Five Taliban militants and a soldier were killed Friday in clashes sparked by an ambush on a paramilitary convoy in a northwestern Pakistani town, police said.

Militants ambushed a security forces convoy near Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province, where the Taliban have recently stepped up attacks, police official Marjan Ali told AFP.

A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-filled van into the gates of a school in northwestern Pakistan Wednesday, killing at least three paramilitary soldiers, police said.

The school, at Subhan Khaur village in Charsadda district, was not occupied by any children but was being used by security forces battling Taliban militants in the region, police official Marjan Ali told AFP.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a packed sports stadium in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Tuesday, killing four people and wounding 13, police said.

The bombing took place at the closing ceremony of a sports event attended by senior government officials including the provincial governor, police said.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a packed sports stadium in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding five others, police said.

The bombing took place at the closing ceremony of a sports event attended by senior government officials including the provincial governor, police said.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a packed sports stadium in northwestern Peshawar city on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding five others, police said.

Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, but several other attacks in past months have been blamed on pro-Taliban militants with links to Al-Qaeda.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a packed sports stadium in northwestern Peshawar city on Tuesday, killing one person and wounding five others, police said.

Nobody immediately claimed the responsibility but several other attacks in past months have been blamed on Al-Qaeda linked pro-Taliban militants.

A local newspaper journalist was shot dead when he did not stop his car as a military convoy passed during a curfew in Pakistan`s restive northwestern Swat valley, police said Sunday.

Qari Mohammad Shoaib, 32, a reporter with the Khabar Kar daily, was shot in the main town of Mingora late Saturday when he failed to heed warnings, police official Khaista Rehman said.

At least 22 militants and three soldiers were killed in clashes in northwest Pakistan, where the military is waging a fierce battle with Taliban-linked militants, officials said Sunday.

Suspected Taliban militants fired rockets at the airport and blew up the main electricity transmission line in northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, officials said Thursday.

A rocket hit the runway of Peshawar airport and two others exploded in the surrounding area at about 1:00 am (2000 GMT Wednesday) damaging the runway slightly, police official Dost Mohammad told AFP.

Islamist militants in restive northwest Pakistan said Wednesday they had released 12 students who were kidnapped on suspicion of spying for the government.

The group, aged between 19 and 20 and from the state-run Nazarabad High School in the Matta area of Swat valley, were seized on Tuesday.

Unidentified gunmen attacked a police vehicle in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing two officers and wounding two others, officials said.

The attack happened in Lundh Khur town of Mardan district where Islamist militants are active, local police officer Iqbal Khan said.

Rockets fired by suspected Taliban militants Tuesday slightly damaged the runway of airport in northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, but caused no casualties, officials said.

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside the house of a senior police official in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing at least eight people and wounding 25, officials said.

The blast happened in the town of Mardan, which is on the route between the major city of Peshawar and the troubled Swat Valley, where Pakistani troops are currently battling Islamist militants.

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside the house of a senior police official in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing at least eight people and wounding 25, officials said.

The blast happened in the town of Mardan, which is on the route between the major city of Peshawar and the troubled Swat Valley, where Pakistani troops are currently battling Islamist militants.

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside the house of a senior police official in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing at least four people, police said.

The blast happened in the town of Mardan, which is on the route between the major city of Peshawar and the troubled Swat Valley, where Pakistani troops are currently battling Islamist militants.

Delta Air Lines said Wednesday it had merged with Northwest Airlines to create one of the world`s biggest carriers after winning approval from US antitrust authorities.

Delta announced late Wednesday that the merger was completed, `creating a premier global airline with service to nearly all of the world’s major travel markets.`

US antitrust authorities Wednesday cleared the proposed merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, the final hurdle in the deal creating one of the world`s biggest carriers.

At least 15 people including 10 Taliban militants were killed in a gunbattle with locals in a northwestern Pakistani valley rocked by a violent campaign for Islamic law, officials said.

The clash erupted when supporters of radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah tried to kidnap a religious leader who has raised a Lashkar, or armed group, against Taliban militants, a military official said.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Oct 26, 2008 (AFP) - A suicide bomber blew up an explosives-laden car late Sunday at a paramilitary checkpost in troubled northwest Pakistan, injuring 12 people, security officials said.

The attack took place in the Mohmand tribal area bordering the Bajaur region, where Pakistani forces have been battling Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants for months.

Taliban militants ambushed a convoy of security forces in Pakistan`s northwestern Swat valley, sparking clashes that left at least five personnel and six rebels dead, officials said Wednesday.

