10/31/08

* IAEA member: Iran holding secret tests to advance nuclear program Iran has recently tested ways of recovering highly enriched uranium from waste reactor fuel in a covert bid to expand its nuclear program.

* Israeli-Backed PA Strikes Hamas Hard in West Bank The Palestinian Authority recently uncovered a massive underground tunnel belonging to Hamas in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

* 'Human catastrophe' grips Congo Fierce fighting between government and rebel forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo is causing a humanitarian catastrophe.

* Historian: Conditions Are Ripe for a King of Israel The current situation in Israel could have all the necessary ingredients for the appointment of a king, according to biblical scholar and historian David Solomon.

* MKs says Olmert has no mandate for peace talks with Syria Right-wing Knesset members appealed to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on Friday morning, asking him to look into outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's plan to resume Israel's unofficial talks with Syria.

* New head for US Central Command US General David Petraeus is to take control of US military operations throughout the Middle East and much of Asia as head of US Central Command.

* Qaeda wants Republicans, Bush "humiliated": Web video An al Qaeda leader has called for President George W. Bush and the Republicans to be "humiliated."

* Norway Funding PA Hate Media Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) has issued a report on the state of the Palestinian Authority (PA) media in the wake of the Annapolis conference.

* Vatican: Bar gays from priesthood Candidates for the Catholic priesthood should undergo psychological tests to screen out heterosexuals unable to control their sexual urges and men with strong homosexual tendencies.

* Commission hails Turkey's role in regional stability Turkey's role as promoter of regional stability has improved in the last year.

10/30/08

* Syrians stage mass anti-US rally Thousands of people have held a peaceful demonstration in Damascus against an alleged US raid on a village that Syria says killed eight people.

* First Temple-Era Water Tunnel Revealed in Jerusalem A tunnel built thousands of years ago – and which may even have been used during King David's conquest of Jerusalem – has been uncovered in the ancient City of David.

* Iranian source: "Quake" Saturday was nuclear bomb test Israel Insider exclusively reports that a seismic event this weekend in southern Iran may in fact have been a massive underground nuclear bomb test.

* Iran threatens US with suicide bombers Only a few days ahead of the American presidential election, Iranian parliamentary speaker 'Ali Larijani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah 'Ali Khamanai have launched harsh verbal attacks against the United States.

* Financial crisis should not delay US missile shield The global economic downturn and a potential Democratic win in US elections should not delay plans to build parts of a missile shield in Europe.

* U.S. absentee voters in Israel back McCain over Obama by 3-1 A survey of Americans in Israel has found that absentee voters supported Republican John McCain over Barack Obama by a three-to-one margin.

* EU resists calls to send troops to east Congo French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner has suggested the EU should do more to help UN peacekeepers in Congo.

* Turkey interested in Israeli UAVs Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul is in Israel for a two-day visit.

* Israeli diggers find Hebrew text in ancient town An Israeli archaeologist digging at a hilltop south of Jerusalem believes a ceramic shard found in the ruins of an ancient town bears the oldest Hebrew inscription ever discovered.

* Haaretz poll: Likud, Kadima tied at 31; Labor down to 10 seats If elections were held today, the right-wing camp would garner 61 Knesset seats while 58 would go to the center-left.

10/29/08

* Palestinian forces in Hebron say Hamas 'in the crosshairs' Since they began operating in the West Bank city of Hebron, Palestinian Authority security forces have been cracking down on rival faction Hamas' footholds.

* Dedication of Har Habanim Park in Bnei Brak Eli Rubenstein: "Our Strength as a Nation Comes from Supporting Each Other.

* In Kurdish Iraq, enticing tourists to a rugged land The roses were in full bloom as throngs of women in flowery head scarves swooped in to claim their spots in Sami Rahman Park.

* Scores dead after Pakistan quake At least 160 people have been killed after an earthquake of 6.4 magnitude hit Balochistan province in south-western Pakistan.

* Slowdown in the Gulf reverberates in the Middle East For many of the financially strapped nations of the Middle East, the oil-rich countries of the Gulf have served for years as an economic lifeline.

