Politics
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Taliban Leader Approves Afghanistan’s 1405 Budget
DID Press: Hibatullah Akhundzada has approved Afghanistan’s national budget for the 1405 fiscal year, according to sources close to the Taliban administration, with reports indicating salary increases for parts of the public sector. Sources say the budget was finalized following…
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UN Expert Raises Concerns Over Taliban ‘Preachers Law’
DID Press: Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, has expressed concern over the newly enacted “Preachers Law” by the Taliban, warning it may discriminate against non-Hanafi religious groups. In a recent statement, Bennett said the…
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Taliban Restrict Political Media Guests to Government-Approved Voices
DID Press: Ministry of Information and Culture (Taliban) has ordered domestic media outlets to invite only officially approved guests to political programs, tightening control over public discourse in Afghanistan. Under the new directive, media organizations are required to feature only…
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Afghanistan Stuck Near Bottom of Global Press Freedom Index
DID Press: A new report by Reporters Without Borders shows that Afghanistan remains ranked 175th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, underscoring the ongoing crisis facing independent media under Taliban rule. According to the report,…
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Afghan Migrant Debate Exposes Deep Divide Between Media Narrative and Reality
DID Press: A specialized forum in Tehran examined contrasting narratives surrounding Afghan migrants, with speakers describing what they called an organized campaign of migrant stigmatization alongside accounts of Afghan migrants’ solidarity and sacrifices during the so-called “Ramadan War.” The 30th…
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Media Violations Rise as Number of Active Outlets Declines in Afghanistan
DID Press: Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has reported more than 110 recorded media violations over the past year, even as independent assessments indicate a sharp decline in the number of functioning media outlets across Afghanistan amid tightening restrictions.…
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Taliban Offers ‘Two Steps’ Toward De-Escalation if Pakistan Moves First
DID Press: Taliban has signaled readiness to take additional steps to ease tensions with Pakistan, stating it would make “two positive moves” if Islamabad initiates de-escalation. The position was expressed by Abdul Wasi during a meeting with Richard Lindsay, where…
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Taliban Clergy Law Seen as Move Toward Sectarian Monopoly in Afghanistan
DID Press: Taliban’s newly issued “Preachers Law” has sparked concern among analysts, as it restricts religious preaching activities to followers of Hanafi jurisprudence, signaling what critics describe as an institutional effort to consolidate a sectarian monopoly within Afghanistan’s governance structure.…
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US Trial Begins for Suspect in Deadly Kabul Airport Attack
DID Press: A court in US state of Virginia has begun jury proceedings in the case of Mohammad Sharifullah, a suspect connected to the deadly Kabul Airport Attack (2021). The case relates to the 2021 suicide bombing outside Kabul International…
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First 5G Internet Trial Launched in Kabul
DID Press: Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has announced the launch of a pilot 5G internet service in Kabul, marking the first experimental deployment of next-generation connectivity in the country. According to a statement from the ministry, the initiative…
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