Taliban militants ambushed a convoy of security forces in Pakistan`s northwestern Swat valley, sparking clashes that left at least five personnel and six rebels dead, officials said Wednesday.

Pakistani fighter jets bombed a militant hideout in the restive northwestern Swat valley on Sunday, killing two rebel commanders and 25 other men, officials said.

The two rebel leaders killed in the air strike in Matta district were closely associated with pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah, a security official said.

Pakistani fighter jets bombed a militant hide-out in restive northwestern Swat valley on Sunday, killing a rebel commander and destroying an ammunition dump, officials said.

The airstrike in the Matta district of Swat killed a senior fighter closely associated with pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah, a security official said.

Pakistani fighter jets pounded militant hideouts in a restive northwestern district Friday, killing 60 pro-Taliban fighters, security officials said.

`Security forces destroyed a training camp and hideouts of militants in Peochar in Swat valley, killing 60 of them and injuring scores of others,` a senior security official told AFP.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - Pakistani fighter jets and helicopter gunships Thursday destroyed a militant facility in the restive northwest, inflicting heavy casualties, security officials said.

The air strike targeted a militant stronghold in Piochar, a village in the Swat valley, which has been the site of numerous clashes and bombings since last year.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - Pakistani fighter jets and helicopter gunships Thursday destroyed a Taliban militant facility in the restive northwest, inflicting heavy casualties, security officials said.

NEW YORK, Sept 25, 2008 (AFP) - Northwest Airlines shareholders on Thursday voted overwhelmingly for a planned merger with Delta Air Lines, which would create one of the world's biggest global carriers.

Northwest said in a statement that more than 98 percent of the shares voted supported adopting the merger agreement.

NEW YORK, Sept 25, 2008 (AFP) - Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines shareholders on Thursday voted overwhelmingly for a merger of the companies to create one of the world's biggest global carriers.

Northwest said in a statement that more than 98 percent of the shares voted supported adopting the merger agreement.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Sept 23, 2008 (AFP) - Pakistani police shot dead five people in the volatile northwestern Swat Valley during a protest against the alleged killing of children in a military operation, police said.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Sept 18, 2008 (AFP) - Two suspected suicide bombers blew themselves up in a northwestern Pakistani town Thursday after residents prevented their entry into the area, police said.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Sept 16, 2008 (AFP) - A suicide bomber and Taliban militants attacked a security checkpost in restive northwest Pakistan late Tuesday killing three soldiers, a senior official said.

PESHAWAR, September 13, 2008 (AFP) - Dozens of gun-toting Islamic militants briefly seized a government building in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar late Saturday, but no one was hurt, officials said.

PESHAWAR, September 13, 2008 (AFP) - A siege by Islamic militants of a government building in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar late Saturday has ended without casualties, and the culprits fled, police said.

'We have vacated the building and freed the hostages but the militants have managed to escape,' Peshawar police chief Sulaiman Shah told AFP.

PESHAWAR, September 13, 2008 (AFP) - Nearly 100 Islamic militants seized a government building in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar late Saturday, prompting security forces to surround the premises, police said.

The demands of the militants, who were heavily armed, were not immediately clear, Peshawar police officer Hasan Khan told AFP.

PESHAWAR, September 11, 2008 (AFP) - Eight militants were killed Thursday when government troops pounded their hideouts in Pakistan's restive northwestern Swat valley, the military said.

Six of the rebels died when helicopter gunships fired missiles in the Ningolai Kabal area, hitting the home of local militant commander Khurshid Shah.

PESHAWAR, September 10, 2008 (AFP) - At least 11 militants were killed early Wednesday when government troops pounded their hideouts in Pakistan's restive northwestern Swat valley, the military said.

The operation was launched in the Koza Banda area where rebels have stepped up their activities during the past two weeks, said military spokesman Colonel Nadeem Anwar.

PESHAWAR, September 8, 2008 (AFP) - At least 10 militants were killed in clashes with troops who pounded their suspected hideouts in Pakistan's troubled northwestern Swat valley, the military said Monday.

Intense fighting between soldiers and militants erupted in Kabal district late Sunday and continued into the early hours of Monday, said military spokesman Colonel Nadeem Anwar.

PESHAWAR, September 8, 2008 (AFP) - At least 10 militants were killed after clashes with troops who pounded their suspected hideouts in restive northwestern Pakistan, the military said Monday.

Clashes between soldiers and militants erupted in Kabal district of Swat valley late Sunday and continued until dawn, a military spokesman said.

ISLAMABAD, September 4, 2008 (AFP) - At least 17 militants were killed Thursday when troops backed by helicopter gunships destroyed rebel h