anna coren joins us from kabul. anna, you were able to get a response.hey respond to your reporting? >> reporter: the taliban is on a pr offensive to discredit our reporting, to say it is false, that the footage is fake and basically government propaganda. for the record, we spoke to five eyewitnesss from this district who all had the same account as to what took place, that being that these commandos walked out. they had run out of ammunition. they had their arms in the air and that the taliban shot them. this is not something that we are making up. this is something that happened. the ministry of defense has described this as war crimes, and that it's not the first time that the taliban has executed military members and members of -- civilians, really. amnesty international has weighed in describing this as war crimes and cold-blooded murder. to be frank, this is not what the taliban wants right now, to be out there circulating, because they're wanting to project themselves as this legitimate alternate governing body. they're due to hold peace talks wi

cnn's anna coren will join us live from kabul in just a minute.. i'm not going to answer any more questions on afghanistan. look, it's the fourth of july. i'm concerned that you guys are asking me questions that i'll answer next week, but on this, the holiday weekend -- >> of course, questions about afghanistan are fair game, and it's not a good look for any president to bristle when being asked, but did he have legitimate reasons? is he going to hold a press conference about the afghanistan withdrawal? with me now are two reporters that biden was speaking with, david singer, contributor to the white house and national correspondent for the "new york times," and jennifer epstein, reporter for the bloomberg news. great to have you both here. david, you were on the receiving end of biden's annoyance, perhaps. how big a deal was it? >> i didn't think it was a big deal. he did, in fact, answer four questions on afghanistan. brian, a couple things to note here. first, i've covered five presidents. every one of them has a message of the day. his was rec

anna coren, in kabul, thank you so much for that. >>> the olympic dreams of u.s.r sha'carri richardson are now on hold after she tested positive for thc, the chemical in marijuana. what she is saying about it all and the questions some are asking tonight, is the punishment too strict? i will talk it over with former olympic sprinter/champion, gayle devers. e master bath. you created your own style. and you - yes, you! turned a sourdough starter into a sourdough finisher. so when you learn your chronic dry eye is actually caused by reduced tear production due to inflammation you take it on, by talking to your eyecare professional about restasis®... which may help you make more of your own tears with continued use twice a day, every day. restasis® helps increase your eye's natural ability to produce tears, which may be reduced by inflammation due to chronic dry eye. restasis® did not increase tear production in patients using anti-inflammatory eye drops or tear duct plugs. to help avoid eye injury and contamination, do not touch bottle tip to your eye or other surfa

anna coren has more on what the mission ending means as well as the one now beginning for the afghansst might of the u.s. military transformed this dusty airstrip into a miniature city and the nucleus of america's longest war. ultimately that might could not transform afghanistan. friday morn nearly 20 years after u.s. soldiers captured bagram air base as a launch pad for the war on terror, the last servicemen and women departed afghanistan. a nation not left strong, prosperous or secure despite the sacrifice of more than 2,400 american lives and over 100,000 afghan civilians according to the united nations. many of those fallen soldiers repatriated from these runways, now in the possession of afghan forces. they are the only ones who will consider friday's u.s. departure a victory. >> the security situation is not good right now. that's something that's recognized by the afghan security forces, and they're making the appropriate adjustments as we move forward. >> reporter: taliban fighters have seized back sways of the country americans fought and died to liberate. after once boastin

anna coren has more on this. the taliban appear to be agenagenda i gaining even more ground.they got real momentum and that is certainly alarming. alarming for people here who have lived this afghanistan for the past 20 years with the u.s. troops in country, that is now coming to an end within a matter of days. speaking to local afghans, people i've known now for more than ten years, they have said they feel a real sense of disbelief and aabandonment. they knew u.s. forces had to leave eventually, but this is being brought forward. the dead lean september for september 11th and now they could be out within days. they said we knew they couldn't stay here forever, but now is not the right time to leave afghanistan considering the advances that the taliban are making. they have launched these offenses around the country, but particularly in the north where previously they have been met with resistance. now they are gaining vast amounts of territory. it works out to be more than 100 of the 370 districts, that translates to more than 50% of territory. they haven't taken provincial

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> president biden is warning about the danger of the delta variant as he urges all americans to get a covid vaccine. that is next. >>> and the british prime minister is at the timing e ge take questions about the lifting of covid restrictions. we're live in london with that. -hey. -hi. whoa, nice car. thanks, yeah. i actually got a great deal on it too, although my interest rate is awful. have you checked your credit? i got like a free score from some app or something like that. but lenders don't even use that score. creditrepair.com has a free credit snapshot that can show you exactly what's happening with your credit score. and killing my interest rates. well, great seats though. -thank you. -like really. just knowing your score won't improve it. instead, work to actually fix your credit with creditrepair.com. need long-lasting freshness? try new febreze unstopables touch fabric spray. it doesn't just eliminate odors... simply shake and spray to unlock the breakthrough power of touch-activated scent technology. that lasts, even hours later! that's because febr

