https://www.voanews.com Voice of America is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries https://www.voanews.com/Content/responsive/VOA/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.voanews.com en 2026 - VOA 60 Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:29:26 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA During the meeting with the Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Rubio pledged government and private sector cooperation, with the announcement of 54 agreements and proposed projects. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-relations-with-central-asia-a-priority-says-secretary-rubio/8213399.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-relations-with-central-asia-a-priority-says-secretary-rubio/8213399.html Tue, 20 Oct 2026 17:39:28 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Rabab Fatima is taking charge of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan when the country faces growing human rights concerns and a worsening humanitarian crisis. https://www.voanews.com/a/un-envoy-begins-mission-in-afghanistan-amid-humanitarian-human-rights-challenges/8212939.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-envoy-begins-mission-in-afghanistan-amid-humanitarian-human-rights-challenges/8212939.html Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:12:03 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The United Nations Children's Fund or UNICEF is warning that more than four million Afghan children could need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027. That is the highest number recorded in the past five years, highlighting the scale of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.   https://www.voanews.com/a/more-than-4-million-afghan-children-could-need-malnutrition-treatment-in-2027-unicef-warns/8212974.html https://www.voanews.com/a/more-than-4-million-afghan-children-could-need-malnutrition-treatment-in-2027-unicef-warns/8212974.html Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:01:00 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Washington — Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Dari article. The United Nations says the Taliban have arrested at least 443 people primarily for alleged violations of their strict hijab rules, trimming beards, cutting hair, failure to attend congregational prayers at the mosque or listening to music. A new United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report released Thursday, covering a period of three months from July 1 to Sept. 30, also... https://www.voanews.com/a/8212096.html https://www.voanews.com/a/8212096.html Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:48:48 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The European Union says it is concerned about the presence and activities of terrorist groups with regional and potentially global reach, including the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) in Afghanistan. https://www.voanews.com/a/eu-concerned-about-terrorist-groups-in-afghanistan/8211641.html https://www.voanews.com/a/eu-concerned-about-terrorist-groups-in-afghanistan/8211641.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:30:53 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which has taken responsibility for attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban publicly deny harboring any militant group. https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-afghan-taliban-trade-blame-for-cross-border-violence-as-tensions-rise/8211292.html https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-afghan-taliban-trade-blame-for-cross-border-violence-as-tensions-rise/8211292.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:36:36 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The suspension of the BBC’s FM broadcasts adds to growing concerns over media freedom in Afghanistan. https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-suspends-bbc-broadcasts-across-afghanistan/8211242.html https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-suspends-bbc-broadcasts-across-afghanistan/8211242.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:13:38 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Abdul Hadi Farhang, founder of Afghanistan Traders and Investors, told VOA that the Taliban’s restrictions and Afghanistan’s economic crisis have taken a toll on women. https://www.voanews.com/a/women-led-household-in-afghanistan-worried-as-winter-approaches/8210757.html https://www.voanews.com/a/women-led-household-in-afghanistan-worried-as-winter-approaches/8210757.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:51:52 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The United Nations is calling on the Taliban to reopen schools for Afghan girls beyond sixth grade, saying keeping girls in school is “one of the most powerful ways” to protect their rights and prevent child marriage. https://www.voanews.com/a/un-urges-taliban-to-reopen-girls-schools-in-afghanistan/8210529.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-urges-taliban-to-reopen-girls-schools-in-afghanistan/8210529.html Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:41:15 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, in a statement last week, said some 492,300 Afghans have been deported from Iran, which represents 85% of those returned to Afghanistan in 2026. https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-deports-492-000-afghans-in-2026/8209657.html https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-deports-492-000-afghans-in-2026/8209657.html Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:30:00 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The United States says the Taliban government in Afghanistan does not ‘fully’ meet the minimum standards for combating human trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-says-taliban-failing-to-combat-human-trafficking-in-afghanistan/8209667.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-says-taliban-failing-to-combat-human-trafficking-in-afghanistan/8209667.html Fri, 09 Oct 2026 17:03:38 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The French government has confirmed ‘technical’ talks with the Taliban to facilitate the deportation to Afghanistan of Afghan nationals residing without legal status or who are considered a national security threat in France. https://www.voanews.com/a/france-in-technical-talks-with-taliban-on-deportation-of-afghans/8209650.html https://www.voanews.com/a/france-in-technical-talks-with-taliban-on-deportation-of-afghans/8209650.html Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:46:23 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the United Nations will work with Pakistan to “uphold protection principles and ensure that returns of Afghans proceed in a voluntary, safe and dignified way.” https://www.voanews.com/a/un-says-committed-to-work-with-pakistan-for-voluntary-returns-of-afghan-refugees/8208862.html https://www.voanews.com/a/un-says-committed-to-work-with-pakistan-for-voluntary-returns-of-afghan-refugees/8208862.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:21:33 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) says that the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan is “totally unacceptable” and represents a “very poor” development policy. https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-ban-on-girls-education-unacceptable-says-un-official/8208852.html https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-ban-on-girls-education-unacceptable-says-un-official/8208852.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:13:10 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Afghanistan faces a “serious and widespread” malnutrition problem, where more than 3.7 million children under the age of five face severe malnutrition, says a Kabul-based World Health Organization official. https://www.voanews.com/a/who-malnutrition-is-worsening-in-afghanistan/8208681.html https://www.voanews.com/a/who-malnutrition-is-worsening-in-afghanistan/8208681.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:59:09 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The United States cautioned countries against supporting the Taliban as the group took part in a consultative meeting on Afghanistan in Moscow. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told VOA that the Taliban remains on the U.S. Specially Designated Global Terrorist list. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-cautions-nations-against-supporting-taliban-as-moscow-hosts-afghanistan-meeting/8208361.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-cautions-nations-against-supporting-taliban-as-moscow-hosts-afghanistan-meeting/8208361.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:06:24 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) The world marked International Teachers’ Day on Monday, while Afghan girls remain barred from attending school beyond sixth grade and many female teachers have been forced to stay home under Taliban restrictions on women. https://www.voanews.com/a/teachers-day-marked-amid-continuing-taliban-restrictions-on-women/8208293.html https://www.voanews.com/a/teachers-day-marked-amid-continuing-taliban-restrictions-on-women/8208293.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:00:05 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Washington, D.C. — Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Dari article. The U.S. says it is working to relocate more than 1,000 Afghans who remain at a camp in Qatar. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told VOA Afghanistan in an email on Wednesday that Washington is working “to identify options for voluntary resettlement” outside Afghanistan for the remaining Afghans held at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Camp As... https://www.voanews.com/a/us-seeks-options-to-relocate-afghans-in-qatar-camp/8207175.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-seeks-options-to-relocate-afghans-in-qatar-camp/8207175.html Sun, 04 Oct 2026 20:54:09 -0400 VOA Dariwebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan) Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Pashto article. The United States says that the Taliban in Afghanistan will remain designated an “Entity of Particular Concern," citing the group’s “particularly severe violations” of religious freedom in Afghanistan. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told VOA the U.S. does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and that the department has “suspended any foreign assistance” that could... https://www.voanews.com/a/us-says-afghan-taliban-to-remain-entity-of-particular-concern-over-religious-freedom-violations/8207145.html https://www.voanews.com/a/us-says-afghan-taliban-to-remain-entity-of-particular-concern-over-religious-freedom-violations/8207145.html Sun, 04 Oct 2026 20:52:34 -0400 VOA Pashtowebdesk@voanews.com (VOA Afghan)