* More talks with Syria, despite political turmoil After wrapping up his visit to Tehran, Syrian President Bashar Assad will touch down in Ankara on Tuesday for a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

* Last Ethiopian airlift lands in Israel The era of large-scale Ethiopian aliya is over, the Jewish Agency for Israel said.

* Iran escalates military rhetoric Iran warned Monday that it could easily close a critical Gulf waterway to oil shipments.

* Lebanese government: Hizbullah can keep arms The Lebanese unity government unanimously approved the draft of its future policy statement, voting in favor of allowing Hizbullah to retain its weapons.

* Iran ambiguous on nuclear offer Iran has sent a message to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, but not a response to the latest proposals on its nuclear program.

* Libya says Mediterranean Union will divide Africa Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi has reaffirmed his critical stance towards the Union for the Mediterranean.

* Kurd president says Iraq vote bill a ‘conspiracy’ The president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region Massud Barzani has sharply criticised a provincial election bill as a “conspiracy.”

* ‘Murdered Syrian officer knew too much’ Amid increasing speculation, some Arab media and Syrian dissidents suggested Monday that the reported assassination of a senior Syrian intelligence officer over the weekend may be a case of one man knowing too much.

* Oil price falls further to $118 Oil prices touched three-month lows of $118 a barrel on Tuesday amid signs of rising supplies and slowing demand.

* Russia warns Georgia over breakaway region Russia said on Tuesday it would not be indifferent if violence escalated further in Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia.