Five years after the Taliban returned to power and the United States pulled its troops out of Afghanistan, Kabul is now asking Washington to come back. But this time, the Taliban does not want American soldiers. It wants something potentially more valuable: American money, diplomatic recognition and access to international markets. Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir…
Six months into the war between Iran and the US-Israel alliance, Tehran is presenting the conflict as a victory, but the claim says more about Iran’s political strategy than it proves about the battlefield. Major General Ahmad Vahidi, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said Iran had defeated what he described as the…
NBA YoungBoy is talking like an artist who is already preparing for the final chapter of his career. In a newly released conversation with comedian Funny Marco, the rapper said he does not intend to move back to the United States, describing his current life in South Korea as a permanent change. When asked how…
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow would retaliate if Western countries seize Russian commercial vessels, raising the stakes in an already increasingly aggressive campaign against Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. Putin’s warning comes as Western governments have become more willing to intercept and seize vessels suspected of helping Russia circumvent sanctions. The UK, for…
The latest tensions in the Middle East are revealing a problem that could become more important than the fighting itself: the countries involved increasingly disagree on what an acceptable end to the conflict actually looks like. US President Donald Trump has backed a 15-point framework for Gaza that would involve Hamas disarming, followed by a…
The U.S. State Department has apologized after a map of Africa shown during a presentation at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro incorrectly labelled every African country featured on it, including Nigeria, which was mistakenly placed as a landlocked country in the Sahara. The mistake would have been embarrassing enough as an ordinary…
China has retaliated against the United States with sanctions on American entities and tighter controls on drone exports and related technologies, escalating a technology dispute that is increasingly moving beyond smartphones and semiconductors. Beijing’s latest measures come days after the United States restricted imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots, robot dogs and power inverters, citing…
Japan’s latest defense white paper sends a message that goes well beyond Tokyo’s immediate security concerns: the country increasingly sees the Indo-Pacific as a connected military theatre where China, Russia and North Korea can reinforce one another. The 598-page assessment again identifies China as Japan’s greatest strategic challenge, while warning about growing Chinese military activity…
Just days after the United States appeared to be on the brink of another military confrontation with Iran, President Donald Trump has announced that direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran will begin, following his decision to shelve planned military strikes. Trump said the talks are expected to start Monday and expressed optimism that diplomacy could…
For years, the biggest obstacle for many Nigerians applying for a U.S. tourist or business visa was getting approved. Under a new permanent policy announced by the U.S. State Department, another challenge is now firmly on the table: affordability. The United States has officially made its visa bond program permanent, allowing consular officers to require…
