Headline

Taliban Treatment Of Women May Be ‘Crime Against Humanity’ – G7

Published

3 years ago

December 22, 2022

Editor

The Taliban’s treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan may amount to “a crime against humanity”, G7 foreign ministers said Thursday, demanding the ban on women attending university be reversed.

“Taliban policies designed to erase women from public life will have consequences for how our countries engage with the Taliban,” the ministers of the club of rich nations said in a statement, after holding virtual talks.

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, who promised a softer rule when they returned to power last year, have drawn global outrage with their announcement this week banning women from higher education.

The hardline Islamists had already barred girls from attending secondary schools in March.

Both decisions should be reversed “without delay”, the G7 ministers said.

“Gender persecution may amount to a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute, to which Afghanistan is a state party,” they said, in a reference to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

“The G7 members stand with all Afghans in their demand to exercise their human rights consistent with Afghanistan’s obligations under international law,” they added.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, whose country holds the G7 rotating presidency, called the university ban another step “towards the Stone Age”.

“Women and girls in Afghanistan aren’t just not allowed in universities anymore, they aren’t allowed in parks, they aren’t allowed to step outside the door unveiled, they aren’t allowed to learn,” she told a Berlin press conference.

“The Taliban are taking away everything that makes a life for women and girls in Afghanistan. And living is more than just surviving,” she said.

The G7 consists of Britain, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Japan and the United States.

Headline

We’ve ‘Refrained’ From Further Strikes On Iran After Trump Call, Says Israel

Published

5 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Israel “refrained” from further strikes on Iran on Tuesday after a call between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s office announced.

Trump had angrily accused both Iran and Israel of violating the ceasefire he had announced late on Monday but hours later he posted that it was now in effect.

“Following President Trump’s conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israel refrained from further strikes,” a statement said.

Headline

Nine Countries With Nuclear Weapons In The World

Published

8 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Since the first atomic bomb was developed in 1945, only a small number of countries have acquired nuclear weapons.

Concerns about the spread of these weapons led to the signing of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968, which aimed to prevent further proliferation. At the time, only a few states had nuclear capabilities.

However, since then, the number has grown to nine, with North Korea being the only country to withdraw from the NPT and subsequently develop nuclear weapons.

Combined, the United States and Russia possess roughly 87 per cent of the world’s total nuclear inventory and about 83 per cent of the warheads stockpiled for military use. Of the estimated 12,241 nuclear warheads worldwide, around 9,614 are part of active military stockpiles, ready for deployment via missiles, aircraft, ships, or submarines.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), these are the nine nuclear-armed states and their estimated warhead counts:

Russia – 5,459 nuclear weapons

United States – 5,177 nuclear weapons

China – 600 nuclear weapons

France – 290 nuclear weapons

United Kingdom – 225 nuclear weapons

India – 180 nuclear weapons

Pakistan – 170 nuclear weapons

Israel – 90 nuclear weapons

North Korea – 50 nuclear weapons

Headline

FULL LIST: Nigeria Emerges As Africa’s Third Most Formidable Military Force

Published

1 day ago

June 23, 2025

Editor

Nigeria has secured the third position among African nations with the most formidable military forces in the 2025 Global Firepower Military Strength Index, according to Global Firepower’s annual report cited by The PUNCH on Monday.

The index evaluates 145 countries based on over 60 metrics, including troop numbers, equipment capabilities, financial resources, logistical efficiency, and geographical advantages to assess military strength.

In the 2025 rankings, Egypt maintains its lead as Africa’s top military power, followed by Algeria in second place and South Africa in fourth. Nigeria’s rise to third underscores its growing military capabilities, driven by investments in personnel, equipment, and counter-terrorism efforts.

Here is a list of African countries ranked in the 2025 Global Firepower Index.

1. Egypt (19)

2. Algeria (26)

3. Nigeria (31)

4. South Africa (40)

5. Ethiopia (52)

6. Angola (56)

7. Morocco (59)

8. Democratic Republic of the Congo (66)

9. Sudan (73)

10. Libya (76)

11. Kenya (83)