world
August 18, 2021 – 23:21

Senior U.S. officials spoke Wednesday (August 18th) about the difficulties they are facing in evacuating from Kabul Afghan personnel and workers who have worked with U.S. forces.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the Taliban were breaking promises and that the United States was pressuring them to allow Afghans to flee through the US-controlled airport in Kabul.

“We have seen reports that the Taliban, contrary to their public statements and their commitments to our government, are blocking Afghans who want to leave the country to reach the airport,” Sherman told reporters.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that there are about 4,500 U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.

He said there had been no “hostile interactions with the Taliban” and that lines of communication with Taliban commanders remained open.

As for the evacuation from Kabul airport of Afghan personnel and workers who have worked with US forces, Austin said the process is not at the desired level.

“The US does not currently have the capacity to go and pick up large numbers of Americans outside Kabul airport,” Austin said, adding that the biggest issue right now is sending people to the airport.

Meanwhile, US Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley said the situation at Kabul airport is currently stable.

Earlier in the video footage released several militants appeared in the capital whipping people trying to reach the airport, while gunshots were also heard.

A riot at Kabul airport injured 17 people on August 18, a NATO security official told Reuters.

U.S. forces took control of the airport on Sunday (August 15th) to ensure the evacuation of personnel and Afghans who have worked with foreign forces. On the same day, the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul and entered the Presidential Palace hours after President Ashraf Ghani left the country.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden said they had sent a message to the Taliban that if they obstructed the evacuation operation, they would face a swift and harsh response.

The Taliban claimed victory on August 15 after seizing control of the capital, Kabul, after nearly 20 years of ending the military presence of US-led forces.

Acting Minister of Health, Armend Zemaj said that he is continuing his commitment to provide the anti-COVID vaccine

During the meeting of the committee for assessing the situation with the pandemic, Zemaj said that there are difficulties in the supply of vaccines, reports Zeri.info.

“The commitment to get the vaccine is a daily, national commitment and not only mine as Minister of Health but also to international partners. It is obvious that there are difficulties in the supply of vaccines, in addition to insisting on direct purchase, above all the promises we had with the producers, communication is still ongoing, especially with those who had statements for the month of February “, declared Zemaj.

He said that the COVAX alliance, which is expected to supply Kosovo with the first anti-COVID vaccines, has confirmed that the quantity for our country will be in production during March, while he did not give a date when the first contingent of tire.

“The part related to the COVAX alliance, we have received confirmation that the quantity for Kosovo will be in production during March, we are waiting for it is daily communication through UNICEF and other mechanisms. “Kosovo, the immunization community, the MoH, and the NIPHK have the preparations, we have implemented the plan and everything is in accordance with the standards and rules for vaccination”, he said.

world
February 25, 2021 – 18:01

AstraZeneca is trying to deliver only 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union by the end of March.

That’s less than half the amount she promised in her contract for the first quarter of the year, AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot told European lawmakers on Thursday.

Earlier this company had promised to offer about 90 million doses in the first quarter of this year.

The EU, which lags far behind the United States and the United Kingdom in vaccinating citizens, has repeatedly urged AstraZeneca to offer more doses of the vaccine.

“We are doing everything we can to give it 40 million doses in the first quarter of 2021,” said AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot.

Sortiot did not provide any information regarding the supply of vaccines in the second quarter of 2021.

Under the contract, until this stage of the year, the company is obliged to offer about 180 million doses of the vaccine./ rel