09/29/12

* Harper: PM's UN speech reverberating around world Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that his speech at the UN is now "reverberating" around the world.

* PM unorthodox in conveying red line point Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu assumed a professorial role and - turning the UN General Assembly on Thursday into an "Intro to Nuclear Physics" class - illustrated through the use of a rudimentary graph where a red line needs to be drawn.

* Iranian defense minister: Israel should set red lines for itself Israel should draw a red line for itself, not for Tehran, Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said Saturday in a speech quoted by AFP.

* Panetta: Syria Has Moved Some Chemical Weapons The Syrian regime has moved some chemical weapons to safeguard the material as it wages war against rebel forces but the main storage sites for its arsenal remain secure.

* Over 40 killed in Syria fighting as Aleppo burns Hundreds of shops were burning in the ancient covered market of the Old City of Aleppo on Saturday.

* 11 European States Chart Course For A Federal Europe With Army One of the problems of the emerging solution to the European debt crisis is the migration towards a more federal Europe with centralized economic policy and supervision.

* PA expects UN to vote on statehood bid in November The Palestinians expect the UN General Assembly to vote on their application for statehood on November 29.

* 70% of Americans view Israel favorably Seventy percent of Americans view Israel favorably, according to a survey conducted by the Foreign Policy Initiative.

* Egypt's president heads to Turkey to build ties Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi will travel to Turkey on Sunday.

* Intelligence office says it got Libya attack wrong, not White House Extremists from groups linked to al Qaida struck the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in a "deliberate and organized terrorist attack," the top U.S. intelligence agency said.

09/28/12

* Iran vows enemies will not survive An Iranian general has said that his country's enemies will not survive if they attack Iran's nuclear sites.

* PM unorthodox in conveying red line point Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu assumed a professorial role and - turning the UN General Assembly on Thursday into an "Intro to Nuclear Physics" class.

* Abbas slams Israel, pushes for non-member status PA President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the government.

* More Hizbullah Fighters Dying in Syria, Sources Say Hizbullah has increased the size and scope of its assistance to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

* Berlusconi: euro is a 'swindle' and Germany wants 'hegemony' Italy's derided and populist ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi is trying to make a comeback ahead of general elections due in spring 2013.

* Iraq militants attack Tikrit prison, freeing 90 inmates Armed militants have attacked a prison in the Iraqi city of Tikrit, killing at least 12 guards and freeing about 90 inmates, officials have told the BBC.

* Need a bit of Bible? There's an app for that Onlookers might think you're checking stocks, watching clips of "Honey Boo Boo" or reading news out of Libya. But on the subway, in the doctor's office, under a beach cabana - with the right gadget, God's word can be with you.

* Obama Slammed for 'Libya Lies' The United States media is increasingly criticizing U.S. President Barack Obama for his statements regarding the mob attack in Benghazi, Libya.

* 'Necessary preparations' made for use of force if needed against Iran, US ambassador says Jerusalem and Washington are in sync regarding the Iranian nuclear program, US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro told The Times of Israel.

* Israeli wave power company to ring India with power plants Last July, India lived through a modern nightmare - a massive power failure that left some 600 million people in the dark.

09/27/12

* Netanyahu to spell out Iran 'red lines' in UN speech Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to spell out before the UN General Assembly on Thursday the red lines he believes will prevent Iran from attaining nuclear arms.

* Barak: Israel can rely only on itself for defense At Yom Kippur War memorial service, defense minister says the IDF is ready to confront any challenge, near or far.

* Egypt's Morsy opposes foreign intervention in Syria Egypt opposes foreign military intervention to stop the civil war in Syria.

* Map of Apple's new iOS6 system fails to list Jerusalem as Israel's capital, report says The map included in Apple's new iOS6 operating system reportedly does not show Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

* FBI Still Not Granted Access to Site of Libya Attack More than two weeks after the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, which resulted in the death of four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, FBI agents have still not been granted access to investigate.

* Syria refugees to reach 700,000 by year's end - UNHCR The UN's refugee agency has warned that as many as 700,000 people could have fled Syria by the end of the year,.

* Why Putin Wants Obama to Win The 2012 U.S. presidential election presents a contrast to the 2008 election in terms of their perceptions by the Russian elite.

* NYPD Rescues Iranian Diplomat From Angry Mob Outside UN The New York Police Department was forced to rescue an Iranian diplomat from angry protesters Wednesday near the United Nations.

* Google Street View Comes to Yesha Google's Street View, which allows internet users around the world to see streets, homes, and businesses located almost anywhere in the world, will soon include the towns and cities of Judea and Samaria.

* Obama to Speak with Netanyahu by Phone President Barack Obama will likely speak to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu by phone on Friday.

09/26/12

* Security forces on high alert as Israel marks Yom Kippur Security and rescue forces were on high alert and deployed in large numbers in Jerusalem and throughout the West Bank for Yom Kippur.

* Iran unveils 'indigenous' drone with 2,000km range Iran has unveiled what it says is a new "indigenous" long-range unmanned drone capable of flying over most of the Middle East.

* Jordan on the brink: Muslim Brothers mobilize for King Abdullah's overthrow Brotherhood has given King Abdullah II notice that he has until October to bow to their demand to transform the Hashemite Kingdom into a constitutional monarchy.