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> ahead on "cnn newsroom," the new books painting a clearer picture of donald behavior in his final days in office. plus britney spears could soon have a new lawyer as her conservatorship case heads back to court. a look at what is expected this today's hearing. i don't just play someone brainy on tv - i'm an actual neuroscientist. and i love the science behind neuriva plus. unlike ordinary memory supplements, neuriva plus fuels six key indicators of brain performance. more brain performance? yes, please! neuriva. think bigger. you love rich, delicious ice cream. but your stomach doesn't. that disagreement ends right now. lactaid ice cream is the creamy, real ice cream you love that will never mess with your stomach. lactaid ice cream. not touching is still touching protection. adding lysol laundry sanitizer kills 99.9% of bacteria. detergent alone, can't. lysol. what it takes to protect. show me the olympics. ♪ "bugler's dream" begins playing ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> president biden is defending the voting rights of all americans in the face of restrictive new laws i

shows one horrific incident from june in northern afghanistan and we warn you, our report from anna corensome graphic content. >> reporter: after two hours of heavy fighting, all ammunition spent, afghan commanders walk out with hands in the air. surrender, commander, surrender, yells a taliban member. but the ruehe rules of war don't on this battlefield. [ gunfire ] seconds later more than a dozen members of the elite special forces have been executed. the red cross confirmed the bodies of 22 commandos were retrieved. a villager pleads with the taliban to stop shooting. cnn has spoken to five eyewitnesses to this massacre, which occurred last month in a district in northern afghanistan. all confirm these events took place. the commanders called for air and ground support but none came, says this local resident. and then they surrendered but the taliban just shot them. among the dead, 32-year-old commando azimi, son of a retired afghan general. this born leader did his military training in the united states and was due to marry next month. his father says that he tried to call in air supp

cnn's anna coren joins us from kabul. anna, president biden promised the u.s.abandoning afghanistan diplomatically, but how long can the u.s. keep its diplomats in the country? >> reporter: it's a really good question. i can tell you now that yesterday, hot on the rumor mill was that the u.s. embassy was closing. that's what local afghans were telling us. obviously that is not the case. it's more an update of the emergency evacuation plan which the state department says is something that they do at embassies all across the world. but there is certainly a sense of urgency when it comes to the embassy here in kabul because of the deteriorating security situation. you mentioned the taliban, the offenses that they've been carrying out around the country, particularly in the north. we're hearing through the local news of districts falling every single day. this is mainly in the countryside, but they are getting closer and closer to cities and provincial capitals. peace talks with the taliban are virtually nonexistent. so a political roadmap for afghanistan seems to

cnn's anna coren is live in kabul. president biden promised the u.s.n diplomatically. many are asking how long can the u.s. keep its diplomats in the country? >> reporter: that's right, kim. we know there's going to be 650 marines protecting the u.s. embassy here in kabul. there will be other troops and u.s. contractors who will be securing the airport, the international airport here until there's a permanent solution put in place, but certainly the fact that they're updating these emergency evacuation plans, that leaked out is causing real alarm here in afghanistan. people are already feeling extremely abandoned by what has taken place here. obviously u.s. and nato troops pulling out of bagram airbase, that last night early friday morning has rattled folks. without that u.s. security blanket, if you like, which has been here for the last 20 years, people are feeling very exposed, because of the deteriorating situation across the country. the taliban launching this huge offensive particularly in the north, in the countryside, claiming districts and we'

cnn's anna coren joins me now from kabul. this is a big moment for the country. tell us what the country looks like right now and afghans you're speaking to, what are their worries today? >> reporter: jim, this is a deeply divided and fractured country. 20 years after the u.s. invaded, it's not being left strong and prosperous and able to take on the challenges that it needs to. i spoke with dr. abdullah abdullah yesterday who is the head of the peace talks with the government, and the taliban. he said the outlook is bleak. that if it was up to the afghans, the americans would not be leaving now. we are seeing the taliban launch offenses across the country. this obviously coinciding with the u.s. troops withdrawing. we should mention the taliban issued a statement upon learning that troops had departed afghanistan, saying that this was a positive move and it was now up to the people to decide. but the taliban have been taking over by force, and we've been seeing those propaganda videos of taliban claiming territory with afghan forces surrendering or fleeing. so t

barbara starr is at the pentagon and anna coren is on the ground in kabul. folk this is weekend with a lot of experience in afghanistan. they described to me in catastrophic terms what that country looks like after this withdrawal. and i just wonder, the folks you speak to in the pentagon, do they share that view? we know president biden made this decision over the objection of the senior military commanders. >> well i think there is a good deal of concern about the way ahead now in afghanistan. there will be about 650 u.s. troops remaining there, mainly for security. but indeed general miller as expected stepping down. it is all being turned over to other personnel for this very narrow mission in the country. which is basically enough security to keep the embassy open, keep the airport open and in fact some additional air defense capability has now been put at the airport to protect against rockets and mortars. but a lot of concern publicly the language is diplomacy, trying to get the taliban back to the peace table, trying to make the taliban convinced tha

