TEAM Lakay female fighter Jenelyn Olsim returns to ONE Championship action, taking on a new challenge in the atomweight division. — ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
TEAM Lakay female fighter Jenelyn Olsim returns to ONE Championship action on Friday, taking on a new challenge in the atomweight division.
Ms. Olsim, 24, a natural strawweight, has moved down in weight class to throw her hat for a possible trip to ONE’s women’s atomweight world grand prix.
She will take on American-Vietnamese Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen in “ONE: Battleground III,” airing from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, Aug. 27, with the winner advancing to a showdown against Grace “Thai Kitten” Cleveland of the United States in a grand prix alternate bout, part of the historic “Empower” event happening next week.
It is a challenge that Ms. Olsim (4-2) expressed readiness for, with her team backing her every step of the way.
“We have been training hard for this, physically, mentally. I believe I am ready and I know she is also ready. It’s going to be a good show,” she said.
Ms. Olsim is coming off a successful ONE main draw debut in March where she defeated Brazilian Maira Mazar by way of submission (guillotine choke).
In her maiden fight, the Filipina fighter showed her all-around arsenal, punishing her opponent early with power strikes before displaying her submission skills to finish off Ms. Mazar.
“After my first fight in ONE Championship, I became more confident in my ground game. I knew the things that I had to do and if I had the chance to lock in a submission, I should never waver and lock it in,” said the ONE Warrior Series standout.
Against Ms. Nguyen (6-6), a tough challenge awaits, Ms. Olsim recognizes. But she is nonetheless confident of getting the job done.
“Bi is a tough fighter. She has that strong heart and I admire her for that. I have seen her fights and undoubtedly, she has that will power that I have to watch out for. But I believe with the training that we’ve had, I will have an answer for that,” she said.
Adding, “Fans can expect a more technical Jenelyn. I don’t want to predict what the finish will be, but either way, I’m going there with all my heart and I’ll do everything just to get the win; whatever it takes.”
ONE: Battleground III is headlined by the featherweight muay thai battle between Thais Sitthichai and Tawanchai.
It will shown over One Sports beginning 8:30 p.m. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
THE new season of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines finally takes off this weekend, promising exciting action, enhanced features and more fan engagement.
In a release, organizers of the popular online competition said the eighth season of MPL Philippines kicks off on Aug. 27, guided by government protocols and in-house measures to ensure the safety of all participants and the successful staging of the event amid the prevailing conditions with the pandemic.
Leading the cast of teams for the new season is defending champion Blacklist International, which is coming back with an almost intact roster, namely: Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna, Danerie “Wise” Del Rosario, Kiel “OHEB” Soriano, Mark “ESON” Gerardo, Dexter “DEX STAR” Alaba, Edward “EDWARD” Dapadap, Salic “Hadjizy” Iman (formerly Omega PH) and Kristoffer “BON CHAN” Ricaplaza (team coach).
Also competing are BREN Esports, Smart Omega, Nexplay EVOS, RSG, Onic PH, TNC Pro Team, and Echo (formerly Aura PH).
The league is also beginning a new season where it has adopted a franchise model, similar to that employed in MPL Indonesia.
Included in the model is a more professional and standardized management system and team operation, providing players the much-needed stability they need, involving, among other things, their salary.
It also involves a diversified revenue model where earnings will be shared among franchise teams over the next three years.
“The launch of the franchise model marks a momentous chapter in MPL PH’s journey as a league,” said Matt Jaron, Director of Business Development, MPL Philippines, in a statement. “It will provide players greater sustainability and protection — a goal that we’ve been working and striving towards for ever since the inception of MPL PH. We hope that the shift will encourage more players to participate or compete for MPL PH, and boost growth within the local esports ecosystem.”
Tournament matches take place every weekend — Friday beginning at 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday beginning at 4 p.m.
On opening day, playing are Onic and Echo at 6 p.m. followed by TNC and Blacklist at 8 p.m.
The regular season will take place until Oct. 10. After that, the top six teams will proceed to the playoffs, which will be played in best-of-five matches. The grand final will be a best-of-seven.
