03/31/08

* Jordan: Collapse of Israel-Palestinian talks 'threatens region' Unilateral measures taken by Israel main obstacle for peace, King Abdullah tells Rice during Amman meeting.

* Israel pledges roadblock removals Israel and the Palestinians on Sunday agreed to a series of "concrete steps" aimed at paving the way for a final peace agreement later this year.

* Arab leaders: Arab initiative depends on Israel The fulfillment of the 2002 Arab land-for-peace proposal depends on Israel, Arab leaders concluded Sunday at the end of the annual Arab League summit in Damascus.

* Bibi: Concessions will strengthen Hamas There are no appropriate substitutes for Israeli control in the West Bank that do not put Israel in danger, Opposition Leader Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday.

* Iraqi cleric calls off militias Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr has ordered his fighters off the streets of Basra and other cities in an effort to end clashes with security forces.

* Muslims more numerous than Catholics: Vatican Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world, the Vatican said on Sunday.

* Rice says deal possible before May US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice believes that a framework for an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians could be reached by the planned May 14 visit to Israel of US President George W. Bush.

* Turkish court weighs bid to shut down governing party Turkey's Constitutional Court will consider Monday whether to accept a case aimed at closing down the governing party for Islamist activities.

* Arutz Sheva Posts Censored "Fitna" Movie Explaining Islam Now on Arutz Sheva: Fitna, the controversial and censored movie by Geert Wilders that aims to energize the West into fighting back against its mortal enemy.

* Barak: New elections not far off Defense Minister Ehud Barak indicated Sunday night that despite previous statements to the contrary, he may decide to pull Labor out of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government due to Olmert's "accountability" for Israel's failure to attain its objectives during the Second Lebanon War.

03/29/08

* Abbas urges Arab, int'l forces to protect Palestinians from IDF Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday called on Arab and international forces in the Palestinian territories to protect his people against Israeli attacks.

* Movie Portrays Islam as Violent and Bloodthirsty The long-awaited and controversial movie Fitna, which graphically portrays Islam as a religion seeking to dominate the world and slaughter non-believers, finally debuted on the internet on Thursday night.

* Hamas: We're developing new missiles "It is no secret that Hamas is enhancing its military capabilities, including the development of new missiles".

* EU foreign chiefs to debate future ties with Russia Just weeks before the new Russian president is sworn in, EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brdo, Slovenia.

* Top Arab leaders shun Damascus summit Top Arab leaders are boycotting this weekend's Arab summit in Damascus to protest Syria's hard-line stances in nearly every crisis in the Mideast.

* Muslims condemn Dutch lawmaker's film The Organization of the Islamic Conference on Friday added its voice to the growing criticism of a film released by a Dutch lawmaker.

* Minister: Israel trying to bring Syria to table Israel is trying to bring Syria back to the negotiating table, National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said.

* Middle East inflation soars As everyone keeps a close eye on the shifting state of the global money markets, inflation is an issue that continues to rear its head.

* Barak fears Hamas West Bank takeover Defense Minister Ehud Barak has warned the United States that gestures Israel is making to the Palestinians could ultimately backfire.

* Turkey hits rebel targets in Iraq Turkey has been bombarding Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq with aircraft and artillery, the Turkish military has said.

03/28/08

* Baghdad under curfew amid clashes A curfew has been imposed on Baghdad amid continuing clashes between Shia militias and Iraqi security forces.

* Barak fears Hamas W. Bank takeover Defense Minister Ehud Barak has warned the United States that gestures Israel is making to the Palestinians could ultimately backfire.

* Arab FMs re-endorse 2002 Saudi peace initiative Arab foreign ministers on Thursday re-endorsed a 2002 Saudi peace initiative which promises recognition of Israel.

* Syrian FM: Israel doesn't want peace Israel pursues aggressive policies which contradict the atmosphere needed for peace, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said.

* Bush invites Abbas to U.S. for talks on Palestinian state U.S. President George W. Bush has invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House in early May.

