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Faqir Shah sprays machine-gun fire across the black hills of Tora Bora, shooting at phantoms of al Qaeda. The shots echo through a forest of twisted holly trees, zigzagging up [...]

The article discusses the illegal drug business in Mexico and the rising popularity of ballads called narcocorridos that glorify drug lords and their violent ways. The article notes that most narcocorridos are accompanied by a polka beat. Narcocorrido singer Alfredo Rios, also known as El Komander, is profiled. Noarcocorrido singers are said to be paid by drug lords to sing about them and several such singers have been killed in Mexico's drug wars. Because the appeal of narcocorrido music is said to be tied to danger, the article draws parallels between it and 1990s gangsta rap. INSET: Narcocorrido.

The article describes the challenges faced by U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops trying to stabilize and rebuild Afghanistan. The author describes U.S. and NATO efforts to train the Afghan National Army (ANA) in order to prevent the Taliban from taking control of Afghanistan. The author describes an environment rife with corruption, financial mismanagement and drug abuse among ANA recruits, all of which is frustrating U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to begin U.S. troop withdrawals by October 2011.

The article discusses the military campaign against the Taliban in Marjah, Afghanistan mounted by U.S. and ally forces and associated post-battle plans. It notes General Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Afghanistan, and military plans for establishing an Afghan government in Marjah after the fighting ends. The so-called "AfPak" strategy is mentioned, wherein U.S. forces are helping Afghans become responsible for their country.

The article discusses the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among U.S. military service members serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. The article highlights the experience of former Navy SEAL commander Mark Waddell, who was diagnosed with PTSD after serving in Afghanistan. The article notes that multiple deployments to war zones has increased the incidence of PTSD and combat stress.

The article focuses on Pope Benedict XVI of the Catholic Church and the church's relationship with Judaism. A series of actions by the Pope have led to strained relations with Jews around the world as they are perceived to indicate toleration for anti-Semitism by Catholics. The Pope will make a week-long trip to Israel and Palestine in May, 2009 and hopes to assuage those concerns.

The authors claim that Israel cannot achieve national security by engaging militarily with political and military group Hamas. As Palestinian civilian deaths mount in Israel's intervention in the Gaza Strip, its moral standing is at stake, the authors assert. Instead, Israel must reach a political settlement with Hamas and ultimately agree to a Palestinian state alongside its own, according to the authors.

The article discusses the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Israel began an air assault of Gaza on December 27, 2008. Other topics include missiles fired from Gaza into Israel, a truce between Israel and Hamas that officially ended on December 19, 2008, and Palestinians that became collateral victims during the fighting. INSET: Brief Respite..

This article introduces a section on 100 Olympic athletes to watch at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, including basketball player LeBron James, swimmer Dara Torres, sprinter Asafa Powell, soccer player Heather O'Reilly, boxer Zou Shiming, martial artist Sara Khoshjamal, swimmer Stephanie Rice, gymnast Yang Wei, fencer Laura Flessei-Colovic, and swimmer Federica Pellegrini.

The article discusses the 60th anniversary of Israel, focusing on the various perceptions that people have regarding Israel's future. The need for an Israeli peace with Palestinians is discussed, with a related detailing of the attitudes of each group concerning the other. Photographs accompany the article, giving snapshots of contemporary Israel.

The article focuses on the conflict in the city of Jerusalem between Arabs and Israelis. The author states that people living with the strife have ways of avoiding trouble and know when they are too far into hostile territory. Palestinians argue that the city should be the capital of Israel, but Jews who won control of the city in the Six-Day War of 1967 will not relinquish the city. The author details time he spent in Jerusalem and discusses ways to end the conflict.

The article describes several innovations in the field of aerospace, including the CityHawk hovercraft developed by engineer Rafi Yoeli's Urban Aeronautics, the BioSuit, a new kind of flexible spacesuit invented by Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Dava Newman, and University of Berlin professor Garhard Neukum's space camera.

