Global food prices surged in March to a multi-month high. The United Nations warns of further increases if the Middle East conflict persists. Higher energy costs are impacting fertilizer prices, potentially leading farmers to reduce planting
‘Nothing but contempt’: Gujarat HC pulls up GPSC in Arthashastra question caseIn previous proceedings, the high court had asked GPSC to produce the original book from which the question was framed, the 1915 English translation of the Arthashastra Published on: Apr 03
NCRTC (National Capital Region Transport Corporation) has commissioned the Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor's largest fast electric vehicle (EV) charging station at Anand Vihar station. Good News For EV Owners: The long-time taken in charging the Electric Vehicles at public charging spots have
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has issued draft regulations requiring company promoters who have guaranteed corporate loans to disclose their personal wealth during bankruptcy proceedings. Under the proposal, whether these promoters file for bankruptcy voluntarily or are forced
CSK vs PBKS, Chennai Weather: Chennai Super Kings aim for a strong comeback in their first home game of IPL 2026 against Punjab Kings after a disappointing opening loss. Punjab Kings, last season's finalists, enter with momentum and a balanced squad
Neurosurgeon explains why wearing earplugs at concerts can prevent dementia: ‘Hearing loss is the no. 1 risk factor…’Exposure to loud sounds not only accelerates hearing loss, but has cognitive repercussions. Dr Juthani explains why even short term exposure is harmful. Published on: Apr 03
Enzo Fernandez will sit out Chelsea's next two games after he "crossed a line" with comments he made about his future at the club, says manager Liam Rosenior. After Chelsea's exit from the Champions League last month, Fernandez told ESPN that he did not know whether he would remain at Stamford
Of the 722 candidates contesting in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, 102, or 14% of them, have declared criminal cases against themselves, the non-governmental organisation Association for Democratic Reforms has said in a report. In the 2021 Assembly elections, 138 of 941 candidates
Afghanistan sees telecom shutdown as Taliban cut off internet
Afghanistan sees telecom shutdown as Taliban cut off internet
The Taliban government in Afghanistan has imposed a nationwide shutdown of telecommunications, weeks after it began severing fibre-optic internet connections.
The country is currently experiencing a "total internet blackout", internet watchdog Netblocks reports.
International news agencies say they have lost contact with offices in the capital Kabul. Mobile internet and satellite TV has also been severely disrupted across Afghanistan.
The Taliban have yet to give an official reason for the shutdown. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed numerous restrictions in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
A Taliban official said the telecom shutdown would last until further notice.
Tolo News, a privately owned Afghan news channel, told people to follow its social media pages for updates as it expected disruptions to its television and radio networks.
Flights from Kabul airport have also been disrupted, local media reported.
According to Flight tracking service Flightradar24, at least eight flights scheduled to depart from or arrive at Kabul International Airport on Tuesday have been cancelled.
Diplomatic officials have told the BBC that the internet cuts could affect banking and e-commerce systems nationwide.
Several people in Kabul have told the BBC that their fibre-optic internet stopped working towards the end of the working day, around 17:00 local time (12:30 GMT)
Because of this, it is understood many people will not notice the impact until Tuesday morning, when banking services and other businesses are due to resume.
Fibre-optic cables transfer data super fast, and are used for much of the world's internet.
In a post on social network Mastodon.social, Netblocks said:
"Afghanistan is now in the midst of a total internet blackout as Taliban authorities move to implement morality measures, with multiple networks disconnected through the morning in a stepwise manner; telephone services are currently also impacted".
For weeks internet users in several Afghan provinces have been complaining about either slow internet access or no connectivity.
Several residents, who requested anonymity, previously told the BBC that their businesses and lives had been seriously affected by the internet cuts.
A man who works as a money changer in Takhar province told the BBC that his daughters' online English classes were disrupted. "Their last opportunity to study and stay engaged is now gone," he said.
Another woman previously told the BBC that she could not attend online classes since her home internet was cut off. "I had hoped to finish my studies and find an online job, but that dream has also been destroyed," she said. "Without internet access, I don't know what will happen next."
