Iraq PM warns over Saddam hanging Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki has said his government could review relations with any country which criticised the execution of ex-leader Saddam Hussein.

Protests In Mogadishu Over Ethiopian Military Presence Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of the Somali capital Mogadishu on Saturday to protest the presence of Ethiopian troops in the war-torn country.

Abbas says Hamas militia illegal Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has declared the Hamas paramilitary militia in the Gaza Strip illegal.

Brussels divided on future shape of EU commission The European Commission is showing signs of division on EU institutional reform, with Polish commissioner Danuta Hubner attacking German commissioner Guenter Verheugen’s idea that small EU states do not need fully-fledged commissioners.

Saudi Arabia calls on Lebanese leaders to end political crisis Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz urged Lebanese leaders to negotiate an end to their political crisis after Lebanon’s opposition said it would step up street protests to topple the government Saudi Arabia backs.

Egypt lets Haniyeh smuggle $20 m. Egyptian officials at the Rafah crossing allowed Palestinian Authority President Ismail Haniyeh to smuggle 20 million dollars into the Gaza Strip when he returned from the haj pilgrimage on Thursday.

China seeks Iran nuclear response Chinese President Hu Jintao has called on Iran to make a serious response to the international community’s concern over its nuclear program.

Iraqis to lead assault to take back Baghdad Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Saturday that Iraq’s armed forces are set for an assault on Baghdad to take out militias and rogue security forces.

UN in new peace drive for Darfur The United Nations and African Union have announced a new drive for peace in Sudan’s troubled region of Darfur.

Pyramids Older Than Egyptian Allegedly Found in Ukraine Archaeologists in Ukraine have unearthed the remains of an ancient pyramidal structure that pre-dates those in Egypt by at least 300 years.

Fatah Calls State of Alert as Blood Runs in Gaza Blood is running in the streets of Gaza again, as killings and kidnappings by Fatah and Hamas terrorists escalate to their former levels.

Iraq resisting stay of execution No amount of international pressure can stop the execution of two men sentenced to death alongside Saddam Hussein, a top Iraqi official has said.

Egyptians Hope Olmert-Mubarak Meeting Leads to 4-Way Summit Egyptian diplomats are trying to arrange a four-way summit between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and leaders of the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Egypt.

Somalia: Somalia – Risk of Insurgence! Forces in and outside Somalia believe the present conflict is an opportunity to wage a jihadist war, after Iraq and Afghanistan.

New terror threat on Asean Summit Claiming that terrorists are on the “final stages of planning attacks,” the Canadian Embassy on Thursday advised its nationals against all travel to the central and southern Philippines.

Last day for Mogadishu to disarm Somali fighters have fired a rocket at an oil tanker lorry near Mogadishu and wounded three people.

Israel forces raid Ramallah Israeli forces have entered the West Bank town of Ramallah, sparking clashes with Palestinian militants.

Following war: More immigrants convert Ministry of Absorption reports of 200 percent increase in number of immigrants wishing to convert to Judaism in north following second Lebanon war.

Mysterious Object Crashes Through Roof Authorities were trying to identify a mysterious metallic object that crashed through the roof of a house in eastern New Jersey.

Small EU states do not need full commissioners, Verheugen says European Commission vice-president Guenter Verheugen has questioned the need for small EU countries to have their own member of the European Commission.

US: Pat Robertson prophesies ‘mass killing’ In what has become an annual tradition of prognostications, religious broadcaster Pat Robertson said Tuesday God has told him that a terrorist attack on the United States would result in “mass killing” late in 2007.

Iraq’s PM longs to leave office Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has made clear he dislikes being the country’s leader and would prefer to leave the job before his term ends.

EU-US trade ties high on German presidency agenda German chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to push for closer economic co-operation between the EU and the US.

Kenyans close border with Somalia Kenya has shut its border with Somalia and will not allow more refugees into the country, says its foreign minister.

Fatah official: Hamas training in Iran, Lebanon Hamas members have been flying to Iran and Lebanon for advanced military training with Iranian Revolutionary guard units and Hizbullah militants.

Fatah man killed in shootout with Hamas A 25-year-old Palestinian was shot and killed in the northern Gaza Strip Wednesday afternoon.

Official Held in Saddam Hanging Video The person believed to have recorded Saddam Hussein’s raucous execution on a cell phone camera was arrested Wednesday, an adviser to Iraq’s prime minister said.

Sudan: Secretary-General Pledges to Give Resolution of Darfur Crisis His ‘Highest Attention’ Describing the Darfur crisis as one of his top priorities in office, the new Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced plans today to enter immediately into diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed in the Sudanese region.

Poll: Most Israelis unsatisfied with Olmert’s performance Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has reason to worry. According to a poll taken by the Dahaf Institute for the Knesset Channel, 77 percent of Israel is dissatisfied with Olmert’s performance as prime minister.

