Morning Brief: Putin tightens Russia's grip on breakaway region

Middle East

• Yemeni forces bombed Shiite rebel camps near the Saudi border. 
• Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani denied reports that opposition protesters had been raped in prison. 
• Another double car bombing killed eight in a Shiite area of Baghdad. 

Asia

• U.S. marines have entered a Taliban-controlled town in Southern Afghanistan.  
• DNA reports show Indonesian terrorist leader Noordin Top was not killed in a shootout with authorities last week, as had previously been reported. 
• Hundreds remain stranded by mudslides in Taiwan after last weekend's deadly typhoon.

Africa 

• Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed Nigeria's government on curbing corruption. 
• Five Pakistani preachers were killed in Somalia. 
• A leader of Niger's political opposition was abducted just hours after he was cleared of charges by a court.

Europe

• The construction minister of the Russian North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia was shot dead. 
• Coast guards are still searching for a ship that was apparently hijacked in northern European waters and has disappeared.  
• British unemployment has hit a 14-year high. 

Americas

• A U.S. soldier has been arrested and accused of working as a hitman for a Mexican drug cartel. 
• Two Peruvian generals were charged with murder of the deaths of indigenous demonstrators in May. 
• Thousands demonstrated in Honduras's capital, demanding the return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.