* Russia to US: Scrap Missile Defense Russia's foreign minister laid out a tough negotiating position on America's missile defense plans.

* Hebrew Garments and the Restoration of Biblical Blue After three days of Purim, Jerusalemites young and old came out of one more night of revelry as Tuesday Night Live focused on Biblical Jewish fashion.

* Dutch MP launches anti-Koran film Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders released a film criticizing Islam and its holy book the Koran.

* Beirut bloc urges pressure on Syria Tensions between Beirut and Damascus have mounted in advance of the Arab League summit to be held in Syria.

* EU leaders urged to speak out on China European leaders should not shy away from criticizing China's recent crackdown on protests in Tibet.

03/27/08

* Defense officials: Hizbullah has rockets that can reach Dimona Senior defense officials say Hizbullah has dramatically increased its rocket range and now threatens most of Israel.

* Barak confirms transfer of armored vehicles to PA Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday he had agreed to the transfer of new vehicles and equipment to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces.

* Ashkenazi: Consider all measures to stop Iran Iran is a threat to the entire Middle East and the free world and all deterrence measures should be considered.

* IDF: Islamic Jihad producing Grad-like rockets The Islamic Jihad terror group has recently began manufacturing rockets capable of reaching a 12.5-mile range.

* Iraqi troops, Mahdi Army fight for control of Sadr City Shi'ite militiamen are everywhere. Police and Iraqi army checkpoints are nowhere in sight.

* Putin invites Bush to confer in move to avoid public clash President George W. Bush announced Wednesday that he had accepted an invitation by President Vladimir Putin to visit Russia next week.

* Mubarak snubs Arab summit in Syria Egypt announced Wednesday that it would send a junior minister to the Arab summit in Damascus, which is expected to take place starting Saturday.

* Rabbis Call on Gov't to Fulfil Promise to Bring Falash Mura Home A conference at the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem Wednesday was dedicated to a call for bringing 8,000 members of the Falash Mura group from Ethiopia to Israel.

* Olmert hints at secret Syrian track Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hinted Wednesday night at the prospect of secret talks with Syria.

* Bible club founded by Ben-Gurion gets revived with a Peres twist The president's Bible club, which resumed activity Wednesday at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, after a hiatus of more than four years, has undergone several incarnations.

03/26/08

* 'Russia set on Mideast parley, whether Israel likes it or not' Russia is determined to go ahead with an international Middle East conference in Moscow in June.

* Fresh clashes break out in Basra Fresh fighting has erupted in the southern Iraqi city of Basra and elsewhere, as Iraqi security forces battle Shia militants for a second day.

* Blair calls for rethink of Gaza strategy Middle East envoy Tony Blair said Tuesday that the international community must rethink its strategy toward Gaza.

* Lebanon not to attend Arab summit The Lebanese government has announced that it will boycott the Arab summit due to be held this weekend in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

* Putin, Mubarak sign agreement on nuclear cooperation Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Tuesday that progress is needed before Russia can firm up plans for a Mideast peace conference.

* UN envoy: Gaza bombs keep ticking Israeli Ambassador to the UN Dan Gillerman warned UN Security Council members on Tuesday that the recent lull in Gaza was deceptive and superficial.

* Mubarak: Gaza tension brings Iran threat closer "The situation that has developed in the Gaza Strip in recent months has led to Egypt in practice having a border with Iran."

* Barak mulls weapons transfer to Fatah Defense Minister Ehud Barak is considering approving a US plan to allow the transfer of weapons, protective gear and night-vision goggles for Palestinian security forces in the West Bank.

* ANALYSIS: Keeping Iran away from 'members-only' Arab club Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's concern about Iran's involvement in Gaza does not stem only from Hamas' growing military capabilities.

* Religious leaders welcome Saudi proposal Several Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders reacted warmly to a proposal for dialogue among the religions by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

03/25/08

* Netanyahu urges Shas to 'save Jerusalem' Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu visited the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim on Tuesday.

* Nasrallah: The Zionist entity can be wiped out of existence Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Monday told tens of thousands of supporters in Beirut that Israel could be eliminated.

