiving their absentee ballots," she added.
"Several soldiers who work at Campbell Barracks have not received their
absentee ballots."
"I am wondering why nothing was done to let anyone know where their
ballots were and if they were placed there [in bulk mail] on purpose," she
said.
While most of the affected military personnel are understandably outraged
at their ballots allegedly being sent by the "slow boat," some critics see
a motive at work -- a tactic by a Democrat administration designed to deny
servicemen and women their right to vote, since it is widely assumed based
on past elections that most overseas military votes will end up in the
Republican column. Although there is no proof of anything of the sort, the
idea seems logical enough to servicemen who feel they have been devalued
for the last eight years.
In fact, some American military families in Germany are reportedly flying
the American flag upside down -- a traditional sign of distress -- at
their places of residence, as a result of the presidential election and
the subsequent balloting difficulties. In some cases, local military
police have forced personnel to take the inverted flags down.
Meanwhile, Oregonian Judy Krutsinger tells WorldNetDaily that her
brother-in-law, stationed on board the USS Tarawa near Yemen, reports that
"thousands" of ballots are still sitting in mailbags aboard a U.S. Navy
warship. He says they were never picked up, though mail recently has been
delivered to the same warship.
Krutsinger alleges that the Pentagon had contacted Florida election
officials to inform them that mail from all area warships had been picked
up Nov. 7, but that her relative aboard the Tarawa denies that.
"We e-mailed [our relative] aboard ship about that. ... [H]e e-mailed back
saying [the mailbags] are still onboard," Krutsinger told WorldNetDaily.
She said the mail was contained in orange bags on 17 pallets and that
"ballots were not separated from regular mail, as they should have been."
WorldNetDaily attempted to contact the Pentagon and Florida election
officials regarding her claims but had received no response by press time.
Krutsinger -- who said e-mail aboard the Tarawa has since been "shut
down" -- told WND that she had been in contact with the Bush campaign,
who
in turn contacted the Florida secretary of state's office about the
matter. However, she couldn't say what Bush campaign officials had done
with the information or whether the secretary of state's staff was acting
on the matter.
WorldNetDaily was unable to obtain comment on the allegation from the Bush
campaign.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_dougherty/20001114_xnjdo_military_a.
shtml
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Subject: [bprlist] Space Flight Now items
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:23:59 -0500
A CHAPTER ENDS, ANOTHER BEGINS IN MIR SAGA
Officials deep inside the Russian space program are hinting toward
the idea that a new crew to the Russian space station Mir is becoming more
and more likely.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0011/15mir/
POWERFUL WIND FOUND BLOWING FROM MICROQUASAR
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has detected, for the first time in
X-rays, a stellar signature of a powerful wind produced by an object in
space. The discovery reveals a 4.5-million-mile-per-hour wind coming from
a highly compact pair of stars in our galaxy.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0011/15microquasar/
AIR FORCE SPACE SURVEILLANCE COMPLEX UPGRADED
Improvements to U.S. Air Force surveillance telescopes located in
Science City, Hawaii, near the Haleakala Crater, will enhance the
complex's ability to keep track of objects orbiting Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0011/15maui/
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Subject: [bprlist] First French genetic baby born
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:24:00 -0500
First French genetic baby born
Source: AFP|Published: Wednesday November 15, 6:26 PM
Paris: The first French baby selected genetically to be exempt from an
incurable disease has been born at Clamart, a southern suburb of Paris,
the daily Le Parisien reported today.
Monday's birth was the result of pre-implantatory diagnosis, or genetic
analysis and selection of embryos.
This procedure, authorised in France for just over a year but already used
in other countries, enables parents carrying the gene of a 'particularly
serious and incurable' genetic disease to try for a baby that is free of
the gene.
In a first stage, doctors 'create' embryos in vitro from eggs from the
mother and sperm from the father. They then remove a cell from each
embryo, when the embryos have reached the eight-cell stage, and submit
them to a genetic test. Finally they implant those embryos without the
disease-bearing gene in the mother's uterus.
Le Parisien quoted its unnamed sources as saying the baby, whose sex was
not given, was born prematurely and the doctors had decided to wait for a
few days before deciding on the success of the operation.
http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/0011/15/A52470-2000Nov15.shtml
via: isml@egroups.com
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Israel News Brief
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:24:00 -0500
BreakingNews-Israel
Wednesday News Brief =96 13:00-IST
(IsraelWire-11/15) PLO Independence Day celebrations have already gotten
underway, accompanied with expected attacks against Israeli forces.
1) KALANDIA =96 In the area of Kalandia, in northern Jerusalem, tens of Ara
b
children are throwing stones at Israeli forces in the area of Atarot
Airport. No injuries.
2) KFAR DAROM =96 An IDF armored personnel carrier was fired upon in Gaza,
near Kfar Darom. No injuries.
3) GAZA DCO =96 An IDF district coordinating office located near Gush Katif
was fired upon on Wednesday from Khan Yunis. No injuries.
4) AYOSH =96 Soldiers are under attack at the junction located north of
Ramallah and south of Bet El, in Samaria. No injuries.
5) GUSH KATIF =96 Rabbis in the area have established a protest tent,
demanding the government permit the IDF to take the necessary action to
bring an end to the daily attacks in the area. The protest tent was
established at the Kissufim Crossing from =93Israel proper=94 to Gaza.
6) PA REPORTS =96 Arabs are reporting that youths were shot by Israelis nea
r
Neve Tzuf and were transported to a local hospital. Israeli officials
report an investigation has been launched. a. PA officials report a
17-year-old teenager was killed in Wednesday morning clashes with IDF
forces in Gaza near Karnei. IDF officials deny that any security personnel
fired weapons in that area on Wednesday.
7) JERUSALEM =96 Arabs in East Jerusalem attacked a postal vehicle. They
then tried to attack the driver who fled and found shelter in the nearby
Bet Orot Yeshiva in Jerusalem=92s Mount of Olives area. The postal employee
was lightly injured.
BreakingNews-Israel <YeshBB@netvision.net.il>
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Subject: [bprlist] Palestinians threaten to march on settlements today
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:27:43 -0500
Wednesday, November 15 2000 10:15 17 Heshvan 5761
Palestinians threaten to march on
settlements today
By Lamia Lahoud
JERUSALEM (November 15) - Today, November 15,
will pass without a unilateral declaration of statehood by
the PLO, but Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser
Arafat's Fatah movement has vowed to mark the day
with steps on the ground "to implement popular
sovereignty" within the 1967 borders.
Today's planned meeting of the Palestinian Central
Council to discuss the declaration of statehood was
canceled due to the closure and political reasons, the
PA's Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Nabil Amr said.
Amr and other PA officials said they first want to see
what came out of Arafat's diplomatic initiative, and
whether there is a chance to reduce the violence and
resume negotiations. Even Fatah leaders admitted that
the intifada has priority over the declaration of statehood.
However, the movement wants to mark the day.
Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti explained that Fatah
Tanzim would carry the conflict into Israeli-controlled
parts of the West Bank, to show the world that these
areas are occupied.
"We will prevent the IDF and settlers from entering
Palestinian lands within the 1967 borders...and organize
demonstrations against army checkpoints and
settlements," he said.
Palestinian activists will "cut off roads to settlers," said
Hussein Sheikh, another Fatah leader. He did not rule
out Fatah activists attempting to march towards the
settlements. "If they open fire at us, we will return fire,"
he said. It would not be the first time that there are
shoot-outs between settlers and Palestinians, he noted.
Sheikh said the tightened closure imposed on Palestinian
towns and villages in the West Bank would not prevent
people form cutting off the settlements and marching
towards them. "Do you think we don't have people in
areas C and B?" he asked. Sheikh said that the whole
idea behind today's protests is to show that the division
of territory into areas A, B, and C is no longer
acceptable to the Palestinians, who demand sovereignty
over all of the territories and east Jerusalem.
Palestinian security officials said they are preparing for a
strong Israeli reaction to such a move. Sheikh denied that
Fatah's protests would place the Palestinian security
forces, who have so far had orders to stay out of the
conflict, in a difficult position. "They have no security
authority in area C and only civilian control in area B,
therefore they can stay out of the conflict," he said.
Barghouti and Sheikh both ridiculed Israeli
countermeasures like the closure, saying that such actions
only intensify the Palestinians' determination to continue
the intifada. "The intifada will only end through a political
solution," Sheikh stressed.
A senior Palestinian security official said that the intifada
will continue until there is a positive sign on the
diplomatic front indicating that Israel is willing to do its
part to end the violence and return to the negotiations.
He admitted that the Palestinian street is against any
diplomatic initiative, but stressed that this is necessary.
"Once there is progress on the diplomatic front, we will
control the streets... We will not permit the street to
control the negotiations," he said, adding that it all
depends on whether US President Bill Clinton managed
to convince Prime Minister Ehud Barak to do his part to
end the violence.
Amr said a US bridging proposal based on the Camp
David understandings is needed before Clinton leaves
office in January to get negotiations back on track.
Arafat has said that is ready to meet with Barak under
US auspices, as long as such a summit is well prepared
and there are guarantees that it would lead to results.
"The problem is what the US can offer on issues like
Jerusalem and the right of return for Palestinian refugees,"
one PA source pointed out. "Arafat will be ready to
discuss security arrangements, but he will never give up
on Palestinian sovereignty over the Christian and Moslem
holy sites in east Jerusalem," he added.
http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2000/11/15/News/News.15540.html
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Subject: [bprlist] Few Churches Taking Federal Money For Programs
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:38:32 -0500
November 15, 2000 -- 9:35 am
Few Churches Taking Federal Money For Programs
CLEVELAND, OH (CHARISMA) -- Although the next president wants to give
churches government money to run social services programs, few
congregations are interested in taking him up on the offer. While both Vice
President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush have talked about
expanding federal grants to faith-based organizations, most churches are
leery about applying.
Only 3 percent of all churches have received governments funds for social
service projects, according to a 1998 study of more than 1,000
congregations across the country, reported Religion News Service (RNS).
Only 28 percent of conservative evangelical leaders said they would open to
applying for the funds, compared with 40 percent of Roman Catholic leaders
and 41 percent leaders in liberal or moderate Protestant denominations.
The reluctance is based on concerns that the funding will come with strings
attached, despite assurances that faith-based groups can keep a religious
component to their programs. "Even with this talk of faith-based
organizations and charitable choice, we've found that there are always
strings attached," Cleveland City Mission director of development Denny
Nugent told RNS. "We don't take government money and never will. We've
been here for 90 years." He added: "A relationship with God is the means by
which people change their lives. If you don't change from within, any other
change is temporary, a Band-Aid approach. Without the freedom to teach
that, our hands are tied."
The Barn for the Poorest of the Poor, a ministry to AIDS patients and the
homeless in New York City and New Jersey, has also avoided looking for
government funding. "We would object to any army-type regimentation," said
founder Barney Welch. "We don't want them to come in and do inspections
and say the food crates we're using can't be used or that we need a differe
nt
container."
But faith-based groups can affect community change without having to
compromise their beliefs. The Indianapolis Ten Point Coalition (ITPC) has
helped slash the city's murder rate almost in half since 1998 with a high
emphasis on church involvement, according to executive director Isaac
Randolph.
He told church and community leaders looking to start a similar program in
Evansville, Ind., that the ITPC had widespread support despite its faith
element, reported "The Evansville Courier & Press." The group had never
been challenged by civil libertarian organizations, he said. "You cannot
change the lives of young people, make transformational changes, without
the faith community involved."
A nonprofit group, the ITPC coordinates an adopt-a-school program for
churches, crisis intervention teams for high crime areas, and a literacy an
d
job training program. "At the end of the day we're trying to save lives," h
e
said. "There is money out there for.this type of work."
Sociology professor Mark Chavez, who carried out the national study, found
that 66 percent of African American churches said they would seek federal
grants for programs. He told RNS that liberal churches would also use the
money, but "signing a contract with a government agency is going to be
much more difficult for a conservative church."
=A9 2000 charismanews.com
http://www.mcjonline.com/news/00b/20001114c.htm
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Subject: [bprlist] NZ Groups Oppose Broadening Marriage Rights
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 09:42:08 -0500
November 15, 2000 -- 9:36 am
New Zealand Groups Oppose Broadening Marriage Rights
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (NEWSROOM) -- Christian groups in New
Zealand have vowed to fight government plans to recognize gay and lesbian
relationships and grant same-sex couples the same rights as married
couples.
Should the government legalize same-sex marriage, complete with divorce
and adoption rights, New Zealand would be the third country to do so.
Denmark allowed homosexual marriages in 1989, and the Netherlands
passed similar legislation in September.
