* Abbas: World has no choice but to accept unity gov’t Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas delivered a defiant message to a senior US envoy on Saturday, saying that the world would simply have to learn to live with a new coalition.

* Rice reviews Iraq security plan US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said Iraq’s leaders are “off to a good start” with a new security plan intended to cut violence.

* Syrian president arrives in Iran Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, has arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran to discuss instability in Iraq and Lebanon.

* ‘Outposts’ Thriving in the West Bank With its playgrounds, identical houses and manicured flower beds, Bruchin looks like any placid Israeli suburb. Except that Bruchin is not supposed to exist.

* Haniya begins unity talks The Palestinian prime minister has begun coalition talks to establish a unity government.

* Raed Salah reaffirms former statements Arab-Israeli Islamic leader denies allegations of anti-Semitic incitement.

* Ahmadinejad: Iran and Lebanon are two parts of the same body Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that Lebanon and Hezbollah have his complete support in their struggle against Israel and the United States.

* Rice denies decision not to deal with unity government US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has denied that the United States told Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas it would refuse to deal with the future unity government.

* EU anti-hate law sparks debate on Nazi and Soviet crimes With Germany reviving its proposal on EU-wide minimum sentences for incitement to racial hatred and genocide denial, some EU states are taking a firm anti-communist stance.

* Action plan for killer asteroids A draft UN treaty to determine what would have to be done if a giant asteroid was on a collision course with Earth is to be drawn up this year.