09/30/10

* 'Obama asks for 2-month building moratorium' US President Barack Obama has requested that Israel extend the West Bank settlement construction moratorium by two months.

* PA official: Israel to be blamed if talks breakdown Palestinian officials on Wednesday expressed skepticism about the resumption of peace talks and signaled they would accept nothing less than an extension of the West Bank settlement construction moratorium.

* US backs Ashton mission to save Middle East talks US secretary of state Hilary Clinton has firmly endorsed an EU mission to salvage Middle East peace talks amid internal EU division on the peace process.

* NYT links Iran worm to Bible Computer specialists charged with examining the Stuxnet computer virus, which has reportedly infected Iranian nuclear infrastructure, have found that one of its files was named 'Myrtus', a moniker used to refer to Esther.

* EU's Ashton: Israel must extend settlement freeze to give talks a chance Israel must extend its recently expired West Bank building moratorium if stalled peace talks with the Palestinian Authority can have any chance of resuming.

* Al-Qaida group releases tape of French hostages A tape released Thursday on a jihadist forum shows the first images of a group of hostages including five French citizens since they were seized two weeks ago.

* EU responds to threat of 'zombie computers' The EU's anti-cyber-crime agency Enisa will in future work with Europol to help track down hackers and the creation of botnets or "zombie computers" is to be made illegal.

* EU holds anti-terrorist exercise amid reports of al-Qaeda plot The EU has tested its crisis co-ordination capabilities in a simulated bio-terrorist attack on a European football championship.

* Arab League postpones meeting with Abbas on talks The Arab League meeting with Palestinian Authority Mahmud Abbas to consult on the peace talks.

* Obama won't stop Israeli attack on Iran Leading U.S. analysts have concluded that the administration of President Barack Obama would withhold military and other equipment from Israel that could be used in any air strike on the Teheran regime.

09/29/10

* Netanyahu to US: I'm leading Israel's policy Committed to peace despite obstacles: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Wednesday with US special envoy George Mitchell.

* Al-Qaeda terror plot targeting Europe uncovered Small teams of militants were to seize and kill hostages, similar to the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

* Assad to Ahmadinejad: Don't visit Lebanon The Iranian president's planned visit to southern Lebanon is raising fears in Syria of all places.

* European cities hit by anti-austerity protests Tens of thousands of protesters from around Europe have been marching across Brussels in a protest against spending cuts by some EU governments.

* Dollar tumbles, gold hits record high The dollar sank against the euro and hit a record low point against the Swiss franc on Wednesday.

* Ousted Moscow mayor slams 'Stalin-era' repression Moscow's ousted mayor Yury Luzhkov on Wednesday issued a withering attack on President Dmitry Medvedev.

* One-fifth of world's plants at risk of extinction One-fifth of the world's plants - the foundation of life on Earth - are at risk of extinction, a study concludes.

* Dancing with Torah Scrolls: Rejoicing in Simchat Torah Jews around the world will clasp Torah scrolls in their arms, beginning Wednesday evening, as they dance and sing to celebrate the holiday of Simchat Torah.

* Army publication: Settlers heavily overrepresented among IDF commanders Thirteen percent of all combat company commanders on active service in the IDF come from settlements.

* South, North Korea to hold military talks South Korea and North Korea on Thursday will hold military talks for the first time in nearly two years.

09/28/10

* Lieberman: Peace must be based on exchange of territory Foreign minister puts forward proposal at UN General Assembly for “two-staged” solution.

* Diplomatic Tide Turns Against Abbas as He 'Freezes' Talks The constantly changing sands in the Middle East have left Abbas roasting under diplomatic heat as he faces blame for "freezing" talks with Israel.

* Cyber takes centre stage in Israel's war strategy Cyber warfare has quietly grown into a central pillar of Israel's strategic planning.

* Drones Target Terror Plot In an effort to foil a suspected terrorist plot against European targets, the Central Intelligence Agency has ramped up missile strikes against militants.

* Abbas: Settlement construction will 'force' us to quit talks Palestinians held fast on Tuesday to their threat to quit peace talks with Israel if settlement building does not cease.

* Kim Jong-un appointed as general by North Korea North Korea today heralded a "crucial" announcement as its biggest political gathering for three decades began with the clearest signal yet that Kim Jong-il has picked his youngest son as his heir.

* Austerity whips up anger, protests mount in Europe Painful cuts by overspending EU countries come head to a head with mounting social anger.

* Jew Arrested on Temple Mount for Daring to Seem to be Praying A Jewish man in his 30s, who took advantage of the holiday of Sukkot in order to visit the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, was arrested on Sunday morning.

* South Africa summit sheds light on EU 'strategic partnerships' A meeting between EU leaders and South African President Jacob Zuma has shed light on how the union aims to use "strategic partnerships" to shape world events.

* Meet millionaire behind West Bank settlement movement TEL SHILOH, West Bank - Naftali Bennett does not fit the mold of a typical Jewish settler leader.

09/27/10

* Bulldozers begin construction in Ariel as freeze ends Building of over 50 new housing unit starts; Gush Etzion Council head says construction to be renewed at slower pace because of Sukkot.

