Biden regrets not running for US president

Former US Vice President Joe Biden is remorseful about his decision not to run in last year’s presidential election, claiming that he could have easily defeated Donald Trump. During a speech at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, Biden said he only needed to secure the Democratic ...

Merkel faces big test as Germans vote in Saarland

Germans in the small western state of Saarland vote on Sunday in a regional election that could deliver an upset to Chancellor Angela Merkel and hurt her prospects of winning a fourth term in September's national election. The election carries significance as it is the first of three regional votes...

Iran announces sanctions on 15 US companies

Iran has announced retaliatory sanctions on 15 American companies over their support for Israeli crimes and terrorism two days after Washington imposed bans on nearly a dozen foreign companies or individuals for aiding the Islamic Republic. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that these...

Open trial of MUDH officials kick off on charges of AFN 1 billion embezzlement

The open trial of three former employees of the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MUDH) officially kicked in Kabul. The three employees are being tried on charges of embezzlement of at least one billion Afghanis and misuse of authority while working in the ministry. The officials facing...

ISIS execute 3 civilians on charges of supporting police in North of Afghanistan

At least three civilians have been executed in northern Jawzjan province of Afghanistan by militants affiliated with the offshoot of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group. According to the local officials, the incident took place in the restive Darzab district and the victims were...

High-Profile Al-Qaeda leader Qari Yasin killed in Paktika

The United States confirmed the killing of a high-profile Al-Qaeda leader in an airstrike conducted in southeastern Paktika province of Afghanistan. The Department of Defense in a statement said it confirms that a U.S. counter-terrorism airstrike conducted March 19 in Paktika Province, Afghanistan,...

Ghani did not discuss disbanding of parliament with anyone: ARG

The Afghan government has dismissed reports suggesting President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has warned to disband the Afghan parliament. This comes as reports emerged earlier suggesting that President Ghani has warned to disband the parliament as the lawmakers in the Lower House of the Parliament, Wolesi...

�Noor has always asked for Balkh, not for himself�: President Ghani

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani hailed the provincial governor of the northern Balkh province Ata Mohammad Noor for his dedicated work for the province, saying ‘Noor has always made request for the improvement of Balkh and not for himself'. Speaking during a gathering organized to inaugurate...

President Ghani arrives in Mazar-e-Sharif city on unannounced visit

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani arrived in Mazar-e-Sharif city, the provincial capital of the northern Balkh province on an unannounced visit this morning. The Office of the President, ARG Palace, said President Ghani is accompanied by a delegation of high level government officials. According to a...

UN urges Iran, Russia, Turkey to resume Syria talks in Astana

The UN has called on Iran, Russia and Turkey to convene a fresh round of peace talks between Damascus and opposition groups in Astana, Kazakhstan, to bring the situation on the ground under control amid increasing militant attempts to break into the heart of the Syrian capital in defiance...

European Union marks 60th anniversary in Rome as Brexit looms

European Union leaders will renew their vows on the 60th anniversary of the troubled bloc’s founding treaties Saturday at a special summit in Rome designed to show unity despite Britain’s looming divorce. Meeting in the same Renaissance-era palace where six founding countries signed...

Suppress all militants opposing govt and law, Ghani tells ANP Special Forces

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has said there is no ambiguity in the fight against terrorism as he instructed the Special Forces of the Afghan National Police (ANP) forces to suppress all militants opposing the government and law. He made the remarks during a meeting with the ANP Special Forces Commanders,...

Russia rejects US claim of giving supplies to Taliban in Afghanistan

Russia has dismissed as “false” the recent allegation by a US general that Moscow may be providing supplies to Taliban militants in Afghanistan, saying the charge was an attempt by Washington to cover up its failed policies in the war-torn country. “These claims are absolutely...

CIA was hacking iPhones one year after launch: WikiLeaks

Whistleblower website WikiLeaks has claimed the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been hacking Apple products to spy on their owners. The new WikiLeaks release, called Vault 7 “Dark Matter,” was released on Thursday.  It described a handful of programs that the CIA has...

Taliban militants capture key district in Afghanistan�s Helmand

The Taliban militant group has captured the center of a strategic district in Afghanistan's southern Helmand, forcing government troops to pull out of the area. The Sangin district’s police chief, Mohammad Rasoul, confirmed the militant group overran the district’s center on Thursday,...

