04/30/13

* Iraq at crossroads as bombs explode Twenty-five people died in a spate of car bombs Monday.

* IDF launches surprise drill in norther border In the shadow of ongoing northern tensions, the IDF launched a large-scale surprise drill and called up 2,000 reserves to the North on Sunday evening.

* South Korea: Joint military drills with U.S. over, but vigilance on North remains Joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States officially ended Tuesday.

* 'Missiles fired at' Russian plane with 159 passengers flying over Syria Two missiles were reportedly fired at a Russian plane with at least 159 passengers on board flying over Syrian territory.

* Syria: Al-Qaeda's battle for control of Assad's chemical weapons plant Set amid the rolling plains outside Aleppo, the town of al-Safira looks just like another vicious battleground in Syria's civil war.

* European Muslims Traveling to Syria to Fight 'Holy War' With America battling the threat of Islamist terrorism from within, Europe is experiencing a dangerous phenomenon of its own: exporting of Islamism from Europe to the Middle East.

* Iraq Said to Halt Al Jazeera’s License, Closes Jordanian Border Iraq has suspended the licenses of Al Jazeera and nine other television channels for allegedly promoting violence and sectarianism.

* Ministry: Feiglin Off Temple Mount Because of 'Bad Behavior' As a Knesset member, Moshe Feiglin(Likud-Beyteinu) ostensibly has immunity from prosecution on matters relating to politics and public safety.

* 'How Can You Ban Jews from Judea?' Marc Zell, the head of the Republican Party in Israel, was at Ariel University for an event.

* Rare Renaissance manuscript acquired by Israel Museum, Met The manuscript is half of a rare illuminated copy of the Mishneh Torah, a key 12th-century legal work by the philosopher Maimonides.

04/29/13

* PM: Iran has not reached 'red line' in its nuclear program "Iran is continuing in its nuclear plan. They have not yet passed the red line I presented at the UN, but they are getting closer to it. 

* Report: Israel bombs Syrian chemical weapons base The Free Syrian Army (FSA) reported at the weekend that Israeli warplanes had bombed a chemical weapons base in Damascus.

* American lawmakers call for intervention in Syria Obama's 'red line' on chemical weapons 'can't be a dotted line,' says Republican congressman; Israeli ex-general warns 'things will only get worse' after Assad

* Libya faces growing Islamist threat Diplomats are warning of growing Islamist violence against western targets in Libya as blowback from the war in Mali, following last week's attack on the French embassy in Tripoli.

* Israel points finger at Iran over drone from Lebanon Israel believes that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was responsible for the unmanned drone launched from Lebanon that was shot down in Israeli airspace on Thursday.

* Expert: Democracies Cannot Defeat Terrorism Terrorism expert: Democracies must balance the need for violence against upholding their most cherished values.

* UK Politician Suspended for 'Jews Caused Holocaust' Statement British politician suspended by party after suggesting that Jews 'sacrificed their own' in Holocaust.

* Iraq leader: 'Evil' Al Qaida forces cross border from Syria The Sunni revolt in Syria is said to have spilled into neighboring Iraq.

* Syria crisis: PM Halqi 'survives Damascus car bombing' Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi has survived a car bomb attack in the capital, Damascus, state media say.

* Taliban marks start of 'monumental' spring offensive with deadly attack It didn't take long. Within hours of announcing the start of its annual spring offensive, the Taliban in Afghanistan claimed responsibility for an early-morning attack in the eastern part of the country that killed at least three police officers.

04/27/13

* US asks Israel to hold back on response to drone The US has reportedly asked Israel not to immediately respond to the infiltration of its airspace by a Hezbollah drone that was shot down over the Haifa bay on Thursday.

* Russian envoy warns on Syria chemical arms 'pretext' Claims that chemical weapons have been used in Syria should not become a pretext for a foreign military intervention in the country, Russia's deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov said.

* No response to Syria's use of chemical weapons; Israel worried Top Israeli military officials on Tuesday confirmed that the embattled forces of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad had used chemical weapons against rebel populations.

* Lebanon dragged in as Hezbollah joins Syria war Along north Lebanon's highways, the portraits of Hezbollah militants who have died in skirmishes with Israel are fading.

* Iraq PM Maliki warns of 'plague of sectarianism' Nouri Maliki said sectarian conflict had returned to Iraq "because it began in another place in this region" - an apparent reference to Syria.

* Obama backs Planned Parenthood in political fight President Barack Obama vowed Friday to join Planned Parenthood in fighting against what he said are efforts by states to turn women's health back to the 1950s.

* Israel wary quiet on Syrian front may soon end Against a vista of green fields and snowcapped mountains, all is silent but for a gusting wind.

* Jordan, US have 'enormous stake' in Mideast peace, Obama says US President Barack Obama welcomed King Abdullah II of Jordan to the White House Friday.

* Muslim-Christian relationship fuels row in Egypt An alleged romance between an Egyptian Muslim college student and a Coptic Christian man heightened sectarian tension on Friday.

* Abbas urges cooperation for Palestinian unity Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday he would begin talks with rival factions including Islamist Hamas to form a unity government.

04/26/13

* Iran, not Israel, faces an existential threat, says top US analyst Iran, not Israel, faces an existential threat, according to a top US analyst who is considered one of the world's leading scholars on the Iranian nuclear issue.

