Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 

Rebel fighters begin withdrawing from the southern Daraa Governorate as part of a Russian-brokered truce aimed at ending fighting in the restive province. The rebels will be allowed safe passage to the opposition-held Idlib in the north-west as part of the agreement. (The Defense Post via AFP) 

OnlyFans reverses its decision to ban pornographic content, saying in part that the ban is “no longer required due to banking partners’ assurances that OnlyFans can support all genres of creators”. (WABI-TV) 

The Japanese government announces the expansion of the full state of emergency to eight prefectures and the quasi-state of emergency to four prefectures beginning on August 27, which brings the number of prefectures under all types of emergency measures to 33. These emergency measures will remain in effect until September 12. (AP) 

Kazakhstan announces that beginning on August 28, in order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19, unvaccinated people will be banned from entering shopping malls, restaurants and cafés unless they show proof of vaccination, a negative test result, or have recovered from COVID-19 within the past three months and have a “green” status on a mobile app. (Reuters) 

Taiwan reports zero community transmitted cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the first time since the country’s largest outbreak began in May. (The Guardian) 

Argentina announces that it will receive 20 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and that these doses will mainly be used to vaccinate teenagers. (El Cordillerano) 

Switzerland signs an agreement with Pfizer to supply a total of 14 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in 2022 and 2023, which also includes an option to supply an additional 7 million vaccine doses in subsequent years. (Barron’s) 

The Pentagon announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for the U.S. military after the FDA approved the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. (U.S. News & World Report) 

Arkansas reports 354 patients that are on ventilators, a new single-day record. (KAIT) 

Benin identifies an outbreak of the highly contagious H5N1 avian flu in Sèmè-Kpodji and Abomey-Calavi near the capital Porto Novo. (Reuters) 

President Rodrigo Duterte accepts the nomination of the ruling PDP–Laban party to run for Vice-President of the Philippines in the upcoming 2022 presidential elections. (Rappler) 

The Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly approves all but one of Ebrahim Raisi‘s nominees for his cabinet, including anti-West Hossein Amirabdollahian as foreign minister. The designation of Ahmad Vahidi was also approved as minister of the interior. Argentina reiterates its “most energetic condemn” to Vahidi’s designations as he is wanted by both Argentina and Interpol for alleged involvement in the 1994 AMIA bombing. (Notimérica)  

The End Thursday 

Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 

House narrowly passes $3.5 trillion budget framework The House on Tuesday advanced a $3.5 trillion budget plan seeking to expand social safety net and climate programs. The 220-212 vote along party lines came after Democratic leaders overcame objections from moderates who did not want to approve the budget before House action on a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) quelled the revolt by tying the two measures together in one vote that passed the budget and committed the House to addressing the infrastructure proposal by Sept. 27. The budget framework was approved by the Senate earlier this month. It will let Democrats move forward with a process known as reconciliation, which would allow Senate Democrats to avoid a filibuster and pass their plan without Republican votes. “Today is a great day of pride for our country and for Democrats,” Pelosi said. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Taliban says no more Afghans can go to Kabul airport The Taliban said Tuesday it would not let any more Afghans through to the airport to leave the country. It also said it was against extending evacuation flights beyond the Aug. 31 deadline for a full U.S. and coalition military withdrawal from the country. “We are not in favor of allowing Afghans to leave,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. “They [the Americans] have the opportunity, they have all the resources, they can take all the people that belong to them but we are not going to allow Afghans to leave and we will not extend the deadline,” he said. President Biden previously said the U.S. would stay as long as it takes to complete the evacuations, but he said Tuesday that the U.S. would honor the deadline. CNBC 

Supreme Court upholds ruling calling for reinstating Remain in Mexico program The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to block a lower court ruling ordering the Biden administration to revive former President Donald Trump’s policy requiring people to wait in Mexico while U.S. authorities review their applications for asylum in the United States. The court’s conservative majority, with three liberal justices dissenting, found that the administration likely violated the law by trying to end the Remain in Mexico policy. The lower court ruling called for the federal government to make a “good faith effort” to reinstate the program. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that it regrets the ruling and would continue to challenge the order by a district court in Texas. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

