The Associated Press (AP) has retracted a story after incorrectly quoting a Taliban official on Afghanistan’s recent Internet blackout, admitting it mistakenly relied on an unverified WhatsApp message. The correction comes after nearly four days of near-total Internet and mobile disruption across Afghanistan, a move widely believed to have been ordered by Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.
The Taliban internet blackout has plunged Afghanistan into near-total digital silence, cutting off millions from the outside world and crippling essential services.
A routine traffic stop in Fairfax County, Virginia, escalated into a deadly confrontation on April 23, 2025, when 36-year-old Jamal Wali opened fire on police officers.
The Taliban's so-called commerce minister announced Thursday that the regime is nearing a trade deal with Russia to bypass U.S. dollar transactions, while also pursuing similar arrangements with China. The deal comes after Russia officially removed the Taliban’s terrorist designation in April, paving the way for formal economic engagement.
The Taliban, the jihadist group ruling Afghanistan since 2021, is once again pushing for official recognition at the United Nations. This week, top Taliban diplomat Suhail Shaheen claimed that representation at the U.N. is both a “necessity and a right” for the so-called “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.” Despite controlling the country for nearly four years, the Taliban remains internationally unrecognized and continues to enforce an oppressive sharia regime.