* 'Action on Syria red line sends message to Iran' Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin warned Friday that a failure by the international community to act against Syria for using chemical weapons would show Iran that the US does not act when its "red lines" are crossed.

* Military grooms new officers for war in cyberspace The U.S. service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation's military and civilian computer networks.

* Diaspora Affairs: 'We are ready to fight' Eduard Dolinsky has a youthful face and composed expression that belie his intense responsibilities.

* 'Lebanese army ups presence on Israel border' The Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL troops have increased their observation activities on the Israel-Lebanon border.

* Shoshanna Hararri: From Cabin Fever to Aliyah Fever! Musician, author, artist and natural healer. Meet Shoshanna Hararri. Once a carefree wanderer going from place to place, seeking to find the ultimate location on Earth to enjoy a serene romantic life of simplicity and contentment.

* IDF breaks up Palestinian march on settlement IDF soldiers fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse about 500 Palestinian villagers marching toward a Jewish settlement outpost in the West Bank.

* US officials: Canada terror suspect traveled to Iran Investigators believe one of two suspects charged in Canada with plotting to blow up a railroad track carrying passenger trains traveled to Iran within the past two years.

* Egypt's Pope says Islamist rulers neglect Copts Egypt's Christians feel sidelined, ignored and neglected by Muslim Brotherhood-led authorities, who proffer assurances but have taken little or no action to protect them from violence.

* Earth's core far hotter than thought The solid iron core is actually crystalline, surrounded by liquid.

04/25/13

* IDF shoots down Hezbollah drone off Haifa coast Israeli F-16 fighter jets downed a drone off of Haifa's coastline at around 1:30 pm Thursday.

* Tehran mayor: Holocaust denial damaged Iran Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust has harmed Iran's foreign relations.

* Lebanese Youth Sign Up for 'Jihad' Against Hizbullah Lebanese youth from the city of Saida, south of Beirut, began on Wednesday to sign up for "armed Jihad in Syria".

* 'Russia, US must work on security after Boston' Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the Boston bombing proved his tough line on insurgents in the North Caucasus was justified.

* Ex-Hezbollah leader: Iran told us to join Syrian war Iran pressed Hezbollah fighters to join the civil war in Syria to bolster President Bashar Assad's armed struggle.

* US has 'some confidence' Syria used chemical weapons US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has said American intelligence believes "to some degree of varying confidence" that Syria has used chemical weapons.

* Iraq police and gunmen die in Mosul clashes Sunni protests erupted on Tuesday when the army raided an anti-government protest camp in Hawija, near Kirkuk.

* Egypt Marks 31 Years since Return of Sinai Egypt is celebrating the 31 year anniversary of the day it received the Sinai Peninsula back from Israel, in the peace treaty between the two countries.

* Just how anti-Semitic are British politicians? Cruising down the highway in his Jaguar on Christmas day 2007, Nazir Ahmed was distracted.

* New App Warns Drivers: Arab Mob Ahead Only in Israel: a new app for android phones lets drivers know if they are about to drive into a mob of Arabs armed with firebombs and rocks.

04/24/13

* Bomb suspect influenced by mysterious radical In the years before the Boston Marathon bombings, Tamerlan Tsarnaev fell under the influence of a new friend, a Muslim convert.

* U.S. Not Yet Sure About Assad's Use of Chemical Weapons The United States has not yet concluded that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime used chemical weapons against rebel forces.

* Iraq: 28 dead in clashes, bombing as tensions rise Clashes erupted Wednesday between the Iraqi army and armed Sunni tribesmen who sealed off a central Iraqi town.

* 'Jews Out' at Nazi Site in Lithuania Lithuanian police said Tuesday they were probing anti-Semitic slogans scrawled near the site of a former Nazi labor camp.

* Arab Media Outcry as MKs Weigh Jewish Prayer on Temple Mount For years Jews have been allowed to visit the Temple Mount, the holiest place on earth according to the Jewish religion.

* WHO says new bird strain is "one of most lethal" flu viruses A new bird flu strain that has killed 22 people in China is "one of the most lethal" of its kind and transmits more easily to humans.

* French Embassy Under Attack Shots were fired near the French embassy in Yemen on Tuesday.

* UN Official Attempts to Blame Boston Bombings 'On Tel Aviv' The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has denounced comments by Richard Falk.

* Hagel to meet Egypt's leaders, push military ties By including Cairo on his first Mideast tour as defense secretary, Chuck Hagel is highlighting the Obama administration's hope of preserving influence with the Egyptian military.

* Hackers Post About 'White House Explosions' on AP's Twitter Hackers who broke into the Twitter account of the Associated Press news agency on Tuesday posted an erroneous tweet about explosions at the White House.

04/23/13

* Syria has used chemical weapons, Israeli military says A senior Israeli military official has said Syrian forces have used chemical weapons against rebels several times.

* 'Iran already past nuclear red line,' expert says Iran has essentially crossed the "red line" set by Israel for its nuclear activity, and the coming few months will be a crucial period.

* Al-Qaeda faction takes battle to Twitter Battered by a French-led military campaign in Mali, al-Qaeda's North African arm is trying something new to stay relevant: Twitter.

* Israel, Jordan working together to stop Syrian WMDs In a demonstration of regional cooperation against shared threats, Jordan this week gave the green light for Israeli drones to use its airspace.

* Despite bad blood, Israel to allow UNESCO into Jerusalem Israel has agreed to allow a mission from UNESCO to visit the Old City of Jerusalem next month.