CDC report details unvaccinated people’s elevated COVID risk Unvaccinated people are roughly 29 times more likely than fully vaccinated to be hospitalized for COVID-19, according to a study the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Tuesday. The study, published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, also concluded that the unvaccinated were nearly five times more likely to get infected, based on data recorded in Los Angeles county between May 1 and July 25. As of Monday, 171 million Americans, or 51.5 percent of the total U.S. population, were fully vaccinated. More than 201 million, or 60.8 percent of the total, had received at least one coronavirus vaccine shot. President Biden said Monday that “virtually all” U.S. COVID hospitalizations and deaths were among the unvaccinated. CNBC 

Expanding Caldor Fire approaches Lake Tahoe basin The rapidly expanding Caldor Fire is threatening the Lake Tahoe basin and has become the “No. 1 priority” for U.S. firefighting resources as dozens of wildfires spread in the West, Chief Thom Porter, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Tuesday. The blaze has destroyed 632 structures, including 450 homes, as it exploded to cover 123,000 acres since starting 10 days ago. It was just 11 percent contained late Tuesday. Fire officials said it was possible that evacuation orders would have to be extended closer to Lake Tahoe, a popular vacation spot straddling the California-Nevada state line. More than 2,100 people, including 50 fire crews, have been sent to battle the flames with 22 helicopters and 200 fire engines. USA TODAY 

Airbnb promises temporary housing for 20,000 Afghan refugees Airbnb announced Tuesday that it would offer temporary housing for 20,000 Afghan refugees. The home-sharing company and its nonprofit Airbnb.org will work with resettlement agencies to determine the needs of refugees who have fled Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover last week, and place them around the world. “The displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the U.S. and elsewhere is one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time,” tweeted Brian Chesky, co-founder and chief executive officer of Airbnb. “We feel a responsibility to step up.” The U.S. said Monday it had helped evacuate 48,000 people since Aug. 14. Airbnb said it had housed 165 Afghan refugees in the U.S. and was working with hosts to accommodate more. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Kathy Hochul sworn in as New York’s 1st female governor Kathy Hochul was sworn in as New York’s 57th governor on Tuesday, hours after her fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo stepped down rather than face likely impeachment over sexual harassment allegations. Hochul, a 62-year-old former congresswoman from Buffalo, made history as the first woman to serve in the state’s highest office. Hochul had served as lieutenant governor but ascended to the top job three weeks after a state attorney general investigation concluded that Cuomo had sexually harassed several women. Hochul vowed to preside over a new era of civility and consensus, and to lead the state through the latest coronavirus surge. “I want people to believe in their government again,” she said in a brief news conference shortly after being sworn in. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Iranian prison chief apologizes after hacked videos show abuse The head of Iran’s prison authority issued a rare official apology on Tuesday after hackers released footage showing guards beating inmates at Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison for political detainees and foreigners. The video was distributed to news outlets and first reported by the Associated Press. The time stamps on the footage indicates it was from 2020 and 2021. The images include what appears to be a suicide attempt by a prisoner using glass from a smashed mirror. Other clips show guards repeatedly striking or kicking prisoners. “I take responsibility for these unacceptable behaviors,” Mohammed Mehdi Haj-Mohammadi, the head of Iran’s Prisons Organization, said via Twitter. “I will commit to not letting these horrific incidents being repeated, and deal seriously with law breakers.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Giuliani associate Igor Fruman expected to plead guilty Igor Fruman, an associate of Rudy Giuliani, is expected to plead guilty this week on campaign finance fraud charges, according to court records recently made public. Fruman, who helped Giuliani in his political support of former President Donald Trump, is scheduled to appear in federal court for a change-of-plea hearing on Wednesday, which often signals a plea deal. Fruman and co-defendant Lev Parnas, both Soviet-born Ukrainian emigres, were solicited by Giuliani for help finding information to damage President Biden’s campaign ahead of the 2020 election. They have been charged with illegally funneling foreign funds into the U.S. political system. Both have entered not guilty pleas. Giuliani has not been accused of any crimes, but prosecutors are investigating his relationship with Fruman and Parnas. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies at 80 Charlie Watts, longtime drummer for the Rolling Stones, died Tuesday at a London hospital. He was 80. His spokesperson said in a statement that Watts died surrounded by his family. “Charlie was a cherished husband, father, and grandfather and also as a member of The Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation,” the statement said. The band had said earlier this month that Watts was unlikely to resume touring with his bandmates due to an undisclosed medical issue. Watts joined the Stones in 1963, a year after the band was formed, and was widely considered one of the most influential drummers in rock ‘n’ roll history. He underwent treatment for throat cancer in 2004. “Charlie Watts was the ultimate drummer,” Elton John posted on Twitter. “The most stylish of men, and such brilliant company.”  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Tuesday,  August 24th, 2021 

