The Moscow Times: Russian tour companies have started advertising travel packages to Afghanistan, offering weeklong trips to the country for around $3,000 as Moscow deepens its ties with the Taliban-led government in Kabul. The offers, which have appeared on Russian online platforms in recent days, promise Russian citizens organized tours to Afghanistan, with the first group of travelers expected to depart as early as mid-July, according to the Telegram news channel Shot. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – July 8, 2025
Bismillah Shinwari, international cricket umpire, dies at 41
Amu: Bismillah Shinwari, a veteran Afghan cricket umpire who officiated at the international level, has died following an illness, the Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed on Tuesday. He was 41. Shinwari, a member of the International Cricket Council’s International Panel of Umpires, made his debut in 2017, officiating an ODI between Afghanistan and Ireland in Sharjah. Over the course of his career, he stood in 25 One Day Internationals and 21 Twenty20 Internationals. Click here to read more (external link).
Khalilzad warns of China’s growing grip on Central Asian minerals, urges swift US action
Khalilzad
Ariana: Former U.S. special envoy for Afghan peace talks, Zalmay Khalilzad, has issued a stark warning about China’s accelerating efforts to dominate Central Asia’s vast mineral wealth. He urged Washington—specifically the Trump administration—to act swiftly before Beijing consolidates its hold over the region’s critical resources. Khalilzad emphasized that countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan remain open to deeper mineral cooperation with the United States, but cautioned that time is running out. Click here to read more (external link).
Pakistan in ‘no hurry’ to recognize Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Ariana: Following Russia’s recent decision to formally recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Pakistani officials have stated that Islamabad will not act hastily and will make a final decision based on its national interests. According to The Express Tribune, quoting government sources, Pakistan may take a more pragmatic approach if other regional countries follow Russia’s lead. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – July 7, 2025
Polio eradication campaign urges returning families from Pakistan to vaccinate children
Child getting polio drops (file photo)
Amu: A public health campaign led by the Polio-Free Afghanistan initiative has called on families returning from Pakistan to vaccinate their children at border crossings, citing an urgent need to prevent new outbreaks of the virus. In a statement posted Monday on the group’s official X account, the campaign urged parents to ensure their children receive polio vaccinations upon entry into Afghanistan. “If we want our children to be safe from the dangerous poliovirus and avoid spreading it to others, they must be vaccinated upon returning from Pakistan,” the message read. Click here to read more (external link).
Iranian Writers’ Group Condemns Anti-Afghan Sentiment, Urges End To Deportations
Afghanistan International: The Iranian Writers’ Association has issued a strong condemnation of what it described as “racist” treatment of Afghan migrants in Iran, calling for an immediate halt to forced deportations. In a statement released on Sunday, 6 July, the association warned that hostility toward Afghan nationals has reached “alarming” and “horrific” levels, particularly in the aftermath of the recent ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Click here to read more (external link).
Related
Taliban Execute Two Former Soldiers Accused of NRF Membership in Panjshir Province
8am: Local sources in Panjshir province report that the Taliban executed two former military personnel accused of membership in the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF). The incident occurred last week, with the detentions taking place in the mountainous area of Abdullah-Khel village in Dara district, according to sources cited by the Hasht-e Subh Daily on Sunday, 6 July 2025. Click here to read more (external link).