* Food prices rising across the world From subsistence farmers eating rice in Ecuador to gourmets feasting on escargot in France, consumers worldwide face rising food prices.

* Saudis lead boycott of Syrian summit Syria's hopes of hosting an Arab summit in Damascus next week suffered a major setback.

* Egypt tries to tackle deadly bread crisis Clashes have been breaking out among Egyptians waiting in long lines for subsidized bread.

* Turks praise jihad to protest Cheney visit Thousands of Turks chanted anti-American and anti-Israel slogans, sang jihadist songs and pledged to follow the path of Hamas's Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

* Iraq forces battle Basra militias Heavy fighting has been raging in Basra as thousands of Iraqi troops battle Shia militias in the southern city.

* Analysis: Cairo climbs the nuclear pyramid The announcement that Egypt is going to cooperate with Russia to develop its nuclear energy program should not come as a surprise.

* Medvedev warns on Nato expansion The incoming Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, has said his country is not happy about the prospect of Ukraine and Georgia joining Nato.

* Saudi King plans first interfaith conference to include Jews In a rare departure from government practice, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah is planning to convene an interfaith conference for Muslims, Christians and Jews.

03/24/08

* Zawahiri calls for attacks on Israel "Israel and additional Western targets must be attacked as revenge for Israel's aggressive policy in the Gaza Strip," Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri said in a recording released by an al-Qaida-affiliated Website on Sunday night."

* Hezbollah calls for Beirut rally Hezbollah is to hold a rally in Beirut to mark the end of the 40-day mourning period for its assassinated commander Imad Mughniyeh.

* Netanyahu: J'lem Withdrawal Will Bring Iran to Capital Opposition leader Benyamin Netanyahu warned Sunday that an Israeli withdrawal from any part of Jerusalem would lead to the creation of an Iranian base in the heart of Israel.

* 'Don't take any options off the table' Late Sunday, US Vice President Dick Cheney met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who told him that while Israel supports sanctions against Iran, "none of the options should be taken off the table," according to a Defense Ministry statement - a reference to possible military action.

* Cheney strongly backs Olmert before meeting with Abbas Vice President Dick Cheney met Sunday with Israeli and Palestinian leaders here and in the West Bank city of Ramallah in what U.S. officials said was an effort to move the Mideast peace process forward.

* Mubarak heads to Moscow for nuclear deal President Mubarak scheduled to arrive in Russia to sign agreement with Moscow set to boost country's nuclear program.

* Anti-missionaries suspected in attack Police investigating the sending of a package which exploded in the home of a Christian pastor in Ariel are leaning toward the theory that a Jewish anti-missionary was behind the attack, the preacher told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

* 'Israeli Gestures attempt to pry Fatah from Hamas' A list of goodwill measures Defense Minister Ehud Barak is considering for the Palestinians may be intended as a message to the Palestinian Authority that if it gets too close to Hamas, it risks "losing everything," government officials said Sunday.

* Pope baptizes prominent Muslim A prominent Italian Muslim - an iconoclastic writer who has condemned Islamic extremism and defended Israel - converted to Catholicism this weekend, in a baptism by the pope at the Vatican Easter service.

* Barak: All options should be weighed on Iran Defense minister meets with US Vice President Cheney, stresses Iran poses threat to stability of region, world.

03/22/08

* Taiwan Elects a Leader Who Seeks Closer China Ties Taiwan elected on Saturday its first president who had campaigned for closer economic relations with Beijing.

* Cheney in oil talks with Saudis US Vice-President Dick Cheney has met Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah to discuss ways of stabilising the oil market.

* Pakistan awaits naming of new PM The party that came top in recent elections in Pakistan is expected to name its candidate for prime minister.

* Yemen: Breakthrough in talks between Fatah and Hamas Fatah officials have agreed to Yemen's reconciliation initiative and are prepared to sign.

* Nuclear plans attract fresh fire Anti-nuclear groups have expressed their disappointment at reports that Britain is poised to join France in creating new nuclear generators.

