Afghanistan

The latest quarterly report on U.S. spending in Afghanistan was released on Thursday. Conspicuously missing were figures on how more than $50 billion is being spent on training and equipping Afghan military and police forces. Those figures have been classified for the first time in years of such reporting and the general who ordered keeping them secret says it's to keep enemies from sharpening their attacks. Key senators disagree.

In his final postcard from Afghanistan, NPR's outgoing Kabul correspondent Sean Carberry, a former professional musician, dives into the underground music scene.

Authorities are responding with draconian measures following the massacre of more than 130 students in Pakistan. Officials are focusing on Afghan refugees, even though the killers were Pakistani.

Uzbekistan has been a key partner for the U.S. in the Afghan war. Now that the U.S. role in that war is winding down, will Uzbekistan's poor human rights record become more of an issue?

With the start of the new year, the more than 10,000 American troops remaining there will take on more of a supporting role. But Afghan forces will still need help fighting the Taliban.