* Kurds snub parliament vote on Iraqi election law Kurdish lawmakers pushing for control of a northern oil-rich city boycotted a parliament session on Thursday.

* 'J'lem to be majority Arab in 20 years' A new report presented to Israeli parliamentarians has found that despite decades of government attempts to ensure a Jewish majority in Jerusalem, Palestinians will make up the majority of the city's population within 20 years.

* UN 'hopeful' after Iran response The UN's nuclear watchdog says it is hopeful an agreement with Iran can be reached after Tehran's response to a new offer on uranium refinement.

* Saudis and Iran in pre-Hajj tensions Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued a veiled threat to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

* Pakistan army targets Uzbek base Pakistani troops fighting the Taliban in South Waziristan have surrounded a key stronghold of Uzbek fighters.

* Jerusalem Official: PA has De Facto Control Parts of Capital Israeli control over eastern Jerusalem is a "fiction� while the Palestinian Authority has a presence in many areas.

* Israel marks 14 years since Rabin assassination Israel commemorated on Thursday 14 years since the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin with an official state memorial service at the national cemetery of Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

* New Turkish Envoy: Israel Must Understand Ankara's Mideast Role Turkey's new ambassador to Israel has appealed for Jerusalem's "understanding" in his first statement to the media since taking the position earlier in the week.

* EU leaders head for difficult summit on climate and institutions EU leaders gather in Brussels on Thursday (29 October) for a two-day summit to try and shape a common position on climate issues.

* EU leaders to debate Blair presidency on summit sidelines European government chiefs gather in Brussels this evening for a summit likely to be the first occasion to broach the divisive subject of Tony Blair's candidacy to be Europe's first president.