The ninth round of US-Taliban talks is underway in Doha. A Taliban leader, Abdul Salam Zaeef, a former Ambassador to Pakistan, has reportedly claimed that the US and Taliban are now very close to striking a deal, following which intra-Afghan negotiations will begin.

In a 14- minute video message released earlier this week, Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri urged Kashmiri 'mujahideen' to ‘single-mindedly focus on inflicting unrelenting blows on the Indian Army and government, so as to bleed the Indian economy and make India suffer.’