Monday, August, 23 2021

*) US evacuates 11,000 out Kabul airport over weekend US President Joe Biden has once again defended his administration's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. Washington says it evacuated 11,000 vulnerable people out of Kabul airport this weekend – bringing the total number of US evacuations to 28,000. Biden said there is a “long way to go” before everyone is evacuated with the US unable to ascertain an accurate headcount of its citizens there. *) More countries clamping down on Afghan refugees influx Meanwhile, more and more nations are concerned about an influx of Afghan refugees after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. On Sunday, Australia denied visas to 100 contractors guarding their Kabul embassy and Austria said it won't be taking in any more refugees. Russian President Vladimir Putin said militants may leave Afghanistan by pretending to be refugees and then appear in his country. Turkey has pressed on the EU to help fleeing Afghans as President Erdogan stressed his country cannot handle additional “migration burden.” *) Cuba records one of highest Covid rates in western hemisphere After recording one of the world's lowest Covid-19 rates last year, Cuba now has one of the western hemisphere's highest. The island nation reported around 12-thousand cases in 2020 – that total has increased by 50 times so far this year. Hospitals are struggling to respond to the rise in Delta variant cases because of a lack of medical supplies. *) At least 22 dead in flooding in US state of Tennessee Devastating floods in the US state of Tennessee have left at least 22 people dead and dozens missing, officials said in what they warned was a preliminary toll. Tennessee was hit on Saturday by historic storms and flooding, dumping 38 centimetres or more of rain. Rural roads, state highways and bridges were washed away as power outages affected thousands of people. And finally ... * ) Bitcoin jumps above $50,000 for first time since May Bitcoin broke back above $50,000 on Monday for the first