* Iran president attacks US claims Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says US accusations Tehran is fomenting violence in Iraq are an attempt to hide Washington’s own failures.

* Israel test fires Arrow missile The defense establishment on Sunday evening test fired the Arrow system – the anti-ballistic missile system – for the first time during the night.

* EU addresses Palestinian boycott EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the new deal on a Palestinian national unity government, and how they should respond to it.

* Israel must accept new PA gov’t, Abbas says Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has said that Israel must accept the new national unity government being set up between rival factions, a news agency reported.

* Israel to delay work at holy site Controversial construction work near the holiest site for Muslims and Jews in Jerusalem is to be put off to allow public consultations, officials say.

* Russia seeks closer ties with Saudi Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has offered to help Saudi Arabia develop atomic energy and pledged to boost ties with the Islamic world.

* EU agrees on Iran sanctions but open to new talks The European Union agreed today to implement United Nations sanctions on Iran while holding a door open to fresh talks on defusing a standoff over what Western powers suspect is a covert Iranian bid to make atom bombs.

* U.S. officer: Iran sends Iraq bomb parts U.S. military officials on Sunday accused the highest levels of the Iranian leadership of arming Shiite militants in Iraq.

* Report: Saudi Arabia reaching out to Israel Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have been sending overtures to Israel.

* Putin speech raises alarm on EU-Russia relations Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s tough speech in Germany this weekend is a wake-up call to the harsh realities in EU-Russia relations.