Blue-coloured dogs which are found near a closed chemical factory are in normal condition, head of a veterinary clinic confirmed on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The canines with blue colour were earlier spotted in Dzerzhinsk and the images immediately had gone viral, with some netizens suggesting that some prank was played on these dogs that changed their skin colour.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-dogs-with-mysterious-blue-colour-in-normal-condition-364246/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Head of veterinary clinic 'Zoozastchita NN', Ilya Kazakov, said that the cause of the change in fur colour remains unknown, reports news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

Earlier, a report by The Moscow Times claimed that the blue colour could be due to the dogs getting exposed to chemicals like plexiglass and hydrocyanic acid from the factory.&nbsp;

Andrey Mislivets, the bankruptcy manager of the plant, told Russian state-owned local news agency RIA Novosti that the dogs might have consumed leftover chemicals from the premises of the factory, which shut down six years ago.&nbsp;

If there is no threat to the lives of these dogs, they are likely to be released after undergoing sterilisation.&nbsp;

Despite public showing huge curiosity in these canines, the clinic is yet to get any adoption proposals.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Blue-coloured dogs which are found near a closed chemical factory are in normal condition, head of a veterinary clinic confirmed on Tuesday. The canines with blue colour were earlier spotted in Dzerzhinsk and the images immediately had gone viral, with some netizens suggesting that some prank was played on these dogs that changed their skin colour.

Blue-coloured dogs which are found near a closed chemical factory are in normal condition, head of a veterinary clinic confirmed on Tuesday. The canines with blue colour were earlier spotted in Dzerzhinsk and the images immediately had gone viral, with some netizens suggesting that some prank was played on these dogs that changed their skin colour. Watch | Head of veterinary clinic 'Zoozastchita NN', Ilya Kazakov, said that the cause of the change in fur colour remains unknown, reports news agency Reuters. Earlier, a report by The Moscow Times claimed that the blue colour could be due to the dogs getting exposed to chemicals like plexiglass and hydrocyanic acid from the factory. Andrey Mislivets, the bankruptcy manager of the plant, told Russian state-owned local news agency RIA Novosti that the dogs might have consumed leftover chemicals from the premises of the factory, which shut down six years ago. If there is no threat to the lives of these dogs, they are likely to be released after undergoing sterilisation. Despite public showing huge curiosity in these canines, the clinic is yet to get any adoption proposals.

Russia: Dogs with mysterious blue colour in normal condition

China slammed the United States on Saturday saying Washington damaged multilateral cooperation and the WHO in recent years and should not be "pointing fingers" at Bejing and other countries that backed the global health agency during the pandemic.&nbsp;

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said that China welcomed the US's decision to re-engage with the WHO, but the country should hold itself to the “highest standards” instead of targetting other nations.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-wuhan-virus-origins-probe-is-the-who-team-divided-over-the-results-363024/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The comments came after the US expressed concerns over the investigation conducted by an independent committee of the WHO.

"We have deep concerns about the way in which the early findings of the COVID-19 investigation were communicated and questions about the process used to reach them," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said. &nbsp;

Several WHO experts on Saturday said that China refused to share raw data which according to a member of the probe team is a "standard practice for an outbreak investigation," as quoted by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

The probe failed to solve the mystery of coronavirus origins, but Beijing claimed a diplomatic victory, saying that the report substantiates that the virus did not originate in China.&nbsp;

Experts believe that Covid-19 originated in bats and could have been transmitted to humans through another mammal, but when and where the outbreak began remains unclear.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

China slammed the United States on Saturday saying Washington damaged multilateral cooperation and the WHO in recent years and should not be "pointing fingers" at Bejing and other countries that backed the global health agency during the pandemic.

China slammed the United States on Saturday saying Washington damaged multilateral cooperation and the WHO in recent years and should not be "pointing fingers" at Bejing and other countries that backed the global health agency during the pandemic. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said that China welcomed the US's decision to re-engage with the WHO, but the country should hold itself to the “highest standards” instead of targetting other nations. Watch | The comments came after the US expressed concerns over the investigation conducted by an independent committee of the WHO. "We have deep concerns about the way in which the early findings of the COVID-19 investigation were communicated and questions about the process used to reach them," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said. Several WHO experts on Saturday said that China refused to share raw data which according to a member of the probe team is a "standard practice for an outbreak investigation," as quoted by news agency Reuters. The probe failed to solve the mystery of coronavirus origins, but Beijing claimed a diplomatic victory, saying that the report substantiates that the virus did not originate in China. Experts believe that Covid-19 originated in bats and could have been transmitted to humans through another mammal, but when and where the outbreak began remains unclear.

US damaged multilateral cooperation, should not be 'pointing fingers' at others: China

Reacting to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump's </a>acquittal in the impeachment trial in the Senate, US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>on Saturday said the "substance" of the charges against the former president was not in "dispute", adding that the attack shows "democracy is fragile".&nbsp;

"While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute," Biden said in a statement.&nbsp;

"This sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-acquitted-by-us-senate-in-his-second-impeachment-trial-363474">Donald Trump acquitted by US Senate in his second impeachment trial</a>

Biden's comments come after the Senate voted 57-43 to acquit Trump who is facing his second impeachment trial.

The former Republican president was accused that he incited the mob that attacked the US Capitol on the day of the certification of Biden's election win.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, after his acquittal, Trump said the movement to "Make America Great Again" has just begun, suggesting not quitting politics and seeking another run for the presidency in 2024.&nbsp;

"Our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun," Trump in a statement said.&nbsp;

"In the months ahead I have much to share with you, and I look forward to continuing our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people." 
&nbsp;

Reacting to Donald Trump's acquittal in the impeachment trial in the Senate, US President Joe Biden on Saturday said the "substance" of the charges against the former president was not in "dispute", adding that the attack shows "democracy is fragile".

