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This paper aims to analyze the individual's socioeconomic and demographic determinants of financial inclusion and its barriers among for South Asian countries in the lens of existing financial inclusion policy, using World Bank Global Findex database for the period 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2021. We use the Probit regression model to explore the main objective of this study. In addition, we also analyze the trend, pattern, and barriers of financial inclusion for the period 2011- 2021 to identify differences among south Asian countries. Our results reveal that Sri Lanka is the best performer in the inclusivity of financial products as well as removing barriers to financial inclusion in all four periods. While Pakistan and Afghanistan are the least financially included countries, also they failed to remove barriers to financial inclusion. Moreover, our empirical results suggest that individuals who are male, older, wealthier, and more educated are more likely to access financial services, with income and education exerting a higher influence. Further, age shows a non-linear (inverted U-shaped) relationship with financial inclusion indicators. Additionally, we found that individuals having a formal account are the most important indicators of financial inclusion. And the reasons for financial exclusion (i.e., not having an account) are mainly voluntary among South Asian individuals. In fact, it is found that policies like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana for India and National Financial Inclusion Strategy across all South Asian countries play a significant role in accelerating financial inclusion and helping in removing its barriers with different magnitudes. Therefore, our finding stresses the importance of heterogeneous integrated policy measures for the targeted groups of the population, particularly the most vulnerable group among South Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Penetrating Neck Injuries (PNIs) affected 3.2% of trauma patients attending US and UK deployed medical treatment facilities (MTFs) during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Injured military personnel requiring aeromedical evacuation for such injuries were managed at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM), Birmingham, UK. The aim of this paper was to review the management of PNI in both deployed MTFs and when evacuated back to the UK.Patients and Methods: A retrospective case note review was performed of all military patients who sustained PNI whilst on deployment overseas, and who were subsequently evacuated to RCDM between March 2003 and December 2014.Results: Forty casualties who sustained PNI were identified, of which 28/40 (70%) sustained injury from explosive fragmentation, and 11/40 (28%) from gunshot wounds. Hard signs of PNI were present in 3/40 (7.5%) patients, soft signs in 14/40 (35%), no signs in 12/40 (30%), and unknown signs in 11/40 (28%) patients. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was used in 39/40 (98%) patients, and was effective at ruling out significant injury, with 100% (29/29) of casualties with a negative CTA not developing vascular or aerodigestive injury. There were 9/29 (31%) patients who had surgical neck exploration despite both a negative CTA and absence of hard signs of PNI. There were 12/40 (30%) patients who required operative intervention at RCDM.Conclusion: UK military surgeons in Role 3 MTFs had a low threshold for surgical exploration, even in the absence of CT findings or hard signs. This was likely due to the high-energy mechanisms responsible for military PNI, in addition to the limited availability of equipment and clinical expertise in visualising the larynx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Start of Cooperation between reparian will be resulted from parallel effort on trust and capacity building. • Afghanistan current commitment and political-well in transboundary WM is a window of opportunity for its co-riparian. • Role of international facilitator/mediator for transformation process is considered vital. • The project-by-project approach to negotiations are deadlocked in the basin. Abstract Managing water resource systems usually involves conflicts. Water recognizes no borders, defining the global geopolitics of water conflicts, cooperation, negotiations, management, and resource development. Negotiations to develop mechanisms for two or more states to share an international watercourse involve complex networks of natural, social and political system (Islam and Susskind, 2013). The Kabul River Basin presents unique circumstances for developing joint agreements for its utilization, rendering moot unproductive discussions of the rights of upstream and downstream states based on principles of absolute territorial sovereignty or absolute territorial integrity (McCaffrey, 2007). This paper analyses the different stages of water conflict transformation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It first examines historical disputes between the upstream and downstream riparians, revolving around contending rights claims, resulting in zero-sum confrontations with one party's loss as another's gain, possibly ending in confrontation. The paper then formulates a decision support tool, a mechanism for transforming conflict into cooperation, and concludes by introducing practical methods for identifying basin needs and sharing benefits, enabling riparians to negotiate a win-win process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Afghanistan has been embroiled in several waves of civil and international political conflict since the late 1970s. Insecurity and uncertainty consume everyday life along with various expressions of humor. This paper draws on geopolitical discussions of humor and feminist examinations of embodiment to examine every day uses of humor in Afghanistan by Afghans and international workers. I define Jocular geopolitics as a playful use of humor and counter-geopolitical tactic to resist or "make do" among civilians living in spaces of protracted precarity. This paper examines every day uses of humor in Afghanistan and analyses four interrelated forms of jocular geopolitics: 1) a survival tactic that calls attention to or highlights violence without romanticizing resilience; 2) a sociopolitical expression creating temporally limited spaces of inclusion/exclusion; 3) a form of discursive resistance and embodied release through amusement or playfulness; and 4) mockery employed as a form of discipline or rebellion. The counter-geopolitics expressed through jocularity engages with different forms of humor to counter and contradict dominant geopolitical narratives and epistemologies of time and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a misalignment between a development community focused on improving the welfare of vulnerable populations and the challenges of addressing widespread illicit drug crop production in drug producing countries. Drawing on the example of Afghanistan, this paper argues that the reasons for the development communities failure to engage is in large part a function of the way that illicit opium poppy and the illicit economy is currently perceived and understood by policy makers, practitioners and scholars. Much of the problem lies with the various statistics used to describe and quantify opium production in Afghanistan, many of them produced by UNODC and cited repeatedly in media coverage and the academic literature. These statistics shape how we have come to understand the scale and nature of the drugs problem, and thereby have informed policy responses. This paper argues that it is critical that policy makers and scholars fully understand the veracity of drug related statistics, including their methodological and conceptual limitations, before using them as the foundations for development programmes or policy responses. Indeed, this paper argues that many of these statistics have presented a simplified and 'profit maximising' model of the factors influencing farmers' livelihoods choices, which has proven deeply misleading and further alienated the development community from engaging constructively with the challenges of illicit drug production in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiscal illusion refers to taxpayers' perceptions of the gap between their burden and their expectations regarding the provision of public services. