Friday, May 31, 2013

Mes Aynak: Afghanistan's Buddhist buried treasure faces destruction - Guardian

In the spring of 1963, a French geologist set out from Kabul to carry out a survey in Logar province in eastern Afghanistan. His destination was the large outcrop of copper-bearing strata in the mountains above the village of Mes Aynak. But in the course of boring for samples, the geologist stumbled on something much more exciting: an entire buried Buddhist city dating from the early centuries AD - Mes Aynak: Afghanistan's Buddhist buried treasure faces destruction

Eurozone jobless rate hits record high as Blockupy hold anti-austerity protests - as it happened

Members of the Blockupy movement – a European version of Occupy – hope to cut off access to the European Central Bank and other financial institutions in Frankfurt today. They are protesting against the economic policies which are being implemented in Southern Europe. - Eurozone jobless rate hits record high as Blockupy hold anti-austerity protests - as it happened
Eurozone unemployment hits new high with quarter of under-25s jobless

Eurozone Unemployment Reaches Record High Of 12.2 Percent

LONDON — The unemployment rate across the 17 European countries that use the euro hit a record 12.2 percent in April, and the number of unemployed is on track to reach 20 million by year's end. - Eurozone Unemployment Reaches Record High Of 12.2 Percent

Asteroid 1998 QE2 Flyby: SLOOH Space Camera To Show Space Rock Slip Past Earth (VIDEO)

The SLOOH SpaceCamera webcast starts at 4:30 p.m. EDT, tracking the near-Earth asteroid's close approach live from the Canary Islands.  Giant Space Rock Zooms By Earth
PHOTO: Amazing Supernova Remnant

White House, NATO set final summit on Afghan war

U.S. and NATO leaders will sit down next year to hash out the future of Afghanistan, in what will likely be the final alliance meeting on the war before American troops depart in 2014. - White House, NATO set final summit on Afghan war - The Hill

Report: US ‘risks defeat’ if international community abandons Afghanistan

The United States and international community “risk snatching defeat from the jaws of something that could still resemble victory” in Afghanistan if sufficient resources aren’t provided before and after the 2014 transition, according to a new report co-authored by former U.S. Afghanistan commander retired Gen. John Allen. Read more... - report
Report: US 'risks defeat' if international community ... - The Hill

Forget self-denial: Key to richer, healthier life is a good imagination - Bob Sullivan

The key to saving money for the future might not be self-discipline, but rather the ability to imagine that tomorrow, indeed, is coming. - Forget self-denial: Key to richer, healthier life is a good imagination

The drawdown diet: Marines steamed by loss of hot meal at Afghanistan base - nbcnews

Marines at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan will lose a key daily meal starting Saturday, causing some to forgo a hot breakfast and others to work six-plus hours without refueling on cooked food, according to Marines at the base and Marine Corps officials.- Marines steamed by loss of hot meal at ...
Obama urges Congress to follow his lead to extend student loan rates

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Camp Bastion detainees challenge the notion of British justice in Afghanistan

The British government's claim that it is strengthening the rule of law is undermined by its treatment of Afghan civilians in custody - Camp Bastion detainees challenge the notion of British justice in Afghanistan
Britain may begin handover of Afghan prisoners at Camp Bastion to Kabul -

Ibragim Todashev's father: FBI 'bandits' murdered my son - Guardian

Manukyan, who lives in Georgia, said she had been married to Todashev for three years. She claimed she had documents that proved they were together on September 11, 2011, the day of the Waltham murders in which a close friend of Tsarnaev was killed. The three victims were found with their throats slit and their bodies covered with marijuana and banknotes. - Ibragim Todashev's father: FBI 'bandits' murdered my son
FBI investigates links between Tsarnaev brothers and man shot in Florida

Chechen’s father says FBI killed son to keep him quiet - washingtonpost

MOSCOW — The father of the Chechen man who was fatally shot by an FBI agent last week said agents questioned his son for hours on end about one of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing and then killed him to keep him quiet. - Father of Chechen: He was murdered by FBI

Americans have rebuilt less than half of wealth lost to the recession, study says - Washingtonpost

American households have rebuilt less than half of the wealth lost during the recession, leaving them without the spending power to fuel a robust economic recovery, according to a new analysis from the Federal Reserve. - Americans have rebuilt less than half of wealth lost to the recession

Assad Warns Israel, Claiming a Stockpile of Russian Weapons - nytimes

BEIRUT, Lebanon — President Bashar al-Assad of Syria displayed a new level of defiance on Thursday, warning Israel that he could permit attacks on the Golan Heights and suggesting that he had secured plenty of weapons from Russia — possibly including an advanced missile system — as his opponents faltered politically and Hezbollah fighters infused force into his military campaign to crush the Syrian insurgency. - Assad Warns Israel, Claiming a Stockpile of Russian Weapons
Chances of U.N. Peace Talks on Syria Appear Dim as Both Sides Dig In

کرزی: جنگ طالبان در افغانستان برای خدمت به خارجیان است

رییس جمهور کرزی یکبار دیگر جنگ طالبان را علیه خارجیان نداسته و می گوید که طالبان مردم افغانستان را مورد حمله قرار داده که این برای خدمت به خارجی ها و منفعت های بیرونی ها است. - کرزی: جنگ طالبان در افغانستان برای خدمت به خارجیان است
کارشناسان: ایران یک نوع تهاجم فرهنگی را در افغانستان آغاز کرده است

US soldier charged with killing 16 Afghan civilians to plead guilty to avoid death penalty

The US Army staff sergeant charged with killing 16 villagers in one of the worst atrocities of the Afghanistan war has agreed to plead guilty in a deal to avoid the death penalty. - US soldier charged with killing 16 Afghan civilians to plead guilty to avoid death penalty

