Netanyahu woos political adversaries

Days after being chosen to form the next Israeli government, Benjamin Netanyahu met with moderate party leaders in an attempt to lure them into a government under his leadership. Netanyahu, who heads the conservative Likud movement, made no real progress in his separate talks with Kadima party leader, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Labor party leader Defense Minister Ehud Barak. “I am not going to give up on this,” Netanyahu said Monday.

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Is Obama Ready for a Hard-Right Israel?

After weeks of wrangling following the general election earlier this month, Benjamin Netanyahu is set to become Israel’s Prime Minister for the second time, putting Israel on a potential collision course with its Palestinians partners, its Arab neighbors and perhaps even its American ally.

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Israeli doubles star Ram allowed UAE entry

Israel’s Andy Ram will be able to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships next week after being granted a visa to enter the United Arab Emirates. The ATP had been under pressure to ensure Ram could compete after his countrywoman Shahar Peer was prevented from playing in the women’s event this week. ATP president and executive chairman Adam Helfant told PA Sport: “I am pleased that the efforts to secure Andy Ram’s visa to compete in the ATP World Tour 500 event in Dubai next week have been successful.

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Volunteers, scientists guard endangered whales

Glenn Wood and several other retirees lean on a wood rail on the second story balcony of the Golden Lion Café — a beachside pub and restaurant in northern Florida. It’s 8 a.m., so no one’s here for French fries or beer-battered fish. As the group gazes out into the ocean sunrise, they’re scanning for North Atlantic right whales

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Hamas says it may consider Israeli soldier’s release

The Palestinian militant group Hamas said Monday that it is willing to consider the release of an Israeli soldier who was seized in a cross-border raid more than two years ago. But the Hamas leadership of Gaza will not release Gilad Shalit as part of a broader cease-fire agreement with Israel, according to a statement released Monday from Hamas political official Raafat Naseef

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Saudi activist: Female minister ‘first step’ but more needed

The appointment of a woman to Saudi Arabia’s influential council of ministers is a "first step" for women’s rights in the country, but it’s unclear if she will have any real power, an outspoken advocate said Sunday. “It is something really great, and we are very proud of our king that he took this decision,” said Wajeha al-Huwaider, a prominent Saudi activist and writer

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Exit polls: Kadima leads Israeli vote, big gains for Likud

Israel’s two largest parties each claimed a mandate early Wednesday after exit polls showed a surprise first-place finish by the ruling Kadima party and dramatic gains by its conservative rivals. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni’s failure to assemble a ruling coalition for Kadima last year triggered Tuesday’s elections. But she told supporters after the vote that the narrow edge Kadima appears to have held over the conservative Likud shows her party is “the common denominator of Israeli society.” Livni called on Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu “to respect the choice of Israel’s citizens …

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NZ PM’s mishap is lucky break for charity

An Internet auction to sell off the plaster cast that New Zealand Prime Minister John Key wore when he broke his right arm has raised close to NZ$ 20,000 for charity. The online auction ended Sunday with a winning bid of NZ$18,500 (US$ 9,362), according to the New Zealand shopping Web site TradeMe, which conducted the bidding. The prime minister broke his arm in two places on January 17 when he tripped on some stairs at a Chinese New Year event in Auckland

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