Afghanistan
The sun has set on the first day of the Taliban’s “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” and it was marked by harrowing images of chaos at Hamid Karzai International Airport as Afghans desperately tried to clamber onto evacuation flights to the US. In one widely-circulated video, two unidentified objects later reported to be men could be seen falling from a US military plane after it took off. US President Joe Biden, in a defiant speech, said he stood “squarely” behind his decision to withdraw US troops.
More from the New York Times here.
Nigeria
Nineteen people, including 15 schoolchildren, have been kidnapped from a school in northwest Nigeria. As mentioned in several previous newsletters, Nigeria is facing a kidnapping crisis as criminal gangs terrorize the north by snatching students for ransom. More than 1,000 schoolchildren and students have been kidnapped and held for ransom since December and hundreds remain in captivity.
More from the Associated Press here.
Zambia
After days of fears that one of Africa’s most stable democracies was lurching into political crisis, President Edgar Lungu has conceded defeat in last week’s presidential election. Opposition leader Hakainde “HH” Hichilema now faces the tough task of reviving a sputtering economy - a promise that swept the former CEO to power.
More from Reuters here.