InfoAnda - Afghans vote for parliament amid threats, attacks

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Australia lead India by 185 runs in second Test | 12 October 2010
One out of five cellphones sold is unlicensed copy: Nokia | 21 January 2011
U.S., rebels urge gloomy Moscow to help oust Assad | | 14 December 2012

Pakistan c.bank raises 52 bln rupees from Islamic bond | 9 November 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Afghans vote for parliament amid threats, attacks

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Africa Europe Latin America Middle East North America Afghans vote for parliament amid threats, attacks By AMIR SHAH and RAHIM FAIEZ,Associated Press Writers - Saturday, September 18 Send IM Story Print KABUL, Afghanistan – Taliban rocket strikes and bombings kept some Afghans away from the polls Saturday but others braved threats to cast ballots in parliamentary elections being closely watched as a measure of the government's ability to fight against insurgents as well as entrenched corruption. At least two people were killed and the governor of Kandahar province survived an attempted car bombing, officials said. The poll _ the first since a fraud-marred presidential election last year _ is a test of the Afghan government's ability to conduct a safe and fair vote after months of pledges of reform. The number of attacks and the willingness of people to turn out at the polls will also be a measure of the strength of the insurgents, who vowed to disrupt the vote. Rockets struck major cities throughout the country _ the first one slamming into the capital before dawn, followed by strikes in a number of eastern cities, plus cities in Kandahar and Nimroz provinces. A rocket in northern Baghlan province killed two civilians, police spokesman Kamen Khan said. About 2,500 candidates are vying for 249 seats in the parliament. Observers have said they expect the vote in a country where many areas are under threat from insurgents to be far from perfect, but hopefully accepted by the Afghan people as legitimate. In Kandahar, a Taliban stronghold in the south, voters ventured out of their homes and headed to the polls in small groups, despite the rocket attack and several blasts across Kandahar city. One of the bombs targeted the convoy of Gov. Tooryalai Wesa as it was driving between voting centers but no one was injured, said police officer Abdul Manan. Wesa still urged Kandaharis to come out and vote. "The situation is under control," he said. "There's nothing to be afraid of. The enemy wants the election to fail, so if you want the insurgents out of your land, you'll have to come out and vote." West of Kandahar city, there were lines of voters in Zhari district, where Taliban leader Mullah Omar's radical Islamic movement was born 16 years ago. Hundreds of Afghan and international troops were securing the area. "People are fed up with the Taliban, that's why they're coming out more and more, so they can get rid of the Taliban," said Saleh Naeem, a businessman. "Because of the Taliban, business is in a bad condition in Zhari." The Taliban had warned ahead of the elections that those who cast ballots and those working the polls would be attacked. In Nangarhar's troubled Surkh Rud district, the Taliban prevented two voting centers from opening until late morning, when NATO and Afghan forces routed the insurgents. In the north, insurgents on motorbikes attacked a polling center in the Sayyad district of Sar-e-Pul province. Ten Afghan police trainees who were guarding the center ran off when the insurgents attacked, but election workers managed to escape, provincial police chief Gen. Bulal Neram said. He said the insurgents broke windows and ballot boxes and left with some election materials. Youqob Khan, deputy police chief in Khost, said at least one person was wounded when a bomb planted under a pile of wood exploded in a school yard next to a polling center in the provincial capital. Voting resumed after about an hour. Despite the violence and threats, there were Afghans who were determined to cast their ballots. At a mosque in eastern Kabul, a former schoolteacher said she had traveled from her home on the outskirts of the city the night before because voting was safer in the center city. "Even though I heard about those rocket attacks, I wanted to vote," said Aziza, 48, who gave only her first name. "Today is a historic day for Afghan people and it is very important for the restoration of democracy." Afghan security officials dismissed the attacks thus far as "insignificant," and insisted they had not hampered voting. "Election stations are open," said Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary. "We have high numbers of stations for voting in several provinces." But turnout nationwide appeared spotty at best. In one neighborhood of western Kabul, all the voting centers were packed from early morning, with a few lines a hundred people deep. In most of the city, however, people came through in handfuls to nearly empty voting centers. In eastern Ghazni province, a series of rockets fired into the capital and surrounding areas scared many voters, who decided against venturing out to vote. Sayed Ismail Jahangir, spokesman for the governor, said people began to arrive at