* Qaida-affiliated Gaza group issues Hebrew Internet threat A day after security forces assassinated a senior Army of Islam terrorist said to be plotting the kidnap of Israeli vacationers in Sinai, an al-Qaida affiliated group in Gaza issued a Hebrew-language audio threat to Israel on the Internet.
* Critical Vote Near Tensions are very high in the Land of Israel camp, as the day of the fateful vote on the future of Judea and Samaria nears.
* Millions of Muslims worldwide mark 'Festival of Sacrifice' Millions of Muslims worldwide kicked off on Wednesday the annual Eid al-Adha festivities.
* U.S. official: Israel must refrain from East Jerusalem construction during freeze The United States will demand that Israel refrain from construction in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem as part of a 90-day settlement freeze.
* Obama pushes for Senate vote on new arms treaty with Russia President Obama pushed Thursday for ratification of a nuclear-arms treaty with Moscow by year's end despite Republican oppositio.
* Russia and Ukraine press ahead on gas link-up, leave out EU On the eve of an EU-Ukraine summit, Russian firm Gazprom has announced that it will form a joint venture with Ukraine's Naftogaz.
* Vatican warns China over bishop's ordination The Vatican warned Beijing on Thursday not to force Catholic bishops loyal to the pope to attend the ordination of a bishop who is a member of the state-backed church that does not recognize the pontiff.
* Hizbullah declares victory in culture war for Iran: Persian civilization is no more In the past 2300 years, Iranians have witnessed many brutal invasions because of their geopolitical significance.
* Greek Church takes on 'antichrist' in ID card row Senior clerics in Greece have told the state in no uncertain terms that vigilance is required to prevent the antichrist from making a manifestation on new ID cards to be issued next year.
* US State Dept: Israel Similar to Iran, Iraq and Sudan The U.S. State Department under Secretary Hillary Clinton claims that Israel violates religious freedom at the same level as Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan and China.