Reacting to Donald Trump's acquittal in the impeachment trial in the Senate, US President Joe Biden on Saturday said the "substance" of the charges against the former president was not in "dispute", adding that the attack shows "democracy is fragile". "While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute," Biden said in a statement. "This sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant." Also read | Donald Trump acquitted by US Senate in his second impeachment trial Biden's comments come after the Senate voted 57-43 to acquit Trump who is facing his second impeachment trial. The former Republican president was accused that he incited the mob that attacked the US Capitol on the day of the certification of Biden's election win. Meanwhile, after his acquittal, Trump said the movement to "Make America Great Again" has just begun, suggesting not quitting politics and seeking another run for the presidency in 2024. "Our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun," Trump in a statement said. "In the months ahead I have much to share with you, and I look forward to continuing our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people."

President Biden reacts on Trump's acquittal, says 'democracy is fragile'

The US Senate acquitted Donald Trump in the impeachment trial. Majority of Republicans backed Trump as the former president survives yet another impeachment. A White House staffer who threatened a reporter that he would ''destroy" her career submitted his resignation.

Click on headlines to read more

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-acquitted-by-us-senate-in-his-second-impeachment-trial-363474">Donald Trump acquitted by US Senate in his second impeachment trial</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/12/01/171988-ye-donald-trump.jpg?itok=VIZtPmxu" />

Former US President Donald Trump was acquitted by US Senate in the impeachment trial. Majority of Senate republicans closed ranks to aquit Trump in his second impeachment trial.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-staffer-resigns-after-threatening-to-destroy-reporter-363475">Biden staffer resigns after threatening to 'destroy' reporter</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/01/21/179409-biden11.jpg?itok=Jqrko6zL" />

It's been a few weeks since the Joe Biden took over the White House as the US President, and the administration has already had its first resignation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/as-4g-gets-restored-foreign-envoys-expected-to-visit-jk-363477">As 4G gets restored, foreign envoys expected to visit J&amp;K</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/08/05/153068-untitled-design-9.jpg?itok=2j-IfqrO" />

A group of foreign envoys are expected to visit the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on the 17th of this month. The visit, which is still in the planning stage, will focus on the progress made on the ground in the aftermath of the removal of special status for the region in 2019.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/as-4g-gets-restored-foreign-envoys-expected-to-visit-jk-363477">What's next for Trump, the Republican Party and Biden?</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2019/09/24/111111-untitled-design-9.jpg?itok=Rm0ou2hF" />

The US Senate acquitted Donald Trump on Saturday of the charge of inciting the January 6 assault on the US Capitol in an unprecedented second impeachment trial.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/as-4g-gets-restored-foreign-envoys-expected-to-visit-jk-363477">Myanmar army suspends laws limiting forces, orders arrest of protest backers</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/02/13/182655-myanmar-protests.jpg?itok=od_zuNFe" />

Myanmar's junta on Saturday suspended laws restricting security forces from detaining suspects or searching private property without court approval and ordered the arrest of well-known backers of mass protests against this month's coup.

&nbsp;

 
 
&nbsp;

The US Senate acquitted Donald Trump in the impeachment trial. Majority of Republicans backed Trump as the former president survives yet another impeachment. A White House staffer who threatened a reporter that he would ''destroy" her career submitted his resignation.

The US Senate acquitted Donald Trump in the impeachment trial. Majority of Republicans backed Trump as the former president survives yet another impeachment. A White House staffer who threatened a reporter that he would ''destroy" her career submitted his resignation. Click on headlines to read more Donald Trump acquitted by US Senate in his second impeachment trial Former US President Donald Trump was acquitted by US Senate in the impeachment trial. Majority of Senate republicans closed ranks to aquit Trump in his second impeachment trial. Biden staffer resigns after threatening to 'destroy' reporter It's been a few weeks since the Joe Biden took over the White House as the US President, and the administration has already had its first resignation. As 4G gets restored, foreign envoys expected to visit J&K A group of foreign envoys are expected to visit the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on the 17th of this month. The visit, which is still in the planning stage, will focus on the progress made on the ground in the aftermath of the removal of special status for the region in 2019. What's next for Trump, the Republican Party and Biden? The US Senate acquitted Donald Trump on Saturday of the charge of inciting the January 6 assault on the US Capitol in an unprecedented second impeachment trial. Myanmar army suspends laws limiting forces, orders arrest of protest backers Myanmar's junta on Saturday suspended laws restricting security forces from detaining suspects or searching private property without court approval and ordered the arrest of well-known backers of mass protests against this month's coup.

Morning news brief: Trump acquitted, White House staffer resigns, and more

Only a few people are able to take forward passion and continue all their lifetime, but a Russian granny is still doing that.&nbsp;

Lyubov Morekhodovatakes, 79, who lives alone on the banks of famous Baikal lake in Russia, still is skating every day on skates that are about as old as the woman is, reports news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meet-russias-79-years-old-skating-granny-363538/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Her father, Nikolai Morekhodov, made the skates for her from wood when she was a child.&nbsp;

She said that her family lived beside the lake and skating to go to school was natural as compared to walking in thick snow.&nbsp;

Morekhodovatakes worked on a heavy machinery plant to earn a living all her life but now leads a simple life with many cows.&nbsp;

Her cows give Morekhodovatakes another reason to stake as she practices it to track down her cattle.&nbsp;

In Russian, Lyubov means 'love', and the granny says love is one of the important things in her life.

"I love life, nature, and everything. I love people, in the first place," Morekhodovasays said before she set off for another ride with her skates.&nbsp;

Only a few people are able to take forward passion and continue all their lifetime, but a Russian granny is still doing that. Lyubov Morekhodovatakes, 79, who lives alone on the banks of famous Baikal lake in Russia, still is skating every day on skates that are about as old as the woman is, reports news agency Reuters.

Only a few people are able to take forward passion and continue all their lifetime, but a Russian granny is still doing that. Lyubov Morekhodovatakes, 79, who lives alone on the banks of famous Baikal lake in Russia, still is skating every day on skates that are about as old as the woman is, reports news agency Reuters. Watch | Her father, Nikolai Morekhodov, made the skates for her from wood when she was a child. She said that her family lived beside the lake and skating to go to school was natural as compared to walking in thick snow. Morekhodovatakes worked on a heavy machinery plant to earn a living all her life but now leads a simple life with many cows. Her cows give Morekhodovatakes another reason to stake as she practices it to track down her cattle. In Russian, Lyubov means 'love', and the granny says love is one of the important things in her life. "I love life, nature, and everything. I love people, in the first place," Morekhodovasays said before she set off for another ride with her skates.

