19 killed in bus collision in Pakistan (05:58)
Islamabad, Oct 22 (IANS) At least 19 people were killed and over 40 others injured in a head-on collision between two passenger buses in Pakistan's Punjab province on Sunday night, police and media said.

US general wounded in Afghan attack (04:22)
Washington, Oct 22 (IANS) The US military has admitted that a US general was wounded in the attack in Afghanistan's Kandahar province last week which left four top provincial officials dead, according to American media reports.

Afghan election process officially ends, over 4 mn cast votes (23:32)
Kabul, Oct 21 (IANS) The President of Afghanistan on Sunday officially announced that voting in the Afghan parliamentary elections had closed, with initial data from the election commission estimating that over four million eligible voters exercised their democratic rights over the weekend.

Maldives top court upholds presidential election result (18:16)
Male, Oct 21 (IANS) The top court in the Maldives on Sunday upheld the recent presidential election result, and dismissed a petition by the outgoing incumbent, who accused the electoral commission of vote-rigging.

30 Taliban militants killed in Afghan air raid (17:56)
Kabul, Oct 21 (IANS) Atleast 30 Taliban militants were killed in an air raid in Afghanistan's Baghlan province on Sunday, an army spokesman said.

11 civilians killed in bomb blast on 2nd day of Afghan elections (14:34)
Kabul, Oct 21 (IANS) Eleven civilians were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Sunday as voting for parliamentary elections was underway on the second day, an official said.

Polling underway for second round of Pakistan by-polls (13:16)
Islamabad, Oct 21 (IANS) Voting for Pakistan's second round of by-polls in three National and Provincial Assembly constituencies in Karachi and Peshawar were underway on Sunday, amidst strict security.

Over 3 mn voted in Afghan parliamentary polls (12:58)
Kabul, Oct 21 (IANS) More than three million voters have cast their ballot in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections that were held on Saturday amidst terror threats, the country's Independent Election Commission (IEC) said on Sunday.

67 killed, 126 injured in polling day violence in Afghanistan (04:08)
Kabul, Oct 21 (IANS) At least 67 people were killed -- 27 civilians, nine members of security forces and 31 insurgents -- and 126 injured in 193 attacks carried out throughout Afghanistan by the Taliban, who had threatened to target Saturday's parliamentary elections, which were held three years late.

5 killed, 118 injured in Afghanistan's polling day violence (Second Lead) (20:37)
Kabul, Oct 20 (IANS) At least five people were killed and 118 injured in a series of violent attacks and explosions in Afghanistan as the long-awaited parliamentary elections got underway in the militancy-plagued country on Saturday.

1 killed, 47 injured in Afghanistan's polling day bombings (Lead) (17:12)
Kabul, Oct 20 (IANS) Several blasts were reported from different parts of Afghanistan on Saturday, killing at least 1 person and wounding 47, as Afghans voted in the long-awaited parliamentary elections.

Voting underway for Afghan parliamentary polls (10:02)
Kabul, Oct 20 (IANS) Voting was underway across Afghanistan on Saturday for the country's parliamentary polls that were delayed by three years and marred by a brazen terror attack by the Taliban that killed and injured top security officials earlier this week.

UN orders withdrawal of Sri Lankan peacekeeper accused of anti-Tamil atrocities (09:10)
By Arul Louis
United Nations, Oct 20 (IANS) The commander of the Sri Lankan contingent in the UN peacekeeping operations in Mali has been ordered back home after a review of his human rights record, according to Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Pakistan closes border crossings ahead of Afghan polls (20:08)
Islamabad, Oct 19 (IANS) Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the country has temporarily closed its major border points with Afghanistan on a request by the neighbouring country for the security of its parliamentary elections to be held on Saturday.

FATF asks Pakistan to 'do more' against money laundering (20:00)
Islamabad, Oct 19 (IANS) The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body which combats money laundering and terror financing among other things, has demanded more action from Pakistan to put an end to money laundering and financial assistance to terrorists, the media reported on Friday.

3 killed in blast at Afghan poll candidate's office (17:12)
Mazar-e-Sharif, Oct 19 (IANS) At least three people were killed on Friday in a blast targeting the office of a female parliamentary candidate in Afghanistan's Balkh province, the police said.

Elections postponed in Afghanistan's Kandahar after top officials' assassination (Lead) (14:54)
Kabul, Oct 19 (IANS) The Afghan government on Friday delayed October 20 parliamentary elections by one week in Kandahar province after the provincial police chief and intelligence chief were assassinated by the Taliban.

Taliban threatens to disrupt Afghan elections (13:58)
Kabul, Oct 19 (IANS) The Taliban on Friday threatened to derail the upcoming parliamentary elections in Afghanistan by blocking roads to prevent voters from reaching the polling stations.

3 top Afghan provincial officials killed, US general unhurt (Lead) (22:02)
Kandahar (Afghanistan), Oct 18 (IANS) Three top Afghan officials and a local journalist were killed in a shooting at a meeting attended by Afghan and US officials in this southern Afghan province of Kandahar on Thursday.

2 Americans, 1 Afghan injured in Kandahar shooting (19:24)
Kabul, Oct 18 (IANS) At least two Americans and an Afghan were injured in a shooting at the Governor's complex in the country's Kandahar province on Thursday, but the commander of Nato's Resolute Support Mission, Austin 'Scott' Miller, escaped unhurt.

Maldives court overturns ex-President Gayoom's jail term (18:16)
Male, Oct 18 (IANS) The Maldives High Court on Thursday overturned the jail sentence of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom weeks after he was freed on bail.

Pakistan SC dismisses petition seeking Imran Khan's disqualification (17:49)
Islamabad, Oct 18 (IANS) Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a review petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi seeking Prime Minister Imran Khan's disqualification over non-disclosure of his assets and ownership of offshore companies.

Sri Lankan PM leaves for India (17:26)
Colombo, Oct 18 (IANS) Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday left for India on a three-day official visit, his office said in a statement.

116 policemen suspended over 2014 firing in Pakistan (07:02)
Islamabad, Oct 18 (IANS) As many as 116 police officials have been suspended from their posts for their alleged involvement in a June 2014 tragedy that killed at least 14 persons in Lahore in Pakistan's Punjab province, media reports said.

Indian arrested in Nepal for possessing marijuana (20:02)
Kathmandu, Oct 17 (IANS) An Indian national has been arrested in Nepal's Birgunj city for possessing marijuana, the police said.