Regional
Herat girls call for reopening of their schools
A number of girls in Herat on Wednesday called for the reopening of schools for students above the sixth grade.
Holding a painting exhibition, the girls said that they wanted to give a message to the government and the world that education is the right of both girls and boys.
They exhibited about 60 paintings particularly for children.
“Our exhibition has two objectives. First is to reassure children that they are part of society and second is to remind the officials not to focus on their interests but pay attention also to children,” said Asma Mehrwarz, an organizer of the exhibition.
Lina Qaderi, a student, said: “We want girls’ schools to reopen, because every child has a right to education irrespective of being a boy or a girl.”
“We as students are preparing for Kankoor (university entrance test). We didn’t want our 10th, 11th and 12 grades to pass like this. We want the Islamic Emirate to reopen the girls’ schools,” said Sadaf, a student.
The visitors welcomed the exhibition and called for more.
“If we look at foreign countries, they display the smallest achievement of their children. But we don’t provide such an opportunity to our children. I hope conditions will improve in future so that our children could also display their talents,” said Sana, a student.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in March reversed a decision to allow girls to return to secondary and high schools.
A notice from the education ministry said that schools would reopen after a decision over the uniform of female students was made in accordance with Sharia law and Afghan tradition.
IEA’s Acting Public Health Minister Qalandar Ebad, however, said recently that the lack of funds was also a reason for the closure of girls’ schools.
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Islamabad on Friday on his first official visit to Pakistan, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Geo News reported.
He was received by Prime Minister Sharif and senior officials, with his aircraft escorted by Pakistan Air Force jets upon entering Pakistani airspace. The UAE president is accompanied by a high-level delegation.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the visit aims to review bilateral relations and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has signaled that the country will continue developing missiles over the next five years, following visits to major munitions enterprises in the last quarter of 2025, state media KCNA reported on Friday.
Kim said the country’s missile and shell production sector is “of paramount importance in bolstering war deterrence,” according to KCNA.
The report said Kim ratified draft documents on the modernization of key munitions enterprises, which will be submitted to a major ruling party congress expected to be held in early 2026. The congress is set to outline North Korea’s development plan for the next five years.
KCNA’s report follows Thursday’s disclosure that Kim oversaw the construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine alongside his daughter, widely seen as a potential successor, as well as the test-firing of long-range surface-to-air missiles.
Turkish authorities have detained 115 suspected Daesh members they said were planning to carry out attacks on Christmas and New Year celebrations in the country, the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said on Thursday.
Istanbul Police obtained information that Daesh members had planned attacks in Turkey, against non-Muslims in particular, during Christmas and New Year celebrations, the prosecutor’s office posted on X, Reuters reported.
The police raided 124 places in Istanbul, capturing 115 of the 137 suspects they were seeking, the statement said. Several pistols and ammunition were seized, it said.
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