04/30/09

* EU warns against swine flu panic The UN's World Health Organization has raised the alert over swine flu to level five - indicating human-to-human transmission in at least two countries.

* Intelligence Warns Israel is now an ‘Obstacle to Obama' According to a classified intelligence assessment handed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Barack Obama and his senior advisors wish to "incrementally diminish U.S. strategic cooperation with Israel."

* UK combat operations end in Iraq A ceremony has been held in Basra to mark the official end of the six-year British military presence in Iraq.

* Israel to EU: Criticism of Netanyahu government unacceptable A Foreign Ministry official has been warning European countries that unless they curtail criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu's government, Israel will block the European Union from participating in the diplomatic process with the Palestinians.

* Turkey hits Kurdish bases in Iraq Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq on Wednesday and Thursday.

* Hamas Army Preparing for New War The defacto Hamas government in Gaza is re-training its army and changing its tactics in preparation for what it believes will be another war with Israel.

* Taliban announce 'countersurge' in Afghanistan The Taliban have vowed to launch a new offensive this summer in Afghanistan against the government and the foreign soldiers stationed there.

* Debut for world's fastest camera The fastest imaging system ever devised has been demonstrated by researchers reporting in the journal Nature.

* BMI airline wipes Israel off the map Israel has been excluded from digital maps displayed for passengers on British airline BMI flights from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv.

* Nato 'expels Russian diplomats' Russia has confirmed Nato has expelled two of its diplomats from Brussels, reportedly in retaliation for a spy scandal involving an Estonian official.

04/29/09

* PM: Today marks fulfillment of our dream Independence Day celebrations commenced on Tuesday night with the annual torch lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl.

* The State of Israel-fact file The State of Israel was formed on May 15 1948 as a Jewish state and a democratic republic.

* US General: Fatah Soldiers are 'Founders of Palestinian State' Palestinian Authority special forces were praised by an American general this week for becoming the founders of a new Arab country within Israel's current borders.

* US reports first swine flu death A 23-month-old child in Texas is the first person known to have died of swine flu outside Mexico, where it may have killed as many as 159 people.

* Judea/Samaria Marks Milestone, Too As Israel celebrates 61 years of independence, the Jewish towns of Judea and Samaria commemorate 30 years of Regional Councils.

* Russia mulls rocket power 'first' Russia's next-generation manned space vehicle might be equipped with thrusters to perform a precision landing on its return to Earth.

* Obama's first 100 days 'blank' on Eastern Europe As US President Barack Obama marks his 100th day in office on Wednesday, several blanks in his policies towards eastern Europe and Russia still need to be filled.

* Muslims are cool to pope's Holy Land pilgrimage A banner across the main square in Jesus' boyhood town condemns those who insult Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

* Pakistan army 'retakes key town' The Pakistan army says it has taken control of a key town in Buner district in the north-west, a day after starting an offensive against the Taleban.

* Egypt orders slaughter of all pigs over swine flu Egypt began slaughtering the roughly 300,000 pigs in the country Wednesday as a precautionary measure against the spread of swine flu.

04/28/09

* Pakistani leader: Bin Laden 'may be dead' Pakistan's president said his intelligence agencies believe Osama bin Laden may be dead, but he added there is no proof.

* Israel to celebrate 61st birthday with concerts, military shows Independence Day celebrations will kick off Tuesday night with singing and acting performances on dozens of outdoor stages throughout the country after the central ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

* 'Nation embracing bereaved families' Sirens wailed across Israel for two minutes at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning, as Remembrance Day ceremonies opened throughout the country.

* Cosmic blast sets distance mark The cataclysmic explosion of a giant star early in the history of the Universe is the most distant single object ever detected by telescopes.

* Barak: Iran is a threat to entire world While stressing that Israel was not in existential danger, Defense Minister Ehud Barak noted on Monday that Iran was a central threat not only to the Jewish state, but to the entire world.

* Jihadists Sharing Maps of Strategic Facilities Worldwide Jihadist websites recently carried a series of maps displaying strategic, military and nuclear facilities in many countries around the world.

* Turkish army unhappy over drill with Syria Turkey's joint military drill with Syria has not only disturbed Jerusalem, it has also riled the Turkish military.

* Pakistan Battles Taliban in Northwest Pakistan's military says attack helicopters and fighter jets are pounding Taliban militants in the northwest.

