The Pentagon has released the names of the 13 American service members killed in the recent suicide bombing at the Kabul airport.&nbsp;They include 11 Marines, one Navy sailor, who was assigned to a Marine Corps unit, and an Army Special Forces soldier.

Watch |&nbsp;Biden: Another terrorist attack on Kabul airport 'highly likely' soon

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They died in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate, which also killed at least 170 Afghans.

The 11 Marines are Staff Sgt&nbsp;Darin T&nbsp;Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Sgt&nbsp;Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts; Sgt&nbsp;Nicole L&nbsp;Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California; Cpl&nbsp;Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California; Cpl&nbsp;Daegan W&nbsp;Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska; Cpl&nbsp;Humberto A&nbsp;Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana; Lance Cpl&nbsp;David L&nbsp;Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas; Lance Cpl&nbsp;Jared M&nbsp;Schmitz, 20, of St&nbsp;Charles, Missouri; Lance Cpl&nbsp;Rylee J&nbsp;McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming; Lance Cpl&nbsp;Dylan R&nbsp;Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Lance Cpl&nbsp;Kareem M&nbsp;Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/taliban-guard-kabul-airport-as-nato-troops-leave-afghanistan-409149" hreflang="en">Taliban guard Kabul airport as NATO troops leave Afghanistan</a>

Also killed were Navy Hospitalman Maxton W&nbsp;Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, and Army Staff Sgt&nbsp;Ryan C&nbsp;Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee.&nbsp;The Pentagon said on Saturday their remains were being flown to the United States.

The Pentagon has released the names of the 13 American service members killed in the recent suicide bombing at the Kabul airport. They include 11 Marines, one Navy sailor, who was assigned to a Marine Corps unit, and an Army Special Forces soldier.

The Pentagon has released the names of the 13 American service members killed in the recent suicide bombing at the Kabul airport. They include 11 Marines, one Navy sailor, who was assigned to a Marine Corps unit, and an Army Special Forces soldier. Watch | Biden: Another terrorist attack on Kabul airport 'highly likely' soon × They died in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate, which also killed at least 170 Afghans. The 11 Marines are Staff Sgt Darin T Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Sgt Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts; Sgt Nicole L Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California; Cpl Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California; Cpl Daegan W Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska; Cpl Humberto A Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana; Lance Cpl David L Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas; Lance Cpl Jared M Schmitz, 20, of St Charles, Missouri; Lance Cpl Rylee J McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming; Lance Cpl Dylan R Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Lance Cpl Kareem M Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California. Also Read | Taliban guard Kabul airport as NATO troops leave Afghanistan Also killed were Navy Hospitalman Maxton W Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, and Army Staff Sgt Ryan C Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee. The Pentagon said on Saturday their remains were being flown to the United States.

US releases names of troops killed in deadly Kabul attack

Air India has asked a New York court to dismiss a petition filed by Britain's Cairn Energy for seizure of its assets to enforce $1.2 billion arbitral awards against the Indian government, saying the litigation was premature as an appeal against the arbitration award was still pending.

The petition by the airline, which is separate to Indian government's plea in a Washington court seeking dismissal of Cairn's lawsuit to seek confirmation of the arbitral award, said the New York district court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate a "mere hypothetical question" or one that depends upon contingent future events that may or may not occur.

Cairn first moved a court in the US District Court for the District of Columbia seeking confirmation of the arbitration award and then filed a petition in the New York court to seek declaration of Air India as "alter ego" of the Indian government and so it should be made liable to pay the $1.26 billion arbitral award.

An international arbitration tribunal in December last year set aside the levy of capital gains tax, using a 2012 retrospective legislation, on a 2006 reorganisation of India business that Cairn carried before listing it on local stock exchanges. It ordered India to return the value of shares seized and sold, dividend confiscated and tax refund withheld to enforce levy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-india-says-data-on-45-million-passengers-stolen-386687">Also read |&nbsp;Air India says data on 4.5 million passengers stolen</a>

With India refusing to pay, Cairn moved courts in the US.

"Cairn's petition to confirm the Award is pending in the District Court for the District of Columbia," Air India said in the August 23 petition seen by PTI.

It went on to state that the Indian government has filed before a court in The Hague -- the seat of the international arbitration tribunal -- a Motion to Stay and a Motion to Dismiss the arbitral award.

"In effect, the Complaint (by Cairn Energy) is a premature enforcement action dressed up as a declaratory judgment action, invoking this Court's federal jurisdiction to get a head start on executing the Award before the D.D.C. has had the opportunity to address the Republic of India's immunity defenses and its claims that the Award is not subject to enforcement under the New York Convention," Air India said.

"Such an attempt is improper, and the Complaint should be dismissed."

It sought dismissal on three counts - first because the court lacks jurisdiction "to issue a declaratory judgment because the alleged controversy is not ripe", second "Air India is immune from suit because none of the exceptions to sovereign immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) applies to a premature collection proceeding of a hypothetical judgment, and third "the Complaint, which presupposes an enforceable judgment that does not exist, fails to allege a cognizable cause of action."

The Indian government had earlier this month asked the US District Court for the District of Columbia (DDC) to dismiss the case, arguing that it lacks jurisdiction since the country never agreed to arbitrate tax disputes. Meanwhile, litigation filed by New

Delhi in the Netherlands to have the award set aside also remains pending.

"Cairn asks this court to issue a declaration that Air India, as alleged alter ego of [India], will be liable on a judgment that does not, and may never, exist," the airline said in the August 23 petition.

"Unless and until the court in the Cairn confirmation action determines the threshold question of the enforceability of the award against (India), whether Cairn can then enforce that judgment against Air India under an alter ego theory is purely academic and not ripe for adjudication."

This comes within weeks of the government enacting a legislation to scrap the tax rule that gave the tax department power to go 50 years back and slap capital gains levies wherever ownership had changed hands overseas, but business assets were in India. That rule had been used to levy a cumulative of ₹ 1.10 lakh crore of tax on 17 entities, including ₹ 10,247 crore on Cairn.

The Indian government and Air India are defending their positions as rules for withdrawal of such tax demands are in the process of being framed.

"One of the requirements for the dropping of the retrospective tax demands is that the parties concerned have to give an undertaking for withdrawal of all cases against the government/tax department. So, while all this is in process, the government is obligated to respond in any legal matter where there is a time bar for doing so," an official explained.

The government in the dismissal motion filed on August 13 before DCC, cited protections afforded by the US Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976.

India in the filing said the court "lacks subject-matter jurisdiction under the FSIA because India never waived its sovereign immunity and, likewise, never offered - let alone agreed - to arbitrate the present dispute with Petitioners".

"India also never "clearly and unmistakably" excluded judicial review or delegated exclusive competence to decide these questions to an arbitral tribunal", implying that Cairn couldn't satisfy any exception to sovereign immunity under the US law, the filing said.

Air India has asked a New York court to dismiss a petition filed by Britain's Cairn Energy for seizure of its assets to enforce $1.2 billion arbitral awards against the Indian government, saying the litigation was premature as an appeal against the arbitration award was still pending.

