Daily News Lesson

SHOW ALL

Aug. 8, 2021, 3:36 p.m.

After 20 years, Taliban returns to power in Afghanistan

Summary

The Taliban is set to return to power in Afghanistan, 20 years after being ousted by U.S.-led military operations. What will Taliban 2.0 look like for Afghans? For more on what kind of government will take over from the Ashraf Ghani government, Arian Sharifi, former senior advisor to Afghanistan’s most recent foreign minister, joins.

Five Facts

  • Who is Ashraf Ghani, and what position did he hold?
  • What is the Taliban?
  • When did the U.S. military help push the Taliban out of power?
  • Why is the U.S. military leaving now after 20 years?
  • How will Taliban control change the lives of Afghans, according to this interview?

Focus Questions

Do you think it was a good idea for the U.S. military and diplomats to pull out of Afghanistan now? What do you think could or should have been done differently after listening to Sharifi? Media literacy: This piece was an interview with one former official whose own life is deeply impacted by the Taliban coming to power, and did not include any footage or images from Afghanistan itself. Why do you think the producers chose to focus solely on the words of one individual for this piece?

For More

  • For more on the story of the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in recent days, see this AP news story .
  • Another perspective of a former Afghan official can be found here .

Links

TRANSCRIPT

Recent Daily News Lessons

springsteeen-1024x576

Daily News Lesson

Bruce Springsteen on 'critical patriotism' and the power of protest music

Learn more about "the Boss's" efforts to simultaneously express his devotion to the United States and hold its leaders accountable

Illustration shows Claude app icon

Daily News Lesson

Anthropic disables new AI model after White House security directive

Learn about the current challenges facing the U.S. government’s broad use of powerful yet largely unregulated AI models

Image 6-23-26 at 2.42 PM

Daily News Lesson

Plagued by algae and peeling paint, reflecting pool set to undergo more repairs

Learn about the controversy surrounding repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ahead of America's 250th anniversary

Dedication ceremony for the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago

Daily News Lesson

How the Obama Presidential Center offers a new vision for presidential legacies

With his new Presidential Center in Chicago, Barack Obama is hoping to display a "vibrant, living celebration of community."

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

PBS News Hour Classroom

Copyright © 2025 News Hour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward