Over 1.2 lakh evacuated from Afghanistan in last 17 days: Biden
US President Joe Biden said that more than 1,20,000 US citizens, foreign nationals, and Afghan nationals were evacuated in the past 17 days as the US ended its 20-year military presence in Afghanistan. Biden added that the evacuations were “the largest airlift in the US history”. Biden thanked US military personnel “for their execution of the dangerous retrograde”.
South Africa detects new variant of coronavirus C.1.2 with multiple mutations
South Africa has detected a new coronavirus variant with multiple mutations. The new variant, known as C.1.2, has spread to most South African provinces and to seven other countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania from May to August, according to a preliminary study. Tests to assess the impact of mutations it possesses on infectiousness and vaccine resistance are still underway.
Bomb-laden drone attacks Saudi airport; injures 8 people, damages plane
A bomb-laden drone on Tuesday attacked Abha Airport in Saudi Arabia, injuring eight people and damaging a civilian plane, Saudi state television reported. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Earlier, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels were accused of attacking the airport by scattering shrapnel across the tarmac, which however led to no casualties.
Taliban supporters hold mock funeral for US, UK forces after they leave Afghanistan
Taliban supporters paraded coffins draped with US and UK flags on Tuesday after the countries’ forces left Afghanistan. During the mock funeral, coffins covered in French and NATO flags were also seen. “August 31 is our formal Freedom Day. On this day, American occupying forces and NATO forces fled the country,” Taliban official Qari Saeed Khosti said.
Up to 40,000 left in Afghanistan have right to German residence: Merkel
There are between 10,000 and 40,000 local staff working in Afghanistan who have a right to be evacuated to Germany if they feel they’re endangered, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. “We’ll have to see how many of them want to leave…and how many not,” she added. “Nobody takes the decision to leave their home lightly,” she further said.