Watch | Meet 79-year-old Russian granny who still loves to skate

At least 20 people have been injured after at least 100 oil and gas tankers got destroyed by multiple blasts causing a massive fire at Afghanistan's biggest trade crossing with Iran, officials said on Sunday.

The huge fire, which erupted Saturday afternoon at Islam Qala port, has majorly been doused and an investigation has been launched to find the cause.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/inferno-on-afghanistan-iran-border-as-dozens-of-oil-tankers-catch-fire-363450">Inferno on Afghanistan-Iran border as dozens of oil tankers catch fire</a>

"We were told that 100 or 200 tankers have been destroyed, but this number could be higher. We need more time to find out the extent of the damage," Jailani Farhad, the spokesman for the governor of Herat province scene, was reported as saying by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Video of the massive fuel tanker explosion today on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Iran</a>-<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a> border. <a href="https://t.co/1iMo4taaF7">pic.twitter.com/1iMo4taaF7</a>
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonMBrodsky/status/1360591498799165443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;

Around 20 people also lost their lives in the fire, he added.&nbsp;

However, a western official monitoring the developments told news agency Reuters that 60 people had been wounded.&nbsp;

Videos shared on social media showed massive flames of black smoke billowing into the sky.&nbsp;

Two blasts also occurred, which were so powerful to be spotted by Nasa satellites in space.

The finance ministry said preliminary probe suggests that the fire started in a tanker before rapidly reaching others, causing "heavy financial losses".&nbsp;

Initial estimates were of "millions of dollars of losses", Younus Qazi Zada, the head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

At least 20 people have been injured after at least 100 oil and gas tankers got destroyed by multiple blasts causing a massive fire at Afghanistan's biggest trade crossing with Iran, officials said on Sunday.

At least 20 people have been injured after at least 100 oil and gas tankers got destroyed by multiple blasts causing a massive fire at Afghanistan's biggest trade crossing with Iran, officials said on Sunday. The huge fire, which erupted Saturday afternoon at Islam Qala port, has majorly been doused and an investigation has been launched to find the cause. Also read | Inferno on Afghanistan-Iran border as dozens of oil tankers catch fire "We were told that 100 or 200 tankers have been destroyed, but this number could be higher. We need more time to find out the extent of the damage," Jailani Farhad, the spokesman for the governor of Herat province scene, was reported as saying by news agency AFP. Watch | Video of the massive fuel tanker explosion today on the #Iran-#Afghanistan border. pic.twitter.com/1iMo4taaF7 — Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) February 13, 2021 Around 20 people also lost their lives in the fire, he added. However, a western official monitoring the developments told news agency Reuters that 60 people had been wounded. Videos shared on social media showed massive flames of black smoke billowing into the sky. Two blasts also occurred, which were so powerful to be spotted by Nasa satellites in space. The finance ministry said preliminary probe suggests that the fire started in a tanker before rapidly reaching others, causing "heavy financial losses". Initial estimates were of "millions of dollars of losses", Younus Qazi Zada, the head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce said.

Blasts spotted from space as 100 tankers destroyed in Iran-Afghanistan border

Electric car maker Tesla will set up its manufacturing plant in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa confirmed on Saturday.&nbsp;

"American firm Tesla will set up the car-manufacturing unit in Karnataka," Yediurappa was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-business-watch-tesla-marks-india-entry-with-new-office-in-bengaluru-356383/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Last month, Tesla registered its office in Karnataka's capital Bengaluru, the hub of India's tech industry.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/twitter-users-stuck-in-traffic-jam-with-memes-after-tesla-officially-enters-india-356393">Twitter users 'stuck in traffic jam' with memes after Tesla officially enters India</a>

Several reports in the previous months also claimed that Tesla will launch its research and development unit in India.&nbsp;

Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a tweet confirmed in December that in 2021 the company will launch its operations in India.&nbsp;

"Next year for sure," Musk had replied last year in a Twitter post with a photograph of a T-shirt with the message: "India wants Tesla".&nbsp;

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport &amp; Highways, said Tesla will begin its operations in India with sales and will later expand into assembly and manufacturing of electric cars, reports Mint.&nbsp;

The government by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to reduce India's oil dependance and is encouraging investment in electric vehicles.&nbsp;

The Indian government plans to offer $4.6 billion in incentives to companies setting up advanced battery manufacturing facilities in the country in a bid to push investment, news agency Reuters reported last year. 
&nbsp;

Electric car maker Tesla will set up its manufacturing plant in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa confirmed on Saturday. "American firm Tesla will set up the car-manufacturing unit in Karnataka," Yediurappa was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Electric car maker Tesla will set up its manufacturing plant in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa confirmed on Saturday. "American firm Tesla will set up the car-manufacturing unit in Karnataka," Yediurappa was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Watch | Last month, Tesla registered its office in Karnataka's capital Bengaluru, the hub of India's tech industry. Also read | Twitter users 'stuck in traffic jam' with memes after Tesla officially enters India Several reports in the previous months also claimed that Tesla will launch its research and development unit in India. Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a tweet confirmed in December that in 2021 the company will launch its operations in India. "Next year for sure," Musk had replied last year in a Twitter post with a photograph of a T-shirt with the message: "India wants Tesla". Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, said Tesla will begin its operations in India with sales and will later expand into assembly and manufacturing of electric cars, reports Mint. The government by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to reduce India's oil dependance and is encouraging investment in electric vehicles. The Indian government plans to offer $4.6 billion in incentives to companies setting up advanced battery manufacturing facilities in the country in a bid to push investment, news agency Reuters reported last year.