* US Embassy in Syria says it could close The US Embassy in Syria warned Americans in the country to remain alert and said it could close to the public after the deadly US raid near the country's border with Iraq over the weekend.

* US hands province to Iraqi forces Iraqi authorities have taken over responsibility for security in another province from US military forces.

* Saudi king invites Israel to New York interfaith conference Saudi King Abdullah has green-lighted Israel's participation in a meeting at the United Nations next month to discuss his initiative to promote interfaith dialogue.

* Sarkozy: Obama 'Immature' on Iran; Nuke Sites May Be Bombed Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama's stand on Iran is "utterly immature," French President Nicolas Sarkozy told Israel.

* Sarkozy wants more EU crisis funding French president Nicolas Sarkozy has called for an EU crisis fund for member states to be extended.

10/28/08

* Barak Calls for 'Iron Fist' Against Judea, Samaria Protesters Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday that the government would crack down on Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria.

* Al Qaeda was U.S. target in Syrian attack, official says The U.S. military conducted a successful strike into Syria on Sunday to kill a suspected al Qaeda facilitator.

* Qureia: Jerusalem the key to resolving conflict The top negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, Ahmed Qureia, said on Monday that he "has great respect for the way (Kadima Chairwoman) Tzipi Livni works."

* Iran 'opens naval base' near Gulf Iran has opened new naval facilities east of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entrance to the Gulf which is key to oil supplies.

* Russia, China sign landmark oil pipeline deal Russia and China on Tuesday signed a long-awaited deal to build an oil pipeline from Siberia to China after talks between Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

* Baghdad condemns 'US Syria raid' Iraq has denounced a raid into Syria at the weekend, saying it does not want its territory to be used as a launch-point for US attacks on its neighbours.

* OPEC cannot bail world out over financial crisis, says chief OPEC cannot be expected to bail out the world over the current global financial crisis.

* Fractures in Iraq city as Kurds and Baghdad vie A new Iraqi military offensive is under way in this still violent northern city.

* Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis: Prepare for the Coming of Messiah Internationally renowned Jewish inspirational speaker Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis warns that we are feeling the "birth pangs of the Mashiach," with limited time to save ourselves from dark prophecies surrounding his arrival.

* Peres hints Disengagement was a failure "If the disengagement was a success, we would repeat it in the West Bank," President Shimon Peres said.

10/27/08

* Syria condemns US village raid Syria has protested angrily to both the US and Iraq after what it said was a US helicopter raid inside its territory that killed eight civilians.

* Global shares continue to slide Global markets have fallen in Monday trade, touching five-year lows, as investors continue to fret about the depth of the global economic slowdown.

* Top Iran commander: We supply arms to Middle East militias A top Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander has said Iran is supplying weapons to liberation armies in the Middle East.

* As expected, Peres declares elections President Shimon Peres informed Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik that the country would be holding early elections after it became clear that none of the Knesset factions were capable of building a coalition.

* Yadlin: Radical Axis Exploiting Israeli, US Transition Periods Military Intelligence Chief Amos Yadlin told the cabinet on Sunday that Iran, Syria and Hizbullah were exploiting current political uncertainty in Israel and the US.

* Leftist Church Leaders Rally against Christian Zionists Leftist American church leaders have launched a full-scale public relations campaign against Christian Zionists, who announced Sunday they have raised $9.5 million for Israel.

* First Israel Election Polls Published The first polls of the Israel election season were published Monday and show a dramatic increase in support for the Likud party and a large drop in support for the Labor party.

* Israel votes McCain in US elections Survey finds 46% of Israelis would vote for Republican nominee if given chance to elect US president; Democrat Barack Obama receives 34% of votes.

* Global financial crisis brings Israelis home Economic distress prompts thousands of Israelis living abroad to return to Jewish state. Immigrant Absorption Ministry foresees 15,000 homecomings by end of 2009.

* UK defence minister supports EU army The freshly appointed UK defence secretary has publicly supported the idea of a European army, a key ambition of the French EU presidency.