* Ahmadinejad addresses U.N. General Assembly Amid warnings from other world leaders-and planned protests outside-Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

* Libyan president: Benghazi attack was a 'preplanned act of terrorism' Libyan President Mohammed Magarief said the controversial film that mocked Islam's Prophet Muhammad and ignited protests throughout the Muslim world had "nothing to do" with the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.

* Hubble captures extraordinary view of Universe The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has produced one of its most extraordinary views of the Universe to date.

* Syria unrest: Damascus attack 'was suicide bomb' State TV quoted army sources saying that 14 others were hurt in the attacks, contradicting earlier official accounts that said no one had died.

* Athens clashes as Greek police fire tear gas Greek police have fired tear gas to disperse anarchists throwing petrol bombs near parliament in Athens.

* Angela Merkel: Europe must stay the course with painful reform Angela Merkel issued a blunt warning to Germany's ailing eurozone neighbours yesterday.

* Largest-ever exercise prepares to seize Persian Gulf in the event of war with Iran An ongoing U.S.-led naval exercise involving 20 nations from the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America is intended to ensure rapid control of the Gulf in case of war with Iran.

09/25/12

* Security forces on high alert as Israel marks Yom Kippur Security and rescue forces were on high alert and deployed in large numbers in Jerusalem and throughout the West Bank for Yom Kippur.

* At U.N., Obama downplays terrorism in Libya attack Speaking at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, President Obama portrayed the deaths of four Americans in Libya as a result of inflamed tensions over an anti-Islam movie produced in the U.S., rather than a terrorist attack.

* Syrian mortars fired into Golan Heights Several mortar shells from Syria fell in agricultural land in the northern Golan Heights early Tuesday morning.

* Iran tests warship-busting missiles Iran has test-fired four missiles designed to hit warships during a drill near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

* Egypt threatens to cut off IDF's hand if it enters Sinai A senior member of Egypt's Supreme Council of Armed Forces warned Israel against considering an incursion into the Sinai Peninsula to contain terrorist activity.

* Muslim-led nations seek global ban on insults of Muhammad As the U.N. General Assembly convenes this week in New York, several leaders of mostly Muslim nations are suggesting that the world body consider sanctions on blasphemy.

* Iran threatens attacks on US bases in event of war A senior commander in Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard warned that Iran will target U.S. bases in the region in the event of war with Israel.

* Libyan army removes heads of Benghazi militias Libya's army has removed the heads of two of Benghazi's main militia groups, as it tries to reassert control over armed groups or disband them.

* PLO ambassador calls on UN to recognize Palestine PLO ambassador to the UN in Geneva Ibrahim Khraishi on Monday called on the United Nations to accept Palestine as a member state.

* The war that nearly was During the Yom Kippur War, in the waters of the Mediterranean, US and Soviet vessels were gearing up for a clash which could have escalated to a global conflict.

09/24/12

* Iran commander: Israeli strike could trigger WWIII Revolutionary Guards commander says war would be "historic opportunity" to destroy Israel and "reclaim Palestine."

* Deepening divide between Islamic world and West For those who believe in a clash of civilizations between the Islamic world and Western democracy, the last few weeks must seem like final confirmation of their theory.

* Syrian opposition figures meet in Damascus Syrian opposition figures who reject foreign intervention in Syria's 18-month conflict called for the ouster of President Bashar Assad at a rare meeting Sunday in the nation's capital.

* Iran could launch pre-emptive Israel strike-commander Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel if it was sure the Jewish state was preparing to attack it, a senior commander of its elite Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying on Sunday.

* Egyptian military official warns J'lem over Sinai "We'll cut off the hands of any aggressor," SCAF member threatens, according to Egyptian paper 'al-Masry al-Youm.'

* Egypt's New Leader Spells Out Terms for U.S.-Arab Ties On the eve of his first trip to the United States as Egypt's new Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi said the United States needed to fundamentally change its approach to the Arab world, showing greater respect for its values and helping build a Palestinian state, if it hoped to overcome decades of pent-up anger.

* US official: No proof Libya attack tied to film Rep. Mike Rogers tells CNN he hasn't seen any information indicating protest held during assault on US consulate.

* EU struggles to reach budget agreement Senior EU officials are warning that it is proving harder than ever to reach an agreement on the European Union's next multi-annual budget.

* Ahmadinejad: Israel has 'no roots' in Mideast The Iranian president tells reporters in NYC that Israel is a disturbance for his country, which he is ready to defend against.

* 'UK, France, Germany urge EU to up Iran sanctions' 3 European FMs write letter to Ashton, pressing for tougher EU sanctions in bid to halt Iranian nuclear program, diplomats tell AFP.

9/22/12

* FSA moves headquarters from Turkey to Syria The rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) has moved its leadership from Turkey to parts of Syria that are now controlled by rebels.

* Iran commanders threaten Israel's downfall ranian military commanders on Friday threatened the complete destruction of the State of Israel.

* Egyptian presidential aide says he's finalizing proposal to amend peace treaty with Israel An Egyptian presidential adviser announced on Saturday that he will submit a proposal for amending the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty in the coming days.

