Economy
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SIGAR: $29B of US Afghanistan Reconstruction Funds Completely Wasted
DID Press: The final report of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) reveals that of the $144 billion the U.S. spent on rebuilding Afghanistan, roughly $29 billion was entirely wasted. The 137-page report, the last issued before SIGAR’s…
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Iran–Israel Tensions Triple War-Risk Shipping Insurance
DID Press: Rising regional tensions between Iran and Israel prompted a rapid reaction in maritime insurance markets, with war-risk premiums for sensitive shipping routes—particularly Israeli ports—surging sharply. Analytical outlet Benzinga reports that insurers are reassessing risks linked to the Strait…
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UN: 90% of Afghans Live in Poverty as Unemployment Soars to 75%
DID Press: Afghanistan’s economy is in a deepening crisis, with unemployment reaching around 75 percent and more than 90 percent of the population living below the poverty line, warned UN. In its latest report, the UN said Afghanistan’s gross domestic…
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Goldman Sachs Forecasts 14% Rise in Gold, Mixed Outlook for Copper and Energy
DID Press: Goldman Sachs has forecast a sharp rise in gold prices by the end of next year, while offering a more nuanced outlook for copper and energy markets in its latest research note. In its most likely scenario, the…
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UN Reports 20% Cut in Taliban Security Forces
DID Press: UN says the Taliban authorities have reduced their security forces by around 20 percent amid budgetary constraints and organizational inflation, with thousands of Tajik and Uzbek personnel dismissed. In a report to the UN Security Council, the organization…
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Afghan Migrant Women and Children: The Silent Suffering on Int’l Migrants Day
DID Press: December 18, International Migrants Day, offers a moment to reflect on the fate of millions of people who have been forced to leave their homes and homelands. Among the world’s many migration crises, the situation of Afghan migrants…
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UN: Pakistan Border Closure Costing Afghanistan $1M Daily
DID Press: UN Security Council has warned that the closure of border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan is costing Afghanistan’s economy an estimated $1 million per day. In its latest report, the Security Council cautioned that unless the underlying disputes…
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US–Venezuela Tensions Escalate: Preparations to Seize 18 Super Tankers
DID Press: Tensions between the US and Venezuela have reached unprecedented levels as American forces prepare to intercept 18 Venezuelan supertankers, with fighter jets from both nations active along Venezuela’s coast. Early Wednesday, U.S. jets conducted large-scale movements along Venezuela’s…
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Confidential US Report Warns Military May Fail against China
DID Press: A confidential U.S. Department of War report warns that, in the event of a military conflict with China, even advanced assets like the Ford-class aircraft carrier could be vulnerable, and the U.S. military may fail to defend Taiwan.…
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Trump Labels Venezuela “Terror State,” Launches Oil Blockade
DID Press: US President Donald Trump has declared the government of Nicolás Maduro a “foreign terrorist organization” and ordered a complete blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers, targeting all vessels entering or leaving the country. Trump announced that Washington has deployed…
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