Monday, August 10, 2009

08/10/09

* Militants launch Afghan attacks Taliban militants have attacked official buildings in east Afghanistan, firing rockets at a police headquarters and government offices, officials say.

* Netanyahu sends out warning to Beirut Netanyahu warned Beirut if Hezbollah becomes an official member of Lebanon's government, "we will hold the government accountable for any aggression."

* Fatah backs two-state solution, sharpening rift with Hamas Fatah endorsed the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, underlining its ideological conflict with the Islamist Hamas.

* A fifth of European Union will be Muslim by 2050 Britain, Spain and Holland will have an even higher proportion of Muslims in a shorter amount of time

* 66% of Jews: Our Sovereignty in Jerusalem is Indisputable 66 percent of Israeli Jews believe that Jerusalem in its entirety is Israel’s capital and that Israel’s right to build anywhere within the city is indisputable.

* Bomb attacks in Iraq kill dozens At least four bombs have exploded in Iraq, killing about 40 people and wounding more than 200.

* Economic outlook: Oil prices cloud recovery hopes The nascent recovery in global economic activity could yet be derailed by rising oil prices, with Brent crude hitting $76 a barrel last week, its highest levels of the year to date.

* Netanyahu: Gush Katif One Expulsion Too Many Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who voted with the Sharon government four years to expel 10,000 Jews from their Gaza and northern Samarian homes, told the Cabinet he will not repeat the same mistake.

* EU takes tough stance on Iran trials Sweden's EU presidency has criticized Iran for putting on trial British and French embassy staff, saying that action against individual member states is viewed as action against all of Europe and "will be treated accordingly."

* Iran to US: We won't agree to negotiations deadline US administration sends message to Iran expressing interest in direct talks on nuclear issue, but qualifies that response from Tehran must be received by end of September.