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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005051

Life of Afghans in Kabul under Talibans control

Afghanistans capital Kabul has been experiencing seemingly peaceful days since the Taliban took control of the city on Sunday.

Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a view in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a view in Kabul, Afghanistan. 

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Afghan Taliban members are seen at a security checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2021.

Afghan Taliban members are seen at a security checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2021.

Afghan Taliban fighters are seen at a security checkpoint in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2021.

Afghan Taliban fighters are seen at a security checkpoint in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2021. 

Published : August 21, 2021

By : xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005047

Afghans flock around Kabul airport to escape uncertainty

Thousands of Afghans, including government employees and security forces, gathered in an open field north of Kabul International Airport on Friday, waiting for a chance to enter the airport, as intermittent gunfire rang out near the scene.

Following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban on Sunday, thousands of Afghans, especially those who had worked for the U.S. army and companies, flooded to the airport to leave the country.

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At its first press conference since the Taliban’s takeover of most parts of Afghanistan, the group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday promised to ensure the safety of people who worked with the United States and allied forces.

However, the unchecked rush of people to the Kabul airport and stampede had forced the country’s civil aviation authority to suspend commercial flights for a while.

Those who have been waiting on the dusty streets and pathways around the airport over the past five days with the hope to board a plane by chance are blaming the U.S. military invasion for their miseries.

Published : August 21, 2021

By : xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005044

Situation across Afghanistan remains extremely fluid: UN

550,000 people had been forcibly displaced inside Afghanistan this year, there were also 2.9 million internally displaced persons from prior crises, and 2.6 million Afghans who had fled worldwide over the past decades, according to UN officials.

The situation across Afghanistan remained extremely fluid and bolstered support for the humanitarian response inside Afghanistan was urgently needed, said UN officials on Friday.

Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said at a press briefing here that while widespread fighting had decreased since the takeover of the country by the Taliban on Sunday, the full impact of the evolving situation was not yet clear.

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The vast majority of Afghans were not able to leave the country through regular channels, Mantoo said, adding that some 200 UNHCR colleagues, both national and international, remained in Afghanistan.

“UNHCR was working with 18 local non-government partners with some 900 staff throughout the country. At present, they were able to access all provinces and working in two-thirds of all districts,” she said.

Mantoo told reporters that 550,000 people had been forcibly displaced inside Afghanistan this year, but there were also 2.9 million internally displaced persons from prior crises, and 2.6 million Afghans who had fled worldwide over the past decades.

The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid (C, rear) attends a press conference in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on Aug. 17, 2021.

Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), said at the press briefing that WHO was also committed to staying in Afghanistan and delivering critical health services.

At the start of 2021, he said, half the population of Afghanistan, including more than four million women and nearly ten million children, already needed humanitarian assistance.

“One-third of the population was facing acute food insecurity and more than half of all children under five years of age were malnourished. The current drought was expected to elevate those figures,” he said.

According to the WHO spokesperson, most major health facilities in Afghanistan were functional, and health workers had been called to return to, or remain at their posts, including female health staff.

Photo taken on Aug. 15, 2021 shows a road in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan.

Published : August 21, 2021

By : xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005042

Biden defends handling of withdrawal from Afghanistan, sees “no question” of U.S. credibility

Calling the past week “heartbreaking,” President Joe Biden said the United States has made “significant progress” and evacuated from Afghanistan over 18,000 people since July and 13,000 since Aug. 14. Nearly 6,000 troops are on the ground to assist civilian departure.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday once again defended his administration’s handling of withdrawal from Afghanistan, denying America’s allies questioning the country’s credibility over the ongoing chaotic evacuation.

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“This is one of the largest, most difficult air lifts in history, and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America,” said Biden, who has been widely criticized on the botched pullout, in a televised speech from the White House.

Biden said he has “seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world.”

“And all our allies have agreed with that … every one of them knew and agreed with the decision I made to end – jointly end – our involvement in Afghanistan,” said Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan standing behind him.