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive picture of the preferences of central government officials with respect to a hypothetical interministerial anti-child labor policy program. In our randomized conjoint analysis, the policy program consists of five attributes: (i) share of open-air classes; (ii) share of qualified teachers; (iii) provision of child allowance; (iv) female labor participation; and (v) an attribute related to the scale of budget, defined by either tax payment or share of government expenditure. The respondents were randomly assigned to two groups by assigning different fifth attributes. We compared the supporting rate for the proposed anti-child labor policy program between the two groups of 605 respondents: tax payment and share of government expenditure. Thus, our primary goal was to compare two attributes. We found that the average marginal component effects (AMCEs) between the two attributes showed completely opposite directions, suggesting that a significant fiscal illusion problem exists among central government officials working in Kabul. Moreover, women and staff in lower positions of government were found to be more biased. It should be noted that, due to insensitivity to the tax payment levels when they are set by the comparable range of scale of budget with the share of government expenditures, and our setting of the levels of two attributes on different scales, the study demonstrates a mere qualitative comparison. • Addressing child labor through interministerial policies. • Searching fiscal illusion problems among government officials rather than voters. • Using a randomized conjoint experiment to explore the concept of fiscal illusion. • Fiscal illusion was detected among Afghan bureaucrats due to their inconsistent preferences for funding policy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Afghanistan microfinance industry has witnessed laurels in recent decades, making it crucial to closely monitor its development and sustainability. This study aims to assess the performance of Islamic and conventional microfinance loans in two aspects: first, by examining the occurrence of loan defaults, and second, by distinguishing between loan performance in areas controlled by the Taliban and those outside their control. To accomplish this, we analyze a unique dataset comprising over 9500 borrowers linked to an Afghan microfinance institution during the period spanning from January 2017 to February 2020. Our findings reveal that regions under Taliban control experienced fewer instances of loan defaults compared to areas not under their influence. Additionally, our analysis indicates that borrowers of Islamic loans in Afghanistan default more frequently than borrowers of conventional loans, particularly in Taliban-controlled areas. These observations remain largely consistent when we explore the factors influencing the number of days overdue on loan repayments. Furthermore, our conclusions find further support from both of the microfinance institution's Islamic loan products: business Murabaha loans, available to individuals of any gender, and women Murabaha loans, created as a group lending scheme exclusively for women. The results from this study offer valuable insights into how policy discussions in Afghanistan should be adjusted to facilitate a smooth transition for the microfinance industry. • This paper examines determinants of delinquent microloans in Afghanistan. • The default rate for conventional loans in Afghanistan is lower than for Islamic loans. • The default rate for conventional loans in Taliban-controlled regions is lower than for Islamic loans. • Female borrowers are more likely than their male counterparts to default on their loans. • Female credit officers have fewer debt defaults than their male counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In April 2023, the Taliban banned poppy cultivation and the trade of all narcotics. This caused a 95% reduction in opium production. Usually, that would be good news. But there is a substantial worry: synthetic opioids might fill the void left by heroin. This is concerning because these drugs have led to health emergencies in areas where they are prevalent. This paper highlights the limitations of the current drug surveillance system in Europe and proposes improvements. It argues that reliance on secondary data is insufficient. Instead, we need to interview a sentinel group of people who inject drugs and adjust city-level sentinel systems, such as wastewater analysis, to specifically track the spread of synthetic opioids. Without these proactive steps, we risk only noticing a transition from heroin to synthetic opioids after it has occurred, with its harmful impacts already in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Taliban opium ban of 2000–2001 disrupted European heroin supplies. • Effects differed across the seven Nordic and Baltic countries in systematic ways. • Some heroin markets bounced back, although perhaps with less vibrancy. • Other markets substituted to another opioid, either more or less harmful. • Market responses to the 2000–2001 ban may be informative for the new, current ban. The 2000–2001 and the 2022–2023 Taliban opium bans were and could be two of the largest ever disruptions to a major illegal drug market. To help understand potential implications of the current ban for Europe, this paper analyzes how opioid markets in seven Baltic and Nordic countries responded to the earlier ban, using literature review, key informant interviews, and secondary data analysis. The seven nations' markets responded in diverse ways, including rebounding with the same drug (heroin in Norway), substitution to a more potent opioid (fentanyl replacing heroin in Estonia), and substitution to one with lower risk of overdose (buprenorphine replacing heroin in Finland). The responses were not instantaneous, but rather evolved, sometimes over several years. This variety suggests that it can be hard to predict how drug markets will respond to disruptions, but two extreme views can be challenged. It would be naive to imagine that drug markets will not adapt to shocks, but also unduly nihilistic to presume that they will always just bounce back with no lasting effects. Substitution to another way of meeting demand is possible, but that does not always negate fully the benefits of disrupting the original market. Nonetheless, there is historical precedent for a European country's opioid market switching to synthetic opioids when heroin supplies were disrupted. Given how much that switch has increased overdose rates in Canada and the United States, that is a serious concern for Europe at present. A period of reduced opioid supply may be a particularly propitious time to expand treatment services (as Norway did in the early 2000s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This paper elaborates on critical processes of institutional change and the implications for local economic development in fragile settings. Drawing on empirical research in Afghanistan, the discussion looks specifically at how local actors interact to reshape the “rules of the game” in women’s enterprise. The research has highlighted diverse actor negotiation in the transformation of (heterogeneous) purdah norms and development of enterprise institutions. This has crucially influenced the scope of norm development, and women’s engagement in business. The study shows that external actors (such as NGOs) may be able to both initiate and guide institutional change and development. Yet in challenging environments such as Afghanistan, there may be limitations to their endeavors, with strong resistance from local power holders, unpredictable entrepreneurs and disruptive (local) events. The use of liberal cultural/religious narratives has proved fundamental in permitting change processes. Emerging open-minded beliefs have unleashed a more democratic “narrative” on women, particularly if championed by progressive leaders, or credible outsiders in “receptive” local conditions. This has led to the evolution of new attitudes and preferences, with potential effects beyond the market, including increasing girls’ education and women’s property rights. The research has generated a micro-social perspective of institutional change, identifying key actors and conditions that may shape grassroots institutional processes in enterprise development. In emerging outcomes, the paper presents insights into the role of dominant entrepreneurs in driving (nested) institutional pathways. This may promote inclusive opportunities for (new) power and wealth through open institutions, in “productive institutional pathways.” Yet it can equally foster distorted economies if exclusive institutions are allowed to prevail in more “destructive institutional pathways.” To further develop micro-institutional theory, the paper argues for a greater appreciation of culture, religion, and fragility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is the foundation of modern economies and the central need for modern life. It is a prerequisite for economic growth, improving living conditions and alleviating poverty. Therefore, access to energy is considered an important development goal. Obstacles such as high energy costs, unaffordable energy grid infrastructure and disperse population makes providing access to a majority of the world's population in developing countries a daunting task. Meanwhile, renewable energy technologies offer a unique opportunity to provide affordable and sustainable energy to millions of people. Renewable energy technologies, in particular, offer diverse and economically attractive options for rural electrification. This paper evaluates the economic and social impacts of community based renewable energy (CRE) projects on towns and communities. It investigates whether implementing such programs lead to considerable improvements in economic and social conditions of targeted communities and provide a sustainable energy solution. Relevant literature was reviewed and a comprehensive survey was developed to collect data from two towns in Afghanistan where renewable energy based electrification projects were implemented. Initial research findings provide strong indications that renewable energy projects are linked to improvements in economic conditions of the two pilot towns; both at the town and household levels. This research finds that economic impacts of CRE projects are rather modest as they lead to limited improvement in job creation and flourishing of businesses. Finally, CRE