Pakistan missile hit 'kills 20'

At least 20 people have been killed in a suspected US missile attack in north-west Pakistan, officials say.

The missile strike hit a house in the South Waziristan area, near the Afghan border, which officials said was used as a hideout for Taleban militants.

The Taleban said 25 of its fighters were killed in the attack, but their claim cannot be independently verified.

The US has carried out more than 20 air strikes from drones in north-western Pakistan in recent months.

Islamabad has long argued that such attacks are counter-productive and are a violation of its sovereignty.

Pakistani leaders had expressed hope that the new US administration of Barack Obama would halt the controversial manoeuvres, saying they fuelled public anger and complicated Pakistan's own counter-insurgency efforts.