* Fear grips global stock markets Wall Street shares have fallen sharply in opening trading, with the Dow Jones index down 6% at 8,056 points.

* Turkey launches Kurdish rebel attacks in Iraq Turkish warplanes and artillery bombed and killed a large group of Kurdish rebels .

* Russian withdrawal ‘not complete’ France’s foreign minister says Russian forces’ withdrawal from Georgia is “not complete or perfect”.

* World Top Financiers Start Thinking Global At last the world’s top finance officials, including those in China, have started thinking globally.

* Israel Caught Between Islamist Crossfire: Lebanon Pays Price Both Israel and Hezbollah feel that another round of violence is inevitable.

* MEPs endorse exploitation of Arctic resources The European Union must push for an international treaty governing the Arctic if the rapidly melting and delicate region is to be saved.

* Hamas and Fatah to hold talks in Cairo Fatah and Hamas representatives are scheduled to meet in Cairo in the coming days in yet another bid to end their ongoing rivalry.

* Terror groups call for 3rd intifada The Islamic Jihad movement called on Friday for Palestinians to take to the streets in solidarity with the Arabs of Akko and Arabs in Israel.

* Analysis: Who in the Arab world benefits from crisis? Stock markets across the Arab world experienced unprecedently sharp losses when trading began following the Id al-Fitr holiday earlier this week.

* Iraqi PM discusses US pact with Shiite cleric Iraq’s most influential Shiite cleric indicated Friday he would not stand in the way a long-term U.S. security deal if it’s approved by the country’s democratic institutions.