Taliban militant (file photo)

8am: The Taliban have turned Southeast Afghanistan and tribal areas of Pakistan into a polio-infected zone, providing refuge for the demon of poliovirus. This demon once declared defeated by the world, is regaining strength in these regions. In the previous year, there were two documented polio cases globally, both originating in Taliban-infiltrated areas: one in the tribal areas of Pakistan and the other in southeast Afghanistan. Should Taliban rule persist, diseases such as measles, smallpox, diphtheria, and tuberculosis may once again loom over the entire nation, claiming tens of thousands of lives annually.  Click here to read more (external link).