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.”
READ ALSO:
- Biden meets with top Ukrainian officials in Poland
- JUST IN: Explosion Rocks Kaduna Community
- CIG, Polaris Bank offer new vehicle buyers special finance package
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
International
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two employees of Givaudan sense colour, a factory known for making colourings for beverages, located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States (US) were killed in an explosion that took place at the company’s facility.
The factory reported that the incident which took place on Tuesday, November 12 in the afternoon have also destroyed buildings around the company.
READ ALSO:
- Alleged fraud: South Africa FA President, Danny Jordaan, arrested
- Okpebholo sacks all political appointees, Board executives in Edo
- A’Ibom police saved man from being lynched after son’s corpse found in carton
Louisville Mayor, Craig Greenberg stated that firefighters managed to rescue and evacuate numerous individuals from the site, including some who sustained life-threatening injuries.
He also confirmed that all employees present at the plant during the explosion have been accounted for.
Earlier reports indicated that at least 11 workers were hospitalized.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
International
Local security chief arrested over murder of mayor in Mexico
Local security chief arrested over murder of mayor in Mexico
German Reyes, a local security official in Chilpancingo, Mexico has been arrested for the murder of the city’s mayor, Alejandro Arcos.
The Mexican authorities announced his arrest via a statement on Tuesday, November 12.
The Mayor was killed in the month of October as security officials discovered his lifeless body in his pick-up truck with his head chopped off and placed on his body.
The brutal killing and decapitation of Mayor Alejandro Arcos, which occurred just days after he assumed office, stunned the nation.
Guerrero prosecutors confirmed the detention of the security official who was identified as German ‘N,’ in line with Mexican practice of withholding the full names of suspects.
However, a local government official later identified him as German Reyes, who was the security chief for Chilpancingo, a city of around 280,000 residents in southwestern Mexico prior to his arrest.
READ ALSO:
- Ondo: Police arrest prophetess over death of woman, newborn in church
- Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore
- Man bags life imprisonment for defiling 11-year-old girl
“The Guerrero prosecutor’s office, the Mexican army and the National Guard, arrested a man for the crime of qualified homicide in Chilpancingo,” the statement said.
The arrest seems to provide more proof of the extensive infiltration of organized crime in local governments across large parts of Mexico, as well as the corruption among local officials.
Reyes had a lengthy career in Mexico’s military, according to his public profile.
Further reports by the police revealed that the Mayor had prior to his death, left Chilpancingo in his truck without a driver or security detail, heading toward the nearby town of Petaquillas, Mexico.
Local media also suggested that Arcos had met with members of Los Ardillos, a criminal group operating in Guerrero, Mexico.
Local security chief arrested over murder of mayor in Mexico
International
COP29: Islamic bank supports WHO Impact Investment with $10m
COP29: Islamic bank supports WHO Impact Investment with $10m
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has committed a $10 million grant to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the Health Impact Investment Platform (HIIP), bolstering its mission to strengthen primary healthcare systems worldwide.
Announced on November 12, 2024, during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, the grant highlights IsDB’s dedication to enhancing health resilience and climate adaptation in low- and middle-income countries.
In a statement on Tuesday, IsDB described HIIP as a groundbreaking partnership among Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), WHO and nations seeking robust health and climate solutions.
“This initiative focuses on the investment in essential, climate and crisis-resilient primary health care services and systems,” the bank stated, emphasizing the aim to reinforce the health system, especially in low- and middle-income countries and in underserved communities, ultimately aiming to foster resilience against emerging health threats and climate challenges.
Fifteen countries are identified as part of phase one of the Health Impact Investment Platform: Burundi, Central African Republic, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia Guinea Bissau .
Other countries included Jordan, Maldives Morocco, Senegal, South Sudan, The Gambia, Tunisia and Zambia.
Supporting WHO’s technical assistance goals
The $10 million grant will specifically support the technical assistance that WHO provides to countries around the world to assess investment needs and to design the most impactful health projects.
READ ALSO:
- Court orders Alcon Nigeria to pay ex-workers over N39m
- Two brothers remanded in Kaduna for alleged armed robbery, killing
- Top 5 crypto apps that work with Nigerian Bank accounts
“These projects will serve as the foundation for co-investment by the MDBs, ensuring that resources are directed toward areas with the greatest potential for positive health outcomes,”IsDB added.
Over the next four years, WHO aims to strengthen climate resilience as part of its Fourteenth General Programme of Work, which includes implementing national climate adaptation plans and making 10,000 health facilities fully operational, including solar-powered electrification.
Unlocking $500m in health investments across the region
In addition to the $10 million grant, IsDB’s contribution is projected to unlock at least $500 million in health investments across the region.
“This collective goal is part of a broader effort to mobilize a total of US$ 1.5 billion in concessional loans and grants, focusing on critical areas, this way addressing national health priorities.”
Advancing health resilience, leadership statements
IsDB President Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser said, the Islamic Development Bank is proud to support the Health Impact Investment Platform as part of our unwavering commitment to advancing universal health coverage and resilience in our Member Countries.
“These Multilateral Development Banks and WHO partnerships enable us to scale up primary health care where it is needed most, creating a stronger foundation to withstand future crises and addressing the pressing health challenges of today.”
“Together, we are fostering a healthier, more equitable future for communities across the globe,” he said.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that low- and middle-income countries need access to sustainable financing to strengthen their health systems through primary health care, to make them both more resilient to pandemics and more equitable in delivering essential health services.
“The Health Impact Investment Platform combines WHO’s public health expertise and on-the-ground presence with the resources and financing expertise of the Islamic Development Bank and other multilateral development banks. By working together, we can make a significant difference in improving health outcomes and creating a healthier future for all.”
The IsDB, along with its partners, remains committed to fostering partnerships that will advance healthcare and improve quality of life globally.
COP29: Islamic bank supports WHO Impact Investment with $10m
-
Auto3 days agoToyota by CFAO surprises customers with free Hilux, motorcycles, all-expense-paid trip to Seychelles
-
International2 days agoBelgium University offers scholarship up to €12,000 for Master’s students
-
Railway2 days agoNigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route
-
International2 days agoUK announces 45,000 seasonal worker visas for 2025
-
Business2 days agoFinally, marketers, Dangote refinery agree on direct fuel supply
-
International2 days agoSaudi crown prince says Israel committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza
-
Politics3 days agoAfenifere, Council of Obas back Aiyedatiwa for Ondo gov
-
Business3 days agoCement price surges by 100% to N8,800 in one year