* ‘US warned China that Israel could bomb Iran’ Two senior officials from the White House, Dennis Ross and Jeffrey Bader, made a trip to China on a “special mission” to garner support in Beijing over the Iranian nuclear program.

* IAEA chief: Iran probe at ‘dead end’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Thursday that his probe of allegations that Iran was trying to produce nuclear arms is at “a dead end” because Teheran is not cooperating.

* Palestinians shun Israeli settlement restriction plan The Palestinian Authority has reacted negatively to Israel’s offer to temporarily restrict construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

* US dollar falls to 14-year low against the yen The US dollar has hit a 14-year low against the Japanese yen with low interest rates in the US making the greenback less attractive to investors.

* Slowdown in Muslim population growth rate Figures published by Central Bureau of Statistics ahead of Eid al-Adha holiday show birthrate among Muslim women in Israel higher than among women in Arab countries.

* Settlers plan pressure on ministers, PR efforts Yesha Council management and municipal heads in West Bank to hold emergency session to decide how to move forward in campaign against building freeze.

* Obama will unveil Afghan troops move at West Point President Barack Obama plans to announce a redrawn battle plan for Afghanistan.

* Chavez: Israel murderous arm of US Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s president, has branded Israel a murderous agent of the US during a visit to Caracas by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, his Iranian counterpart.

* Saudi floods kill 77 while Muslims perform hajj Muslim pilgrims holding white umbrellas against the blazing sun clambered up a rocky desert hill for prayers Thursday during the annual hajj, a day after torrential rains that killed at least 77 people.

* China expert warns of pandemic flu mutation China must be alert to any mutation or changes in the behavior of the H1N1 swine flu virus because the far deadlier H5N1 bird flu virus is endemic in the country, a leading Chinese disease expert said.