Afghanistan
The latest on Afghanistan. A mostly mountainous country, Afghanistan has a population of more than 30 million people as of 2020. A country with a history dating back to the Middle Paleolithic Era, in recent history the country has been home to war. In the 1980s there was the Soviet-Afghan War, then in 1996 the Islamic fundamentalist group known as Taliban took control of the country until the U.S. invasion in 2001. A new democratic government was in place until 2021 when the Taliban regained control of the country.
China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan Move to Create United Front on Afghanistan
"We should positively view the timely development of bilateral and multilateral dialogues and cooperation with Afghanistan on fighting terrorism," China's top diplomat said.
NATO Official Says Afghanistan Mission Became Unrealistic by Rebuilding
"You have to ask, and we've been asking this a lot in the committee I chair, were these goals realistic that we had at the time?" John Manza said.
Credit Card Points Have Funded 20,000 Flights for Afghan Refugees
The nation's airlines and U.S. citizens work together to donate credit card points to provide flights for Afghan refugees.
House Approves Posthumous Congressional Gold Medal for 13 U.S. Heroes
The deceased included 11 U.S. Marines, one U.S. Army soldier, and one U.S. Navy sailor.
Afghan Refugees Can Now Be Sponsored By Private U.S. Citizens
The program marks a major shift in U.S. refugee policy and will serve as an addition to typical resettlement processes overseen by national agencies.
Trump Says U.S. 'Laughingstock,' Addresses Border Wall, Terrorism Threat
"The first thing that should be done and it can be done quickly, is FINISH THE WALL," the former president said in a statement.
Ex-Afghan Parliament Member Says U.S. Should Be 'Accountable' for Taliban
"As a superpower, the United States has a major responsibility and should be held accountable," Fawzia Koofi said.
Putin Defends Joe Biden's Decision to Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan
The Russian president told a forum in Sochi that the U.S. should still take responsibility for its military withdrawal.
ISIS Puts China On Notice by Recruiting Minorities for Afghanistan Attacks
"As a neighboring country, China is certainly concerned about Afghanistan's counter-terrorism," Shanghai International Studies University's Fan Hongda told Newsweek.
NATO Weighing Suspending Missions Outside Europe, North America
Defense ministers for NATO discussed lessons and future policy following the end of the U.S.' 20-year military mission in Afghanistan.
What World Does The Biden Administration Live In?
Since Biden took office, he and his staff have engaged in a peculiar strategy. Rather than acknowledge problems, the administration pretends they don't exist.
Russia Sending Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan As Nation Hosts Taliban
Members of the political delegation from the Afghan Taliban's movement attended talks in Moscow on Wednesday.
Taliban Gives Families of Suicide Bombers Who Attacked U.S. Soldiers $112
At a gathering with the families, the Taliban's acting interior minister commended the sacrifices made by "martyrs and fedayeen" in the suicide bombings.
Eric Trump Calls Out Joe Biden for Spending Time Away From White House
"When Afghanistan is falling, guess what? You have President Biden who is in Delaware not solving that problem," former president Donald Trump's son said.
Who Is Zalmay Khalilzad? U.S. Afghanistan Envoy Resigns After Withdrawal
Zalmay Khalilzad was appointed Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation under the administration of former President Donald Trump in 2018.
Man Convicted for Designing Computer Script to Spread ISIS Propaganda
The 22-year-old had created a process that would allow ISIS to disseminate propaganda in an easier manner.
Iran Warns of 'Divisive Schemes' as ISIS Wages Sectarian War in Afghanistan
Iran said it's "confident that our Muslim brothers and sisters in Afghanistan will foil the divisive schemes of their enemies through solidarity."
Afghan Man Shouldn't Be Tried for Murder of 3 US Soldiers in US War: Lawyer
Attorney said it's "preposterous" for the man to be charged with murder in the deaths of "American soldiers fighting in a war commenced by the United States."
Judge Orders Marine Stuart Scheller to Forfeit Only One Month of $5,000 Pay
The maximum penalty Scheller could have been issued was a forfeiture of two-thirds of his monthly pay for 12 months and a letter of reprimand.
Stuart Scheller Calls for 'Fundamental Change' in Military Leadership
"This is me accepting accountability. But it deeply pains me that my senior leaders are incapable of being as courageous," Scheller told the judge.
Russia in No Hurry to Recognize Taliban as It Hosts Afghan Leaders
President Vladimir Putin said "the interim government formed by the Taliban regrettably doesn't reflect the entire spectrum of Afghan society."
4 Suicide Bombers Targeted Mosque Containing Hundreds for Prayers: Witness
At least 47 people were killed and 70 wounded after multiple explosions went off inside and outside an Afghanistan mosque during Friday prayers, witnesses said.
Court Sets Max Punishment to Marine Who Criticized Afghanistan Pullout
On Thursday, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller plead guilty to all six misdemeanor-level charges during a court-martial hearing.
One-Way Fare From Kabul to Islamabad Now $1500, Taliban Demanding Price Cut
Pakistan International Airlines spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said "the situation on the ground is not conducive for international flight operations."
Taliban to Visit Russia as Group Cozy Up to America's Adversaries
Russian foreign affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced the meeting would also involve representatives from India, Iran, China and Pakistan.
Israeli Humanitarian Group Secretly Evacuated 125 From Afghanistan in October
The group said that it plans to help the resettled Afghans in both the short-term and long-term.
The Taliban Blames the U.S. for Afghanistan's Growing ISIS Problem
"There is no doubt that the malicious hand is behind the ISIS attack," Ahmad Yasir, protocol officer of the Taliban's political office in Qatar, told Newsweek.
Afghanistan Winter, ISIS-K Threaten to Collapse Taliban's False Peace
The new Taliban government is facing economic and security crises with winter approaching. One former official warned of a "humanitarian catastrophe."
G20 Addresses Afghans' Urgent Need for Humanitarian Aid, EU Pledges $1.15B
"But the Afghan people should not pay the price of the Taliban's actions," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
Isolating Afghanistan Could Lead to World Security Threat
Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani pointed to what happened when Al-Qaeda used Afghanistan as a base to plot the September 11 terror attacks on the U.S.
