If peace ever comes to Afghanistan, then Mullah Sardar Muhammad has made a promise to his parents. The first thing the 28-year-old Taliban junior commander fighting in Ghazni province will do is marry. For years he has disappointed his mother and father by putting off his wedding to concentrate on waging holy war against the Read more about ‘Only final victory over America can bring peace’ – Taliban footsoldiers’ warning on peace deal[…]

The German head of the Accademia Gallery in Florence, home to Michelangelo’s statue of the boy warrior David, has expressed anger and surprise after being forced out under reforms by Italy’s populist coalition.  Cecilie Hollberg was one of seven foreign directors of museums and galleries who were appointed in 2015 under the previous, centre-Left government. Read more about Director of Florence museum home to Michelangelo’s David forced out in ‘nativist’ purge of heritage sector[…]

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro authorized the deployment of armed forces to help fight fires raging in the Amazon and crack down on criminal activities in the region on Friday. The decree applies to indigenous territories, conservation areas as well as other regions in the Brazilian states spanning the world’s largest rainforest. He hit back at such Read more about Amazon fires: Brazilian president sends army to tackle blaze after Emmanuel Macron moves to block EU-South America trade deal[…]

Billions of tonnes of ice in Greenland is melting 50 years ahead of climate change schedules, preventing inhabitants from moving around the country by sledge and leading to the surreal spectacle of children playing in the Arctic sea due to rising temperatures. A heatwave gripping the Arctic region is causing high levels of melting ice, Read more about Climate change melts 12.5bn tons of ice in Greenland 50 years earlier than predicted […]

Donald Trump’s personal assistant and ‘gatekeeper’ has abruptly resigned amid reports that the US president learned she had a recent off-the-record dinner with reporters.  Madeleine Westerhout, 29, had a desk just outside of the Oval Office and is credited with having influence that comes with the proximity to power.  Mr Trump once said Ms Westerhout Read more about Donald Trump’s personal assistant and gatekeeper abruptly resigns amid reports of leaks to the press[…]

A rushed American troop withdrawal before the Taliban have committed to peace risks plunging Afghanistan into renewed civil war former US ambassadors have warned. It is not yet clear if peace is possible in what is now the world’s deadliest conflict and Donald Trump should avoid a hurried pull out that emboldens the Taliban into Read more about Afghanistan faces civil war if Donald Trump rushes troop withdrawal, US ambassadors warn[…]

The new US-Middle East peace envoy will be a 30-year-old White House administrative assistant, President Donald Trump announced yesterday. Avi Berkowitz, an assistant to White House senior advisor and Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, will inherit the role from Jason Greenblatt, formerly Mr Trump’s real estate lawyer, after Mr Greenblatt announced yesterday he would step Read more about White House announces Jared Kushner’s former ‘coffee boy’ as new Middle East envoy[…]

Donald Trump announced by tweet that he fired his national security adviser John Bolton on Tuesday, citing “strong” disagreements with his proposals.  The pair had recently clashed over Afghanistan policy, with Mr Bolton opposing a plan to invite the Taliban to Camp David for peace talks that was later scraped.  Mr Bolton also reportedly objected Read more about Donald Trump ‘fires’ national security adviser John Bolton over policy disagreements[…]

Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, is facing difficult questions about when she became aware of sexual assault allegations against one of her staffers after he resigned. It came one day after the president of her Labour Party, Nigel Haworth, resigned over the party’s handling of the allegations. A 19-year-old party volunteer told news Read more about Jacinda Ardern faces difficult questions as staff member accused of sexual assault quits[…]

Italy’s newly-formed coalition has been critically undermined barely a week after its creation after Matteo Renzi, a former prime minister, announced he was breaking away from the centre-Left Democratic Party to set up a new grouping. Mr Renzi had pushed hard for the creation of the current government, a shaky alliance between his party and the Five Read more about Italian former prime minister Matteo Renzi forms new party in blow to week-old coalition[…]