Karzai renews stance on BSA with US

KABUL (PAN): President Hamid Karzai on Thursday said he would not ink Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States if peace in Afghanistan was not ensured. Karzai renews stance on BSA with US

Yeast: The Hidden Cause of Your Exhaustion

This may happen if one frequently uses antibiotics or overeats sugar or other simple carbs. Good bugs are killed by the antibiotics; bad bugs are fueled by extra sugar. The gut’s delicate ecosystem is thrown off and the bad bugs take over, which can result in many chronic illnesses and symptoms including allergies, chronic inflammation, joint problems, mood and brain disorders, digestive symptoms and more. - Yeast: The Hidden Cause of Your Exhaustion
Is Yeast the Reason You're Exhausted? Pt 1- The Dr. Oz Show

UK’s defense ministry confirms holding facility at Afghan base, denies detentions are unlawful

LONDON — Britain’s defense minister says that up to 90 Afghan nationals are being detained in a holding facility at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan, but denies that the men are being held illegally. - UK's defense ministry confirms holding facility at Afghan base ... AP

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Former Bush Official Said to Be Obama Pick to Lead F.B.I. - nytimes

WASHINGTON — President Obama plans to nominate James B. Comey, a former hedge fund executive who served as a senior Justice Department official under President George W. Bush, to replace Robert S. Mueller III as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to two people with knowledge of the selection. - Former Bush Official Said to Be Obama Pick to Lead F.B.I.
British Defense Chief Confirms Detentions of Afghans at Base ...

نگرانی ها در مورد مرکز ایران در کتابخانهء پوهنتون کابل

موجودیت مرکز ایرانی ها در داخل کتابخانه پوهنتون کابل یک سلسله نگرانی های را به بار آورده و بسیاری از محصلین این پوهنتون خواهان بسته شدن این مرکز اند.- نگرانی ها در مورد مرکز ایران در کتابخانهء پوهنتون کابل
بند امیر برای بازدید سیاحان داخلی وخارجی آماده است

Afridi tribe wants freedom from Pakistan

Dozens of Afridi tribe elders, who arrived in eastern Nangarhar province from the Pakistani side of the border, on Sunday urged the Afghan government to help them get rid of injustices they faced in the neighbouring country. - Afridi tribe wants freedom from Pakistan - Pashtun Community ...
بزرگان قوم افریدی: از ظلم پاکستانی ها به ستوۀ آمده ایم - Bakhtar News

روسیه برای افغانستان پس از ۲۰۱۴ آمادگی میگیرد

ولادیمیر پوتین، رئیس جمهور روسیه روز سه شنبه وارد بیشکک، مرکز قرغزستان شد تا درنشست غیر رسمی سازمان امنیت جمعی یا ( سی اس تی او) اشتراک کند . قرار است کشورهای عضو این پیمان که متشکل از ارمنستان، روسیه سفید، قزاقستان، قرغزستان، روسیه و تاجکستان است وضعیت در افغانستان پس از خروج نیرو های ناتو در سال ۲۰۱۴ را مورد غور قرار دهند.- روسیه برای افغانستان پس از ۲۰۱۴ آمادگی میگیرد
اوباما: امریکا تا هنوز با دهشت افگنان در جنگ است

Karzai's brother plans independent run in Afghan election

"Qayum will announce his candidacy soon and will represent our political movement ... the party will run his election campaign," Mahmoud Karzai told Reuters in an interview at his home in the southern city of Kandahar. - Karzai's brother plans independent run in Afghan election
Afghan parliament fails to pass divisive women's law

Lawyers accuse British forces of illegally detaining Afghans

(Reuters) - British forces are breaking the law by detaining up to 85 Afghans without charge at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan's Helmand province, a law firm acting for eight of the men said on Wednesday. - Lawyers accuse British forces of illegally detaining Afghans

Suicide bombers attack Red Cross in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan -- In the second attack on a humanitarian organization in Afghanistan in less than a week, insurgents in Jalalabad struck the compound of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Wednesday, killing a security guard and wounding a member of the staff, police said. - Suicide bombers attack Red Cross in Afghanistan
Staying alive for one last patrol in Afghanistan - latimes

Afghan militants hit Red Cross compound in second attack on a charity within a week

KABUL — For the second time in five days, insurgents staged a combined suicide bombing and gun assault against an international aid agency in Afghanistan late Wednesday, this time targeting a guest house used by the International Committee of the Red Cross in the eastern city of Jalalabad. - Afghan militants hit Red Cross compound in second attack on a - washingtonpost

The U.S. weapons systems that experts say were hacked by the Chinese - washingtonpost

Chinese cyberspies are believed to have compromised the designs for more than two dozen major weapons systems, as the Washington Post’s Ellen Nakashima laid out in a must-read story that cited a report prepared for the Pentagon. - The U.S. weapons systems that experts say were hacked by the Chinese
China's 'Great Firewall' may not actually isolate Internet users

A third George Bush steps up to the political plate in Texas - latimes

George P. Bush, nephew of George W. and grandson of George H.W., starts small with a run for a state office, but expectations are high. - A third George Bush steps up to the political plate in Texas
George P. Bush heads to California to raise cash for Texas campaign

Op-Ed: How to defeat Alzheimer's - latimes

Those of us fortunate enough to make it to 80 will have a 50% chance of suffering from Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia before we die. And there is currently no known way to reduce the odds or slow the mental deterioration. These grim facts are already a reality to the 5 million Americans living with the disease. - How to defeat Alzheimer's - David Schubert

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Op-Ed - Choosing sides in Afghanistan - latimes

