Afghanistan needs immediate support, physical cash. Inaction is untenable

The Taliban’s cruelties are horrendous, but withholding international support and maintaining blanket sanctions will only hurt the long-suffering Afghan people.

Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation is spiraling into catastrophe.

Millions of Afghans are now facing severe economic stress and food insecurity in the wake of the Taliban’s August takeover, set off by widespread lost income, cash shortages, and rising food costs. Officials with the UN and several foreign governments are warning of an economic collapse and risks of worsening acute malnutrition and outright famine.

Surveys by the World Food Program (WFP) reveal over nine in ten Afghan families have insufficient food for daily consumption, half stating they have run out of food at least once in the last two weeks. One in three Afghans is already acutely hungry. Other United Nations reports warn that over 1 million more children could face acute malnutrition in the coming year.

One main cause of the crisis is that governments in August stopped payments from the World Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, previously used to pay salaries to millions of civil servants, doctors, nurses, teachers, and other essential workers. Afghanistan’s health and education systems, among other sectors, are collapsing. Millions of Afghan families have lost their incomes…

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Nearly 10 mn Afghan children in desperate need of humanitarian aid: UNICEF

There are nearly 10 million children in Afghanistan “in desperate need of humanitarian aid”, said UNICEF Afghanistan Representative, adding these children are deprived of right to a healthy childhood There are nearly 10 million children in Afghanistan “in desperate need of humanitarian aid”, said UNICEF Afghanistan Representative, Herve Ludovic De Lys, adding that these children are deprived of their right to a healthy and protected childhood. “Those least responsible for this crisis, are paying the highest price — including the children killed and injured in a series of atrocities in Kabul since last Thursday”, the senior UN Children’s Fund official told correspondents. “Again, today, I heard of more unsettling reports – of unaccompanied children across the country…more reports of grave violations, including children being recruited by armed groups…All this in a year in which more than 550 children have been killed, and more than 1400 injured.” He said that against a...

PSU bank employees go on two-day strike; services hit at many places

Employees of public sector banks went on two-day strike against the move to privatise public sector banks impacting normal banking operation across the country Employees of public sector banks (PSBs) on Thursday went on two-day strike against the move to privatise public sector banks impacting normal banking operation across the country. Many branches across different parts of the country were shut as the United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions including All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) had given two day strike call. As a result, services such as deposits and withdrawal at branches, cheque clearance and loan approvals might be affected due to the strike. But ATMs are expected to function as usual. Public sector lenders, including State Bank of India, had informed customers that services in their branches might be affected due to ...

'When rape is inevitable, enjoy it...': Congress MLA in Karnataka Assembly

Senior Karnataka Congress leader KR Ramesh Kumar made a sexist and unsavoury comment on rape in the state Assembly Senior Karnataka Congress leader and former Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Thursday made a sexist and unsavoury comment on rape in the state Assembly. Speaking in the Assembly, Kumar said, “There is a saying that when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position in which you are.” The senior Congress MLA’s remark was made when MLAs began to demand time from Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri to discuss farmers’ issues in the Assembly. When the Speaker asked how the Session would be conducted if the time was allotted to everyone. “Whatever you decide I will say yes. What I am thinking is that let us enjoy the situation. I can’t control or regulate the system, my concern is about the business of the house, it has also to be covered,” the Speaker told the members. To this, the Congress MLA Ramesh Kumar mad...

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