Hizballah, Nasrallah Heroes to Many Arabs
Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah's popularity is growing across the Middle East, with many Arabs setting aside religious and other differences to embrace him as an Islamic hero who has taken on a reviled Israeli enemy. Read
Australia Mulls US Request to Provide Troops for Lebanon Mission
Australia is considering a U.S. request to contribute troops to a multinational stabilization mission in Lebanon, and on Monday, it will join discussions at the U.N. on the possible makeup of such a force. Read
North Korea Skips Chance to Talk About Nukes
North Korea on Friday rejected an opportunity to meet with the U.S. and four other countries involved in talks about Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programs. Read
International Divisions Deepen Over Lebanon
Divisions in the international community over the Israeli-Hizballah conflict are widening, as the United States finds itself increasingly under fire for supporting Israel. Read
South Korea Eyes UN Secretary-General Post
South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon leads a U.N. Security Council straw poll of declared candidates for U.N. secretary-general. But critics say his reluctance to speak out against North Korean human rights abuses does not bode well, should he succeed Kofi Annan. Read
Int'l Force in Lebanon Must Avoid Past Mistakes, Analysts Warn
As the international community considers the possibility of a peacekeeping or stabilization force for Lebanon, political and security analysts are recalling previous such initiatives, and they say it's essential that any new force be equipped with the right mandate. Read
Countries Mull Providing Troops for Mideast Mission
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joins representatives of some 20 other countries in Rome Wednesday to discuss the Israeli-Hizballah conflict, the possibility of deploying an international force -- whether under NATO, the European Union or the U.N. -- is expected to be near the top of the agenda. Read
Pakistan Nuclear Claims Viewed Skeptically in India
A report claiming that Pakistan is planning to expand its arsenal of atomic bombs is making headlines, but in India it's being viewed as part of a push by the non-proliferation lobby to derail the Indo-U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation pact. Read
Embryonic Research Funding May Lure US Scientists to Europe
Britain's science minister has predicted that top U.S. scientists "disillusioned" over President Bush's veto of a bill to expand federal funding for human embryo experiments may move to Europe, where funding for the controversial work won approval on Monday. Read
SE Asian Muslims Say They Will Join Hizballah's Fight
Muslims in Southeast Asia are protesting Israel's offensive against Hizballah, and in Indonesia, Islamists reportedly were registering as "volunteers" to travel to the region to fight against the Jewish state. Read
Europe Won't Call Hizballah Terrorists
Despite growing international awareness about the dangers posed to Mideast stability by Hizballah, the European Union has yet to outlaw the group or move to block its funding. Read
China, Russia Again Apply Brakes on UN Steps Against Iran
A week after agreeing with their U.N. Security Council colleagues to act against Iran's nuclear activities, Russia and China are once again working to slow down efforts to do so. Read
'Axis of Evil' Pair Suspected of Missile Collaboration
Drawing a link between the two surviving members of what President Bush has called "the axis of evil," the U.S. said Thursday that Iran may have sent observers to witness North Korea's ballistic missile tests early this month. Read
Religious Persecution: Saudis Get Another Reprieve
The Bush administration has decided to extend a waiver that frees it from imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia for religious persecution, although religious freedom advocates say the kingdom has done little to improve the situation. Read
Asia Meeting May Provide Chance for North Korea Talks
An upcoming security gathering in Asia could provide the first opportunity in 10 months for representatives of all six countries involved in the North Korean nuclear negotiations to get together -- but only if Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice doesn't skip the meeting because of the Mideast crisis. Read
Saudis Blame Israel
Amid a campaign for Arabs' hearts and minds over the fighting in Lebanon and Israel, the government of Saudi Arabia has made it clear that it holds Israel responsible for the conflict. Read
Opponent of Forced Abortions Faces Trial in China
China is preparing to put on trial this week a blind activist who helped to draw attention to forced sterilization of Chinese parents and the abortions of babies conceived in violation of the official "one-child" policy. Read
Hizballah Wants Israel to Free Child-Killer
The Arab prisoner that Hizballah wants Israel to release in exchange for two abducted Israeli soldiers, is serving multiple life sentences for killing a four-year-old girl with a rifle butt. Read