* Housing minister: All eyes on east Jerusalem End of building freeze symbolic for now, east Jerusalem construction must resume, minister says

* Palestinian leadership delays decision on peace talks The Palestinian Authority president says there will be no quick decision on whether to continue talks with Israel.

* Jewish activists sail to Gaza in defiance of blockade A boat carrying a group of Jewish activists has set sail from northern Cyprus with the aim of breaching Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

* US Tries to Make It Easier to Wiretap the Internet Federal law enforcement and national security officials are preparing to seek sweeping new regulations for the Internet.

* Sarkozy Tries to Take Over for Obama in Mideast Talks French President Nicolas Sarkozy met with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Paris and announced he will ask to host a new summit.

* 75,000 Expected for Multi-Faceted Jerusalem Holiday March The traditional “Jerusalem Sukkot March” is returning, and in a big way.

* PA Refuses to Recognize Israel's Jewishness The construction freeze is taking center stage in the Israel-PA talks, but what about the PA's refusal to agree that Israel remain a Jewish state?

* Hamas: Palestinian reconciliation on way Achieving reconciliation best way to responds to 'Zionist extremism,' Khaled Mashaal says.

* Computer virus infects Iran nuclear officials' PCs Mahmoud Jafari, the director of Iran's Bushehr reactor, among those affected by the malware.

09/25/10

* Settlers prepare for end of West Bank building freeze Settlers have hauled construction equipment into a settlement deep inside the West Bank in preparation for the end of the 10-month construction moratorium.

* Clinton meets Abbas in bid to save Middle East talks Mr Abbas has said talks will collapse unless Israel extends a moratorium on building in settlements in the West Bank.

* Arab League chief: No peace talks if Israel starts building Amr Moussa says Israel must extend West Bank building freeze on territory that Palestinians want as for future state.

* Islamic Movement: Israeli Arabs will reject peace achieved by current PA leaders Israeli Arabs will reject any future peace achieved under the current Palestinian Authority leadership.

* Syria criticizes IAEA for not censuring Israel State-owned newspaper says decision not to censure Israel over refusal to allow nuclear inspections was regretful.

* Hamas and Fatah agree to continue reconciliation talks After meeting in Damascus joint statement says two sides have reached an understanding on "the majority of points of difference."

* On the Secret Committee to Save the Euro, a Dangerous Divide Two months after Lehman Brothers collapsed in the fall of 2008, a small group of European leaders set up a secret task force.

* Obama okays Iraq's first post-Saddam fighter jets The administration of President Barack Obama has approved Iraq's request for the F-16 multi-role fighter.

* Turkey pledges support to Israeli Arabs' cause Thousands of people attended the Islamic Movement's annual rally in Umm al-Fahm Friday and were privy to a special message from Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

* Russian FM: I oppose unilateral sanctions against Iran Russia opposes unilateral sanctions against Iran.

09/24/10

* Jordan's Abdullah: Peace talks failure will drag U.S. into new Mideast war If peace talks fail, the United States will be involved in another Middle East war.

* UN atomic agency rejects Arab-led move targeting Israel Member states of the United Nations nuclear watchdog narrowly rejected an Arab-sponsored resolution on Friday.

* Jerusalem Police remain on alert after holiday rioting Police Commissioner David Cohen on Friday decided to keep police on high alert during the coming days to ensure security for hundreds of thousands of tourists.

* Judea and Samaria Prepare to Build Jews in Judea and Samaria are preparing for the end of the construction freeze imposed on them for the past 10 months this Sunday night.

* North and South Korea on the brink of war, Russian diplomat warns North and South Korea are on the brink of war, a top Russian diplomat has warned.

* Texas weighs bid to rid schools of 'pro-Islam' books Among other complaints, the non-binding decree says some textbooks devote more lines to Islam than to Christianity and print "whitewashes" of Islamic culture.

* Gold Climbs to $1,300 on Dollar Concern; Silver at 30-Year High Gold futures rose to a record $1,300 an ounce in New York as investors sought a protection of wealth and an alternative to a weakening dollar.

* PA may not bolt talks after all when freeze ends Settlers get ready for celebrations Sunday as building resumes, promise to start constructing 2,066 housing units halted since November.

* Ahmadinejad: US behind September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks in the United States were planned by the American government in order to boost the US economy and salvage Israel, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the UN General Assembly.

* Construction Judaism: An age-old festival The most interesting succot in ancient times were those erected on the backs of camels and elephants.

09/23/10

* Christian Zionist 'Feast' to Draw Tens of Thousands to Jerusalem An annual Christian event during the week-long Sukkot holiday, which starts Friday night, is being promoted heavily.

* Security tightened in Jerusalem in the wake of rioting Security in Jerusalem was tightened on Thursday, in police measures taken following large riots on Tuesday that erupted after a Palestinian man was killed by an Israeli security guard.

* Bill Clinton: Russian immigrants 'obstacle to peace' Russian immigrants to Israel are one of the main obstacles to reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

* Obama to warn UN of alternatives to Mideast peace U.S. President Barack Obama is due to speak at the United Nations' annual ministerial meeting in New York.

* Abbas hints at settlement compromise The Palestinian president has left the door open to continuing peace negotiations with Israel.

