* Iran warns Europe against sanctions Hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday warned European countries not to follow the US lead in imposing unilateral sanctions against his country.

* Pressure increases on PKK rebels Turkey, Iraq and the US have all taken steps to combat the threat of Kurdish fighters based in northern Iraq and defuse the crisis in the region.

* UN Watch: UN must combat anti-Semitism While some “unprecedented” steps have been made by the United Nations in recent years to recognize and reject anti-Semitism, the world body has yet to “to fully live up to its promise.”

* Soaring oil climbs past $96 mark Oil prices have continued their unremitting climb, passing the $96 a barrel mark after figures showed a surprise fall in US crude reserves.

* EU politician: No peace without Syria Syria will not allow any serious peace agreement to be reached without playing a central role in the negotiations.

* Israel says Hezbollah can hit Tel Aviv Israel alleges that Hezbollah militants in Lebanon have rearmed with new long-range rockets capable of hitting Tel Aviv.

* Kurds in Turkey Who Backed Erdogan Now Fear Civil War Kurds in southeast Turkey voted this summer in record numbers for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

* Israel the “Silicon Valley of Water Technology” Israel, though lacking in natural water resources, is exporting its water technology across the globe, billing itself as the “Silicon Valley of water technology.”

* Palestinians seek to renew institutional activities in E. J’lem The Palestinian Authority has demanded that Israel formally sanction a document in which it promises to permit Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem to continue to operate.

* Turkey falling behind on political reform, EU report says Almost one year after the EU partially froze Turkey’s membership talks, little reform progress has been made by Ankara.