KABUL (Reuters) – Nineteen newly-freed South Korean hostages flew out of the Afghan capital on Friday after a six-week kidnap drama following a deal with Taliban insurgents critics fear could spur more abductions.The South Korean Christian volunteers, part of a group of 23 missionaries kidnapped in southeast Afghanistan in mid-July, …

KABUL, Afghanistan – Newly freed South Korean church workers apologized to their government Friday for causing trouble in Afghanistan by being kidnapped by the Taliban for six weeks.Some fell to the ground in shock when they were told that two members of their group had been killed by their captors, …

The US security coordinator in the Palestinian territories wants five new Palestinian battalions deployed across the West Bank in an effort to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to a report published Thursday.

The White House on Thursday played down a congressional report showing Iraq had achieved few of the political and security goals set by Washington, saying the standards were too high to meet.

THE UNITED STATES has pledged continued support to Lebanon’s army, which has been fighting a vicious battle against Islamists north of the country.

The head of the UN refugee agency on Thursday praised Jordan and Syria for taking in fleeing Iraqis and urged the international community to show its solidarity by providing more direct, bilateral support.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki described the recent statements made by US President George W. Bush about Iran as irrational, and said the remarks indicated his lack of rationality and decision-making power as well as political paralysis.

Iran’s permanent envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh said that the recent report presented by the UN nuclear watchdog head Mohammed ElBaradei to the IAEA Board of Governors endorsed the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.

Given its present trend of construction, the Islamic Iran will set an example for other world nations, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday.

Iran is gaining influence in Latin America as the region turns away from Washington and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad courts new allies to counter US hegemony.