* Official: New Hizbullah arms may alter balance Increasing tensions between Israel and Hizbullah are the result of growing concern that Syria will transfer "balance-altering" weaponry to the Iranian-backed group.
* Bomb attacks mar Shia Iraqi feast Bomb attacks on a Shia mosque and pilgrims have killed at least 23 people as Iraq's main Muslim community marks one of its biggest feasts.
* White House: 'War on terrorism' is over It's official. The U.S. is no longer engaged in a "war on terrorism." Neither is it fighting "jihadists" or in a "global war."
* Fatah extends stormy conference Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction's first congress for 20 years has been extended amid rows between rival camps.
* Pakistani Taliban leader 'killed' There are growing indications that Pakistan's most wanted man, Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, has been killed by a US missile.
* German commandos storm neo-Nazi 'camp' A neo-Nazi "youth camp," which had been set up in a debt-ridden hotel in Germany by a leading Holocaust denier, was raided by German commandos.
* 'Massive attack' strikes websites High-profile websites including Google, Facebook and Twitter have been targeted by hackers in what is described as a "massively co-ordinated attack".
* Turkey plays double game on EU energy security Turkey has agreed to grant access to Russia's South Stream gas pipeline through its part of the Black Sea.
* Israel pushing for sanctions on Iran Time is running out, and Israel has decided not to depend on the United Nations in terms of sanctions on Iran.
* New IDF tanks to come equipped with missile defense system Israel Defense Forces ground troops conducted a successful pilot of the system last week in conjunction with the defense contractors who developed it.