09/1/14

* Islamic State vows to reach 'Palestine' and 'kill the barbaric Jews' The organization calling itself the Islamic State has risen from the fog of war in Syria and Iraq.

* Islamic State said to seek biological weapons Plans to develop biological weapons and instructions on how to weaponize the bubonic plague from infected animals were found on a laptop belonging to a Tunisian Islamic State jihadist.

* Ukraine crisis: Troops abandon Luhansk airport after clashes Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from the airport of the eastern city of Luhansk after all-night clashes with pro-Russian rebels, the military says.

* Heavy fighting renews between Syrian army, rebels in Golan Heavy clashes between Syrian army forces and rebels aiming to topple President Bashar Assad's regime flared up in the Syrian Golan Heights Monday.

* A Palestinian Surprise for Israel The Palestinians have a diplomatic surprise waiting for Israel in the wake of the summer's Gaza war.

* EU leaders pick Tusk, Mogherini for top posts EU leaders on Saturday (30 August) agreed to appoint Polish PM Donald Tusk as the next EU Council president and Italian minister Federica Mogherini as the bloc's new foreign affairs chief.

* Iran Steps Up Arming Palestinians Ahead of Next War Israel and some Western powers are still publicly hoping that Gaza will be demilitarized as one of the outcomes of this summer's war.

* Watch: Libyan Islamists Take a Dip in US Embassy Swimming Pool Footage has emerged on the internet showing members of an Islamist militia in Libya taking a dip in a swimming pool belonging to the United States embassy in the capitol Tripoli.

* Leading Turkish Jews Protest Anti-Semitism over Israel's Gaza Op A group of prominent Turkish-Jews have released a letter in protest of the "racist" way in which they and the wider Jewish community has been targeted.

* Italian FM elected next EU foreign policy chief European Union leaders nominated Italy's top diplomat to become the 28-nation bloc's new foreign policy chief for the next five years.