* Iraqi Sunni protest clashes in Hawija leave many dead More than 20 people have been killed in clashes between security forces and Sunni Arab protesters in northern Iraq.

* France legalizes gay marriage after harsh debate France legalized gay marriage on Tuesday after a wrenching national debate and protests that flooded the streets of Paris.

* Breaking: Canadian Police Thwart Major Terror Plot Canadian authorities announced the arrest of two men, suspected of plotting a massive, Al Qaeda inspired terrorist attack on a passenger train.

* Biggest March of Living held in Budapest A record 10,000 Hungarians took part in an annual march to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust on Sunday.

* Hagel: Arms Deal a Sign of 'Ironclad' U.S. Support for Israel U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, on Monday hailed a major arms deal as a sign of "ironclad" U.S. support for the Jewish state.

04/22/13

* Hagel confirms unprecedented arms sales to Israel In Tel Aviv, US defense secretary says IAF will receive aerial refuelers and vertical-takeoff plane; Ya'alon hints at Israeli airstrike in Syria.

* 'Israeli drones given leave to fly over Jordan' Military aircraft with attack capability allocated two corridors to access Syria, monitor chemical weapons, report says.

* Egypt to offer new Hamas-Fatah compromise formula Hamas will have to forgo PLO aspirations and Fatah to agree on a long-term unity government, Arabic daily reports.

* When in Rome: The Eternal City takes a step back in time as it celebrates 2,766th birthday When in Rome, it is said, one should do as the Romans do.

* Syrian activists fear heavy toll near Damascus Six days of fighting near Damascus has killed at least 100 people and possibly many more, activists said Monday, in what both sides say may be a dramatic spike in the Syria's civil war death toll.

* Leading EU countries to stigmatise Israeli settler goods France and the Netherlands have joined an initiative by 13 EU states to help European consumers boycott goods made by Israeli settlers on Palestinian land.

* Sweden: who needs Nato, when you have the Lisbon Treaty? Swedish defence minister Karin Enstrom has said her country is not in Nato partly because the EU treaty contains its own security guarantee.

* Kerry in Brussels this WEEK US Secretary of State John Kerry will be in Brussels on Monday (22 April) for his first visit to the EU capital since taking up his post earlier this year.

* Report: Israel covering up major biblical archeology find Israel's Makor Rishon Hebrew daily reported at the weekend that a major biblical archeology find in the Judean hills south of Jerusalem is apparently being covered up by the government.

* After canceling twice, Netanyahu again set to visit China PM will leave for Beijing on May 5, becoming the first Israeli prime minister to head to the People's Republic since 2007.

04/20/13

* Boston marathon bombs suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev captured A teenager suspected of carrying out the Boston Marathon bombings is in custody after a local resident found him hiding in a boat in his backyard.

* Abbas asks Spanish FM to push for Israeli settlement freeze Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday asked Spain to push for a freeze of Israeli settlement construction.

* Jordan police killed guarding Israelis fuels threats The death of a Jordanian tourism policeman killed while guarding visiting Israelis have evoked threats by members of the victim's tribe.

* Israel ready to act on Syria weapons, warns Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the BBC that Israel has a right to prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands in Syria.

* Iraq in first vote since US pullout Iraqis have voted in a provincial election, the first ballot since the departure of US troops in late 2011.

* Heavy clashes in Syria near Lebanese border Syrian troops backed by pro-government gunmen captured at least one village in heavy fighting.

* Pro- and anti-Islamist protesters clash in Egypt Supporters and opponents of Egypt's Islamist president battled in the streets near Tahrir Square.

* Iran seeks to export oil to North Korea Iran's oil ministry says the country is considering exporting oil to North Korea as a way to improve its battered economy.

* Stephen Hawking lays out case for Big Bang without God Our universe didn't need any divine help to burst into being, famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking told a packed house.

* Hagel: US can support Israel if it strikes Iran Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the House subcommittee on defense appropriations on Tuesday that the US has "the military capability" to back any Israeli action against Iran.

04/19/13

* Huge manhunt for Boston bomb suspect Large parts of the city of Boston remain in virtual lockdown amid a major manhunt for one of two brothers suspected of bombing the city's marathon.

* U.S. Investigating Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria U.S. intelligence agencies are investigating accounts from European allies that Syria may have used chemical weapons in its war against opposition forces.

* Pro- and anti-Islamist protesters clash in Egypt Clashes erupted Friday between several hundred opponents and supporters of Egypt's Islamist president during a rally.

* 'Intolerable that Jews cannot pray on Temple Mount' Israeli lawmaker Miri Regev intends to use her new position as head of the Knesset Interior Committee to advance the right of Jews to pray atop Jerusalem's Temple Mount.

* North Korea demands US withdrawal from peninsula before resuming talks North Korea has issued a detailed statement on its terms for dialogue with the United States, after weeks of tensions.

* Euro Zone Crisis Has Increased I.M.F.'s Power When Wolfgang Schäuble, the German finance minister and war horse of European politics, celebrated his 70th birthday at a theater in Berlin last September, two of the most powerful women in the world offered warm words in his honor.

* Israel, UAE, Saudis in huge US arms deal The US Department of Defense is nearing the finalization of a $10 billion arms deal with Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

* Poland's Jews Mark 70th Anniversary of Ghetto Uprising The young Jews who rose up against Nazi Germany "wanted to save human dignity", a Polish underground activist said.