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid says that the group will not allow any more evacuations of Afghan citizens and that the “main road to the airport is now blocked” and “people should return to work”. Mujahid also said that the United States must stick to its August 31 withdrawal deadline. (CNN) 

United Kingdom Government officials confirm that an individual was accidentally flown from Kabul to Birmingham, England, where he was flagged as being a part of a terrorist no-fly list.(BBC) 

U.S. President Joe Biden says that around 70,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan. He also announces that the United States will stick to its August 31 deadline, but says that there should be “contingency plans” if necessary. (KVIA-TV)  

U.S. Reps. Peter Meijer and Seth Moulton travel to Kabul. However, the U.S. State Department, Defense Department, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issue a warning for lawmakers not to travel to Afghanistan. (Politico) 

India approves the phase II and III trials of the country’s first domestic MRNA-based HGC019 vaccine made by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals after the early-stage study found that the vaccine is safe and effective. (Al Jazeera) 

A U.S. donation of 500,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine via COVAX Initiative is arrived in Gaza Strip and West Bank. (Reuters) 

The Greek government announces new measures that would require COVID-19 testing for all unvaccinated employees and university students at their own expense with the exception of school students and also restrict access to restaurants, bars, cafés, and indoor entertainment and sport venues to only those who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from COVID-19. The new rules will be in effect from September 13 until March 31, 2022. (AP) 

Greece reports a record 4,608 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 566,812. (Ekathimerini) 

The French national health regulator Haute Autorité de Santé recommends a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people over the age of 65 and those with existing health conditions, which was previously announced by Health minister Olivier Véran yesterday. The booster doses will be administered beginning at the end of October. (Euronews) 

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control approves the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine for emergency use in Nigeria. (Vanguard) 

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris‘s trip to Vietnam from Singapore is postponed for several hours following reports of cases of Havana syndrome in Hanoi. Additionally, two other U.S. staff are evacuated from the country. (Forbes) 

Senior member of the yakuza, Satoru Nomura, is sentenced to death by hanging by a court in Fukuoka, Japan, for ordering four assaults, one of which was deadly. Nomura has denied participating in the crimes. It is the first time that a senior member of Japan’s yakuza has been sentenced to death. (BBC) 

Andrew Cuomo‘s resignation as Governor of New York comes into effect. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul is sworn in, making her the first woman to serve as governor of New York. (NBC News) 

Hakainde Hichilema is sworn in as the 7th President, succeeding Edgar Lungu. (Al Jazeera) 

Pelosi, 10 Democratic holdouts stalemate on budget and infrastructure bills The House on Monday postponed a planned vote on advancing a $3.5 trillion spending proposal that is a key part of President Biden’s economic agenda. The stalemate came as a group of 10 centrist Democrats failed to agree on a path forward for the budget and a separate $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. The chamber will reconvene on Tuesday as Democrats try to strike a deal to move forward. The Senate has approved the infrastructure bill and the larger budget blueprint. The 10 Democratic holdouts, led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), are demanding that the House clear the bipartisan bill before authorizing Democrats to write the larger package, but Pelosi, with Biden’s approval, has lashed the bills together to keep all factions of the party invested in their success. CNBC 

