09/30/08

* Tradition Today: Reclaiming Rosh Hashana We are on the eve of the celebration of the Yamim Nora'im, the Days of Awe, which begin with Rosh Hashana.

* Assad: Relations with Iran to continue even if peace with Israel achieved The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that senior American and Syrian diplomats held a series of meetings in New York over the past week.

* 'Rice expresses satisfaction over Syria-Israel indirect talks' In what may be a sign that the recent hardline American position towards Syria is softening, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem met with US Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice.

* Olmert: Israel should quit most occupied land Israel should withdraw from nearly all territory captured in the 1967 Middle East war in return for peace with the Palestinians and Syria.

* Europe scrambles to save banking system European authorities in Brussels, Frankfurt and at EU member state level are scrambling to save the continent's financial system after bank stocks plunged.

* Holiday poll finds negative national views Just before Rosh Hashana gives us cause to rejoice in the new year, the War and Peach Index may give us cause to pause before ushering in the holiday cheer.

* Karzai Seeks Saudi Help With Taliban As the Afghan war intensifies and American commanders call for increased troop levels, President Hamid Karzai said on Tuesday that he had sought the intercession of the Saudi royal family.

* Hamas, Fatah leaders pledge Palestinian unity bid Leaders of the rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan on Tuesday.

* Nuclear Terrorism Is No. 1 Threat, ElBaradei Says The likelihood that terrorists will detonate a nuclear weapon poses the greatest risk to world security.

* Iraqi police: Car bomb in Baghdad kills 3 A parked car bomb targeted a restaurant in a mostly Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad.

09/29/08

* Teheran: Enrichment will continue, despite UN resolution Iran said it will continue its disputed uranium enrichment activity despite a new UN resolution seeking suspension of the process.

* US bases powerful radar in Israel The US has deployed long-range radar in Israel to give early warning of any missile strike by Iran.

* Olmert: We must leave most of West Bank Israel will have to give up virtually all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem if it wants peace with the Palestinians, Ehud Olmert said in a farewell interview.

* Warships surround Somali pirates Somali pirates aboard a ship carrying tanks and weapons that they have seized say they are surrounded by at least three foreign warships.

* Police: Jewish underground may be emerging A new Jewish underground could have been responsible for Thursday morning's attack on left-wing professor Ze'ev Sternhell.

* U.S. Textbooks claim Jesus was Palestinian "Christianity was started by a young Palestinian named Jesus."

* Jews in Judea, Samaria Increased by 20 Percent in Olmert's Term The number of Jews in Judea and Samaria grew by 20 percent from 250,000 when Ehud Olmert began his term as Prime Minister to more than 300,000.

* Rosh HaShanah Holiday, Monday Night thru Wednesday Night The Jewish People begin nearly a month of holidays Monday evening.

* Jerusalem to Host Ant-Jihad Convention in December Dutch legislator Geert Wilders, producer of the movie Fitna exposing the Koran's incitement to violence, announced that a "Facing Jihad Conference" will take place in Jerusalem in December.

* Is Iran Readying for War? The Islamic Republic is moving ahead with its ballistic missile production, much of it conducted from the confines of secret tunnels excavated around Tehran.

09/27/08

* IAEA chief: Iran on path to build nukes The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog has warned that Iran is one of several countries on the path to possessing the ingredients for making a nuclear weapon, according to a German newspaper report Friday.

* 'Palestine must be returned to Arabs' Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah stated the entire land of Palestine was holy and belonged solely to the Arabs, in a speech held on Friday in honor of "al-Quds Day."

* 'Settlements aren't the biggest problem' During a Friday UN Security Council meeting called at the request of Arab states to deal with the sole issue of Israeli settlement-building in Palestinian territory, Saudi Arabia, the Arab League and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas asked the Security Council to save the faltering Middle East peace process by demanding an end to Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory.

* Iranians mock Holocaust on annual Jerusalem Day Iranians chanted "Death to Israel" on Friday as Islamist students unveiled a book mocking the Holocaust in an Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day annual parade to show solidarity with the Palestinians.

