03 Sep 10

College begins 'prayer movement for America'
A Christian university in Alabama is calling people to join together in prayer for a nationwide spiritual and cultural transformation as the mid-term elections approach.  

De Borchgrave: Chance of Israeli Attack on Iran 50-50 and Rising
The chance that Israel will launch a pre-emptive attack on Iran's rogue nuclear-weapons facilities is now 50-50 and appears to be rising steadily, says Middle East expert and award-winning journalist Arnaud de Borchgrave.  

Indonesian volcano erupts again
"The volcano erupted at 04:38 am which has lasted for 13 minutes and sending a column of ash as high as 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) into the air. This is the biggest eruption," government volcanologist Agus Budianto told AFP. "We recorded continuous tremors since 7:00 pm Thursday that indicated an intense magma movement inside the volcano," he said.  

Drug shootout with army kills 25 in Mexico
At least 25 suspected drug gang members were killed in an army raid in rural northeastern Mexico on Thursday, the army said in a press release.  

Israelis, Palestinians to work out framework agreement
US envoy George Mitchell stresses framework will tackle all core issues at heart of conflict, Netanyahu and Abbas agree to hold another meeting on Sept. 14 and 15.  

Netanyahu and Abbas in Closed-Door Meeting as Direct Talks Begin
Addressing the two leaders, she said: "I truly believe you are the leaders who can make this long-cherished dream a reality, and we will do everything possible to help you."  

State Dept. Spokesman Speaks of "Extremists on All Sides"
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley devoted a good portion of his time to the topic of the talks that are to begin today, and was even asked what was the shape of the table to be used by the sides.  

Russian police raid opposition magazine
Russian police, some armed and masked, raided a prominent opposition magazine on Thursday as part of an unspecified investigation, the deputy editor of the magazine told Reuters. "About five, some in masks and some armed, came to the office to carry out what they called 'investigative actions'", said Ilya Barabanov, deputy editor of the New Times, a weekly magazine.  

Cantor: Beware of the Obama tax increases
Listening to the Democrats this summer, you're unlikely to hear about an impending tax increase. In an effort to sanitize their historically irresponsible decision to raise tax rates in the midst of a struggling economy, President Obama and the congressional majority say they are merely "allowing the Bush tax cuts" to expire. Skillful messaging perhaps, but cold comfort to the millions of Americans and small businesses who aren't concerned with what their effective tax rate was in 2001.  

Russia suffers new forest fire outbreak
In the south of the country fire swept through villages and towns, destroying hundreds of homes and other buildings. Last month more than 50 people were killed in western Russia in the worst forest fires in many years, sparked by the most severe heatwave and drought ever recorded in Russia. But while temperatures have eased in much of Russia, they are still high in the south, reaching almost 40C.  

Explosion on Mariner Energy oil rig in Gulf of Mexico
An explosion has torn through an offshore oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of a blast in April which caused a huge oil spill. All 13 crew on the rig, operated by Marine Energy, escaped into the water and were later rescued. ...Officials said there was no evidence of an oil leak, despite earlier reports of a mile-long sheen on the ocean.  

Hurricane Earl weakens as it nears US East Coast
Residents and visitors to the Emerald Isle in North Carolina prepare for the hurricane Areas along the US East Coast have declared states of emergency as Hurricane Earl churns towards the region. The hurricane has weakened to a category two storm, with maximum sustained winds of 165km/h (105mph). US weather officials predicted the storm would continue to weaken as it passed North Carolina and moved towards New England.  

Deal reached on pan-European financial supervisors
After months of tough negotiations, the three sides of the EU triangle came to agreement on Thursday on the creation of financial supervisors intended to put an end to economic crises such as those of the last three years before they appear. The European Commission, the European Parliament and the EU member states reached a political deal to set up a European Systemic Risk Board and three separate agencies to monitor securities, banks and insurance companies.  

'Jerusalem Day paves the way for Israel's collapse'
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Israel "hypocrite racists" and a Western invention as Iranians celebrated International Jerusalem Day on Friday, the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with rallies against the "Israeli occupation of Palestinian land by Israel" being held across the country, according to a report by Iranian news source PressTV. Iranians held rallies in cities including Teheran, Isfahan, Shiraz and Mashhad.  

