* Iran helps Syria develop missile that can target Israel better Syria has successfully developed a new surface-to-surface missile that would enable it to target Israeli installations such as airports, ports and factories with greater accuracy.

* Iranian diplomat says Tehran building second atomic power plant Iran has started building a second atomic power plant in an oil-rich region near the border with Iraq.

* Putin vows ‘arms race’ response Russia’s President Vladimir Putin says the world is engaged in a new arms race and Nato is failing to accommodate Russia’s concerns.

* Fayad: No peace agreement by end of ’08 Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad predicts that a final peace agreement will not be signed by the end of 2008.

* French parliament backs EU treaty France’s parliament has voted to adopt the EU reform treaty, three years after a French No dealt a fatal blow to the European Constitution.

* ‘1,000,000 dollars to bring down Olmert’ Unidentified Right-wing figures in the US and Israel are willing to pay big money to anyone who comes up with evidence against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

* UK PM rejects special laws for Muslims he UK’s leading Christian leader has drawn fierce government criticism after he suggested that Islamic — or Sharia — law be used to resolve financial and domestic issues between UK Muslims.

* Shas preparing for elections it expects will be held this year Shas chairman Eli Yishai has begun preparing his party for elections, believing they may be held before the end of the year.

* Iran Qods Force infiltrates Iraq New information was brought to light Thursday revealing “an overwhelming amount of intelligence indicating a political-military buildup by Tehran’s mullahs.

* OSCE cancels election observation mission to Russia The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Thursday announced it would abandon a planned monitoring mission.