* Report: IAF attacked N. Korean nuclear shipment to Syria The secret IAF foray into Syrian airspace was in fact an Israeli air strike directly linked to a North Korean shipment of suspected nuclear material which was delivered to Syria three days before the attack.

* Putin ‘may seek 2012 re-election’ Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he expects to remain an influential figure in Russian politics after he steps down next March.

* Saudis, Egyptians refuse Mashaal visit The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jareeda reported Friday that there is no communication between the group’s leadership in Gaza and its leadership abroad.

* US claims HIzbullah still smuggling arms through Syria The US ambassador to Lebanon said on Friday that there was clear evidence the Shiite terror organization Hizbullah was still smuggling weapons across the Syrian border.

* Mubarak slams reports about his health as ‘inciting chaos’ Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Friday slammed recent media reports about his allegedly poor health and said they aim to provoke chaos.

* US sees religious freedom setbacks A US government report has said that conditions for religious freedoms have worsened in the Middle East and Central Asia.

* More than 90,000 Muslims arrive at Temple Mount Some 93,000 Muslim worshippers arrived at the Temple Mount for the first Friday prayer of the holy month of Ramadan.

* EU warns Ukraine on upcoming elections EU leaders have warned Ukraine it cannot expect deeper integration unless it tidies up its political mess in upcoming elections.

* Al-Qaida offers bounty for cartoonist The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq offered money for the murder of a Swedish cartoonist who recently produced images deemed insulting to Islam.

* US: Syria on nuclear watch list A senior US nuclear official said Friday that North Koreans were in Syria and that Damascus may have had contacts with “secret suppliers” to obtain nuclear equipment.

* Rice: US trying to stop spread of WMDs The United States is worried about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and is working to prevent such proliferation from occurring.

* Bush pledges Iraq troop reduction US President George W Bush has made a televised address backing a limited withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

* ‘Turkey gave Israel intel on Syria’ Turkey provided Israel with intelligence on Syria prior to last week’s alleged IAF flyover into the country.

* Syria says not planning a military response to IAF air strike The Syrian deputy foreign minister said Friday that Damascus is not planning a military response.

* Russia’s Zubkov confirmed as PM Viktor Zubkov has been confirmed as Russia’s new prime minister and has pledged to wage a war on corruption.

* IDF blocks W. Bank Palestinians trying to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque Hundreds of Palestinians thronged two major West Bank checkpoints, trying to reach Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

* Fatah takes battle with Hamas to mosques Loyalists of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are taking their fight with Hamas to the mosques of the West Bank, to stop what they call Islamist brainwashing and recruiting.

* Iran Leader: Bush Will Be Tried President Bush will one day be tried in court just like deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for his involvement in the Iraq tragedy, Iran’s supreme leader said.

* China Cracks Down on One-Child Violators Urban Chinese who have more than one child will get a black mark on their credit record.

* ‘Rice trip must set conference’s agenda’ Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit expressed hope Thursday that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s upcoming visit to the region will result in an agenda and location for a planned US-sponsored peace conference.

* Livni pushes UN to get tougher with Iran The UN Security Council should adopt more and tougher sanctions against Iran to try to halt Iran’s nuclear program.

* Report: Israel spots nuclear installations in Syria Israel believes that North Korea has been supplying Syria and Iran with nuclear materials.

* Saudis question Middle East talks Saudi Arabia has said that a US-backed Middle East peace conference will be pointless unless it tackles key issues and sets a timetable for a final deal.

* Heightened state of alert announced over Rosh Hashana The security establishment has announced Tuesday the highest state of alert throughout Israel over Rosh Hashana.

* Ramadan begins across Muslim world Ramadan, a month of day-long fasting, spiritual reflection and sometimes night-long revelry, has begun for most of the world’s 1.2 billion Muslims.

* Oil hits record on supply fears Oil prices have risen above $80 a barrel for the first time, a day after Opec moved to boost its output of crude in an effort to ease cost pressures.

* Ahmadinejad: Iran can help secure Iraq, Israel is ‘cruel’ Iran wants “peace and friendship for all,” the country’s president said Wednesday while again denying Western assertions his nation is pursuing nuclear weapons and trying to destabilize Iraq.

* Jews From 18 Countries Coming on Aliyah Jews from several countries around the globe will be making Aliyah [immigration to Israel] this coming week.

* Hamas urges militants not to target Israeli border crossings The Hamas government urged Gaza militants Thursday not to attack border crossings with Israel in order to ensure the flow of basic goods into Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

* Belgrade will not bargain on Kosovo, Serbian PM says The breakaway province of Kosovo cannot be the object of “any sort of trade or any sort of deal” with Belgrade.

* ‘IAF targeted Iranian weapons in Syria’ The Israel Air Force jets that allegedly infiltrated Syrian airspace early last Thursday apparently bombed an Iranian arms shipment that was being transferred to Hizbullah.

* Putin names next prime minister Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the resignation of PM Mikhail Fradkov and nominated a financial crime investigator to replace him.