projects are found to be responsible for improving on sustainable supply of energy to the targeted communities. Policy makers and planners can use the findings of this paper as a guide to develop alternative sustainable solutions for energy production while using them as a tool for development of the recipient communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gavi-supported countries have implemented a menu of pro-equity immunization strategies. • A lot of the strategies addressed social norms, utilization, and coordination issues. • Partially vaccinated and 'zero dose' children could be reached with these strategies. • The methodology used for this mapping can be applied further to synthesize practices. • A publicly available dashboard compiles these strategies for stakeholder access. Achieving universal immunization coverage and reaching every child with life-saving vaccines will require the implementation of pro-equity immunization strategies, especially in poorer countries. Gavi-supported countries continue to implement and report strategies that aim to address implementation challenges and improve equity. This paper summarizes the first mapping of these strategies from country reports. Thirteen Gavi-supported countries were purposively selected with emphasis on Gavi's priority countries. Following a scoping of different documents submitted to Gavi by countries, 47 Gavi Joint Appraisals (JAs) for the period 2016–2019 from the 13 selected countries were included in the mapping. We used a consolidated framework synthesized from 16 different equity and health systems frameworks, which incorporated UNICEF's coverage and equity assessment approach – an adaptation of the Tanahashi model. Using search terms, the mapping was conducted using a combination of manual search and the MAXQDA qualitative analysis tool. Pro-equity strategies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified and compiled in an Excel database, and then populated on a tableau visualization dashboard. In total, 258 pro-equity strategies were implemented by the 13 sampled Gavi-supported countries between 2016 and 2019. The framework determinants of social norms, utilization, and management and coordination accounted for more than three-quarters of all pro-equity strategies implemented in these countries. The median number of strategies reported per country was 17. Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Uganda reported the highest number of strategies that we considered as pro-equity. Findings from this mapping can be useful in addressing equity gaps, reaching partially immunized, and 'zero-dose' vaccinated children, and valuable resource for countries planning to implement pro-equity strategies, especially as immunization stakeholders reimagine immunization delivery in light of COVID-19, and as Gavi finalizes its fifth organizational strategy. Future efforts should seek to identify pro-equity strategies being implemented across additional countries, and to assess the extent to which these strategies have improved immunization coverage and equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the devastating ecological effects and constrained reserves of fossil fuels, renewable energies are now globally accepted as viable alternative sources of energy. Among renewable energy sources, wind energy has become globally popular, primarily because wind farms can be rapidly built and easily maintained at a relatively low cost. Wind-powered hydrogen production is an effective solution for storing the excess energy output of wind farms. The hydrogen produced in this way can be used not only in fuel cells but also in cooling, oil, gas, and petrochemical fields. As a country devastated by war and instability, Afghanistan has major energy generation challenges and a substantially large power supply deficiency. However, there are good wind energy potentials in several parts of this country. There are also several hydrogen-consuming fields in Afghanistan that can benefit from hydrogen production from wind energy. This paper endeavored to distinguish the appropriate areas in Afghanistan for harvesting wind energy for hydrogen production using multi-criteria decision-making techniques. Eleven criteria were utilized to prioritize 20 Afghan provinces with wind energy potential. The Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) was utilized to weight the criteria and Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) were utilized to prioritize the provinces. Then, ARAS, TOPSIS, and VIKOR methods were used to validate the resultants. For criteria weighting with SWARA, "wind speed", "wind power density" and "area of windy regions" with weights of 0.1423, 0.1356, and 0.1221 were introduced as the most significant criteria for this ranking. In all the rankings, Herat, Farah, and Jowzjan were identified as the top three most suitable provinces for wind power generation. The power output and hydrogen output to be achieved in Herat province using a 900-kW turbine were estimated to 2558.4 MW per year and 41.4 tons per year, respectively. • Suitable provinces in Afghanistan is investigated to produce hydrogen. • Wind energy would be used for generating electricity to produce hydrogen. • Different provinces are analyzed in order to rank them. • Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods are used. • Herat, Farah, and Jowzjan are identified as top three most suitable provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First autochthonous DENV cases were detected by the surveillance system in 2019. • Sustained and strengthened surveillance is required for early detection of DENV. • Afghanistan needs to develop preparedness and a response plan for DENV. • The cross-border spread of DENV has been reported between Afghanistan and Pakistan. • Enhanced cross-border collaboration is needed for active response and preventing the spread. This paper aims to describe the epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of the first 15 dengue fever cases reported in Afghanistan. A retrospective descriptive analysis of the data on confirmed dengue cases detected by the national disease surveillance system was conducted. Epidemiological, socio-demographic, clinical, laboratory and outcome data from the cases were analyzed. Between May and December 2019, 62 samples were tested for DENV, among which 15 (24.2%) were positive. Seven of the cases were probable autochthonous with no travel history, the other seven cases had a travel history to dengue-endemic countries (five Pakistan, two India) and the travel history for one of the cases was not known. The 15 confirmed cases were reported from six provinces, seven cases (46.7%) were reported from Nangarhar Province, two (13%) from Paktya, and one (6.7%) from Paktika province, bordering with Pakistan, three (20%) were reported from Kabul, and one each (each 6.7%) from Faryab and Laghman provinces. All of the cases manifested fever, headache, myalgia, and arthralgia. Other clinical features were low platelet count (50%), pain behind eyes (36%), rash, and nausea/vomiting (each 21%). For the first time, the surveillance system detected and reported locally acquired DENV cases in Afghanistan, mostly in provinces bordering with Pakistan. Population movements between Afghanistan and Pakistan facilitate the cross-border spread of DENV between two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a significant obstacle for farmers in the least developed countries like Afghanistan and adaptation support is exceptionally scarce. This paper provides evidence on the impact of the agriculture-related external support on farmers' adaptation to climate change in the Central Highlands of Afghanistan. To this end, we collected primary data from 1434 farmers whom we interviewed across 14 districts in Bamiyan, Ghazni, and Diakundi provinces. We employ quasi-experimental econometric methods, including an endogenous switching regression analysis, to estimate the treatment effects on various adaptation-related outcomes. We find significant impacts of support interventions on the use of improved types of seeds and farmers' access to irrigation water. Further impacts on the risk of flood, economic and financial as well as government and institutional adaptation constraints appear to be significant, but sensitive to the existence of unobserved factors. We conclude that farmers perceived changes in the climate, and most of them tried to adapt by employing measures available to them. The impact of external support has been partially effective in addressing immediate and short-term farming challenges related to climate change and extreme weather events. They, however, have not been effective in treating long-term fundamental climate change-related risks. Based on our analysis of the past treatments and farmers' self-reported priorities, we provide a list of policy recommendations for adaptation to climate change in farming communities in Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) has significantly increased in Afghanistan during recent years. • Those who are exposed to the vector (Hyalomma ticks), infected animals, the blood and tissues of freshly slaughtered livestock are most at risk. • The cases reach to its peak during Eid-al-Adha when people are sacrificing animals. • Information on CCHF pathogen genotypes and lineage, strain movement and sequence diversity of the CCHF in Afghanistan is not known yet. This study aims to provide descriptive epidemiology of human CCHF cases in Afghanistan by