International
US cancels Taliban talks over reversal on girls’ education
The United States has announced that it has canceled planned talks with the Taliban after the rulers of Afghanistan made a U-turn on the topic of girls’ education, shuttering girls out of middle and high schools hours after doors were opened.
“We have canceled some of our engagements, including planned meetings in Doha around the Doha Forum, and have made clear that we see this decision as a potential turning point in our engagement,” State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter said.
Women’s rights and education of girls were major causes for concern when the Taliban seized power amidst a hurried withdrawal of international forces in Afghanistan. After months of uncertainty, the Education Ministry last week announced it would open schools for all students, including girls, beginning Wednesday.
Schools closed abruptly
Hours after classes began, the ministry posted a new notice: “We inform all girls high schools and those schools that are having female students above class six that they are off until the next order.”
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The announcement was met with disappointment from girls who were turned away from schools and condemnation from international powers, who have been lobbying for women’s rights under the Taliban regime.
“This decision by the Taliban, if it is not swiftly reversed, will profoundly harm the Afghan people, the country’s prospects for economic growth, and the Taliban’s ambition to improve their relations with the international community,” Porter told reporters.
“We also stand with Afghan girls and their families, who see education as a path to realizing the full potential of Afghanistan’s society and economy,” she added.
Female foreign ministers condemn move
A group of female foreign ministers from 16 countries around the world also expressed their disappointment in a joint statement on Friday.
“As women and as foreign ministers, we are deeply disappointed and concerned that girls in Afghanistan are being denied access to secondary schools this spring,” the foreign ministers of Albania, Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Kosovo, Malawi, Mongolia, New Zealand, Sweden, Tonga and Britain said.
They said the decision “is particularly disturbing as we repeatedly heard their commitments to open all schools for all children.”
“We call upon the Taliban to reverse their recent decision and to grant equal access to all levels of education, in all provinces of the country,” they added.
The UN Security Council also held a closed-door discussion on the issue.
The Taliban had promised a softer rule when they returned to power last year, claiming they respect women’s rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic sharia law. They also said girls would be allowed to study till university.
However, the Islamist group has imposed a range of restrictions on women, more or less banning them from government jobs, policing what they wear, and keeping them from traveling out of their cities alone.
DW
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International
New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student
Police in New York City have arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian student, Javits Frimpong, who was killed while walking to school in the Bronx.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrest on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, saying the suspect had been taken into custody and charged with murder over the October 29 killing.
The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed because he is a minor, is also reportedly facing manslaughter and firearm-related charges.
Frimpong was shot in the abdomen near Crotona Park, close to East 171st Street and Crotona Place, while making his way to DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx.
He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital but was later pronounced dead.
According to police reports, the teenager was walking to school when he was attacked. Investigators have not established the motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect knew the victim.
The arrest followed weeks of investigations and growing demands for justice from Frimpong’s family, members of the Ghanaian community and civil rights advocates.
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Police had previously indicated that three people might have been involved in the shooting and had been investigating possible motives, including robbery and alleged bullying at the victim’s school.
Frimpong’s father, Thomas Frimpong, had earlier said his son complained about being bullied by fellow students at DreamYard Preparatory School. Two students were reportedly suspended over the alleged harassment.
However, investigators have not established a connection between the alleged bullying and the fatal shooting.
The arrest was announced as the victim’s parents, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, Reverend Al Sharpton and Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Yao Kumah, gathered at a news conference in New York to demand justice.
Frimpong’s mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, broke down in tears during the event as she appealed for justice for her son.
She reportedly travelled from Ghana following her son’s death, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had earlier appealed to US President Donald Trump to facilitate arrangements for her to travel to the United States to mourn with her family.
Frimpong had moved from Ghana to the United States about a year before his death to reunite with his father and pursue better educational opportunities. He was a Grade 10 student and reportedly aspired to become a doctor.
The killing sparked protests and public demonstrations in New York, with demonstrators calling for accountability under the campaign slogan, “Justice for Javits!”
Crump, who is representing the family, acknowledged the arrest but said several questions surrounding the teenager’s death remained unanswered.
He called for a thorough investigation to establish why Frimpong was killed and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
Ghanaian authorities have also been engaging with their American counterparts over the case. Ghana’s government has engaged Crump to assist in seeking justice for its nationals killed in the United States.
The NYPD said investigations were continuing, with the possibility of other arrests not ruled out.
The arrest marks a significant development in the case, although the circumstances and motive behind the killing remain under investigation.
New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student
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International
Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families
Canada has announced plans to provide permanent residency opportunities for up to 100,000 foreign workers and their eligible family members already living in the country under a new immigration measure scheduled for 2027.
The initiative is part of the Canadian government’s efforts to address labour shortages, reduce immigration application backlogs and provide greater certainty for migrant workers who have established themselves in Canadian communities.
According to details released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the programme will create additional permanent residency admission spaces for eligible workers living outside Quebec, alongside their family members.
The measure is expected to benefit workers whose skills are needed in local economies, particularly in smaller communities, as the government works with provincial and territorial authorities to identify eligible applicants.
However, the announcement does not establish a new immigration pathway open to every foreign worker. It is designed to accelerate permanent residency for people who already meet specified eligibility conditions under existing immigration programmes.
Under the proposed arrangement, workers may qualify through two main routes. They must either be awaiting a decision on a permanent residency application submitted under selected immigration programmes that are now closed to new applicants, or be eligible to apply through Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
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The selected programmes include the Start-Up Visa Programme, Self-Employed Persons Programme, Agri-Food Pilot and Home Care Workers (Caregivers) immigration programme.
The government said the additional admission spaces would cover workers living outside Quebec and their eligible family members.
The initiative is intended to recognise the contributions of foreign workers who have established roots in Canadian communities, paid taxes and helped address labour shortages.
Beyond the workers’ initiative, Canada is also setting aside additional permanent residency spaces for other categories of applicants.
These include up to 45,000 spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are already in Canada and awaiting decisions on their applications.
Another 12,600 applicants whose permanent residency cases have already received approval in principle on humanitarian and compassionate grounds are expected to benefit.
The government is also targeting outstanding applications under special immigration arrangements for Hong Kong residents and Ukrainians with family members in Canada.
According to IRCC, the measures are designed to provide stability for people who are already contributing to Canadian society while reducing outstanding immigration applications and improving processing times.
The department clarified that applicants do not need to submit separate applications or take additional steps to be considered under the temporary measures.
The 2027 initiative is time-limited and will operate outside Canada’s regular immigration admission targets. It is not a permanent expansion of immigration programmes.
The announcement is part of Canada’s wider effort to reform its immigration system, balance labour market requirements with sustainable population growth and prioritise applicants who are already living and working in the country.
The government said the additional admission spaces would help eligible migrants and their families secure greater certainty about their future in Canada.
Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families
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International
Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims
Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims
At least two people have been killed and 17 others injured after a three-storey building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York, triggering a massive rescue operation involving hundreds of emergency responders.
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn, with seven children among those affected.
According to reports by Fox News and Reuters, the building, located at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, collapsed into an adjoining construction site where excavation work was reportedly ongoing.
New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore confirmed that 19 people had been accounted for, including the two deceased victims. Four of the injured were in critical condition, while 12 were reported to be stable.
A firefighter also sustained minor injuries while participating in the rescue operation.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene shortly after receiving a distress call at about 4:01 p.m. local time.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani disclosed that firefighters arrived within a minute of receiving the emergency call and immediately commenced search-and-rescue operations.
More than 250 firefighters and emergency medical personnel were deployed to the scene as rescue teams worked through the rubble in search of possible survivors.
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Search dogs, drones and specialised equipment were also deployed, while officials warned that the unstable condition of the wreckage could make the operation last several days.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that additional people could still be trapped beneath the debris.
Reacting to the tragedy, Mayor Mamdani expressed sadness over the loss of lives and appealed to residents to remember the victims and their families in their prayers.
Speaking during an evening briefing, the mayor said he was heartbroken by the incident and called for prayers for those who lost their lives, their grieving families and the injured.
He also commended firefighters and other emergency personnel for their efforts in rescuing victims under dangerous conditions.
Mamdani had earlier urged residents to stay away from the affected area to allow emergency workers to carry out their operations without obstruction.
Officials from New York City’s Department of Buildings confirmed that excavation work was ongoing at the adjoining construction site when the collapse occurred.
The department disclosed that inspectors had been deployed to assess the structural stability of nearby buildings and assist with recovery operations.
Authorities have yet to establish the exact cause of the collapse, while investigations are ongoing.
The New York Police Department also announced traffic restrictions around the affected area, urging motorists and residents to avoid the vicinity.
Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims
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