VIENNA - THE world's top nuclear watchdog chose Japan's Yukiya Amano as its next head on Thursday - and he touched on the devastation US atom bombs wreaked on his country in pledging to do his utmost to prevent the spread of nuclear arms.

The decision by the 35-nation International Atomic Energy Agency board ended a tug of war on who should succeed Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who saw his agency vaulted into prominence during a high-profile 12-year tenure.

WASHINGTON - THE United States is authorising the seizure of assets belonging to an extremist organization in Iraq and its Iranian backer.

ATLANTA - HEALTH officials say the number of US H1N1 flu cases has reached nearly 34,000, and deaths rose 34 per cent in the past week to hit 170.