
-
Charles and Camilla pose at Colosseum in pomp-filled Italy visit
-
Major trade wars since the 19th century
-
Cruise to showcase last 'Mission: Impossible' at Cannes
-
Stocks, oil bounce after tariffs-fuelled rout
-
France detains man after death threat against judge who convicted Le Pen
-
At least 18 dead in Dominican Republic nightclub roof collapse
-
Pentagon chief fires US military representative to NATO
-
Late Harrods owner 'ruined lives' of alleged victims: lawyer
-
Zelensky says Ukraine captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia
-
Charles and Camilla mark 20 years of marriage that defied the odds
-
$20 mn blue diamond goes on show in Abu Dhabi
-
'Spectacular' unbeaten Barca not invincible, says Gavi
-
Iran says deal can be reached if US shows goodwill
-
'Spectacle', 'seismic shock': Economists on Trump's tariffs
-
King Charles meets Italian president in pomp-filled state visit
-
France allowed 'major failures' in finances of 2023 Rugby World Cup: watchdog
-
Stocks, oil recover slightly awaiting Trump's next tariffs moves
-
Prince Harry in court to challenge 'unjustified' UK security downgrade
-
Australian PM tells voters he's ready for Trump tariffs
-
Which stars will join De Niro at Cannes this year?
-
UN urged to probe sonic weapon allegedly used on Serbian protesters
-
World's 'exceptional' heat streak lengthens into March
-
S Korea opposition leader frontrunner in snap presidential election
-
Frail David Hockney celebrated in vast Paris retrospective
-
Flypast for King Charles as he meets Italian president
-
'Malignant stupidity', 'weak': Economists on Trump's tariffs
-
MotoGP world champion Martin to make injury return in Qatar
-
Prince Harry in court to challenge UK security downgrade
-
Philippines adds speedy warship to maritime arsenal
-
Prominent US academic detained on Thai royal insult charge
-
Markets stage mild rebound but Trump tariff uncertainty reigns
-
Emotion the key for inconsistent Dortmund against Barcelona
-
Myanmar garment manufacturers warn US tariffs imperil quake recovery
-
Once-dying Mexican river delta slowly nursed back to life
-
NATO chief says China military expansion 'staggering'
-
South Korea sets new presidential election for June 3
-
Indonesia stocks plunge on Trump tariffs after weeklong break
-
Two Nepalis swept away by Annapurna avalanche
-
Vietnam says to buy more US goods as it seeks tariff delay
-
Why is the NBA eyeing Europe?
-
Mexico mourns photographers killed in music festival mishap
-
Nose job boom in Iran where procedure can boost social status
-
Clean streets vs business woes: pollution charge divides Londoners
-
Mexico mourns photographers killed in music festical mishap
-
Asian markets stage mild rebound but Trump tariff uncertainty reigns
-
Spain PM heads to China, Vietnam as US tariff blitz bites
-
Hong Kong firm did not uphold Panama Canal ports contract: Panama audit
-
Prince Harry mounts new court challenge over UK security downgrade
-
South Korea sets presidential election for June 3: acting president
-
France have 'great chance' against New Zealand despite weakened side: ex-All Black Cruden

Afghan family rebuilds far from home after US drone strike
The damage inflicted by a United States drone that killed 10 members of Aimal Ahmadi's family in the Afghan capital can still be seen in the courtyard of his home a year after the strike.
The 32-year-old, whose daughter was among those killed, left Afghanistan with some of his family members, moving to a refugee camp in Qatar from where they now expect to be evacuated to the US for a future far from home.
"I don't wish that any human being would go through what we went through, it's terrible, unimaginable", Ahmadi told AFP from Qatar.
On August 29, 2021, Ahmadi's three-year-old daughter Malika, his brother Ezmarai, who had worked for an American charity, and several of his nephews and nieces were killed in the strike.
The 10 family members, including seven children, were near a family car when they were mistakenly targeted by a US drone.
The family were the last civilian deaths linked to US forces recorded in the chaotic days before American troops left Afghanistan on August 30 last year, allowing the Taliban to fully take control of the country.
A few days after the drone strike the Pentagon acknowledged that it had made a "mistake" in wrongly identifying the family's white Toyota as an Islamic State (IS) target.
The Pentagon did not punish the service members involved in the incident.
"There was not a strong enough case to be made for personal accountability," said Pentagon spokesman at that time, John Kirby.
The US administration is currently helping relocate members of the family, Ahmadi said.
The drone hit came three days after an IS suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport killed more than 150 people -- including 13 US troops -- significantly raising tensions in the last days of US withdrawal.
An estimated 188 civilians have been killed by US forces by mistake in Afghanistan since 2018, according to the American military.
- Compensation-
A year after the strike, the modest two-storey house on a narrow street in the Khwaja Bughra neighbourhood in the north of Kabul is now inhabited by only a dozen distant relatives.
Several other relatives of the victims fled the scene of the tragedy, which still bears the scars of the attack.
Blown out by the explosion, the windows have now been repaired, the walls of the courtyard rebuilt and others repainted.
But on the floor, tiles are still missing where the drone strike hit.
The family's second vehicle -– almost completely burned by the blast -– still lies in the middle of the yard under a tarp.
"We didn't want to get rid of it in memory of the victims and because it saved lives by protecting the women inside the house from the shrapnel," said Ahmadi's 20-year-old nephew, Nasratullah Malikzada, who is now in charge of maintaining the house.
As he passed a gate where portraits of the 10 victims have been hung, the young Afghan said the situation is "very sad".
"It is God's will, what has happened has happened, we can't go back. God will punish those responsible in the afterlife," he said.
Washington's announcement that it would pay the family compensation sparked interest in the family and among relatives, given the economic distress felt across the country.
Following the drone strike, Ahmadi lost his job working with foreign companies and one of his two other brothers was threatened by strangers who had heard about the expected compensation.
But to this day, the family has not received any money from the US and they have hired a lawyer to defend their interests, Ahmadi said.
The lawyer was not reachable for comment.
In an exhausted tone, Ahmadi said he is confident that the US government will compensate his family.
As soon as he completes the paperwork for his evacuation, he hopes to join his two brothers who are already in the US.
His ailing sister, who remains in Afghanistan and is also hoping to be evacuated, has left home for a safe place in Kabul.
"I hope that a better future awaits me," said Ahmadi.
P.Anderson--BTB