Hamid Haidari, former editor-in-chief of Afghan news channel 1TV, said on Monday that "loneliness enveloped the entire country" after the shutdown.
"Afghanistan has now officially taken first place in the competition with North Korea for [internet] disconnection" he said on X.
"The silence online without Afghan voices from inside Afghanistan is deafening," Mariam Solaimankhil, a former member of Afghanistan's parliament now based in the US, wrote in a post tagging X owner Elon Musk.
The Taliban earlier said an alternative route for internet access would be created, without giving any details.
The blackout is the latest in a series of restrictions which the Taliban have enforced since returning to power.
Earlier this month they removed books written by women from the country's university teaching system as part of a new ban which has also outlawed the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment.
Women and girls have also been particularly hard-hit: they are barred from accessing education beyond the age of 12, with one of their last routes to further training cut off in late 2024, when midwifery courses were quietly shut down.
A university student told the BBC that she had "no other choice except online study" after her midwifery course was banned. "When I heard that the internet had been cut, the world felt dark to me," she said.
The Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in 2021 in a lightning advance, weeks after the withdrawal of US and other international forces.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: The Last Sikh In Afghanistan’ Speaks On Camera — With Taliban Watching Closely Afghanistan's Taliban ‘reserves right to respond’ to Pakistani airstrikes Afghanistan telecom blackout as Taliban shuts off internet Taliban warns as Afghanistan Taliban rejects Trump’s demand for control of Bagram air base in Afghanistan TikTok returns to Albania after government-imposed ban Israelis stage nationwide protests to demand end to Gaza war and release of hostages PM Modi launches nationwide human papillomavirus vaccine drive in Ajmer to prevent cervical cancer Cuba Announces Second Nationwide Power Blackout In A Week Bank Employees Plan Nationwide Strike On January 27 Over 5-Day Work Week Demand
The controversy over Karnataka’s decision to award only grades — without marks — for the third language in SSLC examinations has intensified, with Raj Bhavan directing the state government to re-examine the policy following concerns raised by language preservation groups
1 days ago
Parliament on Thursday passed Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, to amend certain provisions in different laws for decriminalising and rationalising minor offences to further promote ease of doing business and living. It seeks to decriminalise 717 provisions and amend 67 provisions
1 days ago
Chinese smartphone-maker Vivo has confirmed that its Vivo T5 Pro 5G will launch in India. The tech firm confirmed the imminent launch of its latest addition to the T-lineup on Friday. Vivo is yet to reveal the launch timeline. This smartphone will succeed the Vivo T4 Pro 5G
1 days ago
If that math holds at scale, the demand for GPUs — Nvidia's entire empire — could shrink dramatically. New Delhi: Every AI model — ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude — thinks using something called vectors. Think of vectors as the model's "memory notes." When you ask an AI a long question
1 days ago
If inflation breaches the upper tolerance band of 6 per cent, the bank said there could be a rate hike towards the end of the year. New Delhi: The Middle East conflict and elevated oil prices will likely lead to the Reserve Bank of India maintaining the policy repo rate unchanged at 5
1 days ago
For Kerala State volleyball players and former students of CMS College, Kottayam, Akhil GP, Muhammed Sahad S, and Anzil KA, discussions after games and practice often took the entrepreneurial route — different business endeavours they could venture into after graduation
1 days ago
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder Nitish Kumar, who contributed a 24-ball 39 and two wickets in his team’s first win of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday (April 2, 2026)
1 days ago
Maamla Legal Hai 2 Review: At a time when streaming platforms have loads of thrillers, action and horror shows/films, it is difficult to find a good slice-of-life, comedy drama. But for this weekend, you don’t have to dig deep. Why? Because Maamla Legal Hai 2 has now been released
1 days ago
Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing won a parliamentary vote on Friday (April 3, 2026) to become the country’s President, formalising his grip on political power in the war-torn nation five years after he ousted an elected government. The 69-year-old general orchestrated a 2021 coup against
1 days ago
Gurgaon couple’s 2:30 am stroll in gated society goes viral: ‘We upgraded our life’A Gurgaon couple posted a late night walk clip at 2:30 am, calling it a lifestyle upgrade as users reacted to safety in societies. Updated on: Apr 03, 2026 5:13 PM IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Share via Copy
