live Bab el-Mandeb shipping slumps after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil sites
Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to its lowest level in months on Sunday after Yemen's Houthi movement attacked Saudi oil facilities...
The United Nations Security Council unanimously extended the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until 17 June 2027 in New York on Monday, preserving its humanitarian, rights and political work.
The 15-member Council adopted China-drafted Resolution 2822. It also requested a strategic review, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres due to report by 31 March 2027.
The extension allows UNAMA to coordinate humanitarian assistance, monitor human rights, engage Kabul and report developments to the Council.
China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, said the mission remained important.
“Over the years, UNAMA has played an important role in coordinating international assistance and facilitating engagement and dialogue,” Fu said.
He said restrictions on Afghan women working for the UN were affecting its operations.
“The policy restricting female Afghan UN staff from accessing UN premises has been in place for several months, seriously affecting the normal functioning of UN agencies in Afghanistan,” Fu said.
U.S. representative Jennifer Locetta welcomed the review and called for a “streamlined, fit-for-purpose” mandate. She said the Taliban must meet counterterrorism commitments, respect human rights and end “hostage diplomacy”, referring to detained Americans.
Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative, Anna Evstigneeva, supported the extension but said the review should involve Afghan authorities and focus on humanitarian and development needs.
The Taliban had not publicly responded by publication time. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid previously said UNAMA should improve international engagement and avoid what he described as biased reporting.
According to UN figures cited by Fu, nearly half of Afghanistan’s population requires humanitarian assistance and more than three-quarters cannot meet basic needs.
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to its lowest level in months on Sunday after Yemen's Houthi movement attacked Saudi oil facilities along the Red Sea coast, while vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz also remained subdued despite a pause in U.S.-Iran tensions.
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on Saturday for Russia and Ukraine to freeze the conflict and return to peace talks, saying a negotiated settlement remained possible despite the entrenched positions of both sides.
Marvel Studios used its return to San Diego Comic-Con to reveal several major projects, including a new Ghost Rider film starring Ryan Gosling and the long-awaited Black Panther 3.
The chief executive of a Turkish defence company has said the United States has approved the export of GE F110 engines for Türkiye’s KAAN fighter jet, although Washington has yet to confirm the move.
Kazakhstan has resumed oil exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) after drone attacks disrupted operations at its Black Sea terminal, restoring the route that carries most of the country’s crude exports.
Uzbekistan has pledged to buy 100,000 tonnes of Afghan cotton and expand trade, transport and investment cooperation during a high-level visit to Kabul led by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojaev on Sunday.
Georgia has opened a new technology hub in Kutaisi, transforming the former parliament building into what officials say is the country's largest innovation and startup facility.
Pakistan's monsoon death toll has risen to 107 after another 10 people were killed in rain-related incidents, as authorities warned that a fresh spell of heavy rainfall is expected later this week.
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