World
Taliban warn women can’t take entry exams at universities
ISLAMABAD (AP) – The Taliban on Saturday doubled its ban on women’s education, reiterating in a message to private universities that Afghan women are banned from taking university entrance exams, according to a spokesman.
The note comes despite weeks of condemnation and lobbying by the international community for a rollback of measures restricting women’s freedoms, including two back-to-back visits this month by several senior UN officials. It also does not bode well for hopes that the Taliban may take steps to reverse their edicts any time soon.
The Taliban barred women from private and public universities last month. Higher Education Minister in the Taliban-led government, Nida Mohammed Nadim, has claimed the ban is necessary to prevent gender-mixing at universities – and because he believes some subjects taught violate Islamic principles.
Work is underway to fix these problems and universities will be reopened to women as soon as they are solved, he said in a television interview.
The Taliban have made similar promises about access to girls’ middle and high schools, saying that classes would resume for them once “technical issues” related to uniforms and transportation were resolved. But girls stay out of class after sixth grade.
Higher Education Ministry spokesman Ziaullah Hashmi said Saturday that a letter had been sent out reminding private universities that women are not allowed to sit entrance exams. He did not give any further details.
A copy of the letter provided to The Associated Press warned that women would not be able to take the “undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level entrance test” and that if a university flouted the edict, “legal action would be taken against the violator.” be initiated”.
The letter was signed by Mohammad Salim Afghan, the government official who oversees student affairs at private universities.
Entrance exams start Sunday in some provinces, while elsewhere in Afghanistan they start on February 27. Universities across Afghanistan follow a different semester schedule due to seasonal differences.
Mohammed Karim Nasari, spokesman for the private universities union, said last month dozens of private universities could be shut down because of the ban.
Afghanistan has 140 private universities in 24 provinces with around 200,000 students. Of these, around 60,000 to 70,000 are women. The universities employ around 25,000 people.
Earlier this week, United Nations humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and leaders of two major international aid organizations visited Afghanistan after a visit last week by a delegation led by the United Nations’ most senior woman, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed had paid. The visits had the same goal – to try to reverse the Taliban’s crackdown on women and girls, including their ban on Afghan women from working for national and global humanitarian organizations.
World
5 killed in west Sudan tribal violence, rights group says
CAIRO (AP) — Two days of tribal violence in western Sudan’s long-settled Darfur region killed at least 5 people, tribal leaders and a rights group said on Friday.
Violence between African Masalit tribesmen and Arab herdsmen in west Darfur erupted on Thursday after two gunmen fatally shot a merchant in a remote area, leaders of both groups said.
In a statement, Masalit tribesmen accused Arab militias of being behind the killing. The killing sparked a series of targeted attacks that killed at least four other people, the tribal leaders and rights group said.
Five victims were later identified by the Darfur Bar Association, a Sudanese rights group focused on human rights in the western province. The group urged both sides to de-escalate tensions.
The violence comes as quarrelsome bipartisan talks continue in Khartoum over how the African country will institute civilian rule after 17 months of military rule.
Sudan has descended into chaos after a military coup led by the country’s top general, Abdel-Fattah Burhan, ousted a Western-backed government in October 2021, turning the short-lived transition to democracy on its head.
But last December, the country’s ruling military and various pro-democracy forces signed a tentative agreement in which they pledged to resume the transition.
Last week, signatories to the December accord pledged to begin forming a new civilian-led interim government on April 11. However, many important political forces in the country remain opposed to the agreement.
Since the military takeover, Sudan has also seen a surge in inter-tribal violence in the west and south of the country.
Analysts see the violence and growing insecurity in Sudan’s remote regions as a result of the power vacuum created by the military takeover.
World
I’m a champion bodybuilding goliath – my title-winning workout makes a specific area of your body mega-ripped
ERIN Banks has unveiled his title-winning workout that will transform a specific area of your body into a mega-ripped phenomenon.
The master body builder is one of the biggest names in the lifting world, but his latest fitness regimen has wowed fans.
banks began competing professionally in 2019 and has since won the Men’s Physique Olympia as well as the highly regarded Arnold Classic.
However, his success was not pure luck, but dedication.
Most days, Banks starts his day at 4:30 a.m., where he kicks off fast cardio.
For the rest of the day he balances family life with a strength program and finishes it by 8 p.m. at the latest.