First, we don't have a good track record of picking Afghan candidates — after all, Karzai was our pick in 2001. Second, ham-handed attempts by then-Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry and the late special envoy Richard C. Holbrooke in 2009 to promote alternatives to Karzai backfired; Karzai still won and became harder than ever to deal with. - sides in Afghanistan
Staying alive for one last patrol in Afghanistan


Shock, questions after deaths of 5 teenagers in Newport crash - latimes

The Memorial Day wreck, in which a speeding Infiniti split apart after hitting a tree, leaves grieving friends searching for answers. - Shock, questions after deaths of 5 teenagers in Newport crash
Teens who died in O.C. crash are identified
Tragedy for Newport, Irvine - dailypilot

U.S. Alleges $6 Billion Money-Laundering Operation

Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against seven men who allegedly set up an Internet-based currency and used it to launder $6 billion in criminal proceeds, a sign of growing concern among law enforcement about digital cash. - U.S. Alleges $6 Billion Money-Laundering Operation - WSJ

Japan buy $30m road maintenance equipments for Afghanistan - khaama

The government of Japan will purchase 106 road construction equipment worth $30 million, in a bid to help Afghanistan maintain its main highways. - Japan buy $30m road maintenance equipments for Afghanistan
Gunmen kill Afghan senate chairman secretary in Nangarhar

The Council extends the mandate of EUPOL Afghanistan until the end of 2014

Brussels, 27 May 2013. The Council today extended the EU police mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL Afghanistan) until 31 December 2014. - The Council extends the mandate of EUPOL Afghanistan until the ...
EU police mission in Afghanistan extended - Europa

Staying alive for one last patrol in Afghanistan

U.S. combat units in Afghanistan are going outside the wire — leaving their bases — less often as combat responsibilities are turned over to Afghan security forces. But each remaining patrol presents its own unique hazards, and each is an exercise in caution, procedure and diligence. Staying alive for one last patrol in Afghanistan - latimes

Afghanistan's Troubled Transition - nationalinterest

Karzai has assured senior international officials that he will step down. Even so, Afghanistan rests in a fragile state of equilibrium. Karzai has cobbled together a brittle internal balance of power by bringing power brokers—many former warlords—into his government. Maintaining such a balance will be extremely difficult. (Needless to say, leaving Karzai in place would be even worse than a botched election, as even the semblance of democracy would be stripped away.) - Afghanistan's Troubled Transition - Jacob Stokes
A Foreign Policy of Mission Creep - Gordon N. Bardos

Saudi man investigated after Boston Marathon speaks out - washingtonpost

Abdulrahman Ali Alharbi’s interview, which is worth hearing in full, sheds more light on the messy investigative aftermath of the attacks, which saw several men — many of African and Middle Eastern descent — wrongly accused in the media and on the Internet. - Saudi man investigated after Boston Marathon speaks out
How Pakistanis reacted to Obama's drone guidelines

Poll: Germany is the world's 'most popular' country

The affection for Germany is interesting, particularly among European countries, because it comes at a time when Germany and the rest of E.U. share precious little common ground. Economists forecast that Germany’s economy will grow slightly this year, while other large E.U. economies shrink. - Poll: Germany is the world's 'most popular' country

Monday, May 27, 2013

5 dead in fiery Newport Beach crash - dailypilot

A car crashed into a tree, split in half and then burst into flames on one of Newport Beach's widest and busiest streets early Monday evening, claiming five lives and leaving questions about what caused one of the worst wrecks in city history, police said. - 5 dead in fiery Newport Beach crash
Five dead in Newport Beach crash - latimes

Memorial Day: Honoring those lost in battle, those still serving - csmonitor

Memorial Day is meant as a time to remember and honor those killed in America's wars. But it's also a reminder that those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan need their nation's help. - Memorial Day warning: Americans too distant from those they send to war
What's an American lawyer doing in Afghanistan?

In Afghan Transition, US Forces Take a Step Back

CHAMKANI, Afghanistan — The American soldiers were climbing the steep ridgeline, fractured shale cracking underfoot and sweat pouring off their faces, when their Afghan allies up ahead took off without warning. - In Afghan Transition, US Forces Take a Step Back - nytimes

Muslim groups urge consultation over government plans to combat extremism - Guardian

The home secretary, Theresa May, has proposed a series of measures to address the radicalisation of Muslims, including new controls on the internet and the banning of groups preaching hate. - Muslim groups urge consultation over government plans to combat extremism

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Master’s degree programs surge at nation’s colleges and universities - washingtonpost

The nation’s colleges and universities are churning out master’s degrees in sharply rising numbers, responding to a surge in demand for advanced credentials from young professionals who want to stand out in the workforce and earn more money. - Master’s degrees surge in U.S.
Proposed law to protect Afghan women faces backlash

'Dark future' for women's rights in Afghanistan - Human Rights Watch

In Kabul, it is clear that the international community's primary focus these days is packing to leave. When I meet embassy staff, they talk about which programmes they are closing, and how they will manage the remaining programs with far fewer staff. While there is detailed planning by Afghanistan's foreign donors to support the Afghan security forces for 10 years past 2014, there is a glaring absence of consideration of similar safeguards for women's rights in the years ahead. Many women's rights activists feel that this is because foreign donors consider the plight of Afghan women to be a lost cause. - 'Dark future' for women's rights in Afghanistan - Heather Barr
Afghanistan: Surge in Women Jailed for ‘Moral Crimes’

U.S. Shift Poses Risk to Pakistan - nytimes

From multibillion-dollar military aid to stealthy and secretive drone strikes, Pakistan, perhaps even more than Afghanistan, has been the central focus of America’s 12-year war on Islamist militancy. - US Shift Poses Risk to Pakistan
Pivoting From a War Footing, Obama Acts to Curtail Drones

