04/30/07

* Egypt slams Palestinian rocket attacks Hamas said on Sunday that its military wing plans to kidnap IDF soldiers if Israel decides to conduct a large-scale ground-invasion of the Gaza Strip.

* Huge rally for Turkish secularism Hundreds of thousands of people have rallied in Istanbul in support of secularism in Turkey, amid a row over a vote for the country's next president.

* IDF chief: Gaza incursion inevitable Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi indicated at the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday that there may be no choice but to put IDF boots on the ground to stop attacks from Gaza.

* Iran to attend key Iraq meeting Iran says it will attend a key meeting on Iraq's security situation.

* New Noah's Ark ready to sail The massive central door in the side of Noah's Ark was thrown open Saturday drawing a crowd of curious pilgrims and townsfolk to behold the wonder.

* World rallies for Darfur action Protests have taken place around the world to demand intervention to end the fighting in Sudan's Darfur region.

* Olmert: Herzl's vision was missing military aspect "(Theodore Herzl) did not only envision, but also built a strong foundation and created tools to transform that vision into a political reality."

* Poll: Palestinians disillusioned with unity gov't Palestinians are increasingly disillusioned with political parties and their new unity government and feel more threatened by growing lawlessness.

* Hamas: New Intifada could erupt if West fails to lift embargo Hamas leader Khaled Meshal has warned that Israel could face another Palestinian uprising unless the West lifted its aid embargo and conditions in the Gaza Strip and West Bank improved.

* Turkish army statement sparks EU concern The European Union has warned Turkey's military to stay out of politics and show respect for democracy.

04/28/2007

* Putin steps up missiles warning Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that US plans to build a missile defence system in eastern Europe would raise the risk of "mutual destruction".

* Catholic bishops to face anti-Semitism The need to step up the fight against anti-Semitism will be a key issue for the world's Roman Catholic bishops at a meeting at the Vatican next year.

* Blair wants end to "abstract" EU The EU needs to focus on issues of concern to its citizens, rather than spend years on "abstract constitutional debate", the UK prime minister says.

* Turkish government slams army threat Turkey's Islamist-rooted government sharply criticised an army threat to intervene in domestic politics and said on Saturday the military must remain under civilian control.

* Global net use makes rapid rise The net is helping to close the digital divide between industrialised nations, suggests a report.

* A 10-day attack could delay Iran's nuclear race by years "Iran's nuclear program can be thrown back by years in a ten day attack using thousands of Tomahawk cruise missiles," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said.

* EU warns Turkish army over vote The European Union has warned Turkey's military not to interfere in politics, amid a row over the Islamist-rooted ruling party's candidate for president.

* Saudi king refuses al-Maliki Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has denied Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki entrance into Saudi Arabia.

* Saudis say terror sweep nets 172 extremists Saudi Arabia announced that an anti-terrorism sweep netted 172 Islamic extremists and stopped plans to mount air attacks on the kingdom's oil refineries, break militants out of jail and send suicide attackers to kill government officials.

* Dollar at record low against euro The US economy grew at its weakest pace for four years during the first quarter of 2007, figures from the US Commerce Department show.

04/27/07

* IDF prepares for Syrian attack on Golan The IDF on Thursday held intensive training maneuvers in preparation for a feared Syrian attack on the Golan Heights.

* President vote set to split Turks Turkey's parliament is about to begin voting for a new president, but the election could be overshadowed by an opposition boycott and procedural row.

* Israel may get F-22s if nation at risk The United States would be inclined to allow the sale of advanced stealth F-22 fighter jets to the Israeli Air Force if the State of Israel's security was in jeopardy.

* Russia's treaty threat irks Nato Nato members have expressed "grave concern" over Russia's threat to suspend participation in an arms treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe.

* Livni: Gaza turned into 'nest of terror' "The Palestinians are using the security fence as an excuse to continue their violent attacks, but from Israel's point of view, the fence saves lives and does not diminish the possibility of creating a Palestinian state.

* Jewish Majority: Stable Now; Growth Spurt in 2025 As Israel enters its 60th year, the American-Israel Demographic Research Group (AIDRG) provides some good news: The ground is being prepared for a major Jewish demographic boost, beginning in 2025.