* More countries confirm swine flu New cases of the deadly swine flu virus have been confirmed as far afield as New Zealand and Israel, as the UN warns it cannot be contained.

* Turkey set to boost trade with Iran A protocol was signed on Monday on the sidelines of the Turkish-Iranian Business Forum currently being held in the Turkish capital Ankara.

04/27/09

* Israel's population on eve of 61st Independence Day: 7,411,000 Israel's population on the eve of its 61st Independence Day numbers 7,411,000, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics Monday afternoon.

* Barak 'disturbed' by Syria-Turkey drill While the Syrian-Turkish military maneuver taking place is a "disturbing development," Israel's strategic relationship with Istanbul will prevail over it, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.

* Warnings as swine virus spreads A top European Union official has warned against travel to areas hit by a outbreak of swine flu, amid growing concern over the spread of the virus.

* Abbas: "I Don't Accept" Israel As Jewish State Palestinian Authority Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas openly refused to recognize Israel as a Jewish State.

* Czech EU presidency splits with commission over Israel Caretaker Czech prime minister and European Union president-in-office, Mirek Topolanek, has sharply criticised the European Commission for insisting Israel advance peace negotiations before upgrading EU-Israel relations.

* Assad: No talks till Israel cedes Golan Syrian President Bashar Assad believes that the return of the Golan Heights is a condition for peace talks between his country and Israel, but at the same time does not foresee such negotiations happening in the near future.

* Jerusalem settlement 'extended' Construction has begun on approximately 60 new homes in a Jewish settlement in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem, the Israeli campaign group Peace Now says.

* Jordan: Israel Faces War If It Does not Agree to Arab Terms Israel faces all-out war within 18 months if it does not come to terms with the Arab world and allow the establishment of a new Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem, according to Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

* 'No delay' in US withdrawal from Iraq Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has said the recent wave of attacks in the country were isolated incidents which did not threaten overall security improvement, and would not delay the withdrawal of American forces.

* US may fund PA government with Hamas The Obama administration has asked Congress for minor changes in US law that would allow the continued provision of funds to the Palestinian Authority even if Hamas officials become part of a Palestinian unity government.

04/25/09

* Mexico flu 'a potential pandemic' A new flu virus suspected of killing up to 60 people in Mexico has the potential to become a pandemic.

* Petraeus Calls On Pakistan To Redirect Military Focus Gen. David H. Petraeus warned yesterday that al-Qaeda and Taliban extremists in Pakistan are posing "an ever more serious threat to Pakistan's very existence."

* Minister Peled: Nuclear Iran will be able to hit US "The entire world - not only the Middle East – will change should Iran acquire nuclear capabilities."

* N Korea 'is producing plutonium' North Korea has started to reprocess spent fuel rods at its nuclear plant.

* Jordan's King Abdullah: Israel must choose integration or isolation Jordan's King Abdullah on Friday said that Israel must choose between integrating into the region or remaining isolated.

* Clinton renews support for Iraq Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the US "will stand with the people of Iraq" during a difficult transition period in the conflict-torn country.

* Italy's Mafia thrives in global financial meltdown While businesses around the world are hunkering down for survival, the Italian mob is living a golden moment.

* Obama: 'World mustn't permit another Holocaust' US President Barack Obama urged the world to combat anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial but did not refer to the threat of Iran.

* Iraq raises security at Shiite shrines after bombs Iraq tightened security Saturday at major Shiite shrines in response to two days of suicide attacks targeting worshippers.

* 'Lieberman says two states the only way' Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was "very moderate" during his meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman last week.

04/24/09

* Netanyahu Gov't Continues to Divide Jerusalem A Tel Aviv court is set to decide whether the Defense Ministry may continue erecting the Partition Wall in a manner that will exclude a Jewish neighborhood.

* Iran cleric tells Washington to stop the language of threats An influential Iranian cleric urged the United States Friday to stop threatening Iran with more sanctions.

* 'World leaders must drop their slogans' The international community has to "stop speaking in slogans" if it really wants to help the new Israeli government.

* Czech PM: We'll fight EU calls to freeze Israel ties Czech Prime Minister Mirel Topolanek told President Shimon Peres on Friday that his country would fight against calls within Europe to suspend the upgrade of relations with Israel.

* Czech PM tells Peres he'll work to strengthen Israel-EU ties Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek met with President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem on Friday.

* US and Russia hold nuclear talks US and Russian negotiators have begun to work on a new treaty aimed at reducing the number of nuclear weapons.

