* Obama to ‘aggressively’ seek ME peace Calling for border crossings into Gaza to be opened with “appropriate monitoring” to alleviate the humanitarian problems following Operation Cast Lead.

* George Mitchell named special envoy for the Middle East Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell was named special envoy for the Middle East during an event at the State Department on Thursday afternoon.

* Hamas: Obama doesn’t represent change Hamas said Thursday that US President Barack Obama’s position toward the Palestinians does not represent change.

* Saudi prince says US ties at risk over Mideast A member of Saudi Arabia’s royal family warned US President Barack Obama on Friday the Middle East peace process and US-Saudi ties were at risk.

* PA official: Israel made ‘big mistake’ Israel made a “big mistake” by ending Operation Cast Lead without overthrowing the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip.

* Pope to launch Vatican on YouTube Pope Benedict XVI is set to have his own dedicated channel on the popular video sharing website, YouTube.

* World races to help Gaza before Iran The international community has to decide within a short time how to funnel reconstruction aid into the Gaza Strip without benefiting Hamas.

* Russia ready to cooperate with US on Afghanistan President Dmitry Medvedev said Friday that Moscow is ready to help stabilize the situation in Afghanistan by allowing the United States and others to allow cargo for coalition forces.

* China says Web crackdown to be “long-lasting” China sought on Friday to portray its Internet crackdown as a campaign to protect youth from filth and nothing to do with stifling political dissent.

* U.S. envoy warns against ‘precipitous’ withdrawal from Iraq The U.S. ambassador to Iraq on Thursday warned against an abrupt American military departure from Iraq.