* Iran defiant ahead of nuclear talks with Russia Iran will not back down in a nuclear dispute with the West and is not interested in talks with the United States.

* ‘Hamas building bunkers near border’ Hamas is trying to establish a bunker system as well as fortified rocket-launching and surveillance positions along the security fence with the Gaza Strip.

* Muhammad Deif: We’ll strike in heart of Israel Senior Hamas member says commander of organization’s military wing ‘planning an attack against the Israeli occupation, and will not settle for the defensive fighting policy’.

* Diskin: Summit failure may lead to attacks A failure to make progress in the upcoming Annapolis peace parley could lead to increased violence in the region.

* IAEA findings on Iran dismissed France and the US have dismissed a finding by the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog Mohammed ElBaradei that there is no evidence of Iran building a bomb.

* Egypt to build nuclear power plants Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday announced plans to build several nuclear power plants,.

* PA trying to stop parley hosted by Syria The Palestinian Authority has dispatched three senior PA officials to Damascus in an attempt to persuade the Syrians not to host a conference called by Hamas and other radical Palestinian factions.

* Red carpet welcome for Saudi king King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has been welcomed ceremonially to Britain by the Queen, with a state banquet at Buckingham Palace later.

* Iraq Kurds reject Ankara ‘orders;’ Turkey pounds rebels Turkey called on the United States Tuesday to take “urgent” measures against Kurdish rebels based in Iraq.

* Iraqi dam ‘at risk of collapse’ The largest dam in Iraq is at risk of an imminent collapse that could unleash a 20m (65ft) wave of water on Mosul, a city of 1.7m people, the US has warned.