al-Quds al-Arabi (London): Hamas implements promise to Carter to deliver letter from soldier to his family – Israeli television reports revealed that Hamas has made good on its promise to former US President Jimmy Carter by delivering a letter from Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured two years ago, to his family. Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal promised Carter in a recent meeting to get a letter from Shalit to his family in Israel.

Tishreen (Syria): Muallem meets Meshaal on importance of national Palestinian reconciliation – Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem met Khaled Meshaal and discussed Palestinian developments in the wake of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' call for dialogue. Meshaal said his movement is ready for such a dialogue in order to achieve national Palestinian rights.

Akhbar al-Khaleej (Bahrain): Israeli officials: Resumption of talks between Israel and Syria – Israeli officials said yesterday that indirect Israeli-Syrian peace talks will resume this week in Turkey, but did not specify an exact date. The officials said they prefer to move toward direct negotiations, saying when that happens, it means there is significant progress being made on this track.

Al-Sabah (Iraq): Maliki from Tehran: Iran overcame danger stage – Upon his return from an official visit to Tehran, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he received Iranian vows to play a positive role in Iraqi affairs. During his talks with Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Maliki was quoted as saying the improvement in the security situation has created an unprecedented national consensus, sending a clear message to the international community that Iraq has overcome the dangerous phase.

Ad-Dustour (Jordan): Yemeni court sentences one to death and imprisons 12, including a journalist – A Yemeni court in Sanaa has sentenced to death one of 15 defendants and gave prison terms to 12 of them, including a journalist, on terror charges. The Yemeni press syndicate condemned the six-year sentence given to editor Abdel Karim al-Khiwani and demanded his immediate release.