Organizers said the Mythical Raffle Draw will be coming back for the new season, enabling fans to win exciting prizes every week. Participants stand to win more than 600,000 diamonds per week, marking it up to four million diamonds to be won during the regular season.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is developed and published by Shanghai-based Moonton.
MPL-PH Season 8 has Smart Communications as presenting sponsor. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
TEAM Philippines plunges into action in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo on Thursday with para-swimmer Gary Bejino
(in photo) first
to compete.
TEAM Philippines plunges into action in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo on Thursday with para-swimmer Gary Bejino first to compete.
Mr. Bejino, 23, will swim in the 200m individual medley T52 event set in the morning (8:32 a.m. Manila time) for the heats and in the afternoon (4:22 p.m.) for the finals if he manages to qualify.
Had his arm and leg amputated when he was seven years old after being electrocuted, Mr. Bejino is looking to do well in his debut competition and set the tone for the five-athlete contingent in the sporting event for the differently abled.
“I’m a bit nervous because I’m the first to compete for the Philippines but everything is okay and I’m ready to go,” said Mr. Bejino, a back-to-back gold medalist in the ASEAN Para Games (Singapore, 2015 and Malaysia, 2017), in Filipino. Mr. Bejino will also see action in the men’s 50m butterfly S6 event on Sept. 2 and in the men’s 400m freestyle S6 on Sept. 3.
Another Filipino para-swimmer competing in Tokyo is Ernie Gawilan.
Incidentally, Mr. Bejino was to be joined in the Thursday events by para-powerlifter Achelle Guion, who had to stay at home in the country after testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the day of the Philippine contingent’s departure for Tokyo last Sunday. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
PARIS — Real Madrid have made a €160-million ($188.11-million) bid for Paris St.-Germain’s (PSG) France forward Kylian Mbappé, Spanish and French media reported on Tuesday.
There was no immediate comment from either club.
France’s L’Equipe said PSG’s position remained unchanged, with the Ligue 1 club determined to keep Mbappé until at least the end of his contract in June next year even if he could then leave for nothing.
Spain’s Marca said the move was a first step by Real, who have long had their sights on the 22-year-old World Cup-winner who scored 42 goals in all competitions for PSG last season and has reportedly said he wants to move to Spain.
The AS.com website quoted Real sources as saying however that the fact money was not an issue for wealthy Qatar-owned PSG was an obstacle for Real. Britain’s Sky Sports said the offer was made on Sunday.
Any sale of Mbappé would allow PSG to recoup some of the costs of Lionel Messi’s salary package after they signed the Argentina forward and six times Ballon d’Or winner from Barcelona earlier this month.
PSG ended last season with only one major trophy, the French Cup, after losing the league title by one point to Lille and crashing out in the Champions League semifinals.
Real, now managed by Italian Carlo Ancelotti, were runners-up domestically last season to city rivals Atletico.
Mbappé joined PSG from AS Monaco in 2017, on loan initially and then permanently a year later in a deal valued at €180 million. — Reuters
SECOND baseman DJ LeMahieu delivered the go-ahead home run, one of three struck by the visiting New York Yankees, who beat the Atlanta Braves (5-4) on Tuesday to extend their winning streak to 11 games.
LeMahieu’s two-run homer in the fifth inning broke a 2-2 tie and sent New York to victory for the 18th time in 21 games. It is the third 11-game winning streak for the Yankees since 1962, the last coming in 1985.
Giancarlo Stanton and Rougned Odor also homered for the Yankees, who took three of four games against National League East-leading Atlanta this season.
The Braves threatened in the ninth. Atlanta loaded the bases and scored once against Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman. But Wandy Peralta entered and retired Freddie Freeman on a fly ball to end the game and earn his fifth save.
New York starter Andrew Heaney only pitched four innings and did not qualify for a decision. He allowed two runs on three hits, with one walk and five strikeouts in four innings. Clay Holmes (5-2) earned the win with one scoreless inning of relief.
Atlanta starter Charlie Morton (12-5) took the loss. The veteran pitched five innings and allowed four runs on six hits with nine strikeouts.
