Sunday, September 12th, 2021 

Two Ukrainian soldiers are killed by separatists in the Donetsk region, after intense artillery shelling by pro-Russian militants which began overnight. (Al Jazeera) 

Taliban education minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani announces a series of restrictions on education for women and girls, including gender-segregated classrooms and mandatory hijabs. (Deutsche Welle) 

Four passengers are killed when a Let L-410 Turbolet carrying 14 passengers and two crew makes an emergency landing in southeastern Siberia, Russia. The aircraft was flying from Irkutsk to Kazachinskoye. (Reuters) 

The number of people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Japan surpasses 50%. (ABC News) 

The British government reverses its decision to use vaccine passports for nightclubs, cinemas, and large events in England. (BBC) 

Qatari foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani becomes the first foreign diplomat to meet with the governing Taliban after arriving in Kabul today. Al Thani met with Taliban prime minister Hassan Akhund, former president Hamid Karzai and former chief negotiator Abdullah Abdullah. (Al Jazeera) 

FBI releases newly declassified 9/11 document after Biden order The FBI on Saturday released a newly declassified document connected to its investigation into the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and whether the Saudi government provided support for the hijackers. President Biden previously issued an executive order to declassify materials on the issue following a push from 1,600 people directly affected by the attacks. The heavily-redacted document, which is a 16-page summary of a 2015 FBI interview, does detail contacts some of the hijackers had with Saudi associates — including those who provided them with logistical support — in the United States prior to the attacks, but it does not conclude that senior Saudi government officials were complicit in the terror plot, which is in line with the findings of the 9/11 Commission report in 2004. CNN 

Disciplinary action recommended for 6 Capitol Police officers Internal U.S. Capitol Police investigators are recommending disciplinary action for six police officers because of their conduct during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the department said in a statement Saturday. The officers were singled out for unbecoming conduct, failure to comply with directives, improper remarks, and improper dissemination of information. The agency reviewed 38 cases and found no wrongdoing in 20 of them, while in 12 instances investigators could not identify officers at the center of complaints. One inquiry remains open. NBC NEWS 

U.S. commemorates 9/11 at Ground Zero, Pentagon, Flight 93 memorial Events took place at all three sites directly affected by the hijacked planes on Sept. 11, 2001, as the U.S. commemorated the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks. At Ground Zero in New York, President Biden joined former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama for a ceremony, which included six separate moments of silence. Meanwhile, former President George W. Bush (who was in office at the time) and Vice President Kamala Harris gave remarks at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin addressed a crowd at the Pentagon. Biden made appearances at both of those sites, as well. THE WEEK 

18-year-old Raducanu caps stunning U.S. Open run with finals victory Great Britain’s Emma Radacanu defeated fellow teenager, Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, 6-4, 6-3, on Saturday in the women’s final at Arthur Ashe stadium in New York. It’s the first major tournament title for the 18-year-old (the youngest player to achieve such a feat since Maria Sharapova won at Wimbledon in 2004), who was competing in just the second Grand Slam event of her career. Raducanu had to earn her way through qualifiers to enter the main draw at the U.S. Open. No player in tennis history has ever won any of the big four tournaments taking that route. On Sunday, Novak Djokovic aims to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969 when he takes on Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final. If he wins, he’ll also break the record for most major tournament wins in a career. ESPN 

Taliban raises flag over presidential palace in Kabul The Taliban on Saturday raised its flag over the presidential palace in Kabul during a ceremony to mark the beginning of the work of the group’s governance of Afghanistan. The flag-raising took place the same day as the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which the Taliban did not explicitly or formally reference Saturday, making it unclear if there was any connection between the two events. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Taliban’s higher education minister, Abdul Bari Haqqani, said women in Afghanistan can continue their studies in universities, including at the post-graduate level, but they’ll have to do so in separate classrooms. Islamic dress is compulsory, he added. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