* Quartet's gap between words and deeds In the last few years, in various elegant rooms in some of the world's major cities, a small group of people have met periodically to talk about the Middle East.

* Chinese astronaut walks in space A Chinese astronaut has become the first in his country's history to take a walk in space.

* Medvedev and Chavez sign $1 billion military loan Russia stepped up efforts to project its increased might on the world stage on Friday, welcoming President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela by signing a $1 billion military loan to the country and announcing wide-ranging plans to modernize Russia's nuclear deterrence.

* Cleric Reignites Age-Old Sunni-Shiite Disputes A leading Muslim Arab cleric has raised a political and religious storm across the region by speaking out audaciously on a subject that many Islamic scholars refuse to discuss because of political considerations - the "Shiite invasion" of Muslim societies.

* 'Laissez-faire' capitalism is finished, says France Both France and Germany on Thursday (25 September) said the current financial crisis would leave important marks on the world economy, with French president Nicolas Sarkozy declaring that the under-regulated system we once knew is now "finished," and German finance minister Peer Steinbruck saying the crisis marks the beginning of a multi-polar world, where the US is no longer a superpower.

* McCain: We can't allow second Holocaust The need to protect Israel from the vitriolic threats of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad formed the crux of a central argument between US presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain in their first debate Friday night.

09/26/08

* EU assessment: IDF can't stop Iran alone EU diplomatic sources who specialize in the Middle East believe that Israel cannot stop the Iranian nuclear program on its own using military means.

* Russia offers Chavez $1 billion for weapons The Kremlin has decided to offer a $1 billion loan for arms purchases to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

* As UN Debates Jewish Growth, Samaria Head Says 'Leave Us Alone' Samaria Regional Council head Geshon Mesika said: "Our rights to live and build in Yehuda and Shomron [Judea and Samaria] are historical and biblical.

* Bush, Abbas try to keep peace talks moving US President George W. Bush on Thursday met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to try to keep Middle East negotiations alive.

* UN to hold session on settlements The UN Security Council has agreed to hold a high-level open debate Friday on the ongoing Israeli settlement building in disputed territory.

* PA Blindly Bashes Jews' 'Imaginary Temple' The Palestinian Authority, run by PLO Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas, is again making efforts to popularize Muslim denial of the Jewish connection to Jerusalem.

* The Arabs and the U.S. Financial Crunch When a financial earthquake hits the United States, its tremors are bound to be felt across the world.

* Azerbaijan diverts EU oil to Russia and Iran Azerbaijan is sticking to plans to reduce oil exports to the EU and increase shipments to Russia and Iran.

* 'US against Israeli strike on Iran' The US refused to give Israel a green light for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities when Jerusalem requested Washington's support for such a move this past spring.

* Wall Street rescue deal stalemate Talks to agree a huge $700bn (£380bn) bail-out of the US financial industry have ended in a "shouting match".

09/25/08

* Rice says Russia more authoritarian U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has reiterated her sharp criticism of a resurgent and emboldened Russia and accused the Kremlin of becoming increasingly authoritarian at home and aggressive on the world stage.

* UN envoy: Russia's move spells end of sanctions Objections from Moscow, angered by Washington's criticism of its invasion of Georgia, have forced the cancellation of high-level talks on Iran.

* Mid-East Quartet 'has lost grip' The Quartet of international powers has "lost its grip" on the Middle East peace process which it is meant to foster, a group of aid agencies says.

* World Jewish population grows by 70,000 The world's Jewish population is on the rise, up 70,000 in the past year, and currently stands at 13.3 million people.

* When Economy Gets Terrible Anti-Semitism Gets Violent Can a Holocaust happen in the United States of America? "Yes," say Rabbi Lazer Brody of the award wining blog Lazer Beams and Shifra Hoffman, Executive Director of Shuva.

* Peres at UN: Ahmadinejad a 'disgrace to Islam' Iran presents "a danger to the entire world," President Shimon Peres warned the United Nations' General Assembly.

