Washington

The United States said on Monday Israel may have violated an agreement with Washington in its use of US-made cluster bombs during last July’s war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. ”There were likely violations,” said State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack, adding that a preliminary classified report is being sent to the US Congress on Monday.

The United States Treasury Department named two South African cousins as al-Qaeda financiers and facilitators, ordering a freeze on any US assets they may have and banning Americans from doing business with them. The treasury said Farhad Ahmed Dockrat provided funds to a trust used by al-Qaeda.

Reports about a study that found microwave ovens can be used to sterilise kitchen sponges sent people hurrying to test the idea this week — with sometimes disastrous results. A team at the University of Florida found that two minutes in the microwave at full power could kill a range of bacteria, viruses and parasites on kitchen sponges.

United States President George Bush has authorised the US military to kill or capture Iranian agents active inside Iraq, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing government and counterterrorism officials with direct knowledge of the plan.

Altruism, one of the most difficult human behaviors to define, can be detected in brain scans, United States researchers reported this week. They found activity in a specific area of the brain could predict altruistic behavior — and people’s own reports of how selfish or giving they are.

A powerful, 8,3-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s northern coast in the Pacific on Saturday, sparking a tsunami warning and sending thousands of residents along the archipelago’s eastern coast fleeing to higher ground, officials said. A small tsunami wave hit Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido.

The United States Olympic Committee wants to host the 2016 Summer Games and later this year plans to nominate either Chicago or Los Angeles as its contender in the competition to host the event, the organisation said on Tuesday. The organisation has been considering an attempt to host the games for 18 months and decided a US bid would be competitive internationally.

United States President George Bush has begun a major campaign to gain public support for his plan to increase US troops in Iraq, US news media reported on Tuesday. Bush met with more than 30 Republican Party senators, several of whom confirmed reports that the president plans to increase the number of US troops in Iraq by at least 20 000 to help pacify Baghdad.

United States President George Bush will unveil his new strategy for Iraq in a prime-time speech to the nation on Wednesday at 9pm local time, the White House said on Monday. "The president will be addressing the nation on his plan for a way forward in Iraq and the global war on terror," spokesperson Tony Snow said.

The new Democratic majority in the United States Congress was poised on Sunday for the first major policy confrontation with President George Bush as it declared the nearly four-year war in Iraq ”intractable” and demanded its end. The demand came just days before Bush is scheduled to announce his new strategy for victory in the violence-torn country.

The United States warned Americans on Thursday to exercise caution when travelling in East Africa, citing terrorism threats against nationals, unrest in Somalia and maritime piracy. ”A number of al-Qaeda operatives and other extremists are believed to be operating in and around East Africa,” the State Department said in a statement.

United States President George Bush hosted German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday for talks and a dinner to work out the kinks in transatlantic relations — but not any knots in her shoulders. "No back rubs," Bush joked, an apparent reference to the awkward scene when he briefly massaged her back at the July 2006 summit of the Group of Eight industrialised nations.

The White House on Thursday urged Iraq to handle the execution of two of Saddam Hussein’s henchmen ”with appropriate care” after the controversy over the ousted dictator’s hanging. ”We expect Iraqi officials to handle their business with appropriate care. I don’t think there’s anything more we can say,” spokesperson Tony Fratto said after Baghdad postponed carrying out the sentence.

United States President George Bush could send up to 40 000 more troops to Iraq when he unveils his revised Iraq policy, US media said on Thursday. Reports gave estimates of between 9 000 and 40 000 extra troops to be sent to Iraq, where military sources say there are currently some 130 000 US troops. The move could be controversial as the Iraq war is increasingly unpopular with the US public.