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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Kirishima erupts in spectacular fashion

A spectacular volcanic eruption is currently under way in Japan. The mountain Kirishima is firing red-hot magma and volcanic bombs into the air.
Around the globe in Japan, Kirishima, a volcano on the southern island of Kyushu, has started erupting vigorously. I haven't been able to find many reports, but the Tokyo VAAC issued an ash warning for Kirishima to elevations up to ~7.6 km / 25,000 feet and the Kirishima webcam (there are three, but only one that is still working. UPDATE: you can try this link to all of the JMA webcams, but it is in Japanese. In the menu on the right, Kirishima is the 7th from the bottom of the list) seems to be showing significant glowing material coming from the summit area. This activity looks to be phreatomagmatic explosions throwing material from the crater and/or pyroclastic flows and reports indicate bombs being thrown upwards of 2 km (Japanese) from the vent. Judging from some of the webcam images (see below) captured by members of the Eruptions Tuff Team, the eruption is explosive with what looks like some plumes of incandescent material reaching a few hundred meters, producing the larger ash plume that caused the VAAC warning. Based on local news reports, ash has fallen on Nichinan and Miyazaki and parts of the highways (Japanese) on Kyushu have been blocked due to the current activity. Japanese officials have placed the area around the volcano on alert status 3.

Read the whole article with updates click: BigThink



For further pictures click:

Japan volcano spews ash

Mohamed ElBaradei: Egypt's president-in-waiting?

Egypt's pro-democracy leader, Mohamed ElBaradei, is greeted by a young supporter before Friday prayers in Cairo, Jan. 28, 2011.Egypt's pro-democracy leader, Mohamed ElBaradei, is greeted by a young supporter before Friday prayers in Cairo, Jan. 28, 2011. (Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press)
As head of the International Atomic Energy Agency for 12 years — the UN group that promotes and monitors the peaceful use of nuclear energy — Mohamed ElBaradei gained considerable credibility and media exposure in the West.
In so doing, he also proved to be a thorn in the side of the George W. Bush administration
ElBaradei was one of the first, and one of the most prominent, public officials to question the invasion of Iraq and the motivation behind it.

If you like the whole article click: CBC News

AlJazeeraEnglish | January 28, 2011
Tens of thousands of Egyptians ignored the nighttime curfew and took to the streets of Cairo for another day of protests, setting fire to police vehicles and the ruling party's headquarters.

A population generally viewed as being apathetic seems to have finally found its strong political voice.

But with President Mubarak's recent pronouncements unlikely to quench the thirst for change displayed on the streets, the outcome of Egypt's protests remains to be seen.

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford reports.


Al Jazeera English: Live Stream  

New clashes erupt as Egyptians spurn Mubarak speech



Main Image
Main Image
Main Image
CAIRO | Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:18am EST
CAIRO (Reuters) - Thousands of angry Egyptians rallied in central Cairo on Saturday to demand that President Hosni Mubarak resign, dismissing his offer of dialogue and calling on troops to come over to their side.
Clashes between police and demonstrators broke out in the port city of Alexandria, the fifth day of unprecedented protests against Mubarak's 30-year-rule.
The president ordered troops and tanks into Cairo and other cities overnight and imposed a curfew in a bid to quell unrest in which dozens of people were killed. It looked increasingly as if the army held the key to the nation's future.
In an effort to appease the protesters, he dismissed his cabinet and said he would listen to their demands of reform.

Read the whole story on: Reuters

Friday, January 28, 2011

Police detain 20 involved in clash at Hirbat Safa




Settlers, Palestinians clash in Gush Etzion; as a result teen, 17, shot, critically injured; Israeli hikers say Palestinians opened fire at them.

  Judea and Samaria police detained 20 individuals involved in the clashes between Palestinians and Bat Ayin settlers near the village of Hirbat Safa in Gush Etzion where a 17-year-old Palestinian was shot and critically injured Friday.

The detainees, who come from different areas, were in the vicinity of the clashes and police were taking their statements.

If you like to read the whole story click: The Jerusalem Post

The Auschwitz Album, don't forget.... .

Introduction

The Auschwitz Album is the only surviving visual evidence of the process of mass murder at Auschwitz-Birkenau. It is a unique document and was donated to Yad Vashem by Lilly Jacob-Zelmanovic Meier.
The photos were taken at the end of May or beginning of June 1944, either by Ernst Hofmann or by Bernhard Walter, two SS men whose task was to take ID photos and fingerprints of the inmates (not of the Jews who were sent directly to the gas chambers). The photos show the arrival of Hungarian Jews from Carpatho-Ruthenia. Many of them came from the Berehovo Ghetto, which itself was a collecting point for Jews from several other small towns.
Early summer 1944 was the apex of the deportation of Hungarian Jewry. For this purpose a special rail line was extended from the railway station outside the camp to a ramp inside Auschwitz. Many of the photos in the album were taken on the ramp. The Jews then went through a selection process, carried out by SS doctors and wardens. Those considered fit for work were sent into the camp, where they were registered, deloused and distributed to the barracks. The rest were sent to the gas chambers. They were gassed under the guise of a harmless shower, their bodies were cremated and the ashes were strewn in a nearby swamp. The Nazis not only ruthlessly exploited the labor of those they did not kill immediately, they also looted the belongings the Jews brought with them. Even gold fillings were extracted from the mouths of the dead by a special detachment of inmates. The personal effects the Jews brought with them were sorted by inmates and stored in an area referred to by the inmates as "Canada": the ultimate land of plenty.
The photos in the album show the entire process except for the killing itself.
The purpose of the album is unclear. It was not intended for propaganda purposes, nor does it have any obvious personal use. One assumes that it was prepared as an official reference for a higher authority, as were photo albums from other concentration camps.
Lilly never hid the album and news of its existence was published many times. She was even called to present it as testimony at the Auschwitz trials in Frankfurt during the 1960s. She kept it all the years until the famous Nazi-hunter Serge Klarsfeld visited her in 1980, and convinced her to donate the album to Yad Vashem.
In 1994 the album was restored in Yad Vashem's conservation laboratory and information on each one of the photos was typed into the computerized databank of the archive. The staff of the archive was able to compare and match the pictures with aerial photos taken by the US Army Air Force on several occasions in 1944-45. In 1999 the entire album was scanned with the highest quality digital equipment.
There are 56 pages and 193 photos in the album. Some of the original pictures, presumably those given by Lilly to survivors who had identified relatives in the photographs, are missing. One of these pictures was recently donated to Yad Vashem.
Further reference:

Encyclopedia of the Holocaust, Tel-Aviv, 1990.

Gilbert, Martin, Auschwitz and the Allies, New-York, 1981.

Greif, Gideon, We Wept without Tears, Testimonies of the Jewish Sonderkommando from Auschwitz
Yale University Press and The Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies, University of Miami, 2005.

Hoess, Rudolf, Commandant of Auschwitz, Cleveland, 1959.

Klarsfeld, Serge (ed.), The Auschwitz Album, Lilly Jacob's Album, New-York, 1980.

Kraus, Ota & Kulka, Erich, The Death Factory: Document on Auschwitz, New-York, 1966.


To purchase the Auschwitz Album from Yad Vashem Publications, click here

To purchase the Encyclopedia of the Holocaust from Yad Vashem Publications, click here

To see the album click: The Auschwitz Album

USGS M 5+ worldwide earthquake list for the past 7 days

Real-time, worldwide earthquake list for the past 7 days

M 5.2, Fiji region
Friday, January 28, 2011 2:37 PM
21.324°S 178.687°W

Friday, January 28, 2011 12:37:18 UTC
Saturday, January 29, 2011 12:37:18 AM at epicenter

Depth: 563.70 km (350.27 mi)
M 5.0, southeastern Iran
Friday, January 28, 2011 6:20 AM
28.216°N 58.960°E

Friday, January 28, 2011 04:20:40 UTC
Friday, January 28, 2011 07:50:40 AM at epicenter

Depth: 35.10 km (21.81 mi)
M 5.2, Tonga
Thursday, January 27, 2011 6:17 PM
19.234°S 173.403°W

Thursday, January 27, 2011 16:17:15 UTC
Friday, January 28, 2011 06:17:15 AM at epicenter

Depth: 1.00 km (0.62 mi)
M 5.0, Bonin Islands, Japan region
Thursday, January 27, 2011 5:54 PM
27.106°N 143.354°E

Thursday, January 27, 2011 15:54:43 UTC
Friday, January 28, 2011 01:54:43 AM at epicenter

Depth: 28.60 km (17.77 mi)
M 5.3, North Island of New Zealand
Thursday, January 27, 2011 5:02 PM
38.633°S 175.989°E

Thursday, January 27, 2011 15:02:45 UTC
Friday, January 28, 2011 03:02:45 AM at epicenter

Depth: 152.00 km (94.45 mi)
M 6.0, southeastern Iran
Thursday, January 27, 2011 10:38 AM
28.185°N 58.968°E

Thursday, January 27, 2011 08:38:28 UTC
Thursday, January 27, 2011 12:08:28 PM at epicenter

Depth: 10.70 km (6.65 mi)
M 5.0, southeastern Iran
Thursday, January 27, 2011 9:02 AM
28.296°N 58.903°E

Thursday, January 27, 2011 07:02:03 UTC
Thursday, January 27, 2011 10:32:03 AM at epicenter

Depth: 10.40 km (6.46 mi)
M 5.5, Santa Cruz Islands
Thursday, January 27, 2011 6:00 AM
11.601°S 166.330°E

Thursday, January 27, 2011 04:00:35 UTC
Thursday, January 27, 2011 03:00:35 PM at epicenter

Depth: 63.10 km (39.21 mi)
M 5.3, Tonga
Thursday, January 27, 2011 2:59 AM
15.445°S 173.080°W

Thursday, January 27, 2011 00:59:39 UTC
Thursday, January 27, 2011 01:59:39 PM at epicenter

Depth: 21.80 km (13.55 mi)
M 5.8, Santa Cruz Islands
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 7:03 PM
11.035°S 166.321°E

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 17:03:31 UTC
Thursday, January 27, 2011 04:03:31 AM at epicenter

Depth: 157.40 km (97.80 mi)
M 5.0, Tonga
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 5:58 PM
18.075°S 174.695°W

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 15:58:32 UTC
Thursday, January 27, 2011 05:58:32 AM at epicenter

Depth: 129.00 km (80.16 mi)
M 6.1, Simeulue, Indonesia
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 5:42 PM
2.203°N 96.821°E

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 15:42:29 UTC
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 10:42:29 PM at epicenter

Depth: 22.60 km (14.04 mi)
M 5.2, Vanuatu
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 2:05 PM
18.898°S 168.178°E

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 12:05:48 UTC
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 11:05:48 PM at epicenter

Depth: 26.80 km (16.65 mi)
M 5.3, eastern New Guinea region, Papua New Guinea
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 10:01 AM
5.538°S 147.075°E

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 08:01:30 UTC
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 06:01:30 PM at epicenter

Depth: 211.00 km (131.11 mi)
M 5.0, Mid-Indian Ridge
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 1:57 AM
18.849°S 67.346°E

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 23:57:30 UTC
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 03:57:30 AM at epicenter

