* Israel denies deal on full Golan pullout Hours after the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced that Israel and Syria had begun indirect peace talks, the PMO denied Wednesday a statement by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem.

* Oil soars to new record over $135 Oil prices hit a record high above $135 a barrel on Thursday, having rocketed by more than $4 a barrel on Wednesday.

* Israel: Russia may be selling Syria arms Fearing that Damascus is acquiring advanced military platforms, Israel is closely following meetings being held in Moscow this week.

* Medvedev Goes to China on First Presidential Visit Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrives in China tomorrow for a two-day mission to persuade the world’s fastest-growing major economy to buy more than just energy from his country.

* Hizbullah gains veto power in Lebanon talks Lebanon’s feuding factions reached a breakthrough deal in Qatar Wednesday that ended the country’s long political stalemate.

* Is an attack on Iran a big risk? The standard assumption is that a military attack by the United States or Israel to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons would be disastrous for the attackers.

* Abbas: ‘East Jerusalem must be returned’ Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday opened the Palestine Investment Conference in Bethlehem.

* EU ends 18-month-long deadlock over Russia The European Union and Russia are set to open long-delayed talks on a new “Partnership and Co-operation” pact in June.

* 65-70% of Israelis against ceding Golan 65 percent of Israelis are against a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights, even if this would bring true peace with Syria.

* Poland and Sweden to pitch ‘Eastern Partnership’ idea Poland and Sweden are to unveil joint proposals for a new eastern Europe policy at an EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.