14-year-old girl wins Pakistan's first peace prize
An eighth-grade girl was awarded Pakistan's first National Peace Prize Thursday for her online diary reporting on the Taliban's ban on education for girls. Malala Yousufzai, a resident of Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan -- one of the most conservative regions of the country -- wrote about her frustration with the Taliban's restrictions on female education in her town. Using the Internet, she reached out to the outside world, taking a stand by writing about her daily battle with extremist militants who used fear and intimidation to force girls to stay at home. "I was scared of being beheaded by the Taliban because of my passion for education," Yousufzai told CNN. "During their rule, the Taliban used to march into our houses to check whether we were studying or watching television." Yousufzai said she used to hide her books under her bed, fearing a house search by the Taliban. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani announced the award Thursday