* War with 'cancerous tumor Israel' will eventually happen, says Iranian general The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, said Saturday that war with Israel will "eventually happen," and that the Islamic Republic would "destroy the Jewish state."

* Romney: PA State Airspace Would Endanger Israel In Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's now famous "secret" video, Gov. Romney reveals and intuitively explains another existential threat to Israel from a Palestinian State in any part of Judea and Samaria.

* Libya: Islamist militia bases stormed in Benghazi The militia suspected of killing the US ambassador to Libya nearly two weeks ago has been driven out of its base in the eastern city of Benghazi.

* Anti-Islam film: Pakistan minister offers bounty A Pakistani government minister has offered a $100,000 reward for the death of the maker of an anti-Islam film produced in the US.

* Syria uprising: Assad says Arab Spring brought chaos President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has been quoted by an Egyptian magazine as saying the Arab uprisings only brought chaos and the Syrian rebels cannot win.

* 'PA Wouldn't Last One Day Without IDF' Dep. FM Says in NY The Palestinian Authority "wouldn't last one day" if Israel withdrew from Area B and C of Judea and Samaria, asserted Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon.

* NATO Official Rules Out Military Intervention in Syria NATO does not believe that military intervention in Syria would bring any improvement in the security situation there, a senior alliance official said.

09/21/12

* U.S. Warns Israel: Iran Strike May Affect Peace U.S. officials recently warned Israel that Egypt and Jordan could annul their peace treaties with the Jewish State if it carries out a preemptive strike against Iran.

* Rivlin: Time is running out to isolate Iran The international community should boycott Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the UN General Assembly next week, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said.

* As Syrian conflict worsens, concerns soar in Turkey With fighting between Syrian rebels and government troops nearly spilling across the border, those in Turkey concerned about the war’s impact have begun to question whether their government should rethink its approach to the regime of President Bashar Assad.

* Defending graffiti, and debating Egypt's future Under cover of darkness, a few municipality workers quietly began to paint over an icon of Egypt's revolution.

* Iran shows off new air defense system Iran on Friday displayed a new, all-Iranian-made air defense system, saying it was designed to confront American warplanes in case of a U.S. attack on the country.

* Ahmadinejad: Anti-Islam film an Israeli ploy Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Israel of being behind the anti-Islam film that has sparked violent protests in the Muslim world.

* Declassified Yom Kippur war papers reveal failures Newly declassified documents released by the IDF archives have revealed serious shortcomings leading up to the surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on Israel at the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

* Pakistan film protests: 15 die in Karachi and Peshawar Fifteen people have died as violent protests erupted on the streets of Pakistan's main cities in anger at an anti-Islam film made in the US.

* New Ad Implies Obama Is Cozy With Muslim Brotherhood The conservative advocacy group Let Freedom Ring released an ad Thursday to run in key swing states depicting President Barack Obama as a Muslim Brotherhood sympathizer.

* Why Didn't These Anti-Islam Films Spark Rage? Anti-Islam videos posted earlier this year sparked only a shadow of the lethal rage over the "Innocence" film, indicating that Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups have been behind.

09/20/12

* US admiral says Gulf drills ensure stability The admiral in charge of the US Navy's 5th Fleet defended Thursday the large American-led naval drills taking place in the Persian Gulf.

* Time is running low for diplomatic solution, US and Europe warn Iran The US, Britain and France warned Iran Thursday that time was running out for a diplomatic solution to curb its nuclear program.

* 11 European States Chart Course For A Federal Europe With Army One of the problems of the emerging solution to the European debt crisis is the migration towards a more federal Europe with centralized economic policy and supervision.

* 'Iran Behind Int'l Terror and May Aim for US,' Says Official Iran’s Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force terrorists and their proxies are behind recent attacks on U.S. officials and may soon try to strike in the United States.

* Obama and Ahmadinejad Is Barack Obama the "promised warrior" coming to help the Hidden Imam of Shiite Muslims conquer the world?

* Curiosity Mars rover picks up the pace The Curiosity rover is making good progress towards its first major science destination on Mars.

* Latest developments in protest of anti-Islam film Here's a look at protests and events across the world on Thursday connected to an anti-Muslim film and caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

* Fed Judge Rules In Favor Of Attack Ads At MTA Stations Targeting Radical Muslims A legal fight over freedom of speech is spilling into New York's subway tunnels.

* Turkish PM Again Rejects Ties with Israel Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeated his refusal to heal his breach with the State of Israel.

* China tells EU to end arms ban Chinese leader Wen Jiabao has bluntly told the EU to drop its ban on arms sales.

09/19/12

* Romney Explains Dangers of a Palestinian State Alongside Israel In a just released video, Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney stated, in a private fundraiser, what he saw as the dangers of a West Bank Palestinian State.

* Assad May Use Chemical Weapons on Syrians The Syrian government has already considered using chemical weapons on rebel forces and civilians "as a last resort" - despite protestations to the contrary.

* Mourning the Loss of Jewish Autonomy: The Fast of Gedaliah Jews around the world are observing the Fast of Gedaliah from before sunrise until after sundown Wednesday.

* France in embassy alert over Prophet Muhammad cartoons Security has been increased at France's interests abroad after a French satirical magazine published obscene cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

* Nato's Afghan joint patrol curbs a 'prudent' measure Nato's decision to scale back joint operations with Afghan security forces is a "prudent and temporary measure", its secretary general has said.

