-EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton warned on Tuesday against a political vacuum in Lebanon after the opposition called for the premier to step down over a deadly blast blamed on Syria.

Ammunition factory attacked by military planes, minister says Sudan ''reserves right to strike back,'' Barak refuses to respond.

Touting his record, US president points to Romney quote saying he'd ''do the opposite'' of Obama's policies; in debate, Obama says current military, intelligence cooperation with Israel is unprecedented

US presidential challenger Mitt Romney called Monday for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be indicted under the UN genocide convention over his comments questioning the Holocaust.

Discussion on a technical trade agreement between the EU and Israel which aims to eliminate trade barriers to Israel’s highly advanced pharmaceutical products entering the European market threatened to turn into a politically polarised dispute over the impact of recognising Israeli sovereignty over disputed territories, ahead of a highly-anticipated vote on the ACAA agreement Tuesday night by the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg.

Israeli President Shimon Peres welcomed his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev in an official ceremony at the start of his two-day state visit to Israel Monday, as he called Bulgaria “a true friend of Israel” and the Jews.

The future of a controversial European Parliament delegation planned visit to Iran at the end of this week hangs in the balance after Belgian Socialist MEP Kathleen Van Brempt withdrew from the group of MEPs due to participate, citing “tension” around its reception by the international community.

During final debate before elections, both US presidential candidates say they'd stand by Israel should it be attacked by Iran; Romney labels Iranian nuclear program ''greatest national security threat'' facing US.

Foreign policy will be the topic of the final presidential debate between Democratic incumbent President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney Monday in Boca Raton, Florida.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton ''strongly'' condemned the car bomb attack in central Beirut on Friday which killed eight people including a top intelligence official, Brigadier General Wissam El-Hassan, linked to the anti-Syrian camp in Lebanon.