Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

As the situation in Ukraine intensifies and chaos across the border increases, several aid groups and volunteers have claimed that the children are going missing. Cases of human trafficking are also being reported.&nbsp;

Rights groups in neighbouring countries have said that they had seen cases of trafficking, missing children, extortion and exploitation.&nbsp;

Karolina Wierzbińska a coordinator from Homo Faber, a human rights organisation based in Poland said, "This is obviously extremely distressing for a child and can lead to them wandering around the station alone, disoriented and in the worst-case scenario, disappearing altogether. This, unfortunately, is not a hypothetical case – it has happened already."

“We are also already getting reports of cases of human trafficking and women being offered work in Poland only to find the workplace is illegitimate, the employer is mistreating them, refusing to pay their salary on time. There are cases of extortion of personal documents or money.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-conflict-russia-violates-nuclear-safety-principles-in-ukraine-says-us-461477">Also read |&nbsp;In conflict, Russia violates nuclear safety principles in Ukraine, says US &nbsp;</a>

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has forced several people to flee the invasion.

In this difficult time, several people in the Polish communities on the border have looked to help the refugees in a heart-warming way.&nbsp;

These people have filled the area at Przemyśl station, which is the first train stop for refugees, who enter Poland via the Medyka border crossing, with jackets, toys, stuffed animals, strollers, carriers, diapers and even walkers for the elderly.&nbsp;

With this gesture, the refugees are getting greeted with the things of basic needs just at the moment they step off the train onto the platform at the station.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. As the situation in Ukraine intensifies and chaos across the border increases, several aid groups and volunteers have claimed that the children are going missing. Cases of human trafficking are also being reported. Rights groups in neighbouring countries have said that they had seen cases of trafficking, missing children, extortion and exploitation. Karolina Wierzbińska a coordinator from Homo Faber, a human rights organisation based in Poland said, "This is obviously extremely distressing for a child and can lead to them wandering around the station alone, disoriented and in the worst-case scenario, disappearing altogether. This, unfortunately, is not a hypothetical case – it has happened already." “We are also already getting reports of cases of human trafficking and women being offered work in Poland only to find the workplace is illegitimate, the employer is mistreating them, refusing to pay their salary on time. There are cases of extortion of personal documents or money.” Also read | In conflict, Russia violates nuclear safety principles in Ukraine, says US The Russia-Ukraine conflict has forced several people to flee the invasion. In this difficult time, several people in the Polish communities on the border have looked to help the refugees in a heart-warming way. These people have filled the area at Przemyśl station, which is the first train stop for refugees, who enter Poland via the Medyka border crossing, with jackets, toys, stuffed animals, strollers, carriers, diapers and even walkers for the elderly. With this gesture, the refugees are getting greeted with the things of basic needs just at the moment they step off the train onto the platform at the station. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid chaos, Ukrainian children go missing at border, cases of human trafficking also reported

As Ukraine witnesses some of its worst nightmares, there is hardly any reason to cheer. But it is not entirely true. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In this hour of panic and pain, a 23-year-old woman has given birth to a baby girl, bringing smiles on several faces. &nbsp;

When the chaos began, the woman’s baby was due. To escape the fighting, she took refuge in a shelter in an underground metro station in the city. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-conflict-us-eu-uk-sanction-russian-president-vladimir-putin-top-officials-456616" hreflang="en">Ukraine conflict: US, EU, UK sanction Russian President Vladimir Putin, top officials</a>

She soon experienced labour pains. Ukrainian police rushed in to help on hearing her screams. &nbsp;

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Two hours ago, a woman gave birth in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kyiv?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kyiv</a> subway. This news is what gives us hope! <a href="https://t.co/tnxCSnaERO">pic.twitter.com/tnxCSnaERO</a>
— Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (@ua_parliament) <a href="https://twitter.com/ua_parliament/status/1497340592975659011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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An officer Mykola Shlapak said they helped her deliver the baby, Mia, just before 8.30 pm and also called an ambulance, which took both of them to hospital. They both are said to be doing well now. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/for-censoring-domestic-media-russian-government-partially-limits-access-to-facebook-456624">For 'censoring' domestic media, Russia partially limits access to Facebook</a>

The news of the delivery was shared by Chairwoman of Democracy in Action Conference Hannah Hopko. She said, "Mia was born in shelter this night in stressful environment- bombing of Kyiv. Her mom is happy after this challenging birth giving." &nbsp;&nbsp;

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A brave woman gave birth to a baby named Mia, in Kiev Underground! <a href="https://t.co/1fm4ZShTsP">https://t.co/1fm4ZShTsP</a>
— 🐾☕🎮❤ Raphi, Stands With Ukraine 🇺🇦🌞 (@Raphael_F666) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raphael_F666/status/1497395831762300931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The birth of this child in these desperate times has evoked touching response from several people. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

As Ukraine witnesses some of its worst nightmares, there is hardly any reason to cheer. But it is not entirely true. In this hour of panic and pain, a 23-year-old woman has given birth to a baby girl, bringing smiles on several faces.