* Syria conflict: Damascus suburb sees heavy fighting Activists said government forces had stormed Hajar al-Aswad, a southern suburb of Damascus, and that the situation for residents was desperate.

* 'Wife of Jesus' reference in Coptic 4th Century script An ancient scrap of papyrus makes explicit reference to Jesus having a wife, according to a renowned expert in Christian history.

* World Bank: PA needs $400 million lifeline for 2012 Development of Area C is necessary for sustainable Palestinian economic growth, the World Bank said.

* Intelligence chief: EU capital is 'spy capital' "I stopped meeting him for lunch because all he did was ask questions and he never said anything about himself," a diplomat on the EU Council's working group for post-Soviet countries once told this website about his friend from the Russian embassy.

* IDF launches surprise live-fire drill in Golan The IDF held a surprise large-scale drill on the Golan Heights Wednesday.

09/18/12

* Iran Tensions Loom Over Israelis on Jewish New Year Jews around the world are observing Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. In Israel, the mood is sober.

* Gulf states see Obama's hand in rise of Muslim Brotherhood Gulf Arab states have detected a U.S. role in the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in the region.

* Al-Qaeda urges Muslims to purge their countries of Americans as revenge for anti-Islam film Al-Qaida's branch in North Africa on Tuesday called for attacks on U.S. diplomats.

* Nasrallah: We'll sacrifice our blood for Mohammed Hezbollah's leader left his bunker and made a rare public appearance at a rally in Beirut denouncing an anti-Islam film.

* Indyk: Without an agreement, Iran war in 2013 likely Without a negotiated solution over the Iranian nuclear program, 2013 will likely see a military confrontation with Iran.

* EU's Catherine Ashton to meet Iran nuclear negotiator EU foreign affairs representative Catherine Ashton is to hold talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili.

* Chinese General: Prepare for Combat China's most powerful military leader, in an unusual public statement, last week ordered military forces to prepare for combat.

* Obama's Security Breach In Libya Is Ignored By American Media Throngs of foreign press and few American outlets tell the real story involved with the White House's role in the incidents that we now know could have been prevented.

* Iran deploys submarine in Gulf as Western nations hold large naval exercise nearby Tehran has deployed one of its Russian-made submarines in the Persian Gulf.

* Ministers call for stronger EU foreign policy chief A brainstorming group of 11 EU foreign ministers has called for a more powerful EU foreign policy chief and less power in general for EU countries.

09/17/12

* Anti-Islam film: Thousands protest around Muslim world Fresh protests are taking place around the Muslim world over an amateur anti-Islam video produced in the US.

* Days of Awe Begin Sunday Evening with the New Year Holiday "Repentance, prayer and charity will avert evil decrees" and bring each of us closer to what G-d intended for man to be. Shana Tova to all.

* Armada of international naval power massing in the Gulf as Israel prepares an Iran strike An armada of US and British naval power is massing in the Persian Gulf in the belief that Israel is considering a pre-emptive strike against Iran's suspected nuclear weapons programme.

* Israeli Foreign Ministry: U.S. ignored Arab radicalization Foreign Ministry official on signs of 'radicalization' in Arab world: "We knew what was happening, but the Americans preferred to find excuses."

* No demonstration before attack on US Consulate, source says An intelligence source on the ground in Libya told Fox News that there was no demonstration outside the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi prior to last week's attack -- challenging the Obama administration's claims that the assault grew out of a "spontaneous" protest against an anti-Islam film.

* Making the shofar: a family tradition The BarSheshet and Ribak families of shofar producers quickly went from competitors to partners.

* Rosh Hashana, the sweet way Peach glaze on chicken, prunes and carrot tzimmes make for delectable dishes.

* Istanbul Aims to Outshine Dubai With $2.6 Billion Bank Center It's now little more than a dusty patch of land in the modern suburb of Atasehir on the Asian side of Istanbul.

* Egypt's Islamic TV talks with iron Salafist A Muslim cleric hosting an Egyptian television show recently outlined his version of Islamic instructions for wife-beating.

* Iran: Saboteurs cut power lines to nuclear bunker Explosives used to cut power to Fordow plant last month, Iranian nuke chief claims; says "terrorists" have infiltrated IAEA.

09/15/12

* Al Qaeda in Yemen urges Muslims to kill U.S. diplomats over film The Yemen-based branch of al Qaeda urged Muslims to step up protests and kill more U.S. diplomats in Muslim countries.

* US scrambles to rush spies, drones to Libya The U.S. is sending more spies, Marines and drones to Libya.

* The Video Didn't Do It It was bad enough, two years ago, that Defense Secretary Robert Gates called fringe Florida pastor Terry Jones to ask him not to burn copies of the Koran.

* State Department sets up 24-hour monitoring team for embassy crisis The State Department has gone into full-blown crisis mode.

* Al-Qaeda claims responsibility for killing US ambassador in attack on US consulate in Libya Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility on Saturday for Tuesday's attack on the US consulate in Benghazi.

* Pope says religious freedom is 'fundamental' for Mideast stability Pope Benedict XVI appealed Saturday for religious freedom in the Middle East.

