12/31/11

* New Year's Eve 2012: Celebrations start in Pacific Revellers around the world are celebrating the end of 2011 and starting to see in 2012.

* Iraq celebrates U.S. withdrawal Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki declared a new dawn on Saturday as Iraq celebrated the departure of American troops.

* Short spring, long winter One year ago, Tunisian street vendor Muhammad Bouazizi set himself on fire to protest social and political injustice in his country.

* Libya's Army Tries to Reassert Itself as Militias Have Their Way The drenching rains and whipping winds off the Mediterranean Sea were not enough to keep Major Anwar al-Mishri in his Toyota pickup truck.

* Iran denies test-firing long-range missiles in Gulf Iran has denied reports by state media that it test-fired long-range missiles during military exercises in the Gulf.

* Syrian opposition fears failure of Arab mission The Syrian opposition is pessimistic about the chances that Arab League monitors now visiting the country can halt President Bashar al-Assad's 9-month crackdown on anti-government protest.

* Ethiopian troops capture Beledweyne from Somalia militants Ethiopian forces have captured the central Somali town of Beledweyne from al-Shabab Islamist militants.

* Gold's 10 percent gain in 2011 extends run to 11th year Bullion posted a gain of 10 percent for 2011, its smallest annual rise in three years.

* China unveils ambitious plan for space exploration China plans to put laboratories in space, collect samples from the moon and prepare to build space stations over the next five years.

* EU open to talks with Iran, without preconditions The European Union is open to meaningful talks with Tehran provided there are no preconditions on the Iranian side.

12/30/11

* PLO Plans to "Disengage" From Israel In the latest sign that the 1993 Oslo Accords are moribund, PLO officials say they plan to completely disengage from Israel.

* Palestinian film: Jihad drove Israel away from Strip New movie recreates 2005 shooting attack near Kissufim checkpoint, suggests terror led to Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Director reveals some footage obtained through IDF officer

* IDF Chief: Nuclear Iran a threat to entire region, not just to Israel Benny Gantz says Israel, international community can meet challenge of nuclear Iran through "proper preparations".

* Iran announces long-range missile test amid Strait of Hormuz row with US Ten-day Iranian military drill overshadowed by Iran-US verbal row over an Iranian threat to close the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, through which 40% of the world's ship-borne crude oil is passed.

* Senior Ministers: Future Abductions Will Trigger War The forum of eight senior ministers said the next abduction of an Israeli soldier will lead to war.

* Syrian masses hit streets Hundreds of thousands of Syrians rally across nation; forces kill more protestors

* Fox TV poll on Facebook: Do you think the Jews killed Jesus? Popular news networks' Latin America outlet Poll apologizes for poll asking readers who they think is responsible for the death of Christ: Pontius Pilate, The Jewish People, or the High Priests.

* Denmark to battle for European unity Denmark takes over the six-month EU rotating presidency on Sunday (January 1), kicking off what is expected to be another traumatic year for the eurozone and its single currency.

* Hundreds of Iraqis cheer departure of US forces Hundreds of Sunni Muslims gathered in Baghdad Friday to celebrate the withdrawal of American forces, but Shiite Muslims did not join the event.

* Army rabbi: IDF is no place for mistreating women Brig.-Gen. Rafi Peretz vows to keep extremist Jewish behavior out of IDF ranks; PM speaks out against exclusion of women.

12/29/11

* Iran warns US over Strait of Hormuz A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said on Thursday that the United States was not in a position to tell Tehran "what to do in the Strait of Hormuz".

* Peres: It's still possible to make peace with Palestinians President Shimon Peres told top Christian clerics in Israel he still believes it is possible to achieve peace with the Palestinians.

* Syria monitors visit Damascus amid continuing violence Activists say at least 29 people were killed by security forces on Thursday.

* US warns Iran over threat to block oil route The US Navy has said it will not tolerate disruption to a vital oil-trade route, following an Iranian threat to close it.

* A boiling pot waiting to explode The IDF assesses that Hamas is not interested in a major conflict; its main concern is the stability of its rule in Gaza.

* U.S., Israel Discuss Triggers for Bombing Iran's Nuclear Infrastructure The Obama administration is trying to assure Israel privately that it would strike Iran militarily if Tehran's nuclear program crosses certain "red lines".

* North Korea hails Kim Jong-un as leader North Korea has hailed late leader Kim Jong-il's son, Kim Jong-un, as "supreme leader of the party, state and army".

* Mossad chief: Nuclear Iran not necessarily existential threat to Israel A nuclear-armed Iran wouldn't necessarily constitute a threat to Israel's continued existence.

* Israel's population stands at 7.8 million with 2012 around the bend Israel's population stands at 7.836 million, the Central Bureau of Statistics (ICBS) indicated on Thursday as part of its year-end survey.

* US Pushing Israel to Free Barghouti The Obama administration is trying to convince Israel to release arch-terrorist and mass-murderer Marwan Barghouti.

12/28/11

* Haniyeh: Our Objective is to Eliminate All of Israel As the Hamas terror group recently marked the 24th anniversary of its founding, its leader in Gaza used the opportunity to remind everyone of his group's real goals.