* Lieberman presses Chinese FM on Iran Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman discussed the proliferation of nuclear technology to Iran with his Chinese counterpart on Thursday.

* Israel 'risking support on Iran' Israel risks losing Arab support against Iran if it does not make progress on the Palestinian issue, says US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

* Is Netanyahu really on a collision course with Obama? His meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington next month will be a formative event.

* Egyptian MP urges pilgrimage to Jerusalem The world's Muslims should go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to demonstrate that it is a Muslim city and the future capital of a Palestinian state.

04/23/09

* Ahmadinejad: 'Idol of Zionism should be broken' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that the "idol of Zionism" should be broken in order to "save humanity."

* Egyptian Minister Calls for Muslim Pilgrimage to Jerusalem Egyptian Religious Endowments Minister Mohammed Hamdi Zaqzuq called Thursday for Muslims from around the world to visit Jerusalem.

* Mubarak warns Iran of Cairo's 'fury' Several weeks after Egyptian security forces uncovered a Hizbullah cell allegedly planning to carry out attacks in the country.

* Suicide bombs kill scores in Iraq At least 48 people, among them Iranian pilgrims, died when a suicide bomber blew up a restaurant in Baquba.

* EU: Time not right to boost J'lem ties Israel must make a clear commitment to pursue peace negotiations with the Palestinians before ties between Jerusalem and the European Union are upgraded.

* China puts naval might on display China is staging a military parade to celebrate its navy's 60th anniversary - and show the world its latest warships.

* Internet has only just begun, say founders While the Internet has dramatically changed lives around the world, its full impact will only be realised when far more people and information go on-line.

* 'China has large role in stopping Iran' China has a "central role" in preventing Iran's drive to obtain nuclear weapons.

* Russian Official Visits North Korea in Attempt to Break Nuclear Deadlock Russia's top diplomat says he is paying a visit to North Korea, in hopes of easing the North's resistance to talking to its neighbors.

* Hizbullah projected to win Lebanese parliament majority With quiet campaigning and moderate talk, Hizbullah is building its strength for Lebanon's June 7 parliamentary elections.

04/22/09

* 'Israel puts Iran ahead of Palestinians' Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's government will hold off any discussion of the issues at the core of peace talks with the Palestinians.

* Israel: Iran trying to do 'what Adolf Hitler did to Jewish people' The Israeli government used the potent, emotionally-charged platform of Auschwitz concentration camp today to rebut President Ahmadinejad’s latest tirade against the Jewish state.

* Atlantic Monthly: Does Palestinian Authority Really Want State? An editorial in the latest issue of the prestigious Atlantic Monthly posits that the Palestinian Authority may never have a state because it does not want one.

* Barak calls for 'regional solution' Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday reiterated his support for a two-state solution.

* Taliban claims victory near Islamabad Taliban militants who implemented Islamic law in Pakistan's violence-plagued Swat Valley last week have now taken control of a neighboring district.

* Pope's visit to focus on peace, ecumenical dialogue Pope Benedict XVI will visit Israel, the West Bank and Jordan next month not only as a pilgrim to the Holy Land but also to promote interfaith relations.

* Poll: More than 75% of Jewish Israelis want to join EU More than 75 percent of Israeli Jews would like Israel to join the European Union, a recent survey found.

* Israelis 'followed law in Gaza' The Israeli military says an internal investigation has shown that it operated according to international law during its recent operation in Gaza.

* Killer robots and a revolution in warfare:Bernd Debusmann They have no fear, they never tire, they are not upset when the soldier next to them gets blown to pieces.

* Palestinian President to Meet Obama in May Palestinian officials said President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on May 28.

04/21/09

* Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at the opening ceremony for Holocaust Remembrance Day.

* Mashaal to address British parliament Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal is set to address a meeting of MPs and peers in the British parliament via a videoconference from Damascus on Wednesday.

* 'The new Hitler speaks Persian' Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin sent a message to heads of parliament around the world Tuesday in which he compared Iranian President Mahhoud Ahmadinejad to Adolf Hitler.

* Feiglin: If I were PM, I'd rebuild the Temple Moshe Feiglin, head of Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership Movement) said last week that if he was elected prime minister, he would try to rebuild the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem.

* EU states walk out during Ahmadinejad speech European diplomats on Monday (20 April) walked out of the UN's anti-racism conference in Geneva after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the Israeli government is "racist."