U.S., Uzbekistan reach deal to transfer Afghan pilots The United States has struck an agreement with Uzbekistan to transfer a group of Afghan Air Force pilots and their relatives who are in the latter country to a U.S. military base in the near future, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing people familiar with the matter. The U.S.-trained pilots flew themselves and their families to neighboring Uzbekistan aboard Afghan Air Force helicopters and planes amid the Taliban offensive in Afghanistan last month. Since then, the Taliban has placed pressure on Uzbekistan to hand over the pilots. Although the group has promised amnesty to Afghan government officials and forces, the pilots reportedly fear for their safety because the Afghan Air Force was particularly hated by the Taliban for carrying out airstrikes against them. The State Department and Uzbek officials in Washington declined to comment on the reported deal. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Iran to allow U.N. watchdog to service cameras at nuclear sites Following talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran’s atomic energy body said in a statement Sunday that Tehran will allow the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog to service monitoring cameras at Iranian nuclear sites. The discussions were part of an effort to reduce tensions between Iran and Western powers who are working on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. The IAEA said earlier this week that no progress had been made on two key issues: Iran explaining why uranium traces were found at several old, undeclared nuclear sites and getting access to monitoring equipment so the agency can continue to track Tehran’s nuclear program. REUTERS 

England to forgo COVID-19 vaccine passport system for crowded events COVID-19 vaccine passports for access into nightclubs and large events will not be introduced in England, the United Kingdom’s Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. The potential plan was to have people show proof of full vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test, or completed self-isolation after a positive PCR COVID-19 test to gain entry into crowded events, but Javid said the government nixed the idea after looking at the evidence. The U.K.’s live events industry had pushed back against the plan, which many anticipated would go into effect later this month, and has subsequently praised the latest update. The government has said it will keep the plan “in reserve” should it be needed going forward. Denmark similarly announced Friday that, due to the country’s high vaccination rate, people will no longer be required to show digital passes when entering nightclubs. BBC 

Pope Francis meets with Viktor Orban in Hungary Pope Francis arrived in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday, launching a multi-day trip to Central Europe. His Hungary stop was particularly anticipated because of his meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The two leaders have very different views on migration, with Orban advocating for tougher borders and Francis calling for greater aid to refugees across the world. Francis has subsequently been the subject of harsh criticism from Orban-supporting media outlets and political figures. Both Orban and the Vatican released brief statements on the meeting, but it’s unclear if they discussed migration. After the meeting, Orban, a member of the Calvinist Hungarian Reformed Church, was seated in the front row during an outdoor Mass presided over by Francis. FRANCE 24 

Saturday, September 11th, 2021 

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority approves the usage of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children over the age of 12. (Sowetan Live) 

Moldova restricts the entry of restaurants, bars, and cultural events to people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 until October 31 due to a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases. (Reuters) 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation releases its first document of the September 11 attacks and allegations of Saudi Arabia support for the hijackers following an executive order signed by President Joe Biden. (Reuters) 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi tells Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh that both countries should refrain from unilateral actions regarding the South China Sea disputes that could complicate the situation and magnify the dispute. (Al Jazeera) 

In tennis, Emma Raducanu of Great Britain defeats Leylah Fernandez of Canada, 6–4 6–3, in the final of the women’s singles to become the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title. (CNA) 

U.S. marks 20th anniversary of 9/11 Commemoration events are set to take place throughout the United States on Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. President Biden is scheduled to visit all three sites where the hijacked planes either hit their targets or crashed. Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden spent the morning alongside former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton for a memorial event at Ground Zero in New York. Biden is then set to travel to the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the final plane crashed before reaching its intended target. Former President George W. Bush, who was in office at the time, is set to deliver remarks at the site. Finally, Biden will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon. NBC NEWS 

