Afghanistan

Two soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, part of the Household Cavalry Regiment Battle Group, have been killed in southern Afghanistan.

The soldiers died yesterday in an explosion that occurred in an area north of Musa Qal'ah District in Helmand Province.

Both families have been informed.

Task Force Helmand spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, said:
"It is with deep sadness I must inform you that a single IED explosion yesterday afternoon killed two British soldiers.

An army dog has been given the animal equivalant of the Victoria Cross for bravery, after finding deadly roadside bombs in Afghanistan.

Treo, the eight year old black labrador is to get the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) Dickin Medal from Princess Alexandra.

He sniffed out improvised explosive devices (IDEs)  hidden by Taliban forces on two separate occasions while patrolling with his handler Sgt Dave Heyhoe.

The canine has now retired from duty as a millitary dog and is now being kept as a family pet by Sgt Heyhoe.

The widow of Cornish bomb disposal expert Olaf Schmid has fallen victim to a Facebook hoaxer.

Families of dozens of soldiers killed in action have been targeted by the imposter, who posed as a Royal Marine badly wounded in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

The conman targeted and befriended mothers and widows on the social networking site. He assumed the identity of "Max Beach" an adaptation of the identity of a real Commando, Max Beacham. His activities began after accessing a Forces charity web site.

Afghanistan's future will be defined at a summit in London starting tomorrow.  This comes at a time when the US and its allies are rethinking their approach in the war with the Taliban.

Ministers from nations supporting the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) will meet with United Nations officials and other world leaders in the hopes of defining a new cohesive strategy.