* Pelosi tells Assad: Israel ready to talk Syrian President Bashar Assad is willing to resume peace talks with Israel, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

* Iranians release British sailors Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says 15 British naval personnel captured in the Gulf will be freed.

* Saudi source: No talks before Israel accepts Arab peace plan Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that Israel must first accept the Arab peace initiative before it would agree to any direct talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

* PA upset over Merkel’s pro-Israel stance Palestinian Authority officials have accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of “offending the Palestinians’ feelings”.

* Hamas Warns Israel Against Possible Anti-Terror Offensive In separate statements this week, Hamas spokesmen threatened disaster for the Israeli military.

* Olmert not ready for ‘serious’ peace talks, Palestinian FM says Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is not ready for “serious negotiations” with the Palestinians and other Arab leaders on efforts to forge peace in the Middle East.

* Gold: Western Inaction Pushing Saudi Arabia to Hamas, Hizbullah For Saudi Arabia, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not the main issue; it is rather Iran – and the West’s inaction vis-a-vis the Iranian threat.

* Feared ex-rebel wins absolute power in Chechnya Former rebel Ramzan Kadyrov will complete his ascent to power in Chechnya Thursday.

* Deadlock in Ukraine power struggle Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Kiev to protest against the Ukrainian president’s decision to dissolve parliament and call for elections.

* U.N. council begins considering Kosovo independence There is “considerable support” within the U.N. Security Council for supervised independence for Kosovo.