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Many of the works of art by the eight finalists of the Jameel Prize for design inspired by Islamic tradition either make a political statement or pay tribute to a loved one who has made an impact on the designers’ lives. Their unique creations are brought together in a fascinating exhibition Jameel Prize: Poetry to Politics at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum which includes graphic design, fashion, typography, textiles, printmaking and architecture. In an 18 minute video, each designer (Golnar Adili from Iran, Hadeyeh Badri from the UAE, Kallol Datta from India, Farah Fayyad from Lebanon, A… Continue reading “Jameel Prize: ‘Poetry to Politics’ exhibited at V&A museum”

Afghanistan is a rugged country of great beauty straddling Asia and Europe, and it has been the scene of warfare and contestation for decades. The Taliban, a group connected to extreme violence, especially in the late 1990s, emerged as the power in control of Afghanistan recently, due to the void left by outsiders. This is their second time in power and the world can remember all too well that from the mid-1990s until 2001, their rule at the time was harsh and brutal, especially in their clampdown on the rights of women and girls. The latter suffered immensely from a lack of access to school, … Continue reading “Advocating for Afghan girls’ education”

Afghanistan’s economy is set to contract up to 30 percent this year and this is likely to further fuel a refugee crisis that will impact neighbouring countries, Turkey and Europe, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday. With non-humanitarian aid halted and foreign assets largely frozen after the Taliban seized power in August, Afghanistan’s aid-reliant economy “faces severe fiscal and balance-of-payments crises”, it said in its regional economic outlook update. “The resulting drop in living standards threatens to push millions into poverty and could lead to a humanitarian crisis.” The… Continue reading “Afghanistan’s economic collapse could prompt refugee crisis”

Washington (AFP) – Zalmay Khalilzad, the veteran US envoy whose months of hotel-ballroom diplomacy helped end the US war in Afghanistan but failed at preventing a Taliban takeover, resigned on Monday. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Khalilzad defended his record but acknowledged that he came up short and said he wanted to make way during the “new phase of our Afghanistan policy.” “The political arrangement between the Afghan government and the Taliban did not go forward as envisaged,” he wrote. “The reasons for this are too complex and I will share my thoughts in the coming d… Continue reading “Khalilzad, US envoy who brokered Afghan exit, quits”

By alang.consultant DO BANDI, LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (Knewz) – At first glance; it appears a region so remote – set upon lush, streaming valleys without roads and unreachable by regular vehicles – that it must have been untouched by the decades of brutal conflict that masticated much of Afghanistan. But delve a little deeper into the archaic clay homes, the faded color of walnut, set on the foothills above the lush and overgrown streams and hints of something slightly sinister start to emerge. We weave into the tiny, six-family village of Yaw Dean, meaning “One Religion” in Pashto, tucked… Continue reading “KNEWZ EXCLUSIVE: Taliban Corridor Now Facing ISIS Threat”

Arriving in New Delhi last month for a two-day official visit, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held extensive meetings with the Indian Minister for External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Kumar Doval, and the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though bilateral coordination in economic and security matters featured high on the agenda, another main reason for the talks was the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban announced its interim government in early September, which featured no women and was mostly comprised … Continue reading “Saudi Arabia’s balancing act between India and Pakistan”

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Pakistani Taliban as a schoolgirl, has urged Afghanistan’s new rulers to let girls return to school. It has been one month since the Taliban, which seized power in August, excluded girls from returning to secondary school while ordering boys back to class. The Taliban have claimed they will allow girls to return once they have ensured security and stricter segregation under their interpretation of Islamic law – but many are sceptical. Afghan women are speaking out for themselves and demanding their right to learn. We must stand wit… Continue reading “Malala urges Taliban to educate girls in Afghanistan”

A screenshot from the video report “Long-running Tensions Mount Between Iran, Azerbaijan” from TRT World. Tensions between Azerbaijan and Iran have reached a boiling point in recent weeks. There are three main reasons behind the strained relationship, including perceptions that Azerbaijan has been strengthening ties with Israel amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. Azerbaijan also launched a joint military exercise with Pakistan and Turkey — a country competing with Iran in Middle East leadership — on September 1. Additionally, in mid-September, Azerbaijan imposed a road tax on Iranian trucks… Continue reading “Tensions are escalating between Azerbaijan and Iran over border issue and Armenia”