More Parents Taking Kids' DNA Samples

Many parents across the country are swabbing the inside of their children's mouths to get a DNA sample just in case they need it if the youngster is kidnapped, runs away or suffers a terrible accident. News reports about child abductions and television shows such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" are helping drive the interest in keeeping genetic records that could be used to identify remains, hair or blood.

AIDS to Be 3rd Leading Cause of Death

Within the next 25 years, AIDS is set to join heart disease and stroke as the top three causes of death worldwide, according to a study recently published online. When global mortality projections were last calculated a decade ago, researchers had assumed the number of AIDS cases would be declining. Instead, it's on the rise. Currently ranked fourth behind heart disease, stroke, and respiratory infections, AIDS is set to become No. 3, say researchers in a new report in the Public Library of Science's Medicine journal. It accounts for about 2.8 million deaths every year. But the researchers estimate a total of nearly 120 million people could die in the next 25 years. Overall, the researchers predict that in three decades, the causes of global mortality will be strikingly similar worldwide - apart from the prevalence of AIDS in poorer countries. Most people will be dying at older ages of noninfectious diseases like cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer. The paper by Dr. Colin Mathers and Dejan Loncar of the World Health Organization estimates that at a total of least 117 million people will die from AIDS from 2006 to 2030. In an optimistic future projection, if new HIV infections are curbed and access to life-prolonging antiretrovirals is increased, 89 million people will die from the disease.

The Future of War

At a recent exhibition of new military technology one independent expert stood almost agog as the prototype for a new killing machine was rolled out. It went by the acronym of URV or Unmanned Robot Vehicle - and it looked like something from the movies. "It was frightening. The [URV] has laser radars at the front and these things were scanning up and down and from side to side," said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.Org, a Washington-based military studies group. "It was the most Sixties, sci-fi thing I have ever seen." Pike and others believe this is the future of warfare - or at least part of the future. Technology will increasingly allow the most sophisticated and best equipped militaries - primarily that of the US - to fight battles using robots rather than soldiers: robots which can detect, assess and attack a target. "Robots can kill without mercy, remorse or pity. They are all stone-cold killers," said Pike. "And we don't have to write letters to their families." The United States army is already developing an arsenal of robotic weapons that could be deployed within a decade or so. In the air, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) are now being used extensively in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere - both for surveillance as well as dropping so-called "Hellfire" missiles. The US is trying to develop ways for UAVs or drones to work in swarms, attacking targets en masse or operating an aerial delivery system to cover an entire region. Technology is also changing the nature of munitions. Already there are devastating thermobaric bombs which have more destructive power than any other conventional weapon, while microwave bombs or transient electromagnetic devices (TEDs), which release a massive burst of electromagnetic energy sufficient to disable computers without killing people, are also in development.

RFID Only One Part In Our Orwellian Future

We will soon be in the middle of a blizzard of tiny computers embedded into everyday items and constantly talking to each other. Welcome to the so-called 'Internet of things' which will replace today's Internet of people and data. Everyday items from TVs to toothbrushes, sports equipment and even buildings will have in-built computing power and wireless that will allow them to communicate and share information. Current rollouts of RFID tagging will be dwarfed by the future development of sensor networks, according to Robin Mannings, BT futurologist and research foresight manager. "RFID is just the tip of the iceberg and the iceberg is ubiquitous computing -- more or less everything being a computer," said Mannings. According to a report published by the International Telecommunications Union, eventually even particles as small as dust might be tagged and networked. He predicts we will soon see an increased number of these things being deployed outside our bodies -- and inside. As a result we will find ourselves living in a "digital bubble" where as people move around, the technology and the services they use will follow them because it knows where they are -- for example, every coffee machine might be able to know how you like your coffee without being told.

Mainstream News Covers 'The Beast Of Bray Road' Stalking Wisconsin

In Washington County, Wisconsin, U.S. there have been several reports of a 7-foot hairy creature with pointy ears. Steve Krueger was doing his job on Nov. 9 -- removing road-side deer carcasses overnight for the Department of Natural Resources. Krueger said he had just made a pick-up along a remote road near Holy Hill about 1:30 a.m., and he was in the cab doing some paperwork. When his parked truck started shaking, he looked in the rear view mirror and got the scare of his life. He said his flashing lights illuminated a huge hairy beast standing on its hind legs -- dragging a deer off the open tailgate. "All I saw was the creature. One paw -- or whatever was on it -- reaching over to grab the deer. The head looked like a cross between a bear and a wolf," said Krueger. "It had big pointy ears like a wolf. It scared the living heck out of me. I threw it into drive and off I went." Krueger said he drove around in fear for about five minutes before returning to the area. He said when he arrived there was no sign of the creature or the deer. Soon after an interview on television Krueger said he was bombarded with phone calls. He said that it would be his last interview, and that if it happened again he wouldn't report it. After watching the interview a second man came forward to report that he had a similar experience. Painting contractor Rick Selchert said he may have seen the same creature. He said he was driving only a few miles from Holy Hill in October 2004 , just after dawn, when a strange beast -- at least 200 pounds -- crossed the road in front of him. "I seen it come up out of the brush from one side of the road. And it come across the road," he said. "The head was really round and the ears were kind of pointy. I never seen nothing like that." For more information on the creature called 'The Beast Of Bray Road' visit this website: http://www.unknown-creatures.com

Neuroscience's Mind-Blowing Ideas For Future Battlefields

Direct interventions to enhance soldiers' capabilities could come in many forms, including new generations of neuropharmaceuticals, implants, and neural stimulations. DARPA's "peak soldier performance" program aims to improve metabolism on demand so a soldier could operate at a high level for three to five days without needing sleep or calories. DARPA is also interested in increasing the "bandwidth" of soldiers' brains. One idea is to develop something called a brain prosthesis, a chip that would improve normal mental functioning. Or perhaps extra copies of genes that code for certain neural receptor sites could be introduced into the brain to improve learning skills.

'Destroy America' hidden in School puzzle

A high-school Spanish teacher has resigned his position after placing hidden messages inside a word-search puzzle calling on Allah to destroy America, which he called the "body of evil that is making human life so miserable." Khalid Chahhou, 35, a native of Morocco who was a first-year language instructor at Smithfield-Selma High School in North Carolina, quit after a student deciphered the anti-U.S. message which also voiced support for terrorists. The secret message, when put together, read: "Sharon killed a lot of innocent people in Palestine. Hamas is not a terrorist group. They have the right to defend their country. This is something that forms part of our freedom and dignity. Allah help destroy this body of evil that is making human life so miserable. Destroy America, a country where evil is sponsored."

'2,700 year old tribe of Israel' returns home

About 50 Jews from a group of thousands in India that believes it is one of the 10 "lost tribes" of Israel landed here recently, fulfilling for many a life-long dream of returning to what they consider their homeland. "I truly believe this is a miracle of immense historical and even biblical significance," Michael Freund, chairman of Shavei Israel, the organization leading the charge for the return of the tribe. "Just as the prophets foretold so long ago, the lost tribes of Israel are being brought back from the exile," Freund said. For a decade, Freund's group has been working to facilitate the immigration to Israel of the Bnei Menashe, about 7,000 Indian citizens who believe they are the descendants of Manasseh, one of biblical patriarch Joseph's two sons, and a grandson of Jacob. The tribe lives in the two Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, to which they claim to have been exiled from Israel more than 2,700 years ago by the Assyrian empire.

New U.S. Dollar Coins Hide "In God We Trust"

The timing would seem to indicate that the announcement was held up until after the November 2006 elections. The religious right wing of the Republican Party is sure to be outraged when they notice that “In God We Trust,” while still on the coin, is hidden along the edge. Some have speculated that the new coins were intentionally designed to go directly into collections, instead of everyday commerce, making the U.S. dollar more scarce and thus more valuable. Other studies have shown that the only way the American public would accept dollar coins is if the paper currency were completely taken out of circulation.

Three civil wars loom, says Jordan's king

The Middle East is on the verge of three civil wars -- in Iraq, Palestinian territories and Lebanon -- unless strong action is taken urgently by the international community, Jordan's King Abdullah recently warned. With President Bush heading to Amman this week to talk with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Abdullah said "something dramatic" must come from that meeting to stop violence spinning out of control in Iraq. "I don't think we're in a position where we can come back and revisit the problem in early 2007," he said. But the United States must also look at the "big picture" and seek comprehensive Middle Eastern solutions involving all regional players, he said -- indicating this should include Syria and Iran. "We're juggling with the strong potential of three civil wars in the region, whether it's the Palestinians, that of Lebanon or of Iraq," the Jordanian king said. "We could possibly imagine going into 2007 and having three civil wars on our hands. And therefore, it is time that we really take a strong step forward as part of the international community and make sure we avert the Middle East from a tremendous crisis that I fear, and I see could possibly happen in 2007," Abdullah said. With Iraq near all-out civil war, the Bush administration is renewing efforts to break the cycle of violence there by enlisting the help of moderate Arab nations.

UK Doctors Face Jail if They Refuse to Euthanize Patients

In a statement Lord Falconer, the Lord Chancellor of England has warned doctors that they may face prison sentences if they refuse to starve and dehydrate patients to death. Criminal charges of assault could be laid against doctors or nurses who refuse to allow patients to die, even by removal of food and hydration tube. The Labour government unveiled its new guidelines for doctors to follow the Mental Capacity Act that is to come into effect next spring. The guidelines instruct doctors that a patient’s “advanced decision,” what is often called a “living will,” that includes a request for cessation of medical treatment must be followed even if it means the patient will die. To fail to do so, in other words, to take action to keep a patient alive, could result in criminal charges or heavy fines.

37 Percent Of U.S. Births Out Of Wedlock

Out-of-wedlock births in the United States have climbed to an all-time high, accounting for nearly four in 10 babies born last year. Experts said the overall rise reflects the burgeoning number of people who are putting off marriage or living together without getting married. They said it also reflects the fact that having a child out of wedlock is more acceptable nowadays and not necessarily the source of shame it once was.

In The Beginning: Scientists Ready To Hunt God Particle

At security posts dotted around the fields between the Jura mountains and Lake Geneva scientists are installing hi-tech retina scans above shafts descending 80m down - and leading to the largest scientific instrument ever built. The machine is being bolted together inside a tunnel 17 miles (27km) long, and when the power is thrown on next year it will recreate conditions unknown for 14bn years since the extraordinary fireball that marked the beginning of the universe - the big bang which blasted time and space into existence.

South Korea Confirms H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak

South Korean officials have confirmed that an outbreak of bird flu in the country's southwest was caused by the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus. Health and agriculture officials said test results showed that H5N1 was present at a farm in Iksan, where some 6,000 chickens died this week. The H5N1 strain has killed more than 150 people worldwide. Recently, Japan suspended poultry imports from South Korea and said Japanese authorities will require people arriving from South Korea to disinfect their shoes when entering Japan.

Students Dropping Out of High School Reaches Epidemic Levels

In several of the largest school systems across the country — from Baltimore to Cleveland to Atlanta and Oakland, Calif. — half of the students are dropping out. And the problem is not only in the big cities. A recent study by the Department of Education found that 31 percent of American students were dropping out or failing to graduate in the nation's largest 100 public school districts. The implications from dropping out of high school are enormous, including a higher risk of poverty and even an abbreviated life span. So why do they drop out? Eli Thomasson, 16, of Georgia, explains why he wanted to drop out of school earlier this year. "I was just tired of school, you know. I didn't like it. I had made my mind up that I wasn't going to school anymore," Thomasson said.

