Taliban-Russia security ties: Acting Taliban defense minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob says a Moscow military-technical cooperation deal is meant to repair Russian-made systems already in Afghanistan, while warning Pakistan it “soon no longer dare” attack Afghan territory—signaling deterrence plus reassurance. Refugee resettlement politics: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells lawmakers the Trump administration won’t force Afghans stranded in Qatar back to Taliban rule and says it has spoken with at least five countries willing to take some. Humanitarian funding: OCHA reports Iceland pledges $402,000 to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund as needs rise amid poverty, hunger, and returns. Women’s rights diplomacy: Spain hosts a Feminist Foreign Policy conference stressing sustained support for Afghan women and condemning Taliban restrictions and silencing. UN child-marriage crackdown: A UN committee condemns an Afghanistan decree that legitimizes child marriage and treats girls’ silence as consent. Kabul surveillance allegations: Reports describe Taliban intelligence recruiting informants and pressuring people to identify “beautiful girls and boys,” with claims linking some killings to abuse. Afghan sports diplomacy: India begins red-ball preparations for the June 6 one-off Test vs Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, with Team India training updates and match build-up underway. Crime and migration: Italy arrests two suspects over the burning deaths of four farm workers (three Afghans, one Pakistani) in Calabria, reigniting scrutiny of exploitation networks.