[MUSIC PLAYING] Good evening. A near riot in Jerusalem earlier today, sparked by the preaching of a man who claims to have been called of God. Religion specialist Hezron the Scribe is at the scene of today's outburst. Uri, Jerusalem is quiet once more. But just a few hours ago, the street was filled with a hostile crowd, enraged by the words of a man who, for the last 20 years, has said that Jerusalem would be destroyed because of the people's wickedness. I talked with some residents of Jerusalem earlier in the day. I'm so sick of these fanatics trying to make us feel guilty. Don't they have anything better to do with their time? Jeremiah is so worried about us being destroyed. Why doesn't he go and fight the Babylonians? Yeah, fight the Babylonians. If we're going to be destroyed, it'll be because we don't have enough chariots and not because we are wicked. We're not wicked. Traitor! Jeremiah's a traitor. [INTERPOSING VOICES] He'll be destroyed by Babylon. [INTERPOSING VOICES]

He says we're wicked. Do I look wicked to you? [LAUGHTER] Who's he to judge us? He's the wicked one. I say stone him. Put his eyes out. Stone him! Let's stone him! [CHANTING] Jeremiah has also said that because of the people's wickedness, they must submit themselves and serve the king of Babylon. But Jeremiah is not the only prophet to denounce the people's wickedness. Lehi, a resident of the city, has also been very vocal. But he has not been heard from since some attempts were made on his life. It is ironic that Lehi, a man so willing to stand up for his convictions, is nowhere to be found. The strong indictments from these prophets have not made them very popular. And it is probable that Jeremiah is in hiding. There is reportedly corruption among many of the priests. And Jeremiah has even said that the temple has become a den of robbers. Some of the people seem to agree with Jeremiah and the other prophets, but from our straw poll, Uri, those supporters seem very much in the minority. This is Hezron the Scribe, reporting from Jerusalem for the Middle East News Network. Thank you for that report, Hezron. The body of Laban, a prominent resident of Jerusalem, was found on a street late last night. He had been with the elders of the Jews earlier in the evening and was last seen making his way home in a drunken stupor. Our sources indicate that Laban's dealings have not been above reproach. He had allegedly been involved in extortion and other criminal activity. Some religious and genealogical records were discovered missing from Laban's treasury. There were no signs of forcible entry, however. Zoram, Laban's servant responsible for the keys to the treasury, is being sought for questioning. On the international front, a Jewish dignitary in Babylon. Our reporter Eliab the Hittite is in Babylon with this report. Eliab? Thank you, Uri. Some of the captives brought here from Judah five years ago have done very well in the royal courts. The most notable is the young man Daniel. His rise to power is one of the most remarkable success stories in all of Babylonia. Two years ago, he interpreted the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king saw a great image like this. Daniel said that the parts of the image meant different kingdoms. He said that the golden head of the image represented King Nebuchadnezzar. Because he was able to interpret the dream, Daniel has been made a ruler here in Babylon. When asked how he managed the interpretation, he said that his God revealed both the dream and its interpretation to him. Some of the Jews are now calling him a prophet. Eliab, the prophets in Jerusalem are being severely persecuted for their teachings. It seems ironic that Daniel, also a Jew and a prophet, is in a high government position in Babylonia, the land that Jeremiah, Lehi, and others predict will destroy Jerusalem. Daniel and those like him are respected here for their wisdom and the way they stand by their principles. But they are not without problems. Their quick rise to power has created jealousy in the courts of Babylon. How would you rate the power of the Babylonians since Nebuchadnezzar became king five years ago? This seems to be the most powerful empire in history. I see no signs of military weakness. Daniel's interpretation of the dream is perhaps most logical for that very reason. Egypt and other nations are talking about forming alliances to see if they can break Babylonia's hold on the world. How would you see their chances, Eliab? Uri, I see no combination of nations that could, at this point, stand up to Babylonia. Thank you for your report, Eliab. We'll continue to monitor the Babylonia situation as it unfolds. That concludes our newscast for today. Have a good evening. [MUSIC PLAYING]