U.S. Air Force Considers "Subterranean Warfare Vehicles"

Throughout the ages, bad guys have loved bunkers, whether they're in Nazi Germany or Jihadist Iran. With good reason: these things are hard to find, and even tougher to blow up. Even the most bleeding-edge, experimental bunker-busters can penetrate, at most, 10 meters down. Which is why the Air Force is considering a new approach: teams of foot-long "subterranean vehicles" with new-fangled ways to dig. A subterranean vehicle could engage these types of targets in an effective manner, avoiding both collateral damage and unnecessary risks to our troops. It could be deployed a safe distance from the target and autonomously navigate itself to the target while detecting, identifying, and then avoiding buried obstacles such as pipes, wires, boulders and even other buildings. This vehicle would be able to penetrate the surface either through deployable techniques or on its own.

Israel Must Recognize Gay Marriage, Rules High Court

In a precedent-setting ruling, the High Court of Justice ruled that five gay couples wedded outside of Israel can be registered as married couples. A sweeping majority of six justices to one ruled that the common-law marriages of five gay couples obtained in Toronto, Canada, can appear as married on the population registry. The gay petitioners sought to force the state to give equal recognition to common law marriages of heterosexual couples to those of gay marriages, which can be performed in certain countries. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel that filed the petition on the behalf of the couples, argued before the court that the Interior Ministry's refusal to register them as married compromises their right to equality and to hold family life, and is based on "homophobe social perceptions."

Future Surveillance Will Get Under Your Skin

America, there are frantic efforts to make Americans more secure. One solution that is gaining currency in the US is the use of an RFID implant which is shot into the body by means of a large hypodermic needle. The chip can be read when a scanner is passed over the area where it lurks in the fatty tissue below the surface of the skin. It is promoted by the sinister sounding VeriChip Corporation of America, which is pioneering the implants (originally developed to tag animals).... We attended a surgery run by a Dr J Musher in an anonymous Washington suburb and I was duly injected with a chip bearing a unique number.... I have a hint of Blade Runner about me: half-man, half-transmitter. You can see the attraction of such gimmicks. The same instinct is busy consigning us all to centralised databases and promotes the use of number-recognition cameras to track our movements.

Russia sends air defense system to Iran

Russia has begun delivery of Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran, a Defense Ministry official said, confirming that Moscow would proceed with arms deals with Tehran in spite of Western criticism. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue, declined to specify when the deliveries had been made and how many systems had been delivered. Ministry officials have previously said Moscow would supply 29 of the sophisticated missile systems to Iran under a US$700 million (€565 million) contract signed in December, according to Russian media reports. The United States called on all countries last spring to stop all arms exports to Iran, as well as ending all nuclear cooperation with it to put pressure on Tehran to halt uranium enrichment activities. Israel, too, has severely criticized arms deals with Iran.

Annan Warns Of "Catastrophic" Biotech Danger

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned that potential dangers from the rapidly growing biotechnology industry were increasing exponentially and urged creating global safeguards. Annan, speaking in the Swiss university town, warned of "catastrophic" results if recent advances in biotechnology, including gene manipulation and work with viruses, fell into the wrong hands. "As biological research expands, and technologies become increasingly accessible, this potential for accidental or intentional harm grows exponentially," he said in the text of a speech. "Even novices working in small laboratories will be able to carry out gene manipulation." Annan's warning comes after he called for a global forum on biological terrorism, saying current treaties were too weak and governmental and commercial initiatives too scattered.

Mutant Flu ‘Will Kill 50 Million’

Bird flu is mutating into a human virus which could kill 50 MILLION people, scientists warned last night. The terrifying discovery means that medics’ worst fears have been realised. And Department of Health chiefs say an outbreak could kill at least 300,000 Brits — mainly kids, mums-to-be and the elderly. Expert Yoshihiro Kawaoka said: “We are watching this virus turn itself into a human pathogen.” Bird flu has already killed 150 people in South East Asia and Turkey. They caught the disease from direct contact with birds. But Dr Kawaoka found that the virus is moving towards being able to jump between species. It is preparing to mix with another flu strain, which would enable it to move from human to human. It does this by swapping genes between other strains. His US-based team has analysed the virus since it was identified in 1997. Their research helps to develop anti-viral drugs which reduce symptoms of the bug. Dr Kawaoka, a virologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, stressed that more mutations were required for the virus to fully adapt to humans. The research was published in the scientific journal Nature.

Regenerating Wings In Chick Embryos

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have successfully regenerated a wing in a chick embryo, a species not known to be able to regrow limbs. Their experiment suggests that the potential for such regeneration exists innately in all vertebrates, including humans. The study published in the online edition of Genes and Development demonstrates that vertebrate regeneration is under the control of the powerful Wnt signalling system. Lead author Dr. Juan Carlos Izpisza Belmonte, a professor in the Gene Expression Laboratory, says that once activated, Wnt signalling system overcomes the mysterious barrier to regeneration in animals like chicks that cannot normally replace missing limbs. But when inactivated, it can shut the ability to regenrate limbs even in the animals known for this quality of theirs. "In this simple experiment, we removed part of the chick embryo's wing, activated Wnt signaling, and got the whole limb back - a beautiful and perfect wing," he said. "By changing the expression of a few genes, you can change the ability of a vertebrate to regenerate their limbs, rebuilding blood vessels, bone, muscles, and skin - everything that is needed," he added.

Finger Scanning Has Biblical Implications, Says Calvary Chapel Founder

More than 3.3 million consumers now use biometric technology to pay for their purchases at several U.S. retailers. One prominent church founder shares his thoughts on the biblical implications of such technology. "Customers at several retailers can now literally pay by touch, by placing their finger on a scanner at the checkout and entering their home phone number, these tech-savvy shoppers can deduct the cost of a carton of milk directly from a bank account or credit card." Such futuristic technology, often relegated to scenes in high-tech thrillers or science fiction novels, is available now. In a recent exclusive interview, Chuck Smith, founder and senior pastor of the original Calvary Chapel (Costa Mesa, CA), contends that "this development clearly illustrates that we are one step closer to what is described in the Book of Revelation." Smith indicates that "this should be yet another wake-up call from God that we are in the last of the last days. We already know of eye-identification scanning devices and other technology [identification chips for pets, GPS technology] that clearly shows us this." While this technology is presently received voluntarily, Pastor Smith emphasizes that there is a difference between this new technology and the mark of the Beast, which is described in the Book of Revelation. The mark referred to in the Bible is not voluntary, he points out; it will be mandated.

China says reported HIV/AIDS cases up nearly 30 pct

The number of reported HIV/AIDS cases in China has grown by nearly 30 per cent so far this year, the Health Ministry said, warning the virus seemed to be spreading from high-risk groups to the general public. The reported number of cases at the end of October had risen to 183,733, up from 144,089 at the end of last year, the Ministry said in a statement on its Web site. Of the reported cases diagnosed by government test centers and whose diseases could thus be officially followed up, 40,667 had developed into AIDS. Experts from the United Nations and the Chinese Health Ministry estimate about 650,000 people in China carried HIV, suggesting that many people were unaware they were infected. Drug abuse accounted for 37 per cent of the newly found infections this year whose transmission routes had been determined, while unsafe sexual contact had caused 28 per cent, the Health Ministry said.

N Korea 'won't stop nuclear plan'

Senior North Korean official has said the North does not intend to abandon its nuclear program when it returns to talks on the subject, reports say. Deputy foreign minister Kang Sok-ju said the North had not tested a nuclear weapon last month to then get rid of them, according to Japanese media. North Korea recently agreed to return to stalled multi-national talks, which could resume next month. Japan had said Pyongyang must renounce its nuclear plans before talks restart. "Why would we abandon nuclear weapons?" Mr Kang was quoted by Japan's NHK television as saying. "Are you saying we conducted a nuclear test in order to abandon them?" When asked if North Korea planned to demand the US lift financial sanctions imposed a year ago, Mr Kang replied: "Of course". Mr Kang's comments were made to reporters as he passed through Beijing airport on his way home after a private trip to Russia.

Horrific New Evidence Of China Organ Harvesting Revealed

A Chinese military surgeon had eight Chinese citizens killed to supply a single foreign patient with a new kidney, said former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour. Kilgour spoke as a special guest at the Asian Human Rights Week forum in Warsaw, on day two of a five day program. "The incredible thing is that the doctor would…go down the names on sheets of paper looking for blood types and tissue types and so on, and he [the patient] would point at names on the list. The doctor would then go away and come back with organs," said Kilgour. While conducting research in Asia, Kilgour interviewed a now 35 year-old man (name and nationality withheld) who received a kidney transplant at Shanghai No. 1 People's Hospital. The man said that his surgeon was Dr Tan Jianming, Secretary General of the Chinese Research Society of Dialysis and Transplantation. Dr Tan also holds top posts in a number of Chinese military and civilian hospitals. Kilgour co-wrote a report detailing evidence of China's large scale state-supported killing of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience – in order to extract their organs to sell for huge profits to people such as this man. Kilgour and co-author human rights lawyer David Matas estimated that over 41,000 organ transplants performed in China could not be accounted for, based on published records.

India Tests Nuclear Capable Surface Missile

India recently successfully tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile from a test range in the eastern state of Orissa, defense sources said. The test of the Prithvi-1 missile took place at the Chandipur-on-sea test site about 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Orissa's state capital, Bhubaneswar. The missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher, the sources said. The 8.5-meter (28-foot) surface-to-surface missile covers 150 kilometers in 300 seconds and has a range of up to 250 kilometers. The test was part of an air defense exercise, the sources said. Nuclear-capable India and Pakistan, which have fought three wars, two over the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir, routinely carry out missile tests and normally notify each other in advance under an agreement.

Israel Developing Anti-Militant "Bionic Hornet"

Israel is using nanotechnology to try to create a robot no bigger than a hornet that would be able to chase, photograph and kill its targets, an Israeli newspaper reported. The flying robot, nicknamed the "bionic hornet", would be able to navigate its way down narrow alleyways to target otherwise unreachable enemies such as rocket launchers, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth said.

Hamas Announces Missile Upgrade

Hamas is working to produce a new generation of missile weaponry, according to a statement made by Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obaida. The Qassam Brigades is the armed wing of Hamas. According to the statement, Hamas is ‘striving hard to upgrade its missiles and anti-tank weapons to make them more accurate and more effective than what they are now.’ The website, which refers to the IDF as the ‘Israeli occupation forces (IOF)’ added: ‘After revealing the news in press statements he made, Abu Obaida warned IOF generals and Israel's war minister Amir Peretz against carrying out any military operations in Gaza Strip.’ ‘If the IOF troops' commit any foolishness in the Strip, the Brigades along with other armed wings of the Palestinian resistance will respond painfully,’ the spokesman threatened. ‘We will intensify firing our missiles on Israeli settlements that became within the range of our rockets, and we will not hesitate to use them again in retaliation to any Israeli aggressions,’ he added.

