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.