Depth: 15.60 km (9.69 mi)
M 5.4, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 3:18 PM
29.985°S 177.987°W

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 13:18:12 UTC
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 01:18:12 AM at epicenter

Depth: 55.90 km (34.73 mi)
M 5.0, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 10:30 AM
20.440°S 168.210°E

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 08:30:06 UTC
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 07:30:06 PM at epicenter

Depth: 29.60 km (18.39 mi)
M 5.3, Andreanof Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 9:46 AM
51.632°N 176.199°W

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 07:46:34 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 09:46:34 PM at epicenter

Depth: 57.30 km (35.60 mi)
M 5.1, off the coast of El Salvador
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 8:18 AM
12.165°N 88.580°W

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 06:18:45 UTC
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 12:18:45 AM at epicenter

Depth: 41.90 km (26.04 mi)
M 5.0, south of Africa
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 7:39 AM
52.913°S 22.286°E

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 05:39:37 UTC
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 06:39:37 AM at epicenter

Depth: 10.10 km (6.28 mi)
M 5.5, near the east coast of Honshu, Japan
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 7:24 AM
35.127°N 141.215°E

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 05:24:41 UTC
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 02:24:41 PM at epicenter

Depth: 21.70 km (13.48 mi)
M 5.2, Volcano Islands, Japan region
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 4:18 AM
22.105°N 144.230°E

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 02:18:38 UTC
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 12:18:38 PM at epicenter

Depth: 67.40 km (41.88 mi)
M 5.0, south of the Fiji Islands
Monday, January 24, 2011 10:37 AM
23.450°S 179.764°W

Monday, January 24, 2011 08:37:45 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 08:37:45 PM at epicenter

Depth: 534.10 km (331.87 mi)
M 5.1, Moro Gulf, Mindanao, Philippines
Monday, January 24, 2011 8:28 AM
6.387°N 123.534°E

Monday, January 24, 2011 06:28:07 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 02:28:07 PM at epicenter

Depth: 585.30 km (363.69 mi)
M 5.1, south of the Mariana Islands
Monday, January 24, 2011 6:39 AM
11.905°N 143.425°E

Monday, January 24, 2011 04:39:13 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 02:39:13 PM at epicenter

Depth: 24.00 km (14.91 mi)
M 6.1, Tajikistan
Monday, January 24, 2011 4:45 AM
38.432°N 72.751°E

Monday, January 24, 2011 02:45:31 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 07:45:31 AM at epicenter

Depth: 110.10 km (68.41 mi)
M 5.8, Tonga
Monday, January 24, 2011 3:02 AM
19.143°S 173.668°W

Monday, January 24, 2011 01:02:05 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 03:02:05 PM at epicenter

Depth: 37.60 km (23.36 mi)
M 5.3, South Sandwich Islands region
Monday, January 24, 2011 12:53 AM
56.495°S 26.949°W

Sunday, January 23, 2011 22:53:01 UTC
Sunday, January 23, 2011 08:53:01 PM at epicenter

Depth: 123.10 km (76.49 mi)
M 5.2, Bonin Islands, Japan region
Monday, January 24, 2011 12:51 AM
26.688°N 143.723°E

Sunday, January 23, 2011 22:51:22 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 08:51:22 AM at epicenter

Depth: 6.20 km (3.85 mi)
M 5.2, Bonin Islands, Japan region
Monday, January 24, 2011 12:13 AM
26.790°N 143.866°E

Sunday, January 23, 2011 22:13:47 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 08:13:47 AM at epicenter

Depth: 10.30 km (6.40 mi)
M 5.8, Fiji region
Sunday, January 23, 2011 9:15 PM
20.323°S 176.228°W

Sunday, January 23, 2011 19:15:39 UTC
Monday, January 24, 2011 07:15:39 AM at epicenter

Depth: 202.30 km (125.70 mi)
M 5.1, offshore Tarapaca, Chile
Sunday, January 23, 2011 6:02 PM
19.789°S 70.247°W

Sunday, January 23, 2011 16:02:44 UTC
Sunday, January 23, 2011 01:02:44 PM at epicenter

Depth: 33.40 km (20.75 mi)
M 5.0, Bonin Islands, Japan region
Sunday, January 23, 2011 2:46 PM
26.808°N 144.148°E

Sunday, January 23, 2011 12:46:38 UTC
Sunday, January 23, 2011 10:46:38 PM at epicenter

Depth: 10.00 km (6.21 mi)
M 5.1, Bonin Islands, Japan region
Sunday, January 23, 2011 12:58 PM
27.451°N 141.557°E

Sunday, January 23, 2011 10:58:19 UTC
Sunday, January 23, 2011 08:58:19 PM at epicenter

Depth: 9.90 km (6.15 mi)
M 5.3, southern Sumatra, Indonesia
Sunday, January 23, 2011 11:05 AM
4.322°S 102.124°E

Sunday, January 23, 2011 09:05:34 UTC
Sunday, January 23, 2011 04:05:34 PM at epicenter

Depth: 49.90 km (31.01 mi)
M 5.4, Central Alaska
Sunday, January 23, 2011 4:50 AM
63.542°N 150.865°W

Sunday, January 23, 2011 02:50:04 UTC
Saturday, January 22, 2011 05:50:04 PM at epicenter

Depth: 15.70 km (9.76 mi)
M 5.0, Halmahera, Indonesia
Saturday, January 22, 2011 4:56 PM
2.580°N 128.379°E

Saturday, January 22, 2011 14:56:10 UTC
Saturday, January 22, 2011 11:56:10 PM at epicenter

Depth: 164.70 km (102.34 mi)
M 5.2, near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia
Saturday, January 22, 2011 3:21 PM
0.588°S 132.553°E