This article discusses the violence enacted by radicals in Palestine, and how the strategy taken by the U. S. and the world to weaken Palestinian radicals has to change. It discusses the war in Gaza, the rivalry between Hamas and Fatah, and the United States' relationship with President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas.

The article looks back at the Six-Day War that occurred between the Israelis and Palestinians in 1967. The Palestinians fled during this time and Israel's territory increased exponentially. The article provides a personal interview with a Palestinian citizen who has lived through this period of turmoil. The interviewee's opinions on the leadership of the government and Yasir Arafat are discussed.

The article describes an Israeli settlement, called Migron, on land that many believe to be owned by Palestine. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert may re-open plans to remove settlers from the Gaza strip and continue Israel's disengagement from Palestine. Conflicts between radical settlers and Palestinians are described.

This article discusses the nuclear arms crisis between North Korea and the international community. After President Kim Jong II of North Korea successfully completed a nuclear bomb test, world leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush, are analyzing the political, economical and technological impact the test will have in the future. Terrorism concerns and risk management are also a concern. INSET: NUCLEAR WORLD.

This article describes the situation that Palestinians face in Gaza. As a result of a blockade imposed by Israel, only humanitarian aid and foodstuffs originating in Israel are permitted into Gaza. Palestinians are barred from exporting any homegrown products, and Israeli shells have destroyed more than 40 greenhouses built by the aid agency CARE International. As air strikes continue, Palestinians continue to be threatened. At this point, Palestinians seem to think they are closer to seeing civil war.

The article considers the possibility of a U.S.-Iran war. The U.S. is already stretched thin both militarily and financially. Iran has sponsored terrorist organizations and has increased its power in the Mideast. Iran has delayed and side-stepped around demands to stop enriching uranium. It is estimated that the nation is five years away from having a nuclear bomb, but may only be a year from being a nuclear power. If Iran continues, U.S. and its allies will have to step in.

This article reports on Ehud Olmert, prime minister of Israel. Elected in 2006, Olmert was thought to be a candidate committed to the peace process. However, when Hizballah struck in Israel, killing 8 soldiers and kidnapping 2, Olmert struck back ordering extensive air strikes and limited ground incursions in Lebanon, Hizballah's home ground. The move had provoked fears that it will escalate into a wider war in the Middle East.

This article provides advice for establishing peace in the Arab-Israeli conflict in the wake of battles between Israel and Lebanon in 2006. Among the actions advised are involvement from the U.S. military, the inclusion of Palestine in peace talks, a guarantee of Israel's security, the stabilization of Lebanon, and handling of political insurgency in Iraq and Iran.

The article addresses the alleged massacre committed by U.S. Marines in the town of Haditha, Iraq. On November 19, 2005 24 mostly unarmed Iraqi civilians were killed. The incident, and its alleged cover-up, are being investigated by the military. Many feel that what happened in Haditha is a reason for the U.S. to pull troops out of Iraq; others feel that it demonstrates a reason to stay.

The article discusses the presence of female troops in Iraq. While the United States military officially bars women from combat, they often find themselves involved in firefights anyway. Responding to dwindling recruiting numbers and demands by women's groups for equality, women are now allowed to serve in "supporting" combat roles in Iraq.

Reports on the devastation in Pakistan and India from the October 8, 2005 earthquake whose epicenter was in Kashmir, a region under cease-fire since 2003. Efforts of both India and Pakistan to send aid to remote villages; Estimation of the death toll and the number of homeless; Factors contributing to the delay in disaster relief reaching towns such as Balakot; Indication that thousands of volunteers and militant Islamic groups were among the first responders.

Focuses on the situation in Afghanistan, where, four years after the Taliban was ousted from power, there is still much insurgency. Plans of Hamid Karzai to extend the authority of his government beyond Kabul with an army of 20,000; Control of much of the country by warlords who filled the vacuum created by the Taliban's demise; Observation that Taliban forces have launched more attacks on U.S. armed forces in the past several months than any other time since 2001.

