OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (Reuters) — UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Tuesday said he hoped to soon double to 5,000 the number of UN troops in southern Lebanon and urged Israel and Hizbollah to swiftly end rows blocking a permanent ceasefire.

TEHRAN (AFP) — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday challenged his US counterpart George W. Bush to a live television debate as he shrugged off the threat of sanctions two days ahead of a UN deadline for Iran to halt sensitive atomic work.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s prime minister issued a fresh call Tuesday for armed groups to be dissolved after his office raised the death toll in fighting between government forces and Shiite fighters to 73.