A young Afghan woman shows her face in public for the first time after five years of Taliban Sharia law as she waits at a food distribution centre in Kabul on Thursday. — Reuters photo

8 aid workers freed, arrive in Islamabad
Chaklala Air Base (Pakistan), November 15
Eight foreign aid workers detained by the Taliban on charges of spreading Christianity arrived in Islamabad today after their dramatic rescue from Afghanistan by the US special forces. (28k, 56k)

$ 600 m US aid for Pakistan
Islamabad, November 15
The USA wrote a cheque to Pakistan for $ 600 million in aid, yet another reward for a decision by President Pervez Musharraf to back US President George W. Bush’s declared war on terrorism.

• SBI fined $ 7.5 m by US bank regulators
  (Business page)

• PM rejoices over Taliban defeat
  (Nation page)

Osama’s cave has mosque, tanks
New Delhi, November 15
The top leadership of Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network Al-Qaida and Afghanistan’s deposed militia Taliban is still safe and scattered to a number of unknown locations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, well-placed sources here today quoted latest reports as saying.

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3 Army men killed, 512 kg RDX seized
Srinagar, November 15
At least three Army personnel were killed and a Junior Commissioned Officer was critically injured when militants attacked them at Manasbal, about 30 km from here, in north Kashmir early this morning.

Army jawans have their meal at a camp on their arrival from deep jungles for launching a fresh offensive against infiltrators near the LoC in Kupwara district. — Photo Amin War

Hotelier, mother hacked to death
Shimla, November 15
The owner of Hotel Oaksland, Sandeep Sood, and his mother were hacked to death in the Lakkar bazar area by their employees today. They were attacked repeatedly with sickle and knife by the two accused. Their bodies were found in a pool of blood. There were over 20 wounds on the body of Sandeep, which indicated a struggle before the death.