* Livni pushes UN to get tougher with Iran The UN Security Council should adopt more and tougher sanctions against Iran to try to halt Iran’s nuclear program.

* Report: Israel spots nuclear installations in Syria Israel believes that North Korea has been supplying Syria and Iran with nuclear materials.

* Saudis question Middle East talks Saudi Arabia has said that a US-backed Middle East peace conference will be pointless unless it tackles key issues and sets a timetable for a final deal.

* Heightened state of alert announced over Rosh Hashana The security establishment has announced Tuesday the highest state of alert throughout Israel over Rosh Hashana.

* Ramadan begins across Muslim world Ramadan, a month of day-long fasting, spiritual reflection and sometimes night-long revelry, has begun for most of the world’s 1.2 billion Muslims.

* Oil hits record on supply fears Oil prices have risen above $80 a barrel for the first time, a day after Opec moved to boost its output of crude in an effort to ease cost pressures.

* Ahmadinejad: Iran can help secure Iraq, Israel is ‘cruel’ Iran wants “peace and friendship for all,” the country’s president said Wednesday while again denying Western assertions his nation is pursuing nuclear weapons and trying to destabilize Iraq.

* Jews From 18 Countries Coming on Aliyah Jews from several countries around the globe will be making Aliyah [immigration to Israel] this coming week.

* Hamas urges militants not to target Israeli border crossings The Hamas government urged Gaza militants Thursday not to attack border crossings with Israel in order to ensure the flow of basic goods into Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

* Belgrade will not bargain on Kosovo, Serbian PM says The breakaway province of Kosovo cannot be the object of “any sort of trade or any sort of deal” with Belgrade.