LIVE: Taliban ask US to stop evacuating skilled Afghans, says report

Afghanistan's 'acting' President Amrullah Saleh has highlighted the dire 'humanitarian situation' in Andarab valley. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

1:23 PM

'Op Devi Shakti continues,' Jaishankar tweets after 78 evacuees from Kabul land in Delhi

12:18 PM

India latest news: Isro seeks proposals for analysis, utilisation of Chandrayaan-2 data

The Indian Space Research Organisation has come out with an 'Announcement of Opportunity" (AO), seeking proposals towards scientific analysis and utilisation of data from all experiments of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter.

 

According to ISRO, the data from Chandrayaan-1 had been extensively used by Indian researchers to understand lunar morphology, surface age determination and composition of the lunar surface, studies on the possible presence of magmatic as well as exogenic water.

 

"These studies have provided enhanced thoughtful views regarding lunar evolutionary processes", the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency said. "Such studies from Chandrayaan-1 have considerably expanded Indian lunar science community". Read on...

12:14 PM

Afghanistan crisis LIVE updates: 3 copies of Sikh scripture, 44 Afghan Sikhs flown in from Afghanistan

Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and V Muraleedharan on Tuesday received three copies of Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib and 44 Afghan Sikhs who reached India from Kabul via Dushanbe in Tajikistan on a special Air India flight.

 

The three copies of Guru Granth Sahib will be taken to Guru Arjan Dev Ji Gurdwara in New Mahavir Nagar here, according to people coordinating the evacuation efforts with the Indian government.

 

"The Afghan Sikhs will stay at a hotel in Karol Bagh till further arrangements are made," said Kanv Bhalla, an entrepreneur coordinating rehabilitation efforts on behalf of New York-based philanthropist Mandeep Singh Sobti. Read on...

12:12 PM

India latest news: PAGD meeting underway to discuss restoration of J&K's special status

The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) began a meeting here on Tuesday to discuss the prevailing situation in the Union Territory and have wider consultations on the way forward for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

 

The PAGD is an alliance of six mainstream political parties seeking the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019.

 

The meeting started at alliance chairman Farooq Abdullah's residence at Gupkar here at 11 am.

 

12:11 PM

Uttarakhand landslide: SDRF rescues over 200 people after landslide in Uttarakhand's Chamoli

A team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Monday rescued over 200 people after they got trapped in the Tamas area near Raini village in Chamoli district due to a landslide yesterday.

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand for five days from August 24 to August 28, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.

 

Last week, the Niti Border road connecting the India-China border in Joshimath in the Chamoli district was blocked for a week in view of the recurring landslides hitting the area.

11:49 AM

A U.S. Marines gives a high five to a child during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

A U.S. Marines gives a high five to a child during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan. Photo (Reuters)

 

11:21 AM

America ‘laser focused' on evacuation from Afghanistan: US VP Harris

America is “laser focused” on evacuating its citizens, international partners and those who have helped it out of Afghanistan, US Vice President Kamala Harris said  on Tuesday.
 

Harris, in her speech on US policy and partnerships as part of her three-day visit to Singapore, said she was aware that the eyes of the world are on Afghanistan.

“We are laser focused on the task at hand, and we are extremely grateful to our men and women in uniform and embassy staff who are on the ground, as we speak, making this historic airlift happen in an incredibly difficult and dangerous environment,” she said.
 

“We were at war in Afghanistan for 20 long years. Many members of our military gave their lives in Afghanistan, as did many from our allies and partners.
 

“Months ago, President Joe Biden made the courageous and right decision to end this war, because we had achieved what we went there to do,” said Harris, who is in Singapore as part of her Southeast Asia visit aimed at bolstering America's engagement in the region.
 

She also thanked the American servicemen as well as international partners involved in the ongoing evacuation operation which comes as the Taliban regained control of much of the country.

11:12 AM

Afghanistan crisis LIVE updates: Taliban will be judged by deeds, not words, says Boris Johnson

The Taliban will be judged by its deeds rather than words, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said ahead of chairing an emergency G7 virtual meet to coordinate international response to the Afghan crisis.
 

Downing Street said that during the meeting Tuesday, the UK PM will call on the Group of Seven leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States to continue to stand by the Afghan people and step up support for refugees and humanitarian aid.
 

He is expected to urge international partners to match the UK's commitments on aid and the resettlement of those most in need in order to protect human rights and contribute to the stability of the region.

