Month: August 2021

Two powerful explosions were reported late on Sunday near the US embassy and Afghan presidential place in Kabul, Sputnik reported.

The US embassy has been evacuated with the diplomatic staff relocated to Kabul airport. The US embassy has issued a security alert and said that the security situation in Kabul is changing quickly, including at the Kabul airport.

The panic has gripped Kabul on Sunday as Taliban terrorists have started arriving in the city, inmates broke out of the main prison on the east side of the city.

Afghanistan’s government has collapsed with President Ashraf Ghani’s fleeing the country and the Taliban’s entry into the capital, the New York Times reported.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan former President Hamid Karzai along with Abdullah Abdullah and former Mujahideen leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar have formed a Coordination Council in order to prevent chaos and manage affairs related to a peaceful transfer of power.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Sunday said that Taliban terrorists have been asked to enter the capital city of Kabul.

Mujahid, in an interview with Tolo News, also said that the security situation will remain under control in the city. (ANI)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday informed that the President has sent additional forces to ensure an orderly and safe evacuation of the US diplomatic presence in Kabul.

The US has planned to relocate personnel from the embassy compound in Kabul to a location at the airport to ensure that they can operate safely and securely, Blinken said in an interview with ABC News.

“President sent in a number of forces to make sure that, as we continue to draw down our diplomatic presence, we do it in a safe and orderly fashion and at the same time maintain a core diplomatic presence in Kabul,” he added.

Meanwhile, Blinken also said that the US went to Afghanistan 20 years ago with one mission in mind, and that was to deal with the people who attacked us on 9/11.

“And that mission has been successful. We brought bin Laden to justice a decade ago; al-Qaida, the group that attacked us, has been vastly diminished. Its capacity to attack us again from Afghanistan has been – right now does not exist, and we’re going to make sure that we keep in place in the region the capacity, the forces necessary to see any re-emergence of a terrorist threat and to be able to deal with it,” he said.

Blinken also informed that after 20 years of war, the US has spent over USD 1 trillion while 2,300 people have lost their lives.

Blinken’s remarks came soon after Ghani left Afghanistan following the Taliban advance into the capital city, Sputnik reported.

According to Tolo News, the Chairman of the Afghanistan Supreme National Reconciliation Council, Abdullah Abdullah in a video message posted on Twitter, addressed Ghani as the “former President” of Afghanistan.

Abdullah also called on Afghans to remain calm and said, “hope this ‘hard day and night’ will pass soon and people will see peaceful days.” (ANI)

The United States is pulling out all US personnel from its embassy in Kabul over the next 72 hours, including top officials, CNN reported citing sources on Sunday.

Most of the American diplomats will go to the airport in Kabul and then fly back to the US. A small number of core personnel, including the top US diplomat in the country, will remain at the Kabul airport for now, said the sources.
This means that the US Embassy in Kabul will be shuttered — at least for the time being — by Tuesday (local time), it added.

The decision to pull diplomatic personnel out of the country comes as the Taliban has surrounded Kabul on Sunday after taking control of key provincial capitals.

Earlier, on Saturday, US President Joe Biden authorised the deployment of additional 1,000 troops in Afghanistan, raising the number of American troops in the war-torn country to 5,000 to ensure a safe and orderly drawdown of personnel.

The US President, in a statement, announced that he has authorised the deployment of approximately 5,000 US troops to make sure “we can have an orderly and safe drawdown of US personnel and other allied personnel and an orderly and safe evacuation of Afghans who helped our troops during our mission and those at special risk from the Taliban advance”.

Earlier today, the Taliban entered the Afghan capital Kabul from all sides faced with little or no resistance.

There are negotiations going on in the Afghan Presidential Palace ARG to transfer power to the Taliban.

Moreover, Ali Ahamd Jalali will be appointed as head of the new interim government, The Khaama Press Agency reported citing sources. (ANI)

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday left for Tajikistan, from where he will proceed to another country.

