Analysis

President Biden and his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, agree that American troops should leave Afghanistan.

Politics & Government

Withdrawing From Afghanistan May Be The One Thing Biden And Trump Agree On

10:15am August 18, 2021

by Ron Elving

The last four U.S. presidents have found themselves mired in Afghanistan. The last two saw the war as an unwanted inheritance and an albatross, and they were determined to end the American role.

Taliban fighters patrol in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 as they seek to convince a wary population that they have changed.

Taliban Destroy Statue Of Foe, Raising Fears Over Their Claims of Moderation

6:12am August 18, 2021

The insurgents' every action is being watched closely. They insist they have changed and won't impose the same restrictions they did when they last ruled, but many remain skeptical.

In this photograph taken on Aug. 10, 2017, a U.S. soldier sits in the rear of Chinook helicopter while flying over Kabul.

A Mission To Give Afghans Democracy Became A Bid To Repair America's Own

5:10pm August 17, 2021

by Steve Inskeep

The United States inadvertently took on a mission to democratize Afghanistan, and instead undermined democracy at home, as unpopular wars tend to do.

Many people are worried now that home prices have surpassed the peak that preceded the 2000s housing crash.

Home Prices Are Now Higher Than The Peak Of The 2000s Housing Bubble. What Gives?

12:04pm August 17, 2021

by Greg Rosalsky

A new study helps to explain the dynamics of our bonkers housing market.

People run alongside a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane as it moves down a runway of the Kabul airport on Monday.

6 Political Takeaways For President Biden From The Chaotic Afghanistan Withdrawal

9:52am August 17, 2021

by Domenico Montanaro

The disorganization and confusion of President Biden's full U.S. withdrawal of Afghanistan have put him in a political hole.

President Biden departs after speaking from the White House Treaty Room on April 14 to announce the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Biden's Choices In Afghanistan Were Complicated. So Is The Fallout He Faces

4:12pm August 16, 2021

by Domenico Montanaro

The simple question of whether the U.S. should stay or go was not simple at all. Now Biden's determination to leave Afghanistan has resulted in a bigger mess than he bargained for.

World News

The History Of The Taliban In Afghanistan

8:50am August 15, 2021

Wazmah Osman, associate professor of Globalization and Development Communication at Temple University, puts the day's events into historic perspective.

Dawlatt Naimati, 22, from Kunduz, stands outside an internet café where she is seeking help applying for a U.S. special immigrant visa on Aug. 8, in Kabul, Afghanistan.

4 Reasons A Potential Taliban Takeover In Afghanistan Matters To The World

9:12am August 14, 2021

by Scott Neuman

It's not clear if the Taliban will be able to seize control of the entire country, but the speed of their advance has many inside and outside the country alarmed at the prospect.

Filmmaker Ken Burns has produced and directed historical documentaries for more than 30 years. In March, 140 documentary filmmakers signed a letter to PBS executives, suggesting the service may provide an unfair level of support to white creators.

Arts

PBS And Ken Burns Vow To Do Better On Diversity But Critics Aren't Convinced

1:57pm August 12, 2021

by Eric Deggans

PBS has announced $11 million in grants to boost diversity among documentary filmmakers months after an open letter accused the service of unfairly favoring white creators.

Bullet cases are seen on the ground at a crime scene after Mexico City's Public Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch was wounded in an attack, in Mexico City, on June 26, 2020.

Mexico's Suit Against U.S. Gun Companies May Seek More Than A Court Win

8:00am August 07, 2021

by James Fredrick

The Mexican government sued U.S. gun-makers and distributors in federal court for damages caused by illicit firearms. Experts say it's a long shot but the move could ramp up pressure on the U.S.