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India's government is preparing to launch a big offensive to drive Maoist insurgents out of their jungle strongholds. The world has heard much about India's reputation as a thriving democracy and its rising economic power; less attention has been paid to the thousands of armed leftist rebels, who are active in about one-third of the country. This year alone, they have killed more than 250 security officials. The insurgency has now hit the headlines, after the rebels beheaded a police inspector.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is in Sri Lanka to discuss how to handle the quarter-million people displaced by that island nation's 25-year civil war. The government said more than 6,200 of its forces were killed and almost 30,000 wounded in the final three years of its war against the Tamil Tiger rebels, which ended last weekend.

After a month of voting, the governing Congress party has won decisively in India, defying expectations.

President Obama is scheduled to hold bilateral talks Thursday with India's prime minister, who's also in London for the meeting of the G-20. The White House says the talks will aim to strengthen relations between the United States and India. But developments in Pakistan and the Taliban problem in Afghanistan also are likely to be on the agenda.

Newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of Benazir Bhutto, gave his first speech as president before the Pakistani parliament on Saturday. Barely settled into his new job, Zardari has already been engulfed by a political crisis triggered by American military strikes inside Pakistani territory.

The government in Pakistan has condemned an attack on a remote village near the border with Afghanistan. Pakistani officials say Wednesday's raid was led by U.S. troops. However, U.S. officials have not officially commented.

A special Nepalese assembly voted Wednesday to formally abolish the country's 239-year-old monarchy and turn Nepal into a republic. King Gyanendra has remained unpopular since he seized absolute power in 2005.

Pakistani leaders are trying to reach a consensus about how to handle the violent conflict that has spread into the country from Afghanistan. The issue provokes particularly strong feelings: Pakistanis disagree among themselves about whether it's their war to fight.

Published images of a vast nuclear submarine base on China's Hainan Island trouble Indian officials, who fear the base will enable the Chinese navy to dominate crucial sea lanes in the Indian Ocean.

In India, some are celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. It's similar to New Years. People set off vast quantities of fireworks, and they feast and party and give each other gifts. But because of recent bombings, this year is different.