* A newsletter-publisher said to have ties with the Obama administration has called on Washington to end its strategic alliance with Israel George Friedman, publisher of Stratfor, has published a book that called on the Obama administration to reorder U.S. foreign policy.
* Turkey PM: Netanyahu has worst government in history of Israel Turkish Prime Minister Tayyep Recep Erdogan on Thursday decried Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as the "worst" in the history of Israel.
* Clinton says Mideast faces disaster without reform US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday delivered a stark warning to Arab leaders that they will face growing unrest.
* Lebanon crisis raises risk of conflict on EU's southern fringe The threat of a fresh and potentially contagious Middle East conflict has sharply increased after the collapse of the Lebanese government.
* Hamas deploys forces near Israel-Gaza border to enforce truce The Gaza Strip's ruling Hamas movement has ordered its security commanders to enforce a cease-fire with Israel.
* Biden and Maliki say they are still committed to troop withdrawal by end of year Vice President Biden and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday reiterated their commitment to the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of this year.
* NY: Jewish, Christian Leaders Against 41% Abortion Rate Rabbi David Zwiebel and other NYC religious leaders call for new efforts to reduce the city's abortions.
* Joschka Fischer: United States of Europe is the only way to preserve EU influence. At a large gathering on Wednesday evening (12 January) in the European Parliament, members of the Spinelli Group, a new network of prominent euro-federalists, called for an acceleration of European integration.
* Israel needs to be concerned Hizbullah’s decision to topple the Lebanese government was exactly what OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Gadi Eizenkot expected would happen.
* Netanyahu: Iran Has Been Unmasked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu conducted on Tuesday his annual meeting with the international press.