* Stock markets plunge across world Global share markets are falling amid investors’ widening fears of a sustained worldwide economic recession.

* Hu Says China’s Economy Stable, Pledges Coordination on Crisis Chinese President Hu Jintao said maintaining his country’s economic growth rate, the fastest among major economies, is the best way to combat a credit crisis.

* Oil falls despite production cuts World oil prices have continued to fall, undermining oil cartel Opec’s efforts to steady prices by cutting output by 1.5 million barrels a day.

* Iran Turns Tables, Threatens Strike on Israel In an upping of the tit for tat rhetoric between Tel Aviv and Tehran, several senior Iranian officials have recommended a pre-emptive strike on Israel.

* Ahmadinejad may not run for president again Will workload prevent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from running for the president of Iran again?

* PM ‘undermined’ Turkey secularism Turkey’s prime minister was involved in anti-secular activities.

* Pilgrimage to roots of Jewish faith and strife They came in waves, ardent Jewish settlers, religious women from central Israel, black-clad followers of Hasidic courts and groups of teenage boys and girls, almost a thousand of them in all.

* EU and Cuba formally restore ties The European Union has officially renewed ties with Cuba after a five-year freeze in relations.

* Ukraine says Russia fueled Georgia conflict with arms sales Ukraine has accused Russia of supplying arms to both Abkhazia and Georgia before a five-day conflict over South Ossetia in August.

* Pakistani militias outgunned by Taliban Two tribal elders lay stretched out in an orthopedic ward here last week.