11/29/09

* Iran's 10 Uranium Plants In Defiance Of UN Iran has approved plans to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants, the country's state media has said.

* Blair: Both Israel, Palestinians want peace Quartet envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair expressed optimism for peace between Israel and the Palestinians on Sunday, while pushing for negotiations to "get underway as quickly as possible."

* Settler leaders ban 'Bibi's inspectors' from communities Yesha Council, local community heads hold emergency meeting, call West Bank construction moratorium 'immoral, anti-Zionist, inhumane,' say it violates basic rights of 300,000 Israelis

* How Hamas is Islamicizing Gaza A report by the Shin Bet describes how Hamas has instituted Islamic law and thought in all areas of Gaza life since its violent takeover of the area.

* Knesset Members to Get Bible Lessons What can Knesset Members learn from the Nation of Israel's biblical leaders?

* Iran gov't earmarks $20 million to support militant groups Iranian state radio reported Sunday that the country's parliament has approved a bill earmarking $20 million to support militant groups opposing the West.

* Mysterious 'Saddam Channel' hits Iraq TV Turning on their TVs during the long holiday weekend, Iraqis were greeted by a familiar if unexpected face from their brutal past: Saddam Hussein.

* Vatican and Muslims condemn Swiss minaret ban vote Religious leaders across the world have criticised Switzerland's referendum vote to ban the building of minarets.

* Medvedev tables EU-Russia-US security pledge draft Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday (29 November) tabled a draft "European security treaty" aimed at overcoming the Cold War "legacy," but without acknowledging any of Moscow's military adventures in the past year.

* Hezbollah chief: Armed struggle is best way to end occupation Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah asserted on Monday that the use of violence was the most effective way to end Israel's occupation of Arab lands, amid criticism in Lebanon of his militant organization's refusal to disarm.

11/28/09

* 'Israel aims to wipe out Palestinians' In a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday night, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez accused Israel of aiming to "exterminate" the Palestinians.

* Russia train crash 'caused by bomb' A bomb blast caused the Russian train crash in which at least 26 people were killed.

* PA intensifies attacks on settlement freeze The Palestinian Authority on Thursday stepped up its rhetorical attacks on Israel.

* UN chief urges leaders to 'seal deal' on climate change The United Nations chief has urged world leaders to "seal a deal" on climate change when they meet in Copenhagen next month.

* Iranian lawmaker: We may bar inspectors, withdraw from NPT Iran's parliament may consider withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

* Climategate e-mails sweep America, may scuttle Barack Obama's Cap and Trade laws Just a few considerations in addition to previous remarks about the explosion of the East Anglia Climategate e-mails in America.

* Russia and China Endorse Agency's Rebuke of Iran The United Nations nuclear watchdog demanded Friday that Iran immediately freeze operations at a once secret uranium enrichment plant.

* Dubai Debt Woes Raise Fear of Wider Problem Of the many economies that gorged on debt in the boom years, Dubai stood out.

* Tourism Min. pledges to keep developing West Bank sites, despite freeze Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov (Yisrael Beitenu) said Saturday that despite the cabinet's decision to temporarily freeze settlement construction, his ministry would continue to develop tourist sites in the West Bank.

* Herschel telescope 'fingerprints' colossal star The death throes of the biggest star known to science have been observed by Europe's new space telescope, Herschel.

11/27/09

* Iran rebuked over nuclear 'cover-up' by UN watchdog The UN nuclear watchdog's governing body has passed a resolution condemning Iran for developing a uranium enrichment site in secret.

* Ahmadinejad: World to be freed from 'bullying states' The World according to Ahmadinajed: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Friday upon his return from a visit to Latin America and Africa that "a new movement has started to free the world from domination of a few bullying states."

* Activists Compare Netanyahu to Pharaoh In response to Prime Minister Netanyahu's announced ten month construction freeze for Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria, resistance activists have accused the prime minister of mimicking the decrees of Pharaoh in the Passover story.

