Page 7 - Afghanistan

Venezuela, South Korea, Afghanistan lose vote for UN rights body

Venezuela, South Korea and Afghanistan lost contested races for seats on the top UN human rights body in Tuesday by the General Assembly, which faced criticism for electing countries like Vietnam and Sudan, which have been accused of having abysmal human rights records. The 193-member assembly voted by secret ballot to fill 14 seats on the 47-member Human Rights Council. Seats are allocated to regions to ensure geographical representation, a rule that has regularly led to many regions putting forward uncontested slates as Africa, Eastern Europe and Western nations did this year. Human rights groups have long criticised this practice, saying it denies UN member nations any choice of countries on the council and virtually guarantees seats for some countries with poor rights records. In this year's election, the most hotly watched race was in the Latin America and Caribbean regional group, where Chile, Costa Rica and Venezuela were vying for two seats. The result saw Chile get 144 ...

India delivers 13th batch of medical assistance to war-torn Afghanistan

India on Tuesday delivered another batch of aid comprising essential medicines and medical items to Afghanistan as part of its humanitarian assistance to the war-ravaged country. India has supplied 45 tonnes of medical assistance in 13 batches to Afghanistan in the last few months, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). It said the aid was in continuation of India's "special relationship" with the people of Afghanistan and in view of the urgent appeals made by the United Nations to assist them. "..India has supplied the 13th batch of medical assistance consisting of essential medicines and medical/surgical items like Pediatric Stethoscope, Sphygmomanometer mobile type with pediatric BP cuff, infusion pump, drip chamber set, electro cautery, nylon sutures etc," the MEA said. The consignments were handed over to authorities of the Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul. "Till date, India has supplied almost 45 tons of medical assistance, which included essential life

Swiss cricket: Newest kid on the block has a strong subcontinent flavour

Among the players, those from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Jamaica

5.1-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan's Fayzabad; third in 4 months

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hit Fayzabad, Afghanistan on Tuesday morning, the National Center for Seismology said.The earthquake struck 89 kilometre east of Fayzabad and had a depth of 112 km."Earthquake of Magnitude:5.1, Occurred on 11-10-2022, 04:53:06 IST, Lat: 36.91 & Long: 71.53, Depth: 112 Km, Location: 89km ESE of Fayzabad, Afghanistan," the National Center for Seismology tweeted.This quake follows June 22 earthquake that struck south-eastern Afghanistan, leading to wide-scale destruction across already vulnerable districts in Paktika, Paktya and Khost provinces.A second 5.1 magnitude earthquake occurred on July 18, with an epicentre in Spera district, only 3 km from the epicentre of the June 22 earthquake.In addition to the loss of life and devastating injury, the earthquake resulted in the destruction of critical infrastructure -- including homes, health facilities, schools and water networks -- leaving thousands vulnerable to further harm.The multi-sectoral ...

US officials, Taliban hold in-person meeting after al-Zawahiri's killing

More than two months after the killing of al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul, top US officials met with the Taliban

Death toll of Afghanistan's suicide blast rises to 53; 110 injured: UNAMA

The death toll of a suicide blast on the western edge of Kabul city has reached 53, said the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)

Women protesters demand more security after Afghan bombing kills students

A group of Afghan women Saturday protested a suicide bombing that killed or wounded dozens of students in a Shiite education centre in the capital Kabul a day earlier, demanding better security from the Taliban-run government. The demonstration was quickly broken up by Taliban police. The bomber struck an education centre Friday packed with hundreds of students in a Shiite neighbourhood, killing 19 people and wounding 27. Among the casualties were teenagers taking practice university entrance exams, a Taliban spokesman said. The morning explosion at the centre took place in Kabul's Dashti Barchi neighbourhood, an area populated mostly by ethnic Hazaras, who belong to Afghanistan's minority Shiite community. The Islamic State group has carried out repeated, horrific attacks on schools, hospitals and mosques in Dashti Barchi and other Shiite areas in recent years. About 20 protesters Saturday gathered in the Dashti Barchi area for about 45 minutes before their rally was broken up b

19 killed, 27 wounded in suicide bombing near Kabul's Shiite area: Official

A Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Kabul police chief says 19 people were killed and 27 were wounded in a suicide bombing in a Shiite area of the Afghan capital. Khalid Zadran, the spokesman, says the explosion in the Dashti Barchi neighbourhood of Kabul took place on Friday morning. The area is populated mostly by members of Afghanistan's minority Shiite community. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The Islamic State group the chief rival of the Taliban since their takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 has in the past targeted the Hazara community.

World's patience is running out for engagement with Taliban: UN envoy

Patience is running out for many in the international community when it comes to effectively engaging with the Taliban, the UN deputy representative for Afghanistan Markus Potzel said

World Food Programme calls for $1.1 billion aid for food-insecure Afghans

The World Food Programme has called for $1.1 billion to continue delivering monthly food and nutritional assistance for the next six months to 15 million acutely food-insecure people in Afghanistan

UN envoy stresses on international engagement with Afghanistan's Taliban

A UN envoy has stressed the need for the international community to engage with the Taliban in Afghanistan

Over 200,000 affected by natural disasters in Afghanistan: Report

Occurrences of floods and earthquakes across several provinces of Afghanistan have affected more than 2,23,000 people over the past several months, a UN report said

UN reports presence of foreign terrorist groups' flags in Afghanistan

The United Nations raised growing security concerns in Afghanistan while highlighting worrisome trends witnessed in recent months, particularly the continuing presence of foreign terrorist groups

CIA unveils model of al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri's hideout in Afghanistan

The CIA revealed on Saturday the model of a safe house used to brief President Joe Biden about the whereabouts of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri before it killed him in a drone strike in Afghanistan. Shortly after al-Zawahri's death, White House officials released a photo showing Biden talking to CIA Director William Burns with a closed wooden box on the table in front of them. Now, the contents of the box a model depicting a white-walled home with at least five stories and three partially obscured balconies are on display at the CIA Museum inside the agency's Virginia headquarters. The museum is closed to the public and access is generally limited to the agency's employees and guests. The CIA allowed journalists to tour the museum, newly refurbished in time for the agency's 75th anniversary, as part of a broader effort to showcase its history and achievements. Most of the exhibits took years or decades to declassify. The al-Zawahri model home is the rare artifact that had been

Taliban announces to review Afghan curriculum in view of Islamic law

The Taliban have announced that it plans to review and revise the curriculum in view of Afghan culture, international educational standards, and Islamic law

US revokes Taliban ruled Afghanistan's designation as major non-NATO ally

Over a year after the Taliban overthrew the democratically elected government in Kabul, the United States has rescinded the designation of Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally.

7 people killed, 41 others injured in a blast in Afghanistan's Kabul

Seven persons were killed and 41 others injured as a blast rocked the Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan area of the Afghan capital, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said.

UK envoy raises concern on 'grave' oppression of Afghan women under Taliban

As human rights violations continue to take place in Afghanistan, Britain's Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French condemned the suppression of women in Afghanistan

After blocking 23.4 mn websites, Taliban to ban TikTok, Pubg in 3 months

Taliban is going to ban TikTok and Pubg applications in Afghanistan within the next 3 months times, media reports said citing an announcement by the Taliban-led telecommunication department.

Pak food importers at mercy of grey market owing to dollar crunch: Report

This situation has forced the government to immediately allow imports of these foodstuffs from neighbouring countries to bridge the supply and demand gap