* Muslim worshippers clash with police in East Jerusalem Hundreds of Muslim worshippers clashed with police after Friday prayers in East Jerusalem.

* Israel's window for action against Iran 'is getting much smaller,' says Ambassador Oren It's not easy being an ambassador in a high-profile posting when your home country and your host country are in the midst of a very public row over an acutely sensitive issue.

* Egypt's Christians anxious, anticipate strife Christians gathered Friday in front of a Cairo cathedral holding signs denouncing a film that mocked the Prophet Muhammad.

* Panetta: 'Little red lines' on Iran a political ploy Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is attempting to pin US President Barack Obama into a corner.

09/14/12

* Libya attack may have been planned, sources say Armed men at the US Consulate in Benghazi killed US Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and three embassy staff late Tuesday following a protest by people upset over an American-made film that bashes the prophet Muhammad.

* Five dead as anti-Islam film protests widen In Tunisia, three people were killed after crowds breached the US embassy compound in the capital Tunis.

* Revealed: inside story of US envoy's assassination The killings of the US ambassador to Libya and three of his staff were likely to have been the result of a serious and continuing security breach.

* Bomb threats evacuate Texas, N. Dakota campuses Thousands of people streamed off university campuses in Texas and North Dakota on Friday after phoned-in bomb threats.

* Hezbollah will 'easily' defend Iran against Israel An aide to Iran's supreme leader said Israel's military threats had "put Israeli citizens one step away from the cemetery".

* 'Obama's Middle East Policy Is in Ruins' After days of protests over an anti-Islam film, American diplomatic missions in the Middle East and North Africa were braced for further violence after Friday prayers.

* Soldiers Equipped with Apples, Honey for New Year The IDF prepares for the new year with 2.4 metric tons of honey and 30 tons of apples.

* Egypt's Islamo-diplomacy comes to EU capital Egyptian leader Mohamed Morsi invoked the Koran while promising to protect visitors to Egypt after the killing of US officials in Libya.

* War game simulates response to Eilat rocket attack In a "war game simulation" held at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya on Thursday, players representing Israel's security cabinet decided to respond swiftly to an attack from Sinai.

* Lebanon Christians feel besieged ahead of Pope visit In 1510, Pope Leo X thanked Divine Providence for having preserved the Maronite Christians through the hardest of times.

09/13/12

* Israeli Arab Official Warns Of 'Armageddon' Over Anti-Islam Film Israeli Arabs protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv Thursday following the attacks on U.S. compounds in Libya, Egypt and Yemen.

* Anti-Islam film protests spread across Middle East Protests against an anti-Islam film made in the US are spreading across the Middle East and North Africa.

* Iraqi militia threatens U.S. interests over film An Iraqi militia that carried out some of the most prominent attacks on foreigners during the Iraq war on Thursday threatened U.S. interests in the country over a film that has triggered protests in Libya, Egypt and Yemen.

* Israel hints it will keep pressing US on Iran Israel's leader suggested in an interview Thursday that he'll keep publicly pressing the United States to get tougher on Iran.

* After attack, Obama says Egypt neither friend nor foe The United States does not consider Egypt's Islamist-led government an ally or an enemy.

* Film at heart of Libya attack may be fake Details casting doubt on the authenticity of the controversial film Innocence of Muslims, which sparked protests in Cairo and spurred the Libya attack that killed US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, mounted on Wednesday.

* Barroso envisages 'federation of nation states' European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso used his third annual state of the union speech on Wednesday (12 September) to call for a "federation of nation states."

* New monkey species identified in Democratic Republic of Congo A new species of monkey has been identified in Africa, only the second time such a discovery has been made on the continent in 28 years.

* Does the West Nile outbreak signal an epidemic of viral epidemics? Yes and no. We are swimming in a sea of viruses. A hundred times smaller than bacteria.

* US says Iran 'demolishing' facility at Parchin site A US envoy accused Iran on Thursday of "systematically demolishing" a facility at the Parchin military site.

09/12/12

* US ambassador to Libya killed in Benghazi attack Gunmen attacked and set fire to the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi.

* Are W. Bank riots the start of 'Palestinian Spring'? Thousands of young Palestinians out on the streets - chanting slogans, throwing rocks, burning tires.

* The Cairo-Tehran Express U.S. intelligence agencies recently monitored a secret meeting between Egypt's intelligence chief and a senior Iranian spy.

* PM to continue pressing for red lines on Iran Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will continue to push the world to set benchmarks for the Islamic Republic.

* Libyan Guards Led Mob to Stevens Reports and pictures from Benghazi indicate that Libyan security men may have been complicit in the murder of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens.

* Population nears 8 million ahead of Rosh Hashana Israel's population approached the eight million mark nearing Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.

* Russia, China join West in Iran rebuke at IAEA meet Russia and China backed four Western powers on Wednesday to step up diplomatic pressure on Iran.

* Israeli Filmmaker in Hiding After Film Sparks Deadly Protests An Israeli-American filmmaker went into hiding Tuesday after his movie.

* Sighs of relief as German court approves bailout fund Markets and EU politicians breathed sighs of relief as Germany's top court rejected challenges brought against the eurozone's upcoming bailout fund.

