A leaked British government report has revealed that more than £28 billion in foreign aid and COVID-19 support funds may have been diverted to criminal networks, extremist groups and hostile states between 2015 and 2021, according to a report by The Telegraph.

The newspaper reported that the confidential review, commissioned by the UK Cabinet Office, found that billions of pounds ended up in the hands of organized crime groups, while millions were allegedly linked to entities connected to Russia and the Islamic State group (ISIS).

According to the report, some COVID-era loans and aid programs were exploited by criminal organizations, human traffickers and individuals linked to extremist networks. The findings reportedly raised serious concerns about weaknesses in government vetting and oversight mechanisms.

The Telegraph said the report was not publicly released after officials feared political fallout from the scale of the alleged misuse of public funds. The newspaper also reported that some funds may have supported companies linked to the Russian state and research projects connected to China’s military sector.

The revelations come as the British government continues efforts to recover money lost through fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials say billions of pounds have already been recovered or protected through anti-fraud measures introduced in recent years.

The case has renewed scrutiny of foreign aid oversight and security screening procedures, with experts warning that economic security is increasingly linked to national security in an era of geopolitical competition and transnational crime.

The report may also draw attention in Afghanistan, where international donors have spent billions of dollars on humanitarian and development assistance over the past two decades. Concerns about transparency, corruption and the diversion of aid have frequently been raised by oversight bodies and international watchdogs.

Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Afghanistan has remained heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance. Aid agencies have repeatedly stressed the need for stronger monitoring mechanisms to ensure assistance reaches vulnerable communities and is not diverted by armed groups or other actors.

The post £28 Billion UK Aid Scandal: Secret Report Says Funds Reached ISIS and Criminal Networks appeared first on Khaama Press.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed deep concern over the detention of at least 30 women in Herat and the reported use of excessive force against protesters in the western Afghanistan city.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, UNAMA said the women were detained on June 6 and 7 by Taliban morality police for allegedly failing to comply with the group’s dress code requirements. The mission said dozens of other women received warnings during the operation.

Although the women were released on June 8, UNAMA said arbitrary detentions can have lasting consequences for women and their families, increasing the risk of social isolation, stigma and violence even after their release.

“A woman’s detention in Afghanistan carries enormous stigma, which can put women at risk of further violence and isolation in their families and communities even after they are released,” said the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Officer-in-Charge for UNAMA, Georgette Gagnon.

“The de facto authorities are obliged under international law to uphold the rights of all Afghans to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, liberty and security of person, and freedom from arbitrary detention,” said Ms. Gagnon.

UNAMA also voiced concern over the Taliban’s response to protests in Herat’s Jebrail area, where demonstrators gathered following the arrests. The mission said excessive force was used during the incident, resulting in casualties and injuries.

According to UNAMA’s findings, at least one person was killed during the unrest and several others were injured in shootings and beatings. Reports of another possible death are still being investigated.

Georgette Gagnon, the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA’s human rights work, said the detention of women and the use of force against peaceful protesters raise serious human rights concerns and further restrict women’s participation in public life.

The incident comes as international criticism of Taliban policies toward women continues to grow. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, including bans on secondary and higher education, limits on employment and restrictions on movement and public participation.

Earlier this week, UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan Richard Bennett condemned the detention of women in Herat and called for their immediate release. He also urged authorities to respect freedom of expression and ensure accountability for violence against protesters.

UNAMA renewed its call for the Taliban to reverse policies restricting women and girls and to comply with Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations, warning that continued restrictions are deepening the country’s human rights crisis.

The post UNAMA Concerned Over Detention of 30 Women in Herat appeared first on Khaama Press.

Kabul summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires after airstrikes reportedly killed 13 civilians, including children, in eastern Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s Taliban-led Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it had summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul to protest what it described as violations of Afghanistan airspace and deadly airstrikes on civilian areas.

In a statement, the ministry said Pakistani military forces carried out attacks in the eastern provinces of Khost, Paktika and Kunar, killing 13 civilians, including 11 children, one woman and one elderly man, and injuring 14 others.

The Taliban condemned the strikes as a violation of international law and Afghanistan’s sovereignty, calling on Islamabad to halt what it described as provocative actions and focus on resolving its internal challenges.

Pakistan earlier confirmed carrying out airstrikes in border regions, saying the operation targeted hideouts and infrastructure linked to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistani officials said 26 militants were killed in what they described as intelligence-based and precision strikes against militant targets.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban administration of allowing TTP fighters to use Afghanistan territory to plan and launch attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban have rejected the allegations, insisting that Afghanistan soil is not being used against neighboring countries.

The latest escalation highlights growing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, whose relations have deteriorated over border security, militant activity and cross-border attacks. Despite several rounds of diplomatic engagement, including recent talks in China, the two sides have struggled to resolve their differences.

According to a recent report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, border-related violence and military incidents between Afghanistan and Pakistan caused hundreds of civilian casualties earlier this year, underscoring the fragile security situation along the frontier.

The post Kabul Summons Pakistani Diplomat Over Deadly Airstrikes appeared first on Khaama Press.

An Indonesian military court has convicted four senior officers from the army’s Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) over an acid attack on a prominent human rights activist, in a case that has drawn national and international attention.

The court on Wednesday sentenced the four officers to prison terms ranging from 18 months to three years after finding them guilty of involvement in the March attack on Andry Yunus, deputy coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS).

Yunus, 27, was attacked while riding a motorcycle in Jakarta on March 12 when two men on another motorcycle threw acid at him. The assault left him blind in one eye and caused burns to more than 20 percent of his face and body.

Prosecutors said the attack was motivated by anger over Yunus’ criticism of the military’s expanding role in civilian affairs. Authorities, however, said the assault was not ordered as part of an official military operation.

The case has intensified concerns among rights groups about democratic backsliding and growing pressure on civil society in Indonesia under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto. Human rights organizations have warned that increased military influence in civilian institutions could weaken democratic oversight and accountability.

The United Nations condemned the attack as a “cowardly act of violence” and called for accountability. Rights advocates had pushed for the case to be heard in a civilian court, arguing that military proceedings could undermine public confidence in the investigation.

KontraS has long documented cases of enforced disappearances, abuses by security forces and violations committed during past periods of political unrest in Indonesia. The organization remains one of the country’s most prominent human rights watchdogs.

The convictions come amid broader scrutiny of Indonesia’s human rights record, with activists warning that attacks on critics and civil society figures could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression and public dissent.

The post Indonesia Jails Four Military Officers Over Acid Attack on Rights Activist appeared first on Khaama Press.

At least 12 people were killed and nine others injured after gunmen opened fire at an informal settlement east of Johannesburg, South African police said on Wednesday.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that the attack took place on Tuesday evening at the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, where armed assailants entered the area from two directions and opened fire at multiple locations before fleeing.

Police said they have launched a manhunt for more than 10 suspects believed to have carried out the attack. According to investigators, the gunmen arrived in a white Toyota Quantum vehicle and escaped in the same vehicle after the shooting.

Authorities said the motive behind the attack remains unclear and investigations are ongoing. No arrests have been announced so far.

The latest incident adds to concerns over violent crime in South Africa, which continues to struggle with one of the highest murder rates in the world. Police and security agencies have repeatedly faced pressure to curb gang violence, organized crime and firearm-related killings.

According to official data, South Africa records an average of about 60 murders per day. Mass shootings have become a recurring security challenge in several provinces, prompting calls for stronger law enforcement measures and tighter controls on illegal firearms.

The post 12 Killed, 9 Injured in Mass Shooting in South Africa’s Johannesburg appeared first on Khaama Press.

Iran accused the United States on Wednesday of damaging diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between the two countries, following a fresh exchange of military strikes across the Gulf region.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Washington’s military actions were harming diplomacy and making it more difficult to achieve a negotiated settlement. He argued that successful diplomacy requires a minimum level of stability and trust and cannot advance amid the continued use of force.

According to Iranian media, Baghaei also criticized what he described as repeated ceasefire violations in Lebanon, saying such actions further undermine regional diplomatic initiatives. He stressed that Tehran would continue to pursue diplomacy where possible but would use military means when necessary to defend its interests.

His comments came after the latest escalation between Tehran and Washington. U.S. Central Command said American forces struck Iranian air-defense systems, radar installations and command sites near the Strait of Hormuz in response to attacks on U.S. forces and the downing of an American Apache helicopter.

Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. military facilities in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, describing the strikes as retaliation for the American operation. The exchange marked one of the most serious confrontations between the two countries since fighting resumed despite an earlier ceasefire.

The latest hostilities have raised concerns about the future of ongoing indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed optimism that a deal remains possible, while Iranian officials have said diplomacy can only succeed if military pressure is reduced.

The post Iran Says U.S. Strikes Undermine Efforts to End Conflict appeared first on Khaama Press.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to North Korea this week strengthened ties between the two countries and boosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s international standing, according to analysts cited by Reuters.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that both Beijing and Pyongyang described the two-day visit as a success, emphasizing closer cooperation while avoiding sensitive issues such as North Korea’s nuclear program and relations with the United States.

Kim welcomed Xi with a 21-gun salute and high-profile ceremonies, underscoring the importance of the visit. Analysts said the trip marked a diplomatic victory for Kim, as Xi chose North Korea for his first foreign visit of the year and did not publicly raise denuclearization.

Experts noted that China appears increasingly focused on strengthening strategic and economic ties with North Korea, particularly as Pyongyang has drawn closer to Russia through military and political cooperation linked to the war in Ukraine.

Analysts said Beijing also sought to counter Moscow’s growing influence in North Korea and pull Pyongyang more firmly into China’s orbit. While both sides highlighted friendship and cooperation, differences remained over trade, security and the future direction of bilateral relations.

China and North Korea have maintained close political ties for decades, with Beijing remaining Pyongyang’s largest trading partner and most important diplomatic ally despite international sanctions.

The visit comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in East Asia and growing competition among major powers, with North Korea continuing to expand its military capabilities while strengthening relations with both China and Russia.

The post Xi Visit Boosts Kim, Deepens China-North Korea Ties appeared first on Khaama Press.

An exhibition in London will showcase the experiences, struggles and resilience of Afghan women and girls during Refugee Week 2026.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said a free exhibition marking Refugee Week 2026 will be held from June 12 to 23 at Southwark Cathedral in London. The event aims to highlight the stories of Afghan women and girls through photography, personal testimonies and artwork.

IOM said Afghan women have borne the brunt of recent restrictions on their rights and freedoms. The exhibition will focus on both those still living under severe limitations in Afghanistan and those rebuilding their lives in the United Kingdom after displacement.

The exhibition will feature works by renowned Afghan graffiti artist Shamsia Hassani, alongside portraits and visual stories by photographer Claudia Janke and other artists documenting the experiences of Afghan women.

Since the return of the Taliban to power in 2021, women and girls in Afghanistan have faced sweeping restrictions on education, employment, movement and public life. Afghan girls remain barred from secondary schools and universities, drawing widespread criticism from the United Nations and human rights organizations.

The latest UN assessments have warned that millions of Afghan women and girls continue to face systemic discrimination and shrinking access to basic rights, while humanitarian agencies say women-headed households remain among the most vulnerable groups in the country.

The post IOM to Host London Art Exhibition in Support of Afghan Women appeared first on Khaama Press.

Pakistan confirmed carrying out airstrikes inside eastern Afghanistan, saying 26 militants were killed, while Kabul reported 13 civilian deaths, including women and children.

Pakistan on Wednesday confirmed conducting airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, claiming that 26 members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed in what it described as intelligence-based operations targeting militant infrastructure near the border.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the strikes were launched in response to a series of recent attacks inside Pakistan, including assaults on security forces in North Waziristan, Bannu and Musa Dara. He said the operation targeted four locations, including a training center, a hideout, an ammunition depot and facilities linked to two TTP commanders.

The confirmation came hours after Taliban authorities accused Pakistan of bombing areas in the eastern provinces of Kunar, Khost and Paktika. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at least 13 civilians, including 11 children, one woman and one elderly man, were killed and 14 others wounded in the attacks.

Pakistan did not directly respond to the Taliban’s claims regarding civilian casualties. Taliban officials condemned the strikes as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and accused Pakistan of targeting residential areas.

The latest escalation highlights growing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul administration. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghan-based militants of launching attacks across the border, while Taliban authorities reject the allegations and insist Afghanistan territory is not being used against other countries.

The strikes come amid renewed regional security concerns and continued efforts by both sides to address border-related disputes through diplomatic channels. Recent meetings, including talks held in China’s Urumqi, have so far failed to resolve disagreements over militant activity and cross-border security.

According to a recent report by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, violence and border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan resulted in 764 civilian casualties between late January and the end of March, including 372 deaths and 392 injuries.

The latest UN report on Afghanistan also documented a sharp rise in security incidents across the country, recording 3,687 security-related events between February and April, a 57.7% increase compared with the same period last year. The report warned that continued cross-border hostilities risk worsening humanitarian conditions and regional instability.

The post Pakistan Claims Airstrikes Killed 26 TTP Militants in Afghanistan Border Areas appeared first on Khaama Press.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it launched missile and drone attacks against U.S. military facilities in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday, hours after American forces struck Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted key U.S. military installations, including the Al Azraq Air Base and a command-and-control center in Jordan. The IRGC said the attacks were carried out with solid-fuel missiles and also targeted facilities linked to U.S. operations in Bahrain and Kuwait.

The force claimed that hangars housing F-35 fighter jets at a U.S. base in Jordan were among the targets. It also said naval and drone units struck the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base. Independent verification of the claims was not immediately available.

The attacks came after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced strikes on Iranian air-defense systems, radar installations and ground-control facilities near the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said the operation was conducted in response to the reported downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter by Iranian forces and was intended to protect U.S. personnel and international shipping in the Gulf.

The latest exchange marks a sharp escalation in tensions despite ongoing diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he remains hopeful of reaching a peace agreement with Iran, while U.S. officials have stressed that military actions are aimed at defending American forces rather than expanding the conflict.

Iran, meanwhile, has maintained that its actions are defensive and has warned that further attacks on its territory or military assets will trigger additional retaliation. Iranian officials have also argued that continued U.S. military operations undermine efforts to reach a negotiated settlement.

The confrontation follows days of growing instability in the Gulf, where the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical route for global energy exports.

The post Iran Attacks U.S. Bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait appeared first on Khaama Press.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Washington is “very close” to reaching an agreement with Iran, despite recent military exchanges between the two countries and growing tensions in the Gulf region.

Speaking to CBS News on Tuesday, Vance said he remains optimistic that a deal can be reached, although the timing remains uncertain. He said an agreement could be finalized as early as next week or could take several more months, depending on the pace of negotiations.

“I think this deal could happen next week, but it could also happen months from now,” Vance said, adding that Iran’s decision-making process appears to require significant time to build internal consensus. He also said he believes an agreement could “certainly” be reached before the U.S. midterm elections in November.

His comments came shortly after President Donald Trump said negotiations with Tehran were in their “final stages” and suggested that a breakthrough could come within “two or three days.” Trump has repeatedly expressed confidence that a settlement remains within reach despite recent military confrontations.

The diplomatic push has continued even as U.S.-Iran tensions escalated this week. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced strikes on Iranian air defense systems, radar installations and ground-control sites near the Strait of Hormuz, saying the operation was conducted in response to the reported downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter by Iranian forces.

Iran has condemned the U.S. attacks and warned that any further military action would be met with a response. Iranian officials have maintained that negotiations can continue but insist that Washington must end what Tehran describes as hostile actions against the country.

The latest round of indirect talks has reportedly been facilitated through regional channels, including Pakistan, as both sides seek a framework for ending months of conflict. While significant differences remain, officials in both Washington and Tehran have indicated that diplomatic contacts are continuing.

The post JD Vance Says U.S. ‘Very Close’ to Iran Deal Despite Rising Military Tensions appeared first on Khaama Press.

U.S. forces struck Iranian air defense and radar systems near the Strait of Hormuz after an Apache helicopter was downed.

The U.S. military has launched strikes against Iranian military positions near the Strait of Hormuz, targeting air defense systems, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites in response to the reported downing of an American Apache helicopter, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said U.S. forces carried out the operation using precision-guided munitions under the direction of President Donald Trump. The command described the strikes as a “proportionate response” to recent attacks against U.S. personnel and international commercial shipping operating in regional waters.

According to CENTCOM, the targeted facilities were located near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supplies passes. The U.S. military said the operation was intended to deter further attacks and protect freedom of navigation in the Gulf.

The strikes followed the crash of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz two days earlier. While the helicopter’s crew survived the incident without injuries, CENTCOM said on Tuesday that the aircraft had been brought down by Iranian forces.

Iran has not publicly released a detailed account of the incident, but the latest exchange marks another escalation in tensions between Tehran and Washington despite ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending months of conflict between the two countries.

The military confrontation comes as U.S. and Iranian officials continue indirect negotiations on a possible agreement to end hostilities. President Trump has repeatedly said that talks are progressing and expressed optimism about reaching a deal, while Iranian officials have maintained that negotiations remain difficult and are taking place in an atmosphere of deep mistrust.

Recent days have also seen renewed exchanges of fire between U.S. and Iranian forces, raising concerns that the fragile pause in broader regional fighting could collapse. The tensions have been closely watched by global markets because of the Strait of Hormuz’s importance to international energy supplies and maritime trade.

The post U.S. Strikes Iranian Air Defenses Near Strait of Hormuz appeared first on Khaama Press.

Canadian police have charged a former Air Canada pilot with fraud and forgery-related offenses after alleging he commanded more than 900 domestic and international flights over a 17-year period without holding the airline transport pilot license (ATPL) required to serve as a commercial airline captain.

Police in Ontario’s Peel Region said Tuesday that Jeffrey Wall, 59, was arrested following an investigation into allegations that he used falsified documents to mislead Air Canada and Canadian aviation authorities about his qualifications. Authorities said Wall held a commercial pilot license but did not possess the ATPL, the highest certification required for captains operating commercial passenger aircraft.

According to investigators, Wall faces charges including fraud, use of forged documents, possession of counterfeit marks and public mischief. Police allege the misconduct enabled him to continue flying commercial routes in Canada and abroad for years despite lacking the required certification.

Air Canada said it takes the matter “extremely seriously” but stressed that passenger safety was never compromised. The airline noted that Wall successfully completed all mandatory six-month training programs, annual flight evaluations and competency assessments required for pilots throughout his employment.

The carrier said it suspended Wall from flight duties immediately after concerns emerged and reported the matter to Transport Canada. Aviation authorities are continuing to review the circumstances surrounding the case.

Experts say the allegations raise questions about how licensing credentials were verified over such a long period. The president of the U.S.-based Flight Safety Foundation described the case as highly unusual and said that, if proven, it could expose weaknesses in regulatory verification systems rather than shortcomings in pilot flying skills.

Commercial airline pilots are typically subject to rigorous oversight, including recurrent simulator training, medical examinations and regular proficiency checks. Aviation specialists note that obtaining and maintaining an ATPL is a key requirement for commanding large passenger aircraft in most countries.

The case is expected to draw increased scrutiny of pilot certification procedures in Canada’s aviation sector, with investigators examining how the alleged deception went undetected for nearly two decades. Authorities have not reported any accidents or safety incidents linked to the flights operated by Wall.

The post Canadian Pilot Accused of Using Fake Credentials to Command Flights for 17 Years appeared first on Khaama Press.

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has condemned Pakistan’s reported airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, saying Islamabad’s continued “hostile policies” and military actions will not achieve their objectives and risk further destabilizing the region.

In a statement published on X on Wednesday, Karzai expressed sympathy with the families of those killed and injured in the strikes and urged Pakistan to abandon what he described as a policy of war and destruction toward Afghanistan. He called on Islamabad to pursue good-neighborly relations and constructive engagement instead.

The remarks came after Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Pakistani forces carried out overnight airstrikes in the provinces of Khost, Paktika and Kunar. According to Mujahid, at least 13 people were killed and 14 others wounded.

Mujahid claimed that 11 children, one woman and one elderly man were among those killed. He also alleged that the strikes targeted civilian homes and described the attacks as a “crime.” Pakistan had not publicly commented on the allegations at the time of reporting.

Local sources reported multiple explosions across parts of eastern Afghanistan overnight, while details about the exact targets and circumstances of the strikes remain unclear.

The latest incident underscores persistent security tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where both sides have repeatedly exchanged accusations over the presence and activities of militant groups operating in the region.

Relations between Islamabad and the Taliban administration have deteriorated in recent years amid disputes over cross-border attacks, security concerns and the movement of armed groups. Pakistan has frequently accused Afghanistan-based militants of carrying out attacks inside its territory, allegations the Taliban authorities have denied.

The strikes also come amid growing international concern over regional stability, as neighboring countries face mounting security challenges linked to militancy, refugee flows and economic pressures.

The post Karzai Condemns Pakistan Airstrikes in Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has reported 598 confirmed Ebola cases, with 115 deaths recorded since the latest outbreak was officially declared in May, health authorities said on Tuesday.

Officials said 22 patients have recovered, but warned that the virus had circulated undetected for several weeks before being identified, complicating efforts to contain its spread.