As Ukraine witnesses some of its worst nightmares, there is hardly any reason to cheer. But it is not entirely true. In this hour of panic and pain, a 23-year-old woman has given birth to a baby girl, bringing smiles on several faces. When the chaos began, the woman’s baby was due. To escape the fighting, she took refuge in a shelter in an underground metro station in the city. Also Read | Ukraine conflict: US, EU, UK sanction Russian President Vladimir Putin, top officials She soon experienced labour pains. Ukrainian police rushed in to help on hearing her screams. Two hours ago, a woman gave birth in the #Kyiv subway. This news is what gives us hope! pic.twitter.com/tnxCSnaERO — Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (@ua_parliament) February 25, 2022 × An officer Mykola Shlapak said they helped her deliver the baby, Mia, just before 8.30 pm and also called an ambulance, which took both of them to hospital. They both are said to be doing well now. Also Read: For 'censoring' domestic media, Russia partially limits access to Facebook The news of the delivery was shared by Chairwoman of Democracy in Action Conference Hannah Hopko. She said, "Mia was born in shelter this night in stressful environment- bombing of Kyiv. Her mom is happy after this challenging birth giving." A brave woman gave birth to a baby named Mia, in Kiev Underground! https://t.co/1fm4ZShTsP — 🐾☕🎮❤ Raphi, Stands With Ukraine 🇺🇦🌞 (@Raphael_F666) February 26, 2022 × The birth of this child in these desperate times has evoked touching response from several people. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid chaos, 23-year-old woman gives birth to baby girl in Ukraine, brings smiles

The omicron surge threatens to upend any sense of peace in the nation’s education system.

After a holiday break that saw COVID-19 cases spike unrelentingly, a small but growing list of districts — including Newark, New Jersey; Atlanta; Milwaukee; and Cleveland — moved temporarily to remote learning for more than 450,000 children.

Districtwide closures, even those that last for a week or two, are a step backward after months in which classrooms largely remained open, even during a fall surge of the delta variant.

And although politicians, including Mayor Eric Adams of New York and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, vowed to keep schools open, there were growing fears from parents and educators that more districts would soon turn to remote learning — even though in-school transmission of COVID-19 has been limited.

Those decisions could, in turn, radiate through the country, affecting child care, employment and any confidence that the pandemic’s viselike grip was loosening.

“It’s chaos,” said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, which has polled families throughout the pandemic. “The No. 1 thing that parents and families are crying out for is stability.”

Some families were given just a few days or even hours of notice about school closures, leading to the all-too-familiar pandemic scramble to adjust child-care arrangements and work schedules. Atlanta Public Schools, for instance, announced Saturday that classes would be online for the first week of January, just days after saying that classes would be held in person.

Rodrigues’ own sons were home Monday morning after their schools, in Somerville, Massachusetts, announced Saturday a two-hour delayed start to test staff and distribute KN95 masks.

The continued burden on parents nationwide is unacceptable, Rodrigues said, given that a winter surge of the virus was predictable and that policymakers had months to secure and distribute tests and masks.

“No grace is extended to us,” she said of parents who would have to go out to work, whether or not their children’s schools were open.

The academic, social and emotional toll of school closures has been enormous, and well-documented. During the first year of the pandemic, before vaccines were available, the question of whether children should be in classrooms was one of the most divisive in American life. Today, politicians, labor leaders and teachers overwhelmingly say they want classrooms to remain open.

A vast majority of the nation’s school districts — including most of the largest ones — appear to be operating relatively normally. Still, the closures this week appeared to be concentrated in regions, such as the Northeast and upper Midwest, where Democratic Party policymakers and teachers unions have taken a more cautious approach to operating schools throughout the pandemic.

The nation is averaging more than 400,000 new cases a day for the first time in the pandemic, though hospitalizations are growing at a much slower rate. Many principals have reported large numbers of staff members calling in sick, because they are infected with COVID-19 or other illnesses, caring for sick family members or fearful of the conditions within school buildings.

Several of the shuttered districts serve predominantly Black, Hispanic and low-income students, raising concerns about the educational gaps that widened during previous phases of the pandemic.

“There is a casualness with which some have approached closing schools that I find deeply concerning, precisely because of the severe harms we’ve seen accumulate over the past year when schools were closed,” said Joseph Allen, a Harvard University professor who studies indoor environmental quality, including in schools.

Still, in New York City, where schools were open, about one-third of the students did not show up, suggesting significant parental hesitation.

And there are signs that some unions are becoming more resistant to in-person teaching. Members of the Chicago Teachers Union are preparing to vote Tuesday on whether to refuse to report to schools starting Wednesday. The union, which has repeatedly clashed with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, had demanded that every student be tested for the virus before returning from winter break, a step the district did not take.

The district, one of the largest in the country, instead gave tens of thousands of students optional take-home PCR tests before winter break, which parents were supposed to bring to a FedEx drop box.

On Monday, it became clear that the testing effort had largely failed. Of 35,590 tests recorded by the district in the week ending Saturday, 24,843 had invalid results. Among the minority of tests that did produce results, 18% were positive.

A district official said test vendors were looking into the reasons for the inconclusive results.

At a news conference Monday, the union’s vice president, Stacy Davis Gates, expressed her anger at having “to continuously fight for the basic necessities, the basic mitigations.”

