Taliban militants (file photo)
8am: The Taliban’s claims of economic self-sufficiency and reduced narcotics production are superficial, short-term achievements designed to preserve the power of the ruling elite. In contrast, the people of Afghanistan face polluted villages, generations of illness, widespread poverty, suppression of women, and destruction of prospects for sustainable development. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: The inauguration of a major hospital in Kabul could have been a positive development in itself, especially under a regime whose name is synonymous with violence, bloodshed, and a detachment from public service. Yet, by omitting Persian from the hospital’s signage, the Taliban turned what should have been a celebrated moment into a source of controversy. Observers noted that the hospital’s plaques and signs feature only Pashto and English, effectively sidelining Persian, a language that Taliban officials and spokespeople have repeatedly claimed is official and national. This exclusion is neither accidental nor administrative negligence; it is a deliberate, politically motivated decision aimed at reinforcing a policy of anti-Persian sentiment. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: Afghanistan’s embassy in Japan will suspend all operations, including consular services, from Feb. 1, the mission said on Saturday, adding to growing uncertainty over the country’s diplomatic representation abroad following the Taliban’s return to power. The embassy, located in Tokyo’s Minato district, has been operated by diplomats appointed by Afghanistan’s former government, which was ousted when the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021. Click here to read more (external link).
Rand Paul
Amu: US Senator Rand Paul said on Thursday that proposed legislation would claw back $631 million earmarked for Afghanistan reconstruction and permanently block US taxpayer money from reaching the Taliban. “If H.R. 260 becomes law, $631 million meant for Afghanistan reconstruction will be clawed back to the Treasury,” Paul said in a statement, adding that “not another dollar should ever reach the Taliban” after two decades of war. Paul said the bill, known as the No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act, would end what he described as Washington’s “blind commitment” to Afghanistan-related spending and tighten safeguards on the relocation of Afghans to the United States, arguing that national security must take priority. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: Australia’s Foreign Ministry announced the Afghanistan embassy in Canberra will be suspended after June 30, 2026, following an agreement on an orderly and dignified transition process. The Afghanistan embassy in Australia has been among the last diplomatic missions worldwide still operating under credentials from the pre-August 2021 government. Most countries have closed Afghanistan embassies or allowed them to operate in diplomatic limbo, neither recognizing Taliban authority nor fully severing ties, creating challenges for Afghanistan’s citizens abroad who need consular services like passport renewals and document authentication. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: Tajik border guards clashed with a group of armed men along the border with Afghanistan, leaving three of the suspects dead, the state-run Khovar news agency reported. Khovar, which operates under the Tajik presidency, said the men were smugglers who had crossed illegally from Afghanistan into Tajikistan. Click here to read more (external link).
More
Amu: Afghanistan’s national futsal team booked a place in the knockout stage of the Asian Cup on Friday with a 7-0 win over Malaysia in their second group match in Jakarta. Afghanistan will face Iran in their final group match on Sunday. The AFC Futsal Asian Cup is being held in Indonesia with 16 teams competing, with matches taking place in the capital, Jakarta. Click here to read more (external link).
Other Sports News
8am: The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the opening of a 70-bed hospital for cancer patients in Kabul, which will provide services such as chemotherapy, cancer surgery, radiology, and laboratory services. The organization wrote on its X page on Thursday, January 29, 2026, that with the support of the European Union in Afghanistan, the opening of this hospital is considered an important step in providing easier access for citizens of Afghanistan to cancer treatment services. Click here to read more (external link).