Four women have been drowned in the Helmand River in Nawa district of Helmand province, with two confirmed dead and two others still missing, local officials said on Friday.

According to a statement from the provincial Department of Information and Culture, the incident occurred after a woman was swept away by the river. In an attempt to rescue her, five other women entered the water, but the situation turned tragic when several of them were also caught in the strong current.

In a separate incident in the same district, two children — a boy and a girl — were also drowned in the Helmand River. Officials said the children remain missing.

The German Embassy in Islamabad has announced that Afghan citizens residing in Pakistan can apply for study or work visa online from 1 June 2026.

According to the embassy, all applications for study and employment visas will be processed exclusively through the Consular Services Portal of the German Federal Foreign Office. Officials said the new system is aimed at making the process “faster, easier, and more efficient” for applicants.

The embassy further clarified that applicants who have not received an appointment through the existing waiting list by 1 May 2026 will no longer be considered under the previous system.

Under the new procedure, applicants will be able to upload documents online step by step and receive feedback on whether their files are complete and correct. Once all required documents are submitted, applicants can independently book an appointment based on available slots for visa processing in Pakistan.