In Florida, DeSantis reiterated Monday that officials would not allow the state’s public schools to close, despite a major spike in coronavirus cases.

“You have worse outcomes by closing schools,” said DeSantis, a Republican who has increased his national profile by rejecting coronavirus lockdowns and mandates for much of the pandemic. “Kids need to be in school.”

Furthermore, DeSantis said, children “do not need to be doing any crazy mitigation” such as testing or wearing masks, unless their parents want them to. He added: “Just let them be kids.”

In the New York area, there was a growing divide between the city, where nearly all schools opened Monday morning with beefed-up virus testing protocols, and the surrounding region, where a growing list of smaller districts shifted to remote learning, generally citing the surging number of COVID-19 cases within the community — not specific instances of in-school spread of the virus.

The school board president in Newark, Dawn Haynes, said in a statement, “The lives of all of our students mean more to me than anything else, especially since three of them are actually mine.”

In New Rochelle, New York, the school superintendent, Jonathan P. Raymond, wrote in a Dec. 31 letter that a week of remote learning would allow the district to await a shipment of rapid tests from the state, and sign up more students for in-school surveillance testing.

Some schools announcing their decision to temporarily close cited the closing of other districts — adding to an uneasy sense of falling dominoes. When the superintendent in Mount Vernon, New York, announced a two-week period of remote learning, he pointed to the closure of some schools in Maryland, where, on Dec. 17, Prince George’s County became the first major district to announce an extended shift to virtual teaching.

While omicron is more contagious than previous iterations of the virus, early indications are that it is also less severe. Allen, from Harvard, said the existing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still allowed schools to operate safely, especially because children were at such low risk of serious complications from COVID-19. Those measures include vaccination, masking, hand-washing, the use of portable air filters and cracking windows.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s vaccine boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds, but child and teenage vaccination rates have been disappointing in many places.

The CDC also recommends a strategy called test to stay, in which close contacts of positive virus cases are given frequent rapid tests; only those who test positive must stay home.

But many schools still lack the number of rapid antigen tests they need.

Allen acknowledged that rapid tests were in short supply.

“We’ve been calling for rapid testing for a year and a half,” he said. “I find it stunning that the country has so failed to prioritize kids.”

Still, many parents said that despite the difficulties of closures, they trusted their children’s schools to make the right call.

Lorenzo Spencer, whose son is a freshman at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, said he was not surprised by the district’s announcement of a three-day closure — without remote learning — to test its 8,000 employees.

“There’s no playbook for what we’re going through,” Spencer said. “As long as they’re doing what they can do to stay safe, I’m all for it.”

The omicron surge threatens to upend any sense of peace in the nation’s education system. After a holiday break that saw COVID-19 cases spike unrelentingly, a small but growing list of districts — including Newark, New Jersey; Atlanta; Milwaukee; and Cleveland — moved temporarily to remote learning for more than 450,000 children.

