First lady Jill Biden on Monday will visit the military base that's home to pilots and aircrews who helped conduct the airlift out of Kabul to thank the service members and their families for their support in ending the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
Why it matters: When she stops at the crews' home at Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina, the first lady will be their most high-profile member from the Biden administration since the airlift ended on Aug. 31.
Zalmay Khalilzad, who stepped down last week as special envoy for the Afghan peace talks, shared few regrets about the deal he brokered between the United States and the Taliban, pushing back against former military brass and other critics who have described it as a "surrender agreement" that set in motion the Taliban takeover this summer.
Pope Francis on Sunday called on the international community to end the practice of returning migrants rescued at sea to Libya and other "unsafe countries," AP reports.
Why it matters: Hundreds of thousands of migrants have taken to the sea, fleeing from the countries like Libya and Turkey. Many were later returned to their county of origin by authorities.
Senior U.S. diplomat Sung Kim called on North Korea to stop missile tests and resume nuclear negotiations Sunday, AP reports.
Driving the news: Kim's remarks come on the heels of the country's submarine-fired missile launch last week, which violated multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Twice this year, President Biden has blurted out commitments that the U.S. is prepared to defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion — forcing the White House to walk back his statements and leading to confusion over a high-stakes national security policy.
Why it matters: U.S. defense officials have publicly aired their concerns that China will take Taiwan by force in the next four to six years, perhaps sooner. The president's position on this question may soon have real-world, life and death consequences.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Saturday he's declared U.S. Ambassador David Satterfield and nine other foreign envoys personae non gratae after they called for the release of jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala this week, per AP.
Why it matters: This would be the biggest rift with the West since Erdoğan came to power 19 years ago if the envoys were forced to leave, Reuters notes. Seven of the ambassadors Erdoğan has threatened to expel represent NATO allies of Turkey.
Driving the news: The high-value reward comes after Colombian national Alvaro Pulido Vargas and four others were charged with allegedly bribing Venezuelan government officials to obtain contracts to import and distribute food and medicine through a state-run program, according to the Department of Justice.
Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman conveyed U.S. support for a democratic transition in Sudan during talks with the head of its ruling council and the prime minister, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum wrote Saturday on Twitter.
Driving the news: "Feltman emphasized U.S. support for a civilian democratic transition in accordance with the expressed wishes of Sudan’s people," the embassy wrote.
