January 13: Afghanistan

A report by the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says that more than 2,400 Afghan civilians were killed in 2009, 14 percent more than during the previous year. Most of these deaths were caused by the Taliban. At the same time, deaths caused by the allied forces declined by 30 percent.

January 19: Afghanistan

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) survey shows the corruption in Afghanistan so widespread that the Afghan people paid $2.5 billion in bribes in 2009, which constitutes one fourth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The report says that it is impossible to obtain a public service without a bribe, and that the Afghans are overall more concerned about the corruption than security in their country.

February 9: India

India puts a moratorium on growing genetically modified (GM) eggplant despite an earlier approval from the country’s scientists. The GM crop is said to be more resistant to pests, but the public is concerned about potential health problems, and the government says it will conduct more studies to ensure safety. India is one of the world’s largest producers of eggplant, growing thousands of different varieties. In 2002, India started using genetically modified cotton seeds.

February 13: Afghanistan

U.S., British, and Afghan forces begin Operation Moshtarak, a military offensive in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province, which involves more than 15,000 joined troops. The objective of the offensive is to recapture the area from the Taliban and turn it over to the control of the local authorities. The troops are encountering strong opposition from the Taliban insurgents who use civilian hostages as human shields. It is expected that the operation will take as long as 18 months, but the troops are already working with the local elders to prepare the area for the return of the Afghan police and civilian administration. Operation Moshtarak is the biggest offensive in Afghanistan since the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001.

April 8: Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s governing coalition, United People’s Freedom Alliance, wins a majority in first parliamentary elections since the end of the war with the Tamil Tigers. But international election observers say that the election was neither free nor fair, especially in the north of the country among the Tamil refugees. President Rajapaksa wants to introduce political reforms to fix the country’s ethnic problems, but he comes short of the two-thirds majority necessary to give him the power to change the constitution.

June 8: Pakistan/Afghanistan

Islamic militants from the Pakistani group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attack a NATO convoy six miles from Islamabad, killing seven people and destroying 20 trucks with supplies and equipment headed to troops in Afghanistan. The majority of supplies supporting the international troops in Afghanistan are transported by land through Pakistan. These NATO convoys have been regularly attacked since 2008.

June 30: Afghanistan

The United States Congress cuts $4 billion in aid to Afghanistan after the Wall Street Journal’s report of billions of U.S. aid funds being siphoned from Afghanistan to foreign bank accounts of Afghan officials. The move is intended to send a message to Afghan President Hamid Karzai to do more to tackle corruption.

July 20: Afghanistan

Representatives from 70 countries attend a conference on Afghanistan’s future held in the Afghan capital, Kabul. The participants approve the goal of Afghan takeover of security operations by 2014, endorse Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s program to integrate insurgents, and agree that 50 percent of aid going to Afghanistan should be channeled through the Afghan government.

September 8: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s parliament approves a constitutional amendment that lifts a two-term presidential limit and gives President Mahinda Rajapaksa other extensive powers. The critics say that the move will lead the country into a dictatorship.

September 18: Afghanistan

Despite hundreds of violent attacks by the Taliban militants, the Afghan people go to the polls to vote in parliamentary elections. They are choosing their representatives from among 2,500 candidates in more than 5, 000 polling stations across the country. The election, however, is marred by thousands of complaints of fraud and irregularities.