* Putin plays down talk of battle for Arctic resources He told an international conference in Moscow he was confident the region's resources could be exploited in a spirit of partnership.

* Netanyahu is a skilled killer, says Ahmadinejad Iranian president is interviewed by CNN's Larry King, says Iran has "no interest" in a nuclear bomb; calls Israel an "illegitimate, war-waging country."

* Europe seals deal on financial supervision MEPs have backed a package of EU legislative proposals on financial supervision.

* Fossils of new species of horned dinos found in Utah The creatures lived on the "lost continent" of Laramidia in the Late Cretaceous period, some 68 to 99 million years ago.

* EU must embrace up-and-coming Turkey, German FM says German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle has reiterated his support for Turkey's entry into the EU.

09/22/10

* Sukkot: 'Clouds of Glory',Water-Drawing Fests and Family Fun Jews around the world Wednesday evening will enter temporary structures known as "sukkot" and celebrate the week-long holiday that commemorates G-d's protection.

* Hizbullah agents taking up positions in Lebanon's Christian areas The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah has been quietly infiltrating Christian areas of Lebanon in what could mark preparations for a coup.

* President Ahmedinejad Threatens U.S. With War 'Without Boundaries' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad warned the Obama administration today that if Iran's nuclear facilities are attacked.

* Gov’t prepares 'contingency plans' if direct talks blow up With five days left until the settlement construction moratorium ends, talks are continuing in the US between Israeli.

* US Senate blocks debate on gay military policy repeal US senators have rejected attempts to open a debate on a bill which included a provision allowing the repeal of the ban on openly gay military personnel.

* Israel rejects offer to join UN atomic agency It is against Israel's interests to join a global anti-nuclear arms treaty and the UN atomic watchdog is overstepping its mandate in demanding it to do so.

* Israel rejects offer to join UN atomic agency It is against Israel's interests to join a global anti-nuclear arms treaty and the UN atomic watchdog is overstepping its mandate in demanding it to do so.

* Archaeologists find theater box at Herod's palace Israeli archaeologists have excavated a lavish, private theater box in a 400-seat facility at King Herod's winter palace in the Judean desert.

* Computers show how wind could have parted Red Sea New computer simulations have shown how the parting of the Red Sea, as described in the Bible.

* Russian general confirms Iran missile deal frozen Russia will not deliver S-300 air-defense missiles to Iran.

09/21/10

* Netanyahu Seeks Military Force on Any Palestinian State's Eastern Border Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a peace agreement with the Palestinians must allow for a "long-term Israeli presence on the eastern side" of an independent state.

* Ashkenazi: Army preparing for talks' failure The army is preparing for the possibility of increased violence in case Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations collapse.

* Peres: Ahmadinejad 'a living declaration against the UN' After adressing the UN General Assembly, President Shimon Peres met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and PA President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday.

* PA Youth Reject PA State as Final Solution The latest Palestinian Authority public opinion poll shows that the population’s 18-year-olds largely reject any solution whatsoever to the so-called “Palestinian problem”.

* Attempt Made to Reconcile Palestinian Factions The Arab daily al-Hayat has reported that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman met with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Saudi Arabia this month.

* Turkey spurns sanctions, plans major investments in Iran Turkey, defying the U.S. sanctions campaign, plans to triple its trade with neighboring Iran.

* North Korea sets date for rare leadership conference The Workers Party is widely expected to promote Mr Kim's third son, Kim Jong-un, to a senior position.

* Barak on Iran: Military option still on table After US President Barack Obama said he did not think military action byIsrael or the United States was the "ideal way" to solve the nuclear crisis with Iran.

* Iron Dome defense system could be deployed first in North, IDF chief hints Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi hinted Tuesday that the army might choose to deploy its first batch of Iron Dome defense systems along the northern border.

* Army chief: More flotilla casualties possible More deadly clashes to follow? Resistance on board future Gaza-bound flotillas may lead to more casualties.

09/20/10

* Hamas: We agreed in the past to state within '67 borders Hamas sent messages to the US government in the past stating that the movement does not oppose the formation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.

* Ahmadinejad to U.S.: The future belongs to Iran Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that "the future belongs to Iran," and challenged the United States to accept that his country has a major role in the world.

* PM 'troubled' by missiles sold to Syria Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said the sale of Russian cruise missiles to Damascus was "a problematic and troubling matter".

* Abbas: Peace talks won't continue 'a single day' if settlement freeze ends Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said Monday that he would not continue "a single day" of direct peace negotiations.

* Nano-Particles Shaped Like Star of David Found A new type of nanoparticle resembling the six-pointed Star of David (Magen David), a centuries-old Jewish symbol.

* Global 'internet treaty' proposed Deal would enshrine in law the founding principles of open standards and net neutrality, and protect the web from political interference.

* PA Court: Death Penalty for Selling Land to Jews Selling land to Israel or Israelis is a capital offense, a Palestinian Authority court in the Jerusalem area ruled Thursday.

* Turkey president cancels talks with Peres, but plans to meet Ahmadinejad Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Monday that he would no longer be able to meet with President Shimon Peres on the sidelines of a United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

* 'Israel's situation in Europe extremely dire' The cancellation of a mayors delegation from Israel to Holland due to the inclusion of settlement leaders from the West Bank is not the first European step to highlight the harsh attitude toward Israel.

