Pakistan's Christians Plan Protest
Pakistan's religious minorities--notably Christians--plan a protest Thursday against the growing number of attacks and other rights violations targeted at the country's Christian population.

Fearing More Attacks on Christians, Pakistan Seeks Militants
Pakistani officials are searching for members of an Islamic militant group who may be planning more attacks on Christian targets in Pakistan. :: This New York Times report highlights persecution in Pakistan.

The Bible and the Apocalypse
Time Magazine is devoting a cover story to Bible prophecy. It is not unusual for Time to consider religious matters, they have done previous cover stories on prayer, on Jesus and on Biblical archaeology. Of the national news magazines, I would say that Time has shown the most interest, and the most balance, in covering religious issues. So, I heartily encourage you to read this article while keeping in mind that it is from mainstream media. Still, God is very cool to use this forum to give people a heads-up on events.

For Chinese Missionaries
On Monday, China closed all the Internet cafes in Beijing, the capital of China. There was a deadly fire over the weekend in one Internet cafe, and the communist government has used that as an excuse to close all of them down. As you may know, Internet use in China is heavily regulated, monitored and censored and now public access is virtually cut off in that city. It is not a country with a lot of personal computer owners, after all. And, even those who have the luxury of a private PC must face the net filtering imposed on ISPs by the central government which delete politically suspect sites, including non-registered religious sites. However, as with anything, there are ways around Internet filtering. A company called Peacefire.org offers free downloads and details methods for circumventing filtering software. It may be of use for those operating in closed societies.

Burnham Bulletin: Gracia Doing Well
In an interview given just before she boarded a plane to return to the United States, Gracia Burnham gave the following message to those who have been praying for Martin and her: "We want to thank each and every one of you for every time you remembered us in prayer. We needed every single prayer you said for us during our ordeal in the jungle." She also thanked the military men who risked their lives to rescue her and Martin.

Vietnam: 14 Tribal Pastors Sent to Undisclosed Prison
A confidential contact told Christian Aid Monday that 14 Vietnamese pastors were arrested in that country's Central Highlands in the last two weeks. The exact location of these pastors is not certain. This brings to 26 the known number of Christian pastors laboring in Vietnam's rural prison system, including 12 who remain in the notorious brick kilns in the North.

American Tract Society Equips Christians for Olympic Evangelism
Over the next few months, millions of people worldwide will be turning their attention to Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)--the site of the upcoming 2002 Winter Olympics games. American Tract Society sees in the Olympic excitement an excellent opportunity to share Christ with friends and neighbors, and has developed resources to help you do just that. Through evangelistic tracts, pins, pocket guides to the Olympics and other resources, equip your team to take full advantage of the evangelism opportunities presented by the 2002 games.

Shedding Light on 'Magic Lantern'
This ABC News report reviews the secret FBI key-logging program called Magic Lantern. Such a program, when installed on a computer, monitors and stores copies of what is typed by the user — say a password that starts an encryption program. Imagine it as a bug, not for a phone, but for your keyboard. This is a fantastic tool to be used against terrorists, but just imagine if this technology was available to others whose motives may not be fighting terrorism.

Europe Told to Rethink E-Privacy Directive
Privacy advocates in Europe rally the public and ask Europols to reconsider legislation to be debated before the European Parliament on Friday. Before 9-11, Europeans were much more privacy conscious than Americans and had much stricter inforcement of privacy laws regarding access and sale of private/personal information. Many privacy advocates in the U.S. considered the EU privacy laws as a model to be followed in the U.S., where corporate greed often trumps individual privacy rights.

Securing the Internet Without Encryption
This could be a great way to secure the net, if it works.

Self-Executing Virus Hits Net
This should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, don't use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express e-mail programs. They are virus delivery systems with e-mail programs conveniently included. If you must use them, make sure your virus software is updated...constantly.

James Bond-Style Gadgets in Demand
Surveillance tech toys, biometrics, and bullet-proof vests are a hit.

New Gadgets Emphasize Mobility
This Washington Post article looks at the cool new tech toys previewed at Comdex. I'm not sure about the Samsung TV Phone, but I'm sure your Trib Force members could use a Handspring PDA-cell phone. Just remember, no Trib Force secrets broadcast in the clear.

Surfing the Web Away From Big Brother
An interesting article from the Korea Herald about online privacy and how to go about keeping your personal information private from online snoopers.

Europe Reruns Through Spy Bill
New surveillance legislation is under consideration by the EU after the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

Palm Offers Price Cuts, Add-Ons
Now that PDA prices are falling, there's no excuse not to get everyone in your Trib Force a handheld organizer for all your super-secret info. Don't forget to password protect it, though this probably goes without saying.

How to Mate Your Laptop With a Wireless Network
For your on-the-run Trib Force members, some important info on how to be on the go with your laptop. Can you imagine Buck without a cell phone or laptop?

Farewell Web Freedom?
A look at the USA Act just passed by the U.S. Senate and the implications of this new surveillance authority for civil liberties worldwide.

Fears Rekindle Key Escrow Debate
It looks like the info police have gained an edge in the debate over new encryption regulations.

Making Your Computer More Secure
In this new age of insecurity, here is some more advice on how to secure your personal computer. This is basic advice, but of course, very few people even bother with the basics.