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IEA cancel public holiday for Nowruz but say celebrations allowed
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) said there would be no public holiday for the Persian New Year this week, but stated they would not stop people from celebrating the festival.
Persian New Year, known as Nowruz and celebrated throughout Iran and Central Asia, is a popular festival in Afghanistan and is usually marked by a public holiday, when families gather to prepare festive dishes and welcome the beginning of spring.
Mohammad Yunus Sidiqi, spokesman for the labour ministry, told Reuters that there would be no official public holiday on Monday, when Nowruz was set to take place.
An information ministry spokesman said the holiday was not in accordance with Islamic law, but that private celebrations by civilians would be allowed.
“We are not officially celebrating Nowruz,” said Abdul Ahad Amad, head of publications at the information ministry. “If people want to do something we are not preventing them.”
Though workers will have to return to the office and public university students said exams had been scheduled for Monday, there were signs that Afghans would still celebrate.
Colourful flags were strung up across streets in parts of Kabul and the leaders of mosques in the capital and the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif said they were preparing for a traditional banner-raising ceremony known as Jahenda Bala, but were waiting for guidance from authorities on whether they would be able to go ahead.
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UK announces additional £3 million in aid for vulnerable people in Afghanistan
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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Around 2.3 million tourists visited Afghanistan’s recreational areas during Eid: Ghufran
Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, announced on Tuesday that over Eid al-Fitr holidays approximately 2.3 million domestic and foreign tourists visited the country’s recreational areas and natural attractions.
Ghufran said this level of tourist presence shows a significant increase compared to previous years and indicates growth and strengthening of the tourism sector.
Meanwhile, officials from the ministry’s departments, while emphasizing public cooperation in preserving the environment, maintaining cleanliness in public places, and protecting tourist attractions, stated that through extensive cooperation and efforts by security institutions, tourists were able to travel to different parts of the country with full confidence during the Eid holidays.
According to Ghufran, the Ministry of Information and Culture is working to develop and strengthen the tourism sector across the country and to provide more facilities and conveniences for tourists.
However, some tourists who traveled to various provinces praised the order, security, and hospitality of the people. They said that all provinces of Afghanistan have always been beautiful, but this year, with the current level of security and tourism facilities, their trips have become even more memorable.
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Berlin does not recognize IEA envoy as charge d’affaires of Afghan embassy
The German government has stated that it does not recognize a representative of the Islamic Emirate as ambassador or chargé d’affaires of the Afghan embassy in Berlin.
The response follows a report by German public broadcaster ARD, which claimed that Nebras-ul-Haq Aziz, an individual linked to the Islamic Emirate, had assumed leadership of the Afghan diplomatic mission in the German capital.
According to Deutsche Welle, a spokesperson for Germany’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that no personnel changes at the Afghan embassy had been officially communicated. “The legal status of the embassy will remain unchanged,” the spokesperson added.
He further clarified that a diplomat can only be formally recognized as ambassador after being nominated by their home country and granted accreditation by the host government—procedures that have not taken place in this case.
The German Foreign Ministry also expressed its interest in maintaining regular Afghan consular services in Germany, adding that such services are important for facilitating “the return of individuals required to leave the country.”
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