* Gulf states anticipate record oil revenues for 2012 Gulf Arab states are preparing for a record year in oil revenues.

09/11/12

* US ambassador to Libya killed in Benghazi attack Gunmen attacked and set fire to the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi.

* 9/11 attacks: Obama marks 11th anniversary President Barack Obama has marked the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, saying the US emerged "even stronger" from that day's death and horror.

* Report of New Iranian Nuclear Work Backs Up Israel's Claims An Associated Press report that new intelligence reveals Iran is moving closer to nuclear capability strengthens Israel's position and could not come at a worse time for United States President Barack Obama.

* Dichter Warns Against Muslim Brotherhood Takeover Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter warned on Monday against a Muslim Brotherhood takeover of Arab countries in the Middle East.

* Murdoch: King David Was Right, Jerusalem is the Capital Media mogul and investor Rudolph Murdoch, who is not Jewish, told an "Innovate, Invest Israel" conference in New York City, "What was right for King David is right for me. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel."

* Intelligence Warns of Attacks Against Israeli and US Embassies The Egyptian General Intelligence Service warned that a radical jihadi group is planning to launch terrorist attacks against the US and Israeli embassies in Cairo.

* 9/11 'Miracle Survivor' Reveals His 22-Story Fall Pasquale Buzzelli was silent for 11 years and now reveals how he fell 22 floors after the 9/11 attack on New York City's World Trade Center's Twin Towers - and survived.

* Israeli Jewish Population Set to Pass 6 Million The Jewish population in Israel numbers about 5,978,600 - just 21,400 short of the symbolic six million mark, which it is expected to pass by the end of 2012.

* The euro crisis should not stop enlargement Wrecked by the euro crisis and a loss of the confidence that helped it expand to the current 27 members, the European Union might be expected to shrink rather than grow in the coming few years.

* Israeli leader ratchets up feud with US over Iran Israel's prime minister, ratcheting up a public feud with the U.S. over Iran, made it clear Tuesday that he was dissatisfied with Washington's refusal to spell out what would provoke a U.S.-led military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.

* Intelligence Committee chairman: Israel doesn't believe Obama and 'neither do the Iranians' A senior member of Congress says Israel has lost patience with the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama.

09/10/12

* 'Hezbollah aiming 60-70 thousand rockets at Israel' Amos Gilad says next war will be against the home front; Meridor: Arabs questioning congruence between Western, Islamic values.

* Abbas: We Won't Accept Israeli Presence in Jordan Valley PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas reiterates his determination to turn to the UN, says 'Palestinians' will never give up their rights.

* WTC memorial magnificent, but at a steep price With its huge reflecting pools, ringed by waterfalls and skyscrapers, and a cavernous underground museum still under construction, the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center is an awesome spectacle that moved and inspired some 4.5 million visitors in its first year.

* Israeli EMP Attack Could Throw Iran 'Back to Stone Age' Israel might attack Iran by using electromagnetic pulses (EMP) which could send the Islamic Republic 'back to the Stone Age.'

* PM: Terrorists will pay a price for rocket fire PM vows retribution against Gaza terrorists during meeting with German FM following night of rocket attacks on South.

* Global Jewish population grows by 88,000 over past year One of 514 people on Earth is Jewish; at 0.65%, population growth rate is well below world average.

* Syria transferred chemical weapons to port city last month, raising alarm bells, report says Russian and US warnings came after news that embattled regime had moved weapons.

* 1,000 years of rivalry ~ and a little bit of harmony ~ at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher One chilly November morning in 1847, Catholic clergy entered Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity to pray. As was their custom, they continued into the grotto that had once held a stable. Imagine their dismay when they discovered that the silver star on the floor, which marked the spot of Jesus' birth, had disappeared.

* Homeland Security Alerts: 'Zombies Are Coming!' Homeland Security has warned that 'zombies are coming' and has urged citizens to prepare for apocalyptic disasters.

* Expose on How Israel Knew It had to Bomb Syria Reactor The Israeli bombing of a Syrian nuclear strike began with intelligence gathered six months earlier in a daring raid on Austrian home.

09/08/12

* Chemical threat is back. Hizballah, Israel close to clash The first US-Turkish backed steps for creating safe havens in Syria and possible strategic bombardment of the Syrian army have brought the Middle East close to two dangerous junctures.

* Israelis optimistic despite Iran threat, IDI finds srael Democracy Institute: 85% of Jews say Israel can defend itself militarily, 22% believe peace deal will be signed soon.

* Abbas to submit UN bid on September 27 Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday announced his intention to request an upgrade for the PA's United Nations status on September 27th.

* Former commandos dominate Israeli politics When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to fill a sensitive Cabinet post recently, he turned to an old army buddy from his days in an elite commando unit.

* Iran says it may retaliate for Canada ties downgrade Iran accused Canada on Saturday of "hostile behavior" under Israeli and British influence after Ottawa cut diplomatic relations, and it raised the prospect of swift retaliation.

* Saudis fear terror will target royal family The memories of terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia between 2003 and 2006 have hardly faded and already the kingdom is preparing itself for the threat of a new round of violence.

* Egypt, Israel coordinating on Sinai security sweep Egypt and Israel are coordinating on Cairo's biggest security sweep in decades against militants in Sinai.