* New plan advocates land swap between Israel, PA Prime Minister Ehud Olmert might have shelved his realignment plan, but one of the plan's initiators has different ideas.

* Olmert's future in limbo ahead of Lebanon war report The political future of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, implicated in a series of corruption probes, hung in the balance Thursday ahead of a report on last year's war against Hezbollah.

* Somali PM Claims Win, but Battles Linger Somalis who fled the government's offensive against Islamic insurgents in Mogadishu began returning to the shattered capital Friday.

* Senior Algerian Islamist militant killed A leader of an Algerian Islamist group affiliated with Al-Qaeda was killed Thursday in clashes with the army.

04/26/07

* Iranian official: US seeks to undermine clerical regime A top security official accused the United States Thursday of seeking to undermine Iran's clerical regime.

* Palestinians 'are learning' from Iraq A leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said the suicide car bombing that killed nine US soldiers in Iraq on Monday bolstered his belief that the US would soon be defeated and retreat from "Muslim lands."

* Egypt leans on Hamas to stop Kassams Egypt has threatened to cut off its relations with Hamas unless the movement halts its rocket attacks on Israel.

* Russia in defence warning to US Russia may stop implementing a key defence treaty because of concerns over US plans for a missile shield in Europe, President Vladimir Putin said.

* MK Hasson: Prepare for war with Israel's Arabs MK Israel Hasson (Yisrael Beiteinu) said on Thursday that in a “normal” country, former Knesset Member Azmi Bishara, would already be behind bars.

* Syria's ruling party grabs most of the seats in elections The ruling coalition took an overwhelming majority of seats in Syria's parliamentary elections.

* US House votes for Iraq deadline The US House of Representatives has narrowly approved a bill making further funding of the war in Iraq conditional on a timetable for a US troop pullout.

* Maliki wants Iranian leaders at talks on stabilizing Iraq Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Thursday he is willing to go to Iran to convince its leaders to attend an upcoming key regional summit aimed at stabilizing Iraq.

* Israeli anxiety over 'enemy within' "There's one thing in common between Arabs and Jews in Israel," says Amnon Rubinstein with a wry smile. "They can't stand each other. It's sad but its true".

* Barroso forced to change mini-summit plans European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has been forced to scale down plans for a mini-summit next month with select EU leaders.

04/25/07

* Barroso organizing mini-summit on EU constitution European commission president Jose Manuel Barroso is in the process of organizing a mini-summit brainstorming on a new-look EU constitution.

* Iraqi politicians say government is failing Iraqi politicians -- frustrated by violence throughout the country and the glacial pace of parliamentary lawmaking -- say the nearly one-year-old government is failing.

* 25 percent of Ethiopian immigrants traumatized A new study reveals that 25 percent of Ethiopian immigrants to Israel suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) triggered by their move to Israel.

* Iran and EU seek to break impasse Iran's top nuclear negotiator and the EU's foreign policy chief are to meet in Turkey in an attempt to break the deadlock over Iran's nuclear program.

* Russians Pay Last Respect to First President Yeltsin Tearful Russians filed past the open coffin of former president Boris Yeltsin inside a vast Moscow cathedral Tuesday.

* Turkey 'must have secular leader' Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has pledged to adhere to secular principles if, as expected, he is elected president.

* Hamas Attack Was Cover For Kidnap Attempt The barrage of Kassam rocket fire from Gaza during Independence Day celebrations Tuesday was part of an extensive Hamas-led kidnapping operation, thwarted by the IDF.

* Russia threatens veto over Kosovo Russia has threatened to veto in the UN Security Council a plan to give Kosovo a form of supervised independence.

* Hundreds of rightists spend night at Homesh Hundreds of settlers and right-wing activists were forced to spend the night at the evacuated West Bank settlement of Homesh.

* IDF presents PM with proposal to renew targeted assassinations Senior defense officials on Wednesday presented Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with a proposal to resume targeted assassinations of Palestinian militants and hits on infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

04/24/07

* Independence 1948 As the Sabbath noon of May 15, 1948 turned to afternoon, and afternoon into evening, the mood in downtown Jerusalem grew from excitement to tumult.

* Gay marriage evil, abortion terrorism: Vatican The Vatican's second-highest ranking doctrinal official on Monday forcefully branded homosexual marriage an evil and denounced abortion and euthanasia as forms of "terrorism with a human face."

