07/07/11

* South Sudan to become new nation amid war worries The people of South Sudan finally get their own country on Saturday.

* North Korea Paid Pakistanis for Nuclear Technology, Scientist Says The founder of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program claims that in the late 1990s North Korean officials paid kickbacks to senior Pakistani military figures in exchange for critical weapons technology.

* World food prices near record high, says UN agency Global food prices rose sharply in June, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), after a steep increase in the price of sugar.

* Lebanon lawmakers approve Hezbollah-backed government The Hezbollah-backed Lebanese government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati won Thursday a parliamentary vote of confidence.

* U.S. charges Iran is escalating arms flow to Iraq during withdrawal preparations The United States has determined that Iran expanded weapons supplies to militias in Iraq.

* Regaining the Initiative – Annexing Judea and Samaria The first conference exploring all the practical aspects of asserting Israeli sovereignty, including Jewish, Zionist, political, diplomatic, economic and legal ramifications, as well as Arab-Israeli, American-Israeli relations, will take place on Thursday.

* Jordan sees U.S. withdrawal from Mideast as victory for Al Qaida Jordan has become increasingly concerned over plans by President Barack Obama for a U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East and Afghanistan.

* Educational Expert on Judd Ne'eman: The Left Wants Civil War The Chairman of the Professors for a Strong Israel and ex-Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Gabi Avital, responded to the inflammatory statements made by Israel Prize winner Yehuda "Judd" Ne'eman.

* Fiscal Bodies Issue Warnings Against Aiding Iran Three government fiscal authorities have issued warnings against financial ties to bodies that aid Iran’s nuclear program.

* Israel bars 300 activists from flying to Israel Israeli security has distributed a blacklist among foreign airlines.