Air India has asked a New York court to dismiss a petition filed by Britain's Cairn Energy for seizure of its assets to enforce $1.2 billion arbitral awards against the Indian government, saying the litigation was premature as an appeal against the arbitration award was still pending. The petition by the airline, which is separate to Indian government's plea in a Washington court seeking dismissal of Cairn's lawsuit to seek confirmation of the arbitral award, said the New York district court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate a "mere hypothetical question" or one that depends upon contingent future events that may or may not occur. Cairn first moved a court in the US District Court for the District of Columbia seeking confirmation of the arbitration award and then filed a petition in the New York court to seek declaration of Air India as "alter ego" of the Indian government and so it should be made liable to pay the $1.26 billion arbitral award. An international arbitration tribunal in December last year set aside the levy of capital gains tax, using a 2012 retrospective legislation, on a 2006 reorganisation of India business that Cairn carried before listing it on local stock exchanges. It ordered India to return the value of shares seized and sold, dividend confiscated and tax refund withheld to enforce levy. Also read | Air India says data on 4.5 million passengers stolen With India refusing to pay, Cairn moved courts in the US. "Cairn's petition to confirm the Award is pending in the District Court for the District of Columbia," Air India said in the August 23 petition seen by PTI. It went on to state that the Indian government has filed before a court in The Hague -- the seat of the international arbitration tribunal -- a Motion to Stay and a Motion to Dismiss the arbitral award. "In effect, the Complaint (by Cairn Energy) is a premature enforcement action dressed up as a declaratory judgment action, invoking this Court's federal jurisdiction to get a head start on executing the Award before the D.D.C. has had the opportunity to address the Republic of India's immunity defenses and its claims that the Award is not subject to enforcement under the New York Convention," Air India said. "Such an attempt is improper, and the Complaint should be dismissed." It sought dismissal on three counts - first because the court lacks jurisdiction "to issue a declaratory judgment because the alleged controversy is not ripe", second "Air India is immune from suit because none of the exceptions to sovereign immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) applies to a premature collection proceeding of a hypothetical judgment, and third "the Complaint, which presupposes an enforceable judgment that does not exist, fails to allege a cognizable cause of action." The Indian government had earlier this month asked the US District Court for the District of Columbia (DDC) to dismiss the case, arguing that it lacks jurisdiction since the country never agreed to arbitrate tax disputes. Meanwhile, litigation filed by New Delhi in the Netherlands to have the award set aside also remains pending. "Cairn asks this court to issue a declaration that Air India, as alleged alter ego of [India], will be liable on a judgment that does not, and may never, exist," the airline said in the August 23 petition. "Unless and until the court in the Cairn confirmation action determines the threshold question of the enforceability of the award against (India), whether Cairn can then enforce that judgment against Air India under an alter ego theory is purely academic and not ripe for adjudication." This comes within weeks of the government enacting a legislation to scrap the tax rule that gave the tax department power to go 50 years back and slap capital gains levies wherever ownership had changed hands overseas, but business assets were in India. That rule had been used to levy a cumulative of ₹ 1.10 lakh crore of tax on 17 entities, including ₹ 10,247 crore on Cairn. The Indian government and Air India are defending their positions as rules for withdrawal of such tax demands are in the process of being framed. "One of the requirements for the dropping of the retrospective tax demands is that the parties concerned have to give an undertaking for withdrawal of all cases against the government/tax department. So, while all this is in process, the government is obligated to respond in any legal matter where there is a time bar for doing so," an official explained. The government in the dismissal motion filed on August 13 before DCC, cited protections afforded by the US Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976. India in the filing said the court "lacks subject-matter jurisdiction under the FSIA because India never waived its sovereign immunity and, likewise, never offered - let alone agreed - to arbitrate the present dispute with Petitioners". "India also never "clearly and unmistakably" excluded judicial review or delegated exclusive competence to decide these questions to an arbitral tribunal", implying that Cairn couldn't satisfy any exception to sovereign immunity under the US law, the filing said.

Air India asks US court to dismiss Cairn petition, says it is premature

On the 58th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement citizens in the US fear that their civil rights could be stripped off, thousands rally in protest against a Republican proposed bill in the country.

Huge protests in US for voting rights on 58th Anniversary of Civil Rights Movement

''US President Joe Biden made the wrong call in Afghanistan,'' says Fred Fleitz, President of Center For Security Policy & Former NSC Chief of Staff in a conversation with WION's. He also added that Biden chose to withdraw abruptly without working with the Afghan army.

'Biden chose to withdraw abruptly without working with Afghan army', says Fred Fleitz

After two RFK's sons spoke in favour of&nbsp;US Senator Robert F Kennedy's assassin's&nbsp;release,&nbsp;77-year-old Sirhan Sirhan was granted parole on Friday. The&nbsp;prosecutors also declined to argue he should be kept behind bars.

The move came as a major victory for the prisoner, but it still does not assure his release. The&nbsp;California Parole Board's staff will review the&nbsp;ruling by the two-person panel for the next 90 days.

Watch:&nbsp;Deserted look in Kabul after recent bombings near Hamid Karzai International Airport

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This was&nbsp;the prisoner's 16th parole hearing. After this, it will be sent to the state's governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it.

Being a toddler when his father was gunned down in 1968, Douglas Kennedy said he was moved to tears by Sirhan's remorse and he should be released if he's not a threat to others.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-airstrike-targets-is-in-afghanistan-in-response-to-deadly-suicide-attack-408905" hreflang="en">US airstrike targets IS in Afghanistan in response to deadly suicide attack</a>

"I'm overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr Sirhan face to face. I think I've lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love," said&nbsp;Douglas Kennedy.

Robert F Kennedy, who was&nbsp;brother of President John F Kennedy, was the New York senator and a Democratic presidential candidate when he was gunned down on June 6, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary.

(With inputs from agencies)

After two RFK's sons spoke in favour of US Senator Robert F Kennedy's assassin's release, 77-year-old Sirhan Sirhan was granted parole on Friday. The prosecutors also declined to argue he should be kept behind bars.

After two RFK's sons spoke in favour of US Senator Robert F Kennedy's assassin's release, 77-year-old Sirhan Sirhan was granted parole on Friday. The prosecutors also declined to argue he should be kept behind bars. The move came as a major victory for the prisoner, but it still does not assure his release. The California Parole Board's staff will review the ruling by the two-person panel for the next 90 days. Watch: Deserted look in Kabul after recent bombings near Hamid Karzai International Airport × This was the prisoner's 16th parole hearing. After this, it will be sent to the state's governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it. Being a toddler when his father was gunned down in 1968, Douglas Kennedy said he was moved to tears by Sirhan's remorse and he should be released if he's not a threat to others. Also Read: US airstrike targets IS in Afghanistan in response to deadly suicide attack "I'm overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr Sirhan face to face. I think I've lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love," said Douglas Kennedy. Robert F Kennedy, who was brother of President John F Kennedy, was the New York senator and a Democratic presidential candidate when he was gunned down on June 6, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. (With inputs from agencies)

With support of two Kennedys, RFK's assassin wins parole in US

A senior&nbsp;Pentagon&nbsp;official&nbsp;held&nbsp;talks&nbsp;with the&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;military&nbsp;for the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time&nbsp;since President&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;took office in January to focus on managing risk between the two countries, a US official&nbsp;told Reuters on Friday.

The United States has put countering China at the heart of its national security policy for years and&nbsp;Biden's administration has described rivalry with Beijing as "the biggest geopolitical test" of this century.

Relations between China and the United States have grown increasingly tense, with the world's two largest economies clashing over everything from Taiwan and China's human rights record to its&nbsp;military&nbsp;activity in the South China Sea.

Despite the tensions and heated rhetoric, US military&nbsp;officials have long sought to have open lines of communication with their&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;counterparts to be able to mitigate potential flare-ups or deal with any accidents.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-virus-origins-us-intelligence-community-says-it-was-not-developed-as-biological-weapon-408909">Also read |&nbsp;COVID-19 virus&nbsp;origins:&nbsp;US intelligence community says it was 'not developed' as biological weapon</a>

Michael Chase, deputy assistant secretary of defence for China, spoke last week with&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;Major General Huang Xueping, deputy director for the People's Liberation Army Office for International&nbsp;Military&nbsp;Cooperation.

"(They) utilised the U.S.-PRC Defence Telephone Link to conduct a secure video conference," the US official&nbsp;said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining open channels of communication between the two militaries," the&nbsp;official&nbsp;added.

Officials said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has yet to speak with his&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;counterpart, in part because there was a debate about which&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;official&nbsp;was Austin's counterpart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said on Thursday that the United States welcomes competition and does not seek conflict with Beijing, but will speak up on issues such as maritime&nbsp;disputes in the South China Sea.

China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan lay claim to parts of the South China Sea, which is crossed by vital shipping lanes and contains gas fields and rich fishing grounds.

Biden&nbsp;has ramped up sanctions on China over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

In a shift from his predecessor as president, Donald Trump,&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;has broadly sought to rally allies and partners to help counter what the White House says is China's increasingly coercive economic and foreign policies.

A senior Pentagon official held talks with the Chinese military for the first time since President Joe Biden took office in January to focus on managing risk between the two countries, a US official told Reuters on Friday.

A senior Pentagon official held talks with the Chinese military for the first time since President Joe Biden took office in January to focus on managing risk between the two countries, a US official told Reuters on Friday. The United States has put countering China at the heart of its national security policy for years and Biden's administration has described rivalry with Beijing as "the biggest geopolitical test" of this century. Relations between China and the United States have grown increasingly tense, with the world's two largest economies clashing over everything from Taiwan and China's human rights record to its military activity in the South China Sea. Despite the tensions and heated rhetoric, US military officials have long sought to have open lines of communication with their Chinese counterparts to be able to mitigate potential flare-ups or deal with any accidents. Also read | COVID-19 virus origins: US intelligence community says it was 'not developed' as biological weapon Michael Chase, deputy assistant secretary of defence for China, spoke last week with Chinese Major General Huang Xueping, deputy director for the People's Liberation Army Office for International Military Cooperation. "(They) utilised the U.S.-PRC Defence Telephone Link to conduct a secure video conference," the US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining open channels of communication between the two militaries," the official added. Officials said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has yet to speak with his Chinese counterpart, in part because there was a debate about which Chinese official was Austin's counterpart. Vice President Kamala Harris said on Thursday that the United States welcomes competition and does not seek conflict with Beijing, but will speak up on issues such as maritime disputes in the South China Sea. China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan lay claim to parts of the South China Sea, which is crossed by vital shipping lanes and contains gas fields and rich fishing grounds. Biden has ramped up sanctions on China over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. In a shift from his predecessor as president, Donald Trump, Biden has broadly sought to rally allies and partners to help counter what the White House says is China's increasingly coercive economic and foreign policies.