Biden tells vaccine mandate challengers to ‘have at it’ President Biden on Friday responded to those threatening legal action over his sweeping new vaccine rules by telling them to “have at it.” Biden is directing the Labor Department to require businesses with more than 100 employees to require workers show proof of vaccination or get tested for COVID-19 weekly, a move that received pushback from some Republican governors, who threatened to fight the decision in court. Biden added that he’s “so disappointed” with the “cavalier” approach taken by those governors. It’s unclear whether any challenges would be successful, but several legal scholars believe the rule has a solid chance of standing. THE WEEK 

Appeals court reinstates DeSantis’ mask mandate ban for now A Florida appeals court on Friday reversed a previous decision by a judge who put a hold on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) ban on school mask mandates in the Sunshine State amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest ruling means that, for now at least, the Florida Department of Education can punish local school officials who require students to wear masks in schools without an opt-out clause for parents. Despite the legal victory for DeSantis, some school districts, including Miami-Dade County Public Schools, said they will continue to enforce their mandates while court proceedings continue. CNN 

CDC studies highlight vaccine effectiveness amid Delta Three major studies released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted the available COVID-19 vaccines’ effectiveness against serious illness, even during the latest Delta variant-fueled wave of cases. The first study found that people who were not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus this spring and summer were 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19. The second indicated that the vaccine produced by Moderna was the most effective of the three shots in circulation, showing 95 percent effectiveness against hospitalization compared to Pfizer-BioNTech (80 percent) and Johnson & Johnson (60 percent), although all three combined for a collective 86 percent rate. The final study looked at the use of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines at five Veterans Affairs hospitals in major U.S. cities. They were found to be 87 percent percent effective in preventing hospitalizations. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Investigations cast doubt on U.S. strike in Kabul Investigations by The New York Times and The Washington Post have cast doubt on the accuracy of United States’ intelligence in the lead up to the country’s final missile strike of its 20-year military mission in Afghanistan. U.S. Central Command initially said the drone strike targeted an Islamic State-linked vehicle carrying a significant amount of explosives that posed a threat to Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, where many people were still gathered trying to evacuate the country. But the Times and Post report — citing video and photo evidence, experts’ assessments, and interviews with the driver’s co-workers and family members — that there’s no solid evidence the car contained explosives. Meanwhile, the U.S. focused on the driver because of suspicious movements he made throughout the day, but the California-based aid group he worked for said the military likely misinterpreted his job duties. The strike reportedly killed 10 civilians. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Judge requires Apple to alter App Store rules Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers on Friday issued a permanent injunction requiring Apple to allow developers to include buttons or links in their apps directing users to other “purchasing mechanisms,” The Verge reports. The decision came as part of an antitrust trial that pitted Apple against Fortnite developer Epic Games. The New York Times described the ruling as a “major setback for Apple,” which can now no longer prevent developers from including in their apps “buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms” other than Apple’s. Gonzalez-Rogers said the trial showed that “Apple is engaging in anti-competitive conduct under California’s competition laws.” But the judge also ruled that Epic failed to prove that Apple is an illegal monopolist, writing, “Success is not illegal.” THE WEEK 

Israeli police say they’ve arrested 4 of 6 Palestinian prison escapees Israeli police on Saturday said they have arrested four of six Palestinians who broke out of the maximum-security Gilboa prison near the West Bank boundary after digging a tunnel beneath a sink in a cell. The police said in a statement that Israeli forces, including the military have been working “around the clock” to catch the fugitives, who have received support from many Palestinians. While the police did not publicly identify the escapees, most of the men are reportedly members of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad, Al Jazeera writes. They were all either convicted or are suspected of planning or carrying out deadly attacks against Israelis. AL JAZEERA 

NASA rover successfully collects first Martian rock samples NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully collected its first pair of rock samples on Mars earlier this week, the space agency announced during a Friday news conference. The hope is that an analysis of the rocks can help scientists piece together the timeline of the Martian past. So far, it appears the rock is basaltic, which means it may represent cooled lava. Perseverance has detected salt in the cores of the samples, as well. The compounds could have formed from groundwater flowing through he rock or surface water evaporating away. Additionally, the salts minerals may have trapped tiny bubbles of ancient Martian water, so they could offer scientists clues about the planet’s climate and habitability long ago. NASASPACE.COM 