* PA to receive Russian armored vehicles Israel has agreed to let Russia deliver 25 armored vehicles to Palestinian security forces in the West Bank.

* China steps up pressure on Tibetans China has said that Tibetan rioters killed 18 "innocent" civilians and one police officer during protests against Chinese rule.

* Kassams shatter Negev Purim festivities Three Kassam rockets fired from Gaza landed in open areas in the Sdot Negev region.

* Saudi king urges U.S. to press Israel over peace with Palestinians King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on Friday urged U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney to pressure Israel to seal a peace deal with the Palestinians before President George W. Bush leaves office.

* 'End Gaza blockade, settlement activity' Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday called for an end to the blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

03/21/08

* 'Palestine to be freed only with force' Pan-Arab Al-Jazeera TV on Thursday broadcast what it described as excerpts from a new audio tape by Osama bin Laden.

* Christian pilgrims mark Good Friday in Jerusalem Thousands of Christians are walking the stone alleyways of Jerusalem's Old City to mark Good Friday, retracing the route Jesus took to his crucifixion.

* Israel, Germany plan int'l summit to stop Iran nuke program Germany and Israel will try to initiate an international conference aimed at stopping Iran's nuclear program.

* Saudis to retrain 40,000 clerics Saudi Arabia is to retrain its 40,000 prayer leaders - also known as imams - in an effort to counter militant Islam.

* Cheney, Saudis to discuss oil crisis High oil prices socking U.S. consumers will be a key topic of Vice President Dick Cheney's talks Friday with Saudi King Abdullah.

* Palestinian rivals' talks 'fail' Talks between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have collapsed, Palestinian Authority and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas has said.

* Irreversible pollution looms at key Israeli water sources Israel's natural water sources will drop so dangerously low by the end of this year that there is a major risk of some of them becoming irretrievably polluted and thus unusable.

* US lawmaker speaks out on Tibet A senior US lawmaker, Nancy Pelosi, has called on the international community to denounce China's rule in Tibet.

* Horrific Arab Twist on an Ancient Blood Libel Palestinian Authority children in Gaza are being raised to believe the ancient Eastern European blood libel myth about Jews.

* Vatican Security Worries Over bin Laden Tape The Vatican on Thursday rejected an audiotaped accusation from Osama bin Laden that Pope Benedict XVI was leading a “new Crusade” against Muslims.

03/20/08

* Israel to Disengage from Gaza Within Two Years According to a new Israeli-Egyptian agreement, Egypt will take over from Israel in supplying electricity to Gaza, beginning in 2010.

* US 'reassures Russia on shield' The US has offered Russia assurances over parts of a missile shield it wants to deploy in Europe.

* Bin Laden warns EU over Prophet cartoons Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden threatened the European Union with grave punishment.

* Jews Around the World to Rally With Israel Purim Night As did the Jews of ancient Persia when faced with the prospect of annihilation by their enemies, Jews and others across the world will stand together on Thursday.

* Poll: 84% of Palestinians back yeshiva attack The vast majority of Palestinian Authority residents support the terror attack on Jerusalem's Mercaz Harav Yeshiva that killed eight students earlier on March 6.

* Tracking a reborn Iraqi Army After the Iraqi Army increased patrols in this northern city this year, Colonel Haji al-Zibari found himself chasing two insurgents in a weapons-laden truck.

* McCain in Holy Land; Evangelicals satisfied John McCain's "Holy Land pilgrimage" was aimed at gaining the support of the Jewish community in Israel.

* Jewish Agency mulls closing its historic immigration department The Jewish Agency is planning to close one of its most historically important branches.

* Iraq and the EU: five years on It has been five years since the United States began its military operation dubbed 'Iraqi Freedom'.

* Water shortage looms in Israel after drought Israel is suffering its greatest drought in the past decade and will have to stop pumping from one of its main drinking water sources by the end of the summer.

03/19/08

* Most Palestinians favor violence over talks, poll shows A new poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Palestinians support the attack this month on a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem that killed eight young men.