Tesla will set up its manufacturing plant in Karnataka: CM Yediyurappa

Hong Kong's lawyers have expressed concern over a government proposal which if approved could bar anyone from leaving the city.&nbsp;

A paper has been submitted by the Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) to the legislative council on Friday expressing alarm over the law that can prevent anyone, Hong Kong resident&nbsp;or not from leaving the region.&nbsp;

Watch&nbsp;|

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-goes-after-the-young-minds-of-hong-kong-361673/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"It is particularly troubling that the grounds on which such an intrusive power may be exercised are not stated in the proposed legislation, and no explanation for why such a power is&nbsp;necessary, or even how it is intended to be used, is set out," the association said.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen-tells-hong-kongers-to-keep-faith-in-democracy-362701">Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tells Hong Kongers to 'keep faith in democracy'</a>

Hong Kong city's government proposed amending a law in late January that will give rights to the director of immigration to impose a travel ban on any individual without seeking&nbsp;permission from the court.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The bar association said if travel curbs need to be taken, the courts must decide it, and not the director when it is "proportionate" and "necessary".&nbsp;

"If a new power to prevent Hong Kong residents and others from leaving the region is to be conferred... It should be for the courts, not the director, to decide when it is necessary and&nbsp;proportionate to impose a travel ban," the HKBA said.&nbsp;

After the imposition of a new security law by China last June, several pro-democracy activists and leaders have gone into exile from the region as China continues its muscular&nbsp;approach.

Hong Kong's lawyers have expressed concern over a government proposal which if approved could bar anyone from leaving the city. A paper has been submitted by the Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) to the legislative council on Friday expressing alarm over the law that can prevent anyone, Hong Kong resident or not from leaving the region.

Hong Kong's lawyers have expressed concern over a government proposal which if approved could bar anyone from leaving the city. A paper has been submitted by the Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) to the legislative council on Friday expressing alarm over the law that can prevent anyone, Hong Kong resident or not from leaving the region. Watch | "It is particularly troubling that the grounds on which such an intrusive power may be exercised are not stated in the proposed legislation, and no explanation for why such a power is necessary, or even how it is intended to be used, is set out," the association said. Also read | Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tells Hong Kongers to 'keep faith in democracy' Hong Kong city's government proposed amending a law in late January that will give rights to the director of immigration to impose a travel ban on any individual without seeking permission from the court. The bar association said if travel curbs need to be taken, the courts must decide it, and not the director when it is "proportionate" and "necessary". "If a new power to prevent Hong Kong residents and others from leaving the region is to be conferred... It should be for the courts, not the director, to decide when it is necessary and proportionate to impose a travel ban," the HKBA said. After the imposition of a new security law by China last June, several pro-democracy activists and leaders have gone into exile from the region as China continues its muscular approach.

Hong Kong lawyers express concern over proposed law that can impose travel ban on anyone

Despite pressure from human rights groups, the US administration under President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>has appealed against the extradition verdict of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the British court.

A brief filed late on Thursday declared that the US intends to pursue a trial against Assange espionage and hacking-related charges over the leak of hundreds of thousands of US military and diplomatic documents from 2009.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-judge-refuses-us-extradition-plea-of-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-354594/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Yes, we filed an appeal and we are continuing to pursue extradition," Justice Department spokesman Marc Raimondi told news agency AFP.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/pamela-anderson-pleads-to-donald-trump-to-pardon-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-before-he-leaves-office-357715">Pamela Anderson pleads to Donald Trump to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange before he leaves office</a>

The US had until Friday to move against the ruling in the UK court that said Assange suffered mental health issues that increases the risk of suicide if he were extradited to the US for&nbsp;trial.&nbsp;

After the verdict, former president Donald Trump's administration decided to move against it.&nbsp;

However, before Thursday the stance of Biden was not clear as the case is of media freedom and the right to free speech.&nbsp;

After WikiLeaks started publishing the secret documents in 2009, then-President Barack Obama, under whom Biden was the vice president, decided to not pursue the case.&nbsp;

But, Trump, whose election campaign in 2016 was boosted by WikiLeaks publishing Russian-stolen materials hurting his rival Hillary Clinton, the Justice Department built a&nbsp; national security case against Assange.

Despite pressure from human rights groups, the US administration under President Joe Biden has appealed against the extradition verdict of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the British court.

Despite pressure from human rights groups, the US administration under President Joe Biden has appealed against the extradition verdict of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the British court. A brief filed late on Thursday declared that the US intends to pursue a trial against Assange espionage and hacking-related charges over the leak of hundreds of thousands of US military and diplomatic documents from 2009. Watch | "Yes, we filed an appeal and we are continuing to pursue extradition," Justice Department spokesman Marc Raimondi told news agency AFP. Also read | Pamela Anderson pleads to Donald Trump to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange before he leaves office The US had until Friday to move against the ruling in the UK court that said Assange suffered mental health issues that increases the risk of suicide if he were extradited to the US for trial. After the verdict, former president Donald Trump's administration decided to move against it. However, before Thursday the stance of Biden was not clear as the case is of media freedom and the right to free speech. After WikiLeaks started publishing the secret documents in 2009, then-President Barack Obama, under whom Biden was the vice president, decided to not pursue the case. But, Trump, whose election campaign in 2016 was boosted by WikiLeaks publishing Russian-stolen materials hurting his rival Hillary Clinton, the Justice Department built a national security case against Assange.

Biden administration appeals against Assange extradition verdict

The military government in Myanmar has increasingly used nighttime arrests, legal threats, a curfew and a ban on large gatherings to tame weeklong anti-coup protests that have spread from the cities to the countryside. Now, civil society groups fear that the military is preparing a new law that would further restrict online expression and limit the privacy rights of citizens.

One telecommunications company, Telenor, said Friday that it was aware of the proposal and was reviewing it. A coalition of 158 civil society organizations signed a statement raising concerns that the potential new law would lead to the widespread arrest of government critics.

Watch&nbsp;|&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-myanmar-coup-will-facebook-decide-the-fate-of-myanmar-363267/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Myanmar already has harsh laws restricting online speech, but opponents of the military say the proposed law is so broad that it would allow authorities to arrest anyone who criticized the government online and imprison them for up to three years. Critics also said the proposed law would require telecommunications companies to cooperate with the government and provide information on their customers.

The military government declined to comment.

Concern over the proposal comes amid fears that the military could use greater force if the protests continue, as it has in the past. Two protesters have already been shot. But the proposal also suggests that the military may be searching for a variety of ways to rein in the demonstrations.

The military, which has ruled the country for most of the last 60 years, has a long history of using violence to suppress protests, including gunning down pro-democracy demonstrators in 1988 and 2007. The Myanmar army, or Tatmadaw, has never been shy about showing the depths of its brutality, killing monks in the street and launching a murderous rampage against the Rohingya, leading to an exodus of the Muslim minority in 2017.