* Peres: U.S. has no choice but to save world from Ahmadinejad The United States has no choice but to save the world by stopping Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

* Rise in violence against Messianic Jews and Christians Violence against Christian evangelical and Messianic Jewish communities in Israel increased significantly during the period between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008.

* Lift-off for China space mission China has launched its third manned space mission - which is to feature the country's first spacewalk.

* Global jihad forum to be established The government has decided to establish a special forum that will deal with threats to Israelis posed by global jihad organizations, both locally and abroad.

09/24/08

* Iran defends nuclear plans at UN Iran will resist "bullying powers" trying to thwart its peaceful nuclear ambitions, its leader has told the UN.

* EU: Evidence of past Iran nuke program The European Union said on Wednesday it appears Iran had a nuclear arms program in the past, despite denials from Teheran.

* Syria sees worse prospects for peace with Israel under Livni Syrian officials believe Tzipi Livni will stall the ongoing indirect negotiations between Jerusalem and Damascus over a possible peace treaty.

* Ahmadinejad: Blame the Zionists for World Problems The man that Israeli leaders consider to be the Number One threat to the existence of the State of Israel told the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday that 'Zionists" are the cause of the current financial disaster sweeping the world.

* Livni: Ahmadinejad speech makes mockery of UN vow of 'never again' The head of the ruling Kadima party, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, blasted the United Nations on Wednesday for granting Iran's president a platform to deliver an address against "Zionist murderers".

* Iraq deal over province elections The Iraqi parliament has passed a law which paves the way for provincial elections.

* Israel's population on eve of Rosh Hashanah: 7.3 million, 76% Jewish On the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5769, Israel's population stands at 7,337,000 people, including 5,542,000 Jewish Israelis (75.5 percent) and 1,477,000 Israeli Arabs (20.1 percent).

* Immigration lowest since 1980s Immigration is at its lowest since the 1980s, with 18,129 olim arriving in Israel since last Rosh Hashana, according to a Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) report released Wednesday.

09/23/08

* Peres entrusts Livni with forming gov't Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will begin efforts to form a new government on Tuesday via direct and indirect negotiations with potential coalition partners.

* Iranian president blames US for market collapse Iran's president blamed U.S. military interventions around the world in part for the collapse of global financial markets.

* Abdullah, Mubarak to discuss Livni's new role The election of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as head of the Kadima Party is expected to be at the core of talks Tuesday between Jordan's King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

* China paper urges new currency order after "financial tsunami" Threatened by a "financial tsunami," the world must consider building a financial order no longer dependent on the United States.

* The speech Palin never gave: Ahmadinejad dreams of Final Solution Her appearance in the rally in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza was cancelled in a flap between protest organizers and Hillary Clinton.

* Arctic 'no sanctuary' from drilling, says EU As the Arctic ice melts, Europe would be foolish to regard the region as a sanctuary that must be protected from resource extraction.

* Russia engages in 'gangland' diplomacy as it sends warship to the Caribbean Russia flexed its muscles in America’s backyard yesterday as it sent one of its largest warships to join military exercises in the Caribbean.

* Germany and UK want global financial regulator The UK and Germany believe that a new international system regulating the financial sector must be constructed.

* 30 years of peace, but no one wants to be Israel's ambassador to Egypt Thirty years after prime minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat signed their historic peace agreement, few are interested in representing Israel in Cairo.

* PA Threatens Military Attack on Hamas Palestinian General Dhiab al-Ali, who heads the Palestinian Authority's (PA) military forces in the West Bank, has threatened to use force against Hamas in Gaza.

09/22/08

* Olmert hands in his official resignation Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - facing a number of corruption allegations - formally tendered his resignation to President Shimon Peres on Sunday evening.

* Israel poised for coalition talks Israel's president is expected to ask Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to form a new government on Monday.

* Military Intelligence official: Iran underway to having nuclear bomb Brig.-Gen. Yossi Baidatz says Tehran has third of what it needs to build bomb.

* IAEA chief: Iran could be hiding nukes The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency warned that he cannot guarantee that Iran is not running a secret nuclear program.

