The European Union has welcomed Afghanistan’s announcement that presidential elections will be held in April of 2014. The EU’s special representative to Afghanistan, Vygaudas Usackas, said Wednesday the decision to hold elections demonstrates Afghan authorities are fulfilling their duties in accordance with political commitments. Usackas said the EU is supportive of “inclusive and transparent elections […]
EU Welcomes Afghan Election Date Announcement
Cyclone Nilam Approaches SE India
Indian officials are warning fishermen to cease operations and people in vulnerable coastal dwellings to move farther inland in the nation’s south, where the cyclone Nilam is expected to make landfall later Wednesday. India’s Meteorological Department said the storm is expected to come ashore near the city of Chennai with winds approaching 90 to 100 […]
Apparent Afghan Insider Attack Kills 2 British Troops
A man wearing an Afghan police uniform has shot and killed two British soldiers in southern Afghanistan, in the latest apparent “insider” attack. The British Defense Ministry said the attack took place Tuesday at a checkpoint in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province. The ministry said the “loss of these soldiers is a huge blow […]
Pakistan Militant Leader Offers Storm Aid to US
A Pakistani militant leader with a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head has offered humanitarian aid to Americans affected by superstorm Sandy. Hafiz Mohammad Saeed is the founder of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group and now the head of the charity Jamaat-ud-Dawa. He says his organization is ready to send volunteers, doctors, food, medicines […]
Apparent Afghan Insider Attack Kills 2 NATO Troops
NATO says a man wearing an Afghan police uniform has shot and killed two coalition troops in southern Afghanistan in the latest apparent “insider” attack. Afghan officials said the attacker killed two British soldiers Tuesday in Helmand province. NATO gave few details, but coalition spokesman Brigadier General Gunter Katz told reporters in Kabul that “currently, […]
2 NATO Troops Killed in Apparent Afghan Insider Attack
NATO says a man wearing an Afghan police uniform has shot and killed two coalition troops in southern Afghanistan in the latest apparent “insider” attack. The international coalition did not give further details, but Afghan officials said the attacker killed two British soldiers Tuesday in Helmand province. The incident is the latest in a series […]
Afghanistan Sets Date for Presidential Election
Afghan election officials say the country has set a date for its next presidential election. The country’s Independent Election Commission said in a statement Tuesday that the election will be held April 5, 2014. The date was given, according to the Islamic calendar, as “Hamal 16, 1393.” President Hamid Karzai is serving his second term […]
Officials: Afghan Raid Kills Insurgents, Civilians
Afghan officials say a joint Afghan-NATO operation has killed at least four Taliban insurgents and two civilians in eastern Afghanistan. The joint raid took place Monday in the Qalai-e-Qazi area of Ghazni province. NATO said “several insurgents” were killed and at least one detained during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader. The coalition said […]
India PM Inducts Younger Ministers in Cabinet
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reshuffled his Cabinet Sunday in a bid to overhaul his government’s image ahead of the next general elections in 2014. The new Cabinet has a more youthful face after several senior ministers resigned their posts, making room for the elevation of junior ministers. The changes come as Mr. Singh’s Congress […]
Suicide Bomber Kills 40 in Afghan Mosque
A suicide bomber struck a mosque in northern Afghanistan Friday, killing at least 40 people in one of the deadliest such attacks in recent months. Authorities say the bomber struck the mosque in Maymana, the capital of Faryab province, at the start of the three-day Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. Local officials say the young […]