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Afghanistan's two Paralympic athletes have been safely evacuated from the country, the International Paralympic Committee said Wednesday, declining to specify their destination. The two taekwondo athletes, Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli, were originally due to represent their country at the Tokyo Paralympics. But with the swift fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, the pair were among the tens of thousands trapped and unable to leave the country.

Source: france24.com

The country’s Health Ministry said Tuesday that 709 people with the disease had died since Monday and 7,727 patients were in critical condition. The ministry said 40,600 new cases were confirmed in the same 24-hour period.

Source: apnews.com

Thailand on Tuesday decriminalised kratom, a tropical leaf long used as a herbal remedy but which some health regulators around the world have criticised as potentially unsafe. Kratom -- scientific name Mitragyna speciosa -- is part of the coffee family, used for centuries in Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea for its pain-relieving and mildly stimulating effects. It has become increasingly popular in the United States, where the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned against its use, citing risks of addiction and abuse.

Source: france24.com

Igor Vovkovinskiy was declared America’s tallest living person by a Guinness World Records when he was 27 years old and stood 7 feet, 8.33 inches. His family said he died of heart disease on Friday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. His mother, Svetlana Vovkovinska, an ICU nurse at Mayo, initially posted about his death on Facebook. The Ukrainian-born Vovkovinskiy came to the Mayo Clinic in 1989 as a child seeking treatment.

Source: nbcnews.com

The head of Iran's prisons Mohammad Mehdi Hajmohammadi apologised on Tuesday for "bitter events" in Tehran's Evin prison after videos leaked by hackers showed beatings of prisoners, a rare admission of abuse by authorities. A hacking group calling itself Edalat-e Ali (Ali's Justice) issued on social media the videos that appear to be from the prison's surveillance cameras and show guards beating prisoners and dragging a detainee on the floor.

Source: reuters.com

The heavy rainfall behind deadly flooding in Europe in July was made more likely by climate change, scientists say. The floods in Germany, Belgium and other parts killed at least 220 people as towns and villages were swamped. Researchers say global heating made rainfall events like this up to nine times more likely in Western Europe. Downpours in the region are 3-19% more intense because of human induced warming.

Source: bbc.com

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett heads to Washington Tuesday for talks with US President Joe Biden, seeking to "reset" relations with Israel's closest ally and reach common ground on arch-foe Iran. In his first state visit since taking office in June, Bennett will meet Biden on Thursday and attempt to mend ties with America's top Democrat, which were strained under former premier Benjamin Netanyahu, accused of openly favouring the Republican party.

Source: france24.com

On Saturday, Edwards, 28, had a baby with her footballer partner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Then, on Monday, Pinnock, 29, announced she and her footballer fiance, Andre Gray, had had twins a week earlier. "We asked for a miracle, we were given two," she posted on Instagram.

Source: bbc.com

Want a Brazil jersey owned by Pele? An All Blacks shirt signed by Dan Carter? A New York Yankees photo autographed by Derek Jeter? David Beckham’s AC Milan shirt? Those items, plus others from Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe, are among 229 that will be up for sale next month at an auction organised by Pele for the foundation he created in 2018 to help underprivileged children. This latest auction will take place at the Mall Galleries in London and is also open to online bidders.

Source: reuters.com

Spain could temporarily host up to 4,000 Afghans, who had worked for the United States, at two military bases used by the U.S. military in southern Spain, the defense minister Margarita Robles said on Monday. Robles said that under the agreement reached between Madrid and Washington the Afghans could stay in Spain for up to two weeks.

Source: reuters.com

Hollywood star Barry Keoghan required hospital treatment after he was the victim of an assault in Galway. The star of the upcoming Marvel film Eternals was found with serious facial injuries outside the city's G Hotel in the early hours of last Sunday. He was rushed by ambulance to Galway University Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries, including cuts to his face, and later released.

Source: independent.ie

German international Joshua Kimmich has signed an extension to stay at Bayern Munich until 2025, the club announced on Monday. Kimmich, a versatile player, at ease in both defence and midfield, was under contract with the German champions until 2023.

Source: france24.com

American-born French performer Joséphine Baker will be entered into Paris' Panthéon mausoleum, making her the first black woman to receive the honour. The government says Baker will be inducted into the monument in November. The Panthéon is a burial place for celebrated French icons such as scientist Marie Curie and writer Victor Hugo.

Source: bbc.com

Iran said on Monday it is ready to ship more fuel to Lebanon if needed, a day after the leader of Lebanon's Iran-aligned Hezbollah group said more vessels carrying Iranian fuel would sail soon to help ease the country's fuel shortage.

Source: reuters.com

Alexander Zverev backed up his Olympic triumph with a fifth ATP Masters 1000 title as he crushed Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-3 in Cincinnati on Sunday. Women's world number one Ashleigh Barty was similarly impressive in winning her fifth title of the season at the combined ATP and WTA event, cruising past Swiss wild card Jil Teichmann 6-3, 6-1.

Source: france24.com

A new bridge that will link Russia and China's railway systems was completed on August 17, 2021, seven years after its much-heralded groundbreaking. The structure's full name is the China-Russia Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye Bridge. It connects Tongjiang, a city in China's far northeastern Heilongjiang province, with Nizhneleninskoye, a town across the border with Russia along the banks of the Amur River.

Source: cnn.com

Jailed former Bolivian President Jeanine Anez is in “stable” condition after she tried to take her own life after prosecutors charged her with “genocide” over the deaths of protesters in 2019, an official has said.

Source: aljazeera.com

At least 22 people were confirmed dead on Sunday as rescue crews searched desperately amid shattered homes for dozens still missing after record-breaking rain sent floodwaters surging through parts of Tennessee. Record rainfall fueled flash floods in rural town of Waverly.

Source: theguardian.com