Pentagon holds talks with Chinese military for first time under Biden

A day after an attack outside Kabul’s airport, the United States has announced that it carried out a drone strike in eastern Afghanistan against a “planner” of an ISIL-affiliated group. The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan.

United States announces that it carried out a drone strike in eastern Afghanistan

The United States has announced that it carried out a drone attack in eastern Afghanistan against a “planner” of an ISIL-affiliated group, a day after an attack outside Kabul’s airport that killed at least 175 people and 13 US troops.

United States conducts airstrike in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province

The Taliban on Saturday condemned a drone strike by the US against the militant of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) which took credit for the suicide attack outside the Kabul airport, terming, the operation as a “clear attack on Afghan territory”.

On Friday, the US military said it carried out a drone strike against a "planner" of the IS-K following the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport.

“The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. Initial indications are that we killed the target," said Captain Bill Urban of the Central Command.

“We know of no civilian casualties,” he added in a statement announcing the first reported US strike since the attack.

The strike, launched from outside of Afghanistan, came as the airlift of evacuees from Kabul airport continued under much-heightened security after Thursday's attack.

At least 78 people were killed, including 13 US troops, when a suicide attacker exploded a bomb in the dense crowd in front of the airport's Abbey Gate. Some media reported that fatalities numbered close to 200.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid Mujahid said the militant organisation is expected to take full control of Kabul airport very shortly, once US forces leave, and would announce a full cabinet in the coming days.

He said officials had already been appointed to run key institutions including the ministries of public health and education and the central bank.

He also said he expected the serious economic turbulence which has hit the Afghani currency to ease soon.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Taliban on Saturday condemned a drone strike by the US against the militant of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) which took credit for the suicide attack outside the Kabul airport, terming, the operation as a “clear attack on Afghan territory”.

The Taliban on Saturday condemned a drone strike by the US against the militant of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) which took credit for the suicide attack outside the Kabul airport, terming, the operation as a “clear attack on Afghan territory”. On Friday, the US military said it carried out a drone strike against a "planner" of the IS-K following the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport. “The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. Initial indications are that we killed the target," said Captain Bill Urban of the Central Command. “We know of no civilian casualties,” he added in a statement announcing the first reported US strike since the attack. The strike, launched from outside of Afghanistan, came as the airlift of evacuees from Kabul airport continued under much-heightened security after Thursday's attack. At least 78 people were killed, including 13 US troops, when a suicide attacker exploded a bomb in the dense crowd in front of the airport's Abbey Gate. Some media reported that fatalities numbered close to 200. Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid Mujahid said the militant organisation is expected to take full control of Kabul airport very shortly, once US forces leave, and would announce a full cabinet in the coming days. He said officials had already been appointed to run key institutions including the ministries of public health and education and the central bank. He also said he expected the serious economic turbulence which has hit the Afghani currency to ease soon. (With inputs from agencies)

Kabul airport blasts: Taliban condemn US drone attack on IS-K militant

The United States urged its&nbsp;citizens&nbsp;Friday to "immediately"&nbsp;leave&nbsp;the&nbsp;gates&nbsp;around&nbsp;Kabul's&nbsp;airport, where a suicide bomber this week targeted crowds trying to flee Taliban rule.

Earlier Friday, the Pentagon said that the high-risk&nbsp;Kabul&nbsp;airlift operation to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies still faced "specific, credible threats".

"US&nbsp;citizens&nbsp;who are at the Abbey gate, East gate, North gate or the New Ministry of Interior gate now should&nbsp;leave&nbsp;immediately," the US Embassy in&nbsp;Kabul&nbsp;said in a security alert.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kill-list-biden-says-us-troops-may-have-handed-a-list-of-american-citizens-to-taliban-408871">Also read |&nbsp;Kill list? Biden says US troops 'may' have handed a list of American citizens to Taliban</a>

"Because of security threats at the&nbsp;Kabul&nbsp;airport, we continue to advise US&nbsp;citizens&nbsp;to avoid traveling to the&nbsp;airport&nbsp;and to avoid&nbsp;airport&nbsp;gates," the embassy said.

The alert gave no further details on what the security threats might be, but it followed Thursday's attack that killed scores of people including 13 US servicemen.

The blast claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group targeted US forces, but hit hardest the mass of people who had converged on the&nbsp;airport&nbsp;in a desperate bid to escape the Taliban's feared hardline rule.

The United States urged its citizens Friday to "immediately" leave the gates around Kabul's airport, where a suicide bomber this week targeted crowds trying to flee Taliban rule.

The United States urged its citizens Friday to "immediately" leave the gates around Kabul's airport, where a suicide bomber this week targeted crowds trying to flee Taliban rule. Earlier Friday, the Pentagon said that the high-risk Kabul airlift operation to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies still faced "specific, credible threats". "US citizens who are at the Abbey gate, East gate, North gate or the New Ministry of Interior gate now should leave immediately," the US Embassy in Kabul said in a security alert. Also read | Kill list? Biden says US troops 'may' have handed a list of American citizens to Taliban "Because of security threats at the Kabul airport, we continue to advise US citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates," the embassy said. The alert gave no further details on what the security threats might be, but it followed Thursday's attack that killed scores of people including 13 US servicemen. The blast claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group targeted US forces, but hit hardest the mass of people who had converged on the airport in a desperate bid to escape the Taliban's feared hardline rule.

US tells citizens to leave Kabul airport gates 'immediately'

The posting of a video demanding accountability from military leaders over the evacuation from Afghanistan by a US Marine Corps lieutenant colonel has led to his dismissal as he has been relieved of his duties. The officer will leave US service, reports said on Friday. &nbsp;

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Marine officer Stuart Scheller has been relieved from duty for this video. 
 
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— Cernovich (@Cernovich) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/1431383603917643778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The officer, Stuart Scheller, had posted a video on Facebook and LinkedIn on Thursday on the day of the recent deadly attack at Kabul Airport. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the devastating suicide bombing, 169 Afghans and 13 American service members were killed at the airport.

Watch |&nbsp;Afghanistan: Flights take off from Kabul as evacuations resume&nbsp;

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Scheller, who was the commander of the advanced infantry training battalion, said, “I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders: ‘I demand accountability’.” &nbsp;

The officer said, “I knew someone killed in Kabul, but was making this video because I have a growing discontent and contempt for … perceived ineptitude at the foreign policy level, and I want to specifically ask some questions to some of my senior leaders.”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-stranded-interpreter-and-the-soldiers-who-would-not-let-go-409024" hreflang="en">A stranded interpreter, and the soldiers who would not let go</a>&nbsp;

He criticised David Berger, commandant, Marine Corps for a note sent to Marines about how they might feel about the near-20-year US presence in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

The posting of a video demanding accountability from military leaders over the evacuation from Afghanistan by a US Marine Corps lieutenant colonel has led to his dismissal as he has been relieved of his duties.

The posting of a video demanding accountability from military leaders over the evacuation from Afghanistan by a US Marine Corps lieutenant colonel has led to his dismissal as he has been relieved of his duties. The officer will leave US service, reports said on Friday. Marine officer Stuart Scheller has been relieved from duty for this video. pic.twitter.com/GyxzUJ44vN — Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 27, 2021 × The officer, Stuart Scheller, had posted a video on Facebook and LinkedIn on Thursday on the day of the recent deadly attack at Kabul Airport. In the devastating suicide bombing, 169 Afghans and 13 American service members were killed at the airport. Watch | Afghanistan: Flights take off from Kabul as evacuations resume × Scheller, who was the commander of the advanced infantry training battalion, said, “I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders: ‘I demand accountability’.” The officer said, “I knew someone killed in Kabul, but was making this video because I have a growing discontent and contempt for … perceived ineptitude at the foreign policy level, and I want to specifically ask some questions to some of my senior leaders.” Also Read: A stranded interpreter, and the soldiers who would not let go He criticised David Berger, commandant, Marine Corps for a note sent to Marines about how they might feel about the near-20-year US presence in Afghanistan.

Watch: US officer seeks ‘accountability’ over Afghanistan, gets relieved of duties

The Americans called him “Mikey,” and as an interpreter for the Special Forces he did not just bridge language gaps. He did everything from easing negotiations with local Afghans loyal to the Taliban to warning a convoy away from an ambush.

