US special envoy to Afghanistan testifies before Senate as staff ordered to leave Kabul

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Updated 28 April 2021
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US special envoy to Afghanistan testifies before Senate as staff ordered to leave Kabul

Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan, warns in a Senate hearing that if the Taliban were to seize power militarily from the government in Kabul, they will have little international support.

"They will face isolation, regional opposition, sanctions, and international opprobrium," he says.

The US, earlier on Tuesday, ordered non-essential staff to leave its Kabul embassy, citing increased threats as Washington prepares to end its 20-year war in Afghanistan.
 


What We Are Reading Today: Writing Timbuktu

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Updated 25 January 2026
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What We Are Reading Today: Writing Timbuktu

  • In “Writing Timbuktu,” Shamil Jeppie offers a history of the book as a handwritten, handmade object in West Africa

Author: Shamil Jeppie

Printed books did not reach West Africa until the early 20th century. And yet, between the 15th and 20th centuries, literate and curious readers throughout the region found books to read — books that were written and copied by hand.

In “Writing Timbuktu,” Shamil Jeppie offers a history of the book as a handwritten, handmade object in West Africa.

Centering his account in the historic city of Timbuktu, Jeppie explores the culture of the “manuscript-book” — unbound pages, often held together by carefully crafted leather covers.