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Taliban fighters arrived at the gate of Kabul city Sunday afternoon, a few hours after capturing Jalalabad. European Union embassy staffers and envoys have been shifted to an undisclosed, safe location, said NATO authorities. A US official confirmed that an estimated 50 employees of the US embassy are present in Kabul, as the Taliban close in on the capital city.

Dozens of former military commanders have called on the government to allow more Afghans who worked for British forces to resettle in the UK. Ministers have recently expanded the UK's relocation scheme for Afghans. But in a letter to the PM, the group said they were "gravely concerned" about hundreds of interpreters who have had their applications rejected. The MoD said it had already supported more than 2,200 former Afghan staff and their families to resettle in the UK. Their letter says: "Too many of our former interpreters have unnecessarily and unreasonably been rejected… We strongly urge that the policy is reviewed again immediately, to ensure more are given sanctuary". "If any of our former interpreters are murdered by the Taliban in the wake of our withdrawal, the dishonour would lay squarely at our nation's feet," it adds.

August 4th, 2021 might seem like any other regular summer day for anyone not Lebanese. For Lebanon, it marks one year of one of its darkest days in history: The Beirut Port Explosion. One year since one of the most devastating non-nuclear explosions in history quaked Lebanon, crumbled its capital, killed over 230 people, and injured thousands. One year since the excruciating catastrophe with no answers and no justice served. The perpetrators of this massive crime are still free.

The head of a group helping people who have fled Belarus has been found dead near his home in neighbouring Ukraine. Vitaly Shishov's body was found hanged in a park in Kyiv, a day after he failed to return from a jog. Police have opened a murder inquiry. Police said they were investigating whether he had been killed and his death made to look like suicide. Meanwhile a Belarusian Olympic sprinter who feared for her safety has been granted a humanitarian visa by Poland.

The Taliban slaughtered dozens of civilians during a 24-hour onslaught as an Afghan general warned families to "leave as soon as possible". Civilians in the beseiged city of Lashkar Gah were urged to evacuate as General Sami Sadat's troops manned barricades in Helmand Province. At least 40 civilians were butchered and more than 100 wounded in the past 24 hours of fighting, the UN said today. Sadat warned of "devastating" consequences" if the Taliban aren’t defeated - and vowed to wipe out the Islamist militants.

A suicide-bomb and gun attack in Kabul’s Green Zone that targeted Afghanistan’s acting defence minister and killed eight people on Tuesday was claimed by the Taliban, as the hardline Islamist group continued to escalate violence across the country. The suicide bombing, which targeted the house used by Bismillah Mohammadi, was one of the most significant in the Afghan capital in recent months. It came amid heavy fighting in the south and west of the country as the Taliban have sought to take three key cities.

The number of drug-related deaths recorded in England and Wales in 2020 was the highest since records began in 1993. In total, 4,561 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered - equivalent to a rate of 79.5 per million people. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said about half of these would have occurred in 2019, because of delays in registering deaths. The majority will have occurred before the pandemic, it added.

There were scenes of panic at Kabul airport on Monday as desperate residents tried to flee following the Taliban's seizure of the Afghan capital. The US army said soldiers shot two armed men, while three people were reported to have died after falling from the underside of a plane they were clinging to shortly after take-off. The airport was closed earlier for soldiers to try and clear the runways. US military planes are now landing, including one carrying US marines. Marines are being flown in to help the evacuation effort. The US and other countries are rushing to remove staff and allies from the country. I guess the people who actually voted for Joe Biden are in hiding just now.

A group of armed commandos believed to be from Iran stormed an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman — and were thwarted when the crew disabled the engines, according to a report. The ship, identified as the Panamanian-flagged Asphalt Princess, was boarded by about six heavily armed men off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday in what the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations characterized as a “potential hijack.”

Nigel Farage claims French President Emmanuel Macron is looking to give "payback for Brexit" over the migrant crossing crisis as he calls for the UK Government to "tow" the boats back to Calais. The Godfather of Brexit, Nigel Farage, appeared on Dan Wootton’s GB News show to talk about the ongoing influx of Channel crossing migrants. Mr Farage, 57, accused Emmanuel Macron of not doing enough to stop migrants after the decision taken by the British electorate in 2016 when voters opted to leave the European Union. He claimed: “There’s a bit of payback for Brexit going on here, mark my words. “They’re rather enjoying our difficulty.” Nigel Farage then claimed the French President will not show up to the negotiating table unless Priti Patel takes a more hardline stance. He told GB News’ Dan Wootton: “The only way you can stop this is you have to say that nobody that comes via this route will be allowed to stay or claim refugee status - even if they’re genuine.”

Rishi Sunak has renewed calls for young City workers to get back to the office now the government’s work from home order has been dropped. The chancellor recalled how his career as a young investment banker was helped by making relationships in the office with older colleagues. Speaking about a recent visit to Scotland where he met with young financial services workers, Sunak told LinkedIn News: “I was telling them the mentors that I found when I first started my job I still talk to and they have been helpful to me all through my career even after we have gone in different ways.

Belarus, a country that forms a buffer between Russia and Europe, has been in the international spotlight this week after a Belarusian Olympic athlete sparked a diplomatic incident when she refused to return to her homeland after the Games saying her life was in danger. Meanwhile, a murder investigation was launched after an activist who ran a group in Ukraine helping Belarusians fleeing persecution was found dead in Kyiv. The events shine a light on a situation that has been brewing for months, if not years, as 'Europe's last dictator' tightens his grip on a country on the brink.

