Wednesday, March 10, 2010

03/10/10

* US slams new J'lem homes approval The decision by an Interior Ministry committee to announce approval of plans for some 1,600 housing units in northeast Jerusalem’s Ramat Shlomo neighborhood cast a pall Tuesday night over the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden.

* Israel calls off exercises near Lebanon, Syria after pressure from Obama Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama has warned Israel that its exercises along the borders with Lebanon and Syria were escalating regional tension.

* Delay on Arms Pact Slows Reset of U.S.- Russia Ties When President Obama got on the telephone with President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia last month, he was under the impression that they were finally close to wrapping up a long-delayed arms control treaty that he had originally expected to sign in December.

* Israel Partnering in Africa Against Terror Following February talks between Israel and the Kenyan government in which the African country requested Israeli assistance in fighting terror.

* EU crisis fund idea puts eurozone at 'crossroads' Controversy over the future of the eurozone after the Greek crisis is at a new pitch over ideas for a rescue fund.

* Christians flee after Nigeria's massacre Fresh gunfire has sent Christian villagers in Nigeria fleeing as a senior official accused the country's military chiefs of having ignored warnings about last weekend's massacre.

* Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attacks US for Afghan 'double game' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused the US of playing a "double game" in Afghanistan after the US used the same term to condemn Iran's role.

* EU's Ashton sets out diplomatic vision The EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, says Europe has a "once in a generation opportunity" to build a robust new diplomatic service.

* Gates in Saudi Arabia to Discuss Iran Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for talks with the Saudi royal family that senior defense officials said would be focused on Iran.

* After Delay, Partial Iraq Vote Results Expected Thursday Iraq's electoral commission is expected to announce partial results of parliamentary elections by Thursday.