Biden speech: Pentagon contradicts president and reveals Taliban beating Americans en route to airport

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'We will get you home': Biden promises to evacuate every American from Afghanistan

US President Joe Biden delivered an address to the nation for the second time this week, as the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan continues.

Mr Biden, who said this week “chaos” was unavoidable with his country's withdrawal from Afghanistan, addressed concerns about the evacuation of Americans, allies, and Afghan refugees, amid reports that the effort is falling behind.

The president vowed to Americans in Kabul “we will get you home”, but is being criticised for saying that there were no reports of people being stopped from reaching the airport by the Taliban who took control of the city on Sunday.

Reporters on the ground have many examples of people held back from accessing the airport by Taliban fighters and there are reports of physical violence and intimidation. The Pentagon then appeared to contradict the president’s statement.

Senator Lindsey Graham has threatened the president with impeachment if one American or Afghan ally is left behind in Kabul.

It remains unclear exactly how many people are awaiting airlifts from the country before an agreed deadline of 31 August, after Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban last weekend.

The US military has evacuated 13,000 people since 14 August, and 18,000 since late July. In the past 24 hours 5,700 people have been airlifted as the operation begins to meet capacity levels of 5,000 to 9,000 per day as detailed by the Pentagon.

Key points

• ‘We will get you home’: Biden says 13,000 evacuated from Afghanistan and tells Americans
• Order given to recommence flights out of Kabul after pause
• American veterans scramble to save Afghan interpreters left behind by US withdrawal
• Defense secretary contradicts Biden statement on call with House lawmakers, report says

[20 August 2021 23:10 · Oliver O'Connell]

Covid in Florida: Orlando urges residents to cut water usage amid liquid oxygen shortage

Residents of Orlando, Florida are facing several weeks of water cutbacks due to a shortage of liquid oxygen, which is used to treat the water supply.

The shortage has been triggered by the Covid pandemic, as hospitals treating the current wave of infected patients with liquid oxygen has left a shortfall.

Orlando Utilities Commission said it expected to receive only half as much liquid oxygen in the coming weeks than is usually needed.

Helen Elfer has the story.

[20 August 2021 23:38 · Graeme Massie]

Glenn Beck’s audience raises $22m to rescue Christians stuck in Afghanistan

Conservative radio host Glenn Beck’s listeners raised $22m in three days to help free 5,000 “enslaved Christians” from Afghanistan.

Beck urged his audience to “give until it hurts” to fund the evacuation of thousands of mainly women and children from the country, which is now under Taliban control.

Bevan Hurley has the story.

[20 August 2021 23:58 · Graeme Massie]

CNN correspondent gives Afghan woman her scarf as blanket before flying out of Kabul

CNN correspondent Clarissa Ward gave an Afghan woman her scarf as a blanket before flying out of Kabul.

Ward jetted out of Afghanistan after reporting from the chaotic streets of the Afghanistan capital as the Taliban swept back into power as the US wound down its 20 year stay in the country.

More below.