Officials from a German symphony orchestra scheduled to play a concert in Tehran this week expressed hope Monday that the visit would improve cultural ties between the two countries.

GHAZNI, Afghanistan – Taliban militants agreed Tuesday to release 19 South Korean church volunteers held hostage for six weeks after Seoul reaffirmed a pledge to withdraw its troops by year’s end and prevent Christian missionaries from working in Afghanistan.The militants apparently backed away from demands for a prisoner exchange. But …

KABUL (Reuters) – More than 100 suspected insurgents were killed in a battle with U.S.-led troops in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said on Wednesday.The battle erupted after a convoy of Afghan and U.S. coalition forces came under attack in Shah Wali Kot district in Kandahar province, it said in …