Atlantic Council

8 people have been killed after a blast hit a minibus in Vladikavkaz. According to the BBC, the bomb was planted outside a busy market in the North Caucasus town.

The U.S. sent Russia proposals aimed at revising a nuclear-disarmament agreement and assuaging Moscow's growing opposition to a U.S. missile-defense system for Europe, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Eight soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber who drove a truck laden with explosives into a secutiry checkpoint in South Waziristan, reports the New York Times. The truck bombing took place around 9:30 a.m.

Chen Yunlin, China's top negotiator on Taiwan affairs, is to land on the island Monday for talks with Taiwan about possible trade and transit deals, according to Reuters. He will be the highest-level Chinese official to land on the self-ruled island in decades.

Syria will deploy more troops along its border with Lebanon in an effort to stop smuggling, the Lebanese army said on Thursday.

The IMF is to create an emegency relief fund to help emerging economies through the current financial crisis, reports BBC. IMF officials said a maximum of around $100bn (£61bn) would be available.

Syria has jailed 12 dissidents for political crimes after they had called for democratic reforms, according to Al Jazeera.

Japan's Nikkei index rose 6.4% by the end of the morning session, reports BBC. In South Korea, there has been a similar gain, with the Kospi shooting up more than 7%, although it fell back slightly later. In Tokyo, the Nikkei-225 finished the morning at 8,109.34, a gain of 487.42 points.

Pakistan, Afghanistan are to hold talks with the Taliban, reports Reuters. In the United States, a senior U.S.

Japan's Nikkei index opened down 2%, falling below the 7,000 mark for the first time in 26 years according to BBC. It did, however, recover by lunchtime to reach 0.95% down.