U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says an attack on Iran over its nuclear program is not on this country's "agenda." Speaking to reporters in London today (Friday), where she met with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Ms. Rice warned Tehran, however, not to use civilian nuclear power programs as a cover for nuclear weapons development.
She said Iranians should take an opportunity for peaceful settlement of their nuclear dispute, as presented by European leaders, and live up to their international obligations.
Iraq's Shi'ite Muslims are leading in early results of the country's national elections, which are being announced even as insurgents step up violent attacks following days of relative calm in the war-torn country.
A new South Korean defense policy paper says the United States will deploy 690,000 troops if war breaks out on the Korean Peninsula. Seoul's "white paper" released today (Friday) says in case of all-out war, the United States would send in 40 percent of its Navy, 50 percent of the Air Force and 70 percent of the Marine Corps to augment about 30,000 troops already in South Korea.
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