* Merkel: A nuclear Iran would be disastrous German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the Knesset on Tuesday that her countrymen's hearts were filled with shame over the Holocaust.

* Bush to hail prospect of Iraq "strategic victory" President George W. Bush will acknowledge on Wednesday the Iraq war has been fought at a high cost but will insist a U.S. troop buildup.

* 'Terrorists threaten all we hold dear' The success of Hamas and Hizbullah in the region is not only a danger for Israel, but also a threat to US national interests.

* Russia Says 'Nyet' to US Missile Defense Russia had a short answer Tuesday for President Bush's top national security advisers.

* Second Temple Half-Shekel Found in Jerusalem Dig A half-shekel coin from the Second Temple was found in excavations in the City of David, just below and east of Jerusalem's Old City.

* EU presidency condemns violence in Kosovo The European Union has "strongly condemned" violence that erupted in the northern part of the town of Mitrovica, Kosovo.

* Settlements face heavy security cuts Security officers in West Bank settlements have warned that government cutbacks to their security budget was greatly hindering their operational capability.

* Protesters 'surrender in Tibet' More than 100 people have turned themselves in to police following anti-China riots in Tibet's main city, Lhasa.

* 'Try Ahmadinejad for genocide calls' Former Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler on Monday called on the world community to act against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

03/18/08

* Dozens killed near Iraqi shrine A female suicide bomber has killed at least 42 people and injured 58 in the Shia Iraqi holy city of Karbala, Iraqi health officials say.

* Livni, Qurei try to restart peace talks Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's announcement Monday that Israel would continue building in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa cast a shadow on talks later in the day between Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei, according to government officials.

* PA urges Palestinians to 'return' The Palestinian Authority is planning to mark Israel's 60th anniversary by calling on all Palestinians living abroad to converge on Israel by land, sea and air.

* Ukrainian officer dies in Kosovo A Ukrainian policeman wounded in fierce clashes on Monday with Kosovo Serbs on Monday has died of injuries he suffered when a hand grenade was thrown.

* Haniyeh beats Abbas in popularity poll A Palestinian public opinion poll published on Monday showed that Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh would defeat Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas if presidential elections were held these days in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

* 'US concerned over building in J'lem' On Monday during a tour of Mea Shearim, a haredi neighborhood bordering on Arab neighborhoods in east Jerusalem, US Ambassador to Israel Richard H. Jones told The Jerusalem Post that the US was "concerned about where things are built in Jerusalem."

* Egypt army to tackle bread crisis Egypt's president has ordered the army to increase the production and distribution of bread, in an attempt to cope with serious shortages.

* China and Tibet protesters must both show restraint says EU Hours away from a midnight deadline from the Chinese government warning Tibetan protesters to surrender or face violence, the European Commission has called on both the protesters and Beijing to show restraint and rejected a boycott of the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

* China's premier blames Dalai Lama 'clique' for violence in Tibet Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday blamed supporters of the Dalai Lama for recent violence in Tibet, and said Chinese forces exercised restraint in confronting unrest there.

* Bush sends Putin missile defense offer President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday endorsed portions of a private proposal from President George W. Bush that could lead to a new strategic framework between their nations, including progress on troubling issues like missile defense, nuclear arms control and nonproliferation.

03/17/08

* 1st Temple remains uncovered in dig near Temple Mount The remains of a building from the First Temple period have been uncovered in an archeological excavation just west of Jerusalem's Temple Mount, the Israel Antiquities Authority said on Sunday.

* Merkel lays wreath at Yad Vashem memorial During visit to museum, German chancellor stresses her commitment to preserving memory of Holocaust.

* Syrian FM: War with Israel possible A war between Syria and Israel is certainly a possibility, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem was quoted as saying Sunday.

* Israel to hold massive emergency drill In the face of a possible escalation with Syria and Iran's efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon, parts of the country will shut down next month in what security officials say will be the largest emergency exercise in Israel's history.

* New parliament opens in Pakistan Pakistan's new parliament has convened for the first time since President Pervez Musharraf and his allies suffered a heavy blow in elections.