* Probing the Declaration of Independence's preparation For Prof. Yoram Shachar, Independence Day 5767 will be different than those that came before. Twenty-five years of research and painstaking labor have borne fruit, yielding an archive of original documents.

* Ahmadinejad offers to have direct talks with Bush President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday proposed holding talks with U.S. President George W. Bush.

* Independence Day marked at Homesh The first group of activists arrived at the ruins of the former settlement of Homesh early Tuesday morning.

* US gives Sudan Darfur 'ultimatum' The US has said it expects Sudan to prove its commitment to allowing a strengthened UN peacekeeping force into Darfur within a matter of weeks.

* The Independence Day that changed all others Of all the Independence Days in the 59 years of the State of Israel, the 19th Yom Ha'atzma'ut is seen by many as one of the most significant.

* US increases pressure on Syria The United States has imposed sanctions on 14 foreign people, companies and government agencies, including the Syrian navy and air force.

* IDF: Hamas attempt to kidnap soldiers foiled IDF sources stated on Tuesday that they had prevented an attempt by Hamas to kidnap an Israeli soldier.

* Tributes flow for flamboyant Yeltsin Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin has been remembered for his success as the man who dismantled the Soviet Union as well as for his failings in office.

04/23/07

* Israel remembers its fallen fighters A minute-long siren sounded across the nation at 8 p.m. Sunday, marking the beginning of Israel's 59th Remembrance Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism.

* France opts for left-right battle Centre-right candidate Nicolas Sarkozy will face Socialist Segolene Royal in the run-off of France's presidential election on 6 May.

* Hamas calls for new attacks on Israel Hamas on Sunday called for new attacks on Israel after nine Palestinians were killed in a surge of fighting over the weekend.

* 59 years, 7,150,000 residents in Israel As Israel's 59th Independence Day approaches, the country's population stands at 7,150,000 residents, almost nine times its population of 806,000 at the time of the state's creation in 1948.

* Iraqi PM criticises Baghdad wall Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has asked for construction to end on a concrete wall around a Sunni enclave in the capital, Baghdad.

* No IDF monument in West Bank After her son, St.-Sgt. Uri Biton, 21, was killed in Lebanon in 1997, his mother found a worn, folded-up note in his wallet with a scribbled motto which read: "Give your utmost for the nation."

* EU agrees Iran nuclear sanctions EU foreign ministers have agreed to implement sanctions against Iran after its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.

* US urges Iran to join Iraq talks Condoleezza Rice is urging Iran to join her at a high-level conference on the future of Iraq next week.

* Fresh Somali clashes 'kill many' At least 47 people have been killed in Mogadishu in fresh fighting between Ethiopian-backed Somali forces and Islamists, a human rights group says.

* IDF bans settlers' march to Homesh The IDF officially announced on Sunday that authorization for a march to the evacuated settlement of Homesh this Independence Day would not be granted.

04/21/2007

* Al-Qaeda seeks to expand its operations Al-Qaeda is reaching out from its base in Pakistan to turn militant Islamist groups in the Middle East and Africa into franchises charged with intensifying attacks on western targets, according to European officials and terrorism specialists.

* Musharaf wants to mediate ME peace Pakistan took initiative Saturday to bring about stability to the Middle East - by first attempting to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

* Taleban uses boy to behead 'spy' The Taleban in Afghanistan have used a boy of around 12 to behead a man they accused of spying for the US.

* Settlers: We'll return to Homesh on Independence Day Thousands of right-wing followers plan to return to evacuated settlement; organizers say, 'Independence Day is not just about barbeques, it's about Zionism, values and settling the land'

* Iran invites West to build nuke plants Tehran on Friday invited Western nations to participate in the construction of nuclear power plants across Iran.

* Deadly Somalia clashes continue Heavy fighting between Ethiopian troops and Islamist militiamen has continued for a fourth day in Mogadishu, Somalia.

* Pentagon Invites Kremlin to Link Missile Systems The Bush administration is offering Russia a new package of incentives to drop its strong opposition to American missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic.