Atlanta took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Dansby Swanson doubled home Freeman and Austin Riley.
The Yankees got a run back in the second when Stanton homered for the second straight night, his 22nd.
New York tied it in the fourth when Gary Sanchez drove in Aaron Judge with a single to right.
LeMahieu put New York in front to stay in the fifth when he hit a towering fly into the visitor’s bullpen in left. The two-run shot was his ninth and gave the Yankees a 4-2 lead.
Atlanta got a run back in the bottom of the fifth. Riley singled to center, scoring Ozzie Albies, but Freeman was thrown out at the plate. The Braves challenged the play, but the call was upheld.
The Yankees took a 5-3 lead in the seventh when Odor hit a solo homer, his 15th. — Reuters
LONDON — European clubs have accused world soccer’s governing body International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) of abusing its regulatory function in a growing row over the extended release of players for World Cup (WC) qualifiers in September and October.
The Premier league and Spain’s LaLiga both said they backed clubs refusing to make players available for matches in South America.
Premier League sides will be particularly hard hit by FIFA’s decision to extend a mandatory release period from nine to 11 days, to enable triple-headers to take place in South America.
England’s strict quarantine rules have also added to the headache, with the Premier League saying no exemption had been granted by government for soccer players.
Liverpool had already refused to allow forward Mohamed Salah to travel to Africa for World Cup qualifiers with Egypt next month because he would be forced to quarantine on his return to England.
The same measures could affect Liverpool’s Brazilian trio of Roberto Firmino, Alisson Becker and Fabinho, who have been called up for next month’s qualifiers against Chile, Argentina and Peru.
Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Peru are all on the British government’s ‘red list’ of countries that trigger a 10-day hotel quarantine to guard against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“Premier League clubs have today reluctantly but unanimously decided not to release players for international matches played in red-list countries next month,” the league said in a statement.
Premier League players would potentially miss two matches if they quarantined on their return.
LALIGA SUPPORT Spain’s LaLiga said in a statement it would support clubs refusing to release their players for the South American qualifiers.
“At the moment, there are 25 players from 13 different clubs (affected), a number that could be expanded when the calls of Ecuador and Venezuela are announced,” it said.
“The Spanish association understands that the world calendar cannot and should not be changed in this way, especially if there are alternative solutions.”
It said affected clubs would be summoned to a meeting in coming days.
With World Cup qualifiers also in Africa, Asia, the CONCACAF region and Europe, the clubs are on a potential collision course with FIFA.
The European Club Association (ECA) wrote to members, in a Q&A document seen by Reuters, saying FIFA had taken decisions unilaterally and “against the explicit objection of ECA and the rest of the stakeholders.
“ECA has firmly expressed its objection to FIFA’s decision and has urged FIFA to review its position,” it said.
“ECA will not accept that a governing body like FIFA abuses its regulatory function in order to place its commercial interests and those of its member associations above the physical well-being of players and legitimate sporting interests of clubs.”
The ECA said FIFA had decided this month, at the request of South American confederation CONMEBOL, to extend the mandatory release period “in complete disregard to the clubs’ interests.”
It said FIFA was unlikely to change its decision and the ECA would have to consider what action to take.
There was no immediate comment from FIFA. — Reuters
MIKE Budenholzer was rewarded Tuesday for guiding the Milwaukee Bucks to the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship.
The 52-year-old head coach agreed to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced. According to ESPN, it is a three-year extension on top of the one year left on his former deal, keeping Budenholzer on the job until the summer of 2025.
Bucks owners Marc Lasry, Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan said in a statement, “What an incredible journey we’ve been on, and winning the NBA championship this season makes us appreciate how difficult it is to win and how grateful we are to have the best players and coaches in place to get the job done.
“Mike’s strong leadership, coaching expertise, commitment to player development, and adaptability have been instrumental as we work together to compete for and win championships.”
Budenholzer added in a statement, in part, “The appreciation I have for being a part of the Bucks organization is hard to express… The players make the success happen on and off the court. We have the best players, and to them I am grateful. They’ve grown and we’ve grown together during the last three seasons…”
“We all can’t wait to get back to work and face the great challenge of competing again for an NBA championship.”
