KING ABDULLAH II OF JORDON SPEAKS TO CONGRESS IN WASHINGTON

NEW YORK, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Democracy is one of the best ways to assure religious freedom, U.S. President George W. Bush said Friday during an interfaith dialogue at the United Nations.

CHICAGO, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The most recent foreign leaders to call U.S. President-elect Barack Obama have been the presidents of Russia and China, who phoned Saturday.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is making another stab at cobbling together an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, burdened with his country's financial problems, has come to Saudi Arabia to seek the kingdom's support for a bailout.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Denials notwithstanding, secret talks were held in Mecca and in Pakistan between Taliban reps and secret emissaries from the Afghan government, including an Iftar dinner hosted by Saudi King Abdullah. The Saudis estimate the Afghan war is unwinnable for NATO. Donor fatigue is rampant. And the world's financial support system is crumbling.

As Iran's close neighbor, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia feels the threat of a nuclear-powered Iran probably as much as the Islamic Republic's archenemy, Israel. Indeed, the very thought of Iran -- a Shiite state under the control of the country's militant clergy -- is ample reason to worry the bastion of Sunni orthodoxy as much as it worries the Jewish state, if perhaps not more so.

BRUSSELS, July 28 (UPI) -- Turkey awards a $4 billion submarine deal to German HDW-MFI; Switzerland gaining ground on arms market; Hugo Chavez goes defense shopping in Russia; Saudis seek to lure Russia away from Iran with arms deals.

UPI Almanac for Friday, July 25, 2008.

Jordan's king in driver's seat ... Wiccan woman stabs self during ceremony ... Woman arrested after alleged peanut attack ... Police: Robber used check for demand note ... Watercooler stories from UPI.

AMMAN, Jordan, July 22 (UPI) -- Jordanian King Abdullah apparently is not above playing chauffeur, ferrying U.S. Democratic hopeful Barack Obama to Amman airport.