US will not deal with Al-Qaeda over aid worker

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• US will not deal with Al-Qaeda over aid worker
• Afghan government slams Taliban spring offensive
• Civilian deaths threaten US pact: Afghan president
• Clinton presses India to cut Iran oil imports
• Militants behead two Pakistani soldiers: officials
• Hollande victory shakes up NATO's Afghan war plans
• Activist confident China will allow him to leave
• Taliban kill 14 Pakistani troops, string up heads
• Three coalition troops killed in Afghanistan: ISAF
• Indian rupee hits 6-month low
• Bollywood star Khan hailed for campaigning TV show
• SKorea finds smuggled capsules contain human flesh
• Oil drops to below $98 on US demand, Europe votes
• Afghan flash flood kills at least 21 in north
• Lady Gaga teacup fetches $75,300 in Japan auction
• Alleged Bali mastermind begs forgiveness
• Qaeda chief is in Pakistan, says Clinton
• China 'ready to work' with new French president
• Chinese activist could find life in US tough: exiles
• Taliban militants behead 2 Pakistani soldiers
• Afghan woman sets sights on presidency in a man's land
• New video of Australian kidnapped in Philippines
• PNG's Somare pulls out of election: daughter
• Afghans can take over if French troops pull out

US will not deal with Al-Qaeda over aid worker Posted: The White House said Monday that it would not negotiate with Al-Qaeda over the fate of an elderly US aid worker seized in Pakistan, after he made an emotional video plea to President Barack Obama.

Afghan government slams Taliban spring offensive Posted: The Afghan government on Monday condemned the recent Taliban announcement of the start of their annual "spring offensive," calling it cowardly and un-Islamic and pledging the country's forces would thwart any attacks.

Civilian deaths threaten US pact: Afghan president Posted: Afghan President Hamid Karzai summoned the NATO commander and the US ambassador on Monday to warn that civilian casualties in military operations threatened a strategic pact he has signed with the US.

Clinton presses India to cut Iran oil imports Posted: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday urged India to further cut its imports of Iranian oil, saying that the Islamic republic posed a major threat if it developed nuclear weapons.

Militants behead two Pakistani soldiers: officials Posted: Eleven Pakistani soldiers were killed including two who were beheaded after being captured during fighting with Islamist militants in North Waziristan, officials said Monday.

Hollande victory shakes up NATO's Afghan war plans Posted: After pledging to speed up France's pullout from Afghanistan, incoming president Francois Hollande will soon have to reassure NATO allies about his decision to end combat earlier than planned.

Activist confident China will allow him to leave Posted: A Chinese activist who triggered a diplomatic dispute between China and the United States said Monday he is confident that Beijing will hold up its end of a tentative deal to let him study overseas.

Taliban kill 14 Pakistani troops, string up heads Posted: Taliban fighters killed 14 Pakistani soldiers in a key militant sanctuary along the Afghan border, beheaded all but one of them and hung two of the heads from wooden poles in the center of town, officials said Monday.

Three coalition troops killed in Afghanistan: ISAF Posted: Three soldiers serving with international coalition forces in Afghanistan were killed in an attack in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, the military said.

Indian rupee hits 6-month low Posted: India's rupee slid to a near six-month low against the dollar on Monday, prompting the central bank to intervene to prop up the struggling currency, traders said.

Bollywood star Khan hailed for campaigning TV show Posted: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has been lauded for addressing some of India's darkest social problems after his new television show tackled the taboo subject of female foeticide.

SKorea finds smuggled capsules contain human flesh Posted: South Korea has seized thousands of smuggled drug capsules filled with powdered flesh from dead babies, which some people believe can cure disease, officials said Monday.

Oil drops to below $98 on US demand, Europe votes Posted: Oil prices continued a three-day slide and fell below $98 a barrel Monday as a slowdown in U.S. hiring and election results in Europe dimmed expectations of stronger economic growth.

Afghan flash flood kills at least 21 in north Posted: A flash flood swept through a village in northern Afghanistan, killing 21 people, many of them members of a wedding party, officials said Monday.

Lady Gaga teacup fetches $75,300 in Japan auction Posted: A teacup and saucer used only once by pop diva Lady Gaga has sold for more than 6.0 million yen ($75,000) at auction, the sale's organiser said Monday.

Alleged Bali mastermind begs forgiveness Posted: The bombmaker accused of masterminding the Bali attacks that killed 202 people begged forgiveness from the victims' families Monday and said the explosions had been a "total failure".

Qaeda chief is in Pakistan, says Clinton Posted: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday she believes al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri is in Pakistan and she vowed to keep up pressure on miltant groups in the country.

China 'ready to work' with new French president Posted: China said Monday it was ready to work with France after the election of Socialist Francois Hollande as president, amid concerns his victory could derail Paris's deficit-cutting plan.

Chinese activist could find life in US tough: exiles Posted: Blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng will escape Chinese persecution if he leaves for the United States, but will find life tough, and may struggle to make an impact abroad, current exiles said.

Taliban militants behead 2 Pakistani soldiers Posted: Taliban militants beheaded two Pakistani soldiers and hung their heads from wooden poles in a town in the country's northwest on Monday, a day after they killed nine soldiers in an ambush there, officials said.

Afghan woman sets sights on presidency in a man's land Posted: Leading Afghan women's rights champion, author, lawmaker and presidential hopeful, Fawzia Koofi, has a revealing anecdote about life as a woman in a man's land.

New video of Australian kidnapped in Philippines Posted: A new video has emerged of an Australian kidnapped by suspected Muslim extremists in the Philippines, with the foreign office on Monday saying it proved he was still alive in late March.

PNG's Somare pulls out of election: daughter Posted: Papua New Guinea's "Grand Chief" Michael Somare will not contest elections in June, his daughter said on Monday, ending more than four decades at the centre of the developing nation's political life.

Afghans can take over if French troops pull out Posted: Afghan forces are ready to take responsibility for security in 2013, the defence ministry said Monday, reacting to a pledge to withdraw French troops early by president-elect Francois Hollande.

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