4/18/18

* Torch-lighting ceremony opens 70th Independence Day celebrations After the traditional torch-lighting ceremony, Israel's biggest and most expensive Independence Day event will commence on Mount Herzel, with 1,500 participants including singers, musicians, dancers, choir singers and flag-bearers.

* Netanyahu at Israel's 70th anniversary celebration: Israel a rising world power Torch lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl begins after weeks of squabbling between senior lawmakers over event's decorum.

* Trump hails CIA chief Mike Pompeo's secret trip to N Korea CIA director Mike Pompeo forged a "good relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when they met last week, US President Donald Trump has tweeted.

* Turkey's President Erdogan calls snap election in June Turkey will hold snap presidential and parliamentary elections on 24 June, brought forward by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from November 2019.

* Iranian-Backed 'Sleeper Cell' Militants Hibernating in U.S., Positioned for Attack Iranian-backed militants are operating across the United States mostly unfettered, raising concerns in Congress and among regional experts that these "sleeper cell" agents are poised to launch a large-scale attack on the American homeland.

* South Korea says discussing peace deal with N. Korea ahead of Summit "People don't realize the Korean War has not ended," Trump told reporters.

* Israel Remembers Her Fallen, Then Celebrates Their Victory This morning, Wednesday, April 18, air raid sirens blared all across the Land of Israel.

* 40 ambassadors to the United Nations visit Israel Largest-ever UN delegation visits Israel, in time for Israel's 70th Independence Day.

* Iranian general: 'Date set' for destruction of Israel Commander of Iranian ground forces says in speech that Iran produces its own weapons, does not have to feel threatened by Israel.

* France's Macron urges EU to shun nationalism French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that "there seems to be a European civil war" between liberal democracy and rising authoritarianism.