* Ahmadinejad: Whoever controls ME controls world’s ‘wealth’ Iranian president quoted as telling Teheran audience “In terms of economic issues, the world hegemonic system … is no longer powerful from the military aspect.”

* ‘Assassins came to Dubai with Landau’ Hamas promises retaliation for alleged assassination of operative in UAE.

* ‘Iran may lash out at Israel’ US President Barack Obama’s national security adviser on Friday cited a heightened risk that Iran will respond to growing pressure.

* ‘Turkey could host Israel-Syria talks’ Turkey is ready to try again to broker a peace agreement between Israel and Syria if both countries agree to resume the stalled initiative.

* Russia announces Libya arms deal worth $1.8bn The contract is worth nearly a quarter of the Russian state arms exporter’s entire sales last year, which were put at $7.4bn.

* Iraq inquiry hears defiant Blair say: I’d do it again Tony Blair has said the Iraq war made the world a safer place and he has “no regrets” about removing Saddam Hussein.

* China protests US arms sales, warns of ‘serious’ impact China on Friday protested the US decision to sell 6.4 billion dollars in weapons to Taiwan and warned of “serious” damage to relations and cooperation with Washington.

* Netanyahu Declares City of Ariel ‘Jewish Capital of Samaria’ Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday completed his week-long campaign to reaffirm Israel’s claim on major Jewish population centers in Judea and Samaria.

* Iraq inquiry: Tony Blair slated for Iran threat claim Tony Blair’s claims that Iran now poses as serious a threat as Saddam Hussein’s Iraq have been dismissed as a “piece of spin” by the British ambassador to Tehran.

* Libya’s Qaddafi May Plunge African Union Summit Into Conflict Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi may run for a second term as chairman of the African Union.