By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi March 19, 2025 Under the Taliban, Afghan women can’t study at universities or work in most jobs. But 22-year-old Zahra Ali has created a small business that brings in an income and provides a much-needed resource to her neighbors. At her home workshop in Kabul, she builds rechargeable battery packs that help
Tolo News: Carpet sellers in Herat have called on the interim government to not only prevent the smuggling of Afghan handwoven carpets to neighboring countries but also to facilitate their export under Afghanistan’s name. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: The United Nations has reported in a recent assessment that the price of one kilogram of opium in Afghanistan has increased tenfold compared to previous years. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stated in its report that following the Taliban’s ban on opium cultivation, the price of this substance has sharply risen,
By Sarah Zaman VOA News March 7, 2025 Just as discoveries of fossil fuel reserves helped to shape the 20th century, the race for critical minerals is shaping the 21st. These minerals are seen as strategically crucial for modern economies, including those used in construction, energy and manufacturing — particularly for semiconductors and other technology
Reuters: Airlines are turning to a network of third parties to pay fees to Afghan authorities as more planes use the country’s airspace, increasing the risk of legal disputes and money laundering, according to pilots, aviation executives and lawyers. Click here to read more (external link).
Sarah Zaman VOA News March 6, 2025 ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan’s Taliban Thursday called on neighbors Pakistan and Iran to be patient with Afghan refugees and follow an organized process for their return, considering Afghanistan’s economic challenges. Pakistan and Iran have sent back more than 2.7 million Afghans to their home country since the 20-year U.S.-led war
Amu: A new report from the United Nations Children’s Fund warns that malnutrition rates among children and pregnant women in Afghanistan have surged, driven by prolonged food insecurity, inadequate access to clean water and sanitation, and limited healthcare services. The report, released by UNICEF, found that the number of Afghan districts classified at Level 4—the
Ayaz Gul VOA News February 26, 2025 ISLAMABAD — Uzbekistan and Pakistan agreed to establish a tripartite committee with Afghanistan to address issues that are hindering the implementation of a proposed railway project connecting the three countries. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reported the development after delegation-level talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Tashkent, emphasizing
Afghanistan International: John Sopko, the former U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), stated that the United States has spent over $21 billion on Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power. Despite the suspension of U.S. foreign aid, Sopko revealed that the U.S. continues to send money to Afghanistan on a weekly basis. According
Ayaz Gul VOA News February 17, 2025 ISLAMABAD — The World Bank reported Monday that the economic recovery in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan remains precarious, beset by persistent challenges, including policy uncertainty, financial isolation, reduced foreign aid and fragile trade relations with neighboring Pakistan. The bank assessed in its latest report that persistent high poverty levels, unemployment, limited