The outbreak has affected the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, regions already plagued by armed conflict and insecurity. Authorities said cases have been recorded in 17 health zones in Ituri, seven in North Kivu and one in South Kivu.

Health officials urged residents experiencing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea or severe weakness to seek medical care immediately and cooperate with health workers to prevent further transmission.

The outbreak comes as eastern Congo continues to face a prolonged humanitarian and security crisis, with armed groups operating across large parts of the region and limiting access to affected communities. Aid organizations have warned that insecurity is hindering surveillance, treatment and vaccination efforts.

Medical agencies have also expressed concern over growing public distrust of health workers. Reports indicate that some communities have resisted response measures, while treatment centers and burial teams have faced attacks, further complicating containment efforts.

The World Health Organization has repeatedly identified the Democratic Republic of Congo as one of the countries most vulnerable to recurrent Ebola outbreaks because of its vast territory, weak health infrastructure and ongoing conflict in the east.

Congo has experienced multiple Ebola epidemics over the past decade. Previous outbreaks have killed thousands of people and placed significant strain on the country’s healthcare system, despite improvements in vaccination and emergency response capabilities.

The post Congo Ebola Cases Rise to 598 as Death Toll Reaches 115 appeared first on Khaama Press.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the United States on Wednesday that its forces should leave the region if Washington wants them to remain safe, following a new exchange of military strikes between the two countries.

In a statement posted on X, Araghchi said the United States had chosen to test Iran’s resolve despite what he described as its “failures on the battlefield.” He added that Iran’s armed forces would not leave any attack or threat unanswered and said the history of the Persian Gulf contains many examples of the fate of foreign powers that intervened in the region.

The warning came after the United States Central Command announced that it had carried out a new wave of what it described as “defensive” strikes against Iranian targets on the orders of U.S. President Donald Trump.

CENTCOM said the operation was launched in response to the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. According to the command, precision-guided munitions and U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft targeted Iranian air defense systems, ground-control facilities and surveillance radar sites near the strategic waterway.

Iran responded by launching long-range Kheibar Shekan missiles at a U.S. military installation in Jordan, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iranian state media reported that four key targets were struck, including facilities linked to U.S. military command operations and fighter aircraft deployments in the Al-Azraq area.

The latest confrontation comes only days after Iran and Israel signaled a halt to direct strikes following weeks of missile and air attacks that raised fears of a wider regional war. While large-scale hostilities had eased, both sides warned that military operations could resume if new threats emerged.

Trump has recently said that Washington remains close to reaching a broader agreement with Tehran, while simultaneously maintaining military and economic pressure on Iran. U.S. officials have described recent operations as necessary to protect American forces and secure maritime routes in the Gulf.

The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of regional tensions. The narrow waterway handles a significant share of global oil shipments, and any escalation involving Iran and the United States has the potential to disrupt energy markets and international trade.

Diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran have continued through intermediaries despite the renewed violence. However, the latest exchange of strikes underscores the fragile nature of efforts to prevent the conflict from expanding into a broader regional confrontation.

The post Iran’s Araghchi Tells U.S. Forces to Leave Region After Fresh Strikes appeared first on Khaama Press.

The U.S. military has launched what it described as “defensive” strikes against Iran following the crash of an American military helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement issued by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

CENTCOM said late Tuesday that the operation was carried out in response to the helicopter incident, but did not provide details on the targets or the scale of the strikes.

Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that residents and local sources heard several explosions in and around the southern port city of Sirik on Tuesday evening. Iranian authorities have not yet released details on possible casualties or damage.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following months of military confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran across the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this week that negotiations with Iran were in their final stages and expressed hope that a broader agreement could be reached. Trump has repeatedly argued that economic pressure and maritime restrictions on Iran have been more effective than prolonged military action.

The latest strikes also follow a fragile halt in direct hostilities between Iran and Israel after weeks of missile and air attacks. While both sides have signaled a pause in major military operations, officials in Tehran and Tel Aviv have warned that they remain prepared to resume action if security threats persist.

Iran has accused the United States and Israel of fueling instability in the region, while Washington maintains that its military actions are aimed at protecting U.S. forces and interests. The conflict has raised concerns over maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy transit route.

The post US Launches ‘Defensive’ Strikes on Iran After Military Helicopter Incident appeared first on Khaama Press.

Pakistan carried out airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 13 people, including 11 children, a woman and an elderly person, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Wednesday, marking the latest escalation in tensions between the neighboring countries.

Mujahid said Pakistani aircraft bombed civilian homes in the provinces of Kunar, Khost and Paktika, leaving 14 others wounded. He published photographs on social media and accused Islamabad of targeting residential areas.

Local residents reported hearing multiple powerful explosions overnight in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan, while Taliban authorities began assessing casualties and damage in the affected areas.

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai condemned the strikes, saying Pakistan should abandon policies of conflict and destruction toward Afghanistan and instead pursue good-neighborly relations and regional cooperation.

The latest incident comes amid growing tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban administration over security concerns along their shared border. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan-based militant groups of carrying out attacks inside Pakistan, allegations the Taliban have denied.

A recent report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the U.N. Secretary-General said cross-border violence and military operations have caused significant civilian casualties in Afghanistan. The report documented hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries linked to clashes and strikes involving Pakistan during recent months.

Relations between Islamabad and the Taliban government have deteriorated since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Border disputes, militant attacks, and Pakistan’s deportation of large numbers of Afghan migrants have strained ties, despite repeated diplomatic contacts between the two sides.

The strikes also come as Afghanistan faces mounting humanitarian challenges, with the United Nations warning that millions of people remain dependent on aid while large numbers of returning migrants place additional pressure on already fragile communities and public services.

The post Pakistan Airstrikes Kill 13 in Eastern Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

RAWALAKOT, Pakistan-administered Kashmir — A growing political crisis in Pakistan-administered Kashmir has sparked renewed concerns over freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and political participation after authorities moved to ban a grassroots protest movement, arrest activists, deploy thousands of security personnel, and impose widespread communication restrictions across the region.

The latest unrest centers on the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a coalition of traders, lawyers, students, civil society activists, and local rights groups that has emerged as a prominent voice on governance, economic grievances, and political representation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). JAAC has called for reforms to the region’s political system, including the abolition of 12 reserved refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly, arguing that the seats allow Pakistan-based political parties to influence local governance and government formation.

According to the Associated Press, tensions escalated after the AJK Supreme Court upheld the constitutional status of the refugee seats, prompting JAAC to organize a region-wide protest scheduled for June 9. Protest leaders argued that the issue reflects broader concerns about political accountability and local self-governance.

Rather than opening negotiations with the movement, authorities responded with sweeping security measures. Dawn reported that the AJK government formally declared JAAC a banned organization under the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014, accusing the group of promoting disorder, incitement, and activities prejudicial to state security. The designation effectively criminalized the movement and paved the way for an extensive crackdown on its leadership and supporters.

According to the Associated Press, dozens of activists and supporters were arrested in the days following the ban. Government officials defended the arrests as necessary to maintain law and order, while JAAC supporters described them as an attempt to silence dissent ahead of planned demonstrations.

Human rights concerns deepened with reports of widespread communication restrictions. Local residents, activists, and regional media reported that mobile networks, internet services, and data communications were disrupted across large parts of the region beginning on June 5. Rights advocates argue that communication blackouts during periods of political unrest restrict access to information, hinder emergency communications, and make independent verification of events more difficult. International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly criticized governments around the world for using internet shutdowns as a tool to suppress dissent and limit public scrutiny.

The situation deteriorated further following the death of trader and activist Shahzaib Habib near Rawalakot. According to local activists and JAAC supporters, Habib was killed during a controversial incident involving unidentified individuals. The circumstances surrounding his death remain disputed, and authorities have not publicly endorsed allegations linking security personnel to the incident. Nevertheless, his death became a catalyst for large demonstrations and public anger throughout the region.

Violence erupted on June 7 when clashes broke out between security forces and JAAC supporters in Rawalakot. The Associated Press reported that at least seven people, including security personnel, were killed and dozens more injured. Protesters accused authorities of using excessive force against demonstrators, while government officials maintained that security personnel were responding to attacks on state institutions and public property.

The crisis has increasingly drawn attention beyond the immediate dispute over refugee representation. Rights advocates argue that the combination of a political ban, mass arrests, communication restrictions, and the use of anti-terrorism legislation against a civil protest movement raises serious questions about the protection of fundamental freedoms in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Observers note that governments have a legitimate responsibility to maintain public order. However, international human rights standards also require that restrictions on speech, assembly, and political participation be lawful, necessary, and proportionate. Critics contend that the government’s response risks transforming a political dispute into a broader human rights crisis.

As tensions remain high, calls are growing for an independent and transparent investigation into the violence, the arrests, and the communication shutdowns. For many residents, the events of recent days have become a test not only of political representation but also of whether peaceful dissent can be exercised without fear of repression.

The post Crackdown in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir Raises Alarming Human Rights Concerns appeared first on Khaama Press.

Russia has warned that efforts to resolve the Palestinian issue without taking Arab states’ positions into account are doomed to fail and will not bring lasting stability to the Middle East.

Speaking to Russian state news agency TASS, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday that some Western-backed think tanks were promoting “alternative schemes” for the future of Palestine, including proposals linking Palestinian territories with neighboring Arab countries.

Zakharova described the proposals as “dubious” and said similar ideas had been raised in the past but were firmly rejected by both the Palestinian people and Arab states. She argued that such initiatives contradict international legal frameworks, including U.N. Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the Madrid Principles.

She accused supporters of the plans of disregarding the will of regional populations and pursuing what she called a “neo-colonial” approach to the Palestinian issue.

“The only viable alternative is coordinated international and regional efforts,” Zakharova said, stressing that any sustainable settlement must involve Arab countries and respect their positions.

She added that the issue is particularly important at a time when the Middle East remains under pressure from recent tensions involving Iran and Israel and the broader regional fallout from months of conflict.

Her comments came after Iran and Israel said they had halted attacks on each other for now following days of missile and air strikes. Both sides, however, have warned that hostilities could resume if new attacks occur.

The Palestinian issue has returned to the center of regional diplomacy since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. Arab governments have repeatedly reiterated support for a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Russia has consistently backed the two-state framework and called for renewed political negotiations based on U.N. resolutions and internationally recognized agreements aimed at ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The post Russia Says Western Plans for Palestinian Territories Ignore Arab States, Risk Failure appeared first on Khaama Press.

An explosion in Afghanistan’s Paktika province killed seven people, including five children, and injured four others, officials said.

At least seven people, including five children, were killed and four others injured after an unexploded artillery shell detonated in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, local Taliban authorities said on Tuesday.

The blast occurred on Monday evening in the village of Dangar Lagad in Barmal district, according to a statement from the Taliban police command in Paktika.

Authorities said the explosion happened when a local resident collecting scrap metal attempted to open the shell and reuse it as a metal tool. The device exploded, killing two adult men and five children at the scene.

The injured were transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment, officials said.

The incident highlights the continuing danger posed by unexploded ordnance left behind by decades of conflict in Afghanistan, where civilians, particularly children remain among the most vulnerable victims.

According to Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, at least 87 people were killed in explosions and other incidents involving landmines and unexploded munitions during the last solar year. The agency recorded 193 such incidents across the country during the same period.

Reports said 333 people were also injured in mine- and ordnance-related incidents, with children accounting for roughly 67% of all casualties. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that unexploded weapons continue to threaten communities, especially in rural areas where residents often collect scrap metal to support their livelihoods.

Mine-clearing agencies have urged greater public awareness and increased funding for demining operations, warning that millions of Afghans still live in areas contaminated by explosive remnants of war. Afghanistan remains one of the countries most heavily affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance, despite years of clearance efforts.

The post Explosion Kills 7, Including 5 Children, in Afghanistan’s Paktika Province appeared first on Khaama Press.

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, has called for accountability following reports that Taliban forces used force against protesters in Herat province.

In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Bennett said he was concerned by reports of excessive force against demonstrators and stressed the need to respect freedom of expression, particularly for women and girls.

“Those responsible for violence must be held accountable,” Bennett said, urging authorities to de-escalate tensions and protect the rights of citizens to peaceful assembly.

Local sources said Taliban forces opened fire on residents gathered in Herat’s Jebrail area during a protest on Tuesday, leaving several people injured.

The incident comes amid growing tensions in Herat following reports that dozens of women and girls have been detained in recent days over alleged violations of the Taliban’s dress code.

The latest developments echo concerns raised in recent reports by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which warned that restrictions on women and girls continue to deepen across the country. UNAMA has documented increasing limitations on freedom of movement, education, employment and participation in public life.

In its recent briefing to the UN Security Council, UNAMA also reported that about 3.8 million Afghan girls remain out of school, including more than 2.6 million adolescent girls. UN officials have warned that continued restrictions on women’s rights risk creating a “lost generation” and further isolating Afghanistan from the international community.

The post Richard Bennett Calls for Accountability After Protest Crackdown in Herat appeared first on Khaama Press.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has said negotiations between Tehran and Washington remain ongoing, despite recent military tensions between Iran and Israel, as both sides continue efforts to reach a final agreement.

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks on Monday following a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.

According to Iravani, Iran and the United States are continuing to exchange proposals and views through Pakistan as an intermediary in an effort to finalize the text of a potential agreement.

“We are presenting and exchanging views and opinions to reach a final text,” Iravani said, adding that while no final agreement has yet been reached, discussions remain active and constructive.

His comments come at a sensitive moment for regional diplomacy following a fresh exchange of strikes between Iran and Israel earlier this week. Iranian missiles were launched toward Israeli territory, while Israel responded with airstrikes targeting military infrastructure and air defense systems inside Iran. The attacks raised fears that the fragile pause in hostilities could collapse and trigger a broader regional conflict.

However, both countries later signaled a temporary halt to direct attacks following calls for restraint from the international community. The United Nations urged all parties to avoid further escalation, warning that renewed fighting could undermine diplomatic efforts and threaten regional stability.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that Washington is close to reaching a “good deal” with Iran. Trump recently said negotiations were in their final stages and argued that economic pressure and maritime restrictions imposed on Iran had increased incentives for Tehran to engage in talks.

The latest diplomatic contacts follow months of tensions that included a 39-day conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, disruptions to shipping routes in the Gulf, and concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan has continued to maintain diplomatic channels with both Tehran and Washington and has reportedly facilitated indirect communication between the two sides during recent negotiations.

The post Iranian Envoy Says Tehran and Washington Still Exchanging Views on Deal appeared first on Khaama Press.

The United Nations has reported a sharp increase in security incidents, human rights violations, and restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan, warning that the country continues to face serious challenges despite relative political stability under the current administration.

In a new quarterly report to the UN Security Council covering the period from February 1 to April 30, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said 3,687 security-related incidents were recorded across Afghanistan, marking a 57.7 percent increase compared with the same period last year.

The report, based on findings by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said anti-Taliban groups, including the National Resistance Front, National Mobilization Front, and Green Trend Movement, claimed responsibility for 18 attacks in 10 provinces. Sixteen of those attacks were independently verified and included rocket attacks, grenade assaults, and shootings targeting Taliban checkpoints and security convoys.

While the report noted that anti-Taliban groups remain active, it said they have not posed a significant challenge to the Taliban’s territorial control. At the same time, the UN assessed that the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) has retained its operational capabilities despite not claiming any major attacks during the reporting period.

The UN also documented 92 security incidents directly affecting UN personnel and operations, up significantly from 62 incidents recorded during the same period in 2025.

One of the report’s most alarming findings concerns civilian casualties linked to cross-border violence. According to the UN, Pakistani airstrikes and border shelling between January 26 and March 31 killed at least 372 civilians and wounded 392 others inside Afghanistan. The deadliest incident was a March 16 strike on Kabul’s Omid drug rehabilitation hospital, which reportedly killed 269 people and injured 122, most of them patients.

The report further documented continued human rights concerns, including the killing of five former Afghan security personnel, 20 cases of arbitrary detention, and eight cases of torture or mistreatment involving members of the former government’s security forces.

UNAMA also recorded 228 public floggings carried out by Taliban authorities during the three-month period, including punishments against 29 women, 196 men, and three boys. The individuals were accused of offenses such as adultery, running away from home, gambling, alcohol consumption, and same-sex relations.

The report highlighted growing concerns about the situation of women and girls. Guterres said Taliban restrictions continued to affect education, employment, freedom of movement, religious participation, and public life. In provinces such as Herat and Kandahar, the enforcement of dress codes reportedly became stricter, with women subjected to public reprimands and verbal abuse for alleged violations.

These concerns have also been echoed by UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan Richard Bennett, who recently condemned the reported detention of dozens of women in Herat over alleged dress-code violations. Bennett described the arrests as arbitrary and unacceptable, calling for the immediate release of the detained women and an end to measures targeting women and girls.

UNAMA has repeatedly warned that restrictions on women and girls are having far-reaching consequences for Afghan society. In its recent briefing to the Security Council, the mission reported that approximately 3.8 million Afghan girls remain out of school, including more than 2.6 million adolescent girls. The UN warned that every year roughly 250,000 more girls are permanently excluded from secondary education, creating what officials describe as a “lost generation” of talent and opportunity.

The report also noted that women continue to face increasing barriers in daily life, including requirements to travel with a male guardian, restrictions on access to public spaces, and limitations on religious activities. According to the UN, women were even prevented from attending Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan despite designated spaces for them in mosques.

UN officials have warned that the continued erosion of rights, combined with economic hardship and humanitarian challenges, risks deepening Afghanistan’s isolation from the international community. The organization has repeatedly urged Taliban authorities to reverse restrictions on women and girls and uphold Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations.

The post UN reports 57% rise in security incidents across Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

A fire that broke out in a market in eastern Afghanistan’s Khost province has caused significant financial losses to local traders and shopkeepers, residents said on Tuesday.

Residents stated that the blaze erupted early Tuesday morning in the Lakano market area of Khost. Witnesses said the fire spread rapidly through the commercial district, damaging and destroying numerous shops before residents managed to bring it under control.

According to residents, the fire threatened to engulf a larger section of the market, but local people intervened and helped prevent further destruction. No casualties have been reported so far, though the incident left many business owners facing substantial financial losses.

The cause of the fire remains unclear, and local authorities have not yet released an official assessment of the damage. Shop owners are reportedly evaluating losses to goods, equipment and commercial property affected by the blaze.

The incident comes at a time when many Afghan businesses are already struggling with economic hardship, reduced consumer spending and limited access to financial resources. For small traders who depend on daily sales, the destruction of shops and inventories could have long-term consequences for their livelihoods.

Market fires and other disasters continue to pose a serious challenge across Afghanistan, where many commercial areas lack adequate fire-prevention systems, emergency response capabilities and modern safety infrastructure. In recent years, several major fires in markets and industrial areas have caused millions of dollars in property damage and disrupted local economies.

Afghanistan has also faced a series of natural and human-made disasters, including floods, earthquakes, landslides and traffic accidents, which have inflicted heavy losses on communities nationwide. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that weak infrastructure and limited emergency preparedness increase the vulnerability of both businesses and households.

The latest incident highlights the growing need for stronger safety measures, emergency response services and investment in public infrastructure to protect lives, businesses and property across the country.

The post Fire Hits Market in Afghanistan’s Khost, Causing Heavy Losses appeared first on Khaama Press.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the American naval blockade of Iran has proven more effective than military strikes, arguing that economic pressure has inflicted significant damage on Tehran and pushed it closer to negotiations.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday while departing New York for Washington, Trump said he believes the United States is “very close” to reaching a deal with Iran and credited the combination of military action and economic pressure for creating momentum toward an agreement.

Trump said that while continued bombing could have caused further destruction inside Iran, a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz would have posed a major threat to global trade and energy markets.

“What proved very powerful was the blockade,” Trump said. “The blockades turned out to be much stronger than the bombing. It was really a combination of our initial strike and then the blockade. Their economy has been seriously hurt, and they want to make a deal.”

The U.S. president has repeatedly stated in recent weeks that negotiations with Iran are advancing and that the two sides may be nearing a breakthrough agreement.

His comments come after the 39-day conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, which heightened tensions across the Middle East, disrupted energy markets and raised concerns about the security of shipping routes in the Gulf region. During the conflict, Iran imposed restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington increased military and maritime pressure on Tehran.

The remarks also follow a recent halt in direct hostilities between Iran and Israel after weeks of missile and air strikes. The pause in fighting has eased fears of a broader regional war and created space for renewed diplomatic efforts.

Despite the suspension of attacks, officials in both Tehran and Tel Aviv have warned that the situation remains fragile and that any new escalation could quickly reignite the conflict. The United Nations and several world powers have urged both sides to exercise restraint and continue pursuing diplomatic solutions.

The post Trump Says Naval Blockade Has Hurt Iran More Than Bombing Campaign appeared first on Khaama Press.

A U.S. military helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, with both pilots unharmed as authorities investigate the cause.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the crew of a U.S. military helicopter that crashed near the Strait of Hormuz escaped unharmed, as authorities investigate the cause of the incident.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday before departing New York, Trump said both pilots were safe and that a detailed report on the crash would be released soon. He did not speculate on the cause of the accident but emphasized that no injuries had been reported.

