Ahmad Massoud, an anti-Taliban leader, wants to hold peaceful negotiations with the Taliban, stating “that the only way forward is through negotiation.” He is also ready to fight if necessary.
Massoud expressed his desire for an inclusive government in Kabul that includes all ethnic groups, while urging the international community to fight against a “totalitarian regime”.
The anti-Taliban forces also include “many other people from many other provinces who are seeking refuge in the Panjshir valley who are standing with us and who do not want to accept another identity for Afghanistan,” according to Massoud.
Three districts near the Panjshir Valley are claimed to have been taken by groups opposing the Taliban, according to a tweet by Defence Minister General Bismillah Mohammadi.
Troops leading a resistance effort against the Taliban are meeting in the Panjshir Valley, where the Taliban announced they are sending “hundreds” of fighters.
Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani, a Taliban leader, emphasised the Taliban’s goal to “provide safety to the Afghan people,” but many are hesitant to believe this will be the reality.
The British army announced that seven people had died at the gates of Kabul airport on Saturday, and a total of 20 people are believed to have been killed in the past week.
US President Joe Biden expressed openness to extending the August 31st deadline for the withdrawal of American troops, but hopes it is not necessary. The UK has stated that the US should extend the deadline.
The US has called on commercial airlines to assist in evacuations from safe sites outside of Afghanistan.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson urgently called a G7 meeting “to ensure safe evacuations, prevent a humanitarian crisis and support the Afghan people to secure the gains of the last 20 years.”
The US Air Force shared that an Afghan woman gave birth in the aircraft’s cargo hold after it landed in Germany, with both the baby and mother currently in good condition.
The situation in Kabul airport is increasingly desperate, with thousands waiting at the gates and in surrounding areas to evacuate. There have been cases with families being split up and sent to different countries.
Amrullah Saleh, Vice President of Afghanistan and Ahmad Massoud, son of Ahmad Shah Massoud spotted in Panjshir.They are bringing all Anti-Taliban commanders together in Panjshir. This province is still free from Taliban. pic.twitter.com/bgb8hUdfwi
1. The #BritishMilitary here at #KabulAirport have shown breathtaking levels of toughness, professionalism and – rare in war times I must say – compassion. I've been moved to tears by their actions, diving into dangerous crowds to pull visa-holders into the base….
If Biden would say definitively that we will stay for as long as it takes to get everyone out of #Afghanistan who qualifies to leave, then the chaos around the airport would reduce. It's that simple. (People in Kabul are panicked by the artificial 8/31 deadline.)
In her meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that sanctions may be imposed on Russia over use of its Nord Stream 2 project, a controversial gas pipeline, if used as a weapon or against Ukraine.
Zelensky has stated that the pipeline is a security issue, and that this “geopolitical weapon of the Kremlin” will give Russia too much influence over the region’s energy supply.
Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to give Ukraine more than one billion dollars for their renewable energy efforts. Germany also pledged to assist in renewable energy efforts.
Tweets:
#Nordstream2: Kyiv and Moscow are in search of guarantees. Zelensky expects from Merkel's visit guarantees for a minimum gas-transit through 🇺🇦. Putin seeks guarantees for demand on 🇷🇺 gas after EU's Green Deal. Merkel's visit to 🇺🇦 tomorrow might shed more light on progress.
Qatar Announces Date for First Shura Council Elections
Francisco Anzola, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Qatar announced October 2nd as the date for its first legislative elections for its Shura Council. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani stated that the elections are an “an important step” for the country.
Thirty seats out of forty-five will be chosen by vote, and one third by the Emir. The Shura Council advises the emir on legislative policies and approves state policies, among other duties.
Some controversy has brewed over eligibility to vote in the elections, with a certain law stating that one’s family must have been in Qatar before 1930. Out of the countries with a Gulf monarchy, Kuwait and Bahrain give the most power to its elected parliament.
Tweets:
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior called on citizens to participate in #Qatar's historical first Shura Elections. He wished the candidates a fair and civilized political process, that engages with tolerant values and national unity. https://t.co/joktdqCT0I
Yordenis Ugas Defeats Manny Pacquiao in Boxing Match
https://www.flickr.com/photos/roger_alcantara/, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Yordenis Ugas, a Cuban boxer and former Olympian, defeated boxing legend Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night.
