AMMAN -- A top U.N. atomic watchdog official has visited Iran Thursday to try to get answers on its nuclear activities, amid Western frustration and international division on how to deal with Tehrans failure to respond to a new set of incentives to freeze uranium enrichment.

AMMAN -- When an Arab becomes the first incumbent head-of-state wanted for war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Court, it is bound to have political implications and raise concerns about hidden political agendas that may underlie legal allegations.

When the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran judged with "high confidence" last December that Tehran had halted its nuclear weapons programs back in 2003, much of the world breathed a sigh of relief. It meant that the Bush presidency would almost certainly not end with a bang – a bang produced by an attack against Irans nuclear facilities.

The UN Security Council Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to extend for one year the mandate of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led (NATO-led) peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, but Russia abstained.

Iran warned Wednesday that it could bomb Israel if it was attacked by the Jewish state, as the international war of words over the Islamic republics nuclear drive escalated further.

Israeli planes blasted targets far into the north of Lebanon Friday as their ground troops held off on a threatened major offensive in the south and Russia threw a wild card into the protracted haggling over a truce call at the United Nations. {/bo

A French-US plan to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah hit mounting difficulties Tuesday as Arab ministers took their objections to the UN Security Council.

Envoys of six major powers reported progress Tuesday on a UN draft resolution demanding that Iran halt uranium enrichment, but said that they needed further instructions from their capitals. UPDATE: UNITED NATIONS, July 27 - Six major powers Thu