* 'Iran less of a threat than North Korea' Iran is not as great a threat to global security as other nuclear-proliferating countries such as North Korea and Pakistan.

* Azmi Bishara: There is No "Palestinian" Nation. Never Was! The Zionist Freedom Alliance of California has been circulating a video on the internet this past week exposing former Member of Knesset Azmi Bishara denying the existence of a "Palestinian" nation.

* Ayalon: Today's UN wouldn't form Israel If the United Nations General Assembly were to vote today on Resolution 181, the Partition Plan that led to the creation of the modern State of Israel, "there is no doubt" that it would not be approved.

* Barroso unveils new commission line-up European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has unveiled his new team of commissioners putting new people in all portfolios.

* Van Rompuy faces difficult power balancing act New procedural rules being considered by member states show that EU president-designate Herman Van Rompuy will have to manage a delicate power balancing act.

* US shares tumble on Dubai fears US shares have opened lower as worries about Dubai's debt problems rattle world markets for the second day.

* Hajj Pilgrims Symbolically Stone Devil Friday in Annual Hajj Ritual Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims performed the ritual "stoning of the devil" at Muzdalifa.

11/26/09

* 'US warned China that Israel could bomb Iran' Two senior officials from the White House, Dennis Ross and Jeffrey Bader, made a trip to China on a "special mission" to garner support in Beijing over the Iranian nuclear program.

* IAEA chief: Iran probe at 'dead end' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Thursday that his probe of allegations that Iran was trying to produce nuclear arms is at "a dead end" because Teheran is not cooperating.

* Palestinians shun Israeli settlement restriction plan The Palestinian Authority has reacted negatively to Israel's offer to temporarily restrict construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

* US dollar falls to 14-year low against the yen The US dollar has hit a 14-year low against the Japanese yen with low interest rates in the US making the greenback less attractive to investors.

* Slowdown in Muslim population growth rate Figures published by Central Bureau of Statistics ahead of Eid al-Adha holiday show birthrate among Muslim women in Israel higher than among women in Arab countries.

* Settlers plan pressure on ministers, PR efforts Yesha Council management and municipal heads in West Bank to hold emergency session to decide how to move forward in campaign against building freeze.

* Obama will unveil Afghan troops move at West Point President Barack Obama plans to announce a redrawn battle plan for Afghanistan.

* Chavez: Israel murderous arm of US Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president, has branded Israel a murderous agent of the US during a visit to Caracas by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, his Iranian counterpart.

* Saudi floods kill 77 while Muslims perform hajj Muslim pilgrims holding white umbrellas against the blazing sun clambered up a rocky desert hill for prayers Thursday during the annual hajj, a day after torrential rains that killed at least 77 people.

* China expert warns of pandemic flu mutation China must be alert to any mutation or changes in the behavior of the H1N1 swine flu virus because the far deadlier H5N1 bird flu virus is endemic in the country, a leading Chinese disease expert said.

11/25/09

* 'Turkey wants to be major ME player' Turkey is interested in once again becoming a "central player" in talks between both Israel and the Syrians and Israel and the Palestinians.

* British Defense Secretary criticises Barack Obama over Afghanistan Bob Ainsworth, the defence secretary, has blamed Barack Obama and the United States for the decline in British public support for the war in Afghanistan.

* Lion's Den: Islamism 2.0 - an even greater threat To borrow a computer term, if Ayatollah Khomeini, Osama bin Laden, and Nidal Hasan represent Islamism 1.0, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (the prime minister of Turkey), Tariq Ramadan (a Swiss intellectual), and Keith Ellison (a US congressman) represent Islamism 2.0.

* With all eyes on Iran, who's watching Pakistan's nuclear arsenal? Fear of the Iranian nuclear weapons development program has overshadowed the fact that not far from Tehran, actually right nearby, two countries, India and Pakistan, already possess nuclear weapons.

* Brussels starts work on new 10-year economic plan The European Commission launched a public consultation period on Tuesday (24 November) on a new 10-year economic plan for the European Union.

