Afghanistan: Taliban backtrack on reopening high schools for girls

[millefleur 5,047]

The Taliban have reversed a decision to allow Afghan girls to return to high schools, saying a ruling is still to be made on the uniforms they must wear.

Schools were set to open nationwide after months of restrictions since the Taliban seized power in August.

 

But the education ministry abruptly announced girls' secondary schools would stay shut, causing confusion.

 

Some girls were in tears as parents and students reacted with anger and disappointment to the last-minute move.

Many had earlier talked of how happy and excited they were to be back in the classroom.

 

Read more here: https://news.yahoo.com/afghanistan-taliban-backtrack-reopening-high-081444379.html

[millefleur 5,047]

More depressing news about Afghanistan... 😞

Over 5 million drug addicts in Afghanistan

Kabul [Afghanistan], March 11: There are five million drug addicts in Afghanistan including over one million minors and women, Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salaam Hanafi said on Wednesday.

 

Hanafi made these remarks in his meeting with a delegation from International Rescue Committee (IRC).

 

Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Inamullah Samangani said, if the International Community assists the Afghan farmers in providing their alternative, the IEA is committed to making efforts in uprooting narcotics across Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.

 

Read more here: https://www.malaysiasun.com/news/272380042/over-5-million-drug-addicts-in-afghanistan

Afghanistan’s former finance minister now drives an Uber in Washington, DC

Khalid Payenda, the former finance minister of Afghanistan, who once oversaw a $6bn budget, is now an Uber driver in Washington, DC, the latest sign of the deep dislocation that followed the overthrow of the US-backed Afghan government last fall by the Taliban.

 

Mr Payenda fled the country a week before the insurgent group seized Kabul, telling the Washington Post that he left because he had a falling out with Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, who would himself flee the country as Taliban troops closed in.

 

Now, the former official, who was partly educated at US universities, teaches a class at Georgetown University for $2,000 a semester, and Ubers to make ends meet.

 

Read more here: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/afghanistan-former-finance-minister-now-193424221.html

 

[Dashinka 24,724]

I expect the US DoS will be issuing a sharply worded letter post haste.