Disney to debut remaining 2021 releases exclusively in theaters Walt Disney Co. said Friday that it will debut the remainder of its films set to be released in 2021 exclusively in theaters. The announcement follows the box-office success of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which had a theater-only release, despite concerns about Delta variant-fueled surges in COVID-19 infections across the United States. Earlier this year, Disney tinkered with releasing movies in theaters and on Disney+ simultaneously, but it appears the company is confident enough in moviegoers to separate the two by several weeks. Some of the notable films coming out are Encanto, Eternals, and West Side Story.  BBC 

Raducanu, Fernandez to square off in U.S. Open final Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu will face off against Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the women’s final at the U.S. Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET airing on ESPN. It’s been a miracle run for the two unseeded teenagers (Raducanu is 18, Fernandez is 19) as they both seek their first title in a major tournament. On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic outlasted Alexander Zverev on Friday night in five sets to reach the final — he’ll take on Daniil Medvedev on Sunday. It could be a historic day for Djokovic. He has a chance to both break the record for most major tournament victories in a career while also securing the first calendar-year Grand Slam for a men’s player since 1969. ESPN 

Friday,  September 10th, 2021 

American flights carrying evacuees from Afghanistan are temporarily suspended following four cases of measles in Afghan refugees arriving in the United States. (U.S. News & World Report) 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces that 21 Americans have been evacuated from Afghanistan. (CBS News) 

Footage released by The New York Times shows that a U.S. drone strike conducted on August 29 targeted an aid worker named Zemari Ahmadi instead of ISIS-K militants. The report also confirms that 10 Afghans were killed in the drone strike, including seven children. (Business Insider) 

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights says that the Taliban response to the peaceful marches has been increasingly violent, with authorities using live ammunition, batons and whips, which has resulted in the deaths of four civilians. A spokesperson for the rights office says that the response from the Taliban has been “unfortunately severe”. (Reuters) 

The African Union suspends Guinea in response to last week’s military coup. (Africa News) 

Iranian IRGC Ground Forces strike “terrorist positions” in northern Iraq with suicide and combat drones as well as precision-guided artillery. IRGC General Mohammad Pakpour warns of a crushing Iranian response, and urges civilians to stay away from the “headquarters of the Kurdish groups” in the region. (Tehran Times) (Iran International) 

In response to Guinea‘s expulsion from the Economic Community of West African States, the military junta freezes all government assets in the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea in order to “preserve the country’s interest”. (AP via Washington Post) 

United States District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rules that Apple Inc. cannot stop mobile app developers from directing users to third-party payment options, issuing a permanent injunction against the company. (BBC) 

Russia‘s Gazprom says that it has completed the construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline to Germany. Gazprom says that gas flows to Europe through the pipeline cannot begin until they have received approval from German regulators. (Reuters) 

Visitors to the upcoming Expo 2020 event in Dubai will not be required to show proof of vaccination or be tested for COVID-19. (Al Jazeera) 

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health issues a conditional approval of the Hayat-Vax COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the country. (Vietnam Plus) 

Denmark becomes the first country in the European Union to lift all of its COVID-19-related restrictions, with the lifting of the requirement to show a digital pass in order to enter nightclubs, as the country no longer considers COVID-19 to be a “socially critical” disease and the vaccination rate has surpassed 80%. (The Guardian) (AP) 

The Standing Committee on Vaccination recommends that pregnant or breastfeeding women in Germany should be vaccinated two doses against COVID-19 using mRNA-based vaccines from the second trimester of pregnancy. (Reuters via U.S. News and World Report) 

France raises its bird flu alert level to “moderate” after a severe strain of the virus was reported this week at a private household in the Ardennes department, near the border with Belgium. (Euronews) 

