Analysis: Iran overshadows Rice’s Mideast ‘peace visit’ US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice left on a Middle East tour Sunday with the looming nuclear crisis with Iran likely to overshadow timid efforts to rekindle the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Hamas closes government offices The Palestinian government says work will cease in all government offices a day after its headquarters in Ramallah were stormed by protesters.

Lebanon army deploys on border as Israel leaves Lebanon deployed its army on its southern border with Israel for the first time in almost 40 years Monday.

Al-Qaeda HQ ‘based in Pakistan’ A letter found when al-Qaeda’s chief in Iraq was killed said the group’s leadership was based in Waziristan, Pakistan.

EU chief calls for Darfur solution The head of the European Commission urged Sudan’s president on Sunday to help the African Union keep peace in the troubled Darfur region.

Arms traders ‘dodging embargoes’ The lack of a legal framework governing the arms trade is allowing weapons to reach states under embargo like Sudan and Uganda.

Russian oil grab ‘puts western supplies at risk’ A former government adviser has warned it is “only a matter of time” before BP or Shell faces a bid from a Russian state-owned group such as Gazprom which could threaten western oil supplies.

Rice: No sign of Iran halt to enrichment U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she has seen nothing to indicate that Iran is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment.

Iraq Lawmakers Renew State of Emergency Parliament extended Iraq’s state of emergency Monday as gunmen snatched 14 employees from shops in downtown Baghdad in the second mass kidnapping in as many days.

Iraq’s al-Qaeda leader in video Iraq’s national security adviser has said that security forces were closing in on Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Friday Temple Mount prayers uneventful The first Friday prayers of the month-long Muslim fast of Ramadan finished without incident at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Iraq prays as Al Qaeda threatens new offensive Iraqis headed to their mosques for the first weekly prayers of Ramadan Friday under a threat from Al Qaeda to step up attacks in the war-torn country.

Abbas, Mashaal to meet in unity talks Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is expected to hold talks with Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal on a proposed Hamas-Fatah government and the release of kidnapped Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

Rice to visit Mid-East for talks US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to travel to the Middle East next week to try to revive peace moves between Israel and the Palestinians.

‘Settlements can’t be evacuated’ Vice Premier Shimon Peres said on Thursday that “the government cannot evacuate more settlements in Judea and Samaria.”

Suicide bombers follow Quran, concludes Pentagon briefing With suicide bombings spreading from Iraq to Afghanistan, the Pentagon has tasked intelligence analysts to pinpoint what’s driving Muslim after Muslim to do the unthinkable.

UN ‘must drop’ Darfur peace force Top UN officials say the world body must abandon efforts to pressure Sudan to accept UN peacekeepers in Darfur.

Iran rules out suspending nuclear activities Iran said Friday that there was no reason to suspend its nuclear activities.

Turkish PM rejects ceasefire call Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected a ceasefire call from jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Hussein judge brother-in-law shot dead Gunmen in western Baghdad have shot dead the brother-in-law of the new chief judge in the Saddam Hussein trial.

Middle East summit ‘within days’ Israel’s prime minister says he hopes to meet the Palestinian Authority president for a summit within days, but warned against expecting quick results.

EU and Iran continue ‘intense talks’ Talks between the European Union and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear plans will continue in Berlin on Thursday.

Bush seeks truce in leaders’ spat US President George W Bush has appealed to the presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan to put aside their differences and fight terrorism.

Military Intelligence: Syrian Front Now Cause for Concern For the first time in many years, IDF intelligence officials are signaling concern that President Bashar al-Assad�s administration may be contemplating a military offensive across Israel’s northeastern border.

Sheikh: All must convert to Islam Prominent Palestinian preacher says pope’s meeting with Islam delegates this week is ‘Crusaders conspiracy’ to force ‘Christian-Zionist’ worldviews upon Muslims.

New US security strategy launched A new national security strategy for the United States in the 21st century that would cut back sharply on the US veto at the United Nations was launched in Washington.

Vatican minister slams extremists’ ‘new barbarism’ The Vatican’s foreign minister said that misunderstanding between cultures is breeding a “new barbarism” of violent extremists.

Poll: Iraqis Back Attacks on U.S. Troops About six in 10 Iraqis say they approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces, and slightly more than that want their government to ask U.S. troops to leave within a year,.

Saniora, Merkel to discuss UN mission Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were to discuss the deployment of German UN peacekeepers during talks in Berlin Thursday.

Oil fuelling Islamic finance sector The Islamic finance sector is prospering due to a growing demand from investors, both Muslim and non-Muslim, and the flow of oil money from the Gulf.

Analysis: Taliban upgrades jihad strategy As Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai arrives in Washington to press for long-term support from the United States, the fiercest fighting between NATO forces and Taliban militants rages in the south.

Diskin: Egypt allowing arms smuggling Shin Bet chief tells cabinet some 19 tons of standard explosives, hundreds of rifles smuggled from Egypt to Gaza Strip since disengagement.

Pakistan explains stance on Israel Pakistan’s government will eventually have to recognize Israel.

