8am: The visit of a senior Indian diplomat to Kabul and his meeting with Taliban officials—described by Indian media as a “significant development”—has reignited discussions about New Delhi’s role in Afghanistan’s politics. Although India did not sever all relations with the Taliban upon their rise to power, it has kept them at a level that can hardly be described as ideal. With the fall of the Afghan republic, the general perception was that India had lost the game in favor of Pakistan. This perception didn’t seem entirely unrealistic in the early days of the Taliban’s rule. Pakistan’s ISI openly acted as a power broker, resolving the deadlock in the Taliban’s cabinet formation, allowing the Pakistani military to flaunt its influence over India more than ever. But as time passed, it became clear that Islamabad had viewed the situation overly optimistically. The belief that Pakistan’s military had won both the political and military game in Afghanistan proved mistaken, as New Delhi was unlikely to easily abandon the scene. Gradually, Taliban officials openly expressed their desire to improve relations with India, and India’s embassy in Kabul resumed its operations. Click here to read more (external link).
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AFP: Women in Afghanistan are not forbidden from speaking to one another, the Taliban government’s morality ministry told AFP on November 9, denying recent media reports of a ban. 
Amu: Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by 68 runs in the second match of their One Day International series, tying the series at 1-1. Winning the toss, Bangladesh elected to bat first. The team was anchored by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who scored 76 runs off 119 balls, while Jaker Ali contributed a quick 37 off 27 balls. Their efforts helped Bangladesh set a target of 253 runs. 
Ariana: John Sopko, the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), has called for the agency to be closed due to the Islamic Emirate’s takeover of the country and the reduction in assistance. Sopko has recommended to the Office of Management and Budget in the White House that SIGAR’s oversight operations be ceased on September 30, 2025. 