“Mikey wasn’t just a regular interpreter,” recalls Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Torres, a Texan who served in the Special Forces. “He was our lifeline. He went everywhere we went on the most remote and dangerous missions. It was because of him that we returned home alive after deployments.”

But the day after Kabul fell to the Taliban, the 34-year-old Afghan was on his own.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-write-to-joe-biden-demanding-answers-over-afghanistan-china-terrorism-nuclear-weapon-and-more-409006" hreflang="en">US lawmakers write to Biden demanding answers over Afghanistan, China and more</a>

Determined to get out of Afghanistan, he was making a desperate run to the airport with his wife and two young sons when they were caught in gunfire amid the crush of people who had gathered there to escape. His wife and one son, 6, were both shot in the foot.

As he carried the bloodied and screaming child in search of a hospital, Mikey says, he flashed back to his time on the battlefield with US forces.

“I kept thinking, after everything I did for the Americans,” he said. “After all my hard work and risking my life, now this is what happens to my family? They are leaving us to die here.”

Mikey — who is being identified by his American nickname for safety reasons — is one of tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the United States and have applications pending for expedited visas allowing them to resettle in America. President Joe Biden has pledged that Afghan allies will be welcomed to “their new homes” and called the situation on the ground “heartbreaking.”

But the evacuation of US&nbsp;citizens and green-card holders remains the immediate priority of the military operation underway at the Kabul airport. That means that for many Afghans who worked with the United States, there is little to do but wait — and try to keep out of the sights of the Taliban.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/heart-wrenching-details-of-some-of-the-13-us-troops-killed-in-afghan-bombings-409001">Heart wrenching details of some of the 13 US troops killed in Afghan bombings</a>

Mikey worked as an interpreter for the Special Forces from 2009 to 2012 in Kandahar, and from 2015 to 2017 in Kabul. He was once so badly wounded in an explosion that he had to be airlifted to a field hospital.

The night his wife and son were shot, Mikey got them into a hospital and then went into hiding. Preferring rooms without windows, he switched locations four times in one week.

He was waiting for the US government to give him an evacuation plan. He was waiting for the approval of his visa application.

And he was waiting for the Taliban to find him.

In interviews from his bunkers in Kabul as events unfolded over the past week, Mikey talked about the ordeal of trying to keep himself alive and his family safe in the chaos left behind by the U.S. exit from Afghanistan. With no word from the US&nbsp;government about when or how he might get out, he realized that the bonds he had forged with U.S. soldiers might offer his only hope for safe passage.

That is where Torres, who now lives in Pecos, Texas, came in.

He had worked with Mikey on multiple deployments, and now he had a new battle: leading a global operation to get him out.

To coordinate those efforts, Torres and a group of about 20 former and current members of the military formed a WhatsApp chat group and an email thread. They reached out to military and Department of State contacts, along with members of Congress, to try to get Mikey and his family onto a military evacuation plane.

They say they understand why US citizens are getting priority when it comes to evacuations. The outrage is over the lack of a clear plan for all those Afghans who worked side by side with the Americans, who may have targets on their backs now that the Taliban is in control.

“It’s infuriating,” Torres said. “My heart breaks for everyone who doesn’t have the support Mikey has.”

It was not the case that Mikey tried to get out of Afghanistan only when the danger became clear.

He started his special visa application in 2012, when he was in Kandahar with the military. He had his interview, one of the final steps in the process, in November 2018 when he worked at Camp Duskin in Kabul. He is still waiting for medical tests and approval. Emails he has sent to follow up on his application have gone unanswered.

Across the US, members of the armed forces are leading their own campaigns to pressure the Biden administration to scale up the evacuation of Afghans who worked as their interpreters. They have taken to social media and created fundraising campaigns such as “Help Our Interpreters.”

Military interpreters are among the most vulnerable of Afghan allies. The nature of their work required that they accompany military personnel in the battlefield and be present during interactions with locals. If residents of the areas where they worked were hostile to Americans, the interpreters could be easily identified for the Taliban.

Mikey was a teenager in Kabul when the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001. In high school he worked hard to learn English, and his language teacher suggested he work as an interpreter for the Americans after graduation.

He was dispatched to Kandahar airfield, one of the largest US military bases in Afghanistan, and from there to multiple remote outposts, quickly working his way up to become a lead interpreter.

“Mikey was always fun to be around, very open-minded with a very big heart,” said Sgt. First Class Raymond Steele, an active member of Special Forces who has stayed in regular contact with him over the years.

Mikey listened to communications to intercept threats, talking to local tribal leaders in person and on his phone. On one patrol, he got word of an ambush and of insurgents burying explosive devices in their path.

“I felt proud of my job because it felt like I was helping my country,” Mikey said.

Between stints in Kandahar and Kabul, Mikey got married. He bought a car and worked as a taxi driver in Kabul. He and his wife had children.

But the US era in Afghanistan was ending — and the Taliban’s resuming. That left countless Afghans feeling helpless and adrift, as Mikey was when we spoke by phone last Saturday night.

“We are in the dark,” he told me. “My American friends say just wait, wait to see what happens. Be ready to leave when we tell you.”

Then Monday around 4 p.m. Mikey received an astonishing text from Torres: We are going to get you out, it said. Get ready now. Wait for instructions.

The mission to rescue Mikey, with the help of current and former military contacts on the ground, was in motion — and things were moving quickly. In a space of two hours, Mikey and his family were hidden in a car, their documents stashed, heading for a gate at the Kabul airport where members of the military were expecting him.

They welcomed him, taking his family to a clinic so his wife and son’s bullet wounds could be treated. The children got candy.

When Torres got the call that Mikey was finally in the clear, he broke into sobs. He never cries, he says. Steele called Mikey and shouted, “I love you, man.”

On Tuesday, Mikey and his family flew out of Afghanistan aboard a US military plane, his initial destination withheld for security reasons.

It was his son’s sixth birthday.

“I am extremely relieved and happy,” Mikey said during a call from the tarmac in Kabul as he waited to board the plane. “My infinite gratitude for the help and kindness of my American brothers. You gave us a second chance at life.”

The Americans called him “Mikey,” and as an interpreter for the Special Forces he did not just bridge language gaps. He did everything from easing negotiations with local Afghans loyal to the Taliban to warning a convoy away from an ambush.

