The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan says that their fighters have killed eight Taliban members in clashes in the Panjshir Valley, the final stronghold outside of Taliban control. A large number of Taliban forces have been deployed near the valley, while negotiations take place in order to resolve the conflict. (Reuters)
Celebratory gunfire occurs in Kabul by Taliban fighters following the departure of the last aircraft carrying U.S. troops. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid says during a news conference that "it is a historical day and a historical moment" and that "the Taliban are proud of these moments, that we liberated our country from a great power." (Reuters)
Israel reports a record 10,947 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,066,352. (Israel Hayom)
The top medical adviser to the government says that the vaccination of children between the ages of 12 and 17 years old is "crucial" in order to prevent more fatalities among children as Fiji has reported ten children dying from COVID-19, most recently a six-month-old boy who was infected with the Delta variant. (RNZ)
The Irish Cabinet approves a plan that would lift all COVID-19-related restrictions in Ireland on October 22 subject to 90% of adults being vaccinated and the number of COVID-19 cases remaining manageable. (BBC News)
The World Health Organization designates scientifically-named B.1.621 variant, known as "Mu" and first detected in Colombia, as variant of interest, amid concerns that it has mutations which suggest it is more resistant to vaccines. (The Daily Telegraph)
A court in Bangladesh sentences six men affiliated with Ansar al-Islam, an organization linked to al-Qaeda, to death, for the 2016 murders of two gay rights campaigners, including Xulhaz Mannan. Local gay and LGBT organizations welcome the verdict. (Reuters)
The Peruvian judiciary kicks off a preliminary court hearing against Popular Force leader Keiko Fujimori to decide whether to prosecute her for money laundering and her involvement in the Odebrecht scandal. (RPP)