Pentagon: US troops ready to evacuate up to 9,000 people per day from Kabul

US officials claim they are now ready to evacuate as many as 9 thousand people a day from Kabul Airport.

There are now 5,200 American troops deployed at the scene, including members of US Special Forces.

They say there have been no hostilities by the Taliban fighters who encircle the airport, but also maintain there are no current plans for US troops to operate outside the airport perimeter.

Army Major General William Taylor told reporters the pace of evacuations has increased.

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But later in the briefing, officials conceded that the Americans have not evacuated 7,000 people themselves...instead, that is the total number of evacuations with which they have assisted, and is presumed to include evacuation flights by other countries.

On Wednesday, they disclosed that only 300 Americans were flown out by the US military.

Crisis talks over Afghanistan underway at White House

The Biden administration is in chaos with crisis talks at the White House underway between the president and US military chiefs to find a way out of the Afghanistan debacle.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are locked in talks with embattled President Biden, who is struggling to respond to intensifying criticism over his handling of the US pullout from Afghanistan.

Nina-Maria Potts has more:

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UK FOREIGN SECRETARY RESISTING CALLS TO QUIT

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says he will not resign over claims he failed to do enough to help evacuate interpreters from Afghanistan.

He was on holiday as Kabul fell to the Taliban.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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New US jobless claims hit pandemic low

The number of new unemployment claims in the US has fallen to the
lowest level since the start of the pandemic.

Analysts say it's a sign the economy is continuing to recover.

Sarah Walton reports

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Nigeria Begins Deployment of Sniffer Dogs at Airports for Security

The Nigerian government is set to procure and deploy sniffer dogs at two of its international airports at the cost of one point six million U.S dollars.

It says the process will subsequently be replicated at other airports in the country.

Tesem Akende reports from Jos, Nigeria

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UK VACCINES WATCHDOG TO DISCUSS BOOSTER JABS

The UK's vaccine watchdog is set to make a decision on which groups might be advised to have a third Covid-19 vaccine jab. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will consider a number of factors before issuing guidance. Laura Makin-Isherwood reports.

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AFGHAN EVACUEES ARRIVE IN GERMANY

The German Air Force says it will continue to evacuate as many people from Kabul as possible while it remains safe to do so. 

It comes as two planeloads of evacuees arrived in Germany overnight from the conflict zone - including at least 200 Afghan nationals who have fled the Taliban. 

From Berlin, Trent Murray reports. 

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DRC ARMY TRIUMPH

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The Congolese army says it has taken control of a rebel stronghold in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo after several days of fighting.

The army spokesperson says all villages that were in the hands of a rebel coalition in South Kivu province are now under their control. Inter-ethnic clashes in the region have claimed thousands of lives over the past decade. Chris Ocamringa has that report from Kinshasa.

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UK MINISTERS DECLINE TO CALL TALIBAN 'THE ENEMY' IN AFGHANISTAN

The UK's Defence Secretary is declining to label the Taliban as Britain's 'enemy' in Afghanistan.

It comes as the UK continues to try and extract its citizens from the country, along with Afghans who've been working for the British.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's been warning against recognising the Taliban as Afghanistan's government without conditions being met.

But Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says it would be counter-productive to call the Taliban 'the enemy', now the militant group has taken the country.

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Australia - Vaccination rates increase as Delta infections reach new peak

The regional lockdown in the state of New South Wales has been extended till August 28, in line with that of Greater Sydney.

This comes as the state recorded another 681 new cases of the Delta strain of Covid-19 in the past 24 hrs.

Shaun Bindley reports

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COURTESY AIR NEWS MEDIA - AUSTRALIA

In TV interview, Biden expresses no regrets over botched US military withdrawal, says troops may stay longer than end-August

President Biden is expressing no regrets over the pace of the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan that led to the collapse of the government in Kabul and then bedlam at the airport there.

He’s told an American television network that the military withdrawal could not have been handled in a way that would have avoided chaos.

But he's conceded it is now possible that US troops may have to stay in Afghanistan to continue evacuations beyond the current deadline of the end of the month.

Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.

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President Biden is expressing no regrets over the pace of the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan that led to the collapse of the government in Kabul and then bedlam at the airport there.

He's spoken to America's ABC News and told interviewer George Stephanopolous that the US military withdrawal could not have been handled in a way that would have avoided chaos.

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In an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC TV, the President indicated it may be necessary for US forces to remain in Afghanistan to continue evacuation efforts beyond the current deadline of August 31st.

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Dow drops 380 points after Fed discusses stimulus rollback

US markets fell for a second day in a row after the Federal Reserve
revealed plans to rollback economic stimulus this year.

Wednesday also saw a number of retailers release positive second
quarter earnings results.

Sarah Walton report.

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US officials say there could be violence at Kabul Airport "at any moment"

US officials said they have managed to evacuate roughly 5 thousand people from Afghanistan.

But the situation at Kabul Airport remains volatile....US commanders say violence could erupt there at any point...and the US Embassy is warning Americans in Afghanistan that their safe passage to the airport is not guaranteed.

US Special Forces are now on-the-ground at the airport, but America's Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he doesn't have sufficient resources to go into Kabul itself and help Americans get past Taliban checkpoints.

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The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, said there have been no hostile interactions with the Taliban so far at the airport….but that could change.

And he threatened reprisals if the Taliban attack US forces.

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COVID-19 booster shots for people in the U.S. from September 20

Top health officials in the United States say booster vaccines will be available from the end of September to protect people with waning immunity against the coronavirus.

 

FSN's Caroline Malone reports from Washington.

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New California Wildfire Spreading Rapidly

Another wildfire in California is growing rapidly, forcing evacuations and destroying numerous structures.

Historically dry conditions in the American west are complicating fire containment efforts.

Ira Spitzer has more from San Francisco.

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US recommends all adults get Covid-19 booster shot starting next month

The US government is recommending that all adult Americans get a Covid-19 booster shot eight months after initially becoming fully-vaccinated against the virus.

White House officials say they hope the booster programme will begin next month after they looked at Israeli data showing the efficacy of the existing vaccines against the delta variant of Covid-19 declines over time.

The US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, was asked why the US is prioritizing booster shots at a time when the World Health Organization says it's more important to address global vaccine inequity.

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President Biden's chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters the move is precautionary, but the timing is right.

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Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump has told Fox News that the booster shot is nothing more than an effort by Pfizer and the other drug companies to make more money.

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R Kelly trial gets underway in New York

Grammy award winning artist R Kelly's trial is underway in New York
after years of delays.

Kelly has faced sexual abuse charges for decades and was acquitted of
child pornography charges back in 2008.

William Denselow reports from New York.

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Top Senate Republican says White House bears full responsibility for Afghan crisis

The Republicans leader in the US Senate, Mitch McConnell says he supports Congressional hearings on the crisis in Afghanistan.

He accused the Biden administration of bearing sole responsibility for the botched US military withdrawal, but told reporters that he's willing to consider any White House requests for additional military muscle in Afghanistan.

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Tanzanian Government orders arrest of popular cleric over Covid jabs remark

The Tanzanian government has ordered the police and the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB),to arrest and interrogate Member of parliament, Bishop Josephat Gwajima for his statements against Covid-19 vaccines.

From Dar es salaam, Isaac Lukando has more.

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UK Member of Parliament and former soldier describes feelings over loss of Afghanistan

The UK government has been recalled to discuss the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

The Taliban has taken control of the country, after it occupied the capital city, Kabul.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Member of Parliament and former soldier Thomas Tugendhadt described how he and many others felt after seeing the country fall.

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