Yes, the United States is nation-building in Afghanistan

AFGHANISTAN: An expert eyewitness says the United States is nation-building in Afghanistan—and that’s a good thing:

“The United States will never achieve any lasting success in Afghanistan unless it can prevail in the inglorious and frustrating business of making Afghanistan’s government work better.”

NORTH KOREA: The U.S. Treasury Department added new sanctions targeting 16 Russian and Chinese entities that do business with Pyongyang’s brutal regime—and China’s not happy about it.

SINGAPORE: U.S. Marine Corps divers have uncovered the remains of sailors in sealed compartments of the USS John S. McCain, following the Monday collision between the U.S. warship and an oil tanker in Singaporean waters that left 10 sailors missing and another five injured.

CHINA: Human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has disappeared, perhaps into the state-security maw that presided over the death of Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo. A WORLD 2012 Daniel of the Year, Gao has advocated for Christian dissidents and contended publicly for religious freedom. Imprisoned several times since 2006, he has been under house arrest since 2014, while his wife and children have been exiled to the United States.

KENYA: Al-Shabaab militants hacked to death three Christians and killed a fourth—just weeks after the Somali-based terrorists also beheaded nine Kenyans, including three Christians, in restive coastal Kenya. Residents say the attackers hunted non-Muslim men: “Al-Shabaab knew these men as Christians.”

BRITAIN: The BBC consulted 253 film critics from 52 countries (on six continents) to come up with a list of the 100 all-time best comedies. Some American classics get short shrift (Princess Bride is No. 78!?!), but comedies seldom get their due in Oscar-type lineups, and even the roster of global critics is fun.

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