04/30/10

* Israeli officials: Obama to call world summit if Mideast peace talks fail U.S. President Barack Obama has told several European leaders that if Israeli-Palestinian talks remain stalemated into September or October, he will convene an international summit on achieving Mideast peace.

* Jordan's Abdullah: Israel playing with fire Jordan's King Abdullah II said Thursday that Israel was "playing with fire" in Jerusalem.

* J'lem fears PA may ask UN to recognize state on 1967 lines Ahead of proximity talks, many senior coalition figures dispute US assessment that Abbas wants negotiated peace, believe PA wants to establish Palestine and continue conflict.

* Israel Nixes Weapons Sales to Turkey Israel has begun turning down Turkey's requests to buy certain advanced weapons.

* When Saudi Arabia goes nuclear The Saudis realize that developing a nuclear industry may be good energy policy, but it is also good foreign policy.

* Clinton: Syria's provocations may plunge Middle East into war Syrian President Bashar Assad is pursuing dangerous policies that could unleash war on the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned on Thursday night.

* EU-China diplomacy fails to convince sceptics Some analysts doubt whether China sees the EU as an important player on the world stage despite Europe's diplomatic charm offensive.

* Ahmadinejad likely to get US visa Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is on track to receive a US visa to attend next week's UN meeting on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

* As Greek Drama Plays Out, Where Is Europe? With new European Union leaders practically invisible and some national leaders acting largely for domestic political reasons.

* Oil spill sparks new drilling ban The US administration has banned oil drilling in new areas of the US coast pending investigations into the cause of the oil spill off Louisiana.

04/29/10

* 'Iran, Syria are united against Palestine's enemies' Iran and Syria are united against the internationally-backed enemies of Palestine, Iranian Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi said.

* Spain downgraded as eurozone turmoil spreads Spain on Wednesday (28 April) became the latest eurozone country to suffer a credit rating downgrade.

* Baghdad recount will take an estimated 2-3 weeks Recounting all the ballots from the key Baghdad province will take around two to three weeks, Iraq's election commission said Thursday.

* Mideast nearing 'explosion,' Jordan's Abdullah says Jordan's King Abdullah II warned Thursday that the situation in the Middle East could "explode" due to Israel's building of settlements in East Jerusalem.

* Obama promised Abbas a Palestinian state within two years U.S. President Barack Obama told Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas that he was committed to seeing the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state within two years.

* Bibi be gone: Obama team plotting overthrow of Israel's Netanyahu The administration of President Barack Obama has launched what officials termed a psychological warfare campaign meant to topple Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

* Egyptian envoy: Peace with PA possible within year Egypt's Ambassador to Israel Yasser Rida expressed his optimism Wednesday regarding the prospects of signing a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

* Jerusalem mayor shunned by top US officials The US Administration rejected Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat's request to meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Special Mideast Envoy George Mitchell.

* ADL: Stop Arizona-Holocaust analogies The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Thursday said that it is disturbed by the use of analogies to Nazis and the Holocaust in reaction to the recently-passed law in Arizona.

* Lieberman: Scuds threaten stability Syria is transferring missiles to Hezbollah, and the foreign minister is not happy.

04/28/10

* Egypt warns of Israel-Lebanon escalation Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak reassured his Lebanese counterpart, Sa'ad Hariri, on Tuesday that Israel does not plan to attack his country.

* 'Hizbullah more armed than most gov'ts' US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday night warned of Hizbullah's alarming military capabilities.

* Barak warns against waiting for Iran The United States is "doing the right thing" by pursuing a diplomatic solution to the threat that Iran may soon gain a nuclear weapon".

* Israel eyes Syria-Turkey military drill Syria and Turkey began three days of joint military exercises on Tuesday, raising concerns within the Israeli defense establishment about the strengthening ties between the two countries.

* Barkat: US demand 'slap in the face' Nir Barkat once again rejected demands for a freeze on Jewish construction in east Jerusalem, with the capital's mayor describing the US stance on the issue as a "slap in the face.".

* Fayyad: Ready for statehood by Aug. '11 Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is quietly changing the rules of the Arab-Israeli conflict with a simple credo: Palestinians have to build their state now and cannot wait for a peace deal with Israel.

* UN Mideast Envoy Invokes 1947 Partition Plan UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry delivered a lecture Tuesday at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, under the title – "Is the Two-State Solution Fading?"

* Greece crisis: Investor fears grow The head of the International Monetary Fund has warned that the crisis in Greece could spread throughout Europe.

* Finding Noah's Ark: Hong Kong Filmmaker Claims to Have Found Biblical Treasure A new claim by an evangelical Christian filmmaker and Turkish scientists that Noah's Ark has been found encased in ice on Mount Ararat has been met with equal parts excitement and skepticism.

* Former PM urges interim government in Iraq The front-runner in Iraq's recent parliamentary elections on Wednesday called for the formation of an impartial, internationally supervised caretaker government to prevent the country from sliding into violence.

04/27/10

* War with Iran Could Last Years, Says Bar-Ilan U. Researcher If war breaks out between Iran and Israel, it likely would last for "years and not weeks," according to Bar-Ilan University researcher Dr. Moshe Vered.

* Syrian-Turkish Joint Army Drill Intensifies Threat to Israel Syria is tightening its military alliance with Turkey as it reinforces its recent threat to send Israel back to "the Stone Age" if it attacks Hizbullah.

* Mubarak: Israel not planning war Amid fears of renewed armed conflict in the North, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak reassured his Lebanese counterpart Sa'ad Hariri on Tuesday that Israel had no plans to attack his country.

* Underwear Bomber: New Video of Training, Martyrdom Statements New videos produced by al Qaeda in Yemen show the accused underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and others in his training class firing weapons at a desert camp.

* Abbas 'ready' for proximity talks Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's readiness to enter proximity talks with Israel follows assurances the Palestinians received from US special Middle East envoy George Mitchell.

* Obama renews vow of 'new beginning' with Muslims President Barack Obama on Monday renewed his commitment to a "new beginning" with the Muslim world, vowing no let-up in US efforts to promote Middle East peace.

* Lebanon vows to defend itself against any Israeli attack Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said Tuesday that his country was not interested in war with Israel, but was prepared to defend itself if attacked.

* Member states agree diplomatic service outline Member states on Monday (26 April) reached political agreement on the future shape of the EU's new diplomatic service, with the parliament seen as the biggest remaining obstacle to a formal go-ahead.

* Caution: Growing Threat to Jews on California Campuses Two University of California professors warn that Jewish students face greater dangers as Muslim extremist organizations grow in campus influence.

* Barroso to discuss five-year plan during China visit European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso will travel to China this week.

04/26/10

* Netanyahu: No plans to strike Syria Netanyahu tells Likud faction meeting, 'There is no truth to hints that Israel is planning move against Damascus'.

* Iraq Political Crisis Worsens as Court Bars Candidates A special electoral court in Iraq disqualified a winning candidate in last month’s election on charges he once was a member of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party, two officials said.

* President Omar al-Bashir declared winner of Sudan poll Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has been declared the winner of this month's landmark elections, despite facing war crimes charges over Darfur.

* Diplomatic Coup for PA: Obama Invites Abbas PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has scored a diplomatic coup with an invitation from U.S. President Barack Obama to visit Washington as media analysts conclude that the president is toning down his criticism of Israel.

* Don’t talk to aliens, warns Stephen Hawking The aliens are out there and Earth had better watch out, at least according to Stephen Hawking.

* Who’s afraid of a nuke-free zone in the ME? Without Iran’s participation in a regional arms-control process, Egypt’s proposal is meaningless.

* Nationalist Protesters: Netanyahu Is Not Mitchell’s Clerk Nationalist activists Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben-Gvir proclaimed at the end of their hour-long march in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem.

* Obama Hosts Muslim Entrepreneurs U.S. President Barack Obama began a two-day summit Monday bringing together entrepreneurs from dozens of countries, most of them primarily Muslim.

* East Jerusalem construction frozen De facto freeze proceeds despite Netanyahu's disapproval.

04/24/10

* 'No temporary Palestinian state' Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has officially rejected an offer by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to demarcate temporary borders for a sovereign Palestinian state.

* US: No breakthrough expected soon An American official has played down the prospects of any immediate progress in US envoy George Mitchell's efforts to resume peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

* Ahmadinejad: War games 'routine' Iranian war games being staged at a time of heightened tension with the US are routine, the Iranian president told reporters during a state visit to Zimbabwe.

* Chinese Military Seeks to Extend Its Naval Power The Chinese military is seeking to project naval power well beyond the Chinese coast.

* Greece formally requests EU-IMF aid Greece has formally placed a request to activate a €40-45 billion EU-IMF aid package.

* Israel pledged to Obama: No 2010 attack on Iran Israel was said to have pledged not to conduct an air strike against Iran in 2010.

* G-20 Split on the Need for a Global Tax on Banks Proposals to establish a global tax on banks and charge them for the cost of government bailouts divided representatives of the Group of 20 countries.

* Wave of Fatal Bombings Widens Fissures in Iraq A coordinated series of explosions struck a party headquarters, two mosques, a market and a shop in Baghdad on Friday.

* Israeli-Arab party flies to Libya A large delegation of Israeli-Arabs left Saturday morning from Amman on a historic visit to Libya.

* 'No Scud missiles in Lebanon' There are no Scud missiles in Lebanon, Lebanese army commander Jean Kahwaji said on Saturday.

04/23/10

* US envoy Mitchell visits Mid-East to try to end rift US Middle East envoy George Mitchell has begun meetings with Israeli and Palestinians leaders in the hope of ending a row over East Jerusalem.

* Washington Think Tank Predicts New Mideast War A U.S.-based think tank has issued a report saying that a new Middle East war may be looming on the horizon.

* Does the World Need Another 9/11 to Wake Up? David J. Rusin is a former astrophysicist who is now the director of the Islamist Watch of the Middle East Forum, a Philadelphia-based foreign affairs think tank.

* Saudis, worried by Iran, inch toward nuclear power Saudi Arabia last week announced the establishment of a renewable energy complex, confirming the country’s interest in nuclear energy.

* Greece to activate EU-IMF loans Greece has formally asked for the activation of an EU-IMF financial rescue package to help pull the debt-ridden economy out of its crisis.

* 'Israel won't strike Iran without US' Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that Israel would not attack Iran without consulting the United States and that Jerusalem clearly saw sanctions as the next step to deal with Teheran's nuclear program.

