Saturday, May 16, 2009

05/16/09

* ElBaradei: Israel would be 'utterly insane' to attack Iran Israel would be "utterly insane" to attack Iran, outgoing International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei said.

* Ayalon: Assad doesn't want actual peace Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon on Saturday slammed comments by Syrian President Bashar Assad that his country is interested in peace with Israel.

* US officials: Mitchell may visit Syria US officials revealed on Friday that President Barack Obama's special Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, is laying plans to visit Syria.

* 'Inaction on ME conflict not an option' King Abdullah II spoke a day after he pressed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to immediately commit to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

* Blair hopeful for two-state solution Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair told Congress on Thursday there is no workable alternative to a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

* Europe in deepest recession since War as Germany suffers The declaration was made as it emerged that Europe's biggest economy has now suffered a worse "lost decade" than Japan and is deeper in recession than any other major economy.

* China's yuan 'set to usurp US dollar' as world's reserve currency The Chinese yuan is preparing to overtake the US dollar as the world's reserve currency, economist Nouriel Roubini has warned.

* Netanyahu 'won't back Palestinian state' in US Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will refuse on his trip to Washington to back the formation of a Palestinian state.

* Islamic Movement: Zionist sun will set Movement's vice-chairman tells Nakba Day rally in Kfar Kana 'wars and conflicts are not won with F-16 planes and Merkava tanks'.

* Benedict XVI: Peace is possible Pope Benedict XVI assured his followers in the Holy Land that peace is possible, as he ended his Mideast visit Friday.