* Stephen Hawking vs G-d on Creation of the Universe World renowned physicist Stephen Hawking told a packed audience in California this week that the Big Bang did not require G-d for creation.

* Boy Scouts propose lifting ban on gays, but only for youth The Boy Scouts of America on Friday moved to partially lift its long-standing ban on gays.

04/18/13

* Iran: Israel incapable of launching military strike on us Israel is not capable of launching a military strike against Iran, the commander of Iran's military said.

* Israel ready to act on Syria weapons, warns Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the BBC that Israel has a right to prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands in Syria.

* Hagel: US can support Israel if it strikes Iran Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the House subcommittee on defense appropriations on Tuesday that the US has "the military capability" to back any Israeli action against Iran.

* 5 charged for plot to kill Jews praying at Temple Mt The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office on Thursday submitted an indictment to the Jerusalem District Court against five east Jerusalem Palestinians.

* 'Jews should be able to pray on Temple Mount' MK Miri Regev (Likud), appointed Wednesday to chair the Knesset Interior and Environmental Affairs Committees, generated heated controversy.

* Stephen Hawking lays out case for Big Bang without God Our universe didn't need any divine help to burst into being, famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking told a packed house here at the California Institute of Technology.

* At evangelical colleges, a shifting attitude toward gay students Combing through prayer requests in a Wheaton College chapel in 2010, then-junior Benjamin Matthews decided to do something "absurdly unsafe."

* Taliban: 'Wherever We Find Americans We Kill Them' While the Pakistani Taliban has denied involvement in Monday's Boston marathon bombing, it has openly applauded the heinous attack, which killed three and injured over a hundred more.

* Boston bombings 'a message' to West, Muslim cleric says While they weren't up to the standard set by al-Qaeda, the Boston bombings were nevertheless a warning to the US and West - especially France - for waging war against Islam, a Muslim cleric said.

* Texas fertilizer plant blast injures dozens A deadly explosion and fire tore through a fertilizer plant in a small Texas town late on Wednesday, injuring more than 100 people.

04/17/13

* Boston Marathon bombing: FBI reveals pressure cooker clues Bombs that targeted the Boston Marathon on Monday may have been packed in pressure cookers.

* Jihad Terror Group Claims 'Credit' for Eilat Rocket Attack A Salafi Muslim jihadist group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday morning's rocket attack on the Israeli Red Sea resort city of Eilat.

* Video: IDF Prepares for Urban Warfare A new video from the IDF spokesperson's office shows soldiers training to fight in an urban environment. Robots help to defend against bombs.

* Turkey's Dep. PM Hopes to Restore Full Ties with Israel Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc is set to lead the negotiating team in talks with Israel next week.

* Ya'alon: Israel may have to face Iran threat alone Israel must prepare for the possibility of striking Iran's nuclear program on its own.

* Senate declares support for Israel against Iranian threat The Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted Senate Resolution 65 on Tuesday, declaring bi-partisan support for Israel.

* Netanyahu among dignitaries at Thatcher funeral Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara joined a host of British and international dignitaries in London.

* Vandalism, fasting mark Palestinian 'Prisoner Day' "Prisoner Day," an annual commemoration of Palestinian prisoners, who currently number 4,800, was held on Wednesday, with Israeli security forces on standby for possible protests.

* Envelope tests positive for ricin at Washington mail facility An envelope that tested positive for the deadly poison ricin was intercepted Tuesday afternoon at the U.S. Capitol's off-site mail facility in Washington.

* How an unwieldy romantic poem and a Romanian folk song combined to produce 'Hatikva' Romanian oxen and a chronic alcoholic are not the likeliest progenitors of the Israeli national anthem. But that's "Hatikva" for you.

04/16/13

* Israel celebrates 65 years of independence The annual torch-lighting ceremony at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl marked the end of Remembrance Day on Monday evening and touched off Israel's 65th Independence Day celebrations.

* Gantz: IDF can attack Iranian nuclear sites on its own The IDF has the ability to attack the Iranian nuclear sites without help from other nations.

* Boston bombs: FBI probes deadly marathon 'terror' blasts An investigation is under way after two explosions near the finishing line of the Boston Marathon left three people dead and at least 140 injured.

* Major earthquake strikes south-east Iran Iran has been struck by its most powerful earthquake for nearly 40 years, with tremors felt across Pakistan, India and the Middle East.

* Iranian Official Repeats Threat to Raze Haifa and Tel Aviv A senior Iranian military commander repeated on Monday the threats that the Iranian Armed Forces are capable of razing Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground.

* North Korea vows blitz attack on South warning 'retaliation will start without notice' "The supreme command of the Korean People's Army Tuesday issued an ultimatum to the South Korean puppet group."

* Hamas Bulldozes Heritage Site For Use As Terror Training Camp UN Watch, an independent Geneva-based monitoring group, has sent a letter to UNESCO, calling on the international body to take immediate action to stop Hamas from bulldozing of a 3000-year-old Gaza harbor for use as a terrorist training camp.

* Syria's Muslim Brotherhood: There's No Extremism in Syria Syria's Muslim Brotherhood sought on Monday to defuse fears that Islamist extremists were seizing Syrian territory, saying that a "united front" controlled land captured by the rebels.

