The Taliban laid siege to a British cultural centre on August 19, killing at least nine people during an hours-long assault in what the group called a warning to London as the country celebrated 92 years of independence from British rule.

Turkey launched a heavy air and artillery assault on Kurdish guerrilla targets in northern Iraq overnight after a declaration by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan that he had lost patience with separatists fighting in southeastern Turkey.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on August 19 it has accepted a US proposal to discuss recovering remains of American troops killed during the Korean War.

Asian stocks fell on August 19 after a sudden sell-off in the US and Europe.

Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi Ali Mahmudi on August 18 called for dialogue to solve the Libyan crisis, saying that peaceful means is the necessary choice.

The leaders of the US, UK, France, Germany and the EU have all called for Syria's President Assad to step down over his suppression of protesters.

US State Department released on August 18 its year 2010 country reports on terrorism, providing" an assessment of trends and events in international terrorism."

Up to 30 people have been killed in a fresh outbreak of violence in Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city and commercial capital, but police on August 18 said the clashes now focused more on gang turf wars after months of ethnic and political disputes.

At least 14 people have been killed and many wounded when a roadside bomb hit a crowded minibus in the Afghan province of Herat, officials say.

US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Beijing on August 17 to kick off a five-day visit to China.