Thompson Election Bid Raises Specter of RFID Implant Threat

Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson is considering a run for president in 2008, a move that should spark alarm among those familiar with Thompson's calls for widespread RFID chipping of Americans. The authors of "Spychips," Dr. Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre, who closely monitor the RFID industry, caution that his position on the Board of the VeriChip Corporation and his stock options in the company make Thompson one of the most dangerous figures in American politics today. As head of Health and Human Services, Thompson oversaw the scandal-ridden FDA when it approved the VeriChip as a medical device. Shortly after leaving his cabinet post, he joined the board of the VeriChip Corporation and wasted no time in using his clout to promote the company's glass encapsulated RFID tags. These tags are injected into human flesh to uniquely number and identify people. In public appearances, Thompson has suggested implanting the microchips into Americans to link to their electronic medical records. "It's very beneficial and it's going to be extremely helpful and it's a giant step forward to getting what we call an electronic medical record for all Americans," he told CBS MarketWatch. He also suggested implanting military personnel with the chips to replace dog tags.

Israeli spies active in Iran

Iran has developed and tested a trigger device for a nuclear bomb, Israeli agents stationed there have told the White House, according to a report. According to the report, written by Seymour M. Hersh, the White House received the information but did not hand it to the CIA. The report also stated that in the past six months, Israel and the United States had been working together to support a Kurdish resistance group known as the Party for Free Life in Kurdistan. The group had been conducting clandestine cross-border forays into Iran, Hersh said he was told by a government consultant with close ties to the Pentagon civilian leadership, as "part of an effort to explore alternative means of applying pressure on Iran." The government consultant said that Israel was supplying the Kurdish group "equipment and training." The group had also been given "a list of targets inside Iran of interest to the U.S." An Israeli government spokesman denied that Israel was involved. The Israeli intelligence presented a stark contrast to recent CIA estimates on Iran's nuclear program, which claimed that Teheran was far from attaining a nuclear bomb.

Food Permitted, Faith Prohibited in FEMA-Managed Katrina

Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency have told a Louisiana church that it cannot share the gospel after providing free barbeques to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The officials are also prohibiting the church from using community facilities for Bible studies even though other groups freely use the facilities. Attendance at the gospel messages that follow the barbeques or at the Bible studies is completely voluntary.

Syria wants Golan Heights in return for helping U.S.

Syria is to demand American help in securing the return of the Golan Heights from Israel as the price of co-operation over Iraq. With the White House under pressure to talk to its adversary, President Bashar al-Assad has resolved that his assistance will not be cheap. Assad has been considering how to respond to an American overture following reports that the Iraq Study Group will recommend that the United States engage Syria and Iran in talks on Iraq, a position backed by Tony Blair last week. The Syrian president wants America and Britain to use their influence with Israel to raise the return of the Golan Heights, seized by the Israelis in the 1967 war. “It will be the top demand,” said Ayman Abdel Nour, a leading reformer in the ruling Ba’ath party.

Heart Valves Grown From Womb Fluid Cells

Scientists for the first time have grown human heart valves using stem cells from the fluid that cushions babies in the womb offering a revolutionary approach that may be used to repair defective hearts in the future. The idea is to create these new valves in the lab while the pregnancy progresses and have them ready to implant in a baby with heart defects after it is born. The Swiss experiment follows recent successes at growing bladders and blood vessels and suggests that people may one day be able to grow their own replacement heart parts in some cases, even before they're even born. It's one of several sci-fi tissue engineering advances that could lead to homegrown heart valves for infants and adults that are more durable and effective than artificial or cadaver valves. "This may open a whole new therapy concept to the treatment of congenital heart defects," said Dr. Simon Hoerstrup, a University of Zurich scientist who led the work, which was recently presented at an American Heart Association conference.
Also at the meeting, Japanese researchers said they had grown new heart valves in rabbits using cells from the animals' own tissue. It's the first time replacement heart valves have been created in this manner, said lead author Dr. Kyoko Hayashida.

Iran: We can attack up to 2,000 km

Chief Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said that Iran has the capability to attack its enemies, even if they are as far away as 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles). "In the case that we are attacked, we will respond beyond our borders and will attack the military facilities of our enemy," said Safavi, adding that the Iranian forces are prepared to handle any possible attack. According to the report, the Revolutionary Guard commander visited one of Iran's missile units, and said, "This artillery and missile unit has sophisticated technology and equipment and it is ready for everything." Safavi, who visited the Basij unit, the voluntary corps of the Revolutionary Guard, in the city of Isfahan, said, "Until now, no country has succeeded in establishing such a huge voluntary corps that number more than 11 million people." Most of the Basij volunteers are family members of the Revolutionary Guards, who are considered devout Muslims. Only two weeks ago, the Revolutionary Guards held a large-scale exercise called "The Great Prophet 2" during which Shihab-3 land-to-land missiles were launched. Shihab 3 missiles have a range of 2,000 km and can reach Israel. Commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps Air Force Hussein Salami said that Iran has improved the Shihab missile's warheads. "As of now, following the launched of the Shihab missiles, their warheads are capable of turning into one hundred small missiles that disperse across a broad area. Loading the Shihab missiles horizontally allows for a shorter response time and higher mobility," Salami noted, and promised "additional improvements in coming exercises."

Robots: Now Armed and Dangerous

Electronics giant Samsung announced that it has linked up with Korea University to develop a robotic sentry to patrol the border between North and South Korea. But instead of merely surveying the line of demarcation between the two nations, this robot packs heat. Equipped with a 5.5 millimeter machine-gun, as well as two cameras, one of which sees into the infrared spectrum. It also packs pattern recognition software that allows it to distinguish between humans and trees, and a loudspeaker to warn intruders. Price for the security mech is set around $200,000. The robots are scheduled to go on sale in 2007. Big defense players like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon also have robotic vehicles in development. Lockheed’s MULE platform is a six-wheeled robot the size of a Humvee, which could conceivably be armed with similar weapon systems. Raytheon recently announced it would compete in 2007 DARPA Grand Challenge event, where robotic vehicles from various companies will attempt to complete military missions in a mock urban environment, including completing a 60 mile course through traffic in less than six hours. The robots must be autonomous, navigating entirely with on-board technology—no remote control allowed.

Rosie O’Donnell Stirs Christians’ Emotions

“Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like the United States.” Those words were not spoken by Osama bin Laden but by comedienne turned talk-show hostess Rosie O’Donnell on a nationally broadcast program. Her statement generated a wide range of reactions. A new nationwide survey of that reaction, conducted by The Barna Group, suggests that although few Americans would challenge her right to make such statements, just as few share her point of view.

Military Nanotechnology - How Worried Should We Be?

Of considerable concern is the question to what degree military nanotech could lead to destabilization (when one military power develops a technology that others cannot effectively defend against) and undermine arms-control agreements like the Biological Weapons Convention. A NATO study group states that “the potential for nanotech-driven innovations in chemical and biological weapons are particularly disquieting as they can considerably enhance the delivery mechanisms of agents or toxic substances. The ability of nanoparticles to penetrate the human body and its cells could make biological and chemical warfare much more feasible, easier to manage and to direct against specific groups or individuals.”

Islamic militancy could yield third world war

The top United States general in the Middle East recently said, if the world does not find a way to stem the rise of Islamic militancy, it will face a third world war. Army General John Abizaid compared the rise of militant ideologies, such as the force driving Al-Qaida, to the rise of fascism in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s that set the stage for World War Two. "If we don't have guts enough to confront this ideology today, we'll go through World War Three tomorrow," Abizaid said in a speech titled "The Long War," at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, outside Boston. If not stopped, Abizaid said extremists would be allowed to "gain an advantage, to gain a safe haven, to develop weapons of mass destruction, to develop a national place from which to operate. And I think that the dangers associated with that are just too great to comprehend." Abizaid said the world faces three major hurdles in stabilizing the Middle East region: Easing Arab-Israeli tensions, stemming the spread of militant extremism, and dealing with Iran, which Washington has accused of seeking to develop nuclear bombs.

Alternative Medicine Making Waves in the West

The use of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) has increased tremendously in the West with more and more people believing in its benefits. Alternative medicine includes the use of herbals, vitamins and other supplements, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic medicine, massage therapy, and Ayurveda. Often included into this mix are energy therapies such as Qi gong and bioelectromagnetic treatments, as well as mind-body practices that encompass prayer, meditation or even dance.

China targeting Taiwan with 900 missiles

China continues its planning to invade Taiwan and now has more than 900 missile targeted on the island, Taiwanese officials said last week. Despite China's impressive economic rise, it has become more authoritarian, posing a grave threat to our sovereignty and abusing human rights like never before," Taiwanese President Chen Shuibian said. Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu also said in Taipei that China is a threat and has supported some of the world s most notorious violators of human rights. Chinese missiles are located in five bases in nearby Fujian Province. Additionally, China now has 11 military satellites in orbit. Noting calls for China to remove the missiles, Chen said it would not be enough. If China one day removed the missiles from its east coast, they could just transport them all back the next day," he said.

Young adults in U.S. abandoning biblical faith

In terms of morals, adults in their 20s and 30s were at least twice as likely as their elders to have: Had a sexual encounter outside of marriage - Used illegal drugs - Gotten drunk - Used profanity in public - Lied - Taken revenge - Physically fought or physically abused someone - Viewed sexually explicit videos - Said mean things behind someone's back. The Barna poll also found that young adults are 10 times more likely than older adults to download or trade music online illegally. The difference between young adults and older adults didn't occur only in the realm of moral behavior, differences also appeared in what the two groups believed. For example, young adults were more likely than older adults to reject the concept of absolute truth. They were also significantly less likely to believe, as their elders do, that human beings should determine what is right and wrong morally by examining God's principles. Also, young adults were twice as likely as older adults to believe ethics and morality are based on "what is right for the person." Finally, even young Christian adults were more likely than older adults to accept same-sex marriage and premarital sex.

Al-Qaida Plotting Nuclear Attack On UK

British intelligence officials believe that al-Qaida is determined to attack the UK with a nuclear weapon. The announcement, from an officially organized Foreign Office counter-terrorism briefing for the media, was the latest in a series of bleak assessments by senior officials and ministers about the terrorist threat facing Britain. UK officials have detected ‘an awful lot of chatter’ on jihadi websites expressing the desire to acquire chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons. Asked whether there was any doubt that al-Qaida was trying to gain the technology to attack the west, including the UK, with a nuclear weapon, a senior Foreign Office counter-terrorism official said: ‘No doubt at all.’ The official explained: ‘We know the aspiration is there, we know the attempt to get material is there, we know the attempt to get technology is there.’ The warning comes after a speech last week by the foreign secretary, Margaret Beckett, on the terrorist threat facing the UK, and a rare public outing for Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, the head of MI5, who warned that there were at least 30 active plots to attack Britain.

The Apocalyptic Ideology Gripping The Iranian Government

He challenges the largest superpower on earth, threatens a regional superpower with annihilation, and mocks international efforts to keep tabs on his nuclear program. Where does the unswerving confidence of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad come from? To whom did Ahmadinejad refer to when he told the United Nations in September: "I emphatically declare that today's world, more than ever before, longs for… the perfect righteous human being and real savior who has been promised to all peoples and who will establish justice, peace and brotherhood on the planet. Almighty God… make us among his followers and among those who strive for his return and his cause. " According to Shiite Islam, the twelfth Imam, named Mahdi, is the awaited messiah who will establish the rule of Islam around the world – following a massive war during which Islam's enemies are expected to be decimated. Iran's official state websites are filled with information about the Islamic Republic's messiah. "Imam Mahdi was unseen from the eyes of common people and nobody could see him except special group of Shiites... After the martyrdom of his father he was appointed as the next Imam. Then he was hidden by God's command and he was just observable by the special deputies of his own.