10/25/08

* Leaders urge world finance reform Asian and European leaders have called for comprehensive reform of the global financial system.

* Iran Turns Tables, Threatens Strike on Israel In an upping of the tit for tat rhetoric between Tel Aviv and Tehran, several senior Iranian officials have recommended a pre-emptive strike on Israel.

* PA security forces deploy in Hebron Palestinian security forces deployed in Hebron early Saturday as part of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's program to strengthen his control over the West Bank.

* Livni advisers push for elections Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni announced on Friday her steadfast commitment to meet with President Shimon Peres on Sunday to announce whether or not she has been able to form a coalition.

* Shas: Decision not to join gov't final Shas chairman Eli Yishai said Friday that the decision made earlier by the Council of Torah Sages for the party not to join the coalition was final.

* Abbas postpones meeting with Olmert A meeting scheduled next week between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been postponed.

* Peres Praises 'Spirit' of Saudi Plan President Shimon Peres met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

* Mideast Suffers Heavy Press Repression, Survey Shows Free expression continues to be a rare commodity in the vast majority of countries in the Middle East.

* Strained relations between Russians, EU monitors in Georgia Russia is not informing the EU mission of their deployment of troops.

* OPEC agrees sharp output cut, oil slide goes on An emergency OPEC meeting on Friday reached swift agreement to chop production by 1.5 million barrels per day.

10/24/08

* Stock markets plunge across world Global share markets are falling amid investors' widening fears of a sustained worldwide economic recession.

* Hu Says China's Economy Stable, Pledges Coordination on Crisis Chinese President Hu Jintao said maintaining his country's economic growth rate, the fastest among major economies, is the best way to combat a credit crisis.

* Oil falls despite production cuts World oil prices have continued to fall, undermining oil cartel Opec's efforts to steady prices by cutting output by 1.5 million barrels a day.

* Iran Turns Tables, Threatens Strike on Israel In an upping of the tit for tat rhetoric between Tel Aviv and Tehran, several senior Iranian officials have recommended a pre-emptive strike on Israel.

* Ahmadinejad may not run for president again Will workload prevent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from running for the president of Iran again?

* PM 'undermined' Turkey secularism Turkey's prime minister was involved in anti-secular activities.

* Pilgrimage to roots of Jewish faith and strife They came in waves, ardent Jewish settlers, religious women from central Israel, black-clad followers of Hasidic courts and groups of teenage boys and girls, almost a thousand of them in all.

* EU and Cuba formally restore ties The European Union has officially renewed ties with Cuba after a five-year freeze in relations.

* Ukraine says Russia fueled Georgia conflict with arms sales Ukraine has accused Russia of supplying arms to both Abkhazia and Georgia before a five-day conflict over South Ossetia in August.

* Pakistani militias outgunned by Taliban Two tribal elders lay stretched out in an orthopedic ward here last week.

10/23/08

* Shares volatile on recession fear US shares have been volatile in early trading on Wall Street, after a slew of weak corporate earnings increased fears that a recession is on the way.

* EU foreign policy chief says hopes Syria-Israel talks continue The European Union's foreign policy chief said Thursday he hopes indirect peace talks between Syria and Israel will continue and bring progress.

* Iraq takes over 12th province from US Iraq took control of the central Shiite province of Babil from US forces on Thursday in what officials declared was a further sign of security gains across the war-torn nation.

* Iran, Russia, Qatar move on natural gas cartel Russians, Qataris and Iranians met in Teheran on Tuesday to discuss setting up a natural gas cartel, similar to the oil-based Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

* Financial woes to top Beijing talks Leaders from Europe and Asia have begun gathering in China for a meeting set to be dominated by talks on measures to counter the global financial crisis.

* Larijani: Iran prefers Obama Iranian parliament speaker says his country is leaning towards Democratic candidate in US presidential election 'because he is more flexible and rational'.

* Nuclear materials secretly transported Enough processed uranium to make six nuclear weapons was secretly transported thousands of miles by truck, rail and ship on a month long trip from a research reactor in Budapest, Hungary, to a facility in Russia so it could be more closely protected against theft, U.S. officials revealed Wednesday.

