KABUL: The Afghan Taliban on Saturday announced a three-day cease-fire over the Eid holiday at the end of this week, their first offer of its kind, following a cease-fire announced by the government on Thursday.
The militants said foreign forces would be excluded from the cease-fire and that operations against them would continue. They also said they would defend themselves against any attack.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced an unconditional cease-fire with the Taliban on Thursday, coinciding with the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, but excluding other militant groups, such as Daesh.
Ghani’s decision came after a meeting of Islamic clerics declared a fatwa, or ruling, against suicide bombings, one of which, claimed by Daesh, killed 14 people at the entrance to the clerics’ peace tent in Kabul.
The clerics also recommended a cease-fire with the Taliban, who are seeking to reimpose strict Islamic law after their ouster in 2001, and Ghani endorsed the recommendation, saying it would last until June 20.
It was not immediately clear when the Taliban cease-fire would begin, as Eid starts when the moon is first sighted on either the 29th or 30th day of Ramadan, and the moon appears at different times across the country.
Ghani has urged cease-fires with the Taliban before, but this was the first unconditional offer since he was elected in 2014.
In August, US President Donald Trump unveiled a more hawkish military approach to Afghanistan, including a surge in air strikes, aimed at forcing the Taliban to the negotiating table.
Afghan security forces say the impact has been significant, but the Taliban roam huge swaths of the country and, with foreign troop levels of about 15,600, down from 140,000 in 2014, there appears little hope of outright victory.
Afghan Taliban announce Eid cease-fire after president’s unconditional offer
Afghan Taliban announce Eid cease-fire after president’s unconditional offer
- The militants said foreign forces would be excluded from the cease-fire and that operations against them would continue
- Afghan security forces say the impact has been significant, but the Taliban roam huge swaths of the country and, with foreign troop levels of about 15,600, down from 140,000 in 2014
Biden urges Americans to ‘keep the faith’ as he spends final full day as president in South Carolina
Biden urges Americans to ‘keep the faith’ as he spends final full day as president in South Carolina
- “We know the struggle to redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing,” Biden said. “We must hold on to hope. We must stay engaged. We must always keep the faith in the better day to come”
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.: Joe Biden spent his final full day as president Sunday in South Carolina, urging Americans to “keep the faith in a better day to come” and reflecting on the impact of the civil rights movement in pushing him into politics.
On the eve of Monday’s inauguration of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, Biden delivered a final farewell from a state that holds special meaning after his commanding win in its 2020 Democratic primary set him up to achieve his life’s goal of being elected president of the United States.
Biden spoke to the congregation of Royal Missionary Baptist Church about why he entered public service — Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were political heroes, he said — and he thanked South Carolina for its support: “I owe you big.” Monday is the federal holiday honoring King, the slain civil rights leader.
“We know the struggle to redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing,” Biden said. “We must hold on to hope. We must stay engaged. We must always keep the faith in the better day to come.”
He added: “I’m not going anywhere” — and the congregation applauded.
Before the service, as hostages started to be released under a Middle East ceasefire that the US helped broker, Biden said “the guns in Gaza have gone silent.” The agreement to halt the fighting between Israel and Hamas was one he had outlined in May.
“Now it falls on the next administration to help implement this deal. I was pleased to have our team speak as one voice in the final days,” Biden said.
He noted that the three hostages released Sunday “appear to be in good health” and he offered some advice to Trump on maintaining the hard-won deal.
“Success is going to require persistence, and continuing support for our friends in the region and the belief in diplomacy backed by deterrence,” Biden said.
After Biden spoke on the ceasefire, he and first lady Jill Biden took their seats in the front pew at the church. At least several hundred congregants sang gospel songs, rising to their feet and swaying and clapping. A choir led the musical selections from behind the pulpit before the program later shifted to focus on King.
Biden was introduced by Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., a key ally who referred to the president as his “longtime friend.” Clyburn cited a number of presidents who were underappreciated during their time in office but are now looked on more fondly with the passage of time. He added Biden to that list.
“So I want to say to you, good friend, very little appreciation has been shown recently but faint not. History will be very proud of you,” Clyburn said.
The Bidens also will tour the International African American Museum in South Carolina. It was built on a waterfront site where tens of thousands of enslaved Africans were brought to the US from the late 1760s through 1808, according to the museum’s website.
