Islamabad / AFP Pakistan president Mamnoon Hussain has urged the nation to refrain from celebrating Valentine’s Day, while other officials blasted it as “vulgar and indecent” as they moved to outlaw festivities. The president made the remarks to a crowd of students, saying the day — traditionally celebrated in the West by lovers — had no place in the Muslim-majority ...

Taipei / AP Rescuers have found the bodies of more than 100 people killed after an apartment block in Taiwan collapsed during an earthquake one week ago, authorities said on Saturday. All of the reported residents of the Wei-kuan complex in the southern city of Tainan have been accounted for, according to the local government, as the search for survivors ...

Srinagar / AFP A fierce gun battle killed two soldiers and five suspected militants Saturday in Indian-administered Kashmir near the de facto border with Pakistan, army officials said. The seven died during a heavy exchange of fire in the border village of Marsari, 130 kilometres northwest of the main city of Srinagar, defence spokesman NN Joshi said. The 16-hour gun ...