Connect with us

Latest News

UN chief calls for global community to ‘shield reporters’

Published

on

Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on Wednesday, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, called on governments and the global community to take necessary steps to shield reporters from imprisonment, violence and death.

In his goodwill message, Guterres noted that a free press remained vital to functioning democracy, exposing wrongdoing, navigating the complex world and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said more than 70 journalists have been killed this year simply for fulfilling this role in society. “Most of these crimes go unsolved,” he added.

He also noted that a record number of journalists are incarcerated today, while threats of imprisonment, violence and death keep growing.

“As we mark its 10th anniversary, I call on governments and the international community to take the necessary steps to protect our journalists. We must end a common culture of impunity and enable journalists to do their essential work.”

According to the International Press Institute (IPI), in 2021 alone, 45 journalists were killed across the world, 28 slain in retaliation for their work, three killed while covering armed conflicts, one assassinated in line of duty, two died while covering civil unrest, and 11 deaths are under investigation.

The top four nations with the most killings of media practitioners in the year under review were Mexico (seven), Afghanistan (six), India (six) and Democratic Republic of Congo (three).

Meanwhile, UNAMA said Wednesday that human rights abuses of more than 200 reporters in Afghanistan have been recorded since August 2021.

“Record high numbers include arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment, threats and intimidation,” UNAMA tweeted adding that “media in Afghanistan is in peril”.

Latest News

Afghanistan summons Pakistani chargé d’affaires over latest airstrikes

Published

on

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires to Kabul and lodged a strong protest against the violation of Afghan airspace and Pakistani military airstrikes on several Afghan provinces.

The ministry handed the Pakistani diplomat a formal protest note following the attacks on Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces on Wednesday night, which reportedly caused civilian casualties.

The Islamic Emirate strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and contrary to Islamic, international, humanitarian and good-neighborly principles.

The ministry also rejected what it called baseless claims that Afghan territory was being used as a source of Pakistan’s recent security incidents.

It said using such claims to justify military action was an attempt to distort facts, mislead public opinion and conceal Pakistan’s internal failures.

The Islamic Emirate further accused Pakistan’s military leadership of avoiding commitments made to regional countries and warned that such actions could further escalate tensions in the region.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Museum dedicated to preserving ‘Jihadi’ artefacts opens in Kandahar

The museum’s collection includes more than 100 items gathered from different locations.

Published

on

A museum dedicated to preserving what Afghan authorities describe as “Jihadi artefacts” has officially opened in Kandahar, with officials saying more than 100 items have so far been collected for display.

Mufti Mohammad Tahir Ahmad, Director General for the Preservation of Jihadi Artefacts at the Ministry of Information and Culture, attended the inauguration ceremony alongside Qari Ahmadullah Saeed Khosti, Director of Registration for Jihadi Artefacts and Documents.

Mufti Inamullah Samangani, head of the Kandahar Information and Culture Department, and officials from several government departments also attended the ceremony.

According to the official responsible for preserving the artefacts in Kandahar, the museum’s collection includes more than 100 items gathered from different locations.

The collection includes weapons that officials say were captured from British, Soviet and US forces, as well as personal belongings and other items associated with people killed during Afghanistan’s conflicts over the past two decades.

Officials said efforts to collect additional artefacts would continue in order to expand the museum’s collection.

The museum is now open to visitors, according to the officials.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Ariana Afghan Airlines ranks seventh among 45 Central Asian airlines

Published

on

Ariana Afghan Airlines has ranked seventh among 45 airlines in Central Asia in Skytrax’s 2026 rankings.

Company officials say Ariana Afghan ranked eighth on the list in 2025, but moved up one place this year following improvements in service quality and the expansion of its operations.

According to the officials, in 2026 the airline met criteria including service quality, flight safety, professional cabin crew, and experience in the aviation sector, placing it among the top 10 airlines in Central Asia.

Skytrax is an international organization that evaluates and ranks the quality of services in the aviation industry and airlines, assessing and ranking carriers annually based on specific criteria.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2026 Ariana News. All rights reserved!