The Americans called him “Mikey,” and as an interpreter for the Special Forces he did not just bridge language gaps. He did everything from easing negotiations with local Afghans loyal to the Taliban to warning a convoy away from an ambush. “Mikey wasn’t just a regular interpreter,” recalls Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Torres, a Texan who served in the Special Forces. “He was our lifeline. He went everywhere we went on the most remote and dangerous missions. It was because of him that we returned home alive after deployments.” But the day after Kabul fell to the Taliban, the 34-year-old Afghan was on his own. Also read | US lawmakers write to Biden demanding answers over Afghanistan, China and more Determined to get out of Afghanistan, he was making a desperate run to the airport with his wife and two young sons when they were caught in gunfire amid the crush of people who had gathered there to escape. His wife and one son, 6, were both shot in the foot. As he carried the bloodied and screaming child in search of a hospital, Mikey says, he flashed back to his time on the battlefield with US forces. “I kept thinking, after everything I did for the Americans,” he said. “After all my hard work and risking my life, now this is what happens to my family? They are leaving us to die here.” Mikey — who is being identified by his American nickname for safety reasons — is one of tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the United States and have applications pending for expedited visas allowing them to resettle in America. President Joe Biden has pledged that Afghan allies will be welcomed to “their new homes” and called the situation on the ground “heartbreaking.” But the evacuation of US citizens and green-card holders remains the immediate priority of the military operation underway at the Kabul airport. That means that for many Afghans who worked with the United States, there is little to do but wait — and try to keep out of the sights of the Taliban. Also read | Heart wrenching details of some of the 13 US troops killed in Afghan bombings Mikey worked as an interpreter for the Special Forces from 2009 to 2012 in Kandahar, and from 2015 to 2017 in Kabul. He was once so badly wounded in an explosion that he had to be airlifted to a field hospital. The night his wife and son were shot, Mikey got them into a hospital and then went into hiding. Preferring rooms without windows, he switched locations four times in one week. He was waiting for the US government to give him an evacuation plan. He was waiting for the approval of his visa application. And he was waiting for the Taliban to find him. In interviews from his bunkers in Kabul as events unfolded over the past week, Mikey talked about the ordeal of trying to keep himself alive and his family safe in the chaos left behind by the U.S. exit from Afghanistan. With no word from the US government about when or how he might get out, he realized that the bonds he had forged with U.S. soldiers might offer his only hope for safe passage. That is where Torres, who now lives in Pecos, Texas, came in. He had worked with Mikey on multiple deployments, and now he had a new battle: leading a global operation to get him out. To coordinate those efforts, Torres and a group of about 20 former and current members of the military formed a WhatsApp chat group and an email thread. They reached out to military and Department of State contacts, along with members of Congress, to try to get Mikey and his family onto a military evacuation plane. They say they understand why US citizens are getting priority when it comes to evacuations. The outrage is over the lack of a clear plan for all those Afghans who worked side by side with the Americans, who may have targets on their backs now that the Taliban is in control. “It’s infuriating,” Torres said. “My heart breaks for everyone who doesn’t have the support Mikey has.” It was not the case that Mikey tried to get out of Afghanistan only when the danger became clear. He started his special visa application in 2012, when he was in Kandahar with the military. He had his interview, one of the final steps in the process, in November 2018 when he worked at Camp Duskin in Kabul. He is still waiting for medical tests and approval. Emails he has sent to follow up on his application have gone unanswered. Across the US, members of the armed forces are leading their own campaigns to pressure the Biden administration to scale up the evacuation of Afghans who worked as their interpreters. They have taken to social media and created fundraising campaigns such as “Help Our Interpreters.” Military interpreters are among the most vulnerable of Afghan allies. The nature of their work required that they accompany military personnel in the battlefield and be present during interactions with locals. If residents of the areas where they worked were hostile to Americans, the interpreters could be easily identified for the Taliban. Mikey was a teenager in Kabul when the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001. In high school he worked hard to learn English, and his language teacher suggested he work as an interpreter for the Americans after graduation. He was dispatched to Kandahar airfield, one of the largest US military bases in Afghanistan, and from there to multiple remote outposts, quickly working his way up to become a lead interpreter. “Mikey was always fun to be around, very open-minded with a very big heart,” said Sgt. First Class Raymond Steele, an active member of Special Forces who has stayed in regular contact with him over the years. Mikey listened to communications to intercept threats, talking to local tribal leaders in person and on his phone. On one patrol, he got word of an ambush and of insurgents burying explosive devices in their path. “I felt proud of my job because it felt like I was helping my country,” Mikey said. Between stints in Kandahar and Kabul, Mikey got married. He bought a car and worked as a taxi driver in Kabul. He and his wife had children. But the US era in Afghanistan was ending — and the Taliban’s resuming. That left countless Afghans feeling helpless and adrift, as Mikey was when we spoke by phone last Saturday night. “We are in the dark,” he told me. “My American friends say just wait, wait to see what happens. Be ready to leave when we tell you.” Then Monday around 4 p.m. Mikey received an astonishing text from Torres: We are going to get you out, it said. Get ready now. Wait for instructions. The mission to rescue Mikey, with the help of current and former military contacts on the ground, was in motion — and things were moving quickly. In a space of two hours, Mikey and his family were hidden in a car, their documents stashed, heading for a gate at the Kabul airport where members of the military were expecting him. They welcomed him, taking his family to a clinic so his wife and son’s bullet wounds could be treated. The children got candy. When Torres got the call that Mikey was finally in the clear, he broke into sobs. He never cries, he says. Steele called Mikey and shouted, “I love you, man.” On Tuesday, Mikey and his family flew out of Afghanistan aboard a US military plane, his initial destination withheld for security reasons. It was his son’s sixth birthday. “I am extremely relieved and happy,” Mikey said during a call from the tarmac in Kabul as he waited to board the plane. “My infinite gratitude for the help and kindness of my American brothers. You gave us a second chance at life.”

A stranded interpreter, and the soldiers who would not let go

Scientists last month set foot on a tiny island off the coast of Greenland which they say is the world`s northernmost point of land and was revealed by shifting pack ice.

The discovery comes as a battle is looming among Arctic nations the United States, Russia, Canada, Denmark and Norway for control of the North Pole some 700 km (435 miles) to the north and of the surrounding seabed, fishing rights and shipping routes exposed by melting ice due to climate change.

"It was not our intention to discover a new island," polar explorer and head of the Arctic Station research facility in Greenland, Morten Rasch, told Reuters. "We just went there to collect samples." 
The scientists initially thought they had arrived at Oodaaq, an island discovered by a Danish survey team in 1978. Only later, when checking the exact location, they realized they had visited another island 780 metres northwest.

"Everybody was happy that we found what we thought was Oodaaq island," said Swiss entrepreneur Christiane Leister, creator of the Leister Foundation that financed the expedition.

"It`s a bit like explorers in the past, who thought they`d landed in a certain place but actually found a totally different place."

The small island, measuring roughly 30 metres across and a peak of about three metres, consists of seabed mud as well as moraine - soil and rock left behind by moving glaciers. The team said they would recommend it is named "Qeqertaq Avannarleq", which means "the northernmost island" in Greenlandic.

Several U.S. expeditions in the area have in recent decades searched for the world`s northernmost island. In 2007, Arctic veteran Dennis Schmitt discovered a similar island close by.

Though it was exposed by shifting pack ice, the scientists said the island`s appearance now was not a direct consequence of global warming, which has been shrinking Greenland`s ice sheet.

Rene Forsberg, professor and head of geodynamics at Denmark`s National Space Institute, said the area north of Greenland has some of the thicket polar sea ice, though he added it was now 2-3 metres thick in summer, compared with 4 metres when he first visited as part of the expedition that discovered Oodaaq in 1978.

Any hope of extending territorial claims in the Arctic depends on whether it is in fact an island or a bank that may disappear again. An island need to remain above sea level at high tide.

"It meets the criteria of an island," said Forsberg. "This is currently the world`s northernmost land."

But Forsberg, an advisor to the Danish government, said it was unlikely to change Denmark`s territorial claim north of Greenland.

"These small island come and go," he said.

The discovery was first reported earlier on Friday by Danish newspaper Weekendavisen.

Scientists last month set foot on a tiny island off the coast of Greenland which they say is the world`s northernmost point of land and was revealed by shifting pack ice.

Scientists last month set foot on a tiny island off the coast of Greenland which they say is the world`s northernmost point of land and was revealed by shifting pack ice. The discovery comes as a battle is looming among Arctic nations the United States, Russia, Canada, Denmark and Norway for control of the North Pole some 700 km (435 miles) to the north and of the surrounding seabed, fishing rights and shipping routes exposed by melting ice due to climate change. "It was not our intention to discover a new island," polar explorer and head of the Arctic Station research facility in Greenland, Morten Rasch, told Reuters. "We just went there to collect samples." The scientists initially thought they had arrived at Oodaaq, an island discovered by a Danish survey team in 1978. Only later, when checking the exact location, they realized they had visited another island 780 metres northwest. "Everybody was happy that we found what we thought was Oodaaq island," said Swiss entrepreneur Christiane Leister, creator of the Leister Foundation that financed the expedition. "It`s a bit like explorers in the past, who thought they`d landed in a certain place but actually found a totally different place." The small island, measuring roughly 30 metres across and a peak of about three metres, consists of seabed mud as well as moraine - soil and rock left behind by moving glaciers. The team said they would recommend it is named "Qeqertaq Avannarleq", which means "the northernmost island" in Greenlandic. Several U.S. expeditions in the area have in recent decades searched for the world`s northernmost island. In 2007, Arctic veteran Dennis Schmitt discovered a similar island close by. Though it was exposed by shifting pack ice, the scientists said the island`s appearance now was not a direct consequence of global warming, which has been shrinking Greenland`s ice sheet. Rene Forsberg, professor and head of geodynamics at Denmark`s National Space Institute, said the area north of Greenland has some of the thicket polar sea ice, though he added it was now 2-3 metres thick in summer, compared with 4 metres when he first visited as part of the expedition that discovered Oodaaq in 1978. Any hope of extending territorial claims in the Arctic depends on whether it is in fact an island or a bank that may disappear again. An island need to remain above sea level at high tide. "It meets the criteria of an island," said Forsberg. "This is currently the world`s northernmost land." But Forsberg, an advisor to the Danish government, said it was unlikely to change Denmark`s territorial claim north of Greenland. "These small island come and go," he said. The discovery was first reported earlier on Friday by Danish newspaper Weekendavisen.

Scientists discover ‘world’s northernmost island’ off Greenland’s coast

Following the deadly suicide bombing in Kabul, the United States military has carried out a drone strike against an alleged ISIS-K "planner". In the attack, Pentagon claims to have killed the target, say media reports. &nbsp;

On Friday, a US official as per media reports seems to have claimed that US military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation against an ISIS-K planner. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;United States announces that it carried out a drone strike in eastern Afghanistan

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The unmanned airstrike was carried out in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. According to the initial indications, the target was killed, claim reports, citing the US official. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The official also said to have claimed that he doesn’t know of any civilian casualties.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/british-ex-marine-survived-kabul-attack-with-200-animals-408968" hreflang="en">British ex-marine survived Kabul attack with 200 animals</a>&nbsp;

The drone may have hit a vehicle carrying an ISIS-K leader, who is believed to be "carrying out future attacks." The ISIS-K planner was also traveling with an "associate." &nbsp;

It is yet not clear that the planner was involved in the suicide attack at the Kabul airport or not.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-warns-against-is-as-afghanistan-overshadows-iraq-summit-408982" hreflang="en">Macron warns against IS as Afghanistan overshadows Iraq summit</a>

The devastating suicide bombing, which was claimed by the group, killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport. &nbsp;

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said the perpetrators cannot hide, and he vowed to strike back at the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate. "We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Following the deadly suicide bombing in Kabul, the United States military has carried out a drone strike against an alleged ISIS-K "planner". In the attack, Pentagon claims to have killed the target, say media reports.