* US eyes potential bomb sale to Israel Pentagon notifies Congress of miltary sales deal of up to $65 million, for bombs, spares, repair parts and US technical assistance

* Hezbollah slams UN over report of arms smuggling from Syria Hezbollah lashed out at the United Nations Security Council, saying reports of illegal arms smuggling from Syria to Lebanon were "inaccurate."

* EU agrees breakthrough hate-crime law After six years of political wrangling, the European Union has agreed to make incitement to racism and xenophobia a crime across the 27-nation bloc, setting a jail sentence of at least one to three years.

04/20/07

* Gates placates Israel on Saudi arms sale US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday tried to ease Israeli concerns about a planned American weapons sale to Arab allies in the Gulf.

* Sudan responds defiantly to threat of new sanctions Sudan has dismissed as unjustifiable the threat of slapping new sanctions because of the Darfur conflict, vowing to do everything it can to protect what it sees as its national security.

* Abdullah: Unilateralism is failed policy Jordan's King Abdullah presented the Arab peace initiative to Acting President and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik.

* Moscow foreign students told to stay in as racist attacks rise over Hitler's birthday Russia's most prestigious medical institute has told its foreign students to stay indoors for three days because of fears they may be attacked by skinheads celebrating Adolf Hitler's birthday.

* U.S. boosts security in Germany The US Embassy in Germany said on Friday it was increasing security at its facilities in the country in response to a heightened threat situation.

* Strong Quake Strikes Japan; No Tsunamis Detected A series of strong earthquakes rattled southwestern Japan on Friday, prompting the government to warn of a possible tsunami that ultimately never came.

* E.U. Ministers Agree on Rules Against Hate Crimes, Racism European Union officials agreed Thursday to new regulations for combating hate crimes and racism at a time when xenophobia and concern over immigration have been increasing across the 27-country bloc.

* Iran, EU to meet on nuclear stand-off Iran's top negotiator Ali Larijani and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will meet on Wednesday for talks on Tehran's disputed nuclear activity.

* Christians in Turkey fear more attacks The slayings of three Christians in this eastern town highlight Turkey's uneasy relationship with its minorities, and Christians expressed fear Thursday that growing nationalism and intolerance could lead to more violence against them.

* Nuclear terror: How likely is it? How likely is it that terrorists will some day be successful at detonating a nuclear device in a major American city?

04/19/07

* Egypt, Jordan to push Saudi peace plan Israel is still waiting for a formal approach from the Arab League after a meeting of 12 Arab foreign ministers in Cairo.

* Nationalism suspected in 3 deaths in Turkey Three people were found with their throats slit in a publishing house in eastern Turkey that had printed Bibles and other Christian literature.

* Former Mossad chief: Kill Ahmadinejad Western countries must unite in an effort to assassinate Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former head of the Mossad Meir Amit said.

* Serbia warns Europe over Kosovo independence Serbian President Boris Tadic said on Wednesday granting independence to Kosovo against Belgrade's wishes would bring instability to the Balkan region and the European continent.

* Iran warns would-be attackers Iran's army will "cut off the hand" of any attacker and is at the ready to fulfil its defensive duties, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said.

* EU aims to criminalise Holocaust denial Laws that make denying or trivialising the Holocaust a criminal offence punishable by jail sentences will be introduced across the European Union.

* Netanyahu Going Into Action to Topple Olmert Likud Chairman and head of the Opposition Binyamin Netanyahu has decided to abandon his wait-and-see strategy and to launch a public campaign for toppling Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government.

* Gates calms Israel on US's planned arms sale to Saudis US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday tried to ease Israeli concerns about a planned American weapons sale to Arab allies in the Gulf.

* Microsoft aims to double PC base Microsoft software will sell for just $3 (£1.50) in some parts of the world in an attempt to double the number of global PC users.

* Iraq may hold twice as much oil Iraq could hold almost twice as much oil in its reserves as had been thought.

04/18/07

* Abdullah urges Gates to back Arab plan Jordan's King Abdullah II sought to rally support for the Arab peace plan in talks Tuesday.

* Iraq's Shiite political fissures widen Monday's departure of six government cabinet ministers from the Iraqi government will indeed erode support for American-backed Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

* Olmert says Israel has no intention of attacking Syria Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that Israel had no intention of attacking Syria, and that he did not believe Syria was preparing to wage war on Israel.

