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☆ Frozen Afghan Funds Have Done Little to Sway Taliban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Daniella Cheslow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. wants Kabul’s central bank, the Da Afghanistan Bank, to show it is independent and ready to counter money-laundering and terrorism financing. When the Biden administration seized $7 billion of Afghanistan’s central bank reserves two years ago, it set aside half for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, and deposited the rest in a Swiss-based fund that it said would benefit the Afghan people. Today, that $3.5 billion remains frozen. The Taliban-controlled central bank says it wants the money to stabilize its crippled financial sector. In the U.S., officials close to the situation say the money hasn’t been enough of an enticement to dissuade the Islamist regime from policies the U.S. and the West find objectionable.

☆ U.S. to Remove Sanctions on Former Kazakhstan Subsidiary of Russia’s Sberbank
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Treasury Department said it would remove sanctions imposed on a former Kazakhstan subsidiary of Russia’s Sberbank because the entity is now wholly owned by a Kazakh company. The entity, previously called Subsidiary Bank Sberbank of Russia Joint Stock Co., is a commercial bank in Kazakhstan and was sanctioned as a foreign subsidiary of Sberbank last February, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The unusual step made by the U.S. to remove the former subsidiary from the sanctions list highlights the impact of sanctions on Russia as Sberbank was forced to divest itself of some assets. PREVIEWThe U.S. imposed sanctions on Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, in an effort to cripple Russia’s economy, military and elites after Moscow’s Ukraine invasion. The former Sberbank subsidiary is one of the largest banks in Kazakhstan and is seen as systemically important to Kazakhstan’s financial sector, a Treasury spokesperson said.

☆ Pervez Musharraf, Ex-Pakistani Leader and Key U.S. Ally, Dies at 79
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Saeed Shah | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Pervez Musharraf , the military ruler who emerged as a key U.S. ally in the wake of the September 11 attacks, has died at 79, according to Pakistan’s military. Mr. Musharraf, a retired general, had been battling a longtime illness in Dubai, where he lived in exile, according to his family.

☆ Pakistan's Musharraf, military ruler who allied with the U.S. and promoted moderate Islam
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/8] Pakistan's former President, Pervez Musharraf, addresses his supporters after his arrival from Dubai at Jinnah International airport in Karachi March 24, 2013. Musharraf, 79, died in hospital after a long illness after spending years in self-imposed exile, Pakistan media reported on Sunday. His father served in the foreign ministry, while his mother was a teacher and the family subscribed to a moderate, tolerant brand of Islam. Musharraf also successfully lobbied then-President George W. Bush to pour money into the Pakistani military. In 2006, Musharraf ordered military action that killed a tribal head from the province Balochistan, laying the foundations of an armed insurgency that rages to this day.

Faced with a shortage of US dollars, Pakistan only has enough foreign currency in its reserves to pay for three weeks of imports. Long lines are forming at gas stations as prices swing wildly in the country of 220 million. Pakistan’s currency, the rupee, recently dropped to new lows against the US dollar after authorities eased currency controls to meet one of the IMF’s lending conditions. The country has been spending more on trade than it has brought in, running down its stock of foreign currency and weighing on the rupee’s value. Pakistan's usually bustling ports, like this one in Karachi, have ground to a halt as the country grapples with a severe shortage of foreign currency.

☆ Belarusian Sabalenka crowned first 'neutral' Grand Slam champion
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The big-hitting Belarusian overhauled Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the final at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday while barred from representing the eastern European nation. Had Rybakina not switched allegiance to Kazakhstan in 2018, the Russia-born player would also have competed as a neutral. "I think everyone still knows that I'm Belarusian player. Asked whether missing Wimbledon made her Australian Open win sweeter, Sabalenka was non-committal. The Belarus tennis federation was quick to extend congratulations to the country's second tennis player to win a Grand Slam, following on from twice Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who was knocked out in the semi-finals.

