10/09/12

* U.S., Israel 'Nearing Agreement' on Joint Iran Strike The United States and Israel have come closer together in recent days.

* Russia to become Iraq's second-biggest arms supplier Moscow, the main supplier of arms to Iraq under Saddam Hussein, thus becomes the country's second-biggest arms supplier after the US.

* Merkel pledges support for Greece in Athens visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged her country's continuing support to Greece.

* UAE: Gulf must tackle Muslim Brotherhood threat Gulf Arab countries should work together to stop Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood plotting to undermine governments in the region, the United Arab Emirates' foreign minister said.

* Ahmadinejad acknowledges threat of attack, promises 'crushing' response Any attack against Iran will precipitate a harsh retaliation, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised on Tuesday.

* Erekat: UNGA bid the only way to stop settlements Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Monday that the Palestinian bid for non-member status at the United Nations is the only way to stop the expanding Israeli settlement enterprise in the West Bank.

* North Korea says its missiles can reach US North Korea has said its missiles can hit the US mainland, in an apparent riposte to Washington.

* Turkish president says "worst case" unfolding in Syria Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Monday the "worst-case scenarios" were now playing out in Syria and Turkey would do everything necessary to protect itself.

* Study: One-Third Of Adults Under 30 Have No Religious Affiliation One-fifth of American adults have no religious affiliation, and this number is increasing rapidly.

* 'Palestinians have not abandoned armed struggle' The Palestinians have not abandoned the option of armed struggle against Israel, a top Fatah official in the West Bank said on Monday.