Kabul

Tourism in Afghanistan: Between Reality and Taliban Propaganda

Afghanistan tourism rises under Taliban rule, drawing visitors from Europe & Gulf while masking human rights abuses and women’s repression.

Russia Courts Taliban as Great Powers Jostle for Afghanistan

Russia moves to unban the Taliban in Afghanistan as U.S. and China re-engage Kabul, fueling a new Great Game over Afghanistan’s minerals and influence.

AfPak: Border Disputes, Security Challenges, and the Path to Stability

AfPak tensions persist due to border disputes, security challenges, and ethnic divisions, impacting regional stability and trade.

Popular

Poland’s Catholic Football Pilgrimage: Unity, Faith and a Hard Line on Migration

At a Marian shrine where football supporters gather to pray, a presidential call for “Poland without illegal immigrants” turned a devotional event into a political stage.

AfDB Turns to Gulf as Western Funders Step Back

The African Development Bank has installed a president with ingrained Gulf experience as Washington pulls back hundreds of millions

Modern Toys, Old Childhood: Barbie and Lego at a Crossroads

As Mattel unveiled its first autistic Barbie yesterday, developed over 18 months with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the $11.87 doll raised familiar questions about whether modern toys widen childhood or quietly narrow it.

Alps Without Snow: Winter Tourism Tries Reinvention

As Grandvalira in the Pyrenees postponed its late-November 2024 opening until mid-December, warm temperatures left slopes across France, Austria and Spain grassy well into the month, forcing managers to watch thermometers anxiously.

Iranian Heritage Under Threat From All Sides

As civil unrest spreads across Iranian cities in early January 2026 and President Trump renews warnings about military options, the country's 28 UNESCO World Heritage sites sit vulnerable to dangers from multiple directions.