Afghanistan’s Standard and Quality Authority (ASQA) has held talks with counterparts from Turkey, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan to expand technical cooperation and strengthen the country’s standards and quality infrastructure.

The meetings took place on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), according to ASQA.

The Afghan delegation, led by ASQA Technical Deputy Mohammad Asif Qanit and Chief of Staff Wahid Ahmad Badri, met with representatives of the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) to discuss employee training, quality certification, technical standards, laboratory services and bilateral cooperation.

The two sides also discussed a United Nations Development Programme initiative supported by Turkey, which focuses on building technical capacity and creating employment opportunities for Afghans.

Turkish officials expressed their willingness to maintain engagement with their Afghan counterparts and invited the delegation to visit the institution in Turkey, including its laboratories and operational facilities, ASQA said.

In talks with Uzbekistan’s Agency for Technical Regulation and Standardization, the Afghan delegation explored potential areas for technical cooperation.

Separate discussions with the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) focused on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation through diplomatic channels.

Representatives of Kazakhstan’s Institute of Standardization and Metrology (KazStandard) also met with the Afghan delegation and expressed readiness to provide technical assistance.

ASQA said the meetings form part of its efforts to broaden engagement with regional and international standards organizations, improve technical expertise and advance Afghanistan’s standards and quality sector.

The authority added that stronger international partnerships could help develop laboratory services, improve quality certification and support the implementation of technical standards across Afghanistan.

The trial of eight Afghan men accused of 42 offences against two teenage girls in Norwich, England, has been moved to London, with proceedings now expected to begin in May 2027.

The defendants face charges including rape, conspiracy to rape and human trafficking in connection with alleged offences spanning August 2023 to May 2025. The girls were in their early to mid-teens at the time of the alleged offences.

The 12-week trial was originally scheduled to begin at Norwich Crown Court on January 11, 2027. It will now take place at Southwark Crown Court from May 4, 2027, at the earliest.

The relocation follows concerns about Norwich Crown Court’s ability to accommodate all eight defendants, who remain in custody. The trial date and presiding judge have yet to be confirmed.

All eight men have denied the charges. They are being prosecuted following a police investigation into alleged group-based child exploitation in Norwich.

The defendants are Jamil Khalil, 21, of Dumbarton, Scotland; Ahmadin Ahmadzai, 21; Qais Kaker, 20; Fazal Auryakhel, 20; Mohammed Farooq Sinwary, 20; Ali Ahamad, 21; Sayed Wahid Daviodzai, 20, all of Norwich; and Bilal Shinwari, 20, of Bowthorpe.

The charges vary between defendants, ranging from individual rape allegations to multiple counts of rape, human trafficking and conspiracy. Shinwari was arrested in Ireland and returned to the United Kingdom in July.

According to the information provided by authorities, six of the men entered the UK in small boats, while the other two arrived concealed in vehicles.

Norfolk Police has stressed that none of the accused men lived in asylum hotels in Norfolk and that none of the alleged offences took place at such facilities.

Detective Superintendent Stacey Murray has said the safety and wellbeing of the victims remain the investigation’s primary concern.

She said a dedicated team was examining all available lines of inquiry and gathering evidence while taking account of the traumatic experiences of the victims.

The case is expected to be heard over approximately three months, with proceedings now scheduled to begin no earlier than May 2027.

The government based in eastern Libya has banned Afghan and Iranian nationals from entering areas under its control through land, sea and air entry points, according to Reuters.

The decision was announced late Wednesday, although authorities did not provide a reason for the restrictions.

The eastern administration has instructed its Interior Ministry to enforce the ban and deport Afghan and Iranian nationals who do not possess valid residence permits.

Exemptions will apply to members of accredited diplomatic and consular missions and their families. Afghans and Iranians working in the medical and education sectors may also qualify for exemptions, provided they hold valid work authorizations.

The latest restrictions follow similar measures introduced by the eastern administration in June, when it barred nationals of Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Libya has served as a major transit route for migrants attempting to reach Europe across the Mediterranean since the 2011 overthrow of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. The country has remained divided between rival administrations in the east and west since 2014.

According to United Nations data collected in June, more than 900,000 migrants are living in Libya.