* US warns Iran over arming Iraqis The US has called on Iran to stop arming militants in Iraq following the first bilateral public talks between the two countries in almost 30 years.

* Israel’s Labour Party in key vote Labour party members in Israel are voting in a leadership election that could determine the government’s fate and shape the future of politics.

* PM warns of ‘long-term conflict’ Israel needs to prepare for a lengthy campaign in Gaza to stop the Kassam fire, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the cabinet Sunday, hinting that neither internal Palestinian agreements nor an end to the rocket barrages would necessarily bring a halt to the IDF’s operations there.

* Palestinian leaders seek end to Lebanon refugee camp fighting Palestinian leaders on Monday sought to end a bloody standoff between the Lebanese army and Islamist militants holed up in a refugee camp which has been the battleground for Lebanon’s worst fighting since the civil war.

* ‘Hamas will be ready for us’ Explosive tunnels, snipers, road bombs, all will be waiting should IDF decide to enter Gaza, says Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin.

* China’s stock market hits record Chinese shares have continued rising at a breakneck pace, pushing Shanghai’s main stock index through the 4,000 mark for the first time.

* Gay activists slam Russia over incidents at Moscow demo European gay and lesbian activists Monday urged the European Union to address human rights violations in Russia after being attacked during an unauthorized gay rally in Moscow, allegedly with the tacit support of the local police.

* U.S. jets violate Turkish airspace Two U.S. warplanes briefly violated Turkish airspace near Iraq last week, the military General Staff said on its Web site.

* Ministers push for ban on Jerusalem gay parade Ministerial committee wants Knesset to pass bill giving Jerusalem city council power to ban gay pride parade in city.

* Ultra-orthodox newspaper opens new front in Haredi war on computers An op-ed in the ultra-Orthodox newspaper Hamodia yesterday urged readers to avoid computers, which it called the devil in disguise.

* Israel renews strikes across Gaza Israel has carried out fresh strikes against Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, killing four Palestinians.

* Sadr’s Mahdi army in Iraq clashes British and US forces in Iraq have clashed with armed supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, a major Shia religious leader.

* Military pumps up China’s influence, Pentagon says China’s modernizing military will make it a more muscular player in world events, a U.S. Defense Department report says.

* PA Chair proposes truce with Israel in Gaza first, then in W. Bank Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Friday presented the various Palestinian factions with a proposal for a month-long cease-fire with Israel in the Gaza Strip.

* Standoff continues in Lebanon A tense standoff between the Lebanese military and Fatah al-Islam at a Palestinian refugee camp has continued into its fourth day, as the US flew further aid to the Lebanese army.

* ‘Noah’s Ark’ of 5,000 rare animals found floating off the coast of China Endangered, hunted, smuggled and now abandoned, 5,000 of the world’s rarest animals have been found drifting in a deserted boat near the coast of China.

* Ya’alon: Disengagement cause of Lebanon war Former IDF chief of staff sees clear connection between pullout from Gaza, second Lebanon war.

* Nasrallah warns Lebanese gov’t against storming Palestinian refugee camp Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday warned the Lebanese government against storming a Palestinian refugee camp where Islamic militants are holed up and criticized U.S. weapons aid to the military in the standoff.

* Thousands stage new pro-secular rally in Turkey Thousands of Turks rallied in the western city of Denizli Saturday in the latest of a series of pro-secular demonstrations against the Islamist-rooted government sparked by political turmoil.

* Eurozone outracing US on economic growth The eurozone will in 2007 take over from the US as the driver of world economic growth, according to Paris-based think tank the OECD, with a strong performance by Germany giving Europe the edge.

* Military aid reaches Lebanese army Two military transport planes landed at the Beirut airport on Friday, bringing foreign military aid to help the Lebanese army fight Islamic militants.

* Iraqi cleric back in public eye Moqtada Sadr, the radical Iraqi Shia cleric, has appeared in public in Iraq for the first time in months.

* ‘Iran issue approaching confrontation’ “We see a deteriorating situation, a move toward confrontation” with Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei warned.

* Turkey’s battle plan could threaten northern Iraq he war drums are getting louder in Turkey, and they can be heard next door in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, and across the globe in Washington as well.

* Syrian overtures stir interest in J’lem The absence of a Palestinian partner, a US “wink,” and an increasingly radicalized region are prompting a number of policy makers in Jerusalem to show new interest.

* Israel will be uprooted should it attack Lebanon, Ahmadinejad says Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday warned Israel it would be uprooted if the Jewish state attacked Lebanon in the coming summer.