polling centers in late morning. In Jalalabad, some people at busy polling stations said candidates had provided buses to take them to the polls. President Hamid Karzai cast his vote at a high school in the capital. He said he hoped voters would not be deterred by the attacks. The elections will "take the country many steps forward to a better future," Karzai said. Last year's presidential election was similarly seen as a chance for the government to move forward to a more democratic future, then complaints of ballot-box stuffing _ much of it for Karzai's benefit _ and misconduct mounted. Though Karzai still emerged the victor, the drawn-out process and his reluctance to acknowledge corruption led many of his international backers to question their commitment to Afghanistan. There are about 140,000 NATO troops in the country, and the international community has spent billions trying to shore up the Karzai administration in the face of a strengthening insurgency. Questions about fraud-prevention measures arose within a few hours of the polls opening Saturday. Mohammad Hawaid, representative of a candidate at one polling station, complained that the ink applied to voters' fingers to prevent them from casting their ballots multiple times was not working. "It can be wiped off," Hawaid said. "This is a major irregularity." The ink is supposed to last at least 72 hours and be resistant to bleach. In Jalalabad, observers said poll workers were letting people vote with faked registration cards. "The women coming here have so many cards that don't have the stamp and are not real cards but still they are voting," said Nazreen, a monitor for the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan, which has dispatched observers throughout the country. Fake voter cards flooded into Afghanistan ahead of the balloting, but election officials had promised that poll workers were trained to spot them. In Paktia province in the east, security forces stopped a car and found 1,600 fake voter registration cards, said Rohullah Samon, a provincial spokesman. Initial reports indicated the cards were intended to pad the tally of a former Taliban member who was a candidate, he said. NATO'S senior civilian representative argued that some fraud was expected, and that it would not necessarily undermine the vote. "The real issue is the scale of that and does it affect the result. And does it affect the credibility of the election, not in our eyes but in the eyes of the Afghan people," Mark Sedwill said. At least 24 people were killed in election-related violence preceding the vote, including four candidates, according to observers. In the past two days, Taliban militants abducted 18 election workers from a house in northern Bagdhis province, and a candidate was kidnapped in eastern Laghman province. NATO said Saturday that coalition forces have conducted 12 operations in seven Afghan provinces in the past week against insurgents planning to disrupt the elections. Three insurgents were killed and several captured, the military alliance said. ___ Associated Press writers Kathy Gannon in Jalalabad, Mirwais Khan in Kandahar and Heidi Vogt, Deb Riechmann, Dusan Stojanovic and Kimberly Dozier in Kabul contributed to this report. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Nigerian president launches 2011 bid at Abuja rally AFP - 17 minutes ago Hurricane Igor bears down on Bermuda AFP - 13 minutes ago Nigerian leader front-runner as election battle begins Reuters - 26 minutes ago UK-World Summary Reuters - 26 minutes ago Afghans vote amid violence and widespread fraud Reuters - 33 minutes ago News Search Top Stories Harvard lawyer to head US consumer watchdog Lindsay Lohan fails drug test, faces jail again ACS defends takeover bid for Hochtief Samsung takes aim at Apple's iPad, iTunes Sweden's welfare state at heart of final election debate More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Lindsay Lohan fails drug test, faces jail again Samsung takes aim at Apple's iPad, iTunes City, Liverpool win as Europa League gorges on goals Harvard lawyer to head US consumer watchdog ACS defends takeover bid for Hochtief More Most Viewed » Climate: New study slashes estimate of icecap loss US pastor puts Koran-burning on hold 'Time bomb' superbug requires global response: doctor Japanese rider Tomizawa dies in San Marino Moto2 GP Vitamin B 'could delay Alzheimer's onset' More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos World Cup 2010 Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Saturday, 18 September 2010
Clinton seeks Iran humanitarian gesture on hikers
NATO chief urges Russia's inclusion under security 'tent'
U.N. seeks $2 billion aid for Pakistan flood relief |
Taliban kidnap candidate on eve of Afghan poll
Cybercrime is world's most dangerous criminal threat
Eurozone trade deficit steady in July
Six men held in Britain over pope visit 'terror' alert
Poland briefly detains Chechen wanted by Russia |
Lebanon tribunal says can hear El Sayed file request
First rescue drill reaches trapped Chile miners |
South Sudan leader warns of violence if vote delayed |
Sarkozy draws Germany into Roma row |
Afghans head to polls as Taliban threats mount
Clinton seeks Iran humanitarian gesture on hikers |
