7 Filipino marines, 4 militants killed in clash MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- At least seven Filipino marines and four Abu Sayyaf militants were killed in a clash Saturday as the military launched an offensive against al-Qaida-linked gunmen who have been blamed for recent kidnappings and of trying to sabotage a road project in the southern Philippines....Gas cylinder blast on Pakistan school bus kills 17 ISLAMABAD (AP) -- At least 17 children were burned to death in eastern Pakistan on Saturday when a faulty gas cylinder exploded on the bus taking them to school, police said....NKorean envoy delivers letter to China's president BEIJING (AP) -- A top North Korean envoy has delivered a letter from leader Kim Jong Un to Chinese President Xi Jinping and told him Pyongyang would take steps to rejoin stalled nuclear disarmament talks, in an apparent victory for Beijing's efforts to coax its unruly ally into lowering tensions....Afghan Taliban attack aid group, 2 guards killed KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- In the latest militant strike on the Afghan capital, Taliban gunmen backed by a suicide car bomber attacked an international aid group's compound on Friday, killing two guards and setting off an hours-long street battle with police in the heart of Kabul ....Obama's drone speech could improve Pakistan ties ISLAMABAD (AP) -- President Barack Obama's decision to impose more restrictive rules governing U.S. drone strikes and his prediction that they will be used less could pave the way for better relations with the new government of key ally Pakistan, officials and analysts said Friday....World stocks lower after big sell-off MOSCOW (AP) -- World stocks edged lower on Friday, a day after markets around the world dropped sharply on concerns global growth is slowing and the Federal Reserve could start scaling back its monetary stimulus....Abe on 1st trip to Myanmar by Japan PM in 36 years YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Myanmar on Friday on the first visit to the country by a Japanese leader in 36 years, as Tokyo bids to reassert its position as a top economic partner after decades of frosty relations with the previous military regime....2 former sex slaves demand Japan mayor quit OSAKA, Japan (AP) -- Two Korean former sex slaves demanded the resignation of an outspoken Japanese mayor and canceled a meeting with him Friday for justifying Japan's wartime practice of forcing tens of thousands of Asian women into prostitution for its military....Obama's speech welcomed in Pakistan, Yemen ISLAMABAD (AP) -- President Barack Obama's speech on the use of drones and the fate of Guantanamo prisoners was largely welcomed Friday in two key countries affected by the policies- Pakistan and Yemen....5 climbers feared dead on world's 3rd highest peak KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Five climbers including two Hungarians and a South Korean are missing on the world's third-highest mountain and feared dead, a mountaineering official said Friday....
