10/5/13

* Slamming US and Israel, Khamenei raps aspects of Rouhani's NY visit Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that "some" aspects of President Hassan Rouhani's trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month were "not proper."

* Limitless ceiling? US debt doomsday approaches With the US debt ballooning to a new record of $16.7tln and the deadline to fix the 'debt ceiling' expiring on October 1, a default threat looms over the world's largest economy.

* Smiles in Iran: U.S. government shutdown, Obama overtures lower the heat on regime Iran's economy is enjoying short term benefits from the shutdown of the U.S. government.

* Obama: Iran a 'year or more' away from nuclear bomb The United States believes Iran is a year or a more away from being able to produce a nuclear weapon.

* Assad warns Turkey of 'heavy price' for backing Syrian rebels Syrian President Bashar Assad has told Turkey it will pay a heavy price for backing rebels fighting to oust him.

* A New Muslim Vision: Rebuilding Solomon's Temple Together The unique importance of the Temple Mount to Judaism and to Islam makes the location vulnerable to tensions and conflicts between Jews.

* Netanyahu: The Peace Talks Are Going Nowhere Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, during his visit to the United States this past week, that the peace talks with the Palestinian Authority are going nowhere.

* Egypt: At Least 5 Dead in Cairo Clashes At least five people were killed in Cairo on Friday, as thousands of supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi took to the streets nationwide.

* Arab world searches for democratic future For too long, many nations, including my own, tolerated, even excused, oppression in the Middle East in the name of stability.

* Al-Qaeda in Syria strengthens hold along Iraqi, Turkish borders Al-Qaeda members fighting in Syria are tightening their hold on territory along the Turkish and Iraqis borders.