* World leaders meet in quake zone Leaders of the major industrial powers, the G8, have begun their annual summit with a working lunch in an earthquake-stricken Italian town.

* Obama: It’s ‘important’ to talk to Iran, N. Korea US President Barack Obama said Wednesday that it was “important” to talk to Iran and North Korea to encourage them to renounce nuclear weapons.

* Mullen: Iran is very focused on developing nuclear capability Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen spoke Tuesday about Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon in rare comments by a US official.

* Al Gore invokes spirit of Churchill in battle against climate change Al Gore invoked the spirit of Winston Churchill yesterday when he urged political leaders to follow the example of Britain’s wartime leader in the battle against climate change.

* British scientists say created sperm from stem cells A team of British scientists claimed Wednesday to have created human sperm using embryonic stem cells, in a medical first that they say will lead to a better understanding of fertility.

* Wary of naked force, Israel eyes cyberwar on Iran In the late 1990s, a computer specialist from Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service hacked into the mainframe of the Pi Glilot fuel depot north of Tel Aviv.

* Rick Warren addresses Muslims Defying some fellow conservative Christians who have criticized him, one of the most prominent religious leaders in the country told several thousand American Muslims on Saturday that “the two largest faiths on the planet” must work together.

* China riot city ‘under control’ The situation in China’s riot-torn city of Urumqi is now under control after the deployment of thousands of troops.

* Israel botanists discover plant that waters itself A team of researchers from the University of Haifa have stumbled upon a rare desert plant living in Israel’s mountainous Negev desert, which can irrigate itself.

* Nato starts soul-searching process Nato on Tuesday (7 July) launched a public consultation process aimed at clarifying the alliance’s role in fighting the new range of threats that have emerged in recent years.