* Israel eyes US missile defense system Defense Minister Ehud Barak hopes to buy a US missile defense system to protect Israeli towns from short-range rockets and mortar fire.

* Meltdown losses of '$4 trillion' The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that potential losses from the credit crunch could reach $4 trillion.

* No Kidding, One in Three Children Fear Earth Apocalypse There's a new bogeyman lurking in the closet, and this one isn't imaginary. Us..

* Russia invites Europe to join new energy charter Russia has floated plans for a new global treaty on trade in fossil and nuclear fuel in an attempt to consign to history an earlier pact.

* Obama urges Palestinians and Israel: Step back from the abyss U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged Palestinians and Israelis to "step back from the abyss."

04/20/09

* Israel prepares to mark Holocaust Day The State of Israel will pause Monday night in memory of the six million Jews who perished from 1933-1945, as the country marks the start of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

* Delegates walk out on Ahmadinejad at Geneva As Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for the eradication of Israel to the UN, delegates walked out and his speech was continually interrupted.

* Al Qaeda Calls for Attack on Jerusalem While the eyes of the world are focused on the Durban II racism conference in Geneva, the international al-Qaeda terrorist organization issued a new call for an attack on Israel.

* Peres: Racist UN conference disgraceful President says that he feels "disgraced that a racist conference is opening in Geneva on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, with Iranian President Ahmadinejad as the guest of honor."

* Ahmadinejad at Durban II: Holocaust was pretext for Israel's creation Ahmadinejad branded Israel a "racist government," charging the West with dispossessing the Palestinians "on the pretext of Jewish suffering from World War II."

* MI Chief: Obama Mideast policy threatens Israel Military Intelligence Chief Amos Yadlin said Monday that the Middle East policy of U.S. President Barack Obama's administration could endanger Israel.

* Israel-Arab issue divides EU over anti-racism conference Several EU countries are set to boycott a United Nations conference on racism for fear that it might turn into an anti-semitic platform for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

* Archaeologists hunt for Cleopatra's tomb High on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, buried deep under the crumbling limestone of a temple to the goddess Isis, archaeologists believe the body of Queen Cleopatra may lie.

* Report: Hamas killed, maimed dozens of opponents Hamas directed gunmen to eliminate political opponents and suspected collaborators under the cover of Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

* Saudi king pushes 2002 peace plan in Mitchell meeting Saudi King Abdullah met with US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell in Riyadh on Sunday.

04/18/09

* Israel stands ready to bomb Iran's nuclear sites The Israeli military is preparing itself to launch a massive aerial assault on Iran's nuclear facilities within days.

* Obama's stance worries Israelis Can Israel still call the United States its best international friend? Apparently not, if you believe the tone of the local media.

* Egyptian state paper: 'Axis of evil' tried to overthrow regime An axis of evil which includes Iran, Syria, Qatar and Hamas has attempted to destabilize Egypt and ultimately engineer a coup against the government.

* North Korea: Sanctions a declaration of war North Korea said Saturday any sanctions or pressure applied against it following its rocket launch earlier this month will be considered a "declaration of war."

* Post-Passover: Arabs Threaten, Police Ban Jews from Temple Mt. The police restricted the Temple Mount to Muslims – and then closed it completely to Jews, citing "security warnings."

* Somalia parliament votes in Sharia law Somalia's transitional federal parliament has unanimously backed the introduction of Islamic Sharia law in the country after a vote over the issue was brought to parliamentarians Saturday.

* Mitchell: Egypt vital in Mideast peace plan President Barack Obama's Mideast envoy said Saturday in Cairo that a Palestinian state alongside Israel is the only way to end the Mideast conflict.

* At summit, Obama gets friendly with Chavez President Barack Obama extended a hand to America's hemispheric neighbors on Saturday.

* Thousands protest arrests in coup plot Thousands of people marched to the mausoleum of secular Turkey's founder on Saturday.

* Iran jails journalist as US spy An Iranian-American journalist branded a US spy has been jailed for eight years by Iran after a brief trial held behind closed doors.

04/17/09

* Mitchell: 'Two-state solution the only solution' to ME conflict US President Barack Obama's Mideast envoy George Mitchell said Friday that a "two-state solution is the only solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

* Netanyahu: PA State? First Recognize Jewish Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told U.S. envoy George Mitchell Thursday evening that Israel is willing to discuss the creation of a Palestinian Authority state.

