Category Archives: Top 10 News Stories

06/30/11

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* US to resume formal Muslim Brotherhood contacts The United States has decided to resume formal contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

* Riyadh will build nuclear weapons if Iran gets them, Saudi prince warns A senior Saudi Arabian diplomat and member of the ruling royal family has raised the spectre of nuclear conflict in the Middle East.

* Are subs, not the planes, the best way for Israel to counter Iran? Most experts interpreted former Mossad chief Meir Dagan’s warnings against an Israeli attack on Iran as being aimed first and foremost at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

* 4 Hizbullah Terrorists Indicted for Hariri Murder in Lebanon Four top Hizbullah terrorists have been indicted by the Hague-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon for the murder of former President Rafik al-Hariri.

* U.S. now quietly seeking regime change in Syria After steadfastly defending his regime, the United States is seeking to build an alliance against Syrian President Bashar Assad.

* Libya: Russia decries French arms drop to Libya rebels Russia has strongly criticised France for dropping weapons to Libyan rebels and demanded an explanation from Paris.

* ‘Monster’ driving cosmic beacon Astronomers have spied a monster black hole – the brightest object yet seen in the early Universe.

* Israeli software supports theory that Bible was written by multiple authors Software developed by an Israeli team is giving intriguing new hints about what some researchers believe to be the multiple hands that wrote the Bible.

* Putin says Russian 2012 election will be dirty Putin, Russia’s most popular politician, made clear he would play a significant role in the election.

* Obiang Tells World Not To Intervene In Africa Foreign military intervention has caused massive suffering in Africa and should only be carried out with the consensus of African nations, the African Union’s rotating chairman said.

06/29/11

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* UK: Iran tested nuclear-capable missiles Iran has carried out secret tests of ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear payload in breach of UN resolutions.

* ‘World economy at stake’ in Greek austerity vote Europe ramped up pressure on the Greek parliament Tuesday to approve drastic austerity measures.

* Israel Warns Assad He Is on Death List If He Attacks: Report A Kuwaiti newspaper reports that Israel has warned Syrian President Bashar Assad that if he will be targeted if he tries to start a war with Israel.

* Jordan to oppose PA statehood bid A senior Jordanian official says the Hashemite kingdom will vote against a Palestinian statehood bid.

* As police crush protests, EU narrowly wins Greek vote As the Greek parliament managed to narrowly pass a package of sweeping privatisation and draconian cuts to public services at the insistence of the EU and IMF, police deployed an unprecedented level of violence.

* Gaza-bound flotilla underway French ship Dignity which departed for the rendezvous with vessels participating in the Gaza flotilla on Saturday has apparently decided to skip the Athens stop.

* Fayyad: UN’s ‘PA State’ Symbolic Only Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad admitted Tuesday that United Nations recognition of a PA state would basically change nothing.

* EU holds on to IMF chairmanship French finance minister Christine Lagarde has been appointed as the new chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

* Official: More than 1,000 hurt in Egypt clashes A senior official says more than 1,000 people have been hurt in two days of clashes between police and protesters.

* Gaza flotilla makes Internet splash It may still be anyone’s guess when a small international convoy of vessels carrying pro-Palestinian activists will set sail from Greece to the Gaza Strip in a challenge to Israel’s naval blockade.

06/28/11

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* Iran test fires long-range missiles capable of striking Israel, U.S. bases Iran’s Revolutionary Guards tested 14 missiles on Tuesday.

* U.S., EU to present Mideast peace plan in last push to prevent Palestinian UN bid The Mideast Quartet is planning to present a new international peace plan at a summit in Washington on July 11.

* ICC chief prosecutor: ‘Game over’ for Gaddafi in 2-3 months “It is a matter of time … Gaddafi will face charges. The arrest warrants are not going away,” Hague prosecutor says.

* Netanyahu: Abbas, Just Say the Six Words Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called on Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas to “just say six words – I will accept the Jewish state”.

* Mickey Mouse tweet by Egypt’s Sawiris angers conservatives One of Egypt’s richest men has been accused of mocking Islam after tweeting cartoons of Mickey and Minnie Mouse wearing conservative Muslim attire.