Focuses on the escalating violence and the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq. Observation that the rebels keep building deadlier bombs; Deaths of Marines in Iraq; Impact of the casualties on U.S. public support for the war; Policy of the President George W. Bush administration in Iraq; Overview of the fighting; How U.S. troops rely on tracked and wheeled vehicles to secure them from enemy attack; The Pentagon's explanation for the rise in casualties; Strategies of insurgents, including use of improvised explosive devices to kill U.S. soldiers; Efforts of a Pentagon task force to outwit the bombers; Expectation that there will be more lethal attacks.

Focuses on the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan and its effect on the future of nuclear weapons. Description of the bombing by those who were on the B-29 bomber called the Enola Gay; How the bomb ended the war; Conflict regarding nuclear weapons and who should have them; Difficulty of making nuclear bombs; Efforts to curtail the spread of nuclear weapons; Speculation about the nuclear weapons that may have been developed in foreign countries.

Focuses on the investigation into the terrorist bombings in London. Reports on how advanced forensics and old-fashioned footwork traced the attacks to four suicide bombers from London with possible ties to al-Qaeda; Description of the four suspects believed to have carried out the bombing; Britons difficulty of accepting the idea that the suspects were Londoners; Discussion of how the biggest police investigation in British history has already unearthed a number of links between the bombers and al-Qaeda.

This article offers details on the life of A.Q. Kahn of Pakistan who outwitted Western intelligence and built a global nuclear-smuggling ring. One year after Khan appeared on Pakistani television and confessed to selling some of that country's most prized secrets, the world is only beginning to uncover the extent of his treachery--and comprehend how one man did more to destabilize the planet than did many of the world's worst regimes. For more than a decade, Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, masterminded a vast, clandestine and hugely profitable enterprise whose mission boiled down to selling to a rogues' gallery of nations the technology and equipment to make nuclear weapons. Among Khan's customers were Iran and North Korea whose nuclear ambitions present the U.S. with two of its biggest foreign policy quandaries. Who else did business with this merchant of menace? The list of suspected nuclear clients is dizzying. Investigators believe that Khan traveled the world for more than a decade, visiting countries in Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. Many questions remain unresolved, including whether Khan sold blueprints for building a nuclear warhead to Iran, as he did with Libya. Khan's illicit network of suppliers and middlemen is still out there. "Nothing has changed," one of Khan's former aides says. "The hardware is still available, and the network hasn't stopped."

This article describes the efforts of Afghan President Hamid Karzai as he seeks re-election. During Karzai's first campaign outing two weeks ago, an enemy rocket whizzed by his U.S. military helicopter and slammed into the camelback hills where he was supposed to land. Karzai brushed off the near miss, but his American guardians insisted on returning to Kabul. U.N. officials say a third of the country is still in the grip of either Taliban fighters or lawless warlords, making it nearly impossible for Karzai and other candidates to campaign freely.This election is being closely watched in Washington. During his campaign, President George W. Bush has repeatedly touted Afghanistan as a success story, in part to counter the horrific news coming out of Iraq. Alarmed by the possibility that Karzai might not win in the first round (experts say he would win a runoff against any single candidate), the President's supporters--including the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad--are scrambling to shore up votes. Senior Afghan officials, U.N. representatives and Western diplomats all claim that Khalilzad, an energetic Afghan American, is trying to induce several candidates--including the President's main rival, Qanooni--to drop out and throw their support behind Karzai. To win decisively, Karzai needs support from his Pashtuns, many of whom are facing the threat of marauding Taliban and al Qaeda fighters. It is a measure of the desperation of Karzai's supporters that a pro-Taliban tribal chieftain, Naim Kochi, was released two weeks ago from American custody in Guant&xe1;namo Bay, Cuba.

