The Islamic State in Afghanistan could be able to launch attacks on the West and its allies within as soon as six months, and al Qaeda could do so within two years, a top Pentagon official told lawmakers on Tuesday.

The testimony by Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, before the Senate Armed Services Committee, diverged from an earlier Biden administration view that al Qaeda had been "degraded" in Afghanistan.

Sudan Military Coup Leaves No Clear Path Out of Nation's Political, Economic Crises

Pro-democracy protesters in Sudan vowed Tuesday to resist a military coup of their transitional government through nationwide civil disobedience, deepening a high stakes standoff that leaves the country with no clear path out of a debilitating economic and political crisis.

Much of the capital Khartoum and other major cities remained closed down, with protesters erecting roadblocks and most stores, banks, government offices and schools closed a day after the military detained the prime minister and other civilian leaders and declared a state of emergency.

Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine for Young Kids Backed by FDA Advisers

Experts advising the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the agency authorize the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE for use in young children.

The panel of vaccine experts voted 17 to 0, with one abstention, endorsing the vaccine be permitted for children 5 years to 11 years of age and concluding that the benefits of the shot outweigh any risks.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-27-21 0611ET