Saturday, January 22, 2011 13:21:26 UTC
Saturday, January 22, 2011 10:21:26 PM at epicenter

Depth: 10.00 km (6.21 mi)
M 5.6, Simeulue, Indonesia
Saturday, January 22, 2011 9:38 AM
2.936°N 95.571°E

Saturday, January 22, 2011 07:38:56 UTC
Saturday, January 22, 2011 02:38:56 PM at epicenter

Depth: 20.80 km (12.92 mi)
M 5.4, Simeulue, Indonesia
Saturday, January 22, 2011 9:34 AM
2.867°N 95.578°E

Saturday, January 22, 2011 07:34:17 UTC
Saturday, January 22, 2011 02:34:17 PM at epicenter

Depth: 28.50 km (17.71 mi)
M 5.0, Hokkaido, Japan region
Saturday, January 22, 2011 7:49 AM
42.370°N 142.870°E

Saturday, January 22, 2011 05:49:01 UTC
Saturday, January 22, 2011 02:49:01 PM at epicenter

Depth: 53.80 km (33.43 mi)
M 5.1, central Peru
Saturday, January 22, 2011 4:06 AM
12.157°S 73.039°W

Saturday, January 22, 2011 02:06:49 UTC
Friday, January 21, 2011 09:06:49 PM at epicenter

Depth: 13.70 km (8.51 mi)
M 5.3, off the coast of Michoacan, Mexico
Saturday, January 22, 2011 3:27 AM
15.236°N 104.492°W

Saturday, January 22, 2011 01:27:29 UTC
Friday, January 21, 2011 06:27:29 PM at epicenter

Depth: 10.00 km (6.21 mi)
M 5.1, near the coast of Nicaragua
Friday, January 21, 2011 7:18 PM
11.596°N 86.297°W

Friday, January 21, 2011 17:18:19 UTC
Friday, January 21, 2011 11:18:19 AM at epicenter

Depth: 94.30 km (58.60 mi)
M 5.3, Mariana Islands region
Friday, January 21, 2011 6:40 PM
17.953°N 147.501°E

Friday, January 21, 2011 16:40:45 UTC
Saturday, January 22, 2011 02:40:45 AM at epicenter

Depth: 42.50 km (26.41 mi)
M 5.3, north of Puerto Rico
Friday, January 21, 2011 6:15 PM
20.065°N 66.007°W

Friday, January 21, 2011 16:15:45 UTC
Friday, January 21, 2011 12:15:45 PM at epicenter

Depth: 28.50 km (17.71 mi)
M 5.0, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile
Friday, January 21, 2011 5:36 PM
33.980°S 71.806°W

Friday, January 21, 2011 15:36:11 UTC
Friday, January 21, 2011 12:36:11 PM at epicenter

Depth: 18.20 km (11.31 mi)

Are you eating food sacrificed to idols?

American pastor sounds alarm on supermarkets, restaurants
Posted: January 27, 2011
7:55 pm Eastern

By Joe Kovacs
© 2011 WorldNetDaily

When you bite into a delicious pizza, succulent sandwich or luscious lamb chops, are you possibly eating food that has been sacrificed to idols?
An outspoken American pastor says yes, and he's sounding the alarm for Christians to be aware of the Islamic influence he calls "backdoor Shariah" now nibbling its way across the fruited plain.
At issue, says Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Wash., is eating food that's "halal," in other words "lawful" or "permitted" for the Muslim diet. 
Muslims join many Jews and some Christians in avoiding the consumption of certain animals such as pigs and birds of prey, but those of the Islamic faith also have their meat blessed in the name of their god, Allah.

If you like to read the whole article click: WorldNetDaily

Are you eating food sacrificed to idols? from El Shaddai Ministries on Vimeo.

Ezekiel's Prophecy and the Lost Sheep of Israel

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

DoorPostMinistries?

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?


DoorPostMinistries | November 20, 2010 |
A closer look at Ezekiel's prophecy where he lays on his side for 390 days

U.S. Muslim Population Expected to at least Double

A new Pew Research study claims the Muslim population in the U.S. will more than double over the next two decades.
The nation's current Muslim population at 0.8 percent, but by 2030, Pew researchers predicted the number will double to 1.7 percent.
Worldwide, the report showed the Muslim population increasing by nearly a billion people in the next 20 years.
If the trend holds up, Muslims will soon make up more than a quarter of the world's population.

CBN: The Nazi-Islamic alliance

CBN Does it’s usual excellent job and doing what public schools should have been doing all along. Showing the unvarnished facts about history even if it does offend those with a vested interest in hiding the facts.

BFP-UPDATE Israel Current News with Prayer Focus January 28, 2011

Visit our Web site: www.bridgesforpeace.com
January 28, 2011   
  

1.  Palestinians Draw Line-in-the-Sand for White House.

2.  Palestinian Libel: Israel Encourages Drug Use among Arabs.
3.  Lebanon Braces for a New Hizbullah-friendly Government.
4.  Abbas: No State without Israel's Collaboration.
5.  PLO: Al Jazeera Hurting Abbas.
6.  Jewish Agency: Raid Led to Global Anti-Semitism.
7.  Ireland Upgrades Palestinian Mission.
8.  Intelligence Chief: Iran One Year Away from Bomb.
9.  Butterflies to Bat Yam
1.  Palestinians Draw Line-in-the-Sand for White HouseA top Palestinian official has thrown down the gauntlet at President Obama's feet: withhold America's veto of a pending U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israel's policy of building on land it acquired in the 1967 war [East Jerusalem and the West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria] or lose credibility as primary broker of the peace process.

