Trump Congratulates Japan’s First Female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi After Historic Election Victory 
Nicaragua Ends Visa-Free Entry for Cubans, Disrupting Key Migration Route to the U.S. 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Secures Historic Election Win, Shaking Markets and Regional Politics 
Bosnian Serb Presidential Rerun Confirms Victory for Dodik Ally Amid Allegations of Irregularities 
Bangladesh Election 2026: A Turning Point After Years of Political Suppression 
U.S. Lawmakers to Review Unredacted Jeffrey Epstein DOJ Files Starting Monday 
Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party Wins Thai Election, Signals Shift Toward Political Stability 
Trump Slams Super Bowl Halftime Show Featuring Bad Bunny 
Sydney Braces for Pro-Palestine Protests During Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s Visit 
Antonio José Seguro Poised for Landslide Win in Portugal Presidential Runoff 
New York Legalizes Medical Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients 
Ohio Man Indicted for Alleged Threat Against Vice President JD Vance, Faces Additional Federal Charges 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
China Warns US Arms Sales to Taiwan Could Disrupt Trump’s Planned Visit 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
US Pushes Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Before Summer Amid Escalating Attacks 
The withdrawal of the US and other military forces in Afghanistan, along with the immediate takeover of the Taliban, has resulted in the international community considering how they should approach the new government. A special envoy of the UN to Afghanistan recently warned of the country’s worsening situation, urging the international community to find a way to provide financial support.
At a press conference this week at the United Nations, the organization’s special representative to Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, warned about the worsening situation in Afghanistan. Lyons said that Afghanistan is on the verge of suffering a humanitarian crisis that would worsen over time. Lyons added that the international community must look for a way to provide financial support to Afghanistan, especially for Afghans who were unable to flee the country during the evacuation efforts.
“Now is not the time to turn away from the Afghan people,” said Lyons during the press conference.
“To abandon the Afghan people now would be a historic mistake -- a mistake that has been made before with tragic consequences,” said Lyons to the UN Security Council.
Lyons said that the humanitarian “catastrophe” in Afghanistan could be avoided as the main cause of the crisis is the financial sanctions imposed on the insurgent group. Lyons pledged that the UN would take the steps needed to avoid the money getting into the hands of the Taliban.
The International Monetary Fund blocked the release of $45 million in Afghanistan over a week since the insurgent group took control of the country. The $9 billion in reserve funds of the Afghan Central Bank in the US were also frozen.
In other related news, the students, faculty, and staff of the sole music school in Afghanistan have completed their exit from the country as of Thursday, according to the institution’s founder. This comes as the last two from the Afghanistan National Institute of Music were able to safely depart from the country, no longer fearing a crackdown at the hands of the insurgent group.
The 272 evacuees of the institution, among them the all-female Zohra orchestra, will continue to Portugal, where they have been granted asylum.