The development came soon after Ghani left Afghanistan following the Taliban advance into the capital city, Sputnik reported. Afghan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh has also left the country, Global Times reported citing media reports.

According to Tolo News, the Chairman of the Afghanistan Supreme National Reconciliation Council, Abdullah Abdullah in a video message posted on Twitter, addressed Ghani as the “former President” of Afghanistan.

Abdullah also called on Afghans to remain calm and said, “hope this ‘hard day and night’ will pass soon and people will see peaceful days.”

Earlier, there are negotiations going on in the Afghan Presidential Palace ARG to transfer power to the Taliban with Ali Ahamd Jalali as head of the new interim government on Sunday, according to the sources.

Acting Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal in separate video clips also assured the people of Kabul will be secured as they are protecting the city along with international allies.

Earlier, the Taliban in a statement assured residents of Kabul no to be afraid as they are not intended to enter the Afghan capital militarily and there will be a peaceful movement towards Kabul (ANI)

Amid the ongoing 75th Independence Day celebrations across the country, farmers took out Tiranga Yatras in Punjab and Haryana to mark the occasion and demand the repeal of the farm laws.

In Haryana’s Kurukshetra, farmers held a tractor Tiranga Yatra from Pipli to Kundli Border.
Speaking to ANI, farmer leader Gurnam Singh said, “As the country has completed 75 years of Independence, we have planned to take out Tiranga Yatra from Pipili, which is said to be the place for farmers’ revolution. Today we have re-named it as Kisan Kranti Chowk, because on September 10 farmers were baton-charged here. Many farmers sustained serious injuries in the incident. From here we will take the yatra to Kundli Border. We demand the repeal of three black farm laws.”

Farmers also took out Tiranga Yatra at Singhu Border which had started from Haryana’s Kurukshetra.

Another ‘Tiranga Tractor Parade’ was taken out in Uchana Kalan, Jind on the occasion of 75th Independence Day.

“The parade is being led by women and the Tricolour has also been hoisted by them. We want that the three black laws should be repealed and MSP should be guaranteed to farmers,” said a woman participant who was seen driving a tractor.

Meanwhile, Sub Inspector Rajesh Kumar who was on duty in Jind during the parade said, “We have made all security arrangements. Their route is fixed and they have so far carried out the procession peacefully. Forces have been deployed at all places and we have all arrangements to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.”

Farmers also held a Tiranga Yatra march from the Attari-Wagah border to the Golden Gate in Amritsar.

“We want the repeal of the three black farm laws. We’ll continue our protest in Delhi and around its borders until the government revokes these laws,” added Kabil Singh, one of the farmers participating in the march.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains. (ANI)

[India], August 15 (ANI): As India celebrates the 75th Independence Day on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that it is high time when the country needs to apply scientific research and suggestions to the agriculture sector to provide food security to the nation and to increase food production.

The Prime Minister also said that the country must increase the collective power of small farmers and make them the nation’s pride.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort in the national capital, the Prime Minister said: “It is time we apply scientific research and suggestions in our agriculture sector. We need to reap all its benefits. It will not just provide food security to the nation, but will also increase food produce.”

“Over 80 per cent of the farmers in the country owns less than 2 hectare land. Now the decisions are being taken keeping these small farmers in mind. The Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana takes care of the small expenses of the small farmers. More than Rs 1.5 lakh crores have been deposited directly to the bank accounts of over10 crore farmer families so far,” PM Modi said.

“In the coming years, we will have to increase the collective power of the small farmers of the country. We have to give them new facilities. They must become the country’s pride,” he further said.

“There comes a time in the development journey of every country, when that country redefines itself, moves forward with new resolutions. Today that time has come in India’s development journey…Starting from here, the journey of the next 25 years is the ‘Amrit’ of the creation of a new India. The fulfillment of our resolves in this ‘Amrit Kaal’ will take us till 100 years of independence,” the Prime Minister added. (ANI)

Actor Preity Zinta will be seen sporting permed hair in an upcoming project.