He told BarBend, “If I’m really locked down for these shows and prep, I’ll be in bed by 7pm.
“I don’t like to push beyond that because recovery is key.
“Routine is so important.
“I believe a lot of my success comes from what I do every day – adapt and stay focused.”
However, Banks is most notable for his incredible V-shaped physique, evident through his huge back muscles.
And he has now let fans in on his secret workout, which he does twice a week.
It contains:
- Lat pulldowns with straight arms: 4 x 20 reps (moderate weight to warm up)
- Chest Assisted T-Bar Row: 4 x 12 reps (Hard)
- Seated Lat Pulldown: 4 x 12 reps (hard)
- Rack pulls: 3 x 10 reps (super hard)
- Extended row: 4 x ten reps (super hard)
Before competing professionally, Banks was a gifted athlete in high school and then majored in kinesiology in college.
Despite his inclination towards fitness, he admitted that he never wanted to be a bodybuilder.
But in 2017, trainer Terry Reeves “begged” Banks to try.
Since then, the 33-year-old has perfected his craft to become the best in the world.
He said: “We’ve tried to preserve every other part of the body, but once you start exercising to the extreme, everything grows.
“During these months we became more sophisticated.”
During one cut, Banks burned about 2,700 calories per day.
After a ten-week break from competition, he increased it to 3,200 calories.
Most of its nutrient gains come from chicken breast, rice, and broccoli.
He said, “After 10 to 12 weeks, we push that stuff aside.
“It’s based on being the best.


“I’ve never gotten bored with food, so for the past three years I’ve prepared myself and eaten the same things over and over again.”
After his InstagramBanks teased that he would try the Classic Physique division when he retires.
World
Rodolphe Jaar pleads guilty in Haiti president’s assassination


The late former President of Haiti Jovenel Moise.
Haitian-Chilean national Rodolphe Jaar pleaded guilty before a US judge on Friday to three counts relating to his role in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, who was killed at his home in July 2021, court documents showed.
Jaar is one of 11 defendants in the case, including businessmen accused of helping to obtain vehicles and firearms from Florida and former Colombian soldiers accused of gunning down Moise in his bedroom.
According to the US Department of Justice, Jaar had been charged with helping get arms to the Colombians who also lived in a home he controlled and helping them while they were in hiding from Haitian authorities.
He was arrested in January 2022 in the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.
Jaar’s sentencing, which could face life imprisonment, was set for June 2 in Miami, according to court documents.
Moise’s murder left a political vacuum in the Caribbean nation and emboldened powerful gangs that now effectively control large parts of the country and whose turf wars are fueling a humanitarian crisis that has displaced at least 160,000 people.
Jaar’s lawyer declined to comment.
We live in a world where fact and fiction blur
In uncertain times, you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days you have access to a world of in-depth analysis, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. After that you will be charged R75 per month. You can cancel at any time and if you cancel within 14 days you will not be charged.
-
Politics15 hours ago
No Pseudonymity in Student’s Claim That She Was Wrongly Found to Have Cheated
-
Tech22 hours ago
Google Doodle Spotlights Kitty O’Neil, Deaf Daredevil and Stuntwoman
-
Health16 hours ago
Integrating behavioral and mental health care
-
Business23 hours ago
Netanyahu summons Israeli defence minister as judicial overhaul strains coalition By Reuters
-
Arts11 hours ago
The Complicated Legacy of Camilo Egas
-
Electric Vehicle7 hours ago
Green NCAP LCA study shows detrimental climate and energy impact of increasing vehicle weight, including EVs
-
Health16 hours ago
These 10 states have not expanded Medicaid
-
Business13 hours ago
Nifty IT index: Wait for Nifty IT index to move beyond 28600 for a recovery up to 30000: Sudeep Shah