1 days ago
Just seven days after he made the fateful decision to launch his coup against the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on 1 February 2021, General Min Aung Hlaing made a promise; to hold elections, and return to civilian rule, within a year. It has taken him five years to fulfil that promise
1 days ago
New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI) The CAQM Enforcement Task Force reviewed reports from 175 inspections and enforcement carried out in the National Capital Region area between March 14 and 26 at its 128th meeting. Based on the reports, closures have been proposed for 10 units
1 days ago
Hollywood star Keira Knightley revealed on the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast that her hair’s texture shifted from straight to a “funny zig-zag patch" during pregnancy. In a long conversation, she also gave voice to a phenomenon that millions of women experience but few understand
1 days ago
The Indian Premier League has established itself as one of the premier sports leagues globally. Arun Dhumal has stated that once the current Future Tours Programme cycle concludes in 2027, talks will commence regarding the expansion of the IPL schedule
1 days ago
Ahaan Panday has officially begun filming for his second project, an untitled action-romance directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. Mumbai: Director Ali Abbas Zafar, who is known for ‘Sultan’, has flagged off the shooting of his upcoming film with Ahaan Panday
1 days ago
Tiger Woods told police he was on the phone with “the President" immediately after his car crash in Florida and then appeared surprised when he was arrested, body camera footage released Thursday shows. Video of the immediate aftermath of last week’s rollover crash
1 days ago
Hyundai Motor said on Friday (April 3, 2026) that exports to Europe and North Africa, which typically transit through the West Asia, were being disrupted by the conflict in the region, underscoring growing strains on global supply chains. The disruption highlights how the conflict is
1 days ago
Indians are bracing for summer, with temperatures expected to cross 45C in some parts of the country. But the war with Iran is already putting India's $6bn bottled water industry under strain as manufacturers struggle to access crucial raw materials. Last month
1 days ago
Kia has revealed the new Seltos hybrid for the US market and the new generation Seltos will have a hybrid powertrain for the first time. The new Seltos in the US has a hybrid which means it has a 1.6 litre petrol engine and an electric motor while also getting an AWD option for the hybrid
1 days ago
‘Called at 1 am, help arrived in 10 minutes’: Founder lauds Delhi Police for quick response to noise complaintA founder praised Delhi Police after officers responded within minutes to a 1 am noise complaint and resolved the issue promptly. Published on: Apr 03
1 days ago
New Delhi: In a significant development, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed residents as well as non-residents to exchange Indian rupee notes at foreign exchange counters at departure halls in international airports established in the Duty-Free Area or Security Hold Area beyond the
1 days ago
India Housing Market 2026: India’s housing market is increasingly driven by end-users, with genuine homebuyers leading demand amid rising registrations and strong growth. While investors remain active in premium segments, the overall market is now more stable, balanced
1 days ago
The Aam Aadmi Party was focusing on “serious” national problems plaguing the country, rather than the “soft” matters discussed by MP Raghav Chadha, said the party’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday. His statement came soon after Chadha alleged that the AAP was “silencing”
1 days ago
The four astronauts on the Artemis II mission have now left the Earth's orbit, after their Orion spacecraft fired its main engine for a final push towards the Moon. The five minute and 55 second engine burn, known as the translunar injection (TLI), went "flawlessly"
1 days ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Confused about chimney size? These 60cm chimneys by Faber, Elica, Kaff, more are ideal for most Indian homesThese chimneys come with BLDC motors that offer high suction power while
1 days ago
CBSE has released the new school curriculum for Class 9 students on Thursday, making a third language compulsory from Class 6 starting the 2026-27 academic session. This means every student will have to study at least two Indian languages along with a third language
1 days ago
Kerala's 2026 Assembly elections present a critical test for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the ruling LDF. Voters will decide if the current governance model can secure a third consecutive term. Economic strain and administrative fatigue are key concerns
1 days ago