* Era of artificial hearts is just a beat away 700 artificial hearts the size of a golf ball have been transplanted around the world, as well as in Israel for the first time.

09/18/10

* Israel comes to a halt for Yom Kippur fasting and atonement Israel came to a virtual standstill at sundown Friday as Jews began observing the start of the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

* Iran, Syria presidents meet in Damscus after Assad-U.S. talks Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Saturday.

* Report sees Israel reoccupying Gaza, 'substantial' parts of Lebanon in next war The Washington Institute for Near East Policy asserted that Israel was preparing for a multi-front war that could result in the occupation of most or all of the Gaza Strip.

* Obama Is Said to Be Preparing to Seek Approval on Saudi Arms Sale President Obama is preparing to seek Congressional approval for a huge arms sale to Saudi Arabia.

* Israeli, Turkish presidents to meet Turkish President Abdullah Gul will meet with President Shimon Peres next week during the United General Assembly session in New York.

* Afghan polls close after parliamentary vote Six security force members were killed in a Taliban attack in the north, and at least five people were killed in other attacks across the country.

* US urges transparency in nearing Egyptian election Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has recently received a letter for US President Barack Obama.

* Poll: Turks prefer Mideast over Europe More Turks favor strengthening ties with Middle Eastern countries, than with the 27 members of the European block.

* Palestinian officials launch 'smiles campaign' in U.S. Jewish media American Jewish publications have received numerous proposals in recent days from senior Palestinian officials.

* Pope tells UK he's sorry but thousands protest Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday he was ashamed of the "unspeakable" sexual abuse of children by priests.

09/17/10

* Yom Kippur: When Israel Stops, Looks Inward The highest of the High Holidays – Yom Kippur – is to begin on Friday night, and Jews around the world are preparing by attempting to become better people.

* Karzai urges Afghans to vote, ignore Taliban Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged citizens to vote in Saturday's parliamentary election despite fears of violence and threats from the Taliban.

* New web address hints at Putin return to Kremlin A Russian government agency has registered the web address Putin-2012.rf in a sign Prime Minister Vladimir Putin plans to run in a presidential election.

* Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the U.S. government The Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the U.S. government as part of the movement's drive to promote holy war against the West.

* Russia: We will provide Syria with advanced missiles, despite Israel, U.S. protests Russia plans to go ahead with its sale of advance anti-ship rockets.

* Tehran: Ahmadinejad to visit Syria Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Damascus on Saturday and meet with Syria's Bashar Assad.

* U.S. envoy arrives in Lebanon in latest Mideast peace push U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell is scheduled to hold talks Friday with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

* U.S. Senate committee approves new nuclear arms treaty with Russia On Thursday, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 14-4 in support of a new START treaty with Russia.

* Palestinians able to establish a state: World Bank The Palestinian Authority is well-positioned to establish a state but will remain dependent on foreign aid unless it can attract private investment and spur economic growth.

* Gold Gains to Record on Wealth Demand; Silver Near 30-Year High Gold climbed to a record for a second day in New York and London as a weakening dollar spurred demand from investors for wealth protection.

09/16/10

* Israel analysts see Turkey radicalizing, becoming 'Iran No. 2' Israel's defense community has assessed that Turkey was moving toward becoming a radical and nuclear Islamic state.

* Turks believe focus should be on Middle East and away from Europe Turkey sees its interests increasingly better served by greater involvement in the Middle East.

* PM to Abbas: We'll continue building in settlements During their meeting in Jerusalem Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that Israel plans to resume construction in the West Bank.

* Abbas: No alternative to peace talks, we will continue efforts Offering a positive note after two days of inconclusive Mideast peace negotiations, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday he sees no alternative to continuing the talks in search of a peace deal with Israel.

* Hezbollah prints playing cards of top Israeli officials targeted for revenge The Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah has printed a deck of playing cards emboldened with the faces of senior Israeli officials.

* Russian president studying how to emulate Israel's hi-tech success The New York Academy of Sciences presented a report to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev this week.

* EU to call on Israel to extend settlement halt European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday will call on Israel to extend a moratorium on settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

* Pope offers 'hand of friendship' to UK He also urged the UK to resist "more aggressive forms of secularism" after being welcomed by the Queen at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

* Expert: Complaint Against Hamas War Crimes is Futile Israel is still reeling from the firing of two phosphorous bombs at its territory from Gaza on Tuesday - a war crime under international law.

* Ashton announces first tranche of appointees to new service EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced the first tranche of EU ambassadors within the new diplomatic service.

09/15/10

* Israel strikes Gaza tunnels following day of rocket and mortar fire Israeli aircraft bombed smuggling tunnels under the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt on Wednesday.

* Iran donates $25 million to Turkey's ruling party Iran has agreed to donate $25 million (£16 million) to Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

* IAF Attacks Gaza Terrorists after Israel Under Massive Attack Israeli Air Force bombed targets in Gaza Wednesday, killing at least one terrorist after a massive missile and mortar barrage on southern Israel.

* Turkey referendum called watershed victory for Islamic agenda Turkey's decision to change its secular constitution is being marked as a milestone in the nation's path toward Islam.

