Afghanistan

Approximately 18.000 carats of emeralds, worth 1,1 million USD, have been sold since the beginning of year 1404, or 20 March 2025, in five rounds of bidding for Panjshir area emeralds and new emerald mine sites were discovered in Pariyan district

Students in 500 villages across the southern province of Zabul are deprived of access to education due to a shortage of teachers, local Department of Education reported; residents are calling on authorities to provide both modern and religious education

A 25-year extraction contract with Chinese company Afchin signed in 2023 regarding operations in the Amu Darya basin has been cancelled; among the reasons given: failure to employ Afghan nationals, lack of environmental, capacity-building responsibilities

Around 100 tons of Panjshir cherries, a valuable crop, will this year be exported to central Asian countries and Russia; India and Pakistan used to be biggest importers of products from Panjshir and other provinces before relations deteriorated

Hazara Culture Day was celebrated in Kabul; featuring women and girls it honored the rich heritage of the Hazara people, with handmade clothing and traditional Hazara foods, aiming to introduce Hazara culture to other ethnic groups in Afghanistan

The 30-years conflict between the Sadaat and Serkhabi tribes in Qala-i-Naw was reconciled; both sides fully consented to foster lasting peace and mutual understanding; since re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate, hundreds of local feuds have been ended

Concerns about the reported presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan following the victory of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria are intensifying among neighboring countries, Central Asian republics and Indian security agencies, Indian sources reported

A tree plantation campaign has begun: experts and religious scholars stress tree plantation is a key strategy for protecting the environment and alleviating the effects of climate change in Afghanistan; Kabul says damaging trees will entail legal action

The mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has been extended until 2026, upon initiative of the UN Security Council

The country is facing a critical health emergency with a dramatic rise in acute respiratory diseases, affecting children in particular; WHO has documented a 54,1% increase due to environmental and social factors and the use of poor quality fuels

Afghanistan is one of the countries with the highest levels of mine and unexploded ordnance contamination; the International Committee of the Red Cross, who made the statement, in 2024 informed 243.000 people in five regions about these dangers

Mahtab Karami, a student at a Scottish university, is creating a digital archive of artworks created by Afghan women artists over the last 20 years so that they are always visible, regardless of where the physical works have ended up