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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 27 december 2022

U.N. official, Taliban minister meet on Afghan women

NGO ban

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) —
The top U.N. official in Kabul
met with a Taliban govern-
ment minister in Afghani-
stan's capital on Monday,
following a decision by the
country's new rulers to bar
women from working for
non-governmental orga-
nizations, the U.N. mission
said. The ban has already
prompted four major in-
ternational aid agencies
to suspend operations in
Afghanistan, raising the
possibility that millions of
people will be left without
food, education, health
care and other critical ser-
vices during the harsh win- The acting head of the U.N. Mission in Afghanistan, Ramiz Alakbarov, meets with the Taliban
ter months. government’s economy minister, Qari Din Mohammed Hanif, in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on
Humanitarian officials have Monday, Dec. 26, 2022, following a decision by authorities to bar women from working at national
warned that excluding and international NGOs in the country.
women from NGO work will Associated Press
have catastrophic conse- correctly. Hanif at the time about the meeting. The mittee, the Norwegian Ref-
quences for the population said that any organiza- Economy Ministry spokes- ugee Council and CARE
by depriving them of life- tion found not complying man, Abdul Rahman have been providing es-
saving assistance. with the order will have its Habib, told The Associated sential services and support
The measure — the latest license revoked. Press the meeting was ar- amid plummeting living
in restrictions on women's The U.N. mission in Afghani- ranged after Hanif issued conditions.
rights and freedoms in stan said in a tweet that its the NGO order. Islamic Relief said its female
Afghanistan — was an- acting head, Ramiz Alak- The four aid agencies staff were vital in providing
nounced on Saturday by barov, met with Hanif on stopped their operations essential healthcare, food
Qari Din Mohammed Hanif, Monday and called for a in Afghanistan, saying they and supporting widows
the Taliban economy min- reversal of the ban. could not effectively reach and orphans. It is temporar-
ister. It was imposed alleg- "Millions of Afghans need people in desperate need ily suspending non-lifesav-
edly because some female humanitarian assistance without their female work- ing activities in Afghanistan
NGO employees in Afghan- and removing barriers is force. because of the ban, al-
istan were not wearing the vital," the U.N. said, with- Save the Children, the In- though its lifesaving health
Islamic headscarf, or hijab, out providing more details ternational Rescue Com- care will continue. q

China sends 71 warplanes, 7 ships toward Taiwan in 24 hours

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chi- ary once tacitly accepted U.S. defense spending bill, and stability across the Tai-
na's military sent 71 planes by both sides, according to which calls China a strate- wan Strait. We will continue
and seven ships toward Taiwan's Ministry of Nation- gic challenge. With regard to assist Taiwan in maintain-
Taiwan in a 24-hour display al Defense. to the Indo-Pacific region, ing a sufficient self-defense
of force directed at the Among the planes China the legislation authorizes capability in line with our
self-ruled island, Taiwan's sent towards Taiwan were increased security coop- long-standing commit-
Defense Ministry said Mon- 18 J-16 fighter jets, 11 J-1 eration with Taiwan and re- ments and consistent with
day, after China expressed fighters, 6 Su-30 fighters and quires expanded coopera- our one-China policy."
anger at Taiwan-related drones. Taiwan said it moni- tion with India on emerg- China's military has often
provisions i n a U.S. annual tored the Chinese moves ing defense technologies, used large military exer-
defense spending bill. through its land-based mis- readiness and logistics. cises as a demonstration
China's military harassment sile systems, as well as on its In Washington, an official of force in response to U.S.
of Taiwan, which it claims is own navy vessels. of the White House Na- government actions in sup-
its own territory, has inten- "This is a firm response to the tional Security Council said port of Taiwan.
sified in recent years, and current U.S.-Taiwan escala- China's military activity It conducted large live-fire
the Communist Party's Peo- tion and provocation," said near Taiwan was "destabi- military exercises in August
ple's Liberation Army has Shi Yi, the spokesman for lizing, risks miscalculations, in response to U.S. House
sent planes or ships toward the PLA's Eastern Theater and undermines regional Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit
the island on a near-daily Command, in a statement peace and stability." to Taiwan. Beijing views
basis. on Sunday night. It an- The official, who was not visits from foreign govern-
Between 6 a.m. Sunday nounced that the PLA was authorized to be identified ments to the island as de
and 6 a.m. Monday, 47 of holding joint combat pa- and commented on con- facto recognition of the is-
the Chinese planes crossed trols and joint strike drills in dition of anonymity, said: land as independent and a
the median of the Taiwan the waters around Taiwan. "The United States has an challenge to China's claim
Strait, an unofficial bound- Shi was referring to the abiding interest in peace of sovereignty.q