WORLD
1bn kids live in extremely high-risk countries of climate impacts: Unicef
These children face a deadly combination of exposure to multiple climate and environmental shocks with a high vulnerability due to inadequate essential services, such as water and sanitation, health care, and education, Xinhua news agency quoted the report released on Friday as saying. Children living in the Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau are the most at risk, threatening their health, education, and protection, and exposing them to deadly diseases, it says.
'Taliban wants ties with all countries, including US', says Taliban Political Chief
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants diplomatic and trade ties with all countries, particularly with the United States of America," Baradar said in a tweet. Baradar denied media reports that the Taliban has not intended to have diplomatic and trade ties with Washington, reports Xinhua news agency. "We never talk about cut of trade ties with any countries. Rumor about this news has been a propaganda. It is not true," he said.
No co-education in universities, first Fatwa by Taliban
In a three-hour meeting between university lecturers, owners of private institutions, and the Taliban officials, the latter said that there is no alternative and justification for continuing co-education and must be ended. Afghanistan has a mixed system of both co-education and separate classes with schools functioning separate classes while co-education is applied both in government and private universities and institutes around the country.
Situation across Afghanistan remains extremely fluid: UN
Shabia Mantoo, the spokesperson for the UNHCR, said at a press briefing here on Friday that while widespread fighting had decreased since the takeover of the country by the Taliban on August 15, the full impact of the evolving situation was not yet clear, reports Xinhua news agency. The vast majority of Afghans were not able to leave the country through regular channels, Mantoo said, adding that some 200 UNHCR colleagues, both national and international, remained in Afghanistan.
US imposes new sanctions against Russia over Navalny, Nord Stream 2
The Department of the Treasury said in a statement on Friday that it designated nine Russian individuals and two Russian entities "involved in Navalny's poisoning or Russia's chemical weapons program", reports Xinhua news agency. Many designated are members of Russia's Federal Security Service.
No more, say Austria and Greece to more war-weary migrants from Afghanistan
With a huge Afghan migration issue staring at Europe in the face, the countries are tightening their belts. Austria has already said that it would prefer to have deportation centres in Afghanistan's neighbourhood. It has also suggested providing aid close to Afghanistan to stem a possible flood of refugees.
Biden to nominate Nicholas Burns as Ambassador to China
Burns, 65, currently is an international relations professor at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Xinhua news agency quoted the White House as saying on Friday. He previously held senior positions in both Democratic and Republican administrations in his 27 years of government service and capped his career by serving as under secretary of state for political affairs from 2005 to 2008, the third-ranking official in the State Department.
Biden again defends handling of Afghan drawdown
"This is one of the largest, most difficult air lifts in history, and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America," Biden, who has been widely criticised on the botched pullout, said in a televised speech from the White House on Friday.
UK will work with Taliban 'if necessary', says PM Johnson
"What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan, working with the Taliban, of course, if necessary, will go on," Johnson told reporters here on Friday. He said the situation at the Kabul airport, where thousands of Afghans gathered in hopes of boarding an evacuation flight, was getting "slightly better" and he saw "stabilisation".
Ismail Sabri appointed as Malaysia's new PM
In a statement on Friday, the national palace said Sabri had received the backing of 114 out of the 220 MPs in the lower house of Parliament, a simple majority to form the government, hence Sultan Abdullah agreed to appoint him as the Prime Minister in accordance with the Constitution, reports Xinhua news agency.
Don't Miss
Advertisement