Eurasia

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has hastened Georgia’s march toward membership in NATO by going to war with it over its breakaway province of South Ossetia, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Saturday.

So have the Russians left Georgia, or not? People who normally live in the buffer zone Russia has unilaterally set up are dismayed to see armour digging in instead of heading off back into south Osettia.

Life in Georgia is slowly returning as refugees from the Russian military occupation return and re-populate towns and villages that have been deserted for 10 days. They find much of Gori ruined, especially any official or military location.

(Pakistan) – Many bodies are still trapped under the rubble of the police station in Mingora in Pakistan’s Swat valley.Eight have been recovered, but there are fears of more after the Taliban warned of a bombing counter-offensive if the government does not stop military operations in the area, once a …

TEHRAN (FNA)- Turkish energy minister Hilmi Guler met with the Iranian ambassador to Ankara Thursday evening to iron out serious problems that have developed over the long-mooted wide-ranging gas deal between the two countries, a Turkish official said.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian border security guards on Friday evening arrested 21 Pakistanis on the two countries’ border and handed them over to Taftan police.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran is in talks with two major Asian oil companies regarding the development of the South Caspian Sea region, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – All Russia’s military activities in Georgia meet the conditions of a French-brokered six point ceasefire deal which ended clashes over South Ossetia, a senior Russian general said on Saturday.

NICOSIA (Reuters) – Activists seeking to challenge Israel’s sea blockade of Gaza were struggling with rough seas and disruptions to their communications, the group said on Saturday.

MINGORA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistani troops killed 35 militants in fighting in the Swat Valley northwest of Islamabad on Saturday, shortly after a suicide car-bomber killed eight policemen.