U.S.-Iran Peace Framework Nears as Strait of Hormuz Reopening Takes Center Stage 
FBI Faces Historic Security Challenge Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup 
US Appeals Court Keeps Trump’s 10% Global Tariff in Effect During Ongoing Legal Battle 
Trump Signals Possible Iran Peace Deal as Markets Rally 
Trump Says Iran Peace Deal Near as Markets Rally and Oil Prices Fall 
Peru Election 2026: Fujimori Holds Narrow Lead as Contested Votes Face Review 
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Deal Could Be Signed Sunday as Tehran Signals More Talks Needed 
Trump Names James McDonald as New SDNY U.S. Attorney 
KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun Defends Taiwan-China Engagement During U.S. Visit 
IMF Advances Ukraine Loan Program, Clears $690M Disbursement 
Taiwan Launches Intelligence Tip Website Targeting Chinese Informants 
JCPOA Nuclear Deal Explained as U.S. Nears Potential New Iran Peace Agreement 
Trump Administration Plans Deportation of Iranian Migrants to Central African Republic Under New Third-Country Deal 
Senior Haitian Security Official Kidnapped as Gang Violence Escalates in Port-au-Prince 
Viktor Orban Re-Elected as Fidesz Leader After Election Defeat 
North Korea Slams U.S. Missile Sale to South Korea, Warns of Rising Regional Tensions 
France Hosts Israeli-Palestinian Peace Conference to Revive Two-State Solution 
The administration of US President Joe Biden is facing a lot of pressure and criticism over the Afghanistan withdrawal that began with the deal made under his predecessor Donald Trump. In a recent interview, the disgraced former president made a strange agreement with his successor regarding the Afghan army.
Speaking with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Trump criticized the war in Afghanistan and the pointlessness of the conflict continuing for 20 years. The former president said that the reason why the Afghan army easily surrendered to the Taliban was that they were no longer being paid to fight for their country. Trump cited that the Afghan soldiers were on the ground during the last 20 years because the US was paying them to do so.
While the US military trained the Afghan soldiers, the former president added that the Afghan military no longer cared when they were not being paid anymore. Trump’s comments were similar to comments made by Biden when he said the Afghan government had to have the will to keep fighting. Biden’s comments reiterated that the US spent trillions on the conflict, including the salaries of the Afghan soldiers.
“The fact is. They are among the highest-paid soldiers in the world. They were doing it for a paycheck. Because once we stopped, once they left, they stopped fighting...So we were sort of bribing them to fight,” said Trump.
In this week’s address to the nation, Biden acknowledged the lack of organization and the speed at which the Taliban was able to overthrow the Afghan government. However, Biden defended his decision to withdraw the US from the grounds.
Aside from the Afghanistan crisis, the US is also seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases, especially among the unvaccinated at a time where the Delta variant of the coronavirus is becoming more rampant. However, as children are set to return to school, with more children getting infected and hospitalized for COVID-19, Biden told the press Wednesday that he is now directing the Education Department to use their legal authority to challenge the Republican governors who are trying to block schools from imposing mask mandates.
Biden said that several politicians, without mentioning names, are trying to turn public health and safety measures into political disputes. Biden added that those politicians are “setting a dangerous tone.”