. >> cnn's anna coren is joining us from kabul, afghanistan with more. anna?rs ago after 9/11 has described the withdrawal of u.s. and nato forces as a mistake. he said the consequences of ending america's longest war will be quote unbelievably bad for women and girls. his comments come as the taliban make even more gains across the country. they have seized the border crossing in kandahar province bordering pakistan. this is the fourth border crossing to fall in less than a month. as the taliban goes after key infrastructure, trying to choke the country and pressure the government. well, meantime, the taliban is on a pr offensive to try to discredit cnn's reporting of the execution of afghan commandos surrendering. the state department has weighed in, describing these horrific actions as an atrocious act. well, cnn spoke to five eyewitnesss who confirmed the massacre took place. and the biden administration has launched operation allied refuge, to relocate thousands of afghans who helped work with the military. it's still not known where they will be taken wh

anna coren joins us now live. bout the united states about some of the exit plans. what are you hearing? >> reporter: yeah, it's fair to say that the u.s. military would have kept the departure plans close to their chest due to security reasons. but what i am getting in an overwhelming sense is that people are feeling abandoned, extremely abandoned here. they can't believe that america has left at a time when there is such insecurity across the country. we have been watching the taliban long their offensives in the north, districts are falling virtual virtually every single day. they are making gains on provincial capitals. they are getting close to taking those cities. and this is incredibly unnerving for afghans, particularly in the capital here in kabul. on top of that, they get news that the u.s. embassy is updating its emergency evacuation plans. there was the rumor-mill was in overdrive yesterday, afghans saying is the u.s. embassy shutting down? americans leaving all together. that online isn't the case and

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> well, we want to share with you some video of the u.s.tol insurrection that's just been released after cnn and other media outlets sued for access. the police body cam footage shows the moment three officers waded out into the mob in an effort to save a although-trump rioter who had been trampled. a warning, the video is graphic and disturbing. is . >> that's just horrific as you can see. and things got worse seconds later as the attacking mob started to drag the officers. >> oh, god! traitor. >> hey, no! >> no! >> the officer you see there was hospitalized and needed staples in his head to stop the bleeding. the medical examiner said the rioter the police tried to help died of an accidental drug overdose. >>> federal prosecutors handling the capitol riot cases say former president donald trump's latest false claims could cause even more violence. they say that's a reason why some defendants charged in the insurrection should continue to be monitored. brian todd reports. >> reporter: an ominous new warning from the justice department that

cnn's anna coren is live in kabul for us. i'm sure that the u.s.own is already having an effect there. what's behind the updated evacuation plans at the u.s. embassy? >> to put it bluntly, paula, it's the deteriorating security situation here in afghanistan. the state department points out that there is no current need for evacuation of the u.s. embassy here in kabul, that it is simply updating these emergency evacuation plans. it's something that's routine done all across the world. however, the detail that has been provided to us certainly suggests that this could be implemented very quickly. and they need to be able to do this very quickly if it comes to the crunch. you to remember that the footprint of u.s. forces in afghanistan has absolutely shrunk. when u.s. and nato forces flew out of bagram air base very early friday morning, handing it back over to the afghans, that brought really an end to america's involvement here in this country, after almost 20 years. of course, there are still troops on the ground. we know that there are going to be

you be safe, too, anna coren. the conditions there can change quickly.e, though, on the ground. >>> the other story we're following this morning, professional killers. that is how authorities in haiti are describing the suspects they say are behind the assassination of the country's president. 17 suspects are now in custody, including two haitian-americans. you can see the pictures there the government released. also several retired members of the colombian military. three suspects were killed in a shootout. there is now a massive nationwide manhunt in haiti for eight others. cnn's matt rivers joins us from port-au-prince after the shootout from police and suspects. matt, what do we know about these groups? what is the government's level of confidence that these men were involved in this horrible assassination? >> reporter: i mean, the government's level of confidence is relatively high. they're the ones saying that these men are involved. how much confidence we have in what the government is saying, jim, is a whole 'nother -- is a whole 'nother question

cnn international correspondent anna coren has their story. >> reporter: standing in the valley, abdulleted another mission with s.e.a.l. team 10. working alongside military's elite translating for u.s. special forces. but according to abdul, his five years of service has now amounted to a death sentence. after the u.s. government rejected his special immigrant visa, making him a target for the taliban. >> if they catch me, they're going to kill me. they're going to kill my kids and they're going to kill my wife too. it's payback time for them, you know. >> reporter: the father of three says his contract with the u.s. military was terminated in 2014 after he failed a polygraph test. but his letters of recommendation from s.e.a.l. commanders reflect a translator who went above and beyond duty, describing him as a valuable and necessary asset, who braved enemy fire and undoubtedly saved the lives of american and afghans alike. >> this is eli. he was one of our team member. >> these guys were your american brothers? >> american brothers, yeah. >> reporter: abdul says he has no idea what h

