At a summit in Islamabad, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai condemned the Taliban’s policies in Afghanistan as “gender apartheid,” urging Muslim leaders to denounce the regime’s actions against women and girls’ education. Yousafzai highlighted the complete lack of educational opportunities for women and girls and stressed that these policies violate Islamic principles. She called for the international community to recognize these actions as a crime against humanity. The Taliban’s refusal to comment underscores the severity of the situation, leaving nearly 1.5 million Afghan women and girls without access to secondary and higher education. This systematic oppression, characterized by severe restrictions on movement, work, and freedom of speech, creates a de facto prison for women in Afghanistan.
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A joint investigation by The Insider and Der Spiegel reveals that the Russian GRU, between 2016 and 2019, allegedly paid Taliban and other militant groups up to $200,000 per US/coalition soldier killed, totaling an estimated $30 million. The scheme utilized a network of Afghan couriers, operating under the guise of a gemstone trading company, to distribute funds coordinated by GRU officers like Alexey Arkhipov and overseen by Lieutenant General Ivan Kasyanenko. Key figures such as Rahmatullah Azizi, a central operative, relocated to Russia after the operation’s exposure. These payments fueled attacks against coalition forces, with the investigation highlighting hindered official inquiries and US reluctance to acknowledge the program’s existence.
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Sheriff McMahill noted striking similarities between the New Year’s Day Cybertruck bombing in Las Vegas and the Bourbon Street attack in New Orleans, including both perpetrators’ service at Fort Bragg and deployment to Afghanistan in 2009, as well as their vehicle rentals. Despite these similarities, law enforcement has yet to establish a connection between the two incidents. The Las Vegas perpetrator, identified as Matthew Livelsberger, died by suicide before the explosion, leaving investigators to examine his electronic devices for clues. The investigation is ongoing, focusing on determining a motive and exploring international leads.
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Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province killed at least 46 civilians, mostly women and children, prompting a strong protest from the Afghan Taliban government, which vowed retaliation. The strikes, reportedly targeting a Pakistani Taliban (TTP) camp, followed a TTP attack in Pakistan. Afghanistan’s foreign office summoned Pakistan’s envoy to lodge a formal complaint, citing a violation of international principles. The incident further exacerbates already tense relations between the neighboring countries.
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The Taliban’s recent decree banning windows overlooking areas frequented by women is, frankly, astounding. It’s a chilling escalation of their already oppressive regime, taking control not just over women’s actions, but their very ability to observe the world around them. The justification, that seeing women in everyday activities like working in kitchens, courtyards, or collecting water might lead to “obscene acts,” is preposterous. It paints a picture of men so utterly lacking in self-control that the mere sight of a woman performing ordinary tasks is enough to incite them to commit immoral acts. This isn’t about protecting women; it’s about controlling them, confining them, and silencing them.… Continue reading
The Taliban’s Economy Ministry issued a decree mandating the immediate cessation of all NGO employment of women, threatening license revocation for non-compliance. This action follows a previous directive and escalates the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s participation in the workforce, despite international condemnation and documented interference with humanitarian aid. The decree is the latest in a series of actions severely limiting women’s rights and public freedoms. Additionally, a separate decree from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada mandates the obstruction of windows overlooking areas where women might be present in both new and existing buildings.
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To curb what the Taliban deems “obscene acts,” a new decree prohibits windows overlooking areas typically used by women in new residential buildings. This directive, issued by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, mandates that municipal authorities enforce the rule, requiring modifications to existing structures with such windows. The ban is the latest in a series of increasingly restrictive measures targeting women’s rights and freedoms, prompting international condemnation. These actions are occurring amidst escalating tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan.
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Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan killed at least 46 people, predominantly women and children, according to a Taliban official, sparking strong condemnation from the Afghan government. These strikes, targeting a purported insurgent training facility, followed a recent increase in attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) within Pakistan. Afghanistan summoned the Pakistani envoy, protesting the violation of its sovereignty and threatening consequences. While Pakistan hasn’t officially commented on the strikes, its military reported a separate operation killing insurgents within its own territory.
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A suicide bombing in Kabul killed Khalil Haqqani, the Taliban’s refugee minister, the highest-profile casualty since the Taliban’s return to power. The attack, which occurred within the Interior Ministry building, has yet to be claimed by any group. Pakistan condemned the bombing and offered condolences. The incident follows other significant attacks in Afghanistan, including previous bombings claimed by the Islamic State group.
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The Taliban’s newly implemented ban on Afghan women’s enrollment in nursing and midwifery programs has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights organizations. This decision, confirmed through reports from affected students and training institutes, effectively halts women’s access to crucial healthcare professions. The ban’s devastating consequences include a severe shortage of female healthcare providers, already critical given Afghanistan’s alarmingly high maternal mortality rate, and further limits women’s access to healthcare. Protests by female students have erupted, underscoring the urgent need to reverse this policy and safeguard women’s right to education and healthcare.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood