The permanent members of the U.N. Security Council agreed to refer Iran to the Security Council for possible punishment, after becoming fed up with Tehran’s refusal to begin “serious” negotiations.

The Israeli military mobilized armored vehicles and tanks on the Lebanon border in response to the killing of seven Israeli soldiers and the kidnapping of two by Hezbollah. Israel’s Prime Minister said the militant’s attack was an “act of war.” The kidnapping is the second such event in recent weeks.

The French soccer star who may have cost his team victory in the World Cup by head butting an Italian player apologized publicly “to all the children.” Zinedine Zidane said that the Italian defender had insulted his mother and sister, but declined to reveal the specific insult.

A U.S. Treasury official said that the Bush administration wants U.S. banks to turn over all data on customers’ international wire transfers. Such data used to be kept secret. The change in policy, however, will go through a public comment period, unlike the previous effort to acquire wire transfer data sent through the international banking system called Swift. Republicans yesterday attacked the White House for failing to brief them on the formerly secret Swift program.

After a piece of concrete fell and killed a woman, a full review of Boston’s “Big Dig” has been ordered.

Virginia’s governor pardoned a woman convicted of witchcraft through a “witch ducking trial” 300 years ago Tuesday. The Witch of Pungo, Grace Sherwood, was convicted in 1706 after colonists threw her in the Lynnhaven River and she floated—a clear indication of witchcraft. Sherwood served seven years in jail and lived to be 80. Former pig farmer Belinda Nash worked to secure Sherwood’s much belated pardon by threatening to call the governor’s office every two hours unless a pardon was issued.