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Afghan media worker commits suicide over financial stress
Haroon Niroomand, a media worker from Meshrano Jirga TV of Afghanistan, committed suicide this week due to financial stress, his relatives confirmed on Friday.
His relatives said Niroomand shot himself while his father, Nik Mohammad, said his son had been very worried about money.
“He looked at me, looked at his brother and looked at the house and said ‘how can we fund the expenses of the family?’ Because of this he was desperate.”
Niroomand had studied law and political science and had for the past seven years worked in the media industry – most recently for Meshrano Jirga TV as a technician.
“He was interested in the media and journalism. He wanted to become a famous journalist. When the government changed, he became desperate,” said Abdul Khaliq, the deceased’s brother.
“A big humanitarian catastrophe might happen in the winter, if the government, organizations and international organizations do not act,” said Payanda Mohammad Akbari, a relative of Haroon.
Media support organizations and some journalists meanwhile expressed concerns about the situation in Afghanistan.
“The suicide of Niroomand reveals the deep economic catastrophe that journalists and media in Afghanistan are facing,” said Hajitullah Mujadidi, deputy head of Free Journalists Association.
“Most journalists and media employees had jobs; now they face economic problems and many of them lost their jobs,” said Bais Mohammadi, a journalist.
“Journalists and media employees are jobless now and face an unclear situation. We call on media support organizations to act as soon as possible,” said Navid Kavosh, another journalist.
The cash crisis in the country has hit the media industry extremely hard, resulting in the closure of countless news outlets and across-the-board job losses.
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Muttaqi, UN official discuss cooperation and Doha Process
The ministry said Muttaqi and DiCarlo also shared views on future engagement and cooperation regarding the Doha Process.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held a phone call with Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
According to the ministry, the two sides discussed the overall state of cooperation between the Islamic Emirate and the United Nations and exchanged views on ways to further strengthen and expand future cooperation.
The ministry said Muttaqi and DiCarlo also shared views on future engagement and cooperation regarding the Doha Process.
No further details were provided about the timing of the next round of engagement or specific areas of cooperation.
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Cuban and Afghan immigrants deported from US arrive in Guyana
Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud said the group of Cuban and Afghan nationals arrived on Saturday after being deported over immigration issues.
Guyana has received six people deported from the United States as the administration of President Donald Trump expands its use of so-called third-country deportations.
Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud said the group of Cuban and Afghan nationals arrived on Saturday after being deported over immigration issues.
“The US has not made any further requests” for non-citizens to be sent to Guyana, Persaud told The Associated Press.
None of the six had criminal backgrounds, he said.
Persaud said Guyana reached an agreement with the US after months of negotiations. The deal will run for one year and does not constitute permanent resettlement.
Third-country deportations involve sending foreign nationals to countries other than their own. Critics say deportees may have no ties to the countries they are sent to and can face unfamiliar languages and difficult conditions.
The Trump administration has expanded the practice, reaching agreements with countries in several regions, some involving multimillion-dollar payments. US officials have defended the policy by arguing that some countries, including Cuba, refuse to accept deportees.
Amnesty International estimates that more than 30 countries have entered such agreements since Trump returned to office, including 15 in the Americas.
Rights groups have condemned third-country deportations as a way of punishing migrants and pressuring them to abandon immigration claims. The practice has also raised concerns over human rights and conditions in countries receiving deportees.
The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University estimates that 70.6% of foreign nationals currently held in US immigration detention have no criminal conviction.
The six deportees sent to Guyana will receive assistance through the Assisted Voluntary Return Programme operated by the UN International Organization for Migration. They will remain in Guyana while their immigration cases are resolved and could eventually return to their countries of origin or seek relocation elsewhere.
Restricting immigration and deporting foreign nationals have become central features of Trump’s second-term policies. His administration has also cancelled programmes including Temporary Protected Status and humanitarian parole, leaving tens of thousands at greater risk of deportation.
Reports have also indicated that the administration plans to revoke visas for about 200,000 asylum seekers.
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Muttaqi and Khalilzad discuss expanding Afghanistan-US relations
The Islamic Emirate’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met on Saturday with Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, to discuss the current situation in the country and ways to expand ties between Kabul and Washington.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued Saturday evening that the two discussed opportunities in various sectors and issues related to Afghanistan-U.S. relations that could help broaden engagement between the two sides.
Muttaqi highlighted what he described as progress in stability, security, economic growth and self-reliance, saying Afghanistan currently offers a favorable environment for investment.
Khalilzad, meanwhile, praised the security and stability in Afghanistan and progress in reconstruction. He expressed hope that the country would make further gains in development, economic growth and self-reliance.
The former U.S. envoy also shared his views with relevant parties on strengthening relations and promoting constructive engagement between Afghanistan and the United States.
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