demographic, geographical, and seasonal characteristics. This paper's findings are based on the retrospective analysis of the National Surveillance System's collected data from 2016 to 2018. Weekly cases exceeding the 90th percentile of the expected number of cases were considered to be exceptional and above normal. The National Surveillance System detected 1,284 CCHF cases from 2007 to 2018, of which 163 cases were in 2016, 245 cases in 2017 and 483 cases in 2018. A total of 891 suspected and confirmed cases were reported between 2016 and 2018, 293 (33%) of these cases were confirmed by detecting IgM antibody using ELISA and RT-PCR. Among confirmed cases, the three-year case fatality ratio (CFR) was 43.3%. Among the reported cases, 68.5% were males and 31.5% females. The frequent reported occupational groups were housewives (15%), health staff (13%), shepherds (11%), butchers (6%), students (6%), animal dealers and farmers (both 2%) respectively, 19% were unemployed, and occupation was not recorded for 26% of cases. Recently, CCHF has significantly increased in Afghanistan. Despite the increased frequency of cases, the laboratory capacity to test specimens and overall knowledge of CCHF management remains limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vegetation response to drought can be inferred from correlating VAI and SPEI. • The strongest accumulation period for vegetation response is 6–8 months. • Trees and irrigated cropland are the least sensitive to drought. • Shrubland and rainfed cropland show the most sensitivity to drought. • The cumulative climate has a higher impact on vegetation than lag effects. Drought caused by climate change has significantly increased vegetation vulnerability in Afghanistan during the last decades. This paper investigates vegetation response to drought at multiple scales across the country based on historical data from 1980 to 2020. It explores the multiscale relationships between drought as indicated by the grid-based standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and vegetation condition as represented by the satellite-derived vegetation anomaly index (VAI). It also examines the links of dominant land cover with drought and their implications for agriculture. We assess the spatiotemporal correlations by integrating TerraClimate grids with timeseries data sourced from NOAA AVHRR (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer), MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) images and ESA CCI (European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative) land cover maps. We evaluated the effect of cumulative drought on predominant land covers. Our results show years 2000–2001 and 2017–2018 as the driest in the last four decades, and vegetation substantially correlated to drought with spatial and temporal variations across Afghanistan. The most sensitive vegetation response months are June to July and the most significant cumulative drought impacts on vegetation are 6 to 8 months. The predominant land covers more prone to negative effects under severe drought are (in order) shrubland, rainfed cropland, grassland, trees, and irrigated cropland. These findings suggest the sensitivity of vegetation to drought that future national scale drought management should be focused on. This study also demonstrates the usefulness of open-access data to researchers and planners in data-poor countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to scientifically measure corruption has become a key issue for both the anti-corruption research and practice. By introducing the search popularity of corruption-related topics in Google Trends, this paper proposes a comprehensive corruption index called Corruption Search Index (CSI). A novel search strategy is designed, aiming to adjust the search popularity data for the comparison among different countries. The empirical analysis of 63 countries along the Belt and Road shows that Singapore remains the cleanest status among these countries while Afghanistan is facing a serious corruption situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aspirations of quality, equitable and respectful care for all women in childbirth have, so far, been unrealised. Sub-optimal care remains the norm in many settings despite decades of substantial investment, the introduction of evidence-based policies, procedures and training programmes. Improving the standard of facility-based care for childbearing women in Afghanistan is an example. This ethnography of a large public Afghan maternity hospital explored the experiences, motivations and constraints of healthcare providers. The aim was to identify barriers and facilitators in the delivery of care. Participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions were used to gather diverse perspectives on childbirth and care between 2010 and 2012. The influences of the sociocultural setting and political economy on facility-based care are discussed in this paper. Under the surface of this maternity hospital, social norms were in conflict with the principles of biomedicine. Contested areas included the control of knowledge, equity and the primary goal of work. The institutional culture was further complicated by pressure from powerful elites. These unseen values and pressures explain much of the disconnection between policy and implementation, education and the everyday behaviours of healthcare providers. Improving the quality of care and equity in Afghan public maternity hospitals will require political will from all stakeholders to acknowledge these issues and find culturally attuned ways to address them. Furthermore, the notion of competing world-views on healthcare has relevance beyond Afghanistan. Highlights • Afghan biomedical practice is being shaped by history, society and politics. • Connections, status or financial gifts were required to access quality care. • Professional knowledge and clinical skills were generally guarded not shared. • Social expectations and pressures were stronger than notions of equity. • Political elites had power and influence over healthcare providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Satellite images provided data on 1000 Afghan heritage sites’ preservation 2001–17. • Spatial-temporal patterns in heritage destruction contradict media reports, prior assumptions. • Analysis showed little increase in systematic looting in Taliban-controlled areas. • Systematic looting of archaeological sites already occurred before 2001. • Development activities are the most pressing current threat to heritage sites. Abstract Analysis of spatial and temporal patterns in looting and destruction at archaeological sites using satellite imagery has become a focus of multiple research groups working on cultural heritage in conflict zones, especially in areas controlled by the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In this paper, we apply similar methods to investigate looting and destruction at archaeological sites in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, where Taliban-related cultural heritage destruction events have also frequently made international headlines. Using the time depth provided by high-resolution, time-stamped DigitalGlobe satellite and BuckEye aerial images as well as CORONA and other historical satellite images and maps, we quantitatively document spatial and temporal patterns in destruction from looting, agricultural activity, military occupation, urban growth, mining, and other kinds of development at over 1000 previously known archaeological sites across Afghanistan. This analysis indicates that several common narratives about cultural heritage destruction in Afghanistan may require revision. Specifically, we conclude that significant amounts of systematic looting of archaeological sites in Afghanistan already occurred before Taliban-related conflicts, that there has been little increase in systematic looting in Taliban-controlled areas post-2001, and that the most pressing threats to Afghanistan's heritage sites come from development activities, including agricultural expansion, urban growth, and future mining. The analysis demonstrates that the situation in Afghanistan both parallels and contrasts with that seen in the post-Arab-Spring Middle East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Noh-Gonbad Mosque is one of the oldest examples of Islamic architecture, and it is undoubtedly the most ancient mosque of Afghanistan, dated from 794 A.D., few decades after Muhammad's Hegira. With its particular building technologies and magnificent stucco decoration, it represents a masterpiece. In this paper, a part of the multidisciplinary restoration project is reported. In particular, the comprehensive investigation carried out to define mechanical, physical and chemical characteristics of building materials is presented. The key findings available in the literature on the birth of the mosque have been synthesised and linked to technological and constructive evidence collected on site, which suggests the purpose of realising a simple but yet impressive building. Using data gathered on the field together with experimental results it has been possible to identify the static consistency of the arcade system and carry out a preliminary vulnerability assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies examining potential social inequities in resource distribution have tended to adopt relatively unsophisticated measures of service supply such as those derived from proximity measures or counts of