The government in Kabul is shaky. Opposition forces outside the capital are closing in. That's the scene in Afghanistan today. That's also a scenario that's played out three times in recent history.
People in the capital of Port-au-Prince felt the tremor and many rushed into the streets in fear. The U.S. Geological Survey predicts the death toll could reach into the thousands.
As Taliban forces continue a sweeping offensive and are nearing the capital, trust in Afghanistan's government is dwindling despite the Afghan president's vow to prevent further instability.
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.
Scientists who warned of heat waves and rising seas this week also say that it's possible to avoid the worst effects of the warming climate. They're relying on computer models of the world economy.
About 80% of those affected by the Taliban offensive are women and children, according to the U.N. The situation has "all the hallmarks of a humanitarian catastrophe," one official said.
NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Rangina Hamidi, Afghanistan's acting minister of education, about what it's like on the ground in Kabul during the Taliban's latest military surge in the country.
NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus, who commanded U.S. forces in Afghanistan, about the resurgence of the Taliban in the country.