* Further Greek chaos as new figures show EU fiscal mess The deplorable state of EU government finances was laid bare on Thursday (22 April), following the release of 2009 budget deficit figures by the EU's statistics agency, Eurostat.

* X-37B military spaceplane launches from Cape Canaveral A prototype spaceplane developed for the US military has been launched into orbit from Florida.

* Volcanic ash chaos 'a lesson for Europe' Europe's ash cloud has triggered a flurry of anguished calls for the EU to improve its crisis response and co-ordination, as countries struggle to help thousands of stranded passengers.

* Spain Wants Israel's Support on Mediterranean Union Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman met with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos on Thursday during a visit to Madrid. Moratinos called on Israel to support the Mediterranean Union.

04/22/10

* Iran begins war games in Gulf Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard on Thursday started large-scale war games in the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

* PA Arabs to Israel: We'll Take Your State, Please Palestinian Authority Arabs are increasingly rejecting the two-state solution.

* US warns Syria over Scuds-to-Hezbollah claim A top US official has warned of serious repercussions for Syria if claims that it supplied the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah with Scud missiles are true.

* Iran boosts Qods shock troops in Venezuela Iran is increasing its paramilitary Qods force operatives in Venezuela while covertly continuing supplies of weapons and explosives to Taliban and other insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq.

* Adm. Mullen Evades Answer on Shooting Down IAF Jet The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, evaded a question Tuesday regarding the theoretical possibility that the US would shoot down IAF jets en route to attack Iran.

* US spokesman: Iran strike still an option A military strike against Iran is still one of the options at the president's disposal.

* Netanyahu rejects U.S. demands to freeze Jerusalem construction Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the Obama administration's demands to freeze construction in East Jerusalem.

* Greek debt crisis worsens as EU revises figures Markets hammered Greece after the EU revised the debt-ridden country's deficit and debt figures upwards Thursday.

* Clinton reaffirms US commitment to defense Europe U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reaffirmed America's defense commitment to Europe Thursday as she joined NATO representatives to discuss the future of U.S. nuclear weapons on the continent.

* Mystery rocket explodes in Jordan A rocket has exploded near the southern Jordanian city of Aqaba, damaging a warehouse but causing no casualties.

04/21/10

* US: Iran strike 'off the table' for now The US has ruled out a military strike against Iran's nuclear program any time soon.

* Iran to hold large-scale war games Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps will begin large scale military maneuvers in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

* US summons Syrian envoy over Hezbollah The US has summoned Syria's most senior diplomat to review its "provocative behaviour" concerning the potential transfer of weapons to Hezbollah.

* Lieberman: Jerusalem is our eternal capital, it will never be divided Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Tuesday that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the State of Israel and that it will never be divided - "neither directly nor indirectly."

* Rising Muslim Hopes from Obama's Outreach May Backfire U.S. President Barack Obama is continuing his "reaching out to Muslims" approach by consulting more with Muslim advisors.

* 'Hizbullah arms real danger to Israel' Following last week's uncertainty surrounding a reported Syrian Scud missile delivery to Hizbullah, a senior US senator said Tuesday that the guerrilla group most likely obtained the weapons and that its missiles posed a real danger to Israel.

* Ayalon to US: Pressure will prevent peace Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said in a message to the US Wednesday, "We must ensure Israel's existence as a Jewish State. Not only will pressure not support peace, it will prevent it."

* Mubarak, Assad and Saudi king may hold rare 3-way summit Western diplomats in Riyadh said intense negotiations are being conducted between Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria to hold a three-way meeting between the countries' leaders.

* Palestinians losing faith in Obama administration, poll finds Palestinian hopes that U.S. President Barack Obama will bring an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory have significantly declined in recent months.

* Greece debt: Talks start with IMF over aid deal Greece has begun talks with the European Commission and International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the terms of emergency bail-out aid.

04/20/10

* Happy Birthday to You, Israel 62 Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu kicked off Israel's 62nd birthday as a modern state with a clear message to the world that the united city of Jerusalem is not up for grabs.

* Modern Israel at 62: Tiny Country and Huge Success Modern Israel, only 62 years old Monday night, is a world leader in society, technology medicine and dozens of other fields.

* Iranian missiles may reach US by 2015 Report by US defense officials says Iran's military no match for US.

* Hariri: Scud reports like Iraq's WMDs Lebanon's Western-backed prime minister has compared Israeli accusations that Hizbullah has obtained Scud missiles to charges that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction ahead of the 2003 US-led invasion.

* 'Independence War hasn't ended' Ya'alon discusses gaps with US, says settlements shouldn't be removed.

* Israel Rejects Turkish Request to Buy Arms Israel has declined a request by Turkey to purchase several different military systems, including an anti-tank guided weapon and a missile system for its navy.

* Egypt seeks UN pressure on Israel over nukes Israel may come under new pressure next month at a UN meeting on atomic weapons as the United States.

* A far-right for the Facebook generation: The rise and rise of Jobbik Last week, Europeans woke up to the sinister news that in the heart of Europe a thoroughly far-right party, the Movement for a Better Hungary, or Jobbik, had won 17 percent of the vote in general elections.

* Iranian cleric 'blames quakes on promiscuous women' Promiscuous women are responsible for earthquakes, a senior Iranian cleric has said.

