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COMMENTARY -- WAR -- (the news is directly below):
You have gone back in time and are standing in the midst of a lush ancient forest. You hear and see some large vegetarian dinosaurs feeding on the moist soft leaves of brush and trees. You also see skulking about like a cat after a mouse, other smaller dinosaurs with a lighter build about them trying to catch and eat even smaller dinosaurs. You also see small dinosaurs feeding on the vegetation. Suddenly you hear a loud screech which terrifies every creature in this setting and sends them running for fear. The screech is coming from a large version of the lighter built and fast moving dinosaur with teeth designed to rip and tear other animal flesh. It quickly moves up on the large vegetarian. It lacks the weight of the vegetarian it is pursuing but has more speed and agility. It's massive and powerful jaws are set into motion as it lunges upon the vegetarian and immediately draws blood as it rips and tears away at a vital spot. The vegetarian tries to defend itself by using its heavy tail to whack the aggressor but it was too slow this time in defending itself and it quickly weakened because of pain and loss of blood. Dizzy and in weakness it dropped to the ground and took its last breath. The aggressor ruthlessly tore away at the most tasty spots and then left the carcass for scavengers.
In the natural world this story describes the "food chain" and the "predatory" character of those creatures at the top of the food chain. The predatory behavior is driven by hunger and the instinct of the predator to feed and care for it's young. Although all animals have some kind of reasoning capability their instincts most often prevail and their reasoning is subordinate to these instincts to make them more effective at surviving.
How does this story relate to war? Is war wrong? Is war necessary? What is accomplished by war?
Mankind is to be above the animals, that is he should be exercising his reasoning capabilities over his instincts. But mankind often does not do that. Tribal behavior is something like wolf pack behavior. There is a kind of civilized order within the pack but anything outside the pack is considered fair game. There is usually a pack leader. In many ways, the societies and cultures and communities of mankind are like the pack where the reasoning capabilities of the individuals in the pack and the consensus of the pack is directed at serving the primitive instincts of survival.
Although man is more technically capable as he sits atop the food chain, many of the nations, societies, cultures, and communities of man are more predatory in character with leaders that know how to control the pack and maintain their control over the pack. If allowed, these predatory packs of mankind will act just like the predatory dinosaur. No amount of talk or reasoning will prevent the attack because the overall social behavior is predatory and reason is used to make the predatory behavior more successful. The only defense against such predators is to be both prepared and more capable if attacked. But often a defensive posture will fail as it did with the vegetarian dinosaur which was no threat to the other dinosaurs. Many animal packs that are vegetarian adopt defensive and preventative postures as a pack to minimize any predatory attack on members within the vegetarian pack. Buffalo, cattle, and many other animals do this.
But only mankind has two things the animals don't have. Man is smart enough to anticipate a predatory attack and respond in a defensive manoeuvre of defense to disable or kill the predatory enemy before the "screech" of death is heard. Man has the means and abilities to develop sophisticated weaponry. Compare this weaponry to the teeth of the attacking dinosaur and the tail of the vegetarian dinosaur.
But if a society or community of man is not aware of such dangers by other predatory type societies and communities then it peacefully and obliviously eats, drinks, sleeps, reproduces, plays, and in other ways occupies itself. When the "screech" of impending death is heard it may be too late. This is especially true if the predatory society has technological superiority and readiness to use that technology in an aggressive manner. This susceptibility scenario is also true if a society or community of man has been deceived into thinking that the predators are their friends or that arbitration, deals, and discourse will stop the aggression. Nothing will stop the predatory nation or community from its behavior other than its own destruction. A predatory human or human society is far more committed to violent aggression than is a predatory animal seeking a prey for a source of food. A predator is ruthless and uncaring whether it be a dinosaur, a wolf, or man. The "whimper" (or dialog to prevent aggression) that precedes death is understood by the predator as victory and the prey can be savaged. There are those that feel that a kind of social remedial exercise involving discourse, and various other forms of reward and penalty administered against the predatory society, by some powerful majority, will cause such predatory communities to change. This is foolishness as long as the pack leader remains leader. The leaders drive the communities. This is true even in western democratic nations. Sometimes leaders reflect the views of the community that elected them and perhaps leaders exploit the community that elected them.