* Abbas: Obama doing nothing for peace Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday accused US President Barack Obama of doing "nothing" to achieve peace in the Middle East.

* Israel still wants own systems in F35 Israel will continue to demand that its own electronic-warfare systems be integrated into the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.

* Hamas site encourages Europe attacks The educational content of the Hamas children's Web site Al-Fateh (The Conqueror) is not a form of pedagogy.

* 'Let us make peace,' says PM in announcing settlement freeze Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced a ten-month settlement freeze at a Jerusalem press conference on Wednesday evening after the security cabinet approved the plan.

* Iran clerics start taking control of schools Islamic religious authorities have begun tightening their grip on Iranian public schools.

11/24/09

* Ahmadinejad: US, Israel lack 'courage' to attack Visiting Brazil, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday that US and Israeli military threats against Iran were a thing of the past, and that, in any case, "they don't have the courage" to attack Iran.

* Barroso has full house of commissioner nominees European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso on Tuesday (24 November) received the final names of commissioner nominees, meaning that he can start the distribution of portfolios.

* Hiding evidence of global cooling Scientific progress depends on accurate and complete data. It also relies on replication. The past couple of days have uncovered some shocking revelations about the baloney practices that pass as sound science about climate change.

* Abbas: PA will not launch 3rd intifada The Palestinian people will not launch a new intifada against Israel, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday night.

* Iran official warns Russia of legal action over S-300 missiles Iran can take legal action if Russia refuses to fulfill its commitments to deliver an advanced missile defense system to the Islamic Republic.

* Israel and Germany in accord on Iran While Germany and Israel may not see eye to eye on construction in Gilo, they are in total accord when it comes to Iran.

* Jordan's King Abdullah dissolves parliament Jordan's King Abdullah has dissolved the country's parliament halfway through its four-year term and called for early elections.

* 'Russian billionaire buys Hitler's car' Adolf Hitler's original Mercedes has been sold to an unidentified Russian billionaire for several million euros.

* Google to Put Iraqi Artifacts Online Amira Edan, the director of Iraq’s National Museum, says that soon she will no longer have to worry so much that the famous institution remains closed to the public for fear of violence.

* IDF commissions study: 'Who wins war?' The IDF has commissioned a research paper from a professor at the London-based King's College to compare the Israeli, British, American and Swedish militaries.

11/23/09

* Egypt: Israel must stop settlement Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has told his Israeli counterpart construction work on land taken from Palestinians in 1967 must stop if there is to be peace.

* Iran begins war games to protect nuclear sites Iran began large-scale air defense war games aimed at protecting its nuclear facilities from attack.

* Mubarak: Jerusalem a 'pan-Arab' issue Jerusalem is not a Palestinian "problem" but a pan-Arab one, and Israel will suffer if a "just solution" is not found there, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak warned.

* Peres: A united military is crucial President Shimon Peres warned of the evils represented by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

* Fatah official: Abbas to postpone PA elections Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is set to formally announce the postponement of the presidential and parliamentary elections that he called for January 24, a PA official said.

* New foreign policy chief to start work next week The EU's new foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, will take up her duties next week, in a continuation of the political whirlwind which saw her suddenly propelled from her short stint as trade commissioner to taking on what will be one of the union's most high profile jobs.

* EU Appointments Divide Internet Commentators European Union leaders Thursday picked two low-profile figures -- Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy and EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton -- as European Council president and EU high representative for foreign affairs.

* Gold hits new record high on weakening dollar The price of gold has hit a new all-time high, boosted by continued concerns about the weakening dollar.

* Lawyer: 9/11 defendants want platform for views The five men facing trial in the Sept. 11 attacks will plead not guilty so that they can air their criticisms of US foreign policy, the lawyer for one of the defendants said.

11/21/09

* Iran to hold drill to protect nuke sites Iranian state TV is reporting that the country will begin large-scale air defense war games Sunday aimed at protecting nuclear facilities against any possible attack.

