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With Tehran making it clear that it won't curtail its nuclear program, the country faces possible U.N.-levied sanctions. Tehran seems to be betting that it can survive sanctions because of its vast oil reserves -- and oil prices that are hovering around $70 a barrel. It also has the support of countries like Russia and China.

Mortgage rates are on their way back down again, just as the housing market seems to be cooling in many markets around the country. Figures out this week from Freddie Mac show the average rate on a 30-year fixed loan to be 6.4 percent, down from 6.8 percent a month ago.

The space shuttle Discovery lands at the Kennedy Space Center after a successful visit to the International Space Station. NASA now turns its attention to the launch of Atlantis. That mission may go as early as Aug. 27 and will haul a major addition to the space station.

The Bush administration announces that all detainees in U.S. military custody around the world, including those at Guantanamo Bay, are entitled to protections under the Geneva Conventions. It is unclear what the apparent change in policy will mean for people held by the U.S.

The man who claimed responsibility for the bloody Beslan school siege is dead, according to the Russian government. Officials say Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev was killed as he was planning an attack to coincide with this week's G8 summit in St. Petersburg.

Mexico's election officials have began the official count of ballots cast in Sunday's close presidential election. In unofficial results, the conservative candidate Felipe Calderon is ahead by a slim margin. But Mexico requires a simple majority to win the presidency.

Clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants in northern Gaza leave one Israeli soldier and more than 20 Palestinians dead. Israel invaded Gaza with the stated goal of freeing a captive soldier and protecting its territory from Palestinian rockets.

Israel bombs the Beirut airport and a Lebanese army air base, saying it holds Lebanon's government responsible for Wednesday's abduction of two Israeli soldiers -- an act carried out by Hezbollah militants. Nicholas Blanford of the Christian Science Monitor talks with Madeleine Brand about the escalating violence.

Singer-songwriter Greg Laswell recently released a new CD called Through Toledo. Music critic Christian Bordal talks with Laswell about the painful events that inspired his songs.

U.N. Security Council members, plus Germany, met Wednesday in London to try and reach agreement over how to approach Iran on its nuclear program. They failed to come to any comprehensive agreement, although there are signs that the European position may be moving closer to that of the U.S.