Michael Hughes AOPNEWS May 15, 2021 Tehran and Kabul reached a preliminary agreement that would see $5.3 billion invested in developing Afghanistan’s infrastructure, an Iranian Roads and Urban Development Ministry (MRUD) official said, as the two countries look to strengthen relations in the wake of the U.S. military withdrawal. Around $2.2 billion of the funding
Michael Hughes AOPNEWS | April 15, 2021 *Breaking News* The US military will be able to focus more resources on perceived challenges in the Indo-Pacific region after exiting Afghanistan, a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Thursday. Biden, in a major address on Wednesday, announced that U.S. troops would exit Afghanistan by September 11,
Michael Hughes: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Afghan authorities reached an agreement that would provide the country access to $364 million in credit over the next 3.5 years if actions are taken to improve transparency and reduce corruption. The announcement comes as the Afghan government is under fire again for rampant corruption, including allegations of abusing
Michael Hughes: Pentagon officials have said the Taliban are not meeting key conditions of the withdrawal pact it signed with the United States nearly four months ago. Meanwhile, a recent UN report revealed that the insurgent movement is still in bed with al-Qaeda, violating – at least in spirit – one of the key promises
Michael Hughes March 31, 2020 It will be nearly impossible for conflict-torn countries like Afghanistan to fight the coronavirus pandemic without immediate assistance from major states and aid organizations across the globe, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a new action alert. “Health systems in conflict zones in places such as
Michael Hughes: A crackdown of Pashtun activists in Pakistan has drawn international opprobrium at an inconvenient time for Islamabad and Washington as they try to shape a public narrative to make a peace pact with the Taliban as palatable as possible. The Trump administration wants the U.S.-Taliban exit deal to be seen as a victory
Michael Hughes: U.S. President Donald Trump sent the foreign policy establishment into a rage for suggesting the Soviets intervened in Afghanistan because they were concerned about terrorism. The comments, rather predictably, drew immediate rebukes from members of the military-industrial-media complex who were beside themselves that a U.S. president would dare claim the Soviets were motivated by
“We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.” -Lord Palmerston, speech in House of Commons, 1848 Michael Hughes November 16, 2018 The Russian government escalated its involvement in the 21st Century’s version of the Great Game by
Abdullah Qazi AOPNEWS | October 27, 2018 Afghan MMA fighter Nasrat Haqparast picked up his second UFC win tonight by defeating France’s Thibault Gouti via unanimous decision. Haqparast went into the fight as a favorite to win; the Las Vegas odds were -950 for Haqparast and +575 for Gouti. In round 1, Haqparast’s speed allowed him to
Abdullah Qazi AOPNEWS | August 14, 2018 The Hajj authorities have announced that the Day of Arafah will be on Monday, August 20, 2018. Therefore, the first day of Eid will be Tuesday, August 21, 2018. Eid ul Adha Mubarak! Related Eid al Adha is Tuesday August 21 According to the Supreme Court in Saudi