* Israel can't avoid a military confrontation with Iran Former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Moshe "Boogie" Ya'alon said Israel will not be able to avoid a military confrontation with Iran.

* Abbas aide threatens to dismantle PA Palestinian president's top adviser says PA politicians may take drastic step of disbanding Authority if lasting agreement is not reached during current peace negotiations

* PA chief of staff: We must be ready to retake Hamas-ruled Gaza by force The Palestinian Authority must be ready to use force against Hamas in Gaza "to reunify the homeland," said the head of PA forces in the West Bank.

* Land of Gandhi asserts itself as global military power The Mumbai, an Indian warship, was slicing through choppy monsoon seas one recent morning when a helicopter swooped in overhead.

* One Fatwa Too Far… Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah's efforts to bridge the worrisome schism pitting radical Islam and other religions dissipates like a desert mirage.

* Rome bishops call on EU to protect Christians Italy's Roman Catholic bishops called on the European Union to put the persecutions of Christians on the agenda of the upcoming EU-India summit.

09/20/08

* Hunger levels soar in East Africa Nearly 17 million people in the Horn of Africa are in urgent need of food and other aid - almost twice as many as earlier this year.

* Livni Wants Olmert to Resign; Ramon Says Not So Fast The elected leader of the Kadima party, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, said at the faction's Friday session that it was time for Ehud Olmert to resign as Prime Minister.

* Livni works for unity in Kadima Tzipi Livni, new leader of Israel's ruling Kadima party, is working to restore unity after her victory in a leadership election opened wide rifts.

* EU: Concerned by Iran's behavior The European Union on Friday threw its diplomatic weight behind the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

* Medvedev: Russia won't be pushed into isolation President Dmitry Medvedev said Friday that Russia would not yield to Western pressure or be pushed into isolation over the war in Georgia.

* Palin Dropped from Rally Following Threats from Democrats Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the Vice Presidential candidate on Senator John McCain’s Republican ticket, has been dropped from the list of dignitaries that are to speak at a key rally in New York on Monday.

* Abbas: Failure to reach peace will 'change parameters of debate' Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Friday that if Israel and the Palestinians fail to reach a peace accord soon, "the parameters of the debate are apt to shift dramatically."

* Iraq: A Precarious Peace In the words of Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, we are all aware of the painful trajectory Iraq has gone through over the course of the last five years.

* Palestinians despairing of independence effort Prominent Palestinians are lighting a fire under Israel's feet by proposing a peace in which there would be no separate Palestine and Israel.

* Pope's trip highlights church-state struggle in Europe Is the Roman Catholic Church a beleaguered underdog, fighting for a voice in secular Europe?

09/19/08

* General Assembly chief: UN must adopt 1947 resolution on partition of Palestine Father Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, president of the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, on Thursday urged the UN to work toward implementing UN Resolution 181.

* Livni stunned as Mofaz quits politics On her first day as Kadima's new leader, Tzipi Livni received a startling blow.

* Ahmadinejad: Israel causing Palestinian holocaust Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that Israel was perpetrating a holocaust on the Palestinian people.

* Iran aims to surpass Saudi oil refining Iran plans to become the most productive oil refiner in the Gulf region by 2012.

* Rice says Russia on path to isolation and irrelevance In scathing criticism of Moscow, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Russia Thursday that its policies have put it on a path to isolation and irrelevance.

* Abbas welcomes Livni's Kadima victory Palestinian Authority officials on Thursday welcomed the election of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as chairwoman of Kadima.

* Bibi: It's time for general elections Likud leader MK Binyamin Netanyahu has called on Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the Kadima Party's new leader, to set a date for general elections.

* Pope defends WWII pontiff's role Pope Benedict XVI has defended the actions of predecessor Pius XII during World War II, saying the pontiff spared no effort to try to save Jews.

* Russia ratchets up US tensions with arms sales to Iran and Venezuela Russia defied the United States yesterday by announcing plans to sell military hardware to Iran and Venezuela.