* Iran threatens to block Strait of Hormuz oil route Iran says it may close a vital oil-trade route if the West imposes more sanctions over its controversial nuclear program.

* Kim Jong-il state funeral held in North Korea North Korea has begun two days of funeral services for late leader Kim Jong-il with a huge procession in the capital, Pyongyang.

* 'US won't allow disruption in Hormuz' The US Fifth Fleet said on Wednesday that it will not allow any disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

* 'If necessary – IDF ready for Gaza op' Three years have passed since Operation Cast Lead and the IDF says that the operational goals set in 2009 have been largely achieved.

* Israel, U.S. discuss triggers for military strike on Iran Israel and the U.S. are discussing "red lines" in Iran's nuclear program.

* Iranian president to visit Venezuela, Cuba Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to visit Venezuela and Cuba as part of a four-nation Latin America tour in the second week of January 2012.

* Zardari issues rallying cry for democracy in Pakistan amid coup fears The embattled president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, on Tuesday used a speech on the fourth anniversary of the assassination of his wife.

* "Nothing frightening" seen in Syria protest hotbed: monitor The second day of monitoring hit a snag when locals in the Homs neighborhood of Baba Amr, that has been pounded by tanks in a military crackdown on popular unrest, refused to speak with the observers in the presence of a Syrian army colonel.

* Beginning to harness the desert's light When I first saw the sea of blue panels amid the scorched desert sands, driving along Highway 90 this June, I knew that Ketura Sun was a crucial.

12/27/11

* Jordanian Media: Settlers Stormed Temple Mount Jordan publishes an unusually inciting report that the monthly recital of Psalms in the Old City was a "storming of the Temple Mount."

* Iran: We will cut oil flow if West imposes economic sanctions Iran's first vice-president warned on Tuesday that the flow of crude will be stopped from the crucial Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf if foreign sanctions are imposed on its oil exports.

* 'Arab world must stop Israel's Judaization of J'lem' Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh made an urgent call Tuesday on the international Arab and Muslim community to stop what he called Israel's "Judaization" of Jerusalem.

* Saar: 'The Love of Our Bible Must Be Taught' Education Minister Gideon Saar on Tuesday said The Bible is the broad base of our national culture.

* Sadr bloc calls for early elections in Iraq The head of the political bloc of anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on Monday for new elections in Iraq.

* U.S. focusing on Kuwait after pullout from Iraq The Congressional Research Service has reported that U.S. aid was improving the military of Kuwait.

* Planned Old City Tourist Center Likely to Anger West and PA The "City of David" neighborhood, home to a major archaeological dig and located across the road from the Western Wall, plans a new tourist center.

* If Abraham Were to Come This Year, Temple Mount Would be Closed "If Jesus were to come this year, Bethlehem would be closed", the London Guardian reported this week.

* Potentially explosive movements on a volatile Asian chessboard A new era of increasing instability is opening in East Asia.

* Israeli archaeologists uncover first artifact confirming written record of Temple worship Israeli archaeologists have uncovered the first archeological find to confirm written testimony of the ritual practices at the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

12/24/11

* Thousands gather to celebrate Christmas Eve in Bethlehem Thousands of pilgrims, tourists and local Christians gather in the biblical West Bank town of Bethlehem on Saturday to celebrate Christmas Eve.

* Mashaal: Hamas Will Focus on Arab Spring-Style Protests Hamas will focus on holding Arab Spring-style mass protests against Israel.

* Moscow protest: Thousands rally against Vladimir Putin They passed a resolution "not to give a single vote to Vladimir Putin" at next year's presidential election.

* U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Pays Homage to Obama—But Not Jesus The 63-foot Sierra White Fir lighted at the U.S. Capitol Grounds on Dec. 6 as the official 2011 Capitol Christmas Tree includes a prominently displayed ornament paying homage to President Barack Obama.

* Baghdad blasts: Hashemi accuses government over attacks Iraq's Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi has said Iraq's government was behind Thursday's series of bombings that killed nearly 70 people in Baghdad.

* Islamists battle for votes in rural Egypt Already they have won nearly a quarter of the vote, and now the election has moved to an area that is fertile territory for their blend of politics and religion.

* Oil price near $100 on global security concerns Oil prices rose above $100 a barrel Friday as worries over global security issues outweighed weak economic data in the U.S.

* Iran launches 10-day naval drill The Iranian Navy has launched a 10-day exercise east of the Strait of Hormuz, the official news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

* Thousands attend funerals for Syria bomb victims Thousands of mourners carrying Syrian flags and pictures of the dead took part in a mass funeral Saturday for 44 people killed in twin suicide bombings.

* Nuke expert: Time to attack Iran A former special adviser on Iran policy to the Obama Administration said that a US-perpetrated strike on the Islamic Republic on is the "least bad" option in dealing with its nuclear threat.

12/23/11

* Hamas will focus on popular protests in struggle with Israel, group chief says Khaled Meshal says unarmed protests have 'the power of a tsunami,' although indicates Hamas will not renounce violence against Israel.

