At least 14 in Taliban Cabinet on UNSC's terrorism blacklist: Report

Govt includes 4 of the 'Taliban 5', who were once held at Guantanamo Bay

At least 14 members of the Taliban's hardline interim government in Kabul are on the UN Security Council's terrorism blacklist, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund and his both deputies, raising concern of the international community over the composition of the new Cabinet in Afghanistan.
 
Specially designated global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani, who carries a reward of $10-million US bounty on his head, is the acting interior minister. Acting Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob, acting Foreign Minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi and his deputy Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai are all listed under the UNSC 1988 Sanctions Committee.
 
The 33-member interim Cabinet includes four of the five leaders known as the “Taliban Five” who were once held at the Guantanamo Bay prison. They include Mullah Mohammad Fazil (deputy defence minister), Khairullah Khairkhwa (information and culture minister), Mullah Noorullah Noori (Borders and Tribal Affairs minister) and Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq (Director of Intelligence). The fifth member of the group, Mohammad Nabi Omari, has been appointed as governor of eastern Khost Province recently.
 
Acting Prime Minister Mullah Hasan has been described as “a close associate” of Taliban founder Mullah Omar in a UN sanctions report. Both Deputy Prime Ministers — Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi, who is involved in drug trafficking, are also on the UN blacklist.
 

Pakistan set to host meeting of Afghanistan neighbours
 
Pakistan will host a virtual meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbours on Wednesday to discuss the latest situation in the war-torn country. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will chair the meeting to be attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, according to Foreign Office. 
 
Ghani junks corruption allegations
 
Former Prime Minister of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, took to Twitter on Wednesday, refuting allegations of corruption against him. “I must now address baseless allegations that as I left Kabul I took with me millions of dollars belonging to the Afghan people.. These charges are completely and categorically false. Corruption is a plague that has crippled our country for decades and fighting corruption has been a central focus of my efforts as president. I inherited a monster that could not easily or quickly be defeated,” Ashraf Ghani said in the statement.  

China endorses interim govt; announces $31-mn aid

China on Wednesday announced $31-million as aid to Afghanistan, its first after the Taliban seized power in Kabul, as it backed the Afghan militant group's interim government, saying it is a “necessary step” to restore order and “end anarchy”. Taking part in the first meeting of Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will provide Afghanistan with $31 million worth of grains, winter supplies, vaccines and medicines as per its requirements. (PTI)
 

PhDs, Master’s not valuable: Taliban’s new education min

A video on social media, which went viral, shows the Taliban's Minister of Education, Sheikh Molvi Noorullah Munir, questioning the relevance of higher education. 
 

"No Phd degree, master's degree is valuable today. You see that the Mullahs and Taliban that are in the power, have no Phd, MA or even a high school degree, but are the greatest of all," he is heard saying in the video. Tthe Taliban unveiled a hardline interim government, with key roles being shared by high-profile members of the insurgent group. (Agencies)

Country battling severe food crisis, warns United Nations

Afghanistan is facing the collapse of basic services and food and other aid is about to run out, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday.
 

OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told a UN briefing in Geneva that millions of Afghans were in need of food aid and health assistance, urging donors to give more ahead of an international aid conference for Afghanistan on September 13. The agency has released a flash appeal for around $600 million to meet humanitarian needs. (Reuters)