April 3, 2001

Ahmad Shah Masood arrives in Paris
 Islamabad, April 3, IRNA -- Sources in the United Islamic Front of  Afghanistan reported that the Front commander, Ahmad Shah Masood  arrived in Paris on Tuesday,

Taliban says Bamiyan Buddha rubble not for sale
Tuesday April 3, 6:23 PM
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement vowed on Tuesday to punish anyone caught smuggling remains of two giant Buddha statues, demolished last month in the face

Buddha rubble 'up for sale'
By BBC Eurasia analyst Adrian Foreman
The rubble of ancient giant statues of Buddha, which were blown up by the Taleban authorities in Afghanistan last month, is said to have been offered for sale.

Tajiks unveil world's largest reclining Buddha
By Sergei Yakovlev
DUSHANBE, April 3 (Reuters) - Left it too late to see the world's largest Buddha statues, blown up by Afghanistan's radical Islamic Taliban militia last month?

Society for protection of Afghan culture closes its Kabul office
 Islamabad, April 3, IRNA -- Society for the Protection of Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage (SPACH) on Tuesday announced to close its Kabul office, 'until further notice.'

Australian asylum-seekers threaten suicide
Tuesday April 3, 6:24 PM
CANBERRA (Reuters) - A group of 12 Afghans being held in an Australian immigration detention camp have threatened to kill themselves, possibly by self-immolation,

Shattered Afghan university struggles to recover
By Jack Redden
KABUL, April 3 (Reuters) - Kabul University proudly unveiled its new computer centre this year, complete with three donated PCs and a printer.

Afghans try opium-free economy -- Taliban turns the world's largest supplier of opium into a wheat grower
Monday, April 02, 2001 2:45 PM EST
SORKH ROD, AFGHANISTAN, Apr 03, 2001 (The Christian Science Monitor via COMTEX) -- Last year, Mahgul and her family cultivated one acre of wheat and five acres of opium poppy

Jury retires in Afghan hijack trial
BBC News
A jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of 11 Afghan men accused of hijacking an aircraft and holding passengers hostage at Stansted Airport.

Water crises stirs new disputes
Sunday, 1 April 2001 3:56 (ET)
By ANWAR IQBAL
SAN FRANCISCO, April 1 (UPI) -- An acute water shortage has forced two Muslim neighbors, Iran and Afghanistan, to lock horns in an area already plagued by war, civil strife and a severe drought

Iran kills four Afghan drug bandits, frees hostages
TEHRAN, April 3 (Reuters) - Iranian security forces have killed four Afghan drug traffickers and freed four hostages they were holding, Iran's news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday.

Text: Congress Considers Resolution on Loss of Buddha Statues
(Resolution condemns destruction by Taliban) (590)
02 April 2001
A congressional resolution condemning the "destruction of pre-Islamic statues in Afghanistan by the Taliban regime" was introduced in the Senate on March 30