* General Assembly chief: UN must adopt 1947 resolution on partition of Palestine Father Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann, president of the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, on Thursday urged the UN to work toward implementing UN Resolution 181.

* Livni stunned as Mofaz quits politics On her first day as Kadima’s new leader, Tzipi Livni received a startling blow.

* Ahmadinejad: Israel causing Palestinian holocaust Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that Israel was perpetrating a holocaust on the Palestinian people.

* Iran aims to surpass Saudi oil refining Iran plans to become the most productive oil refiner in the Gulf region by 2012.

* Rice says Russia on path to isolation and irrelevance In scathing criticism of Moscow, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Russia Thursday that its policies have put it on a path to isolation and irrelevance.

* Abbas welcomes Livni’s Kadima victory Palestinian Authority officials on Thursday welcomed the election of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as chairwoman of Kadima.

* Bibi: It’s time for general elections Likud leader MK Binyamin Netanyahu has called on Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the Kadima Party’s new leader, to set a date for general elections.

* Pope defends WWII pontiff’s role Pope Benedict XVI has defended the actions of predecessor Pius XII during World War II, saying the pontiff spared no effort to try to save Jews.

* Russia ratchets up US tensions with arms sales to Iran and Venezuela Russia defied the United States yesterday by announcing plans to sell military hardware to Iran and Venezuela.

* UN envoy says Mideast peace efforts at crossroads Peace talks by Israel and the Palestinians are at a crossroads 10 months after their leaders agreed to try to reach an accord this year.