French prosecutors have opened a murder inquiry into the death of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 2004. His family filed a case last month over claims that he was poisoned with polonium-210, a radioactive element. Swiss scientists hired by a documentary crew say they found traces of polonium on some of Arafat's belongings. The medical records of Arafat, who died at a military hospital near Paris in 2004, said he had a stroke resulting from a blood disorder. However, many Palestinians continue to believe that Israel poisoned him. Israel has denied any involvement.

 Israel plans to take up agricultural development projects in India. Under the Indo-Israel Action Plan for Horticulture for the period 2011-15, Israel will set up crop-specific Centres of Excellence in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat gave this information in the Lok Sabha today.

he US Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said his country has a moral imperative to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. 

Mr Romney, speaking during a visit to Jerusalem, said Iran was the most destabilising country in the world. He said the US recognised Israel's right to defend itself and that it was right for the US to stand with Israel. 

In his speech in front of Jerusalem's Old City, Mr Romney said Iran's leading ayatollahs were testing our moral defences. They want to know who will object and who will look the other way.

The Israeli Parliament has voted against a proposal to legalize a West-Bank settlement, that is earmarked for demolition. Earlier, the Supreme Court had ruled that Ulpana outpost is built on Palestinian land and should be demolished by next month. The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opposed the rertospective bid to legalize the outpost and said he would dismiss any cabinet minister, who backed it.