Back in 2020, Biden saw his campaign flounder after he lost the opening contests in New Hampshire, Iowa and Nevada. But at the fourth stop, South Carolina — where Black voters make up a majority of the Democratic electorate — he was lifted to victory after Clyburn’s endorsement.
“I know Joe. We know Joe. But most importantly, Joe knows us,” Clyburn said at the time.
After winning election and taking office, Biden pushed for South Carolina to move to the head of the line and be the state that opened the Democratic Party’s nominating process for 2024, instead of New Hampshire. He easily won the state’s primary that year.
“In 2020, it was the voters of South Carolina who proved the pundits wrong, breathed new life into our campaign, and set us on the path to winning the presidency,” Biden said in a statement after winning the primary for the second time. “Now in 2024, the people of South Carolina have spoken again and I have no doubt that you have set us on the path to winning the Presidency again — and making Donald Trump a loser — again.”
It didn’t turn out that way. After faltering in a debate against Trump, Biden dropped out of the race under pressure from many Democrats, though Clyburn notably was not among them.
Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced him as the Democrats’ nominee. She lost to Trump.
Clyburn said Biden told him he wanted to visit the African American history museum, which Clyburn helped start. They were planning to spend some time together there.
“This is his way of saying ‘thank you,’” Clyburn said.
Why Turkiye is so influential in post-Assad Syria
- Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who heads HTS, has said he does not want Syria becoming a platform for the PKK to launch attacks against Turkiye
ANKARA: Turkiye has emerged as one of the most influential power brokers in Syria after rebels toppled Bashar Assad last month, ending his family’s brutal five-decade rule.
NATO member Turkiye is now in a position to influence its neighbor’s future diplomatically, economically and militarily.
Here are details of Turkiye’s connections with Syria and how it hopes to use its influence there.
WHY IS TURKEY IMPORTANT?
Turkiye, which shares a 911 km (566-mile) border with Syria, was the main backer of rebel groups fighting under the banner of the Syrian National Army during the 13-year uprising against Assad. It cut diplomatic ties with Damascus in 2012.
It is the biggest host of Syrians who fled the civil war, taking in some 3 million people, and is the main entry-point for aid.
Since 2016, Turkiye, with its Syrian allies, has mounted several cross-border military campaigns against Kurdish militants based in Syria’s northeast that it sees as a threat to its national security.
Syria’s new administration, led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, is friendly toward Ankara.
WHAT DOES TURKEY WANT?
With its strong ties to Syria’s new leadership, Turkiye stands to benefit from intensified trade and cooperation in areas including reconstruction, energy and defense.
Assad’s fall has presented Ankara with a window of opportunity to try to end the presence of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) along its borders.
Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 and is deemed a terrorist group by Turkiye, the United States and the European Union.
The YPG militia spearheads the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, which is the United States’ main local partner in the fight against Daesh and controls swathes of territory in the northeast.
Washington’s longtime support of the Kurdish factions has been a source of tension with Ankara, but Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said he believes incoming US president Donald Trump will take a different approach.
Trump has not said publicly what his plans might be but has said that he thinks “Turkiye is going to hold the key to Syria.”
Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who heads HTS, has said he does not want Syria becoming a platform for the PKK to launch attacks against Turkiye.
As rebels led by Sharaa took control of Damascus last month, fighting flared between Turkish-backed and Kurdish-led forces in the northeast.
The SDF has shown flexibility regarding some of Turkiye’s demands, telling Reuters last month that its foreign fighters, including PKK members, would leave Syria if Ankara agrees to a ceasefire.
Intensive talks are underway to try to resolve the conflict in the region.
WHAT HAS TURKEY SAID AND DONE?
Turkiye’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, was in Damascus days after Assad was ousted, and its top diplomat, Fidan, was the first foreign minister to visit. Turkiye was also the first nation to reopen its embassy.
Fidan has said that Turkiye is proud to have been “on the right side of history” in Syria but has no desire to “dominate” it.
Turkiye has promised to support Syria’s reconstruction, offering to help rebuild infrastructure, draft a new constitution, supply electricity and resume flights.
It hopes Syrians it is hosting will start returning home but has said it will not force them to leave.
Turkiye has also called repeatedly for the YPG to be disbanded, while warning of a new military offensive if authorities in Damascus do not address the issue. Its officials have met repeatedly with US and Syrian counterparts about the issue.
