Taliban

Pakistan has carried out strikes inside Afghanistan, with reports framing the action alongside Türkiye as a coordinated show of strength. The strikes signal rising tensions between Islamabad and Kabul over cross-border security concerns, and commentary suggests Pakistan and Türkiye are sending a strong joint message to the Afghan Taliban leadership. The development is drawing widespread attention across South Asia and the wider Muslim world.

South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai held talks focused on the rights of Afghan women, who have faced sweeping restrictions on education and public life under Taliban rule. The meeting signals growing international pressure on the issue, with Malala remaining one of the most prominent advocates for girls' schooling in Afghanistan.

Taliban authorities have arrested three people in Khost province, Afghanistan, over the alleged use of Starlink satellite internet terminals, according to the Kabul Tribune. The detentions highlight the Taliban's restrictions on internet access and their efforts to control unlicensed satellite communications, which bypass the country's state-controlled telecommunications infrastructure.

Da Afghanistan Bank and the Afghanistan Credit Guarantee Foundation have signed a cooperation agreement. The deal is expected to support lending and financial sector development, though details of what the agreement covers have not been spelled out. Afghanistan's banking sector has faced isolation and restrictions since the Taliban takeover in 2021, making any new institutional cooperation notable.

California State Senator Aisha Wahab, the first Afghan-American elected to a US state legislature, is calling on Washington to pursue diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan. She argues that continued isolation of the country worsens conditions for ordinary Afghans and that dialogue is needed to address humanitarian and security concerns, a position that is drawing attention among Afghan communities and policymakers.

Zabihullah, a spokesman for Afghanistan's Taliban administration, said the government is creating a favorable environment to attract foreign investment. The statement comes as the administration seeks international engagement and economic recognition amid widespread sanctions and a prolonged financial crisis. Officials have repeatedly promoted mining, trade and investment opportunities to potential foreign partners, though large-scale international investment has yet to materialize on a significant scale.