* Arab newspaper implies Abbas in poor health Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is suffering from serious health problems, the London-based Arabic-language al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper implied.

04/19/10

* Netanyahu, Barak honor the fallen In Remembrance Day speech, PM says all Israelis yearn for peace.

* Gates: US has a plan for Iran Denies writing "wake-up call" memo to Obama administration.

* Bill Clinton: I'll back Obama on new Mideast peace plan Former US president tells ABC administration 'must do something to deprive Israel, PA of any excuse not to engage in serious negotiations'

* Iraqi panel orders vote recount in Baghdad A panel Monday ordered a recount of ballots cast in Baghdad in Iraq's March 7 election, raising the prospect of a change in the results that gave a cross-sectarian group backed by minority Sunnis a slim lead.

* Iran reveals air defense system Annual army parade showcases Islamic Republic's surface-to-surface Ghadr, Sajjil and Shahab-3 missiles, as well as air defense system similar to Russian-made S-300.

* For Chinese, Web Is the Way to Entertainment The daily Web habits of a typical 18-year-old college student named Li Yufei show why American Internet companies, one after another, have had trouble penetrating what is now the world’s most wired nation.

* The Memorial Day-Independence Day Link Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen and Victims of Terrorism will end, as do other Jewish holidays, at nightfall, and the somber nature of the day will give way to the gaiety and festivities of Israel’s 62nd Independence Day.

* Knesset Speaker: Jerusalem Must be United from Within Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, a scion of the famed Land of Israel-building Rivlin family, in Independence Day speech: “We will not apologize for having liberated Hevron or building Jerusalem.”

* Tony Blair stranded in Jerusalem Former British PM's plans for general election campaigning due to Icelandic volcano ash cloud

* Bishop urges EU leaders to criticize Vatican 'stupidity' Roman Catholic bishop has called on EU leaders who are Christians to speak out against the Vatican if it makes "stupid" remarks, such as a recent declaration that homosexuality causes pedophilia.

04/17/10

* Iran opens 'alternative' nuke summit Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday opened a two-day nuclear conference under the slogan "Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapons for No One."

* US: Scud delivery uncertain Officials expressed doubts Saturday as to whether Scud missiles were recently delivered to Hizbullah from.

* Gaddafi: Barakeh Obama is friend Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi considers the US president a blessing to the Muslim world.

* Obama to push Israel to renew peace talks US President Barack Obama informed his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy that he plans to continue to pressure the Israeli government to resume peace talks with the Palestinians.

* Erdogan: Israel speaks in cacophony Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Israeli government is made up of a "three-headed coalition with different voices".

* Volcanic ash: Europe flights grounded for third day Virtually all of Europe's major airports remain closed as a huge plume of volcanic ash drifts south and east across the continent from Iceland.

* Fayyad sets out to fulfill vision Who has turned Israel, Hamas and the veteran and conservative group in Fatah into loyal partners?

* World has mixed messages on nuclear arms The release last week of the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) joins a series of recent and upcoming arms control events in which President Barack Obama is taking the lead.

* Hezbollah: Israel behind Scud reports On the backdrop of reports that Syria has transferred Scud missiles to Hezbollah, the organization's deputy secretary-general said, "Israel's threats are an evasion attempt, but this does not mean that a war is imminent."

* 'Israel made world better' The Holocaust survivors who helped build Israel "made our world better," US Gen. David Petraeus said Thursday.

04/16/10

* Iceland volcano's uncertain timescale The picture of whether Iceland's volcanic eruption is intensifying or abating remains murky, particularly since the webcam images on Friday morning were shrouded in cloud.

* Russia modernizing Syria ports for its warships Officials said the navies of Russia and Syria were enhancing cooperation over the last year.

* 'No need to remove any settlements' Israel should not have to remove any settlements in a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

* US pushes J'lem, PA to resume talks Frustrated by more than a year of intense but failed diplomatic efforts to get Israel and the Palestinians to restart stalled peace negotiations, the Obama administration is turning up pressure on both sides.

* Massive fireball reported across Midwestern sky Authorities in several Midwestern states were flooded Wednesday night with reports of a gigantic fireball lighting up the sky, the National Weather Service said.

* Cold War Nuclear Fears Now Apply to Terrorists The top secret National Intelligence Estimate did not mince words.

* Ahmadinejad: Iran is Obama's only way to stay in power Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has penned a letter to President Obama, telling his American counterpart that Iran is Obama's only option for success.

* Lauder to Obama: Palestinians to blame World Jewish Congress President Ron Lauder sent an open letter to the US president expressing his concern about the deterioration in US-Israel relations and calling on Obama to rethink his Middle East policy.

* The internal Palestinian debate A useful way to think about the possibility for peace between Israel and the Palestinians is to imagine that the Palestinians have been involved in a long-term internal debate.

* Greece seeks meeting to clarify bail-out deal Greek authorities have requested a meeting with officials from the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the IMF, in a move which suggests a formal request for aid is imminent.

04/15/10

* 'W. Bank construction will resume' Construction of houses in West Bank settlements will resume as soon as the freeze period ends.

* 'Palestinian collaborators' executed by Hamas The Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip have confirmed that two Palestinian men have been executed for collaborating with Israel.

* Hizbullah admits receiving Syrian scuds Hizbullah sources confirmed Thursday that the terror group received a shipment of Scud missiles from Syria.