“Let’s put this thing in perspective here. What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al Qaeda gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al Qaeda in Afghanistan as well as getting Osama bin Laden, and we did,” Biden said.

Calling the past week “heartbreaking,” Biden said the United States has made “significant progress” and evacuated from Afghanistan over 18,000 people since July and 13,000 since Aug. 14.

Afghan Taliban members are seen at a security checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2021.

He pledged to use the full force of the U.S. military to complete the withdrawal and bring Americans and their Afghan allies who assisted the United States in the 20-year conflict to safety.

Nearly 6,000 troops are on the ground, providing runway security, and standing guard around the airport to assist civilian departure, said Biden, acknowledging the evacuation mission is “dangerous.”

“We will get you home. Make no mistake, this evacuation mission is dangerous and involves risks to our armed forces. And it’s being conducted under difficult circumstances. I cannot promise what the final outcome will be,” he said.

This is Biden’s second press conference at the White House since the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital of Kabul last weekend.

The world was shocked to see scenes of chaotic evacuation at the Kabul airport.

In his speech on Monday, Biden said Kabul’s fall to the Taliban came much sooner than Washington had anticipated.

While saying he bears responsibility for the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan, Biden has also cast blame on top Afghan leaders, Afghan forces and his predecessor Donald Trump.

In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, Biden said he believed the withdrawal could not have been executed without chaos ensuing and he was open to extending the Aug. 31 deadline for a total withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan just two weeks before the United States was planning to complete its withdrawal of troops from the war-torn country.

Afghan Taliban members are seen at a security checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2021.

Published : August 21, 2021

By : xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005041

UK will work with Taliban “if necessary”, says PM Johnson

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) will meet online early next week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, as the rift between Washington and its European allies seemed to have widened over the formers hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that Britain will work with the Taliban “if necessary,” as the group has regained the control of Afghanistan.

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“What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan — working with the Taliban, of course, if necessary — will go on,” Johnson told reporters.

He said the situation at the Kabul airport, where thousands of Afghans gathered in hopes of boarding an evacuation flight, was getting “slightly better” and he saw “stabilization.”

Britain has been able to evacuate about 2,000 people, including British nationals and Afghans who worked with Britain, since Thursday, the prime minister said.

Leaders attending G7 summit stand for a photo in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, Britain, on June 11, 2021.

Earlier this week, Britain’s Home Office introduced a “bespoke” resettlement plan, promising to take in up to 20,000 Afghans “in the long-term,” with some 5,000 being in the first year.

The plan was considered far from enough to deal with the Afghan crisis by British lawmakers who met for an emergency parliament session on Wednesday.

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) will meet online early next week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, as the rift between Washington and its European allies seemed to have widened over the former’s hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, French daily Le Monde said “Europeans were trapped in hasty American withdrawal.” British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace said last Friday that the U.S. decision to pull its military forces out of Afghanistan was a “mistake.”

Published : August 21, 2021

By : xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005040

UK records another 37,314 coronavirus cases

England lifted almost all its remaining COVID-19 restrictions since July 19. More than 87 percent of people aged 16 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and about 76 percent have received both doses, the latest figures showed.

Another 37,314 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 6,429,147, according to official figures released Friday.

The country also reported another 114 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 131,487. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

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Meanwhile, data from NHS (National Health Service) Test and Trace showed that mass participation events can be conducted safely, but caution must still be taken around specific aspects of event participation, according to a statement from the British government.

The data, drawn from a range of the 37 trial events that have formed the Events Research Program over a four-month period, showed that case numbers were largely in line with or below community infection rates for the duration of the program, according to the statement.

However, a cautious approach should be taken at unstructured events involving attendees being in close proximity for extended periods of time, when spectators are at high-density pinch points at venues, when travelling to and from events, and when mixing indoors before, during and after events, the government said.

Children play with water in a fountain near Tower of London in London, Britain, on Aug. 13, 2021.