The omicron surge threatens to upend any sense of peace in the nation’s education system. After a holiday break that saw COVID-19 cases spike unrelentingly, a small but growing list of districts — including Newark, New Jersey; Atlanta; Milwaukee; and Cleveland — moved temporarily to remote learning for more than 450,000 children. Districtwide closures, even those that last for a week or two, are a step backward after months in which classrooms largely remained open, even during a fall surge of the delta variant. And although politicians, including Mayor Eric Adams of New York and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, vowed to keep schools open, there were growing fears from parents and educators that more districts would soon turn to remote learning — even though in-school transmission of COVID-19 has been limited. Those decisions could, in turn, radiate through the country, affecting child care, employment and any confidence that the pandemic’s viselike grip was loosening. “It’s chaos,” said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, which has polled families throughout the pandemic. “The No. 1 thing that parents and families are crying out for is stability.” Some families were given just a few days or even hours of notice about school closures, leading to the all-too-familiar pandemic scramble to adjust child-care arrangements and work schedules. Atlanta Public Schools, for instance, announced Saturday that classes would be online for the first week of January, just days after saying that classes would be held in person. Rodrigues’ own sons were home Monday morning after their schools, in Somerville, Massachusetts, announced Saturday a two-hour delayed start to test staff and distribute KN95 masks. The continued burden on parents nationwide is unacceptable, Rodrigues said, given that a winter surge of the virus was predictable and that policymakers had months to secure and distribute tests and masks. “No grace is extended to us,” she said of parents who would have to go out to work, whether or not their children’s schools were open. The academic, social and emotional toll of school closures has been enormous, and well-documented. During the first year of the pandemic, before vaccines were available, the question of whether children should be in classrooms was one of the most divisive in American life. Today, politicians, labor leaders and teachers overwhelmingly say they want classrooms to remain open. A vast majority of the nation’s school districts — including most of the largest ones — appear to be operating relatively normally. Still, the closures this week appeared to be concentrated in regions, such as the Northeast and upper Midwest, where Democratic Party policymakers and teachers unions have taken a more cautious approach to operating schools throughout the pandemic. The nation is averaging more than 400,000 new cases a day for the first time in the pandemic, though hospitalizations are growing at a much slower rate. Many principals have reported large numbers of staff members calling in sick, because they are infected with COVID-19 or other illnesses, caring for sick family members or fearful of the conditions within school buildings. Several of the shuttered districts serve predominantly Black, Hispanic and low-income students, raising concerns about the educational gaps that widened during previous phases of the pandemic. “There is a casualness with which some have approached closing schools that I find deeply concerning, precisely because of the severe harms we’ve seen accumulate over the past year when schools were closed,” said Joseph Allen, a Harvard University professor who studies indoor environmental quality, including in schools. Still, in New York City, where schools were open, about one-third of the students did not show up, suggesting significant parental hesitation. And there are signs that some unions are becoming more resistant to in-person teaching. Members of the Chicago Teachers Union are preparing to vote Tuesday on whether to refuse to report to schools starting Wednesday. The union, which has repeatedly clashed with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, had demanded that every student be tested for the virus before returning from winter break, a step the district did not take. The district, one of the largest in the country, instead gave tens of thousands of students optional take-home PCR tests before winter break, which parents were supposed to bring to a FedEx drop box. On Monday, it became clear that the testing effort had largely failed. Of 35,590 tests recorded by the district in the week ending Saturday, 24,843 had invalid results. Among the minority of tests that did produce results, 18% were positive. A district official said test vendors were looking into the reasons for the inconclusive results. At a news conference Monday, the union’s vice president, Stacy Davis Gates, expressed her anger at having “to continuously fight for the basic necessities, the basic mitigations.” In Florida, DeSantis reiterated Monday that officials would not allow the state’s public schools to close, despite a major spike in coronavirus cases. “You have worse outcomes by closing schools,” said DeSantis, a Republican who has increased his national profile by rejecting coronavirus lockdowns and mandates for much of the pandemic. “Kids need to be in school.” Furthermore, DeSantis said, children “do not need to be doing any crazy mitigation” such as testing or wearing masks, unless their parents want them to. He added: “Just let them be kids.” In the New York area, there was a growing divide between the city, where nearly all schools opened Monday morning with beefed-up virus testing protocols, and the surrounding region, where a growing list of smaller districts shifted to remote learning, generally citing the surging number of COVID-19 cases within the community — not specific instances of in-school spread of the virus. The school board president in Newark, Dawn Haynes, said in a statement, “The lives of all of our students mean more to me than anything else, especially since three of them are actually mine.” In New Rochelle, New York, the school superintendent, Jonathan P. Raymond, wrote in a Dec. 31 letter that a week of remote learning would allow the district to await a shipment of rapid tests from the state, and sign up more students for in-school surveillance testing. Some schools announcing their decision to temporarily close cited the closing of other districts — adding to an uneasy sense of falling dominoes. When the superintendent in Mount Vernon, New York, announced a two-week period of remote learning, he pointed to the closure of some schools in Maryland, where, on Dec. 17, Prince George’s County became the first major district to announce an extended shift to virtual teaching. While omicron is more contagious than previous iterations of the virus, early indications are that it is also less severe. Allen, from Harvard, said the existing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still allowed schools to operate safely, especially because children were at such low risk of serious complications from COVID-19. Those measures include vaccination, masking, hand-washing, the use of portable air filters and cracking windows. On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s vaccine boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds, but child and teenage vaccination rates have been disappointing in many places. The CDC also recommends a strategy called test to stay, in which close contacts of positive virus cases are given frequent rapid tests; only those who test positive must stay home. But many schools still lack the number of rapid antigen tests they need. Allen acknowledged that rapid tests were in short supply. “We’ve been calling for rapid testing for a year and a half,” he said. “I find it stunning that the country has so failed to prioritize kids.” Still, many parents said that despite the difficulties of closures, they trusted their children’s schools to make the right call. Lorenzo Spencer, whose son is a freshman at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, said he was not surprised by the district’s announcement of a three-day closure — without remote learning — to test its 8,000 employees. “There’s no playbook for what we’re going through,” Spencer said. “As long as they’re doing what they can do to stay safe, I’m all for it.”

‘It’s chaos’ as schools confront omicron

Facebook told BBC that it helped 175 citizens leave Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country. As per the company, some staff members were also on the flight to Mexico City.

Facebook told BBC that it helped 175 citizens leave Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country. As per the company, some staff members were also on the flight to Mexico City. The Mexican government confirmed the flight was carrying activists and independent journalists along with their families, including 75 children. Also read | Biden vows support to Ukraine, offers $60 million in new security aid A Facebook spokesperson was quoted by the BBC as saying, "In the process of assisting Facebook employees and close partners leave Afghanistan, we joined an effort to help a group of journalists and their families who were in grave danger". He further added, "Thanks to the leadership of the Mexican government, and the support of the UAE in providing the initial landing, the journalists have been welcomed in Mexico". The firm has declined to give any further details due to the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

Facebook says it helped people flee amid chaos in Afghanistan

History repeats itself, they say. &nbsp;

When Afghanistan's now-ousted president Ashraf Ghani wrote more than three decades ago about the then imminent fall of a "puppet regime", he may not have imagined he would be in a similar predicament later in life.&nbsp;

The article written by the then academic in Los Angeles Times on February 15, 1989, has been dug up by social media sleuths and is doing the rounds online this week.&nbsp;