* UN envoy says Mideast peace efforts at crossroads Peace talks by Israel and the Palestinians are at a crossroads 10 months after their leaders agreed to try to reach an accord this year.

09/18/08

* Livni wins Israel party primary Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has won the leadership of the governing Kadima party, putting her on track to succeed Ehud Olmert as prime minister.

* Abbas appoints new PA governor for Jerusalem Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to appoint a new PA governor in Jerusalem.

* Hamas, Islamic Jihad beef up security around leaders fearing Israeli assassination bid In recent days, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have reinforced the security details around their top leaders in Damascus.

* Shas: Jerusalem key to forming new government Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's apparent victory in the Kadima primary elections on Wednesday elicited responses across Israel's political spectrum.

* Europeans keep faith out of politics Europeans remain strongly religious but like to keep faith out of politics while cultivating an open mind to various forms of spirituality.

* Olmert: Israel's future does not lie in West Bank As he prepares to bid the post of Kadima chairman farewell, Ehud Olmert again renounced the Greater Israel vision, saying Israel's future does not lie in Judea and Samaria.

* Turkey vents frustration over EU talks Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised the EU for proceeding too slowly with Ankara's accession talks.

* Israeli general: War with Syria may include chemical, guerilla warfare Any future military conflict with Syria may include chemical warfare and fighting against guerrilla and regular army forces.

* Gold prices post biggest 1-day gain ever Gold prices exploded Wednesday—posting the biggest one-day gain ever in dollar terms.

* Olmert expected to step down on Sunday Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to step down from office on Sunday. He will make the announcement at the weekly cabinet meeting and then formally tender his resignation to President Shimon Peres.

09/17/08

* Israel's Kadima picks new leader Voting is under way as Israel's ruling Kadima party chooses a successor to its leader, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

* Italian PM Warns: Ahmedinejad Means What He Says Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi accused Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of "lunacy" on Tuesday, and warned against taking his words too lightly.

* Palestinian official: Olmert, Abbas to meet as long as PM stays in office A Palestinian official says President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will continue to meet for peace talks.

* Abbas wants his troops in Hebron Israel is examining the possibility of expanding the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority's security forces to include Hebron.

* A Nuclear Awakening in the Middle East Nuclear power and the Middle East is not all that much of a novelty.

* Nasrallah: We destroyed vision of Greater Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received an unusual vote of confidence on Tuesday evening from Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

* Lie, Half-Truth or Misunderstanding? It would appear that either a serious miscommunication, a half-truth or some individual or government body is being extremely economical with the truth in regard to peace negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

* IAEA shows photos alleging Iran nuclear missile work The UN nuclear watchdog showed documents and photographs on Tuesday suggesting Iran secretly tried to modify a missile cone to fit a nuclear bomb.

* Iran: Israel incapable of launching wide-scale war The 'Zionist regime' lacks the diplomatic, economic and social ability to launch a wide-scale war.

* US bank crisis smashes hole in European markets The US banking crisis wiped billions off the value of European stock markets on Monday.

09/16/08

* Petraeus hands over Iraq command General David Petraeus, the outgoing US military commander in Iraq credited for improving security there, has passed control to Lt Gen Raymond Odierno.

* IDF intelligence: Syria strengthening ties with radical axis "Syria is moving forward along the path of peace and openness toward the West while simultaneously strengthening its ties to the radical axis."

* Financial Crisis in America Threatens Israel's Stability The venerated securities firm of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. announced early Monday morning on its website it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

* Global market turmoil continues Losses on stock markets have continued after the collapse of fourth largest US investment bank, Lehman Brothers.

* Nuclear agency says Iran has improved enrichment Iran has substantially improved the efficiency of its centrifuges that produce enriched uranium.

* Ministers Oppose Ramon Plan to Buy Out Jewish Homes for Arabs Senior ministers slammed Vice Premier Chaim Ramon's proposal to convince Jewish families to leave Judea and Samaria.

* Barak to reconvene 'West Bank forum' following settler rampage Defense Minister Ehud Barak has decided to reconvene the "West Bank Forum" to tackle the surge in Jewish lawlessness in the territories.

