* ‘Israel must internalize divided J’lem’ Israel needs to internalize that even its supportive friends on the international stage conceive of the country’s future on the basis of the 1967 borders and with Jerusalem divided, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has declared to The Jerusalem Post.

* ‘Turkey mediating between Israel, Syria’ Direct negotiations between Israel and Syria could materialize if the Turkish mediation which is allegedly underway is successful, Al-Hayat reported Tuesday.

* Kenyans burned to death in church Thirty Kenyans including many children have been burned to death in a church, after seeking refuge from the mounting violence over last week’s elections.

* Pakistan early poll ‘impossible’ The spokesman for Pakistan’s election commission has said that holding parliamentary elections as scheduled on 8 January “looks impossible”.

* Traditional family key to world peace: Pope Pope Benedict ushered in the third New Year of his pontificate on Tuesday with a call for the protection of the traditional family, which he said was vital for world peace.

* Palestinians who fled from Iraq seeking shelter in Sudan Some 2,000 Palestinian refugees who fled from Iraq are seeking shelter in Sudan.

* Gulf states form common market The wealthy six Gulf states have taken a step closer together economically with the formation of a common market.

* Jewish Agency, interfaith group deal angers U.S. Jewish leaders An agreement on increased cooperation between the Jewish Agency and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has upset many American Jewish leaders.

* Pres. Bush to be ‘Greeted’ in Israel by Land-of-Israel Faithful In honor of the upcoming visit of U.S. President George Bush to Israel, a rabbis’ group will deem the government “illegal,” soldiers will be encouraged to refuse orders to uproot Jewish communities, and activists will build more Jewish sites in Yesha.

* Small Slovenia takes on highly-charged EU agenda With just three years of European Union membership under its belt, Slovenia will take on the EU presidency today (1 January) landing itself a highly politicised agenda.