Afghan army in need of US funds for 15 years

15 years is what it will take to Afghanistan before being able to pay for the cost of its own security forces, warned president Hamid Karzai.
After talking with visiting US Defence Secretary Robert Gates (photo, from aljazeera.net), the Afghan president said he hoped the US and the international community would continue funding them.

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Former rebel becomes Uruguay president

Polls following Sunday’s presidential election in Uruguay showed Jose Mujica (photo, from bbc.co.uk), a blunt-talking former senator and one time leftist guerrilla fighter, leading with more than 51 per cent of the vote.

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Zimbabwe to reach 100,000 cholera cases

Although the cholera infection rate has slowed in Zimbabwe, the number of cases is expected to reach 100,000 this week, said the Red Cross. (photo, from bbc.co.uk)

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Guatemalan president denies involvement in ‘lawyer’s murder’

The killing of a prominent lawyer led to hundreds of people marching in the capital of Guatemala in order to demand the resignation of the country’s president (photo, from bbc.co.uk), who vehemently denied any involvement.

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Russia plans military force to protect Arctic interests

To protect its interests in the Arctic, Russia has announced plans to set up a military force.

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Parliament modifies Ahmadinejad bill

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, is accusing legislators of violating the constitution because they refuse to trim energy subsidies in a budget bill.

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Obama nominee withdraws

Barack Obama’s nominee for commerce secretary, the governor of the US state of New Mexico Bill Richardson (photo, from aljazeera.net), has withdrawn, say reports.

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Russia stops gas supply to Ukraine

All gas supplies to Ukraine from Russia have stopped after the collapse of talks to end a row over unpaid bills and prices.
The taps have been turned off at 0700 GMT, said Gazprom, Russia’s gas giant, when its contract to supply Ukraine ended. (photo, from iht.com)

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Dion to step down

Stephane Dion (photo), the head of Canada’s main opposition Liberal party has said he will step down once a replacement is chosen.
He said he would resign after a coalition of opposition parties failed last week to unseat Stephen Harper, the country’s Conservative prime minister, and his government.

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Sarkozy talks with Dalai Lama risk EU trade

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has met the Dalai Lama in the Polish city of Gdansk, during a gathering of Nobel laureates.
The planned meeting angered Beijing, which has retaliated by cancelling a forthcoming China-EU summit in France.

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