Category Archives: Top 10 News Stories

08/18/11

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* Syria unrest: World leaders call for Assad to step down The leaders of the US, UK, France, Germany and the EU have all called for Syria’s President Assad to step down over his suppression of protesters.

* Netanyahu promises Israeli response to Eilat attacks Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke to Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak-Halevy on Thursday following three separate terror attacks in the area.

* Hamas: We didn’t carry out southern Israel attacks, but we praise them The Islamist Hamas movement on Thursday welcomed a series of deadly attacks in southern Israel earlier in the day, but declined to take responsibility for them.

* Researchers: World Population to Reach 7 Billion This Year The world population will reach seven billion later this year, with increases in the number of people in Africa off-setting birth rate drops elsewhere.

* Glenn Beck rally could spark violence, warn Arab MKs Glenn Beck’s Restoring Courage rally at the Southern Wall excavations site next Wednesday could spark a conflagration of violence in Jerusalem.

* Hebrew University ranks 57th in world The Hebrew University in Jerusalem has been ranked the 57th best university in the world.

* Van Rompuy tipped to chair new ‘economic government’ Twice-yearly meetings of the leaders of the 17 single currency states are to become the “cornerstone” of the new economic government of the eurozone.

* Turkey launches air assault on Kurds in Iraq amid uptick in violence The Turkish military launched an air assault on Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq overnight Wednesday.

* Share markets plummet as fear returns European and US shares have seen more large falls, as the uncertainty that has caused recent turmoil returns.

* Pope Benedict XVI in Madrid for World Youth Day events Pope Benedict XVI is in the Spanish capital, Madrid, for four days of events expected to be attended by hundreds of thousands of people.

08/17/11

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* US Names Gaza’s Dughmush Clan as Global Terrorists The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday it has added the Gaza-based Dughmush clan, head of the Army of Islam, to its list of global terrorists.

* Wave of Ramadan suicide strikes kill 100 throughout Iraq After months of preparation, Al Qaida has launched an offensive in Iraq.

* Merkel and Sarkozy plan ‘true economic government’ Under pressure to restore confidence in the eurozone, the leaders of France and Germany on Tuesday (16 August) outlined plans for further economic integration.

* Mideast Quartet alarmed by Israel settlement plans The UN’s Middle East Quartet on Tuesday expressed grave concern over Israel’s recent approval of thousands of housing units in east Jerusalem and Ariel.

* Apologize to Turkey? Netanyahu Tells Clinton, ‘No Thanks’ Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has turned down U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s requests and will not apologize to Turkey.

* PA Teaches 5-Year-Olds to Die for Allah A Palestinian Authority kindergarten showed off what its young students had learned over the past year by having the five-year-olds act out scenes of terror and death for their families.

* Gaza-Bound Ship Secretly Left Greece, Say Activists A ship intended to try to break Israeli sovereignty over waters at Hamas-controlled Gaza has secretly left Greece.

* Iran’s hard-liners seek payback in next election Iran’s internal power struggles are shifting into election mode with hard-line political forces banding together to groom candidates for next year’s parliamentary elections.

* ‘Mossad plotted to harm Egyptian fertility’ Israeli citizen Ofir Harrari, recently accused by Egypt of spying for Israel, was allegedly involved in a complicated scheme intended to harm Egyptian reproduction abilities.

* Turkey calls anew for end to Syria operations Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made a fresh call on Wednesday for Syria to halt military operations in a crackdown on widespread demonstrations.

08/16/11

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* ‘US Withdrawal from Iraq to Help Iran Pulverize Israel’ A total American pullout from Iraq will provide a “land bridge” for a Shi’ite Muslim Crescent – headed by Iran and Hizbullah – to “pulverize” Israel.

* Russian Stealth Fighter Plane to Star in Moscow Air Show When the United States was bogged down in Vietnam the Soviet Union used the interval to catch up strategically with the United States.

* Al Qaeda Leader Urges Muslims to Avenge Bin Laden The new head of the international Al Qaeda terrorist organization is urging Muslims around the world to avenge the assassination of the group’s founder, Osama bin Laden.

