By James Joyner In a speech to the Atlantic Council this week, Major General John Toolan, just returned from a year commanding NATO forces in southwestern Afghanistan, both highlighted the tremendous progress coalition forces have made since the beginning of the Afghan surge and candidly acknowledged how much work remains to be done. Toolan was, for the most part, dismissive of the Taliban’s strength, which ...

By Reuters JOHANNESBURG: South Africa have turned down a request from Bangladesh to play a limited over series in May primarily because of a hectic schedule, the country’s cricket board said on Wednesday. The Bangladesh Cricket Board, after their brief Pakistan tour this month was postponed following a court order, had approached Cricket South Africa (CSA) with a proposal to play one-day and Twenty20 intern ...

US warns N Korea to refrain from hostile acts Washington: The White House has warned North Korea to refrain from future hostile acts amid indications Pyongyang could soon embark on a new nuclear test or may plan more missile launches. Pyongyang should "refrain from engaging in any more hostile or provocative actions. They do nothing to advance the cause of peace on the Korean peninsula (or) in Northeast Asi ...

Let's make it simple as he enters the 40th year of a life lived more for others than himself. Let's spare this day from putting expectations on his shoulders - something he never refused to take and we never stopped giving. Let's just simply say 'Happy Birthday, Sachin Tendulkar' and feel the relief he enjoys on his special day, with nothing left to be achieved and nothing left to be conquered, just the lov ...

South Africa have declined a proposal from Bangladesh to play three ODIs and five Twenty20 matches in May. Cricket South Africa (CSA) met with the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) on Tuesday and they decided that the international schedule for 2012 would not allow for the series to take place. "As much as we would like to help another cricket country, it is not going to be possible," Jacques Fau ...

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon is creating a new intelligence agency that will focus on Iran and China as it begins to pivot away from war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, the New York Times reported. The newspaper said late Monday that the new Defense Clandestine Service would make use of existing agents, authorities and assets and work closely with the Central Intelligence Agency to track emerging threats. “It wi ...

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council voted unanimously on Saturday to increase the number of observers in Syria to 300 for three months. A 30-member UN team is already in Syria to monitor a fragile ceasefire between government forces and rebel militias. The UN resolution was approved at a time when the monitors were allowed to visit the city of Homs for the first time. The resolution, sponsored by Russia ...

BRUSSELS (AP): Russia's foreign minister sharply criticized NATO's plan to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by 2014, saying Thursday that coalition troops should remain in the country until Afghan government forces are capable of ensuring security. "As long as Afghanistan is not able to ensure by itself the security in the country, the artificial timelines of withdrawal are not correct and they should n ...