facilities within given time/distance thresholds. Often such measures do not take into account potential demand for services and the implications this has for understanding socio-spatial patterns in service provision. In this paper, a comparison is made between spatial patterns of accessibility to a range of services by socio-economic gradients for a subset of ‘traditional’ measures of provision with trends revealed by the use of floating catchment area (FCA) methods. Statistical and visualisation tools are employed to examine variations in access scores across deprivation quintiles for all the services included in an accessibility ‘domain’ of a policy-relevant Index of Multiple Deprivation. Findings suggest that, whilst the use of proximity or cumulative opportunity approaches consistently point to greater levels of access in more deprived areas, results from the application of FCA methods point to non-linear trends in the relationship between access and socio-economic patterns of deprivation for some key services. This suggests that the use of measures that account for both potential service demand and distance-decay effects demonstrate patterns that are at odds with those revealed by the use of 'traditional' metrics. We conclude by highlighting prospective implications of using different methodological approaches to measuring spatial patterns of accessibility for understanding socio-economic patterns in service provision, and the broader policy relevance of encapsulating potential service demand within socio-spatial investigations of levels of access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the historical developments (since 1893) and opportunities for the future direction of water resources and hydropower in Afghanistan. The importance of water resources for hydropower energy production and irrigation, to ensure national security and prosperous socioeconomic development, is also addressed. At present, Afghanistan relies heavily on electricity imported from neighboring countries (80%, Breshna Sherkat, 2016). However, Afghanistan is endowed with substantial renewable energy resources. Among these, water potential is the main clean source available for electricity generation and irrigation. The water resources of Afghanistan mainly comprise five major basins (36 sub-rivers), and the rivers of three of these basins flow into neighboring countries, which has caused water resource trans-boundary disputes and is a challenge for the government of Afghanistan. The lessons learned from past trends, and recommendations for future development related to Afghan water resources and hydropower, are discussed. The establishment of sustainable development practices that account for social, technical, technological, political, and environmental concerns for long-term sustainability is evaluated. In the future, renewable energy technology exploitation will contribute to emerging economies. This study is the first of its kind to address water resources and hydropower development in Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, population growth, and weakly developed water management institutions in many of the world’s dry communities have raised the importance of designing innovative water allocation methods that adapt to water supply fluctuations while respecting cultural sensitivities. For example, Afghanistan faces an ancient history of water supply fluctuations that have contributed to periodic food shortage and famine. Poorly designed and weakly enforced water allocation methods continue to result in agriculture sector underperformance and periodic food shortages when water shortfalls occur. To date, little research has examined alternative water sharing rules on a multi-basin scale to protect food security for a subsistence irrigation society when the community faces water shortage. This paper’s contribution examines the economic performance of three water-sharing mechanisms for three basins in Afghanistan with the goal of protecting food security for crop irrigation under ongoing threats of drought, while meeting growing demands for food in the face of anticipated population growth. We achieved this by formulating an integrated empirical optimization model to identify water-sharing measures that minimize economic losses while protecting food security when water shortages occur. Findings show that implementation of either a water trading policy or a proportional shortage policy that respects cultural sensitivities has the potential to raise economic welfare in each basin. Such a policy can reduce food insecurity risks for all trading provinces within each basin, thus being a productive institution for adapting to water shortage when it occurs. Total economic welfare gains are highest when drought is the most severe for which suffering would otherwise be greatest. Gains would be considerably higher if water storage reservoirs were built to store wet year flows for use in dry years. Our results light a path for policy makers, donors, water administrators, and farm managers, who shoulder the burden of protecting food security and rural livelihoods in the world’s poor dry communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We study the impact of a large and sudden migrant inflow — the arrival of one million asylum seekers from Syria, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in Germany — on indicators of social cohesion in the host country. • The analysis compares places with large versus small inflows of asylum seekers, relative to before the inflow. • We find no significant effect of the inflow on general indicators of social cohesion such as trust or perceived fairness. • The inflow led to an increase in anti-immigrant violence but had no strong effect on individual indicators of social cohesion. A commonly expressed concern about immigration is that it undermines social cohesion in the receiving country. In this paper, we study the impact of a large and sudden inflow of asylum seekers on several indicators of social cohesion. In 2015/16, over one million asylum seekers from Syria, Afghanistan, and elsewhere arrived in Germany. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this inflow changed the public opinion on hosting asylum seekers, from being highly welcoming to fairly negative within a few months. Using individual- and county-level panel data, we test whether the evidence supports this apparent shift in attitudes. In a difference-in-differences design, we compare the attitudes of individuals in areas with large vs. small local inflows before and after the inflow. In individual survey data, we find mixed evidence of an impact on social cohesion. In a representative sample, we find no evidence that the inflow undermined social cohesion, except for a negative effect on donations to charity. In areas with high vote shares for the populist party AfD, we find that the inflow led to greater anti-immigrant sentiment and a greater concern about crime. We also show that areas with larger increases in the number of asylum seekers experienced a significant increase in anti-immigrant violence, which lasted for about two years before returning to its pre-inflow level. This effect was larger in areas with higher unemployment and greater support for AfD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International development initiatives in the Global-South are often shaped by Western and Eurocentric constructions of gender, female agency and empowerment embedded in popular narratives of universal rights and white mainstream feminist ideals. Through a qualitative desk-study and documentary-analysis, this paper explores the cases of two I-NGOs: Canadian Women for Women of Afghanistan (CW4WA) and Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) to unravel how colonial discourses of gender and educational development, and homogenous and pathological notions of Muslim women are mobilised in Afghanistan to deliver various political agendas and reproduce patriarchal relations, as well as wider Global South/North divisions and entrenched inequalities. We engage with epistemic shifts. We argue that I-NGOs educational interventions take bottom-up approaches informed by local knowledges and contexts and decolonised notions of gender, power and participation, which promote and sustain a more socially just and transformative education in the developing world. We also argue that epistemic shifts are required informed by post-colonial and critical realism approaches to gender and development, both in terms of research/theory and policy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we look at local effects of recent changes in how the international borders of two Afghan provinces, Nangarhar and Nimroz, are governed. Over the past decade Pakistan and Iran introduced changes to border infrastructure and regulation in an attempt to increase state control over both official and informal flows of goods and people. We consider the political rationale behind these decisions, then look at the consequences these changes have had on licit as well as illicit economic activities in the border region. The paper builds on field research conducted in Nangarhar and Nimroz from 2018 to 2020. We find that reducing the permeability of the border has affected life in the neighbouring Afghan borderlands in different ways. In Nimroz, an informal local economy existing between historically interwoven Baluch communities on all sides of the border is being crowded out by boom-town dynamics, external land acquisition and