Presents a look at the Islamic world three years after the September 11th attacks in the U.S. How the U.S. and its allies have succeeded in killing and apprehending hundreds of al-Qaeda terrorists but have yet to defuse the appeal of Islamic extremism and win over those who sympathize with al-Qaeda; Statistics on the world Muslim population; Concerns that Muslim communities are vulnerable to the 'radical influences' of extremists; How the majority of Muslims condem violent acts; How critics of the Bush Administration have said that the U.S. has failed to invest in 'public diplomacy' programs aimed at improving the image of the U.S. in Muslim countries; State of Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Presents a look at what investigators have discovered about al-Qaeda's plans for its next big attack on the U.S. How arrests by U.S., Pakistani and British investigators has unearthed new clues about possible terrorist attack plans; Surveillance of buildings by al-Qaeda operatives inside the U.S., beginning in 2000; How the operatives kept their attack plans a secret from the U.S. government until July 2004; Why there remains cause for concern; Escalating fears that al-Qaeda may attempt another 9/11-size attack in the U.S.; Efforts of law-enforcement and intelligence agencies to find al-Qaeda sleeper cells worldwide; Worries that Osama bin Laden may have ordered another attack; Question of how many terrorists are still at large; Background on the arrest of Pakistani Musaad Aruchi, nephew of Khaldi Sheikh Mohammed; Decision of Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge to publicize the names of the targeted buildings; Security measures.

Offers a look at the threat of terrorism in the world as of March 29, 2004. Search for al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden; Statement that the Madrid terrorist bombings and attacks on hotels in Iraq give evidence that the Islamist terrorist threat has survived a global war on terror; Belief of counterterrorism experts that the al-Qaeda organization is being replaced by a more elusive generation of extremists; Arrest of Jamal Zougam for the attacks in Madrid; Effect of the bombings in Madrid on the Spanish elections; Role of Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi in the violence in Baghdad, Iraq; Measures taken by the United States to prevent terrorism; Statement that the U.S. measures have not lessened the threat of Islamic terrorism.

This article discusses the current state of affairs in Afghanistan. Significance of Afghanistan for the Bush administration in the war on terrorism; Details of president Hamid Karzai's seclusion and rule; Expected offensive of the Taliban this spring against the U.S. and its allies; Details of an offensive planned by the U.S. against the Taliban and an effort to capture or kill Osama bin Laden; Importance of upcoming elections; Rise of warlords as obstacle to progress.

Describes the conditions at the U.S. military detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Significance of the description of the detainees as enemy combatants; Numbers of detainees held at the base; Descriptions of everyday living conditions in the camp; Interest of the U.S. Supreme Court in the rights of detainees; Comments by attorney Thomas Wilner, who represents several detainees whose case will be heard by the Supreme Court.

Reports on the front line military action in Shkin on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border where U.S. forces are battling al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters. Fighting which is increasing; Constant attacks on the Americans and Afghan allies; Spreading influence of al-Qaeda and Taliban; Description of a battle; Comments from soldiers.

Considers the increasing doubts that the George W. Bush administration has about the support of Pakistan for the war on terrorism. Significance of meeting between Bush and Pervez Musharraf, president of Pakistan; Re-emergence of the Taliban in the border regions; Possibility of continued Taliban support in the Pakistani military; Role of problems between Pakistan and India over Kashmir; Inability of Musharraf government to control extremists within Pakistan; Urgency about Pakistani scientists sharing nuclear information with North Korea and Iran; Frustrations of Musharraf in dealing with U.S. government.

Examines how Taliban forces continue to pose a threat to the U.S.-backed Afghan government of Hamid Karzai. Efforts of Taliban fighters to attack U.S. troops and their Afghan allies; View that Taliban forces are re-energized and determined to avenge their defeat; Overview of the deteriorating situation; How Taliban fighters are able to find a haven in Pakistan; Reasons for the Taliban's revival; Frustration of U.S. officials over Pakistan's role in apprehending Taliban fighters; Establishment of Taliban cells; Why the Taliban's revival means trouble beyond the region; Outlook for more violence.