Japan Mulls Financial Sanctions Against North Korea
Fresh from its success in pushing the U.N. Security Council towards a binding resolution condemning Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests, an increasingly assertive Japan is now preparing to impose its own economic sanctions on North Korea. Read
Rare Show of Unity as Big Powers Chastise North Korea
I
n a double blow for North Korea over the weekend, the U.N. Security Council and then the world's eight top industrialized countries condemned the reclusive Stalinist regime for carrying out a series of missile tests two weeks ago. Read
G8 Leaders Agree on Condemning Hizballah
President Bush and his allies succeeded in getting G8 leaders to issue a joint statement blaming the Israel-Lebanon conflict on "extremist forces" and saying that Israel had the right to defend itself. But they were unable to win agreement on naming Iran and Syria as key contributors to the crisis. Read
Splits Emerge Among Arab Gov'ts Over Hizballah
The war in Lebanon is exposing rifts in the Arab-Islamic world, as governments facing internal demands to take a stronger stand against Israel differ over Hizballah's role in the crisis. Read
Hizballah: Iran's Tool
The Iranian-created and funded organization at the center of the unfolding conflict between Israel and Lebanon is considered one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world, responsible for the deaths of more Americans than any other group apart from al-Qaeda. Read
Israel Considers Hizballah TV Station Legitimate Target
Media rights campaigners have criticized Israel for firing missiles at a Beirut-based television station, but Israel and other critics say the broadcaster serves a function far more dangerous than disseminating news. Read
China, Russia Inch Toward Tougher Line on Iran
China and Russia have for the first time agreed to back a legally binding U.N. Security Council resolution compelling Iran to suspend its nuclear activities, but they show no sign of doing the same in the case of North Korea. Read
Australian PM Howard in No Hurry to Retire
One of President Bush's closest allies is facing escalating pressure to signal his intention to retire, but he indicated on Thursday that he is in no hurry. Read
India Suspects Pakistan-Based Terrorists in Deadly Bombings
Indian intelligence specialists are investigating whether a series of deadly bombings in Mumbai (Bombay) Tuesday were the work of an al-Qaeda-affiliated, Pakistan-based terrorist group. Read
China Offers Alternative, Non-Binding North Korea Resolution
Backed by Russia, China has drafted a U.N. Security Council resolution in response to North Korea's recent missile tests that is milder than one the U.S. and its allies are supporting. Read
North Korea, Iran May Dominate Russia's G8 Summit
Russia, hosting the Group of Eight leaders' summit for the first time, wants that summit to focus on energy, education and infectious diseases, but North Korea and Iran look set to dominate the agenda in St. Petersburg this weekend. On both counts, Russia is at odds with its G8 partners. Read
Japan Praised for Stance on North Korea
As the U.N. Security Council moves towards voting on a resolution imposing sanctions on North Korea for its recent missile tests, hopes for a unified international response appear to be fading fast. Read
Missile Tests Highlight Gap Between South Korea, Japan
North Korea's missile tests have highlighted differences between the way Japan and South Korea view the Stalinist state, and also appears to be affecting relations between the two U.S. allies. Read
As Mexican Conservative Wins, Leftist Calls Supporters Out
Refusing to concede defeat in Mexico's presidential election, left-wing candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is calling his supporters to stage a mass protest in the capital on Saturday. Read
Like Predecessor, UN's New Rights Body Targets Israel
Following a trend adopted by its discredited predecessor, the U.N.'s new Human Rights Council ended its first-ever "special session" Thursday with a resolution condemning Israel over the crisis in the Gaza Strip. Read
North Korea's Allies Resist Action in Security Council
Moves to punish North Korea for firing a series of missiles are, as expected, running into hurdles in the United Nations Security Council, where Russia and China are loathe to consider the imposition of sanctions -- or even a council resolution. Read
South Korea Ponders Three-Way Message of Missile Tests
North Korea's missile tests this week were evidently aimed at sending the signal that it could threaten the United States, Japan and South Korea, according to analysis in South Korea, where the government's position on its northern neighbor is again under fire. Read
North Korea Deepens Crisis With July Fourth Missile Tests
After weeks of keeping the world guessing about its intentions, North Korea chose America's Independence Day to test fire a volley of missiles, ignoring international calls for restraint and stoking up tensions across the region. Read