Britain handed over security in Basra province to Iraqi forces on Sunday, effectively marking the end of nearly five years of British control of southern Iraq.

The Afghan army killed four insurgents on Sunday, the Defense Ministry said, the first fighting near the former Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala since it was captured from the militants five days ago.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian president’s special envoy Mohammad Reza Baqeri met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa on Friday.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Foreign Ministry Saturday summoned Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Tehran to voice Iran’s protest at the baseless allegations made in certain media of that country.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is scheduled to leave Tehran for Mecca, Saudi Arabia on a hajj pilgrimage on Monday.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Defense Ministry Saturday said it has launched production of a new generation of long and medium-range RADAR systems.

DIWANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) – A former police chief in southern Iraq has been arrested and accused of assisting insurgents, police said on Saturday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Saturday it had no plans for a major build-up of forces following its decision to freeze compliance with the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran is prepared to build residential units in Iraq, given the existing potentials as well as the housing shortage in that country, Iran’s Housing Minister Mohammad Saidi-Kia said in a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart here on Saturday.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran’s Justice Minister Gholam Hossein Elham in a meeting with his Tanzanian counterpart here on Saturday said the two countries share common international stances