Thousands of troops were deployed to north-west Pakistan to try dissuading outlawed Islamic militants from launching a holy war against the government for its bloody attack on a radical mosque, officials said today.

Security guards prevented a suicide bomber from killing Pakistan's interior minister in an attack at a political gathering in a north-western town today that left at least 22 dead and 35 wounded, officials said.

NEW casualty figures from the South Asian earthquake have pushed the death toll to more than 79,000.

New figures released by regional officials today pushed the death toll in South Asia’s earthquake to more than 79,000.