* Iran calls for US to pull out of Iraq An end to violence in Iraq depends on the US withdrawing its troops.

* UN to vote on bigger Iraq mission The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on a resolution calling for a greater UN mandate in Iraq.

* Barak: No Difference Between Fatah and Hamas Labor Party Chairman and Prime Ministerial candidate Defense Minister Ehud Barak says peace with the PA is 3-5 years away.

* World shares fall on credit fears Markets have fallen sharply again in Friday trading, a day after markets in the US and Europe suffered heavy losses amid fears of a global credit crunch.

* China’s Iran stance worries US, Israel Stuart Levey, the US Treasury official spearheading efforts to hit Iran economically, met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Tel Aviv.

* Turkey names new parliament speaker Turkey’s parliament has elected Koksal Toptan, a candidate from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), as its new speaker in a first round of voting after he secured backing from the main opposition party.

* Gay Nigerians face Sharia death Eighteen men have been remanded in prison following their arrest for alleged sodomy in northern Nigeria, the state-owned news agency, Nan, reports.

* China plans to survey ‘every inch’ of moon China plans to survey all of the moon’s surface before eventually bringing bits of the planet back to Earth.

* Last round talks on Kosovo question Belgrade and Pristina are entering a final round of diplomacy on the fate of Serbia’s breakaway province today.

* US opens new front in diplomatic war over Lebanon The Bush administration has quietly opened a new diplomatic front in its efforts to free Lebanon from Syrian influence.