cnn's anna coren is live in kabul and oren liebermann joining us from the pentagon. , we learned that afghan troops escaped to a neighboring country. how big of a problem is this for the afghan military? >> reporter: that's right, pam. a thousand afghans have fled over to tajikistan. there has been fighting in this area for weeks. the number of afghans fleeing is alarming. the taliban obviously want to get in charge of those border posts and highways to effectively cut off those supply routes from central asia and choke afghanistan. the brigadier we spoke to when we went to bagram air base, he said the troops are planning to mobilize and to form a counterattack, but we're yet to see any evidence of that, pam. >> you mentioned you're at bagram air base. what else did you see there? >> well, it was virtually deserted except for the handful of afghans showing us around. they, too, had only been just allowed onto the base after forces flew out early friday last week. look, the airfield which is two miles long, it was completely dead. obviously it used to be a hive of acti

anna coren is following this for us live from hong kong.cation mean for the reef and what is the australian government worried about? >> reporter: i just got off the phone from another scientist who studies the reef. and she said that if the listing went ahead, that if the great barrier reef was to be listed as in danger, that basically all that does is shine a global spotlight on the problems. the problems of climate change facing the great barrier reef. as you say, one of the, you know, great natural wonders of the world. it is the largest living infrastructure on the planet. you can see it from space. and people are sort of shaking their heads as to doctor worpt the uaustralian government agre to this, put in all measures necessary to reserve this fragile ecosystem which is basically leak the amlike the a of the ocean. it is such a special place. but the australian government as we know has been fierceless fighting this listing, it has been lobbying other member countries of unesco. the federal minister spent eight days traveling around

cnn's anna coren is live in kabul with the very latest.to be watching biden's remarks? >> reporter: well, absolutely. boris, everybody will be listening for what president biden has to say. we understand that he is going to be talking about a safe passage for these afghan interpreters and translators. we know there is something like -- >> up fortunately it appears as though we've had some technical difficulties. anna, are you there? >> but as i was saying, we've learned that only 9,000 of those siv applications will be processed. but president biden is likely to announce a safe passage. we know he's been talking to a number of central asian countries about providing that safe haven once the visa applications are approved before moving to the united states. we're also learning from women's rights groups that they want another 2,000 of these siv's for vulnerable women. they say that the judges, journalists, police officers, politicians, activists have all been targeted and harassed and we have seen the taliban, islamic state, killing off som

anna coren reports for us on the latest developments from kabul. >> reporter: the taliban continues tosweeping gains across afghanistan, seizing one of the country's main trading gateways with iran. the militants took control of the port in the western province of herat where millions of dollars worth of fuel and supplies cross. the taliban also claimed another border crossing bordering turkmenistan. the government says security forces are attempting to recapture these key areas. it comes after president biden vigorously defended his decision to withdraw u.s. forces and end america's 20-year war in afghanistan. he said the decision was overdue, that america did not come here to nation-build, and that it was up to the afghan government and its security forces to defend its people. meantime, a delegation from the taliban meeting with the russian government in moscow gave a press conference, stating that it had claimed 85% of afghan territory, a figure denied by the government. it also said that humanitarian groups should keep operating, that schools and hospitals must stay open, and that

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> a brutal killing in spain has sparked widespread protests in support of thes shaken the country. that's next. extracredit, but isn't this a little much? too much? is mastering every aspect of my credit too much? no, but it's like a hundred degrees out here. i mean, aren't you hot? extracredit, the most comprehensive credit solution ever created. hey, i just got a text from my sister. you remember rick, her neighbor? sure, he's the 76-year-old guy who still runs marathons, right? sadly, not anymore. wow. so sudden. um, we're not about to have the "we need life insurance" conversation again, are we? no, we're having the "we're getting coverage so we don't have to worry about it" conversation. so you're calling about the $9.95 a month plan -from colonial penn? -i am. we put it off long enough. we are getting that $9.95 plan, today. (jonathan) is it time for you to call about the $9.95 plan? i'm jonathan from colonial penn life insurance company. sometimes we just need a reminder not to take today for granted. if you're age 50 to 85, you can get guaranteed accept

our anna coren was the first to report on the executions and she joins me now live from hong kong. hearing more official reaction after these horrific killings. what's the latest on that? >> reporter: yeah, kim, we've heard from ross wilson, as you say, the acting ambassador in kabul for the united states, and he has described what happened to these 22 commandos last month as possible war crimes that must be investigated, and the pu perpetrators brought to account. it is highly unlikely to happen. this is the taliban, and we are hearing about atrocities happening to not just the military, but everyday civilians, every single day. but certainly he confirms that the violence has to end. he has said to the taliban over and over again that this has to stop. that a political solution is the only way forward, and there's been a joint statement signed not just by the united states, but nato and a host of other countries, calling on the taliban to end the violence and bring on a cease-fire. unfortunately, that, kim, is not happening. the other story that is breaking at the moment out of af

cnn's anna coren live in hong kong with more. anna? >> reporter: yeah, john.se. what we know is that on saturday the ambassador, his daughter cecelia, was abducted while in a taxi. she was taken to an area. she was beaten. and then she was released several hours later. as a result, the afghan government, as you say, has recalled all diplomatic staff back to kabul. they're due to land in the next few hours. pakistan has described this as unfortunate and regrettable, but the interior minister of pakistan has said that this is an international conspiracy, that india is behind this. we know that there is no love loss between india and pakistan and you have afghanistan spak smack bang the middle. it's one of the situations that just goes to the show that the u.s. troop withdrawal from afghanistan is not just going to destabilize afghanistan, it is going to potentially destabilize the region. obviously china is concerned about what is taking place in afghanistan. pakistan, itself, is concerned about what this could mean as far as the pakistani taliban is concerned.

