* Security increase in tense Hebron Israel has increased security in the West Bank city of Hebron ahead of a Jewish pilgrimage there.

* Abbas calls on Obama to implement Arab peace plan Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is asking US President-elect Barack Obama to implement an Arab peace plan as soon as he enters office.

* US forecasts: Iran will have makings of 3 A-bombs by end of 2009 The most up-to-date intelligence predictions of US nuclear experts is that by the end of 2009, Iran will have stocked enough weapons-grade fuel to build three nuclear bombs.

* ‘Hizbullah conducting drills in south’ Hizbullah has begun a series of military exercises on Saturday morning in the area south of the Litani River, in southern Lebanon.

* World economic situation ‘grim,’ says China’s Hu Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday warned the outlook for the world economy was not looking good.

* Syria: We won’t allow another IAEA visit A senior Syrian official on Friday all but ruled out new visits by UN inspectors probing allegations that his country had a covert program that could be used to make nuclear weapons.

* Iraqi parliament to vote on US pact Wednesday Iraq’s parliament will vote Wednesday on the proposed Iraq-U.S. security agreement that would allow American troops to stay in Iraq for three more years.

* Europe a ‘hobbled giant’ by 2025, US intelligence report predicts By 2025, the European Union will be a “hobbled giant” crippled by internal bickering and a eurosceptic citizenry.

* Somali pirates vow to defend boat Pirates in control of a Saudi oil tanker anchored off the Somali town of Haradheere have said that they will fight against any military attempt to free the vessel.

* Abbas Launches Unusual Peace Campaign Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has launched an unusual kind of peace campaign, by targeting the Israeli public with paid advertisements in major Hebrew-language newspapers to promote the Arab peace initiative.