Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Malala ‘fears’ for her Afghan sisters

Malala ‘fears’ for her Afghan sisters

NOBEL Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai on Tuesday (17) said she feared for “my Afghan sisters" in the wake of the Taliban's stunning takeover of the country.

"We will have time to debate what went wrong in the war in Afghanistan, but in this critical moment, we must listen to the voices of Afghan women and girls. They are asking for protection, for education, for the freedom and the future they were promised," Malala, 24, wrote in an op-ed published in The New York Times.


"We cannot continue to fail them. We have no time to spare."

Malala, long an advocate for girls' education, survived a Pakistani Taliban assassination attempt when she was just 15 years old when the militants shot her in the head in rural northwest Pakistan.

Since then the Oxford graduate has become a global figure promoting education for girls.

The Taliban took effective control of Afghanistan on Sunday (15) when president Ashraf Ghani fled and the insurgents walked into Kabul with no opposition.

It capped a staggeringly fast rout of the country's major cities in just 10 days, following two decades of war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

The Taliban led a pariah regime from 1996 to 2001, infamous for a brutal rule in which girls could not go to school, women were barred from taking up jobs that would put them in contact with men, and people were stoned to death.

The recent takeover has triggered fears of renewed oppression, in particular towards women and girls.

"I cannot help but be grateful for my life now," wrote Malala.

"After graduating from college last year and starting to carve out my own career path, I cannot imagine losing it all - going back to a life defined for me by men with guns," she said.

"Afghan girls and young women are once again where I have been - in despair over the thought that they might never be allowed to see a classroom or hold a book again."

On Tuesday (17), a Taliban spokesman indicated the militants would not make the full burqa - a one-piece overgarment that covers the entire head and body - compulsory and sought to dismiss concerns that women would be barred from education.

Women "can get education from primary to higher education - that means university. We have announced this policy at international conferences, the Moscow conference and here at the Doha conference (on Afghanistan)," Suhail Shaheen said.

But Malala raised skepticism of that vow.

"Given the Taliban's history of violently suppressing women's rights, Afghan women’s fears are real," she wrote.

"Already, we are hearing reports of female students being turned away from their universities, (and) female workers from their offices."

More For You

Kyle-Clifford-Reuters

Clifford had pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, one of false imprisonment, and two charges of possessing offensive weapons. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)

Crossbow killer sentenced to life for triple murder and rape

A FORMER soldier who murdered three women and raped one of them in an attack involving a crossbow and a knife has been sentenced to life in prison.

Kyle Clifford, 26, received a whole-life term for each of the murders of Carol Hunt, 61, wife of BBC sports commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.

Keep ReadingShow less
 electricity-pylons-iStock

From 2026, households within 500 metres of new or upgraded electricity infrastructure will receive bill reductions of up to £2,500 over 10 years. (Representational image: iStock)

Residents near new electricity pylons to get bill reductions

THE GOVERNMENT announced on Monday that households living near new electricity pylons will receive discounts on their energy bills.

The move is part of efforts to expand electricity infrastructure, despite opposition to large-scale projects needed to connect renewable energy to the grid.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Speaking from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump had said the US has been economically and financially 'ripped off' by several countries, including India. (Photo: Getty Images)

India denies pledge to lower tariffs following Trump’s statement

INDIA has said it has not committed to reducing import duties on US goods, following US president Donald Trump’s claim that New Delhi had agreed to "cut their tariffs way down."

Trump, in the early weeks of his second term, has taken a tough stance on global trade, imposing tariffs on several countries, including India, and accusing trading partners of unfair practices.

Keep ReadingShow less
most polluted cities

India, home to six of the world’s 10 most polluted cities, saw a 7% reduction in air pollution between 2023 and 2024

iStock

Only 7 countries meet WHO air quality guidelines, UK falls short


Air pollution is a silent killer, claiming millions of lives annually and leaving nearly every corner of the globe gasping for clean air. According to the latest annual report by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, only seven countries worldwide met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines for safe levels of PM2.5 pollution in 2024. These countries- Australia, New Zealand, Estonia, Iceland, and a handful of small island states- stand as rare exceptions in a world where dirty air has become the norm.

Keep ReadingShow less
London-ULEZ-iStock

Signs indicating Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on a street in London. (Photo: iStock)

London ULEZ expansion cuts pollution, increases compliance

LONDON’s air quality has improved following the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across all 33 boroughs in August 2023.

The ULEZ requires vehicles that do not meet specific emission standards to pay a daily charge of £12.50. The scheme aims to tackle air pollution, climate change, and congestion.

Keep ReadingShow less