When leaders have control of the key social institutions they can use these institutions to brain wash the community as a whole. If leaders don't have control of the key social institutions then new potential pack leaders can use these institutions to brain wash the community and thereafter supplant the pack leader. For example, often the educational institutions are infiltrated with authority figures that have a profound influence on those they teach. So it is not unusual in just about every society to see social discontent first voiced by universities and institutions of higher learning. The so called media in the form of newspapers, magazines, radio and TV industry, the publishing industry, and the movie industry are powerful means of brainwashing a society and re-engineering the "average" social mentality. A third category is the religious institutions, seminaries, and related organizations. Whoever controls the content of these institutions inevitably controls the pack mentality. Laws and government are derived from this mentality. As the mentality changes so also do the laws and inclinations of government.
As long as the average human being allows himself or herself to be herded along in a pack type social environment there will be predatory societies that feed on the other societies. They will skulk about and wait for their moment. They will form unholy and wicked alliances with each other only to eventually turn on one another. War in this context simply realigns those at the top of the food chain. War is for the purpose of establishing different leaders, it rarely occurs for the purpose of true peace and prosperity directed from a global perspective. Although the word peace is used a lot today its meaning varies depending upon who uses it. Peace as used by world leaders means the establishment of their objectives at the cost of their opponents. World leaders shake each others hands in such deceptive gestures of peace. It is a paradox. It is a horrible dilemma. If any society disarms, adopts arbitration and dialog to effect change then they will be perceived as manipulatable through that dialog. They will also be perceived by the potential aggressor as weak because they rely too heavily on a so called diplomatic solution to disputes. Meanwhile the predatory society or societies will take whatever gain they can through the dialog and when their moment comes, lunge, and with their mighty jaws and sharp teeth rip and tear away at the vulnerabilities of their prey.
Therefore, God must manipulate the devil who influences man towards predatory behavior. The devil incarnate is Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ or Satan is any human being that uses their reasoning capabilities to serve their primitive instincts. By so doing they have opened up and turned over their mental "real estate" to the spiritual forces of darkness that bring only death. The spiritual force of evil is only able to influence the human mind through the mechanism of our primitive instincts for survival. If we lust and are preoccupied with the things and values of a world driven by such instincts then we have been deceived into a form of mental slavery that brings only hatred and death in its wake.
Jesus Christ is the answer. He is both an example of what we must be like as humans and he is the facilitator/mediator/interface whereby we can all know and experience the love/caring of God.
If you have any comments, questions, or concerns you can email this ministry at thilts@help-for-you.com
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. . . Day by Day with VOA .. . . . 24 Dead in Tel Aviv Suicide Bombing . Sonja Pace Jerusalem 05 Jan 2003, 19:33 UTC   .  Sonja Pace
report (RealAudio) pace report
- Download 118k (RealAudio) .
The attack took place at the end of the working day in an area of Tel Aviv popular with foreign workers. Two suicide bombers attacked a crowd near the old bus station in Tel Aviv. Israeli television showed rescue personnel rushing to the scene and working feverishly on the victims. The militant Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. An Israeli government spokesman blamed, what he called "terrorist groups" supported by Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority. A senior Palestinian official denied those charges, saying Israeli policies were to blame for such violence. The last bombing in an Israeli city was last November when a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 11 other people on a bus in Jerusalem. Israeli troops re-occupied all major West Bank population centers except Jericho last June, following a series of attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers in Israel. The Israeli operations drew vows of revenge from Palestinian militant groups. Israel has repeatedly said its military operations are necessary to prevent further attacks. Critics argue that despite harsh security measures, Israel has been unable to stop attacks carried out by individual Palestinian militants. Since the current Palestinian uprising began 27 months ago, nearly 1,800 Palestinians and 700 Israelis have been killed in suicide bombings, targeted killings, and almost daily clashes.
. 1 Dead, 3 Missing in Singapore's 'Worst Ever' Naval Accident . . . Rescuers searched Sunday for three women sailors still missing after a Singapore navy ship collided with a Dutch-registered merchant vessel. The body of one sailor has been found. Authorities think the body of one of the missing may have washed up at a nearby Indonesia resort. The collision between the anti-submarine patrol boat and the cargo carrier off Malaysia's east coast is being called the worst accident in Singapore's naval history. The R.S.S. Courageous has been towed to its port and lifted out of the water, showing the collision late Friday night ripped off nearly a third of the 460-ton boat. The quarters where four women crewmembers were sleeping when the accident happened is a mass of compressed metal. The Dutch-registered A.N.L. Indonesia, involved in the collision, suffered minor damage. The 52,000-ton cargo ship dwarfed the Courageous. "The people on board were doing their operational duties," said Deputy Defense Minister Tony Tan. "It was a routine mission." Navy divers found the body of 22-year-old Go Hui Ling, lodged between the bunks of the women's sleeping quarters. The Defense Ministry also said on Sunday that the body of a woman found at a nearby Indonesian resort may be one of the missing sailors. Rescue workers continue to search the eastern Singapore Strait, where the accident happened. Eight male sailors also were slightly injured. Defense officials have not said what led to the accident.
