Lunchtime News Tuesday 24th August 2021

News

Afghanistan - France will end evacuations on Thursday if the United States maintains its troop withdrawal on August 31st.

The French government has announced that if the United States follows its goal of a total withdrawal on August 31st France will end its operation of repatriating Afghan refugees and French nationals.  

Nine days after the fall of Kabul, the G7 meets todayat the request of the United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Monday evening that the Taliban would be "judged on their actions. "With our partners and allies, we will continue to use all humanitarian and diplomatic levers to safeguard human rights and protect the gains of the past two decades" in Afghanistan.

France has exfiltrated more than a thousand refugees. Some "1,200" Afghans have already arrived in France "on eight flights," announced the director general of the French Office of Immigration Didier Leschi this morning on French radio.

Third jab announced by the High Health Authority - The High Authority of Health has just announced the list of people who will be eligible for a third injection of vaccine against Covid-19. It will concern people aged 65 and over, as well as "people with comorbidities that increase the risk of severe forms" of the virus. The third dose should be given at least six months after the last dose.

Forest fire - An arsonist who set fire to a piece of forest land on the RD 559 between Rayol and Cavalaire-sur-Mer in the Var has been charged for attempted destruction of forest land, for which the penalty is a sentence of 15 years of criminal imprisonment. The 56-year-old individual was stopped by motorists while trying to set fire to the land on Saturday evening, those who intervened managed to extinguish the fire with water bottles and car floor mats. Only 7 m² of grass were burned.

According to the investigation, the act does not seem to be related to the fire that killed two people and ravaged the Massif des Maures, about twenty kilometers away.

Mayor of Marseille says he “will not count the dead” - The mayor of Marseille has said that he “will not be the one to count the dead” asking for resources for both the police and the justice system. His request comes following a dramatic rise in the number of drug trafficking related shootings since June in the city.

The mayor said that the Prime Minister, the head of state and the government are "aware of the need to catch up". While welcoming the arrival 100 officers to reinforce security as promised by the interior minister, the socialist politician, claims that since 2007, the city has been in need of an additional 900 officers.

 

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