* Syrians march to support renewal of Assad’s mandate Hundreds of thousands of Syrians thronged the main square of the capital on Thursday to support a second seven-year term for President Bashar Assad.

* Attack of the cyber terrorists At first it would be no more than a nuisance. No burning skyscrapers, no underground explosions, just a million electronic irritations up and down the land.

* Hamas: Islam Will Rule the World, Destroy Israel and the Jews The Hamas terrorist organization is conducting a simultaneous battle against Israel and its coalition partner, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction.

* Settlers call for ‘Operation Defensive Shield’ in Gaza “Israel must take its fate in its own hands. There is no other option but to launch a ground offensive in the northern Gaza Strip to reoccupy it.”

* Fighting resumes at Lebanon camp There has been renewed fighting between Lebanese army troops and Islamist militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon since Sunday.

* Lebanon warns militants: Surrender or else Lebanon’s defense minister issued an ultimatum Wednesday to Islamic militants barricaded in a Palestinian refugee camp to surrender or face a military onslaught.

* Officials: Hamas ready to halt rockets Israel’s threat to target senior Hamas leaders in response to the Kassam rocket attacks from Gaza has prompted the group to agree to a unilateral cease-fire with Israel.

* Sarkozy rejects Turkish EU place New French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said he will stand firm in his opposition to Turkey being allowed to join the European Union.

* Israel: Iran not at ‘industrial level’ Iran’s uranium enrichment program has undergone notable advances, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday.

* World Powers Weigh Options Against Iran Experts from the United States and five other powers leading efforts to rein in Iran’s nuclear program plan to meet within the week following a U.N. report.

* IDF arrests Hamas education minister The IDF conducted a massive arrest sweep of senior Hamas leaders in the West Bank overnight Wednesday.

* I’ve profound respect for Islam, Pope tells envoys Pope Benedict told Muslim envoys on Monday that Christian and Muslim believers must reject violence.

* Netherlands keen to curb EU powers in new treaty Dutch prime minister Jan-Peter Balkenende has set out his country’s position on the new EU treaty.

* Analysis: Hamas’ Mickey Mouse ‘Farfur’ is not funny Talking of his huge empire, Walt Disney reportedly once said, “I hope that we never lose sight of one thing: That it was all started by a mouse.”

* US Navy shows force off Iranian coast The US Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday.

* Palestinian leaders in Gaza talks Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has held talks in Gaza with Ismail Haniya, the prime minister.

* Gaza: IAF hits two ammunition depots overnight Tuesday A Kassam rocket landed in an open western Negev field Wednesday morning, causing no casualties or damage to property.

* Exodus from Lebanon camp continues Thousands of Palestinian refugees have fled the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon after a ceasefire between Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese army created a safe route out.

* Bush declassifies Bin Laden intelligence US President George W. Bush on Wednesday will point to US intelligence asserting that Osama bin Laden ordered a top lieutenant in early 2005 to form a terrorist unit to hit targets outside Iraq.

* Noah’s Ark rebuilt to show climate change threat Noah’s Ark, built to save humanity and the animal kingdom in the face of a great flood, is being reconstructed in model form on Mount Ararat.

* 25% of Muslim teens: Suicide attacks ok One in four younger US Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances.

* Festival of Shavuoth The Festival of Shavuoth, although a one-day festival, really began with the conclusion of the first day of Passover, some fifty days earlier.

* All eyes on Sarkozy during first Brussels visit French president Nicolas Sarkozy is to travel to Brussels today to discuss France’s vision for a new treaty for the bloc.

* China warning over Darfur sanctions International sanctions against Sudan over the conflict in Darfur would only raise the level of confrontation and prolong the suffering of refugees.

By: Natasha Bukhari – Middle East Times

With the announcement this week of a foundation aimed at the promotion of education in the Arab world, the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) vice-president and prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has shed some light on what seems to be his vision for Dubai.

Read more….

* Lebanese militants call ceasefire Islamist militants besieged by the Lebanese army inside a Palestinian refugee camp have called a ceasefire to try to end a third day of fighting.

* Iran’s secret plan for summer offensive to force US out of Iraq Iran is secretly forging ties with al-Qaida elements and Sunni Arab militias in Iraq in preparation for a summer showdown with coalition forces.

* Israeli strikes on Hamas in Gaza Israel has carried out more air strikes in the northern Gaza Strip.

* Calls to Re-settle Gush Katif With every crash of a Kassam rocket in the Negev, increasingly more voices are calling for a return to Gaza – for different reasons.

