Hafizullah Gardesh
Senior Local Editor, Afghanistan
Senior Local Editor, Afghanistan
Officials try to refute lurid tales of “lethal” phone calls, but word-of-mouth rumours prove stronger than truth.
President Karzai may have helped save the Prodi government by trading Taleban prisoners for an Italian hostage, but in the process, he has damaged his own credibility at home.
Former political rivals come together in a new bloc which observers say will try to undermine the present government.
A traditional assembly planned as a way of achieving an Afghan-Pakistani consensus on peace, but critics say success depends on whether Islamabad attempts to manipulate the process.
If the United Nations takes tough measures against Iran, its neighbour Afghanistan will be undermined economically and could be drawn into a new conflict.
Islamabad is outflanking Kabul in the debate about where the Taleban are based and whose fault it is that they are still there.
The Soviets brought rigid political conformity but also a degree of social liberalisation when they invaded Afghanistan 25 years ago.
Thousands are shut out of school following a rise in missile and arson attacks.
Perceived American indifference to Lebanese Muslims’ suffering seen as damaging to the United States’ allies in Afghanistan, and a gift to its enemies.
Burgeoning relations between Afghanistan and India leave Pakistan out in the cold.