* Israel Prays for Rain, Thunderstorms Drench Western Galilee Up to two inches of rain drenched the Haifa area Wednesday night and Thursday morning following a light drizzle Tuesday, when Jews began adding to prayer a reminder that the Almighty "causes the winds to blow and the rains to fall."

* Livni expected to call elections if no coalition deal by Sunday Kadima Chairwoman and Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni is expected to announce on Thursday that she will call early elections if a deal to strike a coalition government is not sealed by next week.

* Georgia Says Russia Has 7,000 Troops in South Ossetia Russia has deployed as many as 7,000 soldiers in the separatist region of South Ossetia, leading Georgia to suspect "further provocations'' following a five-day war in August, a Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman said.

10/22/08

* Top Iran officials recommend preemptive strike against Israel Senior Tehran officials are recommending a preemptive strike against Israel to prevent an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear reactors, a senior Islamic Republic official told foreign diplomats two weeks ago in London.

* Syria envoy: Future generations will pay if Israel scuttles peace talks Syria's ambassador to the United States on Tuesday warned that should Israel scuttle peace negotiations with Syria, the citizens of each country will pay the price.

* China calls for cooperation on financial crisis Chinese President Hu Jintao expressed concerns over the ailing U.S. financial system in a phone conversation with U.S. President George W. Bush, state media reported Wednesday.

* Cleric in Iran issues fatwa against US-Iraqi pact An influential Iraqi cleric living in Iran on Wednesday issued a religious decree - a fatwa - blasting the US-Iraqi security pact that would keep American troops in Iraq for three more years and warned Iraqi leaders not to back the deal.

* Recession fears drag shares lower US stocks fell in opening trading in New York, echoing declines in Europe and Asia as fears of a global recession continued to hit investor confidence.

* OPEC faces tough test as oil price tumbles At the beginning of the year, OPEC producers felt confident that strong economic growth and tight supplies would keep oil prices high.

* Temple Mount Visit Cut Short by Arab Mob A mob of dozens of Arabs threatened and nearly surrounded a group of Jewish worshipers who visited the Temple Mount over the Simchat Torah holiday on Tuesday. The police told the Jews to leave.

* Diplomatic Sources: Nasrallah Ill from Chemical Murder Attempt Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah is seriously ill from a chemical attack nearly two weeks ago, according to Iraqi sources quoted by Beirut diplomats.

* Sarkozy in fresh call for eurozone 'government' French president Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday (21 October) renewed calls he made last week for the creation of an "economic government" for countries using the euro, in order to react better to crisis situations such as the current global financial turmoil.

* Turkey wants next gov't to renew indirect Syrian talks Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Monday he hoped the next Israeli government would continue the Turkish-mediated indirect talks with Syria.

10/21/08

* Top US, Russian military chiefs meet American and Russian military leaders met Tuesday for unannounced talks in Finland, the highest-level military meeting between the two countries since Russia's war with US ally Georgia in August, a US Embassy official said.

* Libya seeks Russian arms Interfax quotes Russian arms source, says OPEC member may buy more than $2 billion in weapons, including surface-to-air missiles.

* Iran, Russia, Qatar mull forming OPEC-style natural gas cartel Iran, Russia and Qatar discussed the formation of an OPEC-style cartel among some of the largest natural gas producing nations on Tuesday, a prospect that has unnerved energy-importing nations in Europe and the United States.

* Iran sanction talks produce no result Senior diplomats from six world powers discussed on Monday the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, but they failed again to reach consensus on how or whether to continue, US officials said.

* Abbas hints he might not leave office when his term ends Palestinian Authority Preisdent Mahmoud Abbas said Monday he was not intending to step down from office when his term ends in January 2009, hinting also that he would run again for PA president in 2010.

* 3 oil countries face a reckoning As the price of oil roared to ever higher levels in recent years, the leaders of Venezuela, Iran and Russia muscled their way onto the world stage, using checkbook diplomacy and, on occasion, intimidation.

