Palestinian officials fiercely denied that Arafat had passed away after Israeli media reported that the 75-year-old had died.

But while French medical sources said Arafat was technically still alive, they added that he was "brain dead" and only breathing with the help of life support machines while in an irreversible coma.

Stocks Jump on Falling Oil...
NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Blue chips posted a second straight triple-digit gain to end at a seven-week high Thursday and the Nasdaq surged to its best level in more than four months after oil prices fell 4 percent to end below $49 a barrel.  

Blair Calls for World to Unite...
LONDON (AP) - Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to bridge the trans-Atlantic rift over Iraq, urging a "fractured, divided and uncertain" world to unite in the wake of President Bush's election victory.

Blair, Bush's strongest international ally in the invasion of Iraq, congratulated the president on his re-election - and tried to nudge him toward re-engaging with the stalled Middle East peace process.

FREAK: 'Brain' In A Dish Flies Flight Simulator...
(CNN) -- A Florida scientist has developed a "brain" in a glass dish that is capable of flying a virtual fighter plane and could enhance medical understanding of neural disorders such as epilepsy.

The "living computer" was grown from 25,000 neurons extracted from a rat's brain and arranged over a grid of 60 electrodes in a Petri dish.

The brain cells then started to reconnect themselves, forming microscopic interconnections, said Thomas DeMarse, professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Florida.

"It's essentially a dish with 60 electrodes arranged in a dish at the bottom," explained DeMarse, who designed the study.

"Over that we put the living cortical neurons from rats, which rapidly begin to reconnect themselves, forming a living neural network -- a brain."  

Commenrts
Yasser Arafat has been declared brain dead by French doctors despite what PA officials are saying.  

What does this have to do with prophecy?  It could prove to be a tremendous boost for peace talks or it could mean nothing at all.  

Let me explain.  I am a firm believer that the Lord is in complete control of world events.  It's very possible that Yasser Arafat was placed on this earth to be a hindrance to the peace plan until the Lord was ready to bring it about.  This doesn't mean that the peace plan will now come to pass but it could.

I have also been receiving a number of emails about the proposed peace plan by EU High Representative Javier Solana.  Many believe he will turn out to be the antichrist.  It's entirely possible, but things can change in a moment.  I tend not to believe in a man but what the Bible has to say about the man.  One thing many overlook is that Solana is human and could die tomorrow.  

Here's my theory regarding the antichrist.  I am convinced that the spirit of antichrist has been with us since the early church age (I John 2:18).  I also believe that throughout the centuries satan has attempted to bring about his antichrist through various world rulers but has been hindered by the Holy Spirit (II Thessalonians 2:1-12).  It wouldn't surprise me one bit if when we get to heaven we find out that Hitler was possessed by the spirit of antichrist.  The fact that he attempted to exterminate the Jews (God's chosen people) makes the theory even more compelling.  

I believe that satan is about to attempt another try at bringing in his kingdom through his antichrist.  His plan is to bring peace to Israel and eventually betray them.  He will then takeover the world, impose his mark, and force his worship.  This is his plan and unfortunately for satan God knew his plan before the world's were formed.  Of course, his plans are documented in the Bible.

The fact is, the Lord has allowed satan to work his plans to fit into the plan of God.  he has his plan but he doesn't know what will follow.  He doesn't know the rapture will take place nor the horror that will come thereafter. 

If Javier Solana is the antichrist he will one day be possessed by the spirit of antichrist.  When the rapture takes place he will be granted supernatural power.