* Assad will mediate in release of captured troops Syrian President Bashar Assad made a promise to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that he would make efforts to bring about an agreement between Hizbullah, Hamas and Israel regarding the release of kidnapped IDF soldiers.

* ‘No deal done with Iran’ – Blair Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted no deal was done to free 15 Royal Navy crew members, as they arrived at Heathrow after being held in Iran.

* Temple Mount loyalists protest near site Members of the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement arrived at the Kotel Thursday in order to prepare for their Pessah demonstration.

* UN warns of Darfur ‘catastrophe’ The new United Nations humanitarian chief has warned of the “crying need” for political action to bring peace to Sudan’s Darfur region.

* Dahlan warns against IDF incursion Palestinian Authority National Security Advisor Muhammad Dahlan on Thursday warned Israel against conducting a large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip.

* Chechnya’s new president sworn in Chechnya has sworn in its new president, despite past accusations by rights groups that he was involved in the murdering and kidnapping of civilians.

* Nancy Pelosi’s foolish shuttle diplomacy House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered an excellent demonstration yesterday of why members of Congress should not attempt to supplant the secretary of state when traveling abroad.

* ‘Strong Possibility’ Gas Will Rise to $4 For the past two weeks, Iran has not just been holding 15 British soldiers captive; it’s been holding the world’s oil markets hostage, too.

* Israeli objections delaying U.S. arms sale to Arab countries Israeli objections are delaying a major arms-sale package that the Bush administration is planning to offer Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf allies to deter Iran.

* Big EU states gaining power despite enlargement Despite recent enlargement, the biggest EU states – France, the UK and Germany – have increased their power over EU decision-making.