The Taliban says ‘war is over’ as thousands flee Kabul

Latest updates and essential advice from The Independent [View in browser]( [Alternate text] Daily briefing August 16, 2021 Today’s essential news from the source you trust This morning’s headlines The Taliban is in [control of Afghanistan 20 years after being overthrown]( by American and British forces, with its fighters patrolling the streets of Kabul and the country’s president, Ashraf Ghani, fleeing abroad. The Islamists seized Kabul after capturing the last remaining major cities from the government and tightening the noose around the capital by systematically cutting off every route out to the rest of the country. There is now deep apprehension of what the future holds for this shattered country in the gathering darkness among many of those who oppose the harsh theocratic rule of the jihadists. The Taliban has assured that no retribution will be taken, but there have been executions in areas under its control such as Spin Boldak and Ghazni. In a Facebook post on Sunday, [Mr Ghani confirmed he had flown out of Afghanistan](and said he had sought to “avoid bloodshed” with the fate of millions of people at stake as the Taliban entered Kabul. Meanwhile videos have depicted a [chaotic scene at Kabul airport](, the only way out for thousands of people following rapid advance of the [Taliban]( into the capital, and toppling of the country’s government. Police forces in England and Wales are being asked to [review their current firearm application processes]( in the wake of the Plymouth mass shooting, the government has announced. Questions are continuing to mount over how Keyham gunman Jake Davison, 22, obtained a firearms licence and carried out his spree, killing five people before turning the gun on himself. The government said on Sunday evening that it was preparing statutory guidance to help ensure higher standards of decision-making for police firearms licensing applications. This will cover social media checks of those applying for permission to own a firearm or shotgun, according to the Home Office. All police forces in England and Wales are now being asked to assess whether they need to revisit any existing licences. It comes after a former Metropolitan Police chief said officers should trawl through online accounts of people applying for firearms licences to ensure that "guns do not fall into the hands of dangerous people". ‘Red Wall‘ and other poorer areas of [England will lose up to £1bn of development cash this year](because of Brexit, despite Boris Johnson’s vow to “level up” the country. The government promised to match the grants – to build local economies by attracting businesses and jobs – when the UK left the EU, but has yet to set up a promised replacement fund. Instead, just £220m is being made available across the whole of the UK for 2021-22, and no money has yet been handed out at all – even though the financial year is nearly halfway over. Areas of the North and Midlands, many of which switched to the Tories at the 2019 election after the prime minister’s “levelling up” pledge, received £500m a year from EU Structural Funds, new analysis shows. Now they will receive only a slice of the stopgap £220m Community Renewal Fund – amid further anger that councils had to put in bids, rather than be allocated cash according to need. Some areas in the South have been made new “priority areas”, despite criticism that other funding pots have been skewed to Tory constituencies, including those of Cabinet ministers. . We need your support The Independent employs over 100 journalists around the world to bring you news you can trust. Please consider showing your support with a contribution. [Contribute]( . 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