In a sobering assessment released this week, the United Nations has painted a complex portrait of Afghanistan under Taliban governance, where a dramatic increase in security incidents coincides with fragile stability, devastating cross-border violence with Pakistan, and a deepening humanitarian and human rights crisis.
The UN experts concluded that ending forced conversions and child marriages is essential for safeguarding human rights and ensuring equal protection under the law for all citizens, regardless of religion.
Experts argue that investment in agriculture, mining, manufacturing and transport infrastructure could help improve export performance and reduce dependence on imports.
The government has projected growth of around 4 per cent for the next fiscal year, while aiming to keep inflation under control and continue fiscal consolidation.
The report comes as India is in the grip of a escalating heat crisis and heatwaves are becoming more frequent, intense, and deadly, threatening lives, livelihoods, public health, agriculture, and economic productivity.
Cereal production for 2025 was revised upward to a record 3,029 million tonnes – a 5.6 per cent leap – bolstered by favourable monsoons in South America and Africa.