Khaama: The U.S. Senate’s Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, along with the Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, held a session to review the country’s parole and refugee programs. The meeting, held on Wednesday, highlighted the security risks faced by Afghans who collaborated with U.S. forces, emphasizing that recent Trump administration decisions to halt refugee programs and return asylum seekers have put thousands at risk. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – January 15, 2026
Afghanistan: Drones spotted over Panjshir province, sources say
Amu: Residents said the drones were observed over the districts of Shutul, Anaba, Rokha and Dara, as well as above Bazarak, the provincial capital. “One time was not the only time – the unmanned aircraft patrolled several times,” a resident of Rokha district told Amu TV. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan limits players to three foreign leagues per year
Ariana: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has approved a new policy limiting national players to participate in only three international franchise leagues per year, in addition to the upcoming five-team Afghanistan Premier League (APL), which is set to start around October 2026 in the UAE, the board announced at its annual general meeting in Kabul. Click here to read more (external link).
Public employees remain unpaid despite Taliban assurances
Amu: Employees at the ministries of economy, refugees and repatriation, and the administrative affairs office said they were facing mounting financial pressure as delays continued through the winter. “Unfortunately, it has been about two months since salaries were paid,” a public employee said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. “We have followed up with finance officials, but they say the delay is due to the end of the fiscal year and administrative problems. There is no clear timeline for payment.” Click here to read more (external link).
More Economic News
Tolo News in Dari – January 14, 2026
Guns Against Bread: Taliban Raid on a Women’s Beauty Salon in Kabul
8am: Yesterday, Taliban Morality Police stormed a women’s beauty salon in Kabul that had been quietly operating inside a private courtyard. Witnesses say the forces behaved aggressively, issued threats, and seized all the salon’s equipment. By targeting beauty salons, eyewitnesses add, the Taliban not only strip women of their personal freedoms but also wipe out family livelihoods, making their systematic repression of women even more visible through intimidation and confiscation of property. Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban seize rickshaws in Herat traffic drive, owners warn of job losses
Amu: Taliban authorities in the western province of Herat have seized hundreds of rickshaws from city streets in recent days as part of a campaign to regulate traffic, local sources said. Taliban officials say the move is aimed at easing congestion and improving urban order, but rickshaw owners and drivers warned it could leave many families without a source of income in a city already grappling with high unemployment. Click here to read more (external link).
Trump Admin Tries to ‘Bribe’ Afghan Allies to ‘Accept Death’ in Afghanistan
Zeteo: 
The State Department is paying Afghan allies seeking US refuge thousands of dollars to return to Afghanistan, where they face death, prison, or torture, documents show. Afghans who assisted US troops, along with their families, have been living in limbo for months on a former US military base in Qatar. Camp As Sayliyah, or CAS, was intended as a temporary housing and screening point for evacuated Afghan allies before they were allowed entry to the US, but under Donald Trump, their stay has turned indefinite. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – January 13, 2026