* Lebanon army chief calls for high alert Lebanese Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwaji instructed his troops to raise the level of alert along the border with Israel in preparation for an attack planned by "the Israeli enemy".

* Assad wants 'guarantee' of land return Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during talks in France that he was willing to engage in negotiations with Syria without preconditions.

* Barghouti urges PA to use 'resistance' Jailed Tanzim leader and Fatah Central Committee member Marwan Barghouti urged Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian factions to lead a 'popular resistance'.

* Israel to send first warship to NATO naval force Israeli and NATO officials say Israel will dispatch a warship to join a NATO naval force, marking an upgrade in ties.

* EU chooses unknowns for new top jobs EU leaders have chosen Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy to be the first president of the European Council.

* Life in Jerusalem's city of three faiths Jerusalem's Old City is a district containing a number of holy sites venerated by Muslims, Christians and Jews.

* 'PM wants Syria talks without delay' Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris last week that he wished to launch talks with Damascus without preconditions.

* Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope to 'seek closer ties' The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope agreed to seek closer relations between Anglicans and Catholics at a meeting in Rome.

* Cern Large Hadron Collider restarts after 14 months The Large Hadron Collider experiment has re-started after a 14-month hiatus while the machine was being repaired.

11/20/09

* Syria suspected of concealing nuclear activity The International Atomic Energy Agency and Syria are walking a tightrope and appear to be headed toward a collision over two nuclear sites.

* EU foreign head dismisses critics Far from the EU choosing world-bestriding figures to carry its ambitions into the halls of power from Washington to Moscow to Beijing, it selected two almost unknowns to fill the new posts created by the Lisbon Treaty.

* 'PM wants Syria talks without delay' Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris last week that he wanted to launch talks with Damascus without preconditions.

* Profile: First EU President Herman van Rompuy The EU's first permanent president, Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy, is a camera-shy man who has been catapulted from relative obscurity.

* Israel urging world on Iran sanctions Following Iran's rejection of the latest international effort to prevent it from building nuclear weapons, Israel is urging the international community to impose sanctions aimed at denying Teheran any nuclear fuel cycle capabilities.

* Société Générale tells clients how to prepare for potential 'global collapse' Société Générale has advised clients to be ready for a possible "global economic collapse" over the next two years.

* 6 powers press Iran on nuclear issue Representatives of six world powers urged Iran on Friday to accept a UN plan aimed at delaying its ability to build a nuclear weapon.

* Palin: 'Jews need a place to live' Former US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin disagrees with the Obama administration's demand that Israel halt settlement construction.

* Israel to send first warship to NATO naval force Israeli and NATO officials say Israel will dispatch a warship to join a NATO naval force, marking an upgrade in ties.

* EU has one number for foreign policy The European Union on Thursday evening (19 November) said it had solved the long-standing question of whom the US secretary of state should call with foreign policy problems.

11/19/09

* Belgian PM named as EU president EU leaders have chosen the Belgian Prime Minister, Herman van Rompuy, to be the first permanent European Council President.

* Official: Major powers to discuss Iran sanctions on Friday Six major world powers will meet in Brussels to discuss what measures could be applied against Teheran for its refusal to halt its nuclear enrichment program.

* Karzai sets target for Afghanistan forces to take over Hamid Karzai has been sworn in as Afghan president for a second elected term, saying he wants Afghan forces in charge of the nation within five years.

* Virtual reality, psych prep help IAF In the face of a growing anti-aircraft and ballistic missile threat against Israel, the IAF plans to conduct special seminars to prepare pilots and ground crews for future conflicts.

* Internet Group: Biometric Database is Dangerous The Israeli Internet Union issued an open letter to Knesset members Sunday, asking them to "act to stop the passage of the law that would require biometric identification measures and a biometric database, at least in its current form."

* EU rebukes Israel for Jerusalem settlement expansion Israel's decision to push ahead with settlement expansion in East Jerusalem in defiance of international community opinion generated a rebuke from the EU.

