* Aharonovitch: indict MK Taleb A-Sanaa Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch asked Attorney General Menahem Mazuz on Thursday to put MK Taleb A-Sanaa to trial for supporting a terror organization.

* CIA workers killed by ‘Afghan soldier’ Eight Americans working for the CIA have died in a bomb attack in Afghanistan, the worst against US intelligence officials since 1983.

* World Begins to Ring In the New Year Under explosive bursts of crimson, purple and blue, more than 1 million New Year revelers in Sydney got one of the world’s biggest parties started Thursday.

* Jet Plot Shows Growing Ability of Qaeda Affiliates The plot to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight over American soil on Christmas Day represents an ominously new and lethal ability by a branch of Al Qaeda to attack the United States directly.

* Palestinians: Dramatic development in peace process possible A dramatic development in the peace process is expected in the coming weeks.

* Russia ‘plans to stop asteroid’ The head of Russia’s federal space agency has said it will work to divert an asteroid which will make several passes near the Earth from 2029.

* As decade ends, Israelis more pessimistic A decade has passed, and a new decade is beginning. There were wars, talks of peace, economic prosperity, and an alarming crisis.

* Iran troops reportedly move into Tehran ahead of opposition rally An Iranian opposition website said on Thursday the government was moving troops and armored military vehicles to the capital.

* Spain test drives new model of EU leadership Spain takes over the rotating presidency on 1 January, but it will be a six-month tenure with a twist, as Madrid is the first to grapple with the complexities of the EU’s new legal framework.

* Egypt allows foreign activists to march into Gaza Some 1,400 activists from 43 countries had gathered in Cairo since Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the Israeli three-week offensive on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.