DEVASTATING FOREST FIRES IN RUSSIA - Devastating forest fires-fuelled by dry weather and strong winds-are continuing to ravage vast areas of Russia's taiga, the deep coniferous between the steppes and the arctic tundra of north-east Russia. By Sunday morning, hundreds of fires had swept across some 100,000 hectares of tinder-dry land, the Russian Itar-Tass news agency reported. July 27, 1998.

 JORDAN - Study indicates severity of growing water shortage problem. By the year 2000, freshwater renewable resources available per capita will be much less than the current 160 cubic meters, the report says. By the year 2005, freshwater resources will be fully utilized.

 MIDDLE EAST PEACE (The Peace and security agreement) Daniel 9:27? The Oslo 2 Middle Peace Agreement, signed on Sept.25, 1995 by Yasser Arafat and Yitzak Rabin has an annulment clause. If the agreement isn't finalized including negotiations for Jerusalem, then the entire agreement is cancelled and of no effect on May 5,1999. This will be three and half years and a month from the original agreement date. Could this be the end time covenant?

 RUSSIAN DEFECTOR WARNS OF DANGER IN THE U.S. -A Russian defector says military intelligence there is gathering information on President Clinton, congressional leaders, members of the Cabinet and key military leaders for assassination squads. Elite troops already are training in the United States and in the event of war, would try to assassinate as many American leaders as possible, as well as families, Stanislav Lunev, a former colonel in the Russian military intelligence service, in a book recently published. The defector says Russian pilots are training for action against the United States and NATO. (Koenig's Watch International News Service)

 METEOROID SHOWER PREDICTED - Apparently on November 17,1998 or November 18, 1999, the Earth will pass through the dust trail of comment Temple-Tuttle. A meteoroid (a tiny meteorite) storm will enter our atmosphere. This occurs every 33 years; but, this is the first year with satellites in orbit. These little specks of debris called the Leonid Meteoroid storm will threaten the world's 500 satellites with the impact of 22 caliber bullet. Thus the potential for big power outages, satellite communication failures, and increased radiation from the sun. (Koenig's News Service)

 RUSSIA POWER MINISTRY WILL WAIT FOR 2000 TO FIX Y2K - In Moscow, the Nuclear Power Ministry will wait until the year 2000 to fix problems associated with the millennium bug, a spokesman Viadislav Petrov said. (Moscow Times)

 PALESTINIAN-INTIATED CONFLICT FEARED IN EARLY 1999 - Arutz Sheva News Service-Israel. Israel's military intelligence branch believes that the likelihood of the Palestinian Authority initiating war in 1999 has increased. According to a national security appraisal currently being prepared, armed conflict could begin in or shortly after May 1999, when Arafat has said he would declare an independent state.

 PACIFIC STATES VULNERABLE TO WAVES - Washington - America's Pacific states are vulnerable to great sea waves like the one that devastated coastal northwestern New Guinea, and the threat may be growing in the Pacific Northwest. Some 2000 people died July 17 when a giant wave estimated at 23 feet high slammed ashore in northwestern New Guinea. Thousands were injured and made homeless by the wave, known as a tsunami. Since the New Guinea event people have asked repeatedly if it could happen here, "Oregon State geologist Don Hull said Tuesday." The answer is yes. (Randolphe E. Schmid, Associated Press Writer)