Iran, Syria Seek Interoperability

Western intelligence sources said the effort was meant to ensure that the two militaries could coordinate attacks, share information and launch joint ground and missile operations. They said the effort began in 2005 and was formalized in a defense cooperation accord. ‘The effort is being financed by Iran and is meant to ensure that a U.S. attack on Iran would be countered by attacks on the U.S. military presence in Iraq from both east and west,’ a source said. The sources said Damascus and Teheran have invested in efforts to make their missile batteries interoperable. Iran and Syria operate medium-range Scud-class ballistic missiles, with weapons jointly produced.

Astronomer Tells Audience: E.T. Contact Could Happen At Any Moment

Intelligent life is likely abundant in the cosmos, and we will find evidence of it soon, according to one of the world's top experts on the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life.
Seth Shostak, the senior astronomer at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., gave a pair of talks in Athens last week about what his organization does to search for alien life, why he believes it is out there, and what might happen when we find it. SETI is a general acronym for "Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence" that can apply to any group that does such work, and does not exclusively refer to Shostak's institute. "The bottom line is we will find E.T. in the next two dozen years," Shostak said. "I'll bet you all a cup of Starbucks on that." His prediction of such a specific timeframe relies on statistical projections of how many intelligent civilizations lie within our Milky Way Galaxy, as well as how his institute's searching capacity will continue to grow exponentially in the coming years. In fact, he said each SETI experiment usually gathers more data than all the previous ones combined.

Official Admits U.S. Mulling Pre-emptive Iran Strike

The United States or other countries will one day be forced to consider pre-emptive action if Iran and North Korea continue to seek nuclear weapons, a senior U.S. government official said. The United States and its allies have accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian energy programme and are pushing for United Nations' sanctions. Tehran denies the accusation. North Korea conducted an underground test of what was believed to have been a small nuclear weapon last month. If North Korea refused to renounce its nuclear programme and Iran developed a nuclear weapons capability, it would lead other countries in their regions to seek nuclear weapons, said the U.S. official, speaking on condition he was not identified. "We, the United States, and others who might be threatened by these developments will have to look at how to respond and inevitably I think people will have to look at the question of pre-emption," the official told reporters. "I think it's inevitable that any American administration, not just this administration but future administrations, will have to look at pre-emptive strategies," he said.

Use of Biometric Technology Entering the Mainstream

Biometric UK passports were introduced this year, using facial mapping information stored on a microchip, and more than a million have already been issued. A shop in the Bluewater centre in Kent has used a fingerprint checking scheme to tackle credit card fraud. And in Yeovil, Somerset, fingerprinting has been used to cut town-centre violence, with scanners helping pick out troublemakers. It's not just about crime. Biometric recognition is also being pitched as more convenient for shoppers. Pay By Touch allows customers to settle their supermarket bill with a fingerprint rather than a credit card.

Iran Is Training The Next Al-Qaeda Leaders

Iran is seeking to take control of Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda terror network by encouraging it to promote officials known to be friendly to Teheranl. According to recent reports received by Western intelligence agencies, the Iranians are training senior al-Qa'eda operatives in Teheran to take over the organization when bin Laden is no longer leader. Rumors have been circulating about the state of his health for several months. Bin Laden, 49, who is known to suffer from kidney problems that require regular dialysis, has not appeared in one of his videotapes for more than two years, prompting speculation that he is dead. Even if he is still alive, intelligence officials are working on the assumption that his ability to control the organization has been severely diminished, and that most of the day-to-day running is being undertaken by Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden's Egyptian-born number two. Iran has always maintained close relations with al-Qa'eda, even though the Shia Muslim state is known to have many ideological and strategic differences with the terror group's Sunni leadership. Western intelligence officials now believe that Iran is trying to cultivate a new generation of al-Qa'eda leaders who will be prepared to work closely with Teheran when they eventually take control. Recent intelligence reports from Iran suggest the Iranians are particularly keen to promote Saif-al-Adel, a notorious al-Qa'eda operative who is wanted in the United States for his alleged role in training several of the September 11 hijackers.

Professor: Earth Due for 'Mega Earthquake'

A University of Colorado professor says in a published report the world may be on the brink of a massive earthquake. In a paper published in the journal Nature, geology professor Roger Bilham says an earthquake of the magnitude he thinks is coming occurs only once in a thousand years. A quake registering 8.0 or above would dwarf the temblor that killed thousands last year in the Pakistani region of Kashmir. Bilham says there remains pent-up energy in the earth's surface which must be released through a mega-quake. It's the kind of quake that can completely erase entire cities. Geophysics professor Roland Burgmann, at the University of California, Berkeley, studies earthquake cycles. He says Bilham is on to something, and conditions are probably ripe for a massive quake.

U.S. eyes China's naval power on high-level visit

The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet recently said he was seeking to understand the intent of China's naval build-up as he began a week-long trip aimed at deepening military ties. "When asked if the PLA navy is a threat, I've been on the record as saying no," Admiral Gary Roughead told reporters when asked if China's build-up posed a threat to the U.S. presence in the region or to Taiwan. "But I really would like to know what the intent is in some of the developments that I see in the PLA navy," he added. Taiwan is a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own and says it must return to the mainland. China has said it would attack Taiwan if it formally declares independence. China and the United States cut military contacts after a fighter jet collided with a U.S. surveillance plane in 2001, killing the Chinese pilot and forcing the U.S. crew to land in China, where they were held for 11 days.

Scientists say millions could flee rising seas

Nations must make plans to help tens of millions of "sea level refugees" if climate change continues to ravage the world's oceans, German researchers recently said.
Waters are rising and warming, increasing the destructive power of storms, they said, and seas are becoming more acidic, threatening to throw entire food chains into chaos. "In the long run, sea level rises are going to be the most severe impact of global warming on human society," said Professor Stefan Rahmstorf, presenting a report by German scientists at a major United Nations climate change meeting. Warming could melt ice sheets and raise water levels, and the report said nations should already be considering making a "managed retreat" from the most endangered areas, including low-lying island states, parts of Bangladesh or even the U.S. state of Florida. A report by international scientists who advise the U.N. has predicted a sea level rise of up to 88 cm between 1990 and 2100. The situation was worsened, the German team said, by the increasing frequency of extreme storms whipped up by warming sea surface temperatures -- meaning many would flee coastal areas hit by hurricanes.

Ahmadinejad: Ready For ‘Final step’ In Its Nuclear Program

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently said Iran was ready to take the ‘final step’ in its nuclear program, as he maintained his defiance in the face of possible UN sanctions against Tehran. ‘The enemies of the Iranian people must know that the Iranian people have taken their decision and will resist until the end,’ the semi-official Mehr agency quoted him as saying in a speech in Baneh in Kurdestan province. ‘In the nuclear case we are ready to take the final step and I hope that by the end of the year (Iranian year to March 2007) we will be able to hold the great celebration of Iran's nuclear right,’ he added. Ahmadinejad, who has made a string of similar comments in recent days, did not specify where the step would take Iran's nuclear program. However Iranian officials have repeatedly said that the short-term goal of Iran's nuclear program is to install some 3,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium at its plant in Natanz by March 2007.

How World Government Architects Manipulate Faith

Mass psychological control via the Tavistock Method was developed by the Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology deputy director John Rawlings Rees, who coined the term "psychologically controlled environment" referring to use of mass media to manipulate certain population groups. On June 18, 1940, Rees said: "We can therefore justifiably stress our particular point of view with regard to the proper development of the human psyche...We have made a useful attack upon a number of professions. The two easiest of them naturally are the teaching profession and the Church." In 1945, Rockefeller Foundation medical director Alan Gregg recommended a grant to begin the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations to see if wartime psycholgy could be used in civilian society.

Where ID Cards And National Identity Registers Can Lead Us

The day after Guy Fawkes Night here in Britain, where we as a nation celebrate the failed destruction of Britain's parliament. In the same building that Guido Fawkes tried to destroy, the Prime Minister Tony Blair goes on the offensive in supporting the ID card scheme, the mass DNA and Identity registers of every person here in the UK.History though can teach us in stark contrast what such schemes as ID cards and databases can achieve, the two simple examples are of course Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany but many people do not believe or understand the latter and how it was the introduction of such schemes that accelerated the demise of not only the Jews under the Reich but Gypsies, criminals, the mentally ill, Jehovah's Witnesses, in essence anybody that the Nazi state did not approve of.

Ahmadinejad: Israel’s destruction near

According to the Iranian media, Iranian President Mahoud Ahmadinejad declared that Israel was destined to ‘disappearance and destruction’ at a council meeting with Iranian ministers. “The western powers created the Zionist regime in order to expand their control of the area. This regime massacres Palestinians everyday, but since this regime is against nature, we will soon witness its disappearance and destruction,” Ahmadinejad said.

Cattle mutilations resurrect recurring mystery

Valier rancher John Peterson and his wife were recently headed out into the twilight to do some chores when they spotted her. The healthy young cow lay dead in a stubble field, just off the road. Stopping the truck to investigate, they found the sickening, telltale signs. The cow's udder, genitals and rectum were cut out with stunning precision. The left side of her face was carved off, the exposed bones stripped as clean as if they'd been boiled. Peterson, who discovered a similarly mutilated cow on his neighbor's ranch five years ago, knew he was the latest victim in one of rural Montana's greatest mysteries. Since the 1970s Montana ranchers have found dozens of cattle carved up in similar, macabre fashion. The first known incident was a mutilated steer reported near Sand Coulee in late August 1974. By December 1977, sheriff's deputies had investigated 67 mutilation cases in Cascade, Judith Basin, Chouteau, Teton and Pondera counties. In each case, the cuts were made with surgical precision, often in circular shapes. Similar cases have haunted ranchers in the Southwest since the 1970s, when a 300-page federally funded report concluded the killings were the work of natural predators. Peterson, a lifelong rancher, says he knows a predator kill when he sees one. Grizzly bears, wolves and coyotes aren't suspects in this case, he said.
"It's the weirdest thing," he said. "A guy hates to say too much because I don't know how far you can go before they'll put you in the nuthouse." Others theories besides predators involve pranksters, satanic cults and space aliens.

Terrorists Announce Plans To Attack U.S.

Four terror groups here, including militants from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, which the U.S. considers moderate, warned today America is now officially a target for attacks both in the region and abroad. The terror groups blamed the U.S. for ‘attacking Muslim land’ in Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan, and for providing support to the Israeli Defense Forces, which last week accidentally hit a residential area with artillery fire while trying to stop rockets from being launched from the northern Gaza Strip into nearby Jewish communities. Several Palestinian terror leaders in Gaza told WND their organizations will soon lead attacks against U.S. interests. ‘We call upon all mujahedeen in Palestine and around the world to start hitting Americans without mercy. The Americans are destroying Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan and are bombarding our Muslim land,’ read a statement signed by Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the Popular Resistance Committees, the Fatah-affiliated Abu Rish Brigades, and a new group calling itself the Brigades of the Believers.