On Sunday, Preity took to Instagram and shared a picture, wherein celebrity hairstylist Adhuna is seen curling Preity’s hair.

Alongside the image, she posted a short note expressing her excitement about having a new look.

“It’s always exciting to create a new look for a new character. It’s also nerve-wracking when you fundamentally change your hair and your vibe, therefore this is an appreciation post for @iadhuna . Thank you babe for being so damn good at what you do and for being my go-to person whenever I’m in any hair doubt. Thank you for being patient, so detailed and so meticulous. I love you and I love my new vibe. Here’s to bringing back the perm and restarting my love affair with curls #hairguru #Perm #backatwork #ting,” Preity captioned the post.

For the unversed, Preity sported perm hair in ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ as well, and it was Adhuna only who created her look in the 20-year-old film.

Preity’s post made Adhuna nostalgic.

“Thank you so much @realpz for trusting me with your hair! This reminded me so much of 20 years ago when we did your perm for #dilchahtahai The art of perming can add so much volume and texture to one’s hair,….#washnwear hair is the best,” Adhuna commented.

In another post, she uploaded a picture of her new curly hair.

“A curly life,” she wrote.

Preity has not disclosed the details of her upcoming project yet. (ANI)

Muzaffar Wani, the father of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, who was killed in 2016, unfurled the national flag at a government school in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday.

Muzaffar Wani, who is a teacher by profession, hoised the national flag on the premises of the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in the Tral area of Pulwama district on the occasion of 75th Independence Day.
Self-styled commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Burhan Wani, along with two other terrorists was killed in an encounter in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir in June 2016.

Wani, who was 22-year-old, at the time of his death, was an Internet-savvy Kashmiri militant was reportedly a resident of Dadsara village in south Kashmir’s Tral area. He had left home in 2010-days before he was to take the Class 10 examination to join the region’s front-line indigenous militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

He soon rose to become its district commander and figured in the list of most-wanted militants.

Reportedly, there was a Rs. 10 lakh reward for information leading to his arrest. (ANI)

For actor Mandira Bedi, August 15 is just not about Independence Day, her late husband Raj Kaushal’s birth anniversary falls on the very same date.

On Sunday, Mandira took to Instagram and penned an emotional post in the beloved memory of Raj.

“15th August: Was always a celebration. Independence Day and Raj’s Birthday…Happy Birthday Raji.. we miss you and hope that you are watching us and have our backs like you always did..The gaping void will never be filled. Here’s hoping you’re in a better place. Peaceful and surrounded by love,” she wrote.

Alongside the heartfelt note, she posted a throwback picture of her sharing smiles with Raj.

Raj, who had directed films like ‘Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi’ and ‘Shaadi Ke Laddoo’, died on June 30 after suffering a heart attack. He was 49 when he breathed his last.

Before the start of Day 4 of the ongoing Lord’s Test against England, Team India hoisted the tri-colour as the country celebrates its 75th Independence Day.

The official Twitter handle of BCCI shared a photo in which Kohli and Co can be seen hoisting the national flag and then singing the national anthem.
“On the occasion of India’s Independence Day, #TeamIndia members came together to hoist the flag,” tweeted BCCI.

Mohammed Siraj led India’s charge to bundle out England for 391 in the first innings of the second Test. Skipper Joe Root was left stranded on 180* as James Anderson was dismissed on the final ball of day three.

England lead by 27 runs and when India takes on the field on Sunday, the visitors will look to score as many runs as possible in the second innings.

Earlier, on the occasion of 75th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the National Flag and delivered the customary Address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi.

The Prime Minister had launched ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ from Sabarmati Ashrama, Ahmedabad in Gujarat in March 2021 to celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence. The celebrations will continue till August 15, 2023. (ANI)