Topic - Hamid Karzai

• 7 killed in clashes over burning of Korans at U.S. military base

  KABUL, AFGHANISTAN | Afghan President Hamid Karzai appealed for calm Wednesday after seven people were killed in clashes between Afghan security forces and protesters furious over the burning of Muslim holy books at a U.S. military base.

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  Officials: Afghanistan, U.S. close to partnership deal

  The U.S. and the Afghan governments are considering pushing through a long-delayed partnership agreement by relegating the contentious issues of night raids and control over detainees to separate negotiations, Afghan and U.S. officials said.

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  Quran burning incites deadly riots in Afghanistan

  Afghan President Hamid Karzai appealed for calm Wednesday after clashes in several cities between Afghan security forces and protesters furious over the burning of Muslim holy books at a U.S. military base left seven people dead.

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  U.S. apologizes for Quran burnings in Afghanistan

  The United States apologized Tuesday for the burning of Muslim holy books that had been pulled from the shelves of a detention center library adjoining a major base in eastern Afghanistan because they contained extremist messages or inscriptions.

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  Army trucks loaded with artillery rolled by the memorial palace for North Korea's late leaders as Kim Jong-un presided over a military birthday commemoration for his father Thursday.

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  Afghan private security handover looking messy

  The push by Afghanistan's president to nationalize legions of private security guards before the end of March is encouraging corruption and jeopardizing multibillion-dollar aid projects, according to companies trying to make the switch.

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  General: 'Use drones to kill' the Taliban in Pakistan

  A longtime adviser to U.S. commanders in Afghanistan says now is the time for President Obama to change strategy and target Taliban leaders ensconced in Pakistan.

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  Afghan Taliban deny they're ready to talk peace

  The Taliban denied Wednesday that the movement is planning direct talks with the Afghan government to end the 10-year-old war, while a leaked NATO report suggested the insurgents are confident they will regain power after international troops leave.

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  Afghans blast French plan to withdraw troops early

  France's plans to withdraw its combat troops from Afghanistan a year early drew harsh words Saturday in the Afghan capital, with critics accusing French President Nicolas Sarkozy of putting domestic politics ahead of Afghans' safety.

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  U.S. OK with early French withdrawal from Afghanistan

  The State Department raised no resistance Friday to France's announcement to pull its troops from Afghanistan in 2013, a year ahead of schedule.

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  U.S.: Taliban must renounce terrorist ties

  The Taliban must renounce ties to terrorists and endorse peace efforts as a condition for opening a political office in the Gulf state of Qatar, a senior U.S. diplomat said Sunday.

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  France mulls early Afghanistan pullout as 4 killed

  France suspended its training operations in Afghanistan and threatened to withdraw its entire force from the country early after an Afghan soldier shot and killed four French troops Friday and wounded 15 others.

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  Hunter: 'Context' in urination on corpses

  A congressman who served in Afghanistan is seeking leniency for four Marines videotaped urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters, while some backers of the Marines are voicing support online.

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  Anti-Taliban Afghan tribal leader killed in mosque

  Assailants gunned down a prominent anti-Taliban tribal leader as he was praying in a mosque Tuesday in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, authorities said, the latest in a steady campaign of assassinations of pro-government officials.

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  Panetta assures Afghans of full probe of Marines

  Pentagon leaders scrambled Thursday to contain damage from an Internet video purporting to show four Marines urinating on Taliban corpses — an act that appears to violate international laws of warfare and put further strains U.S.-Afghan relations.

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