The challenge came from Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath, who, speaking through reporters in Doha, told the president, "If you use the veto against this resolution, you will forever lose what's left of your credibility as a sponsor of the peace process."

The U.S. has said the resolution is "unhelpful" because only a negotiated settlement can bring peace. But according to a tally by the Palestinians, the Security Council's other 14 votes are already pledged to support the resolution.

(By The Media Line, January 26, 2011)

Prayer Focus
Pray that the United States will use its vote to send a clear message of support for Israel regardless of threats from the Arab block.

Scripture
"Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men" (Psalm 59:1-2).




2.  Palestinian Libel: Israel Encourages Drug Use among ArabsA senior Palestinian Authority [PA] official has repeated the PA libel that Israel actively supports and encourages drug use among Palestinians. At a seminar in Bethlehem, Dr. As'ad Al-Ramlawi, director of the PA Health Ministry's Department of First Aid and chairman of the Palestinian National Council to Fight AIDS, accused Israel of encouraging drug use among Palestinians in Jerusalem.

He "noted that these authorities [Israel] encourage the Arabs who have been arrested for drugs to use [drugs], while the Jews who are imprisoned for similar crimes are rehabilitated," the official PA daily reported. The event was organized by the PA and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

The PA's Jerusalem governor, Adnan Husseini, expressed the same accusation last year: "Unfortunately, the number of [drug] addicts and users in the city of Jerusalem and its environs is more than 15,000. This is part of the systematic attack of the occupation state [Israel], which seeks to destroy the [younger] Palestinian generation, to drown it in a cycle of violence and alienation from national identity, and to wage war against morality and good character." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (Fatah), July 8, 2010]

(Excerpts of an article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, Palestinian Media Watch, January 26, 2011)

Prayer Focus
Pray that Palestinian leadership will take responsibility for the problems of their youth and move forward in solving them. Pray that these malicious lies about Israel will fall on deaf ears.

Scripture
"'And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me,' says the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:3).




3.  Lebanon Braces for a New Hizbullah-friendly GovernmentLebanon's new prime minister, billionaire Najib Mikati, spent his first day in office Wednesday [January 26] seeking to assuage doubts among Lebanon's non-Shiite population and the West. But observers said Mikati was starting a difficult assignment as leader of a religiously-fractured country beset by foreign interference and deep divisions over whether to cooperate with a United Nations investigation into the 2005 assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Mikati's chief asset is that he was nominated for the post by Hizbullah, the Shiite movement that brought down the last government and commands a militia that outguns Lebanon's official army.

But Makiti will have to convince the U.S. and the West he isn't leading Lebanon into the arms of Iran and Syria, Hizbullah's backers. He will also have to convince Lebanon's Sunni Muslim and Christian communities he is a leader for the entire nation.

"The complaint that Mikati isn't representative is correct," Eugene Sensenig-Dabous, a political scientist at Lebanon's Notre Dame University told The Media Line. "If his government holds, it would mean that the March 8 Alliance [Hizbullah's political bloc] has bid farewell to comprehensive participation in decision making."

While a democracy, Lebanon's political structure is a delicate balance of religious politics that assigns each position to a member of a particular community. The prime minister must be a Sunni as is Mikati. However, the Lebanese system, known as Consociationalism, has always granted religious factions the right to nominate their own candidates.

But members of Hariri's March 14 Alliance argued the fact that Mikati was a Sunni was less important than that he is answerable to the Shiite Hizbullah organization, rather than to his own coreligionists. Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah denied accusations that his party was taking over Lebanon through Mikati's nomination in a televised speech Tuesday [January 25].

Nadim Shehadi-a Lebanon researcher at Chatham House, a London-based think tank- agreed, saying it would be wrong to call the new government a Hizbullah government. Mikati was too wise and experienced to allow himself to become a Hizbullah puppet. "He would bury himself by doing what Hizbullah wants," Shehadi said. "It would be political suicide for him."

Lebanon was calm on Wednesday, following two days of protests against Mikati's nomination. In a conciliatory move on Tuesday, the new prime minister called on Sa'ad Hariri, the ousted premier and a fellow billionaire, to join a broad coalition government, a proposal Hariri rejected. Hariri's camp was unable to sustain prolonged anti-Hizbullah protests, casting doubt on his ability to effectively oppose the new government.

Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, head of the Israel Defense Force Intelligence Corps told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday that it was "unclear" whether Hizbullah would try to seize power, pointing to the problems Hamas, the Islamic Palestinian group, has suffered after it seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

"Hizbullah has learned from Hamas that there are many limitations once you are in power. Hizbullah wants to influence the government but not be the official address," Kochavi said. Nevertheless, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that a Hizbullah-controlled government would adversely affect U.S.-Lebanon relations.

Mikati, 55, served as prime minister for three months in 2005 immediately following Hariri's assassination, but he is more of a technocrat than the kind of political bosses that dominate the country's political life. A graduate of American University of Beirut and Harvard, Mikati is well-known in Lebanon as a shrewd businessman, ranked by Forbes as the 446th richest man in the world.

Mikati's first test may be his most difficult when his government decides on how to relate to the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), established at the request of the Lebanese government and partly funded by it to investigate the assassination of Rafik Hariri in 2005. Rafik's son, Sa'ad, withstood significant pressure by his coalition partner, Hizbullah, to denounce the tribunal as a biased foreign conspiracy. The crisis finally brought down his government when Hizbullah resigned January 12.

Hariri may not yet be out of the picture. Lebanon's next parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place in mid-2013. Sensenig-Dabous said Mikati's government could mark the end of the old system and the advent of a new, Western, political logic that prescribes majority rule. "It would be wise for Hariri to let this government rule for a year-and-a-half, and then reappear in 2013," Sensenig-Dabous said. "I can see a lot of dissatisfaction in Lebanon with a Hizbullah-led government."

