* Hanukkah Begins Tonight; Celebrations Commence Worldwide Hanukkah has begun in Israel, as most of the Jewish people across the globe prepare to light the first candle Wednesday night.
* Iran-North Korea Missile Cooperation Undermines Recent Geneva Nuclear Deal Iranian collaboration with North Korea on a new rocket booster for long-range missiles undermines the deal with Tehran on its nuclear program.
* US now indicates Iran interim deal wasn't quite finalized Iran is currently enjoying a "window" of time before the six-month deal signed in Geneva early Sunday goes into effect.
* Rouhani says Geneva nuclear deal increased Israel's isolation The first-stage deal signed between Iran and world powers in Geneva has caused the isolation of the Islamic Republic's enemies.
* Iran: Construction will continue at Arak nuclear site Iran will pursue construction at the Arak heavy-water reactor.
* Obama's call to close Vatican embassy is 'slap in the face' to Roman Catholics The Obama administration, in what's been called an egregious slap in the face to the Vatican, has moved to shut down the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See.
* Pope-Putin Visit: Is church detente in the works? President Vladimir Putin's Nov. 25 meeting with Pope Francis was the third to the Holy See by a Russian leader.
* Syria gov't says will attend peace talks, but Assad won't cede power Western countries which demand that President Bashar Assad step down should either stop dreaming or forget attending peace talks in January.
* Israel: EU funds will not reach West Bank Israel will ensure that money it receives under a technology-sharing pact with the European Union will not be spent in the West Bank or east Jerusalem.