Same-sex marriage is an equally divisive topic in the United States, where
voters in 35 states have approved legislation defining marriage as a
relationship between a man and a woman only. Some of those states also
refuse to recognize same-sex relationships made legal by court order and
subsequent legislative action in Vermont earlier this year and by the Hawai
i
legislature in 1997.
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark favors legal recognition of gay
couples, despite significant opposition in public submission to a governmen
t
discussion paper. Clark says recognition could happen within a year, but
laws governing the division of property could be passed as early as next
month.
A Parliamentary Select Committee decided to push through the Property
(Relationships) Bill, which would give the same property rights as married
couples to gay and de facto couples after three years together. The bill is
likely to become effective in February 2002.
More than 130,000 couples, including 1,600 gay couples, would be affected
but could sign "opt-out" agreements to avoid property splits.
A parliamentary report released earlier this month indicated that many New
Zealand residents support the proposals despite concerns raised by 1,631
public submissions. Justice Ministry officials said it could not find any o
ther
country that included married, de facto, and same-sex couples in one law.
New Zealand lawyers oppose the proposed property law changes and have
been advising couples on the changes to keep their assets separate.
Associate Justice Minister Margaret Wilson has said the new law is
"sensible, fair, liberal, and humane," but many Christian groups disagree.
The Christian Heritage Political Party (CHP) opposed property law reforms
and will oppose any attempts to reform marriage laws.
"Children have the right to be parented by both a mother and a father,"
Christian Heritage leader the Reverend Graham Capill told Newsroom. "They
need the input of a male and a female. If the government tries to bring in
legislation for homosexual marriage or the adoption of children, we will cr
eate
quite a campaign."
The CHP was among 8,464 organizations and individuals that responded to a
Ministry of Justice discussion paper, "Same Sex Couples and the Law,"
released to gauge feelings on the issue of gay unions. The New Zealand
government asked the ministry to prepare the 16-question paper to assess
the consistency between the Human Rights Act and other laws that treat
same-sex couples differently from traditional marriages. The discussion
paper followed a 1998 Court of Appeal decision prohibiting same-sex couples
from legally marrying under New Zealand's gender-neutral 1955 Marriage Act.
The Justice Ministry received 3,546 responses representing the views of
8,464 organizations and individuals, with religious groups making up the bu
lk
of groups that responded. Eighty percent of the respondents rejected
assertions that same-sex couples should marry, while 82 percent said same-
sex couples should not be allowed to adopt. Many asserted that the
government was wrong to decriminalize homosexuality when the 1986
Homosexual Law Reform Bill was passed.
The report summarizing responses was completed in July but has only
recently been released. Many respondents consider marriage a moral and
religious institution, rather than a secular one. Others view the current r
efusal
to allow same-sex marriage and subsequent legal protections as a breach of
human rights. Under the 1993 Human Rights Act, discrimination on the
grounds of homosexuality and religion is prohibited. The act, however, does
not supersede other legislation. It defines homosexuality, but not religion
.
Clark, who said she had not read the submissions, dismissed the comments
as not reflective of public opinion.
But Capill accused the Coalition Labour Government of selective listening o
n
moral matters: "If the result had been the other way around you can bet you
r
bottom dollar that Helen Clark would say, 'Here's a mandate to change
legislation.' Labour is trying to have their cake and eat it, too."
Marriage between a man and a woman is the appropriate environment for
child-rearing, Capill insisted. He did not disagree that gay couples can ha
ve
stable, long-lasting relationships. But he shares the opinion of the New
Zealand's Catholic Bishops Conference that such relationships are not the
basis for legal entitlements. The Catholic church teaches that homosexual
behavior is morally wrong. New Zealand's bishops object to registration of
same-sex couples, but support legislation that protects human rights,
including property rights.
The New Zealand Law Commission supports registration of same-sex
couples. But Commissioner D.F. Dugdale contends that same-sex
marriages would offend many people. "Gays and lesbians should be
prepared to acknowledge that they are not harmed by a legal code designed
to avoid giving what may be seen as a gratuitous offense to those for whom
matrimony is a holy estate," he said in a submission to the ministry.
Gay Christian groups disagree. GalaXies Incorporated (Gay, Lesbian and
Bisexual Christian community), based in Wellington, believes that same-sex
couples should have the same legal privileges as heterosexual couples in
regard to marriage, including access rights upon the death of a partner.
The New Zealand Human Rights Commission backs reforms to secure legal
rights for gay couples. People in same-sex relationships are second-class
citizens with respect to the most important aspect of their personal lives,
the
commission maintains. Any reform should allow them to choose a legal
status which is in all respects the same as that attaching to marriage, the
commission contends.
But that does not necessarily mean access to marriage law, maintains Nigel
Christie, a legal adviser to New Zealand's gay community. A prominent
supporter of gay rights in New Zealand and a member of at least six
homosexual groups, Christie notes a recent decision of a New Zealand High
Court judge defining marriage as a fundamental civil right covering public
and
secular areas, rather than spiritual affairs. On the basis of equality unde
r
New Zealand's domestic Human Rights law, Christie maintains that same-
sex couples have the right to marry.
Wellington Christian Apologetics Society director David Lane calls that rig
ht
an attack on the Christian faith. He is appalled at calls to redefine marri
age
to include same-sex couples, arguing that any moral aspect cannot be
ignored. "[Marriage] is about giving legal preference to a unique relations
hip
between a man and a woman because of what that relationship does for
social order," he said. "To call a same-sex relationship 'marriage' is an
inversion of the very term."
Clark indicated that the introduction of any bill redefining marriage laws
would
be subject to a conscience vote after a Parliamentary Select Committee
hearing. A conscience vote is one in which a political party does not direc
t
its members about how to vote but leaves the vote to the individual member'
s
conscience.
Lane concedes that homosexuality is no worse a sin than promiscuity or
adultery but says the family is "the cornerstone of society" and must be
preserved in law.
=A9 2000 newsroom.org
http://www.mcjonline.com/news/00b/20001114b.htm
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Subject: [bprlist] Russian planes 'buzzed US carrier three times'
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 10:01:20 -0500
November 15, 2000
Russian planes 'buzzed US carrier three times'
By Marcus Warren in Moscow
RUSSIA revived the spirit of the Cold War yesterday with claims that its
military pilots had "buzzed" the American aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk in the
Sea of Japan.
Russian reconnaissance and fighter planes swooped low over the ship after
evading its battle group's radar systems three times over recent weeks, the
Moscow media boasted.
Not only did the planes, operating in pairs, feign an attack on the aircraft
carrier, but they were able to take detailed photographs of what was
happening on its deck, claimed press reports. Such "duals" were common in
the Cold War.
Izvestiya commented: "If these had been planes on a war mission, the
aircraft carrier would definitely have been sunk." Only after a second pair of
Su-24 and Su-27 planes buzzed the Kitty Hawk on Oct 17 did the carrier
scramble an F/A-18 fighter to intercept the intruders, the Interfax agency
reported.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=003819455505390&rtmo=QwHHaSaR&atm
o=rrrrrrrq&pg=/et/00/11/15/wbuz15.html
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Forget that PIN: Scan your finger
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 15:10:45 -0000
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/214357_beyondpins_14b.html
Forget that PIN: Scan your finger
Biometric devices find increasing popularity as a means to enhance
security, convenience
11/14/2000
Associated Press
City workers in Oceanside, Calif., were drowning in passwords. One to
check e-mail, others to see water billing records or police reports,
all on top of the codes and PIN numbers they had to keep straight in
their off-the-job lives.
Time and money were wasted answering up to 30 calls a day from
workers who forgot or lost passwords.
Now, those calls are down to one or two a week.
Two years ago, Oceanside began installing mouse-sized fingerprint
scanners at city computers.
So instead of fumbling for a password, city workers now need only
place finger to scanner to get onto the network.
"It's been a big success," said Michael Sherwood, the city's
information technology director. "The only thing we're wondering is,
why hasn't the rest of the world caught on?"
Biometric devices that identify people by physical characteristics =96
such as eye patterns, voice tones and handprints =96 have been the
stuff of cinema for decades.
In the real world, prohibitive costs have restricted their use mainly
to government offices and military bases.
Until now, that is.
As sensitive and important business is increasingly conducted online,
biometrics' day may finally have come.
Within the next year, mobile phones and personal computers will have
fingerprint scanners as optional equipment, providing convenience as
well as increased security.
Biometrics "is clearly a hot emerging technology category, because it
solves a real-world problem people keep pointing to," said Grant
Evans, executive vice president of Identix Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif.
This year, Bank United of Texas placed ATMs in Houston, Dallas and
Fort Worth that can recognize customers by patterns in their irises =96
no cards or PIN numbers necessary =96 using technology developed by
Sensar Inc., which since has merged with Iridian Technologies Inc.
The iris-scanning machines, which cost $5,000 more than a standard
ATM, were popular with customers who chose to use them, said Bank
United spokesman Vern Stockton.
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Israeli Arabs assault Israeli soldiers
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 10:34:17 -0500
Israeli Arabs assault Israeli soldiers passing through village
Aaron Lerner Date: 15 November, 2000
Ha'aretz correspondent Sharon Gal reports in the Hebrew edition of
today's Ha'aretz that scores of Israeli Arabs attacked an IDF troop
transport and two jeeps passing on the road through the Israeli Arab
village of Araba (approximately 6 kilometers south east from Carmiel in
the Galilee). The transport driver was lightly wounded.
The vehicles were passing through at around 21:30 on Tuesday night
when tens of Israeli Arab resident, some in masks, showered them with
rocks.
The soldiers fired in the air in order to escape. Some of the Israeli
Arabs in cars chased the IDF vehicles towards Carmiel. The incident only
ended when the attackers fled as a large police force reached the vehicles
in patrol cars.
Police regional commander Alik Ron said that the soldiers were in a
life threatening situation and thus were justified to fire in the
air.
Israel Radio reported last night that the Israeli Arabs were checking cars
passing through Araba and assaulting cars driven by Jews. Israel Radio
reported this morning that a number of the Israeli Arabs involved in the
attack have been arrested and more arrests are expected.
The morning and noon news programs did not expand on the story via
interviews. Israeli Arab representatives, for example, were not
asked to either comment or condemn the action. In sharp contrast,
considerable broadcast time was devoted in the various news programs to
asking various Israeli politicians, settlers, etc. to comment on claims
that settlers were involved in shooting at a village in the West Bank near
Ariel that was the source of continuous stoning of Israeli cars. The
story, that reporters claimed was based on "good sources" that were not
identified (e.g.. if they were Arab or Israeli, civilian or security) was
denied by the settlers. Yesha Council leader Uri Ariel noted on Army
Radio that it was odd that the reporter declined to ask the IDF to confirm
the claim.
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-548-0092
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
pager 03-6750750 subscriber 4811
Website: http://www.imra.org.il
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Arafat said to have ordered Palestinians to hold their fire
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 10:34:17 -0500
Ha'aretz: Arafat said to have ordered Palestinians to hold their fire
(shooting continues)
Ha'aretz Services Ha'aretz 15 November 2000
[IMRA note: Shooting continues in various locations in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip today. It remains unclear if the announcement of the issuing
of such orders will suffice to meet the "made an effort" requirement for
resuming negotiations.]
A senior Palestinian official in Gaza said Wednesday that Palestinian
Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat ordered armed Palestinians to hold their
fire in self-ruled areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel Radio
reported.
"The order forbids Palestinians to fire weapons from the territories
(toward Israel), and from civilian buildings, or from among crowds of
Palestinian demonstrations," there radio said.
Quoting the AFP news agency, the radio said the order was issued late
Tuesday by the Arafat-led Supreme Palestinian Security Council.
The order also declared the Council was the sole authority responsible for
all Palestinian forces.
via: "IMRA Newsletter" <imra-l@lyris.vcix.com>
Wed, 15 Nov 2000 15:37:10 +0200
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Fifteen Wanted Fatah-Tanzim Members Arrested
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 10:34:17 -0500
IDF Spokesperson: Fifteen Wanted Fatah-Tanzim Members Arrested
Tonight in West Bank
15 November 2000
Fifteen wanted Fatah-Tanzim members have been arrested tonight in the
villages of Kutzra, Talpit and Al-Moair, in a proactive IDF operation. The
"Duvdevan" and "Duhifat" IDF units, the Border Police special force in the
West Bank, and the Israel Security Agency collaborated in this operation.
The Fatah-Tanzim members arrested are suspected of carrying out terrorist
attacks.
This proactive operation is a part of an overall effort by IDF forces and
the ISA to stop terrorist attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The IDF and the security forces will continue in their proactive steps
against those who carry out terrorist attacks.
"IMRA Newsletter" <imra-l@lyris.vcix.com>Wed, 15 Nov 2000 15:21:52
+0200
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Daily World Affairs Report items (11/14/00)
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 10:34:17 -0500
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX DOCUMENT PARALLELS DOMINUS
IESUS
In a statement that bears strong similarities to the Vatican document
Dominus Iesus, the Russian Orthodox Church has claimed to be "the one,
holy, catholic, and apostolic church, the keep and provider of the holy
sacraments throughout the world." The 5,000-word statement by the
Russian Orthodox Church is entitled "Basic Principles of the Attitude of the
Russian Orthodox Church toward Other Christian Confessions." It was
approved by the Jubilee bishops' council on August 14 -- just days before
the publication of Dominus Iesus. The document was recently made
available to the press and the general public by the Moscow Patriarchate.
Like Dominus Iesus, the Russian Orthodox statement emphasizes the
importance of ecumenical work, but indicates the Christian unity cannot be
achieved at the expense of doctrinal orthodoxy. "The Orthodox Church is
the true Church of Christ established by our Lord and Savior himself," the
Orthodox statement begins. The statement explains that the Church is
always characterized by unity, but it is unity of a special kind: "The unity of
the Church overcomes all barriers and frontiers, including racial, linguistic
and social differences."
"The Church is universal," the statement continues, "but she exists in the
world in the form of various local churches." These local churches are
bound together by the shared sacramental life, and especially by the
Eucharist: " unity is bound up inseparably with the Sacrament of the
Eucharist." The Eucharist is the sign of communion among the local
churches, and the absence of full communion is thus a sign of disunion.
"Throughout centuries Christ's commandment of unity has been repeatedly
violated," the Russian Orthodox Church teaches. "Contrary to the catholic
unanimity enjoined by God, differences and divisions have arisen in
Christianity." In response to these fissures within the Christian community,
"the Church has always shown a strict and principled attitude."
The Russian document points to 2 main divisions within the Christian
community. The first took place "after the 3rd and 4th Ecumenical Councils,
when some Christian communities refused to accept their decisions." This
produced the Oriental Orthodox churches: the Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian,
and Syrian Orthodox churches as well as the Assyrian (Nestorian) Church.
The second major break within Christianity came at the start of the 2nd
millennium, and -- from the Russian Orthodox perspective - "the separation
of the Roman Church was followed by internal divisions in Western
Christianity, brought about by the Reformation, which resulted in the
continual formation of different Christian denominations outside of
communion with the Roman see."
In a passage remarkably similar to the teaching of Dominus Iesus, the
Russian Church writes: "The Orthodox Church, through the mouths of the
holy fathers, affirms that salvation can be attained only in the Church of
Christ. At the same time however, communities which have fallen away
from Orthodoxy have never been viewed as fully deprived of the grace of
God. Any break from communion with the Church inevitably leads to an
erosion of her grace-filled life, but not always to its complete loss in these
separated communities. In spite of the rupture of unity, there remains a
certain incomplete fellowship which serves as the pledge of a return to
unity in the Church, to catholic fullness and oneness."
Also like Dominus Iesus, the Russian Orthodox statement insists that
Christians must strive to regain full unity. The Orthodox bishops remark:
"Due to the violation of the commandment of unity which has led to the
historical tragedy of schism, divided Christians, instead of being an example
of unity in love in the image of the Most Holy Trinity, have become a
source of scandal."
However, the Orthodox Church statement makes it quite clear that the
Russian Church leaders will not water down their doctrines in order to
achieve the appearance of unity. "The Orthodox Church is the guardian of
the Tradition and the grace-filled gifts of the Early Church. Her primary
task, therefore, in her relations with non-Orthodox confessions is to bear
continuous and persistent witness which will lead to the truth expressed in
this Tradition becoming understandable and acceptable."
Furthermore, the Russian Church insists the road to unity leads directly to
acceptance of the Orthodox stance -- "that genuine unity is possible only in
the bosom of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. All other
'models' of unity seem to us to be unacceptable. The Orthodox Church
cannot recognize 'the equality of the denominations.' Those who have fallen
away from the Church cannot re-unite with her in their present state. The
existing dogmatic differences should be overcome, not simply bypassed, and
this means that the way to unity lies through repentance, conversion, and
renewal."
Although the Orthodox statement does not make any direct reference to
relations with the Roman Catholic Church, there is a familiar complaint
about "proselytism," and an insistence that other Christian denominations
should not engage in "stealing the faithful" in the traditionally Orthodox
lands.
On the other hand, the Russian Church congratulates other Christian
leaders -- who are not named in the document, although the reference
seems to apply clearly to Pope John Paul II -- for recognizing the
importance of Eastern Christianity. "It is gratifying and inspiring that non-
Orthodox theological thought, as expressed by its best representatives, has
shown a sincere and profound interest in studying the patristic heritage and
the faith and order of the Early Church." (Catholic World News)
EMERGENCY ARCHAEOLOGY
Inch by inch, the rising waters of the newly dammed Euphrates River have
been swallowing this ancient city of the Roman Empire: the 2,000-year-old
public piazzas, the lavish villas with their exquisite mosaic tile floors, the still-
undiscovered buildings with unknown treasures. For 4 months, nearly 200
archaeologists worked frenetically to record and save artifacts from one of
the best-preserved Roman cities ever uncovered. Last month, the race
ended, with the waters of an artificial lake lapping at the last visible
remnants of ancient stonework.
The archaeologists rescued 10 complete mosaics depicting scenes from
mythology and literature, the largest collection of Roman government seals -
more than 50,000 - ever found at a single site, bronze statues of Venus and
nearly 2,000 other antiquities. ''The degree of preservation and quality of
the artifacts we're uncovering could be compared to Pompeii,'' said Robert
Early, senior project manager for the British-based Oxford Archaeological
Unit, which specializes in salvaging endangered ancient sites.
Now the water has submerged a third of Zeugma, including buildings and
artifacts archaeologists simply ran out of time to explore and others that
they preserved in mortar and sand in case the dam is ever taken out of
service. The race to explore and preserve Zeugma - once a wealthy trading
city and military post on the Silk Road, ancient Rome's route to China - is
part of a broader struggle between Turkey's drive to modernize its economy
and scholars' efforts to save rare treasures from 10,000 years of history
here in the ancient region of Mesopotamia.
To provide electricity to its energy-starved cities and irrigate a broad swath
of the arid, impoverished Southeast, the Turkish government is building a
network of 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric plants and canals, at a cost of
about $34bn, across the Euphrates and Tigris river valleys.But the dams of
the Southeast Anatolia Project will inundate hundreds of ancient
archaeological sites, only a few dozen of which researchers say they have
any hope of salvaging from the reservoir waters. In the areas that will be
submerged by just the next 2 dams built, archaeologists say they have
identified 250 significant sites.
Of all the threatened historical sites, none has attracted more international
attention than Zeugma, a city that disappeared 800 years ago.
Archaeologists say the intact mosaics found here, which adorned the floors
of reception rooms and hallways in the city's most opulent villas, are some
of the best finds of their kind from Roman days. Although archaeologists,
and thieves, chipped away at Zeugma's mysteries for nearly 4 decades, it
was not until June that scientists began racing the rise of a 17-square-mile
lake behind the Birecik dam, about a kilometer mile away.
With only 4 months remaining before the lake would claim Zeugma, the
California-based Packard Humanities Institute offered $5mn for an
emergency rescue effort. Archaeologists estimate they accomplished in 4
months here what usually would take about 10 years. Even so, they
excavated only the one-third of Zeugma to be submerged. No funds are
available to explore the rest of the city.
Archaeologists used satellite imagery, ground-piercing radar and computer
enhancements to divide the threatened portion of the city into zones for
triage excavations by international teams. ''The days of an archaeologist
scraping and brushing things to see what you can find are over,'' Mr. Early
said. Archaeologists were amazed by what they discovered under 15 feet
of soil. ''This site is special because of the level of preservation'' and the
scale of the find, Mr. Early said. ''This was about an entire city, not rooms
in a house. We have a representative sample of the city of Zeugma from
evolution to decline.''
Whether it was destroyed by earthquake or invasion - archaeologists and
historians cannot yet say - Zeugma remained relatively untouched by later
civilizations. The last of its estimated 50,000 inhabitants disappeared so
quickly that archaeologists have discovered expertly crafted figurines of
copper alloys, coin-filled leather purses and a gold ring for sealing official
documents - all items that normally would have been pilfered from such a
site centuries ago. Those artifacts will give historians extraordinarily
detailed insights into the way the early Romans lived, worked and played.
Already, archaeologists have examined the remains of what they ate - olive
pits, lentils and wheat grains - and glimpsed the lifestyles of the wealthy
traders and military commanders who resided in the city's poshest suburbs.
Last month, with the waters encroaching, Mr. Early's teams filled in their
excavation trenches, coating pillars and stonework in lime-based mortar and
stuffing archways and town houses with layers of sand and pebbles to
preserve them underwater. Previous excavations by other teams remain
open, their pillars now barely visible above the water line. (Int'l Herald
Tribune)
ETHICS & MAN MUST BE AT CENTER OF BANKING ACTIVITY
This morning in the Paul VI Hall, Pope John Paul welcomed 7,500
participants in the Jubilee of the Bank of Rome, and thanked them for their
collaboration with the Central Jubilee Committee, and especially for their
contribution during World Youth Day in August. Pointing out that the
"scope of a credit institution such as yours is to administer in a prudent
manner the resources entrusted to you in order to support the economic
activity of families, businesses, institutions and organizations which ask for
your mediation," the Pope stated that their work "assumes a relevant social
value."
He highlighted "the importance of the banking system and the responsibility
of those who administer it. ... A banking institution cannot fail to make
reference to the ethical values which direct various aspects of human
action. If banks aim solely at pursuing maximum profits for themselves,...
they do not present themselves as instruments of growth and development
for the community, but rather as an element which weighs down or puts the
brake (on activity)."
He stressed that "the Church's doctrine affirms the priority of the human
factor in the financial and credit aims of every banking
institution.Unfortunately one cannot hide the fact that even today they are
deviant forms of credit. ... I have already on many occasions underlined the
difficulties and discomforts in which the victims of speculation linked to
illicit forms of credit find themselves. A responsible banking institution ....
can certainly do a great deal in such an atmosphere." (Vatican Info
Service)
* John Paul II appealed to banks and financial institutions to assist people in
financial difficulties in order to avoid the ever growing presence of the
"perverse" activity of usury. "If at times money is represented as the blood
of an organism, credit enterprises can be compared to the heart, which
makes possible circulation in the social body," the Pope said. He
condemned the existence of usury, which he described as a "deviated and
illegal form of credit," and recognized, with sadness, that it endangers the
existence of businesses and families, causing suffering.
According to the Pontiff, the unbridled development of the modern
economy makes it difficult for many people to access "the different forms
of services offered by the banking system." Given the above situation, he
said that the "professionalism of the credit agent, combined with an acute
sense of equity and justice, will foster serenity in those who need advice or
assistance."
John Paul II appealed to banking officers to assist people who are caught in
a debt situation, and youth, and to support activities with social ends. "In this
way they will satisfy citizens' expectations, who see in the banking activity
a fundamental support in their legitimate need for financial and economic
services." The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace is preparing a social
catechism of the Church, a detailed text covering Christian social doctrine.
(Zenit)
BUNDESTAG RECOGNIZES HOMOSEXUAL UNIONS
Germany's Lower Chamber, or Bundestag, approved a measure giving
homosexual unions the same rights as married couples, with the exception
of the adoption of children. The principal opposition parties, including the
CDU and the Liberal Party (FDP), opposed the law as unconstitutional.
The CDU has threatened action in the Constitutional Court. Article 6 of the
Constitution guarantees "special protection" to marriage and the family.
The homosexual-unions measure passed Friday with the agreement of the
Social Democrat-Green coalition. Previous legislation has failed, according
to one report. This time, the government reportedly separated out those
items which require approval only from the Bundestag, where the leftist
coalition is the majority, from those items which additionally require
approval from the upper house, the Bundesrat, where conservatives hold
sway.
Doubts about the constitutional character of the law were expressed even
within the governmental coalition. Last July, Social Democrat Otto Schily,
interior minister, sent a stern letter to his party's leadership stating: "The law
equates homosexual unions with matrimony. From my point of view, this is
irreconcilable with the Constitution. Forms of alternative unions cannot
enjoy the same protection as matrimony." Schily was pressured by the
party's leadership to withdraw his criticisms. The post-communist Social
Democratic Party (PDS) opposed the law, saying it did not go far enough.
