Afghans Claim Foreign Troops Fired on Demonstration
12 January 2010
Afghans Claim Foreign Troops Fired on Demonstration, VOA News, 12 January 2010
EXCERPT: "Local people in southern Afghanistan say foreign troops have opened fire on a demonstration, wounding several people. NATO acknowledged troops were present at the gathering Tuesday in Helmand province's Garmsir district, but said an insurgent sniper was firing on the crowd. The alliance said its troops identified and killed the gunman. A...
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Afghans Agree Bagram Jail Takeover
12 January 2010
Afghans Agree Bagram Jail Takeover, Al Jazeera, 9 January 2010
EXCERPT: "Afghan officials have agreed to take over the running of the US military prison at Bagram, which currently houses about 750 inmates, including around 30 foreign nationals. A so-called Memorandum of Understanding signed on Saturday could see the controversial facility handed over to Afghan control within months, officials said. 'The Afghan defence ministry...
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Freedom in the World 2010
12 January 2010
[pdf], Freedom House, 12 January 2010
EXCERPT: "In a year of intensified repression against human rights defenders and democratic activists by many of the world's most powerful authoritarian regimes, Freedom House found a continued erosion of freedom worldwide, with setbacks in Latin America, Africa, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East. For the fourth consecutive year, declines have...
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US Investigating 38 Cases of Reconstruction Abuse
12 January 2010
, The Washington Post, 12 January 2010
EXCERPT: "The U.S. agency overseeing the multi-billion dollar Afghanistan reconstruction effort is investigating 38 criminal cases ranging from contract fraud to theft - most involving non-Afghans, officials said Tuesday. The reconstruction effort has come under increased scrutiny as Defense Department contractors pour into Afghanistan to support...
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