. BBC -- Sunday, 5 January, 2003, 08:06 GMT . Police wounded in
Venezuela protest
.
Chavez supporters defend
his leftist policies Two police officers have been shot and wounded during further violent
protests in the Venezuelan capital Caracas.
The incident came a day after two people were killed by gunfire which erupted as supporters and opponents of embattled President Hugo Chavez clashed in the city.
Caracas police chief Henry Vivas said the latest shooting broke out during a wake held by Chavez supporters for one of Friday's two victims. He said police came under fire from handguns and responded with tear gas and shotgun pellets. A male officer was hit in the thigh and a female officer was hit by fragments when a bullet ricocheted off a wall, he said. Tensions with police Earlier, the Venezuelan Vice President, Jose Vicente Rangel, said the police were responsible for Friday's deaths.
Correspondents say tension between the Chavez government and the police force has been high since the president tried to take command of the force late last year. Several thousand Chavez supporters waving national flags marched through Caracas on Saturday. But in other cities anti-government protesters took to the streets in support of the opposition campaign to topple Mr Chavez. Friday's clashes involved thousands of rival demonstrators in Caracas and security forces, who fired rubber bullets and tear gas to separate the two sides. Click to see pictures from the clashes A crippling strike aimed at forcing Mr Chavez to step down or call early elections is now in its second month. Mr Chavez has stressed his government's determination to defeat the strike, which has slashed the country's oil output. Venezuela is the world's fifth largest oil exporter, and the stoppage has helped push oil prices to two-year highs as US stockpiles have fallen to 26-year lows. But the alliance of business, trade unions and opposition parties who want early elections to remove him from office have issued tough public statements. His opponents have even threatened a tax revolt, a dire prospect in a country where vital oil revenues have collapsed. Mr Chavez, who was elected to serve until 2007, has consistently rejected the opposition's demand for him to stand down or hold early elections. He says the earliest constitutional date for a referendum would be August 2003 - half way through his term of office. . BBC -- Sunday, 5 January, 2003, 03:20 GMT . Australia plans
world's tallest tower
.
The sun's rays will be
harnessed as energy An Australian power company is planning to build the world's tallest
structure - a solar tower - in the middle of the outback.
The project is part of a global campaign to encourage the use of more renewable energy. Enviromission says the tower, at a proposed height of one kilometre (3,300 ft), will be more than twice the size of the world's current tallest freestanding building, the Canadian National Tower in Toronto. The one billion Australian dollar (US $0.56 bn) project is being backed by the Australian Government, and is expected to be completed in 2006 in the remote Buronga district in New South Wales.
Enviromission chief executive officer Roger Davey told Reuters news agency: "Initially people told me 'you're a dreamer', there's no way anything that high can be built, there's no way it can work". "But now we have got to the point where it's not if it can be built, but when it can be built." Huge monolith The proposed structure will have a width similar in size to a football field and will stand in the centre of a huge glass roof spanning 7km (4.3 miles). The sun will heat the air under the glass roof, and as it rises an updraft will be created in the tower, allowing air to be sucked through 32 turbines. The turbines will then spin, generating power 24 hours a day. The tower was invented by German structural engineers Schlaich Bergerman, who built a 200-metre-high demonstration power plant in Manzanares, Spain, in 1982. The tower proposal has received the support of the Australian and New South Wales governments, which have defined it as a project of national significance. The authorities plan to fit the tower with high intensity obstacle lights to prevent aircraft from crashing into it. . BBC -- Sunday, 5 January, 2003, 16:34 GMT . French bank
chief prepares for trial
Mr Trichet:
Preparing to stand trial French financier Jean-Claude Trichet is preparing for a fraud trial
which could decide whether he gains one of the world's top banking
jobs.