The measure allows the coalition in power to establish the bases for future
complete legal parity for homosexual unions with traditional families,
including family, rental, penal, fiscal and inheritance legislation. The new
law provides first for a solemn ceremony of "union" -- the word matrimony
is carefully avoided -- to be held in the municipality, followed by registration
in a special civil register.
In case of divorce, the partner in the homosexual union who is less well off
financially is entitled to food payments; and, in case of death, the same
inheritance law applies as for married couples. This is also true for rental
contracts and utility and other service bills, which automatically become the
responsibility of the survivor, "widow" or "widower." Lastly, a homosexual
could not be forced to testify against his or her registered partner in court.
Bishop Karl Lehmann of Mainz, president of the German bishops'
conference, strongly criticized the law, which he regards as "intentional
fostering and support of a homosexual lifestyle." On this subject, the
Catholic Church in Germany, both clergy and laity, are united, except for a
handful of extremists. On the eve of the debate, the bishops published a
lengthy declaration in which they addressed 11 statements formulated by
supporters of the law. The text was entitled, "What Is Different Is Not the
Same."
In September, the bishops criticized the EU's Charter of Fundamental
Rights, which entrusts the formulation of family law to national legislation,
introducing "a weakening and a change in the concept of matrimony."
Today the bishops confirmed that legalization of homosexual unions is
contrary to German federal law. "Apart from some insignificant details,
homosexual unions are equated with matrimony although they are not called
by this name to get around the Constitution," said the archbishop of
Cologne, Cardinal Joachim Meisner. "Such a way of treating truth is a
disgrace. Our government is explicitly promoting immoral behavior and
consciously participating in the destruction of the fundamental, and already
vacillating, values of society." (Zenit)
GENERAL: MILITARY HAS TO PREPARE FOR NEW ROLE
Germany's top military officer said on Monday the reform of the
Bundeswehr was aimed at changing it from a defense force to a "highly
effective instrument of German foreign and security policy." Addressing
senior commanders in Leipzig, General Harald Kujat said the military had to
be prepared to be "an operational army for a long time." However, he made
no mention of how the reform is to be financially secured. Germany, he
said, needed a military corresponding to its role in Europe. (Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung)
20,000 BRITISH TROOPS TO SERVE IN EURO-ARMY
Britain will contribute up to 20,000 troops to a new European defence force,
which will have a British 2nd in command and will employ English as its
common language, defence sources said yesterday. There had been
concerns that the main language of the new force, widely seen as the
forerunner of a pan-European army, would be French. The sources said the
force was likely to be led by a 3-star general from one of the 3 leading
contributors, Britain, France and either Germany or Italy.
One said: "The director-general will not be decided on a rotational basis.
There will be no massaging of anyone's egos. It will be the best man for the
job. But it is likely to come from one of the leading contributors." The 1st
chief of staff, or 2nd in command, of the new force will be be Gen Graham
Messervy-Whiting who is currently the force's interim director-general. The
European Rapid Reaction Force, which was agreed at the EU's Helsinki
summit last December, aims to deploy 60,000 troops to trouble spots within
60 days. It is likely to be used mainly for humanitarian or peacekeeping
tasks.
It will replace the Western European Union, wound up yesterday. The
WEU was set up in 1948 by Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and
Luxembourg as a defensive pact to counter the Soviet threat, but was
swiftly sidelined by the creation of NATO the following year. The new
European defence force emerged from the common consensus, most
vigorously expressed by America but confirmed last month by the
Commons Defence Select Committee, that Europe's response to the
Kosovo crisis was abysmal.
There are doubts about whether the new force will improve Europe's
defence. William Cohen, the US Defence Secretary, has questioned
whether the Europeans have the ability to put such a force together.
Washington's worries are backed up today in a report from the Institute of
Public Policy Research, which says defence expenditure will have to
increase radically if the EU is to achieve its objectives. British officials
admitted that there would be gaps in military capability like the high-tech
areas where America provides much of NATO's expertise and in large
military transport aircraft.
In addition, while a number of EU countries are prepared to offer
straightforward infantry units, they cannot provide the necessary logistic
support, which would have to be supplied by countries such as Britain. The
command structure will be based on that of EuroCorps, a Franco-German
project set up in 1991. Defence and Foreign Office officials were anxious
to stress yesterday thateach country's sovereignty would be paramount and
there would be no obligation on Britain to deploy troops on any operation
the force undertakes. But it is still possible that the force could be neutered
by the withdrawal of key troops from other countries.
EU nations, with the exception of Denmark which has opted out, have
agreed to provide forces to a "capabilities catalogue" of 90,000 troops.
Defence officials said the British forces would come largely from those
already committed to NATO's Rapid Reaction Corps. They said the detail
of the British contribution had yet to be put together ahead of next week's
meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels at which national contributions
to the force must be announced. But it was expected that up to 20,000
British servicemen will be made available with the maximum deployed at
any one time expected to be around 10,000.
Germany has already offered 18,000 servicemen. Belgium has promised a
3,000-strong mechanised brigade; a squadron of F-16 combat aircraft and a
number of naval vessels. Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria and Spain have
also announced contributions ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 troops. The
French, who are determined to ensure that their presidency of the EU sees
the new force take shape, have not yet announced their contribution. (The
London Telegraph)
THE LIBERAL ELITE'S PLAN FOR A 2ND CIVIL WAR
When I was in America recently, watching Al Gore strut around during his
last television debate with George W Bush - waving his finger in his
opponent's face and generally behaving like the most obnoxious smart a**e
in the lower fifth - I thought to myself, "What kind of person thinks that this
is the way to behave when he is running for the presidency?" Well, now we
know. Mr Gore is the sort of person who is prepared to set fire to the
stadium because he has lost the game.
I am what is known in official diplomatic terms as a "dual national", having
both British and American citizenship, so I view these startling events with
a peculiar kind of double vision. When I can peel myself away from the
CNN coverage on my television screen, I take a look at the parochial
wittering that constitutes so much of the British commentary on this great
political spectacle. Being immersed, as I generally am, in Britain's own
political discourse, it seems odd to see it shrink before my eyes into this
irrelevant, largely ignorant and obviously self-interested babble.
Does no one in this country - including the American correspondents of our
broadcasting networks - have any real understanding of the political culture
and history of the United States? Do the British Left-liberal commentators
who want to see Mr Gore elected at any price have any idea of the logical
consequences of what they are saying? The opening shot of the British
"Gore was robbed" school is usually the popular vote case. If marginally
more people voted for Mr Gore than for Mr Bush in the national vote, then
he must be the moral winner. Surely the less popular candidate cannot be
rightfully elected president?
Ergo, the entire electoral college system is antiquated rubbish which should
be junked in favour of strict majoritarianism. What this would mean in
practice would be that all future presidential elections would be determined
by a few densely populated urban conurbations: New York, Chicago and
Los Angeles would have an unbreakable stranglehold on the presidency.
The great mass of rural and small-town middle America, virtually the whole
sweep of the continent from north to south between the two coastal fringes,
would be effectively powerless. This is precisely what those few Democrat
hotheads in the US who have dared to suggest "a rethink" of the electoral
college system would like: the absolute dominion of urban liberal political
tastes.
To institute such a thing would be to reignite the American Civil War, which
was settled - uneasily - on the understanding that metropolitan interests
would not be allowed to run untrammelled over local ones. The US, unlike
those foppish dilettantes in New Labour, takes its devolution very seriously.
In the US, the metropolitan liberal hegemony would be only too happy to
write off the hicks, but would the Left here want to disempower those
reliable knee-jerk Labour strongholds in the Celtic fringe?
Then there is the business of spoilt ballots. Again, much of the British media
are allowing themselves to be whipped into a lather by the pantomime
which the Democrats have managed to create over ballot papers whose
design was considered uncontroversial even by their own party officials
until Mr Gore lost the election. What with all the concern aboutthe Palm
Beach voters (now known as "Gore's morons") who didn't seem to know
how to punch a hole that corresponded to an arrow, we seem to have lost
sight of our own stringent attitude to spoilt ballot papers.
Elections involving millions of people and votes must be governed by strict
rules if they are not to be open to abuse and infinite disputation. Mr Gore's
self-serving opportunism in opening this litigious chasm should be a lesson to
us all. Can you imagine the feast that a bunch of eager-beaver human rights
lawyers (like the ones who now run New Labour) could make of spoilt
ballot papers in multi-ethnic constituencies in some future election which
failed to go their way? Mr Gore will be remembered - even if he should
become president - as the man who didn't know how to lose like a
gentleman. British liberals should choose their heroes more carefully. (The
London Telegraph - Opinion)
MICHAEL TURNER <mykelturner@airmail.net>
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Torah Scrolls, Manuscripts Smuggled out of Syria
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 10:34:18 -0500
TORAH SCROLLS, MANUSCRIPTS SMUGGLED OUT OF SYRIA
PRESENTED AT PRESIDENT'S RESIDENCE IN JERUSALEM
Hebrew University Library Did Restoration
Jerusalem, November 15, 2000 - A collection of Jewish holy objects
smuggled out of Syria -- including ancient Bible manuscripts that were
restored at the Jewish National and University Library of the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem -- were displayed for the first time yesterday.
The event was held at the residence of President Moshe Katsav. The
collection includes nine ancient Bible manuscripts (codices), about 40
Torah scrolls and 32 decorative boxes in which the Torah scrolls are held.
All were brought out of Syria - one of Jewry's oldest Diaspora communities
- in a series of secret operations. In all, most of the Torah scrolls and
all of the Bible manuscripts that were in the possession of the Syrian
Jewish community are now safely in Israel.
The Bible manuscript volumes were in a deteriorated condition when
brought to Israel and were brought to the Jewish National and University
Library of the Hebrew University, where they were cleaned and restored.
The volumes are for the time being preserved at the library until such
time as they will be placed in a center for the study and preservation of
the Syrian Jewish tradition that will be established in Holon. The Torah
scrolls were given to the Syrian Jewish community in Israel or, in some
instances, to an institute for the restoration of the scrolls which
repaired and restored them.
The Syrian Jewish community - one of the oldest in the Jewish
Diaspora - consisted of some 4,000 people in the early 1990s, a remnant of
a much larger community that existed there for many centuries. The
remaining Jews were subject to great limitations, including restrictions
on their freedom of movement. Today, only a handful of Jews still remain
in Syria.
The holy books and scrolls were removed in stages from Syria,
without official permission, due to the strong desire of the former rabbi
of the Syrian Jewish community, Rabbi Avraham Hamra, to rescue these
items
while there was still time to do so. When his requests to do so officially
via Turkey were denied, he succeeded -- with the cooperation of various
parties -- to send the materials out of Turkey through other channels, via
France and the United States. This was accomplished in greatest secrecy -
only a few people were privy to the effort.
It is only after Rabbi Hamra immigrated to Israel in 1994 and
after others who were involved left Syria at a later stage that knowledge
of the rescue has been made public.
Among those who participated in the ceremony at the President's
residence Tuesday were the Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Eliahu
Bakshi-Doron; Rabbi Hamra; Prof. Sara Japhet, director of the Jewish
National and University Library; and leaders of the Syrian Jewish
community in Israel ___ Note: For further information or for photos,
contact: Jerry Barach, Dept. of Media Relations, 02-5882904, 02-5864772
(home). <msbarach@mscc.huji.ac.il>
"IMRA Newsletter" <imra-l@lyris.vcix.com>
Wed, 15 Nov 2000 16:27:15 +0200
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] ReligionToday News Summary for Wednesday, November 15, 2
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 11:23:14 -0500
------- Forwarded message follows -------
C U R R E N T N E W S S U M M A R Y
by the Editors of ReligionToday
November 15, 2000
A drifter who calls himself a missionary of the Devil has been
sentenced to 42 =BD years in prison for a church-burning rampage.
Jay Scott Ballinger (see link #1 below) was sentenced Nov. 14 in
Indianapolis for burning 26 churches in the 1990s, according to
The Associated Press (see link #2 below).
...He was ordered to pay $3.6 million in restitution, and still
faces federal charges in Georgia for five church arsons,
including one that killed a firefighter. He pleaded guilty in
July to more fires than any other defendant since the formation a
federal task force in response to a string of fires, mostly in the
South. ...Ballinger, 38, traveled around the country practicing his
religion, Luciferian, and signing gullible people he met to contracts
with the devil, court documents said. He started the fires late at
night, breaking a window at the church and pouring gasoline into the
building. His traveling companion and lookout was Angela Wood, 25, who
worked as a nightclub dancer to pay their living expenses, the Justice
Department said. She pleaded guilty a year ago to several
arson-related charges and is awaiting sentencing. ...Ballinger hates
Christianity. He "frequently expressed his hostility toward organized
Christianity" and termed himself a "missionary of Lucifer," the plea
agreement said. Ballinger, of Yorktown, Ind., who is white, admitted
burning black as well as white churches in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina, and California. He is a
high school dropout who has been mostly unemployed and lived with his
parents before the rampage.
