The Afghan Taliban and Pakistani forces have exchanged attacks in border regions since last week. This is not the first time northwestern Pakistan has seen armed conflict, and locals told DW they are fed up with wars.

The border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, particularly Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, continues to experience instability due to renewed armed clashes between the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani military. Decades of conflict, including the Soviet invasion, the US-led war on terror, and ongoing military operations, have left the area destabilized and its residents facing significant hardship.

Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militants, especially those targeting Pakistan, while the Taliban leadership denies these claims. Political leaders in the region, including those from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, advocate for dialogue rather than military action. Despite historical alliances, relations between the two governments have deteriorated since the Taliban regained power in Kabul. Local activists express skepticism about the Pakistani state's commitment to addressing militancy, citing ongoing mistrust and worsening conditions.

Afghanistan-Pakistan clashes open old wounds

This region in Pakistan has been witnessing wars, terrorist attacks, and military operations for decades. Residents of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have faced the brunt of these conflicts, which include the war between the former Soviet Union and the Afghan Mujahideen in the 1980s, the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan, and Islamabad's frequent military operations in the area over decades. Now, a new armed conflict is underway. Border clashes between the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani military. Decades of conflict, from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to the US war on terror, have destabilized the entire region on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of harboring militants, especially those belonging to the Pakistani Taliban, which targets military personnel and civilians inside Pakistan. Afghanistan's Taliban rulers in Kabul deny these claims. Unlike the ruling coalition in Islamabad headed by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Afridi's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf provincial government prefers dialogue with the Taliban over military action against them. The Taliban's actions are not a solution to peace or to the end of terrorism. Instead, it is a solution to dialogue and dialogue among the stakeholders. Qasim Ali Shah, a local politician, also proposes dialogue. We ask the leadership, we can ask the local leadership and the responsible persons to come over and sit on the table and let's discuss, let's discuss the solution, let's discuss the way forward, how can this terrorism can be managed, how this Afghan issue can be managed. Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban were close allies in the 1990s. Some experts say Pakistan supported the Islamist group even after the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan. But their ties worsened after the Taliban seized power in Kabul again in 2021. Mohsin Dawar, a politician and peace activist, told DW that the Pakistani state is still not serious in eradicating militants from the Pashtun areas. So there needs to be a sincere effort about dismantling the project Taliban. Otherwise, there is a very big mistrust on the state, among the general public, regarding the policies against militants. They are very much convinced now that the state is not sincere. They have gone through military operations. They have gone through almost each and every phase. But things are getting worse. They are not getting better.

The U.S. military killed five alleged drug smugglers in strikes against two vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, in an expansion of the Trump administration's use of the armed forces in its counter-narcotics campaign.

Washington

U.S. military strikes suspected drug vessels in the eastern Pacific

US Vice President JD Vance is in Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A US-brokered Gaza ceasefire has come under pressure over the weekend as both sides, Israel and Hamas, accused the other of not abiding by the ceaesfire's conditions.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

U.S. VP Vance meets Israeli PM Netanyahu in Jerusalem

The United States is to impose one of its largest-ever sanctions packages against Russia because Vladimir Putin was not "honest" in talks with Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday. "President Putin has not come to the table in an honest and forthright manner, as we'd hoped," Bessent told Fox Business, adding that Trump was "disappointed at where we are in these talks.

Trump imposes massive sanctions on Russian oil firms

The director of the Louvre admitted to inadequate camera surveillance of the museum's outside walls, three days after thieves robbed it of prize jewels in a brazen daytime heist. But Laurence des Cars said that a diamond- and emerald-studded crown that the burglars damaged and dropped as they fled could be restored.

Paris

Louvre director admits 'insufficient' camera coverage after heist

Testimony has begun in the murder trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, who shot and killed Sonya Massey in her home last year after she had called 911 for help.

Springfield

Testimony begins in murder trial of ex-deputy who killed Sonya Massey

The International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel is legally obligated to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, amid growing concerns over the worsening crisis in the enclave.

The Hague

UN court rules Israel legally obligated to allow aid into Gaza

The U.S. hit another alleged drug vessel with a military strike Tuesday night, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Wednesday. CBS News senior national security correspondent Charlie d'Agata has more.

U.S. carries out eighth strike on alleged drug boat

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is expected to present U.S. President Donald Trump with a plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata has more details.

Ukraine Invasion

NATO chief to present Russia-Ukraine peace plan to Trump

Russia attacked Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv on Wednesday, hitting a kindergarten with children in attendance. Ukraine’s president said all children have been evacuated, with many “experiencing acute stress reactions”.