selective control of the border by foreign states. The impact of border enforcement is direct and drastic, damaging the survival economy of border communities and accelerating demographic change. In Nangarhar, we find a more diverse and adaptive local cross-border economy, with a history of utilising both official and informal border crossings for trade in licit and illicit commodities. However, measures taken on the Pakistani side have led to shifts in informal trade, and changes to patterns of competition and control over the most lucrative routes and hubs. In both cases, illicit cross-border flows did not cease, but they changed in character from more broadly accessible horizontal activities to professional and hierarchical activities using fewer trading hubs and corridors. The drug trade is not exceptionally violent or disruptive, but is part of a commodity market embedded in a wider, often violent, political economy dominated by local political entrepreneurs and their networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time history records are essential for nonlinear dynamic analysis to determine the response of structures. Considering lack of enough earthquake records, generation of artificial earthquake records and spectrum-matched records are the best method in this regard. This study is motivated by real life applications of designing new structures or evaluating the performance of current ones in Afghanistan where two structures are to be designed and built to withstand earthquakes. In this paper, design response spectrum and time history records are generated for two sites located within the city of Kabul, Afghanistan. The Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) results are employed initially to produce the required parameters and data. Then, the generalized nonstationary Kanai-Tajimi model is applied to simulate the ground acceleration time history using the identified characteristics of the site from preliminary ARMA (Auto Regressive Moving Average) analysis and the site-specific analysis. The response spectrum is developed and iteratively compared to the ARMA model and the site-specific spectrum until a satisfactory match is achieved. Finally, the time domain description of the spectrum-compatible artificial earthquake record is developed exploiting inverse FFT of the design response spectrum. The total errors in spectral matching generated accelerograms are compared to results from a commercially available software. Results demonstrated the effectiveness and robustness of the adapted approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afghanistan has been trying hard to gradually develop its largely underused water resources. The transboundary Kabul River basin (KRB) between Afghanistan and Pakistan contributes almost one quarter to the water resources generated nationwide. Currently, there is no cooperation mechanism pertaining to KRB, despite growing demand for irrigation and hydropower particularly on the Afghan side. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review on transboundary water issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan based on geographic, hydrographic, hydrologic, historic, institutional, and political aspects. The challenges and opportunities are carefully examined, and a path forward is presented. A persistent lack of trust between upstream Afghanistan and downstream Pakistan has hindered meaningful dialogue for cooperation. Both neighbors have high stakes in cooperation given that Afghanistan's water resources are almost 90% transboundary and Pakistan has high dependency for water resources. This study presents a cooperation framework emphasizing benefits-sharing as a principle going beyond water needs and rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the optimal sizing of a solar power tower system (SPTS) with a thermal energy storage system is subject to finding the optimum values of design parameters including the solar multiple (SM), design direct normal irradiance (DNI) and thermal storage hours. These design parameters are determined for each station separately and have remarkable effects on the thermo-economic performance of the system. This paper aims to demonstrate how artificial intelligence (AI) techniques may play an important role in addressing the above-mentioned need and help determine the optimum design parameters for different stations. For this purpose, we developed a thermo-economic model of a 100 MW SPTS with a molten salt storage system for five stations (two stations in India, and one each in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan). A method-based AI is utilized in this paper to ascertain the design parameters of the system. Additionally, a novel hybrid method based on adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system optimized with a combination of genetic algorithm and teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm (ANFIS-GATLBO) is employed. The input parameters are latitude, longitude, design point DNI and SM, while the annual energy produced, levelized cost of energy and capacity factor are the target variables. The results of the study show that although the annual energy produced by SPTS rises by increasing the SM and decreasing design point DNI, optimum design parameters should be determined by the economic factors. In addition, it was found that the ANFIS-GATLBO method used in this study successfully predicted the targets with a correlation coefficient close to 1. • A 100 MW solar power tower system (SPTS) for 5 different stations is designed and evaluated. • Design parameters (solar multiple (SM), design direct normal irradiance (DNI) and thermal storage hours) are discussed. • An intelligent method based on ANFIS optimized with combination of GA and TLBO is developed to simulate the behavior of SPTS. • To find the optimum design parameters of SPTS, the economic criteria should be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper proposes a framework for understanding the 'triple nexus' approach. • It identifies key types of actions: triple nexus, double nexus and nexus-sensitive. • It provides concrete examples drawn from experiences in Afghanistan. • It assesses both the potential benefits and real risks of taking this approach. • It concludes that, if thoughtfully applied, the approach can support SDG efforts. The United Nations and its member states are currently engaged in extensive discussions about how best to support countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Recognizing the strong interrelationship between humanitarian, development, and peace efforts, they have increasingly emphasized the importance of working at the 'triple nexus' where these dimensions intersect. However, to date, there has been significant confusion over what the triple nexus means in both conceptual and practical terms and how this approach concretely contributes to progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. This paper attempts to address this gap. It proposes and schematically presents a conceptual framework that identifies the range of potential nexus relationships that actions can support, including the triple nexus, double nexuses, and nexus-sensitivity. It then illustrates what each of these types of actions looks like in practice, drawing on examples from Afghanistan. Based on the framework and practical examples, it explains how the triple nexus can be used to more effectively support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, but also highlights the very real risks associated with a simplistic application of the approach. By bringing greater clarity to the critical interrelationship between humanitarian, development and peace issues in both theory and practice, and demonstrating the opportunities and challenges of the triple nexus approach, it is hoped that this paper will support broader efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, especially in countries affected by conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afghanistan has suffered through conflicts that have detrimentally impacted its health care systems. The countries' neurosurgeons have worked through wars and political upheavals to build solid practices and handle large caseloads with minimal supplies and almost no modern tools. Understanding the current state of neurosurgery in Afghanistan and the challenges faced by Afghan physicians and patients is critical to improving the country's healthcare capacity. To assess neurosurgery research in Afghanistan, searches were conducted in databases for articles originating from Afghanistan neurosurgeons and/or neurosurgery departments. We developed a 30-question English-language survey to assess the current state of neurosurgical capacity. Surveys were distributed to neurosurgeons throughout Afghanistan via email with the assistance of our English-speaking Afghan neurosurgical colleagues. The neurosurgical disease burden of Afghanistan is poorly understood due to the lack of centralized and accessible databases. There are an estimated 124 neurosurgeons in the country based on modeled data. Surveys showed that government hospitals are poorly equipped, with private and military hospitals having access to slightly more modernized equipment but less accessible to the general population. The country lacks neurosurgery research with only 15 papers discovered through database searches deemed relevant to neurosurgery with Afghan affiliations. Afghanistan is facing existential humanitarian threats. Developing