Three new languages added to the official EU list Having just rung in the new year, the European Union has not only become bigger but it has also become three languages richer.

Survey: Lebanon war damaged Israel’s deterring image The Middle East Strategic Balance 2005-2006 survey said, “The Lebanon war actualized Israel’s strategic problems and instability”.

‘Israel-Palestinian conflict is key’ Ban Ki-Moon, the new secretary-general of the United Nations, said on Monday that the Israeli-Palestinian issue was at the core of solving all the problems in the Middle East.

Iraq investigates Saddam footage The Iraqi government has launched an inquiry into unofficial mobile phone footage showing the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Legendary mayor of Jerusalem Kollek dies at 95 Legendary mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek passed away at the age of 95.

Ethiopians to stay on in Somalia Ethiopian forces are to remain in Somalia to ensure stability after the defeat of Islamist militias.

In the sky! A bird? A plane? A … UFO? It sounds like a tired joke–but a group of airline employees insist they are in earnest, and they are upset that neither their bosses nor the government will take them seriously.

Nazareth Muslims: Islam will dominate world Islamic groups held a large militant march down the main streets of Nazareth this weekend.

Saddam’s supporters vow revenge Hundreds of supporters of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein have been protesting in the cities of Baghdad, Tikrit and Samarra against his hanging.

Haniyeh goes on pilgrimage to Mecca Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas departed a few days ago from the Gaza Strip, in order to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha.

Ahmadinejad to West: ‘You are nobody’ Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad scorned the UN Security Council’s imposing sanctions on Iran.

Report: Saddam to be executed Saturday One of Saddam Hussein’s lawyers estimated on Friday afternoon that he would be executed on Saturday.

Hajj pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat Hundreds of thousands of Muslims have prayed on the desert mountain where the Prophet Muhammad gave his final sermon.

Iran seeks to use the haj for political gain As the eyes of Muslims worldwide are directed toward Mecca – where ceremonies of the haj are held prior to Id al-Adha – Saudi authorities are busy working to maintain the safety of the worshipers.

Anti-Ethiopian protest in Mogadishu Mogadishu on Friday witnessed a noisy demonstration against Ethiopian troops who have helped Somalia’s weak government.

‘Israel is open to any murmur of peace’ In a gesture to Syria, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday said that he was open to “any murmur of peace” from Israel’s enemies.

Arab Editor: Arming Abbas and Hamas is a Step Toward Civil War Muslim and Western efforts to equip Fatah and Hamas militias “will be used to kill and slaughter Palestinians by Palestinians,” a Bethlehem-based journalist wrote.

Israel’s population grew 1.8 percent in 2006, to 7.1 million As the clock chimes out 2006, Israel’s population stands at 7.1 million, of which 76 percent is Jewish and 20 percent Arab.

In Face of Kassams, Battered Town Councils Prepare to Evacuate Following the recent escalation of Kassam rockets in western Negev communities including Sderot, residents and their regional councils are now making plans to evacuate if the situation gets worse.

German EU presidency lumbered with massive to-do list When large countries take over the six-month presidency of the European Union they generate a huge level of expectation.

Russian Lawmakers Warn Against Saddam Hussein`s Execution Russian senior lawmakers condemned the death sentence passed on Saddam Hussein warning that the execution may cause civil war in Iraq.

Israel lets Egypt ship arms to Fatah In response to continued violence between the Hamas and Fatah factions in the Palestinian Authority, Israel approved on Wednesday night the transfer of 2,000 automatic rifles

Somali troops ‘enter Mogadishu’ Government troops in Somalia have entered areas of Mogadishu, hours after Islamist forces abandoned the capital city.

Vatican slams Saddam’s death penalty A top Vatican official condemned the death sentence against Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Internet access recovers in Asia after earthquakes Asia’s Internet and telecommunication infrastructure showed signs of recovery today, following service disruptions.

Hajj begins amid growing Muslim sectarian tension Nearly 3 million Muslims from around the world, chanting “I am here, Lord” and raising their hands to heaven, marched through a desert valley outside Mecca on Thursday.

Saddam’s execution poses dilemma An appeals court’s final confirmation of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s death sentence is fueling debate in Iraq on how the former dictator’s last days will unfold.

China’s Hu calls for powerful navy Chinese president and commander-in-chief Hu Jintao urged the building of a powerful navy that is prepared “at any time” for military struggle.

Euro notes cash in to overtake dollar The US dollar bill’s standing as the world’s favorite form of cash is being usurped by the five-year-old euro.

Sudan Raises Doubts on U.N. Peace Effort Sudan raised new questions Wednesday about its commitment to a U.N. peace effort in the violence-wracked Darfur region.

Russia and Cyprus overshadow Finnish EU presidency The Finnish EU presidency is winding down to an unspectacular end this weekend.

