CANBERRA (Reuters) – France on Wednesday asked its European allies to relax restrictions on troop deployment and operations in Afghanistan just a month after losing 10 soldiers in a Taliban ambush.

KARACHI (Reuters) -The Pakistani rupee weakened on Wednesday due to import payments, weak economic fundamentals and concern over tension with the United States over U.S. military attacks on militants in Pakistan.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Members of Israel’s ruling party began voting on Wednesday for a new leader to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who has promised to resign following a corruption investigation in which he faces indictment.