10:26 AM

Angelina Jolie slams US for Afghanistan withdrawal: As an American I'm ashamed

Actress-filmmaker Angelina Jolie has expressed anger over the decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, which has led to the Afghan government falling to the Taliban.

 

"Whatever your views on the war in Afghanistan, we probably agree on one thing: it should not have ended this way," Jolie wrote in an op-ed for Time magazine.

 

She added: "Giving up the idea of a peace agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban, appearing to cut and run, and abandoning our allies and supporters in the most chaotic way imaginable, after so many years of effort and sacrifice, is a betrayal and failure impossible to fully understand."

10:25 AM

Afghan pop star Aryana Sayeed blames Pakistan for empowering Taliban, terms India 'true friend'

10:00 AM

Afghanistan crisis LIVE updates: Taliban sentence to death brother of Afghan interpreter who 'aided US forces'

The Taliban have sentenced the brother of an Afghan translator to death after accusing him of aiding US forces, CNN which obtained the letters sent by the terrorists to the man, reported on Monday.

 

"You have been accused of helping the Americans. You are also accused of providing security to your brother, who has been an interpreter," the Taliban wrote in one of the letters to the Afghan man.

 

In the last letter the Taliban said that since the man ignored an order to appear for a hearing, he was "guilty in absentia" and, thus, to be sentenced to death.

 

Earlier in August, the Taliban took control of all districts in the capital, prompting President Ashraf Ghani to step down and depart from the country. Later, Mohammad Naeem, the spokesman for the Taliban's political office, declared the war in Afghanistan had come to an end, promising to ensure the safety of Afghans and foreign diplomats, and expressing readiness for dialogue with all political forces.

9:48 AM

Afghanistan crisis LIVE updates: US aims to complete evacuation from Afghanistan by August 31

The Biden administration on Monday (local time) said that it is aiming to evacuate all Americans from Afghanistan by August 31.

 

Responding to questions on the August 31 deadline, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters at a White House news conference that the final decision to extend the evacuation mission from the Kabul airport would be taken by President Joe Biden.

 

"Ultimately, it will be the President's decision how these proceeds, no one else's," said Sullivan.

 

"The President believes we are making substantial progress. Dozens of flights, thousands -- now tens of thousands of people evacuated from the country. We believe today will be an efficient and effective day and tomorrow and the next day as well. And as I said, he is taking this day by day and will make his determinations as we go," Sullivan said.

 

August 31 was declared a deadline by the Taliban for the US troops to leave the country.

9:38 AM

Afghanistan crisis LIVE updates: Taliban bans co-education in universities in Herat province

In its first "fatwa" after the siege of Kabul, the Taliban in Herat province have ordered all government and private universities to end co-education in their centres, a media report said.

 

In western Herat province, the Taliban have ordered that girls will no longer be allowed to sit in the same classes with boys in government and private universities, Afghanistan's Khaama Press reported on Saturday.

 

In a three-hour-long meeting between university lecturers, owners of private institutions, and the Taliban, the latter said that there is no alternative and justification for continuing with co-education and it must be ended, the report said.

9:28 AM

Biden's rating drops below 50% for first time in 'summer of discontent'

After a spike in US Covid-19 cases and bipartisan criticism over the chaos from America's withdrawal from Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden's overall job-approval rating has dipped below 50 per cent among adults for the first time in his early presidency, according to a new NBC News Poll.

 

The poll also finds fewer Americans support Biden's handling of the coronavirus and the economy now than they did last spring, and just a quarter of respondents approve of his handling of Afghanistan. Read on...

9:14 AM

BJP, Congress at loggerheads in Karnataka over statement equating RSS to Taliban

The ruling BJP and opposition Congress are at loggerheads over a statement issued by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) executive chairman R. Dhruvanarayana that "RSS is the real version of Taliban". BJP has announced that the party workers will flash black flags at all the public functions he attends, if he fails to tender an apology for his statement.

 

Dhruvanarayana, a senior Congress Dalit leader, former MP and close confidante of the Opposition leader Siddaramaiah straightaway rejected the demand and has said he will stand by his words. This might lead to confrontation between the BJP and Congress workers in the Mysuru region.

 

Dhruvanarayana justified his statement of equating Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the Taliban and said he meant his words and stands by his statement in this regard on Monday.