A Paris court is set on Monday to hear the opening salvos in the trial of Mr Trichet, governor of the Bank of France, and eight other defendants on charges stemming from near-bankruptcy of Credit Lyonnais. A guilty verdict at the trial, expected to last six weeks, would not only leave Mr Trichet with the stain of complicity in a an alleged plot to cover-up losses at the bank. It could threaten his promotion to president of the European Central Bank, the bank which sets interest rates for the 12 countries which have adopted the euro. Mr Trichet is, in a deal struck in 1998 by French President Jacques Chirac, set to take on ECB leadership later this year. Current ECB chief, Wim Duisenberg has said he will step down in July, half way through his eight-year term. But conviction could threaten Mr Trichet's credibility as Europe's senior central banker. The succession could also be thrown into doubt if there is a delay to the hearings, which could occur if demanded by any of Mr Trichet's co-defendants. Accounting claims The Credit Lyonnais charges date back to the early 1990s when, as a state-owned enterprise, it was carrying huge losses related largely to investments in property.
A series of rescue packages was devised to save the bank, before it was privatised in 1999. But investigating magistrate Philippe Courroye alleges that in 1992 Credit Lyonnais accounts, provisions set aside to cover risky investments were deliberately understated. This ensured the bank did not fall foul of European laws stipulating minimum levels of reserves. Mr Trichet was an official at the French Treasury while Credit Lyonnais was being restructured. The accused also include the bank's former chairman, Jean-Yves Haberer, and former Bank of France governor Jacques de Larosiere. Brilliant banker Mr Trichet is seen as one of the world's most brilliant central bankers. In 1998, Mr Trichet only failed to clinch the ECB leadership outright when the German government refused to have a French banker at Europe's economic helm, and insisted on the neutrally Dutch Mr Duisenberg. . BBC -- Sunday, 5 January, 2003, 18:17 GMT . Frankfurt
hijacker arrested
.
Police clear the
streets as the plane circles The pilot who caused panic in Frankfurt when he hijacked a light
aircraft and flew it over the city has been arrested and is being questioned by
German authorities.
Thousands of people were evacuated from tall buildings or ordered by police to take shelter underground as the plane swooped erratically round the city. The plane was followed by a police helicopter and German Tornado fighter jets, and at one point came within about 30 metres of the ECB headquarters. The motive for the hijacking remains unclear, though some reports say the pilot was demanding to speak to the brother of a female astronaut who perished in the US Challenger space disaster in the 1980s. German television reports said the man had told authorities he wished to commemorate the astronauts' deaths. He did not say why he wished to target the ECB. Identity unknown The light aircraft was stolen at gunpoint from the Babenhausen airport in southern Hessen at 1455 local time (1355 GMT).
As a precaution German police evacuated the whole financial district and the railway station. The city's airport - one of the busiest in Europe - was also closed. Bridges across the River Main were sealed off, as were several main roads. Security questions Onlookers said that the incident brought back frightening memories of the 11 September 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, in which more than 3,000 people died. BBC correspondent Katya Adler said that the incident will cause serious questions to be asked over the state of security in Germany's cities, which was stepped up following the 11 September attacks.
She adds that Frankfurt had been considered particularly at risk because of its many tall buildings. There have been similar incidents in the past few months involving light aircraft. In January last year a 15-year-old American boy, Charles Bishop, flew a stolen single-engine Cessna into the 20th floor of a skyscraper in Tampa, Florida, killing himself and slightly damaging the building. And in April last year an Swiss-based man thought to have financial difficulties crashed a small Piper aircraft crashed into the famous Pirelli skyscraper in Milan, Italy, killing two women and himself. . BBC -- Sunday, 5 January, 2003, 21:08 GMT . Russia's
navy faces huge cutbacks
.
Much of the
fleet is now unseaworthy The Russian navy is to scrap one-fifth of its fleet because of a
chronic shortage of funds.
Under the proposals, dozens of ships will be decommissioned to free up money to use on the navy's best vessels.
Many of the navy's ships were built in Soviet times, when speed and not quality was seen as key. The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Moscow says the announcement will do little to revive the Russian navy's international image, which was tarnished following the sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine in 2000 with the loss of 118 crew. She adds that a decade or more of chronic under funding means that much of the fleet is now unseaworthy - more of a junkyard, as one analyst put it, than a navy. New ships In an interview with the newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, Admiral Kuroyedov said the navy was receiving just 12% of the budget it needed to keep its ships afloat. But despite the cuts, the navy has continued to commission new ships. Admiral Kuroyedov said it would be receiving several nuclear and diesel submarines, and surface ships, over the next few years. The admiral's comments are in sharp contrast to his ambitious plans of 18 months ago. The naval doctrine he promoted then proposed reviving Russia as a sea power, and restoring the navy's international prestige in the wake of the Kursk submarine disaster. . BBC -- Sunday, 5 January, 2003, 23:35 GMT . Shock
result in Lithuania poll
.
