This week's focus is Afghanistan, as a conference of international donors considers a request for $50bn. The Guardian's Declan Walsh considers what difference the cash might make, the Observer's Peter Beaumont explains how ordinary Afghans have been affected by the conflict in their country, and the photojournalist and Guardian diairist John D McHugh looks at the country from the perspective of Nato troops. [ John D. McHugh is currently embedded with the 173rd ABCT 1-91 Cavalry in Afghanistan-LIG]

There's also a big decision being made about the fate of Europe this week - the 4.3 million people of Ireland having in their constitutional referendum an effective veto on the Lisbon treaty. Henry McDonald, the Guardian's Ireland correspondent, reports.

Plus Michael Feldman, a former advisor to vice-president Al Gore, tells us that for many Democrats, Hillary Clinton's withdrawal from the US presidential contest and her concession speech at the weekend produced an emotional response.

We also hear from former president Jimmy Carter, who says Barack Obama should not pick Clinton as his running mate. He also expresses strong views on the Middle East, saying that the "imprisonment" by Israel of the people of Gaza is "one of the greatest human rights crimes on earth".