According to The New York Times, citing two sources familiar with the matter, it remains unclear whether the Apache attack helicopter was brought down by hostile fire, suffered a mechanical failure, or encountered another problem. U.S. officials have not yet released further details.

The incident comes amid heightened security measures around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes. Regional tensions involving Iran, the United States, and its allies have raised concerns in recent months about the safety of shipping and energy supplies passing through the strategic waterway.

Trump also pointed to the recent halt in hostilities between Iran and Israel, saying negotiators were in the “final stages” of talks aimed at securing a broader peace agreement in the Middle East. He expressed optimism that the fragile pause in fighting could pave the way for a more lasting settlement.

Iran and Israel have recently announced a suspension of direct attacks following a period of missile and air strikes that heightened fears of a wider regional conflict. While both sides have stepped back from immediate confrontation, officials in Tehran and Tel Aviv have warned that they remain prepared to respond if hostilities resume.

The pause in fighting follows diplomatic efforts led by Washington to prevent a renewed escalation after months of conflict. The United States has repeatedly called on all parties to exercise restraint and return to negotiations in order to avoid a broader regional war.

The developments also underscore the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil and gas supplies passes.

The post U.S. Military Helicopter Crashes Near Strait of Hormuz appeared first on Khaama Press.

President Donald Trump’s approval rating remains near the lowest level of his current presidency as concerns over the economic impact of the Iran conflict continue to weigh on American voters, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. Only 35% of respondents approved of Trump’s performance, while a majority expressed concern about rising fuel prices and the cost of living.

The survey found that nearly six in ten Americans expect gasoline prices to increase over the next year, reflecting fears that instability in the Middle East could further disrupt global energy markets. Only 22% approved of the administration’s handling of living costs, while 70% said they were dissatisfied with its performance on the issue.

Public support for the U.S. military campaign against Iran also remains limited. While some Americans backed the strikes, only a quarter of respondents said the operation was worth the economic and political costs. The poll suggests economic concerns are increasingly overshadowing national security arguments ahead of the November midterm elections.

The findings come as Iran and Israel announced they had halted direct attacks on each other following an appeal from Trump, easing fears of a broader regional conflict. Oil prices retreated after both sides signaled a pause in hostilities, although analysts cautioned that the truce remains fragile.

Despite the pause, tensions remain high. Iranian officials have warned they could resume military action if Israel continues strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Israeli officials say they remain prepared to respond to any new threats.

The latest confrontation marked the most serious direct exchange between Iran and Israel since the April ceasefire and renewed concerns about the security of key energy routes in the Middle East. Market analysts say any return to hostilities could quickly push oil prices higher and intensify inflationary pressures in major economies.

The Reuters/Ipsos survey was conducted online among 4,531 American adults and had a margin of error of approximately two percentage points. The poll also showed Democrats holding a slight lead over Republicans in a hypothetical congressional vote, underscoring the political challenges facing Trump as economic concerns remain at the forefront of voter sentiment.

The post Trump Approval Stays Near Lows as Americans Fear Rising Fuel Prices: Reuters Poll appeared first on Khaama Press.

Amnesty International has expressed concern over the detention of several women in western Herat province for allegedly violating dress regulations imposed by the Taliban, describing the arrests as another sign of the continued erosion of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

In a statement published on X on Monday, June 8, the organization said the arrests underscore the ongoing repression of women and girls and called on Taliban authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of the detainees and ensure their safe return to their families.

The rights group stressed that every woman has the right to choose how she dresses, move freely, participate in public life, and live without fear of intimidation or arbitrary detention. Amnesty International also urged the international community to increase pressure on the Taliban to end what it described as the systematic suppression of women’s rights.

The statement follows reports that at least 30 women have been detained in Herat in recent days for allegedly failing to comply with the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic dress requirements. Local sources said morality police intensified patrols in markets and public areas, detaining women and girls and transferring some of them to undisclosed locations.

The arrests have drawn growing international criticism. Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, said he was deeply concerned by reports of the detentions and described the arrests as arbitrary and unacceptable. Bennett called for an immediate halt to the detentions and demanded the unconditional release of all women held over alleged dress-code violations.

Bennett warned that such actions further restrict the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and contribute to a climate of fear. He said women should not face punishment for exercising basic freedoms, including decisions related to their appearance and participation in public life.

The concerns come as the latest report by United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan highlighted a worsening human rights situation in Afghanistan. The mission reported increasing enforcement of restrictions on women in provinces including Herat and Kandahar, where authorities have intensified implementation of dress regulations and other social controls.

UNAMA also told the United Nations Security Council on Monday that approximately 3.8 million Afghan girls remain out of school, including more than 2.6 million adolescent girls barred from secondary education. According to the mission, around 250,000 additional girls are excluded from secondary education each year, raising fears of a “lost generation” of Afghan women and girls.

The detentions are taking place amid broader restrictions imposed on women since 2021, including limitations on education, employment, travel, and participation in public life. Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that these measures are having long-term social and economic consequences for Afghanistan.

The post Amnesty International Condemns Detention of Women in Herat, Calls for Immediate Release appeared first on Khaama Press.

Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks on the northeastern Kharkiv region killed at least three people and wounded several others on Tuesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy returned to Kyiv following meetings with European leaders focused on ending the war.

Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram that two men and one woman were killed in a strike on the city of Chuhuiv. Emergency crews were deployed to extinguish fires and assess the damage caused by the attack.

Meanwhile, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said at least six people were injured in separate shelling of Kharkiv city, one of Ukraine’s largest urban centers and a frequent target of Russian missile and drone attacks.

The latest strikes came as Zelenskyy returned from London, where he met with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany. Following the talks, the Ukrainian president said discussions with U.S. envoys on possible pathways to ending the war had been “positive,” although no breakthrough has been announced.

The attacks underscore the continued intensity of the conflict despite renewed diplomatic efforts. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of escalating air strikes on civilian areas while peace discussions remain stalled.

European leaders recently voiced support for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, while also backing calls for an immediate ceasefire and stronger security guarantees for Ukraine. Kyiv has maintained that any settlement must preserve Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The war, now in its fifth year, continues to exact a heavy humanitarian toll. Thousands of civilians have been killed or injured, while millions have been displaced inside Ukraine or forced to seek refuge abroad. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that attacks on civilian infrastructure continue to worsen humanitarian conditions across the country.

Kharkiv, located near the Russian border, has remained one of the regions most affected by the conflict. Ukrainian authorities say repeated missile, drone and artillery attacks have damaged homes, energy facilities and public infrastructure, despite ongoing efforts to strengthen air defenses with Western support.

The post Russian Strikes Kill Three in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Region appeared first on Khaama Press.

Richard Bennett Condemns Detention of Women in Herat, Calls for Immediate Release Amid Growing Concerns Over Women’s Rights in Afghanistan.

Richard Bennett has called on Afghan authorities to immediately release dozens of women reportedly detained in Herat for allegedly violating the Taliban’s dress code, describing the arrests as arbitrary and unacceptable.

In a post on X, Bennett said he was “deeply alarmed” by reports that scores of women had been arrested and detained for a third consecutive day for allegedly violating the Taliban’s dress code.

“It is illegal and unacceptable,” Bennett wrote. “The arrests must stop and the women must be released immediately.”

The detentions come after local religious leaders reportedly warned during Friday prayers that women should not leave their homes without adhering to the dress requirements imposed by the Taliban. Authorities have recently reiterated that women and girls who fail to comply with the prescribed hijab regulations could face arrest and imprisonment.

The incident adds to growing international concern over restrictions imposed on Afghan women since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Human rights groups and UN officials have repeatedly criticized measures limiting women’s access to education, employment, public spaces and freedom of movement.

The latest concerns were echoed in a recent report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which warned that enforcement of dress regulations appears to have intensified in provinces including Herat and Kandahar. According to the report, women have in some cases been publicly reprimanded, harassed or detained for failing to comply with Taliban-imposed clothing requirements.

UNAMA also reported that restrictions on women and girls continue to deepen across Afghanistan, describing the situation as a systematic erosion of fundamental rights. The mission noted that policies affecting women’s participation in public life remain among the most significant human rights concerns facing the country.

The detentions come as international organizations continue to raise alarm over the exclusion of girls from secondary education. UN officials recently told the Security Council that an estimated 3.8 million Afghan girls between the ages of seven and 18 are currently out of school, including more than 2.6 million adolescent girls.

According to UNAMA, around 250,000 additional girls are permanently excluded from secondary education each year, creating what UN officials have described as a “lost generation” of talent and potential. Rights advocates argue that restrictions on education and public participation are having long-term social and economic consequences for Afghanistan.

Despite repeated calls from the United Nations and the international community,Taliban have maintained policies restricting girls’ education beyond sixth grade and limiting women’s access to many sectors of public life. Human rights experts say the latest arrests in Herat underscore growing concerns about the tightening enforcement of those restrictions.

The post Richard Bennett Condemns Detention of Women in Herat as Rights Concerns Grow appeared first on Khaama Press.

Iran and Israel said they have temporarily halted attacks on each other following calls by U.S. President Donald Trump for an immediate ceasefire, easing fears of a broader regional conflict after their most direct military confrontation in months.

The latest escalation began after Iran launched missiles toward Israel late Sunday, describing the strikes as retaliation for Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Israel responded with airstrikes targeting Iranian air defense systems and a petrochemical facility that it said was connected to ballistic missile production. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later announced a retaliatory strike against a similar facility in the Israeli city of Haifa.

Officials on both sides said the current round of attacks had ended, although Tehran warned it could resume military action if Israel continues strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. No fatalities were immediately reported from the exchanges.

Trump welcomed the apparent de-escalation, saying both countries wanted an immediate ceasefire and that efforts toward a broader peace arrangement were continuing. According to U.S. and Israeli officials, Trump also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid growing international concern over the conflict.

The renewed violence threatened to derail ongoing U.S.-Iran diplomatic efforts aimed at ending a war that began in late February. Iranian officials said contacts with Washington were continuing but described the atmosphere as one of “extreme suspicion,” reflecting deep mistrust between the two sides despite ongoing exchanges of messages.

The confrontation also rattled global energy markets. Oil prices briefly surged by as much as five percent amid fears of wider disruption to Middle East energy supplies before retreating after both sides signaled a pause in military operations.

Meanwhile, the conflict’s regional dimensions remain unresolved. Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen announced new threats against Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea and claimed responsibility for missile launches toward Israel. The Israeli military said it intercepted a suspicious aerial target near the southern city of Eilat after warning sirens sounded in the area.

The United Nations has urged maximum restraint. António Guterres called on all parties to avoid actions that could further destabilize the region, warning that any renewed escalation could undermine diplomatic efforts and increase the risk of a broader regional war.

Despite the pause in direct Iran-Israel strikes, tensions remain high. Israel has indicated it will continue military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Tehran insists that any lasting agreement with Washington must address the fighting in Lebanon and broader regional security concerns.

The post Iran and Israel Halt Strikes for Now Amid Fragile Truce appeared first on Khaama Press.

The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan risks creating a “lost generation” as nearly 3.8 million girls remain excluded from education under Taliban restrictions, while millions more face worsening humanitarian conditions, food insecurity and poverty.

Addressing the UN Security Council on Monday, Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said an estimated 3.8 million girls aged between seven and 18 are currently out of school, including more than 2.6 million adolescent girls barred from secondary education.

Gagnon warned that approximately 250,000 additional girls are permanently excluded from secondary education every year, depriving the country of future talent and opportunities. She said the continued restrictions on women and girls will have long-term consequences for Afghanistan’s social and economic development.

The UN official noted that while Afghanistan has shown limited signs of economic stabilization, including modest growth and improved revenue collection, the gains remain fragile. She added that up to 2.8 million Afghans are expected to return from neighbouring countries this year, placing additional pressure on communities already struggling with unemployment, poverty and limited public services.

UNAMA also reported that Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies. According to the United Nations, about 21.9 million people—nearly 45 percent of the population—will require humanitarian assistance in 2026.

Edem Wosornu, director of crisis response at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the Security Council that food insecurity and malnutrition are worsening across the country. She said 4.7 million people are at risk of severe food insecurity, while an estimated 3.7 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition.

Wosornu warned that humanitarian operations are being severely constrained by funding shortages. She said the UN’s $1.71 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan this year has received only about 15 percent of the required funding, raising concerns that life-saving assistance programmes may be reduced.

UNAMA has repeatedly urged the Taliban to lift restrictions on women and girls, particularly bans on secondary and higher education, warning that such measures undermine Afghanistan’s future and deepen existing social and economic challenges.

The UN has also warned that recurring droughts, climate-related disasters, declining international aid and the mass return of Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries are compounding the humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies say millions of families continue to struggle to access food, healthcare, clean water and livelihoods.

Afghanistan remains one of only two countries in the world where girls are barred from secondary education. International organisations have repeatedly stressed that restoring women’s access to education and employment is essential for the country’s long-term stability, economic recovery and development.

The post UN Warns of ‘Lost Generation’ as 3.8 Million Girls Remain Out of School in Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Acting Head Georgette Gagnon told the UN Security Council that Afghanistan continues to face mounting economic, humanitarian and human rights challenges, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the crisis.

Briefing the council in New York on Monday, Gagnon said her visits across Afghanistan revealed widespread concerns among Afghans over worsening economic conditions, humanitarian needs and restrictions on fundamental rights.

While noting signs of macroeconomic stability, she warned that the country’s recovery remains fragile. Gagnon highlighted the mass return of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries as a major challenge, saying nearly 5.9 million people have returned since 2023 and another 2.8 million could return this year.

She said many returnees are arriving in communities already struggling with poverty and limited economic opportunities. According to UN estimates, about 21.9 million people in Afghanistan are expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026.

Gagnon also expressed deep concern over the situation of women and girls, describing the restrictions imposed on them as a form of “systematic and institutionalized harm” with long-term consequences for the country. She said around 3.8 million girls between the ages of 7 and 18 are currently out of school, including more than 2.6 million secondary-school-aged girls.

The UN official renewed calls for the Taliban authorities to lift restrictions on women’s education, employment and public participation, including measures affecting female UN staff, which she said violate international obligations and UN principles.

Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with aid agencies warning that funding shortages, rising poverty and climate-related shocks are placing additional pressure on vulnerable communities. Drought, food insecurity and limited access to healthcare continue to affect millions across the country.

Human rights organizations have also repeatedly raised concerns about shrinking civic space, restrictions on media freedom and the continued exclusion of women from education and many sectors of public life. International officials argue that meaningful progress on economic development and international engagement will remain difficult without broader respect for fundamental rights and freedoms.

The post UNAMA warns of deepening humanitarian and women’s rights crisis in Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says polio awareness and vaccination efforts have been intensified in Afghanistan’s western Herat province as health agencies continue efforts to eradicate the disease.

UNICEF said on Monday that, in cooperation with a partner organization, outreach teams are working across Herat to educate families about polio and encourage parents to vaccinate their children against the highly infectious disease.

The agency stressed that polio has no cure but can be prevented through vaccination, urging families to ensure all eligible children receive the vaccine. UNICEF added that public cooperation remains essential to eliminating the disease in Afghanistan.

Health officials warn that many remote and underserved communities in Afghanistan remain vulnerable to polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases because of limited healthcare access, poverty and gaps in immunization coverage.

Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus transmission has never been fully interrupted. Health authorities in both countries continue to face challenges including population movement across the border, insecurity in some areas and vaccine misinformation that can hinder immunization campaigns.

International health organizations have repeatedly warned that any decline in vaccination coverage could lead to new outbreaks and reverse years of progress. UNICEF, the World Health Organization and their partners have continued nationwide campaigns aimed at reaching every child, particularly in high-risk areas.

The campaign comes as Afghanistan continues to face a broader humanitarian crisis marked by poverty, malnutrition and pressure on the healthcare system.

The post UNICEF expands campaign against polio in Afghanistan’s Herat province appeared first on Khaama Press.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called on Iran and Israel to avoid further escalation and return to diplomacy after a renewed exchange of missile and air strikes raised fears of a wider regional conflict.

According to Al Jazeera, Kallas warned on Monday that continued military action could further destabilize the Middle East and undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions.

The appeal came after the Israeli military said Iran had launched missiles toward Israeli territory overnight. Hours later, Fox News reported that Israeli forces carried out air strikes in western and central Iran in response to the attacks.

Iranian officials have sharply criticized both Israel and the United States. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said recent developments showed that Washington and Israel only understand “the language of power,” accusing them of violating understandings related to Lebanon and increasing pressure on Iran.

The United States has sought to distance itself from the latest military exchanges. Axios previously reported, citing a U.S. official, that Washington did not expect an immediate Israeli attack on Iran and continued to view diplomacy as the preferred path for addressing disputes with Tehran.

The latest escalation follows Iranian missile attacks on Israel and subsequent Israeli strikes on targets in Tehran, Isfahan and other parts of Iran. The exchanges have heightened concerns that the confrontation could expand beyond the two countries and draw in regional actors aligned with either side.

European leaders and international organizations have repeatedly warned that a broader conflict involving Iran, Israel, Lebanon and other regional actors could have serious consequences for regional security, global energy markets and diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

The post EU urges restraint as Iran-Israel strikes threaten fragile ceasefire appeared first on Khaama Press.

Israeli media reported that Iran and Yemen have launched a total of 31 missiles toward Israel since Sunday evening, marking the latest escalation in a rapidly worsening regional confrontation.

According to Israeli reports, about 30 missiles were fired from Iran and one from Yemen in several waves. Israeli officials said air defense systems intercepted most of the projectiles, while warning sirens were activated in multiple areas.

The Israeli military said it responded early Monday with strikes on military sites and missile-launch infrastructure in western and central Iran. Iranian authorities have not yet released a full assessment of damage from the attacks.

The exchange marks one of the most significant direct confrontations between Iran and Israel since a ceasefire was reached earlier this year. The renewed violence has raised concerns that the conflict could expand further across the Middle East.

The escalation comes as Yemen’s Houthi movement has intensified threats against Israel and Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea. The group says its operations are part of a broader campaign in support of regional allies and Palestinians, while Israel and its partners view the attacks as a threat to regional security and international trade.

The United States has continued to call for restraint and a return to diplomacy. American officials have said Washington is seeking to prevent a wider regional war, even as tensions have increased following Israeli strikes in Iran and Iranian missile attacks on Israeli territory.

The post Israel says Iran and Yemen launched 31 missiles in latest escalation appeared first on Khaama Press.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called on Iran and Israel to immediately cease hostilities after a fresh exchange of air and missile attacks heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.

“Israel and Iran must immediately stop shooting,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, as both sides traded strikes despite international efforts to prevent further escalation.

Earlier in the day, an Israeli airstrike reportedly targeted a petrochemical facility in southwestern Iran, causing partial damage to the complex, according to Iranian officials. At the same time, air raid sirens sounded across several Israeli cities after Iran launched a new round of missiles toward Israeli territory.

The latest exchange comes amid rising regional tensions that have drawn concern from world powers. Washington has continued to support Israel’s security while also urging restraint and emphasizing the importance of diplomacy to prevent a wider war.

The conflict has also coincided with renewed threats from Yemen’s Houthi movement, which recently warned that Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea could be targeted. The group has claimed responsibility for missile launches toward Israel and has vowed to continue operations in support of its regional allies.

The Red Sea has become a major flashpoint over the past year, with Houthi attacks disrupting international shipping routes and forcing many commercial vessels to avoid the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. Maritime security officials have warned that further escalation could affect global trade and energy supplies.

Regional tensions have remained high since Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian targets earlier this year triggered retaliatory attacks by Tehran. Although a temporary ceasefire was reached in April, negotiations later stalled amid disagreements over implementation and continued military activity across the region.

The post Trump urges Iran and Israel to stop fighting immediately appeared first on Khaama Press.

Yemen’s Houthi said on Monday it launched a missile attack targeting the Tel Aviv area and announced a comprehensive ban on Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea, amid escalating regional tensions involving Iran, Israel and Lebanon.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the missile strike successfully hit its intended target and warned that all Israeli-related maritime activity in the strategic waterway would be considered a legitimate military target.

The announcement came as Israel and Iran exchanged fresh attacks. Israeli forces reported intercepting missiles launched from Yemen, while Iran and Israel traded strikes on military and strategic sites following recent attacks in Tehran, Isfahan and other Iranian cities.

A U.S. official told Axios that American forces were not involved in Israel’s recent strikes on Iran. Washington has continued to emphasize diplomacy and efforts to prevent a wider regional conflict, despite growing hostilities between Iran, Israel and Tehran-backed groups across the Middle East.

The Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait have become major flashpoints since the Gaza war began, with Houthi attacks on commercial shipping disrupting global trade routes and forcing many shipping companies to reroute vessels around southern Africa, increasing costs and transit times.

Regional tensions have intensified further following continued Israeli operations in Lebanon and exchanges of fire involving Iran and its allies. Tehran has accused Israel of violating understandings linked to ceasefire efforts in Lebanon, while Israeli officials say military actions are necessary to counter ongoing security threats.

