The Olympic torch received a rapturous reception from thousands of well-wishers who rose early to mark its arrival in the Games’ host city of London today.

Britain’s military operations in Afghanistan have been harshly criticised by the country’s president Hamid Karzai, local officials and the American commander of Nato troops, according to leaked diplomatic papers.

A minibus packed with civilians struck a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan early today, killing six on board and wounding nine, officials said.

Five US troops were killed in new Afghan attacks today following yesterday's Taliban assault in Kandahar.

A rogue Afghan soldier was being hunted today after he killed three British troops and wounded another four.

A Royal Marine has been killed in a blast in Sangin in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said today.

A British soldier became the 100th member of UK forces to be killed in the Sangin area of southern Afghanistan today.

British troops are to be pulled out of the Sangin area of Afghanistan, where nearly a third of UK deaths in the war have occurred.

BRITAIN announced its 300th death in Afghanistan yesterday, prompting Prime Minister David Cameron to pledge he will withdraw troops as soon as the war-torn state can handle its own security.

Four Nato troops were killed today when their helicopter was shot down in southern Afghanistan.

A British soldier has been killed in an explosion while on foot patrol in Afghanistan, Britain's Ministry of Defence said today.

A British soldier was killed today following a firefight in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.

British commanders said the ongoing offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan was going well, despite the deaths of three servicemen in as many days.

Two British troops have died in Afghanistan, bringing the UK death toll in the conflict level with that of the 1982 Falklands War.

Nato’s top commander in Afghanistan raised the prospect of a negotiated peace with the Taliban today.

A British Army bomb disposal expert died following an explosion while helping to clear IEDs in Afghanistan.

QUEEN Elizabeth II led Britain’s annual ceremony for the country’s war dead yesterday, honouring them with a moment of silence as the military reported the 200th British soldier killed in combat in Afghanistan.

DEFENCE Secretary Bob Ainsworth defended Britain’s continuing military role in Afghanistan yesterday after five more British troops died over the weekend.

A transport helicopter has crashed in southern Afghanistan, officials said today.

Five British soldiers from a Co Down-based regiment have been killed in Afghanistan.

Four Royal Marines killed in Afghanistan were mourned today as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke of his “disgust and horror” at a new Taliban terror tactic.

Nato said insurgents may be planning to falsely claim that international military forces killed up to 70 civilians in southern Afghanistan.

Nato forces killed four civilians and wounded three others today when they fired at a vehicle that did not stop at a checkpoint in Afghanistan's volatile south, the alliance said.

An Irish soldier injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan is recovering well, his father said today.

A suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up next to a police patrol in southern Afghanistan today, killing 24 people, while a two-day battle sparked by an insurgent attack killed at least 40 militants, officials said.

A roadside bomb blast killed two Nato soldiers patrolling in eastern Afghanistan and wounded one other, the alliance said today.

A Nato and Afghan operation to retake a Taliban-controlled town in southern Afghanistan has killed at least 12 Taliban fighters and two children, the Afghan Defence Ministry said today.

Afghanistan’s president abruptly cut short a speech today as police fired shots into the air in an attempt to restrain a crowd trying to enter, officials said.

A roadside bomb hit a convoy of British troops today, wounding one soldier, police said.

Insurgents ambushed a US-led coalition and Afghan patrol in the volatile south, sparking a battle and airstrikes that killed 25 suspected Taliban.

More than 60 suspected insurgents, including three regional commanders, were killed by airstrikes on two Taliban compounds in Afghanistan today.

Fresh airstrikes in a volatile southern Afghan region killed up to 10 Taliban fighters close to where villagers say about 40 civilians died during a battle earlier this week, and the US-led coalition said local Afghans feared more militant attacks.

Coalition officials have confirmed that a battle between US forces and Taliban militants in southern Afghanistan caused civilian casualties.

Roadside bombs killed seven Nato soldiers in southern Afghanistan as militants struck back during the Alliance’s biggest anti-Taliban offensive.

More than 1,000 Nato and Afghan troops clashed with Taliban and took over control of a district centre in southern Afghanistan long held by the militants, officials and witnesses said today.

Afghan security forces and Nato-led troops clashed with suspected Taliban insurgents in southern Afghanistan, leaving up to 10 militants dead, police said today.

The resurgent Taliban militia are a tactical problem for the US-led coalition but cannot not take over Afghanistan again, a top US general said, as the US-led coalition today reported that two of its soldiers were wounded in the volatile south.

A massive anti-insurgent operation in southern Afghanistan has “seriously disrupted” the Taliban network operating in the region, the US military said today.

Afghan and US-led coalition forces have killed more than 30 members of the Taliban in separate clashes in the southern Helmand province of Afghanistan.

Coalition and Afghan forces today killed an estimated 30 extremists in a raid on a hide-out in southern Afghanistan, the military said.

A Northern soldier killed in Afghanistan was totally committed to his job, mourners today heard.

Suspected Taliban militants killed one US soldier and wounded two in southern Afghanistan, an official said today.