* Obama's press on Gilo shows a continued misread of Israel US President Barack Obama is an extremely intelligent man surrounded by equally intelligent advisers.

* Poll: Record high support of peace talks According to the monthly War and Peace Index, some 75% of the Jewish public in Israel support holding peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.

* Hamas: Terrorism to Eliminate Israel is a 'Principle' In an interview published Thursday in the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat, a Hamas spokesman said that the jihadist movement is loyal to "Palestinian principles".

* Golden cross in Vatican's collection gets new look One of the gems of the Vatican's priceless religious art collection — a 6th century reliquary containing the purported fragments of the cross on which Jesus was crucified — has been restored to its Byzantine-era glory.

11/18/09

* Jews raise millions to be ready for coming of the Messiah Yehuda Glick is a 44-year-old American-born Jew who spends most of every day preparing for the arrival of the Messiah in Jerusalem..

* Obama warns Israel on settlements US President Barack Obama has said Israel's approval of 900 extra housing units at a settlement in East Jerusalem could lead to a "dangerous" situation.

* EU no closer to consensus on names for top jobs One day ahead of an EU summit to agree the names for two new posts designed to make the European Union more coherent on the international stage, the nomination process remains in disarray.

* Obama Winds Up Asia Tour With South Korea Summit U.S. President Barack Obama has arrived in South Korea, where he is expected to show solidarity with the country's president in demanding North Korea move toward ending its nuclear weapons programs.

* Israeli settlement plan denounced The US and UN have criticized Israel's approval of 900 extra housing units at a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem.

* EU rejects request to recognise independent Palestine The European Union has rejected a request from the Palestinian Authority that it back plans to unilaterally declare the occupied territories an independent state.

* Proof that Fort Hood Shooting was Muslim Terrorism While the U.S. debate continues as to whether Maj. Nidal Hassan's murder of 13 soldiers in Texas this month was a terrorist attack, researcher Barry Rubin says the murderer himself provided the affirmative answer.

* Gaza charity offers $1.4 million for capture of IDF soldiers A Gaza charity linked to the ruling Hamas militant group is offering $1.4 million to anybody who captures an Israeli soldier.

* Russia, EU Meet for Mending Relations Russian and European Union leaders are meeting in Stockholm Wednesday in an effort to mend relations damaged last year by Russia's war with Georgia and a gas cut off.

* Clinton Visits Karzai on Inauguration Eve In what amounted to a stern pep talk by a nervous partner, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived here on Wednesday to exhort President Hamid Karzai and his government.

11/17/09

* PM: Iranian threat is 'very grave' for Israel, ME, entire world Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday warned about the dangers of a nuclear Iran after touring an submarine believed capable of firing nuclear-tipped missiles.

* EU against Palestinian state move The European Union has said proposals by the Palestinians to try to have the UN recognise an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza are "premature".

* Age of cyber warfare is 'dawning' Cyber war has moved from fiction to fact, says a report.

* Will settlers become illegal residents of Palestine? Legal experts told Ynet Monday that if the Palestinians go through with their plan of unilaterally declaring a state in the West Bank, the settlers there could find their status changed to that of illegal residents.

* China joins supercomputer elite China has become one of a handful of nations to own one of the top five supercomputers in the world.

* EU foreign minister has 'impossible' task ahead The tasks of the proposed new EU foreign minister look relatively clear-cut and powerful on paper but analysts and politicians in Brussels suggest the person will need to be superhuman to manage all that is foreseen under the Lisbon Treaty.

* China and US 'to work together' The presidents of China and the US have agreed to work together to tackle some of the world's most pressing problems.

* Obama 'Reaches Out' by Naming 'Devout' Muslims to Security Posts U.S. President Barack Obama continues to "reach out to Muslims" by appointing them to key security posts amid charges he wrongly ignored internal Muslim terror.