Taliban warns U.S. not to extend troop withdrawal deadline A Taliban spokesman on Monday warned the United States not to leave troops in Afghanistan beyond the Aug. 31 deadline for a full withdrawal, saying that would amount to crossing a “red line” that would amount to “extending occupation.” President Biden has said he was considering keeping some military forces in the country beyond the deadline to ensure that all Americans could be evacuated. British media has reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was expected to request an extension. The Pentagon is accelerating the evacuation effort to get out U.S. citizens and Afghan allies desperate to escape Taliban rule. The Pentagon has deployed helicopters and special forces beyond the airport to help people get out. THE WASHINGTON POST 

FDA grants full approval for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine The Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full, formal approval for the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. The decision made the Pfizer vaccine the first to win the designation in the United States, potentially making more businesses and schools likely to impose vaccine mandates. Previously, the vaccine had only emergency-use authorization, which some vaccine skeptics cited as a reason not to take it. FDA regulators have been under pressure to make a decision since the drugmakers submitted the application for full approval in May. FDA scientists concluded that it met their “high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement, adding that “the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated.”  CNBC 

NYC requires teachers to get vaccinated New York City’s public school district, the largest in the nation, will require teachers and other staffers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus following approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, officials said Monday. The city previously had said teachers, like other city employees, would have to be vaccinated or get tested for coronavirus weekly. The new policy will force about 148,000 school employees, as well as contractors, to get at least their first vaccine dose by Sept. 27. “We want our schools to be extraordinarily safe,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said the union’s priority is “keeping our kids safe,” but the mandate should have been negotiated. The Pentagon also announced a vaccine mandate for service members on Monday.NPR 

Capitol Police: Officer who fatally shot rioter followed department policy The Capitol Police officer who fatally shot pro-Trump rioter Ashli Babbitt during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters will face no disciplinary action, the department said Monday. Capitol Police policy permits officers to use deadly force only when they believe their action is necessary to defend human life, including their own. Babbitt was shot when the crowd she was in pushed toward a barricaded doorway into the Speaker’s Lobby that was guarded by Capitol Police. The Justice Department said in April there was no evidence to support charges against the officer, who was not identified because he has faced death threats. Lawyers for Babbitt’s family have said they plan to file a civil rights lawsuit.CNN 

Cuomo defends record in farewell speech  Andrew Cuomo defended his record as governor in a farewell speech on Monday and said it was unfair that he had to resign, blaming a “media frenzy” over sexual harassment allegations. Cuomo stepped down and power was transferred at midnight to Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who became New York’s first female governor. Cuomo, a Democrat, announced his resignation just under two weeks ago rather than face likely impeachment over the allegations. The report that led to his resignation, which was created at the direction of Attorney General Letitia James, concluded that Cuomo had sexually harassed or inappropriately touched 11 women. Cuomo said it was “designed to be a political firecracker on an explosive topic, and it did work.” Critics called Cuomo’s remarks self-serving. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Proud Boys leader sentenced to 5 months  Henry Tarrio, the leader of the far-right Proud Boys, was sentenced Monday to more than five months in jail after admitting to burning a Black Lives Matter banner and attempting to possess a high-capacity ammunition magazine in Washington, D.C., where they are illegal. Tarrio, known to followers as Enrique, was arrested in January in connection with a rally in the nation’s capital during which the banner was taken from a historic Black church, Asbury United Methodist. Prosecutors said the torching of the banner “had profound emotional and psychological effect upon the church and its members.” Tarrio, who is from Miami, had bragged on social media that he was “damn proud I did it!” NBC NEWS 