* FM against Moscow-planned ME meeting Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman expressed misgivings Friday over Moscow's plan to arrange a special Middle East ministerial meeting at the UN Security Council.

* Nato exercises 'a dangerous move' Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has condemned Nato's "dangerous decision" to hold military exercises in Georgia next month.

* IMF warns over parallels to Great Depression The International Monetary Fund has warned of "worrisome parallels" between the current global crisis and the Great Depression.

* Holocaust Remembrance Day-Hitler's birthday On Monday evening, April 20, we will begin our 24-hour commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

* Over 500 planned terrorist attacks in EU in 2008 The European Union's law enforcement agency, Europol, counted a total of 515 terrorist attacks carried out or planned in the union in 2008.

* U.S. sees Arab peace plan as part of Palestinian state push U.S. President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, called on Friday for an Arab peace initiative to be part of a planned U.S. drive to create a Palestinian state.

* US nuclear experts expelled from N.Korea: Xinhua Four US experts monitoring the shutdown of a North Korean nuclear plant were expelled Friday from the isolated nation.

* Hamas: We will never recognize the enemy Two top Hamas leaders made their first appearances at public events since Israel's Gaza war on Friday.

04/16/09

* IDF tightens borders with Egypt and Jordan The IDF has beefed up forces along Israel's borders with Egypt and Jordan out of concern that terror cells currently operating in the Sinai Peninsula will infiltrate into Israel.

* Iran Protests and Prepares for Israeli Threats UPI reports not only that Israel will bomb Iran later this year, but also that “many now assume” that Iran will then retaliate against Persian Gulf states such as Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

* PA to label W. Bank, Gaza 'Occupied Palestine' The Palestinian Authority cabinet has decided to endorse the term "Occupied Palestine" when referring to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

* Muslims hold protest outside Old City More than 150 activists from the Islamic Movement held a demonstration outside Jerusalem's Old City on Thursday morning in protest of Jewish right-wing groups' intention to hold prayers at the Temple Mount.

* Russia 'ends Chechnya operation' Russia has ended its decade-long "counter-terrorism operation" against separatist rebels in the southern republic of Chechnya.

* Drought threatens southern Iraq's 'Garden of Eden' A severe drought is threatening Iraq's southern marshes - the traditional site of the biblical Garden of Eden.

* Russia angered by Nato exercises Russia has asked Nato to cancel or postpone military exercises that it plans to hold in Georgia next month.

* Ministers renounce two-state solution As US emissary George Mitchell was making the rounds in Jerusalem Thursday and reaffirming President Barack Obama's commitment to Palestinian statehood, Israeli ministers were distancing themselves from a two-state solution.

* N. Korea orders out nuclear inspectors The International Atomic Energy Agency said its inspectors left North Korea on Thursday after being ordered out by the reclusive nation.

* US envoy pushes two-state solution in Israel US Mideast envoy George Mitchell pressed the two-state solution on Thursday to sceptical officials in Israel.

04/15/09

* Iran 'to propose nuclear package' President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Iran has prepared proposals aimed at resolving his country's nuclear dispute with the West.

* Turkey calls for Mideast free of nuclear weapons Turkish President Abdullah Gul called on Wednesday for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction.

* Egypt: Hizbullah will pay a heavy price Hizbullah will pay "a heavy price" for what Egypt alleges were attempts to carry out terror attacks inside the country.

* Solar tsunami data will predict Earth havoc NASA scientists say new data provided by twin spacecraft analyzing the sun will help them more accurately predict how so-called solar tsunamis wreak havoc on our planet.

* Obama administration opens door for Iran One of the main stumbling blocks to talk with Iran has been the condition that Iran suspends its uranium enrichment.

* Shell seeks Iraqi oil prize with Chinese Royal Dutch Shell is in talks with a number of Chinese companies about a possible joint effort to develop Iraqi oilfields.

* Hong Kong Christens an Ark of Biblical Proportions This city's three billionaire Kwok brothers have just the answer for the rising waters threatening the global economy.

* China's communists celebrate with 'red tourism' Sixty years after founding the People's Republic of China, the communist regime is keeping the revolutionary fires burning.

* 'No shipment of S-300 system to Iran' Russia will not ship the advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Iran.

* Iran's UN envoy complains against Israel Iran's ambassador to the UN filed a complaint with the Security Council against Israel on Tuesday.

