China and Pakistan bolster Taliban business links

August 26, 2025

China and Pakistan bolster Taliban business links

Leaders from Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan assembled in Kabul last week to discuss economic cooperation through the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative and the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Some are worried that increased connections between China and the Taliban may lead Beijing to recognize the Taliban’s de facto government. Russia became the first country to recognize […]

Trump’s flag desecration order would make Europe proud

In his inaugural address on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump explained that “after years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I also will sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.” Trump’s Monday executive order calling for prosecutions of those […]

Surprise! California high-speed rail gets more bad news

The California High-Speed Rail Authority issued a project update for the first time in two years. It’s hard to believe, but the update was more bad news for California‘s biggest boondoggle. The project’s focus has been the Merced-Bakersfield line, which has, of course, ballooned in costs and had its deadline pushed back years. The Central Valley section of the line now […]

Trump’s utterly incoherent Ukraine strategy

President Donald Trump’s Ukraine policy is no more coherent today than it was last Friday when his administration executed search warrants against my home and office. Collapsing in confusion, haste, and the absence of any discernible meeting of the minds among Ukraine, Russia, several European countries, and America, Trump’s negotiations may be in their last throes, […]

False genocide charges don’t help Palestinians

Just under 25 years ago, while spending the year teaching in Iraqi Kurdistan, I was at a café with some Swedish NGO workers. Both BBC and Al Jazeera were on television showing much the same footage: Israeli tanks had encroached several dozen meters into Gaza. Commentators hyperventilated about Israeli intentions and demanded UN Security Council […]

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Gavin Newsom is the likely Democratic presidential nominee

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. It should not be lost amid the bizarre social media posts, Gavin […]

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