Portal:Current events/2021 August 27

August 27, 2021 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Afghanistan conflict
- Response to the 2021 Kabul airport attack, Drone strikes in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
  - The United States launches an airstrike in Nangarhar, killing two Islamic State members and wounding a third. It is reported that one of those killed was planning more attacks in Kabul. (CNN)
- Aftermath of 2021 Taliban offensive and Fall of Kabul
  - Afghan political leader and activist Fatima Gailani, who helped draft a new constitution for Afghanistan and also took part in peace talks with the Taliban, blames exiled former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani for the current "chaotic" situation in the country, and says that U.S. president Joe Biden also contributed by withdrawing troops without a "political settlement" in place. (Deutsche Welle)
  - The United States urges the Taliban to include former president Hamid Karzai and former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in the formation of the new inclusive government. (Al Jazeera)
- 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan
  - Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Spain end their evacuation flights from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. (Reuters) (EuroWeekly News) (Stuff) (U.S. News & World Report)
  - Crowds return to the Kabul airport a day after the suicide bombing at the airport. (VOA)
  - U.S. Marine lieutenant Stuart Scheller is relieved of his duties after posting a video demanding accountability from military leaders over the evacuation. (TMZ) (California News Times)
- 2021 Kabul airport attack
  - The death toll from the ISIL suicide bombing attack at the airport in Kabul yesterday increases to 175. Three British citizens are confirmed to have been killed in the attack. (Al Jazeera)
Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
- Nineteen civilians are killed during a knife and arson attack by ADF at a village in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Al Jazeera)
- Authorities in Uganda arrest an Islamist belonging to the ADF for planning a suicide bombing attack in the country. Police are also investigating if the murders of 21 civilians in the cities of Lwengo and Masaka since late July were carried out by ADF terrorists. The victims were killed by knifemen during raids in the night. Thirty-eight suspected have been arrested. (All Africa)

Business and economy

Economy of Zambia
- The newly appointed Minister of Finance of Zambia Situmbeko Musokotwane says that he has begun to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund on a $12 billion external debt. Musokotwane says that he is also working with other private funds to which Zambia owes payments. Musokotwane anticipates that Zambia "will not be able to immediately cancel all debts". (Reuters)
Economy of Cuba
- Cuba recognizes cryptocurrency as legal tender, becoming the second nation to do so after El Salvador. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - COVID-19 vaccination in India
      - According to government data, more than 473 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which amounts to about half of all eligible adults in India. However, only around 15% of eligible adults have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (BBC)
      - India reports a single-day record of 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered, a level that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed as a "momentous feat" for the country. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - The number of severe COVID-19 patients in Japan surpasses 2,000 for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand's COVID-19 taskforce approves a plan to gradually ease some COVID-19-related restrictions beginning on September 1 that will allow the resumption of domestic flights, reopening of shopping malls, restaurants, barbershops, and public parks, as well as allow gatherings of up to 25 people in 29 high-risk provinces as the number of COVID-19 cases has peaked. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
    - Vietnam reports a record 12,920 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 410,366. The country also surpasses 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Viet Nam News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
    - Danish Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke announces that the country will lift all COVID-19-related restrictions on September 10 as it considers that the "epidemic is under control" and does not pose "a critical threat to society". The country will also lift the obligation to present an immunity passport in order to attend certain events as more than 70% of Danes are fully vaccinated. (The Guardian)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - The Italian Health ministry signs a decree which moves Sicily into the "yellow zone" and will reimpose some restrictions such as the mask mandate both outdoors and indoors and restrict restaurant diners to groups of four beginning on August 30 following an increase of COVID-19 cases. (MedicalXpress)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, COVID-19 vaccination in Poland
    - Polish Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski announces that the Supreme Medical Council has approved booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for people with a compromised immune system which will be administered beginning on September 1. (The First News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
      - Scotland reports a record 6,835 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Virginia, Operation Allies Refuge
      - White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announces that the U.S. government has opened a mass vaccination site at the Dulles International Airport for arriving Afghan refugees. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
    - A Leon County judge strikes down the mask mandate ban imposed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. (NBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois
    - Reverend Jesse Jackson is transferred to a rehab facility, a week after being hospitalized for COVID-19. His wife, Jacqueline Jackson, remains in ICU. (CBS News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio
    - The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the world's first deer positive case of COVID-19 from white-tailed deer in the state of Ohio. (CTV News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 vaccination in Australia
  - The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommends that children between the ages of 12 and 15 be included in the COVID-19 vaccination program using the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination bookings for this age group will begin on September 13. (ABC News Australia)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, Political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- A federal prosecutor indicts President Alberto Fernández for violating the sanitary measures he himself decreed during a birthday celebration party for First Lady Fabiola Yáñez in July 2020. Fernández appeals to evade trial and volunteers to donate his salary. The prosecutors reject his proposal as they say that government officials cannot skip trial. (MercoPress)
Former Mali leaders Bah Ndaw and Moctar Ouane are released from house arrest by the junta who removed them from power in May. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan–United States relations
- The Taliban regime appoints Khalil Haqqani as head of security in Kabul. Haqqani, a veteran of the Soviet–Afghan War and war on terror, is a designated terrorist by the United States, and is currently wanted on a US$5 million bounty. (NBC News)
In a 73−50 vote, the Congress of Peru approves the leftist cabinet of President Pedro Castillo, who thanked the Congress for "granting confidence". The vote increased the approval of Castillo's government, which currently holds a 38% approval rating. (Reuters)