* ‘Advisors to Assad pressuring him to respond with force’ Advisors to Syrian President Bashar Assad are pressuring him to respond to the alleged IAF attack by “landing a blow to an Israeli target.”

* Rosh HaShanah-Sabbath Holiday, Wed. Night thru Sat. Night The Jewish People begin nearly a month of holidays Wednesday evening: Two days of Rosh Hashanah, followed immediately by the Sabbath of Repentance.

* Powerful quake shakes Indonesia A powerful earthquake has struck off the western Indonesian island of Sumatra, sparking fears of a tsunami.

* Gaza Strip braces for IDF response Hamas began evacuating most of its security installations and civilian offices in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

* Russia tests giant fuel-air bomb The Russian air force has tested a giant fuel-air bomb which the military says is the biggest non-nuclear explosive device in the world.

* Euro hits new all-time high against U.S. dollar The euro hit a new all-time high against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, climbing as high as US$1.3878 amid speculation that the Federal Reserve will soon cut interest rates.

* U.S. Officials Begin Crafting Iran Bombing Plan A recent decision by German officials to withhold support for any new sanctions against Iran has pushed a broad spectrum of officials in Washington to develop potential scenarios for a military attack on the Islamic regime.

* Security Forces on Highest Alert For Rosh HaShanah & Ramadan Israel’s security forces are on highest alert ahead of the Jewish holidays, which coincide this year with the Muslim month of Ramadan.

By: Jerusalem Center of Strategic Affairs Unit – The Jerusalem Post

This weekend’s report of Israeli air force activity over northeastern Syria along the Turkish- Syrian border on September 6 comes in the context of disturbing trends in Syrian military behavior.

Read more….

* New bin Laden video surfaces A new video purportedly featuring an introduction from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was released Tuesday — the sixth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

* Hamas: Kassam attack on IDF training base ‘a victory from God’ A Hamas spokesman praised Tuesday’s rocket attack on an Israeli army base, calling it a “victory from God.”

* Iraq welcomes US surge ‘progress’ The Iraqi government has welcomed a positive report on the progress of the US military surge in Iraq by the top US commander there.

* Abbas jets off to Jidda to get Saudis on board PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia Tuesday and meet with the Saudi king.

* Syria warns flyovers will have tragic consequences Syria revved up Tuesday its rhetoric on Israel’s reported violation of Syrian airspace.

* Yishai: Shas will quit gov’t if Temple Mount is relinquished Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai said Tuesday morning that his ultra-Orthodox Shas party will leave the government if Israel relinquishes the Temple Mount.

* Hizbullah: IAF mission practice for Iran Hizbullah leaders on Monday joined those speculating about the mission, saying it was a practice IAF run to see whether Israel could penetrate into Iran.

* Chip implants linked to animal tumors When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved implanting microchips in humans, the manufacturer said it would save lives.

* September 10 and history September 10 has been robbed of its importance as a day on its own accord, now deriving its significance from proximity to the date it precedes.

* Merkel supports Sarkozy on future of EU debate German chancellor Angela Merkel has backed France’s idea of setting up a “council of the wise” to debate the future of Europe.

* Turkish FM slams Israel over fuel tanks Turkey on Monday called the discovery of fuel tanks allegedly dropped by IAF aircraft “unacceptable,” and Syria branded it a “hostile act.”

* Congress expected to grill general on violence data Congress is expected this week to pick apart U.S. military data suggesting attacks and civilian casualties in Baghdad have sharply decreased in recent months.

* Iran’s nuclear foes ‘racing to hell’: Ahmadinejad President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday lashed out at his Western foes which demand Iran halt its sensitive nuclear activities, saying they were “racing to hell”.

* Analysis: What’s guiding Damascus? This weekend’s report of Israeli air force activity over northeastern Syria along the Turkish- Syrian border on September 6 comes in the context of disturbing trends in Syrian military behavior.

* Pope says abortion “not a human right” Pope Benedict rejected the concept that abortion could be considered a human right on Friday and urged European leaders to do everything possible to raise birth rates and make their countries more child-friendly.

* Israel’s population numbers 7.2 million This Rosh Hashana eve there are 7.2 million Israeli citizens in the country, according to data released Monday by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

* Poll: Abbas’s popularity on the rise Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s popularity has increased since his rivals from Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian leader would easily win a re-election if a vote were held today, according to a poll released Monday.

* Netanyahu: We’re in 1939 Opposition leader says military option should be used if Iran about to get nuclear weapons.

* Olmert offers Abbas prisoner release ahead of Ramadan Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered on Monday to release Palestinian prisoners ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, during a meeting with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem.

* Al-Qaida promises 9/11 hijacker video Al-Qaida said Monday that it will release a new video of Osama bin Laden presenting the last testament of one of the Sept. 11 suicide hijackers, marking the sixth anniversary of the attacks.

* Hanegbi: Israel and Syria don’t have an interest in conflict “Israel and Syria don’t have an interest in conflict, and the United States, along with Arab countries, are making sure not to cause unnecessary tension.”

