C-17 AIR FORCE transport evacuating Afghans from Kabul (U.S. Air Force).

A generation after American and Afghan forces ousted the strict fundamentalist Islamic Taliban regime – notorious for its bloody excesses and suppression of women – from power in Afghanistan, the “new” version is pledging a different approach.

On Tuesday, leaders of the Taliban vowed to declare amnesty for their former opponents, respect the rights of women – “within Islamic law” and keep the news media independent, according to the Associated Press.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the forces that overran the central Asian nation in a week, also pledged that his country would not be used as a base for terrorism and attacks on other nations. It was the Taliban’s sheltering of the organization that conducted the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. in 2001 that led to the military intervention that overthrew them.

In Kabul, the capital was calm and the chaos that had engulfed the airport eliminated as more American troops arrived to restore order, according to The New York Times.  About 1,400 people – including Americans, citizens of foreign countries and Afghans who had helped the U.S. – were flown out Monday night. Pentagon officials state they plan to evacuate between 5,000 and 9,000 people a day, if the weather and conditions at the airport cooperate.

Texas governor positive for COVID-19

GREG ABBOT (Wikipedia).

Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas who has opposed mandates that require the wearing of face coverings in schools, has tested positive for coronavirus.

According to USA Today, the governor is “fully vaccinated” and without symptoms. He is isolated at the governor’s mansion in Austin where he is receiving treatment.

Abbott’s executive order barring local public school systems from mandating masks has been controversial, and several districts have defied the order as an interference with a public heath necessity. Abbott has based his policy as a defense of parent’s rights to determine medical decisions about their children.

Haitian death toll nears 2,000

DAMAGE in the Haitian earthquake (USAID photo).

The count of deaths in the aftermath of the earthquake that rocked Haiti is now nearly 2000. Reuters.com is reporting that the official count is at 1,941 and almost certain to continue to rise.

Efforts to rescue victims of the quake, provide medical care and food are complicated by a tropical storm that is leaving hundreds – perhaps thousands – of people homeless.

In addition to the death toll, the Civic Protection Service is stating that at least 9,915 people have been injured.

“Daily News” is a summary of the major news stories of the day.