Over 100 Taliban soldiers graduate from military training in Khost, Afghanistan

Taliban ought to fear ISIS-K: Afghan journalist Ali Latifi

German NGOs have joined dozens of other humanitarian organizations in suspending their work in Afghanistan after the Taliban banned women from working for them.

Women and girls have been largely excluded from public life in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August last year. Many women have not been allowed to return to their jobs. The Taliban banned women from all universities last week.

Movie star Omar Sy presented in Dakar Monday (Dec. 19) his latest film "Tirailleurs" by Mathieu Vadepied. The movie is a tribute to the hundreds of thousands of Africans who fought for France during the World Wars.

About 200 people gathered in the Russian city of Samara on Tuesday to hold a vigil for soldiers killed by a Ukrainian rocket strike in Makiivka, eastern Donetsk, on New Year's Eve. Mourners laid wreaths and roses in Samara's central square, while priests recited prayers for the dead.

Aid groups are warning of a dire situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban's banning of female NGO workers. Many major international aid groups have suspended their operations, including the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). We spoke to the NRC's Afghanistan director, Neil Turner, who said that organisations like his need female employees in order to access the women they serve.

The Taliban claimed to have killed members of the so-called "Islamic State" (IS), who were tied to an attack on a Chinese hotel in Kabul last month. Afghanistan is facing a significant security crisis under Taliban rule.

There has been global outrage over the Taliban's announcement to ban women from universities. In our first edition for 2023, we meet the Afghan women who are bravely protesting against the decree.

The soldiers were arrested in July and accused of conspiring against the Malian government. Three had been sentenced to death in absentia.

A 20-second video circulating online depicting soldiers throwing bodies onto a burning pile of rubbish in Mozambique has prompted an investigation. It could amount to war crimes if verified.

The Taliban blocked journalists from accessing the blast site in Kabul. It's still unclear who is responsible for the attack, but the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) has ramped up its activities in recent months.

Following the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-i-Taliban, or TTP) have retaken their positions in areas along the border. With the return of Taliban fighters, the picturesque Swat Valley has once again descended into violence and fear.