The post Yemen’s Houthis vow attacks on Israeli vessels in Red Sea appeared first on Khaama Press.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared victory on Monday after preliminary parliamentary election results showed his ruling Civil Contract party securing about 54% of the vote.

According to early results cited by CBC News, Pashinyan’s party emerged as the clear frontrunner, while the opposition Strong Armenia party received 21.9% of the vote and the Armenia Alliance followed with 8.7%.

Speaking at a news conference, Pashinyan described the outcome as a “historic victory” and said voters had endorsed his government’s policies and reform agenda. Preliminary figures indicated voter turnout reached approximately 59% of eligible voters.

The election was widely viewed as a major test for Pashinyan, whose government has faced criticism following Armenia’s military defeat and the loss of control over Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s 2023 offensive.

Political analysts said the vote could shape Armenia’s future foreign policy direction, particularly as the government seeks to balance relations with Russia, the European Union and neighboring countries while pursuing regional stability.

Pashinyan has increasingly sought closer ties with the West in recent years, while expressing frustration with Collective Security Treaty Organization and Russia’s role in regional security. His government has also expanded cooperation with the European Union and the United States following tensions with Moscow.

Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan remain a central issue in domestic politics. Although both sides have engaged in peace negotiations, disagreements over borders, security arrangements and the rights of displaced populations continue to complicate efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement.

The parliamentary election comes at a pivotal moment for Armenia as it seeks to recover from recent regional conflicts, address economic challenges and redefine its geopolitical position in the South Caucasus.

The post Armenian PM Pashinyan claims victory after parliamentary election appeared first on Khaama Press.

A powerful earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 15 people, damaging buildings and prompting tsunami warnings across parts of Asia before most alerts were later lifted.

The United States Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck near the island of Mindanao shortly before 7:40 a.m. local time. Philippine authorities reported more than an hour of aftershocks following the main quake.

The city of General Santos, home to more than 700,000 people, was among the hardest-hit areas. Images shared by local media showed collapsed buildings, shattered windows and damaged infrastructure, while parts of St. Elizabeth Hospital were evacuated after suffering significant structural damage.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said emergency response agencies had been mobilized and ordered the closure of schools in affected areas. Government officials said approximately 3.2 million students and 128,000 teachers and school staff were affected on what was scheduled to be the first day of the academic year.

Authorities also ordered evacuations in several coastal provinces after tsunami warnings were issued. Residents were urged to move to higher ground as officials monitored the risk of dangerous waves along vulnerable coastlines.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned that waves of up to three meters could affect parts of the Philippines, while smaller waves were forecast for areas of Indonesia and Malaysia. By midday, officials said the primary tsunami threat had largely passed, although residents were advised to remain cautious.

The Philippines is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, frequently experiencing earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and floods because of its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity.

Natural disasters regularly cause significant humanitarian and economic losses across the country. Aid agencies have warned that major earthquakes can overwhelm local health systems, disrupt education and leave thousands in need of emergency shelter, food and medical assistance.

The latest disaster comes as many countries in Asia face growing concerns over climate-related emergencies and natural hazards. Humanitarian organizations have stressed the importance of disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure to reduce casualties and economic damage from future catastrophes.

The post At least 15 dead after major quake strikes southern Philippines appeared first on Khaama Press.

At least 75 people have died and three others have been injured in separate drowning incidents across Afghanistan since March 21, according to the National Disaster Preparedness Authority.

Agency spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Hamad said the victims included 27 men, seven women and 41 children, highlighting the heavy toll such accidents continue to take on Afghan families.

Hamad urged the public to follow safety guidelines when visiting rivers, lakes and other bodies of water, warning that greater caution is needed during the summer months to prevent further loss of life.

Drowning incidents claim dozens of lives in Afghanistan each year, particularly among children and young people. Many accidents occur in rivers, irrigation canals and reservoirs where safety measures, warning signs and rescue services are limited or absent.

Experts warn that the risk of drowning is likely to increase as temperatures rise and more families seek relief near waterways. Afghanistan lacks sufficient public swimming facilities and safe recreational areas in many provinces, forcing people to use natural water sources that can be dangerous.

The fatalities come as Afghanistan continues to face broader humanitarian and infrastructure challenges. Years of conflict, underdevelopment and limited public investment have left many communities without adequate emergency response services, healthcare facilities and public safety programs.

Aid agencies have repeatedly stressed the need for greater investment in community awareness, child safety education and local rescue capabilities. Humanitarian organizations say preventable accidents, including drownings, place additional pressure on families already struggling with poverty, displacement and limited access to essential services.

The post Dozens of children among 75 drowning victims in Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that climate change represents a serious threat to humanity, saying its consequences are comparable to those of wars and global pandemics.

Speaking in Istanbul on Sunday, Erdogan said the world is facing a period in which technological advances and artificial intelligence are accelerating production, while excessive and unsustainable consumption is placing growing pressure on natural resources and the environment.

He said climate change has become one of the most pressing global challenges and called for greater international efforts to promote sustainable development and environmental protection.

Erdogan also highlighted Turkey’s environmental initiatives, including the “Zero Waste” movement, which he said has evolved into a global project and received recognition from the United Nations.

Scientists have repeatedly warned that rising global temperatures are increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, droughts, floods and wildfires. Governments around the world are facing growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen climate adaptation measures.

Climate change has also emerged as a major driver of humanitarian crises, contributing to food insecurity, water shortages and displacement in vulnerable regions. International organizations warn that developing countries are often the most affected despite contributing the least to global emissions.

Turkey has experienced a series of climate-related challenges in recent years, including severe droughts, record-breaking heat and devastating wildfires that have affected agriculture, water supplies and local economies.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for stronger international cooperation to meet global climate targets, warning that failure to limit warming could have far-reaching consequences for public health, economic stability and global security.

The post Climate change is a major threat to humanity, Erdogan says appeared first on Khaama Press.

Israeli media reported that Israel coordinated its recent strike on Iran with the United States, as tensions between Tehran and Jerusalem continued to rise following a series of missile and air attacks across the region.

Israel Hayom, citing an unnamed source, reported that Israeli officials coordinated the operation with Washington before carrying out the attack. Earlier, Al Arabiya also quoted an Israeli official as saying that the strikes on Iranian targets were conducted in coordination with the United States.

Neither the White House nor U.S. military officials immediately commented on the reports. Washington has publicly called for restraint in recent days while simultaneously reaffirming its support for Israel’s security and its commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

The reported coordination comes after Israel launched strikes on targets in Tehran and Isfahan, while Iran responded with missile attacks targeting Israeli territory. The latest exchange has fueled concerns about a broader regional conflict involving Iran, Israel and their allies.

The escalation has also coincided with renewed hostilities in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have continued operations against Hezbollah positions despite international efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire. Iranian officials have repeatedly condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon and warned that continued attacks could trigger a wider confrontation.

The United States has sought to balance support for Israel with efforts to keep diplomatic channels open with Tehran. American officials have indicated that negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program remain a priority, even as military tensions have complicated attempts to revive diplomacy.

The post Israel coordinated attack on Iran with U.S., reports say appeared first on Khaama Press.

The leaders of Britain, Germany and France on Sunday endorsed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of efforts to secure a ceasefire and advance peace negotiations.

In a joint statement issued after meeting Zelensky at Downing Street, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the proposal and said Europe would play an active role in any future peace process.

Zelensky, who recently called on Putin to meet face-to-face, also stressed the need for additional air defense missiles, arguing that Ukraine has prevented Russia from achieving its military objectives despite continued missile and drone attacks.

The European leaders said the foundations of a just and lasting peace should include an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, negotiations based on current front lines, binding security guarantees for Ukraine and the continued freezing of Russian assets until compensation is paid for war-related damages.

The meeting took place as Ukraine faces some of the heaviest Russian aerial attacks since the start of the war. Russia has intensified missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, while fighting along the front lines continues with heavy casualties reported on both sides.

Moscow has so far rejected Zelensky’s proposal for direct talks, though Putin has indicated that peace initiatives supported by U.S. President Donald Trump could be considered if Ukraine is prepared to make compromises. Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have gained renewed attention amid concerns that the war could enter another prolonged phase.

The war, now in its fifth year, has triggered one of Europe’s largest humanitarian crises since World War II. Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced, while repeated attacks on energy infrastructure, residential areas and public services have placed growing pressure on civilians across the country.

Western governments have continued to provide military and financial support to Ukraine, arguing that sustained assistance is necessary to strengthen Kyiv’s position in any future negotiations. European leaders have repeatedly warned that a lasting peace agreement must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The post European leaders back Ukraine-Russia ceasefire talks appeared first on Khaama Press.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says access to maternal healthcare services and skilled midwives remains critical to reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths in Afghanistan, particularly in remote and underserved areas.

In a report published on Monday, UNFPA said health workers at a Family Health House in Dara-e-Bum district of Badghis province successfully managed high-risk pregnancies and deliveries, helping prevent serious complications for mothers and newborns.

According to the agency, timely intervention by midwives and healthcare staff, including emergency obstetric care, enabled women facing complicated pregnancies to safely deliver their babies and avoid life-threatening outcomes.

UNFPA stressed that access to prenatal care, safe childbirth services and postnatal treatment can prevent many avoidable maternal and infant deaths. The agency added that community-based health facilities play a vital role in providing essential healthcare in remote regions where access to hospitals and specialized services is limited.

The Family Health House in Dara-e-Bum operates with support from the Government of Canada and provides maternal and newborn healthcare services to residents of the district, according to UNFPA.

The report comes as Afghanistan continues to face one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Aid agencies warn that decades of conflict, poverty, climate-related shocks and declining international funding have left millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance, including access to basic healthcare.

The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern over Afghanistan’s high maternal mortality rate, which remains among the highest globally. UN agencies estimate that hundreds of Afghan women die each year from pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications, many of which are preventable with timely medical care and access to skilled health workers.

Humanitarian organizations have also warned that funding shortfalls are forcing health facilities to scale back services across the country. They say sustaining support for maternal and reproductive healthcare is essential to preventing further increases in maternal and newborn deaths, particularly in rural areas where women often face significant barriers to accessing treatment.

The post UNFPA highlights role of midwives in reducing maternal deaths in Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

Luxembourg has contributed €300,000 to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Sunday, as humanitarian needs across the country remain severe.

OCHA said the funding will support the delivery of urgent, life-saving assistance to vulnerable families and communities, stressing that sustained international support remains critical to addressing Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis.

The contribution comes as UN agencies warn that millions of Afghans continue to depend on humanitarian assistance amid worsening economic conditions, food insecurity and funding shortages. OCHA has repeatedly cautioned that declining donor support is limiting the ability of aid organizations to respond to growing needs.

Afghanistan is also facing the effects of recurring drought, water shortages and climate-related shocks that have devastated agricultural production in many provinces. Aid agencies say prolonged dry conditions have increased pressure on rural communities already struggling with poverty and unemployment.

According to the United Nations, more than 20 million people across Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance. UNICEF has estimated that 21.9 million people, including 11.6 million children, will need humanitarian support in 2026.

The humanitarian situation has been further aggravated by restrictions affecting livelihoods, reduced economic opportunities and the return of large numbers of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries. Humanitarian organizations have warned that without additional international funding, millions could face worsening food insecurity and reduced access to essential services, including healthcare, education and clean water.

The post Luxembourg contributes €300,000 to Afghanistan humanitarian fund appeared first on Khaama Press.

Israel said Iran launched a new wave of ballistic missiles toward the country early Monday, triggering air raid sirens across central areas, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as regional tensions continued to escalate.

The Israeli military said warning alerts were issued and air defense systems were activated to intercept the incoming missiles. Authorities later announced that the immediate threat had passed and residents could leave protected shelters.

Israeli media also reported the interception of a missile launched from Yemen. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it targeted the Nevatim and Tel Nof air bases in response to recent Israeli strikes on Iranian radar facilities.

Following the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting of Israel’s security cabinet to assess the situation and discuss possible next steps. Israeli officials have repeatedly warned that any further attacks from Iran would be met with a response.

The latest missile barrage comes a day after Israeli strikes on targets in Tehran and Isfahan, marking another sharp escalation in the confrontation between the two countries. The exchange has heightened fears that the conflict could expand into a broader regional war involving Iran-backed groups across the Middle East.

The United States and regional mediators have been attempting to prevent further escalation and preserve diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran. However, repeated missile and air strikes have complicated those efforts and increased uncertainty about the future of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

The post Iran Launches New Wave Of Missile Attacks On Israel appeared first on Khaama Press.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should accept any agreement that Washington may reach with Iran, underscoring the administration’s push to preserve diplomacy despite renewed tensions between Tehran and Israel.

According to Fox News, Trump’s comments came after Iran launched missiles toward Israel, marking its first such attack since an April ceasefire and raising concerns about a wider regional escalation.

Israeli authorities said several missiles were intercepted while others landed in open areas. Israeli military officials warned that Iran had made a “major mistake” and signaled that Israel reserves the right to respond.

A U.S. official, however, said Washington does not currently expect an immediate Israeli strike on Iran and believes there remains an opportunity to advance negotiations aimed at easing tensions and preventing further military escalation.

The latest crisis follows recent Israeli strikes on targets in Tehran and Isfahan and a series of missile and drone exchanges between the two regional rivals. The confrontation has heightened fears of a broader conflict that could draw in U.S. forces and destabilize key shipping lanes and energy routes across the Middle East.

The escalation comes as indirect talks between Washington and Tehran remain underway despite repeated setbacks. U.S. officials have continued to pursue a diplomatic framework aimed at addressing concerns over Iran’s nuclear program while avoiding a wider regional war.

The tensions also coincide with ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, where continued fighting has deepened humanitarian challenges and increased international pressure for de-escalation.

The post Trump says Netanyahu must accept any U.S.-Iran deal appeared first on Khaama Press.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Pyongyang have expanded their strategic cooperation based on mutual trust and shared interests, ahead of his visit to North Korea, Chinese state media reported on Sunday.

According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, Xi said relations between China and North Korea have entered a new stage of development in recent years, with cooperation advancing across multiple sectors.

Xi stated that the two countries have strengthened their strategic partnership through mutual respect, political trust and win-win cooperation despite what he described as a complex and changing international environment.

He added that collaboration in trade, energy, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges and regional development projects has continued to expand, reinforcing ties between the longtime allies.

Xi’s visit, scheduled for Monday, marks his first trip to North Korea in nearly seven years and his first foreign visit of the year. The trip comes at a time when Pyongyang has accelerated its nuclear and missile programs and deepened security cooperation with Russia, drawing growing scrutiny from the United States and its allies.

China remains North Korea’s most important diplomatic and economic partner, providing a crucial economic lifeline despite international sanctions. Beijing has repeatedly called for stability on the Korean Peninsula while opposing measures it says could increase regional tensions.

The visit also coincides with heightened geopolitical competition in East Asia, including closer security cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea.

The post Xi says China, North Korea deepen strategic partnership ahead of Pyongyang visit appeared first on Khaama Press.

Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran late Sunday after Iranian missiles were fired toward northern Israel, escalating tensions despite reported efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to prevent further military retaliation.

According to Iranian state media, powerful explosions were heard in Tehran and the central city of Isfahan, while semi-official outlets reported additional blasts in Tabriz and other locations in western Iran. Iranian authorities have not yet released details on casualties or damage.

The latest exchange came after Iran launched a new wave of missiles toward Israel, accusing it of repeatedly violating a ceasefire through ongoing military operations in Lebanon. Israeli officials have not immediately disclosed the specific targets of their strikes inside Iran.

The escalation follows an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs that reportedly killed at least two people and wounded 20 others, further heightening fears of a broader regional conflict involving Iran-backed groups across the Middle East.

The United States has been seeking to contain the crisis amid growing concerns over regional stability and global energy supplies. Trump reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could further escalate the confrontation.

The renewed hostilities come as indirect diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran remain stalled. Recent fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz, including missile, drone and maritime incidents, has raised concerns about the security of one of the world’s most important oil transit routes.

The conflict has also deepened the humanitarian crisis across the region. Continued fighting in Gaza, cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the widening confrontation with Iran have displaced civilians, strained humanitarian operations and increased international calls for an immediate de-escalation.

The post Israel launches strikes on Tehran, Isfahan appeared first on Khaama Press.

At least 12 people were injured, including two in critical condition, after a shooting near a local festival in Toledo, Ohio, US, when two armed individuals exchanged fire in a crowded public area, police said.

Authorities said the incident occurred during the “Old West End” festival on Saturday night, when gunfire broke out between two shooters, striking multiple attendees. Victims range in age from 14 to 61.

Police officials said the scene involved hundreds of people attending the event when the shooting erupted, triggering panic and chaos. No arrests have been made, and investigators are actively pursuing leads to identify and locate those responsible.

Lieutenant Dan Gerken of the Toledo Police Department described the scene as “beyond the normal” of what officers typically encounter, while Deputy Chief Joseph Heffernan called the investigation “very active” and ongoing.

City officials expressed concern over the violence at one of Toledo’s most well-known community events, saying it had deeply affected the local population and disrupted a traditionally peaceful gathering.

The shooting adds to a broader pattern of gun violence in the United States. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 171 mass shootings so far this year, underscoring ongoing concerns over public safety at large gatherings.

Authorities have not yet determined a motive and are reviewing surveillance footage and witness statements as part of the ongoing investigation.

The post 12 Injured in US Ohio Festival Shooting, Two in Critical Condition appeared first on Khaama Press.

Ukraine has accused Russia of carrying out a drone strike on a nuclear fuel storage facility near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, raising fresh concerns about the safety of nuclear infrastructure amid the ongoing war.

Reuters reported on Sunday that Ukrainian officials said radiation levels in the area remained stable following the incident and that no spent nuclear fuel was being stored at the facility at the time of the attack.

According to Ukrainian authorities, the strike caused partial damage to a building and sparked a fire that was later brought under control. Officials said no increase in radiation levels had been detected after the incident.

Russia has not publicly commented on the allegation. Reuters reported that Moscow had not immediately responded to Ukrainian claims regarding the reported drone attack on the storage site.

The incident adds to longstanding concerns about the vulnerability of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities during the conflict. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, international agencies have repeatedly warned that military operations near nuclear sites could trigger a serious environmental and humanitarian disaster.

Ukraine and Russia have frequently accused each other of endangering nuclear safety, particularly around the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, Europe’s largest nuclear facility. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly called for restraint and continued monitoring around the site.

Chernobyl remains one of the world’s most sensitive nuclear locations nearly four decades after the 1986 disaster, which spread radioactive contamination across large parts of Europe. Although the plant no longer generates electricity, facilities in the area continue to store radioactive materials and require constant monitoring and protection.

The reported attack comes as Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange long-range drone and missile strikes far from the front lines, while diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire remain stalled despite renewed international mediation attempts.

The post Ukraine Says Russian Drone Hit Near Chernobyl Nuclear Fuel Facility appeared first on Khaama Press.

The Israeli military has issued an evacuation warning for residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre and nearby areas, urging civilians to leave immediately and move north of the Zahrani River as military operations intensify.

According to Al Jazeera, the warning was issued by an Israeli military spokesperson and applies to several neighborhoods around Tyre, including the Al-Bass and Zakouk al-Mafdi camp areas.

In a message directed at residents, the Israeli military said civilians should evacuate their homes without delay and relocate to safer areas north of the Zahrani River. No immediate details were provided about the nature or timing of potential military action.

Israel has issued similar evacuation orders for several towns and villages across southern Lebanon in recent months, often ahead of airstrikes targeting what it says are Hezbollah positions and infrastructure.

The warning comes amid continuing hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border despite international efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire. Israeli forces and Hezbollah have exchanged attacks repeatedly, while both sides accuse each other of violating ceasefire understandings announced in recent weeks.

Lebanon is also facing a worsening humanitarian situation as displacement continues to rise. Aid agencies estimate that hundreds of thousands of people have been forced from their homes in southern Lebanon since the latest round of Israeli military operations began, placing additional pressure on shelters, health services and humanitarian relief efforts.

The evacuation order was issued just hours after a deadly shooting attack in central Israel left at least one person dead and several others wounded, underscoring the fragile security environment across multiple fronts in the region.

The post Israel Issues Evacuation Warning for Lebanon’s Tyre City appeared first on Khaama Press.

Saad Mohseni, chairman of Moby Group and founder of TOLO TV, has come under intense criticism from Afghan activists, journalists, and members of the diaspora following remarks made at a public discussion during the Jaipur Literature Festival in London.

Video clips widely circulated on social media show Mohseni discussing life under Taliban rule and referencing his family’s personal experience. Critics say his comments gave an overly normalized picture of conditions in Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls.

Women’s rights advocates and media observers argue that his remarks fail to reflect the reality faced by millions of Afghan women who remain barred from secondary and higher education, excluded from most forms of employment, and heavily restricted in public life since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

The reaction quickly escalated into a broader debate across Afghan media and social platforms, with critics accusing Mohseni of minimizing structural restrictions and unintentionally echoing Taliban narratives. Some media figures described the comments as misleading in a context where independent journalism inside Afghanistan faces growing pressure.