* Temple Gate Prayers Welcome Month of Chanukah More than 1,000 Jews, under heavy security against Arab violence, sang and prayed Monday night in the monthly march around ancient gates to the Temple Mount.

* EU top jobs summit could drag on for days A deal on the EU top jobs remains far from reach ahead of a special summit on Thursday (19 November) that could require a follow-up meeting the next day.

11/16/09

* Italy's Foreign Minister says post-Lisbon EU needs a European Army Italy is to push for the creation of a European Army after the "new Europe" takes shape at this week's crucial EU summit following the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty.

* PM warns PA against unilateral moves Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned that Israel might take unilateral steps if the Palestinians did not return to the negotiating table.

* Russia's Iran reactor delayed Russia has said a nuclear power station it has been building at Bushehr in southern Iran will not be completed by the end of this year as planned.

* UN chief urges unity over hunger UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for a "single global vision" from world leaders to address the problems of world hunger and pollution.

* Ahmadinejad: Western nuclear pressure empowers Iran Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran would not negotiate its right to a nuclear program, adding that Western pressure was only pushing his countryharder to advance its technology.

* Google Earth Tracks the Battlefield Miracle of Chanukah Google Earth is helping Jews in Israel and all over the world understand the miraculous victory of the Jews over Greek invaders 2,000 years ago thanks to the initiative of a rabbi who brings history back to life on the computer.

* Survey: Israel best country for Israelis The majority of Israeli citizens believe that the Jewish State is the best place to live in the world, according to the annual Social Strength Index.

* Obama presses China over rights US President Barack Obama has told China that individual rights and freedoms should be available to all.

* UN, Denmark suggest 2010 deadlines for climate deal The United Nations and Denmark, the host of the Copenhagen UN climate change summit, on Monday suggested new deadlines next year for the conclusion of a binding treaty on greenhouse gas emissions.

* EU reforms to feature at jumbo ministers meeting Almost one hundred EU ministers will gather in Brussels for a jumbo-council on foreign affairs, defense and development, where corridor discussions are likely to focus on the EU's top jobs and the institutional changes brought about by the Lisbon Treaty.

11/14/09

* Erekat: PA may ask UNSC to recognize state on '67 borders The Palestinian Authority is considering asking the UN Security Council to recognize the existence of a Palestinian state along the 1967 lines.

* US welcomes strong China - Obama President Barack Obama says the US "does not seek to contain" China's rise as a big player on the world stage.

* 'Medvedev, Obama may talk sanctions' Russia is prepared to support further sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

* Turkey 'could store Iran uranium' Turkey and the UN's nuclear watchdog have confirmed they are discussing a proposal to allow Iran to store some of its enriched uranium in Turkey.

* Assad in France: Let's resume talks Following his meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday, Syrian President Bashar Assad called for an immediate resumption of peace talks with Israel.

* Jewish Ties to Hevron Flourish The Jewish connection to Hevron is thriving, reports local resident and former politician Tzvi Katzover.

* French source to al-Hayat: Israeli military option against Iran alive In a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, French President Nicolas Sarkozy got the impression that as far as Israel is concerned, the military option against Iran's nuclear plans is very much alive.

* U.S. rejects Ahmadinejad call to choose between Israel and Iran The United States on Friday rejected a call by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for it to choose between supporting Israel or Iran.

* Wanted: People Willing to Lead the European Union The position will undoubtedly bring prestige, limitless travel and the chance to head a network of European Union diplomats stretching around the globe.

* Source says US holding off on Mideast peace talks American officials told London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper that Washington is not interested in pressuring the Israelis and Palestinians into commencing peace negotiations.

11/13/09

* Assad to Sarkozy: If Netanyahu is sincere, let us resume talks Following his meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday, Syrian President Bashar Assad called for an immediate resumption of peace talks with Israel.

* Syria urges firm US plan on Middle East peace Syrian President Bashar Assad said that US President Barack Obama should come up with a firm plan of action to renew peace talks between Syria and Israel.