* IDF’s Cyber-Commander Prepares Internet Assault “Computers and keyboards are the weapons, Facebook and Twitter are the battlefields. It is there that we fight, each and every day.”

* Most Palestinians support UN statehood bid, poll finds Most Palestinians support the PA plan to seek statehood in the United Nations in September.

* ‘Egyptian curricula states Jews, Christians are infidels’ Egypt’s school curriculum, laden with anti-Semitic and anti-Christian sentiment, must undergo drastic reform to comply with international standards.

* Horn of Africa sees ‘worst drought in 60 years’ More than 10 million people are thought to be affected across the region.

* Long-Serving Finance Minister Calls for Reforms to Bolster Russia’s Power It has been an unusual season for Aleksei L. Kudrin, Russia’s finance minister, one of Moscow’s quietest and most powerful men.

06/27/11

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* Netanyahu Orders Navy to Interdict Flotilla Prime Minister Binyamin ordered Israel’s defense establishment Monday to interdict the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla 2.

* Is the ‘Peace Process’ the Road to War? Last week, President Shimon Peres warned that written peace agreement on Jerusalem will cause a “world war.”

* Iran to stage missile war games Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards began a 10-day missile training exercise on Monday.

* Tourism Minister Has Plan to Keep Dead Sea from Dying Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov is hoping the government adopts his plan to keep the Dead Sea from dying.

* No Jews to be Allowed on Delta-Saudi Air Line Flights According to a Religion News Service report, “Jews and Israelis, or passengers carrying any non-Islamic article of faith, will not be able to fly code-share flights from the U.S. to Saudi Arabia under Delta.

* New York Says ‘I Do’ to Same Sex ‘Marriage’ New York became the sixth and largest state in the United States Friday to legalize same-sex “marriage.”

* S. Carolina Legislature Unanimously Endorses ‘United Israel’ The South Carolina state legislature has unanimously passed a bill calling on the state of Israel to retain control over the West Bank.

* Fear and trembling in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia’s Harrat Lunayyir lava field doesn’t seem the kind of place that would generate much concern from anyone.

* Enter the dragon ‘to save the euro’ It is in the interest of cash-rich China to help resolve the eurozone debt crisis.

* Egypt: Muslim extremists ‘surround church and threaten to kill priest’ Hundreds of Muslim extremists surrounded a church in central Egypt and threatened to kill the local priest.

06/25/11

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* Muslim Brotherhood Creates Super-Coalition Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has created a coalition of 17 parties, including liberal and secular groups, to form a common platform ahead of legislative elections.

* Afghanistan: Deadly attack on Logar hospital A deadly car bomb has hit a hospital in Afghanistan’s eastern Logar province, with women, children and elderly among the casualties.

* Iran’s supreme leader accuses US of terrorism Iran’s supreme leader on Saturday accused the United States of supporting terrorism.

* Assad journal: Syria crisis over A day after 15 protestors were shot to death by Syrian security forces, Damascus is signaling that the crisis in the country is over.

* New York Allows Same-Sex Marriage, Becoming Largest State to Pass Law Lawmakers voted late Friday to legalize same-sex marriage, making New York the largest state where gay and lesbian couples will be able to wed.

* EU leaders call US bluff on 1967 borders in Israel EU countries have called on the US to get behind an initiative to revive Middle East peace talks based on a format disliked by Israel.

* EU’s Ashton: With its changing neighborhood, now is the time for Israel to move The leaders of the European Union are nonetheless putting time and energy into getting the ball rolling again on the Israeli-Palestinian front.

* First Temple period archeological site unveiled in J’lem A large complex of ruins from the First Temple period called the Ophel City Walls Site was inaugurated on Tuesday in the Walls Around Jerusalem National Park.

* Ahmadinejad accuses US of profiting from 9/11, Holocaust The attacks of September 11, 2001 are questionable and the United States is benefiting from them.

