Portal:Current events/2021 August 28

August 28, 2021 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Afghanistan conflict
- 2021 evacuation of Afghanistan
  - Operation Allies Refuge
    - The U.S. Embassy in Kabul warns Americans to leave the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul due to a "specific, credible threat". Additionally, U.S. president Joe Biden issues a warning of another attack on the airport in the next "24–36 hours". (Business Insider)
  - Operation Pitting
    - British troops return to the United Kingdom from Afghanistan, ending the evacuation process at the airport and the country's involvement in the war. (Time)
- LGBT organization Rainbow Railroad says that it has received hundreds of requests for help, mainly from Afghan gay men. Exiled Afghan LGBT activist Nemat Sadat warned last week that under the Taliban, homosexual men will be hunted down. Sadat says that he alone has received over 250 requests from Afghan gay men requesting help in order to leave the country. (CBC)
- Co-leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan and self-proclaimed president Amrullah Saleh criticizes the United States for its withdrawal and for its demand last year of releasing Taliban prisoners as part of the negotiations. Saleh says that the Taliban's rule "won't last long" and appeals to the European Union for support. (Saudi Gazette)

Disasters and accidents

2021 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Ida moves toward the coast of the U.S. state of Louisiana as a potential Category 4, after impacting Cuba yesterday. The storm is strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to reach New Orleans on Sunday. Mayor LaToya Cantrell orders centralized evacuations in the city. (Associated Press) (CNN)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - COVID-19 vaccination in Japan
      - The Japanese health ministry confirms that two men died after receiving their second dose of the contaminated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from one of three manufacturers. The ministry said that the cause of the deaths was still being investigated. (Radio France Internationale)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines reports a record 19,441 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,935,700. (ABS-CBN News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, COVID-19 vaccination in Sri Lanka
    - Sri Lanka receives a shipment of 300,000 doses of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine donated from China's People's Liberation Army. (Daily News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, COVID-19 vaccination in Italy, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
    - The Italian Ministry of Health announces that beginning from August 31, fully vaccinated British travellers will be able to scrap the five-day self-quarantine if they show a proof of negative PCR and Antigen test in the previous 48 hours and must have been at least 14 days after receiving a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Sky News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kosovo
    - Kosovo reimposes its nightly curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. and delays the start of the school year until September 13 due to a worsening COVID-19 situation in the country. Only essential staff will be allowed to work in public and private institutions until September 13. (Politiko)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
    - New South Wales reports a record 1,035 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News Australia)

Politics and elections

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan–United States relations
- Following the airstrike by the United States on August 27, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid condemned the attack saying they consider the airstrike a "clear attack on Afghan territory". (Reuters)