Trump Launches Operation Epic Fury: U.S. Strikes on Iran Mark High-Risk Shift in Middle East 
Macron Urges Emergency UN Security Council Meeting as US-Israel Strikes on Iran Escalate Middle East Tensions 
Argentina Tax Reform 2026: President Javier Milei Pushes Lower Taxes and Structural Changes 
U.S. Lawmakers Question Trump’s Iran Strategy After Joint U.S.-Israeli Strikes 
Germany and China Reaffirm Open Trade and Strategic Partnership in Landmark Beijing Visit 
EU Urges Maximum Restraint in Iran Conflict Amid Fears of Regional Escalation and Oil Supply Disruption 
Middle East Conflict Escalates After Khamenei’s Death as U.S., Israel and Iran Exchange Strikes 
UK Accepts U.S. Request to Use British Bases for Defensive Strikes on Iranian Missiles 
AI is already creeping into election campaigns. NZ’s rules aren’t ready 
Trump to Address Nation as U.S. Launches Strikes in Iran, Axios Reports 
Russia Signals Openness to U.S. Security Guarantees for Ukraine at Geneva Peace Talks 
HHS Adds New Members to Vaccine Advisory Panel Amid Legal and Market Uncertainty 
Pentagon Leaders Monitor U.S. Iran Operation from Mar-a-Lago 
Trump Says U.S. Attacks on Iran Will Continue, Warns of More American Casualties 
Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions Escalate as Taliban Offer Talks After Airstrikes 
Zelenskiy Urges Change in Iran After U.S. and Israeli Strikes, Cites Drone Support for Russia 
Following the evacuation of thousands of Afghans from the country back in August, there are still those that were not able to make the evacuation. The International Olympic Committee has recently announced that it will be providing aid to Afghan athletes who remain in Afghanistan.
The IOC announced this week that it would be providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan athletes who were not able to make the evacuation. The committee assisted in evacuating around 300 members of Afghanistan’s sports community. The panel reserved $560,000 of humanitarian aid for 2,000 Afghan Olympic and Paralympic athletes and will be distributed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
“Thanks to our discreet diplomacy, the Taliban accept and support the delivery by the IOC of humanitarian aid to members of the Olympic community who still live in Afghanistan,” said IOC president Thomas Bach, following the second day of the executive board meeting where the amount for humanitarian assistance was reserved.
Around 300 Afghan athletes, coaches, and officials were able to be evacuated from Afghanistan on humanitarian visas that were obtained by the National Olympic Committees from their governments. Bach said that the committee is reaching out to several governments to obtain more humanitarian visas for the athletes that remain in Afghanistan.
The day prior to the announcement, Bach said that the committee has held talks with the Taliban back in November in Qatar about those who remain behind, especially Afghan women and girls.
“We have clearly explained to them that free access to sport, without any gender, ethnic, religious or other discrimination, is fundamental for the respect of the Olympic Charter,” said Bach.
In other related news, around 100 former British Council staff are still in Afghanistan and are in hiding, The Guardian reports. The staff was employed to teach British values, and the English language remained in hiding in Afghanistan, having been refused by officials the right to come to the UK.
Joseph Seaton, the British Council Afghanistan English manager as well as its deputy director, wrote to cabinet members about their situation in the hopes of shoring up support. The staff applied to come to the UK via the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy that was set up early this year. According to Seaton, their applications are still unprocessed and have not been responded to for months since they were submitted.