Chinese Sub Stalks U.S. Carrier

A Chinese submarine approached a US aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean last month and surfaced within firing range of its torpedoes and missiles before being detected. The encounter highlighted China's continuing efforts to prepare for a possible future conflict with the United States despite the administration's efforts to try to boost relations with the Chinese military. The submarine encounter with the USS Kitty Hawk and its battle group also is an embarrassment to the commander of US forces in the Pacific, Admiral William Fallon, who is engaged in an ambitious military exchange program with China, the report said. The Chinese Song-class diesel-powered attack submarine shadowed the Kitty Hawk undetected and surfaced within five miles of the carrier. The surfaced submarine was spotted by a routine surveillance flight by one of the carrier group's planes. The Kitty Hawk battle group includes an attack submarine and anti-submarine helicopters that are charged with protecting the warships from submarine attack. The submarine is equipped with Russian-made wake-homing torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles.

German scholars unveil "politically correct" Bible

A group of 52 biblical “specialists” have released a new version of the Bible in which inclusive language and “political correctness” have replaced some “divisive” teachings of Christianity in order to present a “more just language” for groups such as feminists and homosexuals. According to the AFP news agency, the new version of the Sacred Scriptures was presented at a book fair in Frankfurt. Entitled, The Bible in a More Just Language, the translation has Jesus no longer referring to God as “Father,” but as “our Mother and Father who are in heaven.” Likewise, Jesus is no longer referred to as the “Son” but rather as the “child” of God. The title “Lord” is replaced with “God” or “the Eternal One.” The devil, however, is still referred to with masculine pronouns. “One of the great ideas of the Bible is justice. We have made a translation that does justice to women, Jews, and those who are disregarded,” said Pastor Hanne Koehler, who led the team of translators. Last December, Matin Dreyer, pastor and founder of the sect “Jesus Freaks,” published the Volksbibel (The People’s Bible), in a supposed attempt to make the message of Christianity more “accessible.” Jesus “returns” instead of resurrects, and multiplies “hamburgers” instead of the fish and loaves. In the parable of the prodigal son, the younger son squanders his inheritance at dance clubs and ends up “cleaning bathrooms at McDonald’s.”

Livni: Iran nearing 'point of no return'

At a briefing with journalists following her speech at the United Jewish Communities General Assembly in Los Angeles, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni reported that Iran was less than two years away from reaching the point where it could enrich uranium, what she, and others, have termed "the point of no return" where Iran would need no outside technical or material assistance to produce nuclear weapons. The point of no return, in Israel's case, she said, is not when Iran "gets the bomb", but when it has reached the capability of producing one. Israel is also worried that possible Security Council sanctions on Iran won't be effective enough to make Teheran change course and cease enrichment, Livni added.

Will You Let Them Scan Your Child?

Hundreds of schools across the U.S. are now using fingerprint scanners to identify children. It's a fast-growing trend that promises increased efficiency. But not all parents are enthusiastic. Sandlapper Elementary in Columbia, South Carolina is all about hi-tech. From smart board and lessons to learn nursery rhymes, to security cameras and finger scanners. Sandlapper students start their day with a fingerprint scan to pay for breakfast. They use it to check out library books. And some day, they may use it to get on the bus or into their school. Sandlapper Principal Linda Hall said, "The main thing is efficiency and being able to spend more of our time as staff directly with students. Industry experts predict thousands of schools will use finger scans next year. It's all part of a hi-tech explosion that took off after 9/11, when accurately identifying people became critical. Biometrics capture a person's physical or behavioral characteristics to automatically identify them. But what happens when parents don't want their child to be identified by a body part? Chris and Joy Van Guilder recently moved to Earlville, Illinois with their four children. Chris is opposed to biometrics. Chris said, "Just red flags all over. I could just feel it inside me--something is not right." When they found out about the public school's mandatory biometrics, they couldn't believe it: children who didn't want to scan would be denied a hot lunch.

Students at Calif. College ban Pledge of Allegiance

Student leaders at a California college have touched off a furor by banning the Pledge of Allegiance at their meetings, saying they see no reason to publicly swear loyalty to God and the U.S. government. The move by Orange Coast College student trustees, the latest clash over patriotism and religion in American schools, has infuriated some of their classmates -- prompting one young woman to loudly recite the pledge in front of the board on a recent night in defiance of the rule. "America is the one thing I'm passionate about and I can't let them take that away from me," 18-year-old political science major Christine Zoldos told Reuters. "The fact that they have enough power to ban one of the most valued traditions in America is just horrible," Zoldos said, adding she would attend every board meeting to salute the flag. The move was lead by three recently elected student trustees, who Con for office wearing revolutionary-style berets and said they do not believe in publicly swearing an oath to the American flag and government at their school. One student trustee voted against the measure, which does not apply to other student groups or campus meetings. The ban follows a 2002 ruling by a federal appeals court in San Francisco that said forcing school children to recite the pledge was unconstitutional because of the phrase "under God." The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the ruling on procedural grounds but left the door open for another challenge.

Church Supports Baby Euthanasia

The Church of England has joined one of Britain’s royal medical colleges in calling for legal euthanasia of seriously disabled newborn babies. Church leaders want doctors to be given the right to withhold treatment from seriously disabled newborn babies in exceptional circumstances. Their call, overriding the presumption that life should be preserved at any cost, follows that of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology. The church’s position was laid out in a submission to an independent inquiry, due to publish its report this week, into the ethical concerns surrounding the treatment of severely premature babies. In the submission Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark, states: “It may in some circumstances be right to choose to withhold or withdraw treatment, knowing it will possibly, probably, or even certainly result in death.” The church’s submission does not say which medical conditions might justify the decision to allow babies to die. It argues that there are “strong proportionate reasons” for “overriding the presupposition that life should be maintained”.

Russia to Keep Its Heaviest ICBM in Service for Another Decade

The Russian missile forces chief said that the military had decided to keep its heaviest intercontinental ballistic missiles in service for another decade. Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov said that a decision to extend the service lifetime of the RS-20V missiles, also known as SS-18 Satan in the West, would allow the Strategic Missile Forces “to keep the world’s most powerful missiles for another 10 years,” the agency reported. Solovtsov said that the RS-20V missiles’ original 15-year service lifetime would be extended to 25 years. The RS-20V, which carries 10 individually targeted nuclear warheads, has been the heaviest missile in the military’s inventory since its deployment began in the late 1980s. Solovtsov said that the lifetime of other Soviet-built missiles was also being extended.

Citibank First Bank In The World To Introduce Biometric Credit

Singaporeans will be among the first in the world to use a biometric credit card. Citibank - the world's largest credit card issuer - has chosen to launch its biometric credit cards in Singapore. With the biometric payment system, card users do not even need to carry their cards with them. The biometric system is expected to revolutionalise the way people shop and make payments. Shoppers no longer need to present their credit card and sign for payment. Instead, it will just be a matter of having a finger scan followed by the keying in of a PIN number. The bank is first introducing the card to some 190,000 cardholders between the age of 25 and 34. These users, according to the bank, spend an average of $800 a month on their credit cards. Jonathan Larsen, CEO and Country Manager, Citibank Singapore, said, "We're launching this biometric payment solution as part of our launch of the Platinum Clear Card. And for the next couple of months, we will focus on making the biometric solution available to our Clear customers. However, very shortly thereafter, we will be broadening this to all Citibank cardholders.

Syria a 'dangerous' country, says Secretary of State Rice

The United States believes Syria is a dangerous state whose territory is being used for the accelerated arming of Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently said. "This is a dangerous state that is behaving in a dangerous manner," Rice told the country's second largest daily, Maariv. "The United States is concerned and is following closely the use of Syrian territory as a way-station for the accelerated arming of Hezbollah," the Hebrew-language newspaper quoted her as saying. Israel has long maintained that Hezbollah, with which it fought a 34-day war this summer, receives its weapons from Iran via Syria -- a charge both these countries deny. But Rice repeated the allegation in the interview published on the day Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was due in Washington for talks with US President George W. Bush, herself and other top officials. "Syria is a way-station for Iranian arms that cross the Middle East. It is not a state that contributes to stability in the Middle East," Rice said.

UK Postal Service Bans Christ Stamps

The UK Royal Mail unveiled its new Christmas stamps this week to a chorus of disapproval from the Church of England and several Christian leaders. Not one of the six new stamps carried any religious symbolism identifying 'the reason for the season'. A Church of England spokesman told the UK Daily Express: "Last year they came up with some very innovative designs which reminded people of the true meaning of Christmas, so we welcomed it. "We regret that they haven't carried on. I am sure lots of Christians will regret that they haven't carried on in the same way as well." Tory MP David Burrowes told the Express: "It is a great shame that they are treating it as just another secular festival, because we have enough of those throughout the year. "Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ and it makes sense that the Royal Mail does likewise."

Iran to reply 'destructively' to any Israeli attack

Iran has vowed it would deliver a "destructive" response to any Israeli military attack on its atomic sites and said it would continue trying to boost its capacity for sensitive nuclear work. Foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said Iran was still seeking to install 3,000 centrifuges by March 2007 at an atomic plant to enrich uranium, a process the West fears could be diverted to make nuclear weapons. His comments came after a top Israeli official refused to rule out a strike on the Islamic republic to halt the progress of its atomic programme, with the United Nations still unable to agree on sanctions against Tehran. "Israel does not have the means and the capability to dare threaten Iran... if it commits such a stupidity the Islamic republic and its defenders will give a destructive response within a second," Hosseini said.

Troubling Background on the 'Evangelical Climate Initiative'

ECI signers include megachurch pastor Rick Warren, Christianity Today editor David Neff, and former Vice President of Governmental Affairs for National Association of Evangelicals Robert P. Dugan. One of the largest funders of the effort was the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Hewlett Foundation, which contributed $475,000 to the ECI, is a major supporter of abortion and population control. Like many other groups, the Hewlett Foundation explicitly connects its interest in these causes to its views on the environment. Why would a pro-abortion foundation want to fund an evangelical effort to fight global warming? Is there a connection between these efforts? There is. And that connection should trouble all evangelicals, especially those who endorsed the Evangelical Climate Initiative.

Expert Says Oceans Are Turning Acidic

The world's oceans are becoming more acidic, which poses a threat to sea life and Earth's fragile food chain, a climate expert has said. Oceans have already absorbed a third of the world's emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming, leading to acidification that prevents vital sea life from forming properly. "The oceans are rapidly changing," said professor Stefan Rahmstorf on the sidelines of a U.N. conference on climate change that has drawn delegates from more than 100 countries to Kenya. "Ocean acidification is a major threat to marine organisms." Fish stocks and the world's coral reefs could also be hit while acidification risks "fundamentally altering" the food chain, he said.

Christians Forced To Bow To Idols

Hindu extremists recently forced Christians in the remote village of Bevainahalli, in the southern state of Karnataka, to bow down before Hindu deities and applied the vermilion mark to their foreheads. It was the second such incident in Chitradurga district in a little over a week. Two Hindu priests accompanied by a group of 20 to 25 Hindu extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its youth wing, the Bajrang Dal, entered Chitradurga district’s Bevainahalli village and knocked on every home’s door. Leaving Hindu residents untouched, the extremists shouted threats at those in Christian homes, ordering them from their houses to a site near the village temple. Christians who questioned why were slapped and ordered to start walking. When the Christians were gathered together, one of the Hindu priests, or Swami, began speaking against Christianity and told them to “reconvert” to Hinduism. The extremists then marched the Christians off to the village temple, forcing them to bow down before the Hindu gods and goddesses. As a mark of acceptance of the Hindu faith, the Hindu priests applied the kumkum or vermilion mark on the foreheads of the men and women and compelled them to eat the Hindu offering called prasad.