Walmart launches last-mile delivery service Walmart on Tuesday launched a delivery service called Walmart GoLocal that offers other merchants deliveries across the United States. The opening of the service ahead of the crucial holiday shopping season will let the world’s largest retailer broaden its business. Walmart GoLocal will send workers from Walmart’s Spark delivery network to pick up items from other businesses and deliver them to shoppers. In the past year, Walmart has doubled Spark’s coverage to more than 500 cities. Walmart has this year started test runs for its first company-branded “last-mile” delivery vans, following the lead of online retail giant Amazon. Walmart’s move came after e-commerce demand left delivery companies struggling to keep up last holiday season. REUTERS 

Hawaii governor urges people to avoid non-essential travel to islands Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Monday urged visitors and residents to avoid travel to the islands except for essential business to help control a COVID-19 outbreak fueled by the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. “It is a risky time to be traveling right now,” said Ige, calling for limited travel through October. Ige, a Democrat, stopped short of banning travel, saying the current crisis was different from the one that prompted strict travel restrictions last year and essentially shut down the state’s vital tourism industry. Now, vaccines are widely available and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say fully vaccinated people can travel domestically. Ige said he supports Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s restrictions on gatherings, which modeling shows can dramatically reduce exposure risks. NPR 

Arizona GOP election ‘audit’ delayed after Cyber Ninjas COVID infections The Florida firm hired by Arizona Senate Republicans to review the 2020 election results in Maricopa County was supposed to submit its final report on Monday, but the document was delayed because the CEO of the company doing the review and two others on the five-person audit team “have tested positive for COVID-19 and are quite sick,” Arizona Senate President Karen Fann (R) said. Fann suggested on Twitter that some leaders of the company, Cyber Ninjas, are hospitalized. The audit of the results in Maricopa County, which gave President Biden his Arizona margin of victory in 2020, has split the state GOP. Arizona’s Democratic secretary of state, Republican Maricopa County officials, and independent election experts have all criticized what they describe as serious flaws in the audit process. THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC 

Monday,  August 23rd, 2021 

The Taliban claim to have recaptured three districts in Baghlan Province that had been taken by local militias allied with Ahmad Massoud and Amrullah Saleh. Massoud and Saleh have established their resistance in the Panjshir Valley. (Yahoo! News) (Reuters) 

The brother of deposed president Ashraf Ghani, Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai, says he accepts that the Taliban won the war but that he “will not join them” and also calls for the formation of an inclusive government without Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and former president Hamid Karzai, blaming both men for “ruining the country”. (India Today) 

A security guard is killed and three more people are wounded in a gunfight between an unknown gunman and Afghan forces at the north gate of Kabul airport. German and American forces are also involved in the shooting. (Reuters) 

Syrian Army troops and pro-Iranian militias launch a major ground assault on a rebel-held enclave in the city of Daraa. Rebel forces say that they have repulsed the attack from the western side of the enclave. State media says that the army was preparing to end a “state of lawlessness and chaos” and “reimpose army control” in the city. (Reuters) 

The U.S. Department of Treasury sanctions the chief of staff of the Eritrean Defense Forces Filipos Woldeyohannes, accusing him of leading his troops to commit multiple war crimes, including rapes, executions, massacres, looting, torture and purposely shooting civilians. The Department also called for the “immediate withdrawal of Eritrean troops” from Tigray. (Al Jazeera) 

Around 400 homes are destroyed in the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County, California. Additionally, U.S. Route 50 remains closed in the area. (The Sacramento Bee) 

Taiwan begins the “contested” rollout of its first domestically-produced MVC COVID-19 vaccine, with President Tsai Ing-Wen among the first Taiwanese to receive a dose of the protein subunit vaccine. (Nikkei Asia) 

Vietnam imposes their toughest lockdown in Ho Chi Minh City, prohibiting people from leaving their homes and also deploying the Vietnamese People’s Army in order to enforce the lockdown in the country’s largest city amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. (U.S. News and World Report) 

Belarus will receive $1 billion from the International Monetary Fund to help fight the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. (Politico.eu) 

