AFGHANS ANGRY AFTER U.S. PLANS TO PULL $1 BILLION IN AID

Kabul, Afghanistan — A wave of shock and anger spread here Tuesday as Afghans learned that U.S. officials plan to cut $1 billion in aid after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a brief visit here Monday, had failed to resolve a power struggle between President Ashraf Ghani and his top political rival that threatens to undermine a future peace accord with Taliban insurgents. Ghani, in a brief address to the nation, tried to appear calm and in control of the unraveling situation. He assured the public that he would find “contingency” funds to make up for the aid loss and said “the door is still open” to negotiations with Abdullah Abdullah, the rival who has insisted he was cheated out of the presidency in September elections and intends to form a parallel government.