Al Jazeera Blogs

<p>While&nbsp;India and Pakistan come together for talks on issues&nbsp;including Kashmir, the people&nbsp;of Srinagar&nbsp;simply&nbsp;want an end to the violence.</p>

<p>Malaysia tries to handle fallout and score political points from news that it caned three women for sex outside of wedlock.</p>

<p>The overall number of Afghan civilian deaths as a result of NATO 'mistakes' has reduced,&nbsp;&nbsp;but it will be very difficult to alter perceptions among the Afghan public.</p>

<p>Colin Powell says &quot;real test&quot; will be ability of Afghan police&nbsp;to protect&nbsp;civilians once fighting dies down.</p>

<p>What are viewed as &quot;human shields&quot; in the west may be seen by some Afghans as&nbsp;brave men taking a last stand to protect their women and children from foreign invaders.</p>

It seems a sudden deluge of Western complaints against China have erased all memories of President Obama's early attempts to woo Beijing.

<p>Once a favourite of employees of international organisations, Continental hotel in Afghanistan's southern provinve of Kandahar is now struggling to recover from an attack that left it badly damaged.</p>

<p>Despite international pressure on&nbsp;Pakistan to deploy more forces to fight&nbsp; Taliban, the Pakistani army is still&nbsp;focusing on its border with India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US and Pakistan are more alike than they'd care to admit, the Taliban is not about to seize control and&nbsp;the country&nbsp;is beautiful and fascinating.</p>

<p>Working as a journalist in this country is a unique experience. Much of the time, local officials follow us around simply because foreign journalists are unfamiliar territory &mdash; and what&rsquo;s unknown can be scary.</p>