* PA: Jewish Worship 'Sin and Filth' at Western Wall The Palestinian Authority has publicly labeled Jewish worship at the Western Wall to be “sin and filth”.

* PA Legislator's New Math Updates Number of Virgins for 'Martyrs' Palestinian Authority Hamas legislative Speaker Ahmad Bahr has updated from 72 to 2.5 million the number of virgins waiting for "martyrs" upon their arrival "in the Garden of Eden."

* Van Rompuy accused of power grab over EU foreign policy Herman Van Rompuy, the EU president, has tried to sideline Baroness Ashton to seize control over key aspects of foreign policy.

* Gold prices touch another record high Gold prices touched a record high Tuesday after disappointing reports on Europe's economy.

* Syria arms 'institute' must be stopped, official says The international community should warn Damascus that a Syrian "institute" responsible for transferring weapons to Hizbullah and Hamas "will be demolished" if it continues arming terrorist organizations.

* EU powers: Iran seeks to intimidate UN Three European heavyweights accused Iran on Wednesday of trying to intimidate the UN's atomic watchdog by barring some of its nuclear inspectors.

09/14/10

* PM, Clinton and Abbas discuss freeze in Sharm e-Sheikh US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday sat down with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Sharm e-Sheikh.

* Iran Ayatollahs Issue Fatwas Against Koran-Burners Two Iranian grand ayatollahs issued fatwas calling for the killing of those who insult the Koran.

* Settlers shift pressure from Netanyahu to Obama The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip changed its tactics on Monday when it decided to shift pressure to end the 10-month construction moratorium.

* Turkey Votes to be More Democratic and More Islamic This week's referendum in Turkey was a vote of confidence for Erdogan’s combination of democratic and pro-Islamic policies.

* US Poll: Abbas Not Committed to Peace A new poll by the non-partisan Israel Project shows most Americans believe Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is committed to peace and that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is not.

* Supreme Court: Jerusalem must fund gay community After years of tense waiting, Jerusalem's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community will finally receive funding from the city's municipality for its Open House center.

* Competition heating up for EU intelligence chief job Eight candidates have declared an interest in becoming the permanent head of the EU's most sensitive security organ, the Joint Situation Centre.

* Iraq combat over but U.S. troops still in danger U.S. Staff Sergeant Kendrick Manuel swung his rifle over his shoulder and grumbled about being viewed as a "non-combat" soldier in Iraq.

* Regulators Back New Bank Rules to Avert Crises The world's top bank regulators agreed Sunday on far-reaching new rules intended to make the global banking industry safer.

* Doomsday warnings of US apocalypse gain ground Economists peddling dire warnings that the world's number one economy is on the brink of collapse.

09/13/10

* Middle East peace talks set to resume Clinton to meet Binyamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas in Egypt for talks amid tensions over settlements.

* 'Peace talks will fail if West Bank construction resumes' In rare interview with Hamas media, top PA negotiator warns Israel against renewing W.Bank building when freeze expires on September 26.

* IAEA chief to Iran: Stop obstructing nuclear investigation Head of UN nuclear watchdog chides Iran for barring UN nuclear inspectors, stonewalling probe into its contentious nuclear program.

* Turkish reform vote gets Western backing The US and European Union have welcomed the result of the Turkish constitutional referendum.

* Turkish Jews: Reform strengthens Islam While international community welcomes referendum approving changes to Turkey's constitution, some locals fear development will weaken army, allow promotion of 'controversial' Islamic laws .

* Israeli ambassadors to call for EU upgrade Israel has instructed its ambassadors in the EU to appeal for a resumption of talks on upgrading relations with the bloc.

* Ashton pursues closer links with China as EU reassesses global ties At a time when Europe is reassessing its role in the world, EU top diplomat Catherine Ashton has stressed the need for strong bilateral relationships, especially with China.

* Congress to be told of 60-billion US-Saudi arms deal In the largest US arms deal ever, the administration of US President Barack Obama is ready to notify Congress of plans to offer advanced aircraft to Saudi Arabia worth up to 60 billion dollars, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

* Kuwait to announce launch of nuclear program this year Gulf state follows Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in plans to build nuclear reactors for energy purposes.

* Chicken-Waving: Superstition or Holy Custom? Each year at this time, the Kaparot ceremony using a chicken arouses controversy.

09/11/10

* US marks 9/11 anniversary amid Koran-burning row The US is marking nine years since 9/11 amid controversy over plans for an Islamic centre near Ground Zero and a threat to burn the Koran.

* Obama on 9/11 anniversary: We're not at war with Islam, but with terrorists U.S. President Barack Obama vowed that the US was "not going to be divided by religion."

* Islam controversies cast shadow over 9/11 events They will read the names, of course, the names of every victim who died in the Sept. 11 attacks.

* Obama Asks Israel to Extend Settlement Moratorium President Obama asked Israel to extend the moratorium in the West Bank as a good-will gesture to help move forward peace talks with the Palestinians.

* FLASHBACK: Christians in Gaza Fear for Their Lives as Muslims Burn Bibles and Destroy Crosses After defeating their rivals in Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, Muslim extremists are focusing their attacks on Christians in Gaza City.