☆ Rybakina meets Sabalenka in clash of big hitters for Australian Open crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

While that victory brought prestige and financial reward, it did not boost her up the rankings. Rybakina would have climbed into the top 10 had the ranking points been available but she has proved she belongs in the spotlight at Melbourne Park, knocking out three Grand Slam champions en route to this year's title clash. "I think it was a great challenge for me because for sure, they have experience of winning Grand Slams, so it was nothing new for them," Rybakina, who beat Azarenka 7-6(4) 6-3 in the semi-finals, said. With Russian and Belarusian players only allowed to compete as individual athletes without national affiliation at Melbourne Park, Sabalenka could become the first neutral athlete to win a Grand Slam. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Afghan malnutrition rates at record high, U.N. food agency says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Malnutrition rates in Afghanistan are at record highs — with half the country enduring severe hunger year-round — a spokesman for the U.N.'s World Food Program said. “Half of Afghanistan endures severe hunger throughout the year, regardless of the season, and malnutrition rates are at a record high for Afghanistan,” said Phillipe Kropf, a spokesman for the United Nations food agency in Kabul. The Taliban takeover in August 2021 drove millions into poverty and hunger after foreign aid stopped almost overnight. Ebrahim Noroozi / APAid agencies have been providing food, education and healthcare support to Afghans, including heating, cash for fuel and warm clothes. “Since the Taliban have come, the economic condition is so bad and people don’t have food to eat.

☆ Pakistan says power restored after second major breakdown in months
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s energy minister on Tuesday blamed the worst power outage in months on a lack of investment in the network, saying the aid-dependent nation had “learned lessons” from the breakdown that left millions of people without electricity. Like much of the national infrastructure, the power network desperately needs an upgrade, but funding has been patchy as Pakistan lurched from one International Monetary Fund bailout to the next. The outage, which began on Monday morning, was the second major breakdown since October. Pakistan has enough installed power capacity to meet demand, but the sector is so heavily in debt that it cannot afford to invest in infrastructure and power lines. “The government plans to add more power distribution lines within the next 36 months,” he added.

☆ Tens of millions without power after Pakistan suffers major outage
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Much of Pakistan was left without power for several hours on Monday morning as an energy-saving measure by the government backfired. The outage was reminiscent of a massive blackout in January 2021, attributed at the time to a technical fault in the country’s power generation and distribution system. According to the minister, during winter, electricity usage typically goes down overnight. A Metro station is closed after major power outage in Lahore, Pakistan on Monday. Pakistan is grappling with one of the country’s worst economic crisis in recent years amid dwindling foreign exchange reserves.

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN —A nationwide power outage in Pakistan left nearly 220 million people without electricity on Monday, threatening to cause havoc in the South Asian nation already grappling with fuel shortages in the winter months. It is unclear how long the outage will last and efforts are underway to restore power to various parts of the country. The outage comes as the country’s fragile economy continues to struggle with multiple challenges, including a severe energy crisis. The decision to reduce energy usage came as Pakistan announced its foreign exchange reserves had dwindled to alarmingly low levels. Monday’s power outage is Pakistan’s most widespread power shutdown since 2021, when the nation plunged into darkness for hours after a “sudden plunge in the frequency in the power transmission system.”

☆ Mother, politician, trailblazer. How Jacinda Ardern became an icon for millions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Aina J. Khan | Aina Is A Freelance Reporter With Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

In the six years since then, she has become an icon of the left and a champion for women in public life, bringing a compassionate and authoritative energy to the hypermasculine realm of world politics. Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister, during a news conference in Sydney in June. Data released last year to New Zealand’s Newshub media outlet showed police recorded 18 threats to the prime minister in 2019, 32 in 2020 and 50 in 2021. If that person receives more than two-thirds of caucus support, Ardern said, she will resign soon after and the new leader will be sworn in as prime minister. Ardern said she plans to remain in Parliament until April, avoiding the need for a snap vote in her suburban Auckland electorate.