* Libya conflict: Gaddafi forces ‘launched Scud missile’ Military forces loyal to Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi have fired a Scud missile for the first time in the country’s six-month conflict.

* Syria using Iranian snipers as violent crackdown continues Iranian snipers are being used in Syria to put down the growing tide of demonstrations against president Bashar al-Assad.

* A primer on Palestinian statehood Sept. 20, when the annual session of the U.N. General Assembly opens, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to ask U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to present a Palestinian request for statehood.

* Mideast Quartet ‘greatly concerned’ by Ariel housing plans The so-called Middle East Quartet of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations on Tuesday said they were alarmed by Israel’s latest announcements about new settlement plans.

* ‘Hamas refusing to hand over el-Arish terror suspects’ The Hamas government in the Gaza Strip has refused several Egyptian requests to hand over Palestinian terrorists alleged to have participated in a recent attack on a police station in the Sinai city of El-Arish.

* Tehran says Russian plan could revive nuclear talks Iran welcomed on Tuesday a Russian attempt to revive talks with six world powers that are concerned about the its uranium enrichment program.

* PLO official accuses Syria of crimes against humanity The assault by Syrian security forces on a Palestinian refugee camp in the coastal city of Latakia amounts to a crime against humanity.

08/15/11

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* Egypt Launches “Operation Eagle” in Sinai Egyptian troops and policemen battled with gunmen in the Sinai peninsula Monday.

* Analysis: Iran sees ally Syria surrounded by US, Arab ‘wolves’ Beset by civil unrest at home and lambasted by the West and his Arab neighbors for his violent crackdown on dissent, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad can count on one firm ally: Iran.

* Syria unrest: Assault on Latakia port intensifies Syrian forces are continuing their crackdown on protesters in the port city of Latakia for a third day, reportedly using tanks and gunboats.

* Visit by China’s Chief of Staff Warms Up Ties with Israel China’s Chief of Staff, General Chen Bingde, flew into Israel Sunday for a rare visit that will include observing the IDF’s Urban Warfare Training Center.

* IDF Drones Over Kurdistan? An unfonfirmed report by Iran’s Press-TV claims the IDF recently stepped up its operations in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region.

* Wave of Attacks in Iraq Leaves at Least 68 Dead Insurgents across Iraq launched their most significant and wide-ranging attacks in months on Monday, killing 68 people and wounding over 300.

* Hezbollah TV presents: Ramadan special The month of Ramadan can be likened to the Arab world’s television sweepstakes.

* Google to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5bn A joint statement said the boards of both companies had unanimously approved the deal, which should be completed by the end of this year, or early in 2012.

* Gadhafi forces try to block Libyan rebel advance Moammar Gadhafi’s forces pushed rebels back from the center of the strategic city of Zawiya on Monday.

* PA: Ariel building shows Israel destroying peace process The Palestinian Authority on Monday condemned the Defense Ministry’s authorization of 277 new homes in the West Bank settlement of Ariel.

08/13/11

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* Zvi Bar’el / Syria uprising may lead to regional war Thousands of Egyptians have already signed a petition circulating on Facebook that calls for the expulsion of the Syrian ambassador from their country.

* Egyptian Army Starts Major Operation Against Al-Qaeda The Egyptian army deployed thousands of troops to the Sinai peninsula on Friday.

* Iran to bankroll military base in Syria Western intelligence agencies believe that Iran will provide funding for “a multi-million-dollar military base” in Syria.

* Barghouti: U.S. Veto on Statehood Bid Would Cause Mass Protests Arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti warned on Thursday that a United States veto of an attempt by the Palestinian Authority to get United Nations recognition for a unilaterally-declared state will not only cause disturbances in the PA.

* New housing projects planned for east Jerusalem Interior Minister Eli Yishai authorized the construction of thousands of new housing units in Jerusalem.

* US military loses contact with hypersonic aircraft US military scientists lost contact with an unmanned hypersonic experimental aircraft on its second test flight.

* Electronic skin tattoo has medical, gaming, spy uses A hair-thin electronic patch that adheres to the skin like a temporary tattoo could transform medical sensing, computer gaming and even spy operations.