* U.S. pastor: I will not burn the Koran, not to mark 9/11, not ever I will not burn a Koran, not now, not ever, a Florida Pentecostal pastor, who had raised worldwide tensions over his plan to burn the Muslim holy book.

* US Affairs: Speak softly and carry a big check Scarred by decades of failed attempts at Mideast peacemaking, the current US administration is charting a smarter, more learned approach.

* Turkey Braces for Key Vote Over its Future Turks typically celebrate Eid, the end of the Ramadan month of Muslim fasting, with syrupy sweets, lengthy family meals and laid-back indulgence.

* 'Turkey more influential globally than any of our members' European Union foreign ministers met Saturday to discuss their vexed relationship with Turkey.

* Abbas thanks Assad for supporting Palestinian people Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas thanked Syrian dictator Bashar Assad late Friday for his country's support of the Palestinian people.

09/10/10

* Iranian FM: Israel behind planned Koran burning Israel is behind a US Reverend's planned Koran burning, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said.

* Afghan Protests Against Koran Burning Turn Violent Numerous protests broke out in Afghanistan on Friday and two of them turned violent in response to plans by a Florida pastor to burn copies of the Koran.

* US must deal with domestic radical problem The US was slow to take seriously the threat posed by homegrown radicals and the government has failed to put systems in place to deal with the growing phenomenon.

* Iran: Talks cover-up for Zionist crimes Iranian spiritual leader Ali Khamenei said Friday during an Eid al-Fitr sermon marking the end of Ramadan, "The US and the West have convened a meeting in order to observe the oppression of the Palestinian people and then call it a peace summit?

* Jordan sealing its borders with Syria and Iraq in project financed by U.S. The State Department has reported that Jordan is succeeding in a project to enhance its borders, particularly with Syria.

* Russia OKs advanced cruise missile sale to Syria The Kremlin has approved the sale of an anti-ship missile to the Syrian Navy.

* Unlike the more philosophical USSR, China is preparing for World War One of the origins of human society can be traced to slavery.

* Turks head to polls for constitutionl reform vote Turkish voters head to the polls on Sunday (12 September) to vote on a constitutional reform package.

* Ashton nominations, Israel to come up at EU ministers' meeting EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday and Saturday (10 and 11 September) are likely to discuss the carve up of senior posts in the EU's diplomatic corps.

* 'French envoy to visit Damascus, push Israel-Syria talks' French President Nicolas Sarkozy will send his envoy Jean Claude Cousseran to Damascus at the beginning of next week.

09/09/10

* Israel welcomes Jewish New Year Israel welcomed the High Holidays Wednesday, beginning with some traditional Rosh Hashana gridlock.

* Ahmadinejad to visit Lebanon's border with Israel Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will make an official visit to Lebanon next month, the Iranian administration said.

* Celebration of Ramadan Every year Muslims around the world celebrate the Islamic tradition of Ramadan.

* China's Great (Quantum) Leap Forward Like a pair of male turkeys puffing up their chests at each other, the U.S. and Chinese militaries are back at it again.

* Bunker mentality Human civilization has collapsed.

* FLASHBACK: Military burns unsolicited Bibles sent to Afghanistan Military personnel threw away, and ultimately burned, confiscated Bibles that were printed in the two most common Afghan languages.

* Obama implores Florida minister to call off Koran burning US President Barack Obama is exhorting a Florida minister to "listen to those better angels" and call off his plan to engage in a Koran-burning protest this weekend.

* Afghans protest Quran burning plan, torch US flag Hundreds of angry Afghans burned a U.S. flag and chanted "Death to the Christians".

* Clinton: Sudan a ticking time bomb Sudan is a "ticking time bomb" in the run-up to a scheduled January vote on independence for the country's oil-rich south.

* Astronomers find evidence for unusual class of black holes Using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, an international team of scientists studied the images of the most extreme ultra-luminous X-ray source, HLX-1.

09/08/10

* Rosh HaShanah: Sound of the Shofar Heralds Month of Holidays The sonorous call of the ram's horn – the Shofar – will herald the start of Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year on Wednesday evening.

* Castro to Ahmadinejad: Stop denying the Holocaust n rare interview, retired Cuban dictator tells Jeffrey Goldberg, "The Jews have lived an existence that is much harder than ours."

* Florida minister: Koran burning still planned Gen. Petraeus: Images of burning would undoubtedly be used by extremists around the world to inflame pubic opinion, incite violence.

* Obama, Clinton call on US Jews, Muslims to back talks US President Barack Obama indicated he understood recent Palestinian statements threatening to quit the peace process and rejecting compromise as political posturing.

* Iran prepares for attack, sets air defense exercise Iran has been preparing for a major air defense exercise meant to test its response to any Israeli or U.S. attack.

* Sha'ath: PA will never recognize Israel as Jewish "The Palestinian Authority will never recognize Israel as a Jewish state," Palestinian negotiator Nabil Sha'ath said.

* China's Hu calls for stable ties with US Chinese President Hu Jintao told American officials on Wednesday that he wants to see healthy and stable ties between the two countries.