Budenholzer has been in charge of the Bucks for three seasons. In his first two years, he led the club to the best record in the Eastern Conference both times, but the Bucks lost to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 conference finals and to the Miami Heat in the 2020 conference semifinals.
This year, Milwaukee finished third in the East in the regular season, but then got past the Heat, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and then beat the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals.
Budenholzer has a 162-65 regular-season record with Milwaukee to go with a 31-17 playoff mark. After 17 years as an assistant for Greg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs, which included four NBA championships, he was the head coach in Atlanta from 2013 to ‘18. He produced a 213-197 regular-season record and a 17-22 postseason ledger with the Hawks.
He was selected the NBA Coach of the Year in 2015 with Atlanta and in 2019 in Milwaukee.
The 2021 championship, sparked by star big man Giannis Antetokounmpo, was Milwaukee’s first since Lew Alcindor (who later became known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) led the Bucks to the 1971 crown. — Reuters
NEW YORK — The United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced a mental health initiative for players on Tuesday, with the main draw of the US Open kicking off next week.
Competitors at Flushing Meadows will have access to the tournament’s “comprehensive medical services program,” which will include access to mental health providers and “quiet rooms” on site, the USTA said in a written statement.
“The issue of mental health awareness has been brought to the forefront over the course of the global pandemic, as many individuals, players included, have struggled with the stresses and emotions that have come as a result of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),” said US Open Tournament Director Stacey Allaster.
The year’s final major unfolds as mental health in sports has become a hot topic.
World No. 2 Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open in May following a dispute with tournament organizers over mandatory media appearances, which she said placed undue pressure on players. She later disclosed she had suffered from bouts of depression for years.
French Open tournament organizers conceded later that they could do better addressing mental health of the athletes.
Osaka is expected to play at the US Open.
The issue was again front and center at the Tokyo Olympics, when four-time gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles dropped out of several events, citing the need to focus on her mental health, drawing worldwide support.
Brian Hainline, first vice-president of the USTA and a professor of neurology at Indiana University and New York University, said he hoped the program would increase accessibility to mental health support.
“Our goal is to make mental health services as readily available to athletes as services for a sprained ankle — and with no stigma attached,” said Hainline. “We will provide an environment that fosters wellness.” — Reuters
The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) that was used to construct the Novaliches-Balara Aqueduct 4 (NBAQ4) has completed its work as it emerges at the La Mesa Reservoir this August. Launched at the Balara Treatment Plant 2 on Jan. 28, 2020, the TBM “Dalisay” laid a 7.3-kilometer long, 3.1-meter diameter pipe underneath Commonwealth Avenue without inconvenience to traffic. This project is the first to use this technology in Metro Manila. The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) used a similar machine for constructing Tunnel 4 of the Angat Water Tunnel Improvement Project (AWTIP) in Norzagaray, Bulacan. In a ceremony held to celebrate this milestone, guests onsite and those that attended through Zoom witnessed the exposure of Dalisay’s cutter head from the soft concrete at the exit shaft at the La Mesa Reservoir (photo above). Present onsite were the NovaBala JV project team led by Project Manager Rod Scott, and joining through Zoom were MWSS Board of Trustees Chairman and OIC-Administrator Gen. Reynaldo Velasco (Ret.), MWSS-Deputy Administrator, Engineering and Technical Operations Group, Jose Dorado, MWSS Field Operations Management Department Manager Jun Escoto, Manila Water Co. Chief Administrative Officer Roberto R. Locsin, Manila Water Corporate Project Management Group Director Robert N. Baffrey, Manila Water East Zone Chief Operating Officer Abelardo Basilio, Manila Water Non-East Zone and International Business Chief Operating Officer Melvin John Tan, and the rest of the Manila Water project team. Once completed in June 2022, the NBAQ4 will help ensure continuous water supply for more than 7 million population served in the East Zone concession area of the MWSS.
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A June 2021 survey commissioned by Uniphore showed that Filipinos are both frustrated and appreciative of video conversations, with more than three-fourths of respondents saying video provided a more meaningful connection (78%) and kept them better engaged (77%) with others.
