Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada
8am: An audio recording of a speech by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban Supreme Leader, has been obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, in which he issued an order to close all schools, including both girls’ and boys’ schools, in Afghanistan. In the speech, Akhundzada compares the concept of school with that of a madrassa, stating that the “ethics” taught in schools corrupt people’s morals and change their views, thus schools should be shut down. He claims that the madrassa was created in opposition to the school, and the Taliban should establish madrassas instead of schools and send their children there. Akhundzada, in this comparison, refers to the result of school Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf and in Afghanistan, former President Hamid Karzai as negative, whereas he presents the result of a madrassa as positive, representing himself and the Taliban. He then urges his audience to judge which system is more beneficial for Muslims in Afghanistan. Akhundzada also refers to “school knowledge” as “stomach knowledge,” stating that he does not want such knowledge. The exact date of this speech’s recording is unclear, but it was recorded in Quetta, Pakistan when he was a teacher at a madrassa, and it is now widely circulated among the Taliban. Click here to read more (external link).
Forbes: In November 2024, the Guardian, the Centre for Information Resilience’s Afghan Witness project, Lighthouse Reports and the Afghan news outlets Zan Times and Etilaat Roz published the findings of their investigation into the Taliban’s “regeneration program” across Kabul. According to the report, the Taliban began the “redevelopment” in Kabul soon after returning to power in August 2021 and continues to this day. Their analysis of satellite imagery revealed that 1.56 sq km (385 acres) of the city was flattened. While the Taliban claim that such demolitions were part of the “regeneration program” of the area, it now transpires that the Taliban had a brutal impact on the most vulnerable communities, such as minorities or internally displaced people (IDPs). Among others, the Hazara and Tajik minorities are significantly affected, raising the question of whether the destruction is in part linked to ethnicity. 
Amu: The Afghanistan Cricket Board has extended the contract of Jonathan Trott, the national team’s head coach, through 2025, citing his instrumental role in the team’s recent successes on the global stage. The announcement follows a 2.5-year tenure during which Mr. Trott oversaw significant milestones for Afghan cricket, including standout performances in major international tournaments. Under his leadership, Afghanistan achieved historic victories at the ICC One-Day International Cricket World Cup, defeating teams such as England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands. The national team’s efforts secured them a place among the top eight teams in the competition, earning Afghanistan their first-ever qualification for the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled for 2025. 
Khaama: Local sources in Nangarhar province say that the families of members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are being relocated from districts such as “Shinwar,” “Ghani Khel,” “Kot,” “Beti Kot,” “Momand Dara,” and “Goshta” to Kabul and northern provinces of Afghanistan. In recent days, several commanders and members of the Pakistani Taliban have been killed in Kunar. The relocation of families linked to the TTP raises questions about the Taliban’s handling of cross-border militancy and its relationship with Pakistan. 
Khaama: The Afghanistan national football team has been placed in Group E alongside Syria, Myanmar, and Pakistan for the upcoming qualifiers for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. Despite the tough competition, the Afghanistan Football Federation has expressed confidence in the readiness of the national players, highlighting their strong preparations for the qualifiers. 
Afghanistan International: This research is based on interviews with 38 individuals who had been detained and tortured by the agents of the Taliban’s intelligence agency. It also includes data from petitions given to the Taliban’s Administrative Office of Appeals, wherein released detainees documented their imprisonment and the torture they suffered at the hands of the Taliban’s agents.