* Baghdad Bombings Carry 'Political Message' Iraqi officials say the bombings that killed 69 in Baghdad on Thursday are 'political' as the country faces a deepening sectarian crisis.

* Egyptians rally against army after woman beaten Protesters demand swifter military handover of power; Muslim Brotherhood, Islamist parties stay out of demonstration.

* Palestinian Authority gives Mideast peacemakers an ultimatum The Palestinian Authority gave the Quartet an ultimatum: it will resume its campaign for statehood recognition if there is no movement in the peace process in the next month.

* If Abbas embraces Hamas, he is walking away from peace Prime Minister's Office slams deal paving way for Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other radical groups to join PLO.

* Israel Freezes Equipment Sales to Turkey Defense Ministry orders the cancellation of the sale of advanced intelligence equipment to Turkey.

* Baghad blasts: Hashemi blames Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki Iraq's Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi has said Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is to blame for a sudden surge of violence in the country.

* Tunisia Presents New Coalition Cabinet Moderate Islamist party to run most of Tunisia's ministries in new Cabinet.

* Egypt Islamists want to stick to army vote timetable Muslim Brotherhood opposes protesters' desire for swifter army handover of power before July.

* Turkey is not Faring Well in the US and Europe Turkey, despite its pivotal role in the region, is assailed in Europe and the US for mistreating Armenians, Christians and Journalists.

12/22/11

* Saudi textbooks teach annihilation of Jews Despite promises to clean up violent and xenophobic content from textbooks, recent editions in Saudi Arabia continue teach school children barbaric practices.

* Arab observers head to Syria to monitor peace plan An Arab League advance team was headed to Syria on Thursday to launch a hard-won observer mission to oversee a plan to end nine months of bloodshed.

* 'Jerusalem bill' up for debate A storm in the making? The Ministerial Committee on Legislation is set to debate the "Jerusalem bill" which aims to officially declare Jerusalem as the "united capital of the Jewish people and the State of Israel."

* Israeli Company to Dig for Uranium in the Negev The Water and Energy Ministry (formerly the National Infrastructures Ministry) is set to grant a license to Gulliver Energy to search for uranium in the Negev.

* Iran Navy to hold 10-day war game in Persian Gulf Iran's navy will launch a 10-day war game in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

* Netanyahu and the New (Old) Testament Some two months ago, the Prime Minister's Office received a request to arrange a conference call with some Jewish and Christian leaders.

* Banks queue up for cheap ECB loans Over 500 European banks rushed to borrow almost half a trillion euro in cheap loans from the ECB on Wednesday.

* EU countries confront Israel on latest land-grab The four EU countries on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) have used unusually strong words against Israel's latest expansion of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land.

* Dozens killed in co-ordinated Baghdad attacks Dozens of people have been killed in a wave of apparently co-ordinated bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

* US Navy women have first gay kiss Two female US sailors have become the first same-sex couple to share the traditional dockside "first kiss" since the US ended a ban on gays in the army.

12/21/11

* 'IDF must be vigilant on northern front amid Syria unrest' The situation in Syria is unstable and the IDF needs to keep a watchful eye on daily developments along its northern front.

* US General: We Can Successfully Attack Iran Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey said Tuesday that the United States can successfully attack Iran, if necessary.

* Israel police, Arab youths clash near Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre Arab youths and border police clashed in Jerusalem’s old city, near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, on Wednesday.

* As Americans leave, Iraq faces domestic crisis In the annals of coalition disputes, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki's government is setting new standards.

* Mexico Mayan region launches apocalypse countdown Only 52 weeks and a day are left before Dec. 21, 2012.

* Kim Jong-il death: 'Five million' mourn North Korea leader More than five million North Koreans have so far turned out to pay their respects to late leader Kim Jong-il.

* Egypt elections: Run-off votes held after deadly clashes Nine of Egypt's provinces are voting, mainly facing a choice between Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist candidates.

* North Korea's military to share power with Kim's heir North Korea will shift to collective rule from a strongman dictatorship after last week's death of Kim Jong-il.

* Activists say at least 100 killed in Syrian town Syrian troops assaulting a northwest town with machine gun fire and shelling have killed at least 100 people.

* Doubts increase over usefulness of new fiscal treaty Just a few days into the making of a new intergovernmental treaty on fiscal discipline, serious questions are being raised about whether the slight draft offered to date is either useful or necessary.

12/20/11

* Saudi King Calls for Arab Super State King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia formally called for the formation of a Gulf Union on a backdrop of regional unrest and growing tensions with rival Iran.

* So, What is the Miracle of Chanukah Really About? One days' worth of olive oil lasting for 8 days, was indeed, miraculous... but there is so much more to this holiday than meets the eye.

* General: Protesters Should be "Thrown Into Hitler's Ovens" The head of public relations for Egypt's caretaker junta called protesters in Cairo "delinquents who need to be thrown into Hitler's ovens.".

* US commander visits Israel to finalize missile drill Israel is moving forward with plans to hold the largest-ever missile defense exercise in its history this coming spring.

* North Korea leader lies in state Kim Jong-il died on Saturday of a heart attack caused by overwork and stress at the age of 69.