the country's neurosurgical capacity and general health care capabilities is crucial. Emphasis on training physicians and establishing communication routes, and aid deliverance with the country and its leaders is key to overcoming the many crises it faces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afghanistan has a need for increased access to energy to enable development. In this paper we analyze the potential for large-scale grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power plants in two of Afghanistan's most populous provinces (Balkh and Herat) to meet a large fraction of growing electricity demand. The results presented here represent the first quantitative analysis of potential capacity factors and energy yields of power plants in the country using measured wind speed and typical solar radiation data. Variability of resources is also investigated by comparing temporal profiles with those of electricity demand, using residual load duration curves to determine penetration and curtailment levels for various demand scenarios. We show that solar PV and wind power plants in two provinces could achieve penetration levels of 65%–70% without significant curtailment, which in turn would mean less reliance on unpredictable and unstable power purchase agreements with neighboring countries, longer life of limited domestic fossil fuel resources, and lower imports of diesel fuel, thus avoiding rising costs and detrimental environmental impacts. Our results point to an alternative development pathway from that of previous recommendations for conventional thermal power plants, controversial hydroelectric projects, and a significant dependence on imported power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaginaries are understood to be both discursive and cognitive constructs that shape behaviour, policies, and institutions – but how do longstanding imaginaries evolve in new circumstances, and how do they interact with existing power structures in changed circumstances? Drawing on conceptions of discursive power, this paper investigates the interplay of power with both new and old imaginaries in the case of Afghanistan, specifically regarding alternative energy futures. Employing an interpretive approach, we draw on document analysis and semi-structured interviews with elite stakeholders and policy observers, to provide an account of the relations between alternative energy futures imaginaries and political power. We demonstrate, how certain discursive practices are made possible, authorised and articulated through imaginative geographies. Critically, the government-advocated imaginary of Afghanistan as an energy corridor and hence an energy importer both represents the views of several powerful interests and concurs with the long-held idea of Afghanistan as a buffer state. In this way, political path dependencies are reinforced through a supportive imaginary, just as the dominant imaginary is itself reinforced by the main stakeholders. While in line with our interpretive epistemology we do not make claims for the specific configuration of imaginaries being generalisable elsewhere, we do find the general theoretical approach useful for understanding discursive aspects of conflict zone politics, particularly vis-à-vis energy system trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary In this paper we assess the UNHCR post-return shelter assistance program in Afghanistan during 2009–11, motivated by the fact that the resolution of lost housing and property is commonly understood as a key ingredient in sustainable return and reintegration. We implement a variety of matching techniques in order to insulate our results from selection bias. Adopting a multidimensional approach, our results show that shelter assistance reduces the multidimensional poverty index of benefiting households by three percentage points. Looking at individual indicators of deprivation we find that assistance has the biggest effect on dietary diversity, food security, and heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synopsis This article offers some reflections on the efforts over the last decade to combat violence against women in Afghanistan through reforms of laws and the justice system. The paper identifies two intersecting factors that have curtailed the transformative impact of these efforts. First, law making and legal practices have become infused with various forms of personalized and hierarchical politics. Progressive laws have taken the form of gifts bestowed to women by the president (and NATO countries) rather than gains achieved through broader political mobilization. Furthermore, the widespread application of ‘mediation’ in cases of gender violence serves to defuse claims of justice and instead leave women dependent on the benevolence of self-appointed patrons. Second, existing sexual ideologies have rarely been challenged, with women routinely arrested and prosecuted for ‘escaping’ from home or for ‘attempted’ adultery. The overall result is a ‘protect and rescue’ approach to gender violence that does little to transform the underlying causes of women's subordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between an early Islamic education and academic achievement in Afghanistan. Fears of political indoctrination have dominated discussions of Islamic schooling among many Westerners, making some policy-makers hesitant to support the kind of education to which most children in Afghanistan have access. In addition, misunderstandings of Islamic education as well as assumptions about the lack of educational benefits from pre-primary or primary Islamic schools have helped sideline them in policy discussions. But mosque schools may play an important role in preparing children for academic success. Children who attend mosque schools score better on tests of literacy than those who do not. This is particularly significant in countries like Afghanistan where many children do not have access to formal education. These findings suggest that mosque schools merit more careful attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of refugees on a developing host country's bilateral trade with the source country using a Vector Error Correction model and Granger causality tests. Using the largest case of refugee settlements in the world, we look at how refugees moving over several decades from Afghanistan to Pakistan have affected bilateral trade both directly and indirectly. We find that changes in Afghani refugees do not Granger cause movements in bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan but foreign aid to Afghanistan does Granger cause trade between the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health systems in fragile states need to respond to shifting demographics, burden of disease and socio-economic circumstances in the revision of their health service packages. This entails making difficult decisions about what is and is not included therein, especially in resource-constrained settings offering or striving for universal health coverage. In this paper we turn the lens on the 2017–2021 development of Afghanistan's Integrated Package of Essential Health Services (IPEHS) to analyse the dynamics of the priority setting process and the role and value of evidence. Using participant observation of meetings and interviews with 25 expert participants, we conducted a qualitative study of the consultation process aimed at examining the characteristics of its technical, socio-cultural and organisational aspects, in particular data use and expert input, and how they influenced how evidence was discussed, taken up, and used (or not used) in the process. Our analysis proposes that the particular dynamics shaped by the context, information landscape and expert input shaped and operationalized knowledge sharing and its application in such a way to constitute a sort of "vernacular evidence". Our findings underline the importance of paying attention to the constellation of the priority setting processes in order to contribute to an ethical allocation of resources, particularly in contexts of resource scarcity and humanitarian need. • Describes the process of Afghanistan's latest health system revision. • Examines the complex process of priority setting in a fragile state. • Vernacular evidence is created through expert consultation where data gaps exist. • Unpacking the constellation of expert input is critical in priority setting. • Balanced process facilitation improves discussion around ethical resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sistan Basin in Southwest Asia has been identified as one of the most active sources of dust and windiest terrestrial environments in the world. In this paper, atmospheric analysis of 7 severe dust storms in the Sistan and the Hamoun Lake Basin region during the past two decades was performed. The national center for environmental protection and national center for atmospheric research (NCEP-NCAR) data were used for synoptic analysis of dust events. The locations of low and high pressure systems which were responsible for occurring the dust events were identified and dust plumes routes were presented. The atmospheric analysis results demonstrated that the high-pressure systems over the Caspian Sea and surrounding areas and low-pressure systems over the Indian subcontinent and surrounding areas interactions result in northerly, westerly, and northwesterly winds over the Sistan region, and caused the dust events in this area and transport of dust plumes to east and southeast area. Hamoun Lake Basin in Iran, located in southern and southwestern parts of Afghanistan, and western, northwestern, and central Pakistan are more affected by dust events than other parts of Sistan. An investigation of the areas that were affected by dust plumes showed that southern and southwestern parts of Afghanistan and western Pakistan have the highest AODs and dust load at the surveyed events. The most intense dust activity in Sistan occurs during summertime and based on the results, the maximum amount of dust load reaches 5 g m − 2 in the region in some cases. • The Sistan region and Hamoun Lake in Iran, western Pakistan, and south and southwest of Afghanistan, are areas that have been affected more than other parts of the study area by the dust storms of Hamoun Lake. • Surveys of dust-affected areas show that southern Afghanistan and western Pakistan have the highest AODs and dust load. • The most severe dust storms in the Sistan area usually occured in May, June, and July. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain areas provide essential ecosystem services for communities living nearby. However, increasing demands for resources have led to the gradual clearing of biodiverse mountain areas worldwide. Providing an alternative and sustainable livelihood source, such as forestry, could support natural regeneration and counter this process. In order to better understand future land-use, an assessment of forestry's impact on available ecosystem services functioning needs to be conducted. This paper analyzes the cost-effectiveness of forest plantation on marginal lands to promote ecosystem services restoration in Shah Foladi Protected Area, Afghanistan, using a methodology combining ecosystem services mapping, and analysis of crucial ecosystem services. We account for timber production, fuelwood provision and carbon sequestration as important benefits of forestry in mountain areas. To our knowledge this represents the first account of ecosystem services in Afghanistan, providing an important first step in accounting for natural capital in the country, with transferable lessons to other countries in post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding setting, as well as other mountain areas worldwide. The result of the study forms a basis for economic valuation of these ecosystems services and inform land-use management decision making. Our findings show that planting trees and establishing forests would increase timber and fuelwood production and support alternative livelihood sources for communities, alleviating land degradation, which ultimately would support the conservation of the natural landscapes. The analysis reveals that planting trees on marginal land is economically justifiable at over ten years in the majority of the Shah Foladi valleys, and the result is positive even where the very conservative 9.5% discount rate is applied. • Marginal lands support ecosystem restoration and sustainable community livelihoods. • Ecosystem services' economic valuation improves sustainable environment management. • Forest ecosystem services allows natural regeneration of rangelands and wilderness. • Ecosystem services' valuation supports better decision-making in investment. • Plantation is economically justifiable at a discount rate of 3.5% over 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Precipitation forecasts of four NMME models were compared over Sistan Basin. • Seasonal and subseasonal precipitation predictions were improved. • Statistical-dynamical improvement methods were applied: The GrandNMME, QM, Copula. • A novel hybrid approach for ensemble weighting was developed. • The proposed techniques provide more accurate forecasts. Poor forecasting of climate variables at river basin scale, leads to situations which entail considerable risks and losses in various sectors such as the agriculture, the environment and water resources. Lack of accurate sub-seasonal and seasonal precipitation predictions are major management and operation predicaments in the transboundary Sistan Basin, located in Afghanistan and Iran, and selected as the case study in this paper. The outputs of the North-American Multi Model Ensemble (NMME), as a seasonal forecasting system, were utilized in the target region. In order to evaluate the performance of the raw outputs of four NMME models (namely: NCEP-CFSv2, CMC-CanCM3, CMC2-CanCM4, NCAR-CCSM4), the individual model ensemble mean was compared to the observations. Results highlighted the need for post-processing of the NMME outputs. For this purpose, three different commonly used methods, including GrandNMME, bias correction quantile mapping (QM) and Copula approaches, alongside a novel hybrid technique, were applied to improve future predictions of precipitation patterns for the hindcast period of 1982–2010 and forecast period of 2012–2016. All four methods were performed for each month in each 0.5-degree cell over the following one to six months. The findings demonstrated the performance of different NMME models were not the same over time and space. Among the models, the NCEP-CFSv2 and CMC2-CanCM4 seemed to best capture the spatial variability of precipitation in the study area. In addition, they performed better in estimating the amounts of precipitation. Among the methods, the QM, the Copula and the hybrid were all successful in improving the geographic patterns of the data. Furthermore, they were all able to enhance the accuracy of the data. At different timescales, the hybrid method showed substantial improvements over the seasonal predictions. Overall, the findings illustrated that collective use of methods may narrow the potential uncertainty in projections of regional changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative. How Pakistani media coverage shapes the CPEC is related to public attitudes towards the project and may even affect the success or failure of the initiative in Pakistan. This paper examines Pakistani media coverage on the CPEC by constructing and analyzing semantic networks of the news from the top three English media from 2015 to 2018. We detect the sentimental polarity of news coverage on the CPEC, focusing on the words used in the news and determining how the media frames the CPEC in Pakistan. Then, we construct semantic networks of the negative, neutral and positive documents. Network analysis is used to determine the characteristics of the different sentiment networks, which words hold significant positions, and how the negative central concepts are associated with describing the apprehension towards and obstacles related to the CPEC. The results show that most coverage exhibits a positive attitude towards the CPEC. Negative sentiment towards the CPEC is illustrated through more diverse messaging, demonstrating greater cohesiveness than the larger, less-connected positive network. The identified negative central topics are India, security, region, parties, issues, Afghanistan, Kashmir, debt, loans, situation, disputes, cost, opposition and peace, which are framed around apprehension and skepticism regarding the CPEC and the stability of the environment of its construction. In contrast, the most significant words in the positive network are progress, important, support, benefit, prosperity, enhance, improve, and boost, highlighting the potential economic returns and political guarantees. Semantic network analysis of the sentiments expressed in the Pakistani media regarding the CPEC can improve our understanding of Pakistani attitudes towards the CPEC. Our research combines quantitative and qualitative evidence to study media coverage in Pakistan, which can provide insights regarding the communications used to improve confidence in the CPEC and can also improve our understanding of the Belt and Road Initiative. • We constructed semantic networks of CPEC information from main stream English media in Pakistan. • Semantic network analysis was conducted for positive, neutral and negative news coverage. • The results show that most of the coverage exhibits a positive attitude towards the CPEC. • The negative news coverage network shows greater cohesiveness than the larger, less-connected positive network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salvia plebeia R. Br. (SP), has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It contains a number of chemical components and reported to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. SP is distributed in many countries such as China, Korea, Japan, Afghanistan and India. SP was first described in Compendium of Materia Medica in the Ming dynasty. The aim of this review is to compile all the information reported in the literature on SP. This review covers traditional uses, including 16 TCM classics and 21 traditional prescriptions; a total of 93 compounds from SP have been reported, including flavonoids, monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenes, phenolic acids etc; biological actives such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, hypoglycaemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, sedative, antiasthmatic, antiviral, antitumour, hepatoprotective effects etc. In addition, this paper also compiled the quality control studies and clinical applications. The future prospects and the existing problems of SP were also discussed. Overall, we believe this review will be a comprehensive record of SP for researchers to refer for carrying out for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]