* US fears Israeli strike against Iran over latest nuclear claim A claim by President Ahmadinejad that Iran has 3,000 working uranium-enriching centrifuges sent a tremor across the world yesterday.

* IDF Chief: Jerusalem is Why We’re Here At a ceremony honoring the 40th anniversary of the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem this week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said that Jerusalem is the “raison d’etre” of our national existence in Israel.

* Mehdi Army accused of killing spree in Iraq shrine city Police Thursday accused the Mehdi Army militia of radical cleric Moqtada Al Sadr of carrying out a four-year killing spree in Iraq’s central shrine city of Karbala that left hundreds dead.

* Musharraf vows polls in February Pakistan will hold elections before 15 February, President Pervez Musharraf has announced.

* Ben Eliezer: ‘The disengagement from Gaza was a big mistake’ The disengagement from Gaza “was a mistake” National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer told Non-Stop Radio (Radio Lelo Hafsaka) on Thursday.

* Israel minister: Sack ElBaradei A senior Israeli minister has called for the sacking of Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog.

* Israeli intelligence: Abbas is too weak Army Radio reported Thursday morning that Israel’s intelligence community considers Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas a powerless leader.

* New ‘disaster’ movie warns world of oil apocalypse Oil is ‘the bloodstain of the earth’s economy’ and will soon trigger a global conflict that will cost millions of lives.

* Olmert voted most corrupt politician Even after sharing his personal health problems with the general public, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is still seen as the country’s most corrupt government minister.

* China angrily denounces Games “Bible ban” report China reacted angrily on Thursday to reports in the European press that the government would ban Bibles during next year’s Beijing Olympics.