* Conservatives win Iran election Conservative candidates in Iran's general election have kept control of parliament, in line with expectations.

* Pope: Enough With Slaughters in Iraq Pope Benedict XVI issued one of his strongest appeals for peace in Iraq on Sunday, days after the body of the kidnapped Chaldean Catholic archbishop was found near the northern city of Mosul.

* Profits from stolen oil help sustain insurgency in Iraq The Bayji refinery may be the most important industrial site in the Sunni Arab-dominated regions of Iraq. On a good day, 500 tanker trucks will leave the refinery filled with fuel with a street value of $10 million.

* Cheney in Baghdad for key talks US Vice-President Dick Cheney is in the Iraqi capital Baghdad for a previously unannounced visit, ahead of the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion.

* EU backs Turkish PM in battle with courts The EU is supporting embattled Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in his struggle with prosecutors who want his moderate Islamist party shut down, with the bloc's enlargement chief saying the accession process will go ahead despite the ongoing constitutional crisis.

03/15/08

* 'Israel threatened Syria with strike if Hizbullah attacks' Israel has secretly warned Syria that it may strike the country if Hizbullah attacks the Jewish state.

* Merkel, Blair to stage Middle East security talks German Chancellor Angela Merkel and peace envoy Tony Blair will jointly organise a Middle East security conference to be held at the beginning of June in Berlin.

* Islamic summit draft communique accuses Israel of 'war crimes' The world's largest Muslim body will accuse Israel of committing war crimes against Palestinian civilians.

* Muslims nations: Defame Islam, get sued? The Muslim world has created a battle plan to defend its religion from political cartoonists and bigots.

* Iran polls vote count under way Vote counting is under way in Iran after parliamentary elections which conservatives are expected to win after many reformists were barred.

* Dutch brace for new anti-Islam film directed by far-right leader The Netherlands is feeling the pressure of the release in two weeks of an explosive short film entitled "Fitna" about the Koran.

* Israel putting spoke in wheels of 'Abbas army' What is delaying the training of Palestinian police officers in Jordan?

* Rice: Sides not showing commitment US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday that not enough has been done by the Israelis or the Palestinians to demonstrate their commitment to peace.

* Syria wants 'public' peace talks with Israel Syria has recently relayed a message to Israel conveying the county's interest in peace talks with Israel.

* Erekat: Barak busy planning incursions Israeli and Palestinian representatives sat down Friday at Jerusalem's King David Hotel for their first meeting.

03/14/08

* 'Roadmap' focus of Mid-East talks Israeli and Palestinian officials are to meet President Bush's envoy in the first trilateral meeting since peace talks were relaunched last year.

* Aksa Brigades tell Abbas to fire Fayad, band with Hamas Fatah's armed wing, the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday to fire Prime Minister Salaam Fayad.

* Iranians vote in general election Voting has begun in Iran's elections, with conservatives expected to win after opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were barred from running.

* 'Worldwide anti-Semitism on the rise' Worldwide anti-Semitism has increased over the last decade.

* EU leaders agree to weakened Mediterranean Union plan EU leaders on Thursday (13 March) approved a watered-down version of a plan put forward by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

* Beirut PM invited to Syria summit Syria has invited the prime minister of Lebanon to an Arab summit in March, in the absence of a Lebanese president.

* Vatican official: New sins on horizon Fifteen hundred years after the Roman Catholic Church introduced the original list of seven deadly sins, a Vatican official last week suggested an updated roster.

* Gates Predicts Big Technological Leaps Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Chairman Bill Gates said Thursday he expects the next decade to bring even greater technological leaps than the past 10 years.

* Archbishop kidnapped in Mosul is found dead The body of the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Mosul was discovered Thursday in an area south of the city.

* Attack aimed at killing senior rabbi The terrorist who carried out the attack at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem last week was sent to assassinate one of the yeshiva rabbis.

03/13/08

* Abbas accuses Israel of 'ethnic cleansing' in Jerusalem Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday accused Israel of "ethnic cleansing" in Arab East Jerusalem.

