HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Taliban insurgents have freed 118 laborers they kidnapped in western Afghanistan last week, Taliban commanders and Afghan officials said on Friday.

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Somali pirates have seized a Ukrainian ship carrying more than 30 tanks to Kenya and Russia said on Friday it was sending a warship to combat piracy in the region.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pledged on Friday to pursue peace efforts with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s successor but warned of a new cycle of violence if the fragile peace process collapsed.