Taliban Refuses

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in Kabul described Australia's decision as "pathetic"

From cricket to soccer, running to horse riding, Afghanistan's new sports chief said Tuesday that the Taliban will allow 400 sports -- but declined to confirm if women can play a single one.

Scores of Afghan women were forced by the Taliban to gather at Kabul University dressed in head-to-toe black robes that they had distributed on the anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks. Those who dared to refuse, say students, were to be expelled.

Rifts within the Taliban are delaying a new Afghan government, sources said Monday, blaming increasing discord between the Islamist group's Doha and Haqqani factions and the latter's reported refusal to accept Akhundzada as the 'supreme leader'.

When the Taliban took over Afghanistan the first time in 1996, China refused to recognize their rule and left its embassy shut for years. This time around, Beijing has been among the first to embrace the Islamist terrorists next door.

The Taliban declined on Saturday to begin talks with the Afghan government's new negotiating team in a setback to the U.S.-brokered peace process for one of the world's longest-running conflicts.

Taliban founder Mullah Omar lived within walking distance of US bases in Afghanistan for years, according to a new book that suggests embarrassing failures of American intelligence.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's bid to oust one of the country's most powerful provincial governors has run into strong resistance that has deepened political uncertainty just as Washington steps up its campaign against the Taliban insurgency.

An Indian-American has sued a New Jersey car dealership for USD 1.26 million, alleging it refused to sell him a swanky Mercedes Benz because a manager thought he came from a "high-risk area" and he might ship the vehicle to the Taliban.

Pakistan is looking for a lobbyist in the US after two recent diplomatic disasters when America refused to subsidise an F-16 deal and openly campaigned to induct India into the NSG, a media report said today.

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was top of the Twitter charts on Monday for reportedly stating that he has refused the Nobel Peace Prize and criticizing its conferral upon Pakistani Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban on her way to school.

The Taliban today refused to resume long-stalled peace talks with the Afghan government, reiterating their preconditions for holding dialogue, a statement said.

A key organiser of former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book launch event today alleged that he was attacked by Shiv Sena activists. He said his face was painted black with paint by Sena activists for refusing to cancel Kasuri's book launch in Mumbai.

The family of deceased Taliban leader Mullah Omar has refused to pledge allegiance to his successor, calling on religious scholars to settle a growing rift within insurgent ranks over the power transition.

President Barack Obama vehemently refused to apologise on Thursday for doing a prisoner trade with the Taliban to free a US soldier, despite a fierce political storm over the deal in Washington.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in Kabul described Australia's decision as "pathetic"

From cricket to soccer, running to horse riding, Afghanistan's new sports chief said Tuesday that the Taliban will allow 400 sports -- but declined to confirm if women can play a single one.

Scores of Afghan women were forced by the Taliban to gather at Kabul University dressed in head-to-toe black robes that they had distributed on the anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks. Those who dared to refuse, say students, were to be expelled.

Rifts within the Taliban are delaying a new Afghan government, sources said Monday, blaming increasing discord between the Islamist group's Doha and Haqqani factions and the latter's reported refusal to accept Akhundzada as the 'supreme leader'.

When the Taliban took over Afghanistan the first time in 1996, China refused to recognize their rule and left its embassy shut for years. This time around, Beijing has been among the first to embrace the Islamist terrorists next door.

The Taliban declined on Saturday to begin talks with the Afghan government's new negotiating team in a setback to the U.S.-brokered peace process for one of the world's longest-running conflicts.

Taliban founder Mullah Omar lived within walking distance of US bases in Afghanistan for years, according to a new book that suggests embarrassing failures of American intelligence.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's bid to oust one of the country's most powerful provincial governors has run into strong resistance that has deepened political uncertainty just as Washington steps up its campaign against the Taliban insurgency.

An Indian-American has sued a New Jersey car dealership for USD 1.26 million, alleging it refused to sell him a swanky Mercedes Benz because a manager thought he came from a "high-risk area" and he might ship the vehicle to the Taliban.

Pakistan is looking for a lobbyist in the US after two recent diplomatic disasters when America refused to subsidise an F-16 deal and openly campaigned to induct India into the NSG, a media report said today.

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was top of the Twitter charts on Monday for reportedly stating that he has refused the Nobel Peace Prize and criticizing its conferral upon Pakistani Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban on her way to school.

The Taliban today refused to resume long-stalled peace talks with the Afghan government, reiterating their preconditions for holding dialogue, a statement said.

A key organiser of former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book launch event today alleged that he was attacked by Shiv Sena activists. He said his face was painted black with paint by Sena activists for refusing to cancel Kasuri's book launch in Mumbai.

The family of deceased Taliban leader Mullah Omar has refused to pledge allegiance to his successor, calling on religious scholars to settle a growing rift within insurgent ranks over the power transition.

President Barack Obama vehemently refused to apologise on Thursday for doing a prisoner trade with the Taliban to free a US soldier, despite a fierce political storm over the deal in Washington.