* Israel: North Korea aiding Mideast nuclear proliferation Israel accused North Korea on Saturday of supplying at least half a dozen Mideast governments with nuclear technology or conventional arms.

* EU heads start bank crisis talks The leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Italy have begun a mini-summit in Paris on the world financial crisis.

* Qurei: No agreement without Jerusalem The Palestinians will never sign any agreement with Israel which does not include Jerusalem.

* Al-Qaeda: Muslims on verge of historic victory A prominent American member of al-Qaeda says Muslims are on the verge of a “historic victory.”

* ‘PA bracing for possible Hamas takeover’ As the group did in the Gaza Strip roughly one and a half years ago, Hamas may try to carry out a “hostile takeover” of the West Bank.

* Syria rebuffs nuclear inspectors The head of Syria’s nuclear program has said that the country’s military sites will remain off-limits to international nuclear inspectors.

* ‘Abbas to meet with Assad in Damascus’ Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is planning to visit Damascus in a week and a half.

* French FM in bid to revive Mideast peace talks French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was meeting Palestinian officials in the West Bank on Saturday.

* Russia expects to restart EU talks this month Moscow has expressed confidence that talks on a new EU-Russia partnership treaty – temporarily put on ice due to Russia’s military presence in Georgia – could be resumed in October.

* Israel warns Hizbullah war would invite destruction Israel would use “disproportionate” force to destroy Lebanese villages.