نورستانی ځوانان دینی عالمان او قومی مشران : د نبی عیسی خیل د پلار د خلاصون لپاره د سر او مال قربانی ته تیار دی

د نورستان ګڼ شمیراوسیدونکو، ځوانانو، قومی مشرانو او دینی عالمانو د هیواد د کرکټ ملی لوبډلی د مشر نبی عیسی خیل د پلار په تښتونی خپله سخت خواشینی څرګند کړی ده، او وایی چی عیسی خیل د پلار په خلاصون کښی سر او مال قربانۍ ته تیار دی.  -  نورستانی ځوانان : د نبی عیسی د پلار د خلاصون لپاره د سر او مال ...
په اندړوکې چاودنې د١٨طالبانوپه ګډون ګڼو ملکيانوته مرګ ژوبله اړولې ده

Stockholm in relative calm after five nights of rioting - latimes

LONDON — The streets of Stockholm were quieter late Friday after five consecutive nights of rioting that rocked the Swedish capital and shook the Scandinavian country's self-image as a tolerant, liberal place - Stockholm in relative calm after five nights of rioting
Nights of rioting test Sweden's reputation for tolerance

Russia says Syria will attend peace conference

BEIRUT — Syrian President Bashar Assad's government has agreed "in principle" to participate in a U.S.- and Russian-sponsored peace conference aimed at ending the violence in Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday. - Russia says Syria will attend peace conference
Syria ready to join peace conference, Russians say - latimes
Taliban attack international aid group in Afghanistan capital

Friday, May 24, 2013

Gunmen launch attack on Kabul - Guardian

Two UN security guards were killed, while four members of staff from the aid programme International Organisation for Migration, including an Italian woman who was badly burned by a grenade, were injured. 13 police were also hurt while all of the Taliban attackers were eventually shot dead. Gunmen launch attack on Kabul - Afghanistan

Most townships built illegally across Afghanistan: Report

KABUL (PAN): A joint investigation has produced overwhelming evidence of a proliferation of poorly constructed, illegal townships across the country with efforts ongoing to execute more housing schemes on usurped lands. There are multiple agencies at work and unable to check the rot despite proof of culpabilit, Most townships built illegally across Afghanistan: Report
Most townships across Afghanistan built illegally By - Pajhwok Afghan News

دیده‌بان حقوق بشر: شمار زندانیان زن افزایش یافته است

معاون آسیایی دیده‌بان حقوق بشر هم‌چنین افزود که افزایش شمار زندانیان زن در افغانستان، تفاوت‌های زیادی را در رابطه به وعده‌ها و عملکردهای حکومت نشان می‌دهد. به‌گفته‌ی آقای کین، مقام‌های حکومتی افغانستان بارها بر حمایت از حقوق زنان در گفتار تاکید کرده، اما در عمل این گفته‌ها کم‌تر عملی شده‌اند.- دیده‌بان حقوق بشر: شمار زندانیان زن افزایش یافته است
 اعتصاب غذایی دانشجویان برای دومین روز ادامه یافت

Insurgents Attack Near UN Mission in Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan — At least two people were killed and 17 wounded when insurgents attacked Friday in the midst of one of the capital’s diplomatic quarters, setting off a bomb and sending United Nations and international agency workers into blast shelters. - Insurgents Attack Near UN Mission in Kabul - nytimes

Kabul suicide squad strikes in heart of Afghan capital - Guardian

The deafening blast of a car bomb announced a Taliban attack in the Afghan capital on Friday, as a suicide squad stormed the office of a UN-linked organisation and launched a heavy gun battle that dragged on into the night. - Kabul suicide squad strikes in heart of Afghan capital
Michael Adebolajo's dangerous ignorance about Afghanistan

وقوع هفت انفجار و درگیری در کابل

با گذشت چند ساعت از وقوع انفجار‌های پی در پی در ناحیه چهارم شهر کابل، درگیری میان نیروهای امنیتی افغان و گروهی از مهاجمان انتحاری جریان دارد.- وقوع چند انفجار و درگیری در کابل
'درگیری در کابل با مرگ یک پلیس و پنج مهاجم انتحاری پایان یافت'
Afghan Taliban attack central Kabul - BBC

In Afghanistan, businesswomen must seek a delicate balance - latimes

KABUL, Afghanistan — Roya Mahboob navigates the potholes of doing business in Afghanistan like any other entrepreneur. Corruption is rife. Kidnappings are common. Bomb blasts remain an overarching reality.  In Afghanistan, businesswomen must seek a delicate balance
Jailing of Afghan women for 'moral' crimes is increasing, group says

Obama puts restrictions on drone program - latimes

Setting a new tone on U.S. counter-terrorism policy, he also lifts the ban on sending Guantanamo prisoners home.- Obama puts restrictions on drone program
Afghan security concerns to ease after 2014, Karzai says

Thursday, May 23, 2013

مواد خوراکی همچنان ثابت اما بهای تیل بالا رفت

محمدنعیم یکتن ازدکانداران درمندوی کابل قیمت مواد خوراکی را چنین توضیج میدهد: "یک بوری آرد 50 کیلوی 1230 افغانی، یک قطی روغن شانزده لیتره 1120 افغانی، یک بوری برنج 24کیلویی 2250 افغانی امروز دربازار کابل به فروش میرسدکه نست به پنجشنبه گذشته تفاوتی را نشان نمیدهد". - آژانس خبری وخت - مواد خوراکی همچنان ثابت اما بهای تیل بالا رفت

