Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Afghanistan

Taliban Kill Woman Accused Of Spying

10 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Afghan officials said today Taliban guerrillas have executed an Afghan woman after accusing her of spying for U.S.-led forces.

TEXT SIZE - +

August 10, 2005

District chief Haji Mohammad Younus said the unidentified woman was shot dead in her house last night in the southern district of Zabul. He said Taliban fighters also kidnapped the brother and father of the victim.

Abdul Latif Hakimi, who claims he speaks for the Taliban, confirmed the report and said the Taliban had killed the woman because "she was a spy for the Americans."

Ousted from power by U.S.-led forces in 2001, the Taliban have executed several men in the past after accusing them of being American spies. But the 9 August execution was the first of a woman by the hard-line Islamist group.

(Reuters/AP)

For weekly news and analysis on Afghanistan, subscribe to "RFE/RL Afghanistan Report."

A vendor in the central Bosnian town of Zenica sells heart-shaped cushions with proclamations of love for 1 euro each.

Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs. More

Gasoline prices have risen dramatically in Pakistan in recent years

In Pakistan, Cleaner Fuel Powers Supply, Safety Issues

Rising fuel prices have pushed Pakistan to become a global leader in using compressed natural gas (CNG) to fuel vehicles. More

Family members of missing Baluchs, mostly political activists, rally in protest on the eve of international Human Rights Day in Quetta, Balochistan, on December 10, 2011.

U.S. Hearing On Balochistan Raises Hackles, Awareness

The U.S. Congressional hearing last week on Balochistan, the largest of Pakistan's four provinces, though it was firmly rejected by Islamabad, is being seen in Pakistan as any eye-opener for the state and its security agencies. More