New York  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked the UN Security Council on Friday to extend the mandate of the UN mission in Afghanistan another 12 months so it can assist Kabul in the critical elections in August.

He said the UN mission will set up a political-electoral unit to work with Afghan political parties, civil society and the candidates to prepare for the general elections on August 20, including election of a new president.

Washington  - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Mexico March 25 and 26 amid increasing drug-related violence along the US border.

The State Department said Friday Clinton will meet with Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa for talks on a host of issues that focus on cooperation between the two countries in fighting narcotics.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon's crackdown on drug cartels has resulted in a jump in violence near the US border among trafficking gangs and retributions against police.

Washington - US Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Chile and Costa Rica later this month for talks with Latin American leaders ahead of April's summit in Trinidad and Tobago, the White House announced Friday.

Biden will attend a governance conference in Chile that will be attended by several Latin American leaders during the March 27-30 trip, before heading to Costa Rica.

Amman - Jordan's King Abdullah II and Queen Rania are to fly to Rabat on Sunday for a working visit to Morocco to be followed by a state visit to Portugal, the royal court announced Friday.

King Abdullah is due to have talks in Rabat with King Mohammed VI on latest developments in the region and efforts under way to unite Arab stances on various issues and push forward the Arab-Israeli peace process, a royal court statement said.

Washington  - President Barack Obama's choice to be the top US trade official was approved for the post Thursday by the Senate Finance Committee, paving the way for a vote by the full chamber in the coming days.

Ron Kirk's nomination as US trade representative was accepted by a voice vote in the committee more than two months after he was picked by Obama. The former Dallas mayor's confirmation had been delayed primarily over a tax problem related to his donations to charity.