. >>> cnn's anna coren is in afghanistan for us. she's joining us live from kabul. ves against the taliban? there's deep concern, as you well know. >> reporter: a deep concern absolutely, wolf. and there are enormous challenges ahead for the afghan national forces. they're being taking, you know, losses on the battlefield while the taliban have been gaining momentum around the country, launching these offenses, particularly in the north. so you have the afghan security forces losing territory, often fleeing and surrendering these outposts have they haven't been rel resourced. and these propaganda videos being fed by the taliban virtually on a daily basis. that plays into the optics of fear and uncertainty. so within the security forces, morale is extremely low. there are 300,000 security forces in the country, which have been trained by the americans, we should add. and they will most likely be protecting the capital here in kabul as well as the provincial cities, which the taliban have yet to penetrate. and that was the advice by general scott miller to his afghan c

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >> thank you so much, anna. >>> cnn global affairs analyst kim doger joiningnow. defending his decision to appoint u.s. troops saying it was overdue and the rapid gains issue it's not inevitable that they will take over the country. but how do you see it as the taliban already demonstrated that it has the advantage? >> well, they do seem to be taking a lot of territory very quickly which one taliban official has told me was because afghan troops were simply giving up in the face of the taliban onslaught. it's as if psychologically without the u.s. and nato support there, they feel they don't have confidence in their own government's ability to keep fighting, so they're zdeserting their posts. the taliban may well be overstretched but the taliban has, over time in the past 20 years, learned from their mistakes and u.s. officials tell me that they have been doing things like infiltrating government and military centers so that it is much easier for them ultimately to take over from the inside the more power they gain. >> how is it expected that the taliban and t

our anna coren with more on that and how other nations in the region are handling the latest covid. >reporter: there are fewer customers these days as new cases of coronavirus in thailand reach record highs. but for those lucky enough to pick up a fare, it's no longer a routine ride. >> translator: we have passengers getting on and off our cars every day, and we don't know if they're at risk or not. we need to protect ourselves, and the passengers also need to protect themselves. both sides are just scared. >> reporter: those fears keeping more people at home. volunteers bring food to those isolated along bangkok's canals. the government says there is a shortage of vaccines along with the surge of infections. those supplies just one of the obstacles preventing people from getting the shots. >> translator: i can't go. i only stay like this because if i go for a vaccination, i'd have to take a boat, walk, and commute by car. i have no money to spend for that. >> reporter: experts say vaccines are a critical weapon in fighting this outbreak that has spread across asia. some health care w

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> the u.s. justice department releases more videos of the capitol riot.hy police and others say not enough is being done to address the security failures exposed by the insurrection. >>> and new york state is confronting gun violence after a bloody fourth of july holiday weekend. the latest efforts to fight america's epidemic of shootings. that's next. st. and i love the science behind neuriva plus. unlike ordinary memory supplements, neuriva plus fuels six key indicators of brain performance. more brain performance? yes, please! neuriva. think bigger. no, he's not in his room. ♪ dad, why didn't you answer your phone? your mother loved this park. ♪ she did. flowers are fighters. that's why the alzheimer's association walk to end alzheimer's is full of them. because flowers find a way to break through. just like we will. join the fight at alz.org/walk -hey. -hi. whoa, nice car. thanks, yeah. i actually got a great deal on it too, although my interest rate is awful. have you checked your credit? i got like a free score from some app or something like that.

. >> our anna coren joins us now from kabul. anna, your team was in touch.ly important that we address this because the taliban is on a p.r. offensive to discredit our story. they say that the footage is fake, that this is government propaganda. they published a statement in multiple languages after the story went to air, saying that this was false, they have never executed commandos who were surrendering. so, for the record, we need to let everyone know that we interviewed five eyewitnesses in that district where that massacre took place. these were interviews on video. these people spoke to us, saying that they saw what the taliban did. they saw these commandos surrender. they saw them with their arms in the air. they saw the taliban shoot them in front of them. so this is not a fabrication. we have five people who have told us that they witnessed exactly the same thing. the ministry of defense has called this war crimes. they said this is not the first time that the taliban has executed the military or innocent civilians for that matter. and international