The "Green Patriarch" is pleading for planet earth. With his long
white beard, black robes, miter, and staff, Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew doesn't fit the stereotype of an environmental activist.
But the spiritual leader of 200 million Orthodox Christians worldwide
is known in Europe for his passionate speeches about pollution, which
he has called a sin and a sacrilege, according to The New York Times
(see link #3 below). He spoke this week at the Metropolitan Club in
New York, where he received an award from Scenic Hudson, an
environmental group, for his concern for nature. ..."Human beings and
the environment compose a seamless garment of existence, a
multicolored cloth, which we believe to be woven in its entirety by
God," Bartholomew said. The connection between people and nature, like
that between the body and the spirit, is at the center of the Orthodox
liturgy, he said. ...Self-denial is important in preserving the
environment, he said. "Restraint frees us from selfish demands, so
that we may offer what remains and place it at the disposal of
others." ...Bartholomew warned of the dire consequences of
environmental degradation. "According to Scripture, the wages of sin
is death," he said. "At this point, this is confirmed from the
everyday experience of the chain reactions of environmental
destruction: changes in the climate, stripping the earth of its
forests, torrential rainfalls, floods, mudslides; the consequence is
death."
Benny Hernandez left his election up to God. While the
presidential candidates were spending a combined $250 million,
Hernandez spent $8 in his apparently successful bid for a seat on the
Anaheim (California) Union High School School District. "I prayed to
God: 'If you want me on this board it is up to You. If I get elected
it will be because You put me there," he told The Orange County
Register (see link #4 below). ...Hernandez, 43, a teacher and former
social worker, has so much faith in God that he didn't bother to
campaign or buy a statement in the voter guide, according to the
Register. A week before the election, Hernandez pulled out 70 signs
from a failed bid for the seat in 1998, bought $8 worth of wire from a
hardware store, and hung the signs in the district. He holds a
269-vote lead over the incumbent with absentee ballots still to be
counted. Other candidates for the board spent as much as $20,000.
A U.S.-based rights group criticized Vietnam's repression of
religion on the eve of President Clinton's historic visit to the
country. The Center for Religious Freedom (see link #5 below) at
Freedom House released 50 pages of Vietnamese government
documents detailing oppressive policies against Christians, The
Washington Times reported.
...Most of the policies are aimed at restricting evangelical
Protestants. They include closing churches and turning public
opinion against Christians, the paper said. "We must turn
propaganda into an art form" so "they will not know they are
being propagandized," one document reads. Officials are
particularly concerned about the growth of evangelical
Christianity among tribal groups in the northwest, the documents
showed.
...The documents are labeled "Top Secret" or "Secret" and bear
the official government seals and signatures, according to the
paper. They have been translated into English and verified by
Vietnam experts in the United States, Canada, and Thailand.
Vietnamese officials say there is more religious freedom than
ever and call the charges slanderous.
...Vietnam "is still very much of the communist mind-set in that
they do not want any religious organizations they cannot
control," Freedom House's Nina Shea said. She and others
protested what they call the Clinton Administration's policy of
promoting trade before human rights. "We are stunned at how trade has
trumped human rights. If we cannot raise the issue of human rights in
Vietnam, it is a complete sellout." ...Clinton has said he will
address the issue in private meetings with Vietnam's leaders. He has
pressed to have better relations with the country, ending a trade
embargo in 1994 and establishing and embassy in Hanoi in 1996. He is
the first U.S. president to visit the country since the communist
North took over the South in 1975.
Thousands of minority religious organizations in Russia will be
eliminated on Dec. 31 when a deadline for religious group to
register with the government runs out, a religious rights
advocate says. Elliot Abrams of the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom (see link #6 below) called on
President Clinton to encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin
to postpone the deadline when they meet this week at an
Asia-Pacific economic summit, according to The Washington Post.
...A law passed in 1997 requires all "non-traditional" religious
groups that have been in the country less than 15 years to
register with the government. A flood of Western evangelical
groups began working in the country after the fall of communism,
prompting the legislation, widely regarded as protection of the
pre-eminent status of the Russian Orthodox Church, according to
news reports.
...About 9,000 of the 17,000 religious groups are registered, the Post
said. Many have been prevented from registering because local
government bureaucracies, influenced by Orthodox leaders, are making
the process time-consuming and confusing, according to news reports.
The law originally called for the groups to be registered by Dec. 31,
1999, but in January of this year Putin added a one-year extension.
The law calls for all groups not registered by Dec. 31, 2000 to be
liquidated.
-----------
RELATED LINKS:
1: http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/NewsSummary/view.cgi?file=3D2000071
3.brf.html
2: http://www.ap.org/
3: http://www.nytimes.com/
4: http://www.ocregister.com/
5: http://www.freedomhouse.org/religion/
6:http://www.uscirf.gov
-----------
News from ReligionToday is Copyrighted by Crosswalk.com.
Content may be reproduced provided proper credit is
given to religiontoday.crosswalk.com. Please go to
http://www.crosswalk.com/info/copyright to be sure you
meet all legal requirements.
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=======
To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] "Hole Punch" Clouds over Melbourne Florida
From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 17:03:24 -0000
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 11:50:57 -0500
From: hblondel
To: Newmill <hblondel@tampabay.rr.com>
Subject: "Hole punch" clouds over Melbourne FL
Here is a link to an article from "Florida Today" about unusual cloud
formations photographed over Melbourne FL on Thursday November 9
2000... The article has excellent photographs of the phenomenon.
http://www.floridatoday.com/news/columnists/larimer/111200larimer.htm
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Breaking News-Israel (11/15/00)
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 12:14:08 -0500
BreakingNews-Israel
Wednesday News Brief =96 (NOV.15 - 18:11-IST)
(IsraelWire-11/15) Shooting at Jerusalem=92s Gilo neighborhood began at
about 3:50pm. Heavy automatic gunfire rang out on Anafa Street as in past
attacks, as well as other street that were not targeted in the past.
Authorities believe that at least some of the gunfire may have been fire
from a moving car.
In one case, bullets smashed a third story window, starting a fire in an
apartment. The inhabitants were not in. Firefighters broke in,
extinguished the blaze, and rescued two dogs. There are reports of damage
to apartments, buildings and cars.
With sunset behind us, one may see the IDF gunfire coated with the
phosphorus tracer material traveling towards the PLO Authority (PA)
autonomous area of Bet Jala.
Since the start of shooting Wednesday, there have been several volleys of
sporadic gunfire met by return IDF fire. There are no reports of injuries.
**JUDEA & SAMARIA**
1) RACHEL=92S TOMB =96 Soldiers defending Rachel=92s Tomb in Bethlehem are
engaged in a firefight with PA forces. No injuries.
2) BETHLEHEM BORDER POLICE BASE - The border police base is under
fire. It
is located in the heart of Bet Jala on the border of Kfar Walajeh and the
road to Har Gilo. No injuries.
3) AYOSH JUNCTION =96 Shooting attacks aimed at Israeli forces continue at
this time. No injuries.
4) JENIN AREA =96 An Israeli bus was hit with firebombs. The incendiary
devices ignited, damaging the bus. No injuries.
5) KALKILYA =96 Soldiers at checkpoints near the autonomous city of Kalkily
a
in Samaria are under fire. No injuries.
6) HEBRON =96 Jewish residents are under attack from several locations. No
reports of injuries at this time.
7) TAPUACH JUNCTION =96 Soldiers under attack with rocks and firebombs
are
firing rubber bullets. The junction is on the east west road between the
Gush Dan area and the Jordan Valley, and on the north south road between
Gush Shilo and northern Samarian communities.
8) PA REPORTS =96 PA officials are reporting seven fatalities in Wednesday
=92s
clashes with Israelis forces in Judea, Samaria & Gaza. Two persons are
reported to have been critically injured and tens with less serious
injuries.
BreakingNews-Israel <YeshBB@netvision.net.il>
NOV/15/00 - 18:11 [6]
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] BILL CLINTON'S FLORIDA FIXATION BAFFLES BARAK
From: Shophar_Sho_Good
Date: 15 Nov 00 12:45:48 EST
BILL CLINTON'S FLORIDA FIXATION BAFFLES BARAK
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/printedition/article/0,2669,SAV-0011150233,FF.html
November 15, 2000
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, meeting at the White House with President
Bill Clinton just before his visit to Chicago this week, was astonished by
Clinton's obsession with the U.S. election and the Florida vote recount.
An Inc. source, a highly placed senior Israeli official, said Barak found it
"surreal" that Clinton kept turning the conversation to the undecided
presidential election rather than keeping his focus on the deadly
Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the breakdown of Middle East peace talks.
Inc. has learned Clinton even went so far as to bring up absentee balloting by
Americans living in Israel. And he repeatedly complained to the Israeli leader
about Republican Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who Democrats
think is favoring George W. Bush in her interpretations of election law.
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Subject: [bprlist] Baptists adopt declaration
From: Shophar_Sho_Good
Date: 15 Nov 00 12:47:04 EST
Baptists adopt declaration
Published Wednesday, November 15, 2000, in the Miami Herald
BY D. AILEEN DODD
adodd@herald.com
http://www.miamiherald.com/content/today/news/dade/digdocs/014418.htm
DAYTONA BEACH -- Despite a flurry of opposition, the Florida Baptist
Convention on Tuesday overwhelmingly adopted the controversial declaration of
faith of its mother church, affirming that God did not intend for women to be
pastors, that marriage is limited to a union of a man and a woman, and that
homosexuality is immoral.
``It really doesn't represent a change,'' said the Rev. Gary Johnson, senior
pastor of Wayside Baptist Church of Miami, who supported the declaration. ``It
defines who we are.''
But the ringing endorsement did not come without a compromise.
In a small victory for more moderate-minded Southern Baptists, the state
convention agreed to allow those who do not subscribe to the latest additions
to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 to serve as trustees on state boards --
striking down an amendment that critics said made the statement seem more like
a loyalty oath than a guideline for churches to accept or reject.
``We have given some wiggle room,'' said the Rev. Craig Sherouse, pastor of
Lakeside Baptist Church in Lakeland, who proposed the amendment at the 139th
annual state convention. ``Folks do not want to be excluding good and faithful
Baptists from the boards and committees of our church.''
With the compromise, the Florida Baptist Convention -- with more than one
million members and 1,521 churches -- became one of several state branches to
endorse the declaration of faith. The Southern Baptist Convention, America's
largest Protestant denomination with 15.8 million members, adopted the
declaration in June.
Most conventions, like Florida, have decided not to use the statement as the
only measure for participation and fellowship.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, North Carolina Baptists also voted to reaffirm their
commitment to the national statement -- with a twist. They voted for it after
it was amended ``to affirm the autonomy of the North Carolina State
Convention.''
IN GEORGIA, TOO
Georgia Baptists also voted to endorse the new Southern Baptist statement of
faith, shrugging off criticism from former President Carter and others unhappy
with language that says the Bible is without error and women should not serve
as pastors.
Baptists in Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama were also meeting this
week.
Across the country, the revised declaration of faith has caused a rift in many
conventions. At least four have voted to either reject, take no action or
modify the statement.
Taking the most extreme step, the Baptist General Convention of Texas rejected
the declaration and instead approved a plan to distance itself from the
denomination by cutting $5 million in support next year.
In Florida on Tuesday, about a dozen critics lined up to voice their
opposition to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Delegates, called
``messengers,'' were asked to vote on four proposals that added the
declaration of faith as one of the stipulations for relationships with
affiliating churches and associations, and as a litmus test for leadership.
The statement ``infringes on a church's right to decide who will be its
pastor,'' said the Rev. Raymond Johnson of Riverside Baptist Church of Miami.
``It is a move toward enforcing one view upon Baptists who have always
cherished individual interpretation of the scripture under the leadership of
the spirit.''
John Sullivan, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention,
said voting for the amendment would not rubber-stamp the entirety of the
Baptist Faith and Message. He said churches and associations that follow
other, alternative statements of faith could still affiliate with the
convention.
``Do I agree with every word in the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message? No. But I
do agree with most of it,'' Sullivan said. ``My opinion is that most Florida
Baptists agree with most of what the 2000 statement says.''
TRUSTEE CRITERIA
Amid dissenters who blasted the proposals for not allowing pastors the same
flexibility of belief as churches and associations, Sullivan said some
criteria had to be set for trustees when some 300 people regularly apply for
85 positions.
