MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia, which sent a warship to Somalia’s coast to combat pirates, asked the African nation on Thursday for carte blanche to use force in its territorial waters.

TBILISI (Reuters) – Georgia said on Thursday that Russia had deployed 2,000 extra troops in South Ossetia in the past week and was preparing to stir up more trouble in the breakaway territory.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan has not formally asked for a facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the prime minister’s top adviser on economic affairs said on Thursday, contrary to comments by the head of the multilateral agency.

KARACHI (Reuters) – Pakistan needs funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to get its economy back on track after problems were ignored during a transition to civilian rule this year, a former central bank governor said.

DUBAI (Reuters) – Fifteen Afghans may face the death penalty in the United Arab Emirates for smuggling 202 kg (445 lb) of heroin hidden in the fuel tanks of trucks, newspapers reported on Thursday.

KABUL (Reuters) – A roadside bomb has killed three soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition force in Afghanistan, the U.S. military said.Violence has surged to its worst level this year, resulting so far in the killing of some 4,000 people, a third of them civilians, the bloodiest period since U.S.-led troops …

Iraqi forces have been handed control of security in the province of Babil by the US military.

A suicide car bomber has killed nine people in a convoy carrying an Iraqi government minister in central Baghdad. At least 20 others were injured after the bomber slammed his car into the escort. Iraq’s Labour Minister Mahmoud Jawad Radhi escaped unhurt, officials say.

TEHRAN (FNA)- We will never allow any action to take place against Iran from Iraq’s territory, Kurdish Regional Administration Leader Massoud Barzani said in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here on Wednesday.

TEHRAN (FNA)- The leader of Iraq’s Kurdish regional administration, Massoud Barzani, arrived in Tehran leading a high-profile delegation on an official visit to Iran.