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> much more to come on cnn. football fans traveling from the uk won't be able to attend the euro 2020 match saturday. we will explain why in a live report from rome. >>> and americans are hitting the road and taking to the skies, over the july-4th holiday weekend. why health experts fear this could cause the delta variant to surge, especially among the unvaccinated. ahhh! ♪ don't flex your pecs. terminix. a lot of people think dealing with copd is a walk in the park. if i have something to help me breathe better, everything will be fun and nice. but i still have bad days flare-ups (coughs), which can permanently damage my lungs. my lungs need protection against flare-ups. so it's time to get real. because in the real world our lungs deserves the real protection of breztri. breztri gives you better breathing symptom improvement, and flare-up protection. it's the first and only copd medicine proven to reduce flare-ups by 52% breztri won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. it is not for asthma

cnn's anna coren reports fromfrom bagram airbase. >> we are here at bagram airbase.st time we have been given access to this facility since u.s. and nato forces departed on friday. essentially, ending america's involvement in the war. it was the hive of activity, at the height of this war. it is now being handed over to the afghans, and currently, there are some-3,000 troops on the base. assessing what the americans have left. behind me is a delegation from the national security council, assigned by president ghani to strategize and work out how they are going to use bagram airbase, moving forward. but it, certainly, is a strange place to be. it feels a bit like a di disorganized junkyard. we know air hangars in the background. to those -- those hangars are still locked. we were out at the -- the runways, which 3 kilometers long, and it was absolutely deserted. wasn't so long ago that there were fighter jets, cargo planes, and surveillance aircraft landing and departing, constantly. as i say, it is now quiet. and then, here, you have, like, a car yard. there are hund

anna coren joins us now after extensive reporting in afghanistan.what the taliban are doing in the ground in afghanistan. can you talk about the significance of these air-strikes overnight? and also, is this the new path forward for afghanistan, u.s. troops off the ground, but in the air? >> reporter: i am sure there are a lot of afghans that are hoping that the u.s. continues to provide this desperately needed air support, poppy. obviously president biden has said as of the 31st of august, afghanistan, you are on your own. troops, air force, you have to defend your own people, but these air-strikes overnight in kan kandahar which we know is under siege from the taliban is interesting. they would have been conducted by drones. they were targeting captured equipment, u.s. equipment that had been handed over from the americans to the afghans, and then taken by the taliban. and we are also getting word, poppy, from one of our sources on the ground that said there will be more air-strikes possibly tonight, that there are people in certain districts outs

anna coren is tracking developments across the region.s us now live from hong kong. >> reporter: we've been seeing an explosion of the delta variant here in asia and governments really are scrambling to try and top the spread of these highly contagious strain of the virus. you know, australia is seeing that virus really take hold. in south wales where there was an outbreak last month that just has skyrocketed. today they recorded 163 cases, up from 136 yesterday and we know that south wales, victoria and south australia are in lockdown. this is the way that the government is trying to handle the pandemic. but interestingly, allison, thousands of people took to the streets in sydney today to protest against this lockdown, the anti-lockdown protesters they are called freedom protests and it is just mind-boggling, the images that we've been seeing today, people not believing in the virus, not wearing masks, certainly not social distancing, they clashed with police. one man punched a police force. dozens of people were arrested. that was in s

cnn's anna coren is live in kabul. so give us more about these breaking details. >> reporter: yeah, fredricka, that is right. u.s. and nato forces flew out overnight and early this morning, leching bagram air base after 20 years in country. they leave behind about a thousand u.s. forces. 600 of them will protect the u.s. embassy and the others to secure the airport until turkish forces come in to play. but obviously the end of the chapter for america's forever war. president biden, you heard just then, saying we're bringing our troops home. those troops will be home by the 4th of july. the deadline was set for september 11th. obviously that is now two months early. for local after -- local afghans knew this day would come but didn't think it would be now. when the security situation across the country is deteriorating rapidly, when the taliban is making gains, extensive gains, particularly in the north where afghan security forces are sustaining casualties and we've seen the propaganda video from the taliban where they

. >> cnn pentagon reporter barbara starr and cnn correspondent anna coren are with us now.w reporting on where these afghans could be headed. what do you know? >> well, initially administration officials had indicated it would likely be locations overseas, perhaps guam, the persian gulf, perhaps central asia. now an administration official familiar with the latest planning says it is very possible, likely that some of the first will come potentially to military installations in the united states, that they feel they can find a way to clear the legal obstacles to that and bring them to the united states. that might be a very efficient, quickest way to get it done. they are going to have to, of course, leave afghanistan by air. the state department overseeing now what may be a massive effort to use civilian passenger aircraft to move perhaps tens of thousands of people out of afghanistan and get them to a safe haven where they can then apply for visas and have some sort of residency in the united states, if indeed that is what they want. but look, security with the taliban on

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> coming up, the final sprint to the olympics.es organizers are making to host safe games during a covid surge. we're live in tokyo, next. >>> and it wasn't long ago that most travel destinations were off-limits for americans. well, that's now a thing of the past. some have made it to paris and have the whole city virtually to themselves. stay with us. but your stomach doesn't. that disagreement ends right now. lactaid ice cream is the creamy, real ice cream you love that will never mess with your stomach. lactaid ice cream. what's on the horizon? the answers lie beyond the roads we know. we recognize that energy demand is growing, and the world needs lower carbon solutions to keep up. at chevron, we're working to find new ways forward, like through our venture capital group. backing technologies like electric vehicle charging, carbon capture and even nuclear fusion. we may not know just what lies ahead, but it's only human... to search for it. pain hits fast. so get relief fast. only tylenol rapid release gels have laser-drilled