``Every believer has the right to communicate with God to interpret scripture
and to minister in Christ's name,'' Sullivan said.
``However, priesthood does not mean I am free to believe whatever I want as
long as I am sincere. . . . [There are those who believe] the ordination of
gays should be acceptable among Baptists, I have no desire to see that
theological perspective to be represented in the trustee system of the Florida
Baptist Convention.''
In other business, messengers unanimously voted to make the Rev. Jay Dennis,
pastor of First Baptist Church of Lakeland at the Mall, president. Dennis, 41,
ran without opposition.
Dennis said he would work to encourage church growth among stagnant
congregations and help to ease tension among some in the state flock.
``Tension is one small step away from division if it is not handled the right
way,'' he said.
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Fasting for Bush
From: Shophar_Sho_Good
Date: 15 Nov 00 12:48:00 EST
Fasting for Bush
As a nation waits, thousands of Christian activists are submitting their
ballots to a higher authority.
http://salon.com/politics/feature/2000/11/14/prayers/index.html
By Holly Bailey
Nov. 14, 2000 | Pam Olsen, a self-proclaimed candy junkie with a syrupy sweet
voice and big blond hair, hasn't touched an ounce of chocolate since the
stroke of midnight on Wednesday, Sept. 20. Not one Hershey's Kiss, not one
Butterfinger, for the past eight weeks.
"I can't tell you how much I love sweets," Olsen says. "But I've given them up
in the name of the Lord." Not to mention the name of Texas Gov. George W.
Bush. "Instead of eating sweets, I have been spending time in prayer for the
truth to prevail in the elections," says the Tallahassee, Fla., stay-at-home
mom. And the truth, she says, is that Bush is the nation's president-elect.
Olsen is president of the Florida Prayer Network, a sister organization of the
Christian Coalition. In late September, the group joined other prominent
members of the Christian right -- including Christian Coalition and Focus on
the Family -- in what was initially supposed to be a 40-day period of fasting
and prayer for the outcome of the 2000 elections -- namely the sending of Bush
to the White House. Olsen claims "hundreds of thousands, if not millions" are
participating. Yet, much like the seemingly unending presidential race, the
fast itself has dragged on, and tested their faith. After all, how can they be
sure whose side God is on?
Even after all the Bible-thumping from both sides of the ticket -- both
candidates boast born-again credentials; and Democratic vice presidential
nominee Sen. Joe Lieberman certainly mentions God more than anyone else --
it's not entirely clear who the Almighty One would chose. What, the group was
left to wonder, would Jesus do?
"I don't think God is a Democrat or a Republican, nor do I think that he cares
much about Social Security or prescription drugs or any issues like that,"
Olsen says. "But I do think, just by reading the scriptures, that God is
pro-life, and since only one candidate on the two major tickets is pro-life, I
just have to believe that Bush is the leader that God has selected."
Still, they aren't leaving anything to chance. Over the last week, Olsen says
her group has organized massive prayer meetings all over Florida, including
one gathering Monday night in West Palm Beach that turned out 500 faithful.
"The spiritual battle is very intense here," Olsen says. "We have been on our
knees before God asking him to remove the confusion and deception from what is
happening here in Florida."
Indeed, it's hard not to find one Gore-fearing, er, God-fearing religious
group that hasn't admonished its members to fast and pray in hopes of
affecting the outcome of the election. The Christian Coalition, in a series of
e-mails to its membership in recent days, has pressed for "urgent prayer"
because of the election holdup, while its founder, Pat Robertson, yesterday
told his audience on "The 700 Club" to fast and pray that the "election is not
stolen."
Another group with close ties to the Christian Coalition, the Fellowship of
International Churches, also has weighed in, with its head, Wellington Boone,
telling online magazine Religion Today on Monday that the Florida recount is
simply God's way of telling his people that there should be prayer and
repentance. "The delay in announcing a winner is a time for God to look at
which side would be humble enough to plead with him to get his will done,"
Boone told the newspaper. "All of the ballots may already be in hand, but God
works outside of time to accomplish his will."
But can prayer really provide that crucial edge that can swing an election
whose margin exists somewhere between the dancing angels on a head of a pin?
Maybe, says Rabbi Barry Freundel of the Kesher Israel Synagogue in Washington,
a congregation that counts Lieberman among its members. He says that even
though God does hold a stake in who ultimately ends up picking out drapes in
the White House, there's only so much sway a higher power has.
"No doubt there are people on both sides praying for a certain outcome, but
God gave mankind a free will, free capacity to choose what we want to do,"
Freundel says. "You can pray if you want to, but ultimately, I think this is
in the hands of human beings."
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] "I don't know if praying to a statue helps"-SEE QUOTE
From: Shophar_Sho_Good
Date: 15 Nov 00 12:50:16 EST
Weeping statue is scrutinized
Chaldean Catholics study claims of curative powers
http://www.detnews.com/2000/religion/0011/14/d01-148625.htm
Several people say a wet substance exuded by a statue of St. Philomena has
cured their ills.
St. Philomena
* The daughter of a Greek king beheaded by emperor Diocletian in Rome, St.
Philomena was ordered put to death as punishment for not marrying him. The
emperor ordered archers to execute her with arrows, which, according to
legend, turned back and killed the archers instead.
* The emperor then ordered her killed by tying an anchor around her neck
and throwing her into water. But, according to legend, angels broke the rope
and brought her to land with dry feet.
* She was beheaded after people who saw the miracles began to riot. Her
body was found May 25, 1802, in the Catacombs of St. Priscilla at Via Salaria
in Rome. She was believed to be 13 or 14 years old when she died.
* She was declared a saint by Pope Leo XII. Over the years, many miracles
have been attributed to St. Philomena, including the restoration of eyesight,
the ability to walk and the reversal of paralysis.
By Hawke Fracassa / The Detroit News
STERLING HEIGHTS -- Detroit's Chaldean Catholic archdiocese is
investigating claims that a religious statue at a Sterling Heights gift shop
weeps oil that devotees say heals cancer and other diseases.
The statue of St. Philomena -- honored in Warren at a special rosary and
mass that brought out 150 people to pray Thursday, even though it was locked
up in a sanctuary in Troy -- is at a secret location for now.
This will give Metro Detroit's Chaldean priests time to substantiate the
claims and the source of the oil, said Kevin Khadir, the owner of the All
Saints store that bought the plaster statue of the Catholic martyr in August
for $1,000 from a parish in Florida.
The Archdiocese of Detroit is skeptical.
"We're not getting involved in that," Archdiocese of Detroit spokeswoman
Corinna Weber said.
At issue are contentions from eight people who say a wet substance they've
touched from the St. Philomena statue cured their ills.
"I have found something precious," Khadir said.
Word of the cures has spread. People from as far away as Louisiana, Texas
and California who learned of the healings in Internet chat rooms have come to
Michigan to see the statue for themselves.
Believers abound, even though beneficiaries have declined to say how they
have recovered so fast.
"I have seen the statue and the oil. I believe," said John Alia, a
37-year-old plumber.
Alia came from his home in West Bloomfield on Thursday to a mass spoken in
Italian for St. Philomena at St. Edmund's church in Warren.
The pastor of St. Philomena's shrine in Italy was at St. Edmund's to share
a prayer, even though the statue wasn't there.
Truck driver John Yarimian of Warren hopes oil from the statue can fix his
bad hips.
"I know people who were sick and now are not after touching a tear," said
Yarimian, 43.
"I hope for help, too."
Khadir acquired the statue in August from a Florida priest whose parish had
bought a newer St. Philomena statue.
The statue started leaking Aug. 26 and cried Oct. 31 while a priest
examined it before taking it to St. Joseph's church in Troy for a closer look.
"Before the oil comes out, her cheeks and hands get red," Khadir said.
"Sometimes her hair drenches. Oil also comes from her hands, her anchor, the
(palm) leaf and under her arms and feet. It's God's will."
The statue's fate is unclear. Priests have told Khadir that the statue may
be shielded from the public or rotated among churches for viewing.
St. Edmund's parishioner Joan Flynn, 70, said the miraculous claims aren't
far-fetched.
"I don't know if praying to a statue helps. But I believe in God and I
believe in miracles."
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Weekend News Today items (11/15/00)
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 18:24:09 -0500
Communicating with 'thought power'
Weekend News Today
Lead: Leo
Source: BBC NEWS
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- Bionic brain implants allowing a computer to be
operated by the power of thought, have been developed by American
scientists. Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, achieved
the breakthrough by implanting hollow glass cone electrodes inside the
brain's motor cortex - the part of the brain which controls movement - into
which nerve cells grow and attach themselves.
Two severely disabled volunteers who received the implants were able to
control the cursor on a computer screen just by thinking about moving parts
of their body. Pointing the cursor at particular icons allowed them to
communicate, making the computer voice phrases such as "I'm thirsty" or
"please turn off the light".
The team hopes that as the technique is developed, the icons on the
computer screen could perform more advanced functions, such as moving an
artificial limb. Simply by thinking of the movement, the computer could do
what the body no longer can.
In Israel, Hillary Clinton transforms
Weekend News Today
Lead: Leo
Source: USA Today
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- In her first foreign visit as a senator-elect, Hillary
Rodham Clinton held high-profile meetings with a prime minister, a presiden
t
and a parliament speaker - not their spouses - and observed a gunbattle fro
m
a distance. It was a sharp change from the usual first lady protocol of
kindergartens and hospital wards that characterized her previous visits. Ev
en
the highlight of her visit - delivering a eulogy at the funeral of Leah Rab
in -
seemed more of an affair of state.
''She was a woman not without controversy, something I can relate to,''
Clinton said of the widow of peace architect Yitzhak Rabin. ''But she was a
woman who cared deeply and lived fully.''
A series of rushed meetings before and after the funeral spoke more of
political substance - and Clinton's new role as senator-elect from New York
-
than of ceremonial duties. She had closed-door meetings with Prime Minister
Ehud Barak and President Moshe Katsav.
Monkey brain operates machine
Weekend News Today
Lead: Leo
Source: BBC NEWS
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- Scientists have used the brain signals from a monkey to
drive a robotic arm. As the animal stuck out its hand to pick up some food
off
a tray, an artificial neural system linked into the animal's head mimicked
the
activity in the mechanical limb.
This is not the first time that a device has been operated by "brain power"
alone, but the experiment marks a significant step forward in sophisticatio
n.
It holds out the prospect that, one day, paralysed patients might be able t
o
command the movement of prosthetic limbs that have been "wired" into their
brains.
"It was an amazing sight to see the robot in my lab move, knowing that it
was being driven by signals from a monkey brain at Duke," said Touch Lab
director and co-researcher Mandayam Srinivasan. "It was as if the monkey
had a 600-mile- (950-km-) long virtual arm."
Alaska's warming up & thawing out
Weekend News Today
Lead: faith
Source: BBC
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- The average temp in Alaska is rising almost 10 times
faster than the world average, affecting the landscape and ecosystems of
America's largest state. But for Shishmaref's 600 Inupiaq people, it means
the abandonment of their village. The once-permanently frozen ground that
used to reinforce this coast is thawing. Climate change has also brought a
higher sea level and more destructive storms. The result is that the narrow
island on which Shishmaref stands is being rapidly eroded. For more than a
decade the Arctic tundra surrounding Shishmaref has been warming. The
thaw threatens not only the village's buildings, but also its people's frag
ile
way of life. Usually, by early November hunters should be travelling over t
he
ice with teams of huskies, or fishing in local rivers but he's noticed that
each
year they're needing to wait longer. "In my younger days we would normally
have been out over the ice covering the inlet" says Mr Nayokpuk, the 71 yr.
old village elder. "Now there's nothing but water back there. I think the
climate is becoming warmer, all around us."
Almost all Alaska is covered by a layer of permanently frozen ground, which
is thawing in the higher temps, steadily destroying millions of acres of
spruce and birch trees. The forest is turning into a watery fenland, and
destroying the habitat for much of the state's wildlife. If the warmer clim
ate
persists, they're all expected to be dead by the end of the century, unable
to
survive in standing water. It's not only Alaska's huge forests that are
drowning in the swamps created by this great thaw. Forests on once
permanently-frozen ground across vast tracts of Russia, Canada and
Northern Europe are also in jeopardy. Dr Glenn Juday, a forest specialist
with the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, says that as the forests die, t
hey
are feeding the process of global warming in a terrible vicious cycle. Rott
ing
trees are producing millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide, and of methane, o
ne
of the most potent greenhouse gases of all.
