Afghanistan and Estonia

Synopsis

Alan Johnston presents the World Service edition of FOOC, with insight, wit and analysis from BBC correspondents around the world. In today's edition, Mark Urban in Afghanistan and Joel Alas in Estonia.

Policing in Helmand

Afghanistan is surely one of the toughest places in the world to be a policeman. Officers there don't only deal with everyday criminality - they're frequently drawn into the war with the Taliban.

The police have to be part of the NATO-led effort to crush the insurgency and impose order. But their calibre and commitment are often questioned. There have been many allegations of drug-use, corruption and ill-discipline in their ranks….

Mark Urban has been looking at how the authorities are trying to improve the image and efficiency of the force.

Estonia's ice roads

Spring may have reached London, but in more northerly, colder parts of Europe winter lingers on, and people are still in the grip of ice and snow. In Estonia, some car drivers like it that way. For them, as Joel Alas explains, the longer the winter lasts, the better…