In contrast, 40% of the respondents claimed they can’t tell if others are engaged, with 38% feeling they are not heard, and another 35% stating people misinterpreted their facial expressions.
Participants also admitted multitasking as a result of being bored during a call (31%). Among the specific multitasking activities reported were the following:
Watching YouTube and streaming (63%)
Going to the bathroom (47%)
Cleaning the house (44%)
Online shopping (30%)
Others challenges cited were having to get ready for a video call (22%) and not liking to see themselves on camera (28%).
Technology can make video conversations more effective and enjoyable, said Umesh Sachdev, chief executive officer and co-founder of Uniphore.
“As the survey results revealed, there is still work to do to make virtual interactions as seamless and effective as in-person conversations,” he said in a press statement. “There is a clear need for additional tools and capabilities to enhance higher degrees of people-to-people understanding. Through AI and automation technology, companies and business leaders can create better experiences for customers, pick up on nonverbal cues that they may have missed, and provide insights using data that is decipherable and actionable.”
Nearly nine-tenths (or 87%) of the Filipinos surveyed said they would be open to using AI to improve video conversations. Sixty-two percent indicated wanting assistance on how to engage with others, with 46% wanting to learn how to develop deeper connections. A further 45% wanted to learn how to multitask covertly.
The global video conferencing market is projected to grow from $6.28 billion in 2021 to $12.99 billion in 2028 at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 10.9% during the forecast period, according to market research firm Fortune Business Insights. Zoom, one of the most utilized web conferencing platforms worldwide, generated $882 million in the last quarter of the 2021 fiscal year, a year-over-year increase of nearly 400%.
The Philippines is one of the countries covered by this online survey, commissioned by Uniphore and conducted by Researchscape International, a market research consultancy. Country-specific results for the US, Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam can be viewed here. — Patricia B. Mirasol
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on incomes and livelihood has made millennial and Generation Z (Gen Z) Filipinos aware of their financial health, pushing them to save for future needs, according to a survey conducted by Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. (Manulife Philippines).
“What we found through the study is that the pandemic, actually, has been a game changer for these two generations. They have become much more financially conscious because their top stressor, or their number one worry during this time, is running out of money,” said Melissa Henson, Manulife Philippines chief marketing officer, in a press briefing on Wednesday.
The survey also shed light on the financial product types that the millennials and Gen Zs owned, with insurance coming out on top at 79% for millennials and 68% for Gen Z.
Government savings programs or bonds came second at 78% and 50% respectively, while cryptocurrency was third at 60% and 40%.
The survey, which covered 200 millennial respondents born from 1981–1996 and 300 Gen Z respondents aged 15 to 24 years old, found that these generations prioritize staying healthy and avoiding illness, with the majority (87%) saying they want to save “in case something might happen to them.”
Popular saving methods include putting away money every pay period or every month (82%) and following a monthly budget (75%).
“As we have learned in the past, health concerns lead to greater financial concerns. Plus, the economy and its effect on job loss has led them to shift their priorities a little bit and focus on needs rather than wants,” said Ms. Henson.
Despite the focus on spending on necessities, findings revealed that members of Gen Z tend to reward themselves more, citing declining mental health due to exposure to toxic social media and peers getting ahead. On the other hand, working respondents expressed more concern over debt and job loss.
To deal with stress, 84% of all respondents cited sleep as a coping mechanism, with 76% saying they cope by enjoying a proper meal. Interestingly, the survey found that around 25% of Gen Zs purchase K-pop merchandise.
As a generation born into the digitized world, Gen Z has also made inroads in pursuing financial security earlier, with the average Gen Z starting to save at 17 years old and starting to invest at 21 years old. Meanwhile, millennials surveyed started saving only at 23 years old and investing at 27 years old.
Both generations, however, have been growing money, with millennials casting a wider net due to age, experience, and business goals.
“Starting a business is something that emerged quite strongly. These young Filipinos have very entrepreneurial aspirations,” said Ms. Henson. “Because of that, they’re taking a long term, well-balanced approach to not just saving, but also growing their money to make sure that they can achieve those goals.”