* ‘Embrace Islam’ Bin Laden urges A new video tape purportedly made by al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has urged the American people to embrace Islam in order to stop the war in Iraq.

* Syrian paper slams US-Israel cooperation A Syrian government newspaper accused the US on Saturday of encouraging Israel’s reported violation of Syrian airspace by remaining silent on the issue.

* Arab League says pullout condition for negotiations Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa has demanded the evacuation of settlements as a condition to the continuation of peace negotiations.

* ‘Israel and occupation will disappear’ “Like the Israeli terror was leashed on Syria two days ago, it will reach each and every Muslim country if we remain in this situation.”

* Putin, Bush fail to ease missile defense tension US President George W. Bush and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin failed to make clear progress in talks Friday to defuse tensions over US missile defense plans that have angered Moscow.

* Sources: Petraeus wants no troop cuts until spring The top U.S. commander in Iraq will recommend to President Bush that current U.S. troop levels be maintained in Iraq through next spring.

* Fast-track treaty talks start in Portugal The first test of whether the fast-track timetable for the new EU treaty has a chance of succeeding will took place (7 September).

* Oil price tests an all-time high The price of oil has risen close to a record level, putting more pressure on Opec to give a positive signal about production levels at its meeting in Vienna next week.

* Syrian president denies working against stability in Iraq Syria’s president has denied in an interview with CBS anchor Katie Couric that his government is allowing terrorists entry into Iraq.

* Majadle: Alleged IAF flyover won’t spark war with Syria Culture and Sports Minister Ghaleb Majadle said Friday that IAF planes enter Syrian airspace on a daily basis, adding that he did not believe the latest alleged incident would spark off a war.

* Pope, Peres discuss Mideast peace Pope Benedict XVI and Israeli President Shimon Peres discussed Middle East peace efforts on Thursday.

* Silence in the Face of Continued Temple Mount Destruction As an Arab bulldozer continues to dig away at the current Temple Mount floor, evidence is mounting that actual walls from the Second Temple are being destroyed.

* Ramon offers Palestinians broad West Bank pullout Vice Premier Haim Ramon has proposed Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and other senior officials, a broad West Bank withdrawal as part of a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

* Hamas clashes with Gaza worshippers Hamas’s Executive Force has clashed with Palestinians and journalists as they broke up outdoor crowds of worshippers across the Gaza Strip.

* Pope honours Austrian Jewish dead Pope Benedict XVI has begun a three-day visit to Austria by paying silent tribute to the victims of the Nazi Holocaust at a memorial in Vienna.

* Libya to host Darfur peace talks Rebels in Sudan and Darfur are to hold new peace talks with the Sudanese government.

* Bin Laden ‘to issue 9/11 video’ Osama Bin Laden is said to be preparing to release a video message to the American people to coincide with the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

* Israel Raises the Level on Water Technology The $10 million Palmachim desalination plant has begun pumping de-salted water from the Mediterranean Sea for the consumption of 300,000 people in the coastal area.

* Jordan’s Abdullah: U.S. must ensure success of Mideast conference Jordan’s King Abdullah II told the top American official on the Middle East Thursday that the U.S. must work hard to guarantee the success of an international peace conference scheduled for November.

* Syria: Air defenses fired at Israeli aircraft over our airspace Syrian air defenses opened fire on IAF aircraft that violated Syrian airspace overnight.

* Jakarta seals Russian arms deal Russia has closed a significant military deal with Indonesia, selling Jakarta a package of weapons including helicopters, tanks and submarines worth more than $1bn.

* Barak: IDF nearing large Gaza operation Defense Minister Ehud Barak confirmed Wednesday that Israel was nearing a large incursion into the Gaza Strip in response to Kassam rocket fire.

* UK and France say Kosovo a test of EU foreign policy Securing agreement on the final status of Kosovo, Serbia’s breakaway province, is a key test of the European Union’s foreign and security policy.

* UN Chief ‘Shocked’ by Darfur Camp U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was “shocked and humbled” by a visit to a Darfur refugee camp, where thousands cheered him.

* Lieberman: ‘Land for Peace’ Will Lead to Certain Failure Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman and his Yisrael Beiteinu party have taken the unique step of releasing a “party platform” in between national elections.

* Blair developing plan for Israeli-Palestinian steps Middle East envoy Tony Blair is developing a plan that would spell out practical steps that Israeli, Palestinian and business leaders would gradually take to try to boost peace prospects.

* A chronology of Israel-Syria relations since 1947 Syria said Thursday that it had fired on an Israel Air Force jet that violated its territory and warned it retained the right to respond.

* France considers ways to tackle globalization France should work for a “much more offensive policy of protection, solidarity and regulation” at an EU level in order to better face globalization.

* Norwegian, UK jets scramble to monitor 8 Russian bombers Norwegian and British fighters scrambled twice Thursday to monitor eight Russian bombers that neared the Nordic country’s territory in the latest show of air power by the Kremlin.