Surface ice is disappearing even faster than the permafrost. On average
Alaskan glaciers have been losing 15% of their length every decade. Many
have lost almost 1/2 their thickness and some are in rapid retreat, melting
far
more quickly than they can form new ice. Water locked up for centuries in
glaciers and ice caps is being added, drop by drop, to the rising level of
the
sea. In Shishmaref, isolated in the tundra on the very edge of North Americ
a,
it means the abandonment of a village inhabited for more than 4,000 years.
"It's been a lot warmer than how it usually was, and we need to go where it
's
safe" she says.
Anti-abortion stance cost job, says doctor
Weekend News Today
Lead: Leo
Source: BBC NEWS
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- Claims that a junior doctor was denied a job because he
refused to be involved in abortions are being investigated by a hospital tr
ust.
Dr Everett Julyan says he was told he could not have the post of house
officer with a Glasgow trust because he told interviewers that he would hav
e
nothing to do with training which involved terminations.
He said he was asked at the interview if he would ever "clerk a patient in
for
an abortion" - a process which involves taking the patient's history and do
ing
an examination. He replied: "No." Dr Julyan said: "I was called the next da
y
and told I hadn't got the job because of that answer.
Lamprey brain drives robot
Weekend News Today
Lead: Leo
Source: ACADEMIC PRESS
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- Like some monster out of a B-grade horror movie, the
detached brain of a lamprey can command a robot to careen through a lab.
The scientists who designed the project aren't mad, however; they are using
this so-called neuro-robotic interface to study how the brainstem and spina
l
cord work. Someday, they hope, the research will aid the development of
robotic prostheses for humans.
The star of this show is the lamprey, a jawless fish that looks and acts li
ke
an eel. Lampreys tell up from down and keep their balance while swimming
with part of the nervous system called the vestibular system. If injured on
one
side of its body, a lamprey might swim off-kilter for a while, but the vest
ibular
system soon detects this drift and orders the muscles to compensate. This
feedback circuit seemed simple enough to translate into robotic commands,
says biomedical engineer Karen Fleming of Northwestern University Medical
School in Chicago. She and her colleagues dissected the brain and spinal
cord out of a lamprey and wired it up to a standard-issue lab research robo
t
called a Khepera equipped with light sensors and wheels. First, the
researchers patched signals from these sensors into the lamprey's
brainstem. Second, the team directed nerve impulses from the spinal cord,
which normally transmits signals from the brain to muscles, to the robot's
wheels.
Through trial and error, the lamprey brain learned to send signals that gui
ded
the robot toward a light source. The nervous-system-in-a-dish is also able
to
direct the robot to move in spiral or circle patterns, Fleming says. Althou
gh
the work is in its early stages, she says the team hopes to use this model
to
guide the development of robotic prostheses for people with missing limbs.
The system is "exceedingly novel," in the words of bioengineer Robert
Scheidt of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Hooking up an
electromechanical device to a nervous system, he says, "provides a whole
new avenue of approach" for research on the nervous system and how it
might be integrated with robotic systems.
AIDS catastrophe threatens Russia
Weekend News Today
Lead: faith
Source: Reuters
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- The spread of AIDS could reach catastrophic proportions
in Russia unless officials take quick action to reduce runaway growth rates
of the killer disease. The number of HIV and AIDS sufferers was put at
130,000 at the end of last year. But there is broad agreement that the
number of cases is significantly under-reported. Russia could have up to a
million infected cases in just 2-3 years. He said some consequences of the
spread of the disease were already irreversible and if "a passive and
indifferent attitude to this epidemic (continues) Russians will face many m
ore
serious problems and tragedies.
"The main plague will start in five or six years because people are dying o
n
average 10-12 years after contracting the infection and the mass epidemic i
n
Russia started in the 1990s." A growing problem is sexually transmitted
infections. "So far, the epidemic (of AIDS)in Russia has been driven by dru
g
users," Arkadiusz Majszyk, UNAIDS representative in Russia, said in the
statement. "But a second wave of HIV infections spread by sexual contact
could follow the current drug-driven epidemic and in just 3-4 years, Russia
may well have a generalized epidemic." UNAIDS said its executive director,
Peter Piot, would meet high-ranking Russian officials and non-governmental
groups on Thursday.
Russia had the world's highest rate of growth for the spread of the killer
disease AIDS. "In the space of one month this year, 30,000 new HIV cases
were uncovered, while last year this figure was three times lower," Majszyk
said. "With so many cases we can begin to talk about a threat to national
security." The World Health Organization said this month the number of
registered HIV infections in Russia had doubled annually for the last five
years and it urged the country to take tough measures. AIDS is the fourth
biggest killer worldwide. About 18.8 million people have died since 1983,
including 2.8 million last year, UNAIDS says. Nearly twice as many -- 34.3
million -- are living with HIV.
Quake shakes SE Turkey
Weekend News Today
Lead: faith
Source: ABC news/Reuters
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- An earthquake jolted SE Turkey on Wednesday, but
there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The tremor,
measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, was felt in the regional center
Diyarbakir, as well as the cities of Van and Bitlis. Residents of Van fled
buildings in panic, Anatolian news agency said.
6.0 & 5.5 quakes hit Hokkaido Japan, and more
Weekend News Today
Lead: faith
Source: USGS & Volcano World
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- On November 13th, a strong earthquake shook the
Hokkaido, Japan region. The quake was a magnitude 6.0. On November 14th
a 5.5 struck the same area. If your following all the many volcanic eruptio
ns
going on in the Japan area (& around the world), it's interesting to note t
hat
the quakes both struck around 42.61N 144.71E. See location of Komagatake
Volcano and last eruption news as of November 8th.
Komagatake Volcano, Hokkaido, Japan Location: 42.07N, 140.58E On 8
November, the Mount Komagatake Volcano erupted. The eruption was the
fourth in three months and was followed by 10 minutes of volcanic tremors.
Municipal authorities have placed five cities near Mount Komagatake under
alert.
Other quake updates: Also on November 13th, the Arctic Ocean had a 5.3
earthquake (on map, that's in the area of 81N 116W). Fiji Islands Region ha
d
a magnitude 5.0 shake them up. And on November 14th, a 5.2 quake hit the
Vanuatu Islands.
Hottest year on record AGAIN!
Weekend News Today
Lead: faith
Source: Weather.com
Wed Nov 15,2000 -- Weather record keepers say the average temperature of
the last 10 months is the warmest such period in the industry=92s 106-year
historical database. The average temperature for January to October of this
year is 58.1 degrees (Fahrenheit), according to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. The federal agency, which oversees the
National Weather Service, says above average temperatures have been
recorded during 13 of the last 15 January-October periods, showing a
temperature rise of one degree per century since records began in 1895. Stu
Ostro, senior meteorologist at The Weather Channel, comments on the
context of this record warmth by noting that "this U.S. data represents yet
another reflection of the global warming trend." However, he cautions that
"we ought not pin this exclusively on that."
http://216.219.160.226/cgi-
bin/readnews.cgi?day=3D00_11_15&item=3D#974325054
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Arutz-7 News (11/15/00)
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 18:24:09 -0500
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2000 / Cheshvan 17, 5761
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. SHOOTING ATTACKS INTENSIFY
2. VIOLENCE AROUND THE COUNTRY
3. YESHA PROTESTS
4. RESTRAINT EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
5. SUCCESSFUL RAID NETS 15 TANZIM AGENTS
6. THREE YESHA RESIDENTS ARRESTED
7. QUARANTAL FARMER HAS NO HOPE
8. HAPPY BRIEFS
9. OTHER BRIEFS
1. SHOOTING ATTACKS INTENSIFY
The southern neighborhood of Gilo was attacked with heavy and protracted
Palestinian gunfire this afternoon - the most intense shooting during
daylight hours that the community has experienced since the beginning of
the Palestinian violence over six weeks ago. Heavy damage was caused to a
car and a building, but no one was hurt.
Elsewhere in Jerusalem there were additional flashpoints of
violence. Large groups of Palestinian children were sent to throw rocks
at the Atarot airport in northern Jerusalem this afternoon. A Postal
Authority van was attacked in an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood; the
driver fled to nearby Yeshivat Beit Orot, where he called police for
assistance. Arab rioters threw rocks and other objects, and burnt tires,
near Augusta Victoria Hospital, not far from Beit Orot.
A mob of Arab children, led by an adult, attempted to break into the
community of Har Adar, northwest of Jerusalem. They attacked the town
with rocks and other objects. Shooting attacks were directed last night
at the communities of Bracha, Psagot, and Vered Yericho, towards Beit
Hadassa in Hevron, and at IDF posts at Tel Arus, the Jericho and Gaza
District Coordinating Offices, Nachal Elisha, N'vei Dekalim, and near
Kalkilye.
2. VIOLENCE AROUND THE COUNTRY
In and around Beitar, west of Bethlehem, stone-throwing continues
apace. Deputy Mayor Yitzchak Pindres relocated his office on Sunday night
to a site along the main road to Beitar from where Arab rock-throwers
often attack Israeli drivers. The army asked him to remove his tent last
night, and guaranteed that rock-throwing would stop. An hour after
Pindres acceded to the request, a bus and a van were attacked by rocks -
on the pre-1967 side of the road. At least two people were injured.
Resident Chezy Goldberg reported that the army's reaction was, "This is a
matter for the Beit Shemesh police." As a result, a protest rally will be
held in Beitar tonight, with the participation of Knesset Members of
United Torah Judaism and Shas.
Palestinian shooting was directed at soldiers at Ayosh Junction north of
Ramallah, at a civilian convoy from Netzarim in Gaza, and in at least five
other locations today. Two soldiers were wounded in stoning attacks, one
south of Hevron and one in N'vei Dekalim. Seven Palestinians were killed
in today's violence.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha'ul Mofaz met last night with residents of
Morag in Gaza, and heard their strong complaints about their feeling of
lack of personal safety. Hundreds of other angry Gush Katif residents
wanted to come to the meeting, but the army prevented them; in defiance,
they began walking around the barriers towards Morag, but were soon
convinced that this would be too dangerous. "He [Mofaz] praised our
patience and restraint of the past few weeks," Morag resident Nissim
Bracha told Arutz-7 today. "The meeting was basically calm, but some
residents raised strong questions about how we can continue in this way,
with shooting every single night, and a bomb every two or three days...
To our surprise, he sounded very determined... The army removed the tanks
from around here right after the Peres-Arafat agreement, but they were
soon returned, and now the situation has returned to exactly what it was."
3. YESHA PROTESTS
Several dozen people continue to man the protest tent at the
Gilo-Bethlehem junction, demanding that the army allow free access to
Rachel's Tomb. At present, three army-approved bullet-proof shuttle
buses leave the junction for the site every morning - at 9, 10, and 11 AM.
The participants see as a victory of sorts, as prior to last week,
Rachel's Tomb had been virtually closed off to Jewish worship, except for
isolated cases. The protestors - mostly women from Hevron, Kiryat Arba,
and Gilo - continue to insist that all worshippers be allowed in freely.
The protestors also call upon the public to take advantage of the buses.
In the words of one ardent supporter of Rachel's Tomb, "We are fighting to
keep Rachel's Tomb open the entire day, but that will only happen when so
many people show up for the buses, and the demand to pray there is so
great, that they will be forced to open the site for more and more hours
every day... Rachel's Tomb is probably one of the safest places in Israel
today! You get there with a bullet-proof bus, with an escort of two army
jeeps, and tons of army around you..."
Some 2,000 people demonstrated last night at Zion Square in Jerusalem,
demanding a tougher response to the increasing terrorism. The
participants, some of whom came straight from the funeral of Sara Lisha,
who was killed by Palestinian terrorists on Monday, held large pictures of
the recent victims of terrorism.
Other protest actions:
The Rabbis of Gush Katif set up a protest encampment there today, saying
that they will remain there until IDF policy is changed... The National
Union party set up a protest tent at the Rose Garden outside the Prime
Minister's office, as did the National Religious Party. Both of these
join the Yesha Council tent, which was begun last night; many sympathizers
are visiting... The Beit El Yeshiva High School is on strike for the
second day, after shots hit its main building; classes have been
transferred to the Rose Garden... The elementary school in Shilo [between
Ofrah and Shechem] is on strike as well, following Monday's terrorist
murder of their teacher Sarah Lisha; some of the classes have been
transferred to the Rose Garden... The community of N'vei Tzuf, where Sara
Lisha lived, plans to strike tomorrow...
Many local protests were organized yesterday, largely by the "Cities of
Israel" movement, against the "holding-back" policy. These included
roadside vigils outside Ashdod, Kiryat Ekron, and in several locations on
the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway, as well as protests at the Alonim Junction
and in Jerusalem. In addition, Haifa residents made a solidarity trip to
a Yesha outpost called Hilltop 777, near Itamar, and took their turn at
guard duty there.