Mes Aynak highlights Afghanistan's dilemma over protecting heritage - Guardian

The ruins of Mes Aynak straddle a copper deposit so rich that many of the rocks are brilliant green with oxidised ore from a seam of metal first exploited 5,000 years ago. - Mes Aynak highlights Afghanistan's dilemma over protecting heritage
Afghan mine delays at ancient site delight archaeologists -

President Barack Obama's speech at National Defense University – full text - Guardian

For over two centuries, the United States has been bound together by founding documents that defined who we are as Americans, and served as our compass through every type of change. Matters of war and peace are no different. Americans are deeply ambivalent about war, but having fought for our independence, we know that a price must be paid for freedom. From the Civil War, to our struggle against fascism, and through the long, twilight struggle of the Cold War, battlefields have changed, and technology has evolved. But our commitment to Constitutional principles has weathered every war, and every war has come to an end. President Barack Obama's speech at National Defense University – full text
Obama orders review of press freedom guidelines in wake of recent scandals
بارک اوباما روش جدید مبارزه علیه دهشت افگنی را اعلان کرد

Health, Heartburn Tied to Throat Cancer - nytimes

Researchers studied heartburn incidence and medication use in 631 patients with squamous cell cancers of the throat and vocal cords who were not heavy smokers or drinkers, matching them with 1,234 healthy controls. The study was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Awareness: Heartburn Tied to Throat Cancer
New Drug May Help Some Asthmatics, Study Finds

Securing Peace in Afghanistan After US Withdrawal

Recent history demonstrates that the population during the reign of former King Zahir Shah lived in relative peace for 40 years (1933-1973). First of all, Afghanistan's population is nearly 100 percent Muslim. Although there is a minority of Shia, the two sects have lived in peace for centuries. The only major difference among Afghans is language. There are two prominent languages, Pashto and Farsi. There are some frictions on this issue, but it is not serious, and in the city of Kabul most of the population is bilingual.

Afghanistan needs peace to exploit its rich mineral resources, develop industries including food production, agriculture, tourism, construction, and infrastructure, and expand its already rapid growth of transportation and communication networks. ... More, Securing Peace in Afghanistan After US Withdrawal - Afghanistan War
Dramatic Rise In Number Of Afghan Women Jailed For 'Moral Crimes'

No hope for peace until war criminals punished

KABUL (PAN): The Transitional Justice Coordination Group (TJCG) on Thursday said its investigation showed the peace process in Afghanistan could not succeed until war criminals were tried and their victims compensated. ---  One of the key hurdles to the peace process was international support enjoyed by war criminals, who had been tasked with achieving peace with the rebels. - No hope for peace until war criminals punished - Pajhwok Afghan News

Editorial: Obama Vows to End the Perpetual War

“Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist organizations must continue,” Mr. Obama said in the speech at the National Defense University. “But this war, like all wars, must end. That’s what history advises. It’s what our democracy demands.”

Mr. Obama pledged to create new protections for Americans’ civil liberties “to strike the appropriate balance between our need for security and preserving those freedoms that make us who we are.” He called for a strong, independent board to preserve civil liberties. - Obama Vows to End the Perpetual War
Obama Acts to Curtail Drones
Analysis of Key Points From Obama's Speech on Drones - nytimes

Obama Acts to Curtail Drones - nytimes

WASHINGTON — President Obama on Thursday announced new restraints on targeted killings and narrowed the scope of the long struggle with terrorists as part of a transition to a day he envisions when the nation will no longer be on the war footing it has been on since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. - Obama Acts to Curtail Drones -- Text: Obama’s Speech on Drone Policy
Video: President Obama on Drones Video: Obama Heckled During Guantánamo Speech

Woolwich attack will only make us stronger, says Cameron - Guardian

"This view is shared by every community in our country," he said. "This was not just an attack on Britain and on the British way of life; it was also a betrayal of Islam and of the Muslim communities who give so much to our country. - Cameron: Woolwich attack 'will only make us stronger'
Woolwich attack suspect identified as Michael Adebolajo
دیوید کامرون: قتل نظامی بریتانیایی به جامعه مسلمانان ارتباطی ندارد

وضعیت افغانستان در گزارش سالانه عفو بین الملل

عفو بین الملل در گزارش جدید خود اعلام کرده که بیش از دوهزار و هفتصد غیرنظامی در خشونتهای افغانستان در جریان سال ۲۰۱۲ کشته و چهارهزار و هشتصد نفر دیگر زخمی شده اند. - وضعیت افغانستان در گزارش سالانه عفو بین الملل
Afghanistan: Urgent need to protect civilians following fresh attacks
Annual Report 2012 - Amnesty International - Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Karzai Says ‘No Circumstances’ Allow Him to Seek Another Term - nytimes

“And there are two reasons for that,” he said. “One is I’m exhausted. Really, totally exhausted, and I would like to be retired. And second, why would I ruin my legacy by staying on and taking an opportunity away from Afghanistan to become an institutionalized democracy?” - Afghanistan's Karzai Says 'No Circumstances' Allow Him to Seek ...

له افغان-هند دوستۍ سره د ایران حساسیت؛ لیکوال: ګلاب ارمان

دهېواد په لویدیځ هرات کې دسلما بند دساتونکو پر موټر پرونۍ ماین چاودنه له نورو داسې چاودنو سره باید له متفاوتې زاویې وارزول شي. دا زاویه له شک پرته چې هند ته دولسمشر کرزي له وروستي سفر سره مستقیمې اړیکې لري. که پاکستان ددې سفر په غبرګون کې دخپلو جاسوسو مدرسو سلګونه طالبان افغانستان ته دکمزورې شوې او بې اعتباره شوې جګړې دقوي کولو په نیت واستول، نو ایران هم دافغانستان دیوه بد نیته ګاونډي په صفت هڅه پیل کړې، چې دیاد شوي بند مخې ته له مشکل زېږولو سره دافغانستان په مقابل کې دخپلې دښمنۍ قسم ته ځان متعهد وښیي. - له افغان-هند دوستۍ سره د ایران حساسیت؛ لیکوال: ګلاب ارمان

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Afghan security concerns to ease after 2014, Karzai says - latimes

NEW DELHI -- Afghan security after the departure of foreign combat troops in 2014 will become easier because of the ill-advised, misdirected and often corrupt ways NATO and its contractors have pursued the "war on terror," Afghan President Hamid Karzai told reporters in India on Wednesday.

