* ‘Syria, Iran trying to overthrow Abbas’ Syria and Iran have stepped up their efforts to overthrow Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his ruling Fatah party.

* Britain’s fastest supercomputer unveiled A supercomputer that could help answer some of science’s biggest questions will be unveiled on Monday.

* Livni, Qurei start ‘core issue talks’ Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei formally began discussions Monday in Jerusalem on the “core issues” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

* Minister Sees Need for U.S. Help in Iraq Until 2018 The Iraqi defense minister said Monday that his nation would not be able to take full responsibility for its internal security until 2012.

* PA Chairman With PLO Flag That Erases Israel Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas was filmed this week at a PLO Central Committee meeting with an emblem that negates the existence of Israel as a backdrop.

* Rice praises ‘progress’ in Iraq US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has praised an Iraqi law to reintegrate former Baath party members, saying more reconciliation measures need to follow.

* France steals Slovenia’s EU presidency limelight The small Alpine Republic of Slovenia took over the onerous task of running the EU for six months on 1 January.

* Bush pushes Saudis for help with rising oil prices President Bush used his visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to push for increased oil production to help the U.S. economy by forcing fuel costs down.

* Tehran says Bush’s accusations ‘words without value’ Iran denounced on Monday as “words without value” US President George W. Bush’s remarks that the Islamic state was threatening security around the world by backing terror.

* India offers nuclear energy cooperation with China Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered on Tuesday to cooperate with China on nuclear energy during a trip to Beijing.