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National taekwondo team prepares for Olympic qualifiers
The Afghan national taekwondo team has been training hard for the Olympic qualifiers ahead of this year’s Games scheduled to take place in Tokyo, say officials from Afghanistan’s Taekwondo Federation.
The 2021 Asian Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament for the Tokyo Olympic Games will take place in Amman, Jordan from May 21 to May 22.
Afghan officials are upbeat about the team’s ability to secure a place at the Olympics stating the athletes have been training hard for several months and are in top shape.
With limited facilities, a lack of accommodation, and poor nutrition, the team members are determined to qualify for the Olympics, officials said.
One team member, Farzad Mansouri is undergoing grueling training in a bid to qualify and make history – as he aims for gold in Tokyo.
He has won six gold and three silver medals in domestic and international tournaments and says it is his dream to make it to Tokyo and win gold.
Along with Farzad, three other national taekwondo players have been selected to take part in the qualifying tournament in Jordan. They are Mohsen Rezaei, Somaya Ghulami and Zahra Mirzaei.
For four years these taekwondo athletes have been training under the supervision of Bashir Turki, the national team coach. However, their training regime has been stepped up in the last few months in the lead up to Jordan.
Afghanistan has in the past done well at the Olympics with Ruhollah Nekpa having won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games and bronze again at the 2012 Olympics in London.
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IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.
This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.
The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.
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Malaysia’s PM calls peaceful solution to Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the Afghanistan–Pakistan during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he emphasized Malaysia’s concerns regarding regional stability and urged all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.
His remarks follow media reports indicating heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after a series of attacks in October.
During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on several aspects of Malaysia–Pakistan bilateral relations.
Anwar also briefed Sharif on the ongoing flood situation in Malaysia and similar challenges facing neighboring countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.
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Afghanistan makes major strides in cutting drug trafficking, says Putin
Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Afghanistan has taken “active and effective” steps to curb drug trafficking, noting a significant drop in opium production across the country. He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with India Today during his India trip, highlighting what he described as “visible progress” in Afghanistan’s internal security efforts.
Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders. He added that Afghanistan has also made important advancements in the fight against terrorism.
Responding to a question about why Russia officially recognized the Islamic Emirate, the Russian president said Afghanistan had been engulfed in civil conflict for many years, but the current authorities now hold control over the country. “This is the reality, and it must be acknowledged,” Putin emphasized.
He further noted that maintaining contact with Afghanistan’s leadership is crucial for shaping events inside the country. “If you want influence, you must engage with the people in charge — and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.
Putin’s remarks come as several regional powers continue to recalibrate their diplomatic strategies toward Afghanistan, focusing on stability, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation.
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