* Happy 3,323rd Birthday to People of Israel It was none other than Pharaoh whose mention of the “People of Israel” is the first such Biblical reference, 3323 years ago, using calculations based on information in the Torah.

* Ahmadinejad: “The era of Zionism has passed away” Speaking at celebrations for Iran’s Army Day, Ahmadinejad denounces Israel and capitalism, accuses US of fomenting Arab unrest.

* Senior Syria officer assassinated over unwillingness to open fire at protesters Syrian opposition websites say assassination is part of a new Assad regime policy aiming to get rid of military officials who show sympathy toward anti-government unrest.

* The New Cold War There has long been bad blood between Iran and Saudi Arabia, but popular protests across the Middle East now threaten to turn the rivalry into a tense and dangerous regional divide.

* Israel Warned Not to Enable PA State Now Arab-affairs expert Prof. Mordechai Kedar of Bar Ilan University says Israel would be “clearly suicidal” in enabling a Palestinian state, in light of the revolutionary fever sweeping the Arab world.

* FBI Counter-Terror Official: Al Qaeda ‘Thrives’ After Dictators Fall
Al Qaeda Releases New Web Video, Official Says Al Qaeda in Yemen More Dangerous Than Osama Bin Laden’s ‘Core’ Group

* Robots record high radiation levels at Japan reactors Remote-controlled robots are being used at the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant to measure radiation levels.

* BRICS Make Move to Shove Dollar Aside China and four other leading high-growth economies have taken landmark steps toward lowering the importance of the dollar in international financial transactions — part of a seminal shift in the move towards a multicurrency reserve and trading system.

* Passover Laws and Customs Passover will take place this year between sunset on Monday, April 18, and sunset on Monday, April 25.

* Thousands mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem Christians from around globe celebrate Palm Sunday in Jerusalem, marking day Jesus Christ arrived in city two millennia ago.