By CAMERA.ORG
The first part of the series is one of the most grossly distorted programs to appear on mainstream American television in many years.
CNN's "God's Warriors," hosted by Christiane Amanpour, is a three-part series intended to examine the growing role of religious fundamentalism in today's world. Unfortunately, the first program in the series, "God's Jewish Warriors," is one of the most grossly distorted programs to appear on mainstream American television in many years. It is false in its basic premise, established in the opening scene in which Jewish (and Christian) religious fervency is equated with that of Muslims heard endorsing "martyrdom," or suicide-killing. There is, of course, no counterpart among Jews and Christians to the violent jihadist Muslim campaigns underway across the globe, either in numbers of perpetrators engaged or in the magnitude of death and destruction wrought.
While in reality Jewish "terrorism" is virtually non-existent, the program magnifies at length the few instances of violence or attempted violence by religiously-motivated Jewish individuals - including having to go all the way back to 1980, for example, to explore a bombing campaign against West Bank Arab mayors by a small group of Israeli Jews. In dredging up such an ...   more »

Herb Keinon
Yahiya Moussa, a member of the Hamas parliament in Gaza, said the organization did not change its policy regarding suicide attacks, Israel Radio reported Sunday evening.
He said reports aired in Israeli media earlier Sunday were meant to "set the ground for renewed Israeli violence against the Palestinians."
Moussa added, however, that Hamas was not in complete control over its activists and that "pressure against activists in the [West] Bank could lead bring about an explosion."
A Palestinian source in Ramallah contradicted Moussa, and confirmed that the leadership in Damascus had indeed instructed West Bank Hamas members to carry out a large-scale attack.
Earlier Sunday, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) deputy director said at the cabinet meeting that Hamas leaders in Damascus have told the group's loyalists in the West Bank to carry out a large-scale terrorist attack inside Israel.
Due to Hamas's current frustrations, he said, there was an increased chance it would become more actively involved in carrying out attacks here and abroad.
Hamas, the official told the ministers, was irritated it had not been able to break out of its international isolation and had been unable to create a mechanism that would bring about ...   more »

Yaakov Katz
Six young Palestinians were caught by the IDF after they tried crossing into Israel from Gaza on Sunday, a day after two gunmen scaled the Strip's security fence and amid calls by residents of nearby communities to beef up security.
On Saturday, two terrorists were killed by IDF troops after they used a sophisticated rope to climb over a concrete wall into Israel from northern Gaza and opened fire at a guard stationed at the entrance to the Gaza Liaison Administration near the Erez crossing.
On Sunday afternoon, six unarmed youths, who officers said were most probably sent to check the IDF's level of alertness, were caught nearby trying to cross the fence.
Defense officials said the IDF would continue to maintain a high level of readiness along the security fence in an effort to curb the recent rise in the number of Palestinians trying to infiltrate into Israel.
Since the beginning of the month, around 20 Palestinians, most of them searching for work, have been caught.
Also on Sunday, the IDF bombed unmanned Kassam rocket launchers in the northern Gaza Strip. No one was injured in the strike.
Officers in the Southern Command said military forces were ...   more »

Education minister unconcerned with pluralism, wants to curb religious influence in secular schools
Hily Tropper
It appears that in the developing struggle involving Education Minister Yuli Tamir and national service organizations, particularly the centers for deepening Jewish identity, no holds are barred.  
Under a veneer of seemingly professional and educational arguments hide serious ideological disputes, in particular a reality and facts that some seek to ignore. In all matters related to facts on the ground, Minister Tamir stands out as someone who insists on not letting the facts confuse her.  
I will first note that in my view, the education minister's desire to set priorities is legitimate and appropriate. The minister is authorized, and indeed obligated, to set priorities and decide, for example, that the number of teaching jobs aimed at assisting mentally disabled children should be boosted at the expense of Jewish studies teaching positions.  
Yet even legitimate decisions must be explained, and particularly in line with the truth and with reality. It appears that Tamir's latest decision to stop religious girls on national service teaching Judaism in schools is neither in line with the truth nor with reality.  
The education minister does not want ...   more »

Be sure to look up at the sky on Tuesday.
The moon will turn bloody red this Tuesday when it aligns with the Earth and the sun in the first central total eclipse in seven years, according to Discovery Channel.
The extraordinary event starts at 5:52 p.m.
“This is a rare occurrence as the moon usually passes above or below the imaginary line connecting the earth and the sun,” the popular cable network said in a statement.
During such an eclipse, the full moon will take on a dark red color as it will be illuminated slightly by sunlight passing through the Earth’s atmosphere.  This condition is also called the Blood Moon eclipse.
Discovery Channel said the moon would be at its “deepest red” for some 30 to 45 minutes.
The network said the brightness of the moon could vary greatly from eclipse to eclipse. “It depends on the amount of dust and clouds in the Earth’s atmosphere since these can block some of the refracted sunlight.”
“If you could watch an eclipse from the surface of the moon, your surroundings would grow dark as the sun disappears behind Earth. But the ground would still be lit by a red ...   more »