“We’ve shown that we can reintroduce mass sports and cultural events safely but it is important that people remain cautious when mixing in very crowded settings,” said Britain’s Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.

“So that we can keep the football season, theatres and gigs safe with full crowds this winter, I urge sport, music and culture fans to get the vaccine as this is the safest way we can get big events firing on all cylinders once more,” said Dowden.

England lifted almost all its remaining COVID-19 restrictions since July 19. More than 87 percent of people aged 16 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and about 76 percent have received both doses, the latest figures showed.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.

A woman draws a red heart on the National COVID Memorial Wall in London, Britain, Aug. 9, 2021.

Published : August 21, 2021

By : xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005039

Mideast in Pictures: Palestinians clash with Israeli soldiers over settlement expansion in Nablus

Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli soldiers Friday following a protest against the expansion of Jewish settlements near the West Bank city of Nablus.

Israel’s continued settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories has been one of the major issues hampering the Israeli-Palestinian peace process which has stalled since 2014.

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Palestinian protester burns tires during clashes with Israeli soldiers after a protest against the expanding of Jewish settlements in Kufr Qadoom village near the West Bank city of Nablus, Aug. 20, 2021.

Palestinian protester burns tires during clashes with Israeli soldiers after a protest against the expanding of Jewish settlements in Kufr Qadoom village near the West Bank city of Nablus, Aug. 20, 2021. 

Protesters run to take cover from tear gas canister during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the village of Beita, south of the West Bank city of Nablus, Aug 20, 2021.

Protesters run to take cover from tear gas canister during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the village of Beita, south of the West Bank city of Nablus, Aug 20, 2021. 

A protester uses a slingshot to throw back a tear gas canister fired by Israeli soldiers in the village of Beita, south of the West Bank city of Nablus, Aug. 20, 2021.

Published : August 21, 2021

By : xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005038

Container ship Ever Given crosses Suez Canal for return trip

The Panamanian-flagged and Japanese-owned ship Ever Given on Friday crossed the Suez Canal for the first time since it blocked the waterway for six days in March, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement.

“The 400-metre, 220,000-ton container ship that was docked at the UK port of Felixstowe, has returned to Port Said on Thursday night,” said the statement.

“Accompanied by two tug boats and most professional guides, all security measures were taken to ensure the safe crossing of the ship,” the SCA said.

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The ship ran aground in Egypt’s Suez Canal and jammed global shipping traffic for nearly a week until it was refloated on March 29 by a fleet of Egyptian tugboats and diggers.

The ship was seized for more than three months until the SAC and ship owner reached a deal in July allowing the vessel to leave Egyptian waters.

People take photos of the Ever Given container ship sailing on the Suez Canal in Ismailia Province, Egypt, July 7, 2021.

Published : August 21, 2021

By : xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40005037

Covid-19 death toll in Asean crosses 200,000

Southeast Asia saw a marginal increase in new Covid-19 cases on Friday, but the death toll was lower, collated data from Asean countries showed.

Atotal of 95,512 new cases were reported on Friday, higher than Thursday’s 95,081, but deaths were lower at 2,696 from the previous day’s 2,786.

Total Covid-19 cases in the region crossed 9.14 million while the death toll rose to 201,176.

The Philippines reported a steep jump in new cases to 17,231 with 317 deaths on Friday, from 14,895 and 258 respectively on Thursday.

Cumulative cases in the country totalled 1,807,800 with 31,198 deaths.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday approved the easing of lockdown measures in Metro Manila until August 31 in selected businesses, but prohibited dining in at restaurants, both indoor and outdoor.

Meanwhile, Vietnam reported 10,657 new cases and 390 deaths, bringing cumulative cases in the country to 332,268 with 7,540 deaths. Ho Chi Minh City on Friday issued stay-at-home orders to its residents, with exceptions only for emergencies, as Covid-19 deaths soar. The city’s spokesman said that the curbs on movement should reduce infections and give authorities a chance to focus on treating gravely ill patients.

Published : August 21, 2021

By : THE NATION