Turnout was
low due to the cold weather The challenger in Lithuania's presidential election, Rolandas Paksas,
has scored a surprise victory over the incumbent, Valdas
Adamkus.
With 99% of the votes counted, Lithuania's Central Election Commission said Mr Paksas had won 54.9%, compared with 45% for Mr Adamkus. Official results will be announced on 10 January.
One report said Mr Adamkus, an independent candidate, had already conceded victory to his rival. Mr Paksas, of the right-wing Liberal Democrats, was shown on television drinking champagne and toasting his supporters. "I was always saying I would win," he told his jubilant supporters, adding: "I know the problems of this country and I know how to solve them". Mr Adamkus, a 76-year-old former US citizen, emerged with a clear lead in the first round in December, and opinion polls had predicted an easy win for him in the run-off. He has successfully guided the Baltic state towards entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) and the European Union. But Mr Paksas, aged 46, mounted an aggressive campaign, promising a better life for Lithuanians. Turnout was estimated at just 51%, with voters braving freezing weather conditions, which dipped below -20C. Changing allegiance Mr Adamkus distinguished himself as one of the few senior Lithuanian politicians not to become embroiled in scandal.
His approval ratings reached a high of 80%, and he was voted Lithuania's person of the year for 2002. He also guided the country into relative prosperity, boosting economic growth and keeping unemployment low. But despite his tremendous popularity, some analysts felt Mr Adamkus did not do enough campaigning after the first round to guarantee him the presidency. Mr Paksas fought a tough battle, campaigning on a platform of law and order. He formed the Liberal Democrat party more than a year ago. He has already served twice as prime minister and twice as mayor of the capital Vilnius, where he won recognition for reviving the capital's historic centre, which fell into disrepair under Soviet rule. The famously laidback Mr Paksas is also a part-time pilot, and his campaign even involved a daring stunt flight in formation with two other planes underneath a low bridge. "I was flying while mayor of Vilnius and I did so as a prime minister," he told the Associated Press on Sunday. "And I will be a flying president." . BBC -- Sunday, 5 January, 2003, 04:38 GMT . Ops
best for heart patients
.
Angioplasty
involves inflating a balloon inside the artery An operation offers heart attack victims a better prognosis than drug
treatment, researchers have found.
A review of studies carried out in the area found the procedure, angioplasty, is better in both the shorter and longer term than thrombolytic therapy which uses drugs to dissolve blood clots. The aim of both treatments is to improve coronary artery blood flow to the heart and reduce the risk of further problems and deaths from heart problems. Over 7,700 patients who had experienced a particular type of heart attack were covered by 23 studies carried out over the last three decades.
In an angioplasty, a balloon is inserted into an artery which has become partially blocked and narrowed, restricting vital blood flow to the heart muscle. In the UK, over 270,000 people have a heart attack every year - one every two minutes. Benefits Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, US, found angioplasty was better in the short term (four to six weeks) at reducing deaths (7% compared with 9% for medical therapy), another non-fatal heart attack (3% compared with 7%), stroke (1% compared with 2%), and any problem (8% compared with 14%) than the drug therapy. The same differences in prognosis were seen when patients were followed up over longer periods of six to 18 months. Lead researcher Ellen Keeley said: "Our findings indicate that primary angioplasty is better than thrombolytic therapy at reducing short-term major adverse cardiac events, including death in individuals with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. "Furthermore, these favourable results are sustained during long-term follow-up." Speed crucial Belinda Linden, head of medical information at the British Heart Foundation said: "There has been mounting evidence to support the preferred option for angioplasty over thrombolysis for people suffering from a heart attack." But she added: "This is a US study and we have to consider the resource implications such as facilities and manpower which would be needed for more widespread use of angioplasty in the UK. "It is important not to discount the benefits of thrombolysis as a treatment option - it is quick, inexpensive and can reach a large number of patients. "Speed of action - whatever the choice of treatment - remains a priority so that the patient has improved blood flow to minimise the damage to the heart muscle." The research is published in The Lancet. . BBC -- Monday, 6 January, 2003, 01:07 GMT . Dozens killed in Algeria attacks
.
