Rohullah Saleh, brother of former Vice President and now acting President of Afghanistan, Amrullah Saleh, has been reportedly killed in clashes with the Taliban in Panjshir. He was reportedly tortured and shot dead by Taliban militants. He was identified by the Taliban during clashes on Thursday night, reports added. Further, earlier reports had claimed that all international journalists were being targeted by militants of Taliban. However, local journalists have now come ahead and accused the ‘new and improved’ Taliban of brutally beating up reporters. Due to such cases of violence and poor management of resources, UN special envoy Deborah Lyons has warned that Afghanistan’s economy and culture are on the brink of total collapse of the country, and has also said that this can lead to spread of Islamic State to the neighbouring countries.

Click on headlines to read more

Amrullah Saleh’s elder brother, Rohullah, tortured to death by Taliban

Rohullah Saleh, the brother of Amrullah Saleh, the current ‘acting’ President of Afghanistan, was reportedly killed in Panjshir battles with the Taliban. 

True global COVID-19 death toll ‘may be more than 15 million’

The official global death toll from COVID-19 has passed 4.5 million, however, the true figure may be more than three times higher, at 15 million lives lost.

Broken promises? Taliban resort to beating journalists in name of ‘free media’

In an interview with BBC, reporters and correspondents in Afghanistan have revealed that a lot of them were detained, beaten up, tortured and flogged by militants of Taliban for reporting about the ongoing protests in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan on brink of complete economy fall and extreme poverty: UN Envoy

UN special envoy Deborah Lyons has asked world leaders to come together and help Afghanistan from falling into extreme poverty.

Covid booster shot not needed for everyone, Oxford vaccine creator says

World Health Organization (WHO) has urged western countries to not start the booster programme yet as several poorer countries have been unable to vaccinate even the vulnerable population.

Panjshir: Pakistan calls reports of help to Taliban ‘mischievous propaganda’

Pakistan has dismissed rumours that it is assisting the Taliban advance in Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley, calling the allegations “part of mischievous propaganda campaign”.

COVID-19: 5 Indian states vaccinating at faster pace than foreign nations

Five Indian states are delivering COVID-19 vaccines at a faster rate than international countries, according to a graph supplied by the government.

‘He’d go down very quickly’: Trump claims he can beat Biden in boxing match

“I think probably my easiest fight would be Joe Biden because I think he’d go down very, very quickly,” Trump said in a virtual press conference. “Biden would go down in the first few seconds.”

Pfizer is holding Brazil ‘to ransom’ over vaccine contract: Reports

As per the signed contract, Brazil cannot hold Pfizer liable for any serious or non-serious side-effects caused by their vaccine. The pharmaceutical company has successfully shielded itself from any civil liability in such cases, and that too, indefinitely.

Nine in 10 Afghans are not consuming enough food: World Food Programme

The UN World Food Programme has warned that the combined effects of war and drought linked to global warming have put 9 in 10 Afghans at risk of severe or acute hunger.