But a violent response to largely peaceful protests that have swept the country after the Feb. 1 coup could further isolate Myanmar at a time when military leaders want to maintain normal economic relations. Aside from a nationally televised speech Tuesday evening by the coup leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the generals behind the junta have largely been silent as the civil disobedience movement has grown.

On Thursday, Min Aung Hlaing posted a statement on Facebook saying that coronavirus vaccinations were proceeding and repeating his call for “disciplined multiparty democracy.”

Since seizing power, the military has shut down the internet at times and blocked Facebook to disrupt communications among protesters.

Over the last 10 days, a civil disobedience movement against the military takeover has seeped into nearly every aspect of society. Many bank employees, rail workers, civil servants, doctors and nurses have refused to work, reducing the availability of medical care, slowing financial transactions and halting rail transportation.

A walkout by rail employees earlier this week prompted the closure of the Myanmar Railway, which under coronavirus restrictions was serving only several thousand commuters near Yangon, the country’s largest city. There was no indication of when it would reopen.

In Yangon, where hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets in protest earlier this week, actions were more muted as smaller impromptu demonstrations popped up in different neighborhoods. On Friday, thousands of protesters staged demonstrations at foreign missions in the city, including the Chinese and Russian embassies.

Demonstrators also have become more creative since the restrictions on gatherings were announced Tuesday. Some have paraded in horse-drawn carts or dressed in ballgown. One group of animal lovers brought their dogs, another their snakes and lizards. Musicians played on the streets, weightlifters bared their chests, and a few young women wore bikinis while holding anti-coup signs.

“It’s wonderful to see all kinds of people joining in protest,” said Wai Zin Thant, a private company manager in Mandalay who watched them online. “I never thought that I would see a fashion show, a music concert and a historical protest against the military coup at the same time.”

The protests have even come to the placid Inle Lake in central Myanmar, where the inhabitants seem to live in a bygone era. They dwell in houses built on stilts, grow vegetables in floating gardens and travel in long, narrow wooden boats. The fishermen are renowned for standing on one leg while rowing with the other.

But the community is not so remote that it has been bypassed by the protests. On Thursday, more than a thousand Inle Lake residents gathered by boat in a floating protest, with anti-military slogans written on their wooden paddles and placards spelling out words in English such as, “Get out dictators.”

“Maybe people think we live a peaceful life because we grow our vegetables for food and make our own boats for transportation,” said Ngwe Toe, an Inle resident. “But we can’t neglect that the country’s democracy is being raped by the military.”

At several demonstrations earlier in the week, police officers crossed over to the protesters’ side to large cheers from the crowd. In the city of Loikaw in Kayah state, at least 40 male and female officers joined in chanting, “No dictatorship” and “People’s police” after switching sides.

But in the capital, Naypyitaw, two protesters were shot by the police Tuesday, apparently with live ammunition. One victim, Mya Thwate Thwate Khing, 19, was shot in the head. She is being kept alive by a ventilator, said Dr. Wai Yan Kyaw at Naypyitaw Thousand-Bed General Hospital, where she is being treated.

“According to her injury, this must not be a rubber bullet,” the doctor said. “This must be a real bullet.”

A second patient, a man who was shot in the chest, has been released, he said.

The young woman’s sister, Mya Tha Toe Nwe, said the two of them had taken cover at the protest to avoid the spray from a police water cannon and were leaving when she was shot.

“There is no hope even with an operation,” she said. “I am deeply sad.” But she said she would not be deterred.

“We participated in the protest against the military coup because it’s not only for one person or one party,” she said. “We need to eliminate the military dictatorship from our country, and I will keep fighting.”

Many protesters applauded the decision by President Joe Biden on Wednesday to impose sanctions on the generals behind the coup that would prevent them from gaining access to $1 billion in funds that their government keeps in the United States.

Biden, who has demanded that the military release the civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from house arrest, said he would announce additional actions against the military leaders and their families. The United Nations Human Rights Council was scheduled to meet in a special session Friday to consider taking action.

In recent days, the military has rounded up prominent leaders aligned with Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, in midnight raids, including the chief ministers of 14 states, the popular mayor of Mandalay and her Australian economics adviser.

Among those detained were the chairman and a member of the Union Election Commission, which oversaw the November elections that the National League for Democracy won in a landslide. The military tried to justify its coup by claiming electoral fraud. Authorities also raided the party’s headquarters in Yangon, seizing financial records, computers and data storage devices.

A doctor active in the civil disobedience movement in the southern Myanmar township of Ingapu was arrested and dragged away by plainclothes police officers Thursday afternoon while he was in the middle of stitching up a patient, his family said. He has not been heard from since.

The military announced Friday that it would release more than 23,000 prisoners under an amnesty in honor of Union Day, a national holiday commemorating a 1947 independence agreement. Such mass amnesties are not unusual in Myanmar; the civilian government released nearly 25,000 inmates in April.

But democracy advocates expressed concern online that the junta could organize some of the prisoners into mobs to attack protesters, a tactic that critics said it has used in the past.

The military government in Myanmar has increasingly used nighttime arrests, legal threats, a curfew and a ban on large gatherings to tame weeklong anti-coup protests that have spread from the cities to the countryside.