The European Union rejects a request from the United Kingdom to renegotiate the deal governing the trading position of Northern Ireland. The EU adds that renegotiating the deal, which agreed to leave some EU rules in place in Northern Ireland and to accept checks on goods arriving from elsewhere in the UK following Brexit, would result in “instability, uncertainty and unpredictability in Northern Ireland”. (Reuters) 

Former Rudy Giuliani associate Igor Fruman pleads guilty to one count of soliciting a contribution by a foreign national. (USA Today) 

Former French health minister Agnès Buzyn is charged by the Cour de Justice de la République with “endangering the lives of others” over her handling of the pandemic. (AFP via The Straits Times) 

A new government is formed in Lebanon, with Najib Mikati becoming Prime Minister of Lebanon for the third time. (CNN) 

Venko Filipče, the health minister of North Macedonia, resigns, claiming moral responsibility for the fire that occurred at a field hospital in Tetovo. (Anadolu Agency) 

Friday,  September 10th, 2021 

The Office of the United Nations for Human Rights says that the Taliban response to the peaceful marches has been increasingly violent, with authorities using live ammunition, batons and whips, causing the deaths of four civilians. A spokesperson for the rights office says that the response from the Taliban has been “unfortunately severe”. (Reuters) 

In response to Guinea‘s expulsion from the Economic Community of West African States the military junta freezes all government assets in the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea to “preserve the country’s interest”. (AP via Washington Post) 

Denmark becomes the first country in the European Union to lift all of its COVID-19-related restrictions after 548 days with lifting of digital pass requirement to enter nightclubs as the country no longer considers COVID-19 as “socially critical” disease and the vaccination rate surpasses 80%. (The Guardian)(AP) 

The European Union rejects a request from the United Kingdom to renegotiate the deal governing the trading position of Northern Ireland. The EU adds that renegotiating the deal, which agreed to leave some EU rules in place in Northern Ireland and accept checks on goods arriving from elsewhere in the UK following Brexit, would result in “instability, uncertainty and unpredictability in Northern Ireland”. (Reuters) 

Former Rudy Giuliani associate Igor Fruman pleads guilty to one count of soliciting a contribution by a foreign national. (USA Today) 

A new government is formed in Lebanon with Najib Mikati becoming Prime Minister of Lebanon for the third time. (CNN) 

 
Biden announces new vaccine mandates President Biden on Thursday announced two executive orders to push about 100 million Americans to get coronavirus vaccinations, warning the unvaccinated that “our patience is wearing thin.” Biden said his administration would mandate vaccinations for federal workers and 17 million healthcare workers at institutions receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding. He also said he would have the Labor Department draft a rule requiring businesses with 100 or more workers to require employees to get vaccinated or undergo weekly coronavirus testing. “We’re going to protect vaccinated workers from unvaccinated co-workers,” Biden said. That order would amount to mandating or encouraging 80 million workers to get coronavirus shots. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said there would be religious and disability exceptions. USA TODAY 

Biden calls Xi as U.S.-China tensions rise President Biden spoke Thursday with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, hoping to jumpstart high-level communication between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies. The White House said Biden used the 90-minute call, his second with Xi since taking office, to push for the two countries to work together to fight climate change and to prevent a nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula, and expressed concerns about cybersecurity breaches by Chinese hackers. The call, initiated by Biden, came at a time of escalating tensions over such issues as the South China Sea and Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The White House said the “two leaders had a broad, strategic discussion” about “areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge.” HE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

200 foreigners leave Afghanistan on Qatar Airways flight A Qatar Airways flight was allowed to leave Kabul’s airport Thursday carrying more than 200 foreigners, including U.S. citizens, and fly to Qatar. It was the first commercial flight to take off from Afghanistan since the last U.S. military flight left last month, ending a chaotic evacuation following the Taliban’s return to power 20 years after a U.S.-led invasion. The flight provided the first concrete signal that the Taliban would allow at least some of the foreign citizens stuck in the country after the U.S. military withdrawal to leave. U.S. National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said Taliban officials “have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. This is a positive first step.” CNN 

