Free Republic

NEARLY 70 Taliban militants were killed in an ambush by US-led forces and Afghan soldiers in eastern Afghanistan, a military commander said today. The rebels were killed late yesterday in Paktia province near the border with Pakistan, Afghan army general Sami-Ul Haq Badar said. "We set an ambush, attacked them and killed 67 Taliban. Their bodies were lying on the ground," he said. The general said the soldiers had been tipped off that there were Taliban in the area. No Afghan or foreign soldiers were hurt in the gunfight, which lasted several hours. Paktia is one of the most violent...

A PROMINENT entrepreneur in Sydney's gay community was refused bail today on drug charges. Gregory Joseph Fisher, 39, appeared in Sydney's Central Local Court today on 22 drug charges, including one of importing or attempting to import a prohibited narcotic and one of supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug. Mr Fisher was arrested in Coffs Harbour last week during a series of statewide drug raids. The other drug charges against Mr Fisher related to previous offences dating back to 2001 which had previously been dropped.