* Gathafi belittles Saudi Mideast plan Libyan leader Muammar Gathafi said a Saudi proposal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was doomed to failure because the Arab leaders behind it were "half-wits".

* Rice, PA finance minister meet in D.C. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Tuesday with Palestinian Authority Finance Minister Salam Fayyad on economic distress in the West Bank and Gaza.

* At least 160 killed in Baghdad blasts Four large bombs exploded in mostly Shiite areas of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 160 people.

* Sudan: UN stalling on Darfur mission funding Sudan on Wednesday called on the UN to hasten financing for the latest phase of a Darfur peacekeeping mission.

* 22 Jewish Leaders Arrested Calling for Removal of Iran at UN Twenty-one rabbis, and a Jewish community layperson were arrested at the United Nations Tuesday, demanding that Iran be removed from the international body.

* Hamas MPs to Parliament: Adopt Decision to Kidnap Soldiers Hamas MPs called on the Palestinian parliament to adopt a formal decision, which would encourage Palestinian groups to kidnap more "Zionist soldiers".

* Syria Threatens War, Olmert Dismissive Syrian President Bashar Assad said Wednesday that Syria is ready for a war with Israel.

04/17/07

* Shin Bet reports Iran trying to recruit Israelis as spies Iran has been making concerted efforts to recruit Jewish and Arab Israelis as spies against Israel.

* UN urges help for Iraqi refugees The UN head has urged Iraq's neighbours not to close their borders to refugees, and states further afield to do more to help tackle the humanitarian crisis.

* Gates to visit Israel, calm Iran fears US Defense Secretary Robert Gates will attempt to allay Israeli fears during his short trip to Israel on Wednesday.

* EU 'does not need constitution' The British and Dutch prime ministers have said the European Union does not need a "whole new constitution", just limited changes to existing treaties.

* U.N. Moves on Sudan Peacekeeping Force The U.N. Security Council moved swiftly to start what will likely be a months-long process to deploy the first significant U.N. peacekeeping force in conflict-wracked Darfur.

* Commentary: Turkey could create new Iraqi front Turkey's military, long regarded as the protector and guarantor of the Kemalist ideal of a state based on "laïcité" asked the Ankara administration last week to approve attacks on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.

* Olmert welcomes Saudi peace plan Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has told the ABC's Foreign Correspondent program that he welcomes the Middle East peace plan being promoted by Saudi Arabia.

* Dollar Trades Near Record Low Vs. Euro The dollar hovered near a record low Monday against the euro after the 13-nation currency climbed to within 1 cent of its all-time high.

* JNF Not Denying It Forfeited Land to Arabs The Jewish National Fund is outraged at – but not denying – allegations that it has effectively forfeited land worth $38 million to Arab squatters.

* White House Blasts Russian Authorities for Demonstrations Breakdown The White House Monday sharply criticized Russian officials for their handling of weekend protests.

04/16/07

* Syria: Accept Arab initiative or we'll resort to violence Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal threatened on Monday evening to return the Golan Heights to Syrian hands "by way of resistance If Israel [rejected] the Arab peace initiative."

* Sadr ministers quit Iraqi cabinet The head of Moqtada Sadr's Iraqi parliament bloc says the radical cleric has ordered his ministers to withdraw from the cabinet.

* Muslim Anti-Jewish Crusade Also Pursues Christians Muslim fundamentalists, aligned with Al Qaeda, bombed a Christian bookstore and two Internet cafes in Gaza on Saturday.

* 'China will deal with PA unity gov't' China and Switzerland have informed Palestinian officials they will deal with the new Palestinian Authority unity government, the Palestinian information minister said Monday.

* Olmert Backs Arms for PA Hamas-Fatah Militia Merger Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's agreement on Sunday to an American plan to provide weapons and training to expanded numbers of Fatah militia members in the Palestinian Authority (PA) comes at the same time the PA is uniting Hamas and Fatah militia forces.

* Israel marks Holocaust Memorial Day A two-minute siren brought life to a standstill in Israel on Monday at 10 am as Israelis observed an annual moment of silence in honor of the victims of the Nazis and their collaborators.