04/14/09

* Israel, US to hold largest-ever joint missile defense drill In the face of Iran's continued pursuit of nuclear capability, Israel and the United States will hold an unprecedented and massive exercise later this year to jointly test three different ballistic missile defense systems.

* Tony Blair's faith in new mission As prime minister, he famously "didn't do God" but, having left office, Tony Blair is travelling the world to launch his new Faith Foundation.

* US refuses to put deadline on Iran nuke talks The US decision to begin negotiations with Teheran is likely to come up during discussions later this week with visiting US Middle East envoy George Mitchell.

* Warning that Pakistan is in danger of collapse within months Pakistan could collapse within months, one of the more influential counter-insurgency voices in Washington says.

* Angry N Korea quits nuclear talks North Korea has vowed to walk out on international talks to end its nuclear program, and said it would restore its disabled nuclear reactor.

* Moratinos: We won't let Netanyahu evade peace process Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos met Tuesday with former Minister Yossi Beilin in Madrid.

* New wave of Somali pirate attacks Somali pirates have hijacked a fourth vessel in 48 hours, seizing a Lebanese-owned cargo ship.

* Pakistan deal enshrines sharia law Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari signed into law Monday a peace deal for the nation's violence-plagued Swat Valley.

* Egypt boosts security on border with Israel Egypt is beefing up security on its border with Israel to prevent illegal crossings after detaining a group Cairo said were linked to Hezbollah.

* 'Obama considering Iran policy shift' US President Barack Obama is working on a dramatic change in strategy with regard to the Iranian nuclear program.

04/13/09

* Iran aspires to control Mideast President Shimon Peres said, "Sooner or later the world will realize that Iran has aspirations to control the Middle East."

* Egypt hunts Hezbollah suspects Egyptian security forces are scouring the Sinai Peninsula for 13 alleged Hezbollah operatives, officials say.

* Vague Russia pledge on no S-300 to Iran Israel has lobbied Russia to pull away from selling a strategic air-defense system to Iran but has received only vague assurances, Israeli defense sources said.

* US Military Considers Attacks on Somali Pirates’ Land Bases The US military is considering attacks on pirate bases on land and aid for the Somali people to help stem ship hijackings off Africa’s east coast.

* Abbas Opens Door for Netanyahu after Snubbing New Government PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas phoned Binyamin Netanyahu in the first conversation between the two leaders.

* Netanyahu and Obama Prepare for First Round The new US administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are preparing for a possible confrontation on the future of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well as several other issues.

* Arrests in Turkey coup plot probe Turkish police have detained at least 12 people, including a university head, in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow the government.

* Papal Easter Message urges peace The Pope has called for renewed efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his traditional Easter message to the city of Rome and to the world.

* Islamic Movement split over pope visit The northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel has announced that it is "boycotting" Pope Benedict XVI's visit next month, while an official from the more moderate southern branch said it intend to participate in the event.

04/11/09

* 'Nasrallah is trying to turn Egypt into Hizbullah's playground' Egyptian officials responded angrily to a speech by Hizbullah's leader, in which he admitted that the Lebanese terror group was smuggling arms into the Gaza Strip.

* 'We control entire nuclear fuel cycle' Iran now controls the entire cycle for producing nuclear fuel with the opening of a new facility to produce uranium fuel pellets.

* Pirates hijack second US vessel Somali pirates have hijacked a US-owned tugboat in the Gulf of Aden with 16 crew members on board - 10 of them Italians.

* France 'worried' by Iran's defiance A day after US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton downplayed Iran's claim that it had developed new uranium enrichment technology.

* Palestinians: Israel must back 2-state solution Israel must declare its support for the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state if peace talks are to resume.

* Is the US backing down on Iran's uranium enrichment? US President Barack Obama's speech to the Turkish parliament on Monday was greeted with enthusiasm throughout the Arab world.

* Muslim issues dominate agenda The collapse of the U.S. economy has dominated the first months of Barack Obama's presidency.

* Russia: We won't press Iran Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made it clear Saturday that Moscow had no intention of being tougher with Tehran in order to please Washington.

* Key Dutch party: Sanctions against Israel if it thwarts peace The Netherlands must impose economic sanctions against Israel if the new government in Jerusalem thwarts the peace process with the Palestinians.

* Thai protests cancel Asian summit A summit of Asian leaders in Thailand has been cancelled after anti-government protesters broke into the venue in the resort of Pattaya.

04/10/09

* Blair: I won't give up on Mideast peace Middle East Quartet envoy Tony Blair said that he knew a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be extremely difficult.