* Chinese villagers riot over stricter population-control An intensive campaign to enforce strict population-control measures prompted violent clashes between the police and local residents in southwestern China in recent days.

* Hamas Extending the Conflict to Judea and Samaria The Hamas terrorist organization has made it clear that the barrage of Kassam rocket attacks launched at western Negev communities from Gaza is only the beginning.

* Iraq makes plans for quick U.S. pullout Iraq’s military is drawing up plans to cope with any quick U.S. military pullout.

* Jewish, Christian women gather in Jerusalem Hundreds of Jewish and Christian women met in Jerusalem this week to “promote the status of women based on biblical values.”

* Spy poisoning: UK seeks ex-KGB agent British prosecutors are to ask Russia to extradite businessman and former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi to face murder charges.

* Analysis: UAE aspires to be as modern as it is rich The United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) vice-president and prime minister have shed some light on what seems to be his vision for Dubai.

* Hamas: Israel will be wiped off the map Voices from within Hamas called out loudly for Israel’s destruction on Monday, following an IAF attack on a Hamas lawmaker’s home Sunday night.

* Lebanon clashes ‘kill civilians’ New clashes between troops and Islamist militants at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon have killed at least eight civilians.

* U.S. policy turnabout may enable Israel to enter talks with Syria Washington has given Israel the green light to accept Syrian President Bashar Assad’s call for peace talks.

* Poland triumphant after icy EU-Russia summit Polish politicians and analysts are celebrating EU solidarity after Berlin and Brussels took Warsaw’s line at the EU-Russia summit.

* Report: Iran to buy Russian air defense system via Syria Syria has agreed to supply Iran with at least 10 out of 50 air defense systems that Damascus is in the process of buying from Russia.

* Chief Rabbinate Finalizes Ban on Christian Women’s Conference The Chief Rabbinate of Israel, after hearing more testimony, reiterated its ban on Jewish participation in the Christian-sponsored conferences in Jerusalem this week.

* Turks rally for secularism Tens of thousands of Turks have rallied in the northern city of Samsun in the latest of a series of weekly pro-secular demonstrations against the government ahead of elections.

* New Knesset Task Force on Jewish Life in Judea and Samaria The explosive issues that arise in connection with Jewish life in Judea and Samaria have inspired the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to create a special task force.

* G8 ministers put Africa in focus G8 finance ministers have warned against giving African countries cheap loans that they will struggle to repay.

* Arab Broadcasts from America: For or Against Democracy? The director of an U.S. government-funded all-Arabic television network is sitting in the hot seat for broadcasting programs he says are designed to compete with Arabic TV stations.

By: Hillel Fendel – Arutz Sheva

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel, after hearing more testimony, reiterated its ban on Jewish participation in the Christian-sponsored conferences in Jerusalem this week

Read more….

* Palestinians agree Gaza ceasefire The rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah have agreed another ceasefire as they attempt to end an upsurge in fighting in the Gaza Strip.

* IAF targets Hamas installations in Gaza The IAF carried out several targeted attacks on Hamas installations throughout the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning and Friday night, destroying several weapons-making facilities and killing at least three people.

* Blair’s tribute to troops in Iraq Tony Blair made an emotional tribute to British troops during his seventh and probably final visit to Iraq as PM.

* ‘Gaza clashes could hurt aid to PA’ The bloodshed in Gaza threatens to keep badly needed economic aid from the Palestinians who already suffer from rising unemployment and a lack of basic services.

* India on alert after mosque attack Hundreds of police in riot gear have deployed throughout the mostly deserted streets of Hyderabad after a bomb blast at a mosque.

* Contentious EU – Russia Summit Ends Amid Disagreements Russian and European Union leaders clashed over human rights issues Friday at a contentious summit where police prevented opposition protests from taking place.

* Iran says US should quit Iraq to curb ‘terror’ Iran said on Saturday the United States should withdraw its troops from Iraq because their presence is causing “terrorist” activity in the war-torn country.

* New Concerns on Russia Media Freedom More than a half-dozen journalists with the Russian News Service, which produces reports that reach millions of radio listeners, resigned to protest the new pro-Kremlin management’s policy that at least 50 percent of coverage must be positive.

* EU barters with Serbia as Kosovo tensions mount The EU has rewarded the new moderate government in Serbia with prospects of restarting EU integration talks.

* ‘A country cannot be wiped off the map’ Mohammad Larijani, an Iranian politician and scientist whose brother Ali is his country’s top nuclear envoy, said that Iran was not bent on wiping Israel out.