The Pakistani government accused the US of sabotaging peace talks with domestic Taliban fighters by killing their leader in a drone strike, as the militants began the process of choosing a successor.

A TOP Arab al-Qaida operative was among six militants killed overnight in a suspected US missile strike in north-west Pakistan, a senior security official said yesterday.

Hezbollah fighters battled Israeli commandos who launched a raid near the militants’ stronghold inside Lebanon early today, killing one soldier, in the first large-scale violation of the ceasefire.

The ruler of Bahrain has been proclaimed king and the tiny Gulf island state a constitutional monarchy.