1. Nearly 400,000 Afghanistan National Army and police forces were deployed throughout the country effectively.

2. Afghans were relatively enthusiastic about voting. The turnout was about twice that of the 2009 presidential campaign

3. One third of those who voted were women.

4. The electorate defied the Taliban, voting in very large numbers despite Taliban threats.

5. 96 percent of polling stations were open, despite a last minute shortage of ballots. 

6. One third of the electorate is youth who came out in force.

7. This will be the first peaceful transfer of power from one president to another in Afghanistan’s history.

More>>>

Brothers Sami and Shaheed of Herat, Afghanistan grew up listening to Tupac Shakur. Now they use rap to critique their country’s politics and society. Here, they perform for WSJ’s Margherita Stancati in a Herat cafe. More>>>

Like many other boys his age, Humayun Zadran wanted to become a rock star. But he wasn’t allowed to learn Western music while growing up in the conservative climate. Now as an adult living in Afghanistan, he’s created a space where Afghans both young and old can pursue that dream. Zadran remembers buying bootleg albums of the bands Pink Floyd, Dire Straits and Led Zeppelin at local music shops but not being able to perform the songs himself. More>>>

There is something radically different about the new look Afghan police force: for the first time women are playing a central role. They form only 1% of the force, short of the 5% target President Hamid Karzai set, but the government has made it a priority to recruit more. Tamana, one new recruit, told ITV News: “My husband served in the intelligence service and he was killed in action. I have come to serve my country in his place.” More>>>

‘Afghanistan Is Plagued With Repeated Cultural Rupture.’ Daoud Naji, a graduate of Persian language and literature from Balkh University, previously taught as an Assistant Professor at his alma mater. With the arrival of the Taliban, he migrated to Pakistan. He is now living and working as a journalist in London, where he is in charge of Afghanistan for the BBC’s Persian Service.  More>>>

A veteran Associated Press photographer, Anja Niedringhaus, 48 was killed and an AP reporter was wounded last week when an Afghan policeman opened fire while they were sitting in their car in eastern Afghanistan. See some of Anja’s Photography Here>>>

The English Writer Kabul

 An English writer and editor is available for a wide variety of your English writing needs. The writer has extensive experience in Afghanistan and in writing proposals, applications, reports and media releases, etc., for both foreign and local organisations.  Training in these activities can also be offered to your staff members. Charges are low.  Contact details:englishwriterkabul@gmail.com
or 079 943 1087

Cricket

Join Afghanistan Cricket Board on Facebook with 200,900+ fans

Be a part of the biggest movement of young people in Afghanistan and the largest peaceful activity in the country.

 VISIT US ON FACEBOOK – BECOME AN OFFICIAL FAN

Peter Anderson, former Queensland wicketkeeper, will travel to Kabul in the next month to head the ­Afghan Cricket Academy in Kabul. “I spent two years as the nation­al coach of the PNG team and that’s a pretty daunting place, though I’m not saying Kabul’s not tougher,” the 52-year-old said. “But cricket is a wonderful sport that crosses all boundaries of culture.  More>>>

Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced a list of “probable” players for the ACC Premier League 2014. The Tournament has been created from the former ACC Trophy Elite competition. It will be held in Malaysia from 1 – 7 May 2014. It gives Associate and Affiliate countries experience of international one-day cricket and also helps form an essential part of regional rankings. In the last ACC Trophy Elite in 2012 Afghanistan defeated Malaysia to come third behind the UAE and Nepal who tied for first place in the final of the tournament. More>>>

The “International Day of Sport for Development and Peace” on 6 April was established by the UN General Assembly in 2013. On the same day, the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s Facebook page reached 200,000 fans. This is a striking achievement in a country with low computer literacy and internet access. In its Strategic Plan developed in 2010, the ACB described its vision as “to make cricket Afghanistan’s most popular sport, contributing to peace, unity and development.”  More>>>

Afghanistan Football Federation

 Come and join the Afghanistan Football Federations facebook page with more than 11,200 fans. Football needs yours support.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT US ON FACEBOOK

Hundreds of stallholders in Kabul’s “Bush bazaar” have made a tidy living selling on “surplus” equipment and rations — much of it pilfered — from the US-led Nato mission in Afghanistan. But business has dwindled to half what it was a few years ago at the market, named after US president George W. Bush who ordered the invasion of Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks of 2001.More>>>

The latest of Afghanistan’s five planned national research centres has been opened at Kandahar University. The centres are being set up by the German Academic Exchange Service, or DAAD, in cooperation with the Technical University of Berlin.   The computer centres are the cornerstones of a nationwide academic IT network. Funding has been provided by the German foreign office. More>>>

The cost of constructing the second lane of the Kabul-Jalalabad highway is said to be $ 110 million dollars. This will be funded by Japan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The road construction covers 106 Kms and will be 7 meters wide when completed. Minister of Finance, Dr Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, said the project is important for security and for improving the economy in the region. More>>>

An unprecedented study of 210 stakeholders in Afghanistan, including 130 boys, has found that on average one in 10 of the boys interviewed had experienced human trafficking. The study, Forgotten No More: Male Child Trafficking in Afghanistan, was conducted by Hagar field researchers and funded by the U.S.Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP). More>>> andDownload the Study>>>