Cricketer Firooza Amiri says her team will "represent millions of women in Afghanistan who are denied their rights” when the side reunites after more than three years for an exhibition game in Australia on Thursday.

There is growing pressure on England to boycott February’s Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan, but for those living under Taliban rule cricket provides “a moment of peace in a lifetime of struggles”.

An Afghan women’s cricket team is set to play its first match in years. It could put pressure on the International Cricket Council to do more for Afghan women.

The warning comes after the Biden administration secured the release of two Americans. Secretary of State Rubio is threatening Taliban leaders with a “very big” bounty after he heard that there are more Americans being held in Afghanistan than previously known.

Democratic-led states and civil rights groups filed a slew of lawsuits challenging U.S. President Donald Trump's bid to roll back birthright citizenship on Tuesday in an early bid by his opponents to block his agenda in court.

A Taliban envoy cautioned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio against rising tensions with threats of bounties on Afghan leaders.