U.S.-led foreign troops have targeted Afghan villagers, including the use of special forces on night raids, rather than focusing on the real source of terrorism: foreign insurgents mounting attacks from bases in neighboring Pakistan, he said. - Afghan security concerns to ease after 2014, Karzai says
Afghan women's rights in peril, group says
Jailing of Afghan women for 'moral' crimes is increasing, group says

Eric Garcetti faces tough tests when he takes office as mayor - latimes

In the campaign for mayor, Eric Garcetti spoke grandly about a city with plentiful summer jobs for low-income teens, a tunnel under the traffic-clogged Sepulveda Pass and even an end to homelessness. - Eric Garcetti faces tough tests when he takes office as mayor
The road to Eric Garcetti's election romp

U.S. Should Not Stay on the Sidelines of Afghan Election - Max Boot

Tell it to Pakistan. Do Flournoy and O’Hanlon have any confidence that the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence will refrain from picking a winner? Or Iran’s Quds Forces? What about the brutal and corrupt warlords and power brokers who dominate Afghan politics today in collusion with current president Hamid Karzai? Will they refrain from picking a candidate too? - U.S. Should Not Stay on the Sidelines of Afghan Election
RealClearWorld - U.S. Must Interfere in Afghanistan's Election
The Stakes for America in the Race to Replace Karzai - Wall Street

حامد کرزی: روابط افغانستان و هند امروز بر پایه های مستحکم استوار بوده و از هر زمان دیگر گسترش یافته است

حامد کرزی گفت: دیروز با رئیس جمهور و صدراعظم هند روی موضوعات زیادی از جمله مسایل مربوط به افغانستان، روابط میان دو کشور، مسایل منطقوی، حضور نیروهای بین المللی پس از سال ۲۰۱۴ میلادی و تاثیرآن بالای افغانستان و منطقه، مذاکرات همه جانبه ای داشتیم. رئیس جمهور افزود که در دیدارش با رهبران هند در مورد گسترش همکاری ها میان دو کشور در عرصه های مختلف در چوکات موافقتنامه ستراتیژیک میان دو کشور بخصوص ادامه کمک ها برای رفاه اقتصادی مردم افغانستان، تعلیم برای جوانان افغان و آموزش و تجهیز نیروهای امنیتی نیز صحبت کرده است. -  حامد کرزی: روابط افغانستان و هند امروز بر پایه های مستحکم استوار بوده و از هر زمان دیگر گسترش یافته است
قیوم کرزی رسما نامزدی خود را در انتخابات ریاست جمهوری اعلام کرد

Exhausted' Karzai insists he will retire - FT

Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s president, on Wednesday said he was exhausted and had no intention of flouting the constitution by remaining in office beyond the end of his second term next year.

Diplomats in Kabul say Mr Karzai fears for his safety and that of his family after he retires, while his opponents say they suspect he will try to cling to power despite being obliged to step down after a presidential election in April 2014. -
'Exhausted' Karzai insists he will retire
Karzai denies plan to keep grip on power
دیگر خسته شده ام، کناره گیری می کنم: کرزی

The US has become a complete surveillance state

The US has become a complete surveillance state (Allvoices)

Britain offers visas to its Afghan interpreters

(Reuters) - Around 600 interpreters who serve alongside British soldiers in Afghanistan are to be offered visas to live in the UK, in a softening of the government's previous policy of encouraging them to stay in the country after British troops withdraw. - Britain offers visas to its Afghan interpreters
Sharp rise in number Afghan women in prison for "moral crimes"
Afghan parliament fails to pass divisive women's law

Afghanistan's Karzai gives India military equipment 'wish list'

(Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Wednesday he had given a "wish list" of military equipment to India during a visit this week, presenting a conundrum for New Delhi as it weighs whether arming the Afghan army is in its interests. - Afghanistan's Karzai gives India military equipment 'wish list'
Afghanistan's Karzai seeks Indian military aid amid tensions with Pakistan

ولسمشر کرزي دهند دولسمشر او صدراعظم سره وکتل

دافغانستان ولسمشر حامد کرزي دهند دمشرانو سره په دې هیله کتلي دي چي مخکي له دې چي بل کال ته نویوال عسکر دافغانستان نه ووځي، هند دافغانستان سره خپلي پوځي مرستې ډیرې کړي. ښاغلي کرزي دسه شنبې په ورځ وروسته له هغه چي دهند دولسمشر پرناب موکرجي سره یې وکتل، دصدراعظم منموهن سنګ سره هم خبرې وکړې.- ولسمشر کرزي د هند د ولسمشر او صدراعظم سره وکتل
هند و افغانستان در بخش های نظامی و اقتصادی به توافق رسیدند

Afghanistan's Nuristan province 'at mercy of the Taliban' - BBC

Mountainous Nuristan is one of the most volatile and inaccessible provinces in Afghanistan, writes the BBC's Bilal Sarwary. It is also one of its most insecure - could other parts of the country go the same way?