* Obama Speech Signals a U.S. Shift on Middle East When Mr. Obama declared that resolving the long-running Middle East dispute was a "vital national security interest of the United States," he was highlighting a change that has resulted from a lengthy debate among his top officials.

* Lt.-Gen. Ashkenazi: the Bible is the IDF's Guide "The IDF sees the Bible as a guide in the deep and practical sense of the word."

* Russia: Iranian Nuke Reactor Ready for August 2010 Launch Russia announced Wednesday that the Iranian nuclear reactor it is helping to build is set to launch its operations this August.

* Iran says it wants inclusive Iraqi government Iran said Thursday that all Iraqi parties that fared well in the inconclusive March election should be included in the government after the secular front-runner sent a delegation to Teheran.

* China's Economy Surges in First Quarter China's gross domestic product jumped 11.9 percent in the first quarter of this year from a year earlier.

* Cross-border 'macro-regions' unlikely to get own funding Geographical 'macro-regions' around the Baltic Sea, along the Danube river or surrounding the Alps are unlikely to receive their own funding in the new EU budget from 2014.

* Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights All flights in and out of the UK and several other European countries have been suspended as ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland moves south.

04/14/10

* China to send Iran gasoline A state-owned Chinese refiner plans to ship 30,000 metric tons of gasoline to Iran after European traders halted shipments ahead of possible new UN sanctions.

* 91% against Obama imposing deal A huge majority of Israelis would oppose an attempt by US President Barack Obama to impose a final-status agreement with the Palestinians.

* Petraeus: Israel vital strategic ally US Gen. David Petraeus reiterated Tuesday that "Israel is - has been, is and will be a - an important strategic ally of the United States."

* Obama: Israel should sign NPT US President Barack Obama said Tuesday that the US Administration calls upon all nations to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty, including Israel.

* Israel warns citizens to leave Sinai amid terror fears Israel has issued an "urgent" warning to its citizens to leave Sinai in Egypt amid fears of a terrorist plot.

* China earthquake kills hundreds in Qinghai Some 400 people have died and thousands are feared injured after a magnitude-6.9 quake hit western China's Qinghai province.

* Arab-Israeli row thwarts Med water deal in Barcelona A row about how to name the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories has scuppered a 43-nation scheme for managing Mediterranean water resources.

* EU 'naive' about power of ex-Communist spies, says Nobel prize-winner The EU has turned a blind eye to the way post-Communist countries are dealing with their totalitarian legacy.

* Armstrong: Obama Hurting Space Effort Former astronaut Neil Armstrong has issued a strongly worded rebuke of President Barack Obama, criticizing the president for proposed revisions to the U.S.' space program.

* Obama voices frustration on stalled Mideast peace President Barack Obama voiced frustration on Tuesday over stalled Middle East peace efforts, saying Israelis and Palestinians may not be ready to resolve their conflict no matter how much pressure Washington exerts.

04/13/10

* 'Jewish Ties to Temple Mount Will Bring Peace' Dr. Max Singer, a senior research associate at the Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies, writes this week that the only chance for peace in the Middle East is if the West disabuses the Arabs of two fallacies.

* Iranian official: We're month away from joining 'nuclear club' Iranian Atomic Energy deputy chief Behzat Sultani said Tuesday that the Islamic Republic will join the "nuclear club" within one month and added.

* U.S. military playing expanded role in Pakistan U.S. defense and administration officials say the elite trainers, who currently number more than 100, have not and are not authorized to take part in Pakistani military offensives in the semi-autonomous tribal regions.

* Peres: Syria Arming Hizbullah with Scuds While Talking Peace Syria is providing Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon with the Scud missiles that traumatized Israel in the 1991 Gulf War.

* Israel to reject US timetable for peace Government sources said Israel would reject any move by the administration of US President Barack Obama to set a timetable and benchmarks for peace talks with the Palestinians.

* Sarkozy: If we don't act, Israeli will strike Iran "I do not want the world to wake up to a conflict between Israel and Iran, because the international community has been incapable of acting," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

* Nuclear security summit hears of terror risk World leaders at a summit on nuclear security in Washington have heard dire warnings of the danger of nuclear material falling into the wrong hands.

* In Turkey, military's power over secular democracy slips Since the Turkish republic's founding 87 years ago, the military has stood as unquestioned guardian of secular democracy.

* US and Israel: An unsettled alliance The world clustered around Barack Obama on Monday – with one very notable exception.

* Jerusalem Construction and Demolition Back in the News News items that would not make it past the local editor’s desk in a neighborhood weekly become international news headlines when they concern Jerusalem – and this week it happened twice again.

04/12/10

* Israel remembers 6 million Jews Two-minute siren wails across country as Israelis honor memory of Shoah victims. Memorial ceremonies held at Yad Vashem, Knesset; PM Netanyahu, President Peres read out names of relatives who died in Holocaust

* PM slams world silence on Iran Netanyahu warns Iran’s genocidal intentions reminiscent of holocaust.

* Think Tank Speculates War Could Break Out with Syria The increasingly open threats made by Syrian leaders and members of the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon have led analysts to warn that war may be on the horizon.

* US Expert Predicts 'Oil and Gas Rush' to Israel A US energy industry expert estimates that international companies may soon join exploration efforts for oil and gas in Israel.

