Latest News
Afghanistan facing deepening hunger crisis after US Aid Cuts: NYT reports
Afghanistan has plunged deeper into a humanitarian crisis following sharp cuts to U.S. aid, with child hunger at its worst level in 25 years and nearly 450 health centers forced to close, the New York Times reported.
According to the report, U.S. funding — which averaged nearly $1 billion a year after the Islamic Emirate takeover in 2021 — has largely evaporated following the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under President Donald Trump.
The World Food Program (WFP) estimates that four million Afghan children are now at risk of dying from malnutrition.
The aid cuts have hit rural areas particularly hard, leaving families without access to basic health care. In Daikundi province, the closure of local clinics has been linked to preventable deaths during childbirth and rising child mortality.
Nationwide, more than 17 million Afghans — about 40 percent of the population — face acute food insecurity, with seven provinces nearing famine conditions, the report said.
The crisis has been compounded by mass deportations of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan, deadly earthquakes, and ongoing drought. While other donors and Afghan authorities have tried to fill the gap, their efforts fall far short of previous U.S. assistance, the NYT reported.
Humanitarian groups warn the impact will be long-lasting. Researchers cited by the New York Times say sustained malnutrition could damage an entire generation, with consequences that cannot be reversed even if aid resumes in the future.
However, the spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, Zabihullah Mujahid, considers the findings of this report to be inaccurate and said that the situation in Afghanistan is not as dire as it is portrayed, and that the country’s situation is moving toward improvement.
“In our view, this report is not correct. We have gone through difficult times and experienced problems such as a humanitarian crisis. At one point, we suffered very heavy casualties and our people faced many difficulties, but now the situation of most people is improving. The country’s economy is moving in a positive direction, to some extent job opportunities have been created for unemployed people, efforts are still ongoing, and Afghanistan’s economic resources have been revived,” said Mujahid.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs says Sirajuddin Haqqani attended a graduation ceremony for more than 400 students of Noor-ul-Madaris Madrasa in Ghazni province.
The ministry said graduates from various departments of the madrasa received their graduation certificates at the ceremony.
According to the ministry, Haqqani highlighted the importance of education, good conduct and personal reform, while praising the contributions of religious scholars and clerics to the country’s academic and jihad-related efforts, as well as its reconstruction.
He also called on people to follow the teachings and example of religious scholars and predecessors and uphold their moral values and good conduct.
India has made it mandatory for Afghan Hindus and Sikhs who entered the country without valid travel documents to obtain visas to continue their stay.
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs amended the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, through a notification issued on Wednesday, The Hindu reported.
Under the amendment, Afghan Hindus and Sikhs who entered India on or before December 31, 2024, must obtain an appropriate category of visa to remain in the country.
The provision applies to those who entered India without valid travel documents or whose documents have since expired after seeking shelter due to religious persecution or fear of persecution.
The amendment retains an earlier exemption introduced on September 2, 2025, which allowed members of six non-Muslim communities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh to enter India without valid passports or visas. However, the latest notification requires them to obtain an appropriate visa after entering the country to continue their stay.
Afghanistan has the potential to generate up to 220 gigawatts of electricity from solar energy, yet it spends more than $280 million annually on electricity imports, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says.
In a post on social media platform X on Thursday, UNDP said tapping into the country’s solar energy potential could reduce its reliance on imported electricity and expand public access to clean and sustainable energy.
According to the agency, more than 80 percent of Afghanistan’s electricity needs are currently met through imports, despite the country’s estimated solar power generation potential of up to 220 gigawatts.
Afghanistan imports most of its electricity from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Despite having considerable solar, wind and hydropower resources, the country has remained heavily dependent on foreign electricity supplies.
UNDP said that since 2021, its projects have helped more than 5.5 million people in Afghanistan gain access to clean energy.
The agency stressed the need for greater investment and cooperation among relevant institutions to harness Afghanistan’s solar energy potential and expand sustainable domestic electricity generation.
Abu Muslim Farah claim convincing 3-0 win over Omar Zawak in ACL
Haqqani attends graduation ceremony of over 400 students in Ghazni
Afghanistan trail Zimbabwe by 391 runs at stumps on day two of first test
Iran sent nuclear proposal to the US via Qatar, senior Iranian official tells Reuters
India makes visas mandatory for Afghan Hindus and Sikhs to continue their stay
Afghanistan finish runners-up after 6-0 defeat to Brazil in futsal final
Trump says US will not attack Iran before midterm elections in November
Trump says US may strike Iran’s ‘Pickaxe Mountain’ nuclear facility
Afghan futsal coach: Brazil tournament is first step towards new goals and World Cup
WHO calls for greater mental health support in Afghanistan
Tahawol: Calls for stronger joint action against terrorism discussed
Saar: Impact of closing trade routes between Kabul-Pakistan discussed
El-Sayed’s historic victory opens a new chapter for Muslim Americans
Tahawol: Russia’s Moscow Format for Afghan issues discussed
Saar: Afghanistan’s second invitation to Global Climate Summit discussed
-
Sport4 days agoAfghanistan futsal team thrash Panama 5-0 in flying start to Dakar Youth Olympics
-
Sport5 days agoATN signs deal to broadcast Afghanistan Futsal Premier League seasons 5 and 6
-
World4 days agoUS carries out ‘defensive’ strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, officials say
-
Latest News5 days agoTrump claims he could have won Afghanistan war in three weeks
-
Sport5 days agoAfghanistan achieve their highest ICC Men’s ODI team ranking
-
Sport2 days agoAfghanistan suffer narrow defeat against Argentina at Dakar Youth Olympics
-
World5 days agoTrump White House maps path to govern without Congress if Democrats win: report
-
Regional4 days agoIran says contacts over ending war continue after talks finish with no breakthrough