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Taliban Marks Two Years Since Return To Power In Afghanistan
The Afghan Taliban declared a public holiday to commemorate the second anniversary of their return to power and to honor their seizure of Kabul and the implementation of what they called an “Islamic system” of national security.
“On the second anniversary of the conquest of Kabul, we would like to congratulate the mujahid [holy warrior] nation of Afghanistan and ask them to thank Almighty Allah for this great victory,” the Taliban’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in a statement on Tuesday.
The country’s complete security is now guaranteed, a single authority governs its entire area, an Islamic system is in place, and everything is explained from the perspective of Sharia (Islamic law), according to Mujahid.
Soldiers increased checks, and security was tight on Tuesday in the capital, Kabul.
Their convoys gathered close to the demolished US embassy in Massoud Square. While songs played and boys sold the movement’s white flag bearing the Islamic confession of faith, some men brandished their weapons while others took photographs.
“Death to the Europeans, death to the Westerners, long live the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, death to the Americans,” screamed a gathering of Taliban supporters in the western city of Herat.
The Afghan Taliban declared a public holiday to commemorate the second anniversary of their return.
In Kandahar, the Taliban movement’s birthplace, where their reclusive supreme leader Hibatullah Akhunzada exercises absolute power, a military parade was canceled. According to provincial officials, Akhunzada canceled the procession to avoid upsetting the populace.
Still, no nation has formally acknowledged their rule. The international community still debates whether and how to interact with the Taliban leadership.
On August 15, 2021, when US-backed president Ashraf Ghani left and the Afghan security forces, established with years of Western support, crumbled, the Taliban captured the city following a quick onslaught as US-led foreign forces were departing after 20 years of fruitless war.
Although the United Nations reports scores of attacks on civilians, some of which the armed group ISIL (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for, Afghanistan is currently experiencing a state of peace not seen in decades.
The Taliban, which claims to uphold human rights by its interpretation of Islamic law, has also prohibited most Afghan women from working for humanitarian organizations, shut down beauty parlors, prohibited women from entering parks, and restricted their ability to travel when no male guardian is present.
The Afghan Taliban declared a public holiday to commemorate the second anniversary of their return.
Since the organization retook power, girls beyond 12 have been largely barred from attending classes. The ban is a significant barrier for many Western governments trying to formally recognize the Taliban authority.
Nevertheless, most Muslim-dominated nations and Islamic scholars reject the Taliban’s position on women’s rights. Some Taliban commanders support women’s education, with one senior leader asserting that Islam gives women the right to education and employment.
The organization expects progress to lead to international recognition, the easing of sanctions, and the return of almost $7 billion in central bank assets that were frozen at the US Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2021 when the Taliban took control and were later split in half and transferred to a Swiss trust.
The UN special representative claims that corruption has decreased after it exploded for years after the Taliban were overthrown in 2001 as Western funding flowed in.
The Afghan Taliban declared a public holiday to commemorate the second anniversary of their return.
Additionally, there are indications that their ban on drug cultivation has significantly decreased poppy production in what was once the world’s largest opium producer.
However, a group of UN experts criticized their promises of a milder rule than during its first term in power from 1996 to 2001 on Monday.
The experts said in a statement that “despite assurances from the Taliban de facto authorities that any restrictions, particularly in terms of access to education, would be temporary, the facts on the ground have demonstrated an accelerated, systematic, and all-encompassing system of segregation, marginalization, and persecution.”
The de facto Afghan government’s words and actions have been increasingly at odds, and the notion of a “reformed” Taliban has been disproved, they continued.
SOURCE – (AJ)
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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