BAGHDAD - THOUSANDS of Iranians living in Iraq or on pilgrimages to Shiite shrines were voting in the Iranian presidential election on Friday, said Iranian officials manning the polls said.

Twelve polling centres were scattered across Iraq for Iranians to cast their ballots, from Kurdish provinces bordering Iran, to the predominantly Shiite southern port city of Basra, and in the shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala.

BRUSSELS - THE United States plans to devote more money and manpower to the 'information war' in Afghanistan as Nato-led forces battle an aggressive media campaign by Taleban insurgents, officials said on Friday.

PERUGIA (Italy) - AMERICAN Amanda Knox on Friday accused police of forcing false statements out of her after she was arrested over the 2007 sex-murder of her British housemate in central Italy.