Clinton: Afghan runoff not affected by Abdullah (AP via Yahoo! News)
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Abdullah Abdullah’s call for a boycott of next weekend’s runoff election in Afghanistan will not affect the legitimacy of that runoff.

Karzai’s Rival ‘To Quit’ Afghan Run-Off Vote (SkyNews via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News)
President Hamid Karzai’s rival Abdullah Abdullah will pull out of next week’s run-off election in Afghanistan, according to reports.

Fearing fraud, challenger may quit Afghan presidential runoff (McClatchy Newspapers via Yahoo! News)
KABUL, Afghanistan-Challenger Abdullah Abdullah and Afghan President Hamid Karzai failed Saturday to agree on conditions for their Nov. 7 presidential runoff, setting the stage for Abdullah to drop out of the race, senior aides to Abdullah said.

Karzai Challenger May Boycott Afghan Runoff (NPR)
Abdullah Abdullah, the runner-up in Afghanistan’s presidential election, is threatening to boycott next weekend’s runoff. NPR’s Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks to host Guy Raz about Abdullah’s announcement, which is expected Sunday morning, and how that could scramble the country’s political scene.

Rival to Karzai Said to Be Ending Afghan Campaign (International Herald Tribune)
President Hamid Karzai s rival Abdullah Abdullah plans to announce Sunday that he will not take part in next week s run-off election vote, Western and Afghan officials said.

Taliban again overshadow vote in south Afghan bastion (Reuters via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News)
Security, not candidates, will determine whether voters in one of Afghanistan’s most dangerous districts risk going to the ballot box for next week’s disputed presidential run-off vote.

Last hours of campaign, Karzai seeks warlord edge (Tiscali)
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan leader Hamid Karzai’s main rival drew a chaotic crowd of thousands on Monday, the final day of campaigning before presidential elections, with the poll’s outcome hanging on the threat of violence and the clout of old warlords.

Karzai rival tells huge crowd Afghan race not over (Tiscali)
MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s main rival drew a huge crowd to a rally on Thursday but violence still loomed as a threat, with a former leader escaping an assassination attempt a week before the vote.

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