8am: Following the Taliban’s announcement that the construction of the Pashdan Dam in Herat is 80% complete and will soon become operational, a wave of criticism emerged from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Eisa Bozorgzadeh, spokesperson for Iran’s water industry, stated that this dam would severely affect the drinking water supply for millions of Iranians in the city of Mashhad, urging the Taliban to reconsider their decision. Iranian newspapers also adopted a sharp tone. For instance, Farheekhtegan a publication affiliated with Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament featured the headline, “The Taliban’s Obscenity Knows No Bounds” on its front page. Similarly, the Khorasan newspaper displayed the headline, “Taliban Following in Türkiye’s Footsteps,” claiming that the Taliban are drawing inspiration from Türkiye’s dam-building policies against Iran. Additionally, Farheekhtegan highlighted Azerbaijan’s alleged role in constructing the Pashdan Dam. Further fueling the controversy, Abolfazl Zohrevand, a member of Iran’s Parliament and a former ambassador to Afghanistan, strongly criticized the Taliban while pointing to Türkiye and Azerbaijan’s involvement in dam construction. He called for a shift in the Islamic Republic’s approach to dealing with the Taliban regime in Kabul. So far, the Taliban have not responded to the Iranian statements. Click here to read more (external link).
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Khaama: The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that out of 92 confirmed cases of polio in 2024, 25 cases were recorded in Afghanistan and 67 in Pakistan. On Tuesday, January 7, WHO released a report indicating an increase in polio cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan compared to the previous year. According to the report, most of the confirmed polio cases were documented in the provinces of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Punjab. Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries globally where polio has not been eradicated, continuing to affect children. 
Afghanistan International: Michael McCaul, former chairman of the US House Foreign Relations Committee, warned that ISIS has been revived in Afghanistan under the control of the Taliban. McCaul said that the Trump administration, which will begin its work soon, should take the growing threat of ISIS-K seriously and take action against it. “Another issue that I’m very concerned about is the fall of Afghanistan and the catastrophe that happened there,” McCaul told ABC News on Monday. We are witnessing the revival of ISIS-K in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This really worries me.” 
Amu: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has rejected calls for the national team to boycott an upcoming match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy, despite widespread condemnation of the Taliban’s assault on women’s rights. More than 160 British lawmakers, including prominent figures such as Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn, and Lord Kinnock, signed a letter urging the ECB to withdraw from the February 26 group-stage match in Lahore. The letter, spearheaded by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, described the Taliban regime as an “insidious dystopia” and called for decisive action to protest the suppression of Afghan women and girls. 
Afghanistan International: Fada Hossein Maleki, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Committee and a former ambassador to Afghanistan, called the Taliban’s rule a threat to all countries in the region. Referring to the Taliban’s non-compliance with Afghanistan’s commitments, Maleki said that the Taliban has neither a parliament nor a government.