AP – July is on track to be the least deadly month for American troops and one of the quietest for Iraqis since the war started, a decline in violence that has led the U.S. to consider stepping up its withdrawal plans just a month after pulling its combat forces back from Baghdad and other [...]

AP – Village leaders in a former Taliban stronghold are rebuilding their own militia to protect the area from militants holding out in nearby hills after fleeing the Pakistani army’s offensive last spring. Read more

Time.com – Violence against demonstrators and mass arrests have cleared the streets of election protesters, but the regime’s actions against dissent are now fueling opposition Read more

AP – Pharmaceuticals company Sanofi-Aventis SA said Thursday it has agreed to pay $4 billion in cash to U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co. Inc. for its share in the two companies’ animal health joint venture Merial. Read more

AP – An Israeli government report released Thursday insisted that “incessant” Hamas rocket attacks forced Israel to hit Gaza hard earlier this year, countering charges of war crimes but acknowledging that more than a dozen criminal inquiries are underway. Read more