World Briefs

LONDON – Britain said Tuesday it was expelling two Iranian diplomats as international condemnation of Tehran reached its strongest level yet with US President Barack Obama questioning presidential poll results.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the expulsions after Tehran ordered two British diplomats to leave -- while at least five European Union cou ntries called in Iran ian envoys to protest against the Tehran government's crackdown.

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Tropical Storm Andres flooded homes and knocked down trees along Mexico's Pacific coast, killing at least one person as it headed toward a likely hurricane-force scrape with land on Tuesday. Mexico issued a hurricane warning for the strip of coast from just south of Manzanillo.

ROME – Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has denied ever paying a woman for sex, as he faces growing political pressure over lurid allegations that he slept with a female escort who was paid to attend his parties.

"I have never paid a woman," Berlusconi said in an interview with the Chi weekly owned by his Mondadori publishing empire.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – At least 17 people were killed Tuesday when suspected US missile strikes hit a Taliban base in Pakistan's northwest, pounding militants gathering for funeral prayers, officials said.

The first reported strike by an unmanned drone aircraft hit near Makeen village, 60 kilometres (37 miles) northeast of Wana, the main town in South Waziristan and a stronghold of Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. The missile attack by a suspected US drone took place Neej Narai.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea – An undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck off the remote New Ireland area of Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, triggering a local tsunami warning, US scientists said.

SEOUL, South Korea – An American destroyer tailed a North Korean ship Tuesday as it sailed along China's coast, U.S. officials said, amid concerns the vessel is carrying illicit arms destined for Myanmar.

The sailing sets up the first test of a new U.N. Security Council resolution that authorizes member states to inspect North Korean vessels suspected of carrying banned weapons or materials. The sanctions are punishment for an underground nuclear test the North carried out last month.