The SDF has said it would be willing to integrate with Syria’s defense ministry, but only as “a military bloc.”
Trump draws thousands to Washington rally for a pre-inauguration victory lap
- Trump’s rally, along with his inaugural address on Monday, could preview the tone he plans to adopt during his second White House term
- Elon Musk and JD Vance due to speak before Trump addresses crowd
WASHINGTON: Thousands of Donald Trump’s supporters packed a Washington arena on Sunday to celebrate his victory, a day before the president-elect returns to power with plans to aggressively reshape US immigration and trade policy.
Throngs of fans danced to musician Kid Rock’s performance as they awaited Trump’s arrival at a “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” at Capital One Arena, an indoor hockey and basketball arena and the venue for some of Monday’s inauguration festivities after forecasts of bitter cold prompted officials to cancel the planned outdoor festivities.
The rally was likely to resemble the free-wheeling speeches that have been a Trump staple since his first White House campaign in 2016. The event marked his first major address in Washington since he delivered a speech on Jan. 6, 2021, to his supporters that preceded the storming of the US Capitol.
Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser, told the audience that Trump would issue an executive order on Monday “ending the border invasion, sending the illegals home and taking America back,” drawing cheers.
Ahead of the rally, his fans, many dressed in Trump’s trademark red jackets and MAGA hats, waited in a cold, driving rain along several downtown Washington blocks, some chanting “USA! USA!“
Val Tordjman, 58, had traveled across the country from Denver with tickets to watch the inauguration. When he heard the ceremony was being moved inside, notably cutting the size of the in-person audience, he said, “I felt like crying.”
Tordjman said he planned to spend the night on the street next to the arena, despite temperatures forecast to plunge to around 19 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees Celsius). He said he had yet to see Trump in person.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said.
Large swaths of the streets around the US Capitol and White House have been blocked off by steel fences since last week, and police were visible throughout the city.
Trump’s rally, along with his inaugural address on Monday, could preview the tone he plans to adopt during his second White House term. In recent weeks, Trump has bewildered foreign allies by musing aloud about taking over Greenland and the Panama Canal and turning Canada into a US state.
Immigration will be a target of Trump’s first executive actions after taking office, along with energy issues and policies aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, his incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz told CBS.
“The American people gave him a clear mandate. Lock down our border, deport the worst of the worst, take on the cartels,” Waltz said in an interview with “Face the Nation.”
Trump had breakfast with Republican US senators at Blair House, the guest quarters across from the White House, on Sunday. John Cornyn, Susan Collins, Ted Cruz, Rick Scott and Tim Scott were among the attendees seen leaving the event.
He later placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. Trump saluted the tomb as a military bugler played “Taps.”
MUSK FACTOR
The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, who has become a Trump confidant since spending more than $250 million on his campaign, is scheduled to speak at the event, along with Vice President-elect JD Vance, Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White, conservative activist Charlie Kirk and conservative commentator Megyn Kelly.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew planned to attend the rally, hours after the company announced it was restoring its service thanks to Trump’s promise to delay a US ban that took effect on Sunday. Chew is also expected to join other tech executives at Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Biden, meanwhile, made his last official trip as president on Sunday to Charleston, South Carolina, to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is also on Monday. He attended services and spoke about King’s legacy at Royal Missionary Baptist Church, while also urging despondent fellow Democrats not to give up hope.
The inauguration is scheduled for noon ET (1700 GMT) on Monday, when Trump will take the presidential oath of office inside the rotunda of the Capitol building, after the cold weather prompted organizers to move the ceremony indoors. Approximately 25,000 law enforcement personnel will be on hand to provide security.
World Economic Forum begins in Davos amid hope and uncertainty
- Annual meeting coincides with high geopolitical tensions, rapid technological advancements and escalating impacts of climate change
- Discussions at Swiss resort town will include center on the future of work, technology, and climate action among other pressing topics
DUBAI: As the world’s elite arrive in the snow-capped Swiss mountains for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025, the event promises to be a pivotal moment as global leaders address the world’s most pressing challenges.
With more than 350 government leaders, including 60 heads of state, attending, alongside business executives, civil society leaders, global experts, and other influential individuals from more than 130 countries, the forum’s organizers say the event — which runs from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24 — is intended to “drive dialogue and create solutions to the world’s shared problems.”