* Behind the Lines: Military councils in Syria Syrian rebels in the embattled city of Homs this week announced the formation of a joint revolutionary military council in the city.

* Vatican official says Israel fostering intolerance of Christianity Police inaction and an educational culture that encourages Jewish children to treat Christians with "contempt" has made life increasingly "intolerable" for many.

* UK, France and Germany call for tighter Iran sanctions Germany Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Iran had showed no "constructive will" in talks and that urgent action was needed.

09/07/12

* Barak: Israel may reoccupy parts of Gaza Strip Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Israel may reoccupy parts of the Gaza strip in the future.

* Chief of Staff: War will Knock Lebanon Back by Decades IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz voiced hope in an interview published Thursday that Iranian leaders will decide to scrap their nuclear arms program of their own accord.

* Canada closes Iran embassy, set to oust diplomats Canada has closed its embassy in Iran and will expel all remaining Iranian diplomats in Canada within five days.

* US Claims Iran Resupplying Syria With Arms Using Iraqi Airspace Retiring Senator Joe Lieberman, together with Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain, are touring the Middle East.

* Israeli leader urges EU to blacklist Hezbollah Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Italy's foreign minister the EU should designate Hezbollah as a terrorist entity.

* Under protection, Europe's Jewish gems try to shine Under the gaze of a dozen police officers, a single file of Belgians forms outside the Great Synagogue of Europe.

* Language of reconciliation In the 20 months since Egyptians took to Cairo streets to sweep away the old corrupt regime, and with it the guardians of the Camp David peace treaty, pro-Israel sentiment has been hard to come by in Egypt.

* Lebanese Christian Leader to Ask Pope to Recognize 'Palestine' The Melkite Greek Catholic Church leader will ask the pope to recognize the Palestinian state when he arrives next week for his first visit to Lebanon.

* 'Next 50 Days Most Fateful Since Yom Kippur War' - Hanegbi "We now stand, in my opinion, before the 50 most fateful days in Israel's history, since perhaps the Yom Kippur War".

* Russia looks east in push to catch up with rampant China Jealousy is a very Russian trait, and the green eyes of Russia are fixed firmly on the runaway economic success of its neighbour, China.

09/06/12

* Cistern dated to First Temple period found in Jerusalem Archaeologists have discovered a large public cistern from the time of the First Temple in Jerusalem's Old City.

* 'Stop Calling us Nazis,' GOP Tells Democrats The Mitt Romney campaign issued a statement Wednesday demanding Democratic officials "cease and desist from comparing those with whom they disagree to Nazis".

* 'Obama only put J'lem back in platform for votes' The addition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital to the Democratic platform does not make up for the party's original intentions.

* Who Financed 9/11 & Has Justice Been Done? It's almost 11 years since the 9/11 attacks on the USA.

* Israelis optimistic despite Iran threat, IDI finds More than three-quarters of Israelis are optimistic about their country's future, despite security, socioeconomic and other serious challenges that lie ahead.

* Democrats reinstate Jerusalem in party platform Democrats amended the party platform Wednesday afternoon to include language supporting Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

* Anti-Christian Hate Speech Spews From The Palm Beach Dem Chair Democrats returned the words "God" and "Jersusalem" to their DNC platform on Wednesday afternoon.

* How China is boosting Egypt's role in the Mideast, amid fading U.S. influence The Middle East with its vast energy resources and vital geopolitical position is of crucial importance for all the major powers, both east and west.

* Iraq oil exports 'highest' in more than 30 years Iraq has reached its highest crude oil export level since the 1980s.

* Deputy US Army chief visits Israel amid Iran tension An ongoing visit to Israel by Vice Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr., was revealed Thursday morning on Army Radio.

09/05/12

* Rivlin: Obama doesn't understand the Mideast US President Barack Obama's administration does not understand the realities of the Middle East.

* Nobody Like Ahmadinejad Since Hitler, Says Peres No one since Hitler - except for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - has publicly declared a desire to destroy an entire people and eliminate a country.

* Iran: We treat Israeli military threats as American Iran makes no distinction between US and Israeli interests and will retaliate against both countries if attacked.

* Egypt's Morsy says it's 'time for change' in Syria Egypt's president, promising to put Cairo back at the heart of Arab affairs, made an impassioned appeal to Arab states on Wednesday to work for an end to the bloodshed in Syria.

* Hamas trains diplomats, challenging PLO monopoly Hamas has begun a training program for diplomats in the Gaza Strip where it rules.

* Video: In an Online World, Cyber Warfare Can be Lethal The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) held on Tuesday its annual international conference on cyberspace.

* Turkey accuses Syria of 'state terrorism' Turkey accused Syria of "state terrorism" Wednesday after a sharp spike in the death toll from the Syrian civil war.

* UN chief says Security Council paralysis harming Syrian people U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon slammed the Security Council on Wednesday for failing to take stronger action on Syria.

* Euro Zone Slips Back to Recession Europe is slipping into a recession, according to data revealed by the European Central Bank on Wednesday.

* Abbas says he has backing for new UN bid The Palestinians will seek to upgrade their status at the United Nations this month bolstered by the support of Arab countries.

