Author: The Afghanistan Post

Penny Wong, the Australian Foreign Minister, stated at the UN General Assembly that the Taliban have erased women from society, warning that imprisoning half the population cuts a country’s potential in half. She stressed Australia’s support for initiatives aimed at empowering women. Along with Germany, Canada, and the Netherlands, Australia seeks to hold the Taliban accountable at the International Court of Justice for their violations of women’s rights.

Credible sources report that the Taliban have sentenced two journalists, Mohammad Aref Hijran and Ahmad Kamran, to 10 years in prison. The Taliban military court accused Hijran of photographing checkpoints and Taliban members. The Afghanistan Journalists’ Support Organization has condemned the sentences and called on the international community to pressure the Taliban for their immediate release.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has stated that rising poverty in Afghanistan has left one-third of girls unable to complete primary education. WFP added that providing school meals encourages students to attend, but budget constraints are preventing them from reaching 11 million people in urgent need of aid.

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking at the UN General Assembly, emphasized that Pakistan’s policy of cross-border terrorism will not succeed. He stated, “Pakistan’s GDP should now be measured by the degree of radicalization and its exports in the form of terrorism.” Jaishankar highlighted that Pakistan’s missteps have affected not only its neighbors but also its own society. He called for a strong global stance against terrorism and stressed that UN sanctions on terrorists must not be blocked for political reasons.

Local sources report intense fighting between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards in the Anargi area of Ghoshta district, Nangarhar. The clash is reportedly over the construction of a post by the Taliban, with both sides using heavy weaponry. This is not the first time such confrontations have occurred in the region, but neither side has officially commented on the matter yet.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has voiced support for the demand from countries and organizations to immediately lift the Taliban’s discriminatory restrictions on women. Guterres said, “What is happening in Afghanistan compares to some of the most egregious systems of oppression in modern history.” Foreign ministers of Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands have warned that if the situation for women and girls does not improve, they will take the Taliban to the International Court of Justice.

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, during a visit to Kunduz province, confirmed that prisoners have been killed in Taliban jails. He stated that after receiving reports, he dismissed the prison official for negligence. Reports suggest that 87 people have died from torture in Taliban intelligence prisons over the past three years. Akhundzada also warned of the risks to the Taliban’s success and expressed concern over the rising trend of prayer neglect among Taliban members.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized the Taliban’s new “Amr bil Ma’ruf” law, stating that it formally excludes Afghan women from public life. During a special meeting focused on Afghan women, Guterres condemned the severe gender oppression in Afghanistan and warned that the Taliban’s restrictions must never become normalized. He praised the courage of Afghan women and called on the Taliban to lift all restrictions, reopen schools and universities for women, and allow them full participation in society.

Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, called on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to recognize the Taliban’s gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. During their meeting, Malala emphasized the importance of global solidarity with Afghan women and girls and said the Taliban must be held accountable. Trudeau praised Malala as an inspiration to millions around the world. Malala expressed hope that they can send a message of hope and solidarity to the women of Afghanistan.

This year, Earth will briefly have a second moon when a small asteroid begins orbiting the planet. The asteroid, named 2024 PT5, was discovered in August and will act as a mini-moon from September 29 to November 25, revolving around Earth in a horseshoe-shaped orbit. Spotted by NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in South Africa, the asteroid is from the Arjuna asteroid belt. Scientists from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid have tracked its path, determining that Earth’s gravitational pull will capture it for nearly two months before it returns to orbiting the sun. This isn’t the first mini-moon…