Shehadi agreed that at this point Hariri may be better off outside the government when the STL publicizes the indictments, "because he won't be under pressure to handle it." He added that "sitting it out" in the opposition until the 2013 elections may bring him back stronger, as was the case with his father Rafik, who was ousted as prime minister in 1998 only to return with a larger majority in the elections of 2000.

"The 2013 elections will be payback time," Shehadi said. "Lebanon is not a country where you can have a coup d'etat. The constitution is so complicated that it prevents any faction from monopolizing power. The army is always kept in check."

(Excerpts of an article by David E. Miller, The Media Line, January 26, 2011)

Prayer Focus
Pray that the new government of Lebanon will be legitimate, functioning without outside interference and truly guarding the welfare of the Lebanese people.

Scripture
"The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" (Psalm 34:7-8).




4.  Abbas: No State without Israel's CollaborationPalestinian Authority [PA] head Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday [January 22] ruled out declaring a Palestinian state without Israel's "collaboration." In an interview with Al-Jazeera television, Abbas said, "A Palestinian state will be established only with an agreement from Israel."

But he also admonished that repercussions could be serious if Israel withholds its support for the move, warning that "it could lead to an Intifada or a popular Palestinian uprising." Under the plan created by [PA] Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, a declaration of statehood will follow a period during which institutions and infrastructure necessary to support a state will be perfected.

Fayyad told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday that the timetable for this is on schedule for completion by late August of this year, but that there needs to be reconciliation between the Fatah and Hamas factions before statehood can be a reality.

Ironically, it might be the internecine issue rather than differences with Israel that ultimately delays the declaration.

(By The Media Line, January 23, 2011)

Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will continue to guard over Israel and confirm her right to exist as a Jewish state. Pray that the process of negotiation and any attempt to declare statehood would proceed only in compliance with His will.

Scripture
"Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously" (1 Chronicles 17:9).




5.  PLO: Al Jazeera Hurting AbbasThe publication of secret documents which suggest the Palestinians offered to cede large parts of East Jerusalem has put the Palestinian Authority [PA] in an awkward position. Palestinian Liberation Organization [PLO] Secretary General Yasser Abd Rabbo held a press conference Monday [January 24] to discuss the matter.

He claimed Al Jazeera [Arabic TV network based in Qatar], which released the papers, was systematically trying to hurt the PA and its president, Mahmoud Abbas, in the same way Israel hurt Yasser Arafat. "A similar campaign was waged against Abu Ammar [Arafat] before Camp David. Everyone agrees that the hands that murdered Abu Ammar were Israeli hands.

"What they did to Abu Ammar, Al Jazeera is doing to Abu Mazen [Abbas]. It puts him under international scrutiny," he said. According to him, Al Jazeera published "references which were said now and again in an ironic manner as Palestinian answers." He added that "Al Jazeera took a lot of things out of context, including things that were said in jest. They made up things I've never heard of."

He stressed that the Palestinian leadership's stance had not changed. "We ceded nothing in Jerusalem. We ceded nothing more than Abu Mazen [Abbas] presented. Our position is that we have a right over the 1967 lands, the rest is not true."

The Palestinian official demanded to enquire the leaking of the documents through "independent national institution" and not by the PA leadership. "We would like to learn whether these documents are truthful or not and whether Al Jazeera presented the documents to the public in an objective manner or in a political way which has nothing to do with being professional," he noted.

Abd Rabbo admitted the Palestinians have made mistakes when it came to talks with Israel. "We haven't hidden anything from the public eye. We've tried to be transparent and honest and operate by public opinion to fix our mistakes and learn from them," he said. An emergency meeting was held Sunday [January 23] night by Fatah officials to discuss appropriate ways of reaction.

Former senior advisor to Yasser Arafat Bassam Abu Sharif claims that contrary to what is being said by PA senior officials, the documents are credible: "Those who have betrayed the rights of the Palestinian people and allowed themselves to negotiate the issue of East Jerusalem and agree to Israeli annexation of Jewish neighborhoods must be investigated," he said.

Abu Sharif chose to attack the Palestinian negotiating team and accused them of abandoning Jerusalem. According to Sharif, the Palestinian leadership was exposed as weak and submissive, one that pretends to represent the Palestinian people when in fact, "the senior officials cooperated with Israel against the Palestinian national interests."

Al Jazeera announced they will publish more extractions from the documents, including findings regarding the cooperation between PA and Israeli security forces. The television network said it intends to publish information about a Hamas senior official's assassination in Gaza planned by former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz with his Palestinian counterpart, General Nasser Yousef.

(Excerpts of an article by Elior Levy, Ynetnews, January 24, 2011)

Prayer Focus
Pray that absolute proof regarding the veracity of these documents will be found. Pray that these leaks will not create further instability in the region.

Scripture
"Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught" (Proverbs 3:25-26).




6.  Jewish Agency: Raid Led to Global Anti-SemitismThough the Turkel committee cleared the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] and Israel of any illegal actions during the May 31 [Gaza] flotilla raid, a Jewish Agency report says the deaths of the nine Turkish citizens on board unleashed a surge of anti-Semitism throughout the world.

The agency's report says that although most protests against the raid did not end in violence, it sparked at least 15 incidents of retaliation against Jews in France, among them an attack against a Jewish teen in the Paris underground. Firebombs were also thrown at a Jewish retirement home.

In Austria, at least five incidents were reported. Anti-Israel rhetoric was on the rise throughout 2010, the report says, especially in Iran, warning that the boundaries between legitimate criticism against Israel and its "demonization" had been blurred. The agency deems this a major threat to Israel as well as Jewish communities worldwide.

