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Istanbul (AFP) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey has held its first talks with the Taliban in Kabul, adding that Ankara is still assessing the Islamist group’s offer to run the Afghan capital’s airport.

Chaman (Pakistan) (AFP) – Afghans cross into Pakistan at the Chaman border crossing as thousands desperately try to flee following the Taliban takeover. Amjad says he left because he had no work once the Taliban took over, and couldn’t “even earn money to feed our children”.

Rome (AFP) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that Russia condemns the twin suicide bombings at Kabul’s airport and expresses condolences to the families of those who died. The blasts near Kabul airport on Thursday killed at least 85 people, including 13 US servicemen, and were claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) – In northern Nigeria dozens of fighters from jihadist group Boko Haram have been handing in their weapons, seeking reintegration into society. The government claims the credit, though the full reasons are less clear. And not everyone is ready to accept them back into the fold.

Guadalajara (Mexico) (AFP) – The Guadalajara Zoo, in Mexico, welcomes two manatees from the Caribbean, with the intention of raising awareness for the protection of the species, currently endangered because of pollution and fishing techniques.

Veracruz (Mexico) (AFP) – Over 131,000 children in Mexico have lost a mother, father or both to the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Lancet medical journal. The grief and anxiety make returning to school a challenge for bereaved families.