VIENNA (AFP) – The UN atomic agency was wrapping up a debate Thursday on Iran’s nuclear programme after both the United States and Europe warned that new UN sanctions loom over fears Tehran seeks atomic weapons.

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s defence minister vowed Thursday not to let Hamas’ near takeover of Gaza spill over into violence against the Jewish state. Some Israelis are calling on the military to invade the coastal strip, but for now, the government seems more inclined to stay out of the …

DAMASCUS (AP) — A senior Hamas official in Syria said Thursday there would be no change in Gaza’s status and no Islamic rule declared in the territory after a near takeover of the seaside strip by the group.

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — A Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip would deal a blow to a US peace push founded on the premise Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would be capable of reining in fighters and Israel would embrace him as a partner.

BAGHDAD — The second bombing at the Samarra shrine will test Moqtada Sadr’s political skills and clarify what control he has over his feared Mehdi Army militia.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) — A former UN Middle East envoy quit his job last month making bitter allegations that UN policy in the region had failed because it was subservient to US and Israeli interests, according to a leaked document.

VIENNA (AFP) — Iran threatened Thursday to further reduce cooperation with the UN atomic agency if new sanctions are ordered and insisted its uranium enrichment programme had gone too far to turn back.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Three Sunni mosques were torched and mortar bombs hit Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone on Thursday, police said, despite curfews imposed after suspected Al Qaeda gunmen hit a revered Shiite shrine.

BEIRUT (AP) — Angry mourners blamed Syria and vented anger at its ally Hizbollah Thursday as the crowd laid to rest Lebanese legislator Walid Eido, the latest victim of a wave of assassinations of anti-Syrian figures.

AMMAN (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday called for taking all possible measures to stop inter-Palestinian fighting and bring to an end bloodshed and the state of chaos prevailing in the Gaza Strip.