world: The girl the Taliban wanted dead

The girl the Taliban wanted dead - CNN.comvar cnnCurrTime=new Date(1356635685000),cnnCurrHour=14,cnnCurrMin=14,cnnCurrDay="Thu",cnnIsIntl=true,clickID=212106,cnn_cvpAdpre="edition.",cnnCVPAdSectionT1="edition.cnn.com_us_t1",cnnCVPAdSectionInPage="edition.cnn.com_us_inpage",cnnShareUrl="%2F2012%2F12%2F24%2Fus%2Fmalala-cnn-most-intriguing-2012%2Findex.html",cnnShareTitle="The%20girl%20the%20Taliban%20wanted%20dead%20",cnnShareDesc="",cnnFirstPub=new Date('Monday Dec 24 09:20:54 EST 2012'),cnnSectionName="us",cnnSubSectionName="us : news",cnnPageType="Story",cnnBrandingValue="default";cnnPartnerValue="";cnnOmniBranding="",cnnAuthor="Faith Karimi, CNN",disqus_category_id=207582,disqus_identifier="/2012/12/24/us/malala-cnn-most-intriguing-2012/index.html",disqus_title="The girl the Taliban wanted dead ",cnn_edtnswtchver="edition",cnnIsStoryPage=true,cnn_metadata = {};cnn_metadata = {section: ["us","us : news"],friendly_name: "The girl the Taliban wanted dead ",template_type: "content",template_type_content: "gallery",business: {cnn: {page: {author: "Faith Karimi, CNN",broadcast_franchise: "",video_embed_count: "4",publish_date: "2012/12/24",photo_gallery: "Photos: Malala on the road to recovery"},video: {video_player: ""}}},user: {authenticated: "",segment: {age: "",zip: "",gender: ""}}};if (typeof(cnnOmniPartner) !== "undefined") {if (cnn_metadata.template_type_content === "") {cnn_metadata.template_type_content = "partner";}}var photo_gallery = "Photos: Malala on the road to recovery";if(typeof CNN==='undefined'){var CNN=Class.create();}CNN.expandableMap=[''];function _loginOptions(){};var disqus_url=(typeof disqus_identifier!=='undefined') ? 'http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/24/us/malala-cnn-most-intriguing-2012/index.html' : 'http://www.cnn.com'+location.pathname;cnnad_newTileIDGroup(['607x95_adlinks','336x280_adlinks']); CNN

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PrintEmailMore sharingThe girl the Taliban wanted dead By Faith Karimi, CNNif (typeof cnnArticleGallery=="undefined"){var cnnArticleGallery={};if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=[];}}var expGalleryPT00=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGalleryPT00.setImageCount(6);expGalleryPT00.setAdsRefreshCount(3);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("Malala on the road to recovery", 1);.cnn_html_slideshow_metadata > .cnn_html_media_utility::before{color:red;content:'>>';font-size:9px;line-height:12px;padding-right:1px}.cnnstrylccimg640{margin:0 27px 14px 0}.captionText{filter:alpha(opacity=100);opacity:1}.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:visited,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:link,.captionText a,.captionText a:visited,.captiontext a:link{color:#004276;outline:medium none}.cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{margin:0 auto;padding-right:68px;width:270px}

Malala Yousufzai, 15, reads a book on November 7 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England, where she is being treated after being shot by the Taliban in her native Pakistan in October. See photos of the global rally behind Malala.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"Malala on the road to recovery"}Malala talks with her father, Ziauddin, on November 7 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She was attacked for advocating for girls' education in Pakistan.
cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"Malala on the road to recovery"}Pakistani hospital workers carry Malala on a stretcher on October 9 after she was shot in the head by the Taliban in Mingora.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"Malala on the road to recovery"}Malala recovers at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on October 19 after being treated. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"Malala on the road to recovery"}Malala sits up in bed on October 25 after surgery for a gunshot wound to the head.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Malala on the road to recovery"}

In a CNN interview in late 2011, Malala said the Taliban thrive on ignorance, and she is defiant about her mission, saying,

" border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto006" style="margin:0 auto;display:none" width="640"/>In a CNN interview in late 2011, Malala said the Taliban thrive on ignorance, and she is defiant about her mission, saying, "where in the Koran does it say that girls should not be educated?"

cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"Malala on the road to recovery"}HIDE CAPTIONMalala on the road to recoveryMalala on the road to recoveryMalala on the road to recoveryMalala on the road to recoveryMalala on the road to recoveryMalala on the road to recovery<<<

6>>>Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"Photos: Malala on the road to recovery");}});STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe education advocate is a global symbol of empowerment for young women Support pours in after a Taliban gunman shoots her for attending school "Where in the Quran does it say that girls should not be educated?" she asks

(CNN) -- The Pakistani teen blogger simply sought to get an education. But she became a symbol of defiance against militants, empowering young women worldwide.

