Pakistan—Taliban Announces Surprise Talks In Islamabad 

The Taliban says it will send a delegation to meet with U.S. and Pakistani officials in Islamabad next week, reports the Washington Post.  A spokesman for the militant movement said on Wednesday that it had received a formal invitation from Pakistan to hold talks there, reported the Press Trust of India.  The meeting on Feb. 18 would include U.S. special representative Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban negotiators, reported the Express Tribune (Pakistan). The Taliban officials...