* Turkish PM silent as presidential race kicks off Turkey's presidential race formally kicked off Monday, but Islamist-rooted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan remained tight-lipped on his intentions amid protests by secular forces.

* EU to quiz Russia foreign minister on violence The European Commission plans to quiz Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on why police beat up peaceful protesters in Moscow and St Petersburg over the weekend.

* Iran: UN action will spur nuke progress Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday said additional UN sanctions would cause Iran to step up its nuclear development even further.

* Deadly shooting at US university At least 31 people have been killed and 10 injured after a gunman went on the rampage at the campus of Virginia Tech university in Virginia, US.

04/14/2007

* Aides: PM mulling talks with Arab League working group on Saudi peace plan Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is considering entering U.S.-backed talks with an Arab League working group that could try to negotiate a sweeping land-for-peace accord, officials said Friday.

* "We're the original owners of this land" Balad chairman Azmi Bishara attacked the state of Israel, saying that "it was unable to rise to the challenge he posed to its Jewish nature and to Zionism."

* Putin opponents step up pressure Opponents of the Russian president are to take to the streets of Moscow to protest against what they say is the trampling of democratic freedoms.

* Hebron settlers try to buy more homes Settlers have plans to purchase additional homes in Hebron to expand the size and property holdings of the Jewish community in the city.

* Net reaches out to final frontier A programme to kick-start the use of internet communications in space has been announced by the US government.

* Islamic State of Iraq claims parliament suicide bombing The Islamic State of Iraq, an insurgent umbrella group which includes al-Qaida in Iraq, claimed Friday one of its "knights" carried out the parliament suicide bombing in Baghdad's Green Zone, and the US military revised the death toll sharply downward to one dead.

* Euro hits new two-year high against dollar The euro rose to 1.3534 dollars on Friday in early European trading, reaching the highest level since January 3, 2005 on expectations of rising eurozone interest rates.

* PA official calls Israeli gov't 'weak' Israel's refusal to discuss a final status agreement with the Palestinian Authority proves the Palestinians have no partner for negotiations, PA Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti said.

* Ethiopia in Somali "genocide" row A member of Somalia's transitional government has accused Ethiopian troops in the capital Mogadishu of committing genocide since arriving in December.

* EU official sees hope for ME peace There is "new momentum" in the Middle East peace process, a high-ranking European Union official said after meeting the UN secretary-general.

04/13/07

* Iraq MPs condemn parliament blast Iraq's parliament is holding a special session in a defiant response to a suicide bombing inside its building.

* Analysis: Don't underestimate Syria's military While the Knesset heard about potential scenarios for reaching peace with Damascus on Thursday, senior defense officials warned of an unprecedented military buildup in Syria.

* Hamas Issues Islamic Call For Genocide on PA Television While Hamas has sought, since its Mecca Agreement with Fatah, to strike a moderate tone in order to renew international funding, it continues the calls for genocide of Jews.

* Moscow greets banned Iranian general A Revolutionary Guards general, No. 7 on the blacklist of 15 Iranians who are banned from traveling abroad by UN Security Council Resolution 1747, was welcomed by Russian authorities last week.

* Turkish army calls for Iraq raid The head of Turkey's army has called for a military operation in northern Iraq to target its Kurdish rebels hiding there.

* Hebron settlers are trying to buy more homes Settlers have plans to purchase additional homes in Hebron with the monetary backing of right-wing Jewish Americans, to expand the size and property holdings of the Jewish community in the city.

* 'I am plotting a new Russian revolution' The Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has told the Guardian he is plotting the violent overthrow of President Putin from his base in Britain.

* Olmert, Abbas to meet Sunday Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas next Sunday.

* Security sources: Hamas is arming Islamic Jihad with Qassams Security sources on Thursday said Hamas is supporting Islamic Jihad's rocket attacks against Israel.

04/12/07

* PM, Peretz agree to evacuate outposts For the first time since taking office last year, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has indicated in closed-door meetings that he was prepared to begin evacuating a number of illegal outposts in the West Bank.

* Vatican delegate to shun Holocaust remembrance service Vatican ambassador to Israel Monsignor Antonio Franco has refused to participate in annual Holocaust Day memorial services at the Yad Vashem Museum in Jerusalem.

