Trump Administration Proposes $1 Billion Fee for New Global Peace Board 
EU Prepares Retaliation as Trump Tariff Threats Over Greenland Escalate Transatlantic Tensions 
France Nears 2026 Budget Deal as Government Offers Concessions to Avoid No-Confidence Vote 
Syrian Army Advances Into Kurdish-Held Areas Amid Rising Tensions and U.S. Warnings 
Macron Warns EU Will Respond to U.S. Tariff Threats Over Greenland 
Japan Snap Election Fuels Debate Over Consumption Tax Cut Amid Rising Living Costs 
Pedro Sánchez Warns U.S. Greenland Move Could Undermine NATO and Benefit Russia 
EU and Mercosur Seal Landmark Free Trade Deal After 25 Years of Talks 
Trump Criticizes NYSE Texas Expansion, Calls Dallas Exchange a Blow to New York 
Vietnam Communist Party Congress to Shape Leadership and Economic Strategy 
Trump Escalates Greenland Rhetoric, Citing Russia Threat and Pressure on Denmark 
U.S. Officials Clash Over Greenland Proposal as Tensions With Europe Rise 
Reform UK Gains Momentum as Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell Defects Ahead of 2029 Election 
Pentagon Prepares Alaska Troops for Possible Minnesota Deployment Amid Immigration Protests 
CBS News to Air Delayed 60 Minutes Report on El Salvador’s CECOT Mega-Prison 
Ukraine Unveils New Drone-Based Air Defence Strategy Amid Rising Russian Threats 
DOJ Urges Judge to Block Lawmakers’ Bid for Special Master in Jeffrey Epstein Records Case 
Since retaking control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has been seeking to be recognized as the country’s government. The insurgent group’s acting defense minister recently held talks with the leader of the United Arab Emirates to strengthen relations.
The Taliban-backed Afghan defense ministry and the UAE state media outlet reported Monday that the Taliban’s acting defense minister Mullah Yaqoob met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Dubai for talks on strengthening relations. The ministry said in a statement that Yaqoob and al-Nayhan discussed “strengthening relations, bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Afghanistan” along with other key issues.
The state news outlet WAM said the meeting took place on Sunday. The outlet also said that another Taliban official, Anas Haqqani, was also present during the talks.
The meeting with al-Nahyan comes after the insurgent group signed a contract back in September to run Afghanistan’s airports with the UAE firm GAAC Holding., beating out bids from Qatar and Turkey. Diplomatic sources told Reuters that the UAE is also determined to counter Qatar’s diplomatic influence in Afghanistan with the airport contract.
On the same day, the insurgent group said regarding an attack by the Islamic State militant group on the Pakistani embassy in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul was carried out by unidentified foreign groups that are trying to sow distrust in Pakistan. The militant group claimed responsibility for the attack that took place Friday last week in a post on the Telegram messaging platform on Sunday.
In the attack, a Pakistani security guard was wounded in the incident that Pakistan called an attempt to assassinate its own head of mission, who was not hurt. The insurgent group said they arrested one suspect and recovered two guns. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement that the suspect was a foreign member of the Islamic State.
“Behind the attack, there is the hand of some foreign groups and their aim is to create distrust between the two brotherly countries,” said Mujahid, who did not disclose which country the suspect was from. Mujahid added that an investigation is taking place about the incident.