* Indian Missile Launch and US Meeting Elicits Chinese Rebuke The Indian press fussed about an editorial in the Chinese Communist Party organ, the People's Daily, that expressed concern over the forthcoming February launch of India's new Agni-V missile.

* US Will not Let Iran Make Nuclear Bomb, Says Panetta Iran is a year or less from "N-Day," but the United States will stop it – no matter what.

* ADL lists Top 10 2011 issues affecting Jews The Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday released a list of the top 10 issues affecting Jews in 2011.

* Gulf Arabs back unity after hinting at Iran threat Gulf Arab leaders on Tuesday endorsed Saudi King Abdullah's call to form a "single entity" after hinting at Iranian threats.

* Factbox: In 1919, 'Palestine Part of Arab Syria' The Palestinian Authority is furious at Newt Gingrich for calling "Palestinians" an "invented people," but a short history shows that Arabs in the British Mandate and modern Israel never considered themselves a people.

12/19/11

* North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies "of heart attack" North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has died of a heart attack at the age of 69, state media have announced.

* Last US troops withdraw from Iraq The last convoy of US troops to leave Iraq has entered Kuwait, nearly nine years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

* Syria Signs Arab League Proposal as Carnage Continues Assad’s troops continued to kill opponents Monday while he agrees to an Arab League proposal to send observers.

* Israel Not Optimistic on North Korea despite Kim Jong’s Death North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il's death still leaves the country "distant and dangerous" for Israel, a Foreign Ministry spokesman says.

* "Hundreds" of North Korean Nuke Scientists in Iran Hundreds of nuclear scientists from North Korea, whose leader Kim Jong-il died Saturday, are in Iran, South Korean media report.

* Hamas Encouraged by Shalit Deal, Promises More Kidnappings As the second phase of the Shalit deal is implemented, Hamas is already planning the next kidnappings of soldiers.

* Egypt's Islamic Extremists Claim Landslide Win Egypt's largest Islamic extremist parties claim they won nearly 70 percent of the votes in the second round of elections.

* Egypt violence: Cairo clashes go into fourth day At least one person has died in fresh clashes between protesters and troops in the Egyptian capital Cairo, bringing the death toll since Friday to 12.

* Saudi Prince Buys Three Percent of Twitter Oil-rich Arab Muslims continue to invest in Western companies.

* EU foreign policy must not become a casualty of the euro crisis We are seriously concerned about the impact that the current eurozone debt crisis is having on the external relations of the Union.

12/17/11

* EU diplomats: 'Jewish state' is becoming too Jewish EU countries have raised a red flag on Israel's treatment of its Arab minority in a complaint.

* Federal judge: Iran shares responsibility for 9/11 terror attacks In an historic hearing in the federal courthouse in Manhattan on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge George Daniels said he planned to issue a ruling in the coming days declaring that Iran shares in the responsibility for the 9/11 terror attacks.

* Cradle of Arab Spring celebrates first anniversary Tens of thousands of people packed a provincial town square to celebrate the first anniversary on Saturday of Tunisia's democratic revolution.

* Egyptian Army Beats Demonstrators, Kills Two Video shot Saturday shows Egyptian soldiers administering savage beatings to protesters in Tahrir Square.

* Israeli military announces new unit for long-range strikes srael's military plans to form a long-range strike command.

* David Cameron says the UK is a Christian country In a speech in Oxford on the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, the prime minister called for a revival of traditional Christian values to counter Britain's "moral collapse".

* Arab League may ask UN Security Council to adopt Syria peace plan Arab states may ask the UN Security Council to endorse their peace .

* Iraq sends delegation to Syria for crisis talks Iraq has sent a delegation to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and his opponents.

* Panetta becomes first defense chief to visit Libya United States Defense Secretary Leon Panetta arrived in Tripoli Saturday, taking advantage of the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi.

* New treaty in force when 9 countries have ratified The first draft of a new treaty meant to tighten economic governance in eurozone countries was circulated Friday.

12/16/11

* Palestinian Authority Music Video Lauds Yasser Arafat: 'Oh AK-47 Make Sounds of Joy' Palestinian Media Watch, a watchdog group whose sole purpose is to monitor print and broadcast media — particularly put out by the Palestinian Authority, has uncovered a new PA music video honoring the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat.

* Hizbullah Charged with Laundering Money in the U.S. Several Lebanese financial institutions with alleged ties to the Hizbullah terror organization were part of a massive scheme that funneled hundreds of millions of dollars in criminal proceeds through the United States.

* U.S. to leave Iraqi airspace clear for strategic Israeli route to Iran The U.S. military's fast-approaching Dec. 31 exit from Iraq, which has no way to defend its airspace, puts Israel in a better place strategically to strike Iran's nuclear facilities.

* Turkey, Egypt in Joint Naval Exercises Egyptian navy ships were on their way to the waters off Turkey Thursday afternoon, where they will rendezvous with Turkish navy vessels for a joint exercise.

* Expose: The Vatican Wants to Lay its Hands on Jerusalem The Vatican is now reiterating demands for control of religious sites in Jerusalem.

