INTERNACIONAL
Moscow, Taliban forge military alliance in power grab after US Afghanistan exit: reports
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Russia and the Taliban government in Afghanistan have signed a military cooperation pact, cementing an alliance that further solidifies Moscow’s influence in Central Asia, according to reports.
The deal, finalized Wednesday at an international security forum in Russia, followed a meeting between Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Afghan Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob.
The Taliban Defense Ministry announced on X that Yaqoob had traveled to Russia to attend the conference.
Yaqoob is the Taliban’s former military chief and the son of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar.
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Russia and the Taliban government in Afghanistan have signed a new military-technical cooperation pact, cementing an alliance that solidifies Moscow’s influence in Central Asia. (Photo by Elke Scholiers / Getty Images)
Omar had formed a close alliance with Osama bin Laden and provided a safe haven from which al Qaeda planned the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
As of Thursday, neither Russia nor the Afghan side had shared the further details of the new military agreement.
«Afghanistan and Russia have long and historical relations. In this direction, we want to move further. We have expanded bilateral relations,» Yaqoob said at the meeting.
The pact follows statements from a senior Russian security official who noted that Moscow has established a «full-fledged partnership» with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban and is encouraging other countries in the region to expand cooperation with Kabul, Reuters reported.
The Taliban had regained power in August 2021, after overthrowing the U.S.-backed Afghan government run by President Ashraf Ghani.
In 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the possibility of dropping Russia’s classification of the Taliban as a terrorist organization.
FORMER AFGHAN TRANSLATOR WARNS OF STARVATION, HUMANITARIAN CRISIS: ‘BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED IN 2001’
In 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the possibility of dropping Russia’s classification of the Taliban as a terrorist organization. (Alexander Kazakov/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo/AP, File)
In 2024, he called the Taliban «allies in the fight against terrorism» and Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
«After several years of vacillation, Russia has become the first country in the world to officially recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan,» Nikita Smagin, an expert on Iranian foreign and domestic policies, Islamism and Russia’s policy in the Middle East, said in a report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
«It’s more of a symbolic gesture than something driven by trade or economic considerations,» Smagin added, describing how when Taliban militants entered the Afghan capital in August 2021, «Russia was already deemed eligible for special treatment.»
«Its diplomatic mission was immediately provided with security, and Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov became the first foreign diplomat to meet with the new rulers of Afghanistan,» he explained.
On Wednesday, Shoigu also called for Western countries to unfreeze sanctioned Afghan assets.
AFGHANISTAN’S ONLY WOMEN-LED RADIO STATION TO RESUME OPERATIONS AFTER TALIBAN LIFTS SUSPENSION
Russia has become the first country in the world to officially recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan. (Photo by Elke Scholiers / Getty Images)
«We are convinced that Western countries should unfreeze blocked Afghan assets, fully recognize their responsibility for their 20-year presence in Afghanistan, and bear the burden of the country’s post-conflict reconstruction,» Shoigu said, according to reports.
«Moscow needs to take steps that will restore its image as an influential power that holds the initiative, and recognition of the Taliban regime serves precisely that purpose,» Smagin added.
«The status of the first country to establish official diplomatic relations with the Taliban government should ensure Russia has a leading role in discussions of regional security issues.»
The recognition of the Taliban, he said, was an attempt by Russia to «prove itself as a leading global force that is not afraid to break established norms and set precedents for other countries.»
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Moscow continues to emphasize the need to work directly with Kabul as it faces severe, ongoing security threats from various rival Islamist militant groups operating throughout Central Asia and the Middle East, Reuters said.
Shoigu also said Moscow was building a «pragmatic dialogue» with the Taliban that included security, trade, culture and humanitarian support, the outlet reported May 14.
afghanistan, world, al qaeda, vladimir putin, alliances, russia
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Embattled U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner was hit with a second explosive allegation of sexual impropriety only about 24 hours after he was accused of rape — all while a major campaign decision deadline looms.
