World briefs 9A

North Korea wants direct talks with United States

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea said Saturday it would agree to negotiations with several nations over its suspected nuclear weapons program only after one-on-one talks with the United States.

Washington says talks to defuse the growing tensions about North Korea's nuclear potential should involve several regional powers, including South Korea and Japan.

Last month, the United States and North Korea held talks with China in Beijing, but no progress was reported.

Israeli hard-liners reject plan in Cabinet vote

JERUSALEM -- Israeli hard-liners vowed Saturday to block a U.S.-backed "road map" for Middle East peace, with one member of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's party calling it "the most dangerous" peace plan ever presented.

The prime minister was expected to ask his 23-member Cabinet on Sunday to back the plan, and Sharon aides were confident of winning approval.

For their part, Palestinian leaders said Saturday they expect Washington to keep its promise to them that the road map would not be changed to accommodate Israel, though they welcomed Sharon's acceptance of the deal.

Three more arrested in Morocco suicide attacks

RABAT, Morocco -- Three people who had been in contact with suicide bombers responsible for a series of deadly attacks in Casablanca have been arrested, authorities said Saturday.

The three were sought in the investigation of the May 16 bombings, which killed 31 bystanders. Interior Ministry official Yassine Mansouri said the suspects had been in direct contact with the attackers.

Twelve suicide bombers also died.

The death toll in the five nearly simultaneous attacks rose Saturday when a fourth Spaniard died of his injuries.-- From wire reports

, Spain's Efe news agency reported. Joan Alie Macia, 61, was inside the Casa de Espana social club, where at least 20 people died in the deadliest bombing.

Afghan protest at U.S. Embassy against shooting of three Afghans

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Angry Afghan demonstrators hurled stones at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul on Saturday to protest this week's shooting deaths of three Afghan soldiers by U.S. Marines outside the heavily guarded compound.

Carrying banners saying, "Death to America, Death to (President Hamid) Karzai," about 80 protesters marched through downtown for several hours. On a street near the embassy, they threw rocks at several passing vehicles belonging to the 5,000-strong international peacekeeping force that patrols the city, shattering windows in at least two of them.

One peacekeeper was treated at a hospital for slight wounds and then released, said Lt. Col. Paul Kolken, a Dutch spokesman for the multinational force. No other details were immediately available and there were no other immediate reports of casualties.