Following the deadly suicide bombing in Kabul, the United States military has carried out a drone strike against an alleged ISIS-K "planner". In the attack, Pentagon claims to have killed the target, say media reports. On Friday, a US official as per media reports seems to have claimed that US military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation against an ISIS-K planner. Watch: United States announces that it carried out a drone strike in eastern Afghanistan × The unmanned airstrike was carried out in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. According to the initial indications, the target was killed, claim reports, citing the US official. The official also said to have claimed that he doesn’t know of any civilian casualties. Also Read: British ex-marine survived Kabul attack with 200 animals The drone may have hit a vehicle carrying an ISIS-K leader, who is believed to be "carrying out future attacks." The ISIS-K planner was also traveling with an "associate." It is yet not clear that the planner was involved in the suicide attack at the Kabul airport or not. Also Read: Macron warns against IS as Afghanistan overshadows Iraq summit The devastating suicide bombing, which was claimed by the group, killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport. On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said the perpetrators cannot hide, and he vowed to strike back at the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate. "We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden said. (With inputs from agencies)

After suicide attack, US drone strike kills 'ISIS-K planner' in Afghanistan: Report   

Ten Marines and at least one Navy hospital corpsman are among the 13 US troops dead following a suicide bomb attack on crowds struggling to get out of Kabul.&nbsp;

As per USNI, 18 US service members were wounded and an unknown number of Afghans were killed and wounded in an attack, which is believed to have been perpetrated by ISIS Khorasan.&nbsp;

US Central Command chief Gen. Frank McKenzie told reporters, "The attack on the Abbey gate was followed by a number of ISIS gunmen, who opened fire on civilians and military forces,” McKenzie said. “A number of Afghan civilians were also killed and injured in the attack. We are treating some of them aboard HKIA. Many other Afghan civilians have been taken out to hospitals in town. We’re still working to calculate the total losses. We just don’t know it – what that is right now".

Heart wrenching details began emerging Friday about some of the 13 US troops killed in a horrific suicide bombing.&nbsp;

A young husband with a child on the way, another man who always wanted to be in the military, a man who planned to become a sheriff’s deputy when his deployment ended, were amongst the few who sacrificed their lives.&nbsp;

Rylee McCollum, a Marine and native of Bondurant, Wyoming, was married and his wife is expecting a baby in three weeks, his sister, Cheyenne McCollum, said.

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“He was so excited to be a dad, and he was going to be a great dad," McCollum was quoted by the Associated Press.

She said her brother “was a Marine before he knew he was allowed to be a Marine ... He’d carry around his toy rifle and wear his sister’s pink princess snow boots and he’d either be hunting or he was a Marine. Sometimes it would be with nothing on underneath, just a T-shirt.”

“We want to make sure that people know that these are the kids that are sacrificing themselves, and he’s got a family who loves him and a wife who loves him and a baby that he’ll never get to meet,” Cheyenne McCollum said.

Another man, Lance Corporal Kareem Mae’Lee Grant Nikoui, of Norco, California, sent videos to his family hours before he died.&nbsp;

In the video, he showed himself interacting with children in Afghanistan. In one of the clips, he asked a young boy to say hello. 
“Want to take a video together buddy?” Nikoui said, leaning in to take a video of himself with the boy. “All right, we’re heroes now, man.”

Close family friend Paul Arreola said the videos show "the heart of this young man, the love he has.”

“The family is just heartbroken," he said. Arreola described Nikoui as an “amazing young man” full of promise who always wanted to be a Marine and set out to achieve his goal.&nbsp;

Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz grew up in the St. Louis area and was among a group of Marines sent back to Afghanistan to assist with evacuation efforts, his father, Mark Schmitz, told KMOX Radio.

Mark Schmitz said, “This was something he always wanted to do, and I never seen a young man train as hard as he did to be the best soldier he could be,” Schmitz said of his son. “His life meant so much more. I’m so incredibly devastated that I won’t be able to see the man that he was very quickly growing into becoming.”

Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, of Utah, had been in the Marines for 11 years. Speaking to the Associated Press, his father Darin Hoover said, "He is a hero. He gave his life protecting those that can’t protect themselves, doing what he loved serving his country".&nbsp;

Ten Marines and at least one Navy hospital corpsman are among the 13 US troops dead following a suicide bomb attack on crowds struggling to get out of Kabul. As per USNI, 18 US service members were wounded and an unknown number of Afghans were killed and wounded in an attack, which is believed to have been perpetrated by ISIS Khorasan.

Ten Marines and at least one Navy hospital corpsman are among the 13 US troops dead following a suicide bomb attack on crowds struggling to get out of Kabul. As per USNI, 18 US service members were wounded and an unknown number of Afghans were killed and wounded in an attack, which is believed to have been perpetrated by ISIS Khorasan. US Central Command chief Gen. Frank McKenzie told reporters, "The attack on the Abbey gate was followed by a number of ISIS gunmen, who opened fire on civilians and military forces,” McKenzie said. “A number of Afghan civilians were also killed and injured in the attack. We are treating some of them aboard HKIA. Many other Afghan civilians have been taken out to hospitals in town. We’re still working to calculate the total losses. We just don’t know it – what that is right now". Heart wrenching details began emerging Friday about some of the 13 US troops killed in a horrific suicide bombing. A young husband with a child on the way, another man who always wanted to be in the military, a man who planned to become a sheriff’s deputy when his deployment ended, were amongst the few who sacrificed their lives. Rylee McCollum, a Marine and native of Bondurant, Wyoming, was married and his wife is expecting a baby in three weeks, his sister, Cheyenne McCollum, said. “He was so excited to be a dad, and he was going to be a great dad," McCollum was quoted by the Associated Press. She said her brother “was a Marine before he knew he was allowed to be a Marine ... He’d carry around his toy rifle and wear his sister’s pink princess snow boots and he’d either be hunting or he was a Marine. Sometimes it would be with nothing on underneath, just a T-shirt.” “We want to make sure that people know that these are the kids that are sacrificing themselves, and he’s got a family who loves him and a wife who loves him and a baby that he’ll never get to meet,” Cheyenne McCollum said. Another man, Lance Corporal Kareem Mae’Lee Grant Nikoui, of Norco, California, sent videos to his family hours before he died. In the video, he showed himself interacting with children in Afghanistan. In one of the clips, he asked a young boy to say hello. “Want to take a video together buddy?” Nikoui said, leaning in to take a video of himself with the boy. “All right, we’re heroes now, man.” Close family friend Paul Arreola said the videos show "the heart of this young man, the love he has.” “The family is just heartbroken," he said. Arreola described Nikoui as an “amazing young man” full of promise who always wanted to be a Marine and set out to achieve his goal. Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz grew up in the St. Louis area and was among a group of Marines sent back to Afghanistan to assist with evacuation efforts, his father, Mark Schmitz, told KMOX Radio. Mark Schmitz said, “This was something he always wanted to do, and I never seen a young man train as hard as he did to be the best soldier he could be,” Schmitz said of his son. “His life meant so much more. I’m so incredibly devastated that I won’t be able to see the man that he was very quickly growing into becoming.” Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, of Utah, had been in the Marines for 11 years. Speaking to the Associated Press, his father Darin Hoover said, "He is a hero. He gave his life protecting those that can’t protect themselves, doing what he loved serving his country".

Heart wrenching details of some of the 13 US troops killed in Afghan bombings

China's&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;in Washington Friday accused the US intelligence community of "political&nbsp;manipulation" after a&nbsp;report&nbsp;in which Beijing was accused of withholding key information about the&nbsp;origins&nbsp;of the&nbsp;COVID-19 pandemic.

"The&nbsp;report&nbsp;by the US intelligence community shows that the US is bent on going down the wrong path of&nbsp;political&nbsp;manipulation," the&nbsp;embassy&nbsp;said in a statement.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-airstrike-targets-is-in-afghanistan-in-response-to-deadly-suicide-attack-408905">Also read |&nbsp;US airstrike targets IS in Afghanistan in response to deadly suicide attack</a>

"The&nbsp;report&nbsp;by the intelligence community is based on the presumption of guilt on the part of China, and it is only for scapegoating China."

