A suicide bomber drove his car into the gates of the Indian embassy in the centre of the Afghan capital as people were queuing for visas. At least 40 people died, including an Indian military attaché, a diplomat and two paramilitary guards.
Pakistan denied its army was behind an explosion that killed six people at a militant's home. The incident took place on the third day of a fresh offensive to push back rebels trying to sabotage international forces near the Afghan border.
The Taliban may boost its presence in Afghanistan and increase the pace of its attacks in 2008, the Pentagon warned in its latest report.It also singled out Taliban's safe havens along Pakistan's border areas as the biggest security threat.
The US Senate has approved 162 billion dollars in new funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the next year without timetables for troop withdrawal. The bill is expected to be promptly approved by President George W. Bush.
The rich nations' group G8 met in Kyoto, Japan, where the diplomats pledged 4 billion dollars in aid for Afghanistan. Other issues discussed included the break over North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and Zimbabwe's crisis.
An explosion killed four coalition soldiers and injured two others in the southern province of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, where dozens of Taliban fighters were killed last week in a major US-led operation.
French businessman Johan Freckhaus, who was kidnapped in Afghanistan last month, was released unharmed along with his two Afghan companions on Thursday, the French foreign ministry announced. Correspondent Claire Billet reports.
At least 10 civilians were killed in a suicide bomb attack in the southern province of Helmand. Two soldiers from the US led forces were killed in the same province late Thursday during clashes with Taliban insurgents.
The US House of Representatives has approved a bill allocating 162 billion dollars to US military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, while stopping short of a timetable for troop withdrawal.
