Afghanistan’s president abruptly cut short a speech today as police fired shots into the air in an attempt to restrain a crowd trying to enter, officials said.

An anti-Taliban warlord defended himself against government accusations and seething villagers today, a day after his cache of ammunition and explosives blew away a chunk of their hamlet in a remote Afghan valley.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced his candidacy today for landmark October elections after several days of heated political wrangling.