02 Sep 10

Ashton: Result of direct talks critical for entire region
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton welcomed the launch of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on Thursday in Washington. She said that the results of the talks will not only be critical for the two parties, but for the entire region and beyond. Ashton again condemned Wednesday's West Bank shooting attack.  

Obama: Direct Talks Will 'End the Occupation'
U.S. President Barack Obama announced Wednesday afternoon he is optimistic his team would succeed in jumpstarting direct talks aimed at ending Israel’s “occupation” and leading to formation of a new Palestinian Authority country.  

Sheriff: Mexican Cartels Control Parts of Arizona
The federal government has posted signs along a major interstate highway in Arizona, more than 100 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, warning travelers the area is unsafe because of drug and alien smugglers, and a local sheriff says Mexican drug cartels now control some parts of the state.  

Dr. Kedar Warns: Iran May Take Over Persian Gulf
Arab states in the Gulf believe that Iran's saber-rattling and aggressive statements towards Israel are actually a decoy, aimed at shifting the focus from its real purpose, a full takeover of the oil and gas-rich Persian Gulf.  

Ashton: Result of direct talks critical for entire region
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton welcomed the launch of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on Thursday in Washington.  

Judge rules against U.S. government on oil drilling
A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the U.S. government's request to dismiss an industry lawsuit challenging its deepwater oil and gas drilling moratorium, dealing another blow to the Obama administration.  

PA official vows: 'We will hit Hamas with an iron fist'
Palestinian Authority security forces have vowed to arrest Hamas members and bring order to the West Bank, according to a Thursday report by London daily Asharq Al-Awsat.  

EU's Ashton meets Chinese foreign minister
The Beijing meeting with Yang came a day after she took part in the inaugural EU-China High-Level Strategic Dialogue in the southwestern city of Guiyang -- a forum intended to keep the two sides in contact on major issues.  

Series of Miracles Saves Terror Attack Target
Only now that I am out of it, I can recount about ten miracles that happened to us in the space of about five minutes, with praise and thanks to G-d.”  

PA Minister Threatens War over Jerusalem
The Palestinian Authority religious affairs minster, a week before peace talks in Washington, warned of war if Jerusalem is not “returned” to “its owners. And we are its owners."  

Barak: Israel May Divide Jerusalem, Internationalize Holy Basin
Defense Minister Ehud Barak says it is likely that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will agree to divide Jerusalem with the Palestinian Authority.  

Peres, Pope to Discuss Peace Talks
President Shimon Peres plans to meet Thursday with Pope Benedict XVI in Italy. The two are to discuss the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.  

Netanyahu to Abu Mazen: "You're My Partner for Peace"
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) are making last-minute preparations for the much-touted direct talks, set to begin at 5 PM Israel time (10 AM in Washington).  

Ben Bernanke to appear before financial crisis hearing
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke is set to appear before a panel investigating the financial crisis to give his take on the meltdown and his views on potential system-wide risks posed by large financial institutions. Bernanke led the economy through the tumultuous months of the most severe recession since the 1930s, as the Federal Reserve took extraordinary measures to inject hundreds of billions into the battered financial system.  

Settlers defy peace talks with new construction across West Bank
Hours before peace talks were set to begin in Washington, Jewish settlers defiantly announced plans on Thursday to launch new construction in their West Bank enclaves in a test of strength with Palestinian Islamists. Naftali Bennett, director of the settlers' Yesha council, said settlers would begin building homes and public structures in at least 80 settlements, breaking a partial government freeze on building that ends on September 26.  

Island evacuations start as Earl nears East Coast
Hurricane Earl steamed toward the Eastern Seaboard early Thursday as communities from North Carolina to New England kept a close eye on the forecast, worried that even a slight shift in the storm's predicted offshore track could put millions of people in the most densely populated part of the country in harm's way. Vacationers along North Carolina's dangerously exposed Outer Banks took advantage of the typical picture-perfect day just before a hurricane arrives to pack their cars and flee inland, cutting short their summer just before Labor Day weekend.