1. As predicted by ThreatsWatch, North Korea has invited the Obama Administration to Pyongyang for direct talks on nukes following Bill Clinton's trip to North Korea and NoKor envoy meetings in New Mexico with former Secretary of the Dept. of Energy, Bill Richardson.

2. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad not only said time is running out for peace, but added that the Palestinian Authority plans to forgo peace talks and establish its own Palestinian state within 2 years. Inertia provide by world media-driven opinion and the complacence of the new American administration.

3. White House, Justice Department continue witch hunt for CIA interrogators. Former Vice President Dick Cheney calls interrogators "targets of political investigations or prosecutions."

4. Germany is threatening new energy (gasoline) sanctions against Iran as the mullah regime re-states its "cooperation with the IAEA" on its nuclear program.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT v. INTELLIGENCE
Interrogators got data, could face criminal charges - Washington Times
Cheney Statement on CIA Document/Investigation - Weekly Standard
'Inhumane' CIA terror tactics spur criminal probe - AP
Panetta loses battle over CIA abuse probes - Washington Times

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan: bloodiest year for international troops since 2001 - Telegraph (UK)
Petraeus, Pentagon to Open New Training Center for Officers in Afghanistan & Pakistan - FOX News
Michael Yon's British Embed Ends After Publishing 'Bad Medicine' - Michael Yon

IRAN
Repeat After me: Iran 'will co-operate with IAEA' - BBC
Merkel threatens energy sanctions against Iran - AFP
Expect More Adventurism From Iran - Wall Street Journal
The New Enemies of the Revolution - Caspian Weekly

IRAQ
Iraq asks Syria to hand over bombing suspects - Reuters
Iraq's al-Qaeda claims Baghdad government bombings - AP
Inside al-Qaeda's underground torture bunkers - CNNi

ISRAEL
Shots exchanged over Gaza border - BBC

NORTH KOREA
End of Phase II: U.S. Diplomats Invited for Nuclear Talks in North Korea - Global Security Newswire
The Prelude Was: Fmr. Energy Sec. Bill Richardson, North Korea Envoys Meet In New Mexico - MSNBC
And The Desired Headline Hits: North Korea Makes Nice: An Opening for the U.S.? - TIME

PAKISTAN
Bodies of suspected Taliban found in Pakistan's Swat - Reuters
In Pakistan, Taliban Tearing Apart a Culture - ABC

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Palestinian PM says PA to bypass failing peace talks and establish own state within two years - Times (UK)
Has Hamas unofficially imposed Islamic dress code on students? - Los Angeles Times
PA sets Hamas men free for Ramadan - Jerusalem Post

VENEZUELA
Venezuelan Jews no longer feel safe - Miami Herald