* Financial Sheriffs to Monitor Banks, Markets in European Union When the financial crisis erupted two years ago, toppling banks and triggering eye-watering bailouts, European policymakers at times seemed too stunned by the scale of the situation.

* Hamas warns PA: Stop arresting our people or we'll strike Hamas on Wednesday warned that it would harm the Palestinian Authority if security forces continued to arrest its operatives in the West Bank.

* Israel worried by Jones proposal for int'l force in W. Bank American proposal to establish a multi-national force in the West Bank could be way to expedite a withdrawal following any peace deal with PA.

09/07/10

* Netanyahu: Arabs Must Accept Jewish State "Last year was one of the safest years in two decades," Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told Israelis in a message for the Jewish New Year.

* Abbas: No 'historic compromise' on Jerusalem, borders In 'Al-Quds' interview, PA president says Palestinians won't recognize Israel as Jewish state, accuses PM of trying to "strip" Israeli-Arabs' rights.

* Petraeus: Koran burning plan will endanger US troops The top US commander in Afghanistan has warned that troops' lives will be in danger if an American church sticks to its plan to burn copies of the Koran.

* Political deadlock damaging Iraq security - minister Six months after Iraq's parliamentary elections, a government minister has warned that the political deadlock is damaging the security situation.

* Jewish Birth Rate in Israel at Record High A Hebrew University demography professor has announced there were more Jewish births in the past year in Israel than any other time in the history of the State.

* Jewish Towns Under PA Rule? Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been talking of "creative solutions" lately.

* Egypt seizes anti-aircraft weapons bound for Gaza Egyptian troops on Tuesday seized nine weapons consignments bound for the Gaza Strip that included anti-aircraft weapons.

* EU has survived economic crisis, Barroso says in first State of Union address European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in a major speech on Tuesday morning said the EU has survived the economic crisis.

* Russian FM tells Iran to cooperate with IAEA Lavrov calls for clarity on Teheran's nuclear program, asks Islamic Regime to behave transparently for the sake of all concerned, including Iran.

* Indian Prime Minister Warns of More Assertive China China has dismissed fears expressed by India's prime minister that Beijing is intent on establishing a foothold in South Asia.

09/06/10

* New Year statistics: Israel's population hits 7.6 million CBS data released ahead of Rosh Hashana 5771 shows increase in Jewish, Christian birthrates; country still classified as young, with nearly 28% of population under age of 14.

* Report: Iran Paying Taliban to Kill U.S. Troops At least five Iranian companies in Afghanistan's capital are using their offices covertly to finance Taliban militants in provinces near Kabul, according to an investigation by London's Sunday Times.

* Egyptian TV: 'Islam Will Conquer Italy and the Entire West' MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute) has released a transcript of excerpts from a televised sermon given by Egyptian cleric Salem Abu Al-Futuh.

* Lieberman: No Peace in Our Time Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned Sunday that the expectations of Israel's current negotiations with the Palestinian Authority are not realistic.

* 17,880 Made Israel Their Home in 5770 17,880 people made aliyah (immigrated) to Israel in the Jewish year 5770, according to Jewish Agency records - up from the previous year, when 15,180 people came to Israel via the Jewish Agency.

* Clinton Sidesteps Her 'United Jerusalem' Pledge U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backtracked on Friday from her previous pledge that "Israel's right to exist in safety as a Jewish state, with defensible borders and an undivided Jerusalem as its capital, secure from violence and terrorism, must never be questioned".

* Lieberman: Coalition won't extend building freeze FM promises that he will vote against any extension of building freeze, reiterates call that achieving peace in a year is "unrealistic".

* Abbas: Borders most important to us, security for Israelis PA chairman tells Palestinian paper 'al-Ayyam' that he made clear that there will be no Israeli presence in future state.

* Russia, Israel sign military cooperation deal Barak signs long-term agreement on military cooperation with Russian defense minister in Moscow; deal may lead to further purchases of Israeli weapons, technology.

* Hillary Clinton to Attend Round 2 of Talks at Sharm El-Sheikh U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will attend the second round of direct peace talks between Binyamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas.

09/04/10

* US envoy Oren: Hizbullah has 15,000 rockets on border Ambassador says Islamist group amassing arsenal in southern Lebanon with long enough range to hit Eilat.

* Hamas official: Israeli settlers are a legitimate military target Israeli settlers in the West Bank are legitimate targets since they are an army in every sense of the word.

* Radical Islam is world's greatest threat - Tony Blair Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has described radical Islam as the greatest threat facing the world today.

* Iran's Ahmadinejad calls on Palestinians to fight on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged Palestinians to keep up their armed struggle against Israel.

* Muslims hold mass prayers at Jerusalem mosque Tens of thousands of Muslims poured into the heavily guarded Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem for the last Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan.

* Iraq dedicates international training center specializing in...roadside bombs Iraq has unveiled a training center meant to teach security forces to detect, identify and neutralize improvised explosive devices.

* Clinton warns of 'last chance' for Mid-East peace talks The US secretary of state has said the current round of Mid-East peace talks may be "the last chance for a very long time" to resolve the conflict.

* US military chief seeks Turkish support over Iran The United States' top military officer stressed on Saturday the need for Turkey to help enforce United Nations sanctions against Iran.