Defense-Smart Bomb-Production Line
Production line of 2,000-pound smart bombs, Qased (harbinger), and four-part production line of low-caliber piercing bullets, Saqeb (meteor) were commissioned at Tehran defense industries on Sunday.
Minister of Defense and Logistics of the Armed Forces Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said in the inaugural ceremony that Iranian defense doctrine has focused on multi-lateral defense and the principle of deterrence.
He said that all stages of research studies, design and production of the 2,000-pound smart bombs have been carried out by the experts of the Ministry.
Mohammad Najjar said that 75 percent of materials for the smart bomb has been provided by the Ministry of Defense and Logistics of the Armed Forces and 25 percent by the private sector.
He said that the West's economic sanctions on Iran has not been effective and rather has encouraged Iranian experts to work hard for the country's self-sufficiency.
"Production of the smart bomb indicated that Iranian defense capability has made an eye-catching progress in light of the designing and manufacturing expertise."
He said that the media imperialism especially the Israeli and US media propaganda machines introduce Iranian defense capability as a threat to other nations in the region, whereas, Iran poses no threat ...   more »

LONDON — Despite a pledge to the West, Libya continues to store a significant amount of uranium.
Western intelligence sources said Libya has maintained about 200 barrels of yellow cake, or uranium oxide, the raw material required for uranium enrichment. The yellow cake has been stored at a Libyan military base in Sabha.
"The Libyans say they're ready to give up the uranium, but it's clear that [Libyan ruler Moammar] Khaddafy wants to hang on to this — at least as a bargaining chip for Western nuclear assistance," a Western intelligence analyst said.
UN rights chief raises pressure on Khartoum over Darfur rapes   
In 2003, Libya pledged to dispose of its uranium, chemical weapons and medium-range missiles. Britain and the United States removed some missiles, but failed to retrieve the uranium as well as CW stockpiles, Middle East Newsline reported.
On Aug. 13, the London-based Daily Telegraph reported that the Libyan uranium was worth about $400 million. The newspaper said Libya has not agreed to conditions set by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
In July, France and Libya signed a memorandum of understanding to build a Libyan nuclear reactor. The French government said the nuclear assistance was meant for ...   more »

The University of Vermont's big new student center doesn't just have women's bathrooms and men's bathrooms.
It also has gender-neutral bathrooms, a feature added to accommodate transgendered people, as well as those with some disabilities. The four single bathrooms in the new Dudley H. Davis Center — each with a toilet, sink, shower and lockable door — cost about $2,500 a piece to build. Their wall signs identify each as "gender neutral restroom."
"It's about inclusivity and accessibility and the importance of meeting all people's needs, not just a few," said Annie Stevens, assistant vice president for student and campus life.
UVM isn't the only school trying to make its accommodations more accommodating.
At least 17 colleges and universities have included gender-neutral bathrooms in their new construction or in retrofitting residence halls, said Stephanie Gordon, director of educational programs at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
"A multi-use bathroom doesn't necessarily feel safe to transgendered students, because they have concerns about how their gender would be read by others," said Dot Brauer, director of the school's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Ally Services.
A woman who identifies as a man, for example, may not feel welcome in a ...   more »

By Gary Lane
CWN.com - Just south of the Yucatan Peninsula, Christians are battling some storms of their own.
Persecution of evangelicals in the Mexican state of Chiapas has intensified this year.
At least 17 major incidents have been recorded since January.
CWN's Gary Lane recently visited San Juan Chamula.
Festivals like the Day of the Dead are customary celebrations in Chiapas. Many villages throughout this southern Mexican state require residents to pay a fee to cover the cost of the events.
But many evangelical Christians say the celebrations are nothing more than hedonistic, drunken orgies. They've refused to give of their time and treasure.
Some have seen their churches destroyed as a result.
A CBN News crew arrived on the scene of a church near San Juan Chamula just hours after its destruction.
Dozens of traditionalists - those who blend pagan Mayan rituals with Catholicism - used pick axes to demolish the Prince of Peace Pentecostal Church.
The destruction of another Pentecostal church in the nearby town of Las Ollas was captured on cell phone video earlier this year.
Men armed with poles and sticks can be see knocking down the tin roof.
The attackers threatened to burn the ...   more »

State law limiting benefits looms, an estimated 25,000 take to road
Thousands of Hispanics have fled the Tulsa, Okla., area in the shadow of a looming state law that limits benefits and mandates deportation for illegal aliens, according to a report from KTUL television in Tulsa.
The state of Oklahoma recently approved a new law that requires deportation for illegal aliens who are arrested, and limits benefits and jobs to those individuals. The report said in East Tulsa, where a community of Hispanics has grown over recent years, there's been a sudden drop in population.
(Story continues below)
Business owner Simon Navarro has been in business there 11 years, and said the tough law has chased away 30 percent of the state's Hispanic population.
"Two months ago I heard 25,000 Hispanics have left Oklahoma," he told the station. "They are leaving. A lot have already left.
"People are leaving," he said. "They're scared of the sheriff."
A spokesman for Tulsa's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Francisco Trevino, said he believes the law – and its results – will hurt restaurants, construction companies and other service corporations such as lawn care.
"They do everything we don't want to do," he said.
Homebuilders ...   more »

