BBC News
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VIDEO: Drone footage shows migrants' arrival September 23, 2015
Matthew Price looks at one of the Greek hotspots for migrants entering Europe.
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VIDEO: The Olympian who never gave up September 23, 2015
In 1992, 400m medal hopeful Derek Redmond pulled up injured in the semi-final of the Barcelona Olympics, but still finished the race.
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VIDEO: Football legend Pele at 75 September 23, 2015
Football legend Pele is 75 this year. He talked to the BBC about what inspires him and what he makes of football today.
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VIDEO: Pope Francis lands to cheers in US September 22, 2015
President Obama and his Family have greeted Pope Francis upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
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VIDEO: Lesbos struggles as 4,000 arrive daily September 22, 2015
The Greek island of Lesbos is still struggling to keep up with the steady flow of migrants and refugees.
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VIDEO: How much does making a drug cost? September 22, 2015
As Turing Pharmaceuticals raises the price of an Aids treatment, Daraprim, BBC News looks at how the pharmaceutical industry tries to balance the pursuit of profit with a patient's need to access medication.
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VIDEO: Refugee crisis: Food and phone charging September 22, 2015
The BBC's Mark Lowen reports from a sports stadium on the Turkey-Greece border where agencies are providing shelter and food to refugees trying to reach Europe.
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VIDEO: On the ground at refugee hotspots September 22, 2015
EU ministers have approved a controversial plan to relocate 120,000 refugees and migrants across the EU using compulsory quotas.
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VIDEO: A guide to strange initiation ceremonies September 22, 2015
Initiation ceremonies are in the news, here are some of the stranger ones from around the world.
WELL-POSITIONED
WELL-POSITIONED TO WITHDRAW
The USA is “well-positioned” to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July (2011), the US defence secretary Robert Gates said on Monday 03/07/2011 (see -Petraeus W Plan).
Robert Gates was speaking during an unannounced visit to the Afghan capital Kabul, where he is discussing the future of USA involvement in the conflict-torn country.
Robert Gates also apologised over the deaths of nine Afghan boys over the weekend in a NATO air strike (see – Kunar 02.20.11). The incident has triggered widespread public anger in Afghanistan. Robert Gates was speaking alongside President Karzai, who later this month is expected to announce the schedule for the handover of security responsibility from foreign forces to Afghans.
Mr Gates’ apology comes just one day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai rejected an apology from Gen David Petraeus, the U.S commander of foreign troops in Afghanistan. US President Barack Obama also apologised for the killings of the boys, which he described as a “tragic accident”. The USA president added civilian deaths were the main cause of a worsening in the relationship between Afghanistan and the US.
Hundreds of Afghans rallied on Sunday (03/06/2011) to denounce the killings. The protesters condemned both NATO and the Taliban for killing civilians.
Robert Gates is yet to indicate how many of the 97,000 US forces in the country will be withdrawn. Earlier on Monday, he told troops at Bagram airbase that both the US and Afghan governments agree that the US should remain involved even after 2014, when the withdrawal of troops is scheduled to be completed (see also – Sneaking-out).
“Obviously it would be a small fraction of the presence that we have today, but I think we’re willing to do that,” he is quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying.
The war is in its 10th year, civilian casualties are at an all-time high, and the population has grown weary of the fighting.
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02/2011 -TALIBAN’S TIDE IN HELMAND RETREATING
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02/2011 -MANY FLED FIGHTING REGION IN PAKISTAN
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01/2011 -MULLAH OMAR TREATED IN KARACHI HOSPITAL
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