Written after the former Soviet Union's exit from Afghanistan on being defeated at the hands of the US and Pakistan-backed Mujahideen, Ghani's article started with the line: "The Soviets have left Afghanistan, making the collapse of the besieged puppet regime in Kabul just a matter of time."&nbsp;

Fast forward to circa 2021, and it's the Americans&nbsp;who are making the hasty retreat after two decades of war. The Taliban, which essentially is an offshoot of the Mujahideen backed by Pakistan, are in control of capital Kabul. And on Sunday, Ghani's regime collapsed. He himself fled the country as Taliban occupied his presidential palace. He reportedly first went to Tajikistan, and is going to leave for US.&nbsp;

"The [George] Bush Administration could insist that the Afghan people be given the right to self-determination and take the initiative by channeling future economic assistance only to a government so freely chosen," Ghani had written in 1989, basically arguing in his article that US should demand a referendum for self-determination for the Afghans.&nbsp;

"By doing so, it could help thwart blatant Pakistani and Iranian attempts at determining the future of Afghanistan and at fanning the flames of civil war," wrote Ghani, who at the time was an assistant professor of anthropology at Johns Hopkins University.&nbsp;

The article was thoroughly critical of the Pakistan military and how the US regime at the time was colluding with Islamabad in supporting the Mujahideen and warlords fighting Soviet Union, at a time when Afghanistan was a theatre of the US-USSR Cold War.&nbsp;

"The Afghan people have no desire that the United States micromanage their politics. Rather, they wish that the United States would stop colluding with the Pakistani generals in choosing the cast of political actors and writing the script for the future of their country," he wrote.&nbsp;

"Over the years Washington has been entrusting Pakistani military intelligence with the distribution of more than $2 billion in military and financial aid and with the allocation of Stinger missiles to the Afghan resistance." &nbsp;

It is haunting to see how Ghani's words from that article might just be describing the chaos today. &nbsp;

"In the absence of an interim government truly representative of the Afghan people, there is no incentive for the peaceful surrender of Kabul and other cities still in the hands of the Soviet-backed regime. Nearly 3 million civilians, locked in besieged Kabul and already on the brink of starvation, are sure to suffer tremendous losses should the encircling resistance groups attack the capital," he wrote at the time.&nbsp;

History repeats itself, they say. When Afghanistan's now-ousted president Ashraf Ghani wrote more than three decades ago about the then imminent fall of a "puppet regime", he may not have imagined he would be in a similar predicament later in life.

History repeats itself, they say. When Afghanistan's now-ousted president Ashraf Ghani wrote more than three decades ago about the then imminent fall of a "puppet regime", he may not have imagined he would be in a similar predicament later in life. The article written by the then academic in Los Angeles Times on February 15, 1989, has been dug up by social media sleuths and is doing the rounds online this week. Written after the former Soviet Union's exit from Afghanistan on being defeated at the hands of the US and Pakistan-backed Mujahideen, Ghani's article started with the line: "The Soviets have left Afghanistan, making the collapse of the besieged puppet regime in Kabul just a matter of time." Fast forward to circa 2021, and it's the Americans who are making the hasty retreat after two decades of war. The Taliban, which essentially is an offshoot of the Mujahideen backed by Pakistan, are in control of capital Kabul. And on Sunday, Ghani's regime collapsed. He himself fled the country as Taliban occupied his presidential palace. He reportedly first went to Tajikistan, and is going to leave for US. "The [George] Bush Administration could insist that the Afghan people be given the right to self-determination and take the initiative by channeling future economic assistance only to a government so freely chosen," Ghani had written in 1989, basically arguing in his article that US should demand a referendum for self-determination for the Afghans. "By doing so, it could help thwart blatant Pakistani and Iranian attempts at determining the future of Afghanistan and at fanning the flames of civil war," wrote Ghani, who at the time was an assistant professor of anthropology at Johns Hopkins University. The article was thoroughly critical of the Pakistan military and how the US regime at the time was colluding with Islamabad in supporting the Mujahideen and warlords fighting Soviet Union, at a time when Afghanistan was a theatre of the US-USSR Cold War. "The Afghan people have no desire that the United States micromanage their politics. Rather, they wish that the United States would stop colluding with the Pakistani generals in choosing the cast of political actors and writing the script for the future of their country," he wrote. "Over the years Washington has been entrusting Pakistani military intelligence with the distribution of more than $2 billion in military and financial aid and with the allocation of Stinger missiles to the Afghan resistance." It is haunting to see how Ghani's words from that article might just be describing the chaos today. "In the absence of an interim government truly representative of the Afghan people, there is no incentive for the peaceful surrender of Kabul and other cities still in the hands of the Soviet-backed regime. Nearly 3 million civilians, locked in besieged Kabul and already on the brink of starvation, are sure to suffer tremendous losses should the encircling resistance groups attack the capital," he wrote at the time.

