BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The status of the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk must be solved through a political formula and not a hastily organized referendum that could trigger violence, the U.N. special representative to Iraq said.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr says the next step is “open war”. The U.S.-backed government shows no sign of backing down.

KABUL (Reuters) – Poor security and the lack of good governance are the biggest challenges facing Afghanistan, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Monday.