Taliban seize Afghan provincial capital as US finalizes withdrawal

“Freedom Convoy” protests, started by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccinate-or-quarantine mandate for cross-border drivers, have turned into a rallying point for people opposing the policies of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s government, covering everything from pandemic restrictions to a carbon tax.Meanwhile a social media outcry has been triggered by images of police mingling with a sea of protesters in Ottawa, helping some put a fallen tent back up, and one video showing an Ontario Provincial Police officer telling demonstrators “I support you guys 100%.”The police department said the officer’s comments were “not in line with the OPP’s values” and they were investigating.At least two members of Canada’s Special Operations Forces are also under investigation for allegedly supporting the protests, the military said. Windsor’s Ambassador Bridge border crossing reopens following COVID-19 protest Hundreds of counter-protesters on Sunday blocked vehicles trying to join the protest in downtown Ottawa, frustrated by what they said was police inaction.“We need to come together as people and say this will not stand,” said one demonstrator in front of the city’s police headquarters who said he was an Ottawa resident, but declined to give his name, fearing reprisals.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, the Spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo on Monday (14) expressed concern over the return of the white van culture in Sri Lanka.Commenting on the arrest of Activist Shehan Malaka Gamage, he noted that the activist was arrested by force by a group who arrived in a white van and claimed to be personnel from the Criminal Investigations Department.“We cannot approve this conduct, as such a culture is not something that is good for democracy,” he warned.“Everyone has the freedom to speak and express.

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@GoldmanSachs, and @uwbe has launched a Modern 100-Bed COVID ICU unit. The facility was inaugurated by Mr. Sourav Ganguly in the august presence of Mr. Sonjoy Chatterjee, Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty & Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. pic.twitter.com/UgxNSFsLqR

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall has tested positive for COVID-19 four days after her husband Prince Charles was confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus, the couple’s office said Monday.

The Duchess of Cornwall has tested positive for Covid-19.

Camilla has tested positive for coronavirus, a spokesperson for Clarence House has confirmed. A spokesperson said today: “Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating.

Police in Windsor, Ont. on Sunday weren’t asking anti-COVID-19 mandate protesters to leave.

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Hollywood sign installation will temporarily be transformed to celebrate the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced.The iconic sign will be altered to read, Rams House, and will be displayed Monday through Wednesday.CELEBRATING THE CHAMPS:The Los Angeles Rams have captured the franchise's Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Cincinnati Bengals.Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android."What a day in Los Angeles," the Rams are Super Bowl Champions, said Garcetti.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police sources say a man has been found stabbed to death outside of a Wawa in South Philadelphia. Police say the stabbing happened early Monday on South Columbus Boulevard.According to authorities, a customer thought the man was asleep at the time but when police arrived, they found the man found stabbed to death. The man's car was running and the man's foot was still firmly on the brake.  The circumstances surrounding the stabbing remain uncertain as well. A weapon was not found at the scene and no arrests have been made at this time.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Dr. Shirley Herath, a retired doctor who was arrested and detained over the discovery of a hand grenade at All Saint’s Church in Borella, Colombo was remanded until the 28th of February 2022, by Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajinda Jayasuriya.Dr.

LOS ANGELES :

Engage Renfrewshire has dished out more than £500,000 to communities in a bid to boost post-pandemic mental health.

Read on to understand the critical symptoms of long COVID and how it can affect your body. 

JAMMU :

Sweden's Health Agency has recommended that people aged 80 or above should receive a second booster shot of Covid-19 vaccine, the fourth jab in total, to ward off waning immunity amid the rampant spread of the Omicron variant.

Sweden. An increasing number of cases have been reported in recent weeks, including among people at increased risk of severe illness," the agency said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Thousands of people rushed into the Afghan capital's airport on Monday, pushing toward the tarmac and onto planes in desperate attempts to flee the country after the Taliban overthrew the Western-backed government. Three people were killed outside a terminal building at the Kabul International Airport, according to the Wall Street Journal. They were apparently victims of gunfire, the report said.Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of people running across the tarmac as U.S.

With their home country in chaos, Afghan Canadians living in B.C. are worried for the future of their family and friends overseas and wondering how and when Canada will help.

Nova Scotia’s Liberal Party’s popularity is waning just days out from a provincial election, after support dropped for incumbent leader Iain Rankin, and a sudden boost for the opposition. Ross Lord takes a look at the tightening race.

ATLANTA - A North Carolina couple who has been fighting to get their newly adopted dog into the US from Iraq finally got to meet her Saturday.Grace was rescued off the streets of northern Iraq. She was abused and only has one eye. The dog was the start of a new chapter of Coleman Nation and his wife.A couple that rescued a dog from Iraq is having issues with actually getting the canine into the country due to restrictions."We lost our dog recently.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan’s embattled president left the country Sunday, joining thousands of his fellow citizens and foreigners in a stampede fleeing the advancing Taliban and signaling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking the country.The Taliban fanned out across the capital, and an official with the militant group said it would soon announce the creation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the presidential palace in Kabul. That was the name of the country under Taliban rule before the militants were ousted by U.S.-led forces after the 9/11 attacks.