* France: Iran's claim of new centrifuges 'worrying' A day after US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton downplayed Iran's claim that it had developed new uranium enrichment technology.

* Expert's Report: Israel Cannot Leave Golan While Syria continues to condition indirect talks with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's government on Israel’s consent to quit the entire Golan Heights, a new report by a respected IDF general shows that Israel cannot afford to do so.

* Christians mark Good Friday in Jerusalem Thousands of Christian clergymen, worshippers and pilgrims thronged the alleyways of Jerusalem's Old City, chanting hymns and bearing crosses as they marked Good Friday by retracing Jesus' final footsteps.

* PA Trying to Scuttle Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit in Canada The Palestinian Authority is objecting to a planned exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Canada.

* Russia Offer Abbas Helicopters, Rifles for Emerging PA Army Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has promised visiting Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas 5,000 sub-machine guns, 300 machine guns and 1,000 handguns.

* Could Iran Have Nukes in 60 Days? Call it the Iranian tango. For the United States, engaging Iran in politics is akin to executing a political tango.

* Iraqi PM talks business with Russian leaders Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met with Russia's leaders on Friday to discuss Russia's push for a bigger role in Iraq's oil and gas industry.

* Mass funeral for Italy quake dead Thousands of people have attended a state funeral for 205 people who died in the Abruzzo earthquake, as Italy holds a day of mourning.

* Russia: Deal signed for Israeli drones Russia announced Friday that it had signed a contract to buy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from Israel.

04/09/09

* Ahmadinejad downplays Israel's threats on Iran Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday downplayed the Israeli threat to launch a military attack on Iran.

* Hamas Seeks Advanced Weapons through New Tunnels Defense officials have warned that Hamas is building large weapons smuggling tunnels for the smuggling of advanced missiles that could reach Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

* Four Cups of Blood? Hamas 'Celebrates' Passover with Libel Hamas actors, several days before the Passover holiday, performed in Gaza its version of an old blood libel against Jews.

* Iran set to unveil nuclear latest Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to announce advances in his country's nuclear programme in a speech to mark national nuclear day.

* 'US, Russia mustn't compete for allies' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that the United States and Russia should not force former Soviet republics to choose between an alliance with Washington and Moscow.

* Pirate stand-off over US hostage Negotiations are continuing for the release of an American captain held by Somali pirates in a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean off the Horn of Africa.

* U.S. to join nuclear talks with Iran, State Department says In a dramatic break from previous policy, the United States will join direct talks between U.N. and European powers and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.

* Shia crowds decry US role in Iraq Tens of thousands of supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr have rallied against the US presence in Iraq, six years after Saddam Hussein's fall.

* Obama to host Seder Thursday night US President Barack Obama will celebrate Passover Thursday night with staff and friends in what is believed to be the first White House seder attended by an American president.

* Italy extends quake rescue effort The Italian government has extended the duration of its search for survivors of Monday's earthquake in the Abruzzo region as far as Sunday.

04/08/09

* IDF Tightens Security for Passover, Warning to Sinai Tourists Security officials have issued a severe warning of a terrorist attack in the Sinai Peninsula, a favorite tourist attraction for many Israelis.

* Obama team readying for confrontation with Netanyahu In an unprecedented move, the Obama administration is readying for a possible confrontation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

* Kremlin to supply PA with new weapons Moscow has promised to supply the Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank with new weapons, including two helicopters.

* 'Golan border only plausible defense for Israel' Security arrangements for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights considered by prime ministers Binyamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak in the late 1990s would not provide Israel with sufficient security.

* Thousands attend special 'sun' prayer Over 50,000 people took part in the Birkat Hahama prayers at Jerusalem's Western Wall on Wednesday morning.

* Blair questions Papal gay policy Tony Blair has questioned the Pope's attitude towards homosexuality, arguing that religious leaders must start "rethinking" the issue.

* N Korea celebrates rocket launch Tens of thousands of North Koreans have rallied in Pyongyang to celebrate what the official media say was a successful satellite launch over the weekend.

* Iran poses no threat to US: Russia Iran poses no threat to the United States, Russia said Tuesday, rebuffing a key argument of President Barack Obama on whether to go ahead with a European missile shield.

* Electricity Grid in U.S. Penetrated By Spies Cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system.

* Chavez in China Touts 'New World Order' Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his two-day visit to Beijing this week is part of the creation of a "new world order."