* ‘Hizbullah stronger than during war’ Hizbullah is stronger than it was during the Second Lebanon War.

* Israel warns on Iran nuclear aims Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz has warned that Iran is near a breakthrough in its nuclear program.

* Ahmadinejad: Iran will stand against its enemies Iran will “stand against” its enemies, Reuters quoted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying.

* In Egypt, Muslim-Christian divide seems wider A monastery was ransacked in January. In May, monks there were kidnapped, whipped and beaten and ordered to spit on the cross.

* Iran fails to respond by int’l deadline A European Union official said Saturday that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana’s office has not yet received an answer from Iran.

* Hizbullah: Option of war awake A senior Hizbullah commander says that while the group does not seek war with Israel, it is ready for one.

* ‘Syria willing to cut Iran ties for peace with Israel’ A peace agreement with Syria is within reach, according to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s envoys to talks with Syria.

* Syrian President arrives in Iran as nuclear deadline looms Syrian President Bashar Assad arrived for talks in Tehran on Saturday, a few weeks after he told France he would use his good relations with Iran to help resolve the Islamic republic’s nuclear stand-off with the West.

* South Asian Leaders Want Joint Action to Fight Terrorism South Asian leaders, at the beginning of their summit on Saturday, pledged in vague terms to work together to fight terrorism.

* Tensions run high in Iraq over disputed Kirkuk More than 1,000 Sunni Arabs and Turkomen staged a demonstration Saturday to protest calls by Kurds to annex the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.