* Russia set to invest heavily in space industry Russia will spend billions of dollars over the next three years to consolidate its leading role in the space industry, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

* Somali Piracy Shakes Confidence in Suez Canal Route The rise in piracy off the coasts of Somalia has shaken confidence in the Suez Canal as a safe passage linking the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and has prompted shipping companies to seek out alternative routes that avoid the dangerous East African Horn waters.

* Iraq-U.S. Security Pact Fate Hangs in the Balance An Iraqi-U.S. security pact that would determine the presence of the U.S. forces in Iraq beyond the end of this year is hanging in the balance after Iraqi leaders refused to endorse what was to be the "final draft," as further negotiations are expected to be held to resolve the toughest issues on which neither side seems to be budging.

* Switzerland, a Possible Target of Islamist Terrorism? Once considered the safest country in Europe, if not the world, Switzerland is now a potential target of a terrorist attack.

10/20/08

* Bush backs EU plan on global financial reform US President George W. Bush has backed the European idea of a series of global talks on reform of the world's financial system, with the first summit set to be held shortly after the US presidential elections in November.

* Olmert Seeking Golan-Giveaway Agreement In light of reports that outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is trying to reach an agreement with Syria before he leaves office, a party colleague, MK David Tal, says: "Hands off the Golan."

* Abbas: I was promised almost all of West Bank Palestinian president tell reporters in Ramallah that Prime Minister Olmert promised to give him 'nearly all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem neighborhoods.

* Iran: Defeat in UNSC 'obvious injustice' Iran says its failure to win a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council was an "obvious injustice."

* Saudi official presents new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan Turki al-Faisal, the former Saudi intelligence director and a member of the royal family, presented a proposal for Israeli-Palestinian peace at a conference yesterday.

* Disarray at Turkish terror trial The trial of 86 people in Turkey on charges including armed insurrection and aiding a terror group has adjourned after chaotic opening scenes.

* Egypt pushes for Palestinian unity government Cairo invites Fatah, Hamas to attend talks which would deal with establishment of PA unity cabinet ahead of January elections, integration of Hamas, Islamic Jihad factions into PLO.

* Turkey: Syria-Israel talks should resume Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said he wants Turkish-mediated indirect talks between Syria and Israel to resume.

* The Next U.S. President and the Middle East The Arabs should be aware that pressure is mounting in the United States to reduce dependence on Middle East oil Ð in other words to reduce oil imports.

* Peres grants Livni two more weeks to form coalition gov't President Shimon Peres on Monday granted Kadima leader Tzipi Livni a two-week extension to put together a coalition government.

10/18/08

* Temple time? For centuries Jews have remembered and mourned the destruction of the Temple through traditions such as crushing a glass at weddings or leaving unpainted a patch of wall opposite the entrance to one's home.

* The Real World: The Russian Navy Back in the Med Are happy days here again – for the Russian navy? The Russian Federation is redeploying a part of the Black Sea Fleet to its Cold War hunting grounds in the Mediterranean.

* Will Arabs hit the polls? In 2000, there were about 200,000 Arabs living in east Jerusalem. By now, they number about 267,000.

* Israel backs UNSC's refusal of Iran Iran lost its bid to become a temporary member of the UN Security Council on Friday.

* Iraqis stage mass anti-US rally An estimated 50,000 protesters chanted slogans such as "Get out occupier!".

* Peres: Falling oil prices hurt Iran The fall of oil prices due to the international financial crisis could lessen Iran's ability to threaten Israel.

* Bush to hold crisis talks with EU US President George W Bush is to hold talks on the financial crisis with his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, and EC President Jose Manuel Barroso.

* Farrakhan Says 'New Beginning' For Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam, a secretive movement generally closed to outsiders, has planned a rare open-to-the public event at its Chicago-based headquarters.

* China to help build 2 Pakistan nuclear plants Pakistan said Saturday that China will help it build two more nuclear power plants.

* Iran demands Russia finish work on Bushehr reactor "Iran expects Russia to honor its commitments and complete the construction of the nuclear reactor in Bushehr in accordance with the agreed-upon schedule."

