Torkham border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan
By RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal
August 1, 2024
Pakistani authorities have banned the entry of Afghan drivers through the Torkham border crossing as of August 1 unless they have passports and visas. Torkham, a critical trade route between Pakistan and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, had been reopened by Pakistan in January after a 10-day closure prompted by Islamabad’s imposing passport and visa requirements on Afghan drivers. Pakistan initially set an April 1 deadline for compliance, but then extended it until August 1. lslamabad’s move to require visas and passports — documents many Afghans do not have — came as Pakistan accused the Taliban of allowing militants to stage attacks across the border from Afghanistan’s territory.
Tolo News: A number of retirees are once again demanding the payment of their pensions by the Islamic Emirate [Taliban]. Some of those who have gathered outside the Pension Fund office say they are facing various economic challenges in the current situation. Abdul Hakim, a retiree, said: “I need to be fed; they should give me my pension and also pay my other friends. When my friend beside me is hungry, what can I say?” 
Ariana: Afghan swimmer Fahim Anwari swam in Heat 3 Thursday in the Men’s 50m Freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Anwari came in 8th place. First in this heat was Fakhroddin Madkamov of Tajikistan. Up next for Afghanistan is Kimia Yousofi who is set to compete in the 100-meter sprint on Friday. On Tuesday, Afghan judoka Mohammad Samim Faizad was beaten by his Austrian opponent. 
8am: Cronyism in the Taliban’s regime is openly practiced. When hiring, it has become a principle that the Taliban prioritize a Taliban member or their “crony” among the candidates for an administrative post. Within the Taliban group itself, cronyism among different factions maintains their relationships and determines their level of interaction. Even if someone is transferred from one post to another within the same faction, they gather their cronies from the previous office and take them to the new one. The person replacing them also brings their cronies to the office. This situation, due to the frequent transfers in the Taliban regime, is a significant obstacle to providing services and advancing routine administrative matters. In the Taliban regime, professional qualifications and expertise do not matter, and it is easy for a war commander to be appointed as the Minister of Public Health, as recently, Mullah Hibatullah appointed his deputy from the Ministry of Interior as the Minister of Public Health. 
Tolo News: Basiroddin Maroof, chief physician at Bamyan Provincial Hospital, said: “This summer, we had 5,432 diarrhea patients, most of whom came from the center, districts of Bamyan, and neighboring provinces.” Excessive heat, lack of hygiene, transmission of viruses, and poverty are said to be the main causes of the diarrhea outbreak. 
Ariana: South Africa will take on Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series in UAE in September, 2024. Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the first-ever bilateral series between them will be played from 18 – 22 September in the United Arab Emirates. This ODI series will be the first meeting between Afghanistan and South Africa outside of ICC tournaments, with all three games set to be hosted by ACB at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.