* Possible Hamas split worries Israel As negotiations over the release of Cpl. Gilad Schalit appeared to enter their final lap this week, grave concern was expressed within the Israeli defense establishment on Wednesday over the growing rift within Hamas.

* IDF Chief: 'The Army Must Be Worthy of the People's Trust The IDF Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, said on Wednesday evening that the army is implementing lessons learned during the 2006 war in Lebanon.

* Jesus tomb film scholars backtrack Several prominent scholars who were interviewed in a bitterly contested documentary that suggests that Jesus and his family members were buried in a nondescript ancient Jerusalem burial cave have now revised their conclusions.

* China PM seeks war reconciliation Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has used a landmark address to the Japanese parliament, the Diet, to urge Japan to face up to its World War II actions.

* IAF jets forced to buzz US airliner The Israeli Air Force came very close Wednesday afternoon to intercepting and destroying a civilian airliner that had failed to make contact with Air Traffic Control.

* About Creation, Pope Melds Faith With Science Science cannot fully explain the mystery of creation, Pope Benedict XVI said in comments about evolution.

* Senate passes stem-cell funding bill The Senate approved a measure that would roll back President Bush's 2001 limits on embryonic stem-cell research.

* Why I went up to the Temple Mount Jewish historical memory is focused on several fundamental experiences, among them: hurban - the destructions of the First and Second Temples, and korban - ritual temple sacrifice, both of which are grounded in the Land of Israel.

04/11/07

* Head of Russian NSC to meet with Livni Igor Ivanov, the head of Russia's National Security Council and one of the Kremlin's leading figures in regard to the Iranian nuclear issue, arrived in Israel Tuesday for talks expected to focus on Teheran.

* Russia threatening new cold war over missile defence Russia is preparing its own military response to the US's controversial plans to build a new missile defence system in eastern Europe.

* Hizbullah not ruling out another confrontation with Israel Hizbullah has not ruled out another confrontation with Israel this summer and is rearming.

* Israel must quit Arab land to 'coexist with Muslims' Jordan's King Abdullah II urged Israel to end its occupation of Arab land to guarantee peaceful coexistence with the world's Muslims.

* EU expected to unveil space policy before summer After two years of political wrangling among governments, the EU is finally set to unveil a collective space policy for the 27-nation bloc, including implications for the military use of space.

* Russian doubts over Iran claims Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says his country has no evidence Iran has made the advances needed to produce nuclear fuel on an industrial scale.

* Peretz orders evacuation of disputed Hebron building The occupants of a Hebron building whose ownership is disputed received orders Wednesday morning to evacuate themselves within 24 hours from the building.

* Mogadishu clashes 'killed 1,000' More than 1,000 people have been killed in recent clashes in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, according to elders from the city's main clan.

* 'Releasing Terrorists Perpetuates Terrorism' Meir Indor, chairman of the Almagor terror victims organization, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday that releasing terrorists in exchange for Israeli hostages simply perpetuates terrorist attacks in Israel.

* Chinese premier heads to Japan Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is travelling to Japan for a summit that is being hailed as an important sign of improved bilateral relations.

04/10/07

* Ahmadinejad: Iran has joined club of nuclear nations Iran on Monday announced that it has begun enriching uranium with 3,000 centrifuges, dramatically expanding a program that the United Nations has demanded it halt.

* Shiites burn US flags on regime fall anniversary Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shiites burned and trampled on US flags in the holy city of Najaf Monday at an anti-American rally called by firebrand cleric Moqtada Al Sadr on the fourth anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein.

* UK calls for Iran to suspend enrichment UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in response to Iran's announcement that it had begun enriching uranium using 3,000 centrifuges that he hoped Iran would "engage in dialogue".

* Ukraine's rival leaders battle on Supporters of Ukrainian PM Viktor Yanukovych are keeping up their protest outside parliament in Kiev against his rival, President Viktor Yushchenko.

* Lebanese Security Officers 'Aiding Hizbullah Rearmament' A senior Lebanese politician has said that Lebanese security agents are helping Hizbullah smuggle weapons across the country's border with Syria.

* Islam's rapid rise giving Russia growing pains Ask Khadji Gasan Gasanaliyev, imam of an independent mosque in this North Caucasus city, what is wrong with Russia, and he tells how a three-year-old held a gun to his head.

