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Australia-China relations hit new low over fake Afghanistan photo

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(Last Updated On: December 1, 2020)

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for social media platform Twitter to take down a doctored picture of an Australian soldier purportedly slitting the throat of an Afghan child.

The photo was posted on Sunday by a senior Chinese official and has since sparked an international incident while the official, Lijian Zhao, has since pinned the inflammatory post to the top of his official Twitter account.

Retaliating to Morrison’s request, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday Australia should be ashamed of its war crimes in Afghanistan.

Beijing’s The Morning Star reported Tuesday that China has asked Australia to apologize to the Afghan people for the alleged war crimes their troops committed.

According to The Morning Star, Beijing also scorned Australia’s demand for an apology for the image posted by Lijian Zhao, who is one of China’s Foreign Ministry spokesmen.

“Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts and call for holding them accountable,” Lijian Zhao wrote above the picture that has since sparked an international incident.

He was commenting on an Australian war crimes report, which found Australian troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and civilians.

On the other hand, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Australia should “reflect deeply, bring the perpetrators to justice … and solemnly promise they will never commit such crimes again.”

Lijian Zhao has meanwhile been slinging insults at Australia all year and has in the process been making a name for himself.

Until recently, Zhao was a diplomat in the US and Pakistan and according to the UK’s Daily Mail has become known for his bombastic attitude, which won him a promotion to deputy director of Beijing’s ‘Information Department’.

For the past few months he has specifically focused on Australia, especially as relations between the two countries are at an all time low.

The Daily Mail reports that Zhao has slammed Australia in recent months for allegedly spreading misinformation and accused its leaders of being ‘hysterical’ about Chinese spying.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern came to Australia’s defense and chided Beijing for the post.

Calling the tweet “unfactual,” Ardern told reporters on Tuesday that her administration had contacted Beijing “directly” to raise objections over the controversial image, shared on Sunday by Zhao Lijan.

“There is an exchange that’s happening between Australia and China, it will of course tap into spaces where, as a general principle, we may have concerns and will raise those,” the PM said.

In this case, an image has been used that is not factually correct, that is not a genuine image. So we have raised that directly with Chinese authorities, she said.

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Eight dead in rain across Afghanistan over past four days

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(Last Updated On: April 29, 2024)

Mullah Janan Saiq, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Natural Disasters, says that eight people have died, three people have been injured and 20 hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed as a result of the rains and floods in the past four days.

Saiq also said that as a result of the recent rains in the country, 140 houses were damaged or destroyed and 20 kilometers of roads were also destroyed across the country.
According to him, 30 cows were also lost.

“Fortunately, as a result of the recent rains, the water level in the country has increased, the underground water has been strengthened and the farmers are happy,”
he said.

According to him, the Ministry of Natural Disasters has directed its directorates in the provinces to use all their facilities to help the victims.

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Ghori State Cement in Baghlan increases production

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(Last Updated On: April 28, 2024)

Officials at Ghori State Cement in Baghlan province say the amount of cement produced at this plant has increased compared to the past.

According to company officials, 150,000 tons of cement was produced in 1402 [solar year] and they are trying to increase the amount to 180,000 tons this year.

“Last year, we successfully produced 150,000 tons of cement and sold it to the market. Fortunately, in 1402, we had more than 200 million afghanis in revenue,” said Abdul Wakil Qayumi, financial and administrative deputy of the company.

The plant officials stated that efforts are underway to increase the production capacity, and with the increase of the production capacity, they will produce 1000 bags of cement per day.

“Currently, our four ovens are active, and we produce approximately 1,000 to 1,200 tons of cement in twenty-four hours,” said Mohammad Tahir, packaging manager for the company.

In this company, jobs are created for 750 individuals, and some workers have asked the traders to invest in the country and provide work for young people.

“Some more factories should be built in our country so that less foreign cement is imported into the country and we use our own products,” said one of the company workers.

Ghori Baghlan Cement Company was established about 40 years ago and is considered one of the largest cement production companies in Afghanistan.

The management of this company is carried out by the National Development Corporation (NDC).

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Regional countries should jointly expand stability and development: Deputy PM

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(Last Updated On: April 28, 2024)

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, Political Deputy Prime Minister, has said in a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan in Kabul that regional countries should play their role in the implementation of large regional projects.

Kabir also invited Kazakh businessmen to invest in Afghanistan, his office said in a statement.

He added that the Islamic Emirate fully controls Afghanistan’s borders, has eliminated drugs and corruption, and restored national sovereignty.

According to the statement, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin appreciated the progress made by the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan and said that his country is ready for long-term trade, transit and investment relations with Afghanistan.

Zhumangarin expressed his country’s readiness to grant scholarships to Afghan youth and added that Afghanistan is currently an example of a peaceful country in the region, and due to this, the world wants to establish relations with the Islamic Emirate in various fields.

He also called for the start of direct flights between Kabul and Almaty and said that his country is ready for bilateral cooperation with the Afghan government in the cultural field.

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