* U.S. Set to Sell Fighters to Iraq Iraq has quietly started negotiations to buy U.S. fighter jets and air-defense systems worth billions of dollars.
* Jordan, Too, Feels Heat of Arab Spring Protests Protests that washed across neighboring Syria and Egypt have been more of a ripple in this poor kingdom of six million.
* Saudi royals back certain Arab Spring revolts Saudi Arabia has helped damp down democracy movements sweeping the Arab world.
* Syrian exiles call for army to side with people A meeting of Syrian opposition in Istanbul ended on Wednesday with a call for the army to protect its people.
* US Jews Fear Muslim Terror A new poll reveals that US Jews fear terrorism by American Muslims.
* The churches against Israel A few days ago UK researchers announced that 17 skeletons belonged to Jews were found at the bottom of a medieval well in Norwich, England.
* Officials: Mideast Quartet talks failed due to disagreement over Israel as Jewish state The foreign ministers of the Middle East Quartet failed to reach an agreement on Monday surrounding the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.
* Palestine: EU bid to avoid UN vote on independence has failed Palestinian leaders have declared that an EU-led attempt to revive Arab-Israeli peace talks has failed.
* Rebuilt Iraq hospital plans surgery on infants It will be three years before doctors in Iraq can perform heart surgery on infants.
* Iraq's Indecision Fuels Panetta's Frustration U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta voiced frustration with the Iraqi government's delay in deciding whether to ask the U.S. to keep troops in the country beyond the current Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline.