Five years after the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban government is engaged in a major diplomatic offensive seeking ties with regional and western nations. India, Qatar, China, Iran and several central Asian states have responded by renewing relations with the hardline Islamist regime, despite its systematic violation of human rights.
(“Concerns Grow Over Increased Global Ties with Taliban in Afghanistan,” The Guardian, Aug. 15, 2026; “The Taliban Kicked the U.S. Out of Afghanistan. Now They Want It Back.” New York Times, Aug. 15, 2026)
Sunrise Movement co-founder Will Lawrence opened his campaign for Michigan 7th Congressional District with a blistering ad against “tech billionaires” who want to turn Michigan’s farms into artificial intelligence data centers, which jack up electric rates. Lawrence won his Democratic primary by 12 points.
(“Anti-Data Center Populism is Reshaping American Politics,” Mother Jones, Aug. 9, 2026)
In towns near Buffalo, New York, high radiation levels prompted state officials to contact hundreds of residents. Thus far, dangerous levels of radiation have driven four families out of their homes. State and federal regulators say the source of the radiation in western New York State could be traced back to the 1940s Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bombs used to destroy the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II.
(“Manhattan Project Eyed as Potential Source of High Radiation in Western NY,” Gothamist, July 28, 2026)