The report adds that physical harm is done to Jews or Jewish institutions nearly every day, especially in Europe, with France being the leader in such incidents. Belgium, Holland and Sweden are also seen as dangerous abodes of anti-Semitism.

In addition, the Jewish Agency warns that extreme Islamic movements in Europe have increasingly adopted Nazi ideology throughout 2010, with Holocaust denial escalating to a view of the atrocities of World War II as punishment of Jews for their crimes.

The agency also warns of a "modern blood libel," which began in 2009 when a Swedish tabloid accused Israel of harvesting Palestinian organs. The libel has spread to the Ukraine, Algiers, Haiti, Kosovo and even the Maldives. A group of Israeli doctors that arrived at the latter location in order to lend aid to the local population was welcomed by a protesting mob, which demanded that the "doctors who came to harvest organs" be sent away.

The agency also warns that Iran is developing ties with extreme right-wing organizations, among them neo-Nazi groups, especially in Hungary, Greece, France and Chile. A group of neo-Nazis were caught in the latter state and confessed Iran had ordered them to hurt Jews.

However, the report also expresses a glimmer of hope, saying that anti-Semitic incidents had dropped in number from 2009. But the Jewish Agency warns that anti-Semitism is still being expressed in the spraying of graffiti and the destruction of Jewish cemeteries, among other things. Recent polls have shown that around a third of Europeans have negative opinions about Jews, and that now, more than ever, people are expressing these opinions publicly.

After the report was published, Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky said he had doubled the number of Israel delegates in North America. Minister of Information and Diaspora Yuli Edelstein told a Cabinet meeting Sunday [January 23] morning that the greatest threat to Israel was hatred expressed online.

"Twitter and Facebook allow anti-Semitic and anti-Israel agents to hide behind nicknames and act with liberty against Jews and Israel by spreading malicious rumors, among other things," he said.

(By Yael Branovsky, Ynetnews, January 23, 2011)

Prayer Focus
Pray that the Lord will protect His people across the globe as anti-Semitism continues to threaten them everywhere. Pray that the use of the Internet to spread vicious anti-Jewish rhetoric will be ended.

Scripture
"I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, 'You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me'" (Psalm 142:5-7).




7.  Ireland Upgrades Palestinian MissionThe Irish government decided Tuesday [January 25] to upgrade the Palestinian diplomatic mission in the country. Ireland is the first European Union member to announce such a move, which was initiated by the Irish foreign minister. However, the upgrade does not constitute Irish recognition of a Palestinian state.

The Irish Foreign Ministry made it clear that in spite of its decision to upgrade the status of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Dublin, it is in no way an embassy, nor does it receive the full diplomatic privileges and immunities. Those will only be given if Ireland were to recognize a Palestinian state officially.

The ministry noted that the decision supports Ireland's long-time support for the establishment of a Palestinian state and the Palestinian Authority's [PA] progress in constructing its institutions.

Israel fears other European countries may follow suit, as is the case in Latin America, where a number of countries-including Brazil, Chile, and Argentina-have recognized a "free and sovereign" Palestinian state over the past few months. Peru recognized "Palestine" on Monday [January 24].

"Israel regrets Ireland's move, but is not surprised by it due to [Ireland's] biased policy regarding the conflict over the years," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Foreign Ministry's Communications Director Yossi Levy said Dublin's decision "does not advance the peace process because it bolsters the Palestinians' illusion that they can advance their goals without returning to the negotiation table."

In February, Peru is scheduled to host the Summit of South American-Arab Countries. Israel is concerned that during the summit, Brazil may initiate a resolution under which more Latin American countries will recognize a Palestinian state.

(By Ronen Medzini, Ynetnews, January 25, 2011)

Prayer Focus
Pray that this summit will be of no effect and that the feared resolution will not materialize.

Scripture
"A wicked man hardens his face, but as for the upright, he establishes his way. There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD" (Proverbs 21:29-30).



8.  Intelligence Chief: Iran One Year Away from BombIran will be able to manufacture an atom bomb within one to two years from the moment it decides to do so, Military Intelligence Chief Major-General Aviv Kochavi estimated Tuesday [January 25]. In his first appearance before the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, the military intelligence chief said that the question is not when Iran will have a bomb, but how long it will take it to produce it from the moment Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei makes the decision.

"Based on the infrastructure, technology, and amount of uranium Iran has accumulated, they will be able to finish developing nuclear weapons within one to two years from the moment the leader decides." He added that this estimate is not relevant for a missile-mounted nuclear warhead which would require several years more. Nevertheless, he noted, "The activation of nuclear weapons does not have to involve a missile."

According to Kochavi, the Iranian regime is maintaining stability despite the sanctions. "The sanctions do not affect the nuclear program and Iran's military empowerment," he said. "On the other hand, the sanctions are a burden on Iran on the financial and civilian levels."

(Excerpts of an article by Yair Altman, Ynetnews, January 25, 2011)

Prayer Focus
Continue to pray that the international community will heed Israel's warnings regarding Iran's nuclear capability and act swiftly and firmly to bring it to an end.

Scripture
"Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me" (Psalm 17:8-9).




9.  Butterflies to Bat YamButterflies are arriving in great colorful swarms to Israel's Mediterranean city of Bat Yam, attracted to 150,000 new plants brought to town by the chief municipal landscaper, Eliav Hatuka. The beautiful insects are an indication of a healthy environment, since they avoid polluted places. "Where there's clean air, they come," Hatuka tells ISRAEL21c. "It's nice to see how the number and quality of the butterflies increase as you get farther from the highways and closer to the shore."