* Gates: Nuclear Iran not inevitable In Moscow, Russia assures MKs it won't send S-300s to Iran for now.

* US President Barack Obama warns of nuclear terrorism President Barack Obama has said the biggest threat to US security is the possibility of a terrorist organization obtaining a nuclear weapon.

* Hungary's right-wing opposition claims election win Hungary's conservative opposition party, Fidesz, has secured a convincing victory in parliamentary elections, ousting the Socialists.

* EU sees upswing in antisemitic attacks The number of antisemitic incidents mushroomed in many western EU countries in 2009 due to an organized anti-Gaza war campaign.

* Clinton downplays Netanyahu no-show at summit Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denied the United States had been blindsided by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to pull out of President Obama's nuclear security summit.

* Turkey to Challenge Israel, Support Hamas Turkey is planning a gesture that will challenge Israel and provide support to Gaza's Hamas leaders next month.

04/10/10

* Polish President Lech Kaczynski dies in plane crash President Lech Kaczynski and scores of other senior Polish figures have been killed in a plane crash in Russia.

* 'Israel will have presence at summit' US President Barack Obama's national security adviser said that Israel will still have a "robust" delegation at a nuclear security summit in Washington next week.

* U.S. drops Iran and Syria from airport watch list The United States has removed Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and other nations from augmented airport security measures.

* Gaddafi invites Israeli Arab leaders for meeting Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi has invited the heads of the Arab community in Israel to meet him in Tripoli.

* Jordan's Abdullah to U.S. in bid to revive peace process King Abdullah II of Jordan left Amman for Washington on Saturday for landmark talks with U.S. President Barack Obama aimed at breaking a deadlock in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

* Greece rescue hope sends euro and stocks higher The euro has jumped and stock markets have risen on reports that eurozone leaders have agreed the details of a plan to rescue debt-ridden Greece.

* Lieberman: Polish president was true friend of Israel Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Polish President Lech Kaczynski, who was killed in a plane crash Saturday along with at least 130 others in Russia, was a "true friend of the State of Israel".

* Vatican defends Pope in paedophile letter row The Vatican has defended the Pope against allegations that he was responsible for delaying Church action against a US paedophile priest.

* Iran unveils 'faster' uranium centrifuges Iran's president has unveiled new "third-generation" centrifuges that its nuclear chief says can enrich uranium much faster than current technology.

* US says relationship with Israel 'fine' US President Barack Obama's administration believes Israel's delegation to next week's nuclear security summit in Washington will be "robust," despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision not to attend.

04/09/10

* Israeli PM Netanyahu pulls out of US nuclear summit Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled a visit to the US where he was to attend a summit on nuclear security, Israeli officials say.

* Netanyahu's nuclear no-show is victory for Arab pressure Binyamin Netanyahu's decision not to take part in next week's nuclear security summit in the US will be seen as a victory for mounting Arab and Muslim pressure on Israel.

* U.S. security official: No new concrete Mideast peace plan United States National Security Advisor James Jones said Friday the administration was discussing how to jump-start the lagging Middle East peace process, but did not have a new plan to offer.

* New Focus: Obama to remove "Islamic Radicalism" from Documents United States President Barack Obama plans to remove the term “Islamic radicalism” from a document outlining America's security strategy.

* US Fighting Israel's Nuclear Program The United States has begun denying visas to Israel's nuclear scientists, according to the Hebrew-language daily Maariv.

* Iran sends U.S. warning on national nuclear day Iran's "allies around the globe" would retaliate against any strike by the United States.

* World powers hold UN meeting on Iran nuclear sanctions The UN ambassadors of six world powers have met in New York to discuss possible new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

* Russian gas pipeline plans make progress Russian and EU officials will on Friday (9 April) mark the start of construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline.

* Greek turmoil raises prospect of imminent bail-out Fresh doubts over Greece's ability to meet upcoming debt obligations resulted in record high borrowing costs for the country.

* Islamic Movement Approved in Israel, Barred by Jordan While Israel allowed the radical Islamic Movement to operate openly and even allows its members to sit in the Knesset, Jordan has apparently decided that the extremist group is a threat it is unwilling to tolerate.

04/08/10

* US and Russian leaders hail nuclear arms treaty US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, have signed a landmark nuclear arms treaty in the Czech capital, Prague.

* Qatari diplomat detained after incident on US plane A Qatari diplomat has been detained after an incident on a flight from Washington's Reagan airport to Denver.

* Top Obama advisor's recommendation: Reconcile with Hizbullah The administration of President Barack Obama has been examining the prospect of reconciling with the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah.

* Iran will strike U.S. troops if attacked: army chief Iran would respond to any military attack from the United States by hitting U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East, its military commander said on Thursday.

* Sadr supporters reject leading candidates for Iraqi PM The Iraqi political group of radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr has rejected both of the front-running candidates for prime minister.

* US mini-summit in Prague seen as fresh snub in Brussels The US' decision not to invite any EU officials to a top-level security event in Prague is being seen as a fresh put-down by some in Brussels.

* World stocks drop as Greek debt crisis intensifies World markets slid Thursday amid mounting worries about a potential Greek debt default as the country's borrowing costs continue to go through the roof.

