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  Australian citizens and visa holders prepare to board the Royal Australian Air Force aircraft. Sydney, Australia:  Australia said Friday it pulled all its troops out of Afghanistan shortly before the Kabul airport bombings after receiving "very clear intelligence" of an impending attack. Suicide bombers set off two blasts that struck crowds outside the Afghan capital's airport on Thursday, killing dozens of people including 13 US troops. ISIS said it carried out the attack. The bombings raise questions about the measures taken to protect US forces, who face an August 31 deadline to withdraw from the country and to complete an airlift that has so far evacuated nearly 100,000 people. "We were able to ensure the departure of the remaining Australian personnel over the course of last night, not that long before the terrible events that unfolded last night took place," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a news conference. Morrison said US and British for...

  When the Taliban captured Kabul, Pakistan PM Imran Khan said Afghans had broken "shackles of slavery". 29 The Russian and British empires battled over Afghanistan in the 19th century, and the United States and the Soviet Union in the 20th. As the Taliban take over in the strategic, landlocked nation, the new Great Game has Pakistan in control, with its ally China looking to cement its grip on the region. Pakistan has deep ties with the Taliban and has been accused of supporting the terrorist group as it battled the US-backed government in Kabul, charges denied by Islamabad. When the Taliban captured Kabul last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said Afghans had broken the "shackles of slavery". As the Taliban hold discussions to decide on its government model, media reports have said some Pakistani officials are involved. A Foreign Office spokesperson in Islamabad said Pakistan wanted an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan that ensured peace and st...

  Kabul airport witnessed chaotic evacuations after Taliban seized control of Afghanistan. (File) Al Dhafra Air Base:  French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Monday that Paris believed it necessary to continue Afghan evacuations beyond Washington's August 31 deadline following the Taliban takeover. France is seeking to evacuate more than 1,000 Afghans who are fleeing the country following the Taliban's lightning takeover a week ago, one of a number of nations scrambling to pull out vulnerable individuals. "We are concerned about the deadline set by the United States on August 31. Additional time is needed to complete ongoing operations," Le Drian told reporters at the UAE's Al-Dhafra air base, where France has set up an air bridge for people evacuated from Kabul. France had "sheltered" nearly 1,200 people leaving Afghanistan between August 17 and 22, including approximately 100 French nationals and 1,000 vulnerable Afghans, as well as dozens of ...

  Afghan crisis: China said US cannot leave the mess without doing anything. (File) 4 Beijing:  China on Monday hinted at stepping up financial assistance to the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, saying it will play a "positive role" in helping the war-ravaged country amid global pushback to stop funding to Kabul until the terrorist group modified its hardline religious policies. In his media briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin hit out at the US saying it is "main perpetrator" for the Afghan crisis. Asked for his reaction to comments by Afghanistan's exiled central bank chief stating that Taliban may go to China and Pakistan to replace the US for financial assistance, Wang said, "I want to stress that the US is the main perpetrator and biggest external factor for the Afghan issue. It cannot leave the mess without doing anything." "We hope the US will match its words with deeds and shoulder its responsibility to honour ...

  The official UK government platform will be updated to reflect the true cost of the tests (File) London:  More than 80 private COVID-19 travel testing companies are being issued a two-strike warning from Monday that they could be removed from the official government-approved list for misleading prices if they fail to rectify discrepancies. UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said his department conducted a "rapid review" of the pricing and service standards offered by approved testing companies of the mandatory day two and day eight test, required by all international passengers entering Britain including from India. Of the providers listed on the official GOV.UK platform, 82 providers - making up around 18 per cent listed - were identified as displaying lower prices than are available on their own website at the point of checkout. A total of 57 companies will be removed from the GOV.UK list from Monday as they no longer exist or don't provide day two and day eight testing....

  Boris Johnson and Joe Biden spoke to each other over ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden agreed on Monday to work together to ensure all those eligible to leave Afghanistan were able to, including after the initial evacuation phase ended, Johnson's office said. "They discussed the ongoing efforts by the UK and US to coordinate the rapid and safe evacuation of our nationals and those who previously worked with our governments from Kabul International Airport," a Downing Street spokesman said after the two leaders spoke by phone. "The leaders agreed to continue working together to ensure those who are eligible to leave are able to, including after the initial phase of the evacuation has ended." Boris Johnson and Joe Biden also noted the importance of concerted diplomatic engagement to secure the progress made in Afghanistan and prevent a humanitarian crisis, the statement said.