Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1000 GMT, Jan. 29

About 11 pro-government tribesmen and seven militants were killed in exchange of fire Wednesday night, when the Taliban launched an attack on a security checkpoint in the eastern Afghan province of Ghazni, sources said on Thursday.

An unknown number of militants raided the checkpoint in Gardizi area, Andar district, overnight, resulting in a fierce fighting for hours, provincial government spokesman Shafiq Nang told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Taliban-Attack)

- - - - JAKARTA -- The French co-pilot was flying the AirAsia flight before it crashed into Indonesia's waters last month, investigators said here on Thursday.

Head of the investigators from the National Transport Safety Committee (KNKT) Mardjono Siswosuwarno said "The second-in-command or known as co-pilot, who usually sits to the right (of the cockpit). At the time, he was flying the plane. While the captain, sitting to the left, was the pilot monitoring." (Indonesia-AirAsia- Investigation)

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QALAT, Afghanistan -- At least 21 people were killed and more than 30 others wounded after a bus collided with a truck in the southern Afghan province of Zabul on Thursday, police said.

The crash occurred in Kakarano Chine of provincial capital Qalat city, along the Kabul-Kandahar Highway at around midday, deputy provincial police chief Ghulam Jiliani Farahi told Xinhua.

"Nearly all 50 people aboard the passenger bus were affected as a result of the accident. A total of 21 people were confirmed dead and over 30 others were wounded. All casualties were shifted to hospitals in Qalat city," the official said. (Afghanistan-Traffic Accident)

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DHAKA -- Dozens of Bangladeshis went missing as a trawler carrying more than 100 overseas job-seekers capsized in the Bay of Bengal Thursday, local media reported.

The coast guards rescued 31 people, but others were still unaccounted for.

It sank near the Bangladeshi island of Kutubdia, according to the reports. (Bangladesh-Ship Sinking) Endi