10/17/08

* UN chief: Hizbullah must be disbanded UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that Lebanon will not be a fully sovereign state until Hizbullah, and other militia groups are disbanded.

* US pushes for Iraq security deal US defence chief Robert Gates is seeking support from politicians on a draft deal to extend the US mandate in Iraq, which expires later this year.

* Analysts: Al-Qaeda awash in funds despite meltdown The meltdown in the global financial system may spare al-Qaeda.

* Somali Islamists threaten Kenya Somali Islamists say they will attack Kenya if it goes ahead with plans to train 10,000 government troops.

* Israel leads ME in approved arms purchases For the first time in years and in the face of Iran's nuclear drive, Israel surpassed Saudi Arabia in arms purchases in 2008.

* OPEC calls emergency meeting as oil prices plummet Oil prices plummeted Thursday, falling below $70 a barrel for the first time in 16 months, prompting the OPEC oil cartel to call for an emergency meeting next week.

* Thousands Visit Judea, Samaria Tourist Sites Several tourist sites in Judea and Samaria have boasted thousands of visitors each day during the intermediate days of Sukkot.

* Iran seeks Security Council seat Voting is to begin shortly at the UN headquarters in New York to decide which nations will serve as temporary members of the Security Council.

* Bush to Assad: Sever Ties with Iran and Take the Golan Heights U.S. President George W. Bush offered Syrian President Bashar Assad a secret deal to pull Israel out of the Golan Heights.

* Barroso and Sarkozy plead for permanent EU presidency European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and French President Nicolas Sarkozy - currently chairing the EU - have urged the need for a permanent EU presidency.

10/16/08

* Tens of Thousands at Blessing of the Priests at the Kotel Thousands of Kohanim, Jewish men descended from members of the priestly class in the People of Israel, gathered at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem.

* EU leaders call for global financial overhaul EU leaders were to wrap up a summit Thursday dominated by the financial crisis with a call for an overhaul of the global financial architecture.

* New IAF system will pinpoint Iranian missile targets in Israel The Israel Air Force is developing a computerized system to predict where a missile will land with considerable accuracy.

* Iraq reports progress on security pact Iraqi negotiators are reviewing a revised draft of a long-delayed draft security agreement to govern the conduct of American forces in Iraq.

* 35,000 take part in Jerusalem March More than 35,000 people took part in the annual Jerusalem March on Wednesday, thronging the streets of the capital in celebration of Succot.

* Iran hails world financial crisis as 'end of capitalism' Iranian leaders say the world financial crisis indicates the end of capitalism, the failure of liberal democracy and divine punishment.

* Hundreds more Christian families flee Iraq city The number of Christian families who have fled the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in the past week has reached 1,350.

* Livni Battling to Form New Israeli Government Israeli Foreign Minister and the leader of Israel's ruling Kadima Party Tzipi Livni has just three weeks to cobble together a coalition government.

* 'Lost' synagogue reopens in Jerusalem's Muslim Quarter A group of rabbis, politicians, philanthropists and right-wing activists gathered Sunday in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City to celebrate the reopening of a synagogue.

* Thousands Gather for Temple Congregation Ceremony The Temple Institute in Jerusalem's Old City succeeded on Wednesday in arousing a spirit of longing for the Holy Temple amongst a crowd of thousands.

10/15/08

* Rice: I'll leave no stone unturned in pursuit of ME peace Though the clock is ticking on the Bush administration and Israel is in political turmoil, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pledged to push for a peace deal.

* G8 backs financial reform summit The leaders of the G8 major industrialised nations have agreed to hold a summit with other states to discuss global financial reform.

* 'AqsaTube' glorifies terrorism online Hamas has launched an Internet site called AqsaTube, a file-sharing resource enabling users to upload videos.

* Israeli biofuel project could spell end of Mideast oil power It will take dedicated visionaries to help stop America's addiction to foreign oil and diminish the huge market power wielded by Mideast oil producers.

* German official was at anti-Israel rally German Ambassador to Iran Herbert Honsowitz violated EU guidelines by allowing a military attaché to attend an anti-Israel military parade in Teheran late last month.

