KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan and NATO forces seized the Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala on Tuesday, a symbolic victory for the Afghan government and its Western backers, but one which may do little to stop the insurgents from carrying out attacks.

BELGRADE (Reuters) – Serb Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica warned the European Union on Tuesday that sending a supervisory mission to the breakaway province of Kosovo could damage relations with Serbia.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia will not start a new arms race when it freezes compliance with a Cold War arms treaty on Wednesday but it does want to send a clear message it is not happy about NATO’s eastward expansion.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Palestinians will attend peace talks this week despite a plan by Israel to build new homes on occupied land, but will focus on demanding a settlement freeze, senior Palestinian officials said on Tuesday.

RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned Israel for restarting settlement activity after a promise to stop building on occupied land helped persuade Riyadh to attend U.S.-brokered peace talks in Annapolis last month.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Dmitry Medvedev, named by President Vladimir Putin as his preferred successor, said on Tuesday that he would propose that Putin becomes prime minister in a future government.

GAZA (Reuters) – About 30 Israeli tanks and armored vehicles pushed as far as 2.5 miles into the Hamas-run Gaza Strip on Tuesday, sparking clashes with Palestinians that killed at least three militants, medics and militants said.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan successfully tested a cruise missile with a range of 700 km (435 miles) on Tuesday, the military said.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq will never allow the United States to have permanent military bases on its soil, the government’s national security adviser said, calling the issue a “red line” that cannot be crossed.

GAZA (Reuters) – An Israeli air strike killed a militant who was trying to launch rockets from the northern Gaza Strip and another died in an explosion in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, militant sources, medics and the army said.