Taliban continued its surge across <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/in-address-to-nation-afghan-president-vows-to-prevent-further-instability-405337">Afghanistan</a> seizing Jalalabad early on Sunday morning after taking Mazar-e-Sharif.

Amid the rapid Taliban advance, US President announced up to 3,000 more troops will be sent to Afghanistan to ensure evacuation of US personnel&nbsp;in Afghanistan.

More American military personnel have already arrived in Kabul to evacuate&nbsp;embassy employees with the deadline for total troop withdrawal set for August 31.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://www.wionews.com/videos/afghanistan-turmoil-ashraf-ghanis-message-to-the-nation-will-continue-to-fight-405489/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"When I came to office, I inherited a deal cut by my predecessor that left the Taliban in the strongest position militarily since 2001 and imposed a May 1, 2021, deadline on US forces," Biden said, adding, "I faced a choice - follow through on the deal, with a brief extension to get our forces and our allies' forces out safely, or ramp up our presence and send more American troops to fight once again in another country's civil conflict."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/seeking-asylum-for-siv-applicants-a-desperate-bid-by-the-biden-administration-405352">Biden's</a> comments come as the Taliban seized several provincial capitals in the last few weeks with US troops leaving the country this month.

"I was the fourth president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan -&nbsp;two Republicans, two Democrats. I would not, and will not, pass this war onto a fifth," the US President asserted.

The Taliban's surge has left the Afghan troops to retreat from several areas with the militants currently just 50 kilometres away from capital Kabul as Biden ordered fresh troops to oversee evacuations.

Meanwhile, reports said warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum who was defending <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-captures-mazar-e-sharif-fourth-largest-city-of-afghanistan-405447">Mazar-e-Sharif </a>has fled to Uzbekistan even as President Ghani said that he won't let "war on people cause more deaths".

President Ghani spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as US embassy staff in Kabul have reportedly been ordered to begin burning sensitive material.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Taliban continued its surge across Afghanistan seizing Jalalabad early on Sunday morning after taking Mazar-e-Sharif. Amid the rapid Taliban advance, US President announced up to 3,000 more troops will be sent to Afghanistan to ensure evacuation of US personnel in Afghanistan.

Taliban continued its surge across Afghanistan seizing Jalalabad early on Sunday morning after taking Mazar-e-Sharif. Amid the rapid Taliban advance, US President announced up to 3,000 more troops will be sent to Afghanistan to ensure evacuation of US personnel in Afghanistan. More American military personnel have already arrived in Kabul to evacuate embassy employees with the deadline for total troop withdrawal set for August 31. Watch: "When I came to office, I inherited a deal cut by my predecessor that left the Taliban in the strongest position militarily since 2001 and imposed a May 1, 2021, deadline on US forces," Biden said, adding, "I faced a choice - follow through on the deal, with a brief extension to get our forces and our allies' forces out safely, or ramp up our presence and send more American troops to fight once again in another country's civil conflict." Biden's comments come as the Taliban seized several provincial capitals in the last few weeks with US troops leaving the country this month. "I was the fourth president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan - two Republicans, two Democrats. I would not, and will not, pass this war onto a fifth," the US President asserted. The Taliban's surge has left the Afghan troops to retreat from several areas with the militants currently just 50 kilometres away from capital Kabul as Biden ordered fresh troops to oversee evacuations. Meanwhile, reports said warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum who was defending Mazar-e-Sharif has fled to Uzbekistan even as President Ghani said that he won't let "war on people cause more deaths". President Ghani spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as US embassy staff in Kabul have reportedly been ordered to begin burning sensitive material. (With inputs from Agencies)

After Mazar-e-Sharif, Taliban captures Jalalabad as Biden orders more troops

According to news agency Reuters, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-fiji-google-co-founder-larry-page-lands-in-new-zealand-find-out-why-403013">Google</a> employees could face a salary cut if they decide to work from home permanently.

The move could hit long commuters hard. Facebook and Twitter reportedly have cut salaries of remote employees who have moved to less expensive areas.

The experiment is apparently taking place across the tech industry in Silicon Valley.

The Reuters report said Google employees could face a pay cut of upto 25 per cent for remote work if they leave&nbsp;the San Francisco hub for an equally expensive area.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-business-watch-dozens-of-us-states-sue-google-alleging-antitrust-violations-396656/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The report quoted a Google spokesman who declared that the company's compensation package has always been determined by location while adding that pay will differ from city to city and state to state.

According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey in the US, remote work has been an overwhelming success for both employees and employers with less than one in five executives who say they want to return to the office as it was the pre-pandemic era and the rest grappling with how widely to extend remote work options.

However, the survey said by July, 75 per cent of executives anticipated that at least half of office employees will be working in the office.

Over 55 per cent of executives in the survey said they prefer to work from home at least three days a week once the pandemic recedes.&nbsp;

Interestingly, 87 per cent executives expected to make changes to their real estate strategy over the next one year with companies planning to consolidate office space in premier locations or deciding to open more satellite locations.

