CAIRO (Reuters) – The governments of the Middle East, from Iran to Israel and beyond, are increasingly ignoring the wishes of a U.S. administration which has only eight months left in office, going their own way in regional diplomacy.

TBILISI (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of people protested in Georgia’s capital on Monday against President Mikheil Saakashvili, who they said had stolen victory for his ruling party in last week’s parliamentary election.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Italy plans to cut up to 300 troops from its 2,400-strong contingent in Afghanistan later this year, Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said on Monday.