anna coren live in kabul this morning. bout what we just saw there? >> reporter: yeah, john, the taliban is on a pr offensive to try to discredit our reporting, saying that the footage is fake, that this is government propaganda. we contacted them before the report went to air, but after our story was published, they said that this was just false. they issued a statement in various languages saying that they have never executed commandos who had surrendered. now, for the record, cnn spoke to five eyewitnesses on camera about what they saw in that market in that province, and all of them said they saw the taliban pointing their guns at these commandos as they were surrendering, walking out with arms in the air and then the taliban shot them. these are people, john, who didn't have to speak to us. they are risking their lives by talking to us, speaking out against the taliban. the ministry of defense has said that these are war crimes, but it's not the first time that the taliban has executed the military or innocent civilian

affairs correspondent, jeff zeleny, pentagon correspondent barbara starr and live from afghanistan, anna coren. let me start with you there in afghanistan, anna. the reality when the president says that it is not a guarantee that this country will fall to the taliban, what do we know about the territory they now have and the surge that we're seeing and how the president's assertion reconciles with the facts there where you are? >> reporter: look, there is no denying that the taliban are making incredible gains around the country. they're in control of more than 160 districts. that tran lates to more than 50% of the territory. it is mainly in the north and northeast, but it is getting closer and closer to kabul. the threat to the capital where we are is real. however, as you heard the president say, this is now a country that has a security force of 300,000 troops, police as well as military. among these military are commandos and special forces and, of course, an air force. in fact, victor and alisyn, we were at kabul air base today, speaking to those who control this air force. look, it is no

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> and in afghanistan, australia has completed its full troop withdrawal. that's according to australian defense minister peter dutton. he told sky news australia, the withdrawal finished in recent weeks ahead of a september deadline. >>> meanwhile, the u.s. is investigating an indirect-fire attack in eastern syria on saturday. it happened near on area with oil and gas fields. it's one of several locations in syria where u.s. troops operate to help local-partner forces fight against isis. a u.s. defense official says no one was hurt in the attack. now, it comes about two weeks after president joe biden ordered air strikes on iranian-backed militia groups along the syria-iraq border region. >>> still ahead on "cnn newsroom." with students across the u.s. set to return to the classroom, soon. the cdc has new guidance on how to re-open safely. coming up, why the agency isn't recommending mandatory vaccines. >>> and a coronavirus emergency with the olympic games just days away. how are organizers, the residents, and the athletes responding? well, we'll go live

anna coren is in kabul and troop withdrawal preceded very quickly, biden had said a deadline of septemberwe're well before that. what is the reception there in how scared are they, the afghan people, of what follows? >> reporter: yeah, two months ahead of schedule, jim. people here really are in disbelief. they knew that was on the cards, they knew that america would have to leave. but just not now. the reason they say that is because of the deteriorating security situation across the country. they are witnessing the taliban taking over parts of the country. their in control of more than 50% of the territory launching these offenses, particularly in the north, sending out these propaganda video almost on a daily basis where it shows them -- they claim taking over districts where forces have fled or surrendered and they've got u.s.-funded equipment that they have seized. the optics back here in kabul, the capitol, which i should add, the taliban is some 10, 15 kilometers away, it is disturbing. they have leave faith in their own national security forces and whether they could actually prot

cnn's anna coren is in afghanistan for us. she is on the scene, live, from kabul. she is joining us, right now. so, what's the latest over there, anna? what's the situation? how is the reaction unfolding? >> yeah, wolf. people here really feel that now is not the right time for america to leave and the reason being is the rapid advances that the taliban are making across the country. we know that they're -- they have claimed more than 160 districts, particularly in the north, bordering iran. bordering the -- the -- the central -- central asian countries. it really has been alarming. the speed, at which the taliban have been taking over. and, of course, there's a propaganda war underway, as well. that -- that's feeding into that fear. but as we heard from president biden, he said that the afghan-national forces are capable to -- to fight back. and look. we are seeing these fights play out. and then, they send in air strikes and -- and commandos and they regain that territory. but we are talking about an area in the country, in the -- in the countryside, that was neve

let's take you now to kabul and cnn's anna coren.s of new districts in the last few days. what kind of effort is being made to stop them? is there one? >> reporter: that is a really good question, boris. and one we've been asking the government. we were at bagram air base today, that is the first time we were allowed there since u.s. and nato forces left last friday, essentially ending u.s. presence here in afghanistan. yes, they're keeping 650 staff to protect the embassy, but as far as a physical foot print, it has virtually vanished. so, the defense minister, who we spoke to said that the government is coming up with a plan to counter attack the taliban who we know are launching a wide offensive across the country, particularly in the north and northeast where tens of thousands of people are fleeing now from their homes to the cities. in the last two months, boris, they've already claimed 150 districts and are encroaching on provincial capitals. the taliban are sending out mixed messages. when they heard that the troops left they

