- EU chief announces $11 bn for nations hit by 'heartbreaking' floods
- Spanish PM, Palestinian leader urge Mideast de-escalation
- New study reinforces theory Covid emerged at Chinese market
- World Bank boosts climate financing by 10 percent
- Bagnaia eyeing summit on home ground in 100th MotoGP
- 'Something was wrong', defendant in French mass rape tells court
- Hezbollah chief admits 'unprecedented' blow in device blasts
- Sales of US existing homes slip slightly in August
- Fear, panic haunt Lebanese after devices explode
- Labuschagne sparks Australia fightback in England ODI opener
- S.Africa's HIV research power couple says fight goes on
- Why is Israel focusing on border with Lebanon?
- Mpox vaccines administered in Rwanda, first in Africa
- US Fed rate cut is 'very positive sign' for economy: Yellen
- Unknown Mozart string trio discovered in Germany
- 'Are we five-year-olds?' F1 drivers won't mind their language
- Brazil judge orders X to reimpose block or face hefty fine
- Munich to rename stadium street after Beckenbauer
- Champions Italy to face Argentina in Davis Cup Final 8
- The winding, fitful path to weight loss drug Ozempic
- Italians defeat American Magic to reach Louis Vuitton Cup final
- Norris has 'nothing to lose' as he hunts Verstappen in Singapore
- Kyiv 'outraged' at Swiss showing of Russian war film
- French city renames Abbe Pierre square after abuse claims
- Footballer charged after huge cannabis seizure at UK airport
- Vatican recognises Medjugorje shrine, but not Virgin's messages
- Bank of England freezes rate after jumbo US cut
- Playing Nadal is 'kind of a nightmare', says Alcaraz
- Portugal tackles last of deadly northern forest fires
- Ton-up Ashwin lifts India to 339-6 against Bangladesh
- Departing NATO chief warns US against 'isolationism'
- Coming winter 'sternest test yet' for Ukraine energy grid
- Evacuations as tail of Storm Boris floods northeast Italy
- Lebanon's Hezbollah reeling after second wave of deadly blasts
- Taiwan recognises same-sex marriages between Chinese, Taiwanese
- Stock markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Gabon's ousted leader Bongo says renouncing politics for good
- Lebanon device blasts: what we know about deadly attacks
- Late Harrods owner Al-Fayed accused of rape: BBC
- Hong Kong man sentenced 14 months for wearing 'seditious' T-shirt
- Lebanon's Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of deadly blasts
- Meta and Spotify blast EU decisions on AI
- Hasan takes three as Bangladesh rattle India in first Test
- Two killed during police operation in New Caledonia
- Flood-hit region leaders to meet in Poland to discuss EU aid
- Sri Lanka to vote in first poll since economic collapse
- Hong Kong probe finds Cathay Airbus defect could cause 'extensive' damage
- AI development cannot be left to market whim, UN experts warn
- All Blacks primed for 'hell' of a Wallabies clash
- Zoom fatigue? Try some nature in your background: study
RBGPF | 5.79% | 60.5 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.12% | 25.025 | $ | |
RYCEF | 5.62% | 6.94 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.2% | 25.03 | $ | |
GSK | -1.39% | 41.85 | $ | |
NGG | -1.71% | 68.87 | $ | |
RIO | 3.45% | 65.155 | $ | |
SCS | -6.17% | 13.29 | $ | |
BTI | -0.73% | 37.605 | $ | |
RELX | 1.36% | 48.025 | $ | |
VOD | -1.49% | 10.08 | $ | |
BCC | 4.64% | 143.735 | $ | |
AZN | 0.78% | 79.2 | $ | |
BCE | -0.91% | 35.29 | $ | |
BP | 1.74% | 33.005 | $ | |
JRI | -0.3% | 13.4 | $ |
Afghan women continue medical studies in Scotland after Taliban ban
When the Taliban banned women from attending university in Afghanistan, Zahra Hussaini thought her dream of becoming a doctor was over. Now, she is continuing her medical degree in Britain.
"Coming to Scotland, it changed everything. It has given me hope for a better future," the 20-year-old told AFP in Glasgow, where she arrived last month to resume her studies.
"I can become a doctor, I can become independent financially and I can serve my family, my community to the best of my ability," she added.
Hussaini is one of 19 female medical students from Afghanistan who landed in Scotland on August 21 following a three-year campaign by the Linda Norgrove Foundation.
Norgrove was a 36-year-old Scottish aid worker who was kidnapped by Islamist militants in Afghanistan and killed during a failed rescue attempt by US special forces in 2010.
The foundation, formed by her parents in her name, said that the students had often been confined to their homes since the Taliban issued its ban on women studying at universities in December 2022.
The Taliban authorities have implemented an austere interpretation of Islamic law since returning to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US forces.
Women have borne the brunt of restrictions that the United Nations has labelled "gender apartheid".
"They didn't allow me to get my specialisation in Afghanistan," said 25-year-old medical student Fariba Asifi, who is also now studying at Glasgow University.
"Now I consider I am the luckiest person that I am here and I can continue my education and I achieve this opportunity to continue my education and follow my dream. I'm so excited and I'm really happy."
The woman arrived in Scotland after the devolved Scottish government in Edinburgh amended funding legislation to ensure that they would be treated like Scottish students and be eligible for free tuition.
Some are studying at St Andrews, Dundee and Aberdeen.
The foundation said it had to clear a number of hurdles for the women to make it to Scotland, including negotiating travel to Pakistan to apply for UK visas, organising English language tests and university interviews over Skype.
It also secured accommodation and UK bank accounts and said it had spent £60,000 ($79,000) in all.
"Finally, these 19 incredibly talented young women get their future back with the opportunity of a tremendous education and a career. The alternative for them in Afghanistan wasn't good," Linda's father John Norgove said in a statement.
Asifi said she hoped to be able to return to Afghanistan to work as a doctor one day.
"It's not a permanent situation, it's temporary, it will change and one day we will have a bright Afghanistan, a peaceful country.
"And one day, I'm pretty sure we will see all girls, all ladies can do, can get education, get working and getting their fun. And we should be optimistic we will have a bright Afghanistan. It's near."
video-pdh/phz/yad
A.Aguiar--PC