The United Kingdom is next week expected to push through the United Nations a resolution to open the way for a landmark arms trade treaty, in spite of opposition from the United States, Russia and China. An attempt at the UN three years ago had to be abandoned because of the level of hostility.

Hezbollah fired cluster bombs into civilian areas of northern Israel in the recent conflict, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday. The Lebanese Shia militia used two Chinese-made rockets for cluster strikes that hit the village of Mghar in Galilee on July 25, according to evidence gathered by the United States-based organisation.

For centuries its rich aromas and ornate design have formed an integral part of Persian culture. But now the hubble-bubble, or water pipe, is set to disappear from Iran’s traditional restaurants and tea-houses as part of a stringent anti-smoking drive by the government.

Europe’s leaders will have no difficulty in reaching today’s informal European Union summit as they fly into the industrial Finnish city of Lahti on their plush government jets. Less fortunate souls experienced more of a struggle after a strike by Finnair’s cabin crews grounded a majority of the national carrier’s flights.

The excavation of a tunnel joining Europe and Africa deep below the Strait of Gibraltar could start as early as next year after Spain and Morocco commissioned preliminary engineering studies. Veteran Swiss tunnel engineer Giovanni Lombardi has been called in by the governments of both countries to draw up a project outlining how work could proceed towards creating the only direct physical link between the two continents.