The notion of transforming Bat Yam, a relatively poor tightly-packed city just south of Tel Aviv, into Israel's first natural butterfly city started with Hatuka's summer 2008 family outing to Ramat Hanadiv, a memorial park in the northern town of Zichron Ya'acov that includes a small butterfly garden.

Thinking along the lines of one small butterfly garden, he consulted with Dubi Benyamini, head of the Israeli Lepidopterists Society for butterfly and moth enthusiasts. Benyamini recommended taking a survey to ascertain which butterflies already existed in the area (it turned up 13 species) and planting numerous gardens of butterfly-attracting plants along Bat Yam's east-west boulevards, starting from the beachfront.

"These tracks will become butterflies ecological corridors," Benyamini recalls predicting then. Sure enough, aromatic plants such as verbena, cassia, lantana, sophora, duranta, and ruda soon started attracting lots of butterflies-now 21 species in all-including the common swallowtail, one of the largest and most beautiful butterflies in Israel; and the large white-yellow African migrant.

"There was not even one known [cassia] plant in Bat Yam, but when Eliav's gardeners started to plant it, the strong migrant smelled it and not more than two weeks later, I observed the first eggs on the plants in southern Bat Yam," says Benyamini. "This butterfly has expanded all over the city, and the mild winter supports its permanent existence here." He believes more species will follow their noses to Bat Yam as well.

Encouraged by this success, Mayor Shlomi Lahiani gave the green light for spending about NIS 1 million [US $276,700] to purchase butterfly-attracting plants and to construct a butterfly pavilion in the city nursery where visitors can learn about the insects and their significance in taking the ecological temperature of the city.

Last May, the Israeli Lepidopterists Society organized the first International Congress of Middle East Butterflies on its 25th anniversary. Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra took the opportunity to name a new butterfly subspecies, the orange-gold Jerusalem fritillary. Noting that about a quarter of Israel's 113 species of butterflies are endangered by development and pollution of their natural habitats, Ezra called for monitoring and conservation and pledged to approve a long-awaited law to protect 14 threatened butterfly species.

(Excerpts of an article by Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel21c, January 23, 2011)



Note: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.


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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Japanese volcano erupts (0:58)

Jan 27 - Mount Kirishima sprays hot ash and rocks high into the air, raising alert levels. Julie Noce reports.


Sodom and Gomorrah Found

Thehealthwatchman | January 27, 2011

http://www.Torahlife.tv The city of Sodom and Gomorrah has been found in Israel and the remains are still there today to be seen.

Threat on Gush Etzion's Jewish sovereignty

Threats on Jewish Sovereignty in Gush Etzion!

This morning, Wednesday, January 26, 2011, Arabs conducted plantings
at Netzer in Gush Etzion, in the presence of the Palestinian Tourism
Minister. Dozens of vehicles of the Palestinian Authority and the
Palestinian police were in the area. The impression gained was that
half of the Palestinian Authority had moved from Ramallah to Gush
Etzion. Additionally, scores of Arabs arrived in busses and private
vehicles, accompanied by international activists who entered the area
to plant.

When we asked for explanations from IDF people in the field, we were
told that they are "planting on Palestinian land. What's the problem?"

And so, the problem is a severe one:

1) This is a clear retreat from our sovereignty on the ground. Entry
permits in Israeli-controlled area C for the Palestinian Tourism
Minister and Palestinian Authority officials undermine our
sovereignty. This also gives strong support to the Arabs who take
control of state lands.

2) "Palestinian lands" is a bluff, that the IDF, headed by Barak, is
only too happy to adopt. The veteran residents of Gush Etzion know
that the area of Netzer, the hills between Alon Shvut and Elazar, have
all been state lands since 1967, except for two small plots. The Arabs
took control of the lands, and under the aegis of the Draconian law
that states that after the Arabs work the lands for a number of years,
they become theirs.

3) The spineless Defense Minister, who is also lacking independence,
is extremely dangerous on the ground. We thought that we had freed
ourselves of the extreme leftist wing of his party, but events on the
ground prove that Barak is continuing the moves to grant independence
to the Palestinians throughout all Judea and Samaria. The Prime
Minister knows with whom he entered into the marriage, and is not
innocent as regards Barak's actions.

At 12:00 noon the IDF removed the Arabs from the area. During the time
of the Arabs' event, Jews were not permitted to enter.

The soldiers, the Border Patrol, and the junior officers in the field
were furious, and realized that this is a national disgrace and
humiliation. Thank G-d, the people is healthy. It's a pity that the
country's leaders do not draw strength from the people's spirit, and
continue to plan further capitulations.

And in a direct connection to the above, we thank Al Jazeera for
exposing what was done in the back rooms, about what our leaders are
conducting give-and-take negotiations, actually, just giving.

Residents of Gush Etzion, Efrat, Maaleh Edumim, Ariel - wake up! The
Arabs haven't heard of 'settlement blocs"!

Today, it was shown, more than ever, that the struggle for our land is
actually being waged on the ground.

Accordingly, this Friday we will continue with plantings at Netzer at
9:00 a.m. The public is invited. Come one, come all.

Link to short video about it, in Hebrew, but the images say it all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfrxP_N-BBU

Bus transportation:
From Kiryat Arba-Hebron at 8:30 a.m., Gush Etzion junction (Tzomet
Ha-Gush) 8:45 a.m., Efrat southern junction, on route 60, 8:50 a.m.,
Elazar gate 8:55 a.m.


Women for Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green) - Netzer Group - Judea
Action Committees

For details:
Yehudit Katsover - 050-7161818, Nadia Matar - 050-5500834

==============================
===============
Women For Israel's Tomorrow  (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
mailto:wfit2@womeningreen.org
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