Provincial police chief Gen Ghulamullah Nuristani says four of Nuristan's eight districts are on the verge of falling into militant hands. -- "Pakistan-backed foreign fighters launch regular raids on Kamdesh, Barge Mattal, Doab and Waygal districts," he told the BBC.

Governor Mohammad Tamim Nuristani, the man responsible for securing and administering the province, makes no effort to hide his frustration. -- "We have made several requests for help, but still the central government does not help. Nato has also ignored us."

 "When will we get roads, doctors and teachers? We are sick and tired of the empty promises made by Kabul," one tribal elder shouted from the back. -  MORE,  Afghanistan's Nuristan province 'at mercy of the Taliban
US not ready to act against Pakistan:

Nuristan A Safe Passage For Taliban To Enter North and North-Eastern Parts of Afghanistan

The Governor of eastern Nuristan province Tamim Nuristani on Tuesday said that Nuristan will change into second Waziristan. Arabs, Pakistanis, Lashkar-e-Taiba and several other insurgents groups are using Nuristan as a passage to reach the North and North-Eastern provinces. - Nuristan A Safe Passage For Taliban To Enter North and North ...
Airport Planned for Nuristan: Aviation Ministry - Tolo News

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Without U.S. helicopters, Afghans struggle to save wounded - washingtonpost

For the past decade, the Afghan army has relied on hundreds of American helicopters to pluck wounded soldiers from remote battlefields and outposts. Now, the U.S. helicopters are leaving Afghanistan just as the country’s army embarks on its toughest fight, assuming formal responsibility for security this summer. - Without U.S. helicopters, Afghans struggle to save wounded -

مکناتن: افغانستان، پادشاهی با عایدات 15 لک روپیه

روزنامهء فینانشل تایمز می نویسد، همهء توجه به نگرانی های امنیتی بعد از خروج نیرو های بین المللی در سال 2014 معطوف شده و وضعیت دشوار اقتصاد افغانستان محاط به خشکه فراموش شده است.- مکناتن: افغانستان، پادشاهی با عایدات 15 لک روپیه
پنتاگون نزدیک به 80 میلیارد دالر برای جنگ افغانستان تقاضا کرده است

U.S. panel votes to speed up airport fingerprinting of immigrants

(Reuters) - High-tech systems for tracking the movements of immigrants and other foreigners when leaving the United States would be installed at major U.S. airports under a plan approved by a congressional panel on Monday. - U.S. panel votes to speed up airport fingerprinting of immigrants
US names envoy to combat anti-Semitism, warns of rising incidents
Pentagon to take over some CIA drone operations : sources

Many children among 91 feared dead in tornado-hit Oklahoma

(Reuters) - At least 91 people, including 20 children, were feared killed when a 2 mile wide tornado tore through an Oklahoma City suburb, trapping victims beneath the rubble as one elementary school took a direct hit and another was destroyed. - Many children among 91 feared dead in tornado-hit Oklahoma

8 College Degrees with the Worst Return on Investment - Salary.com

While there's no doubt that a college degree increases earning power and broadens opportunities, today's high cost of education means it makes sense to more carefully consider which degree you earn. When it comes to return on investment (ROI), not all degrees are considered equal. This article exposes eight college degrees with poor ROI. - 8 College Degrees That Aren't Worth The Money
Hot Jobs for New College Grads

Obama to meet with China's Xi in California June 7-8

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold their first meeting since Xi became president in March when they sit down for a June 7-8 summit in Rancho Mirage, California, the White House announced on Monday. - Obama to meet with China's Xi in California June 7-8
China offers India a 'handshake across the Himalayas'

Vast Oklahoma Tornado Kills at Least 91 - nytimes

MOORE, Okla. — A giant tornado, a mile wide or more, killed at least 91 people, 20 of them children, as it tore across parts of Oklahoma City and its suburbs Monday afternoon, flattening homes, flinging cars through the air and crushing at least two schools. - Vast Oklahoma Tornado Kills at Least 91
Tornado Leaves a Trail of Destruction in Oklahoma

State Dept. Report Says Countries Have Repressed Religious Freedom With Laws

WASHINGTON — Countries around the world, including allies of the United States, have used laws on blasphemy and apostasy to suppress political opponents, the State Department said on Monday in an annual report chronicling a grim decline in religious freedom that has resulted in rising bigotry and sectarian violence. - State Dept. Report Says Countries Have Repressed Religious ...

Japan's New Optimism Has Name: Abenomics

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic shock therapy, which combines a flood of cheap cash, fiscal stimulus and deregulation, is getting early results.- Japan's New Optimism Has Name: Abenomics
Japan’s Economy Growing at 3.5% Annualized Rate - nytimes
News Analysis: As Japan Courts Growth, Europe Keeps Up Its Love Affair With Austerity

Military Memo, Applying Early Lessons to Build Afghan Security - nytimes

KABUL, Afghanistan — As a young Army Green Beret major in December 2001, Don Bolduc fought shoulder to shoulder in an offensive against Kandahar, the Taliban’s spiritual capital, with a little-known Pashtun resistance commander named Hamid Karzai. Applying Early Lessons to Build Afghan Security
Musharraf Granted Bail in the Killing of Bhutto

Monday, May 20, 2013

Afghanistan Exit: Kabul and Berlin Estranged as Withdrawal Looms - Der Spiegel

With the security situation deteriorating in Afghanistan, Chancellor Merkel paid a visit to German troops last week without even informing Afghan President Karzai. The move highlights frosty relations between Berlin and Kabul amid difficult negotiations for the 2014 troop withdrawal. - Afghanistan Exit: Kabul and Berlin Estranged as Withdrawal Looms