* Question marks remain over EU's Georgia mission The European Union has given its green light to a civilian mission to Georgia.

* Jordan, Russia urge Israel to halt settlement construction Jordan and Russia on Monday urged Israel to stop all practices that could, "derail" the peace process, including settlement activity in the Palestinian territories.

* US Officials: Al-Qaida 'imploding' Top US counterterrorism officials Monday said al-Qaida is imploding and that its violent tactics have turned Muslims worldwide against the organization.

09/15/08

* Olmert reportedly offers 98.1% of West Bank to Palestinians Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has discussed with the Palestinians transferring to them 98.1 percent of the West Bank.

* US drones bring fear and firepower to Qaeda war in Pakistan Two air-to-ground missiles ripped through the sky before smashing into the house where a Taliban leader with close links to Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was thought to be hiding.

* Frantic day on Wall Street as banks teeter In one of the most dramatic days in Wall Street's history, Merrill Lynch agreed to sell itself to Bank of America for roughly $50 billion to avert a deepening financial crisis.

* Russia stands by Georgia actions Russia's foreign minister has said on a visit to the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia that Moscow's actions were the only way to guarantee security.

* Two-state solution should be dead "I realized that, to my frustration, we were giving up land for war and terror and incitement."

* Pope slams anti-Semitism in meeting with French Jews Pope Benedict XVI slammed anti-Semitism as theologically unjustifiable and tantamount to being "anti-Christian" in a meeting with French-Jewish leaders in Paris.

* Saudi cleric wants death for TV "sorcerers" A senior Saudi cleric has said purveyors of horoscopes on Arab television should face the death penalty.

* Voice of Israel Aims at Settlers Taking Law in Their Hands Voice of Israel government radio, which officially has a mandate to be non-partisan, launched a broadside attack Sunday against Jews in Judea and Samaria who attack Arabs following terrorist attacks.

* Olmert: "Forget Greater Israel" "The notion of a Greater Israel no longer exists, and anyone who still believes in it is deluding themselves," said Ehud Olmert, in what is likely to be his last cabinet meeting as Prime Minister.

* Ethiopian community fights for aliyah Israeli Ethiopian representatives claim government decision to allow a thousand more Falashmura to come to Israel insufficient, as State is still "turning its back on 7,000 Jews, tearing families apart."

09/13/08

* Russia seeks stronger ties with Syria Russia announced Friday it was renovating a Syrian port for use by the Russian fleet in what signals an effort for a better foothold in the Mediterranean amid the rift with the United States over Georgia.

* Ahmadinejad: Iran will support Hamas until collapse of Israel Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed Friday to keep supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas until the "collapse of Israel."

* U.S. Refuses to Aid Israel in Iran Attack The United States has turned down Israeli requests for military assistance in attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

* Israel-Palestinian deal includes refugees, east Jerusalem According to a report by the Qatari Al-Sharq, the new agreement taking form between Israel and the Palestinian Authority will include the admittance of 20,000 Palestinian refugees into Israel.

* Bush Changes Direction in Afghan Conflict U.S. President George W. Bush has in the last week changed direction on his war policies placing more emphasis on Afghanistan than in the past.

* EU in crop biofuel goal rethink European Union lawmakers have voted to set a limit on targets to increase the use of road transport biofuels.

* In Paris, pope reminds Europe of its religious roots Starting his first visit to France as pope, Benedict XVI touched Friday on central themes of his papacy.

* Saudi judge condemns 'immoral TV' The most senior judge in Saudi Arabia has said it is permissible to kill the owners of satellite TV channels which broadcast immoral programs.

* Russia says it must stake claim to Arctic resources Russia must stake its claim to a slice of the Arctic's vast resources, the secretary of Russia's Security Council said.

* Muslims Continue Pushing Christians Out of Bethlehem The Muslim Fatah-controlled authority in Judea and Samaria is encouraging a "sharp demographic shift" in Bethlehem.