* Russian Experts to Visit Bushehr NPP to Discuss Project Financing According to Russia’s nuclear power plant construction company Atomstroyexport, a group of Russian experts will visit the construction site of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant to ensure progress in talks aimed at breaking a stalemate over project financing.

* Terror attack foiled A major suicide attack on Tel Aviv was prevented this Passover, as Shin Bet and IDF forces arrested 19 Hamas members in the West Bank city of Qalqilya for planning to detonate a car bomb containing some 220 lbs of explosives.

* Chad army 'attacked from Sudan' Heavy fighting between the army and anti-government forces in eastern Chad has left "many" dead.

* Internal violence flares in southern Gaza In Gaza, a gunbattle between two warring families in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday killed three people, including a bystander.

04/09/07

* Iraqi Shias protest in holy city Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shias have demonstrated in the holy city of Najaf, calling for US-led troops to leave Iraq.

* Russian General Says U.S. Continues Preparations for Iran Strike The release of the 15 British sailors and marines captured by Iran has robbed the U.S. of a pretext to attack Iran.

* Iran 'enters new nuclear phase' Iran has entered an "industrial stage" in its production of nuclear fuel, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said.

* Nasrallah vows Hezbollah will stay armed to offset Israel Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, on Sunday vowed that Hezbollah will keep its weapons until a strong Lebanese army capable of defending the country against Israeli attacks is established.

* Pope: 'Nothing Positive' From Iraq In an Easter litany of the world's suffering, Pope Benedict XVI lamented that "nothing positive" is happening in Iraq.

* China calls for change on Darfur Sudan's key ally China has urged it to show greater flexibility in discussions over its war-torn Darfur region.

* Revolution, flashmobs, and brain chips. A grim vision of the future Information chips implanted in the brain. Electromagnetic pulse weapons. The middle classes becoming revolutionary, taking on the role of Marx's proletariat.

* Quake lifts Solomons island out of the sea The seismic jolt that unleashed the deadly Solomons tsunami this week lifted an entire island metres out of the sea, destroying some of the world's most pristine coral reefs.

* Gas producers 'to discuss cartel' Ministers from major gas exporting countries are meeting in Doha, Qatar, amid speculation that they may be planning to set up a cartel.

* Five rival faiths share Easter in Jerusalem church Thousands of worshippers from five Christian faiths Sunday celebrated Easter at the traditional site of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection - Jerusalem's contested Holy Sepulcher Church.

04/07/2007

* Salah urges Muslims to defend al-Aksa Sheikh Raed Salah called for thousands of Muslims to rise, unite and defend Jerusalem and al-Aksa mosque.

* Iran seeks goodwill over captives Iran's ambassador to London has said Britain should respond "in a positive way" to the release of the 15 Royal Navy personnel held for 13 days.

* Moscow to Get New Air Defense System in August According to a senior air defense commander Russia plans to put new air defense systems on combat duty around Moscow in the end of August.

* Mashaal: Hamas policies won't change Hamas leader-in-exile Khaled Mashaal denied on Saturday that there had been any change in his organization's policies, and declared that Hamas would neither abandon "armed resistance" nor agree to give up an "inch of Palestinian land."

* Thousands of policemen deploy in J'lem for 'Holy Fire' ceremony Thousands of police deployed on Saturday in the old city of Jerusalem and volunteers helped prevent automobiles from entering the Old City in preparation for the 'Holy Fire' ceremony held in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Saturday afternoon.

* Top US envoy on Somalia mission The top US diplomat for Africa is in Somalia to urge the interim government to create a lasting truce, as violence threatens to derail reconciliation.

* Israel launches deadly raid in Gaza Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian fighter and wounded two in what is believed to be the fiercest exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters since a ceasefire agreed in November.

* Forecaster Blasts Gore on Global Warming A top hurricane forecaster called Al Gore "a gross alarmist" Friday for making an Oscar-winning documentary about global warming.

* Sneh: Settlers to be removed from Hebron building within two weeks Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said Friday that settlers occupying a vacant Palestinian building in Hebron will be removed from the structure by April 19, one month after they entered the site.

* Iraq powers plan Egypt conference Iraq's government has announced that Egypt is to host an international conference on the situation in Iraq.