Oct. 9 (Bloomberg) — The execution of 15 prisoners in Afghanistan, the second confirmed use of the death penalty since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, is a concern, the United Nations envoy in the country said.

SYDNEY (AFP) — Prime Minister John Howard said Tuesday an Australian soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan died for a just cause while fighting “brutal terrorism”.

An explosion rocked the city of Shiraz in Iran’s central province of Fars on Monday.