* Syria crisis: UN issues rare joint appeal for action In a statement, the chiefs of the WHO, Unicef, Ocha, WFP and UNHCR urged political leaders to use their influence to solve the crisis.

* China 'reveals army structure' in defence white paper China has revealed the structure of its military units, in what state-run media describe as a first.

04/15/13

* CBS Report: Israel population hits 8 million New Central Bureau of Statistics' numbers mark increase of 1.8 percent - some 137,000 people - since last year.

* Netanyahu: Israel is the Bright Star of Freedom Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issues a special greeting ahead of Israel's 65th Independence Day.

* Netanyahu: If We Must, We'll Go to War "If we have no choice, we will grasp our swords and go to battle," warns Prime Minister.

* 'We will not give in or surrender,' PM says as nation remembers fallen Some 1.5 million at ceremonies for Israel's 25,578 war and terror victims; morning siren brings country to standstill.

* Iraq deadly bombings hit Nasariyah, Kirkuk and Baghdad At least 31 people have been killed and more than 200 others wounded in a series of early-morning explosions in cities across Iraq, officials say.

* Gartman on Gold: We've Never Ever Seen Anything Like It Gold prices continued to plummet Monday on concern that Cyprus will have to sell excess reserves of the precious metal to raise about $522 million to help finance that country's $13 billion international bailout.

* Prime Minister: Terrorists are Subhuman Netanyahu castigates supposed "men of morals" who fail to denounce enemies who kill innocents.

* Turkey Assigns Ambassador to 'Palestine' Turkey has become the "first state with an ambassador recognized by Palestine," according to a headline in a Turkish newspaper.

* Report: Israel's tiny territory makes its air space difficult to defend Israel, despite advanced systems, has been struggling to defend its air space, a report said.

* North Korea marks birthday of Kim Il-sung North Korea has marked the 101st anniversary of the birth of founding father Kim Il-sung as tensions continue over the country's nuclear programme.

04/13/13

* North Korea states 'nuclear war is unavoidable' as it declares first target will be Japan NORTH KOREA has warned Japan that Tokyo would be the first target in the event of a war on the Korean Peninsula, as it increased threats of an attack.

* Netanyahu: Israel is the Bright Star of Freedom Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issues a special greeting ahead of Israel's 65th Independence Day.

* China calls for calm over North Korea as Kerry visits China and the US have vowed to work together to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear programme and to settle tensions through dialogue.

* Syrian Observatory: Gas attack by Syrian army kills three Woman and two children killed and 16 reportedly injured in attack on rebel-held Sheikh Maqsoud district of Aleppo.

* IDF troops come under fire along Syrian border No injuries reported, light damage reported to vehicle; Israel returns fire with Tammuz missile.

* Iran test-fires three new missile types Tehran's envoy in Paris says an Israeli strike could trigger third world war.

* White House downplays flurry of meetings with Mideast leaders Administration sources say powwows with regional heads of state are no indication that US action on Syria or Iran is in the works.

* Masada, tragic fortress in the sky For three brave years, the freedom fighters on this rocky plateau - known as the Zealots - managed to hold back 10,000 Roman troops armed with every contemporary siege weapon.

* Palestinians building museum to tell their story Palestinians on Thursday began construction of the West Bank's largest museum devoted to their history, planning to tell diverse stories of Palestinians in their land and of millions who live abroad.

* Brotherhood presides over growing chaos in Egypt With the economic crisis mounting and Islamist aggressions rising, the Morsi government is under siege from all sides; allocation of requested IMF loan could "exacerbate social discontent".

04/12/13

* US official: Nations must do more to indict Nazis A leading American prosecutor who works to bring Nazi war criminals to court on Thursday criticized nations for not doing all they could to aid in such cases.

* Why Israel's first leaders chose not to call the country 'Palestine' in Arabic Days before the establishment of the State of Israel in May 1948, Zionist officials met to decide what the new country would be called in Arabic.

* Is China ready to abandon North Korea? For years, Chinese diplomats have stuck to a carefully-worded script when discussing tensions between North and South Korea and the US.

* US warns N Korea missile launch would be 'huge mistake' US Secretary of State John Kerry has said an anticipated missile launch by North Korea would be a "provocative act" and "huge mistake".

* West has 'hard evidence' of Syria WMD use The West has "hard evidence" that chemical weapons were used at least once since the two-year Syrian civil uprising against President Bashar Assad began.

* Neo-Nazi trial forces Germany to face painful truths Series of murders have profoundly shaken a country that believed it had learned the lessons of its past.

* North Korea: US urges China to rein in Pyongyang The US says it is urging China to use all its leverage to help rein in North Korea's "destabilising" actions.

* Next frontier for Cheeks Kilpatrick: Panel exploring existence of alien life A group hoping to prove alien contact with Earth has tapped former U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick to help convince the federal government to acknowledge the existence of extraterrestrials.

* 23,085 soldiers have fallen protecting Israel The Defense Ministry released its annual figures of fallen soldiers on Friday morning ahead of Remembrance Day.

* Israel set to launch 24-hour global news network Israel has been talking about fielding a global news network to compete with the likes of CNN, the BBC and Al Jazeera for years.

04/11/13

* North Korea missile launcher ready to fire A senior Japanese defense official said Thursday that North Korea's Musudan missile launcher has moved to firing mode and is ready for launch.

* Iraq national museum long way from public opening In Iraq's national museum, home to some of the world's most precious artifacts of ancient Mesopotamia, a caption beside a skeleton simply reads in English: "dated to very old time."