4. RESTRAINT EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
After cutting short his trip to the U.S. and England because of the
escalation in Palestinian terrorism and violence, Prime Minister Ehud
Barak was scheduled to convene the security mini-cabinet at 5:30 PM today,
instead of last night. It will be decided there what military steps, if
any, to take in response to the increasing Palestinian aggression and
violence. Barak's aides say that Israel "has retaliated and will continue
to retaliate," but it is expected that the policy of restraint will
continue.
5. SUCCESSFUL RAID NETS 15 TANZIM AGENTS
Fifteen Tanzim members suspected of involvement in and organization of
recent terrorist attacks were arrested over the night. Minister Binyamin
Ben-Eliezer, commenting afterwards about the successful operation, said
that there was no cooperation with the Palestinian police, and that such
cooperation does not exist. "Those who used to cooperate with us are
today the leading instigators of violence against us," he said. The 15
were arrested in villages near Ramallah and Shechem, and large amounts of
weapons were found in their possession.
A mob of Israeli-Arabs from the Galilee ambushed a group of soldiers two
nights ago and beat them. Police have arrested two residents of the Araba
village, about 25 kilometers west of the Sea of Galilee, and further
arrests are expected. The mob blocked the Sakhnin-Hilazon road with
boulders, and waited in ambush. When six soldiers drove by, the Arabs
fell upon them, threw rocks at them, and beat them. The soldiers shot in
the air and managed to escape.
6. THREE YESHA RESIDENTS ARRESTED
Three young Jewish residents of Yesha - two from Elon Moreh and one from
Psagot - were indicted today on charges of throwing stones at Arab cars.
The maximum sentence for the crimes: 20 years. Police wish to detain
them until the end of the proceedings. The Mayor of Ariel - Shomron's
largest city - Ron Nachman, said today, "The entire Land of Israel is the
front today, not only Judea and Samaria. It must be clear once and for
all: this is a war=85 For years we have been going through this violence
=85
[Since the latest round began,] not one government minister has arrived to
visit, the Prime Minister hasn't come or called - only Minister Yuli Tamir
called me once... In the north, as soon as a katyusha falls, the entire
government reports there at once!" He dismissed alleged General Security
Service claims that an 'underground terrorist group' could be in formation
in Judea and Samaria. "The GSS can say whatever it wants, but it's all
nonsense. Instead, they should get to catching the terrorists who shoot
at us every night!"
It should be noted that in early June of this year, it was widely reported
that the GSS had announced that it was "tightening security" around Prime
Minister Barak in light of alleged threats from the right-wing. The GSS
later stated that there had been no change in its assessments and that it
had not made any such announcements.
7. QUARANTAL FARMER HAS NO HOPE
Tzvi Berger, owner of the area known as the Qarantal outside Jericho, has
been unable to farm it for over six weeks. Soon after the current
violence started over six weeks ago, the army closed off the only access
road to the area, claiming it was unsafe for Israelis. Even worse,
however, as he told Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson today, is that "even if I
could go there, there is nothing left - the Arabs uprooted the trees, and
burnt or stole the equipment I had there." He expressed his absolutely
finalization of the loss when he said, "I don't know if I could continue
there even if I was allowed to - because I know who did all the damage:
the very people whose families I supported these last 20 years. How did
the marauders know their way around there at night, in the dark [ed. note:
Guards protected the area during the day during the first days of the
violence]? Only those who worked there for so many years would know this,
and exactly where to go to cause the most damage."
The 400-dunam (100-acre) piece of land was used to grow dates, lemons, and
grapes. Berger says that all his letters to the Prime Minister and the
Defense Ministry have gone unanswered, "except for form letters stating
that my letter has been received." He may receive an "advance" on
compensation from the Property Tax authorities, but they have not been
able - nor do they expect in the future - to send over adjusters to
evaluate the damages. The land is in Area C, under full Israeli control.
8. HAPPY BRIEFS
Sixth graders from schools in Binyamin were hosted by Kiryat Shmonah
students today; the latter have adopted the schools, and are planning
joint educational and recreational activities together...
Contrary to rumors and certain media reports, and despite the ongoing
violence, the population of Yesha communities is growing. Eight new
families have moved to Beit El over the past few weeks, and four more have
applied. In Brachah, the construction of twelve new houses began today,
and six of them have already been sold...
The Chief Rabbi of France is leading a delegation of 300 French Jews who
have come to Israel this week in a show of solidarity with Israel and with
the IDF...
9. OTHER BRIEFS
Dozens of PLO flags were hung throughout the Old City of Jerusalem last
night. City workers removed them during the night and this morning...
A firebomb was thrown into the home of the mukhtar [Muslim religious
leader] of the Arab village of Beit Tzafafa in southern Jerusalem last
night. Two of the occupants were taken to the hospital suffering from
smoke inhalation. The mukhtar said that he did not believe that Jews from
nearby Gilo were guilty of the crime, as "we have lived with neighborly
relations for 35 years." An Arab is in moderate-to-serious condition
after a bullet was accidentally shot from a Border Guard policeman's gun.
The incident occurred at the checkpoint near Moshav Roglit, south of Beit
Shemesh, which the Arabs attempted to cross...
IDF bulldozers and tractors spent several hours today at the entrance to
Kalkilye, a PA-controlled city near Ra'anana and about ten miles from the
Mediterranean Coast. They razed greenhouses, garages, and small buildings
adjacent to the main highway, where terrorists have been hiding and
shooting at passing Israeli vehicles. Large IDF forces guarded the
operation...
Hebrew News Editor: Ariel Kahane
English News Editor: Hillel Fendel
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Robinson condemns Israel, calls for international force
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 18:25:33 -0500
Wednesday, November 15 2000 20:27 18 Heshvan 5761
(19:20) Robinson condemns Israel,
calls for international force
UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson said in
Gaza today that she supports the Palestinians' demand
for an international intervention force in the territories to
protect them from Israel.
Robinson also condemned Israel for using excessive
force to quell the Palestinian uprising.
Robinson met earlier today with residents of the southern
Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo who told her about their
life under fire.
http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2000/11/15/LatestNews/LatestNews.15602.ht
ml
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Subject: [bprlist] Palestinians put quarter-million dollar price on head of Ariel Sharon
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 18:39:37 -0500
November 15, 2000 11:20 (Israel time)
Hebron Palestinians put quarter-million dollar price on head of Likud's Ariel
Sharon
Ha'aretz Services
Palestinian trade union leaders in the West Bank town of Hebron announced
Wednesday they would pay a bounty of one million Egyptian pounds
($265,000) for the assassination of Likud opposition leader Ariel Sharon ,
Army Radio reported.
Sharon became a worldwide target of Muslim anger for his September 28
visit to the Temple Mount, which Muslims charged had "defiled" the third
holiest site of Islam.
http://www2.haaretz.co.il/breaking-news/Intifada/336676.stm
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Subject: [bprlist] Israeli Hackers Vow to Defend
From: "research-bpr" <research-bpr@philologos.org>
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 18:41:44 -0500
Israeli Hackers Vow to Defend
by Carmen J. Gentile
2:00 a.m. Nov. 15, 2000 PST
A group of self-described ethical hackers are taking the reins of the
Israelis' Web networks into their own hands in the Middle East's cyberwar.
Known as the Israeli Internet Underground, the coalition of anonymous
online activists from various Israeli technology companies has set up a
website to disseminate information concerning the ongoing battle in
cyberspace.
According to the IIU mantra, they are "dedicated to the Israeli spirit and
united to protect Israel on the Internet against any kind of attacks from
malicious hacking groups."
The site claims to provide a comprehensive list of sites that were hacked
by Arab attackers since the cyberwar went into full swing on Oct. 6.
Listed are over 40 Israeli sites that have been defaced and vandalized by
various hacking groups. The number coincides with estimates provided by
officials at iDefense, an international private intelligence outfit in
Washington that is monitoring the ongoing war.
IIU also provides a list of Israeli sites that they believe run services
with commonly known security holes like BIND NXT overflow, IIS 4 holes and
FTP format string bugs.
Examples of defacements by Arab hackers such as the one perpetrated on
the
homepage of Jerusalembooks.com, one of the largest Jewish booksellers on
the Web, serve as a warning to those Israeli sites with suspect security.
The Jerusalembooks.com text and graphics were recently replaced with the
word "Palestine" in flaming letters and with text asking Israelis if the
torah teaches them to kill innocent kids and rape women. The site is
currently under construction due to the attack.
Taking credit for the attack is the group GForce Pakistan, a well-known
activist group that has joined forces with Palestinians and other Arab
hackers in fighting the cyberwar against Israeli interests.
Working alongside the group is the highly skilled Arab hacker named dodi.
On November 3, dodi defaced an Israeli site and stated he could shut down
the Israeli ISP NetVision, host of almost 70 percent of the country's
Internet traffic.
Though petty defacements and racial slurs have been the norm on both sides
of the battle, Arab hackers like dodi have promised to kick the war into
high gear in the coming days, implementing what they refer to as phases
three and four of their "cyber-jihad."
The Muslim extremist group UNITY, with ties to Hezbollah, laid out a
four-part plan for destroying the Israeli Internet infrastructure at the
onset of the cyberwar. Phase four culminates in blitzing attacks on
e-commerce sites, "causing millions of dollars of losses in transactions."
IIU said there is already evidence of phase-four attacks, such as the
destruction of business sites with e-commerce capabilities, which they
believe caused a recent 8 percent dip in the Israeli stock exchange.
"The current onslaught of cyber attacks against Israel's key websites is
perhaps the most extensive, coordinated malicious hacking effort in
history," said Peggy Weigle, president and CEO of Sanctum Inc., a security
firm based in Santa Clara and founded by two Israelis.
"ISPs and e-businesses must recognize the need to install protection that
goes beyond firewalls to provide real security against application-level
assaults."
In order to thwart future attacks, IIU has created what they call the
"SODA project" (sod is Hebrew for secret). The stated goal of the project
is "to inform and provide solutions wherever we can and therefore protect
our sites against political cyber vandalism." It lists those websites with
security vulnerabilities, making them susceptible to future attacks by
Islamic groups.
The SODA project formed an alliance with the Internet security firm 2XS
Ltd., which is linked to the site and agreed to provide security advice
for casualties of the cyberwar. Though 2XS Ltd. does not accept
responsibility for IIU actions, company CTO Ehud Tenebaum founded the
group back in 1996, when he went by the name "Analyzer."
According to Tenebaum, on Nov. 3, IIU contacted 2XS Ltd. to share their
idea of creating a site for publishing vulnerability alerts. "I liked the
idea and took it to our management," said Tenebaum.
Another link on the SODA project is the Internet security information
forum SecurityFocus.com, a resource guide to online security links and
services based in San Mateo, California. Technical editor for
SecurityFocus.com, Ryan Russell, said the site is not taking any sides in
the Middle Eastern war, though he believes that the attackers seem to have
the upper hand.
"Typically, the odds are heavily in the attackers' favor -- the attacker
can launch attacks against any number of sites for little to no cost,"
said Russell. "They only need to find one vulnerable victim to succeed,
perhaps after checking thousands of potential victims."
Since both Arabs and Israelis are launching volley after volley against
the others' sites, Russell believes that neither faction gets to play the
victim in this war. "The victims ends up being citizens and businesses in
the affected area," he said. "Unfortunately, I guess that's not uncommon
in that part of the world."
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,40187,00.html
via: cyberwar@egroups.com
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To: bprlist@egroups.com
Subject: [bprlist] Russians Demand Right to Observe 'Undemocratic' US Elections
From: "Moza"
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2000 19:13:57 -0500
I received this from one of my email lists but can't confirm it because the link
is dead. Notice that this was supposedly written on 10/24/00. The list I got it
from is not that reliable...--Moza
Russian Nationalists Demand Right to Observe 'Undemocratic' US Elections
http://www.russiatoday.com/news.php3?id=212773
10-24-00
MOSCOW (Agence France Presse) - Nationalists in Russia's parliament
have drafted a resolution demanding the right to observe the U.S. presidential
elections, voicing "profound concern" they will be falsified, Interfax reported
Tuesday.
The resolution says the State Duma (lower house) has "profound concern
about the danger of falsification of the results of the U.S. presidential
elections, particularly in Texas and California and other territories that were
forced to join the United States."
It adds that since the United States is a world superpower, "the presidential
election campaign in the U.S. must not be considered an exclusive internal
affair of that country."
The Duma draft, which is yet to come up for a vote, suggests the UN
Security Council should confirm the November 7 presidential ballot before it
can be declared valid. ((c) 2000 Agence France Presse)
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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.