Ugas’s victory against the 42-year-old Filipino senator defended his WBA welterweight champion title in the 12 round match in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao threw 815 punches while Ugas threw 405 punches. Ugas accepted the opportunity to fight against Pacquiao with only two weeks to train.
The 35-year-old welterweight champion’s victory by unanimous decision leaves Pacquiao’s future in the sport uncertain.
Tweets:
#PacquiaoUgas Thanks to @MannyPacquiao for giving me the opportunity to share the ring with him, he is still one of the best fighters in history. Much respect. Thanks to everyone who supported me. I hope we gave a great fight to all the fans. Thanks🙏🏾 #ThankGod#teamugas
Got a chance to watch #PacquiaoUgas on TV after having to watch the fight from the rafters in the arena, and props to @YordenisUgas he definitely won that fight and had great composure, accuracy, timing and tactics. #Boxing
Burial of Josephine Baker to Take Place in France’s Pantheon
Carl Van Vechten, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
American-born dancer and civil rights activist, Josephine Baker will be the first Black person to be buried in France’s Pantheon.
Ms. Baker was one of France’s great music-hall stars and will be honoured in the monument that houses the most revered individuals of France, including Marie Curie and Victor Hugo.
The sensational dancer became famous in France, where she moved to from the United States to escape racial discrimination.
The approval to be buried in France’s Pantheon comes from President Emmanuel Macron – amid upcoming elections, the move could be politically beneficial as France grapples with issues of race and integration.
Tweets:
Recruited by Jacques Abtey, head of French counterintelligence, Josephine Baker used her celebrity to elicit Axis officers and bureaucrats, and also used her home to hide Résistance fighters.
She will join Voltaire, Victor Hugo, and Marie Curie in France's national temple. pic.twitter.com/ZFP6Jx04zF
Israel Gaza Conflict Escalates After Protests Turn Violent
https://www.flickr.com/people/45644610@N03, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A Palestinian protest organized by Hamas in support of Jerusalem turned deadly after Israeli aircraft strikes targeted the weapon sites of Hamas.
Hundreds gathered to protest near the Gaza Strip’s border where some tried to scale the fence and throw explosives towards Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli military stated it responded with the necessary means to disperse the riots, including live gunfire.
The violence led to several serious injuries, including that of an Israeli solider and 13-year-old Palestinian child, and wounded 41 Palestinians.
Tweets:
Israeli Warplanes are bombing Gaza again this evening. Earlier Israel shot 41 unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza. The Israeli terror continues while the world shamefully looks away #freepalestine#freegazapic.twitter.com/lxUoWRs5Pm
Palestinians retaliated against Israeli apartheid enforcers sniping them through a wall constructed to imprison them forever.
Then Israel responded from a more familiar space: thousands of feet in the sky, bombing the ghetto camps of Gaza's unpeople with US-made attack jets. https://t.co/Bsyck7oplE
Former White House aid, Cassidy Hutchinson, stated that former US President Donald Trump was aware that rioters were armed on January 6th, 2021 when they stormed the US Capitol, but he did not want to stop them.
Hutchinson worked as a top advisor to Mr Trump’s chief of staff, and testified at a hearing to a select House committee that was in charge of investigating the Jan 6th riot at the US Capitol.
Hutchinson recounted how Mr. Trump said that rioters were “not here to hurt me” and that security should “let them in.” She also stated that he lunged at the driver of the limousine in a rage when he was told he could not be taken to the Capitol.
Mr Trump denied several parts of Hutchinson’s testimony, stating, “I didn’t want or request that we make room for people with guns to watch my speech.”
Cassidy Hutchinson just displayed stunning courage and character testifying before the @January6thCmte today. She demolished any pretense that the savage mob violence caught President Trump and his lieutenants by surprise on January 6. pic.twitter.com/iPG7uYJQRm
A fire broke out in a Colombian prison during a riot, killing 51 inmates and injuring dozens. The fire was started by an inmate setting a mattress ablaze during the commotion and the flames spreading.
Colombian President Ivan Duque requested a “quick investigation to explain this terrible situation” and expressed his solidarity “to the families of the victims.”