Frantic search and rescue underway for Oklahoma tornado victims - latimes

As night fell in Oklahoma, a massive search and rescue operation was underway to locate survivors from the mile-wide tornado that ripped through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday afternoon, killing at least 51 people and injuring many others. - Massive tornado crushes town, kills 51
Tornado compared to strongest twister ever

Remembering 1960s Afghanistan, the photographs of Bill Podlich

“When I look at my dad’s photos, I remember Afghanistan as a country with thousands of years of history and culture,” recalls Peg Podlich. “It has been a gut-wrenching experience to watch and hear about the profound suffering, which has occurred in Afghanistan during the battles of war for nearly 40 years. Fierce and proud yet fun loving people have been beaten down by terrible forces.” More of Dr. Podlich’s images
Remembering 1960s Afghanistan, the photographs of Bill Podlich

Suicide Bombers - In Islam, several things are clear:

•Suicide is forbidden. "O ye who believe!... [do not] kill yourselves, for truly Allah has been to you Most Merciful. If any do that in rancour and injustice, soon shall We cast him into the Fire..." (Qur'an 4:29-30).

•The taking of life is allowed only by way of justice (i.e. the death penalty for murder), but even then, forgiveness is better. "Nor take life - which Allah has made sacred - except for just cause..." (17:33).  More, -  Suicide Bombers in Islam - Islam
What the Muslim world believes, on everything from alcohol to honor ... washingtonpost

Suicide bomber kills 14 at Afghan province council

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A suicide bomber dressed in a police uniform killed 14 people including a prominent provincial council chief outside the council headquarters in northern Afghanistan on Monday, authorities said. The Taliban insurgency quickly claimed responsibility. - Suicide bomber kills 14 at Afghan province council

UN officials in Afghanistan urge ratification of law to eliminate violence against women

20 May 2013 – Senior United Nations officials in Afghanistan are today urging the Government to fully implement legislation to protect women from child marriage and other forms of violence, in line with international commitments, after the Afghan Parliament failed to ratify the law over the weekend. - UN officials in Afghanistan urge ratification of law to eliminate ...
In Kabul, UNESCO chief spotlights Afghanistan's educational and ...

Iran claims it hanged CIA, Mossad spies

(CNN) -- Two men who the Iranian government said worked as spies for Israel and the United States were hanged Sunday morning, according to Iranian state news outlet Press TV. - Iran claims it hanged CIA, Mossad spies

Bomb attacks kill more than 70 Shi'ites across Iraq

(Reuters) - More than 70 people were killed in a series of car bombings and suicide attacks targeting Shi'ite Muslims across Iraq on Monday, police and medics said, extending the worst sectarian violence since U.S. troops withdrew in December 2011. - Bomb attacks kill more than 70 Shi'ites across Iraq
Obama insists U.S. won’t tackle Syria alone

Tornado levels homes, a school, in Oklahoma City suburb

Areas of metropolitan Oklahoma City appeared to be in shreds Monday afternoon after a massive tornado moved through the region. "The houses are destroyed. ... Completely leveled," - CNN.- Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment ...

محور ورځپاڼه: د ګوشتې يرغل پارولي افغانستان په ۱۱ ولايتونو کې کلداره چلېږي

په داسې حال کې چې په ګوشته او حصارک کې افغانستان او پاکستان دتودې جګړې تياری نيسي، دافغانستان په يوولسو ولايتونو کې په مطلق ډول ورځنۍ معاملې په پاکستانیو کلدارو دي. محور ورځپاڼه: د ګوشتې يرغل پارولي افغانستان په ۱۱ ولايتونو کې کلداره چلېږي
محور ورځپاڼه: د کرزي په ستراتيژيک کاروان د پاکستان بريدونه

Syria's Assad dubious of U.S.-Russia peace initiative

In an interview with an Argentine newspaper, President Bashar Assad says he doubts the West wants a solution to the Syrian conflict. He also reiterates that he does not intend to resign. - Syria's Assad dubious of U.S.-Russia peace initiative - Patrick J. McDonnell
U.S. decries Russia weapons sale to Syria - latimes

Defense official says U.S. has authority to target terrorists anywhere - latimes

WASHINGTON — A senior Pentagon official told a Senate committee Thursday that the U.S. would be at war with Al Qaeda for 15 to 20 more years and said the military could target terrorists anywhere under a law passed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. - Defense official says U.S. has authority to target terrorists anywhere
Afghan militants threaten more attacks after deadly bombing

White House fights back on IRS as GOP keeps up pressure - latimes

 WASHINGTON — A senior White House aide insisted Sunday that President Obama learned only from news reports that an IRS office had singled out dozens of tea party organizations and other conservative groups for questionable scrutiny, while Republicans vowed to investigate any White House involvement in the growing scandal - White House fights back on IRS as GOP keeps up pressure
Ex-IRS chief apologizes in hearing for 'foolish mistakes'

Tornadoes touch down in Kansas, Oklahoma, damage homes - latimes

Tornadoes touched down in Kansas and Oklahoma on Sunday evening from a massive storm system stretching from Texas to Minnesota. - Tornadoes touch down in Kansas, Oklahoma, damage homes

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Khaled Hosseini on How the Iraq War Hurt Afghanistan - Interview by ANDREW GOLDMAN

In your new book, “And the Mountains Echoed,” one of the main characters is an Afghan-born physician in America, like you. He is embarrassed that he’s sweating the details of his new home theater while his countrymen are suffering. Do you have similar guilt? - Khaled Hosseini on How the Iraq War Hurt Afghanistan
'And the Mountains Echoed,' by Khaled Hosseini - MICHIKO KAKUTANI
Khaled Hosseini examines generations connected by a Kabul villa ...miamiherald