* Iran official: We tricked the U.S. surveillance drone to land intact Iranian electronic warfare specialists were able to "trick" the recently downed U.S. surveillance drone to land on Iran soil intact.

* Russian President: EU Parliament 'means nothing' President Dmitry Medvedev at his last-ever EU summit told MEPs to stay out of Russian affairs and dropped hints on a $10 billion donation for euro bail-outs.

* Israel's forms new brigade for deployment to Egyptian border Israel's military has established a regional brigade along the border with Egypt amid threats from the Sinai Peninsula.

* U.S. Proposal: Aid for the PA, but No More Pushing at UN A proposal released Thursday would see the U.S. Congress allowing American economic aid to the Palestinian Authority to continue next year.

* Syria crisis: Russia circulates surprise UN resolution The draft condemns the violence by both Syria's government and the opposition, but does not mention sanctions.

12/15/11

* The Protester Once upon a time, when major news events were chronicled strictly by professionals and printed on paper or transmitted through the air by the few for the masses, protesters were prime makers of history.

* Hamas leader: We'll lead intifada after intifada Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday called for the formation of an Arab army "to liberate Jerusalem and the Aksa Mosque very soon."

* US flag ceremony ends Iraq operation The flag of American forces in Iraq has been lowered in Baghdad, bringing nearly nine years of US military operations in Iraq to a formal end.

* Russia election: Putin accepts 'lawful' protests Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has rejected calls to re-run disputed parliamentary elections but said he accepted "lawful" protests.

* Syria 'authorised forces to shoot to kill' in crackdown Syrian soldiers said their commanders told them to stop anti-government protests "by all means necessary".

* Hizbullah names CIA agents, details meetings in Beirut Starbucks, Pizza Huts The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah has disclosed details of CIA officers stationed in Lebanon, including their names and their recruitment and operational methods.

* Israeli officials say Syria's Bashar al-Assad is doomed In a shift, Israeli officials are welcoming the prospect that Syria's embattled president, Bashar al-Assad, will be overthrown.

* Apple Opening Israel Dev Center, First Outside US For the second day in a row, Apple is making hi-tech headlines in Israel.

* Egypt votes in 2nd round, Islamist win forecasted Egyptians voting on Thursday said they felt empowered by the first free election after Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.

* Doubts, fears nag Iraqis as US pulls out Zahora Jasim lost two brothers to bombs and gunmen in the years of turmoil and violence that followed the US invasion of Iraq.

12/14/11

* Hordes attend Hamas' Gaza anniversary Tens of thousands of Hamas supporters, waving the militant movement's green flags and honking car horns in celebration, marked the 24th anniversary of the founding of Gaza's ruling group.

* 'Iran may soon start nuclear work in new underground facility' Iran could soon launch sensitive atomic activities in an underground facility deep inside a mountain.

* Hundreds in Fallujah burn U.S. flag to celebrate troops pulling out of Iraq Hundreds of Iraqis set alight U.S. and Israeli flags on Wednesday as they celebrated the impending pullout of American forces from the country in the former insurgent bastion of Fallujah.

* Egypt Heads to Polls for Round 2 Egyptians are heading to the polls for round two of their parliamentary elections.

* Violent pushback from West Bank Jews shocks Israeli government The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite warnings by the intelligence community, has been stunned by the ferocity of Jewish resistance to demolition operations in the West Bank.

* Political union beginning to take shape, Merkel says German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said a political union is beginning to take shape in the EU.

* Poland sees praise for EU presidency in turbulent times EU politicians praised Poland on Wednesday (14 December) for the way it has handled the six-month rotating presidency.

* Abbas: EU should support Palestinian UN statehood bid The European Union should support the Palestinians' recognition bid at the United Nations.

* Clinton slams Gingrich comments on Palestinians Newt Gingrich's comment that the Palestinians are an "invented people" was unhelpful, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

* Iran seeks to calm Turkey over missile threat Iran's foreign minister has told Turkey that threats by Iranian political and military figures to strike Turkish missile defenses if attacked do not represent official policy.

12/13/11

* IDF Commander: Hizbullah Will Take Over Assad's Missiles The fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime will result in Hizbullah's taking over his arsenal of advanced missiles.

* Iran Mocks Obama Who 'Begged' for Drone Iran is having a field day over the latest downed Drone.

* MK Danon: Everyone Should Have Access to Temple Mount MK Danny Danon (Likud) said on Monday that he plans to work towards ensuring equal access to the Temple Mount for Jews and Christians.

* General Mizrahi: I've never seen such hatred against soldiers IDF Central Command Chief Major-General Avi Mizrahi called the rioting of dozens of settlers on Monday night "a very serious incident".

* As US exit from Iraq nears, Sunni worries grow In the hometown of the late Saddam Hussein, arrests have become so commonplace that whenever a police car shows up, young men flee from the street.

* 'Weekend of Terror' Goes Unnoticed by Mainstream Media The IDF Website reported a "significant increase" in terrorist activities in Judea and Samaria.

* JNF becomes Project HEART sponsor Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund has become a Project HEART sponsor.

* UN rights chief: Syria death toll exceeds 5,000 The latest figure reported to the UN Security Council by Navi Pillay is 1,000 higher than the one she announced just 10 days ago.