The 13
dead in Zabana came from just two families Suspected militants have killed more than 40
soldiers and local militiamen in Algeria's remote Aures mountains, local press
reports say.
In another attack blamed on militants 13 members of two families were killed in a village near the capital Algiers, the reports said. As is common in Algeria, news of the attacks first appeared in the morning papers and without any direct official confirmation. But the attack on the military appears to be the worst since President Abdelaziz Bouteflika came to power in 1999, pledging to end the country's decade-old civil war. Petrol bombs Details are scant but newspaper reports in the capital, Algiers, say the army was ambushed on Saturday near the town of Batna, about 430 kilometres (265 miles) south-east of Algiers.
Hospital staff are reported as saying that 43 soldiers and local militiamen were killed and a further 19 are being treated in hospitals in Batna and nearby Biskra. In the other attack, the dead came from two families, targeted in the town of Zabana. Militants blamed The country's two main hardline Islamist groups have been blamed for the attacks. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), which has been linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, is accused of attacking the military convoy, and the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) has been blamed for the Zabana killings.
In recent weeks the military have been active in the Aures mountains, fighting an armed group that has been setting up roadblocks for extortion purposes. In past years, the number of attacks have increased significantly during the fasting month of Ramadan which ended recently. This year, that was not the case, and the month passed relatively peacefully. But hopes that this would be sustained seem to have now been dashed, especially as the country is only a year away from elections - often another reason for an upsurge in violence. . BBC -- Monday, 6 January, 2003, 03:24 GMT . In pictures: Tel Aviv suicide attack
. Images of the devastating double suicide
bombing which killed at least 25 people including the two bombers in the
Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Sunday.
The attackers detonated their bombs within
minutes of each other near a crowded bus station More than 100 people were injured, many of
them visitors to a busy shopping centre Survivors were helped away from the carnage
as the clean-up operation began Special crews of orthodox Jewish emergency
workers removed body parts from the scene Many of the victims were foreign workers
heading home Hours after the attack Israeli helicopters
fired rockets at a factory in Gaza City Eight people were reported injured in the air
strike Angry Palestinians gathered outside the
factory, which Israel said was used to make weapons
. BBC -- Monday, 6 January, 2003, 03:36 GMT . Suicide bombers hit Tel Aviv
.
It
was the first suicide attack in Israel for six weeks Two suicide bombers have blown themselves up
and killed at least 23 other people in a double attack in the Israeli city of
Tel Aviv.
The explosions - about two minutes apart - ripped through an area crowded with people in the city centre, injuring more than 100, many of them foreign workers.
Hours after the attack Israeli helicopter gunships raided Gaza City, firing five or six rockets at a large metalworking factory near the city centre. Eight people were reportedly lightly injured. The Tel Aviv blasts devastated the old bus station area and a busy shopping mall nearby. Israeli police said the two suicide bombers were carrying as much as 10 kilograms of explosives each, packed with bits of metal.
Bystanders tore off doors to use as makeshift stretchers as the area's narrow streets made it difficult for emergency services to evacuate casualties. The attack - the first suicide bombing in Israel since November - was claimed by the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an offshoot of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement. It named the two bombers as Buraq Khalifa and Tamir al-Nuri from the northern West Bank city of Nablus - a stronghold of the hardline group.
There were also less specific claims of responsibility from the militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas. The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, blamed Yasser Arafat for the bombings, saying he had failed to establish a ceasefire. Mr Sharon said that only when the terror had stopped would Israel be able to talk peace. Gaza raid The Israeli army said the workshop targeted in the Gaza helicopter raid on Sunday was used by several "terrorist" groups for making mortars and other weapons.
Palestinian officials denied that weapons were made there. Witnesses said Israeli tanks also moved into Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, and destroyed the house of a wanted member of Islamic Jihad. Several of his relatives were detained. Condemnation In the Tel Aviv attack, said two massive explosions rocked the old bus station area at about 1830 (1630GMT), witnesses said.
