Attacks come as Taliban steps up intimidation campaign in Ramadan

A leading commander of the Pakistani Taliban has written to Malala Yousafzai – the 16-year-old schoolgirl and education advocate who survived a near-fatal assassination attempt last October – to express his regret at the attack.

All 16 members of the central committee which heads the governing party were removed

Jennifer Lopez performed one of the most unusual – and controversial – concerts of her career this weekend, when she crooned “Happy Birthday Mr President” at a lavish ceremony to mark the 56th birthday of Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, the leader of Turkmenistan and one of the world’s most repressive dictators.

A lasting peace in Afghanistan could be secured if the former Islamic fundamentalist fighters were to have a role in the new national government and even in its army, say Western military officials

The West should have attempted talks with the Taliban a decade ago, a senior British commander in Afghanistan has said, after efforts to negotiate with the insurgents have faltered.

Baigent and Leigh were ordered to pay legal costs of £1.3m and were left pen

Terror group has confirmed it’s readiness to free US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who has been held captive since 2009

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the killings of 'ruthless prosecutors'

A teacher has been sentenced to 11 years in jail for insulting the Emir, inciting regime change and insulting a religious sect via Twitter, two sources close to the case said.

At least seven attackers using rocket-propelled grenades, assault rifles and at least one large bomb were killed

20 other students were wounded in explosion near a marketplace

A spokesman for the Pakistan Taliban said the group was withdrawing its offer of peace talks following the drone strike that killed the group's deputy leader.

The Pakistani Taliban's deputy leader was buried hours after he was killed in a US drone strike, Pakistani intelligence officials and militants said on Thursday.