Looks at reasons why the war on terrorism will never end. Terror attacks which occurred in May 2003 in Saudia Arabia and Morocco; Possible connection to the terrorist organization al-Qaeda; Questions regarding the location of Osama Bin Laden; Capability of al-Qaeda to organize and carry out terrorist attacks; Concerns over where the next attacks could occur.

Focuses on the renewed efforts to capture Osama bin Laden after the arrest of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. How bin Laden escaped the siege at Tora Bora, Afghanistan; Discussion of the legend that bin Laden has created among people in Arab countries; Suggestion that the arrest of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has created some leads as to the whereabouts of bin Laden. INSETS: Tracking Down Terror;Beyond bin Laden: Other al-Qaeda Bigwigs Still at Large.

Focuses on the capture of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, an alleged al-Qaeda leader who helped plan the September 11 attacks on the United States. Discussion of how Pakistani authorities found the alleged terrorist and if he will lead them to Osama bin Laden; Background on how Mohammed was radicalized, became leader of an Islamic cell, and avoided capture during the 1990s. INSET: KEEPING TRACK OF AL-QAEDA.

Discusses the plight of the United States government to locate and capture al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. Consideration of an audiocassette with the alleged voice of Bin Laden; Interrogation of a senior operative of al-Qaeda, Ramzi Binalshibh; Belief that certain passages from the tape may indicate a call for terrorist action; Efforts of U.S. President George W. Bush to promote military action against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein; Speculation about where Bin Laden may be hiding. INSETS: WHERE OSAMA MIGHT BE HIDING;TALE OF THE TAPE.

Reports on the war on terrorism in Afghanistan that is led by the United States. Details of the conflict that continues in spite of the idea that the U.S. has won; Efforts of the U.S. and Afghan President Hamid Karzai to create stability in Afghanistan; Indication that al-Qaeda and Taliban survivors have the capacity to keep fighting; Rocket fire into a U.S. base in Lawara and other sites; Difficulty of pursuing the enemy aggressively while not alienating innocent Afghans; Views of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, General Richard Myers.

Discusses the reorganization of al-Qaeda and its terrorist affiliates since the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. Indication that terrorist cells exist in 60 countries; How the group has been waging jihad against the U.S. and its allies, including the bombing on Bali Island, Indonesia; Idea that al-Qaeda is avoiding conflict with the Pakistan government by keeping its training camps small; Challenge of crisis issues in the U.S. government concerning North Korea and Iraq; Refocus of the U.S. counterterrorism mission.

Evaluates the U.S. war in Afghanistan. Belief that the combat phase of the war is over; Remarkable aspects of the defeat of the Taliban, including the speed, precision and few U.S. casualties of the war; Number of U.S. and British troops; Continued search for Osama bin Laden; Difficulties for the stabilization of Afghanistan; Flaws in the U.S. strategy; Damage to the al-Qaeda infrastructure; Casualties of Afghan civilians; Peacekeeping efforts.

Focuses on Sana Shah, 16, of Lahore, Pakistan. Interests and lifestyle; Reactions of Shah and her mother to the September 11, 2001 attacks and their aftermath; Perception of herself as a citizen of the world; How she felt caught between Islam and America; Comments of Shah, including thoughts on peace; Anti-Americanism in Pakistan; Her experience returning to the U.S. and visiting ground zero in New York City.

Reports that the United States government had debated about the potential terrorism threat of al-Qaeda early in 2001. Briefings conducted by President Bill Clinton's administration to assist incumbent President George W. Bush; Details on the terrorism briefing delivered by Richard Clarke; The formal plan that would take the offensive against al-Qaeda; Issue of whether the September 11, 2002 attacks could have been foiled.

Focuses on the Pakistani spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is led by General Mehmood Ahmed. How Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf is trying to gain control over the group that has been referred to as a kingdom within a state; Role of the ISI in the U.S. war on terrorism in Afghanistan and in finding al-Qaeda and Taliban agents; Background on how the ISI helped create the danger from Islamic extremists with its policy in Kashmir.