Others defended the importance of engagement and continued media presence in Afghanistan, a position Mohseni has previously supported, arguing that limited access and dialogue help preserve shrinking space for reporting under Taliban rule.

However, opponents say such engagement risks blurring the line between reporting and normalization of restrictions, especially at a time when women’s rights remain severely curtailed across the country.

The controversy has further deepened an already polarized debate within Afghanistan’s media and activist community over how the country’s human rights situation should be described internationally, with many insisting that conditions for women remain among the most restrictive in the world.

The post Saad Mohseni Faces Backlash Over Remarks on Women’s Situation in Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

UNAMA says reported detention of women in Herat raises serious concerns over human rights and freedoms.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed concern over the reported detention of women by Taliban authorities in the western city of Herat, saying the incident raises serious human rights concerns.

In a statement, UNAMA said the developments in Herat have triggered “serious questions” regarding respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, urging the authorities to ensure the protection of basic civil liberties.

The mission called on the Taliban to respect the rights of all citizens, stressing that freedom of movement is a basic human right and that men and women must be treated equally under the law. UNAMA said it reminded the de facto authorities that all individuals are entitled to freedom of movement and equal protection before the law.

Local sources said at least 20 women were detained in Herat over the past two days, while public transport drivers, including taxi and rickshaw operators, were reportedly instructed not to transport women without a male guardian or without adhering to the dress requirements imposed by local authorities.

Sources further reported that Taliban officials in Herat’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice had previously warned that women not complying with prescribed dress codes could be removed from public spaces and detained.

The Taliban authorities have not issued any official comment on the reported detentions. The situation comes amid ongoing concerns from international organizations about restrictions on women’s rights and freedom of movement in Afghanistan since the group returned to power in 2021.

The post UN Mission Expresses Concern Over Reported Detention of Women in Herat appeared first on Khaama Press.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has delivered messages from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a high-level visit to Tehran, according to Iranian media reports.

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Sunday that the messages from Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership were formally handed over during Naqvi’s meeting with Araghchi earlier in the day.

Naqvi had arrived in Tehran the previous night, saying he was carrying an important message for Iranian officials from Pakistan’s top leadership, including the prime minister and army chief.

In comments to Iranian state media, Naqvi said his mission is part of ongoing diplomatic engagement aimed at managing regional tensions and supporting dialogue between Tehran and Washington.

Pakistan has played a mediating role between Iran and the United States in recent months, as indirect contacts continue amid efforts to prevent further escalation in the region.

The visit comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Gulf, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, where recent clashes involving Iranian and US forces have raised concerns about regional security and maritime stability.

Meanwhile, Islamabad is seeking to maintain balanced relations with both Tehran and Washington while positioning itself as a facilitator for de-escalation in one of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical flashpoints.

The post Pakistan’s Naqvi Delivers Leadership Messages to Iran’s Foreign Minister appeared first on Khaama Press.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea on Monday for a one-day visit, marking his first trip to the country in nearly seven years and underscoring Beijing’s efforts to strengthen ties with its longtime ally.

China’s state news agency Xinhua reported that the visit will take place at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and coincides with the 65th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the two countries.

The trip will be Xi’s first foreign visit of the year and comes as China seeks to reaffirm its influence in Pyongyang amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia.

Chinese and North Korean officials are expected to discuss bilateral relations, regional security issues and economic cooperation. Beijing remains North Korea’s most important diplomatic and economic partner, providing a crucial lifeline to the heavily sanctioned country through trade and investment.

The visit follows a period of renewed engagement between the two neighbors. Rail and air links suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic have gradually resumed, while diplomatic exchanges have increased over the past year.

Xi’s trip also comes as North Korea accelerates the development of its nuclear and missile programs. In recent weeks, Pyongyang has pledged to expand its nuclear arsenal, unveiled new military projects and signaled that it has no intention of abandoning its status as a nuclear weapons state.

The last meeting between Xi and Kim took place in September 2025, when the North Korean leader visited China. Xi’s upcoming trip will be his first visit to Pyongyang since 2019 and is expected to highlight the enduring strategic relationship between the two neighboring countries.

The post China’s Xi to Visit North Korea Tomorrow appeared first on Khaama Press.

At least one person was killed and six others wounded in a shooting attack near a fuel storage facility in central Israel on Sunday, according to Israeli emergency services and police.

Al Jazeera reported that two suspects linked to the attack were killed following the incident. Israeli emergency responders said the body of a man with severe gunshot wounds was found near the settlement of Tzur Natan, while another victim was reported to be in critical condition.

Emergency officials said additional casualties were found near a fuel tank facility close to the town of Kochav Yair. Several of the wounded were transferred to hospitals for treatment.

Israeli police said one suspected attacker, identified as an Arab-Israeli citizen, was killed during the security response. Authorities added that another suspect initially remained at large, prompting a large-scale manhunt in the area.

The shooting comes amid heightened security tensions across Israel and the wider region following months of conflict in Gaza, where military operations and humanitarian conditions continue to draw international concern. Israeli authorities have remained on high alert over the risk of attacks inside the country as fighting persists on multiple fronts.

The incident also occurs against the backdrop of continued instability along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. Despite diplomatic efforts and ceasefire discussions, exchanges of fire involving Israeli forces and Hezbollah have continued, raising fears of a broader regional escalation.

Israeli authorities said the investigation into Sunday’s shooting remains ongoing and that security forces are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack.

The post One Killed, Six Wounded in Shooting Attack in Central Israel appeared first on Khaama Press.

The European Union has nominated Nicola Bellomo as its new chargé d’affaires for Afghanistan, as the bloc continues its diplomatic engagement with the country amid a deepening humanitarian crisis and ongoing concerns over human rights.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) announced the appointment as part of a broader reshuffle approved by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, which includes 33 new ambassadors and seven deputy heads of mission across the bloc’s diplomatic network.

Bellomo, who previously oversaw African affairs within the EU’s foreign policy apparatus and served as the bloc’s ambassador to Rwanda, is expected to replace current chargé d’affaires Veronika Boskovic Pohar in Kabul. The nomination remains subject to approval by the host authorities and completion of administrative procedures.

The European Union has maintained a diplomatic presence in Kabul at the chargé d’affaires level since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. While the EU has not formally recognized the Taliban government, it has continued engagement on humanitarian assistance, development issues and regional stability.

The appointment comes as Afghanistan faces one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. UN agencies estimate that millions of Afghans require humanitarian assistance amid widespread poverty, food insecurity, economic hardship and repeated climate-related disasters, while aid organizations have warned that funding shortfalls are limiting relief operations.

The EU has also remained one of the strongest international critics of Taliban restrictions on women and girls. European officials have repeatedly condemned bans on secondary and higher education for girls, limits on women’s employment and broader restrictions on civic freedoms, arguing that such policies continue to hinder Afghanistan’s international engagement and economic recovery.

Brussels has consistently stated that any future expansion of relations with the Taliban will depend on progress in human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls, as well as the formation of a more inclusive political framework in Afghanistan.

The post EU Nominates New Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

Cuba has begun distributing weapons to civilian volunteers and expanding military preparedness measures, urging citizens to be ready for what authorities describe as a potential external threat.

According to local media reports, the Cuban government has activated emergency defense plans across the country, including military training, mobilization of civilian defense units and broader public participation in national security preparations.

Officials said the measures are defensive in nature and are intended to strengthen the country’s ability to respond to any potential foreign aggression. The reported distribution of weapons to civilians marks a rare step by the government and has drawn comparisons to past periods of heightened security tensions.

The move comes as relations between Havana and Washington remain strained. Cuban authorities have repeatedly accused the United States of seeking to undermine the country’s political system, while U.S. officials have long criticized Cuba over human rights concerns, political freedoms and its regional policies.

The reported mobilization has revived memories of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when Cuba prepared for a possible military confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. That crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war and remains one of the most significant events in Cold War history.

The latest measures also come as Cuba faces a severe economic crisis marked by shortages of food, fuel and medicine, as well as persistent power outages.

No official response has been issued by Washington regarding the reported weapons distribution. Observers say the measures may be intended primarily as a deterrent, though they could further heighten tensions in the Caribbean at a time of broader international instability.

The post Cuba Begins Arming Civilians Amid Fears of Possible US Invasion appeared first on Khaama Press.

The UN Security Council will hold a meeting on Afghanistan on Monday, where UNAMA’s top official in the country is expected to brief members on recent developments.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said the meeting will take place at UN headquarters in New York at 10:00 a.m. local time (6:30 p.m. Kabul time). Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, is expected to present an update on the situation in Afghanistan.

According to UNAMA, the briefing comes ahead of a separate Security Council meeting scheduled for June 16, when members are expected to discuss the extension of the mission’s mandate in Afghanistan. The Council previously approved only a three-month extension, reflecting ongoing discussions among member states about the mission’s future role.

The meeting takes place as Afghanistan continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, with millions of people dependent on aid amid widespread poverty, food insecurity and funding shortfalls. UN agencies have repeatedly warned that declining international assistance is limiting their ability to reach vulnerable communities across the country.

The Security Council is also expected to hear concerns over restrictions on women and girls, who remain barred from secondary and higher education under Taliban policies. Human rights groups and Western governments have continued to press the Taliban to reverse the restrictions, while UN officials have warned that the measures are harming Afghanistan’s long-term development and international engagement prospects.

UNAMA has remained the United Nations’ principal political mission in Afghanistan since 2002, supporting humanitarian coordination, human rights monitoring and engagement with Afghan authorities and international stakeholders. The mission’s mandate has been renewed annually by the Security Council, though debates over its future direction have intensified since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

The post UN Security Council to Discuss Afghanistan on Monday appeared first on Khaama Press.

German lawmaker Hannah Neumann warned that deals facilitating Afghan migrant deportations could weaken Europe’s credibility, values and security.

German Member of the European Parliament Hannah Neumann has warned that any effort by the European Union to compromise its foreign policy principles in pursuit of agreements on returning Afghan migrants could damage both Europe’s credibility and security.

Speaking to Euractiv, Neumann said that if the EU sacrifices its values to secure deportation arrangements with the Taliban, it risks undermining its standing as a defender of human rights and democratic norms.

She described the prospect of Taliban representatives being welcomed in Brussels as particularly troubling while millions of Afghan girls remain barred from secondary education and higher studies under Taliban rule.

Neumann warned that the consequences of such a move would extend beyond Afghanistan, arguing that authoritarian governments elsewhere could interpret European engagement as a sign that pressure and leverage can force concessions from the bloc.

Her comments come as the European Union considers hosting a Taliban delegation for technical-level discussions. EU officials have stressed that any contacts would not amount to formal recognition of the Taliban government, but the prospect has drawn criticism from rights advocates and some European lawmakers.

The debate is unfolding as European governments face growing pressure over migration management. Several EU member states have sought ways to increase returns of rejected asylum seekers, while policymakers continue discussing the possibility of establishing migration processing or return hubs in third countries outside the bloc.

The issue also comes amid mounting concerns over the future of millions of Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries. Iran and Pakistan have intensified efforts to deport or pressure undocumented Afghans to leave, prompting warnings from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations that large-scale returns could deepen Afghanistan’s already severe humanitarian crisis.

According to international aid agencies, Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, with widespread poverty, food insecurity and limited economic opportunities. Human rights groups have argued that forced returns should not take place without adequate protection guarantees, particularly for women, girls, journalists, former government employees and other vulnerable groups.

The European Union has repeatedly stated that its policy toward the Taliban is based on conditional engagement and that no formal recognition will be granted unless significant progress is made on human rights, governance and counterterrorism commitments.

The post German Lawmaker Warns Afghan Migrant Deportation Deals Could Undermine Europe’s Credibility appeared first on Khaama Press.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday sharply criticized several European leaders, with ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying recent statements by some European Union officials raise serious questions about their competence and leadership.

Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Zakharova described remarks by some European leaders on Ukraine and regional security as “illogical,” according to Russia’s state news agency TASS.

She said the comments suggested that certain decisions and public statements made by European officials could not be regarded as balanced or rational, though she did not identify specific leaders in her latest remarks.

Zakharova also referred to past comments by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding NATO’s “brain death,” arguing that recent developments have renewed debate over the effectiveness and strategic direction of European leadership.

The remarks come as relations between Russia and the European Union remain at their lowest level in decades following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. European governments have imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Moscow and increased military, financial and political support for Kyiv.

EU member states have continued to back Ukraine’s defense efforts and reconstruction plans, while several European leaders have pledged long-term security assistance. Moscow, however, has repeatedly accused Western governments of prolonging the conflict through arms deliveries and political support for Ukraine.

The war has become a central source of tension between Russia and Europe, reshaping security policies across the continent and prompting NATO members to increase defense spending amid concerns over broader regional instability.

The post Moscow Raises Doubts Over Competence of Some EU Leaders appeared first on Khaama Press.

The United States is considering using Iranian assets to help cover damage caused by Iranian attacks on Gulf states, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, as fighting and diplomatic tensions continue to escalate across the region.

According to the source, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has tasked a team with assessing damage caused by Iranian missile and drone attacks on Gulf allies, including Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The review is also examining whether Iranian assets could be used to fund future reconstruction efforts.

The report comes amid continuing military exchanges between Washington and Tehran. U.S. Central Command said American forces recently shot down multiple Iranian attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as threats to international shipping. The U.S. military also said it targeted Iranian coastal radar sites near Qeshm Island and Gorouk following the incidents.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has said it launched retaliatory attacks against U.S. positions in Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwaiti authorities reported intercepting ballistic missiles that crossed over populated areas, while Bahrain activated emergency sirens and urged residents to seek shelter.

The development coincides with stalled efforts to reach a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Iranian officials have linked progress in negotiations to the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets, while Pakistani officials have continued mediation efforts between the two sides.

A Pakistani delegation led by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran over the weekend carrying messages from Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership, underscoring ongoing regional attempts to revive diplomatic talks and prevent a broader conflict.

The latest tensions have raised concerns over security in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. Repeated military incidents in and around the waterway have fueled fears of disruptions to global energy markets and international shipping.

The post US Eyes Iranian Assets to Rebuild Gulf Allies appeared first on Khaama Press.

Many aid and development projects in Afghanistan are failing to deliver meaningful benefits to rural communities despite significant spending, according to a report published by Al Jazeera, which highlighted concerns over project design, oversight and accountability.

The report cited examples from central Afghanistan’s Daikundi province, where farmers said storage facilities built to preserve fruit harvests were too small to meet local needs. In several villages, farmers reported that large quantities of apples spoiled because the facilities could only accommodate produce from a handful of families.

Al Jazeera also described another agriculture project in which imported vegetable seeds were distributed to farmers alongside training and technical support. Despite the investment, participants said yields were poor and generated only modest returns, raising questions about the project’s effectiveness.

The report said such complaints are common across rural Afghanistan, where communities often face unemployment, weak infrastructure and limited market access. While aid organizations frequently report successful outcomes, beneficiaries interviewed by the outlet said some projects have failed to address their most pressing economic challenges.

The findings come as Afghanistan faces a deep humanitarian crisis. U.N. agencies have warned that millions of Afghans require humanitarian assistance, with widespread poverty, food insecurity and economic hardship persisting nearly five years after the Taliban returned to power.

Aid agencies are also grappling with shrinking international funding. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that budget cuts are reducing assistance programs at a time when needs remain among the highest in the world, increasing pressure to ensure available funds are spent effectively.

The report also referenced past findings by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), which documented billions of dollars in waste, fraud and mismanaged spending during two decades of international involvement in Afghanistan.

According to Al Jazeera, experts cited in the report argued that greater use of local expertise, stronger oversight and closer consultation with communities could improve the impact of aid projects and help ensure limited resources reach those most in need.

The post Aid Projects Deliver Limited Results in Afghanistan, Al Jazeera Reports appeared first on Khaama Press.

The Israeli military said it struck around 150 Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon over the weekend, as Lebanon’s army chief traveled to Pakistan for talks amid ongoing efforts to contain a widening regional conflict.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Israeli military said the targets were used by Hezbollah fighters to plan and carry out attacks against Israeli forces.

“These infrastructures were used by terrorists of the organization to advance and execute terrorist plans against Israel Defense Forces troops,” the military said.

The announcement came as the Lebanese Armed Forces confirmed that Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal had departed for Pakistan at the invitation of Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Lebanon’s military did not disclose the duration or detailed agenda of the visit. However, a Lebanese military source told Al Arabiya that discussions are expected to focus on military cooperation and training programs. Lebanese officers have long participated in training courses in Pakistan under bilateral defense cooperation arrangements.

The developments underscore the continued volatility along the Israel-Lebanon border despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire. Israeli forces have intensified operations against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, while the Iran-backed group has insisted it will not accept arrangements that require it to disarm before Israel withdraws its forces and halts military operations.

Lebanon’s government has backed U.S.-supported mediation efforts aimed at reaching a durable ceasefire, facilitating the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and addressing the future of Hezbollah’s weapons. However, Hezbollah has rejected proposals linking a ceasefire to its disarmament, arguing that Israeli military actions must end first.

The latest Israeli strikes come days after Lebanese authorities reported that several Lebanese soldiers, including officers, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a military vehicle in southern Lebanon. The incident drew condemnation from regional countries, including Qatar, which described the attack as a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and a threat to regional stability.

The conflict on Israel’s northern border has intensified alongside the broader confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Continued exchanges of fire, airstrikes and military deployments have raised concerns that Lebanon could become a central front in a wider regional escalation.

Pakistan has increasingly engaged in regional diplomatic efforts in recent weeks, maintaining contacts with Iran, Gulf states and other regional actors as tensions spread across the Middle East. Islamabad has repeatedly called for dialogue and de-escalation, warning that further instability could have serious consequences for regional security and global trade.

The post Israeli Strikes Target 150 Hezbollah Sites appeared first on Khaama Press.

North Korea has ruled out any possibility of abandoning its nuclear weapons program, with Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, declaring that the country’s status as a nuclear power is “final and irreversible” ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pyongyang.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Yo Jong rejected claims that the United States and China had reached a common position on North Korea’s denuclearization, describing such suggestions as false and detached from reality.

She said Pyongyang’s policy of continuously strengthening its nuclear deterrent, under the direction of Kim Jong Un, was a strategic decision that would be implemented without conditions and could not be reversed.

The remarks come just days before Xi is scheduled to arrive in North Korea on Monday for a two-day state visit, his first trip to Pyongyang since 2019. The visit is widely viewed as an effort by Beijing to reinforce ties with its longtime ally amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia.

Kim’s statement signals that North Korea is unlikely to make concessions on its nuclear arsenal despite renewed diplomatic engagement between Beijing and Pyongyang. Analysts have long viewed North Korea’s nuclear weapons program as a central pillar of the country’s security strategy and a key source of leverage in negotiations with foreign powers.

The comments also follow a series of recent moves by North Korea to expand its military capabilities. State media in recent days reported the opening of a new nuclear-material production facility, while Kim Jong Un has called for a significant expansion of the country’s nuclear arsenal and missile production capacity.

Separately, North Korea has accelerated efforts to modernize its military forces, including the development of larger naval assets and advanced missile systems. Reuters recently reported that Pyongyang was pushing ahead with plans for a 10,000-ton destroyer and expanding strategic weapons programs as Xi’s visit approaches.

China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and primary economic lifeline, providing crucial support despite international sanctions imposed over Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile activities. Beijing has consistently called for stability on the Korean Peninsula while opposing actions that could trigger further escalation.

North Korea’s nuclear program has been the subject of U.N. sanctions for years, with negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington largely stalled since the collapse of denuclearization talks during U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term. Since then, North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests and continued to advance its weapons programs despite international pressure.

Xi’s visit comes at a time when North Korea has deepened ties with Russia and increased military cooperation with Moscow. The trip is expected to focus on bilateral relations, regional security and economic cooperation, but Kim Yo Jong’s latest remarks suggest that North Korea’s nuclear ambitions will remain non-negotiable.

The post Kim Jong Un’s Sister Says North Korea’s Nuclear Status Is ‘Irreversible’ appeared first on Khaama Press.

China has launched a large-scale maritime law enforcement operation in waters east of Taiwan, state media reported, describing the mission as a response to plans by Japan and the Philippines to begin negotiations on maritime boundaries in the area.

According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, multiple Chinese agencies participated in the operation, including the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration, the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration, the East China Sea Navigation Support Center and the East China Sea Rescue Bureau.

Chinese authorities said the mission was aimed at strengthening maritime law enforcement, improving long-range patrol capabilities, monitoring vessel movements along key shipping routes, ensuring navigation safety and safeguarding what Beijing described as its national interests.

The operation follows a joint statement issued by Japan and the Philippines during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Tokyo in late May. The two countries announced plans to begin discussions on delimiting their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves in waters east of Taiwan, a move that has drawn criticism from Beijing.

China has not detailed the scale of assets involved in the operation, but the announcement underscores Beijing’s growing willingness to use maritime and coast guard agencies to assert its claims in disputed waters and respond to developments it views as challenging its sovereignty interests.

