* Turkish FM: Israel, Syria want peace Israel and Syria both have “the political will” to end tensions between them and will hold a fourth round of indirect talks soon.

* Israel swaps prisoners for bodies Israel has confirmed that human remains handed over by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah as part of a prisoner swap are those of two of its soldiers.

* Arab Leaders Celebrate Victory: ‘Swap Teaches us to Kidnap More’ Arab leaders and terrorist groups around the Middle East are expressing their joy over what to them is a resounding victory over Israel.

* US official to attend Iran talks A top US official is to attend talks aimed at persuading Iran to halt its nuclear enrichment program.

* Oil price slides as sell-off continues Oil prices tumbled Wednesday, extending a massive sell-off the previous day.

* Russia Denies Saudis Offered Billions for Cut in Aid to Iran Diplomatic sources told a Russian newspaper that Saudi Arabia has offered Moscow more than $2 billion in business in return for its scaling back help in building Iran’s nuclear reactor.

* Saudi-sponsored interfaith meet kicks off in Spain King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was kicking off an interfaith conference in Madrid on Wednesday – an effort to bring Muslims, Christians and Jews closer together.

* Incredible pictures of Mars – and they look surprisingly like some parts of Earth Ever since Victorian astronomers pointed their telescopes towards Mars and wrongly believed they had discovered canals, mankind has been obsessed by the red planet.

* Sarkozy says Ireland will have to vote again French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said that Ireland will have to vote once more on the EU treaty.

* Olmert Scandal Deepens as Investigators Find New Evidence Following a third round of questioning of Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, amid fresh allegations that he supposedly defrauded several charities.