Former President George W. Bush criticized the Western withdrawal from Afghanistan in an interview with a German broadcaster released Wednesday, saying he fears that Afghan women and girls will “suffer unspeakable harm.”
Asked in an interview with German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle whether the withdrawal is a mistake, Bush replied: “You know, I think it is, yeah, because I think the consequences are going to be unbelievably bad.”
The war in Afghanistan began under Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Washington gave Taliban leader Mullah Omar an ultimatum: hand over al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and dismantle militant training camps or prepare to be attacked. Omar refused, and a U.S.-led coalition launched an invasion in October.
The withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops set in motion earlier this year by current President Joe Biden is nearing completion. Taliban fighters have been surging through district after district, taking control of large swaths of the country.
Spain’s top court rules pandemic lockdown unconstitutional
Spain’s Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday that last year’s strict stay-at-home lockdown order by the government under a state of emergency was unconstitutional.
The court ruling was in response to a suit brought by the far-right Vox party.
It was a split decision, according to a brief statement issued by the court. State broadcaster TVE says it was six magistrates in favor and five against.
While leaving intact most of the state of emergency’s terms, the court said the key articles ordering the population off the streets except for short trips for shopping and unavoidable commutes for work and other official business were unconstitutional.
According to TVE, the ruling said the limitations on movement violated citizens’ basic rights and therefore the state of emergency was insufficient to give them constitutional backing. The six magistrates said a state of exception, which allows the government to suspend basic rights, would have been necessary.
Starbucks, Coke join call for Congress to protect voting rights
Starbucks and Coca-Cola called on Congress to revisit the Voting Rights Act as major corporations push back against Republican efforts in many U.S. states to restrict ballot access.
“The right to vote is core to our democracy,” Starbucks Chief Executive Officer Kevin Johnson said Wednesday. “We believe that voting should be free of discrimination of any kind.”
Starbucks said it joined Business for Voting Rights, a coalition of companies calling on Congress to amend the Voting Rights Act to ensure safeguards against discrimination. In an open letter signed by scores of companies including Amazon, Pepsi and Tesla, the group endorses H.R. 4, known as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
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