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Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad begins a controversial visit to Baghdad. He will meet with the Shiite leaders of Iraq's government and visit holy cities south of the capital. Iraqi Sunni leaders complain that the visit is further proof of the growing Iranian influence in Baghdad.

Scott Simon speaks with British diplomat Paddy Ashdown about the future of the international reconstruction mission in Afghanistan. Ashdown was initially tapped to lead the UN's "super-envoy" to the war-torn country, but his appointment was recently rejected by Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

On his last day on the job at the State Department, Nicholas Burns discusses the beginning of the United States' return to multilateral diplomacy after a period of frayed relations. Burns is the undersecretary of state for political affairs.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17. The United States and Britain are among the nations that support Kosovar independence. Russia and China oppose it. We address some of the questions raised by the prospect of nationhood for Kosovo.

Turkish troops pursued their new offensive against Kurdish rebel bases across the border in northern Iraq on Sunday. Heavy fighting left dozens dead, and the rebels — from the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK — shot down a Turkish helicopter.

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra will travel to North Korea on Monday after performing on Sunday in Beijing. Observers are watching and hoping — cautiously — that this is a sign that North Korea is more willing to open up to the outside world.

Sergio Vieira de Mello was the United Nations' envoy in Iraq when he was killed by a terrorist attack on the Canal Hotel in August 2003. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Samantha Power has written a book about Vieira de Mello's life.

Kosovo declared independence this week, and Serbian nationalists reacted violently. Soren Jessen-Petersen, U.N. administrator for Kosovo, offers his thoughts on the tense political climate.

A visit to Australia by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates tests the tone of U.S.-Aussie relations. New Prime Minister Kevin Rudd campaigned on a promise to pull Australian troops out of Iraq. But he doesn't want to sour ties with America.

Turkish troops, backed by tanks and warplanes, moved into northern Iraq on Friday to hunt down Kurdish separatist guerrillas of the PKK, who have been launching raids into Turkey from Iraqi territory. Turkey says the guerrillas are their only target. It's unclear how many troops are involved.