* Hamas wants bigger regional role Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal has set an ambitious agenda for his new term.

* New Syrian Refugee Camps in Turkey for Christians, Kurds Turkey is building new refugee camps for members of two minority groups in Syria, the Christians and the Kurds.

* G8 ministers condemn North Korea nuclear moves Tensions have risen on the Korean peninsula in recent weeks.

* Guatemala recognizes Palestine as a state Guatemala has recognized Palestine as a state, which it believes will help bring about a peace agreement with Israel.

* Is Syria turning into the Afghanistan next door? Something eerily familiar is taking place in Syria. A secular dictatorship is fighting an atrociously brutal civil war with rebels, and as the country disintegrates, local jihadi-Islamist fighters are joined by volunteers from abroad.

* Syria air strikes 'target civilians' - Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch says it visited 52 sites in north-western Syria, documenting 59 such unlawful attacks.

* Kotel Rav: 'Uproot the Divisive Women of the Wall' Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Kotel and the Holy Places, on Thursday called on the Israeli public to "condemn and remove from their midst" the Women of the Wall group.

* Hanging, decapitation: Capital punishment report for 2012 Amnesty's annual report has China topping list of executions with over 1,000, Iran second with 314, US fifth with 43.

04/10/13

* Japan Ready to Defend Against North Korean Nuclear Missiles Japan is preparing for a potential North Korean nuclear missile attack - or a missile test.

* South Korea raises alert with North to 'vital threat' South Korea has raised its alert level to "vital threat" amid indications the North is preparing for a missile test.

* Neo-Nazi network uncovered in German prisons German authorities said on Wednesday they had uncovered a network of far-right activists in prisons communicating by secret code.

* UN panel: Libyan weapons spread at alarming rate Libyan weapons are spreading at "an alarming rate" to new territory in west Africa and the eastern Mediterranean including Syria and the Gaza Strip.

* Syrian Rebel group pledges loyalty to al-Qaida As the situation in Syria continues to remain unstable, the Islamist rebel group al-Nusra has officially proclaimed its allegiance to al-Qaida.

* Mikve from Second Temple era unearthed in J'lem An archaeological excavation conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority near a highway construction site in the Kiryat Menachem neighborhood of Jerusalem, unearthed a rare ritual bath.

* G8 foreign ministers to meet to address Syria G8 foreign ministers meet on Wednesday in London, where host Britain will press its case for doing more to help the Syrian opposition.

* 'Entire streets' of Roman London uncovered in the City An archaeological dig in the heart of the City "will transform our understanding" of Roman London, experts claim.

* Israelis, Palestinians agree: Kerry's visit a bust US Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up his most recent visit to the region on Wednesday.

* Hamas continues to lose popularity among Palestinians Another public opinion poll published Wednesday showed that Hamas was continuing to lose its popularity among Palestinians.

04/09/13

* Obama's 'Not Bluffing' on Iran, Says Kerry U.S. President Barack Obama is not bluffing when he says he will stop Iran's nuclear program.

* Iran unveils uranium sites, renews defiant tone With words of defiance, Iran announced two nuclear-related projects Tuesday that expand capabilities to extract and process uranium.

* UN chief Ban: Korea crisis could become 'uncontrollable' UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned the crisis on the Korean peninsula may become "uncontrollable".

* Israeli takes over OpIsrael hacktivist website Israeli hackers took over OpIsrael.com on Tuesday, a website meant to coordinate the cyber-attacks on Israeli sites.

* In Auschwitz, Israeli army chief vows to prevent a 'second Holocaust' IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz on Monday led the March of the Living at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland.

* US Navy to deploy anti-drone laser in Persian Gulf The US Navy has developed a new anti-drone laser system, called the Laser Weapon System - LaWS.

* Al-Qaeda in Iraq confirms link with Syria's al-Nusra The al-Nusra Front, one of the major players in the Syrian opposition, and al-Qaeda in Iraq, the hard-line Salafist group responsible for scores of attacks against US forces and international aid groups in Iraq, are essentially one and the same.

* Egypt's Christian pope blasts Islamist president The leader of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church on Tuesday blasted the country's Islamist president over his handling of recent deadly sectarian violence.

* Deadly quake in south-west Iran's Bushehr province A 6.3 magnitude earthquake has killed more than 30 people and injured 850 in south-west Iran, officials say.

* North Korea to 'launch missile TOMORROW' after warning foreigners to evacuate South The worrying warning came as speculation heightened that North Korea is planning to pull its ambassador out of the UK.

04/08/13

* Netanyahu: We cannot forfeit our security Netanyahu and Peres both invoke Iranian nuclear threat during addresses at Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony.

* Gantz: No weapon can stand against the army of the Jews IDF Chief leads march at Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, says "enemies who attempt to harm our civilians - are asking for their own demise."

* China confirms military exercises near N. Korean border China's military and defense ministry on Sunday confirmed that military forces in a border region near North Korea conducted live-fire drills amid tensions between North Korea and the United States.

* Film exposes 'new anti-Semitism in action' Documentary director tells 'Post' that anti-Semitism is "the elephant in the room," must be acknowledged and discussed.

* Al-Qaida to Syrian rebels: 'Form Islamic state' An al-Qaida leader released an audio statement calling on Syrian rebels to replace Assad with an Islamic state.