MIAMI -- The streets of Miami were buzzing Friday night with rumors of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's death.
NBC 6's Tom Llamas was live in Little Havana as crowds celebrating Castro's alleged death continued to grow.  
A large group of Cuban-Americans went to Versailles, the town square in Little Havana, to find out if Castro was alive or dead.
Llamas said the group arrived just before 10 p.m., waving flags and screaming. He said it was only a fraction of what will happen when Castro's death is finally confirmed.
The rumors began on July 31, 2006, when Cuba TV announced Castro had transferred power to his brother, Raul.
Castro cited intestinal problems as the reason he could no longer run day-to-day operations in the country.
Medical experts in the U.S. said Castro only had a year to live.
Now, that year has come and gone, and many Cuban-Americans suspect the dictator has died.
"It's been crazy," Carlos Vega said. "Everywhere you go, that's all they talk about. Radio stations, everywhere. Everybody's going nuts."
Rumors in the media, on the Internet and on the street say Castro is dead.
"Somebody that I work with, their husband's in Hialeah, out of ...   more »

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Members of the 1st Battalion 265 Air Defense Artillery have mobilized and are on a plane headed first to Ft. Bliss, then for federal active duty in the capital region.
The troops will be deployed for a year.
"It's going to be all right It's OK if he helps people and everything, and it's his job. He’s got to do it. He just got to do it," Jessica Ward said, whose father is being deployed.  
Jessica speaks for many when she talks about her father's deployment.
Michael Ward and company are leaving for a year, and that weighs heavy on families.
The 265th is part of Operation Noble Eagle.
They are ordered by the president to the nation's capital, where they will operate high-tech weapons systems against any potential air threat.
Yolanda McCormack is relieved husband Charles isn't headed to Iraq, but there is always a risk.
"Doesn't mean he won't be in the line of fire in Washington, D.C., but it does give me a little comfort," Yolanda McCormack said, whose husband is being deployed.
Families may get one or two opportunities to see loved ones during this year-long deployment, but it’s not encouraged. ...   more »

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A Christian televangelist who harshly criticizes Islam and other religions said Friday that his late-night program is being pulled off the air because of pressure from a Muslim group.
WEIRD! View 99 unusual photos capturing a variety of strange news. New photos are added frequently!
Earlier this month, officials from the Council on American Islamic Relations wrote a letter to the TV station's owners asking for an investigation of the show it broadcasts, "Live Prayer with Bill Keller."
In a May 2 broadcast, the televangelist said Islam was a "1,400-year-old lie from the pits of hell" and called the Prophet Mohammed a "murdering pedophile." He also called the Koran a "book of fables and a book of lies."
Council officials asked for equal air time for Florida Muslims to counter Keller's comments, but never got the chance.
The hourlong show, which airs nightly at 1 a.m., is broadcast on WTOG-TV, a CBS-owned station that airs the CW network locally. WTOG station manager Laura Caruso said the decision to end Keller's contract was a programming one, made by station executives and the televangelist.
But after speaking with CBS executives, the Islamic group claimed credit for Keller's demise. ...   more »

CHARLES C. HAYNES
Christian Embassy has been ministering in the halls of the Pentagon with little public attention for more than 25 years.
But now controversy over a 10-minute promotional video has put the media spotlight on the close - too close, critics say - relationship between the evangelical group and high-ranking military officers.
The flap started in December when the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a watchdog group founded by retired Air Force attorney Mikey Weinstein, demanded a Department of Defense investigation into the appearance of senior Air Force and Army officers in a fundraising film produced by Christian Embassy, a ministry affiliated with Campus Crusade for Christ.
Now the Pentagon's Office of Inspector General has issued a report concluding that seven senior officers violated military regulations by appearing in the video.
According to the report, released July 27, the officers were filmed during the duty day, in uniform and in identifiable Pentagon locations. Military regulations prohibit officers from endorsing a "non-Federal entity" while in uniform.
"Their remarks conferred approval of and support to Christian Embassy," says the report, "and the remarks of some officers implied they spoke for a group of senior military leaders rather than just for themselves." ...   more »

ZHUKOVSKY (Moscow Region), August 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russian manufacturers are starting serial production of new navigation systems on the basis of the Glonass technology for strategic aviation, the first deputy general director of a design bureau said Saturday.
"The [Moscow-based] Kompas design bureau announces the end of state tests. We have received approval for serial production of PUIN indication and navigation control panels on the basis of the Glonass technology. Production will be for Tu-160 [Blackjack], Tu-95 [Bear] and others that resumed on the Russian president's instruction constant combat duty August 17," Anatoly Malygin said.
Malygin said the new development will make part of the new navigation equipment for strategic bombers. Should the main system fail, PUIN will be able to take up all its functions, Malygin said, adding that PUIN will ensure greater reliability in fulfilling both training and combat tasks.
The Kompas Moscow Design Bureau is one of the Russian developers of Glonass devices, as well as special software for personal use devices.
Russia is developing a global satellite navigation system, Glonass, a Russian version of the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), which is designed for both military and civilian use, and allows users to identify their ...   more »