M15 Tracking '30 UK Terror Plots'

MI5 knows of 30 terror plots threatening the UK and is keeping 1,600 individuals under surveillance, the security service's head has said. Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller warned the threat was ‘serious’ and ‘growing’. She said future attacks could be chemical or nuclear and that many of the plots were linked to al-Qaeda. Prime Minister Tony Blair said the terrorist threat was ‘very real’ and spoke of ‘poisonous propaganda’ warping the minds of young people. MI5 has increased in size by nearly 50% since 9/11 and now stands at roughly 2,800 staff. But according to Dame Eliza the current terror threat will ‘last a generation’ and her concern is that even with MI5's rapid growth, the security service will not be able to investigate nearly enough of activities it deems to be suspicious.

Iranian ayatollah stands firm on nukes

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said his country would continue to acquire nuclear technology and challenge what he called "Western fabrications."
Speaking before a crowd of thousands in Semnan, 155 miles east of Tehran, Khamenei said most countries believe "nuclear energy should be taken away from the hands of a few powers," state media reported. "The Americans open their mouth and close their eyes and say whatever they want, such as 'the world opposes enrichment,'" Khamenei said, referring to Iran's enrichment of uranium, which the United Nations has said must cease. The supreme leader, whose word is final on key decisions, spoke as the U.N. Security Council is wrangling over how to respond to Iran's refusal halt uranium enrichment. "In a glorious way, the Iranian nation — with awareness, an informed generation and reason — has challenged Western fabrications and will go ahead strongly," Khamenei said.

Breaking the Final Frontier

Space tourism is being packaged as the ultimate trip -- almost as an extension of a normal flight but with incredible views, the experience of weightlessness and supersonic speeds. Companies such as Virgin Galactic are now taking bookings for the sub-orbital flights they hope to start in 2008. Have we almost reached the future we dreamt of and will space really be accessible to all?

Russian General Says Moscow Has Answer To U.S. Missile Shield

Russian Deputy Defence Minister General Alexei Moskovsky said Friday that his country had worked out a military solution to a proposed US missile defence system.
"Work is under way allowing us to counter US efforts to deploy a missile defence system," Moskovsky said, the Interfax news agency reported. The deputy defence minister said he could not go into concrete details, but that Moscow had found, as he put it, "an asymmetrical answer" to any missile shield. Moskovsky added the Russian hardware was "uncomplicated, but effective" and that it incorporated already-existing technologies. What those technologies were or when such a system might be operational were not specified. Recent talk in the United States about creating a pan-European missile defence shield has sounded alarm bells in Russia. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko last week said the installation of the so-called Global Missile Defence system would create "a new military-political situation" between NATO and the successor state to the Soviet foe it was created to defend against.

Physicists In Japan Plan To Create New Universe In Lab

A radical new project could permit human beings to create a "baby universe" in a laboratory in Japan. While it sounds like a dangerous undertaking, the physicists involved believe that if the project is successful, the space-time around a tiny point within our universe will be distorted in such a way that it will begin to form a new superfluid space, and eventually break off, separate in all respects from our experience of space and time, causing no harm to the fabric of our universe.

Israel on highest alert with 80 attack warnings

Israel police are on the highest alert around the country following the fatal shelling attack on Beit Hanoun which killed 18 Palestinians and wounded dozens more. All of the Palestinian factions, with no exceptions, threatened terror attacks to avenge the lethal strike. Head of the Police Operations Division Barti Ohayon told Ynet, “We have over 80 general warnings of intentions to carry out terror attacks.” Fifteen of the warnings were specific. Most of the terror warning were from Gaza and the West Bank and concerned a variety of scenarios: suicide bombings, shootings, rocket attacks, and kidnapping. Following the events in Gaza alert levels were raised nationwide. Regarding police preparedness, Ohayon said that “police will focus on crowded places, there will be more road blocks, activity on the seam line, and deployment of traffic police will increase.” In addition to the terror threats, protests are planned among the Arab sector which may reach the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Superbug Brought Back by Iraq War Casualties

Injured soldiers returning from Iraq have brought back a superbug that has been linked with outbreaks in NHS hospitals where they have been treated, a health minister has confirmed. The links between casualties brought back from Iraq and outbreaks in the NHS have caused alarm within the health service and led to renewed demands for more dedicated wards for Britain's armed forces to enable wounded soldiers to be isolated more effectively.

Iran Forms Army Of Suicide Fighters

Iranian officials said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has recruited thousands of people and trained them for suicide missions. The officials said the recruits were taught how to blow themselves up in front of oncoming enemy main battle tanks and troop carriers as well as how to cross minefields. ‘The Revolutionary Guards does not only depend on its technological might because it has thousands of martyrdom seekers and they are ready for martyrdom-seeking operations on a large scale,'' IRGC commander Gen. Yahya Safavi said. In an interview on Iran'a Al Alam television, Safavi called the suicide troops ‘trained professionals.’ He said the troops would be used to stop any ground invasion of Iran.

Hamas urges attacks on U.S. targets

Hamas' military wing called on Muslims around the world to attack American targets following reports that an Israeli tank strike killed 18 people in the Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. The Hamas-led Palestinian government distanced itself from the call, saying its fight was with Israel. Hamas militants have historically directed their suicide bombings and rocket attacks only against Israeli targets. "America is offering political, financial and logistic cover for the Zionist occupation crimes, and it is responsible for the Beit Hanoun massacre. Therefore, the people and the nation all over the globe are required to teach the American enemy tough lessons," Hamas' military wing said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.

Plan to create human-cow embryos

UK scientists have applied for permission to create embryos by fusing human DNA with cow eggs. Researchers from Newcastle University and Kings College, London, have asked the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for a three-year licence. The hybrid human-bovine embryos would be used for stem cell research and would not be allowed to develop for more than a few days. But critics say it is unethical and potentially dangerous. Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris - a member of the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee - said: "If human benefit can be derived by perfecting therapeutic cloning techniques or from research into subsequently-derived stem cells, then it would actually be immoral to prevent it just because of a 'yuck' factor."

Iraq's New Secret Police 'The Death Squads'

We went to Iraq to overthrow a police state. Through a combination of stubbornness, naivete and noble intentions, we've replaced it with another police state - more violent, more corrupt and less accountable. As an Army officer remarked to me, Saddam's starting to look good. Our greatest setback in Iraq may be that country's undoing: It has proven impossible to develop an honest, nonpartisan police establishment anywhere in the country's Arab provinces. The police aren't feared by criminals, but by law-abiding citizens. The secret police are back, in the form of death squads. And the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki looks perfectly happy with the situation.
American advisers risk their lives in the struggle to build Iraqi police units committed to doing their duty. We've equipped them, trained them and led from the front. In gratitude, Iraq's police have ambushed our troops, fielded death squads less restrained than those under Saddam, stolen everything they could steal in preparation for a future civil war - and, apparently, funneled U.S.-provided arms to militias, insurgents and terrorists.

Million Year Old Retrovirus Resurrected

In a controversial study, researchers have resurrected a retrovirus that infected our ancestors millions of years ago and now sits frozen in the human genome. Published online by Genome Research this week, the study may shed new light on the history of these genomic intruders, as well as their role in tumors. Although this particular virus, dubbed Phoenix, is a wimpy one, some argue that resuscitating any ancient virus is inherently risky and that the study should have undergone stricter reviews.

Al Qaeda Leader: Materials Smuggled Across Border

Suspected terrorists are hiding inside the U.S. and they got here by sneaking across the Mexican border. What we've been reporting for more than a year has been confirmed by a government report just released. And a brand new interview by Pakistani investigative reporter Hamid Mir is bringing in more information. Mir has interviewed some of America's most dangerous terrorist enemies. This time the Al Qaeda commander he talked to gave a grim warning that another attack on America is coming very soon. "We can attack America anytime," says Abu Dawood during the interview. Mir says, "Abu Dawood told me, 'We are determined to attack America again and that attack will be bigger than 9/11." The Al Qaeda commander says the attack will be led by Adnan El Shukrijumah. He goes by many aliases but is called Brother Adnan by his terrorist friends. According to the Pakistani reporter, Dawood said Brother Adnan "had smuggled some dangerous materials from the Mexican border to inside the United States of America." The former special agent tells us the U.S. government is well aware Al Qaeda's been working hard to get a dirty bomb into the country, an explosive packed with nuclear materials small enough to carry in a suitcase. Smugglers have been caught 300 times in the past four years trying to sneak in radioactive material, which could be used to make a dirty bomb.

Iran capable to launch a massive missile strike in the Gulf

Western intelligence sources said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps succeeded in a test that concentrated massive missile and rocket fire in one area. They said the IRGC launched hundreds of missiles and rockets by remote control toward simulated targets in the Gulf. ‘They fired and fired and there were no duds or mishaps,’ an intelligence source said. ‘It was a very impressive display of firepower.’ Iran announced the testing of anti-tank, anti-helicopter and anti-personnel weapons. Officials said the capability of the anti-helicopter weapons was enhanced by 100 percent in recent years.

Star Wars, Terminator Type Military Tech Within Sight

Ground troops and combat robots are deployed to the enemy headquarters. Robots carry out a reconnaissance mission, transmitting images of enemy forces locations to computerized screens displayed on soldiers wristwatches on a real-time basis. Our forces wipe out enemies, ending the battle. This kind of a war scenario seen in a science fiction film like ``Star Wars is likely to become a total reality in about 10 years or less, as the government is accelerating plans to equip the South Korean military with high-tech unmanned weapons systems and versatile combat robotic systems.

North Korea tests bio-arms on Thousands of disabled, political prisoners

Not only is North Korea planning to carry out a second nuclear test early next year, according to Britain's MI6 secret security service, but it is also expanding its biological warfare program with thousands of people, including the disabled, dwarves and political prisoners as the guinea pigs. Based on interviews with defectors from North Korea to its southern neighbor after the Oct. 9 plutonium device test, MI6 believes the next nuclear test Kim Jong-II will order "will probably take place early next year." The prediction is assessed from data obtained by U.S. satellite surveillance and by intense surveillance of North Korea's embassy in London. The small, redbrick-fronted house in Gunnersbury Avenue in the northwest suburb of the city is nowadays the most watched mission in Britain. The surveillance has also produced confirmation of the growing extent of North Korea's bio-war program. An MI6 report reveals "a wide variety of chemical and germ agent experiments are conducted in an area north of Pyongyang known as 'Ward 49.' It consists of a dozen camps, equipped with laboratories. As well as prisoners incarcerated for speaking out against the regime, the camps hold thousands of people said to be 'disabled.' These include dwarves. They receive only the minimum of food to keep them alive for experiments."

Nearly half of Americans uncertain God exists

The survey conducted by Harris Poll found that 42 percent of US adults are not "absolutely certain" there is a God compared to 34 percent who felt that way when asked the same question three years ago. Among the various religious groups, 76 percent of Protestants, 64 percent of Catholics and 30 percent of Jews said they are "absolutely certain" there is a God while 93 percent of Christians who describe themselves as "Born Again" feel certain God exists. When questioned on whether God is male or female, 36 percent of respondents said they think God is male, 37 percent said neither male nor female and 10 percent said "both male and female." Only one percent think of God as a female, according to the poll. Asked whether God has a human form, 41 percent said they think of God as "a spirit or power than can take on human form but is not inherently human." As to whether God controls events on Earth, 29 percent believe that to be the case while 44 percent said God "observes but does not control what happens on Earth".