Alan Dershowitz – The Jerusalem Post

Have former US president Jimmy Carter’s recent statements crossed the line from legitimate criticism of Israel to illegitimate anti-Semitism? In his book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, Carter unfairly, one-sidedly, a historically – even indecently – condemns Israeli policies, but in my view he does not cross the line into overt anti-Semitism. His book is riddled with factual errors, virtually of them unfavorable to Israel. His history is all wrong.

He claims that Israel launched a preemptive attack against Jordan. Historians all agree that Jordan attacked Israel first.”

Read more…

Michael Freund – The Jerusalem Post

They number in the millions and wield increasing power and influence across the United States. From year to year their voice grows stronger and more resolute, as their role in shaping policy, and the future of American society continues to expand.

Guided by faith, they love Israel passionately and pray for her well-being, rejoicing in her successes and grieving over her setbacks. They are America’s Bible-believing Christians, and it is time for Israel to reach out to them in a far more sophisticated and comprehensive manner.

A great deal has already been written about the close ties that have developed between the two, as Israeli officials have at last begun to appreciate the depth and feeling of American evangelical support for the Jewish state. Indeed, what was once unthinkable has now become routine, as leading Christian pastors and Israeli government representatives regularly confer with one another, exchanging ideas and views on the principal issues of the day.

IDF receives order to attack rocket launchers New instructions in accordance with PM’s decision permit army forces to strike Qassam cells within certain limitations pertaining to intelligence information, cells’ proximity to Palestinian population centers

Despite war, 2006 aliyah on the rise A plane carrying 220 olim from North America and UK will arrive Wednesday bringing the total amount of Jews who made aliyah in 2006 to 21,000, the Jewish Agency said Wednesday.

Saddam to hang within 30 days Saddam Hussein is to be executed within the next 30 days after his appeal against a death sentence for crimes against humanity was rejected yesterday by the highest appeals court in Iraq.

Taiwan Quake Disrupts Asia Telecommunications Much of Asia faces days of slow Internet connections and cut phone lines Chunghwa Telecom said an undersea cable damaged, interrupting communications with Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong.

Abbas proposes ‘backdoor’ peace talks with Israel Plan includes participation of Quartet members in final status negotiations; claims PM promised to consider plan at last weekend’s meeting.

Iran to reconsider ties with IAEA Iran’s parliament has voted to urge the government to “revise” ties with the UN nuclear agency in a move designed to reduce the country’s co-operation with the international atomic authority.

West Bank housing OKd Israel approves new homes for settlers, drawing protests. Near Gaza, two teens are hurt in a rocket strike.

Arab states urge foreign forces to leave Somalia Arab League members called on Wednesday for a ceasefire in member state Somalia and the withdrawal of all foreign forces.

Joshua’s Altar Leads to Deepening National Consciousness A reminder of the historic significance of the Jewish People’s first day in the Holy Land was provided by a trip for Russian-speaking Israelis to Joshua’s Altar on Mt. Ebal outside Shechem.

‘Hamas must play role in peace process’ Peres tells gathering in Spain that group is an important force in process.

King Abdullah: Israel not as strong as we thought Jordan’s King Abdullah said during an interview with Tokyo-based newspaper The Daily Yomiuri that “The (Lebanon) war last summer showed that Israel is not as strong as we had previously thought”.

Islamic Courts abandon strongholds Council of Islamic Courts fighters have retreated from the main frontline after a week of artillery and mortar duels and attacks by Somalian transitional government and Ethiopian soldiers, witnesses say.

‘Palestinians’ call on Israelis to evacuate Negev Residents of Kiryat Gat and Ashdod recently received leaflets distributed by right-wing activists asking them “to evacuate to the settlement of Eilat.”

Iran may declare major enrichment feat Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki reportedly told members of the Iranian parliament on Tuesday that Iran would soon announce that it had managed to enrich uranium using 3,000 centrifuges.

Iran: Christian states ruined Christmas The UN Security Council decision to place sanctions on Iran has “ruined Christmas,” according to Iranian state media.

Exclusive: Bethlehem fears terror Reports that Israel is considering allowing a group of gunmen who were deported in 2002 after hiding inside the Church of the Nativity to return home have left some Christian residents here seriously concerned for their safety.

Haniyeh, Abbas to meet in Jordan Jordan will host talks between Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah after a surge in factional violence.

Death sentence for Saddam upheld An Iraqi appeals court has upheld the death sentence against ousted President Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s national security adviser has said.

Foreign Ministry: Syria is serious about renewing peace talks A senior Foreign Ministry official on Tuesday backed the view of Military Intelligence that Syria is serious about renewing peace negotiations with Israel.

1.5 mn arrive in Saudi for the Hajj More than 1.5 million Muslims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca which begins Thursday, Saudi authorities said.