* Abbas: Peace in 2008 or never Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urged the US on Monday to make good on its promise to work for a Middle East peace settlement by the end of the year.

* Khamenei hails Iran ‘nuclear win’ Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has hailed Iran’s “great victory” over its nuclear program.

* France, Gulf states begin war games under Iran’s eye France, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have begun joint military drills in the shadow of the crisis over neighboring Iran’s nuclear program.

* Gaza’s Christians fear the future Fourteen masked gunmen burst into Gaza City’s YMCA library last week, overpowered two guards and laid explosive charges.

* ‘Al-Qaida entered Gaza during breach’ Al-Qaida operatives managed to infiltrate the Gaza Strip after Hamas breached the border with Egypt in January.

* Iraq denounces Turkish offensive The Iraqi government has denounced a Turkish incursion into northern Iraq in some of the strongest terms heard since the operation began last week.

* Costa Rica recognizes ‘Palestine’ Israel has postponed a planned meeting with Costa Rican officials over the Central American nation’s decision to formally recognize a Palestinian state.

* Yasser Arafat commemorative center inaugurated A ceremony will be held in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday evening to mark the inauguration of an institute for the preservation of former Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat’s legacy.

* Mughniyeh’s widow points finger at Syria The fact that the Syrian government is not allowing an extensive investigation of Imad Mughniyeh’s assassination proves that Syria was involved in the killing.

* Pakistan lifts the ban on YouTube Pakistan’s telecoms regulator has lifted the restrictions it imposed on video-sharing website YouTube.