China's embassy in Washington Friday accused the US intelligence community of "political manipulation" after a report in which Beijing was accused of withholding key information about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China's embassy in Washington Friday accused the US intelligence community of "political manipulation" after a report in which Beijing was accused of withholding key information about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The report by the US intelligence community shows that the US is bent on going down the wrong path of political manipulation," the embassy said in a statement. Also read | US airstrike targets IS in Afghanistan in response to deadly suicide attack "The report by the intelligence community is based on the presumption of guilt on the part of China, and it is only for scapegoating China."

Chinese embassy slams US 'political manipulation' in COVID-19 origins report

The US and Taliban have locked horns over control over Kabul airport. US Defence Dept, the Pentagon had said that the Kabul airport is under the control of US military.

Pentagon, Taliban claim to control Kabul airport

In response to the deadly&nbsp;suicide attack on&nbsp;Thursday,&nbsp;the United States military struck back at the Islamic State by bombing an IS member in Afghanistan on Saturday.&nbsp;The strike seems to have killed an Islamic State "planner".

The US Central Command said the strike took place in Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan.&nbsp;"Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties," the US military said in a statement, referring to the strike.

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The devastating suicide bombing, which was claimed by the group, killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: ISIS-K: Group behind the Kabul blasts

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On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said the perpetrators cannot hide, and he vowed to strike back at the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate. "We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden said.&nbsp;

A US official said on Friday, the suicide bomber seems to have carried around 25 pounds of explosives, loaded with shrapnel.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/afghanistan-staff-details-left-behind-at-uk-kabul-embassy-report-408865" hreflang="en">Afghanistan staff details left behind at UK Kabul embassy: Report</a>

The&nbsp;blast created by the&nbsp;massive amount of explosives and spray of shrapnel was such huge that it killed US troops, who were inside the airport gate as well as troops and Afghans outside, said the official on condition of anonymity.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-tells-citizens-to-leave-kabul-airport-gates-immediately-408913" hreflang="en">US tells citizens to leave Kabul airport gates 'immediately'</a>

Generally, a suicide bomber carries from five to 10 pounds of explosives.&nbsp;According to the US officials, the IS bomber got to within several yards of the gate at Kabul airport, where Afghans were crowded in as part of the ongoing evacuation from Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Western forces are also running the Afghan airlift while bracing for more attacks.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In response to the deadly suicide attack on Thursday, the United States military struck back at the Islamic State by bombing an IS member in Afghanistan on Saturday.

In response to the deadly suicide attack on Thursday, the United States military struck back at the Islamic State by bombing an IS member in Afghanistan on Saturday. The strike seems to have killed an Islamic State "planner". The US Central Command said the strike took place in Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan. "Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties," the US military said in a statement, referring to the strike. The devastating suicide bombing, which was claimed by the group, killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport. Watch | Gravitas: ISIS-K: Group behind the Kabul blasts × On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said the perpetrators cannot hide, and he vowed to strike back at the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate. "We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden said. A US official said on Friday, the suicide bomber seems to have carried around 25 pounds of explosives, loaded with shrapnel. Also Read | Afghanistan staff details left behind at UK Kabul embassy: Report The blast created by the massive amount of explosives and spray of shrapnel was such huge that it killed US troops, who were inside the airport gate as well as troops and Afghans outside, said the official on condition of anonymity. Also Read | US tells citizens to leave Kabul airport gates 'immediately' Generally, a suicide bomber carries from five to 10 pounds of explosives. According to the US officials, the IS bomber got to within several yards of the gate at Kabul airport, where Afghans were crowded in as part of the ongoing evacuation from Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Western forces are also running the Afghan airlift while bracing for more attacks. (With inputs from agencies)

US airstrike targets IS in Afghanistan in response to deadly suicide attack

For throwing out pornography collection, a judge has ordered a couple to pay $30,441 (£22,100) to their son in Michigan, US. &nbsp;

The decision by US district judge Paul Maloney came this week almost eight months after David Werking won a lawsuit against his parents. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;The Afghan minister who became a bicycle courier in Germany

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The 43-year-old son said they had no right to throw out the collection of films, magazines and other items, which he said was worth $29,000 (£21,500). &nbsp;

In the ruling, the judge followed a value set by an expert, a report by MLive.com said. The court ordered Werking’s parents to pay $14,500 (£10,500) to their son’s attorney. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/female-hummingbirds-that-look-like-males-face-less-social-harassment-study-408873" hreflang="en">Female hummingbirds that look like males face less social harassment: Study</a>

After a divorce, Werking lived at his parents’ Grand Haven home for about 10 months, before eventually moving to Muncie, Indiana. After he moved, he learned that his boxes of films and magazines were missing. &nbsp;

In an email, Werking’s father wrote, “Frankly, David, I did you a big favour getting rid of all this stuff.” &nbsp;

In the ruling in December last year, Judge Maloney said, “There is no question that the destroyed property belonged to David. Defendants repeatedly admitted that they destroyed the property.”&nbsp;

For throwing out pornography collection, a judge has ordered a couple to pay $30,441 (£22,100) to their son in Michigan, US. The decision by US district judge Paul Maloney came this week almost eight months after David Werking won a lawsuit against his parents.

For throwing out pornography collection, a judge has ordered a couple to pay $30,441 (£22,100) to their son in Michigan, US. The decision by US district judge Paul Maloney came this week almost eight months after David Werking won a lawsuit against his parents. Watch: The Afghan minister who became a bicycle courier in Germany × The 43-year-old son said they had no right to throw out the collection of films, magazines and other items, which he said was worth $29,000 (£21,500). In the ruling, the judge followed a value set by an expert, a report by MLive.com said. The court ordered Werking’s parents to pay $14,500 (£10,500) to their son’s attorney. Also Read | Female hummingbirds that look like males face less social harassment: Study After a divorce, Werking lived at his parents’ Grand Haven home for about 10 months, before eventually moving to Muncie, Indiana. After he moved, he learned that his boxes of films and magazines were missing. In an email, Werking’s father wrote, “Frankly, David, I did you a big favour getting rid of all this stuff.” In the ruling in December last year, Judge Maloney said, “There is no question that the destroyed property belonged to David. Defendants repeatedly admitted that they destroyed the property.”

For throwing porn collection, judge orders couple to pay $30,441 to son in US

The deadly twin blast outside the Kabul Airport has now shaken the US administration to its core. In the attack, 13 US troops were killed. This has intensified political pressure on Joe Biden from all sides.

Deadly twin-blast at Kabul airport shakes US administration to its core

12 days into the rushed evacuation process from Kabul and five days before its scheduled completion, deadly suicide attacks evolved at Kabul airport. But, US President Joe Biden remained undeterred from the evacuation mission.

Biden remains undeterred from US evacuation mission despite Kabul airport blast

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Friday with President Joe Biden a day after a deadly bomb attack on the US Afghanistan evacuation mission forced a postponement and cast a shadow on an Israeli charm offensive.

"My heart goes out, our hearts go out, to all those who we've lost," Biden said after the two met one-on-one, a day after originally planned.&nbsp;

Bennett began his remarks with condolences before announcing, "I bring with me from Jerusalem a new spirit of good will."&nbsp;

Bennett had aimed to reboot US-Israel relations following Benjamin Netanyahu, who during 15 years in office embraced Republicans and antagonised Democrats.&nbsp;

Still, the 49-year-old premiere in his first official overseas visit kept to many of his predecessor's hardline views.

"We cannot lose sight for even one moment that we're in the toughest neighborhood in the world," he said, citing ISIS, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas. "That's why Israel always has to be overwhelmingly stronger than... all of our enemies combined."

A broader meeting was expected to follow including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Israeli National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata and Israeli Ambassador to Israel Gilad Erdan, along with Bennett's senior aide Shimrit Meir.

Palestinians

Bennett took office in June as head of an eclectic coalition in which his hawkish party holds only a handful of seats. His government includes pro-settlement hardliners like himself as well as political doves and the first Arab party to sit in a coalition.&nbsp;

"He heads and leads the most diverse government in Israeli history," Biden said of Bennett.

Bennett's positions on key issues remain at odds with the White House. &nbsp;

He has said he will continue settlement construction and is against a Palestinian state in territories Israel captured in 1967.&nbsp;

He opposes the US reopening a consulate in Jerusalem to handle Palestinian affairs, which Trump shut in 2019 after moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In Washington Bennett strove to highlight common ground.&nbsp;

"Israel knows that we have no better or more reliable ally in the world than the United States of America," he said.&nbsp;

Biden said the US had an "unwavering commitment" to Israel's security, including replenishing Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. In a hint at differences of opinion, Biden said, "we're also going to discuss ways to advance peace and security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians."