There are fears the Taliban will seize Afghanistan’s capital in the days ahead, as militants sweep the country following the total withdrawal of U.S. troops.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan’s embattled president left the country Sunday, joining his fellow citizens and foreigners in a stampede fleeing the advancing Taliban and signaling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking Afghanistan.The Taliban, which for hours had been in the outskirts of Kabul, announced soon after they would move further into a city gripped by panic throughout the day as helicopters raced overhead to evacuate personnel from the U.S. Embassy.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Taliban fighters entered Kabul on Sunday and sought the unconditional surrender of the central government, officials said, as Afghans and foreigners alike raced for the exit, signaling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking Afghanistan.The beleaguered central government, meanwhile, hoped for an interim administration, but increasingly had few cards to play. Civilians fearing that the Taliban could reimpose the kind of brutal rule that all but eliminated women’s rights rushed to leave the country, lining up at cash machines to withdraw their life savings.Helicopters buzzed overhead as part of an evacuation of personnel from the U.S.

Devon Live reports.The Devon clan have finally gathered with their two daughters after months of waiting, marking an unusual Christmas in an unusually typical way.With a Christmas turkey, tree, Secret Santa, nativity play and even a Christmas quiz, the Totnes family recreated Christmas in their front garden.In December the family children performed a nativity play for their aunt over Zoom.They were finally able to reunite last week to celebrate Christmas in person.Caroline told Devon Live: "It's been a miserable year for so many people.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Mazar-e-Sharif, the fourth-largest city in Afghanistan, fell to the Taliban on Saturday after a multipronged assault launched by insurgents, according to a lawmaker.Balkh lawmaker Abas Ebrahimzada said the province’s national army corps surrendered first, which prompted the pro-government militias and other forces to lose morale and give up in the face of the onslaught.According to the lawmaker, all of the provincial installations, including the governor’s office, are in Taliban hands.RELATED: Taliban seizes 4 more cities in sweep across southern AfghanistanThe insurgents have captured much of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in a breakneck offensive less than three weeks before the U.S.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Taliban seized two more provinces on Saturday and approached the outskirts of Afghanistan's capital while also launching a multi-pronged assault on a major northern city defended by former warlords, Afghan officials said.The insurgents have captured much of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in a breakneck offensive less than three weeks before the United States is set to withdraw its last troops, raising fears of a full militant takeover or another Afghan civil war.The Taliban captured all of Logar province, just south of the capital, Kabul, and detained local officials, said Hoda Ahmadi, a lawmaker from the province.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Taliban captured another three provincial capitals in Afghanistan on Friday, completing their sweep of the country's south in a lightning offensive that is gradually encircling Kabul, just weeks before the U.S. is set to officially end its two-decade war.The latest significant blow was the loss of the capital of Helmand province, where American, British and allied NATO forces fought some of the bloodiest battles in the past 20 years.

As the U.S. remains steadfast in its total withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban is rapidly advancing through the country.

have taken over a weeklong blitz across Afghanistan as the U.S. and NATO prepare to withdraw entirely from the country after decades of war.The militants raised their white flags imprinted with an Islamic proclamation of faith over the city of Ghazni, just 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Kabul.

COVID-19 vaccine policy and vaccine passport program following a 10-0 vote during Wednesday’s board of health meeting.The move came at the end of a public health forecast that revealed an impending fourth wave set to hit the city in the fall due to the spread of the Delta variant among those not fully vaccinated.“Obviously, our number one focus is for the health and the safety of our Hamiltonians,” downtown councillor Jason Farr said upon reading his motion.

COVID-19 vaccine passports are needed in Ontario, the health minister suggested government-issued cards would be susceptible to fraud.Christine Elliott once again repeated on Tuesday the government’s assertion that a made-in-Ontario vaccination certification card is unnecessary.Elliott, along with other provincial officials, have repeatedly said the PDF people receive following their second vaccination is all the proof that’s needed within Ontario.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Taliban seized three more provincial capitals in Afghanistan and a local army headquarters in a blitz across the country’s northeast, officials said Wednesday, with the insurgents now controlling some two-thirds of the nation as the U.S. and NATO finalize their withdrawal after its decades-long war there.The fall of the capitals of Badakhshan and Baghlan provinces to the northeast and Farah province to the west put increasing pressure on the country’s central government to stem the tide of the advance, even as its lost a major base in Kunduz.

Some Calgary students return to class as early as next week, but school boards are still waiting for provincial guidance on a safe return for kids amid COVID-19. Sarah Offin has details.

BEIJING, CHINA - An elephant herd captivated locals in China and people around the world with its yearlong journey from the wild to urbanized southwest China. The herd that raided farms and even a retirement home for food, appears to finally be headed home.The elephants left the reserve they resided on more than a year ago for unknown reasons.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Taliban fighters seized most of the capital of northern Afghanistan's key Kunduz province on Sunday, and took another neighboring provincial capital after a monthlong siege. The advances were the latest in a series of blows to government forces as U.S.