* WikiLeaks founder: Netanyahu believes exposé will aid Mideast peace Julian Assange tells Time: Netanyahu says leaders must speak in public like they do in private

* Fayyad says Palestinians ready for statehood by August With 2-year plan in final phase, Palestinian Authority PM says it’s time to challenge Israel’s exclusive control over vast tracts of the West Bank.

* Gaddafi proposes bi-national state at UN Libyan leader catches General Assembly off guard, presents plan to establish Isratine

* Scientists Find 200 Sextillion More Stars in the Sky The night sky may be a lot starrier than we thought.

* Below Surface, U.S. Has Dim View of Putin and Russia Early in 2009, as recession rippled around the world, the United States Embassy in Moscow sent to Washington a cable summarizing whispers within Russia’s political class.

* Turkish official: Israel initiated massive leak Jewish state initiated massive WikiLeaks report, senior official in Erdogan’s party says

* Palestinians: Israel has chosen West Bank settlements over peace After Israel announces plans for 625 new homes in Pisgat Ze’ev, Palestinians say Jerusalem has signaled it is not willing to resume peace negotiations.

* Patten: The EU will never be a real power Former external relations commissioner Chris Patten in a 2004 conversation with US diplomats explained why the EU will never be a real power.

* China says North Korea ties survived tempests China, pushed again by Washington to bring North Korea to heel after last week’s artillery attack on the South, told Pyongyang their relationship had withstood international tempests.

* Japan, US to conduct biggest ever military drill Japan and the United States will hold their biggest ever joint military drills just days after a US and South Korean show of force amid tensions on the Korean peninsula, officials said Thursday.