Shibley Telhami, a professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland, estimated that the attack in Kabul would not impact Biden's posture on the Palestinians.

"It further lowers the Israeli-Palestinian issue on Biden's priority which means he is even less likely to challenge Bennett on this issue."&nbsp;

'Putting diplomacy first' on Iran

Bennett said in the Oval Office that the bombings in Kabul highlighted the potential danger of a nuclear Iran.&nbsp;

"These very days illustrate what the world would look like if a radical Islamic regime acquired a nuclear weapon," Bennett told Biden.&nbsp;

Israel fiercely opposes Biden's attempt to reverse Trump's withdrawal from a 2015 nuclear deal that lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.&nbsp;

Since Trump's move, Iran has itself withdrawn from key commitments, including on uranium enrichment.

Biden pledged the US was committed to ensuring "Iran never develops a nuclear weapon, but we're putting diplomacy first and seeing where that takes us. But if diplomacy fails we're ready to turn to other options."

Dan Kurtzer, former US ambassador to Israel, told AFP Bennett's visit would set a new tone even during disagreements.&nbsp;

"The Netanyahu years, especially with Democratic presidents, were marked by a lot of rancor from the Israeli side and disrespect frankly for the presidency," he said.&nbsp;

By Friday, the two leaders made efforts to show intimacy.

"You've been so generous with your time in these difficult days," Bennett said.

"I've known every Israeli prime minister since Golda Meir, said Biden, 78, referring to the leader who served in the 1970s. Bennett, he said, had traveled the same train that Biden is famous for.&nbsp;

"We've become close friends. He's ridden the Amtrak train a lot."

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Friday with President Joe Biden a day after a deadly bomb attack on the US Afghanistan evacuation mission forced a postponement and cast a shadow on an Israeli charm offensive.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Friday with President Joe Biden a day after a deadly bomb attack on the US Afghanistan evacuation mission forced a postponement and cast a shadow on an Israeli charm offensive. "My heart goes out, our hearts go out, to all those who we've lost," Biden said after the two met one-on-one, a day after originally planned. Bennett began his remarks with condolences before announcing, "I bring with me from Jerusalem a new spirit of good will." Bennett had aimed to reboot US-Israel relations following Benjamin Netanyahu, who during 15 years in office embraced Republicans and antagonised Democrats. Still, the 49-year-old premiere in his first official overseas visit kept to many of his predecessor's hardline views. "We cannot lose sight for even one moment that we're in the toughest neighborhood in the world," he said, citing ISIS, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas. "That's why Israel always has to be overwhelmingly stronger than... all of our enemies combined." A broader meeting was expected to follow including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Israeli National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata and Israeli Ambassador to Israel Gilad Erdan, along with Bennett's senior aide Shimrit Meir. Palestinians Bennett took office in June as head of an eclectic coalition in which his hawkish party holds only a handful of seats. His government includes pro-settlement hardliners like himself as well as political doves and the first Arab party to sit in a coalition. "He heads and leads the most diverse government in Israeli history," Biden said of Bennett. Bennett's positions on key issues remain at odds with the White House. He has said he will continue settlement construction and is against a Palestinian state in territories Israel captured in 1967. He opposes the US reopening a consulate in Jerusalem to handle Palestinian affairs, which Trump shut in 2019 after moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In Washington Bennett strove to highlight common ground. "Israel knows that we have no better or more reliable ally in the world than the United States of America," he said. Biden said the US had an "unwavering commitment" to Israel's security, including replenishing Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. In a hint at differences of opinion, Biden said, "we're also going to discuss ways to advance peace and security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians." Shibley Telhami, a professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland, estimated that the attack in Kabul would not impact Biden's posture on the Palestinians. "It further lowers the Israeli-Palestinian issue on Biden's priority which means he is even less likely to challenge Bennett on this issue." 'Putting diplomacy first' on Iran Bennett said in the Oval Office that the bombings in Kabul highlighted the potential danger of a nuclear Iran. "These very days illustrate what the world would look like if a radical Islamic regime acquired a nuclear weapon," Bennett told Biden. Israel fiercely opposes Biden's attempt to reverse Trump's withdrawal from a 2015 nuclear deal that lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Since Trump's move, Iran has itself withdrawn from key commitments, including on uranium enrichment. Biden pledged the US was committed to ensuring "Iran never develops a nuclear weapon, but we're putting diplomacy first and seeing where that takes us. But if diplomacy fails we're ready to turn to other options." Dan Kurtzer, former US ambassador to Israel, told AFP Bennett's visit would set a new tone even during disagreements. "The Netanyahu years, especially with Democratic presidents, were marked by a lot of rancor from the Israeli side and disrespect frankly for the presidency," he said. By Friday, the two leaders made efforts to show intimacy. "You've been so generous with your time in these difficult days," Bennett said. "I've known every Israeli prime minister since Golda Meir, said Biden, 78, referring to the leader who served in the 1970s. Bennett, he said, had traveled the same train that Biden is famous for. "We've become close friends. He's ridden the Amtrak train a lot."

Biden meets Israeli PM in shadow of Kabul blasts

President Joe Biden vowed on Thursday to complete the evacuation of American citizens and others from Afghanistan despite a deadly suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport which took the lives of more than a dozen US service members and many Afghans.

Biden vows complete Afghan evacuation despite Kabul airport blast, avenge US deaths

Bill Smullen has served as the Chief of staff to Colin Powell, he was the US Secretary of State when the country invaded Afghanistan. In a conversation with WION Smullen blamed the Afghan forces for the Taliban takeover.

'Don't blame US intel, Afghan forces were unwilling to defend their country', says Bill Smullen

President Joe Biden remains undeterred from the US' mission to evacuate thousands of American and Afghan civilians from Afghanistan despite the Kabul airport blast.

Joe Biden reaffirms August 31 troop pullout deadline despite Kabul airport blast

Seven US Capitol Police officers have filed lawsuits against their former President Donald Trump. The officers were assaulted during the January 6 Capitol riots.

Seven Capitol Police officers sue Donald Trump over riots

Notorious gangster Al Capone's favourite gun among other personal items — including diamond jewellery, family photographs are set to go under the hammer at a California auction.

Notorious gangster Al Capone's favourite gun among other personal items — including diamond jewellery, family photographs are set to go under the hammer at a California auction. The 174 items on sale in October are a collection entitled "A Century of Notoriety: the Estate of Al Capone," in what auctioneers say "will no doubt go down as one of the most important celebrity auctions in history." It has been reported that the unique items include .45 automatic pistol, vintage photos, the bed he shared with his wife at their luxury Florida mansion. The items also include a letter to his son written from Alcatraz, where the mobster served an 11-year sentence following his 1934 tax evasion conviction. In the letter written in pencil, Al Capone refers to Sonny as "son of my heart". ALSO READ | What are internet recommendation algorithms and how do they affects users? Capone was one of the most feared figures in organised crime during the Prohibition Era, when the sale or production of alcohol was banned in the United States. He was the boss of the Chicago Outfit, a 1920s gang that beat out rivals in bootlegging and racketeering with increasingly brutal methods. These culminated in the 1929 St Valentine's Day Massacre, when seven members of a rival gang were killed, execution-style. He was called Public Enemy No. 1 after the massacre. However, his granddaughter Diane Capone describes him differently. Diane Capone, who is 77 years old, said, "He was very loving, very devoted to family, very generous, and the letter that we have is such a poignant, beautiful letter from a father to his son. These are things that the public doesn’t know about." Capone was famously never convicted for violence, but jailed for tax evasion, ultimately ending up at Alcatraz, an island fortress off San Francisco. Auctioneers at the October 8 sale in Sacramento estimate the .45 Colt automatic could fetch up to $150,000, while another pistol owned by the gangster might raise as much as $60,000. The haul, which also includes a platinum and diamond Patek Philippe pocket watch, is from a collection passed down to Al and Mae Capone's only son, Sonny. It is currently owned by Diane and Barbara Capone, granddaughters of the infamous crook. (With inputs from agencies)

Gangster Al Capone's gun, other personal items to go under the hammer in US auction

The US government said it would work with industry to hammer out new guidelines to improve the security of the technology supply chain, as President Joe Biden appealed to private sector executives to "raise the bar on cybersecurity."

World Business Watch: US to work with Big Tech, finance sector on new cybersecurity guidelines

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Taliban has committed to ensuring safe passage for Americans and at-risk Afghans to leave the country after the August 31 deadline.

Antony Blinken: Taliban agreed to allow Americans evacuation after August 31

The US military will continue evacuating people from Kabul airport until an August 31 deadline if needed but will prioritise the removal of troops and military equipment in the last couple of days.

US to prioritize troop evacuation in last two days of Kabul operation

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