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >>> a man charged with illegal voting in texas is reportedly out of jail.ofit, bail project, says it put up the money to have hervis rogers released after bail was set at $100,000. rogers was arrested on wednesday. he spoke to cnn in 2020 about waiting for six hours to vote in the democrat primary. authorities say he also voted in 2018. well, all that would be fine, except texas says rogers was on parole, after burglary charges in the '80s and '90s and that would make his votes illegal, under state law. the american civil liberties union has taken up rogers' case. the aclu says laws shouldn't intimidate people from voting, and it'll push back on efforts to restrict voting rights. >>> soccer passions are at fever pitch ahead of the euro 2020 final. we will look at why england and italy, both, have something to prove in today's clash of the titans at wembley. >>> and later, we will give you an update on how pope francis is doing after his surgery last week. stay with us. ugh, these balls are moist. or is that the damp weight of self-awareness you now hold in

cnn's anna coren reports, from kabul. >> reporter: the taliban is continuing its offensive across afterfghanistan. targeting strategic road and border links as an embattled afghan security forces desperately tries to hold ground. the militants claim to have cut the main highway between the southern city of kandahar and the border with pakistan. saying that all army outposts in a nearby town have been overrun. they also claim to have the city of kandahar, the birthplace of the taliban, under siege. in recent days, the taliban has taken control of one of the country's main-trading gateways with iran. the dry port is where millions of dollars worth of fuel and supplies cross, every day. customs officials, also, confirmed the militants took control of a border crossing with turkmenistan. the afghan ministry of defense said its forces had killed almost 200 taliban fighters, in 24 hours, in operations across afghanistan. and will continue ground offensives and air strikes to recapture lost territory. as the fighting rages, the u.s. special representative for afghanistan reconciliation is stil

anna coren, cnn, kabul. >> anna, thank you very much. >>> next, espn host rachel nichols is in a bitme controversial comments about diversity at work. hear how espn has decided to now take action. what happens when you make power your thing... above everything? you put muscle over matter. and you make horsepower... a superpower. ♪ ♪ ♪ when technology is easier to use... ♪ barriers don't stand a chance. ♪ that's why we'll stop at nothing to deliver our technology as-a-service. ♪ when i get a migraine, i shut out the world. but with nurtec odt that's all behind me now. nurtec can now treat and prevent migraines. don't take if allergic to nurtec. the most common side effects were nausea, stomach pain, and indigestion. ask your doctor about nurtec today. does scrubbing feel like a workout? scrub less with dawn platinum. its superior formula breaks down and removes up to 99% of tough grease and food residue faster. so you scrub less. tackle grease wherever it shows up. scrub less. save more. with dawn. ♪ limu emu & doug ♪ oh! are you using liberty mutual's coverage customizer tool? sorry?

. >> anna coren is live for us. how can the taliban deny what the world can clearly see for itself?> reporter: yeah, the taliban certainly on a pr offensive to discredit us and our reporting. we contacted the taliban before our story went to air, they said the footage was fake , that it was government propaganda to scare troops in to surrendering. and since our story has gone to air, they have issued in multiple languages once again confirming that the footage is fake and that they have never executed commandos who surrendered. for the record, cnn spoke to five eyewitnesses on camera from this district. these people were in this market, they saw it happen, they saw the commandos surrender, they saw them put their arms in the air and they saw the taliban shoot them. these people don't need to speak to us, they do not need to put their lives at risk to confirm what took place in this village, but they did. the ministry of defense has described this as a war crime, they say this is not the first time that the taliban has executed the military and innocent civilians. amnesty internation

. >> and anna coren is live for us. this is a hugely. >> reporter: when they boarded those aircraft carriers and flew out of here, two overnight, one at 6:30 a.m. this morning, they had troops and equipment on board. there is nowhere also for those u.s. forces to go other than back to the united states. so you will have your troops home by the fourth of july. we also got confirmation that they have handed back bagram area base to the afghan national security forces. they are now in charge as of today. but this really does acsymboliz the very end of the 20 year war here. yes, they are going to leave, perhaps up to 1,000 troops will remain in country to protect the u.s. embassy as well as to secure the international airport until turkish forces get into place. but as far as america 's physicl footprint training, assisting, advising afghan soldiers, that has now ended. the only support will be financial. and then of course area support, those air strikes which probably will be conducted from an arrest craft carrier positio

anna coren for us live in kabul, thank you so much. >>> a special legislative session on voting calledxas governor greg abbott kicked off on thursday. the proposed legislation takes aim at among other things 4 hour v 24 hour voting and driver through oig voting. democrats say that that amounts to voter suppression. texas republicans say the renlgts legislation would improvetinteg. kamala harris spoke on it while visiting howard university. >> this is the fight of our lifetime. this is the fight of our lifetime. we all stand on the shoulders of giants, we will always remember our history. we also understand their legacy. and that we are a part of that. >> texas is just one of many states enacting voting restrictions in some form. >>> parts of new york city are being hit by flooding ahead of tropical storm elsa. on thursday, several subway stations were impacted. the metropolitan transportation authority said it would take steps to keep customers and employees safe. the heavy rains and high winds created havoc on the roads causing the mta to implement a ban on empty tractor trailers on t