The takeaway from the survey, according to Ms. Henson, is the importance of early financial literacy: “There is so much information accessible [to Gen Z]. They really grew up in an already digitized world so they have become aware much earlier. We need to engage with Gen Zs that are still in school because they’re already showing interest.” — Brontë H. Lacsamana
A MAN pulls a girl to get inside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 16. — REUTERS
REUTERS
US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., said US troops in Afghanistan faced mounting danger as they pushed to complete evacuations by an Aug. 31 deadline, with aid agencies warning of a looming humanitarian crisis for the population left behind. The United States and its allies have evacuated more than 70,000 people, including their citizens, NATO personnel and Afghans at risk, since Aug. 14, the day before the Taliban swept into the capital, Kabul.
Western countries are now rushing to complete the airlift before the deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops under an agreement struck with the Taliban last year to end America’s longest war.
Mr. Biden said US troops were on pace to meet the deadline.
“The sooner we can finish, the better,” Mr. Biden said on Tuesday. “Each day of operations brings added risk to our troops.”
While the focus is now on those people trying to flee, the risk of starvation, disease and persecution is rising for the rest of the population after the chaotic exodus from Kabul airport ends, aid agencies say.
“There’s a perfect storm coming because of several years of drought, conflict, economic deterioration, compounded by COVID,” David Beasley, the executive director of the UN World Food Programme, told Reuters in Doha, calling for the international community to donate $200 million in food aid.
“The number of people marching towards starvation has spiked to now 14 million.”
Afghanistan’s population is estimated at 36 million though no census has been completed over more than 40 years of warfare and refugee movements.
The EU said this week it was planning a quadrupling in aid and was seeking coordination with the United Nations on delivery as well as safety guarantees on the ground.
Foreign donors pledged a projected $12 billion in civilian aid to Afghanistan over four years at a conference last November, but many made it conditional on protecting human rights and progress on peace talks.
The UN human rights chief said she had received reports of serious violations by the Taliban, including “summary executions” of civilians and Afghan security forces who had surrendered. The Taliban have said they will investigate any reports of atrocities.
LAND ROUTES A NATO country diplomat in Kabul, who declined to be identified, said several international aid groups are desperate to get their Afghan staff to neighboring nations.
Tens of thousands of Afghans fearing persecution have thronged Kabul’s airport since the Taliban takeover, the lucky ones securing seats on flights.
The NATO country diplomat said Afghanistan’s neighbours should open their land borders to allow more people to leave.
“Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan should be pulling out far more people using either air or land routes. It’s vital air and land routes are used at a very fast pace,” the diplomat told Reuters.
The Taliban said all foreign evacuations must be completed by Aug. 31, and asked the United States to stop urging talented Afghans to leave, while also trying to persuade people at the airport to go home, assuring them that they had nothing to fear.
“We guarantee their security,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference on Tuesday.
Mr. Biden, in remarks at the White House, said the United States was racing to meet the Aug. 31 deadline as concerns mount over the threat of militant attacks.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was growing concern about the risk of suicide bombings by Islamic State at the airport.
G7 COMMITMENT TO AFGHANISTAN Leaders of the G7 major industrialized nations — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — met virtually to discuss how to complete the withdrawal and deal with the Taliban now that they have seized power.
The talks did not result “in new dates” for the end of the evacuation mission, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, although there were intensive discussions on whether a civilian-operated airport in Kabul could be used after Aug. 31.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the top condition of the G7 agreement was that militants must allow safe passage to Afghans wanting to leave the country even after that deadline.
The Afghan government collapsed as the United States and its allies withdrew troops two decades after they ousted the Taliban in the weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda militants, whose leaders had found safe haven in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Leaders of the Taliban, who have sought to show a more moderate face since capturing Kabul, have begun talks on forming a government that have included discussions with some old enemies, including former President Hamid Karzai.
The Taliban appointed a former Guantanamo detainee, Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir, as acting defence minister, the Qatari-based Al Jazeera news channel said, citing a Taliban source. Some former Afghan government officials say they have been ordered back to work. — Reuters
