Britannia Radio

Breaking News Mahmoud Abbas praised President Bush for laying the foundations for Israeli-Palestinian peace. A former Yemeni Air Force officer confessed to killing a Jewish citizen. Russia will soon deliver to Iran parts of a missile system that would hinder efforts to launch an airstrike against the country, Iran's state news agency reported. Eight Congress members demanded answers from the U.S. Export-Import Bank over its loan guarantees to companies linked to Iran. Benjamin Netanyahu met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy to stress the dire global threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and discuss plans for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Hamas has mostly stopped launching rockets at Israel for 24 hours at the request of Egypt, according to reports. Bloggers uncovered past praise for Syria by the evangelical pastor who is slated to deliver the invocation at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration. A president of Poland visited a synagogue for the first time since World War II, Polish Radio reported. The Vatican denied that Pope John XXIII wrote a deathbed "prayer for the Jews" in which he asked God's forgiveness for Christian anti-Jewish persecution over the centuries. Lawmakers in a western Ukrainian city demanded the arrest of members of a Jewish charity over a Holocaust film screening. A Kassam rocket that hit a home in Sderot was one of at least 50 rockets and mortars to strike southern Israel since a cease-fire with Hamas ended. A settlement that is home to 3,000 Israelis should be considered an illegal outpost, an Israeli human rights group says. A left-wing American Jewish group will support Israelis who refuse to be conscripted into the army. The British government will warn its citizens against buying property in settlements in the West Bank. A mosque near Israel's Jaffa Port was defaced with graffiti including "Muhammad is a pig" and "Death to Arabs." Caroline Kennedy has expressed support for Israel and for Jerusalem as its capital. A book about Chanukah laws and customs was released in the native language of the Bnei Menashe of northeastern India. Israeli farmers re-created a ritual described by a 16th century Jewish scholar in the hopes of bringing rain. A cache of ancient gold coins was discovered at a Jerusalem archeological site.

Editors' Picks

Tracking the Madoff fallout The Fundermentalist keeps you informed on the latest news in the Madoff scandal: Two major foundations previously worth more than a combined $1 billion close their doors. The American Technion loses $72 million. The Boston Globe profiles one of Madoff's middlemen. Hadassah's president issues a video message regarding the organization's $90 million hit.

Political Tidbits: Caroline Kennedy and the Jews Caroline Kennedy tells the New York Times that she "believes an undivided Jerusalem must be the national capital of the State of Israel" and comes across as strongly pro-Israel answering an Israel-related question from Politico.

Barak unplugged Ehud Barak, in a wide-ranging interview with Ari Shavit of Ha'aretz, offers some reflections on the Israeli public's perception of him, his capacity for human emotion and, of course, his indispensability as leader of the State of Israel.

Kampeas is mightier than the Penn JTA's Ron Kampeas picks apart actor-director-wannabe journalist Sean Penn.