ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pervez Musharraf relinquished his role as head of Pakistan's military Wednesday, one day before he is to be sworn in for a third term as president.In marking the end of his military career and eight years of military rule, Musharraf expressed sadness at leaving the army, CNN reported."This army is my life. This army is my passion," he said during a farewell ceremony at army headquarters in Rawalpindi. "From tomorrow morning, this ... [full story]

VIENNA -- Serbian and ethnic-Albanian leaders ended talks Wednesday without reaching agreement on Kosovo's status, Serbian media reported from Austria.After the breakdown of the talks at the Baden spa outside Vienna, Serbian President Boris Tadic said Belgrade won't recognize an independent Kosovo, the idea that has been advocated by Kosovo Albanian leaders during the 2-year series of talks, Belgrade's B92 radio reported.Kosovo's interim President Fatmir Sejdiu said that, while the talks produced no agreement, that ... [full story]

SYDNEY -- An Australian army captain has pleaded guilty in a Sydney court to stealing 10 rocket launchers from Australian Defense Force stores.The officer, Shane Della-Vedova, 46, admitted to the theft and possession of the rocket launchers over a period from 2001 to 2003.The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said that the prosecution dropped additional charges of selling the weapons.The court heard Della-Vedova, an ammunition's technician officer, stole the rocket launchers, which he was meant to destroy.He ... [full story]

NEW DELHI -- Pictures of a tribal woman being stripped and assaulted in the clashes in India's Assam state have shocked the nation.Clashes broke out during the weekend in the northeastern state between local residents and the tribal people called "Adivasis," as the latter sought to press demands for their rights. Hundreds of Adivasis were injured but what has outraged the public is a TV footage of the woman running naked, pursued by three men ... [full story]

MANILA, Philippines -- Tropical storm warnings in the Philippines were dropped Wednesday after two storms battered the islands for days and killed at least 19 people.The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the remnants of Typhoon Mitag were dissipating north of the islands, while Tropical depression Hagibis was weakening off the east coast, GMA News.tv reported.The death toll could climb further as reports from remote areas come in, emergency officials said.Meanwhile, state forecasters ... [full story]

NEW DELHI -- Kiran Bedi, India's first female police officer known for her toughness and prison reforms, is stepping down after 35 years on the job.She submitted her resignation but was awaiting word of its acceptance from India's Home Ministry, the BBC reported.Bedi, who once had former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's car towed because it was parked illegally, told the BBC she was leaving for personal reasons, although earlier this year she was passed ... [full story]

MANILA, Philippines -- A former Philippines mayor has agreed to cooperate with Manila police investigating a politically motivated bombing this month that killed four people.Hajarun Jamiri, former mayor of Tuburan, was the fourth person arrested in the bombing outside the Philippines House of Representatives Nov. 13 that killed a congressman and three aides, ABS-CBN reported Wednesday.Since his arrest Nov. 20, he has reportedly decided to become a state witness, prosecutors said.The bomb was planted on ... [full story]

MULHOUSE, France -- Police in the eastern French city of Mulhouse arrested a 68-year-old drag queen in connection with the deaths of 18 homosexuals.The Journal L'Alsace newspaper reported the unidentified man who often worked as a female impersonator was arrested Tuesday on suspicion he was involved in the slayings between 1980 and 2002.The killings happened across the border from Mulhouse in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, Alsace and near Paris, the BBC said.Investigators said they ... [full story]

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- A disabled woman carried out a suicide bombing mission Wednesday in a Sri Lankan government building in Colombo, killing an aide and herself.The attack happened in the office of Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda around 9 a.m., the Press Trust of India reported.Officials said the woman got past one security checkpoint but was detained at a second one, where she detonated the bomb. Devananda wasn't nearby but an ... [full story]

TEHRAN -- A new investigation into the death of an imprisoned Canadian news photographer in 2003 has been ordered by Iran's Supreme Court.Zahra Kazemi, who was 54, was arrested while taking pictures outside the Evin prison in Tehran and died in jail. Initially the government said she had suffered a stroke, then later said she had fallen and struck her head. Eventually a committee said an intelligence agent had struck her a fatal blow.The agent ... [full story]