In a new report published by The Washington Post, the candidate from Maine was accused of removing condoms during sex with his ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield after she explicitly directed him to wear them.
«He would pull condoms off,» she told The Washington Post. «He would do it in a sneaky way. He wouldn’t tell me.»
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner participated in a television interview May 1, 2026, in Portland, Maine, following a campaign event with the Maine AFL-CIO. (Graeme Sloan/Getty Images)
NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER
Fifield, 41, previously accused Platner of physical misconduct during their relationship, saying that he sometimes grabbed her hard enough to leave marks on her body and that one time he twisted her arm around her back, pushed her into a bedroom and held the door shut until she «calmed down.»
Those concerns were largely dismissed by Platner’s supporters, who characterized Fifield, who used to work at The Heritage Foundation, as being a conservative operative.
«I confronted him both during and after [sex] because he knew that I was not on birth control and how dangerous that was,» she told the Post, which said Fifield made the allegations in a previous interview with the outlet but strictly off the record.
Graham Platner addresses the crowd at his watch party after winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate at a YMCA in Blue Hill, Maine, June 9, 2026. (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)
‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN
«He would act, like, cute about it, like ‘Oh sneaky me,’» she said, according to the report.
In a statement to The Washington Post, the Platner campaign reportedly said that Fifield’s latest allegations were «categorically false and politically motivated.»
Platner is running to oust Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins.
Monday, the oyster farmer, whose campaign has been dogged by scandal since last year, was accused of rape by another woman.
Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, points to a covered tattoo that had previously been an image recognized as a Nazi symbol, during an interview on Wednesday in Portland, Me. (WGME via AP)
PLATNER’S LATEST ACCUSER CLAIMS THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE ‘ABSOLUTELY’ RAPED HER
Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico that Platner drunkenly entered her home while they were on-again, off-again romantic partners in 2021 and raped her. She claimed that he ejaculated inside her after she told him to stop multiple times.
«I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,» Racicot told the outlet, which she said took place while Platner was «almost blackout drunk» in Washington, D.C. «I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’»
Graham Platner, a U.S. Senate candidate from Maine , speaks during a campaign event at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6859 on May 17, 2026, in Portland, Maine. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Platner categorically denied those allegations, too, in a video released in the immediate aftermath of the publication of the Politico story.
He said his campaign was taking time to assess possible next steps as a major deadline in the race looms.
Platner must withdraw from the race by 5 p.m. July 13 if another Democratic candidate, who would be chosen by the party, is to replace him before the November general election.
Monday evening into Tuesday, a litany of previous supporters dropped their endorsements of Platner and called for him to drop out of the race, including progressive senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., two of his most ardent backers.
«Now more than ever we need leaders in Washington who reflect our values. There can be no tolerance for sexual assault,» Warren said in a statement Monday night.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and ranking member of Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, speaks during a hearing in Washington, D.C., Feb. 5, 2026. (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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«Working families are counting on Democrats to win the Senate election in Maine to unrig our economy and hold Donald Trump accountable. With so much at stake, the best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race.»
«I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,» Sanders said in a statement Tuesday. «In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.»
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, arrives for a confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., July 16, 2025. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Fox News Digital reached out to Platner’s campaign for comment.
Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
graham platner, politics, bernie sanders, elizabeth warren, maine
INTERNACIONAL
Aumenta la tensión en Medio Oriente: Estados Unidos lanzó una serie de “poderosos ataques” contra Irán
Las fuerzas del Comando Central de Estados Unidos (Centcom) comenzaron este martes “una serie de potentes ataques” contra Irán en respuesta a las agresiones atribuidas a Teherán contra tres embarcaciones comerciales que transitaban por el estrecho de Ormuz.
“Las acciones de Irán fueron injustificadas, peligrosas y una clara violación del alto el fuego”, afirmó Centcom en su cuenta de X.
Además, acusó a Teherán de atacar barcos comerciales tripulados por “civiles inocentes” en una vía marítima internacional.