Dan Wootton mocked Nicola Sturgeon's new level zero plan, calling her a "nanny" and a "lockdown addict". GB News presenter Dan Wootton has called Nicola Sturgeon a “lockdown addict”, mocking Scotland’s new level 0. This came after the first minister of Scotland has warned of travel bans and local lockdowns “if necessary”. Speaking on GB news, the broadcaster said: “In Scotland today Nicola Sturgeon proves she remains a lockdown addict, obsessed with the power of controlling her Scottish citizens. “Despite entering her so-called level zero, mask mandates and limitations on mass gatherings will remain and here's the chilling word: ‘indefinitely’ as she hinted some restrictions could return in the winter, or when vaccine passports are on the cards.”

For the first time, a transgender male competed for a female Olympic medal. Laurel Hubbard was born male but identifies as woman. IOC rules mean Hubbard was eligible for competition normally reserved for the female sex. Hubbard took one of the 14 available places in the heavy-weight female weightlifting competition on 2nd August at Tokyo 2020. A female lifter obviously watched the event at home because she missed out.

It’s been reported that NHS Trusts across the country have issued guidance to hospitals that says patients should be admitted based on the gender they identify with. This means they can choose which ward, lavatory and shower facilities they use. The result of this is that men who identify as women and who have been convicted of sex offences, can be placed on female wards. Three hospitals (Devon, Oxford and Nottinghamshire) have told staff that a criminal history should be part of a risk assessment when placing male-born people on female-only wards.

Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee just released a report citing “significant circumstantial evidence” that COVID-19 originated in a lab in Wuhan, China, and that Washington “may have funded or collaborated” in research leading to the outbreak — suspicions that in recent weeks have become pretty mainstream. So two points: 1) Why didn’t Democrats sign on? 2) How foolish Facebook now looks for blocking The Post’s February 2020 column that first raised the Wuhan-lab-leak possibility.

David Davis has warned Nigel Farage that Britain faces three more years of negotiations with the EU over Brexit. Former Brexit Secretary David Davis has told Nigel Farage on GB News that talks with Brussels to iron out issues with fisheries and the Northern Ireland protocol will take years to complete. Mr Davis and the former Brexit Party leader sat down for Mr Farage's Talking Points segment on GB News to reflect on Britain's journey to leaving the EU. Mr Farage described the Brexit deal delivered by Boris Johnson as "not perfect" and agreed that further negotiations would likely take years.

Nearly a year and a half since Covid-19 was detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the question of how the virus first emerged remains a mystery. But in recent weeks the controversial claim that the pandemic might have leaked from a Chinese laboratory - once dismissed by many as a fringe conspiracy theory - has been gaining traction. Now, US President Joe Biden has announced an urgent investigation that will look into the theory as a possible origin of the disease.

The Home Office with Priti Patel has catastrophically failed, the invasion of our shores continues. Yet the Border Force top brass have just received a pay rise! The Director General of Policy and Strategy sees an increase of £10,000!! As does the Head of Immigration Enforcement, a £10,000 increase in salary??!!! And the Head of the Border Force has received a salary increase of £5,000!! What is going on? Why are we paying for Failure?

As the Taliban advance into the vacuum left by Western troops, grieving forces' families denounce the abandonment of Afghanistan. The unfolding tragedy of a resurgent Taliban tightening its grip in Afghanistan, one question rings in the ears: "Just what did our sons and daughters die for?" The television footage of militants pouring back into towns and villages in Helmand province has been difficult to watch.

Rishi Sunak’s advice for workers to return to the office following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions has been ignored by many. Data from Remit Consulting suggests only a marginal percentage of officer workers have returned since the lifting of lockdown measures. The Government’s advice to “work from home where possible” was scrapped on July 19.

GB News presenter Neil Oliver has proclaimed that he would “cheerfully risk catching Covid for the sake of freedom” in his monologue on GB News. Speaking during his own show Neil Oliver Live, the presenter described how he believed “it’s all and only about freedom.” “If your freedom means that I might catch Covid from you then so be it. If my freedom means that you might catch Covid from me then so be it. That’s honestly how I see it,” he said. “For the sake of freedom, yours and mine together, I will cheerfully risk catching Covid - that is a chance, one among many, I am prepared to take, and happily.” Could Not agree more Mr Oliver, Nice One!

Nicola Sturgeon was accused of receiving a "free pass" on her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as an MSP pointed out areas Scotland has performed worse when compared to the rest of the UK. Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser appeared on Talk Radio where he agreed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of getting a "free pass" by Westminister and Scottish media despite her handling of the coronavirus pandemic being in line with the rest of the UK. He explained many consider Ms Sturgeon's performance to be good, albeit being very careful, but Scotland's efforts are on par in some areas and worse in others. It comes as Ms Sturgeon is set to lift all restrictions on Monday, several weeks after England's Freedom Day on July 19. The First Minister of Scotland literally gets away with Murder!

New Zealand's Laurel Hubbard has become the first ever transgender athlete picked to compete at an Olympics, in a controversial decision. Officials have selected her for the women's weightlifting team for Tokyo 2020, after qualifying requirements were recently modified. She had competed in men's events before coming out as transgender in 2013. Critics say Hubbard has an unfair advantage, but others have argued for more inclusion at the Games. Inclusion? What about the Rights of the Women Athletes?

Violence has rippled throughout Afghanistan this week, from the western province of Herat to Kabul, as Taliban forces ramp up attacks in the final month of the U.S. withdrawal. But the fighting in one city in particular, Lashkar Gah, could prove a turning point in the war: The Taliban may be poised to take their first provincial capital in years.