* Group of 12 to reflect on future of Europe EU leaders are on Thursday (16 October) set to approve a 12-member group headed by former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez.

* Syria to open embassy in Beirut after historic decree Syria and Lebanon are establishing diplomatic relations for the first time, putting ties between the neighbours on a more equal footing.

* In response to Acre riots, PFLP threatens to kill Lieberman The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on Tuesday threatened to kill Israel Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman.

10/14/08

* US, allies planning Iran sanctions without UN support The United States and its allies are discussing economic sanctions on Iran without the United Nations' support.

* Europe spends trillions in historic bank rescue EU states on Monday (13 October) outlined the details of a historic state bail-out of Europe's financial sector.

* France's War with Jihadis France's war with the jihadis is more intense than most Americans or even most Europeans would imagine.

* Israel seals off West Bank ahead of Sukkot holiday The holiday of Sukkot, celebrated for seven days, is part of the Jewish high holiday season, which usually falls in the autumn and began this year on September 29 with Rosh Hashana.

* Iraq's Kurds meet Turkish delegation in Baghdad Iraq's senior Kurdish leader met with Turkish officials Tuesday in Baghdad, a news agency reported, the first direct talks between the two sides in four years.

* Syria to open embassy in Beirut Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree to set up diplomatic ties with Lebanon and open an embassy.

* Ban confronted Ahmadinejad on speech UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has said that he personally confronted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over his address to the UN General Assembly last month.

* Former global leaders in Iran to support Khatami Iran's reformist ex-president Mohammad Khatami is hosting former UN chief Kofi Annan and other high-level European dignitaries this week.

* EU ministers keep Russian partnership on hold Despite pressure from some EU capitals, the union's foreign ministers stopped short of resuming talks on a new EU-Russia partnership treaty.

* Iraqi officials to probe attacks on Christians Iraq's government pledged on Tuesday to send senior officials to northern Iraq to tackle violence against Christians which has led thousands to flee their homes fearing for their lives.

10/13/08

* Markets surge after crisis talks US shares have risen strongly in early trading as investors welcome fresh efforts by global leaders to end the recent financial turmoil.

* Time is Running Out For Solution Time is running out for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict leading to a two-state solution.

* Week-Long Sukkot Holiday Begins Monday Night The seven-plus-one Sukkot holiday, which begins Monday night, features temporary dwellings, Four Species, and much rejoicing.

* Palestinians ready for reconciliation Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday the rift between Fatah and arch-rival Hamas must end.

* The failing markets' impact on diplomacy With the global financial hurricane still raging, it is clear to all that everyone and everything is going to get wet.

* Barak: Set up task force on settler violence Defense Minister Ehud Barak has ordered his deputy, Matan Vilna'i, to establish an inter-agency task force to coordinate efforts to stop the current wave of settler violence.

* Paulson calls for global cooperation on financial crisis US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson called for coordinated, international steps to deal with the global financial crisis.

* Hinduism vs. Christianity in India India, the world's most populous democracy and officially a secular nation, is today haunted by a stark assault on one of its fundamental freedoms.

* Iraq: Businessman killed as attacks on Christians continue Gunmen killed a Christian businessman and wounded his nephew in a drive-by shooting in Mosul.

* Restored Synagogue Reopens in Old City's Muslim Quarter Following years of archaeological digs in the area, the Ohel Yitzhak (Tent of Isaac) synagogue was rededicated on Sunday.

10/11/08

* G7 nations pledge to fight crisis Finance ministers from leading industrialised nations have pledged action to tackle the financial crisis.

* Berlusconi Says Leaders May Close World's Markets Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said political leaders are discussing the idea of closing the world's financial markets.

* Haider death stuns friends and foes The last time I saw Joerg Haider, just under two weeks ago, he was being serenaded to Queen's hit 'We are the Champions'.

* Haniyeh: American Empire is collapsing America's opponents in the Middle East are gloating at the financial meltdown in the United States.

* IAF jets scrambled to northern border Thirty-five years after the Yom Kippur War erupted, the Israel Air Force scrambled fighter jets to the border with Lebanon after a suspicious aircraft was detected approaching Israeli airspace.