* Former Ambassador: Israel is the Only Religion-Based State Yitzchak Meir, who served as the Israeli ambassador to Belgium and Switzerland, spoke at the Third Annual Ramle Conference on Tuesday about the manner in which Israel must be presented to the world.

* Al Qaida moves to fill Iraq's vacuum of power with mass-casualty attacks Al Qaida has exploited the political vacuum in Iraq with its resumption of mass-casualty strikes.

* 'Superdominant' mutant tomato gene could spark revolution A single gene discovered by Hebrew University and US researchers promises to produce tomatoes – one of Israelis' favorite vegetables - in dramatically higher yields and with better taste.

04/07/10

* Obama limits US nuclear arms use President Barack Obama's administration has unveiled a defence policy to significantly narrow the circumstances in which the US would use nuclear arms.

* Russia 'could opt out of nuclear disarmament deal' Russia's foreign minister has said his country could opt out of a new nuclear disarmament treaty if it feels threatened by US missile defence plans.

* Obama bans terms Jihad, Islam President Barack Obama's advisers will remove religious terms such as "Islamic extremism" from the central document outlining the US national security strategy.

* 'US backs nuclear ambiguity' The US considers a nuclear-armed Iran unacceptable and will not pressure Israel to relinquish its policy of "nuclear ambiguity," Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said.

* 'We will react to aggression' Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said Wednesday that the Lebanese army and militant organization Hezbollah is prepared to react to any "Israeli aggression."

* Jordan Wants a Piece of Jerusalem, Too Jordan has not waived its rights to sovereignty and responsibility over the Temple Mount.

* Turkish PM: Israel main threat to Mideast peace Israel currently represents "the main threat to regional peace," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday during a visit to Paris.

* Iran ridicules Obama's "cowboy" nuclear strategy Iran's hard-line president on Wednesday ridiculed President Barack Obama's new nuclear strategy.

* Giant lizard species discovered in the Philippines The 2m-long reptile is a monitor lizard, the group to which the world's longest and largest lizards belong.

* Everyone Loves Israel's Stock Market Rampant worldwide anti-Zionism has not stopped the international community from loving Israel when it comes to its financial markets.

04/06/10

* Palestinian official: U.S. bid to revive Mideast talks at dead-end The United States has reached a dead end in its attempts to revive Middle East peace talks.

* King Abdullah: Jordan Was Better Off without Peace with Israel King Abdullah of Jordan has joined the Arab world’s saber-rattling against Israel and warned that the status of Jerusalem could blow up into another war.

* Israel: Turkey aligning with Muslim world at our expense The Foreign Ministry on Sunday said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is attempting to integrate with the Muslim world at the expense of his country's ties with Israel.

* Saudi cleric plans Jerusalem trip to bolster Muslim claims to city A Saudi cleric has announced on his television show that he will visit Jerusalem next week to bolster Muslim claims to the city.

* Obama Limits When U.S. Would Use Nuclear Arms President Obama said Monday that he was revamping American nuclear strategy to substantially narrow the conditions under which the United States would use nuclear weapons.

* Pro-Israel Christians Targeted by New Anti-Israel Movie A new evangelical film, "With God on Our Side," is coming out this month to rebut pro-Israel Christians and persuade them to champion the Palestinian cause.

* Iran cleric: Tehran will strike Israel if attacked A top official with Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard reiterated on Tuesday his warning that Tehran would strike archenemy Israel if the Jewish state and its Western allies attacked Iran.

* 'Third Temple' bus ads removed An advertising campaign posted on Egged buses in Jerusalem, which called for the construction of the Third Temple instead of the al-Aqsa Mosque, has been removed by the advertising franchiser.

* Israeli scientists racing to create 'bionic eye' that could help millions Israeli and international scientists are working to develop a revolutionary technology that could restore sight to millions.

* New spate of bombings strikes Baghdad, killing 49 At least five bombs ripped through apartment buildings across Baghdad Tuesday and another struck a market, killing 49 people and wounding more than 160.

04/05/10

* Egypt works day and night for Gaza Situation must not deteriorate further, Cairo official tells Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.

* Gaza factions discuss unity, truce Hamas, PFLP and others vow to coordinate on both armed and "popular" resistance.

* Ex-NY Mayor Koch: Obama Anti-Israel "In Order to Please Muslims" President Barack Obama is anti-Israel and "is willing to throw Israel under the bus in order to please Muslim nations," former New York City Mayor Ed Koch charged.

* Fayyad Copies Jewish Passover Prayer: Next Year in Jerusalem Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Saturday night copied a 2,000-year-old Jewish prayer and told Christians in Bethlehem, "Next year, Inshallah [Allah willing], we will celebrate in ... Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state."

* Earthquake rocks western Mexico A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has hit the Mexican peninsula of Baja California, killing two people and causing tremors as far away as Nevada.

* Russia: Bomber kills 2, Islamic insurgency spreads A suicide bomber blew himself up at a police station in a troubled Russian province Monday, killing two officers and wounding two others as Islamic insurgency continues to spread across the region.

* Unserious About Iran Obama is acting as if he believes a nuclear Tehran is inevitable.

* Terror-Prone US Allies Force Obama to Relax Airport Security The Obama administration has cancelled airport security restrictions on 14 terror-related countries, including American Muslim allies such as Saudi Arabia.

* Attack on US consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan At least seven people have died after militants attacked the US consulate in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar.