No prisoners seem to have escaped and the fire is now under control. Twenty four people are currently in the hospital.
Prisons in Colombia are extremely overcrowded, as it was in this case, making riots and fighting amongst inmates a common occurrence.
All views expressed in this editorial are solely that of the author, and are not expressed on behalf of The Analyst, its affiliates, or staff.
Fifty migrants were found dead near the US-Mexico border in an abandoned semi truck due to “poverty and desperation,” according to Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
The vehicle in which the victims were found was lacking air conditioning and water and, coupled with the extremely hot climate, it is suspected that they likely died from dehydration and heat stroke.
Migrants from Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala were among the victims. Sixteen people survived the incident and were taken to the hospital.
US President Joe Biden spoke about the incident, stating that his administration “will continue to do everything possible to stop human smugglers and traffickers from taking advantage of people who are seeking to enter the United States between ports of entry.”
Yesterday's loss of life in San Antonio is horrifying – my prayers are with those who lost their lives, their loved ones, and those still fighting for their lives.
My Administration will continue to do everything possible to stop criminal smugglers from exploiting migrants.
Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court found Credit Suisse, Switzerland’s second largest bank, guilty for its involvement in a money laundering scheme involving a Bulgarian drug trafficking gang.
The bank is being fined 21 million Swiss francs ($22 million) due to its poor monitoring and implementation of anti-money laundering rules. More than 12 million francs worth of assets are also being confiscated due to their connection with the criminal group.
Credit Suisse has denied any wrongdoings and stated that it has been “continuously testing its anti-money laundering framework and has been strengthening it over time, in accordance with evolving regulatory standards.”
This case originated from actions taken by a former employee in 2007 and 2008, and two other Bulgarian citizens’ actions in 2005 and 2009. Some of their sentences and fines were suspended due to the amount of time passed since the crimes took place.
Money laundering: Credit Suisse, Switzerland's 🇨🇭 second-biggest bank, which has been rocked by a series of scandals, was slapped with a $2-million-fine in a money laundering case linked to a Bulgarian 🇧🇬 cocaine network @StopCrimeKenyapic.twitter.com/tWlAZ9lPpf
A gas leak in Aqaba, Jordan killed at least thirteen people and injured more than 250. A storage container carrying between 25 and 30 tonnes of chlorine gas fell as it was being exported to Djibouti, releasing the gas.
A video of the incident on state TV shows the container being dropped onto the deck of the ship and a yellow colored gas spreading through the air as people try to evacuate. The accident seems to be a result of the crane malfunctioning.
If chlorine is inhaled at high levels, it can cause life-threatening damage. A nearby beach in Aqaba was evacuated as a safety precaution, and residents who live in the nearest residential area, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) away, were advised to stay inside and close windows.
Jordan’s Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh traveled to Aqaba and visited some of the injured at the hospital. He also formed a team led by the interior minister to investigate the incident.
I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Kingdom of Jordan following the tragedy that took place at the Port of Aqaba. As we've told our friends in Jordan, the Israeli defense establishment is ready to assist with any effort, by any means necessary.
A busy shopping center in Ukraine was set on fire by Russian missiles on Monday, killing at least thirteen people and injuring dozens. The total number of casualties is still unknown.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that “The number of victims is impossible to imagine” and that there could have been up to 1,000 people in the mall.
The attack came during the G7 summit, where world leaders condemned recent atrocities and promised to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” in a joint statement. President Zelensky spoke to the leaders at the summit and stated that he wants the war to end before winter.
NATO has decided to increase the number of troops in its rapid reaction force from 40,000 to 300,000, more than eightfold. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated this move is part of the “biggest overhaul of collective defense and deterrence since the Cold War.”
The United States has announced that it will provide Ukraine with advanced medium and long-range air defense capabilities.
Large shopping mall in Kremenchuk with hundreds of civilians inside has been hit by a Russian strike. Russia is a disgrace to humanity and it must face consequences. The response should be more heavy arms for Ukraine, more sanctions on Russia, and more businesses leaving Russia. pic.twitter.com/Uvi6fbyShK
Together, the G7 is demonstrating the strong global leadership it will take to maximize the costs to Putin and his enablers and address the impact of his war on the global economy. pic.twitter.com/N30bBeXyKL
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