* FREED CLERIC: MUSLIMS SHOULD 'HATE CHRISTIANS' Dr. Abdullah Badr - an Egyptian Muslim scholar, Al Azhar graduate, and professor of Islamic exegesis, who spent ten years in prison under Mubarak, but, along with any number of Islamic terrorists and agitators, was released under Mohamed Morsi - recently gave an excellent summation...

* Study: Global anti-Semitism rises by 30 percent Annual report notes incidents against Jews are increasing at a concerning rate; Hungary sees most troubling trends in Europe.

* As cyber-war begins, Israeli hackers hit back Anti-Israel groups start predicted hacking operation, with little initial major success. An Israeli 'strike force' responds with pro-Israel content on a resonant domain name.

* PM: Thatcher a true friend of Jewish People, Israel Netanyahu, Peres mourn the death of former British Prime Minister who died of a stroke Monday at age 87.

* Ex-Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher dies, aged 87 Former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher has died "peacefully" at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke while staying at the Ritz hotel in central London.

04/06/13

* Eyeing Syria, White House woos regional rulers When President Barack Obama meets over the next month with leaders from Mideast and other regional nations, he will have a timely opportunity to try to rally the Syrian opposition's main backers.

* Palestinians: No comparison between Holocaust an 'occupation' Palestinian Arabs visiting Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust museum as part of a program called "Combatants for Peace" said it was a gross error to compare the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict with what the Nazis did to the Jews.

* EU: Nuclear talks with Iran have failed Iran and six world powers failed to reach agreement Saturday on a common approach to reducing fears that Tehran might misuse its nuclear technology to make weapons.

* US plays down North Korea threat US officials have played down the threat of war on the Korean peninsula.

* Could NKorea hit its neighbors with nukes? North Korea is widely recognized as being years away from perfecting the technology to back up its bold threats of a pre-emptive strike on America.

* Kerry heads back to Middle East for fresh peace push US Secretary of State John Kerry is headed to the Middle East on his third trip there in just two weeks.

* Time to remember The arrival of Yom Hashoah - Holocaust Remembrance Day - so soon after eight days of Passover, always feels sudden.

* Iran's silent war in the Gulf A series of trials under way in the neighboring Gulf states of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain offer a glimpse into the ongoing, silent war being waged by Iran.

* IDF 'Leopards' ready to sprint into battle In the middle of the Negev Desert, a group of Namer ("Leopard") armored personnel carriers are parked in formation, waiting for the order to open fire.

* Iraq unrest: Deadly blast at Baquba political rally A suicide bomb and grenade attack has killed at least 22 people and injured about 50 at a political rally in the eastern Iraqi city of Baquba.

04/05/13

* Iran, big powers at odds in nuclear talks in Kazakhstan World powers and Iran still appeared far apart on Friday in negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program that were aimed at calming tensions which could boil over into war.

* North Korea warns foreign embassies to prepare escape Both Russia and the UK said they had no immediate plans to evacuate their embassies in the North Korean capital.

* Iran: West Targeting Syria to Divert Attention from Israel A senior Iranian lawmaker charged on Wednesday that the Western media is creating a hype against Syria.

* UN: 4 Million People Are Displaced Inside Syria The UN is hiking its estimates of people trapped in Syria after fleeing their homes.

* Reporter's Notebook: A call for revenge in Hebron Thousands of members and leaders of Palestinian factions gathered in Hebron on Thursday for the funeral of Maissara Abu Hamdiyeh.

* Ship Seized by Egypt 'Carried 40 Tons of Weapons' Egyptian maritime authorities have seized a ship with a crew of 14 and a cargo of 105 crates of unspecified weapons and ammunition.

* 'Military wing of Hamas training Syrian rebels' The military unit of Hamas has broken ties with former ally Syrian President Bashar Assad.

* Russian Bomber Roulette A Russian bomber recently carried out simulated cruise missile attacks on U.S. missile defenses in Asia.

* Women Burn 'Flag of Islam' in Paris Three members of the French feminist group FEMEN burned an Islamic flag this week outside the Grand Mosque of Paris.

* US group blasts Jewish 'advice' on peace process A conservative American Jewish group that campaigned against the reelection of Barack Obama in 2012 sent an open letter Thursday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

04/04/13

* 'The moment of explosion is near': North Korean madman's new warning as U.S. deploys battalion expert in nuclear and chemical warfare after rogue state moves its missiles to the coast The United States has deployed a battalion to fight chemical and biological attacks on the Korean peninsula.

* Iran, world powers set to meet for nuclear talks Iran and world powers trying to curb Iran's nuclear progress are coming to the negotiating table this week.

* Egyptian forces capture arms ship off Sinai Egyptian security forces detained a fishing vessel reportedly smuggling arms off the southern coast of the Sinai Peninsula.

* Syrian guerrilla fighters 'sent to Iran for training' The Syrian government is sending members of its irregular militias for guerrilla combat training at a secret base in Iran.

* Amid Pyongyang bluster, missile launch feared Missile and launch components have been moved to the east coast of North Korea in the "last few days."

* Lights go out in Jordan from Amman to Dead Sea After midnight on one of Jordan's busiest highways, only the beaming headlights of vehicles driving between the capital Amman and the Dead Sea pierce the gloom.

* 'End Muslim Women's Provocations on Temple Mount' Temple Mount activists are seeking police action on recent anti-Jewish protests by Muslim women on the Temple Mount.