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Karzai urges Afghans to vote, ignore Taliban
AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon to sell Samsung's iPad rival
Sony hopes Facebook film befriends fans and Oscar
Thai 'Red Shirts' rally to mark coup and crackdown
Hurricane Karl strikes Mexico near shut nuclear plant
Clinton to attend East Asia Summit in Hanoi
Rare sighting in Laos of mysterious beast
Korean singer 'pulled teeth to avoid conscription'
Prada H1 profits nearly quadruple
Joaquin Phoenix 'documentary' was faked: Affleck
YouTube star Fred won't be changed by fame, says creator
Dell to invest 100 billion dollars in China by 2020
Bharti picks IBM to upgrade Africa mobile network
Japan ready to weaken yen again despite criticism
Thai tussle over 3G mobile auction spooks investors
Pakistani July/August foreign investment falls 34.1 pct
Freida Pinto plays object of desire in Stranger |
NBA star Nash introduces film on his Canadian hero |
Death of a President director takes on slavery |
Oprah picks Franzen's novel Freedom for book club |
Officials register Putin 2012 websites in election riddle
Brazilians pay most for new iPhone
AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon to sell Samsung's iPad rival
Japan suspects cyber attacks amid China row: media
Cybercrime is world's most dangerous criminal threat
Iranian and Syrian presidents meet in Damascus
Sweden's welfare state at heart of final election debate
Rockets, attacks strike as Afghan poll opens |
seeks to ease tensions with Alibaba
Rocket attack on NATO headquarters in Kabul: NATO
First rescue drill reaches trapped Chile miners |
Lindsay Lohan fails drug test, faces jail again
Chechen exile leader freed in Poland
Security, rain dampen China protests against Japan |
Afghans vote amid threats and scattered attacks
ACS defends takeover bid for Hochtief
Samsung takes aim at Apple's iPad, iTunes
Afghans vote for parliament despite some attacks
Pope decries 'marginalisation' of religion
Iranian and Syrian presidents meet in Damascus |
Obama names Warren to set up new consumer finance body
Brazil's Rousseff widens lead despite scandals |
South Sudan leader warns of violence if vote delayed
Busted well to be 'completely sealed' by Saturday: BP
Kenya says world neglecting Somalia security threat |
Polls opens for Afghanistan parliamentary election
Mid-strength typhoon on track to lash Taiwan Sunday |
Polling opens for Afghan parliamentary vote
France defends possible warship sale to Russia |
France urges danger zone exit after Niger kidnap |
Quake shakes north Afghanistan, no damage reported
Insurgents fire rockets to disrupt Afghan election
Protesters stage anti-Japan rallies in China
Japan press welcomes cabinet but warns on yen, China
Russell Brand arrested in paparazzi scuffle
Australian soldiers face violent Afghan protest: military
Australian yachting race claims life in rough weather
Ahmadinejad leaves for Syria, Algeria, US
Sri Lanka begins clearing after blast
Samsung takes aim at Apple's iPad, iTunes
Security, rain dampen China protests against Japan
Karl downgraded to tropical storm
N.Korea may have hit succession snag: report
Couple charged in nuclear weapons secrets case
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Thai 'Reds' head north for coup, crackdown rallies
New death sparks fresh protests in Indian Kashmir
Russell Brand arrested in paparazzi scuffle
Taiwan, China on alert as powerful typhoon nears
Lindsay Lohan tweets that she failed drug test
Few in Wash. city are angry at acid hoax woman
Letterman knew Joaquin Phoenix was faking: writer
US must free Iranians in return for freed hiker: Ahmadinejad
Italian politician slams Tarantino's Venice stint
U.S. scientist charged with peddling nuclear secrets
Gospel singer Wilson's "Love" still strong
Darius Rucker readies second country album
Michael Moore knocks Canadian policy
Cameras rolled while Fantasia recovered from overdose
Stewart and Colbert plan spoof of Tea Party rally
US, Indonesia pledge work on hot-button issues
Lindsay Lohan tweets that she failed drug test |
Russell Brand arrested in paparazzi scuffle |
Lady Gaga urges repeal of gay military ban |
Letterman knew Joaquin Phoenix was faking: writer |
Ricky Gervais at work on new UK series |
Stewart and Colbert plan spoof of Tea Party rally |
Gospel singer Wilson's Love still strong |
Italian politician slams Tarantino's Venice stint |
Michael Moore knocks Canadian policy |
Pope apologizes for abuse as thousands march in protest |
1,000 computer hackers meet in Budapest
Afghans vote for parliament amid threats, attacks
Deadly clashes erupt with 'Al-Qaeda' fighters in Mali
Mauritania says 12 Qaeda members killed in clash |
One killed as police open fire on crowd in Kashmir |
Six people kidnapped in restive Iran province: police |
Sudanese migrant shot dead at Egypt-Israel border |
Nigerian leader front-runner as election battle begins |
French team probe Rwandan leader's 1994 plane crash |
Indian Kashmir death toll tops 100
English women's football team arrives in N.Korea
Myanmar 'issues warning to Suu Kyi party'
Thailand's Thaworn leads at Yeangder golf event
UK beach clean up attracts thousands
UK village life 'dying out' as pubs shut
Toyota 'settles suit' over fatal San Diego crash
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01