Pakistani fighter jets have attacked militant positions in the northwestern tribal region along the Afghan border, killing at least 17 suspected militants.

A local government official, Javed Khan, said Tuesday's airstrikes took place in the Orakzai tribal area, a known militant stronghold. Khan said at least six other militants were wounded.

It is not possible to independently verify the information because the region is largely off-limits to independent journalists.

There is no end in sight to the constant flow of desperate people making the crossing from North Africa to Italy. The latest fishing vessel to be rescued by Italian officials was carrying more than 900 immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa.

The Italian Finance Police and Coast Guard boats rescued more than 900 Africans on a fishing vessel during the night off the southern coast of Sicily. The passengers, many of whom were women and children from Libya and sub-Saharan Africa, had left the Libyan coastline three days earlier.

A draft report commissioned by the U.S. government says far fewer people died or were left homeless following Haiti's January 2010 earthquake than had been previously reported.

News agencies, which obtained a copy of the document, say it estimates that the death toll was between 46,000 and 85,000 people, far below the Haitian government's figure of more than a quarter million people. The report also questions official United Nations figures that around 680,000 people remain homeless. There has been no comment from the government of new Haitian President Michel Martelly.

North and south Sudan have agreed to set up a joint security mechanism to manage tensions along their disputed frontier once the country splits into two in July. The deal establishes a demilitarized zone to be jointly monitored under international supervision. Ethiopia is offering to send peacekeepers to act as a buffer between opposing forces.

Senior northern and southern military commanders signed the accord late Monday after three days of talks at an Addis Ababa hotel.

Zimbabwe's Supreme Court heard a case on behalf of three farmers who claimed the constitution excluded confiscation of their land because they bought their properties after the colonial era ended with independence in 1980.

The Supreme Court did not agree and quickly dismissed their application.

One of the farmers, Colin Cloete, a former president of the Commercial Farmers’ Union at the height of often violent land invasions seven years ago, was one of the applicants.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed one insurgent and detained several others during a security operation in Zurmat District, Paktiya province, yesterday.

The Afghan-led force was conducting a search targeting a Haqqani network leader. The targeted leader manages fighters and supplies, executes tactical guidance and plans attacks against the Afghan National Army.

Troopers with C Troop, 5th “Longknife” Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center conducted training on urban operations with their partners in the 6th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Federal Police Division May 23-25 at Joint Security Station Justice, Iraq.

Afghan and coalition forces repelled an attack on the provincial reconstruction team headquarters in Herat District, Herat province yesterday.

Several insurgents attacked the PRT headquarters with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and small arms fire in an attempt to enter the compound.

Afghan and coalition forces positively identified the insurgent positions and returned fire killing several insurgents.

Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding general of International Security Assistance Force, toured Camp Dwyer on Memorial Day to evaluate Regimental Combat Team 1’s progress in Southern Helmand province.

Petraeus received a brief on counterinsurgency operations in the region, spoke to Afghan National Security Forces personnel, and addressed a gathering of approximately 75 service members inside the RCT-1 headquarters compound.

He noted progress in the region, specifically in Marjah district, which was widely regarded as an insurgent stronghold less than two years ago.