Two missile strikes by US drone aircraft have killed at least 12 suspected militants in north-west Pakistan, security officials say. The attacks took place place in the tribal area of North Waziristan. The identities of those killed in the attack, the latest of more than a dozen this year, are not yet known. North and South Waziristan are known to provide sanctuary for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, who are often targeted by drones. Locals say the attacks have destroyed many training camps and compounds. They have also killed dozens of local and foreign militants, officials say. Wednesday’s first strike took place at Mizar Madakhel village, some 50km (30 miles) west of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan. This was followed by a second attack in the same area. The first attack targeted a vehicle and a compound which were being used by suspected militants, killing eight of them, reports say. The second strike targeted two vehicles, which killed another four. Correspondents say the United States has stepped up drone attacks in the region since seven CIA officers died in a suicide bomb attack at a US base across the border in Afghanistan last December. More than 700 people have died in nearly 80 drone strikes since August 2008. Pakistan has publicly criticised drone attacks, saying they fuel support for militants, but observers say the authorities privately condone the strikes. The American military does not routinely confirm drone operations, but analysts say the US is the only force capable of deploying such aircraft in the region.

Chilean tycoon Sebastian Pinera is due to be sworn in as president of the country, which was recently devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami. Mr Pinera not only faces the challenge of reconstruction, but takes over from a highly popular outgoing leader. Michelle Bachelet leaves office with a record 84% popularity rating despite criticism of the government’s slow reaction to last month’s disaster. Meanwhile, Chile’s disaster management chief has resigned over the response. Carmen Fernandez is the second Chilean official to leave her post in the aftermath of the February 27 quake and ensuing tsunami that killed close to 500 people. On Friday, Mrs Bachelet dismissed the head of the navy’s Oceanography Service for failing to provide a clear warning of the tsunami. Incoming leader Mrs Bachelet, Chile’s first woman president, was constitutionally-barred from seeking re-election. The task of rebuilding now falls to her successor, Mr Pinera, whose presidential win ended 20 years of centre-left rule in Chile. “We won’t be the government of the earthquake, we’ll be the government of reconstruction,” the 60-year-old billionaire said recently. Last month, the conservative leader named his cabinet, leaving out any figures linked with the former military ruler, Augusto Pinochet. In his election campaign, Mr Pinera said he would focus on boosting economic growth and producing jobs while continuing with the outgoing president’s social policies. Mr Pinera is one of the country’s richest men. He made his fortune introducing credit cards to Chile, then went on to buy a television channel, a stake in Chile’s most successful football club, and millions of dollars in other investments.

Mexican telecom giant Carlos Slim has topped Forbes magazine’s billionaire’s list – the first time since 1994 that an American has not led the rankings. Mr Slim’s fortune rose by $18.5bn (

By Karen Allen BBC News Former rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo who now serve in the army are running mafia-style extortion rackets in the mines, campaigners say. The country has some of the world’s richest mines, which provide minerals to the global electronics industry. Ex-rebels of the CNDP group are said to have gained far greater control of the mines than they did as insurgents. Campaign group Global Witness says the government and international community have failed to demilitarise the mines. The ongoing conflict in Eastern Congo, which has claimed some six million lives in a little more than a decade, has long revolved over access to its mineral wealth, not just by DR Congo but also its neighbour Rwanda through its proxy forces. After last year’s high profile government offensive against one rebel group which controlled many of the mines in Eastern Congo, the military has moved in and transferred power to a competing armed group. A move to integrate rebels from the CNDP – whose leader Laurent Nkunda has been under house arrest in Rwanda since last year – into Congo’s national army has seen them enjoying more control of the country’s mineral wealth than ever before, according to Global Witness investigators. In one mine in South Kivu, civilian miners claimed they were being forced to pay $10 each to the military for permission to spend a night working in the mines. Researchers say that instead of protecting civilians, the military is taxing them illegally, and subjecting them to abuse. They also claim that high profile international companies are still knowingly sourcing minerals from these militarised mines – a contravention of UN sanctions, which campaigners say are not being enforced.

By Michael Bristow BBC News, Beijing Office worker David Dai is one of a growing army of Beijing residents returning to two-wheeled transport. But the 28-year-old does not rely on his own pedal power – like hundreds of thousands of others, he has bought an electric bike. These battery-powered, and virtually silent, machines have become increasingly common on the streets of the Chinese capital. With roads often clogged with cars – there are now four million vehicles in Beijing – they offer a speedy way to get around. But not everyone seems to like them: government officials are unsure about how to deal with this explosion of electric bicycles. Congested streets China used to be known as the “kingdom of bicycles”. In the 1980s, four out of five commuters pedalled to work on them in Beijing. But as the capital’s residents became richer following economic development, they ditched their bikes for four-wheeled transport. Recent statistics suggest that only one in five city residents now use an ordinary bicycle to travel around. In a matter of just a few years Beijing has gone from a city with few private cars to one where traffic jams are commonplace. But many Beijing residents are now buying electric bicycles to avoid wasting time on congested streets. “It takes only 10 minutes to ride my electric bike from home to work,” said Mr Dai. “If I took the bus, I’d have to spend time waiting for it, and then I could be trapped in a traffic jam. It could take me half an hour to make the same journey.” These bikes are on sale everywhere, with shops sometimes clustered together. Their wares are lined up on the pavement in neat rows. Zhang Zhiyong, the manager of a store selling a brand of electric bike called “Capital Wind”, said it is easy to see why sales are booming. “Beijing is not like other smaller cities – it’s big. If people ride their bicycles to work, they get really tired. If they drive to work, the roads are often congested,” he told the BBC. “But an electric bike is environmentally friendly and convenient. Promoting the use of these bikes would benefit us all.” And they are much cheaper than cars. The most expensive model in Mr Zhang’s shops is only 2,680 yuan ($390:

LOS ANGELES – The executive director of the film academy said Tuesday that Farrah Fawcett wasn't included in the Academy Awards' In Memoriam segment because the actress was better known as a TV star.

Take the best fighter going and put him in the fanciest new stadium. There's no telling what kind of bout it will produce.

Ruffa explains why she reacted that way on “The Buzz” last Sunday.

Masaya raw si Nancy Castiglione para sa kanyang dating nobyo na si Paolo Contis. Pinayuhan din niya ang aktor na alagaang mabuti ang kabiyak na si Lian Paz na nagsilang kamakailan ng sanggol na babae.

I learned an important lesson well during the my first trip to the most livable country in southeast Asia: Enjoy the scenery, but don"t talk much.