The latest operation comes amid heightened regional tensions across the Western Pacific, where China has increased military and coast guard activities near Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas. Beijing has repeatedly opposed closer security cooperation between the United States and its regional allies, arguing that such moves undermine stability and interfere in China’s internal affairs.

Taiwan has been governed separately since 1949, when the Republic of China government retreated to the island after losing the Chinese civil war. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to pursue reunification, while Taiwan’s government rejects China’s sovereignty claims and maintains that only the island’s people can determine their future.

Regional security concerns have intensified in recent years as Japan, the Philippines and other U.S. allies expand defense cooperation in response to China’s growing military presence. Tokyo and Manila have strengthened strategic ties, conducted joint exercises and increased coordination on maritime security issues in areas near Taiwan and the South China Sea.

The waters surrounding Taiwan are among the world’s most important shipping routes, carrying significant volumes of global trade. China has repeatedly stated that it opposes any international actions that it believes challenge its claims over Taiwan and adjacent waters, while Japan and the Philippines have emphasized the importance of international law and freedom of navigation in the region.

The post China Launches Maritime Operation Near Taiwan After Japan-Philippines Talks appeared first on Khaama Press.

U.S. forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after they posed a threat to international maritime traffic, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said, marking the latest escalation in a growing confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

In a statement, CENTCOM said American forces operating in the Middle East intercepted and destroyed the drones to protect civilian shipping and military personnel in the strategically important waterway.

“The drones posed a threat to international maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said, adding that U.S. forces remain on high alert and prepared to respond to further hostile actions.

The incident follows a series of military exchanges between the United States and Iran in and around the Gulf region. Earlier this week, CENTCOM reported destroying four Iranian attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz and later carried out strikes on Iranian coastal radar facilities, saying the systems were linked to threats against maritime navigation.

The latest confrontation comes less than a day after Iranian media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had seized a commercial vessel allegedly linked to a U.S. company in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities said the vessel was detained for violating navigation regulations, while U.S. officials had not publicly confirmed the seizure.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, handling roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments. Any disruption in the narrow waterway is closely monitored by governments and energy markets because of its potential impact on global fuel prices and supply chains.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified following a series of drone, missile and naval incidents linked to the broader regional conflict. The waterway has become a focal point of military activity, raising concerns among shipping companies and regional governments about freedom of navigation and maritime security.

The escalation has also had humanitarian and economic consequences beyond the Gulf. International aid agencies, including the World Food Programme, have warned that disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz are increasing transportation costs and delaying the delivery of humanitarian supplies to vulnerable countries, including Afghanistan.

Diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions remain underway, with several regional governments urging restraint and seeking to prevent a wider conflict. However, repeated military incidents at sea and competing claims from both sides have highlighted the fragility of the security situation in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.

Neither Iranian authorities nor the U.S. military reported casualties in Saturday’s drone incident. The situation remains under close watch as commercial shipping continues to navigate the Gulf amid heightened military activity.

The post CENTCOM Says It Destroyed Two Iranian Drones Threatening Shipping in Strait of Hormuz appeared first on Khaama Press.

Qatar has condemned an Israeli airstrike that killed two Lebanese army officers and a soldier in southern Lebanon, describing the attack as a dangerous escalation and a clear violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

In a statement issued late Saturday, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the strike threatened Lebanon’s security and stability and called on the international community to take action to halt Israeli military operations against the country.

The ministry urged Israel to respect international law, comply with international conventions and fully implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which was adopted to end the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah and remains the cornerstone of efforts to maintain stability along the border.

Qatar also reaffirmed its support for Lebanon’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, pledging continued backing for efforts aimed at strengthening the country’s stability and economic recovery.

The condemnation followed an Israeli airstrike on a Lebanese military vehicle on the Khardali-Nabatieh road in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese Army said the attack killed two officers and one soldier, marking one of the deadliest incidents involving Lebanese military personnel in recent months.

The strike came despite a ceasefire framework announced earlier this week with U.S. backing. Although the agreement was intended to reduce hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border, both sides have since accused each other of violations, raising concerns about the durability of the truce.

Cross-border violence between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified during the broader regional crisis involving Iran and its allies. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes in southern Lebanon, saying they are targeting Hezbollah positions, while the group has continued attacks against Israeli targets.

Lebanon has faced mounting humanitarian and economic pressures as the conflict has displaced thousands of civilians, damaged infrastructure and disrupted economic activity in border regions. International organizations have warned that continued military escalation could further strain a country already grappling with a prolonged financial crisis.

Qatar has been actively involved in diplomatic efforts across the Middle East and has repeatedly called for de-escalation in regional conflicts. The Gulf state has supported initiatives aimed at preserving stability in Lebanon and preventing a wider confrontation that could draw additional regional actors into the conflict.

The latest Israeli strike and the international reaction underscore growing concerns that repeated ceasefire violations could undermine diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict and increase the risk of a broader regional escalation.

The post Qatar Condemns Israeli Strike That Killed Lebanese Soldiers appeared first on Khaama Press.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran on Saturday carrying a special message from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, as regional tensions continue to rise following renewed military confrontations involving Iran, the United States and key Gulf waterways.

According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, Naqvi met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni shortly after arriving in the Iranian capital and is also scheduled to hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Naqvi said his visit included a diplomatic mission to deliver a special letter from Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

“I am in Iran to deliver a special message from the army chief and the prime minister of Pakistan to Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei,” Naqvi was quoted as saying.

The visit comes at a sensitive moment for the region, with tensions remaining high after recent exchanges between Iranian and U.S. forces around the Strait of Hormuz. Military incidents in and around the strategic waterway have raised concerns about regional stability, energy supplies and maritime security.

In recent days, both Iran and the United States have reported military actions against each other’s assets. The confrontation has intensified fears of a broader conflict that could affect trade routes, oil exports and regional economies.

Pakistan has sought to maintain diplomatic relations with both Tehran and Washington while calling for restraint and dialogue. Islamabad shares a long border with Iran and has repeatedly emphasized that further instability in the Middle East could have significant consequences for regional security.

The developments are being closely watched in neighboring Afghanistan, which remains heavily dependent on regional trade corridors and humanitarian supply routes. International agencies have recently warned that disruptions linked to the Middle East crisis and instability around the Strait of Hormuz are increasing transportation costs and delaying aid deliveries to Afghanistan.

Pakistan and Iran have also expanded consultations on border security, migration and trade in recent years. Both countries face challenges related to cross-border militancy, smuggling networks and the movement of Afghan refugees, making bilateral cooperation increasingly important amid wider regional uncertainty.

The latest diplomatic engagement underscores Pakistan’s efforts to remain involved in regional crisis-management initiatives as governments across the Middle East seek to prevent further escalation and protect critical economic and security interests.

The post Pakistan Sends Special Message to Iran as Gulf Crisis Deepens appeared first on Khaama Press.

Only one-third of Afghanistan’s population has access to electricity, with coverage in rural areas falling below 20%, according to a new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which warns that energy poverty remains a major obstacle to economic recovery and human development.

The UNDP said Afghanistan remains one of the world’s least energy-secure countries after decades of conflict, underinvestment and infrastructure damage. Annual energy consumption stands at about 700 kilowatt-hours per person, roughly 30 times lower than the global average.

The agency said limited access to reliable electricity continues to affect millions of Afghans, restricting access to healthcare, education, economic opportunities and essential services. It added that the country’s transition to cleaner energy is not only an environmental issue but also a matter of livelihoods, public health and human dignity.

In many rural communities, households continue to rely on firewood and other solid fuels for cooking and heating. According to the report, women and girls often travel long distances to collect fuel, exposing them to additional hardship while reducing time available for education and income-generating activities.

UNDP warned that indoor air pollution caused by burning solid fuels poses significant health risks, particularly for women, children and the elderly. The agency said dependence on traditional energy sources continues to limit development opportunities across large parts of the country.

To address the challenge, UNDP has expanded renewable energy projects across Afghanistan. Since 2021, the organization has supported the installation of solar energy systems at more than 6,000 sites, including over 5,400 healthcare facilities, hundreds of schools and small businesses.

The report comes as Afghanistan faces a broader humanitarian crisis. The United Nations estimates that millions of Afghans continue to require humanitarian assistance amid widespread poverty, unemployment and the effects of recurring droughts and natural disasters. Limited infrastructure and inadequate public services have further complicated recovery efforts since the country’s economic downturn.

UNDP said its renewable energy initiatives have helped reduce reliance on costly diesel fuel while improving access to power in underserved areas. According to the report, the projects prevent more than 33,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually and reduce diesel consumption by over 12 million liters each year.

The agency said expanding access to affordable and sustainable energy will remain critical to Afghanistan’s long-term development, particularly in rural regions where millions of people continue to live without reliable electricity.

The post Only 33% of Afghans Have Access to Electricity, UNDP Says appeared first on Khaama Press.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticized Lebanese President Joseph Aoun after the Lebanese leader accused Tehran of using Lebanon as a bargaining tool in its disputes with the United States and Israel.

In a post on X on Saturday, Araghchi rejected Aoun’s remarks and argued that Iran had supported Lebanon rather than exploited it.

“If Lebanon were a pressure card for Iran, we would have reached an agreement long ago,” Araghchi wrote. “Save Lebanon from your real enemy, Mr. President.”

The exchange followed an interview with CNN in which Aoun accused Iran of interfering in Lebanese affairs and using the country as leverage in its negotiations with Washington and its confrontation with Israel.

“Lebanon is tired of the wars,” Aoun said, adding that it was unacceptable for outside actors to use the country as a bargaining chip in broader regional disputes.

Responding to the criticism, Araghchi suggested that Aoun’s comments ignored what Tehran sees as the primary threat facing Lebanon. He said the Lebanese president’s argument implied that Iran, rather than Israel, was responsible for the country’s security challenges and repeated Israeli military operations.

The dispute comes at a sensitive moment for Lebanon, which is attempting to implement a recently announced ceasefire agreement with Israel following months of cross-border fighting and military escalation involving Hezbollah. Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain high, with reports of continued military incidents and mutual accusations of violations.

Under the terms of the agreement, efforts are underway to secure the withdrawal of armed Hezbollah elements from southern Lebanon and prevent a renewed outbreak of hostilities. Hezbollah, however, has publicly criticized the arrangement and said it does not provide sufficient guarantees for a full Israeli withdrawal from contested areas.

Iran has long been Hezbollah’s principal political and military backer, providing financial support, training and weapons to the group over several decades. Tehran views Hezbollah as a key component of its regional network of allies, while Israel, the United States and several Western governments consider the group a major security threat.

The disagreement between Tehran and Beirut also reflects broader debates within Lebanon about the country’s future security policy and the role of non-state armed groups. Lebanese officials have increasingly emphasized state sovereignty and the authority of national institutions, while critics argue that Hezbollah’s military capabilities continue to influence the country’s domestic and foreign policy.

The post Iran’s Araghchi Hits Back at Lebanese President Over Iran Criticism appeared first on Khaama Press.

Individuals may have far greater control over their health and longevity than previously believed, with lifestyle and environmental factors accounting for up to 80% of age-related health outcomes, according to a study presented at a conference in Oxford.

The research, conducted by a group of British experts in medicine, physiology, aging and public health, argues that most chronic illnesses associated with old age are influenced more by behavior and living conditions than by genetics alone. The authors described the 80% figure as a conservative estimate based on existing scientific evidence.

The researchers pointed to evidence suggesting that many of the factors linked to longer life expectancy and healthier aging are modifiable. These include diet, physical activity, sleep quality, alcohol consumption and other daily habits that can influence the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic conditions.

Among the study’s contributors are Christopher Ball, Sir Muir Gray, Dr. Paul Chen, Leslie Kenny and Professor Denis Noble, who said the findings challenge the common belief that aging-related diseases are largely predetermined by inherited factors.

The study recommends reducing consumption of highly processed foods, improving sleep patterns, limiting red meat intake and adopting healthier lifestyles earlier in life. The authors also called on the British government to consider stricter regulations on alcohol, arguing that public policy can play an important role in preventing disease.

The debate comes as populations across Europe, North America and Asia continue to age rapidly, increasing pressure on healthcare systems and prompting governments to focus more closely on prevention. The World Health Organization has repeatedly emphasized that reducing chronic diseases through healthier lifestyles could significantly lower healthcare costs and improve quality of life in older age.

Scientists increasingly agree that genetics explains only part of the variation in human lifespan. Large-scale studies over the past decade have found that factors such as smoking, diet, exercise, education, income and access to healthcare often have a greater influence on long-term health outcomes than inherited genetic traits alone.

Despite differing views on the exact contribution of individual behavior, researchers broadly agree that healthy lifestyle choices can substantially reduce the risk of many age-related illnesses. The study’s authors said recognizing personal responsibility should not replace public health measures but rather empower people to make informed decisions that improve their chances of living longer and healthier lives.

The post Lifestyle Factors Drive Up to 80% of Ill Health in Old Age, UK Study Finds appeared first on Khaama Press.

Several Lebanese soldiers, including an officer, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese authorities said on Saturday, in an incident that underscores the fragility of a recently announced ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that an Israeli aircraft struck a Lebanese Army vehicle on the Khardali-Nabatieh road in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese military confirmed the attack but did not immediately disclose the number of soldiers killed.

The army said the vehicle was carrying military personnel when it was targeted. No immediate comment was issued by the Israeli military regarding the reported strike.

The incident comes days after the United States announced that Israel and Lebanon had reached a ceasefire agreement aimed at reducing hostilities along the border after months of escalating violence. The agreement was intended to halt military operations and create conditions for broader diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region.

However, the truce has already come under strain, with both sides accusing each other of violations. Hezbollah has questioned the effectiveness of the agreement, while Lebanese officials have reported continued Israeli military activity in parts of southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire announcement.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensified after the Iran-backed group launched attacks in support of Tehran during the recent regional conflict. In response, Israeli forces expanded military operations in southern Lebanon, carrying out airstrikes against what they described as Hezbollah positions and infrastructure.

The violence has caused significant casualties and damage across southern Lebanon, forcing thousands of civilians from their homes and placing additional pressure on the country’s already fragile economy and public services. International organizations have repeatedly warned of worsening humanitarian conditions in areas affected by the conflict.

The Lebanese Army has sought to maintain its presence in the south and prevent further escalation, but military personnel have increasingly found themselves operating in areas exposed to cross-border hostilities. Previous clashes and strikes have also resulted in casualties among Lebanese security forces.

The latest strike comes amid growing international efforts to preserve the ceasefire and prevent a broader regional conflict. The United States, France and the United Nations have called on all parties to respect the agreement and avoid actions that could undermine stability along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The post Lebanese Soldiers Killed in Israeli Airstrike Despite Ceasefire Agreement appeared first on Khaama Press.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the conflict in the Middle East and soaring fuel prices have significantly disrupted humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, increasing aid delivery times from around 10 days to as long as 75 days and driving transport costs up by as much as fivefold.

In a statement, the U.N. agency said cargo trucks carrying humanitarian supplies have been forced to use longer alternative routes because key trade and transport corridors have been disrupted, delaying the delivery of food and other essential assistance to vulnerable communities.

WFP said joint U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, combined with disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and higher global oil prices, have pushed an additional 1.5 million people closer to hunger. The agency warned that rising fuel and transportation costs are increasing pressure on food supply chains across several vulnerable countries.

The agency noted that it had projected in March that as many as 45 million people worldwide could face severe food insecurity if crude oil prices remained around $100 per barrel through June. WFP said that scenario is increasingly becoming a reality, with oil prices remaining above that threshold for much of the period.

According to the agency, families in Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka are among the most vulnerable to the economic fallout. Many households are facing higher food and fuel costs, reduced incomes and growing disruptions to trade and market access.

WFP warned that if current disruptions continue, an additional 2.3 million people in Afghanistan and 2.5 million people in Somalia could be pushed into food insecurity.

Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. WFP recently warned that 17.4 million people in the country could face acute food insecurity in 2026, while nearly 4.9 million mothers and children are expected to suffer from malnutrition. Decades of conflict, economic decline, climate shocks and widespread poverty have left millions dependent on humanitarian assistance.

The latest warning comes as international aid agencies grapple with significant funding shortfalls. Humanitarian organizations operating in Afghanistan have repeatedly reported that reductions in donor funding are forcing them to scale back food assistance, healthcare and nutrition programs despite growing needs across the country.

WFP said the combination of conflict-related trade disruptions, rising transportation costs and declining humanitarian funding is creating additional challenges for relief operations, underscoring the need for sustained international support to prevent a further deterioration of food security conditions.

The post Hormuz Disruptions Delay Afghanistan Aid Deliveries From 10 to 75 Days, WFP Says appeared first on Khaama Press.

Iranian authorities have seized a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state-affiliated media, marking the latest incident in one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.

Iran’s Fars News Agency reported on Saturday that the vessel, identified as belonging to the U.S.-based shipping company Arista, was detained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for allegedly violating navigation laws and transit regulations in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian media published images of the vessel and said the seizure occurred after Iranian forces detected what they described as unauthorized movements through the waterway. The report said four tankers attempted to leave the strait under the “guidance and encouragement” of the U.S. military.

According to the IRGC account cited by Fars, one vessel was intercepted and stopped while three others turned back. Iranian authorities did not immediately provide further details about the ship, its crew or cargo.

The United States had not publicly confirmed the seizure or commented on Iran’s claims as of Saturday.

The incident comes after weeks of military tensions in the Gulf, where U.S. and Iranian forces have engaged in a series of confrontations. Earlier this week, U.S. Central Command said American forces shot down four Iranian attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz and later struck Iranian coastal radar sites, saying the drones posed an immediate threat to maritime traffic.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point of regional tensions since the escalation of hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Iranian authorities have said ships require authorization to transit the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of the world’s oil exports passes each day.

The latest seizure also comes as indirect diplomatic contacts between Tehran and Washington continue. Both sides have been exploring ways to reduce tensions and prevent a broader regional conflict, although no comprehensive agreement has yet been announced.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most critical maritime corridors in the global economy, connecting Gulf oil producers to international markets. Any disruption to shipping in the narrow waterway is closely monitored by energy traders and governments because of its potential impact on global oil supplies and transportation costs.

Iran has previously detained commercial vessels in Gulf waters during periods of heightened confrontation with Western countries, often citing maritime violations or security concerns. Such incidents have frequently triggered diplomatic disputes and raised concerns about freedom of navigation in the region.

With military activity and diplomatic efforts unfolding simultaneously, the latest vessel seizure highlights the fragile security environment in the Gulf and the continuing risks facing commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The post Iran Seizes US-Linked Vessel in Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Media Report appeared first on Khaama Press.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the rapid deployment of new warships and the expansion of the country’s underwater military capabilities ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Pyongyang, according to a Reuters report.

Reuters reported on Saturday that North Korea is seeking to strengthen its naval forces, including plans involving a 10,000-ton destroyer and the accelerated preparation of the destroyer Kang Kon, alongside another 5,000-ton warship.

The report said Kim recently supervised a naval exercise and used the occasion to stress the need for stronger maritime capabilities, arguing that North Korea must enhance its naval deterrence to prevent the risk of nuclear conflict.

Kim also called for further expansion of the country’s nuclear arsenal, continuing a policy that has placed nuclear and missile development at the center of North Korea’s defense strategy.

According to Reuters, North Korea last year acknowledged that a 5,000-ton destroyer partially capsized during a launch ceremony at the port of Chongjin, an incident that drew rare public criticism from Kim and highlighted challenges facing the country’s naval modernization efforts.

The military developments come shortly before Xi is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang on Monday for a two-day state visit, his first trip to North Korea since 2019. Chinese officials have said Xi will hold talks with Kim on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest as Beijing seeks to deepen ties with its longtime ally.

Xi’s visit is widely viewed as a significant diplomatic event for both countries. The trip follows a period of reduced high-level engagement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and comes as China seeks to reassert its influence in North Korea amid Pyongyang’s growing military and political cooperation with Russia.

China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and most important economic supporter. Despite international sanctions imposed over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, Beijing has continued to play a critical role in sustaining economic links with its neighbor and promoting stability on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea’s push to strengthen its naval forces reflects a broader military modernization campaign that includes the development of nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, submarines and strategic deterrence systems. In recent years, Kim has repeatedly pledged to expand the country’s military capabilities despite international pressure and sanctions.

The post North Korea Pushes Naval Buildup Ahead of Xi Jinping’s Visit appeared first on Khaama Press.

Members of Iran’s national football team have received U.S. visas to participate in the FIFA World Cup, a White House official said, ending uncertainty over the squad’s travel plans just days before its opening match in Los Angeles.

According to Reuters, the visas were issued around 10 days before Iran’s first World Cup fixture in the United States, despite heightened tensions and ongoing hostilities between Washington and Tehran.

The development came after Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, said late Thursday that the team had not yet received the necessary visas to enter the United States.

The decision clears the way for Iran’s participation in a tournament that will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The World Cup is expected to draw millions of spectators and remains one of the largest sporting events in the world.

The issue had attracted political attention in Washington. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that the United States would not allow individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be included in the country’s World Cup delegation.