09/12/08

* 'No peace in Mideast if Israel exists' Hizbullah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah voiced his opinion on Thursday about the various peace processes currently underway in the Middle East.

* Putin defends Georgia offensive Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has made an impassioned defence of Russia's military intervention in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia.

* End of Abbas's term may spell violence The IDF Central Command has held a series of exercises in recent weeks to prepare units for possible violence in the West Bank.

* No victory in Iraq, says Petraeus The outgoing commander of US troops in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, has said that he will never declare victory there.

* Army: Settlers have crossed red line Senior IDF officers on Thursday lambasted the legal system's inability to effectively crack down on radical West Bank settlers.

* Lack of information was top reason for Lisbon No vote Irish government research into why voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty in a June referendum has revealed that the biggest reason for voting No was citizens simply did not have enough information.

* Kadima in uproar over talks of Jlem Israel conveyed its displeasure to Washington on Thursday over remarks reportedly made by US Consul General Jacob Walles.

* Swastika Epidemic in the United States An epidemic of swastikas has spread in the United States in recent days.

* PM vows to resign as soon as new Kadima leader chosen Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday that he would resign immediately after a new Kadima leader is elected.

* EU condemns OPEC oil production cut A surprise decision by OPEC, the group of major oil-exporting countries, to lower its oil production by 520,000 barrels a day has sparked criticism from the EU and the US.

09/11/08

* US 'must target Pakistan havens' The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff has called for a new strategy in Afghanistan to deny militants bases across the border in Pakistan.

* 7 years after 9/11, al-Qaida is in disarray Seven years after September 11, 2001, al-Qaida as an organization is seen by many analysts to be in some disarray.

* US 'provoked Russia-Georgia war' Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has accused the United States of emboldening Georgia to start a war in the Caucasus to test Russian resolve.

* Saudis to ignore OPEC decision to cut production Saudi officials assured world markets Wednesday that they would ignore the decision and continue to pump as much oil as needed.

* Russian bombers land in Venezuela Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez says two Russian bombers have arrived in the country to carry out training flights.

* Rabbi Tendler to Rabbis: Permit Temple Mount Visits! "The citation of Jewish Law that is being spouted to prohibit Jewish entry to the Temple Mount is sometimes embarrassing."

* UN Warns of Increased Trafficking, Use of Synthetic Drugs in Near & Middle East Trafficking and use of synthetic drugs, known as amphetamine type stimulants (ATS), is rapidly on the increase in the Near and Middle East.

* 'Big Bang' experiment starts well Scientists have hailed a successful switch-on for an enormous experiment which will recreate the conditions a few moments after the Big Bang.

* Major quakes hit Japan and Indonesia A magnitude 6.9 earthquake rattled Japan on Thursday, within minutes of a magnitude 6.6 earthquake in Indonesia.

* Israel wants more indirect Syria talks Israel wants a fifth round of indirect talks with Syria in Turkey, senior diplomatic officials said .

09/10/08

* Oil rises on Opec production curb Oil prices have risen to $104 a barrel in Asian trade, reversing earlier losses, after OPEC agreed to return to its late 2007 production levels.

* Samaria settlers gear up for evacuation fight Settlers in the West Bank regions of Samaria and Binyamin are making preparations to prevent any move to evacuate Jews by forming new citizens committees.

* Russia to keep troops in Georgia Russia says it will keep 7,600 troops in Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after withdrawing from the rest of the country.

* Israel considers Bushehr's opening Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is scheduled to meet Wednesday with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

* Peres to Muslims: We are all one family President Shimon Peres hosted Tuesday evening leaders of the Arab-Israeli community for a traditional dinner to break the Ramadan fast.

* Direct Israeli-Syrian Peace Talks Tentative Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has lifted hopes about possible face-to-face peace talks with Israel.

* 'Big Bang' experiment starts well Scientists have hailed a successful switch-on for an enormous experiment which will recreate the conditions a few moments after the Big Bang.

* Minister Eitan: Kidnapping Ahmadinejad is a Possibility Pensioners Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan, who commanded the 1960 Mossad operation to capture fugitive Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in Argentina, says the kidnapping of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a distinct possibility.

