* Obama reaches out to Muslim world Barack Obama has declared that the US “is not at war with Islam”, in a major speech during his first visit as president to a mainly Muslim country.

* Israel doesn’t take orders from Obama “Israel does not take orders from Obama,” Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan said.

* Abdullah: Israel holding Mideast hostage Jordan’s King Abdullah II said that an Arab peace initiative offers a solution for peace in the Middle East, adding that Israel should seize the opportunity or risk ongoing conflict in the region.

* Blair steps up fight to be crowned first President of EU Brown gives grudging blessing to his old rival’s return to new job at centre of the global stage

* Italy hunts for quake survivors A desperate search for survivors is on in the mountain city of L’Aquila in central Italy after a quake killed at least 91 people and injured 1,500.

* Putin says Russia can beat crisis This year will be “very difficult” for the Russian economy, but the country will come out of the downturn, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said.

* Iran defends North Korea rocket launch Iran defended North Korea’s rocket launch, saying Monday that every nation has the right to the peaceful use of space technology.

* Western Wall Gets a Repair Job Israeli archeologists are inspecting each exposed stone of the Western Wall as part of conservation efforts to preserve the nearly 2,000-year-old retaining wall of the Temple Mount.

* EU-US summit exposes divisions over Turkey France and Germany in Prague poured cold water on US calls to press ahead with Turkish enlargement.