* How computers will soon get under our skin It may soon be possible to wear your computer or mobile phone under your sleeve.

* How much are Twitter and BlackBerry to blame for British riots? Days of rioting across England have sharpened criticism of social media tools like BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook, and Twitter, which are helping criminals organize looting gangs.

* Arab World: Power politics An opinion piece in the Saudi-sponsored regional newspaper Asharq al-Awsat this week was predictably fulsome in its praise for Riyadh’s decision to remove its ambassador from Syria.

08/11/11

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* Palestinians plan for calm protests Palestinian leaders have drawn up a plan to keep their rallies in September peaceful.

* Netanyahu: ‘Direct Talks Only Way to Peace with PA’ Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told a delegation of 26 U.S. lawmakers Wednesday that direct talks are the only way to reach peace with the Palestinian Authority.

* Israel: We never agreed to discuss nukes Israel and Arab nations have tentatively accepted an invitation by the UN nuclear agency to discuss a Middle East free of atomic arms.

* US military to launch fastest-ever plane By the time you finish reading this sentence, the Falcon HTV-2, the fastest plane ever built, could have flown 18 miles.

* Germany to propose unelected ‘stability council’ for EU Germany has proposed the creation of a new EU ‘overseer’ that would crack the whip and impose sanctions on countries that do not adhere to rigid budget discipline and pro-business labour policies.

* China Flexes Naval Muscle China sent its first aircraft carrier to sea, a defining moment in its effort to become a top-tier naval power that seeks to challenge U.S. military supremacy in Asia.

* Jewish ‘guardians’ keep London streets safe The Shomrim (“guardians”), a volunteer-based Jewish organization, has been keeping London’s Jewish neighborhoods safe in cooperation with the Scotland Yard for years.

08/10/11

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* Ansar Al-Mujahadeen Terror Group Re-emerges in Gaza A terrorist group with ties to the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Faction faction in Judea and Samaria has re-emerged in Gaza.

* Economic Uncertainty Leading to Global Unrest London is reeling from three nights of rioting that’s poured hundreds of people into the streets, leaving several local neighborhoods in shambles.

* PA Official Calls for ‘Friday Intifadas’ During Ramadan Bassam Abu Sharif, a former advisor to Yasser Arafat and a member of the PLO, called Tuesday on all Arab Muslims and Christians in and around the world to turn Fridays during the month of Ramadan into days of intifada.

* Anti-normalization forces gaining strength in Jordan Israel is increasingly concerned about damage to Israeli- Jordanian relations.

* Syrian tanks storm more towns near Turkish border They say tanks and armoured vehicles entered Taftanaz, Sermin, and Binnish near the Turkish border on Wednesday.

* China’s first aircraft carrier ‘starts sea trials’ The Chinese navy’s first aircraft carrier has begun its sea trials, the state-run Xinhua news agency has said.

* Dollar Falls on Fed’s Pledge to Maintain Key Interest Rate at a Record Low The dollar tumbled the most in at least 40 years against the Swiss franc.

* US Considers Call for Assad to Step Down The United States, once a firm supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is reportedly now considering a call for the Damascus strongman to end his reign.

* Waqf Attacks Jews on Temple Mount Members of the Muslim Waqf physically assaulted a group of Jews who ascended to the Temple Mount Tuesday, Tisha B’Av.

* Strike on Syria is technically feasible, former French general says A Nato strike to disable the Syrian army is technically feasible according to experts, such as former French air chief Jean Rannou.

08/09/11

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* Tisha Be’av: A day of fasting and lament Tisha Be’av, one of Judaism’s two full fast days along with Yom Kippur, is traditionally the date in the Jewish calendar on which the First and Second Temples were destroyed.

* Iran Backs Lebanon’s Claims on Israel Gas Find Iran has bolstered the Lebanese and Hizbullah threat to go to war over their claims on huge gas fields discovered by Israel off the Haifa coast.

* Syria unrest: Turkey to demand end to Assad’s crackdown Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he is running out of patience over “the savagery” of Syria’s security forces towards protesters.