* North Korea Issues New Threat After Naval Clash North Korea threatened on Friday to take "merciless military measures" along a disputed maritime border with South Korea, escalating tensions as President Barack Obama began a weeklong trip to Asia.

* Turkey warm to storing Iranian uranium Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Friday that if asked, his country would be willing to temporarily store Iran's enriched uranium.

* Golan Heights Mayor: We're on the Alert Wary caution is the order of the day in the Golan Heights, in light of Netanyahu's apparent readiness to enter into negotiations with Syria.

* IDF chief on Goldstone Report: Terror should not be rewarded IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi spoke to high school students in Beersheba on Friday and addressed such issues as the Goldstone Report, Hamas' rocket launching capabilities and the Iranian threat.

* Top official: U.S. won't accept partial settlement freeze The United States does not accept continued Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank, a senior U.S. state department official has said.

* Eastern states counter EU's secretive nomination process Eastern Europe is chipping away at the secretive nomination process for new EU posts created under the Lisbon Treaty.

* Hamas calls off Independence Day declared by Arafat Hamas authorities have called off annual Palestinian Independence Day celebrations in the Gaza Strip.

* Medvedev wants Russia to go hi-tech In his annual state of the nation speech Thursday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev painted his vision for the country's future, saying that "modernization" was the key to its "very survival."

11/12/09

* Jordan: Jerusalem is a ticking time bomb Jerusalem is a ticking time bomb where an attack by Jewish extremists on Muslim holy sites could erase any chances for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

* Medvedev calls for economy reform Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called for profound reform of the economy in his annual state of the nation address.

* PM tries to jump-start talks with Syria Opening up hope for some sudden progress on the Syrian front, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sent a verbal message to Syria on Wednesday.

* CAIR speaker to Muslims: OK to attack Fort Bragg A Council on American-Islamic Relations adviser and regular speaker at its events has suggested Islamic law permits Muslims to attack C-130 military transport planes carrying the 82nd Airborne out of Fort Bragg, N.C.

* Barrick shuts hedge book as world gold supply runs out Global gold production is in terminal decline despite record prices and Herculean efforts by mining companies to discover fresh sources of ore in remote spots.

* Palestinians 'should delay polls' The Palestinian Authority's electoral commission has said January's presidential and parliamentary election should be postponed.

* Israeli Tourism's Best October Ever: 330,000 Incoming Visitors 330,000 tourists visited Israel this past month, an all-time high for October, and a 9% increase over October 2008, Israel's record tourism year.

* Sarkozy urges Abbas to renew Mideast peace talks French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday to renew stalled peace negotiations with Israel.

* Nasrallah slams Obama, warns Israel Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday accused President Barack Obama of absolute bias in favor of Israel.

* Obama sets off for Asia, China looms large President Barack Obama left for Asia on Thursday with the U.S. economy, jobs and a yawning trade deficit with China looming large on his agenda.

11/11/09

* Ahmadinejad: Obama must choose between Israel and Iran Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the US to choose between Israel and Iran on Tuesday night.

* Palestinians mark Arafat's death Thousands of Palestinians have flocked to the grave of their former leader, Yasser Arafat, in Ramallah to mark five years since his death.

* Abbas: We won't lose hope, our revolution is history's longest Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas blamed Israel for the impasse in peace talks.

* EU to decide top jobs next week The EU will hold a special summit on 19 November to decide the new top jobs of EU president and foreign policy chief.

* Fatah: Fayad is plotting to replace Abbas Fatah officials in the West Bank have accused Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad of quietly staging a "bloodless coup" against PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

* Vatican looks to heavens for signs of alien life E.T. phone Rome. Four hundred years after it locked up Galileo for challenging the view that the Earth was the center of the universe, the Vatican has called in experts to study the possibility of extraterrestrial alien life.

* China proves to be an aggressive foe in cyberspace One day in late summer 2008, FBI and Secret Service agents flew to Chicago to inform Barack Obama's campaign team that its computer system had been hacked.

