Latest Central Asia News

Taliban allow high school graduation exams for Afghan girls
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghan girls will be allowed to take their high school graduation exams this week, an official and documents from the Taliban government indicated Tuesday — even though they have been banned from classrooms since the former insurgents took over the country last year. ...
Today in History: December 7, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
Today in History Today is Wednesday, Dec. 7, the 341st day of 2022. There are 24 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Dec. 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched an air raid on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as well...
IOC warns Afghanistan over women's sports and Olympics
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday warned that it could stop working with Afghanistan ahead of the next Olympics in 2024 if women are not allowed to play sports under Taliban rule. The IOC said its support for Afghanistan's National Olympic...

Taliban: Roadside bomb kills 6 people in north Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (AP) — A roadside bomb went off near a bus with government employees during rush hour on Tuesday morning in northern Afghanistan, killing six people, a Taliban official said. Mohammad Asif Waziri, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for the police chief in Balkh province,...

Mongolians protest alleged theft of coal sold to China
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Protesters angered by allegations of corruption linked to Mongolia's coal trade with China tried to force their way into the State Palace in the capital, demanding dismissals of officials involved in the scandal. The U.S. Embassy in Ulaanbaatar issued...

Pakistan army: 5 militants, soldier killed in shootout in NW
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Security forces raided a militant hideout in a former Pakistani Taliban stronghold near the border with Afghanistan, triggering a shootout that killed five insurgents and a soldier, the military said Monday. The shootout happened in North Waziristan, a...
IS suspect arrested in Pakistan Embassy attack in Kabul
ISLAMABAD (AP) — A member of the militant Islamic State group has been arrested in last week’s shooting attack targeting the Pakistani Embassy in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul, the spokesman of the Taliban government said. The attack, in which shots were fired at the embassy...

Group aiding kin of slain CIA officers comes out of shadows
WASHINGTON (AP) — Calista Anderson was at a sleepover when the email from a friend arrived. She was 12 years old and had just experienced the worst moment of her life: Her mother had been killed while working overseas. The email offered a further jolt. It linked to a news article...

2.500 dead seals found on Russia's Caspian coast
MOSCOW (AP) — About 2,500 seals have been found dead on the Caspian Sea coast in southern Russia, officials said Sunday. Authorities in the Russian province of Dagestan said it was unclear why the mass die-off happened but that it was likely due to natural causes. ...
IS claims attack at Pakistan embassy that wounded guard
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for last week's shooting at the Pakistani embassy in Afghanistan in which the head of the mission escaped unharmed but a guard was wounded. In a brief statement late Saturday, IS claimed two of its fighters attacked...
