Gates arrives as military prepares Kandahar push (MalaysiaNews.net) KABUL, Afghanistan | Preparations have begun for a crucial campaign to assert Afghan government control over Kandahar, the so-called “spiritual” home of the Taliban, the top U.S. and NATO commander in…
McChrystal eyes securing Kandahar (MalaysiaNews.net) Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — The top U.S. general in Afghanistan vowed [...]

5 Somalis Die as Islamists Fight Government (ABC News) Fighting between Islamist and Somali government forces kills 5; Islamist commander shot dead Somalia – Islamism – Somali language – Africa – Al-Qaeda
Somalia’s Al Shabaab dismisses international moves to outlaw it (People’s Daily) The radical Islamist group of Al Shabaab in Somalia on Monday said [...]

US ‘regrets’ Kadhafi jibe, sends envoy to Libya (AFP via Yahoo! News) The United States said Tuesday it is sending a top envoy to Libya as it voiced “regret” that a US jibe taken by Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi as an insult had harmed ties with the oil-rich country.
US official apologizes for insulting Libya [...]

Kazakhstan jails show Jonathan Aitken way to reform (Times Online) THEY are grim concrete fortresses where inmates have complained of beatings and torture. Yet Kazakhstan’s prisons have become an unlikely testbed for Tory reforms to the UK penal system, from proposals put forward by Jonathan Aitken — the former cabinet minister and former convict.
03/03/2010 [...]

Iraq vote a setback for Al-Qaeda (Straits Times) BAGHDAD – AL-QAEDA in Iraq suffered a major blow after Sunni voters largely ignored its death threats and turned out in force to cast their ballots in a crucial weekend general election, observers said. Electoral authorities have put the final turnout in Sunday’s vote at 62.4 per [...]

India seals copter deal with Russia s Rosoboronexport (Itar-Tass) NEW DELHI, March 9 (Itar-Tass) – India has signed a contract with Russia s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport on supply of helicopters for the country s Air Force, Indian Defence Minister A. K. Antony told a parliamentary meeting on Tuesday. [...]

Bulgaria Ethnic Turkish Party Opposes President Impeachment (Novinite.com) Bulgaria’s ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) party broke the silence Tuesday and declared they oppose eventual impeachment of President Georgi Parvanov.
Romanian Bus Crashes in Bulgaria, No Injuries (Novinite.com) A bus, carrying Romanian nationals, crashed Monday night near the western town of Pernik, after [...]

Since Renationalisation, Entel Has Been Expanding Its Mobile Network In Bolivia (OfficialWire) One of the poorest and least developed Latin American nations, Bolivia has one of the lowest rates of mobile penetration and fixed-line teledensity in Latin America.
Sell Brazil Bonds, Buy Mexico, Bank of America Says (Update1) (Bloomberg) March 9 (Bloomberg) — Bank of [...]

Afghan president to pay two-day visit to Pakistan (People’s Daily) Afghan President Hamid Karzai will arrive in Islamabad on March 10 on a two-day state visit to Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said Monday. The president of Afghanistan will meet Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, said Abdul Basit. This [...]

Hijacked Thailand Fishing Vessel Thai Union 3 Released (Defence Professionals) EU NAVFOR can confirm that early this morning a Thailand flagged fishing vessel (Thai Union 3) was released by pirates from the port of Heradeere after the payment of a ransom. …
Top JI militant believed killed in Indonesia: police (AFP via Yahoo! News) Indonesian [...]