The people of Kosovo went to the polls today to choose mayors and local councilors in an election that will test the country’s fragile relations with Serbia as both countries seek to move closer to the European Union.

A GENERAL practitioner has been cleared of charge of conducting an internal examination on a woman for his sexual gratification by a Medical Council fitness to practice inquiry yesterday.

The Taliban released a French woman aid worker abducted three weeks ago, but said today a French man and three Afghan colleagues would not be freed until French troops leave Afghanistan.

A co-ordinated string of four bomb attacks within seven minutes killed at least 18 people and wounded 39 in northern Iraq today, while a Baghdad car bomb injured 28, officials said, ending a relative lull in violence that had fallen over the country in recent days.

IRAQI police discovered at least 10 bodies in a building housing a maverick religious court run by rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s followers yesterday and said they were victims of the court’s summary brand of justice.

Iraqi police discovered about 10 bodies in a maverick religious court run by rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s followers in Najaf today and said they were victims of the court’s summary brand of justice.

Bahraini authorities arrested several men in pre-dawn raids today alleging they have ties to al-Qaida.

At least 20 people were injured in a bomb, which exploded in a bazaar in Kandahar in Afghanistan today.

Pakistani police are now examining Karachi’s notorious criminal gangs in their hunt for kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

A Northern Alliance helicopter has crashed in Afghanistan killing 18 people.

The six-year-old girl who spent 23 days as a hostage of Philippine rebels was freed by soldiers after a 15-minute gunfight.