New Strain Of Bird Flu Found

A new strain of the H5N1 influenza virus has emerged in China and is poised to cause another global wave of infection among birds and human beings who come into close contact with them, scientists said. The new bird flu variant does not appear at this point to pose a greater risk to humans than earlier strains, said a leading influenza expert, Robert Webster of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. But he added that the emergence of the new strain shows that H5N1 is still mutating, a process that experts fear could eventually convert it into a form capable of causing a deadly and freely spreading human disease. The new form of the virus has become the primary version of the bird flu in parts of China and has spread to Hong Kong, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand, Webster and scientists at the University of Hong Kong reported in an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Webster said scientists believe that 23 human cases known to be caused by the new strain of virus -- all in China except for one in Thailand -- came from direct contact with infected poultry. Although H5N1 does not spread easily from human to human, there have been isolated reports of human ‘clusters,’ suggesting that at times human transmission has occurred.

Brand new substance created from water

If you think we know all there is to know about water, think again. Scientists claim they have created a totally new alloy of hydrogen and oxygen molecules by splitting water. It takes high-energy X-rays and an extremely high pressure, but the end result is a solid mixture of H2 and 02 that has never been identified before, they say. The discovery could change our understanding of the complex chemistry of water. The new alloy is "a highly energetic material", says Wendy Mao at Los Alamos National Laboratory, US, who led the research. "It may help us find a way of storing energy." Mao’s team subjected water to a pressure 170,000 times greater than atmospheric pressure at sea level. Then they bombarded it with X-rays, causing the water molecules to split and reform into a previously unknown crystalline solid made of H2 molecules and 02 molecules. After making several nanograms (10-9 of a gram) of the new alloy, researchers tested its properties by subjecting it to a range of temperatures and pressures, and further bombardment by X-rays and laser radiation. As long as it remained under a pressure 10,000 times greater than at sea level, it was "surprisingly stable", they say.

Iran test-fires more new weapons in war games

Iran has announced it had successfully test-fired new armour-piercing weaponry and an anti-helicopter missile system on the third day of its latest war games. "The new generation of anti-helicopter and anti-armour weapons were successfully tested on day three of the manoeuvres," an announcer on state television said as pictures of the test-firing were broadcast. In the "Great Prophet II" war games, due to last 10 days, Iran has so far fired its Shahab-3 longer range missile for the first time in manoeuvres as well as new types of land-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles. The armour-piercing weapons tested include a rifle equipped with special sights that can identify an enemy seven kilometres (four miles) away and can penetrate a target wearing a bullet-resistant vest from a distance of three kilometres (one-and-a-half miles).

Humans 'Could All Be Microchipped In Less Than A Decade'

Human beings may be forced to be 'microchipped' like pet dogs, a shocking official report into the rise of the Big Brother state has warned. The microchips - which are implanted under the skin - allow the wearer's movements to be tracked and store personal information about them. They could be used by companies who want to keep tabs on an employee's movements or by Governments who want a foolproof way of identifying their citizens - and storing information about them. The prospect of 'chip-citizens' - with its terrifying echoes of George Orwell's 'Big Brother' police state in the book 1984 - was raised in an official report for Information Commissioner Richard Thomas into the spread of surveillance technology. It paints a frightening picture of what the world might be like in less then ten years time unless steps are taken to regulate the use of CCTV and other spy technologies.

Russia Is The Leading Arms Supplier To Iran, Syria And Others

Russia, bolstered by renewed sales to Iran, has emerged as a leading weapons supplier to the Middle East. A congressional study said Russia has become a leading supplier to such countries as Algeria, Iran, Syria, Yemen and other countries regarded as developing. The Congressional Research Service said that in 2005 Moscow surpassed the United States in weapons sales to the developing world. ‘Despite its lack of the larger traditional client base for armaments held by the United States and the major West European suppliers, Russia's successes in obtaining new arms orders suggests that Russia is likely to continue to be, for the short term at least, a significant leader in new arms agreements with developing nations,’ the report said. The report, entitled ‘Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations 1998-2005,’ cited a $700 million deal by Russia to export the TOR-M1 short-range anti-aircraft battery to Iran. The deal called for the supply of 29 surface-to-air missile systems to the Iranian Air Force

British scientists grow human liver in a laboratory

British scientists have grown the world's first artificial liver from stem cells in a breakthrough that will one day provide entire organs for transplant. The technique that created the 'mini-liver', currently the size of a one pence piece, will be developed to create a full-size functioning liver. Described as a 'Eureka moment' by the Newcastle University researchers, the tissue was created from blood taken from babies' umbilical cords just a few minutes after birth. As it stands, the mini organ can be used to test new drugs, preventing disasters such as the recent 'Elephant Man' drug trial. Using lab-grown liver tissue would also reduce the number of animal experiments. Within five years, pieces of artificial tissue could be used to repair livers damaged by injury, disease, alcohol abuse and paracetamol overdose. And then, in just 15 years' time, entire liver transplants could take place using organs grown in a lab.

Chavez threatens to halt oil to U.S.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened to halt oil exports to the United States and said opponents of his leftist government are not welcome within the military or the state-run oil company. "If anyone trys to destabilize PDVSA, if the empire and its lackeys in Venezuela attempt another coup, ignore the outcome of the elections or cause election or oil-related upheaval, we won't send another drop of oil to the United States," Chavez said in a speech to PDVSA workers in the coastal city of Puerto La Cruz, 150 miles east of Caracas. Chavez, a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, said President Bush "had better tie down his crazies here in Venezuela" to prevent a possible end to petroleum exports. Venezuela supplied 12 percent of U.S. crude oil imports last year and the U.S. remains the top buyer of Venezuelan oil.

'Star Wars' Becomes Reality As U.S. Unveils Laser-Equipped 747

Remember Ronald Reagan's Star Wars program? The futuristic and frightening plan to build laser guns that could shoot down enemy missiles? Well, it's about to start becoming a reality. The US Missile Defense Agency recently rolled out an airborne laser aircraft, the latest development in a missile-defence system that was once ridiculed as a Star Wars-style fantasy.

Six Arab states join rush to go nuclear

The spectre of a nuclear race in the Middle East was raised yesterday when six Arab states announced that they were embarking on programmes to master atomic technology. The move, which follows the failure by the West to curb Iran’s controversial nuclear programme, could see a rapid spread of nuclear reactors in one of the world’s most unstable regions, stretching from the Gulf to the Levant and into North Africa. The countries involved were named by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Tunisia and the UAE have also shown interest. All want to build civilian nuclear energy programmes, as they are permitted to under international law. But the sudden rush to nuclear power has raised suspicions that the real intention is to acquire nuclear technology which could be used for the first Arab atomic bomb.

Bush Moves Toward Martial Law

Despite the unprecedented and shocking nature of this act, there has been no outcry in the American media, and little reaction from our elected officials in Congress. On September 19th, a lone Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) noted that 2007's Defense Authorization Act contained a "widely opposed provision to allow the President more control over the National Guard [adopting] changes to the Insurrection Act, which will make it easier for this or any future President to use the military to restore domestic order WITHOUT the consent of the nation's governors." Senator Leahy went on to stress that, "we certainly do not need to make it easier for Presidents to declare martial law. Invoking the Insurrection Act and using the military for law enforcement activities goes against some of the central tenets of our democracy.

North Korea lashes out at U.S., Japan

North Korea denounced U.S. leaders as "warmongers" and called Japanese officials "political imbeciles" for saying they won't accept Pyongyang as a nuclear power.
In typically harsh rhetoric, the reclusive communist state demanded Japan stay away from international disarmament negotiations, which also include China, Russia, the U.S. and South Korea. The North agreed earlier this week to return to the talks, the first relaxation of tension after its Oct. 9 nuclear test. The talks have been stalled for a year. A statement from North Korea's Foreign Ministry on Saturday said there was no need for Japan to participate in the talks "because it is no more than a state of the U.S." The Foreign Ministry said most of the international community had welcomed North Korea's return to the talks. "Only Japan that expressed its wicked intention," referring to comments by Tokyo that it will not accept a nuclear North Korea. "The Japanese authorities have thus clearly proved themselves that they are political imbeciles," added the statement, carried by the North's official Korea Central News Agency, or KCNA. Japan's Foreign Ministry said the government was aware of North Korea's statement, and was considering a response. The North also kept up its verbal attack on the United States in an editorial by the typically bellicose Rodong Sinmun newspaper. "The U.S. has become more fanatic in pushing for its war scheme to attack the North, taking issue with our war-deterrent measure we were compelled to strengthen to protect our sovereignty and right to survive from their serious threat," the editorial said.

Researchers Attempting To Understand Near Death Experiences

As the spiritual perspectives of people evolve, Near Death Experiences, or NDEs, are an ever-growing topic. In fact, it's become a mainstream idea. Many scholars and research subjects have been working to bring about a better understanding of the phenomenon. Some say near death experiences are a portal into a realm many don’t yet understand. Jan Holden, a professor and professional counselor at the University of Texas also is the president of The International Association for Near Death Experiences and describes NDEs as “out-of-body experiences and equal opportunity transpersonal experiences.” “The person typically feels themself outside of their body watching the area surrounding their physical body," he explains.. Holden says these experiences can be both pleasurable and unpleasant experiences. Some doctors say the research is compelling and “seeing is believing.” Dr. Ron Anderson, CEO of Parkland Hospital, says he has been face-to-face with the phenomenon. "I've seen people who have undergone NDEs a number of times at Parkland and come back and it's profoundly changed their lives.” There is plenty of research on the subject; some reports show 30 percent of people who go into cardiac arrest come back and report a near death experience. Dr. Holden says researchers have arrived at these numbers is by doing as close to controlled studies as possible: by going into a hospital and setting up for months on end. After a patient “codes,” or goes into cardiac arrest, they are interviewed. There have been more than 2,000 such cases documented around the world.

U.S. speeds N.Korea attack contingency plan

The Pentagon has stepped up contingency planning for attacks on North Korea's nuclear program in the wake of Pyongyang's October 9 nuclear test. Citing defense officials who asked not to be identified, reports said the planning included programs for striking a plutonium-reprocessing facility at Yongbyon with commando raids or precision-guided missiles. The planning, which has been under way several months, means only that U.S. military forces would be ready if President George W. Bush were to order attacks. Defense officials said China's condemnation of North Korea's nuclear test and Beijing's support for United Nations sanctions were a key factor in the Bush administration's decision to speed up its planning. The administration regards the new level of Chinese support as a "green light" for more aggressive military planning, the report said. A Pentagon official was quoted as saying that the Defense Department was considering "various military options" for removing North Korea's nuclear program. The Bush administration recently affirmed its commitment to both South Korea and Japan that it would use nuclear weapons to deter North Korea, another senior defense official told the newspaper. "We will resort to whatever force levels we need to have to defend the Republic of Korea. The nuclear deterrence is in place," the official said.

Cloning of Livestock Nears

In 1996, when Dolly the sheep became the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, scientists were excited that the technique could lead to cures for disease. A decade later, as cloning technology has progressed, livestock producers are excited for a different reason: They believe it could bring better steaks and lamb chops to supermarket meat counters. For all the controversy, cloning isn't a radical departure from assisted breeding techniques common in the livestock industry, such as in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination. It allows breeders to create an exact genetic copy, essentially an identical twin, by transferring cells from an animal into an egg, which is then implanted into a surrogate mother. The process can be used to produce superior traits in an animal herd - for instance cattle that have lean but tender meat or dairy cows that are proven milk producers. By reproducing the healthiest, most disease-resistant animals, cloning can minimize the need for antibiotics, growth hormones and other chemicals that can enter the food supply. Conventional breeding strives for the same goals less effectively.

