Marines in Afghanistan Escape in a Good Book

Some troops in Afghanistan spend their off hours trying to escape the tensions of the battlefield with books.

Military teaching initiative in Afghanistan

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We head now to Afghanistan for the Geo Quiz. We want you to name Afghanistan’s southern-most province. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. Lots of US and NATO troops are deployed in this province. They are mostly fighting Taliban insurgents but some have other duties, like putting on a radio program. Download MP3

Farhad Darya performs to fans in Helmand

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One of Afghanistan’s most respected pop stars Farhad Darya considers himself a “peace ambassador.” To make the point, he’s just performed in Taliban country in Helmand. The World’s Marco Werman tells us how it went. Download MP3
Slideshow: Farhad Darya performs in Helmand province

Coalition offensive against Taliban continues

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US, NATO and Afghan forces are now in the sixth day of their offensive against Taliban forces in Helmand Province. NATO officials say that militants battling coalition troops are running out of ammunition. An Afghan general said Taliban fighters were increasingly using civilians as “human shields.” We hear from The Washington Post’s Joshua Partlow in Kabul. Download MP3 Photo: POOL/AFP/Getty Images

• Latest BBC coverage
• The coalition offensive day-by day
• Inside the Taliban: Our four-part series

War costs for Afghanistan; Helmand dam project halted; CIA “black sites” in Lithuania

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This episode of The World’s American Influence podcast gets into the costs of the war in Afghanistan; the background to a huge reconstruction project that’s been in hold, the Kajakai dam in Helmand province, Afghanistan; and finally, Lithuania comes clean on the two CIA-run “black sites” that were located outside the capital, Vilnius. Download MP3

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Afghan dam project in peril

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Kajaki Dam project in Southern Afghanistan is a symbol of US involvement in the country going back to the 1950s. In recent years, the project has been a priority for international development efforts, but the Taliban insurgency has put the success of the dam at risk. Washington’s foreign aid agency USAID has now put the Kajaki project on hold amid security concerns. Matthew Bell has the story. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• USAID in Afghanistan
• Background Brief: Taliban insurgency