* PM, Abbas try to hammer out differences ahead of ME parley Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Friday promised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that Israel would not cause a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

* Majadle: I didn’t express gov’t’s view “I was not representing the government’s view. I have told you on more than one occasion that I am the different voice, the other voice in the government and this is an important thing in a democratic society,” Culture, Science and Sport Minister Ghaleb Majadle told Israel Radio Friday.

* Iran defiant at new US sanctions Iran has responded defiantly to new sanctions imposed by the US targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and three state-owned banks.

* Syria air strike target ‘removed’ Newly-released satellite images of the presumed site of an Israeli air raid on Syria last month suggest that a large building has been completely removed.

* Disputes loom at EU-Russia talks The European Union has begun talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit the bloc hopes will remove some obstacles towards a co-operation pact.

* Turkey and Iraq in crisis talks With tensions running high, a high-powered Iraqi delegation is holding talks in Ankara in a fresh bid to avert any imminent Turkish strike.

* Oil spikes at $92 on supply fears Crude oil prices spiked above $92 a barrel Friday on tensions in the Middle East and renewed concerns about supply.

* ‘Gaza power cuts could lead to escalation’ Senior security source expresses fear that defense minister’s decision to limit power supplies to Strip will boost terror organization’s motivation to fire rockets.

* Abbas: ‘Israel and Hamas have been meeting’ Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the capital on Friday.

* US dollar touches a new euro low The US dollar tumbled to yet another new low against the euro, as speculation mounted that US interest rates would be cut again next week.