* Arab ministers back new Israel-Palestinian peace talks Arab foreign ministers have agreed to back the resumption of indirect Palestinian-Israeli talks, which could see fresh negotiations soon.
* U.N. council ready to tackle Iran nuclear issue Gabon's U.N. Ambassador Emanuel Issoze-Ngondet, president of the Security Council for March, said the Iranian nuclear issue was not on the agenda of the 15-nation panel this month, but council members might still hold a meeting on it.
* Mubarak: Heritage sites decision dangerous Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday telephoned Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who told him that his latest moves may have "dangerous implications".
* Economists: Another Financial Crisis on the Way Even as many Americans still struggle to recover from the country's worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, another crisis – one that will be even worse than the current one – is looming.
* UN warns HIV/Aids leading cause of death in women HIV has become the leading cause of death and disease among women of reproductive age worldwide, the UN program on HIV/Aids says.
* Iraqi elections have high stakes, but low bar The candidates include sitting judges and journalists who are covering the elections, but in Iraq, no one's complaining about conflicts of interest. Handing out guns, cash and appliances to woo voters? No big deal.
* Hamas moderates can't halt the slide toward Tehran Hamas has suffered more than a little embarrassment in the past few weeks. It began with the assassination of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh in Dubai.
* Erdogan Goes on Defensive Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey on Tuesday fought back against efforts to portray the recent arrests of dozens of senior military officers as part of a struggle between his Islamic leaning government and the country's secular establishment.
* Iraq's Top Cleric Refuses to Influence Elections No one man in Iraq has more power to change the outcome of the country’s elections on Sunday than a frail cleric who lives in an ascetic house.
* Greece's New Plan Brings Some Calm to Markets Wall Street opened quietly Wednesday as Greece announced more tax increases and pay cuts in its effort to control its deficit and bring down its borrowing costs.