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AFGHANISTAN

11 killed in suicide attack

on military personnel's bus

A Taliban suicide bomber struck a bus carrying Afghan military personnel in Kabul on Wednesday, killing at least 11 people, officials said, as the extremists stepped up their campaign of violence aimed at undermining the Western-backed government.

The bombing came as the country struggled through its first democratic transition of power, with electoral officials announcing Wednesday that the release of initial election results has been postponed until next week due to allegations of fraud.

The blast tore through the bus, leaving the interior spattered with blood. A Defense Ministry spokesman, Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, said eight members of the army were killed and 13 wounded. Three civilians also were killed, according to Kabul's criminal-investigation chief, Gul Agha Hashim.

Army Gen. Kadamshah Shahim said the bomber was stopped before he could enter the bus, preventing a higher toll. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack via spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. - AP

SOUTH AFRICA

Report: Pistorius has PTSD

South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius, on trial for fatally shooting his girlfriend on Valentine's Day last year, suffers from severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to extracts from a psychologist's report read in a Pretoria courtroom Wednesday. A separate report compiled by three psychiatrists concluded he was not suffering from a generalized anxiety disorder that would affect his understanding of right or wrong. - Los Angeles Times

ITALY

Chemical arms leave on ship

A U.S. cargo vessel loaded with hundreds of tons of Syria's chemical weapons has pulled out of an Italian port as part of the final phase of the effort to rid Syria of its chemical weapons. The MV Cape Ray left Gioia Tauro after a 12-hour operation to transfer the chemicals from a Danish ship, the Ark Futura. The Cape Ray is expected to head into the open sea, where it will neutralize the chemicals with special machinery outfitted in its cargo hold. The resulting waste will be disposed of on land in dumps equipped to handle hazardous materials. - AP

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