* LHC: Higgs boson 'may have been glimpsed' The particle is purported to be the means by which everything in the Universe obtains its mass.

* Palestinian flag raised at UNESCO after admission The Palestinian flag was raised for the first time on Tuesday above a UN agency, the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, in a diplomatic victory won despite stiff resistance from the US and Israel.

12/12/11

* "Mugrabi Bridge closure is religious war" Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhum: Bridge's closure shows the "Zionist scheme of aggression against al-Aqsa mosque."

* "Iran to reverse-engineer, mass produce US drone" Senior Iranian official says Iran will soon be able to reproduce and upgrade the US RQ-170 Sentinel.

* Syria, Iran: We will never give in to foreign pressure Syria's opposition may have plans to cut ties with Ahmadinejad's Iran but for now Tehran, Damascus are closer than ever before.

* Turkish President Slams Israel, Hails Hamas Turkish president Abdullah Gul: Israel should stop attacking "Palestine" and make peace. Hamas wants to live in peace with Israel.

* Hamas Talks Peace and Declares War Hamas unknowingly acts out a verse from Psalms and talks about another ceasefire while proclaiming to "remove the occupier… from Palestine."

* Mysterious explosion kills 7, injures 16 in Iran Explosion occurred in Yazd, a city where reports have indicated the existence of covert nuclear facilities.

* Documentary looks at life of Yasser Arafat New film "The Price of Kings - Yasser Arafat" screens in Dubai.

* Sarkozy: There are now clearly two Europes The French president has said that there are now clearly "two Europes", following last week's summit in which the UK vetoed EU treaty changes.

12/10/11

* Hamas joins Global Muslim Brotherhood A senior Hamas source told the London-based Arabic-language al-Hayat newspaper on Saturday that the Palestinian organization has joined the global movement of the Muslim Brotherhood.

* Russian election: Biggest protests since fall of USSR Thousands of people have attended the biggest anti-government rally in the Russian capital Moscow since the fall of the Soviet Union.

* Euro crisis: US General Martin Dempsey warns of unrest The top US military commander, Gen Martin Dempsey, says he is concerned about "the potential for civil unrest" as Europe's financial crisis unfolds.

* Muslim Brotherhood to 'Re-examine' Camp David Accords The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt denies a report in Israeli newspaper Yediot Acharonot, according to which the movement has reached understandings with the United States and Israel.

* UK alone as EU agrees fiscal deal European leaders say 26 out of 27 EU member states have backed a tax and budget pact to tackle the eurozone debt crisis.

* New EU deal faces multiple referendum threat Within hours of arriving at a fragile treaty deal for the eurozone and nine other EU states, the agreement delivering deeper integration is already confronting the spectre of multiple referendums and a host of legal barriers.

* IDF strikes in Gaza after rocket barrage Four Qassam rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning.

* 'Massacre' feared brewing in Syrian city Syria's leading opposition movement warned Friday of an impending government "massacre" designed to crush activists in the city of Homs.

* Skywatchers enjoy lunar eclipse Skywatchers have begun enjoying the last total lunar eclipse until 2014.

12/09/11

* Fear, speculation in Iran over military strike The threat of military strikes on Iran has upturned the quiet and comfortable lives once enjoyed by many Iranians, ushering in a new era of struggle and fear.

* Turkey sets terms for backing Free Syrian Army: Bow to Muslim Brotherhood group Turkey, aligned to the Muslim Brotherhood, has cracked down on the rebel army in Syria.

* Egypt's military said to be subsidizing Muslim Brotherhood's party Egypt's new military regime is said to have been financing the Islamic opposition.

* Security and Defense: Preparing for nuclear terror Israel will hold a civil defense drill that for the first time will simulate the response to an attack by a dirty bomb.

* Arab World: Getting under Tehran's umbrella Iraq's stance on Syria reflects a new sectarian regional reality in the increasingly Islamized political landscape of the Middle East.

* Iran invests in Islamic Jihad war machine: 8,000 fighters, 5,000 rockets The Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad has reported a sharp growth in membership and weapons in 2011.

* The wrong signals to Iran Iran has beeen showing signs of increasing nervousness about the possibility that its nuclear program will come under attack by Israel or the United States.

* Iran protests US drone incursion The US drone which Iran said it had brought down penetrated 250 kilometres (150 miles) inside the Islamic republic's air space.

* Jordan warns Israel over Al-Aqsa ramp closure Jordan, the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, warned Israel on Friday against closing a wooden access ramp to the sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City.

* Hamas to Arab states: Stop 'Israeli aggression' Four rockets fired at Israel from Gaza after IDF strikes targets overnight.

12/08/11

* Out of options: Report says U.S. must prepare to strike Iran before 2013 The United States must plan for a campaign to destroy Iran's nuclear weapons program, a leading think tank said.

* France's Sarkozy warns Europe risks disintegration French President Nicolas Sarkozy has warned that "never has the risk of disintegration been greater" for Europe in a speech in Marseille.

* Turkey to EU: say goodbye to democracy and start printing money Eurozone countries will have to give up on normal democracy and the European Central Bank (ECB) will have to print money if the euro is to survive.