The visa approvals come amid continuing tensions between the United States and Iran, including recent military confrontations and disputes over regional security. Both countries have exchanged accusations over developments in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, while diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions have yet to produce a comprehensive breakthrough.

The tournament is set to mark a historic moment in World Cup history. According to Reuters, it is the first World Cup since the competition began in 1930 in which a host nation is scheduled to welcome the national team of a country with which it is engaged in active hostilities.

Despite the political backdrop, FIFA regulations require host nations to facilitate the entry of participating teams, officials and accredited personnel. Major international sporting events have often proceeded during periods of geopolitical tension, with organizers seeking to separate competition from political disputes.

The United States and Iran have maintained a complex relationship for decades, but tensions have intensified in recent months amid disputes over Iran’s nuclear program, regional security and military activity around the Strait of Hormuz. While indirect diplomatic contacts have continued, uncertainty remains over whether the two sides can reach a broader agreement to ease tensions.

For now, the visa approvals remove a major logistical obstacle for Iran’s national team and ensure that the players will be able to participate in the World Cup as scheduled.

The post Iran Football Team Receives US Visas Ahead of World Cup, White House Official Says appeared first on Khaama Press.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea on Monday for a two-day state visit, marking his first trip to Pyongyang in nearly seven years and signaling Beijing’s efforts to strengthen ties with its longtime ally after years of limited engagement following the COVID-19 pandemic.

China announced the visit on Friday, saying Xi will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for talks on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. The visit will be Xi’s first foreign trip of the year and comes amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said both countries would use the visit to further develop relations in line with “the requirements of the new era.”

According to Chinese state media, Xi and Kim are expected to discuss political, economic and security cooperation, as well as broader regional developments.

The visit comes as North Korea has deepened its relationship with Russia in recent years, including through military cooperation linked to the war in Ukraine. Pyongyang’s growing ties with Moscow have attracted international attention and raised questions about the future balance of influence among North Korea’s key partners.

For Beijing, the trip represents an opportunity to reaffirm its role as North Korea’s most important diplomatic and economic partner. China remains Pyongyang’s largest trading partner and a critical source of economic support despite international sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs.

The two countries are linked by a 1961 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, which includes commitments to provide military support if either side comes under attack. The agreement remains one of the most significant pillars of relations between Beijing and Pyongyang.

Recent months have seen signs of renewed engagement between the neighbors. Passenger rail services between Beijing and Pyongyang resumed in March after a six-year suspension, while air links have also been restored as cross-border exchanges gradually recover from pandemic-era restrictions.

Xi’s visit follows a series of high-profile diplomatic engagements involving major world leaders. The Chinese president has met U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin this year, while Kim attended a military parade in Beijing last September, underscoring growing contacts between the two governments.

The trip also comes as North Korea continues to expand its nuclear and missile programs. Kim has repeatedly called for strengthening the country’s nuclear arsenal, prompting concern from the United States, South Korea and Japan.

The post China’s Xi to Visit North Korea for First Time Since 2019 appeared first on Khaama Press.

Afghan education activist Matiullah Wesa, founder of the Pen Path organization and a prominent advocate for children’s education, has received France’s 2026 Freedom Prize, an award recognizing efforts in education, human rights and freedom.

Wesa announced the award on Saturday in a post on Facebook, saying he received the prize during a ceremony in the French city of Caen. He thanked the people of Afghanistan for supporting his work and advocacy on behalf of education, particularly for children deprived of schooling.

The activist said the cash component of the award belongs to him personally but that he intends to use the funds to build schools in remote areas of Afghanistan, where access to education remains limited.

The Freedom Prize is awarded by the Normandy Region and the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace in France. Organizers said Wesa was selected after receiving support from 18,708 young voters from 75 countries in an online ballot held earlier this year.

Wesa has become one of Afghanistan’s best-known campaigners for education, gaining international recognition for traveling across the country to encourage families to send children to school and for advocating equal access to education for girls and boys.

His recognition comes at a time when Afghanistan faces one of the world’s most severe education crises. Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, girls have been barred from attending secondary schools and universities, making Afghanistan the only country in the world where girls are prohibited from education beyond the sixth grade.

In March 2023, Wesa was arrested by the Taliban and held for approximately seven months. His detention drew widespread criticism from international human rights organizations, education advocates and foreign governments, many of which called for his immediate release.

The restrictions on girls’ education have prompted repeated condemnation from the United Nations, rights groups and Muslim-majority countries, which have urged Taliban authorities to reopen schools and universities to female students. International agencies warn that continued limits on education could have long-term consequences for Afghanistan’s economic development and social stability.

Despite the challenges, Afghan education advocates inside and outside the country have continued to campaign for broader access to schooling. Wesa’s latest international recognition highlights ongoing global concern over the state of education in Afghanistan and the efforts of activists seeking to preserve learning opportunities for future generations.

The post Matiullah Wesa Wins French Freedom Prize, Pledges Award Funds for Schools in Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.

At least 1.4 million people across Lebanon have been directly affected by Israeli attacks and now require urgent humanitarian assistance, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.

In a statement, OCHA said humanitarian partners were able to deliver assistance to more than 680,000 people between March 2 and May 31, providing food, shelter, healthcare and other essential services to communities impacted by the conflict.

However, the agency warned that humanitarian needs continue to outpace available resources and appealed for an additional $331.5 million to expand aid operations and reach 1.4 million vulnerable people through August.

OCHA said the funding is critical to sustaining emergency relief efforts and supporting families affected by displacement, damaged infrastructure and deteriorating living conditions.

Lebanon has faced mounting humanitarian pressures since hostilities involving Israel intensified, with large numbers of civilians forced from their homes and public services placed under increasing strain. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that continued violence risks deepening humanitarian needs across the country.

The U.N. and its partners have focused on delivering emergency food assistance, medical care, clean water and shelter support, particularly in areas most heavily affected by the fighting. Humanitarian organizations say many families continue to rely on aid as they struggle to recover from repeated displacement and economic hardship.

The latest appeal comes as Lebanon remains mired in a prolonged economic crisis that has severely weakened public institutions and reduced the ability of many households to cope with additional shocks. The country has experienced years of financial instability, high inflation and declining public services, leaving millions vulnerable even before the latest escalation in violence.

International aid organizations have warned that damage to homes, infrastructure and essential facilities could have long-term consequences for affected communities. Humanitarian agencies say sustained funding will be needed not only for emergency relief but also for recovery efforts aimed at restoring livelihoods and basic services in conflict-affected areas.

OCHA said it continues to coordinate relief operations with humanitarian partners but cautioned that without additional donor support, assistance programs may face significant constraints in the coming months.

The post U.N. Says 1.4 Million People in Lebanon Need Urgent Aid After Israeli Attacks appeared first on Khaama Press.

The United States has approved a potential $1.98 billion sale of counter-drone systems and related equipment to Kuwait, the State Department said, in a move aimed at strengthening the Gulf state’s air defense capabilities against emerging aerial threats.

In a statement released on Friday, the U.S. State Department said the proposed package includes equipment, systems and support services designed to detect, track and counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The department said the sale is intended to enhance Kuwait’s ability to address drone-related threats and improve regional defense capabilities at a time of heightened security concerns across the Gulf region.

“The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally,” the State Department said.

The proposed deal will now be reviewed by the U.S. Congress, which has the authority to block major foreign military sales, although such objections are relatively rare.

The announcement comes as Gulf states increasingly invest in air defense and counter-drone technologies amid growing concerns over the use of unmanned aerial systems in regional conflicts. Military planners across the Middle East have identified drones as one of the most significant emerging threats to critical infrastructure, military installations and commercial shipping routes.

The proposed sale also follows heightened tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz, where U.S. Central Command recently said American forces shot down four Iranian attack drones and later struck Iranian coastal radar sites after describing the aircraft as a threat to maritime traffic. The incidents underscored growing concerns among Gulf allies about the risks posed by drones and missile systems in the region.

Kuwait hosts thousands of U.S. military personnel and serves as a key logistics and security partner for Washington in the Gulf. The country has steadily expanded defense cooperation with the United States in recent years through arms purchases, military training programs and joint security initiatives.

The post US Approves Potential $1.98 Billion Counter-Drone Defense Sale to Kuwait appeared first on Khaama Press.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran has retained only about 21% to 22% of its missile arsenal following recent U.S. military operations, claiming that Washington’s actions have significantly degraded Tehran’s military capabilities.

Speaking to NBC News on Friday, Trump said Iran still possessed a substantial number of missiles but far fewer than before.

“Percentage-wise, maybe 21% or 22% of their missiles remain. That’s still a lot of missiles, but it’s not what it was,” Trump said.

The U.S. president did not provide evidence to support the assessment or explain how the figure was calculated. Trump has repeatedly argued that American military actions and pressure campaigns have weakened Iran’s military infrastructure and reduced its ability to threaten U.S. interests and regional allies.

His remarks come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following a series of military exchanges in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes.

Earlier this week, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces shot down four Iranian attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as an immediate threat to maritime traffic. The U.S. military subsequently struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites at Gorouk and on Qeshm Island, saying the action was intended to prevent further attacks and protect regional shipping lanes.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed that U.S. strikes targeted locations in southern Iran but said Tehran responded by launching missiles toward U.S. military facilities in the region. U.S. officials have not publicly confirmed Iranian claims that American bases were successfully hit.

Despite Trump’s assessment, U.S. intelligence agencies have previously reported that Iran continues to maintain a significant missile force and retains operational access to missile facilities along the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts regard Iran’s missile program as one of the largest and most sophisticated in the Middle East, providing Tehran with a key component of its regional deterrence strategy.

Iran’s missile arsenal has long been at the center of tensions with the United States and its allies. Washington has repeatedly sought to curb Iran’s missile development through sanctions and diplomatic pressure, arguing that the program threatens regional stability. Tehran rejects those claims and maintains that its missile capabilities are intended solely for defensive purposes.

The latest confrontation comes against a backdrop of broader disputes over Iran’s nuclear program, regional influence and maritime security in the Gulf. Escalating military activity around the Strait of Hormuz has raised concerns among global energy markets, as roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies pass through the strategic waterway.

Neither Washington nor Tehran has indicated a willingness to scale back its rhetoric in recent days, underscoring the risk of further confrontation in one of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical flashpoints.

The post Trump Says Iran Retains About 22% of Missile Arsenal After US Strikes appeared first on Khaama Press.

Uzbekistan has entered the active phase of preparing the economic and technical feasibility study for the Trans-Afghan Corridor, with the process expected to be completed by the end of this year, a senior Uzbek official said.

Shukhrat Gulyamov, deputy minister of investment, industry and trade of Uzbekistan, announced the development during the second Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia, held in Tashkent.

“We have entered the active stage of preparing the feasibility study for this project and have set a deadline for our team to present concrete figures to governments by the end of the year, so that the future direction of the project becomes clear,” Gulyamov said.

He added that field surveys and technical assessments have already begun as part of the project’s next phase.

Gulyamov described the Trans-Afghan Corridor as one of the region’s most important strategic infrastructure initiatives, saying it has the potential to play a key role in linking Central Asia with South Asia through Afghanistan.

He said Uzbek authorities view the project as more than a single transport route and suggested it could eventually evolve into a broader transport network within Afghanistan.

The official added that the corridor is being pursued within a wider framework of regional connectivity projects involving Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project.

The second Termez Dialogue opened on Thursday with the participation of around 150 representatives from governments, international organizations and regional institutions to discuss economic cooperation and transport links between Central and South Asia.

The Trans-Afghan Corridor is widely viewed as a cornerstone of regional efforts to improve trade and transport connectivity. Supporters of the project argue that it could provide landlocked Central Asian states with shorter and more cost-effective access to South Asian markets and seaports while boosting Afghanistan’s role as a regional transit hub.

The feasibility study is expected to play a critical role in determining the project’s cost, route options, financing requirements and long-term economic viability before governments decide on the next stage of development.

The post Uzbekistan Advances Feasibility Study for Trans-Afghan Transport Corridor appeared first on Khaama Press.

More than 17 million people in Afghanistan are expected to face severe food insecurity in 2026, while nearly 5 million mothers and children are projected to suffer from malnutrition, the World Food Programme (WFP) said, warning that the country remains one of the world’s worst hunger crises.

In a report released on Friday, the U.N. agency said an estimated 17.4 million people in Afghanistan will experience acute food insecurity next year. The organization also warned that 4.9 million mothers and children are expected to be affected by malnutrition, describing the situation as the most severe malnutrition crisis ever recorded in the country.

According to the WFP, Afghans continue to struggle with the cumulative impact of four decades of conflict, a prolonged economic crisis, widespread poverty, recurrent droughts and natural disasters that have weakened livelihoods across the country.

The agency said a magnitude-6 earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan in August 2025 further worsened humanitarian conditions, leaving hundreds dead and thousands more affected.

WFP warned that women and girls remain among the groups hardest hit by the food crisis. The agency said existing restrictions have increased their vulnerability and limited their access to opportunities and resources, forcing many families to rely increasingly on humanitarian assistance.

The organization added that female-headed households remain a priority for food assistance programs due to their heightened exposure to poverty and food shortages.

The warning comes as humanitarian agencies grapple with a sharp decline in international funding. WFP said budget shortfalls have severely constrained its operations in Afghanistan, limiting its ability to reach vulnerable communities at a time when needs remain exceptionally high.

Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies. The United Nations estimates that millions of people continue to depend on aid for survival, with many households unable to meet basic food and healthcare needs amid economic stagnation and high unemployment.

Aid agencies have repeatedly cautioned that reductions in donor funding could force further cuts to food assistance, nutrition programs and emergency relief efforts. Humanitarian organizations say sustained international support will be critical to preventing a further deterioration in food security and protecting vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.

The WFP said it continues to prioritize life-saving assistance but warned that without additional funding, its capacity to respond to growing needs across Afghanistan could face further challenges in the months ahead.

The post WFP Warns 17.4 Million Afghans Will Face Severe Hunger in 2026 appeared first on Khaama Press.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration had achieved a “major success” in its approach toward Iran and insisted that Tehran would not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Iran was not in a position to develop nuclear arms but did not provide details about any specific diplomatic, military or policy measures behind his assessment.

“They are not going to have a nuclear weapon. They are not in a position to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

The U.S. president did not elaborate on ongoing contacts with Iran or disclose any new developments related to Washington’s strategy toward Tehran.

Trump has repeatedly identified preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon as a central objective of U.S. policy. Throughout his political career, he has argued that Iran’s nuclear activities pose a threat to regional and international security and has supported a combination of sanctions, diplomatic pressure and deterrence measures.

Iran has consistently denied seeking to develop nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes, including energy production and scientific research. Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected accusations by the United States and several Western countries that Tehran is pursuing a military nuclear capability.

Tensions over Iran’s nuclear activities have remained a major source of friction between Tehran and Western governments for more than two decades. International inspectors and Western powers have closely monitored Iran’s uranium enrichment program, which has been at the center of diplomatic disputes and negotiations aimed at limiting Tehran’s nuclear activities.

The issue gained renewed prominence after the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), during Trump’s first term in office. Since then, efforts by international mediators to revive or replace the accord have faced repeated setbacks, while Iran has expanded aspects of its nuclear program beyond limits set by the original deal.

Trump’s latest remarks come amid continued debate over the future of U.S.-Iran relations and international efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, one of the world’s most strategically sensitive regions.

The post Trump Says Iran Will Not Obtain Nuclear Weapon, Cites Major US Success appeared first on Khaama Press.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he currently sees no reason to hold a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, signaling continued resistance to direct leader-level talks aimed at ending the more than three-year war.

Speaking during a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin declined to engage directly with a question about a recent letter from Zelensky and instead praised Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.

“The whole country is proud of you and places its hopes in you. Continue your work,” Putin said, addressing Russian servicemen involved in the conflict.

Asked whether he planned to meet Zelensky, Putin responded: “At the moment, I see no reason for this.”

The remarks come after Zelensky renewed calls for a face-to-face meeting with the Russian leader, arguing that direct negotiations between the two presidents could help advance efforts to end Europe’s largest armed conflict since World War Two.

Despite intermittent diplomatic contacts and mediation efforts, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on key issues, including territorial control, security guarantees and the conditions for a ceasefire. Previous rounds of negotiations have failed to produce a breakthrough capable of ending the war.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, displaced millions of people and reshaped the security landscape across Europe.

Putin’s latest comments underscore the continued challenges facing any peace initiative and suggest that prospects for a direct meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders remain remote in the near term.

The post Putin Says He Sees No Reason for Meeting With Zelensky appeared first on Khaama Press.

British police and prosecutors have dismantled an organized human smuggling network accused of illegally transporting 12 Afghan migrants, including a child, into the United Kingdom, authorities said.

According to local media outlet Essex Live, the suspects were identified and arrested following a lengthy investigation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and supported by police and security agencies.

Investigators allege that the Essex-based criminal network used a truck fitted with concealed compartments to smuggle the migrants into Britain. The group of 12 included Afghan Sikh migrants who were found hidden in dangerous conditions inside a secret compartment at the rear of the vehicle.

Authorities said the operation was led by a 69-year-old man from Clacton and his 52-year-old associate, who allegedly worked with other individuals, including members of an organized criminal group based in London, to coordinate the smuggling operation.

The case stems from a joint police and NCA operation carried out in west London in September 2019, when officers stopped the truck and discovered the migrants concealed inside the vehicle.

Prosecutors say the network exploited vulnerable migrants seeking to reach the United Kingdom and generated significant profits through illegal transportation operations. Investigators believe the group charged large sums of money for facilitating irregular entry into the country.

Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said suspects have faced charges including facilitating illegal immigration and money laundering. Some defendants have admitted their involvement, while cases against other alleged members of the network remain before the courts.

Afghans have remained among the largest groups seeking protection and resettlement in Europe since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Human rights organizations and migration experts have warned that restrictive migration pathways and ongoing instability in Afghanistan have left many vulnerable to exploitation by trafficking and smuggling networks.

The post UK Busts Human Smuggling Ring Linked to Trafficking of Afghan Migrants appeared first on Khaama Press.

A U.S. federal judge has ruled that immigration policies implemented under President Donald Trump that restricted the processing of immigration benefits for nationals of 39 countries, including Afghanistan, violated federal law.

Chief U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, found that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) unlawfully suspended or delayed the consideration of applications involving asylum, work permits, green cards and citizenship for affected applicants, according to Reuters.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in March by a coalition of immigrant service organizations and labor unions. The plaintiffs argued that USCIS had effectively stopped processing applications from individuals covered by travel-related restrictions since November, leaving thousands of cases in limbo.

In his decision, McConnell said immigration authorities could not deny or delay benefits solely because of an applicant’s nationality or country of birth. He added that the agency had failed to follow immigration laws enacted by Congress and had also violated its own administrative procedures.

The judge said many applicants had completed the legal requirements for immigration benefits but saw their cases remain unresolved for months without explanation.

The U.S. government had not publicly responded to the ruling as of Friday.

The decision could reopen immigration pathways for thousands of people whose applications for asylum, employment authorization, permanent residency and citizenship were delayed under the challenged policies.

The ruling marks the latest legal setback for Trump-era immigration measures, many of which faced challenges in federal courts. Several policies involving travel restrictions, refugee admissions and asylum procedures were the subject of years of litigation that shaped U.S. immigration policy.

Afghans are among those likely to be affected by the decision. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, tens of thousands of Afghans have sought protection, resettlement or legal status in the United States through asylum claims, humanitarian programs and family-based immigration channels. Advocacy groups have repeatedly raised concerns about processing delays affecting vulnerable applicants.

Legal experts say the case could have broader implications for how federal agencies handle immigration applications from nationals of countries subject to security-related restrictions. The administration may appeal the ruling, potentially setting up another court battle over the limits of executive authority in immigration matters.

The post US Judge Strikes Down Trump Policies Targeting Immigrants From 39 Countries appeared first on Khaama Press.

Police in India’s Punjab state have dismantled an alleged cross-border network involved in drug trafficking, illegal weapons distribution and money transfers, arresting six people, including an Afghan national, authorities said.

According to police, the operation led to the seizure of 1.035 kilograms of heroin, five pistols and 500,000 Indian rupees suspected to be proceeds from drug trafficking activities.

Authorities said the network maintained links with individuals based outside India and used social media platforms to coordinate the procurement, transportation and distribution of narcotics and weapons.

Preliminary investigations indicate that members of the group received instructions from handlers abroad before distributing drugs and firearms within India, police said.

One of the suspects, identified as Baz Mohammad, is an Afghan citizen who was residing in New Delhi. Police said he had previously been arrested in connection with narcotics-related offenses and allegedly played a managerial role within the network.

Officials added that two other suspects also had prior records linked to drug-related crimes.

Police said investigations are continuing into the group’s financial operations, including suspected money-transfer channels used to move proceeds from illegal activities. Efforts are also underway to identify and apprehend additional individuals connected to the network.

Punjab, which borders Pakistan, has long been a focal point for anti-narcotics operations due to its proximity to international trafficking routes. Indian authorities have repeatedly raised concerns about the smuggling of heroin, synthetic drugs and illegal weapons through cross-border networks operating in the region.