La agencia de noticias estatal iraní informó de explosiones en sitios alrededor del estrecho de Ormuz. La agencia de noticias IRIB informó de seis explosiones escuchadas en la isla iraní de Qeshm, siete explosiones en la ciudad de Sirik y otras en la ciudad portuaria de Bandar Abás.
Estados Unidos detalló que las operaciones buscan “imponer costos elevados” a Irán por los ataques contra la navegación comercial y enmarcaron sus operativos como una respuesta a cualquier acción que consideren una violación al acuerdo alcanzado hace unas semanas.
Los nuevos ataques se producen en un momento de creciente tensión entre Estados Unidos e Irán, pese al alto el fuego alcanzado entre ambos países, con el estrecho de Ormuz convertido en un foco de disputa por su importancia para el transporte mundial de petróleo y gas
Leé también: Irán: la ausencia de Mojtaba Jamenei en el funeral de su padre reavivó los rumores sobre su estado de salud
Según las autoridades estadounidenses, Irán atacó en las últimas horas a tres embarcaciones comerciales que transitaban por el estrecho de Ormuz, entre ellas un buque gasero de bandera qatarí y un petrolero saudita, en incidentes que provocaron daños materiales pero no dejaron víctimas entre las tripulaciones.
Qatar y Arabia Saudita responsabilizaron a Teherán por los ataques y denunciaron que ponen en riesgo la seguridad de la navegación internacional y el suministro energético.
La escalada llevó a Washington a retirar el alivio temporal concedido a Irán como parte del marco de entendimiento alcanzado en junio, que había permitido determinadas operaciones relacionadas con el petróleo iraní. El Departamento del Tesoro revocó la Licencia General X, emitida el 21 de junio, y la sustituyó por la X1, eliminando la autorización previa para esas actividades y estableciendo el proceso de cierre ordenado de las operaciones ya permitidas.
Cómo fueron los ataques atribuidos a Irán
Poco antes, la agencia británica de seguridad marítima UKMTO, informó que tres buques fueron alcanzados por proyectiles en aguas del estrecho de Ormuz después de que Qatar denunció un ataque de Irán contra una de sus embarcaciones.
Buques comerciales, vistos en el estrecho de Ormuz desde la costa de Bandar Abbas, Irán, el 30 de junio de 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA vía AP)
“Las acciones de Irán en el estrecho fueron totalmente inaceptables para Estados Unidos y tendrán consecuencias”, dijo un funcionario estadounidense del Departamento del Tesoro.
La exención anunciada en junio había permitido inicialmente a la República Islámica producir, vender y entregar petróleo crudo y productos relacionados hasta el 21 de agosto.
Leé también: Por riesgo de derrumbe, evacuaron un rascacielos de 37 pisos en Manhattan y más de 150 expertos tratan de estabilizarlo
Tensión en el estrecho de Ormuz
La primera embarcación fue alcanzada por un proyectil, cuyo origen no fue identificado, que golpeó la nave a babor frente a las costas de Omán, provocando un incendio, según la UKMTO.
Qatar -uno de los mediadores en el conflicto en Medio Oriente- denunció que el metanero “Al Rekayyat” fue atacado mientras navegaba cerca del estrecho de Ormuz y responsabilizó a Irán.
“Consideramos a Irán plenamente responsable, desde el punto de vista legal, de este ataque y de cualquier daño o repercusión que se derive de él”, declaró el ministro qatarí de Relaciones Exteriores, Majed Al Ansari.
La agencia británica informó que dos petroleros fueron alcanzados en la zona y que un tercero fue “impactado por un vehículo aéreo no tripulado de origen desconocido y sufrió daños estructurales menores”.
En los tres casos, la agencia informó que no hubo heridos ni daños medioambientales.
Los incidentes ocurrieron a pesar del alto el fuego entre Estados Unidos e Irán en la guerra, que comenzó con ataques estadounidenses e israelíes contra Teherán a finales de febrero.
