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NewsFix: Tuesday August 24, 2021

NewsFix: Tuesday August 24, 2021

Morning all,

The Paralympics begin, a G7 summit gets underway, and climate protests continue.

Until tomorrow,

Hilary


ON TODAY’S AGENDA…

The Paralympics begin today in Japan, and will be held until September 5.

According to BBC Sport, “4,400 athletes from 162 national Paralympic committees will compete in 539 medal events across 22 sports”.

Tokyo is also the first city to ever host the Paralympics twice, having first hosted back in 1964.

Paralympic Flag GIF | All Waving Flags
The Paralympic Flag

AFGHANISTAN LATEST

‘Hours, not weeks’ - that’s how long the UK has to evacuate people from Afghanistan, according to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

G7 summit: Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host a virtual G7 summit on Afghanistan later today. Media in the UK are still reporting that Johnson is expected to ask President Biden to extend the August 31 deadline for having troops out of the country.

However, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace acknowledged the extension was “unlikely”, according to Sky News. Wallace did say “it’s worth us trying [to get an extension], and we will”.

  • August 31 deadline: President Biden is expected to be make a decision on the extension within the next 24 hours. Important to note: The UK government has already stated there could not be foreign military presence organising evacuations at Kabul airport without the support of US troops.
  • ‘Red line’: During interviews on Monday, the Taliban made it clear any extension beyond August 31 would be a “clear violation” of an agreed deal. A spokesman added there would be “consequences” if the US stayed beyond that deadline, but did not specify what those consequences might be.
  • Evacuations: The Biden administration has said 48,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since August 14.
  • Interesting read: The West had all the clocks, but the Taliban had all the time

CLIMATE COVERAGE

Extinction Rebellion - a group who repeatedly make headlines with their calls for government action on climate change - blocked access to Covent Garden in London on Monday.

It marked day one of a fortnight of planned protests across the city. The Guardian reported 52 arrests were made on Monday in relation to the protest.

The Telegraph published an article about how the founder of Extinction Rebellion (XR), Dr Gail Bradbrook, still drives a diesel car. Bradbrook said she cannot afford an electric car.

The Telegraph also noted the government’s ‘climate tsar’ Alok Sharma, also has a diesel car.

*Here is a link to XR’s website and list of planned protests.

Source: Peter Schrank The Times

PANDEMIC

  • Global overview: In terms of coronavirus vaccines, more than 4.9 billion doses have been administered around the world.

SHOWBIZ NEWS

  • Love Island’s Millie and Liam won this year’s series. As always, the winning couple agreed to share the prize money.

    Social media following: Millie emerges from the show with a million Instagram followers, while Liam accumulated close to 600,000.

  • Baby Mix: Little Mix’s Leighanne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards both welcomed their first children within days of each other. Pinnock surprised fans by announcing she had welcomed twins, something she hadn’t disclosed during her pregnancy. Neither have revealed the names or genders of their newborns.

  • Katie Price was treated in hospital following an assault at her home in the early hours of Monday morning. A man in his thirties was arrested after allegedly punching Price, and the latest reporting suggests he remains in custody. In quotes published by The Sun, Price said she was punched during an “unprovoked” fight.

    “I was sitting there watching television when it happened. I've got a big bruise, my face is all puffy, and I went to hospital. I'm still all dazed.” - Katie Price


MOST READ


JUST ANOTHER DAY IN AUS


TODAY MARKS…

Ukraine’s 30th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union.

Eyes on the ground: It will be interesting to see what footwear women marching in the military parade will be wearing today. Earlier this summer, photos of female members of the military practicing in heels sparked debate online. Critics of the policy condemned the sexualisation of female members of the military.


ON A LIGHTER NOTE…

Bowled over.