* Carter meets with Mashaal twice in Syria Former US President Carter defied US and Israeli warnings and met twice this weekend with the exiled leader of Hamas and his deputy.

* Israelis abroad celebrate Passover under heavy security Many young Israeli globetrotters will be absent from their families’ Passover seder tables this year.

* IDF places full closure on Gaza, W. Bank The IDF declared a full closure on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on Friday, to remain in effect until after the Pessah holiday.

* Iran should defend Islamic world: top cleric A high-ranking Iranian cleric on Friday said the country should grow into a military super power to defend all Muslims.

* Pope in NY for anniversary Mass Pope Benedict XVI is marking the third anniversary of his election as head of the Roman Catholic Church with Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.

* Iraqi raids target Shia militias At least 12 people have been reported killed in overnight clashes in Baghdad’s Sadr City district.

* EU tightens anti-terrorism laws European Union ministers have agreed to punish incitement to terrorism through the internet.

* Oil and rice race to record levels Oil extended its record-breaking run this week, touching the $117 level, while petrol, copper, tin and rice also achieved new peaks.

* The Real World: Putin in Libya Russian President Vladimir Putin began a two-day visit to Libya on April 16.

* Half of EU citizens on the net, but rural Europe left behind Out of the half a billion EU citizens, more than 250 million regularly use the internet.