Al-Hayat (LONDON): Russia Defies West: 'We Don't Fear Return of Cold War' – Russia took a big step yesterday toward a new Cold War with the West, as President Dmitry Medvedev recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia from Georgia. He preempted the expected U.S. and European reactions of condemnations by saying: "We don't fear a return of the Cold War" and that "if the Europeans want a complete deterioration, they will get it."

Al-Rayah (QATAR): Rice and Livni Indicate 'Progress' as Settlements Double – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni indicated there was progress in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations despite Israel's settlement activities, which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described as the "basic obstacle" to peace. Palestinian spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaina said Rice presented "new ideas" during her meeting with Abbas in Ramallah, amid reports that the Palestinians and Israelis agreed to work toward a joint document. But in Alexandria city in Egypt, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he doubted a peace deal can be reached before the end of 2008.

Al-Riyadh (SAUDI ARABIA): Plot to Assassinate Obama Aborted – Four people were arrested on charges of conspiracy to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama during an acceptance speech at the party's national congress in Denver. Local television reported the authorities arrested the suspects in possession of rifles and communication equipment, adding the plan was to shoot Obama from a distance.

Al-Ahram (EGYPT): Sudanese Plane Hijacked From Darfur Lands in Libya – Four gunmen hijacked a passenger Sudanese plane to Libya, with 95 people on board, after taking off from Darfur. Egyptian aviation officials said the pilot of the hijacked plane did not communicate with the Egyptian air control tower and did not request entry as it passed through its airspace.

Al-Akhbar (LEBANON): A Foreign Worker Dies in Lebanon Every Week – Human Rights Watch said in a report that 95 foreign [female] domestic workers have died in Lebanon since January 2007, 40 of them died by suicide, including 24 who were killed from high buildings during escape attempts. Police normally describe the workers who fall from buildings as suicide, as many gaps are found in police investigations in which employers and neighbors are rarely questioned.