Kharkiv

Russian strike hits Kharkiv kindergarten

Colombia has recalled its ambassador to the U.S. amid rising tensions between the two countries. Following U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats, President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs and suspended aid to Colombia, while Bogota accused Washington of violating Colombian sovereignty.

Feud escalates between U.S., Colombia leaders

President Donald Trump could demand the government pay him $230 million. It would be taxpayer dollars, approved by the DOJ, that he says he deserves for past cases. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane explains.

Trump may demand the DOJ pay him $230 million

The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened Wednesday for the first time after Sunday's heist. The thieves are still on the run. CBS News' Elizabeth Palmer reports on the latest in the investigation and how much the stolen jewels are worth.

Louvre reopens amid search for heist suspects

AccuWeather forecasters are warning that the western Caribbean could face extreme impacts from Tropical Storm Melissa as the storm will barely move for nearly a week.

Santo Domingo

Tropical Storm Melissa expected to stall, potentially deadly

A French government minister insisted the security system at the Louvre was working as it was supposed to when burglars easily made off with $102 million worth of jewels. The Paris prosecutor says 100 investigators are on the case.

Fallout grows in France over Louvre crown jewels heist

Vice President JD Vance visited Israel, calling for patience as the fragile ceasefire, in place for 11 days, continues to hold amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

In visit to Israel, Vance urges patience as fragile ceasefire holds

A planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was put on hold on Tuesday, as Moscow's rejection of an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine cast a cloud over attempts at negotiation.

Moscow

Russian demands on Ukraine jeopardize Putin-Trump summit

A posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who accused Britain's Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her as a teenager, went on sale in London on Tuesday (October 21, 2025), days after the disgraced prince gave up his Duke of York title.

London

More scrutiny piles on Prince Andrew as new Giuffre book released

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy began his five-year prison sentence in Paris on Tuesday (October 21) for conspiring to raise campaign funds from Libya, in a stunning downfall for a man who led the country between 2007 and 2012.

France's Sarkozy begins five-year prison sentence in Paris

US Vice-President JD Vance visits Israel amid concerns that the US-brokered peace deal between the country and Hamas will not hold. The Trump administration has redoubled its efforts to cement the fragile Gaza peace agreement after Israel accused Hamas of stalling the hand-over of hostages' bodies and deadly violence flared up in the territory days before.

U.S. Vice-President Vance visits Israel as Gaza ceasefire falters

Amazon.com cloud service returned to normal operations on Monday (October 20) afternoon, the company said, after an internet outage that caused global turmoil among thousands of sites.

Amazon says AWS cloud service back to normal after outage

Japan's parliament has elected the country's first female leader. Sanae Takaichi, 64, of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is seen as a hardline conservative who supports traditional gender roles and hawkish foreign policy.

Tokyo

Sanae Takaichi elected Japan's first female prime minister

Three days after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump said Ukraine “could still win” its war with Russia, but added, “I don’t think they will,” raising new questions about Washington’s support for Kyiv.

Trump doubts Ukraine will win war against Russia

Former FBI Director James Comey is asking a judge to dismiss the criminal charges against him, claiming the prosecution is vindictive and unlawful.

Ex-FBI director James Comey seeks to toss indictment

An appeals court panel is allowing the White House to federalize and deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon.

Portland

Appeals court rules Trump can deploy National Guard to Portland

U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a rare earths and critical minerals agreement aimed at ensuring a steady supply of the materials at a time when China is trying to tighten control over global supply.

Washington County

U.S. and Australia boost rare earths supply with new agreement

A global outage hit Amazon Web Services (AWS), disrupting platforms like Amazon Prime, Fortnite, Alexa, Snapchat, and Duolingo. The issue, caused by increased error rates, took about three hours to mostly resolve.

AWS outage mostly resolved after hours-long global disruption

Centrist Rodrigo Paz won Bolivia's presidential runoff, defeating conservative rival Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, as the country's worst economic crisis in a generation helped propel the end of nearly two decades of leftist rule.

La Paz

Centrist Rodrigo Paz wins Bolivian presidency

After 10 years in prison without charge, a Lebanese judge has ordered the release of Hannibal Gadhafi, son of the late Libyan leader, Moammar Gadhafi. But it’s on condition that he pays $11 million bail, something his lawyers say they will contest.

Beirut

Lebanon orders Hannibal Gadhafi’s release after 10 years

A cargo aircraft skidded off a Hong Kong runway and collided with a security patrol car before both fell into the sea early Monday, killing the two people in the car, authorities said.

Kowloon

Two killed after cargo plane veers off runway in Hong Kong

Thieves wielding power tools have struck at the famed Louvre Museum in Paris, stealing priceless jewels in a brazen heist that took just four minutes, according to the government. The thieves struck after the museum had already opened its doors to the public, with a major investigation now underway.

Breakdown