Back in June, the Taliban blew apart the front walls of Sarposa prison in Kandahar City, freeing about 400 of its fighters and hundreds more regular criminals. From a security perspective, things continue to deteriorate there.

From the BBC, based on an interview with Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev in Sochi:

Mild-mannered and slightly stiff in bearing and walk, you sense a very different style of leader from his predecessor (Vladimir Putin).

Mr Medvedev's self-confidence is more composed.

His English comprehension is good - he clearly didn't need the interpreter who translated my questions for him.

He gazed inscrutably as he composed his responses and answered calmly and methodically, betraying his lawyer's training.

No impassioned rhetorical flourishes, embellished with earthy language, as Mr Putin was prone to.

It is hard to imagine Mr Medvedev letting loose with such colourful language that the Russian translators would feel obliged to edit out choice phrases.

In the end, though, it was hard to gauge whether he wanted to reassure the West or increase its sense of foreboding.