09/04/12

* The Iranians are almost there. This is how they did it. Since the last century, Iran has been methodically pursuing the in-house capability of developing a missile-delivered nuclear bomb.

* PLO warns of 'unprecedented' threat to two-state solution The PLO leadership warned Tuesday that Israeli policies in Jerusalem and the West Bank posed an "unprecedented and serious threat - in the short term - to the two state solution."

* Lieberman: Nuclear Iran Would Set Off ME Arms Race At a meeting of his Yisrael Beiteinu party, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Tuesday that a nuclear armed Iran would precipitate a nuclear arms race in the entire Middle East.

* Obama's Platform Puts Israel, PA on Back Burner The Democratic party's election platform includes the usual "unshakeable commitment" to Israel, without any mention of Jerusalem or the "peace process."

* Syria calls reserves as it strains to crush revolt Syria is calling up former soldiers from the reserves to active army service in growing numbers.

* Iran threatens to deploy ships near US shores The head of Iran's navy said the country aims to put its warships in international waters off the US coast "in the next few years."

* Ambassadors to tell the world EU is not falling apart European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso has said EU ambassadors need "economic briefings" to help tell the outside world what the bloc is doing to fight the crisis.

* Depression, Suicides Rise as Euro Debt Crisis Intensifies Europe is approaching a crisis as the region's debt crisis and austerity measures increase the rates of depression, suicide and psychological problems.

* Netanyahu: 'Clear Red Line' Will Prevent War in Iran Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the international community must set a "clear red line" in order to avoid a war over Iran's controversial nuclear program.

* Analysis: Bibi Beating Obama at Political Chess Iran is the last item President Barack Obama wants as an election issue.

09/03/12

* U.S. Tells Iran: We Won't Join Israeli Attack Large Israeli newspaper: message is intended to prevent Iranian response against U.S. targets in Gulf.

* France: Response to Syrian chemical arms use would be huge If Syrian gov't uses chemical or bacterial weapons it will trigger a "massive and lightning" response from West, says French FM Fabius, calling it a "big, big risk" in the Syrian crisis.

* J'lem puzzled by Dempsey comment on Iran strike Dempsey said he did not want to be 'complicit' in strike; Israeli source says comment doesn't represent White House position.

* Official: Obama will make Bibi pay after elections Israeli security officials say Pentagon's decision to reduce number of US troops it will send to joint drill with Israel not related to growing tensions with Israel; others claim Washington saying 'you will not drag us into Iran war'

* Moscow plays on fears of China in global quest for naval bases Russia recently announced its intention to obtain naval facilities in various parts of the world, including Vietnam, the Seychelles, and Cuba.

* Gaza's "Humanitarian Disaster": 600 Millionaires There are 600 millionaires living in Gaza, which mainstream media for years have reported is an "humanitarian disaster" blamed on Israel.

* A fig leaf of continental proportions As focus moves from arguments between Greece and its EU partners to a possible bail-out for Spain, it is becoming clear that in efforts to solve the eurozone crisis EU leaders are missing the wood for the trees.

* Barroso: EU Treaty 'needs to be renewed' European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso has said EU institutions need more power over member states to fight the crisis.

* 'Moonie' Church mourns founder Sun Myung Moon Members of the South Korea-based Unification Church are in mourning following the death of their founder, self-proclaimed messiah Sun Myung Moon.

* Syria crisis: 'Deadly Aleppo strike' as UN envoy starts job Violence is continuing in Syria, with opposition activists saying that a warplane may have killed as many as 25 people in a strike in Aleppo province.

09/01/12

* Egypt prof: Israel will be gone by next year An Egyptian political science professor told an Iranian TV station that, with Allah's help, "Israel will be annihilated" by 2013.

* U.S. Greatly Reduces Participation in Joint Drill with Israel Washington has greatly reduced the scale of U.S. participation in a massive joint military exercise with Israel.

* US disowns Israel over Iran strike: No weapons or military backup Instead of the 5,000 US troops originally assigned for Austere Challenge 12, the annual joint exercise, the Pentagon will send only 1,200 to 1,500 service members.

* Security and Defense: Iran's long arm Earlier this month, a group of 48 men from Iran entered Syria, ostensibly to visit a Shi'ite shrine.

* Iran to hold massive air defense drill in October Iran will hold a massive air defense drill in October incorporating aerial and ground forces.

* Abbas Asks Ahmadinejad to Help Establish 'Palestine' Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas asked Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to help establish a Palestinian state along the pre-1967 borders.

* Cardinal Carlo Martini says Church '200 years behind' Italian Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini has described the Roman Catholic Church as being "200 years behind" the times.

* Group Proceeds With 2-Hour Islamic 'Jumah' Prayers 'at the DNC' The host committee for the Democratic National Convention is raising a number of eyebrows after choosing to proceed with featuring Islamic "Jumah" prayers for two hours on the Friday before its convention.

* Muslims Plan 3-Day Jumah Event to Pressure Democratic Convention Approximately 20,000 Muslims are expected to attend a three-day event called "Jumah at the DNC."

* PLO's Ashrawi: No such thing as Jewish refugees Jews who came to Israel from Arab countries are not refugees because they left their homes voluntarily and under pressure from Zionist groups and the Jewish Agency, Hanan Ashrawi, member of the PLO Executive Committee, said.