Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Afghanistan

Blair Says Democracy Prospects In Afghanistan Good

(RFE/RL)

22 November 2005 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair says Al-Qaeda is trying to revive extremism in Afghanistan.

TEXT SIZE - +

November 22, 2005

But Blair told a House of Commons committee today that he believes the prospects for democracy in the country remain good.

Blair's comments came one week after Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak said Al-Qaeda had smuggled cash, weapons, and explosives into the country to prepare for an insurgency campaign against the government.

Also today, Blair said his government had been overly optimistic in its goals to eradicate opium production in Afghanistan.

Britain has led a counternarcotics coalition in the country since 2001.

However a U.S. report said earlier this year the area in Afghanistan devoted to poppy cultivation last year set a record of more than 200,000 hectares, more than three times the figure for 2003.

(AP)

RFE/RL Afghanistan Report

SUBSCRIBE For regular news and analysis on Afghanistan by e-mail, 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 In Pakistan

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