* Rice: Saudis failed to combat extremism US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticized Saudi Arabia for not doing enough to counter extremism.

* First-Ever: First-Temple Building Remains Found Near Temple Mt. The Israel Antiquities Authority announces the first time in the history of the archaeological research of Jerusalem that building remains from the First Temple period have been exposed so close to the Temple Mount.

* Barak warns of Mahmoud Abbas's demise Defense Minister Ehud Barak rejected reports on Wednesday that Israel had agreed to a cease-fire with Hamas.

* Barak: Israel will hunt down anyone with Jewish blood on their hands Israel is morally committed to every soldier who gave his life for it, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.

* Serbian leader calls snap polls Serbian President Boris Tadic has dissolved parliament, calling snap elections for 11 May.

* Lebanon: Pregnant with incredible danger It was late November 2007 when the already extended mandate of Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud expired.

* Iran to choose new parliament in muted election Iranians vote Friday in parliamentary polls marked by a low-key campaign and mass disqualifications of reformists but which the Islamic republic hopes will send a message of unity.

* Video Road Hogs Stir Fear of Internet Traffic Jam Caution: Heavy Internet traffic ahead. Delays possible.

* Gas, Oil Rise to Records As Dollar Falls Gas and oil prices jumped to new highs Thursday as the dollar weakened and investors shrugged off fresh evidence of a U.S. economic slowdown.

03/12/08

* Annual Intelligence Report: Hizbullah is the Key The annual intelligence report warns of another round of warfare with the Lebanon-based Hizbullah terrorist organization.

* Commander of US forces in the Middle East resigns For Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, the perception of a disagreement with President George W. Bush's policies on Iran rather than an actual rift was reason enough to step down.

* European Parliament turns 50 The European Parliament has changed profoundly since its talking-shop beginnings in 1958.

* Pentagon: Syria, Iran supporting Iraq terror Despite increased counterterrorism efforts by Damascus, as much as 90 percent of the foreign fighters in Iraq cross the border from Syria.

* Dubai to set up Muhammad museum The Gulf emirate of Dubai has said it is to set up the world's first museum dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad.

* Abbas agrees to resume peace talks Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to resume peace talks with Israel without prior conditions.

* Iran: Dutch anti-Quran film to 'breed violence' Iran warned on Tuesday that an anti-Quran film by a right-wing Dutch lawmaker would "beed violence".

* Shas urges PM to continue aliyah of Ethiopian Falashmura Shas ministers have asked Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to reverse the decision to halt the aliyah campaign for the Ethiopian Falashmura community.

* Kazakhstan's search for its identity With their arms folded neatly on the desk, and eyes focused on the teacher, a group of five-year-olds repeat diligently the rasping syllables of their new language.

* Serbs and Russians Oppose EU in Kosovo Serbia and Russia have demanded that the U.N. administration in Kosovo halt the transfer of authority to the European Union.

03/11/08

* Defense official: Hizbullah ready to fight Israel The Hizbullah organization has completed its military and logistic preparations for a confrontation with Israel.

* PM: No ceasefire talks with Hamas The IDF will continue striking at Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip identified as planning or perpetrating a terror attack against Israel.

* Israel cements ownership of Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City More than 40 years after it gained control of East Jerusalem, the State of Israel is now registering Jewish-owned property in Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter.

* Arab leader denies temple ever existed The al-Aqsa mosque was never the site of a Jewish temple, Sheikh Raed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement's northern branch, said.

* Israeli Intel report paints grim picture Israel's intelligence community painted a bleak picture of threats facing the Jewish state.

* Sarkozy urges Israel to halt West Bank 'colonization' Israel's security depends upon a halt to "colonization" in the West Bank, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

* EU must boost military capabilities in face of climate change The European Union should boost its civil and military capacities to respond to "serious security risks".

* US, UN, EU, deplore Givat Ze'ev project The UN, the EU and the US on Monday deplored Israel's plans to build some 400 new homes in the Givat Ze'ev settlement.