Poor foreign workers - mainly east European, African, Thai and Chinese - predominate in the area. Yitzhak Teva, a local barber who was cutting hair at the time, said half of the wall fell on him and he was covered in broken glass. "I shut the shop and then there was the next explosion," he said. Correspondents say Sunday's attack is similar to one that took place in the area in July, which was also a double suicide bombing. The Palestinians' chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said the Palestinian Authority had nothing to do with the Tel Aviv attack and condemned the targeting of civilians. President George Bush said he condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms". "It is a despicable act of murder, and I express my condolences to the government and people of Israel and especially to the families of the victims," he said. "All who genuinely seek peace in the region must join in the effort to stop terror." Army operations Earlier on Sunday, Israel carried out a test launch of its Arrow missile interceptors as part of its preparations for a potential US-led war in Iraq. The Israeli army has stepped up military operations in the West Bank and Gaza in the past six weeks, killing around 50 Palestinians and carrying out a relentless wave of house demolitions, incursions and arrests. Palestinians say this hindered attempts by Egypt and Europe to broker an agreement among the factions to stop attacks in Israel. Militants had vowed to take revenge for the army raids and said there would be no truce if incursions and assassinations continued. . BBC -- Monday, 6 January, 2003, 02:29 GMT . Straw links Iraq to al-Qaeda threat
.
The speech comes with a possible Iraq war looming UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is to paint
al-Qaeda, Iraq and North Korea as "part of the same picture" in an historic
address to diplomats gathered in London.
The main focus for Mr Straw's speech is expected to be the dangers posed by states with weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
The forum for his speech on foreign policy priorities for the next decade is a two-day conference attended by all but a few of Britain 150-plus ambassadors. It is the first time so many have been gathered together. Mr Straw is to describe the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons as the greatest threat to national security and to world peace. "Our overall purpose must be to work for UK interests in a safe, just and prosperous world," Mr Straw is to argue. 'Clear strategy' "The challenges I have outlined each have the capacity to damage our national interests and to undermine international peace and security. "If we are to confront them, then we will need a clear strategy." The foreign secretary cites 11 September as an example of what al-Qaeda could do with WMD. And so-called rogue states such as Iraq and North Korea provide terrorists with "the most likely sources of technology and know-how", he concludes.
Mr Straw is to say the government's first priority is to eliminate this threat from both groups. "Over the next decade, the battle to prevent the spread of the world's most dangerous weapons will be as much about disruption and interdiction of supplies and intelligence sharing, as the application of the international legal framework," he will say. The link being made by the foreign secretary echoes US President George W Bush's "axis of evil" speech, in which he drew a parallel between Iraq, Iran and North Korea. As it gears up for a possible war with Iraq's President Saddam Hussein the United States has also claimed a long-standing relationship exists between the dictator and al-Qaeda. The UK has been attempting to build bridges with Iran, and Mr Straw is not expected to name it as a threat in his speech to the diplomats. Travel advice Elsewhere in his address, the foreign secretary is due to pay tribute to the work of British diplomats since the fall of the Berlin wall. Other issues to be discussed at the conference range from the provision of travel advice to new 'instant embassies' that can be set up in world trouble spots. Other expected speakers include Prime Minister Tony Blair, International Development Secretary Clare Short and Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram. Although a first for Britain, countries such as France and Germany hold similar meetings annually. The Foreign Office's new strategic priorities will be published in full later on Monday. . China Says It Has Technology for Manned Spaceflight . . Chinese scientists say the successful week-long flight of an unmanned spacecraft proves China is nearly ready for its first manned spaceflight later this year. The unmanned, Chinese-built Shenzhou-Four spacecraft landed in a snow-covered plain in Inner-Mongolia Sunday night after orbiting the Earth 108 times. President Jiang Zemin congratulated the scientists behind China's space program. Chinese space officials told the official Xinhua news agency that Shenzhou 4 successfully tested life-support systems and carried out several hundred special maneuvers, including unfolding solar panels that would generate electricity. A number of scientific research projects were also carried out. The Shenzhou 4 is identical to the capsule China plans to use for its first manned spaceflight. Several Chinese "taikonauts", taken from the Chinese word for space, lived inside the Shenzhou-Four for one week last year. China would become only the third country after the United States and Russia, to launch a human into orbit. China says it also hopes to send a man to the moon in the future. It has been planning a manned space mission since launching the Shenzhou space program in 1992. Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
. Israel Launches Helicopter Strike in Gaza . .
