Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:countries/afghanistantag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Motorbike_bomb_kills_Pakistan_3d30

A bomb planted on a motorbike killed six people and wounded another 15 on Friday in a crowded Pakistani market in troubled southwestern province Baluchistan, police said.

2013-03-22T08:03:59ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/drones_kill_four_Pakistan_officials_1476

US drones fired two missiles at a vehicle in Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt Thursday, killing four militants, security officials said.

2013-03-21T20:40:49ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Karzai_claims_victory_over_abuse_733f

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday claimed victory in his latest dispute with the US after accusing its special forces of abusing civilians in the key strategic province of Wardak.

2013-03-21T13:17:44ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Italian_athletics_great_Mennea_dies_bc47

Italian athletics great Pietro Mennea, the gold medal winner in the 200m at the 1980 Moscow Olympics who held the world record in the event for 17 years, has died.

2013-03-21T11:23:46ZAFP Global Editionby Justin DAVIStag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Pakistan_refugee_camp_bombing_kills_8440

A car bomb tore through a refugee camp in northwest Pakistan Thursday, killing at least 12 people and wounding 30 others, in the latest in a wave of attacks ahead of general elections in May.

2013-03-21T08:48:04ZAFP South Asian Editionby S. H. Khantag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/bomb_kills_four_Pakistan_refugee_8d65

A car bomb tore through a camp for internally displaced people in northwest Pakistan Thursday, killing at least four people and wounding 18 others, police said.

2013-03-21T07:55:32ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Pakistan_targets_Taliban_lair_secure_3af4

Pakistan is stepping up an offensive to dislodge the Taliban from a key stronghold in an effort to safeguard May's general election and crack down on militants behind a wave of attacks.

2013-03-21T07:00:12ZAFP Asian Editionby Sajjad Tarakzaitag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Saudi-born_accused_terrorism_York_2064

An alleged veteran of al-Qaeda's fight against US soldiers in Afghanistan who went on to plot a bomb attack on US diplomatic facilities in Nigeria was charged Wednesday in New York.

2013-03-20T18:21:48ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Pakistan_hold_historic_polls_431f

Pakistan will go to the polls on May 11, the presidency announced Wednesday, in an historic general election marking the first democratic transition of power in the country's 66-year existence.

2013-03-20T17:03:58ZAFP Asian Editionby Nasir Jaffrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Kabul_reach_deal_pullout_forces_9280

The United States and Kabul appeared Wednesday to reach an agreement on withdrawing coalition forces from part of a strategic province, after an ultimatum from Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

2013-03-20T16:39:54ZAFP Global Editionby Usman Sharifitag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Nearly_many_Afghan_troops_killed_5683

Almost 3,000 Afghan police and soldiers have been killed in the last 12 months, nearly the same as the number of NATO deaths in Afghanistan in the last 11 years of war, Kabul said Wednesday.

2013-03-20T15:35:53ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Kabul_reach_deal_forces_pullout_cdf8

The United States and Kabul appeared Wednesday to reach an agreement on the pullout of coalition forces from a strategic province, nearly a month after an ultimatum from Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

2013-03-20T13:54:04ZAFP American Editionby Usman Sharifitag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Pakistan_president_sets_election_6046

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari announced Wednesday that general elections would be held on May 11, in what will mark the first democratic transition of power in the country's history.

2013-03-20T11:55:43ZAFP Asian Editionby Nasir Jaffrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Pakistan_President_sets_election_ee7e

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari announced Wednesday that general elections would be held on May 11, in what will mark the first democratic transition of power in the country's history.

2013-03-20T11:13:02ZAFP Global Editionby Nasir Jaffrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Pakistan_hopes_Buddhist_tourism_boost_dd7d

Religious violence may be on the rise and the Taliban still a threat, but Pakistan is hoping a rich Buddhist heritage will help it boost international tourism to its troubled northwest.

2013-03-20T05:48:04ZAFP Global Editionby Guillaume Lavalleetag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Seven_Marines_killed_training_exercise_4be7

Seven US Marines were killed and seven more wounded when a mortar round exploded while still in its launch tube during a training exercise in Nevada, the military said Tuesday.

2013-03-19T22:45:34ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Afghan_government_says_NATO_aimless_be84

Afghanistan's presidential spokesman on Tuesday described the NATO-led military operation in the war-torn nation as "aimless and unwise", in the latest broadside by Kabul against the international coalition.

2013-03-19T20:17:15ZAFP Asian Editionby Ben Sheppardtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Obama_hails_troops_Iraq_anniversary_7050

US President Barack Obama marked the tenth anniversary of the Iraq invasion on Tuesday by paying tribute to the "sacrifice" of US troops, but had few words for the Iraqi people.

2013-03-19T18:05:10ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/major_powers_warn_Afghanistan_over_4c5a

The United States and United Nations on Tuesday warned Afghanistan that ensuring a credible presidential election next year would be "critical" to maintaining international support after 2014.

2013-03-19T18:03:23ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Afghan_president_spokesman_says_NATO_bcd5

Afghanistan's presidential spokesman on Tuesday described the NATO-led military operation in the country as "aimless and unwise", in the latest government broadside against the coalition.

2013-03-19T14:59:00ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reporter