Troubled Ismaili Homecoming
Exiled Ismailis returning to their homes in the north find little has changed since end of Taleban era.
21 Feb 05
Central Asia
US Set for Long Stay in Central Asia
The US has said it won't contribute to the Afghan peacekeeping force, but it is stepping up military deployment elsewhere in the region.
21 Feb 05
Uzbekistan: Calls for End to Mine Policy Rejected
Tashkent is to continue mining its borders even though the threat from Islamic militants appears to have diminished significantly.
21 Feb 05
Peshawar Smuggling Boom
Roaring smuggling trade across Afghan border keep Peshawar markets humming.
21 Feb 05
Race Against Time to Destroy Locust Menace
A plague of locusts is threatening to devastate large swathes of farmland, just as tens of thousands of refugees return from exile.
21 Feb 05
Defections Undermine Afghan Sports
After nine players abandon their football team during a tour of Italy, doubt is cast on whether teams will be invited to compete in western European countries again.
21 Feb 05
Compromise Key to Loya Jirga Success
Delegates to the Afghan grand assembly must strike a balance between democracy and stability otherwise it could serve to divide the Afghan nation once again.
21 Feb 05
Investment Turn-off
Government plans to encourage foreign investment are hampered by, amongst other things, the absence of a private banking system and labyrinthine bureaucracy.
21 Feb 05
Bollywood, Afghan-style
Indian and Afghan filmmakers are back in Kabul, hoping to cash in on an audience starved of cinema.
21 Feb 05
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