The military government in Myanmar has increasingly used nighttime arrests, legal threats, a curfew and a ban on large gatherings to tame weeklong anti-coup protests that have spread from the cities to the countryside. Now, civil society groups fear that the military is preparing a new law that would further restrict online expression and limit the privacy rights of citizens. One telecommunications company, Telenor, said Friday that it was aware of the proposal and was reviewing it. A coalition of 158 civil society organizations signed a statement raising concerns that the potential new law would lead to the widespread arrest of government critics. Watch | Myanmar already has harsh laws restricting online speech, but opponents of the military say the proposed law is so broad that it would allow authorities to arrest anyone who criticized the government online and imprison them for up to three years. Critics also said the proposed law would require telecommunications companies to cooperate with the government and provide information on their customers. The military government declined to comment. Concern over the proposal comes amid fears that the military could use greater force if the protests continue, as it has in the past. Two protesters have already been shot. But the proposal also suggests that the military may be searching for a variety of ways to rein in the demonstrations. The military, which has ruled the country for most of the last 60 years, has a long history of using violence to suppress protests, including gunning down pro-democracy demonstrators in 1988 and 2007. The Myanmar army, or Tatmadaw, has never been shy about showing the depths of its brutality, killing monks in the street and launching a murderous rampage against the Rohingya, leading to an exodus of the Muslim minority in 2017. But a violent response to largely peaceful protests that have swept the country after the Feb. 1 coup could further isolate Myanmar at a time when military leaders want to maintain normal economic relations. Aside from a nationally televised speech Tuesday evening by the coup leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the generals behind the junta have largely been silent as the civil disobedience movement has grown. On Thursday, Min Aung Hlaing posted a statement on Facebook saying that coronavirus vaccinations were proceeding and repeating his call for “disciplined multiparty democracy.” Since seizing power, the military has shut down the internet at times and blocked Facebook to disrupt communications among protesters. Over the last 10 days, a civil disobedience movement against the military takeover has seeped into nearly every aspect of society. Many bank employees, rail workers, civil servants, doctors and nurses have refused to work, reducing the availability of medical care, slowing financial transactions and halting rail transportation. A walkout by rail employees earlier this week prompted the closure of the Myanmar Railway, which under coronavirus restrictions was serving only several thousand commuters near Yangon, the country’s largest city. There was no indication of when it would reopen. In Yangon, where hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets in protest earlier this week, actions were more muted as smaller impromptu demonstrations popped up in different neighborhoods. On Friday, thousands of protesters staged demonstrations at foreign missions in the city, including the Chinese and Russian embassies. Demonstrators also have become more creative since the restrictions on gatherings were announced Tuesday. Some have paraded in horse-drawn carts or dressed in ballgown. One group of animal lovers brought their dogs, another their snakes and lizards. Musicians played on the streets, weightlifters bared their chests, and a few young women wore bikinis while holding anti-coup signs. “It’s wonderful to see all kinds of people joining in protest,” said Wai Zin Thant, a private company manager in Mandalay who watched them online. “I never thought that I would see a fashion show, a music concert and a historical protest against the military coup at the same time.” The protests have even come to the placid Inle Lake in central Myanmar, where the inhabitants seem to live in a bygone era. They dwell in houses built on stilts, grow vegetables in floating gardens and travel in long, narrow wooden boats. The fishermen are renowned for standing on one leg while rowing with the other. But the community is not so remote that it has been bypassed by the protests. On Thursday, more than a thousand Inle Lake residents gathered by boat in a floating protest, with anti-military slogans written on their wooden paddles and placards spelling out words in English such as, “Get out dictators.” “Maybe people think we live a peaceful life because we grow our vegetables for food and make our own boats for transportation,” said Ngwe Toe, an Inle resident. “But we can’t neglect that the country’s democracy is being raped by the military.” At several demonstrations earlier in the week, police officers crossed over to the protesters’ side to large cheers from the crowd. In the city of Loikaw in Kayah state, at least 40 male and female officers joined in chanting, “No dictatorship” and “People’s police” after switching sides. But in the capital, Naypyitaw, two protesters were shot by the police Tuesday, apparently with live ammunition. One victim, Mya Thwate Thwate Khing, 19, was shot in the head. She is being kept alive by a ventilator, said Dr. Wai Yan Kyaw at Naypyitaw Thousand-Bed General Hospital, where she is being treated. “According to her injury, this must not be a rubber bullet,” the doctor said. “This must be a real bullet.” A second patient, a man who was shot in the chest, has been released, he said. The young woman’s sister, Mya Tha Toe Nwe, said the two of them had taken cover at the protest to avoid the spray from a police water cannon and were leaving when she was shot. “There is no hope even with an operation,” she said. “I am deeply sad.” But she said she would not be deterred. “We participated in the protest against the military coup because it’s not only for one person or one party,” she said. “We need to eliminate the military dictatorship from our country, and I will keep fighting.” Many protesters applauded the decision by President Joe Biden on Wednesday to impose sanctions on the generals behind the coup that would prevent them from gaining access to $1 billion in funds that their government keeps in the United States. Biden, who has demanded that the military release the civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from house arrest, said he would announce additional actions against the military leaders and their families. The United Nations Human Rights Council was scheduled to meet in a special session Friday to consider taking action. In recent days, the military has rounded up prominent leaders aligned with Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, in midnight raids, including the chief ministers of 14 states, the popular mayor of Mandalay and her Australian economics adviser. Among those detained were the chairman and a member of the Union Election Commission, which oversaw the November elections that the National League for Democracy won in a landslide. The military tried to justify its coup by claiming electoral fraud. Authorities also raided the party’s headquarters in Yangon, seizing financial records, computers and data storage devices. A doctor active in the civil disobedience movement in the southern Myanmar township of Ingapu was arrested and dragged away by plainclothes police officers Thursday afternoon while he was in the middle of stitching up a patient, his family said. He has not been heard from since. The military announced Friday that it would release more than 23,000 prisoners under an amnesty in honor of Union Day, a national holiday commemorating a 1947 independence agreement. Such mass amnesties are not unusual in Myanmar; the civilian government released nearly 25,000 inmates in April. But democracy advocates expressed concern online that the junta could organize some of the prisoners into mobs to attack protesters, a tactic that critics said it has used in the past.

Myanmar may target free speech in effort to stifle protests

Amid the bustle of beggars and patients outside the crowded hospital here, there are sellers and buyers, casting wary eyes at one another: The poor, seeking cash for their vital organs, and the gravely ill or their surrogates, looking to buy.

The illegal kidney business is booming in the western city of Herat, fueled by sprawling slums, the surrounding land’s poverty and unending war, an entrepreneurial hospital that advertises itself as the country’s first kidney transplantation center, and officials and doctors who turn a blind eye to organ trafficking.

In Afghanistan, as in most countries, the sale and purchase of organs is illegal, and so is the implanting of purchased organs by physicians. But the practice remains a worldwide problem, particularly when it comes to kidneys, since most donors can live with just one.

“These people, they need the money,” said Ahmed Zain Faqiri, a teacher seeking a kidney for his gravely ill father outside Loqman Hakim Hospital.