* Influence of Egypt and Saudi Arabia Fades Even before Mahmoud Abbas announced that he would not seek re-election as the Palestinian president, throwing the Palestinian Authority into chaos, America’s closest Arab allies, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, had begun to despair over Washington’s Middle East missteps.

* State Dept: US Goal to Expel Jews in 'Occupied' Post-67 Lands A top State Department official spelled out on Tuesday that the goal of the United States in its negotiations in the Middle East is to pressure Israel into expelling Jews from Judea and Samaria.

* Hezbollah: All of Israel within our range A day after the chief of staff warned against an increasing threat from the north, Hezbollah bragged, "All cities, military bases, factories, and settlements in Israel are within the organization's firing range."

11/10/09

* Netanyahu Leaves White House with No Comment Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu left the White House after a one-hour and 40-minute meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama Monday night without speaking to reporters.

* Korean naval ships clash at sea A South Korean warship has exchanged fire with a North Korean naval vessel.

* Lebanese paper says Israel preparing attack on Hezbollah Official sources in Lebanon told the country's A-Nahar daily that they received warning from an international defense organization according to which Israel was planning to launch an extensive attack on Hezbollah.

* Fort Hood Suspect Warned of Muslim Threat Within Military According to The Washington Post, Major Nidal Malik Hasan was supposed to make a presentation on a medical topic during his senior year as a psychiatric resident at Walter Reed Medical Center.

* IDF's 7th Armored Brigade trains for war in Golan To replenish food and supplies, the soldiers need to drive in a convoy out of the battlefield.

* Palestinian Authority's Future Is in Question The collapse of the Palestinian Authority, Israel's negotiating partner, was raised as a possibility on Monday, as several aides to its president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that he intended to resign.

* Bittersweet feelings as Europeans celebrate end of Berlin Wall The fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago changed the course of EU history. But many people in Europe are still waiting for the political and economic freedoms promised by the event.

* Poland calls for job interviews for EU top appointments Poland has made a bid to give smaller EU countries more power in the EU president selection process.

* Blair: Abbas leaving office due to frustration over stalled peace The United Nations envoy to the Middle East, Tony Blair, said Tuesday that he believed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' decision not to seek re-election was a reflection of deep frustration regarding the slow pace of peace negotiations.

* Franco-German deal will not decide EU top jobs, Sweden says Consultations on filling the EU's new posts are only "half-way" through, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said on Monday (9 November) in Berlin.

11/9/09

* Assad: If Golan talks fail, we'll turn to resistance Syrian president says if "occupied Syrian Golan" is not returned by Israel through peaceful means, "this automatically means resistance is the alternative solution"

* US top brass: Nuclear Iran is existential threat to Israel The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, said that a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to Israel.

* A peek into Temple Mount excavations Western Wall Heritage Foundation holds tour of tunnels in attempt to ward off Muslim claims that al-Aqsa Mosque is in danger of collapsing.

* Hizbullah getting ready for new war Fearing Israel will launch an assault on Hizbullah ahead of a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, the Lebanese guerrilla group is getting ready for war.

* Iran warns Russia over S-300 system delay A senior Iranian lawmaker warned Russia that its delay in delivering an anti-aircraft missile defense system to Teheran could harm relations between the two countries.

* Iraq MPs approve election reform The Iraqi parliament has approved a crucial election law ahead of national polls due in January 2010.

* World Media Ignores Weapons Shipment to Hizbullah Though the Foreign Ministry invited ambassadors from around the world to see the tremendous cache of arms intercepted on their way to Hizbullah last week, the world media did not take interest.

* Abbas claims Israel doesn't want peace Israel does not want peace, does not want to stop settlement construction and does not want the two-state solution, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said.

* Berlin remembers fall of the Wall Celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall are under way.

* Jordan's king: Region heading towards abyss In interview to al-Hayat newspaper, King Abdullah warns, "If we miss this opportunity and peace is not achieved in a year or two, I believe our generation will not see peace"