Politics

The U.S. military is sending more soldiers and marines to Afghanistan to work with Afghan forces at small combat outposts. But the State Department is largely staying behind the gates and blast walls of its Embassy in Kabul and not heading out into the field. Officials say it's because of security concerns, but critics say it prevents the U.S. from keeping an eye on how the billions of dollars in aid is being spent and improving governance across the country.

The guilty plea of former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos sheds more light on alleged connections between the campaign and Russia. The spring and summer of 2016 is a crucial period to examine.