Amu: Three days after the Taliban shut down Arezo TV in Kabul, the whereabouts of seven employees, including managers and dubbing staff, remain unknown. The Taliban have provided no updates on their status, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice claimed responsibility for the arrests, accusing the employees of collaborating with foreign media and violating Islamic values. The office of Arezo TV has been sealed, with a notice alleging that the station broadcasted “immoral films” and engaged in activities contrary to Islamic principles. The closure has sparked outrage among Afghan journalists, who see it as part of an escalating crackdown on press freedom in the country. Click here to read more (external link).
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ESPN: Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird has defended the governing body’s stance on not playing bilateral matches against Afghanistan after being accused of hypocrisy by outgoing ICC chair Greg Barclay. Barcley’s tenure came to an end on December 1 when Jay Shah took over at the ICC and as part of a wide-ranging interview with the UK’s Daily Telegraph he took aim at boards who have suspended playing Afghanistan outside of global tournaments. “If you really want to make a political statement, don’t play them in a World Cup,” Barclay said. “Sure, it might cost you a semi-final place, but principles are principles. It’s not about having half a principle.”
Amu: A group of women and girls staged a protest outside the Taliban governor’s office in the western province of Herat on Thursday, decrying the recent ban on female participation in medical education. Chanting slogans like “education is justice and learning,” the demonstrators described the directive as oppressive and a blow to their basic rights. The Taliban’s decision to bar women from studying at medical institutions, including midwifery programs, has drawn widespread condemnation from international organizations, human rights groups, and former Afghan officials.
Afghanistan International: The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) announced that on Tuesday evening, it targeted the convoy of intelligence forces of the Taliban in Khair Khana area of Kabul. This front published a video and claimed that five Taliban members were killed in this attack.