A suicide bomber rammed his car into a donkey cart in the northwest town of Charsadda, killing more than 20 people and wounding 45, officials say. It was the third suicide bombing since Saturday in the volatile border region, where army troops have battled Taliban forces for a month. (Rohullah Shakir - AP)
As violence rises, the power balance between insurgent groups has shifted, with a weakened al-Qaeda relying increasingly on the emboldened Taliban for protection and manpower, officials say.
The North and the South blamed each other for the exchange of gunfire -- the first such clash in seven years, as Obama prepares this week for a visit to the region.