* Iran: Ties with China improving Saeed Jalili says pressure used by six powers on nuclear issue have brought Beijing, Tehran closer

04/03/10

* Christians gather for Easter Sunday celebrations in Jerusalem Thousands of Christians from around the world gathered at Jerusalem holy sites to celebrate Easter Sunday, marking the day with prayer and hymns.

* 'Gaza attacks hasten Israel's demise' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cautioned on Saturday against attacking the Gaza Strip.

* US: No military solution to conflict The US State Department released a statement Friday night intended to calm the spirits in Israel and the Gaza Strip following the recent upsurge in violence there.

* In Turkey, Proposed Changes Aim at Old Guard Turkey's governing party moved this week to further reduce the power of the country's staunchly secular old guard.

* 'Iran got nuke gear from Chinese firm' Iran recently managed to obtain equipment critical to its uranium enrichment efforts, and which is banned by UN sanctions against the country, through a Chinese company.

* President Obama to meet 11 heads of state in Prague US President Barack Obama is to meet 11 Central and East European leaders in Prague next week.

* Iraq gunmen kill at least 25 in attack on Sunni village Iraqi gunmen have killed 25 people believed to be linked to Sunni militias opposing al-Qaeda.

* Outrage at anti-Semitism comparison by Pope preacher Jewish groups and victims of sex abuse by Catholic priests have condemned the Pope's preacher for comparing criticism of the pontiff to anti-Semitism.

* Hamas 'working to curb Gaza rocket attacks' Leaders of the Hamas militant movement which controls the Gaza Strip have said they are working to curb rocket attacks against Israel by smaller factions.

* Putin signs energy deals with Chavez on Venezuela visit Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed a series of key energy deals with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a visit to the capital, Caracas.

04/02/10

* Thousands of pilgrims converge on Jerusalem to mark Good Friday The cobblestone alleyways of Jerusalem's Old City became moving forests of wooden crosses as Christian pilgrims and clergymen commemorated the day of Jesus' crucifixion, Good Friday.

* Obama to 'ratchet up' Iran pressure over nuclear plans US President Barack Obama has vowed to "ratchet up the pressure" on Iran over its controversial nuclear program.

* Likud MK: Not even 'Hussein Obama' will remove us from Hebron Thousands of Israelis gathered Thursday at the Cave of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron to celebrate the addition of the location to Israel's list of national heritage sites.

* China buys air defense systems from Russia Russia has delivered 15 batteries of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to China, Interfax news agency reported on Friday, under a contract analysts said could be worth as much as $2.25 billion.

* Iran Plays Host to Delegations After Iraq Elections Iran may seem an unlikely place to turn for guidance when it comes to putting together a democratic government.

* Priestly Blessing – Video Tens of thousands of people turned out this week for the Priestly Blessing (Birkat Hakohanim) at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

* Filipinos mark Good Friday with crucifixions More than a dozen Filipinos were nailed to crosses and others whipped their backs until they were bloody in a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday.

* Thousands Celebrated 'Heritage' Status at Patriarchs' Cave Thousands of people took part in a festive ceremony at the Cave of Patriarchs (Cave of Machpelah) in Hevron Thursday.

* Palestinian PM to Haaretz: We will have a state next year Next year, "the birth of a Palestinian state will be celebrated as a day of joy by the entire community of nations," says Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

* Moqtada Sadr holds referendum on Iraq prime minister The Iraqi political grouping of Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr is holding its own referendum on who should be the country's prime minister.

04/01/10

* US will support 'everything but permission to strike Iran' Several months ago, a top Israeli defense official visiting Washington was speaking with a senior American politician when the conversation turned to Iran.

* China 'ready for talks' on new UN sanctions on Iran Iran's top nuclear official is holding talks in China amid signs Beijing may have relaxed its opposition to a new round of UN sanctions against Tehran.

* Medvedev Seeks ‘Brutal’ Response to Terror Attacks President Dmitry Medvedev called for a "brutal" response to terrorism during a trip to Dagestan in Russia's mostly Muslim North Caucasus region.

* Israel 'will not tolerate' continuing Hamas buildup Israel now considers the prospect of another war with the Hamas regime all but inevitable.

* Woe will be a divided Jerusalem The upshot of last week's Obama-Netanyahu confrontation is that the White House wants to move Israel rapidly towards a division of Jerusalem.

* US Mormons mark Passover holiday with Seder On Monday evening, Jews around the world began the holiday with a Seder, the traditional meal during which the biblical story of the Hebrews' exodus from Egypt is retold.

* Lawyer: Saudi could behead Lebanese for witchcraft The lawyer of a Lebanese TV psychic who was convicted in Saudi Arabia for witchcraft said Thursday her client could be beheaded this week and urged Lebanese and Saudi leaders to help spare his life.

* "Science and Technology in the Holy Temple Service" "Science and Technology in the Holy Temple Service" was the theme of the 29th annual conference held by the Temple Institute on Wednesday in the Old City of Jerusalem.

* Empowered Sadrists Organize New Ballot in Iraq Followers of Moktada al-Sadr, the militant cleric whose militia was a major force in the Shiite insurgency against American forces, announced Wednesday that they were arranging a special vote to pick Iraq's next prime minister.

* Russian FM urges Hamas to halt rocket fire Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called on Hamas to stop firing rockets into Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow said.