He was eyed uneasily by a strapping young farmer, Haleem Ahmad, 21, who had heard of the kidney market and was looking to sell after his harvest had failed.

The consequences will be grim for him. For the impoverished kidney sellers who recover in frigid, unlit Herat apartments of peeling paint and concrete floors, temporarily delivered from crushing debt but too weak to work, in pain and unable to afford medication, the deal is a portal to new misery. In one such dwelling recently, a half-sack of flour and a modest container of rice was the only food for a family with eight children.

For Loqman Hakim Hospital, transplants are big business. Officials boast it has performed more than 1,000 kidney transplants in five years, drawing in patients from all over Afghanistan and the global Afghan diaspora. It offers them bargain-basement operations at one-twentieth the cost of such procedures in the United States, in a city with a seemingly unending supply of fresh organs.

Asked if the hospital made good money from the operations, Masood Ghafoori, a senior finance manager, said: “You could say that.”

The hospital handles the removal, transplant and initial recovery of both patients, without asking questions. Sellers say their hospital fees are covered by the buyers, and after a few days in the recovery ward, they are sent home.

How the organ recipient gets the donor to agree to the procedure is not the hospital’s concern, the doctors say.

“It’s not our business,” said Dr. Farid Ahmad Ejaz, a hospital physician whose business card reads “Founder of Kidney Transplantation in Afghanistan” in English.

Ejaz at first contended that more than a dozen impoverished Herat residents were lying when they told The Times of selling their kidneys for cash. Later, he conceded that “maybe” they were not. Interviews with other health officials here followed the same arc: initial denials, followed by grudging acknowledgment.

“In Afghanistan everything has a value, except human life,” said Dr. Mahdi Hadid, a member of Herat’s provincial council.

Accounts of organ selling date to the 1980s in India, according to the United Nations, and today the practice accounts for roughly 10% of all global transplants. Iran, less than 80 miles from Herat, is the only country where selling kidneys is not illegal, as long as the parties are Iranian.

“There’s always a gap between international guidelines and what governments do in practice,” said Asif Efrat, a faculty member at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, a university in Israel, pointing out that Afghanistan is a new player compared to the countries where the organ trade is most prolific: China, Pakistan, and the Philippines. “The current international consensus is on the side of prohibiting, but governments have incentives not to follow it."

The moral scruples that keep the business underground elsewhere are hardly evident in Herat. Ejaz and health officials point to poverty’s harsh logic.

“The people of Afghanistan sell their sons and daughters for money. How can you compare that to selling kidneys?” he asked. “We have to do this because someone is dying.”

Ejaz seemed unfazed when shown the business card of a kidney “broker,” saying, “In Afghanistan you find business cards for people to assassinate others.”

On the fourth floor of the hospital, three out of four patients in recovery said they had bought their kidneys.

“I feel fine now,” said Gulabuddin, a 36-year-old imam and kidney recipient from Kabul. “No pain at all.”

He said he had paid about $3,500 for his kidney, bought from a “complete stranger,” with an $80 commission to the broker. He got a good deal: Kidneys can cost as much as $4,500.

“If there is consent, Islam has no problem with it,” Gulabuddin said.

Dr. Abdul Hakim Tamanna, Herat province’s public health director, acknowledged the rise of the kidney black market in Afghanistan but said there was little the government could do.

“Unfortunately, this is common in poor countries,” he said. “There’s a lack of rule of law, and a lack of regulation surrounding this process.”

Afghanistan’s poverty rate was expected to reach over 70% in 2020, according to the World Bank, and the country remains largely dependent on foreign aid; domestic revenues finance only about half the government budget. Without any substantive public safety net, health care is just another opportunity to exploit the country’s most vulnerable.

Deep inside the warren of sandy streets in Herat’s slums, Mir Gul Ataye, 28, regrets every second of his decision to sell his kidney. A construction worker who had earned up to $5 a day before his operation in November, he is now unable to lift more than 10 pounds, and barely that.

“I’m in pain, and weak,” he said. “I’ve been sick, and I can’t control my pee.”

Four children huddled in front of him on the concrete floor in the bare unlit room. He said he supports 13 family members in all and had accumulated some $4,000 of debt.

“It was difficult, but I had no choice. Nobody wants to give up a part of his body to someone else,” he said. “It was very shameful for me.”

For his kidney, Ataye received $3,800. That was barely three months ago. He is still in debt, unable to pay his rent or his electricity bill.

He said he feels “sadness, desperation, anger and loneliness.” One night he was in such severe pain, he banged his head against the wall and fractured his skull.

Others around Herat cited similar reasons for selling a kidney: outstanding debt, sick parents, a marriage that would otherwise have been unaffordable.

“My father would have died if we had not sold,” said Jamila Jamshidi, 25, sitting on the floor across from her brother, Omid, 18, in a frigid apartment near the city’s edge.

Both had sold their kidneys — she, five years ago, and he, one year ago — and both were weak and in pain.

At a mud-walled camp just outside Herat, a vortex of sun, wind and dust filled with war refugees from other provinces, Mohammed Zaman, a tribal elder in a white turban, spoke of the irresistible attraction of Loqman Hakim’s kidney operation. More than 20 from his village, now chased from their homes, had sold their kidneys.

“My people are hungry. We don’t have land. We can’t be shopkeepers. We’ve got no money,” he said. “I can’t stop it.”

At a local restaurant, five brothers spoke of being forced off their land in Badghis province by constant Taliban attacks. In Herat, all had sold their kidneys. The youngest was 18, the oldest 32.

“We had no choice,” said Abdul Samir, one of the brothers. “We were forced to sell. Otherwise, we would not have sold a fingernail.” 
&nbsp;

Amid the bustle of beggars and patients outside the crowded hospital here, there are sellers and buyers, casting wary eyes at one another: The poor, seeking cash for their vital organs, and the gravely ill or their surrogates, looking to buy.