The story of Malala Yousufzai, 15, an outspoken critic of the Taliban, is full of contradictions.

Tragic, yet triumphant.

Unafraid, yet battling one of the world's most feared terror groups.

An old soul, yet just a kid.

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Pakistani Christians attend a prayer service for the recovery of teen activist Malala Yousufzai in Lahore on Sunday, November 11. Pakistan celebrated Malala Day on Saturday as part of a global day of support for the teenager shot by the Taliban.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":true,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":1,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani Christians attend a prayer service in Lahore on Sunday. In the past month, Malala, 15, has gone from an intensive care unit in Pakistan, showing no signs of consciousness, to walking, writing, reading and smiling in a hospital in the UK.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":2,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani supporters hold photographs of Malala as they stand alongside burning candles during a ceremony to mark Malala Day in Karachi on Saturday, November 10. The teen activist was shot in the head by the Taliban as she rode home from school in a van last month. She had defied the militant group by insisting on the right of girls to go to school. The attack has stirred outrage in Pakistan and around the world.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":3,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani students shout slogans near photographs of Malala in Karachi on Saturday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":4,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}A Pakistani girl carries a photograph of Malala in Karachi to mark Malala Day.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":5,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani students attend a Malala Day ceremony in Lahore on Saturday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":6,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}A Pakistani student in Lahore writes a message on a placard on Saturday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":7,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Indian teachers add finishing touches to a "Malala Rangoli" at a high school in Ahmedabad on Saturday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":8,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Malala sits up in her hospital bed with her father, Ziauddin, and her two younger brothers, Atal Khan, right, and Khushal Khan on Friday, October 26, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in Birmingham, England.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":9,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani human rights activists light candles during a Sunday, October 21, vigil for Malala Yousufzai in Lahore. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":10,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Students at the Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Lahore attend special prayers on Friday, October 19, for Malala's recovery. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":11,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Campaigners gather Friday for a vigil for Malala in Birmingham, England.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":12,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}An activist with the Association for the Advancement of Feminism lights candles during a vigil in Hong Kong on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":13,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Activists light candles during Friday's vigil in Hong Kong.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":14,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik puts final touches on a sand sculpture in honor of Malala at Puri Beach, India, on Tuesday, October 16.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":15,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani demonstrators chant slogans during a protest against the assassination attempt by the Taliban on Tuesday in Islamabad, Pakistan.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":16,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani activists of the Islamic Sunni Tehreek party carry flags at a rally in Islamabad on Sunday, October 14. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":17,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Veiled Pakistani women participate in Sunday's rally. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":18,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Supporters of a Pakistani political party, Muttahida Quami Movement, gather during a protest procession for Malala in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":19,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani leaders of the movement sit in front of a poster of Malala at a procession on Sunday in Karachi.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":20,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}A Pakistani youth places an oil lamp next to a photograph of teen activist Malala Yousufzai on Friday, October 12, in Karachi, Pakistan. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":21,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani school girls pray for the recovery of teen activist Malala Yousufzai at their school in Peshawar on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":22,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani hospital workers carry Malala on a stretcher at a hospital following the attack on Tuesday, October 9. Malala was shot in the head while riding home in a school van in the Taliban-heavy Swat Valley, officials said. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":23,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Supporters hold portraits of Malala as they pray for her well-being in Karachi, Pakistan, on Wednesday. Malala gained fame for blogging about how girls should have rights in Pakistan, including the right to learn. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":24,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}A Pakistani Muslim prays for Malala during Friday prayers in Karachi. Malala, whose writing earned her Pakistan's first National Peace Prize, also encouraged young people to take a stand against the Taliban -- and to not hide in their bedrooms.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":25,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Supporters place candles to pay tribute to Malala in Islamabad on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":26,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}A Pakistani female activist holds a photograph of Malala and prays for her recovery in Islamabad on Saturday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":27,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani students pray for Malala at a school in Mingora on Thursday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":28,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani Muslims bow their heads and pray for Malala during Friday prayers in Karachi.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":29,"title":"=Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani school girls pray for the Malala's recovery on Wednesday. Over the weekend, the teen moved her limbs after doctors "reduced sedation to make a clinical assessment," military spokesman Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa said.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":30,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}A Pakistani female covers her face during prayers in Karachi on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":31,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani civil society activists carry banners in Islamabad on Wednesday as they shout ant-Taliban slogans during a protest against the assassination attempt.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":32,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Children of Pakistani journalists and civil society activists light candles in Islamabad on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":33,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani Christians attend a mass prayer for the recovery of Malala at Fatima Church in Islamabad on Thursday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":34,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Pakistani Christians attend a mass praying for the recovery of Malala at a church in Lahore on Sunday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":6,"y":1,"pos":35,"title":"Supporters rally behind Malala"}Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala=Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind MalalaHIDE CAPTION<<<

