Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Afghanistan

Karzai, Ahmadinejad Discuss Afghan Refugee Crisis

Afghan President Hamid Karzai (epa)

May 25, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has spoken with his Iranian counterpart, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, about the plight of Afghan refugees expelled from Iran, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reported.

TEXT SIZE - +

May 25, 2007

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of aid agencies on May 24, Karzai said he had asked Ahmadinejad in a recent phone conversation to consider a gradual repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran.

Some 70,000 Afghan refugees have recently been expelled by Iranian authorities.

The repatriations have prompted complaints from the Afghan Foreign Ministry.

Earlier this month, Afghanistan's parliament voted to dismiss Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta for fail for failing to convince Iran to rethink the forced repatriation of refugees.

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

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