Indian security agencies have in recent years intensified efforts to disrupt trafficking syndicates that use encrypted messaging services and social media platforms to coordinate operations. Authorities say such networks increasingly rely on digital communication and transnational contacts to move drugs, weapons and illicit funds across borders.

The latest arrests come as law enforcement agencies across India continue investigations into organized criminal groups involved in narcotics trafficking and associated financial crimes.

The post Indian Police Dismantle Cross-Border Arms Network, Six Held Including Afghan Citizen appeared first on Khaama Press.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it shot down four Iranian attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz hours earlier, describing them as an immediate threat to maritime traffic in one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the drones posed a direct risk to vessels operating in the region. The U.S. military added that it subsequently targeted Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Gorouk and on Qeshm Island to defend against what it described as the threat of further attacks.

“These attack drones posed an immediate threat to maritime traffic in the region,” CENTCOM said.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that U.S. strikes had targeted areas in Sirik and on Qeshm Island along Iran’s southern coast.

The IRGC, however, said Iran had responded by launching missiles at U.S. bases in the region. It did not provide details on the locations targeted or the extent of any damage.

CENTCOM has not commented on Iran’s claim that American military installations were struck by Iranian missiles, and no independent confirmation of the reported attacks was immediately available.

The developments mark the latest escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran, raising concerns about security in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to global markets.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, with a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports passing through the route each day. Any disruption to shipping in the area can have immediate consequences for global energy markets and international trade.

Neither U.S. nor Iranian officials have reported casualties from the latest exchanges. The situation remains under close watch as both sides continue to issue statements regarding the incident.

The post US Downs Four Iranian Drones Over Hormuz appeared first on Khaama Press.

Pakistan’s water emergency is real. But the cause is not as simple as the one Islamabad keeps repeating.

Since India placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in April 2025 after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership has presented the move as an assault on the country’s national lifeline. The concern is not imaginary. The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has for more than six decades governed the sharing of the Indus river system between India and Pakistan. Under the treaty, the western rivers, the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, were allocated largely for Pakistan’s use, while the eastern rivers, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, were allocated to India.

For Pakistan, the treaty is deeply tied to agriculture, food security, hydropower and national survival. According to Reuters, roughly 80 percent of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on the river system governed by the treaty. That explains why India’s move created alarm in Islamabad and panic among farmers. But alarm is not the same as analysis. The suspension of the treaty may be a serious diplomatic escalation, but it is not the original cause of Pakistan’s water crisis.

Pakistan’s rivers are not running short only because of an upstream neighbour. They are running short because the Pakistani state has spent decades failing to store the water it already controls, failing to modernise its irrigation system, failing to protect the Indus delta, and failing to distribute scarcity fairly among its own provinces. India’s move has given Islamabad a powerful external alibi. The deeper crisis, however, remains domestic.

The Hague-based Clingendael Institute described India’s April 2025 move as a “pause of cooperation, not an end,” and noted that the suspension followed the Pahalgam attack and was framed by New Delhi in national-security terms. Other analysts have also pointed out that India does not have the immediate infrastructure to fully stop or divert the western rivers. In other words, the move is serious, but its short-term hydrological effect is limited. It is more a strategic signal than an instant cutoff.

Pakistan’s leadership has nevertheless intensified a narrative that seeks to place the country’s wider water distress at India’s door. That narrative is politically useful because it rallies the public around an external threat. It also allows the state to avoid harder questions about decades of mismanagement, weak storage, provincial mistrust, canal losses, groundwater depletion, floodplain neglect and poor crop planning.

The real story begins with storage that was never built.

Pakistan receives large seasonal river flows, but its storage capacity remains dangerously low. Policy discussions inside Pakistan have repeatedly noted that the country can store water for only about 30 days, far below the 120-day benchmark often cited in national planning debates. The country’s main reservoirs, Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma, provide limited live storage, and their capacity continues to be reduced by sedimentation. Tarbela, completed in the 1970s, was the last truly large reservoir Pakistan brought into service.

This is not a natural disaster. It is a political record. Pakistan has debated new dams for decades, including Kalabagh, but successive governments have failed to build the provincial consensus required to proceed. The result is a country that complains of shortage while letting enormous volumes of floodwater escape in wet years and then facing acute scarcity in dry months.

The World Bank has warned that poor water management costs Pakistan heavily. In a 2019 assessment, the World Bank said poor water management was conservatively estimated to cost Pakistan around 4 percent of GDP, or about $12 billion annually. The same assessment noted that irrigation dominates water use in the country, while four major crops, rice, wheat, sugarcane and cotton, consume around 80 percent of water but contribute only a small share of GDP.

That is the heart of the crisis. Pakistan does not only lack water. It wastes water. Its irrigation system is one of the largest in the world, but it remains inefficient, politically protected and slow to reform. Flood irrigation, leaky canals, weak pricing, poor crop choices and groundwater overuse have all turned scarcity into a permanent national condition.

Per capita water availability tells the same story. According to water-sector estimates cited by Dawn and other Pakistani outlets, Pakistan’s annual per capita water availability has fallen from more than 5,000 cubic metres in the early years after independence to below 1,000 cubic metres today, a level widely associated with water scarcity. This collapse has been driven by population growth, inefficient use and poor governance. India did not create that long decline. Pakistani policymakers allowed it.

The Indus delta shows the damage most clearly. The delta once depended on large seasonal flows to push back the Arabian Sea and sustain agriculture, fisheries and mangrove ecosystems. Today, reduced freshwater flows below Kotri Barrage have allowed seawater intrusion to advance into Sindh’s coastal belt. Farmland has been damaged, drinking water has turned saline in many areas, and communities that once lived from the river now live with the river’s disappearance.

Sindh has repeatedly argued that insufficient flows below Kotri have devastated the delta. Environmental reporting and Pakistani experts have warned that the Indus delta, once one of the region’s most important ecosystems, is now shrinking under the combined pressure of upstream diversions, low freshwater flow, climate stress and sea intrusion. For many in Sindh, this is not an abstract environmental issue. It is a question of land, livelihood and provincial survival.

What little water Pakistan stores and distributes is also politically contested. Under the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord, the Indus River System Authority is supposed to regulate water distribution among the provinces. In theory, the accord created a national framework. In practice, it did not end mistrust. The lower riparian provinces, especially Sindh, have long argued that shortages are not shared fairly and that Punjab, the upstream and politically dominant province, remains protected.

That grievance has deepened over the years. Pakistani analysts and Sindhi political leaders have repeatedly accused IRSA and the federal government of applying cuts unevenly. Reports citing provincial complaints have stated that Sindh has faced heavier shortages than Punjab in several dry periods. Sindh officials have also objected to releases into link canals that feed Punjab’s agricultural command areas at times when Sindh itself reports shortages downstream.

This is where Pakistan’s water crisis becomes a federal crisis. In Punjab, water is often discussed as an input for agricultural growth. In Sindh, it is increasingly discussed as a question of rights. A lower riparian province cannot be expected to trust the system when it believes that every shortage is passed downward and every development project is pushed from above.

Nothing has exposed this mistrust more sharply than the Green Pakistan Initiative and the proposed canal schemes associated with it.

Launched in 2023 with the backing of Pakistan’s powerful military leadership and the federal government, the Green Pakistan Initiative has been presented as a food-security and corporate-farming programme. Al Jazeera reported in March 2025 that the project involved a network of six canals and aimed to irrigate millions of acres of barren land as part of a programme worth about $3.3 billion. The initiative was launched with the involvement of Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In Sindh, however, the project was not seen as a neutral development scheme. It was seen as another attempt to redirect the Indus system in favour of Punjab. The proposed Cholistan canal became the centre of the controversy. Sindh’s political parties, lawyers, farmers, writers and civil-society groups warned that any new canal from the Indus would deepen downstream scarcity and further weaken the delta.

The Sindh Assembly passed a resolution against the canal projects in March 2025. Protests spread across the province. Demonstrators blocked highways and major routes, including the Babarloi bypass, accusing the federal government and Punjab of trying to impose a decision without provincial consent. By late April 2025, the federal government was forced to step back and acknowledge that the canal plan could not move forward without consensus among the provinces.

For Sindhi critics, the project looked like Kalabagh Dam under another name. It was presented in the language of national development, food security and agricultural modernisation. But downstream, it was heard as another promise that Punjab would gain and Sindh would lose. The problem was not only technical. It was historical. Sindh has heard similar assurances before.

The military’s role makes the controversy even more sensitive. Pakistan’s army has long been more than a security institution. It is a political and economic actor with influence over development, land, infrastructure and national decision-making. Reuters reported in 2025 that Asim Munir was promoted to the rank of field marshal, further strengthening his position at the centre of Pakistan’s power structure. When a military-backed agricultural programme seeks to reshape water use in an already contested river system, downstream provinces are unlikely to see it as ordinary development.

They see power. They see land, water and authority moving in the same direction: toward Punjab and toward the military establishment.

The cost of this mismanagement arrives in two forms: flood and drought. These are not opposites in Pakistan. They are two symptoms of the same failure to regulate a violent, seasonal and climate-stressed river system. With too little storage, heavy monsoon flows become catastrophe. With too little conservation, the dry season becomes scarcity. The same country that drowns in August can parch by April.

The 2022 floods exposed the scale of the failure. According to a joint assessment by the Government of Pakistan, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union and the United Nations, the floods caused more than $14.9 billion in damages and about $15.2 billion in economic losses, with reconstruction needs exceeding $16 billion. The assessment said 33 million people were affected. Pakistan’s Planning Commission also reported that more than 1,730 people were killed and more than 8 million displaced.

Climate change made those floods more intense. But governance shaped their human cost. Floodplains had been poorly regulated, drainage systems were weak, and vulnerable communities were left exposed. Sindh, already the lower riparian victim of reduced flows in dry years, became one of the worst victims of excess water in the flood year. The province was battered first by water scarcity and then by catastrophic inundation.

This is not only a humanitarian failure. It is an economic failure. Agriculture remains central to Pakistan’s economy. According to Pakistan’s Economic Survey, agriculture contributes around a quarter of national output and employs more than a third of the workforce. It also supports export earnings through crops and textiles. When water governance fails, the damage spreads from farms to food prices, from exports to employment, and from provincial politics to national stability.

Pakistan has already paid the price through food insecurity and imports. In recent years, the country has spent heavily to import wheat and other food items while its own agricultural regions have struggled with water shortages, floods, high input costs and policy confusion. A country built around the Indus basin should not be trapped between flooded fields and empty granaries.

This is why the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty is so useful to those who rule Pakistan. It moves blame across the border. It allows leaders to speak of national survival without admitting domestic failure. It turns water into a patriotic slogan rather than a governance question. It asks citizens to fear India while avoiding the more uncomfortable truth that Pakistan’s own institutions have wasted, misallocated and politicised the river system for decades.

None of this means India’s action is harmless. The suspension of the treaty is dangerous, destabilising and legally contested. Water should not be turned into a weapon between two nuclear-armed states. Pakistan has legitimate concerns about the long-term consequences if the treaty framework collapses. But legitimate concern about India does not erase Pakistan’s domestic failures.

The anger rising in Sindh and Balochistan is not directed only at India. It is directed at a Punjab-centred, military-managed water order that many citizens believe has treated downstream provinces as an afterthought. It is directed at a state that failed to build storage by consensus, failed to share shortages fairly, failed to protect the delta, and now asks the same neglected provinces to trust new canal schemes promoted from above.

Pakistan cannot secure its water future through speeches about the Indus Waters Treaty alone. It needs transparent water accounting. It needs storage built through political consensus, not coercion. It needs modern irrigation, realistic crop planning, groundwater regulation, protection of the Indus delta and a fairer federal water compact. It also needs to end the habit of using India as an explanation for every crisis that Pakistani governance has helped create.

Until Pakistan builds water storage responsibly and shares water fairly, no amount of blame poured across the frontier will keep its fields green or its federation stable.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Khaama Press.

The post Failure of Domestic Policies Continues to Deepen Pakistan’s Water Crisis appeared first on Khaama Press.

Afghanistan’s third round of university entrance exams began in Kabul on Thursday, while girls remained excluded for a fourth year.

Afghanistan’s Taliban-run National Examination Authority has launched the third round of the country’s 1405 university entrance examinations, known as the Kankor, with thousands of candidates sitting the tests at Kabul University.

The latest round is primarily being held for 12th-grade graduates from Kabul province. The second day of examinations is scheduled to continue on Friday, according to the authority.

Rahimullah Haqqani, the administrative and technical deputy head of the National Examination Authority, said more than 110,000 candidates had participated in the first three rounds of the nationwide examinations.

Officials expect the total number of participants to reach around 120,000 after the completion of a fourth round of testing. Registration for the fourth round will remain open until June 8, the authority said.

The exams, however, are being conducted for a fourth consecutive year without the participation of girls.

Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have barred girls from attending secondary schools beyond sixth grade and prohibited women from studying at universities. The restrictions have effectively prevented female students from participating in the Kankor examinations, which serve as the main gateway to higher education in Afghanistan.

The exclusion of girls from education has drawn widespread criticism from the United Nations, foreign governments and international human rights organizations, which have repeatedly called on the Taliban to reverse the restrictions.

The post Afghanistan Holds Third Round of University Entrance Exams as Girls Remain Barred appeared first on Khaama Press.

Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaq Fayyaz, a prominent Shia scholar and religious authority, has passed away in Najaf, Iraq, at the age of 96.

His office in Kabul confirmed that the Afghanistan-born scholar passed away on Thursday. Three days of public mourning have been announced in Iraq.

Born in 1930 in the village of Soba, Jaghori District, Ghazni Province, in east-central Afghanistan, Fayyaz moved to Iran for religious studies before settling in Iraq.

After years of study in the Shia seminary of Najaf, he rose to become a leading Shia religious authority, followed by believers in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and beyond.

His views on Islamic government, particularly on the authority of the jurist, are laid out in his magnum opus, Al-Hukuma Al-Islamiya.

Iran’s president offers condolences

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed condolences to Ayatollah Fayyaz’s family, the Shia world, religious seminaries, scholars, and the people of Iraq.

Praising the late ayatollah’s decades of service in promoting the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt, Pezeshkian described him as “a great jurist and great Shia authority.”

“The name and memory of that prominent jurist will remain immortal in the history of Shia jurisprudence and authority,” Pezeshkian said.

Sheikh Qais al-Khazali, secretary general of Iraq’s Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq group, also issued a message of condolences.

The United Nations similarly expressed condolences on the passing of the grand ayatollah. Grand Ayatollah Fayyaz is survived by six children; three sons and three daughters.

The post Afghanistan-Born Shia Cleric Mohammad Ishaq Fayyaz Dies, Iraq Declares Mourning appeared first on Khaama Press.

Hundreds, and potentially thousands, of Afghans have lost access to their savings after the apparent collapse of the investment platform “Gold BS,” also known as “Thomas,” in what victims describe as one of the country’s largest recent financial scams.

The platform, which began operating in October 2024, attracted investors with promises of unusually high returns through a structure that participants and analysts have described as resembling a pyramid scheme. Early payouts to some users encouraged wider participation, prompting many people to invest larger sums and recruit friends and relatives.

Victims say investments ranging from $500 to more than $20,000 are now frozen. Users report being unable to withdraw their funds, while platform operators have allegedly demanded additional payments equal to 20% of account balances through another exchange service as a condition for reactivating accounts.

Financial regulators and investor-protection organizations had previously warned about the company’s activities. Canadian regulatory bodies and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) issued alerts about suspected risks linked to the platform before its operations came under scrutiny.

The case has renewed concerns about financial fraud in Afghanistan, where weak consumer protections, limited financial literacy, and economic hardship have made many citizens vulnerable to high-risk investment schemes promising quick profits.

The collapse also comes at a time when many Afghan households are facing severe economic pressures. Years of economic instability, banking restrictions, unemployment, and reductions in international assistance have pushed families to seek alternative sources of income and investment opportunities, often with limited information about the risks involved.

Analysts say the incident mirrors previous fraudulent schemes that targeted Afghan investors, including the notorious GoldQuest network, which attracted participants with promises of rapid returns before collapsing and leaving many people with significant financial losses.

The post New scam freezes Afghan investors’ funds in Gold BS appeared first on Khaama Press.

Democratic lawmakers sharply criticized the Trump administration’s refugee policy during a congressional hearing, urging the United States to honor commitments made to Afghan allies who assisted American forces during the two-decade war in Afghanistan.

Representative Grace Meng questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the administration’s decision to admit white South African refugees while more than 1,100 Afghans who worked alongside US troops remain stranded in Qatar awaiting resettlement.

Meng argued that many of the Afghans include former military interpreters, support staff, and relatives of active-duty US service members who face serious risks if returned to Afghanistan. She said the United States had a moral obligation to protect those who supported American operations.

Rubio defended the administration’s approach, saying the South African refugee program was designed for applicants considered likely to integrate quickly into American society. He described it as a limited resettlement initiative aligned with US national interests.

The secretary of state confirmed that Afghan refugees currently housed in Qatar would not be admitted to the United States under existing policies. Instead, Washington is negotiating with several countries to accept them. Rubio said at least five countries had expressed willingness to receive some of the refugees but did not identify them.

Senator Chris Coons also raised concerns about the situation, noting that hundreds of children and family members of US military personnel remain in limbo in Qatar. He urged the administration to work with Congress to secure their transfer to the United States.

Rubio responded that current executive restrictions prevent the admission of Afghan refugees and said he could not commit to bringing the group into the country.

The debate comes as refugee advocates warn that prolonged uncertainty is worsening conditions for Afghan families awaiting resettlement in Qatar. Human rights groups have urged Washington and its allies to accelerate relocation efforts and prevent any forced return of vulnerable Afghans to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

The issue has gained renewed attention as Pakistan and Iran continue large-scale deportations of undocumented Afghans. Hundreds of thousands of returnees have crossed back into Afghanistan in recent months, placing additional pressure on humanitarian services and increasing concerns about protection risks for former government employees, journalists, women activists, and others considered vulnerable.

Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women’s rights, education, and employment, while the United Nations has repeatedly warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis. International agencies estimate that millions of Afghans remain dependent on aid amid funding shortages, economic hardship, and continued displacement.

The post US Democrats press Rubio on stranded Afghan allies in Qatar appeared first on Khaama Press.

Several people were wounded after an Israeli drone struck a vehicle in southern Lebanon on Thursday, despite a recently announced ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, according to media reports.

Al Jazeera reported that the attack targeted a vehicle in southern Lebanon, injuring a number of people. Authorities have not yet released details about the identities of the victims or the extent of their injuries.

The strike came only days after Israeli and Lebanese officials reached a ceasefire understanding following talks in Washington mediated by the United States.

Questions remain over whether Hezbollah, which has criticized the negotiations, will agree to withdraw its fighters and weapons from areas south of the Litani River, a key demand of Israel under the proposed security arrangements.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously said the negotiations were aimed at ending hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and creating conditions for a lasting peace agreement.

The latest incident highlights the fragility of the ceasefire as both sides continue to exchange accusations over violations and security concerns.

The ceasefire framework, announced after meetings in Washington, includes provisions for strengthening the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon, reducing the presence of armed non-state groups and preventing a return to large-scale fighting along the border.

The agreement comes amid broader regional tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Washington has been pursuing parallel diplomatic efforts with Tehran while seeking to prevent the conflict in Lebanon from escalating into a wider regional confrontation.

Since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, thousands of civilians have been displaced on both sides of the border, while repeated airstrikes and rocket attacks have caused significant damage to infrastructure and raised concerns among international humanitarian organizations about the worsening humanitarian situation in southern Lebanon.

The post Israeli drone strike wounds several in south Lebanon despite ceasefire agreement appeared first on Khaama Press.

Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei has called for national unity, saying Iran’s adversaries are seeking to exploit internal divisions after failing to achieve their objectives through confrontation.

According to Reuters, Khamenei said enemies of Iran are now attempting to weaken public solidarity and social cohesion by fostering discord inside the country.

He warned that any actions that create pessimism, disappointment or distrust among the public would ultimately benefit Iran’s opponents.

The remarks were delivered in a message marking the anniversary of the death of Ruhollah Khomeini and during a major Shiite religious commemoration.

Khamenei’s comments come as tensions between Iran and the United States persist despite ongoing diplomatic contacts aimed at reducing the risk of renewed conflict in the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently said negotiations with Tehran were progressing well and indicated that he would be willing to meet Khamenei in the future. Trump also expressed optimism that a broader agreement could be reached, although Iranian officials have maintained that substantial differences remain.

The latest statements follow weeks of indirect and direct contacts between Washington and Tehran after military tensions in the Gulf and broader Middle East raised concerns about a wider regional conflict. Both sides have publicly supported diplomacy, but continue to disagree on sanctions, security arrangements and the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.

Political debate over Iran policy has also intensified in Washington. The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved a measure seeking to limit the president’s authority to launch military action against Iran without congressional approval. Although the measure is unlikely to become law, it reflected growing concern among lawmakers about the possibility of another military confrontation in the region.

The post Iran’s Khamenei warns against division amid ongoing contacts with Washington appeared first on Khaama Press.