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Malala's emotional family reunion in UKFor years, the young activist has been at odds with the Taliban over her education crusade. She has openly defied the group's teachings on educating girls and encouraged her peers to do the same.

In an attempt to silence her, militants stormed her school van in October, barked out her name and put a bullet in her head.

But the attack only amplified her voice and rallied a world of supporters to her side.

CNN.com readers voted her as the second-most intriguing person of 2012, days after she was short-listed for Time's Person of the Year. U.S. President Barack Obama came first in both lists.

Most intriguing people of 2012

Constant threats

Malala's global recognition has come with a price.

While most girls her age relish their teen years, she is undergoing grueling treatment in Britain after the shooting.

She lives under constant threats for going to school in the conservative Swat Valley region in northwest Pakistan, where women are repressed under the militants' strict interpretation of Islam.

Despite the dangers, Malala blogged ferociously about her dream of learning without fear. She used television interviews, documentaries and took to the streets to challenge the iron hand on women.

She accused the Taliban of thriving on ignorance.

"Where in the Quran does it say that girls should not be educated?" she asked last year. "I have the right to play. I have the right to sing. I have the right to go to market. I have the right to speak up."

Her role as an activist led to the attack on the van carrying her and other girls home from school, two of whom were also hurt, but not as severely.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

"We do not tolerate people like Malala speaking against us," a Taliban spokesman later said.

Slow recovery

More than two months after the assassination attempt, Malala is still undergoing treatment. She went from an intensive care unit in Pakistan to a hospital in the British city of Birmingham.

Before she left home, she was unconscious. She now walks, writes and reads.

After she regains her strength, she will undergo more surgeries.

It is astounding that she suffered no major brain or nerve damage from the shooting, her doctors say.

Photos: Malala and the women of Pakistan

Her story of defiance has sparked marches worldwide demanding girls' education.

It has inspired girls in far-flung areas, who relate to her because she is a child herself.

World leaders have hailed the "Malala effect" that made young girls even more determined to get an education.

On November 10, the United Nations marked Malala Day to honor her advocacy work.

And her fight for education is not over yet.

In a message this month thanking supporters, she told them not to make this about her.

"People have actually supported a cause, not an individual," she said. "Let's work together to educate girls around the world."

In her continued commitment to education, she called on Pakistani officials Friday to reverse a decision to name a school after her. She made the request over safety concerns for the students after the Taliban attacked the school.

Before she intervened, students protested and tore down her pictures over the decision to name the school after her, saying the move put them at risk.

'A new heroine'

Pakistani girls' education has long been hampered by widespread poverty and threats by hardline Islamist groups.

The United Nations estimates 32 million girls worldwide don't have access to an education. Roughly 10% of those live in Pakistan.

"Pakistan has a new heroine and a new cause -- a girl's right to education," former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said last month. "Malala's courage has awoken Pakistan's silent majority who are no longer prepared to tolerate the threats and intimidations of the Pakistan Taliban."

Since Malala was 11, she has used her blog to encourage girls to go to school despite Taliban threats. Her focus led her homeland to award her its first National Peace Prize last year.

In January 2009, militants took over her once-tranquil city in Swat Valley and ordered schools to stop educating girls. She blogged about the Taliban's efforts to scare girls away from learning institutions.