The theme of the 2025 meeting, “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” will focus on five pillars crucial for a sustainable and inclusive future: Reimagining Growth, Industries in the Intelligent Age, Investing in People, Safeguarding the Planet, and Rebuilding Trust.
Klaus Schwab, the WEF’s founder and chairman, emphasized the role of Davos as a unique venue in bringing together thousands of decision makers to address global challenges.
“Despite divergent positions and great uncertainties, the Annual Meeting 2025 will foster a spirit of cooperation and constructive optimism with the objective of shaping the forthcoming Intelligent Age in a more sustainable and inclusive way” Schwab said in a press release.
In that same release, Børge Brende, president and CEO of the WEF, echoed this sentiment, noting that unprecedented collaboration is required to deal with the world’s most pressing issues.
“The only way to address urgent challenges and unlock new opportunities is through innovative, cooperative approaches,” Brende stated.
Among the heads of state set to participate are U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (via video link), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Argentine President Javier Milei, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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Leaders from international organizations including the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the International Monetary Fund will also be present, alongside 1,600 business leaders, including more than 900 CEOs and more than 120 “tech pioneers.”
Civil society will also be well represented, with more than 170 leaders from labor unions, non-governmental organizations, and academia, and more than 160 members of the WEF’s Global Shapers, Young Global Leaders and Social Innovators.
The event will also be attended by 120 “cultural leaders,” and will feature an Arts and Culture program showcasing music, film, photography, interactive AI-driven art and handcrafted creations.
Mirek Dusek, WEF managing director, said in a statement: “By convening leaders from around the world and different walks of life, the Annual Meeting provides a platform to share views and knowledge at a time of profound change for people and communities.
“A core goal of our proceedings is to enable broad-based agency and solutions in the context of the new economy that seems to be emerging.”
Discussions at Davos will include debates on the future of work, technology, and climate action. Reports such as the Global Cooperation Barometer 2025 and the Future of Jobs Report will be discussed during sessions, as will the ways in which new technologies will reshape industries and potentially create millions of jobs, while also terminating many others.
The meeting will also examine critical initiatives in areas including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy, with the aim of creating “responsible, inclusive strategies for the future.”
Gim Huay Neo, WEF managing director said in a press release, “We will explore how data and technologies, as well as innovative partnerships, can be harnessed to create value and empower leadership for people, planet and prosperity.”
Swiss police clear hundreds of anti-Davos protesters
- Many observers have expressed concern about the so-called “broligarchy” surrounding US President-elect Donald Trump, which includes billionaire Elon Musk
DAVOS, Switzerland: Some 300 people including two millionaires protested in Davos Sunday ahead of next week’s gathering of the global elite at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss Alps.
Demonstrators carried placards with slogans such as “Tax the rich,” “Shut up! Pay taxes” and “Smash colonial capitalism,” blocking the road to the glitzy mountain resort.
Police moved in after the demonstrators ignored two calls for them to leave, a spokeswoman for the Graubunden cantonal police told the Keystone-ATS news agency.
With the blockade causing a major traffic jam, the authorities deployed a specialized vehicle to clear the highway ahead of the WEF’s Monday start.
Among those attending the protest was Austrian-German heiress Marlene Engelhorn, who gave away the bulk of her multi-million-euro inheritance to dozens of organizations working on social issues.
“The WEF symbolizes how much power wealthy people like me hold,” she told AFPTV.
“Because just because we are born millionaires, or because we got lucky once — and call that self-made — we now get to influence politicians worldwide with our political preferences,” she added.
“It’s a huge lobbyism effort. It’s a huge lack of transparency that we witness here, no accountability... I just think we need accountability, we need transparency, we need democracy to be in place here.”
Engelhorn also denounced the pollution being caused by private jets flying in for the summit.
Also at Sunday’s protest was Britain’s Phil White, part of a group called Patriotic Millionaires.
Many observers have expressed concern about the so-called “broligarchy” surrounding US President-elect Donald Trump, which includes billionaire Elon Musk.
Founded in 1971, the WEF offers a yearly opportunity for hundreds of business executives, politicians and other leading figures to mingle in the ski resort-turned-conference center over the course of a week.
More than 60 heads of state and government will be among those attending this year, according to the WEF.
Top of their minds will be Trump’s imminent return to the White House.
Trump is due to address the forum by videolink on January 23, according to the organizers, just three days after his inauguration Monday for a second term in office.
