Latest News
Death toll from Ida remnants rises to 65 in US
Torrential rains, floods, and tornadoes triggered by Storm Ida remnants claimed at least 65 lives across the United States as of Saturday, U.S. media reported.
Storm Ida also caused damage to residential buildings and infrastructures and led to water and power outages. Under its impact, some hard-hit areas of the United States have yet to return to normal life.
Ida remnants dumped rain at sometimes unprecedented rates on Wednesday night in the region, triggering floods that poured into subway stations and submerged homes and vehicles on highways.
Parts of New Jersey are still recovering from Ida’s impact. Earlier, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said the state was still not out of the woods, and his biggest concern lies in the further response to the still-high water levels and damages from Ida.
Infrastructures and residential buildings were destroyed in parts of New Jersey, with some residents saying their neighborhoods were almost completely destroyed by Ida.
New York state was also one of the hardest hit by Ida, with heavy rains submerging many parts of the city and flooding into low-lying areas.
U.S. media reported that at least 11 people, mostly immigrants and low-income groups, were killed when floodwaters submerged basement apartments in New York City.
The situation in Louisiana also remains grim. Local life is still not back to normal days after the storm. Statistics showed that over one million households in the state have suffered power outages, and the daily water supply to 600,000 people has been affected.
In addition, some nursing homes in Louisiana were reported to have failed to evacuate residents in time, and staff members even disappeared before the storm, leaving some elderly residents waiting for help without water or power.
At least six nursing home residents died after being evacuated, and their deaths are still under investigation, according to local media.
Many Americans expressed strong dissatisfaction and anger over the government’s poor response to the storm. Some accused the government of slow response and lack of an effective emergency plan. Others believed some lives could have been saved if the government had declared a state of emergency earlier.
Analysts believed that the massive loss of property and lives caused by Ida showed the dangerously old public infrastructures in New York and elsewhere are in urgent need of improvement.
Jonathan Bowles, executive director of the Center for an Urban Future, a public policy think tank, said in an interview that New York City’s infrastructures had not been able to keep up with population growth over the past few decades, let alone with increasingly violent storms and sea level rise from climate change.
Nicole Gelinas, an urban economics expert at the Manhattan Institute, said that New York City’s infrastructures can’t handle tens of centimeters of rainfall dumped in just a few hours. She added that short periods of heavy rainfall could clog sewer drains, and there is not enough green space to help absorb it.
“So some of these avenues, they become canals when there’s a big storm,” the expert said.
Officials in New York and New Jersey acknowledged Friday that state governments need to improve infrastructures and better prepare for extreme weather events.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the loss of lives from Ida highlighted weaknesses in the state’s disaster notification system, including a lack of notification in different languages.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a series of initiatives to tackle extreme weather events, including more aggressive travel bans, and measures to guide residents off the streets ahead of a storm and evacuate people living in vulnerable spaces like basement apartments.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also admitted the state had a lot of work to do to adapt to climate change.
Storm Ida landed on Aug 29, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s destructive strike, tying with 2020’s Hurricane Laura and the Last Island Hurricane of 1856 as the strongest ever to hit Louisiana. It was downgraded to a tropical depression on Monday afternoon and moved inland with torrential rain.
Sources told Ariana News that talks between the Islamic Emirate delegation and European Union representatives in Brussels concluded on Tuesday.
According to the sources, both sides discussed the resumption of consular services for Afghans across Europe, the need for confidence-building measures, the expansion of consular presence, and ensuring a dignified process for the return of Afghan citizens.
The delegation, led by Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, traveled to Brussels with representatives from the Ministry of Interior also included in the delegation.
This marks the first time that a delegation from the Islamic Emirate has been officially invited by the European Union to Brussels and engaged in direct talks with European representatives.
Participants described the discussions as constructive and expressed hope that the process will pave the way for positive developments and help safeguard the consular rights of Afghans living in Europe.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works has signed a contract worth more than AFN 1.25 billion for the reconstruction of a 15-kilometer section of the strategically important Salang Highway in Southern Salang, as part of ongoing efforts to rehabilitate one of the country’s most vital transport corridors.
The ministry said the project, valued at AFN 1.252 billion, will cover a section of the highway stretching from Olang to Jabal al-Siraj. Construction work is expected to begin in the near future.
Speaking at the contract signing ceremony, Minister of Public Works Mohammad Isa Sani described the Salang Highway as one of Afghanistan’s most important economic arteries, emphasizing the need for the project to be implemented on time and in accordance with technical standards and quality requirements.
According to the ministry, the 15-kilometer road section, which has a width of 12 meters, will undergo full rehabilitation and asphalt paving. The project also includes the construction of five new culverts, the widening of 33 existing culverts, and the construction of 600 meters of roadside drainage channels.
The ministry noted that reconstruction work on the Southern Salang section from the Salang Tunnel to Olang is being carried out using concrete pavement. A significant portion of that work has already been completed, while the remaining construction is still underway.
Officials added that the broader Salang Highway rehabilitation program is progressing across three sections: Southern Salang, Northern Salang, and the Khinjan–Doshi route. Major infrastructure, including the tunnel, galleries, and vulnerable sections of the highway, has already undergone extensive reconstruction using three layers of concrete.
The Salang Highway is one of Afghanistan’s most critical transportation and transit routes, linking the country’s northern provinces with Kabul. It plays a key role in facilitating the movement of people, commercial goods, and agricultural products across the country.
International Sports
Messi breaks World Cup scoring record as Argentina reach knockout stage
The record-breaking performance continued a remarkable run for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches and leads the Golden Boot race with five goals.
Lionel Messi added another remarkable chapter to his legendary career on Monday, becoming the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history as Argentina secured a 2-0 victory over Austria and booked their place in the knockout rounds of the 2026 tournament.
The Argentine captain scored both goals in a hard-fought Group J encounter, taking his World Cup tally to 18 goals and surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who previously held the record with 16.
Just days before his 39th birthday, Messi delivered when it mattered most, despite seeing an early penalty saved. His brace ensured defending champions Argentina maintained their perfect start to the tournament and qualified for the Round of 32 with a game to spare.
The record-breaking performance continued a remarkable run for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches and leads the Golden Boot race with five goals.
Nearly 20 years after making his World Cup debut, Messi is once again at the centre of football history, proving that age has done little to diminish his extraordinary influence on the game’s biggest stage.
As the race for the trophy heats up, fans across Afghanistan can tune in live to Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) to watch the thrilling event. For updated schedules, highlights and information, fans can follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ social media platforms.
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