12/31/14

* New Year's Eve: Global celebrations bring in 2015 Revellers across the globe are gathering to welcome in the new year, with New Zealand and Australia leading the celebrations.

* Abbas signs Rome Statute, paving way for possible war crimes probe against Israel at ICC In response to failure of UN draft resolution PA leader signs to join International Criminal Court. .

* Rabbis Ban New Year's Celebrations in Israel The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has declared that there can be no New Year's celebration in the Land of Israel.

* Leading Publishing House Wipes Israel Off Its Map HarperCollins' subsidiary remove Israel from school atlases for Middle Eastern countries to appease 'local preferences.'

* Oil could fall to $US20 over the coming year Revisiting the past year's predictions is, for most columnists a frequently humbling experience. The howlers tend to far outweigh the successes. Yet, for a change, I can genuinely claim to have got my main call for markets - that oil would sink to $US80 a barrel or less - spot on, and for the right reasons, too.

* Hamas blasts UN gambit as Palestinian Authority plans next steps Islamist group reiterates opposition to draft statehood resolution; slams PA for "another failure added to the choice of compromise" with Israel.

* Aliyah Figures at Highest in a Decade; France Leads the Way 26,500 new immigrants in 2014 with France leading for first time ever, and Ukraine immigration up by 190%, as aliyah continues to flourish.

* Wild Cheers for Proposed Invasion of Israel Turkish and Palestinian flags fluttered like angry birds in a crowd of thousands of people chanting "Allahu Akbar!" and "Down with Israel!"

* Ambassador Power: PA's Resolution was Not Constructive American envoy to the UN says PA's resolution doesn't offer constructive steps to solve the conflict. Jordan: We'll keep pushing.

* Islamic State to Systematically Target Europe in 2015: French Expert A French journalist and Middle East expert has told Sputnik that Europe should prepare for systematic attacks by Islamic State militants in the coming year.