08/17/10

* Iran: Any attack on nuke plant would be an 'int'l crime' An attack on Iranian nuclear facilities would be an "international crime," Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying Tuesday.

* US says China's military has seen secret expansion China has been upgrading its land-based missiles, expanding its submarine force and nuclear arsenal, the Pentagon's annual report to Congress said.

* Iran says to unveil array of weapons next week Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said on Tuesday that Iran will unveil next week an array of weapons, including missiles, speedboats and a long range drone.

* Israeli report ties Hamas-backed militia group to Turkey's Erdogan Defectors from the ruling Fatah movement have established a militia with the help of a Turkish Islamist group linked to Prime Minister Recep Erdogan.

* Central Israel Oil Discovery: 1.5 Billion Barrels Estimates of the amount of oil in the Rosh HaAyin discovery have rises to 1.5 billion barrels, and there is more oil off-shore.

* F-35s Might Not Reach Israel in Time to Stop Iran Israel's announced approval for the purchase of 20 U.S. F-35 fighter planes has raised questions this week among the country's defense analysts.

* EU and US to hold summit in Lisbon The White House has confirmed that US President Barack Obama will meet EU leaders Herman Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso in Lisbon on 20 November.

* Russian Scholar Warns Of 'Secret' U.S. Climate Change Weapon As Muscovites suffer record high temperatures this summer, a Russian political scientist has claimed the United States may be using climate-change weapons to alter the temperatures and crop yields of Russia and other Central Asian countries.

* PA Gov't Supports Violence Against Israel - in Arabic The Palestinian Authority is continuing to express its support for violence against Israeli citizens in Arabic-language media.

* Suicide attack kills Iraqi army recruits in Baghdad At least 59 people have been killed in a suicide attack on an army recruitment centre in Baghdad.