New turns and new worries in Asia

Giving jitters to USA and other western forces in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai visited India last week. According to the British newspaper Guardian, the Afghan president would seek Indian assistance to boost Afghan armed forces. Many Afghan army officials are being trained in India based on a pact between the two nations two years ago.

Is Hamid Karzai on CIA payroll?

Leaving the world nonplussed, president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai has acknowledged that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been dropping off bags of cash at his office for a decade. The 'small amount' he received monthly totalled tens of millions of dollars. He says the money has been used for meeting 'various' expenses.