Mubarak walks free for first time in six years

Egypt's ousted president Hosni Mubarak has walked free for the first time in six years, his lawyer says. Mubarak on Friday left a military hospital where he had spent much of his six-year detention over a series of charges, including killing protesters in the 2011 uprising that ended his 30 year...

Hundreds feared dead as refugee boat sinks off Libya

Around 250 African migrants are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean after a charity's rescue boat found five corpses and two partially submerged rubber dinghies off Libya, a spokeswoman has said. Laura Lanuza of Spanish charity Proactiva Open Arms said its boat Golfo Azzuro had recovered...

Taliban Attack On Takhar�s District Pushed Back

A group of Taliban militants attacked the district governor's office in Takhar's Khwaja Bahawuddin district on Thursday night and set fire to the district building, sources from the province said. However, the commander of north-eastern police zone, Lieutenant General Sher Aziz Kamawal said...

Afghanistan defeats Ireland in fifth and final ODI and wins series 3-2

The Afghanistan national cricket team defeated Ireland in the fifth and final match of the One Day International (ODI) series to clinch a victory 3-2 in the bilateral series. In the final match of the series, Ireland won the toss and elected to bat first, setting a target of 230 runs for Afghanistan...

Afghanistan defeats Singapore 2-1 in friendly football match

The Afghanistan national football team defeated Singapore 2-1 in a friendly football match. Hosted in Qatar, the Afghan team managed to hit their first goal during the initial minutes of the first half. The first goal was hit by Sharif Mohammad but the Singapore managed to draw the result of the match...

India wary as China defense minister visits Nepal

China's defense minister will arrive in Nepal later Thursday for talks on joint military exercises, a meeting that will be closely watched by India as Beijing boosts its influence in the region. Chang Wanquan will be in Kathmandu for a three-day visit -- the first by a Chinese defense minister...

Policeman Kills 9 Colleagues At Kunduz Check Post

A local police officer shot dead nine of his colleagues at a check post in northern Kunduz province on Wednesday night, local officials confirmed. The incident took place at a check post on the Kunduz-Ali Abad highway. After killing his colleagues, the attacker reportedly set their bodies on fire....

At least four people killed, 40 injured in attack outside UK Parliament

At least four people were killed and 40 others were injured outside the UK Parliament in London after an assailant plowed a car into pedestrians and stabbed a police officer, an incident that has been declared a terrorist incident. One police officer and two pedestrians were among...

Putin: Russian weapons proved efficient in Syria war

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country’s defense technology has proved its “exceptional reliability and efficiency” during the ongoing fight against the Daesh Takfiri group. "The capability of Russian weapons, their exceptional reliability and efficiency, were demonstrated...

Iranian Foreign Ministry condemns London terrorist attack

Iran has condemned the recent deadly terror attack in London, calling for the formation of a true international coalition against terrorists to replace the current “theatrical” ones. On Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi expressed Iran’s sympathy with the families...

Illiteracy Rate in Afghanistan is Terrible: Danish

Mohammad Sarwar Danish, Second Vice President said on Thursday that the high illiteracy rate in the country was "terrible" and that many of the country's problems are rooted in this. Speaking at a ceremony to mark the start of the new school year, Danish said: "64 percent of people (in Afghanistan)...

US Muslims Discriminated, Don�t Feel Safe: Poll

A new poll shows that Muslims in the United States are discriminated and more scared for their personal safety than any other religious group in the country. That is a part of several findings from a new opinion poll commissioned by the Institute for Social Policy Understanding, which surveyed both...

Prominent religious cleric killed in East of Afghanistan Prominent religious cleric killed in East of Afghanistan

A prominent religious cleric and former member of the provincial council of eastern Laghman province succumbed to his injuries he sustained during an attack by gunmen. The provincial government in Nangarhar said Qari Rohullah was shifted to Nangarhar for the treatment after he was critically injured...

National E-ID cards distribution likely to start in 90 days

The Afghan government is expecting to start the distribution of the electronic national identity cards in 90 days. The Office of the President, ARG Palace, said a meeting was organized to discuss the plans for launch of the distribution of the ID cards. The meeting was organized late on Monday evening,...

Noor Announces His Intention To Run For President

Addressing guests attending Nowruz celebrations in Mazar-e-Sharif on Tuesday, Balkh provincial governor Atta Mohammad Noor said that he would in the near future discuss his future plans over running in the next presidential elections. "I thank President (Ashraf Ghani) for his trust and for re-appointing...