In a mixed result, some executives said they wanted to reduce office space but 55 per cent said they expected more space with results highlighting that companies are planning to reinvest the remote work dividend in new ways.

The survey also said hybrid workplaces are likely to become the norm even as employees and employers don’t agree on the optimal schedule for remote work.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

According to news agency Reuters, Google employees could face a salary cut if they decide to work from home permanently. The move could hit long commuters hard. Facebook and Twitter reportedly have cut salaries of remote employees who have moved to less expensive areas.

According to news agency Reuters, Google employees could face a salary cut if they decide to work from home permanently. The move could hit long commuters hard. Facebook and Twitter reportedly have cut salaries of remote employees who have moved to less expensive areas. The experiment is apparently taking place across the tech industry in Silicon Valley. The Reuters report said Google employees could face a pay cut of upto 25 per cent for remote work if they leave the San Francisco hub for an equally expensive area. Watch: The report quoted a Google spokesman who declared that the company's compensation package has always been determined by location while adding that pay will differ from city to city and state to state. According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey in the US, remote work has been an overwhelming success for both employees and employers with less than one in five executives who say they want to return to the office as it was the pre-pandemic era and the rest grappling with how widely to extend remote work options. However, the survey said by July, 75 per cent of executives anticipated that at least half of office employees will be working in the office. Over 55 per cent of executives in the survey said they prefer to work from home at least three days a week once the pandemic recedes. Interestingly, 87 per cent executives expected to make changes to their real estate strategy over the next one year with companies planning to consolidate office space in premier locations or deciding to open more satellite locations. In a mixed result, some executives said they wanted to reduce office space but 55 per cent said they expected more space with results highlighting that companies are planning to reinvest the remote work dividend in new ways. The survey also said hybrid workplaces are likely to become the norm even as employees and employers don’t agree on the optimal schedule for remote work. (With inputs from Agencies)

Pandemic effect: Google employees who work from home may suffer salary cut

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of his defence minister and army chief of staff on Monday, after more than 140 soldiers were killed last week in the deadliest ever Taliban attack on a military base, the president`s office said.

&quot;Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect,&quot; the presidential palace announced in a post on its Twitter account.

Shah Hussain Murtazawi, acting spokesman for Ghani, told Reuters the resignations were because of Friday`s attack on a major army base in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

In a serious security failure, as many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, made their way onto the base and opened fire on soldiers and new recruits eating a meal and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials.

Multiple Afghan officials said the final death toll was likely to be even higher.

The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, and suicide vests, they said.

Ghani declared Sunday a day of mourning, ordering flags to be flown at half-staff.

On Monday, a small group of demonstrators gathered outside the presidential palace in Kabul to demand the resignation of top Afghan defence officials over the attack.

The attack, and resulting military leadership shake-up, come as the Afghan army prepares for what is expected to be a year of hard fighting against Taliban militants, who now control or contest more than 40 per cent of the country.

Nearly 9,000 US&nbsp;troops remain in Afghanistan, in addition to thousands of international coalition forces.

The administration of new US&nbsp;President Donald Trump is considering whether to make changes to the US&nbsp;mission training and advising Afghan forces, and conducting raids against militant groups such as Islamic State.

The German military, which has led much of the advising effort in northern Afghanistan, said in the wake of the attack it would continue to work with the Afghans.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

The resignations come?as the army prepares for a year of hard fighting against the Taliban which now controls or contests more than 40 per cent of the country

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of his defence minister and army chief of staff on Monday, after more than 140 soldiers were killed last week in the deadliest ever Taliban attack on a military base, the president`s office said. "Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect," the presidential palace announced in a post on its Twitter account. Shah Hussain Murtazawi, acting spokesman for Ghani, told Reuters the resignations were because of Friday`s attack on a major army base in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. In a serious security failure, as many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, made their way onto the base and opened fire on soldiers and new recruits eating a meal and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials. Multiple Afghan officials said the final death toll was likely to be even higher. The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, and suicide vests, they said. Ghani declared Sunday a day of mourning, ordering flags to be flown at half-staff. On Monday, a small group of demonstrators gathered outside the presidential palace in Kabul to demand the resignation of top Afghan defence officials over the attack. The attack, and resulting military leadership shake-up, come as the Afghan army prepares for what is expected to be a year of hard fighting against Taliban militants, who now control or contest more than 40 per cent of the country. Nearly 9,000 US troops remain in Afghanistan, in addition to thousands of international coalition forces. The administration of new US President Donald Trump is considering whether to make changes to the US mission training and advising Afghan forces, and conducting raids against militant groups such as Islamic State. The German military, which has led much of the advising effort in northern Afghanistan, said in the wake of the attack it would continue to work with the Afghans. (Reuters)

Afghan defence minister, Army chief resign over Taliban attack on military base