They raided homes to confiscate books, she said. Malala hid hers under her bed.

"I was scared of being beheaded by the Taliban because of my passion for education," she said last year.

Her fears almost came to fruition.

After the shooting, militants vowed that if she survived, they would go after her again. They also threatened to kill journalists covering her story.

"This filthy, godless media has taken huge advantage of this situation, and journalists have started passing judgment on us," the Taliban said in a statement.

Malala is uncowed.

When she takes a break from treatment, a white teddy bear with a pink bow sits on her lap.

In her hands, there is always an open book.

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Part of complete coverage on Malala's battleYour messages for MalalaOctober 19, 2012 -- Updated 1744 GMT (0144 HKT) Malala

Hundreds of messages from around the world were received by CNN for Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani teen activist attacked by the Taliban.From near death to recoveryNovember 12, 2012 -- Updated 1650 GMT (0050 HKT)

Doctors fought to save her life, then her condition took a dip. They operated to remove a bullet from her neck. She was unresponsive for three days.Ex-UK PM Brown supports Malala's callNovember 10, 2012 -- Updated 1530 GMT (2330 HKT)

Malala Yousufzai has a day named after her and more than two million people from around the world pledging to carry on her fight for education. Pakistan's school-for-all vowNovember 10, 2012 -- Updated 1407 GMT (2207 HKT)

Pakistan has a new heroine and a new cause -- a girl's right to education. Now the government vows to get every child into school by end 2015.Suspect's sister apologizes to Malala November 6, 2012 -- Updated 0132 GMT (0932 HKT)

The sister of a man suspected in the shooting of Malala Yousufzai has apologized to the victim, saying: "He has brought shame on our family."Pakistan college named for MalalaOctober 26, 2012 -- Updated 1149 GMT (1949 HKT)

In a message of defiance to the Taliban, authorities in Swat have decided to rename a government college after Malala YousafzaiTaliban stifle media over teen activistOctober 19, 2012 -- Updated 1428 GMT (2228 HKT)

The Pakistani Taliban sought to silence the teenage education activist Malala Yousufzai. Now it's the news media and journalists they threaten.Malala able to stand, communicateOctober 20, 2012 -- Updated 1639 GMT (0039 HKT) Malala

Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousufzai stood with the aid of nurses Friday for the first time since her shooting and is "communicating very freely."Girl shot with Malala haunted by attackOctober 17, 2012 -- Updated 1639 GMT (0039 HKT)

In an exclusive interview, Kainat Ahmad, who was shot with Malala Yousufzai, talks to CNN about last week's attack by the Pakistani Taliban.Who are the Pakistani Taliban?October 17, 2012 -- Updated 1622 GMT (0022 HKT)

The Pakistani Taliban attack on a teenage girl is the latest in a long list of assaults against the military and civilians, analysts say.Malala: Global symbol, but still just a kidOctober 16, 2012 -- Updated 2052 GMT (0452 HKT)

Eleven-year-olds sometimes are kept awake by monsters they can't see. But Malala began believing that she was stronger than the things that scared her.Attack galvanizes anti-Taliban feelingOctober 17, 2012 -- Updated 0918 GMT (1718 HKT)

A week ago, a Pakistani schoolgirl who dared to speak out against the Taliban took a bullet to the head for her act of defiance.'I Am Malala': A chorus around worldOctober 16, 2012 -- Updated 1151 GMT (1951 HKT)

The 14-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the head simply because she wants an education has become an international symbol of defiance against the Taliban.Signs of growing fury with the TalibanOctober 15, 2012 -- Updated 0641 GMT (1441 HKT)

Thousands rally in Pakistan for Malala Yousufzai amid signs of growing fury with the Taliban.Girl's courage, Taliban's cowardiceOctober 15, 2012 -- Updated 1545 GMT (2345 HKT)

The Pakistan Taliban's attack on Malala Yousufzai has reawakened the country to the threat of extremists, says Frida Ghitis.Brown: Millions face Malala's battleOctober 15, 2012 -- Updated 1541 GMT (2341 HKT)

The story of Malala's fight to attend school has exposed our failure to deliver on universal education, writes former British PM Gordon Brown.

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Friday, 28 December 2012

The girl the Taliban wanted dead

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