Kabul is Afghanistan’s capital and largest city, home to about 5.3 million people. It sits in the east, serving as the political and economic heart of the country.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died at 74, Qatar's Amiri Diwan has announced. He has been credited with transforming Qatar into an energy and diplomatic power by expanding LNG production, founding Al Jazeera, building sovereign investment vehicles and stepping down voluntarily in 2013 to hand power to his son.
Monsoon floods have struck Nuristan, Afghanistan, damaging Parun and surrounding areas. Authorities report dozens dead, hundreds missing or injured, as forecasters warn of more heavy rainfall. Rescue teams are struggling amid rugged terrain and limited infrastructure; international aid agencies are mobilising.
UNAMA reports 499 civilian deaths and 1,216 wounded from cross-border fighting; Amnesty International says Kabul strike may be a war crime. Pakistan defends its Kabul airstrike as precision targeting of militant infrastructure. Tensions have intensified since February, with both sides trading accusations and casualties rising.
Torrential rains and flash floods have intensified across Afghanistan, Pakistan and neighboring regions. Authorities have recorded hundreds of deaths, with the NDMA and local agencies warning of ongoing risks as rivers swell and monsoon systems persist. Cities face evacuations, damaged homes, and disrupted livelihoods.
Parliament’s Defence Committee has branded the MoD’s handling of the Afghan relocation data breach as a systemic failure, calling for accountability, better data protection, and a clearer path for Afghans awaiting resettlement.
Nazira Haji Zada, a 47-year-old permanent resident, appears in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court after her relatives were convicted in Oklahoma for an ISIS-inspired plot to attack voters on Election Day 2024. The court, created in 1996, has yet to hear a petition. The government argues she pledged loyalty to ISIS and aided the conspiracy, while her counsel argues the case violates due process.
President Trump’s Cabinet meeting at Camp David has become a focal point as he faces Republican pushback on a tax-audit immunity deal and the fate of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Comments on an Anti-Weaponization Fund are circulating, while lawmakers seek written assurances from the White House. The briefing follows related talks about immunity provisions tied to the Trump family.
The Taliban-era ban on girls' secondary education persists as multiple reports show rising suicides and personal tolls among Afghan women. New investigations quantify deaths and ongoing suppression, while international condemnation continues amid economic and health concerns.
UN reports a rising number of girls deprived of secondary schooling in Afghanistan, with the ban affecting education, health, and the economy. The Taliban’s restrictions have widened gaps in literacy and teacher availability, prompting international calls to lift the ban.
Afghan Taliban diplomacy in Kabul and Europe is shaping migration policy. Germany has expanded deportations and opened Taliban‑led missions, raising safety concerns for Afghan activists and refugees who fled the regime. The move comes as Western states balance pragmatism with human rights warnings.
UN agencies and multiple news outlets have reported that, five years after the Taliban retook Kabul, Afghan women and girls remain formally banned from secondary and higher education, face broad curbs on employment and movement, and are losing access to health training such as midwifery, producing a deepening human-rights and public-health crisis.
UN agencies report detainee cases in Herat and Kabul as the Taliban hold six staff from the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation and two UNAMA employees. The UN calls for access and adherence to immunities as the humanitarian situation worsens and cross-border clashes continue.
The Taliban’s return to power has reached five years as Kabul marks the anniversary with ceremonies and crackdowns. While security has improved and some infrastructure projects advance, women face sweeping restrictions, humanitarian needs rise, and international recognition remains limited. Attacks against officials persist, while aid workers face detentions amid a fragile economy.
The Guardian reports a surge in Russian strikes that have killed civilians and targeted Ukrainian infrastructure. France seeks to accelerate an anti-missile coalition and license missile production for Ukraine, while Kyiv receives assurances on Western military aid. Several cities face attacks, with casualties and damage across Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia.
The latest deportation flights have carried Afghans, Iranians and others to the Central African Republic as part of a broader U.S. crackdown on asylum seekers. Returnees face risks and uncertain futures amid ongoing legal and diplomatic efforts.
The United Nations and Western officials say al Qaeda has reestablished training camps and bases in Afghanistan over the past three years, with operations in at least eight provinces. Islamic State-Khorasan also appears to be rebuilding in the north, while the Taliban’s environment is allowing more regional activity. Washington maintains that intelligence and drone capabilities remain intact.
Cross-border hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated after Pakistan unleashed airstrikes against militant targets inside Afghanistan. Kabul has condemned the strikes as civilian casualties rise, while regional mediators warn of further turmoil as militants adapt to new fronts along the frontier. The events unfold amid ongoing security operations and a volatile border landscape.
A Virginia federal court has sentenced Mohammad Sharifullah to the maximum term for providing material support to ISIS-K, while jurors remain deadlocked on his role in the Kabul airport bombing. Prosecutors say he helped scout the Abbey Gate route and coordinated attacks, though the court did not tie him to the airport bombing itself.
The UN mission in southern Lebanon has begun preparations for a post-UNIFIL security order as the 2026 mandate nears its end. Paris-hosted discussions, French-Italian proposals for a multinational follow-on force, and US-backed frameworks aim to prevent a power vacuum as the Lebanese army and security forces assume greater regional duties.
Pakistan’s medical regulator has ordered Afghan students in Pakistani medical and dental colleges to return home, barring new admissions for the current year. Courts are hearing petitions from students and rights groups. The move follows deteriorating Pakistan–Afghanistan relations since the Taliban seized Kabul in 2021, with Amnesty International calling the policy discriminatory.
NATO’s military committee chair will be General Carsten Breuer, elected by 17 of 32 chiefs in Copenhagen. He will take up the post next summer, succeeding Admiral Dragone amid ongoing shifts in European defense spending and alliance strategy.
Fariba Hashimi, an Afghan-born cyclist based in Italy, has won silver in the women’s road race near Nagoya, Japan. She trained in disguise during her teenage years to pursue cycling after fleeing the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Hashimi aims to inspire Afghan women and hopes for further progress in Kabul and beyond.
Pakistan has intensified cross-border strikes into Afghanistan, with official claims of targeting militant sites while Afghan authorities report civilian casualties. The exchanges come amid a broader regional push for mediation, with tensions mounting after a series of border clashes and drone and air attacks.