Afghanistan Taliban Crisis LIVE News Updates: Biden expected to decide within 24 hours on Afghan evacuation deadline

Biden warned on Sunday that the evacuation was going to be "hard and painful" and much could still go wrong. U.S. troops might stay beyond an Aug. 31 deadline to oversee the evacuation, he said.
Following the Taliban's lightning fast takeover of Afghanistan this month, some rights and aid organisations have been removing pictures of female beneficiaries, staff and other local women from their websites, officials and employees said.

!1 New UpdateClick here for latest updates

08:31 AM

FIR registered against Union Minister Narayan Rane at Chaturshringi Police Station of Pune city, following a complaint by Yuva Sena, for using objectionable language against CM Uddhav Thackeray. FIR registered u/s 153 and 505 of IPC.

08:10 AM

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy to join White House meeting

Amazon Inc Chief Executive Andy Jassy will join tech executives at a White House meeting with President Joe Biden on Wednesday to discuss efforts by private companies to improve cybersecurity, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. The source asked not to be identified as the information was not public.

07:53 AM

Israel's Bennett seeks US 'reset' in first White House visit

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett heads to Washington Tuesday for talks with US President Joe Biden, seeking to "reset" relations with Israel's closest ally and reach common ground on arch-foe Iran. In his first state visit since taking office in June, Bennett will meet Biden on Thursday and attempt to mend ties with America's top Democrat, which were strained under former premier Benjamin Netanyahu, accused of openly favouring the Republican party.

07:35 AM

Taliban takeover prompts fears of a resurgent al-Qaida

The lightning-fast changes in Afghanistan are forcing the Biden administration to confront the prospect of a resurgent al-Qaida, the group that attacked America on September 11, 2001, at the same time the US is trying to stanch violent extremism at home and cyberattacks from Russia and China.

07:25 AM

Helping in the safe return from Afghanistan. AI 1956 enroute to Delhi from Dushanbe carrying 78 passengers, including 25 Indian nationals. Evacuees were flown in from Kabul on an Indian Air Force aircraft: MEA Spox Arindam Bagchi

06:48 AM

U'khand landslide

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

06:33 AM

Taliban warn of 'consequences' as US ramps up evacuation

The Taliban warned Monday there would be "consequences" if the United States and its allies try to remain in Afghanistan beyond next week, as Washington ramped up its efforts to evacuate tens of thousands of people desperate to flee.

06:32 AM

Afghan women's faces disappear online and in the street after Taliban takeover

Following the Taliban's lightning fast takeover of Afghanistan this month, some rights and aid organisations have been removing pictures of female beneficiaries, staff and other local women from their websites, officials and employees said. "Our utmost priority ... is to ensure the safety and security of our teams ... (and) of the women and girls with whom we are working and for whom we are working," said Mohammad Naciri, U.N. Women's director for Asia and the Pacific.

06:31 AM

Tunisian president extends suspension of parliament

Tunisian President Kais Saied has extended the suspension of parliament until further notice, the presidency said in a statement, a month after freezing it in a move that opponents decried as a coup. He also extended an order lifting immunity for the country's lawmakers.

06:31 AM

Encounter underway between security forces, militants in Baramulla

An encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Sopore area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir early Tuesday, police said. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Pethseer in Sopore area late Monday night following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

06:31 AM

Harris to offer vision for Indo-Pacific in major speech

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is preparing to lay out the Biden administration's vision for the Indo-Pacific region, an area of growing importance to a government that has made countering China's influence globally a centerpiece of its foreign policy.

06:31 AM

COVID-19 cases straining Kentucky's hospitals

Kentucky's governor says a flood of COVID-19 patients is stressing the state's hospitals and intensive care units. Gov, Andy Bashear said Monday that more than 20 Kentucky hospitals are confronting critical staffing shortages and some hospitals are converting space to treat the influx of ICU patients.