Germany drops incidence levels from its yardstick for deciding if restrictions should be in force to contain the spread of COVID-19 as more people are vaccinated. (Reuters) 

The United Kingdom signs an agreement with Pfizer to secure 35 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine due to be delivered in the second half of 2022 as the government focuses on a “future-proof vaccine programme” to prevent any virus variants that are resistant to the vaccine. (BBC) 

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announces that New Jersey will require teachers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by October 18 or face mandatory COVID-19 testing. (The Center Square) 

The Food and Drug Administration gives full approval to the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the first vaccine in the U.S. to be granted full licensure and thereby giving businesses, schools and universities more confidence to adopt vaccine mandates. (CNBC) 

Palm Beach County announces that fans will be required to wear masks at athletic events amidst a cancellation of high school events in the county. (Palm Beach Post) 

Washington reimposes its indoor mask mandate, requiring people over the age of 5 to wear masks in indoor public spaces regardless of their vaccination status. (Patch.com) 

The patient zero of the Lineage B.1.617 Delta variant in Argentina, a 62-year-old Peruvian national, dies from the disease. The man had been indicted while hospitalized with multiple crimes related to him not informing the authorities about his symptoms, breaching quarantine, entering the country unvaccinated and infecting 13 other people. (Perfil) 

Egypt reports its first case of the Delta Plus variant in a 35-year-old Egyptian woman who had shown “very mild” symptoms in July. (Ahram Online) 

Poland announces that it will build a wall on its border with Belarus in order to stop the flow of migrants entering the country through Belarus. (Euronews) 

Anti-vax protesters storm the ITN headquarters in London, United Kingdom. (The Independent) 

Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio is sentenced to more than five months in prison after admitting to burning a Black Lives Matter banner from a Black church during a pro-Trump rally on December 12 of last year. (NBC News) 

The End Wednesday 

 
Afghan resistance fighters challenge Taliban Former Afghan soldiers and other resistance fighters drove Taliban militants out of three mountain districts north of Kabul, former Afghan officials said Sunday. “The resistance is still alive,” former acting defense minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi aid. The fighting reportedly occurred on Friday after Taliban forces, who took Kabul and seized power a week ago, started conducting house-to-house searches. The resistance fighters said they killed 30 Taliban militants, although a pro-Taliban Twitter account said the toll was half that. President Biden said Sunday that he was in “discussions” to extend the deadline for withdrawing the last U.S. troops from Afghanistan beyond Aug. 31 as a massive effort to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies fleeing the Taliban accelerates. THE NEW YORK TIMESTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Henri downs power lines, drenches New England Tropical Storm Henri made landfall in Rhode Island on Sunday, knocking out power to 74,000 customers in the state. Another 20,000 lost electricity in Connecticut. The storm was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm shortly before hitting the shore, but it still had 60-mile-per-hour sustained winds, with gusts up to 70 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. Henri drenched parts of New England with heavy rains and high tides as it pushed inland, flooding roads and forcing the closure of numerous bridges. President Biden on Sunday promised federal aid, declaring disasters in much of the Northeast to clear the way for emergency funds. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Biden job approval falls to low point President Biden’s approval rating has fallen below 50 percent for the first time in his presidency, according to an NBC poll released Sunday. Forty-nine percent of respondents said they approved of Biden’s job performance, while 48 percent disapproved. The poll, taken from Aug. 14-17, showed that Biden took hits from disappointment over rising COVID-19 cases and chaos associated with the American military withdrawal from Afghanistan, where the Taliban seized power a week ago. Biden’s handling of the pandemic has long been a strong point for him. The poll found that only 53 percent approved of Biden’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, down 16 points from April. NBC NEWSUSA TODAY 

