* Rice: US trying to stop spread of WMDs The United States is worried about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and is working to prevent such proliferation from occurring.

* Bush pledges Iraq troop reduction US President George W Bush has made a televised address backing a limited withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

* ‘Turkey gave Israel intel on Syria’ Turkey provided Israel with intelligence on Syria prior to last week’s alleged IAF flyover into the country.

* Syria says not planning a military response to IAF air strike The Syrian deputy foreign minister said Friday that Damascus is not planning a military response.

* Russia’s Zubkov confirmed as PM Viktor Zubkov has been confirmed as Russia’s new prime minister and has pledged to wage a war on corruption.

* IDF blocks W. Bank Palestinians trying to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque Hundreds of Palestinians thronged two major West Bank checkpoints, trying to reach Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

* Fatah takes battle with Hamas to mosques Loyalists of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are taking their fight with Hamas to the mosques of the West Bank, to stop what they call Islamist brainwashing and recruiting.

* Iran Leader: Bush Will Be Tried President Bush will one day be tried in court just like deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for his involvement in the Iraq tragedy, Iran’s supreme leader said.

* China Cracks Down on One-Child Violators Urban Chinese who have more than one child will get a black mark on their credit record.

* ‘Rice trip must set conference’s agenda’ Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit expressed hope Thursday that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s upcoming visit to the region will result in an agenda and location for a planned US-sponsored peace conference.