* IDF begins shelling northern Gaza for 1st time since op began For the first time since the start of Operation Cast Lead, the IDF began firing artillery shells into northern Gaza on Saturday afternoon.

* Bush: Hamas attacks are acts of terror US President George W. Bush on Friday branded the Hamas rocket attacks on Israel an “act of terror”.

* Mashaal: Black fate awaits IDF in Gaza Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal on Friday warned Israel against continuing its military operation in Gaza.

* Rice: No end in sight to Gaza conflict US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday said the United States and key world allies were pushing hard for a “durable and sustainable” cease-fire in Gaza.

* Top Iran official holds talks with Syria on Gaza violence Syria’s official news agency reported Saturday that a senior Iranian official visiting Damascus has held talks on Israel’s weeklong offensive in Gaza with Syrian President Bashar Assad.

* European crowds urge end to Gaza op Demonstrators hurled shoes at the tall iron gates outside the British prime minister’s residence in London.

* Palestinian police ban pro-Hamas rallies in West Bank Palestinian police violently cracked down on protests organized by their rivals in Hamas throughout the West Bank.

* EU’s new figurehead believes climate change is a myth The European Union’s new figurehead believes that climate change is a dangerous myth and has compared the union to a Communist state.

* Egyptians blame Hamas, yet are angry at Cairo as well A sustained Israeli ground operation in Gaza would sharply increase public pressure on President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to do more to help the Palestinians of Gaza.

* Russia gas row disruption spreads, no talks in sight Russian gas flows to four European Union countries dipped below normal on Saturday after Moscow cut off supplies to Ukraine.