Special Prosecutor Alleges Yoon Suk Yeol Sought North Korea Provocation to Justify Martial Law 
New Epstein Photos Surface Showing Trump as Lawmakers Near Document Release Deadline 
Trump Signals Two Final Candidates for Fed Chair, Calls for Presidential Input on Interest Rates 
International Stabilization Force for Gaza Nears Deployment as U.S.-Led Planning Advances 
U.S. Soldiers Killed in ISIS Attack in Palmyra, Syria During Counterterrorism Mission 
International Outcry Grows Over Re-Arrest of Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi in Iran 
Bolivia Orders Pre-Trial Detention of Former President Luis Arce Over Embezzlement Probe 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
Zelenskiy Signals Willingness to Drop NATO Bid as Ukraine, U.S. Hold Crucial Peace Talks in Berlin 
U.S. Special Forces Intercept Ship Carrying Military Components Bound for Iran 
U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Amid Shift in Brazil Relations 
Syria Arrests Five Suspects After Deadly Attack on U.S. and Syrian Troops in Palmyra 
Russian Drone Attack Hits Turkish Cargo Ship Carrying Sunflower Oil to Egypt, Ukraine Says 
Judge Orders Return of Seized Evidence in Comey-Related Case, DOJ May Seek New Warrant 
Ukraine’s NATO Concession Unlikely to Shift Peace Talks, Experts Say 
Belarus Pledges to Halt Smuggling Balloons Into Lithuania 
California, 18 States Sue to Block Trump’s $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee 
President Donald Trump’s foreign aid suspension has halted flights for over 40,000 Afghans approved for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), many at risk of Taliban retaliation. Most stranded individuals remain in Afghanistan, while others are in Pakistan, Qatar, and Albania, according to Shawn VanDiver, head of #AfghanEvac, a coalition aiding Afghan evacuations.
The stoppage follows Trump’s 90-day pause on foreign development aid as part of his "America First" policy review. Advocacy groups report widespread disruption to U.S. and global aid operations, affecting critical programs like nutrition, health, and vaccinations. The State Department also suspended funding for organizations assisting Afghan SIV holders with resettlement, including housing, education, and employment support.
VanDiver believes the suspension was unintentional and urges exemptions for SIV-approved Afghans, emphasizing their sacrifices alongside U.S. forces during the 20-year conflict. Tens of thousands of Afghans are still awaiting visa approvals.
Reports from the U.N. suggest the Taliban have detained, tortured, and killed former U.S.-aligned soldiers and officials, despite the Taliban’s general amnesty claims. The flight suspension leaves many Afghans stranded at visa processing centers in Qatar and Albania or waiting in Afghanistan and Pakistan to travel for visa approvals.
Since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, nearly 200,000 Afghans have resettled in the U.S. on SIVs or as refugees. However, Trump’s recent executive order halting all U.S. refugee resettlement programs has further disrupted evacuations, stranding family members of Afghan American military personnel, former soldiers, and unaccompanied children.
The White House and State Department have not commented on the matter. Advocacy groups continue to call for action, stressing the urgency of protecting U.S.-affiliated Afghans facing Taliban threats.