* Parliament recalled to tackle riots – David Cameron The government’s emergency committee Cobra met on Tuesday after rioting spread across London, with violence flaring in other major cities.

* Arab states to head UN in September Two Arab states will head the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly in September.

* 66th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima It was a day in history that the world has never forgotten.

* Markets extend falls despite Obama reassurances In points terms, the Dow ended down 635 to 10,810, its biggest one-day decline since October 2008, and the sixth largest on record.

* Asian stocks tumble amid European woes China’s economy remains strong, according to fresh economic data out on Tuesday, even as Asian stocks tumbled in reaction to European and American troubles.

* Al-Sadr warns US forces to leave Iraq A powerful anti-American Shiite cleric called Tuesday on U.S. troops in Iraq to leave the country and go back to their families or risk more attacks.

* In a Jerusalem tunnel, a glimpse of an ancient war The excavation of an ancient drainage tunnel beneath Jerusalem has yielded a sword, oil lamps, pots and coins abandoned during a war here 2,000 years ago.

08/08/11

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* UN calls rights situation in Iraq fragile A UN report released on Monday said the human rights situation in Iraq is still “fragile,” citing issues including economic and political stagnation, continued violence and attacks on minorities.

* Cleric vows attacks if US troops stay in Iraq A powerful anti-American Shiite cleric in Iraq with thousands of loyal followers threatened that US forces who stay past the Dec 31 withdrawal deadline are fair game to attack.

* Dollar to Be Discarded by World The man who leads one of China’s top rating agencies says the greenback’s status as the world’s reserve currency is set to wane.

* Attack Adds to Signs of an Unstable Afghan Region The devastating attack on an American helicopter in eastern Afghanistan over the weekend has heightened attention on the harsh reality that even now large stretches of the country are perilous and heavily infiltrated by insurgents.

* Arab League bets on dialogue to end crisis in Syria Elaraby: League will use persuasion rather than “drastic measures” to bring end to violence

* Wikipedia: Prophecy fulfilled or info apocalypse? Wikimania annual conference in Haifa gives public opportunity to share experiences with free knowledge initiatives all over the world.

* Churches to Read Torah as Others Read Koran Countering a move by churches across USA that read from the Koran, other churches prepare to read Torah.

* Wall Street Has a Cold, Tel Aviv Has Pneumonia Tel Aviv and Saudi Arabia stock exchanges, the first to open after last week’s NY market plunge and cut in credit rating, sank by 6%.

* 2,000 Year Old Sword, Menorah Sketch Found Stone slab with five-branched menorah etching, Roman era sword discovered near Temple Mount.

* Nothing Stops Assad Saudi Arabia recalls its envoy, the Arab League tells him to stop violence, the UN talks, and his army shoots to kill.

08/06/11

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* China scolds US over S&P credit downgrade China has scolded the US over its “addiction to debt” after rating agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded the US’ top-notch AAA rating to AA+.

* US special forces Afghan helicopter ‘downed’ by Taliban A US helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan has killed 31 US special forces and seven Afghan commandos, President Hamid Karzai’s office says.

* Israeli Air Force chief cites new weapons: ‘We will be able to overcome anything’ The Israel Air Force has bolstered capabilities and assessed that it could overpower any enemy coalition in a regional war.

* World markets plunge amid worsening euro-crisis Stock markets plunged on Thursday (4 August) to levels last seen in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis.

* ‘Lebanon to recognize Palestinian state in next few days’ Lebanon is set to recognize a Palestinian state “in the next few days.”

* Russia uses dirty tricks despite U.S. ‘reset’ In the past four years, Russia’s intelligence services have stepped up a campaign of intimidation and dirty tricks against U.S. officials.

* Texas Gov. Rick Perry to host major prayer event in Houston The GOP 2012 presidential nomination contest so far has centered almost exclusively on economic issues.

* Israel gears up for mass rally Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend mass rallies in Tel Aviv.

* Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood holds first-ever public internal vote Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood held a public internal election on Saturday for the first time in its history.

* White House: US must do better after debt deal Spokesman Jay Carney said the talks on raising the US debt ceiling in order to avoid a default had taken too long and been too divisive.