Blast from past: Ghani's 1989 article resurfaces, revealing irony of Afghan chaos repeat 

This week, Pakistani lawmakers turned the parliament into a House of Shame. A debate on Pakistan's budget led to a battle of fist-fights and profanities. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: A brawl in Pakistan's Parliament

The stranding of a container ship in the Suez Canal has created disruptions in the global shipping industry that could take weeks and possibly months to clear, top container shipping lines said.&nbsp;

Around 30% of the world's shipping container volume - including goods like sofas, consumer electronics, apparel and shoes - moves through the 193 km (120 miles) Suez Canal daily. Empty containers, which Asian factories need to ship goods, are also caught up in the backlog.&nbsp;

"Even when the canal gets reopened, the ripple effects on global capacity and equipment are significant," the world's largest container shipping company Maersk said in a customer advisory on Monday.&nbsp;

Maersk has three vessels stuck in the canal and another 29 waiting to enter, it said, adding that it had so far rerouted 15 vessels to sail south of Africa instead.&nbsp;

"Assessing the current backlog of vessels, it could take six days or more for the complete queue to pass," it said.&nbsp;

Switzerland's MSC, the world's number 2 line, said separately on Saturday, the situation was 'going to result in one of the biggest disruptions to global trade in recent years'.&nbsp;

"Unfortunately, even when the canal re-opens for the huge backlog of ships waiting at anchorage, this will lead to a surge in arrivals at certain ports and we may experience fresh congestion problems," Caroline Becquart, Senior Vice President with MSC said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We envisage the second quarter of 2021 being more disrupted than the first three months, and perhaps even more challenging than it was at the end of last year."&nbsp;

Container shipping companies have been struggling for months with disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a surge in demand for retail goods that led to wider logistical bottlenecks around the world.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The stranding of a container ship in the Suez Canal has created disruptions in the global shipping industry that could take weeks and possibly months to clear, top container shipping lines said.

The stranding of a container ship in the Suez Canal has created disruptions in the global shipping industry that could take weeks and possibly months to clear, top container shipping lines said. Around 30% of the world's shipping container volume - including goods like sofas, consumer electronics, apparel and shoes - moves through the 193 km (120 miles) Suez Canal daily. Empty containers, which Asian factories need to ship goods, are also caught up in the backlog. "Even when the canal gets reopened, the ripple effects on global capacity and equipment are significant," the world's largest container shipping company Maersk said in a customer advisory on Monday. Maersk has three vessels stuck in the canal and another 29 waiting to enter, it said, adding that it had so far rerouted 15 vessels to sail south of Africa instead. "Assessing the current backlog of vessels, it could take six days or more for the complete queue to pass," it said. Switzerland's MSC, the world's number 2 line, said separately on Saturday, the situation was 'going to result in one of the biggest disruptions to global trade in recent years'. "Unfortunately, even when the canal re-opens for the huge backlog of ships waiting at anchorage, this will lead to a surge in arrivals at certain ports and we may experience fresh congestion problems," Caroline Becquart, Senior Vice President with MSC said in a statement. "We envisage the second quarter of 2021 being more disrupted than the first three months, and perhaps even more challenging than it was at the end of last year." Container shipping companies have been struggling for months with disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a surge in demand for retail goods that led to wider logistical bottlenecks around the world. (With inputs from agencies)

Ship backlogs from Suez chaos could take months to clear: Container lines  

Egypt is racing to prepare a grandiose new capital city in the desert east of Cairo before the first civil servants move in this summer and ahead of the delayed official opening of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's flagship project.&nbsp;

At the heart of the city, workers are putting finishing touches to an avenue of ministries that echo the architecture of pharaonic temples and adjoin a raised Islamic complex, two domed parliament buildings and a sprawling presidential compound.&nbsp;

There will be a monorail passing through a business district where a 385-metre central tower is close to completion. Beyond, the contours of a 10km park stretching to a giant mosque are taking shape.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-egypt-is-relocating-its-capital-city-371514">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-egypt-is-relocating-its-capital-city-371514/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The city, known simply as the New Administrative Capital, is designed to operate with smart technology on virgin land away from the clutter and chaos of Cairo. It will boast universities, leisure facilities and a diplomatic quarter.&nbsp;

But it has made halting progress, and after Emirati funding fell through shortly after it was announced in 2015, the military and government took on the estimated $25 billion cost of the first phase, injecting off-budget investment.&nbsp;

Some foreign loans and financing have been secured.&nbsp;

The coronavirus pandemic also slowed progress, and the first of three planned phases, covering 168 square kilometres, will not be completed when the government begins to move in.&nbsp;

"The rate of completion of the first phase has passed 60% across all projects," said Khaled el-Husseiny, spokesman for the new capital.&nbsp;

He added that the delayed transfer of civil servants would begin in July, ahead of an official opening planned for the end of 2021.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Egypt is racing to prepare a grandiose new capital city in the desert east of Cairo before the first civil servants move in this summer and ahead of the delayed official opening of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's flagship project.

