Desperation in Afghanistan leads to sale of children

In Afghanistan, a deepening humanitarian crisis has driven families to the unthinkable: selling their children to survive. In Ghor province, correspondent Yoghita Lamai documents the desperation of men like Abdul Rashid Azimi, who breaks down while admitting he’s ready to sell his seven-year-old twin daughters because he cannot feed them. Another father, Saeed Ahmad, sold his five-year-old daughter to afford life-saving surgery for her appendicitis, knowing she will be married off in five years. The report reveals a silent epidemic of child deaths from malnutrition, with graves in the village showing twice as many children’s burials as adults'. This tragedy unfolds amid severe drought, aid cuts, and the Taliban’s restrictive policies. Meanwhile, global attention shifts to Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, where he seeks economic and geopolitical support after Western sanctions, while China navigates a delicate balance between Russia and the West. In Africa, the WHO warns of a deadly Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibujo virus, with no vaccine available, and fears of regional spread despite containment efforts. The episode also covers a Kenyan transport strike over fuel prices, a drone incident over Estonia, and a controversial congressional probe into women linked to Jeffrey Epstein’s network, raising complex questions about coercion and complicity. Finally, scientists unveil 1,100 new marine species, underscoring how little we still know about the ocean’s biodiversity.