River Ferry Sinks in Afghanistan, Killing at Least 20

 Members of a rescue team search for missing persons in the Kokcha river following flash floods after heavy rainfall, on the outskirts Fayzabad in Badakhshan province on May 26, 2024. (AFP)
Members of a rescue team search for missing persons in the Kokcha river following flash floods after heavy rainfall, on the outskirts Fayzabad in Badakhshan province on May 26, 2024. (AFP)
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River Ferry Sinks in Afghanistan, Killing at Least 20

 Members of a rescue team search for missing persons in the Kokcha river following flash floods after heavy rainfall, on the outskirts Fayzabad in Badakhshan province on May 26, 2024. (AFP)
Members of a rescue team search for missing persons in the Kokcha river following flash floods after heavy rainfall, on the outskirts Fayzabad in Badakhshan province on May 26, 2024. (AFP)

At least 20 people were killed when a boat sank while crossing a river in eastern Afghanistan Saturday morning, a Taliban official said.

Quraishi Badlon, provincial director of the information and culture department in Nangarhar province, said that the boat sank while crossing a river in Mohmand Dara district, killing 20 people including women and children.

Badlon said that the boat was carrying 25 people, according to village residents, of whom five survived.

So far five bodies have been retrieved including a man, a woman, two boys and a girl, said the Nangarhar health department in a statement. It added that a medical team and ambulances were sent to the area.

The officials didn’t provide details on the cause of the accident and said that rescuers are still searching for other bodies.

Residents of the area frequently use locally made boats to travel between villages and local markets.



Woman Protests against Israel at a Campaign Event in Germany

People protesting in solidarity with the Palestinian people interrupt German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) during an SPD election campaign event for the 2025 federal elections in Bielefeld, Germany, 13 January 2025. (EPA)
People protesting in solidarity with the Palestinian people interrupt German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) during an SPD election campaign event for the 2025 federal elections in Bielefeld, Germany, 13 January 2025. (EPA)
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Woman Protests against Israel at a Campaign Event in Germany

People protesting in solidarity with the Palestinian people interrupt German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) during an SPD election campaign event for the 2025 federal elections in Bielefeld, Germany, 13 January 2025. (EPA)
People protesting in solidarity with the Palestinian people interrupt German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) during an SPD election campaign event for the 2025 federal elections in Bielefeld, Germany, 13 January 2025. (EPA)

A woman protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza has briefly disrupted an election campaign event by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, standing up and smearing her face and hood with a blood-colored substance.

Germany is a staunch ally of Israel. Scholz responded to the disruption on Monday by saying: “The answer is that it was a terrible terrorist attack by Hamas on Israeli citizens over a year ago. It is right that the state of Israel can defend itself against this attack.”

He said that Germany has always been clear in its support for a two-state solution and that international law must be adhered to.

The woman was escorted out of the hall in the western city of Bielefeld, shouting “genocide,” “Free Palestine” and “Over 200 dead journalists.”

Potential obstacles to a Israel-Hamas agreement Israel and Hamas have been holding indirect talks for more than a year aimed at ending the war in Gaza and returning scores of militant-held hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

There has been intensive mediation by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

But the talks have repeatedly stalled over several key issues. They include details of the exchange, whether the ceasefire would be permanent and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. The war has ground on as each side has accused the other of backtracking.