* Terrorists said to be infiltrating military Al Qaeda and other terrorists are trying to infiltrate the U.S. armed forces, which makes military facilities in the U.S. dangerous for American troops.

* Kenya troops to 'join Somalia's African Union force' Kenya's parliament has approved the integration of government troops in Somalia into the African Union (AU) force fighting militant Islamists.

* Egypt's Christians split over Islamist gains An Islamist surge in Egypt has left a large Christian minority divided over whether to flee the country, stay silent, or reach out to a political force that seems guaranteed a major role in the country's future.

* EU to spend billions more on Arab revolutions The European Commission aims to plough an extra €6.2 billion into EU neighbouring countries over the coming years.

* Russia PM Vladimir Putin accuses US over poll protests Mr Putin said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "set the tone for some opposition activists".

* 'US expects direct Israeli-Palestinian talks' Both the US and the Quartet expect Israelis and Palestinians to meet in direct talks and exchange comprehensive proposals there on the issue of security and territory.

* Jerusalem Official: Close Dangerous Bridge to Temple Mount The Jerusalem Municipality's chief engineer Shlomo Eshkol said Thursday that he planned to issue an immediate order for the closure of the Rambam Bridge.

12/07/11

* 'US unsure what might prompt Israel to attack' The Obama administration does not know Israel's intentions regarding potential military action against Iran.

* Pearl Harbor Recalled at 70th Anniversary The Dec. 7, 1941, bombing of Pearl Harbor and those who lost their lives that day are being remembered Wednesday on the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack that brought the U.S. into World War II.

* Let's stop pretending The Palestinian Authority and its leaders share the blame for the murders of those five Israelis from Itamar on Friday.

* Oceans' deepest depth re-measured he Mariana Trench in the western Pacific runs for about 2,500km and extends down to 10,994m.

* Assad: UN report on Syria crimes against humanity not credible The United Nations is not a credible institution and cannot attest to the true nature of events unfolding in Syria.

* Eurozone crisis: New EU treaty 'may not be needed' Tougher rules to tackle the eurozone debt crisis can be achieved without changing EU treaties.

* Hu Jintao tells China navy: Prepare for warfare China's navy should speed up its development and prepare for warfare.

* Russia protests: Gorbachev calls for election re-run Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has said Sunday's Russian parliamentary election was marred by fraud and has called for a re-run.

* Iran shares captured U.S. drones with Russia Iran has credited its new electronic warfare unit with downing an advanced U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle.

* The Case of the 3,000-Year-old Mystery in Jerusalem The City of David, across from the Western Wall, is asking its Facebook readers to suggest answers to mysterious 3,000-year-old carvings.

12/06/11

* Iran's Revolutionary Guards prepare for war Iran's Revolutionary Guards have been put on a war footing amid increasing signs that the West is taking direct action to cripple Iran's nuclear program.

* Has the War with Iran Already Begun? The evidence of an extensive Western covert program against Tehran, and Iranian retaliation, is now too obvious to ignore.

* U.S. Military Sources: Iran Has Missing U.S. Drone A U.S. super-secret spy plane believed to be in Iranian possession could be a major loss for the U.S. military -- and a major gain for Iran.

* 'Iran could be nuclear in one year's time' A report compiled by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) suggests that "there is a real chance that Western efforts to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon will fail."

* Dubai Sheikh: If Iran Attacks, Israel Will Wipe It Off the Map Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened to wipe Israel off the map.

* Kepler 22-b: Earth-like planet confirmed Astronomers have confirmed the existence of an Earth-like planet in the "habitable zone" around a star not unlike our own.

* Former General: We'll Have to Bulldoze Gaza Major General Yoav Galant (Ret.) said Monday Israel's refusal to take decisive action in Gaza will only serve to force Israel to make a massive incursion into the Hamas-run enclave.

* Technology to Reverse 'Curse of Babel?' The sorry aftermath of man's hubris in building the Tower of Babel resulted in the polyglot of languages we have today, so the Bible tells us.

* Firebombs thrown at Moscow protest Firebombs have been thrown at a protest rally in downtown Moscow.

* Muslim Brotherhood top winner in Egyptian election Parties that want an expansion of Islamic law captured a clear majority of the votes in Egypt's first election since the uprising.

12/05/11

* If war is declared on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz will be the strategic focus With Iran torn by political turmoil, the only gateway to the Persian Gulf and arguably the world’s most strategic choke point.

* Russia election: OSCE sees numerous violations International observers have cited numerous violations in Sunday's parliamentary elections in Russia.

* Assad sends message: Army test-fires Scud missile SANA reports military's live-fire exercise in east Syria 'demonstrates ability of the Syrian missile forces to defend the homeland.' US official: Assad deepening sectarian hatred

* Egypt's new election results show Islamists dominating Researcher says conflict between military, Islamists will be over 'the soul of Egypt'.

* Everything You Need to Know about Muslim Brotherhood Ex Muslim Brotherhood leader spells out its ideology: Muslims "are masters of the world," waging Jihad against "thieving gangs of Zion."