* EU secures deal on Russia withdrawal Following four-hour talks between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and French leader Nicolas Sarkozy, Moscow has agreed to pull out its troops.

* Israelis overseas warned of Hizbullah threat Dozens of Israeli businessmen in countries around the world have been warned of possible Hizbullah plans to kidnap them.

09/09/08

* Georgia positive on Russia pledge The Georgian president has cautiously welcomed Russia's agreement to withdraw its troops from areas surrounding South Ossetia and Abkhazia by mid-October.

* Russia says to send nuclear warship to Caribbean Russia said on Monday it would send a heavily-armed nuclear-powered cruiser to the Caribbean for a joint naval exercise with Venezuela.

* Saudi FM wants Arabs to bridge Palestinian rifts Prince Saud Al-Faisal says during Cairo meeting that 'it's about time Arab countries take solid, decisive stance against those who shed Palestinian blood.

* Obama's Childhood: Praying to Saints and Bowing in Mosques Despite the best efforts of his aides to minimize his dual religious upbringing, the election campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama continues to be dogged by the issue.

* Hizbullah chief warns against Gaza strike Hizbullah Chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah warned Monday that if Israel "launches a war against Lebanon, Syria, Iran or Gaza, it will have thousands of scores to settle".

* Russia prepares to launch Bushehr plant The Russian state-run company building Iran's first nuclear plant said Monday that preparations for the reactor's launch had entered their final stage.

* Hamas Broadcasting from Temple Mount Hamas's Al Aqsa television network has been exclusively broadcasting nightly Ramadan prayers from the Temple Mount.

* 'Samaria Pact' condemns evacuation bill "We will stand firm against those who threaten us from home or outside, and do everything in our power to prevent the banishment of another 150,000 Jews.

* U.S. Losing Ground, Sway to Iran Iran seems to be gaining ground and influence in the Levant, much to the detriment of the United States.

* Al-Qaida blasts Iran for working with US Al-Qaida marked the anniversary of the September 11 attacks Monday with an hour-and-a-half video message summarizing the state of jihad, or holy war.

09/08/08

* Police recommend indicting PM for bribery and a host of other charges After months of investigations and speculation, police recommended on Sunday evening that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert should be charged with bribery, breach of public trust, violation of anti-money laundering legislation and fraudulent receipt of goods.

* Sarkozy leads EU trio to Moscow French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been holding talks in Moscow with the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev about the crisis in Georgia.

* Cheney: Russian arms reaching Hezbollah US vice president meets with Israeli president on sidelines of Italian conference, accuses Moscow of selling weapons to Iran, Syria despite knowing they will reach hands of terrorists

* Iran solidifies control over Hizbullah Iran is consolidating its grip on Hizbullah and has instituted a number of structural changes to the Lebanese group, under which Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah no longer enjoys exclusive command over its military wing.

* Olmert to stay PM even if indicted Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will remain head of the transitional government that would come into being when he quits following the Kadima primary, even if Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz decides to indict him.

* Hitler's "Grossmufti von Jerusalem" While most Palestinians would claim that the violence is simply a means to "liberate" their homeland, another plausible explanation may lie in the fact that early Palestinian nationalism was influenced heavily by Nazism.

* Obama's verbal slip fuels his critics Sen. Barack Obama's foes seized Sunday upon a brief slip of the tongue, when the Democratic presidential nominee was outlining his Christianity but accidentally said, "my Muslim faith."

* Olmert: There will be need to evacuate settlers In light of the serious nature of the negotiations with the Palestinians, there is a need to begin discussions about evacuating some of the settlers from isolated areas of Judea and Samaria, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said.

* Prime Minister Welcomes Planeload of Immigrants A chartered flight of new immigrants from North America arrived in Israel on Monday morning.

* Iran to launch series of military maneuvers Three-day exercise to include examination of antiaircraft systems, aimed at upgrading army's combat preparedness, deterring US and Israeli from attacking Islamic Republic