Harris touts discussions with Singapore on supply-chain resilience Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday sought to reassure allies in Asia about the U.S. commitment to the region despite concerns about the Afghanistan withdrawal, announcing that the U.S. and Singapore were working on boosting supply-chain resilience. At the start of a Southeast Asia trip, Harris also noted a series of agreements with Singapore on cybersecurity, climate, and public health. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong offered help with the U.S. evacuation effort in Afghanistan, and said the U.S. played a key role as “regional guarantor of security and support of prosperity” in Asia. “We are watching what’s happening in Afghanistan on the TV screens today, but what will influence perceptions of U.S. resolve and commitment to the region will be what the U.S. does going forward,” Lee said. REUTERSBLOOMBERG 

Tennessee flooding death toll rises The death toll from severe flooding in central Tennessee rose to at least 22 on Sunday after some areas saw up to 17 inches of rain. Dozens of other people remained missing. “We are asking that residents please stay out of neighborhoods and roadways while the rescue effort is underway,” Waverly Chief of Public Safety Grant Gillespie said in a statement. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told CNN affiliate WSMV that up to seven children were among the missing. “They just went and got one of my best friends and recovered him. He drowned in this,” the sheriff said. “It’s tough, but we’re going to move forward.” CNNCNBC 

Egypt closes Gaza border crossing after violence Egypt closed its border with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Monday. The Palestinian group confirmed that Egypt said it would stop traffic across the border in both directions. The Jerusalem Post reported that Egyptian authorities said the decision was made for security reasons after cross-border clashes. Israeli aircraft struck targets in Gaza after a flurry of gunfire from Gaza into Israel, seriously wounding an Israeli border policeman. Another officer was shot by a Palestinian militant during a border riot. An Israeli-led blockade has long severely restricted the movement of people and goods through Rafah, the sole crossing between Gaza and Egypt. THE JERUSALEM POST 

Haitians hold funerals a week after earthquake Grieving Haitians on Sunday buried many of the 2,200 people confirmed to have been killed in the Caribbean nation’s recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake, which devastated areas still struggling to recover from Hurricane Matthew, a Category 5 storm that hit Haiti’s southwest peninsula in 2016. At the Paroisse Saint-Joseph De Simon Roman Catholic Church on the edge of the devastated city of Les Cayes, about 200 worshippers gathered early for the first Sunday mass since the quake. “Everyone was crying today for what they had lost,” said the priest, Marc Orel Saël. “And everyone is stressed because the earth is still shaking” with aftershocks. The earthquake hit as the country struggled with political tensions following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last month. REUTERS 

Maddow signs deal to stay at MSNBC Rachel Maddow has signed a new contract with MSNBC that will keep her in the network’s lineup for several years, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. Maddow’s The Rachel Maddow Show is a prime-time flagship for the cable news channel. Maddow is expected to continue to host her show for MSNBC on weekdays, some of the Journal‘s sources said. She also will develop projects for a new partnership with NBCUniversal. The deal followed speculation that Maddow might leave the network to start her own media company. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Don Everly of the Everly Brothers dies at 84 Don Everly, half of the Everly Brothers duo, died over the weekend at his Nashville home, his daughter Erin Everly confirmed on Sunday. He was 84. Everly and his younger brother, Phil, nearly matched the popularity of Elvis Presley at the peak of their fame in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Their first million-seller, “Bye Bye Love” established them as one of the biggest acts in country music in 1957. They went on to appear on TV’s The Ed Sullivan Show and radio’s The Grand Ole Opry, influencing a generation of musical acts with their fraternal harmony. They had 12 records hit the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100. THE WASHINGTON POST 

France to re-bury Josephine Baker in Pantheon France’s presidential palace confirmed Sunday that Josephine Baker, a U.S.-born dancer and civil rights activist who became a French citizen in 1937, will be laid to rest in the Pantheon alongside other French heroes like Voltaire, Victor Hugo, and Marie Curie. Baker, who died in Paris in 1975 and is currently buried in Monaco, joined the French Resistance during World War II, earning medals of honor for her work as an ambulance driver and intelligence agent. She will be the first Black woman and first entertainer buried in the Pantheon. She will be the fifth woman given that honor, alongside 72 men. The funeral, first reported by France’s Le Parisien newspaper, will take place Nov. 30. USA TODAY 

The End