
Outreach to the Taliban pays dividends to Putin
CNN
With the collapse of the Afghan government, a campaign of quiet outreach to the Taliban appears to be paying dividends for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Taliban is -- at least on paper -- officially proscribed by Moscow, and the Russian government has yet to recognize the militant group as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. But on Monday, Russia's foreign ministry announced it had established working contacts with the Taliban, which it said had "started to restore public order" in Kabul and across Afghanistan.
Janet Mills and her allies are counting on a gender gap to narrow Platner’s wide lead ahead of the June 9 primary to decide who will face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins. They are betting that the unfiltered style that has brought Platner widespread attention as someone who could help Democrats reach young men will backfire with women.

As a shrinking number of Transportation Security Administration agents work to keep hourslong security lines moving despite not being paid, President Donald Trump stepped into the fray Saturday, announcing he will send Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to airports by Monday if Congress doesn’t agree to a plan to end the partial government shutdown.











