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.

A shortage of blank passports in Afghanistan has led to a flourishing black market for the little blue books, according to Afghans who say they have had to go underground to obtain them.

More than 10 years ago, the Taliban blew up Afghanistan's ancient Buddha statues of Bamiyan, sparking international outcry. Now, the country's diverse cultural heritage is facing a new threat as a Chinese mining company prepares to destroy another ancient archaeological site.

Many Afghan families put a premium on sons, rather than daughters, as chillingly highlighted by a recent report that a woman may have been killed by her husband for the crime of not delivering a boy.

Ahmed Rashid, a journalist and the well-respected author of several books on the Taliban and militant Islam, answers questions about the impact of a leaked NATO report that alleges that Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency is "intimately involved" with the Afghan insurgency. Rashid spoke with RFE/RL correspondent Abubakar Siddique.

Local authorities in the northern Afghan province of Balkh have stepped in to provide assistance to a young mother who had expressed dismay at how she would be able to care for her six newborns. Sara Gul delivered three boys and three girls early on January 24.

For six weeks, Pakistan has blocked NATO supply trucks from entering Afghanistan. Now, as Islamabad looks to reset ties with NATO, there is still no certainty about when the border will reopen.

Once, Kabul's Ghazi stadium was used by the Taliban for public punishment, like stoning women for adultery. Now it's where Afghanistan's first team of female boxers trains, aiming for gold in this summer's Olympic Games.

The torture endured by a 15-year-old newlywed allegedly at the hands of her husband and in-laws has shocked Afghan officials and the world alike.