* US issues stern warning to Gaza flotilla activists The US State Department on Friday warned activists planning to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

06/24/11

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* PM Says Abbas Must Recognize Israel’s Jewishness Before Peace Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday said an end to the Israeli-Arab conflict would come when Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas recognizes Israel as a Jewish State.

* Syrian refugees continue to flock to Turkey More than 1,500 Syrian refugees streamed across the border to safe havens in Turkey in one day.

* EU names Iranian Guard commanders in Syria sanctions More than 1,500 Syrian refugees fled to Turkey on Thursday as Syrian President Bashar Assad’s military crackdown on protests swept up to the border.

* Rebels: Gaddafi could stay in Libya as part of settlement Libyan rebels rule out any role for Muammar Gaddafi in a future government but could let him remain “in a remote part of Libya” as part of a settlement.

* Palestinian UN envoy: Talks with Israel won’t stop bid for state recognition The Palestinians will seek membership as an independent state at the UN in September even if peace negotiations with Israel are underway.

* Muslim Brotherhood Creates Super-Coalition Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has created a coalition of 17 parties, including liberal and secular groups, to form a common platform ahead of legislative elections.

* ‘Erekat says Turkey to help build support for PA bid at UN’ Turkey has pledged to help the Palestinians enlist additional nations to support their bid for statehood in the United Nations.

* Israel’s Vatican envoy praises Pope Pius XII for saving Jews during the Holocaust A leading Israeli official has praised Pope Pius XII for saving Jews during the Nazi occupation of Rome.

* China sends friendly face on EU tour The friendly face of the Chinese regime will on Friday (24 June) start an EU peregrination designed to strengthen economic and political relations.

* This Week in History: The sinking of the ‘Altalena’ Decision to send Jewish soldiers against fellow Jews has never been forgiven by some who view it as betrayal of the purpose of a Jewish army.

06/23/11

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* Analysis: Obama’s Afghanistan Withdrawal Speech – Text & Subtext U.S. President Barack Obama announced on Wednesday the withdrawal of 33,000 American troops by next summer.

* Syrian troops near Turkish border, refugees flee Syrian troops massed near the Turkish border, witnesses said on Thursday.

* Hizbullah May Attack Israel to Take Spotlight off Syria Lebanese terror organization and political force Hizbullah is preparing for a possible war with Israel.

* ‘Frantic’ Arms Race in Middle East, Says Air Force Chief “The Middle East is in the throes of a frantic arms race, both in numbers of weapons and unbelievable financial costs”, Maj. Gen. Ido Nehoshtan.

* Ashton’s secret diplomacy upsets EU states EU foreign relations chief Catherine Ashton has annoyed some member states by taking part in a secretive meeting.

* 2012 Troop Pullback Worries Military Experts On Afghanistan’s battlefields, the most significant effect of President Obama’s latest orders will be felt at this time next year.

* Third Intifada App Removed from Apple ‘App Store’ A computer application called “The 3rd Intifada” has been removed by the giant Apple computer firm from its App Store.

* ‘Hezbollah preparing for war against Israel to protect Syria’s Assad’ Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group is preparing for a possible war with Israel to relieve perceived Western pressure to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad.

* Dutch court acquits anti-Islam lawmaker A Dutch court acquitted right-wing politician Geert Wilders of hate speech and discrimination.

* Libya conflict: Gaddafi accuses Nato of murder Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has accused Nato states of murder.

06/22/11

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* Min. Edelstein Asks Apple to Remove Anti-Israel App Israeli officials were up in arms Tuesday after Apple cleared for release into the iPhone App Store an application that encourages violent uprising against Israel.

* Online Game: Let’s See What Happens if Israel Concedes Territory A new online game outlines the dangers that would occur if Israel withdraws from Judea and Samaria.

* Blair: Iran must not be allowed to develop nuke program Iran must not be allowed to develop its nuclear program, Quartet envoy Tony Blair said Tuesday.

* US takes on illegal Israeli kiosk workers United States authorities have decided to take a stand against the popular phenomenon of foreigners, mostly Israelis.

* Syrian foreign minister condemns extended EU sanctions Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has attacked the European Union for extending sanctions against his country.

