* Iranian opposition: Teheran resumed nuke program in 2004 An exiled Iranian opposition group on Tuesday contested a US intelligence report that said Teheran halted a nuclear weapons development program in 2003.

* Palestinian negotiators to urge settlement freeze during talks Palestinians will attend peace talks this week despite a plan by Israel to build new homes in East Jerusalem.

* Mashaal: Hamas ready to cede control Damascus-based Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal confirmed that the Islamic group would return control of security and government institutions in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority.

* Dozens killed in Algeria bombings At least 62 people have died in two bomb blasts in the Algerian capital, Algiers, officials have said.

* 8 gunmen killed as IDF ends Gaza op Eight Palestinian gunmen were killed and at least 10 wounded on Tuesday as IDF tanks and bulldozers backed by attack aircraft moved into the southern Gaza Strip.

* Medvedev says Putin should be PM Russian President Vladimir Putin should become prime minister after stepping down next year, his chosen successor Dmitry Medvedev says.

* Support Sought for Temple Mount Synagogue Haifa’s long-time Chief Rabbi She’ar-Yashuv Cohen, who has taken part in many interfaith conferences and gatherings with Moslem religious leaders, says he’s trying to gather support for a synagogue on the Temple Mount.

* France scores symbolic victory against Turkish EU membership France has scored a symbolic victory in its battle against Turkey joining the European Union by succeeding in removing the word ‘accession’ from an EU document.

* Moscow pushing for follow-up Mideast peace summit in April The United States supports the holding of a second peace conference in Moscow that would address Israel’s conflicts with Syria and Lebanon as well as the Palestinian issue.

* EU moves closer towards unity on Kosovo The European Union has moved a step closer towards unity on Kosovo.