U.S.- Led Military Thrust Focuses On War With Iran

Hundreds of U.S. and allied war ships foregathered in the strategic seas of the Middle East and India in the last days of October 2006 for two primary missions: To prepare for a U.S. led military strike against Iran which has stepped up its uranium enrichment program with a second centrifuge project - undeterred by the prospect of UN sanctions; and measures to fend off palpable al Qaeda threats to oil targets.

Airport Security to Get Laser and Microwave Guns

U.S. Airport security staff are going to be equipped with laser and microwave blasters batteries under a cunning plan being tested by Homeland Security. Homeland Security is to spend $4.1 million to test out Raytheon's "Vigilant Eagle" system at airports. Apparently the department is worried that terrorists might get their paws on some ground to air rocket launchers and bring down aircraft. The Vigilant Eagle system uses a series of microwave pulses to throw off a missile's guidance package. So instead of a missile hitting an aircraft, it will swerve and fall harmlessly into any buildings that might be near the runway. The system uses a series of passive infrared trackers, installed around an airport, would look out for missile exhaust. If one of these detect a launch, data about the missile's trajectory is sent to a control centre, which in turn tells a billboard-size microwave array where to blast. As defensetech.com points out, what this does to a plane's avionics system is anyone's guess. Nor is it clear how they will test it, given the fact that no terror group has actually tried to bring down a plane in the U.S. with a ground to air rocket launcher.

Al-Qaida able to build nuke weapon inside U.S.

Terrorists could assemble a small group of fewer than 20 to construct a Hiroshima-size nuclear bomb, purchase the fissionable uranium needed and transport it to the U.S. city of their choice for less than $10 million, says a new report published in the November-December issue of Foreign Policy. "The Bomb in the Backyard" was the result of the investigative work of Peter D. Zimmerman and Jeffrey G. Lewis. Zimmerman is professor of science and security in the Department of War Studies at King's College in London and previously served as chief scientist of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and chief scientist of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Lewis is executive director of the Managing the Atom Project at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. "To put it in strictly commercial terms, terrorists would likely find a nuclear attack cost effective," they write in the article. "The simple appeal of nuclear terrorism can be illustrated with a hypothetical situation. A failed nuclear detonation, one that produced only a few tens of tons in yield, could kill 10,000 people in just a few hours if the device exploded in a crowded financial center. Not only would 10,000 persons represent the upward limit of a conventional terrorist attack, but that figure would exceed the combined casualties in all of al-Qaida's attacks over the entire history of the organization." And that's the "worst-case" scenario for the terrorists, the authors point out. If "successful," the nuclear detonation would kill 10 times more people – 100,000. Without giving away any information about the assembling of such a device that cannot already be found easily on the Internet, Zimmerman and Lewis construct a scenario for building a nuclear bomb within the U.S. for a budget of less than $10 million – finding it can done with a small team of about 19, the same number of people involved in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Launching A New Kind Of Warfare: Rise Of The Robots

By 2015, the US Department of Defense plans that one third of its fighting strength will be composed of robots, part of a $127bn (£68bn) project known as Future Combat Systems (FCS), a transformation that is part of the largest technology project in American history. The US army has already developed around 20 remotely controlled Unmanned Ground Systems that can be controlled by a laptop from around a mile away, and the US Navy and US Air Force are working on a similar number of systems with varying ranges. According to a US general quoted in the US Army's Joint Robotics Program Master Plan, "what we're doing with unmanned ground and air vehicles is really bringing movies like Star Wars to reality". The US military has 2,500 uncrewed systems deployed in conflicts around the world. But is it Star Wars or I, Robot that the US is bringing to reality? By 2035, the plan is for the first completely autonomous robot soldiers to stride on to the battlefield.

Iran test-fires long-range Shihab-3 Missile that can reach Israel

Iranian state-run televison said the country had test-fired dozens of missiles, including the long-range Shihab-3, during the first hours of new military maneuvers. The report said the elite Revolutionary Guards also had launched several kinds of short-range missiles in a central desert area of Iran. The newscaster did not elaborate about where the maneuvers were located. But earlier, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, said the 10-day maneuvers, named "Great Prophet," would take place in the Gulf, the Sea of Oman and several provinces of the country. The Shihab-3 missile is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and is believed to have a range of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles). It can reach Israel and U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Belief In The Paranormal Changing Christian's Theology?

In part of its extensive religion survey, released last month, the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion found a "surprising level of paranormal belief and experience in the United States." The paranormal includes: telekinesis, haunted houses, astrology and communicating with the dead. According to a Gallup Poll, about 75 percent of Americans hold some form of paranormal belief in at least one of the following: extrasensory perception, haunted houses, ghosts, mental telepathy, clairvoyance, astrology, communicating with the dead, witches, reincarnation and channeling. William Dinges, professor of religious studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., said one explanation for such findings is the growing "spiritual, but not religious" mind-set among people.

Decades Later, The Dover Demon Still Haunts

Dover, Massachusetts --Twenty-nine years later, William Bartlett stands by his story of what he saw on Farm Street that night. It was an eerie human-like creature, he said, about 4 feet tall with glowing orange eyes and no nose or mouth in a watermelon-shaped head. ‘‘I have no idea what it was,’’ Bartlett, now a 46-year-old artist living in Needham, said in a recent interview. ‘‘I defi- nitely know I saw something.’’ The ‘‘Dover Demon’’ that Bartlett and two other teenagers reported seeing over a two-day span in April 1977 has since gained worldwide attention, not unlike Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, and the Latin American goat-sucker, the chupacabra. Internet pages are devoted to the Dover Demon. You can play a video game featuring the creature, or buy a figurine of it as far away as Japan. ‘‘In a lot of ways it’s kind of embarrassing to me,’’ said Bartlett. ‘‘I definitely saw something. It was definitely weird. I didn’t make it up. Sometimes I wish I had.’’ To read more about the 'Dover Demon and other creatures of Cryptozoology, visit, The website: Unknown Creatures, at http://www.unknown-creatures.com

Russia Space Agency Says It Can Repulse Asteroids Threatening Earth

Russia is prepared to repel asteroids to save Earth “if necessary,” deputy head of the Russian space agency Viktor Remishevsky reportedly said. “If necessary, Russia’s rocket-manufacturing complex can create the means in space to repulse asteroids threatening Earth,” Remishevsky told the Itar-Tass news agency, without giving further details. The official stressed that saving Earth from the threat of asteroids demanded international cooperation, AFP said. “Above all, space research institutions, telescopes, and the infrastructure of the Russian Academy of Sciences should warn about the threat of asteroids falling to Earth,” Remishevsky said. According to Russia’s Institute of Applied Astronomy, about 400 asteroids and over 30 comets currently present a potential threat to the planet.

Team Develops DNA Switch To Interface Living Organisms With Computers

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth, UK, have developed an electronic switch based on DNA - a world-first bio-nanotechnology breakthrough that provides the foundation for the interface between living organisms and the computer world. The new technology is called a ‘nanoactuator’ or a molecular dynamo. The device is invisible to the naked eye - about one thousandth of a strand of human hair. The DNA switch has been developed by British Molecular Biotechnology expert Dr Keith Firman at the University of Portsmouth working in collaboration with other European researchers. Dr Firman and his international team have been awarded a €2 million European Commission grant to further develop this ground-breaking new technology. But the DNA switch has immediate practical application in toxin detection, and could be used in a biodefence role as a biological sensor to detect airborne pathogens. The future applications are also considerable, including molecular scale mechanical devices for interfacing to computer-controlled artificial limbs. ‘The possibilities are very exciting. The nanoactuator we have developed can be used as a communicator between the biological and silicon worlds,’ Dr Firman said.

Hunt For Alien Life Turns To ET-TV

A new generation of ultra-powerful radio telescopes designed to peer into the origins of the Universe could also be used to look for any radio or TV emissions by extraterrestrial civilisations, New Scientist says. TV and radio broadcasts are in the 50-400 megahertz range, which overlaps with the frequency range of between tens and hundreds of megahertz made by radio waves from hydrogen atoms forged in the early Universe.

Iran Expands Influence In Syria

Iran was said to have significantly expanded its influence in Syria and encouraging Alawis and Sunnis to convert to Shi'ite Islam. Syrian opposition sources said the regime of President Bashar Assad has given Iran ‘carte blanche’ in Syria. The sources said that unlike his late father, Bashar has allowed Iranian clerics to spread the Shi'ite religion in Syria. ‘Syrians have been observing over the last year a dangerous phenomena mostly witnessed by an alarming number of non-Shia turning to Khomeini-style Shia in return for financial rewards,’ the opposition Reform Party of Syria said. ‘Whole villages and urban areas are adopting the Hizbullah model whereby clinics, schools, and social services are provided by Iran in return for Syrians to convert to Shi'ism.’ Iran opened two centers in the Syrian port of Latakiya. The organization said the centers, designed to teach Farsi, have been converting Sunni Muslims.

Biometric device used to pay for School meals in Georgia, U.S.

Take Rome, Georgia's West End Elementary School, where two classrooms of students charge into the lunchroom every five minutes, load their trays up with corn dogs, steak nuggets and fresh fruit and pile into cashier Lydia Galego's line. Galego, though, has a new tool to help handle the rush. Each student stops at a computer in front of Galego and presses an index finger up to a reader before trotting off to a table. The student's names flash across Galego's monitor, and each of their prepaid accounts are automatically debited $1.10. Colleges and high schools have used fingerprint scanners to stop non-students from sneaking into dining halls and gyms. Now elementary schools are joining in, hoping that biometric devices are a good way to keep lines moving and pay for meals. Districts elsewhere in the country use finger scans to dispense medicine, take attendance, check out books in the library or ensure that bus-riding students get off at the right stop. Jay Fry, CEO of biometrics maker identiMetrics Inc., said elementary school districts are one of his company's fastest-growing markets.

U.S. Worries Of New Iranian Equipment In Iraq

The U.S. military has been concerned over the introduction of advanced military systems in Iraq. Officials said U.S. intelligence has detected the entry of advanced Iranian communications and other systems in Iraq since August 2006. They said some of the equipment was used by Hizbullah in its 34-day war with Israel. ‘We believe that the Hizbullah war was used as a testing ground for a range of equipment and some of that was brought to Shi'ite militias over the last few weeks,’ an official said. The U.S. Army has expressed concern that the Mahdi Army and other Iranian-sponsored Shi'ite militias have received advanced communications equipment. Officials said the equipment was designed to intercept and jam U.S. military communications. ‘We have seen some evidence that the Mahdi Army might have intercepted our communications during operations in Sadr City,’ an official said. ‘At this point, we can't be sure.’

A Hidden Crisis Just Waiting For Midterm Elections To Pass

We face today a crisis similar to those of 1964 and 2002, a crisis hidden once again from the public and most of Congress. Articles by Seymour Hersh and others have revealed that, as in both those earlier cases, the president has secretly directed the completion, though not yet execution, of military operational plans—not merely hypothetical “contingency plans” but constantly updated plans, with movement of forces and high states of readiness, for prompt implementation on command—for attacking Iran.