* Netanyahu PM bid wins key support Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel’s right-wing Likud party, has won the backing of a leading far-right party for his bid to become PM.

* U.S. Plan: Ask Syria to Disarm Hizbullah United States Senator John Kerry said Wednesday that the new U.S. administration plans to take a new tack in the effort to disarm Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah.

* US faces fresh Afghan obstacles Kyrgyz MPs have voted to close a key US base supplying troops in Afghanistan, hours before Nato chiefs meet to study a US plea to boost troop levels.

* Dichter Warns Israel Faces Two New Arab States: Hamas and Fatah Israel faces the danger of a “three-state solution” with Hamas in control of Gaza and the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority responsible for Judea and Samaria.

* Iraq’s Kurds Call for U.S. Mediation With Baghdad The Kurds in the northern autonomous region of Iraq are worried that the U.S. forces will leave the country without intervening in resolving key disputes with the central Baghdad government.

* Pope tells Nancy Pelosi life must be protected Pope Benedict XVI received Nancy Pelosi, one of the most prominent abortion rights politicians in America, and told her Wednesday that Catholic politicians have a duty to protect life “at all stages of its development.”

* Financial crisis slowing enlargement, Prague warns Despite “fatigue” setting in amongst EU member states as a result of the ongoing economic crisis, the process of enlargement of the bloc should not be neglected.

* Clinton: U.S. Preparing for Possible Regime Change in North Korea The Obama administration and America’s Asian allies are preparing for a possible regime change in North Korea.

* Iran envoy calls for global nuclear disarmament An Iranian enovy called on Thursday for global negotiations aimed at total nuclear disarmament.

* John Kerry leads congressional visit to Gaza Three congressional Democrats, including Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, visited Gaza on Thursday.