Egypt is racing to prepare a grandiose new capital city in the desert east of Cairo before the first civil servants move in this summer and ahead of the delayed official opening of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's flagship project. At the heart of the city, workers are putting finishing touches to an avenue of ministries that echo the architecture of pharaonic temples and adjoin a raised Islamic complex, two domed parliament buildings and a sprawling presidential compound. There will be a monorail passing through a business district where a 385-metre central tower is close to completion. Beyond, the contours of a 10km park stretching to a giant mosque are taking shape. Watch | The city, known simply as the New Administrative Capital, is designed to operate with smart technology on virgin land away from the clutter and chaos of Cairo. It will boast universities, leisure facilities and a diplomatic quarter. But it has made halting progress, and after Emirati funding fell through shortly after it was announced in 2015, the military and government took on the estimated $25 billion cost of the first phase, injecting off-budget investment. Some foreign loans and financing have been secured. The coronavirus pandemic also slowed progress, and the first of three planned phases, covering 168 square kilometres, will not be completed when the government begins to move in. "The rate of completion of the first phase has passed 60% across all projects," said Khaled el-Husseiny, spokesman for the new capital. He added that the delayed transfer of civil servants would begin in July, ahead of an official opening planned for the end of 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Egypt looks to move to new capital, away from chaos of Cairo 

The day the military seized power in Myanmar three weeks ago, Phyu delved into her company's emergency funds and gave her staff a one-month advance on their salaries.&nbsp;

Phyu, who runs a market research firm, saw trouble ahead then, but isn’t sure how she'll pay her three staff next month.&nbsp;Ahead of payday on Friday, the first since the February 1 coup, a cloud is hanging over Myanmar's fragile economy.&nbsp;

Its kyat currency is depreciating, businesses are paralysed and banks are in disarray, and for all the support for street protests and strikes against the junta, the disruption is nudging the economy closer to a breakdown.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/after-coup-japan-mulls-halting-new-assistance-projects-to-myanmar-366205">After coup, Japan mulls halting new assistance projects to Myanmar</a>

"I predicted things could get worse so I paid them their salary in advance on that day," said Phyu, who declined to provide her full name.&nbsp;

"I'm now thinking how to do March salaries if things continue to go this way or get worse. In the worst scenario, I can still pay them in cash."&nbsp;

Hundreds of thousands of people have rallied for weeks across Myanmar, in a groundswell of anger at the military's overthrow of the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, its curbs on the internet and the arrest of hundreds of activists.&nbsp;

The anti-coup movement's calls for people not to go to work has caused big disruption, holding up crucial processes like import and export permits, salary payments and bank transfers.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pro-military-supporters-clash-with-protesters-in-myanmars-yangon-366165">Pro-military supporters clash with protesters in Myanmar's Yangon</a>

Myanmar relies overwhelmingly on imports for its fuel, but supplies are running low, industry sources say, with some oil import terminals no longer operating.&nbsp;

Its nascent garment manufacturing sector, a key source of income for rural families, faces disruption in raw materials imports and the export of clothing, including orders from major western brands.&nbsp;

Some businesses have already been forced to slash wages.&nbsp;

The day the military seized power in Myanmar three weeks ago, Phyu delved into her company's emergency funds and gave her staff a one-month advance on their salaries.

The day the military seized power in Myanmar three weeks ago, Phyu delved into her company's emergency funds and gave her staff a one-month advance on their salaries. Phyu, who runs a market research firm, saw trouble ahead then, but isn’t sure how she'll pay her three staff next month. Ahead of payday on Friday, the first since the February 1 coup, a cloud is hanging over Myanmar's fragile economy. Its kyat currency is depreciating, businesses are paralysed and banks are in disarray, and for all the support for street protests and strikes against the junta, the disruption is nudging the economy closer to a breakdown. Also Read: After coup, Japan mulls halting new assistance projects to Myanmar "I predicted things could get worse so I paid them their salary in advance on that day," said Phyu, who declined to provide her full name. "I'm now thinking how to do March salaries if things continue to go this way or get worse. In the worst scenario, I can still pay them in cash." Hundreds of thousands of people have rallied for weeks across Myanmar, in a groundswell of anger at the military's overthrow of the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, its curbs on the internet and the arrest of hundreds of activists. The anti-coup movement's calls for people not to go to work has caused big disruption, holding up crucial processes like import and export permits, salary payments and bank transfers. Also Read: Pro-military supporters clash with protesters in Myanmar's Yangon Myanmar relies overwhelmingly on imports for its fuel, but supplies are running low, industry sources say, with some oil import terminals no longer operating. Its nascent garment manufacturing sector, a key source of income for rural families, faces disruption in raw materials imports and the export of clothing, including orders from major western brands. Some businesses have already been forced to slash wages.

Coup chaos leaves employers fretting over paying staff in Myanmar

Half of Spain is on Red alert, as winter storm Filomena caused chaos across the country. Heavy snowfall has halted everyday life for Spaniards.

Most of Spain under high alert as storm causes chaos

Africa hit by cyclones, floods and drought, the effect of climate change causes chaos in Africa, millions starve in Africa due to climate change

Climate change causes chaos in Africa

Kenyan police fired teargas and clashed with both ruling party and opposition supporters Tuesday ahead of the swearing-in as president of Uhuru Kenyatta after two disputed polls that have left the nation deeply divided.

As foreign and local dignitaries poured into the 60,000-seat Kasarani stadium in Nairobi where the ceremony is to be held, the opposition attempted to gather for a &quot;memorial rally&quot; honouring the more than 50 people killed, mostly by police, in four months of political upheaval.

However, police fired volleys of teargas and beat opposition supporters, prompting running battles in the area, an AFP reporter said.