El futuro del estrecho de Ormuz, una ruta clave para las exportaciones de hidrocarburos del Golfo, que Irán bloqueó durante la guerra, es uno de los puntos de fricción en las negociaciones con Estados Unidos para poner fin de forma definitiva al conflicto.
Irán, Medio Oriente
Tom Homan: Democrats ‘lying’ about ICE facility conditions
Border czar Tom Homan refutes claims of inhumane conditions at a New Jersey ICE facility. Homan states, ‘Democratic politicians were lying’ about alleged hunger strikes and mistreatment after personally inspecting the medical, recreation and housing units. He found the facility well-maintained, even eating the same meal as detainees to verify food quality.
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The Trump administration plans to open up a new migrant holding facility next to an airport hub in Louisiana, potentially allowing the federal government to speed up deportations of families and unaccompanied children.
A holding facility with 528 beds is set to open in Alexandria, Louisiana near the Alexandria International Airport (AEX), according to The Associated Press.
The proximity to the airport is believed to make it easier for federal immigration officials to house illegal immigrants and unaccompanied children during final flight preparations, the outlet reported.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is describing the new Louisiana facility as a «staging area» and not a detention center, saying migrants would only be held there for a few days at most.
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FILE – The Trump administration plans to open up a new migrant holding facility next to an airport hub in Louisiana. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
«England Airpark is a staging facility for deportations. A staging facility is where illegal aliens await their deportation flight to their destination country or transfer to a detention facility,» a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, which deferred to DHS.
Airpark officials at the airfield where the structure is being built said the facility is a «humanitarian effort» for families who are «self-deporting,» but immigration advocates say families and unaccompanied children sometimes decide to leave due to pressure or a lack of an understanding of their options, The AP reported.
The facility would be stationed next to the nation’s largest hub for deportations.
More than 4,400 immigration enforcement flights came to and from the Alexandria International Airport last year, according to data from the ICE Flight Monitor, an initiative of Human Rights First.
ICE documents say families and children at the facility «are in the legal custody of ICE and can only be released at the direction of ICE.»
The agency has told contractors that families at the facility should not be referred to as prisoners, detainees or inmates, records show.
Contractors were instructed not to utilize bars or cages when transporting families and unaccompanied children. The facility will not be required to take headcounts and should allow families to wear their own clothes, the agency said.
The facility would be stationed next to the nation’s largest hub for deportations. (John Moore/Getty Images)
Unaccompanied children are typically not taken to facilities overseen by ICE and must instead be placed in the care of state-licensed shelters and foster care programs, which are run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Department of Health and Human Services, but that agency is not involved in the new facility’s operation, a spokesperson at the airfield where the facility is being built told The Associated Press.
The facility would be run by a nonprofit arm of LaSalle Corrections, a private prison contractor, according to Ralph Hennessy, executive director of the England Airpark Authority, who said it could be operational as early as next month.
«These are people that are volunteering to go back home and they’re going back home as a family unit,» Hennessy told The Associated Press.
ICE signed a contract late last month to build the facility at the former military base near Alexandria International Airport, Hennessy said.
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ICE is describing the new Louisiana facility as a «staging area» and not a detention center. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
The facility would operate as a 72-hour holding center for migrants awaiting deportation, records show, according to The Associated Press.
LaSalle Corrections runs several private prisons and federal immigration detention centers throughout the south, including the «Louisiana Lockup» inside the state’s maximum-security prison in Angola.
The official contractor for the new ICE holding facility will be the company’s nonprofit arm, the LaSalle Family Foundation, but LaSalle Corrections itself will be involved in operating the holding facility and ensuring compliance, according to the company’s chief financial officer, Tim Kurpiewski.
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Since April, two detainee deaths have been reported at a LaSalle-run ICE facility in the state.
Winn Correctional Center was also found last month to have violated standards regarding environmental health and safety, food service, use-of-force, medical care and other concerns, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
deportation, immigrant rights, immigration, homeland security, louisiana, politics, illegal immigrants
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