There are no immediate reports of casualties from the missile strike. Israeli officials say the metal shop was used for making mortars, rockets and other weapons. The strike came during an emergency meeting of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's security cabinet, where officials agreed to keep the pressure on Palestinians to stop terror attacks. The two suicide bombers blew themselves up during Sunday's evening rush hour near Tel Aviv's old central bus station, the same area where a suicide bombing occurred in August. An Israeli government official blamed the attacks on "terrorist groups" he said are supported by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a charge Palestinian officials deny. Two radical Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for the attacks, Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is linked to Mr. Arafat's Fatah movement. The blasts came three weeks before Israel's January 28th general election. President Bush condemned the attacks. A White House spokeswoman, Claire Buchan, said Mr. Bush will not be deterred by those who want to derail the peace process. The last bombing in an Israeli city was on November 21st, when a Palestinian suicide bomber blew up a bus in Jerusalem, killing himself and 11 passengers. Some information for this report provided by AP.
. Lithuanian Challenger Wins Presidential Election . . Lithuania's former Prime Minister Rolandas Paksas has won a surprise victory over President Valdas Adamkus in a run-off election. Final results from Sunday's balloting give Mr. Paksas about 55 percent of the vote. Mr. Adamkus won about 45 percent. Mr. Paksas leads the Liberal Democrats party. But he says he will work to bring together the people of all parties. Most surveys before the election gave Mr. Adamkus a comfortable lead. He received 35 percent of the vote in the first round last month, while Mr. Paksas came in second with 19 percent. But aggressive campaigning by Mr. Paksas in the weeks before Sunday's run-off election reversed the situation. Both candidates pledged to keep Lithuania on its pro-Western course and support the country's growing economy. Mr. Adamkus, 76, a former U.S. citizen, focused his campaign on foreign-policy issues such as invitations for Lithuania to join NATO and the European Union. Mr. Paksas, 46, campaigned on a platform of change, stressing law-and-order issues, and promises of a better life to everyone in Lithuania. Lithuania's new president will take office at the end of February. Some information for this report provided by Reuters.
. Bush Works to Finalize Economic Stimulus Plan . . .
The president is expected to unveil the plan in a few days and already the political battle lines are being drawn. His package of economic proposals is expected to include steps to encourage business investment, such as a cut in the taxes paid on stock dividends. Supporters in Congress say the goal is to give the business community incentives to grow and create more jobs. Senator Don Nickels, an Oklahoma Republican, defended the idea during an appearance on American television. He told NBC's Meet the Press that it is not a plan designed to help the wealthy, but to build the economy in a way that benefits all Americans. "A lot of people want to play class warfare," he said. "I think what the president is interested in doing and what I am interested in doing is growing the economy." Appearing on the same program, Senator Harry Reid took issue with the accusation that Democrats are playing politics with the economy by claiming the president's plan focuses too much on the rich. In a preview of the congressional debate to come, the Nevada Democrat fired back at the Republicans. "The reason my friend Senator Nickles mentioned class warfare is that they are the ones that are creating it, not us," he said. "When they direct tax programs to benefit very, very, very few and eliminate the majority from any benefit of the tax cuts, it is class war. That's their job, creating class warfare. It's not ours." The president will formally put his plan forward Tuesday during a speech to a business group in Chicago. Democrats indicate they intend to release their own set of economic proposals Monday as lawmakers begin to return to Washington for the start of the new legislative session.
. Jordanian-American Convicted for Planning Poison Gas Attacks . . . A Jordanian military court has upheld a guilty verdict and death sentence for a Jordanian-American man convicted of planning to carry out poison gas attacks on American and Israeli targets in Jordan three years ago. Military prosecutors in Amman said 33-year-old Raed Hijazi planned with two others to attack sites in Jordan. The sites included Mount Nebo, where biblical tradition said Moses saw the promised land, and a settlement where John the Baptist is said have baptized Jesus Christ. Hijazi, who carries Jordanian and American passports, says he is innocent of the charges, including conspiring to blow up sites visited by American and Israeli tourists during New Year 2000 celebrations. Two months ago a Jordanian appeals court ordered a retrial, saying there was insufficient evidence to convict Hijazi of possessing weapons and manufacturing explosives. That verdict was overturned on Sunday. In an earlier verdict this year, the military court dismissed charges that Hijazi belonged to an illegal organization, identified by the prosecution as the al-Qaida terrorist group. Hijazi was arrested in Syria in October 2000 and extradited to Jordan to face trial. His lawyers argue he was forced to testify under torture, and maintain his is innocence. They call the verdict politically motivated and allege Jordan is trying to prove to the United States that it is combating terrorism.
. Rebels, Gov't Doubtful About Ivory Coast Cease-fire .
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They're trying to
blame us for the deaths and I imagine that's what motivated the attack against
us 
