
From Kabul maternity ward to Nangarhar cemetery, a morning of murder rocks Afghanistan
Three militants stormed a hospital in Kabul soon after 10 am on Tuesday, shooting new mothers dead before the newborns in their arms had even seen the light outside the hospital.

US, Taliban will sign peace deal today ending 19-yr-long Afghanistan war; Mike Pompeo to be present during signing of agreement
The agreement mapping out a plan for peace follows months of negotiations between the US and the Taliban that have broken down before. The Pentagon has said for months that it is poised to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan to 8,600.

Taliban attack in Afghanistan: At least 20 killed, 95 injured after truck explodes near hospital in Zabul province
A Taliban truck bomb killed at least 20 people and wounded 95 when it exploded near a hospital in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, a provincial official said, with casualties expected to rise as rescuers sift the rubble

Daily Bulletin: Congress to stage protests in Bengaluru against DK Shivakumar's arrest; 9/11 anniversary; day's top stories
Here are today's top stories: Karnataka Congress to stage protests in Bengaluru over show solidarity against party leader DK Shivakumar's arrest; CBI special court to summon Kalyan Singh in Babri demolition case in Lucknow today; and more

Ahead of 18th anniversary of 9/11 attacks, kin of victims have mixed feelings about Donald Trump's cancellation of Taliban talks
11 September victims' relatives and first responders digested the news on Monday with mixed feelings

At least three killed, 30 wounded as car bomb rocks Afghanistan’s capital Kabul; Taliban claims responsibility for attack
At least three people were killed and another 30 wounded, a hospital director said

Suicide blast at Kabul wedding: Toll rises to 80; deadliest attack in Afghanistan's capital since January 2018 which claimed 103 lives
The bloodshed comes as the US and the Taliban continue to seek an agreement that would see the US reduce its troop presence

Intra-Afghanistan talks only after US forces depart, says Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen in Qatar
Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for Taliban’s political office in Qatar said talks with Afghan government would only come after departure of US forces. Two other main issues in the peace process are a ceasefire and talks between the rival Afghan sides, or inter-Afghan talks. About 20,000 foreign troops, most of them American, are in Afghanistan as part of US-led NATO mission to train, assist, advise Afghan forces.

US envoy says 'real strides' made in longest Taliban talks, but no agreement on troop withdrawal process
The talks focused on the withdrawal of US troops and assurances that insurgents would not use Afghanistan's territory to stage future terrorist attacks — one of the initial aims of American policy in the wake of the 9/11 attacks back in 2001. "Progress was achieved regarding both these issues," said a Taliban spokesman.

Taliban holds rare talks with Afghanistan politicians in Moscow; President Ashraf Ghani's rivals call for interim govt
The roundtable — which saw women defend their rights before the Taliban — comes a week after the insurgents held talks with US negotiators in Doha about ending the 17-year war. Both sides touted "progress" at the conclusion of the six-day discussions in Qatar.

Taliban delegation meets with US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar to negotiate 'peaceful end to invasion' in Afghanistan
A Taliban delegation has met with US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar to discuss ending the Afghan conflict, the militant group said Saturday, the first time either side has officially confirmed talks.

Taliban writes open letter to 'American people' asking them to pressure US into troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan
In a rambling nearly 3,000-word letter issued on Thursday, the Taliban urged the "American people" to press their government to withdraw from Afghanistan

'Virginity exams' on Afghan women are unscientific, constitute sexual assault: Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch has slammed "virginity exams" conducted on Afghan women and girls accused of so-called moral crimes, saying the invasive tests by government doctors were tantamount to sexual assault.

Indian consulate in Afghanistan rocked by heavy explosions and gunfire
Explosions and gunfire rang out today as militants tried to storm the Indian diplomatic mission in a northern Afghan city, officials said, in the latest assault on an Indian installation.

Immunity of US soldiers in Afghanistan to be decided by end of 2014
The Afghan government rejected an initial US proposal regarding the question of immunity and a second round of negotiations will take place this year in Kabul.

Karzai says Afghanistan joins Taliban peace talks: WSJ
The newspaper described the talks as an important breakthrough in efforts to end the 10-year war in Afghanistan, noting that Karzai's government had protested at previously being left out of talks between Washington and the insurgents.