News of the World

[kyonides]

Taliban bans poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

The Taliban leader Mullah Haibutullah Akhundzada banned the cultivation of poppies, opium and other narcotic substances in Afghanistan as of Sunday.

“As per the decree of the supreme leader of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, poppy cultivation has been strictly prohibited across the country,” the Taliban government’s deputy spokesperson Bilal Karimi said.

“If anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to Sharia law,” he added.

 At first I have no complain against that measure.  Sadly, this might also mean that either Russia or China have agreed to finance the Taliban regime up to some point.  Or they are just hypocrites.

Russian crematoria operating in Mariupol:
'This is the new Auschwitz,' mayor says

The Mariupol City Council on Wednesday accused Russian forces of relying on a mobile crematorium to cover up their alleged war crimes in the southeast port city of Ukraine.

Mariupol, which has been partially occupied for weeks, has been the target of one of the most brutal Russian offensives in Ukraine since the invasion began in February.
...
"Russia’s top leadership ordered the destruction of any evidence of crimes committed by its army in Mariupol," the council added in a translated statement, accusing Moscow of reacting to widespread condemnation over mass civilian killings in Bucha.

Humanitarian access to the city has been blocked for weeks, with an estimated 160,000 residents unable to evacuate and lacking access to electricity, heating, health care and water, reported the U.K.’s Ministry of Defense.

Mariupol officials have estimated that roughly 5,000 civilians had been killed, but warned Wednesday that given the size of the destruction caused to the city the death toll could be in the tens of thousands.

The Kremlin agreed to a cease-fire last week after devastating shelling pummeled the strategically important city for more than a month.

Could it be possible they are just worried about some   that might eventually spread across Ukraine?
 Or would that be nothing but mere wishful thinking?

IKEA invests $373 mln in solar park projects in Germany, Spain

Ingka Group, the owner of most IKEA stores worldwide, has bought nine solar photovoltaic (PV) park projects in Germany and Spain for a total of 340 million euros ($373 million) in its push to generate more renewable energy than it consumes.

The world's biggest furniture retailer said on Wednesday it was buying the projects, which would have a combined capacity of 440 megawatts, from German developer Enerparc.

"The expected production ... will be sufficient to cover all IKEA stores and warehouses in the two countries, making the operations of Ingka Group climate positive," it said in a statement.

Usually people would read that and say something like how much they care about the climate stuff.
In my case I would prefer to ask you the following: wasn't it better to let Germany or Spain enjoy all the benefits of those solar park projects instead?  
Just saying.