International Glance
June 20 (Bloomberg) -- Iran would respond to an Israeli attack on nuclear facilities with a ``heavy blow,'' a senior cleric said, following a New York Times report that Israel carried out an exercise that could prepare it for such a strike.
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, leading Friday prayers in Tehran, said today that Iran favored dialogue and would resist ``mischievous acts,'' the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said. Such an attack would prompt an ``uproar on the part of our nation,'' Khatami said.
TVNL Comment: Israel is playing a terrbily dangerous game with its threats of a preventive attack against Iraq. They seem to believe they can do as they please with total impunity.
Palestinian medical workers say a young girl has been killed by Israeli tank fire in the Gaza Strip.
BERLIN: Despite strong criticism from the opposition and even its own coalition partners, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government agreed Wednesday to give Germany's police forces greater powers to monitor homes, telephones and private computers, maintaining that an enhanced reach would protect citizens from terrorist attacks.
Vice Premier Haim Ramon on Monday acknowledged that Israel was holding talks with Hamas, in violation of a government decision not to conduct talks with the Islamist Palestinian group until it complies with the demands of the Quartet.
