Special IAF flight to evacuate 200 stranded people from Afghanistan
The Hindu
Taliban has refused to extend deadline for U.S. control of airport in Kabul
A special Indian Air Force aircraft is expected to evacuate at least 200 stranded individuals from Kabul in one of the final Indian airlift flights from Afghanistan following the takeover by the Taliban. The passengers, who include Indian nationals as well as Sikhs and Hindu citizens of Afghanistan, are likely to arrive early on Thursday. The aircraft is operating under difficult circumstances as the Taliban has refused to extend an August 31 deadline for the U.S. control of the airport in Kabul, which has led to a scramble among several countries to evacuate as many people as possible within the next few days.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.