* Egyptian Christians an Endangered Species The big losers in Egypt’s first round of elections are Christians, who fear for their survival in a radical Islamic-controlled country.

* Iran violating international norms, becoming pariah state Senior US official: "If we cannot achieve a diplomatic solution soon, inevitably interests will grow in a different kind of solution."

* Eurozone: France and Germany call for tougher treaty The leaders of France and Germany say the EU needs a new treaty to deal with the eurozone debt crisis.

* Saudi may join nuclear arms race: ex-spy chief Saudi Arabia may consider acquiring nuclear weapons to match regional rivals Israel and Iran, its former intelligence chief said.

* Iraq officials seek air defense deal with Gulf Baghdad moves to secure its airspace in lieu of US withdrawal; Iraqi president's chief of staff says Iraq lacks defense resources.

12/03/11

* Egypt Islamists tell rivals to accept vote result Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood called on its rivals to accept the will of the people on Saturday.

* Iranians greet diplomats expelled from London Iran called on the West to avoid a deepening diplomatic crisis following the storming of the British embassy in Tehran.

* 'Israel biggest loser from Muslim Brotherhood win in Egypt' Israel is the biggest loser from the strong showing of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Egyptian parliamentary election.

* Barak: We can't wait until Iran has nuclear bomb Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Saturday that Iran is getting closer to developing a nuclear bomb.

* Israel blames Palestinians for deadlock in talks A spokesman for Israel's prime minister is blaming the Palestinian leadership for the deadlock in peace talks.

* Biden chides Arab leaders on freedom of speech US Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday chided Arab leaders who restrict freedom of expression.

* Security and Defense: Learning from Korea The last tunnel was discovered in 1990. It is about one-and-a-half kilometers long, two meters in height and two meters in width.

* Jacques Delors: Euro was flawed from beginning One of the main architects of the single European currency, Jacques Delors, has said the eurozone was flawed from the beginning.

* 'Jew-hate stems from conflict' Growing global anti-Semitism is linked to Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians.

* Panetta: Strike on Iran must be the last resort US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Friday said an attack on Iran must be the last resort.

12/02/11

* Icon of US military now in Iraqi hands Inside palace walls built by Saddam Hussein, U.S. generals plotted the war's course, tracked the mounting death toll and swore in new American citizens under gaudy glass chandeliers.

* Putin prepares the Russian empire to strike back As prime minister for the past four years, Vladimir Putin never really went away.

* Jerusalem holy sites 'need special status': cardinal Peace negotiations in the Middle East must tackle the issue of the status of the holy sites.

* Egypt awaits poll results, Tahrir protest planned Egypt will hear the results of elections which Islamist parties look set to win on Friday.

* Arab World: Fire spreads both ways Before the Arab upheavals of 2011, the Middle East was dominated by a cold war.

* The war against Iran's nuclear program has already begun The war is under way, though no one declared it and no one will confirm it.

* Merkel: eurozone crisis will take 'years' to solve German Chancellor Angela Merkel has dismissed talk that next week's summit will bring about a definitive solution to the eurozone crisis.

* Mayans 'did not predict world to end in 2012' The calendar used by the ancient Mayan civilisation does not predict the end of the world in December 2012 as some believe.

* Senate Approves Bill that Legalizes Sodomy and Bestiality in U.S. Military The Senate on Thursday evening voted 93-7 to approve a defense authorization bill that includes a provision which not only repeals the military law on sodomy, it also repeals the military ban on sex with animals--or bestiality.

* Israel seeks new friends to counter Islamism Israel is actively looking for friends and allies further afield to counterbalance dramatic Islamic gains in the immediate neighborhood.

12/01/11

* Egypt's Brotherhood feels time has come The Muslim brotherhood have had a strong showing in elections so far; many still fearful of its extremism.

* 'Iran planning attacks on US forces in Germany' Iran is planning to attack US armed forces stationed in Germany in the event of a US attack on the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities.

* Are the West and Iran Headed to War? Italy summoned Iran's envoy to Rome's foreign ministry on Thursday.

* U.S. Military Chief: Israel May Not Warn of Iran Strike The top U.S. military officer admitted on Wednesday he did not know whether Israel would alert the United States ahead of time if it decided to take military action against Iran.

* Albania's PM: Iran, Ahmadinejad 'The New Nazis' Like most Muslim politicians, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha is no shrinking violet.

* 'Iran planning attacks on US forces in Germany' Iran is planning to attack US armed forces stationed in Germany in the event of a US attack on the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities.

* NATO states including France said to be recruiting, training Syrian rebels France is reportedly training rebels in their effort to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

* UN: Syria now in state of civil war, death toll at more than 4,000 Syria is now in a state of civil war with more than 4,000 dead and increasing numbers of defecting soldiers taking up arms against the government of President Bashar Assad.

* VP Biden says Iraq ready to survive on its own Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday "we're not claiming victory" in Iraq, but he believes the emerging government in Baghdad is capable of defending itself.

* Apple denies claims that Siri is anti-abortion It follows reports that Siri failed to locate nearby abortion clinics. In some cases it suggested pregnancy advice centres as an alternative.