☆ Wintry weather kills 78 in Afghanistan, Taliban say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Taliban officials said Thursday that 78 people have died in just over a week during the harsh winter in Afghanistan, deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis. Shafiullah Rahimi, a Taliban spokesperson for the Ministry of Natural Disaster Management, said the deaths occurred since Jan. 10. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Thursday that bitterly cold weather in Afghanistan has reportedly killed thousands of livestock across the eastern, western and northern regions. “We are deeply saddened by that our countrymen have lost their lives in some provinces due to the severe cold weather,” said the statement. Half of Afghanistan’s population, or 24 million people, are in need of humanitarian aid, according to the group.

☆ Former Afghan female lawmaker and guard are shot dead at home, police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

KABUL, Afghanistan — A former Afghan female lawmaker and her bodyguard have been shot dead by unknown assailants at her home in the capital, Kabul, police said Sunday. Mursal Nabizada was among the few female parliamentarians who stayed in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. Local police chief Molvi Hamidullah Khalid said Nabizada and her guard were shot dead around 3 a.m. Saturday in the same room. He said her brother and a second security guard were injured. A third security guard fled the scene with money and jewelry.

☆ Donors pledge more than $9 billion for Pakistan’s flood recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Officials from some 40 countries as well as private donors and international financial institutions gathered at a meeting in Geneva as Islamabad sought funds to cover around half of a recovery bill amounting to $16.3 billion. The meeting’s co-hosts, the United Nations and Pakistan’s government, said more than $9 billion had been pledged from bilateral and multilateral partners. Among the donors were the Islamic Development Bank ($4.2 billion), the World Bank ($2 billion), Saudi Arabia ($1 billion), as well as the European Union and China, Pakistan Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said. “Today has truly been a day which gives us great hope,” said Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s minister of state for foreign affairs. Millions of homes, tens of thousands of schools as well as thousands of kilometers of roads and railways still need to be rebuilt, the UN says.

☆ U.N. gathering seeks billions in aid for Pakistan after devastating floods
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

“We need to be honest about the brutal injustice of loss and damage suffered by developing countries because of climate change,” Guterres told the gathering. “If there is any doubt about loss and damage — go to Pakistan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, left, speaks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a conference in Geneva on Monday. Many countries already doled out cash, supplies and other support for Pakistan in the immediate follow-up to the flooding. Climate scientists found that the floods in Pakistan were worsened by global heating although economic, societal and construction-oriented factors also played a role.

CNN —The ruling Taliban has signed a deal with a Chinese company to extract oil from northern Afghanistan’s Amu Darya basin as the radical Islamist group attempts to bolster the South Asian nation’s increasingly impoverished and isolated economy. The agreement with China’s Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Co is the first major international energy extraction deal the Taliban has signed since taking control of Afghanistan in 2021. Baradar referred to the deal as being in Afghanistan’s best interests, adding that it would strengthen the country’s economy, the statement said. In December, the UN suspended some of its “time-critical” programs in Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban’s ban on female NGO workers. The Taliban last month also suspended university education for all female students in Afghanistan, drawing condemnation from around the world.

☆ Major aid groups suspend work in Afghanistan AS Taliban bar women
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

KABUL, Afghanistan — Four major international aid groups on Sunday suspended their operations in Afghanistan following a decision by the country’s Taliban rulers to ban women from working at non-governmental organizations. Excluding women from schools and NGO work in Afghanistan “can and will lead to catastrophic humanitarian consequences in the short to long term,” the International Committee of the Red Cross warned. Half of Afghanistan’s population, or 24 million people, are in need of humanitarian aid, according to the group. The International Rescue Committee said it was dismayed by the Taliban decision, adding that more than 3,000 of its staff in Afghanistan are women. The Economy Ministry’s order comes days after the Taliban banned female students from attending universities across the country, triggering backlash overseas and demonstrations in major Afghan cities.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Afghanistan’s Taliban-run government on Saturday ordered all local and foreign nongovernmental organizations to prevent female employees from reporting to work, in the latest restrictive move against women’s rights and freedoms in the country. The order was made in a letter written in Persian by Economy Minister Qari Din Mohammed Hanif, Abdur Rahman Habib, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Economic Ministry, told NBC News. Afghan women protest against a new Taliban ban on women accessing university education on Thursday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Getty ImagesForeign governments, including Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia and Turkey, condemned the university ban, which also led to criticism and protests inside Afghanistan. In the western city of Herat on Saturday, Taliban forces used water cannons to disperse women protesting the ban on university education, Reuters reported.