Iran TV: ‘Pirates of Caribbean’ a Zionist plot A new campaign on Middle East television tells viewers that Disney is linked to Zionism and its newest “ammunition” is “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Muslim anger fear halts opera A leading opera house called off a production of Mozart’s “Idomeneo” that features the severed head of the Prophet Mohammed.

Assad: Syrians, return to Golan Heights A presidential decree published by Syrian President Bashar Assad offers monetary incentives to citizens returning to reside permanently on the “occupied” Golan Heights.

Olmert Addresses Religious-Zionist Public A day-long conference on the role of religious-Zionism in Israel was held yesterday at the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute.

Romania and Bulgaria hail EU deal Romania and Bulgaria have welcomed the announcement that they will be admitted to the EU in January 2007.

Iraq war a ‘jihadist cause celebre’ The Iraq conflict has become a “cause celebre” for militant Islamists that is attracting increasing numbers to their movements.

S Africa is losing its way – Tutu Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu has warned that South Africa is in danger of losing its moral direction.

Researcher: Temple treasure is in West Bank British expert on archeology of holy land says that despite claims that treasures of Temple are in Vatican, they are actually located in Palestinian Authority.

PM: Bush won’t allow nuclear Iran US President George W. Bush will stop the Iranians from getting a nuclear bomb.

Russia to send nuclear fuel to Iran Russia has agreed to ship nuclear fuel to Iran for its atomic power plant in the city of Bushehr.

EU approves Bulgaria and Romania The European Commission has announced that Romania and Bulgaria will be admitted to the EU in January 2007.

UN urges Jews, Muslims to use religious holidays for peace moves The United Nations issued appeals to coincide with the Jewish New Year and Ramadan, the month-long Muslim season of fasting.

Analysis: Nuclear power may spread in Mideast At a time of slowing oil production in some Middle Eastern countries, and the growing influence of a nuclear Iran, those states may turn to nuclear power to supplement oil and gas supplies.

Bin Laden’s friends say he is alive: Taleban Afghanistan’s Taleban movement said Tuesday that friends of Osama bin Laden had told it he was still alive.

China rolls out next generation Internet: report China has built its own version of an ultra-fast, next-generation Internet network that promises to reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign firms.

Crises Make Mideast Peacekeeping Possible A series of crises, not a burst of goodwill, has made long moribund Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking possible again.

In Pharaohs’ footsteps, Egypt eyes gold-mining era After a 2,000-year lapse, Egypt is looking to acquire a gold-mining industry again by revisiting ancient deposits of the precious mineral that symbolized the glory of the Pharaohs.

Pope stresses respect for Muslims Pope Benedict XVI has expressed “total and profound respect” for the Muslim faith, as he attempts to defuse a row between Islam and the Catholic Church.

African Union to expand Darfur force The African Union is to expand its peacekeeping force in western Sudan’s Darfur province.

EU chief urges enlargement pause The EU Commission president has called for a pause in EU enlargement after Bulgaria and Romania join the bloc.

Iran: Busher reactor ready within 6 months Iran’s vice president, who arrived in Moscow to request further assistance for construction of nuclear power plant in Busher, says that plant will be completed within six months.

Egypt unveils nuclear power plan Egypt is to revive the civilian nuclear power program it froze 20 years ago following the accident at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine.

Abbas cancels meeting with Haniyeh Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has cancelled his planned visit to Gaza.

Oil below $60 as supply grows, economy worries Oil dropped under $60 to a six-month low on Monday.

Olmert denies talking with Saudi king A senior Saudi government official has flatly denied reports that a member of the desert kingdom’s royal family recently held secret talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Iraq Forms Panel on Constitution Changes Iraq’s feuding ethnic and sectarian groups moved ahead Monday with forming a committee to consider amending the constitution.

EU giving relief to 40,000 PA families The European Union said Monday it has begun paying social allowances to 40,000 needy Palestinian families.

Haniyeh says he wont head government that recognizes Israel PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said in a mosque sermon that he will not lead a government that recognized the state of Israel.

“Egypt will Pursue Nuclear Energy” President Hosni Mubarak called for his nation to pursue nuclear energy as the US ambassador called for peace in the Middle East.

Rosh Hashanah: Prayers, Shofars, Apples and Honey Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is a joyous holiday of prayer, repentance, sounding the shofar, and festive meals.

Arab Leaders Urge Arab-Israeli Talks Arab leaders have urged the United Nations Security Council to get involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hezbullah supporters gather in Beirut for ‘divine victory’ rally Thousands packed Beirut’s bombed out suburbs for a rally where Hezbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah was to give an historic speech.

Lebanese President Castigates UN Lebanese President Emile Lahoud has lambasted the UN for failing to stop “barbarous aggression” by Israel in the recent conflict.

Islamists Tighten Grip on Somalia Somalia’s powerful Islamist movement has announced that it is tightening the Sharia law in its territory.

Pope Invites Muslim Envoys to Rome Pope Benedict will meet Muslim ambassadors to the Vatican in an attempt to end the furor caused by his speech in Germany.

Israel opens ancient site near Jerusalem shrine Israel has opened an archaeological exhibit very near the Dome of the Rock.

Happy 5767 – But how did we reach that number? The count of the Jewish year is used throughout Israel and the coming year will be 5767.