PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Intelligence officials say a suspected U.S. missile strike has killed three alleged militants in a tribal region in Pakistan. The area lies near an al-Qaida and Taliban stronghold that's been the focus of a five-day-old Pakistani military offensive.

KABUL (AP) — Afghanistan's main presidential rivals are agreeing to a run-off election. Organizers have just a few weeks to put together the high-stakes showdown in the face of Taliban threats and approaching winter snows.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A government watchdog says the $700 billion financial industry bailout played a major role in rescuing the economy over the last year. But the report also says the program sparked anger and distrust due to secrecy and confusion about the way it was handled.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The number of pirate attacks worldwide in the first nine months of 2009 has exceeded last year's total. That's according to an international maritime group, which blames the increase on the more frequent raids in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia's east coast.

NEW YORK (AP) — Child-welfare experts and advocates are mobilizing this week to demand federal action to reverse a recent rise in the number of children dying from abuse and neglect. The latest federal figures show the U.S. child-abuse death rate is far higher than in other wealthy democracies.