BAMYAN - Bamyan Governor Dr Habiba Sarabi was among the recipients of this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award.

The award, named after a President of the Philippines who died in 1957 in a plane crash honour people and groups from democratic societies who change their society for the better. The award is sometimes called Asia’s Nobel Prize.

Officials from the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation said they selected Dr Sarabi because of her work to strengthen local government and for her advocacy for education for women and women’s rights. They noted that the push for women’s rights was all the more impressive because it was occurring in a society wracked by violence where discrimination remains pervasive.

“Public education and the ratio of female students have increased in her province, where more women are taking up careers that were forbidden under the 1996-2001 Taliban regime,” the Foundation noted in a press statement.
Source: Radio Bamyan, Jamhoor News, Bokhdi News

PAKTIKA: Security forces recover heavy weapons

Dozens of heavy and light weapons were handed over to officials from the the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) programme office in Paktika province on Saturday.

Altogether, 52 different kinds of weapons were recently seized by security forces during operations and searches said provincial governor Mohibullah Samim. In line with a presidential decree, all illegal weapons seized by security forces are handed over to the DIAG programme.

The captured arms included 5 RPGs, 24 Kalashnikov rifles, 20 machine guns, 2 PK machine guns, 10 boxes of ammunition and 300 kilograms of ammonium nitrate.

Source: Khabarial Web
 

URUZGAN: Australian Prime Minister pays surprise visit

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Saturday paid a surprise visit to Tirinkot, the capital of central Uruzgan province.

Rudd led a delegation that included Australia's defence minister, national security advisor and its ambassador to Afghanistan, The visiting prime minister also met with Governor Amir Mohammad Akhundzada.

Abdullah Himmat, the governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Akhundzada thanked Rudd for the development assistance provided by Australia over the past decade.

Rudd praised the progress inUruzgan, particularly in the area of reconstruction. Rudd said his country would continue to support development initiatives in the province.

Source: Pajwok News