* Our years on Earth are numbered - all 7.59 billion of them In the end, there will not even be fragments. If nature is left to its own devices, about 7.59 billion years from now Earth will be dragged from its orbit by an engorged red Sun.

* Bush sends Cheney to meet PM, Abbas US Vice President Dick Cheney is expected to take Jerusalem to task for settlement construction.

3/10/08

* Olmert denies cease fire talks with Hamas taking place Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said emphatically after meeting with visiting Czech Prime Minister on Monday Mirek Topolanek that there was no agreement on a cease fire with Hamas.

* Rabbi Shapira: Strong Government to Replace the Hollow One "Instead of the thorn bush, the cypress will come up, and instead of a hollow government, a strong one shall grow," said Rabbi Yaakov Shapira Sunday, in a paraphrase on a verse from Isaiah 55.

* Israeli minister says sack ElBaradei over Iran An Israeli cabinet minister called on Sunday for the dismissal of the head of the UN nuclear watchdog for not doing enough to curb Iranian atomic projects with bomb-making potential.

* Pakistani Opposition to Form New Gov't President Pervez Musharraf is not about to quit, a senior ally said Monday, a day after opponents agreed to form a government and restore judges who had questioned the legality of the former army chief continuing in office.

* Serbian government calls for poll The Serbian government has urged President Boris Tadic to dissolve parliament and hold an early election.

* Israel Approves Home Building in West Bank The government of Israel said Sunday that it had approved the construction of hundreds of homes in a West Bank settlement north of Jerusalem, a move that could further complicate a peace effort already hobbled by violence.

* Turkish PM seeks to turn new page in Iraq relations Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday he wants better relations with Iraq, a week after Ankara ended an army offensive against PKK rebels based in the north of the country.

* Opposition protests crackdown in Egypt The opposition Muslim Brotherhood demonstrated in two Egyptian cities Sunday, protesting arrests that have targeted the group's leaders and potential candidates ahead of upcoming local elections, police and the movement said.

* Iranian group puts price on Barak's head 'Islamic Student Justice Seekers' declare financial prizes to be awarded to those who kill Israeli defense minister, Mossad Director Meir Dagan, and Military Intelligence Chief Amos Yadlin.

* Hamas says its fighters train in Iran Senior Hamas commander admits in interview to Sunday Times some 300 men have already been trained by Revolutionary Guards.

03/08/08

* Egypt: Syria thwarting cease-fire talks Syria may be attempting to deflect international scrutiny of its actions in Lebanon by thwarting Egyptian attempts to moderate a cease-fire between Palestinian factions and Israel.

* Iran sanctions vote signals a global rift Some developing nations may be starting to sour on push by world powers to control lucrative nuclear technology.

* Police chief: This isn't a 3rd intifada Police Chief Insp.-Gen. Dudi Cohen on Friday said that Thursday's terror attack could not have been prevented.

* Jordan's Abdullah warns failure of Israel-PA peace talks may boost Iran Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that the failure of the peace process between Palestinian and Israel will increase Iran's ambitions.

* Carter, Annan to head peace mission to Mideast The council of world leaders launched by former President Nelson Mandela is sending a three-person team to help ease tensions in the troubled Middle East.

* Professor Blair: former British PM to take up Yale position Former British prime minister Tony Blair is to take up a post teaching at Yale.

* Iraqi Leader Tries to Mend Relationship With Turkey The president of Iraq, Jalal Talabani, visited Turkey on Friday as part of a joint effort to mend relations strained by a Turkish ground offensive.

* Afghans protest over Danish cartoon Thousands of Afghans packed a sports stadium in the western Afghanistan city Herat Saturday to protest the reprinting of the same Danish cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed that sparked rage in the Muslim world.

* North Korea's leader expresses hope for stronger friendship with Syria North Korean leader Kim Jong II hopes for stronger friendship with Syria.

* Google-Double Click merger raises privacy concerns A €2 billion takeover by US-based search engine giant Google, of online advertising firm Double Click, is likely to be approved.