<p>France is in&nbsp;the midst of a government-sponsored national debate on what it means to be French ...&nbsp;a debate that has had some unfortunate side-effects.</p>

<p>Aminatou Haidar is on hunger-strike to highlight the plight of the people of the Western Sahara. As she grows weaker, the media spotlight on her cause only grows stronger.</p>

<p>Many foreign correspondents will have seen it before - President Obama's next move in Afghanistan bares some uncomfortable parallels&nbsp;with America's 1960s invovlement in Vietnam.</p>

<p>Despite the social stigma attached to suicide&nbsp;in Afghanistan,&nbsp;social workers&nbsp;says the reasons behind many women's attempts to end it all are chillingly similar.</p>

The news from Kabul was bad. Heavy rain and clouds were shrouding the city. All incoming domestic flights had been cancelled.