* N Korea taken off US terror list Washington has removed North Korea from its list of countries sponsoring terrorism.

* Iraqi PM discusses US pact with Muqtada al-Sadr Iraq's prime minister met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on Friday and indicated the country's most influential Shi'ite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, would not try to block a long-term US security deal.

* PM set for crisis talks in Paris Gordon Brown is to go to Paris on Sunday for talks with Nicolas Sarkozy on the global financial crisis.

* Official: 500 Christian families flee Iraq's Mosul An upswing in insurgent attacks against Christians in Mosul has forced 500 families to flee in the last week and seek shelter at churches.

* OPEC to hold emergency meeting on oil prices OPEC said Thursday it will hold an extraordinary meeting Nov. 18 to discuss how the widening global financial crisis is affecting oil prices.

10/10/08

* Fear grips global stock markets Wall Street shares have fallen sharply in opening trading, with the Dow Jones index down 6% at 8,056 points.

* Turkey launches Kurdish rebel attacks in Iraq Turkish warplanes and artillery bombed and killed a large group of Kurdish rebels .

* Russian withdrawal 'not complete' France's foreign minister says Russian forces' withdrawal from Georgia is "not complete or perfect".

* World Top Financiers Start Thinking Global At last the world's top finance officials, including those in China, have started thinking globally.

* Israel Caught Between Islamist Crossfire: Lebanon Pays Price Both Israel and Hezbollah feel that another round of violence is inevitable.

* MEPs endorse exploitation of Arctic resources The European Union must push for an international treaty governing the Arctic if the rapidly melting and delicate region is to be saved.

* Hamas and Fatah to hold talks in Cairo Fatah and Hamas representatives are scheduled to meet in Cairo in the coming days in yet another bid to end their ongoing rivalry.

* Terror groups call for 3rd intifada The Islamic Jihad movement called on Friday for Palestinians to take to the streets in solidarity with the Arabs of Akko and Arabs in Israel.

* Analysis: Who in the Arab world benefits from crisis? Stock markets across the Arab world experienced unprecedently sharp losses when trading began following the Id al-Fitr holiday earlier this week.

* Iraqi PM discusses US pact with Shiite cleric Iraq's most influential Shiite cleric indicated Friday he would not stand in the way a long-term U.S. security deal if it's approved by the country's democratic institutions.

10/09/08

* Yom Kippur: Beyond words Rosh Hashana is "the day of the sounding of the shofar [ram's horn]," according to its biblical definition (Numbers 29:1). However, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and Forgiveness.

* EU wipes England off the map The Tories have issued a St George's Day rallying cry against plans by Brussels to "wipe England off the map" and create a United Europe.

* NATO sending ships to tackle Somali pirates NATO agreed Thursday to send ships soon to protect vessels off Somalia's coast as bandits holding a Ukrainian ship laden with weapons softened their ransom demands in response to mounting international pressure.

* World finance chiefs heading for Washington for crunch talks Finance chiefs from the world's richest nations are set to meet in Washington for a crucial but uncertain meeting.

* Shares rally after intervention Most global stock markets have rallied after investors absorbed news of a co-ordinated interest rate cut.

* UK calls for EU-wide rescue plan In a sharp about face, UK Prime Minister Gordon has written to EU leaders encouraging the creation of a "Europe-wide funding plan" to tackle the worsening financial crisis.

* Hamas ready to discuss elections Hamas officials in Cairo say they will meet representatives of the rival Fatah movement this month to discuss the timing of fresh Palestinian elections.

* Vatican defends wartime pope against charge he turned blind eye to Holocaust The Vatican on Wednesday rejected charges that wartime Pope Pius XII turned a blind eye to the Holocaust.

* Global Competitiveness Report Lauds Gulf Countries, Some Mideast Economies Do Badly Gulf economies, spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, posted large gains in global competitiveness in 2008.

* Opec members seek emergency meeting Members of the Opec oil cartel are considering an emergency meeting in Vienna next month as oil prices dropped to their lowest level in nearly a year.