* West begins preparing for Syria regime collapse On June 18, Western governments began to warn their nationals of an impending collapse in Syria.

* Barack Obama and Pentagon split on Afghanistan pullout US president set to reject military advice by withdrawing more troops from Afghanistan.

* Europe’s ATV space freighter burns up Europe’s space freighter has destroyed itself over the South Pacific.

* PA Claims Israel Steals Gas in Exploration of Gaza Waters The Palestinian Authority is claiming that authorization by the Israeli government for the Noble Gas firm to explore the waters off the coast of Gaza for potential natural gas fields constitutes “theft.”

* Profile: Ban Ki-moon He was re-elected for a second term by the UN General Assembly, unopposed and unanimously, on 21 June 2011, with effect from 1 January 2012.

06/21/11

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* Best preserved site of First Temple Ruins inaugurated A large complex of ruins from the First Temple Period called the Ophel City Walls Site was inaugurated on Tuesday in the Walls Around Jerusalem National Park.

* Paris Air Show: Israeli companies unveil defense systems The Israeli mission to the 2011 International Paris Air Show held in Le Bourget comprised of 15 companies representing Israel’s top defense systems manufactures.

* New iPad application calls for “third intifada” A new iPad application was released on Tuesday calling for a “third intifada.”

* U.S. economic metrics similar to those of Greece; Inaction moves global economy to the brink Half-measure solutions offered by the Greek Prime Minister and the European Union on June 15-17 to resolve the Hellenic Republic’s structural economic and productivity crisis have failed.

* Syria unrest: Clashes as large Pro-Assad rallies held Clashes have broken out between supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and anti-government protesters in Homs, Hama and Deir al-Zour.

* The YouTube the Palestinian Authority Does Not Want You to See A YouTube video depicting the history of the Temple Mount may be yanked after Arab complaints that not enough people view it.

* France predicts Syrian leader will be next to fall French foreign minister Alain Juppe has predicted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will be next to fall in the Arab Spring.

* IMF tells EU: Stop ‘unproductive debate’ and integrate ‘now’ The International Monetary Fund has bluntly warned the European Union it must put an end to its “unproductive debate” over debt restructuring.

* West Bank settlements open gates to foreign tourists Welcome to the West Bank, where Jewish settlements built on land Palestinians seek for a state are opening their gates to foreign tourists and Israeli visitors.

* UK treasury pondering death of the euro The UK’s treasury minister has – during a cut-and-thrust debate in parliament – admitted that London is preparing for a potential break-up of the eurozone.

06/20/11

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* Peres: Time is running out on a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal President tells CNN need for peace agreement is “very urgent”, says Palestinians’ UN bid for statehood will not change situation on the ground.

* Muslim states call on Hamas to recognize Quartet terms Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, including Egypt and PA, drafts unusually Israel-friendly resolutions.

* Nato suggests weapons systems failure in Tripoli raid Nato admitted a weapons systems failure may have led to civilian casualties in Sunday morning’s air strike.

* Assad blames unrest on saboteurs, pledges reforms Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged political reforms within months to address a wave of protests against his rule.

* Medvedev hints he and Putin won’t be 2012 rivals Russian President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed talk of a deepening rift with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

* Prayer and politics: How Friday became the Middle East’s day of protest Ever since he was a boy, Friday has been a day of prayer and rest for Murad Alazzany.

* Declaring Israeli Sovereignty in Yesha: Let the Debate Begin Most people on the right – in fact, most people in Israel – believe that the only real solution to the security situation is the eventual declaration of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

* Turkey warns Assad: You have less than a week to start implementing reforms Senior aide to Turkish President Gul says foreign intervention will begin unless Syrian president heeds calls for change.

* Israel to stress safety of its nuclear reactors at IAEA special session There are two declared nuclear reactors in the country: the 5-megawatt reactor at Nahal Sorek and the 24-megawatt reactor at Dimona.

* Navy chief: Flotilla will enable Hamas armament Admiral Eliezer Marom speaks at divers’ graduation ceremony, urges elements involved in Gaza-bound sail to reconsider participation