Central Asia & Caucasus Data

A former Trump administration official to blame for Afghanistan falling into the Taliban’s hands seeks a political comeback despite championing the terror group and a convicted pro-Taliban narco baron. Zalmay Khalilzad, 73, an American-Afghan lobbyist-turned-diplomat, served as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation under the first Trump administration and was the architect of the botched The post Architect of botched Doha Agreement angling for a comeback appeared first on Asia Times.

Sanae Takaichi, reaffirmed as prime minister this week, held a press conference in which she discussed her priorities for “the Takaichi Cabinet 2.0.” In her remarks on Wednesday, February 18, she emphasized that her government’s first order of business is passing the FY2026 budget, which she is determined to pass before the March 31 end of this The post Take Takaichi fiscal policy seriously: The lady’s not for turning appeared first on Asia Times.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday he plans to keep tariffs in place using different authorities after the Supreme Court ruled he exceeded his power under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act.  During the afternoon press conference in the White House briefing room, Trump repeatedly criticized the six justices who wrote that IEEPA does not authorize the President The post Trump vows new tariffs, attacks Supreme Court justices for ruling appeared first on Asia Times.

The US Supreme Court on Friday ruled that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority when he invoked an emergency law to impose sweeping global tariffs, sparking a trade war and burdening American consumers and businesses with higher costs. The 6-3 decision, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, states that “nothing” in the text of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) The post Supreme Court says little about redress for Trump tariff damages appeared first on Asia Times.