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In an historic decision, Afghanistan’s assembly of tribal and community elders, the Loya Jirga, overall approved a multi-page Bilateral Security Agreement with the United States. But it is still unclear when the deal will be signed.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed an interim agreement reached regarding Iran's nuclear programme and urged the Governments concerned to do everything possible to continue negotiations.

In Pakistan, some 10,000 or more people protesting U.S. drone strikes blocked a NATO supply route into Afghanistan Saturday.

Iranian and international negotiators have reached agreement on first steps to curtail Iran's nuclear program and ease economic sanctions, after four days of marathon high-level negotiations in Geneva that ended after 2 o'clock Sunday morning.

The United States says Afghanistan needs to approve and sign by the end of the year the Bilateral Security Agreement being considered by the assembly of Afghan tribal elders, or Loya Jirga, in Kabul.

The latest round of talks on Iran's nuclear program moves to a third day Friday, after a spokesman said there were substantive meetings on Thursday. Negotiators are seeking agreement on initial steps to curb potential military aspects of the program in exchange for an easing of economic sanctions.

The United States is preparing to send $40 million in aid to help stabilize the Central African Republic.

A U.S. congressional panel said that China's rapidly modernizing military is "altering the security balance in the Asia Pacific and challenging decades of U.S. military preeminence in the region."

Israel says it has completed a successful test of its interceptor missile, Magic Wand.

Indonesia has announced that it is suspending military and intelligence cooperation with Australia, a traditional ally, following allegations that Australian spies listened in on the phone calls of senior Indonesian officials.