* 'US to continue supplying military assistance to Lebanon' The US will continue to supply the Lebanese Armed Forces with equipment and weapons estimated to be worth approximately $100 million.

* 'IAEA chief asked Israel to join nonproliferation treaty' The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency asked Israel to consider signing up to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

09/03/10

* 'Jerusalem Day paves the way for Israel's collapse' Ahmadinejad says "the Zionists are hypocrite racists" at rally on Quds Day.

* Hezbollah leader praises Hamas for West Bank shooting attacks Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah praised Hamas on Friday for the West Bank shooting attacks which left four Israelis dead and two injured.

* Israelis, Palestinians to work out framework agreement In the first concrete decision to emerge from the direct talks that began here on Thursday, Israelis and Palestinians agreed to work out a framework agreement in the coming months as a first step to a full peace treaty.

* Nasrallah: Direct peace talks 'born dead' Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Friday slammed the Palestinian Authority's decision to launch direct peace talks with Israel.

* Arab papers warn against talks: Abbas is weak The Arab press saw eye to eye with the Western media on Friday in the bleak outlook it forecasted in its coverage of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

* Turkey's incoming military chief warns government he will uphold secularism In what could portend another confrontatation, Turkey's new military chief has warned that he would repel any government attempt to Islamize the country.

* Which is the real threat? Terrorism or China? Four facts pertaining to the People's Republic of China, as Mao named his China in 1949, suggest Mao's China's conquest of the world.

* Experts Fear Mideast Talks Are Too Ambitious As the Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged at the peace summit meeting in Washington this week to try to resolve the core issues that have long divided their people and bloodied the land, a growing number of stakeholders here in Israel worried that the two sides were aiming too high.

* Deal reached on pan-European financial supervisors After months of tough negotiations, the three sides of the EU triangle came to agreement on Thursday on the creation of financial supervisors.

* UN nuclear chief asks Israel to join treaty The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency asked Israel to consider signing up to the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

09/02/10

* Middle East direct peace talks begin in earnest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have begun direct peace talks in Washington.

* Settlers end freeze, resume construction While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington to launch direct peace talks with the Palestinians, tensions are mounting in the West Bank.

* IDF warns of wave of violence as Hamas vows to sink peace talks The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday warned of a possible wave of attacks as Hamas militants try to sabotage Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

* UN chief 'very encouraged' by Israel-Palestinian talks Ban Ki-moon calls on both sides to show sincerity, flexibility ahead of Netanyahu-Abbas meeting in Washington.

* 'Hamas won't let the PA reach a peace agreement' Yishai says renewed negotiations will lead to nowhere, as Hamas won't honor Abbas's agreement; Shas declares opposition to building freeze.

* Iraq on high alert for spike in Al Qaida attacks following U.S. exit Iraq is bracing for an escalation in Al Qaida mass-casualty suicide attacks, following the withdrawal of all U.S. combat troops.

* Islamist Turkey government finds arms requests being blocked by Congress Turkey has been concerned over delays in its arms requests from the United States.

* Peres, Pope to Discuss Peace Talks President Shimon Peres plans to meet Thursday with Pope Benedict XVI in Italy. The two are to discuss the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

* Stephen Hawking: God did not create Universe There is no place for God in theories on the creation of the Universe, Professor Stephen Hawking has said.

* 'You got the Belgians running Europe?' Bush asked Blair Ex-UK prime minister Tony Blair has burst back onto the media landscape in the UK after a three-year absence with the publication of his keenly awaited memoir.

09/01/10

* Obama declares U.S. combat mission in Iraq over After more than seven years of war, President Barack Obama declared the combat mission in Iraq over on Tuesday night.

* Trying to Buck Odds, Obama Takes On 3 Big Mideast Tasks President Obama is attempting a triple play this week that eluded his predecessors over the past two decades.

* Barak to Haaretz: Israel ready to cede parts of Jerusalem in peace deal Ehud Barak has always vacillated between peace and security, dovishness and hawkishness, left wing and right wing.

* A Peace Plan Within Our Grasp It's been 10 long years since the Palestinians and Israelis last came close to establishing a permanent peace.

* Sarkozy, Mubarak see role for Mediterranean Union in Mideast talks French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Egyptian counterpart, Hosny Mubarak, said Monday in Paris that the Mediterranean Union (UPM) could yet become an important factor in finding a peace settlement in the Mideast.

* US moves into final military phase in Iraq The U.S. on Wednesday moved into the final phase of its military involvement in Iraq.

* Dr. Kedar Warns: Iran May Take Over Persian Gulf Dr. Mordechai Kedar, an expert on Arab politics and Islamic Fundamentalism at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies warns that Iran may be planning a full takeover of Persian Gulf states.

* Italian Outrage Over Gaddafi 'Convert-to-Islam' Party in Rome Italian politicians and media expressed outrage this week over a "convert-to-Islam" party held in Rome by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

* Barroso blames capitals for plunge in EU popularity Faced with a plunging popularity of the EU institutions, European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso has blamed national capitals for not defending the European project.

* Ashton: West Bank killings aimed at peace talks The gunning down of four Israeli civilians in the West Bank on Tuesday (31 August) must not derail the new round of Middle East peace talks.