Meanwhile at the Kasarani stadium chaos erupted as a crowd attempted to force its way into the venue, prompting police to fire teargas at Kenyatta supporters who tried to fight their way in.

&quot;I just want to see President Uhuru Kenyatta because I voted for him, why are we being beaten like NASA (opposition),&quot; said Janet Wambua, who was among the angry crowd.

Joseph Irungu of the interior ministry planning committee had said there was space for 40,000 people who did not get in to watch the event on big screens outside the stadium. However, no such screens were provided, further angering the crowd.

Around 13 mostly African heads of state are expected to attend the ceremony where Kenyatta, 56, will be sworn in for his second and final five-year term.

These include the presidents of South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, and Somalia - among others - while prime ministers, foreign ministers, and special envoys will represent other African nations, as well as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and Serbia.

Two elections and a historic court case&nbsp;

Kenyatta&#39;s inauguration comes after the Supreme Court validated his victory in last month&#39;s rerun poll.&nbsp;

However, the swearing-in may not draw a line under the country&#39;s political crisis with Odinga vowing to fight on.

The electoral strife goes back to an August 8 poll that was annulled in September by the Supreme Court, citing &quot;irregularities and illegalities&quot;.&nbsp;

The court ordered a rerun in October that was boycotted by the opposition, handing Kenyatta a landslide of 98 percent of votes cast by just 39 percent of the electorate.

The disputed election season has split the country along ethnic and regional lines, although political violence has not reached the scale of that which followed a 2007 poll when 1,100 were killed.

Odinga, denied the presidency for a fourth time this year, believes that he was cheated and the 72-year-old has refused to recognise the result.&nbsp;

He has promised to found a &quot;third republic&quot; - following independence from Britain in 1963 and a new constitution adopted in 2010 - as well as to continue a programme of protests and economic boycotts aimed at undermining Kenyatta&#39;s &quot;dictatorship&quot;.

The current political crisis draws on a deep well of social, ethnic and geographic grievances in the country of around 48 million people.

In areas loyal to Odinga, an ethnic Luo, there is a sense of having been ground down and discriminated against since independence, not least by Kenyatta&#39;s Kikuyu group, which has given Kenya three of its four presidents.

The months of disruption and unrest, plus the holding of two separate elections, have badly affected the economy, hitting the poorest hardest while leaving the wealthy political elites relatively unharmed.

Chaos erupted as a crowd attempted to force its way into the venue, prompting police to fire teargas at Kenyatta supporters who tried to fight their way in

Kenyan police fired teargas and clashed with both ruling party and opposition supporters Tuesday ahead of the swearing-in as president of Uhuru Kenyatta after two disputed polls that have left the nation deeply divided. As foreign and local dignitaries poured into the 60,000-seat Kasarani stadium in Nairobi where the ceremony is to be held, the opposition attempted to gather for a "memorial rally" honouring the more than 50 people killed, mostly by police, in four months of political upheaval. However, police fired volleys of teargas and beat opposition supporters, prompting running battles in the area, an AFP reporter said. Meanwhile at the Kasarani stadium chaos erupted as a crowd attempted to force its way into the venue, prompting police to fire teargas at Kenyatta supporters who tried to fight their way in. "I just want to see President Uhuru Kenyatta because I voted for him, why are we being beaten like NASA (opposition)," said Janet Wambua, who was among the angry crowd. Joseph Irungu of the interior ministry planning committee had said there was space for 40,000 people who did not get in to watch the event on big screens outside the stadium. However, no such screens were provided, further angering the crowd. Around 13 mostly African heads of state are expected to attend the ceremony where Kenyatta, 56, will be sworn in for his second and final five-year term. These include the presidents of South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, and Somalia - among others - while prime ministers, foreign ministers, and special envoys will represent other African nations, as well as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and Serbia. Two elections and a historic court case Kenyatta's inauguration comes after the Supreme Court validated his victory in last month's rerun poll. However, the swearing-in may not draw a line under the country's political crisis with Odinga vowing to fight on. The electoral strife goes back to an August 8 poll that was annulled in September by the Supreme Court, citing "irregularities and illegalities". The court ordered a rerun in October that was boycotted by the opposition, handing Kenyatta a landslide of 98 percent of votes cast by just 39 percent of the electorate. The disputed election season has split the country along ethnic and regional lines, although political violence has not reached the scale of that which followed a 2007 poll when 1,100 were killed. Odinga, denied the presidency for a fourth time this year, believes that he was cheated and the 72-year-old has refused to recognise the result. He has promised to found a "third republic" - following independence from Britain in 1963 and a new constitution adopted in 2010 - as well as to continue a programme of protests and economic boycotts aimed at undermining Kenyatta's "dictatorship". The current political crisis draws on a deep well of social, ethnic and geographic grievances in the country of around 48 million people. In areas loyal to Odinga, an ethnic Luo, there is a sense of having been ground down and discriminated against since independence, not least by Kenyatta's Kikuyu group, which has given Kenya three of its four presidents. The months of disruption and unrest, plus the holding of two separate elections, have badly affected the economy, hitting the poorest hardest while leaving the wealthy political elites relatively unharmed.

Teargas, chaos as Kenyatta to be sworn in for disputed second term

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