☆ Suicide bombing in Pakistan's capital kills 2 suspects and a policeman
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

At least three police officers and seven passersby were wounded in the bombing in Islamabad. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the explosion. Friday’s bombing happened about 9 miles from the garrison city of Rawalpindi, home of the military and government spy agencies. Pakistani Taliban have stepped up attacks on security forces since November, when they unilaterally ended a monthslong cease-fire with the country’s government. The Pakistani Taliban are separate but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in neighboring Afghanistan last year as U.S. and NATO troops withdrew after 20 years of war.

☆ Afghanistan’s Taliban Ban All Education for Girls
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Esmatullah Kohsar | Sune Engel Rasmussen | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Taliban banned girls from attending elementary school, effectively instituting a total ban on the education of girls and women and dealing one of the most dramatic blows yet to women’s freedoms since seizing power last year. In a gathering in Kabul with private-school directors, clerics and community representatives, Taliban officials on Wednesday also barred female staff, including teachers, from working in schools, closing off one of the few professions that had remained open to Afghan women under the new government, according to school principals who attended the meeting. They also said adult women could no longer visit mosques or attend religious seminaries.

☆ Afghanistan’s Taliban Ban Women From Universities, Release Two Americans
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Sune Engel Rasmussen | Esmatullah Kohsar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Afghanistan’s Taliban government banned women from attending university, expanding a prohibition on female education that has become a major point of contention with the international community and has drawn harsh U.S. sanctions. The announcement came as the Taliban released two American prisoners in what the Biden administration called a goodwill gesture to Washington.

☆ Taliban carry out first public execution since Afghan takeover
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

ISLAMABAD — The Taliban authorities on Wednesday executed an Afghan convicted of killing another man, the first public execution since the former insurgents took over Afghanistan last year, a spokesman said. The execution, carried out with an assault rifle by the victim’s father, took place in western Farah province before hundreds of spectators and many top Taliban officials, according to Zabihullah Mujahid, the top Taliban government spokesman. The executed man, identified as Tajmir from Herat province, was convicted of killing another man five years ago and stealing his motorcycle and mobile phone. Taliban security forces had arrested Tajmir after the victim’s family accused him of the crime, said a statement from Mujahid, the spokesman. During the previous Taliban rule of the country in the late 1990s, the group carried out public executions, floggings and stoning of those convicted of crimes in Taliban courts.

☆ Taliban carry out first public execution since returning to power in Afghanistan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Sahar Akbarzai | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Taliban on Wednesday put an alleged murderer to death in the first public execution held in Afghanistan since the Islamist group returned to power. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the man was shot three times by the father of his alleged victim in an execution attended by senior Taliban officials in southwestern Farah province. The man had been accused of stabbing the victim to death in 2017 and stealing a cell phone and bicycle. It is the first public execution since Kabul fell to the Taliban following the withdrawal of US forces from the country in August 2021. During the Taliban’s earlier period of rule, from 1996 to 2001, public executions were common, as were other violent punishments.

☆ Caspian seal deaths: Thousands of dead seals wash up in Russia's Dagestan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Mariya Knight | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Around 2,500 endangered seals have been found dead on Russia’s Caspian coast, state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported Sunday, citing authorities in the North Caucasus region. Caspian seals, the only mammals found in the Caspian Sea, have been classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list since 2008. According to RIA, inspectors were patrolling the coastline in search of additional dead seals. Meanwhile, specialists from the Caspian Environmental Center were analyzing samples from the dead seals to identify the cause of death. The mass deaths come after more than 140 Caspian seals were found dead on Kazakh beaches of the Caspian Sea earlier this year, according to KASPIKA, an agency for the conservation of Caspian seals.

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