Amid the bustle of beggars and patients outside the crowded hospital here, there are sellers and buyers, casting wary eyes at one another: The poor, seeking cash for their vital organs, and the gravely ill or their surrogates, looking to buy. The illegal kidney business is booming in the western city of Herat, fueled by sprawling slums, the surrounding land’s poverty and unending war, an entrepreneurial hospital that advertises itself as the country’s first kidney transplantation center, and officials and doctors who turn a blind eye to organ trafficking. In Afghanistan, as in most countries, the sale and purchase of organs is illegal, and so is the implanting of purchased organs by physicians. But the practice remains a worldwide problem, particularly when it comes to kidneys, since most donors can live with just one. “These people, they need the money,” said Ahmed Zain Faqiri, a teacher seeking a kidney for his gravely ill father outside Loqman Hakim Hospital. He was eyed uneasily by a strapping young farmer, Haleem Ahmad, 21, who had heard of the kidney market and was looking to sell after his harvest had failed. The consequences will be grim for him. For the impoverished kidney sellers who recover in frigid, unlit Herat apartments of peeling paint and concrete floors, temporarily delivered from crushing debt but too weak to work, in pain and unable to afford medication, the deal is a portal to new misery. In one such dwelling recently, a half-sack of flour and a modest container of rice was the only food for a family with eight children. For Loqman Hakim Hospital, transplants are big business. Officials boast it has performed more than 1,000 kidney transplants in five years, drawing in patients from all over Afghanistan and the global Afghan diaspora. It offers them bargain-basement operations at one-twentieth the cost of such procedures in the United States, in a city with a seemingly unending supply of fresh organs. Asked if the hospital made good money from the operations, Masood Ghafoori, a senior finance manager, said: “You could say that.” The hospital handles the removal, transplant and initial recovery of both patients, without asking questions. Sellers say their hospital fees are covered by the buyers, and after a few days in the recovery ward, they are sent home. How the organ recipient gets the donor to agree to the procedure is not the hospital’s concern, the doctors say. “It’s not our business,” said Dr. Farid Ahmad Ejaz, a hospital physician whose business card reads “Founder of Kidney Transplantation in Afghanistan” in English. Ejaz at first contended that more than a dozen impoverished Herat residents were lying when they told The Times of selling their kidneys for cash. Later, he conceded that “maybe” they were not. Interviews with other health officials here followed the same arc: initial denials, followed by grudging acknowledgment. “In Afghanistan everything has a value, except human life,” said Dr. Mahdi Hadid, a member of Herat’s provincial council. Accounts of organ selling date to the 1980s in India, according to the United Nations, and today the practice accounts for roughly 10% of all global transplants. Iran, less than 80 miles from Herat, is the only country where selling kidneys is not illegal, as long as the parties are Iranian. “There’s always a gap between international guidelines and what governments do in practice,” said Asif Efrat, a faculty member at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, a university in Israel, pointing out that Afghanistan is a new player compared to the countries where the organ trade is most prolific: China, Pakistan, and the Philippines. “The current international consensus is on the side of prohibiting, but governments have incentives not to follow it." The moral scruples that keep the business underground elsewhere are hardly evident in Herat. Ejaz and health officials point to poverty’s harsh logic. “The people of Afghanistan sell their sons and daughters for money. How can you compare that to selling kidneys?” he asked. “We have to do this because someone is dying.” Ejaz seemed unfazed when shown the business card of a kidney “broker,” saying, “In Afghanistan you find business cards for people to assassinate others.” On the fourth floor of the hospital, three out of four patients in recovery said they had bought their kidneys. “I feel fine now,” said Gulabuddin, a 36-year-old imam and kidney recipient from Kabul. “No pain at all.” He said he had paid about $3,500 for his kidney, bought from a “complete stranger,” with an $80 commission to the broker. He got a good deal: Kidneys can cost as much as $4,500. “If there is consent, Islam has no problem with it,” Gulabuddin said. Dr. Abdul Hakim Tamanna, Herat province’s public health director, acknowledged the rise of the kidney black market in Afghanistan but said there was little the government could do. “Unfortunately, this is common in poor countries,” he said. “There’s a lack of rule of law, and a lack of regulation surrounding this process.” Afghanistan’s poverty rate was expected to reach over 70% in 2020, according to the World Bank, and the country remains largely dependent on foreign aid; domestic revenues finance only about half the government budget. Without any substantive public safety net, health care is just another opportunity to exploit the country’s most vulnerable. Deep inside the warren of sandy streets in Herat’s slums, Mir Gul Ataye, 28, regrets every second of his decision to sell his kidney. A construction worker who had earned up to $5 a day before his operation in November, he is now unable to lift more than 10 pounds, and barely that. “I’m in pain, and weak,” he said. “I’ve been sick, and I can’t control my pee.” Four children huddled in front of him on the concrete floor in the bare unlit room. He said he supports 13 family members in all and had accumulated some $4,000 of debt. “It was difficult, but I had no choice. Nobody wants to give up a part of his body to someone else,” he said. “It was very shameful for me.” For his kidney, Ataye received $3,800. That was barely three months ago. He is still in debt, unable to pay his rent or his electricity bill. He said he feels “sadness, desperation, anger and loneliness.” One night he was in such severe pain, he banged his head against the wall and fractured his skull. Others around Herat cited similar reasons for selling a kidney: outstanding debt, sick parents, a marriage that would otherwise have been unaffordable. “My father would have died if we had not sold,” said Jamila Jamshidi, 25, sitting on the floor across from her brother, Omid, 18, in a frigid apartment near the city’s edge. Both had sold their kidneys — she, five years ago, and he, one year ago — and both were weak and in pain. At a mud-walled camp just outside Herat, a vortex of sun, wind and dust filled with war refugees from other provinces, Mohammed Zaman, a tribal elder in a white turban, spoke of the irresistible attraction of Loqman Hakim’s kidney operation. More than 20 from his village, now chased from their homes, had sold their kidneys. “My people are hungry. We don’t have land. We can’t be shopkeepers. We’ve got no money,” he said. “I can’t stop it.” At a local restaurant, five brothers spoke of being forced off their land in Badghis province by constant Taliban attacks. In Herat, all had sold their kidneys. The youngest was 18, the oldest 32. “We had no choice,” said Abdul Samir, one of the brothers. “We were forced to sell. Otherwise, we would not have sold a fingernail.”

In Afghanistan, a booming kidney trade preys on the poor

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Abhilash Mahajan

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.