* Washington focuses on plight of Mideast's minorities In the wake of the upheavals of the Arab Spring, US leaders are showing a growing interest in the condition and difficulties faced by the Middle East's religious minorities.

* Israel hopes world doesn't fall for Iran nuclear ploy Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered that his nation's nuclear program slow down a bit.

* Ancient site unearthed in Iraqi home of Abraham British archaeologists said Thursday they have unearthed a sprawling complex near the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq, home of the biblical Abraham.

04/03/13

* China warns tensions must be 'defused' in deepening Korea crisis The abrupt set of exchanges came after Pyongyang shut down the last shared link with the South by refusing entry to almost 500 South Korean workers.

* UN Agency Says Iran Probably Building Atomic Weapon The United Nations' nuclear agency reluctantly has reported that Iran appears to be working on an atomic weapon of mass destruction.

* 'Israel's priority is to prevent a nuclear Iran' Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu came out Wednesday against continuing to negotiate with Tehran as it moves forward with its nuclear development.

* PM: If quiet in South violated we'll respond strongly Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu monitored the developments in Gaza throughout the day on Wednesday following a round of rockets and IAF airstrikes overnight.

* Syrian, Iraqi jihadi groups said to be cooperating The wounded Syrian government troops were returning to their country in trucks escorted by Iraqi soldiers.

* Israel braces for massive cyber-offensive Hackers around the world are plotting to strike Israel's online presence in a coordinated cyber-attack later this week.

* Israel's other air defense problem The emerald-green birds first appeared in the trees around my Jerusalem apartment building several years ago.

* Kerry to visit Israel in hopes of restarting talks US Secretary of State John Kerry will return to Israel on Monday as part of his efforts to restart negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

* 'Brotherhood sowing subversion in Gulf states' Dubai police chief charges that Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood linked to an alleged plot to topple the UAE government.

* Syrian jet flies into Lebanon, fires missile A Syrian jet flew 20 km (12 miles) into Lebanon and fired a missile into a field on the outskirts of the border town of Arsal on Wednesday.

04/02/13

* Israel braces for massive cyber-offensive Hackers around the world are plotting to strike Israel's online presence in a coordinated cyber-attack later this week.

* Ya'alon on Syria: When it damages our interests - we'll respond Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon announced Tuesday that Israel has no intention to interfere in the ongoing Syrian civil war.

* China mobilizing troops, jets near Korea China has placed military forces on heightened alert in the northeastern part of the country.

* Syrian rebels said close to chemical weapons cache Syrian opposition forces on Monday night reportedly captured the northern city of Al-Safira.

* North Korea 'crisis gone too far' says UN's Ban Ki-moon UN chief Ban Ki-moon has said the North Korea "crisis has gone too far" after Pyongyang announced plans to restart its main Yongbyon nuclear complex.

* Egypt becoming a nightmare for Muslim Brothers For the Muslim Brotherhood, the long awaited dream come true is turning into a nightmare.

* UN General Assembly to vote on global arms treaty The vote comes a week after Iran, North Korea and Syria blocked the treaty's adoption by consensus.

* Lebanese Daily Renews Age-Old Jewish Blood Libel The Lebanese daily Al-Sharq published an article last week that claimed that Jews eat matzah made with the blood of non-Jews during the holiday of Passover.

* Bailout paper gives Cyprus four years to balance budget Cyprus has four years to implement austerity plans and to balance its budget, according to a leaked copy of bailout terms proposed by international lenders.

* Iranian tourists in Egypt showcase warming ties More than 50 Iranian tourists arrived by boat to the ancient city of Luxor on Monday as part of a rare visit that showcases how much ties between the two countries have warmed.

04/01/13

* Hebron cleric accuses Israel of plotting to rebuild temple Leading Palestinian Muslim figure says daily 'intrusions' by Israeli leaders into Muslim shrine confirm plan to destroy it.

* PA, Jordan Ink Deal to 'Defend' Jerusalem Against 'Judaization' Jordan, PA sign agreement confirming their "common goal to defending" Jerusalem and their opposition to so-called "Judaization" of city.

* North Korea expands nuclear weapons programme North Korea's parliament has endorsed plans to give nuclear weapons greater prominence in the country's defences.

* U.S. F-22 stealth jets join South Korea drills amid sabre-rattling The United States sent F-22 stealth fighter jets to South Korea on Sunday to join military drills aimed at underscoring the U.S. commitment to defend Seoul in the face of an intensifying campaign of threats from North Korea.

* Russia Launches Surprise Military Exercise in Black Sea Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a large-scale surprise military drill to test battle readiness in the Black Sea.

* Isolated Mideast Christians celebrate Easter As new pope pleads for peace, Holy Land's Christian minority flocks to church for holiday services.

* 'Israel tracked Russian navy in Syria' Israeli naval commandos planted spy camera near Tartus to monitor Russian naval movements, UK paper says.

* Iran slams Arab League support of Syria rebels Iranian envoy slams decision to give Syria's seat at summit to opposition, says "wrong measure" will backfire on Arab states.

* Natural gas from Tamar field reaches Israel One day after it was first pumped to Israeli shores, valuable resource flows to processing plant for use in energy market.

* 6000 died in Syria in March, deadliest month yet More than 6,000 people were killed in the Syrian civil war in March alone, according to a leading activist group that reported it was the deadliest month yet in the 2-year-old conflict.