McCarthy asks Supreme Court to reject House proxy voting rules House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Thursday he was asking the Supreme Court to overturn the proxy voting rules that the House started using as a safety measure during the coronavirus pandemic. Although Republicans have used the tool to their advantage at times, McCarthy said the court should reject it to end what he described as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s “perpetual proxy voting power grab.” “Although the Constitution allows Congress to write its own rules, those rules cannot violate the Constitution itself, including the requirement to actually assemble in person,” McCarthy said. Since May 2020, proxy voting has allowed lawmakers to cast votes remotely through colleagues, helping to limit the number of people in the House chamber and reduce the odds of coronavirus infection. NBC NEWS 

Veterans more likely than average voters to back Afghanistan withdrawal Veterans who served in Afghanistan were more likely than the average voter to say they support President Biden’s much-criticized Afghanistan withdrawal, according to a Morning Consult poll released Thursday. Nearly 3 in 5 — 58 percent — of Afghanistan veterans backed the decision, including 42 percent who did so strongly. On the other hand, 52 percent of all voters expressed a degree of support for the withdrawal, while just 27 percent of that group did so strongly, the Morning Consult poll found. Afghanistan veterans were also far more likely than the rest of voters to see the 20-year war as a success — 48 percent of veterans said they believed such, while just 27 percent of all voters agreed. MORNING CONSULT 

Judge blocks Florida ‘anti-riot’ law A federal judge on Thursday blocked Florida from enforcing its new “anti-riot” law enacted after the George Floyd protests, calling it unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee said the law, which was championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, was “vague and overbroad” and violated First Amendment rights of free speech and assembly, as well as constitutional due process protections by threatening criminal charges against peaceful protesters who happen to be near a demonstration that turns violent. “If this court does not enjoin the statute’s enforcement, the lawless actions of a few rogue individuals could effectively criminalize the protected speech of hundreds, if not thousands, of law-abiding Floridians,” Walker wrote. DeSantis said the state would appeal. “I guarantee you we’ll win,” he said. NPR 

Police reinstalling security fence around Capitol before rally  Police in Washington, D.C., will reinstall a fence around the U.S. Capitol to boost security during next week’s planned “Justice for J6” rally by supporters of the 600 people charged for their alleged roles in the deadly Jan. 6 riot by a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters, Reuters reported Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the plan. The fence was first erected after the riot, but it was taken down in July. One of the Reuters sources, a Democratic congressional aide, said intelligence gathered ahead of the demonstration, scheduled for Sept. 18, indicates that the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, and other right-wing groups might be “targeting policemen.” Some of the Jan. 6 rioters, who hoped to prevent Congress from certifying President Biden’s victory over Trump, fought with police. REUTERS 

L.A. school board votes to require vaccines for students 12 and up The Los Angeles Board of Education on Thursday voted to make coronavirus vaccination mandatory for all children 12 and older in Los Angeles public schools. The decision made the nation’s second-largest school district the first of the largest school systems to require vaccinations. About 225,000 students will be affected. “We’ve always approached safety with a multilayered approach: masks, air filtration, and coronavirus screening,” L.A. school’s interim Supt. Megan Reilly said. “But we are seeing without a doubt that the vaccines are one of the clearest pathways to protecting individuals from getting severe sickness as well as for mitigating transmission of the COVID virus.” The policy triggered a protest by dozens of parents, who said they should be the ones to decide whether their children get an “experimental” vaccine. LOS ANGELES TIMES 

Thursday, September 9th, 2021 

Qatar Airways conducts the first evacuation flight from Kabul‘s Hamid Karzai International Airport since the August 31 deadline. (RTÉ) 

Former president Hamid Karzai says in a series of tweets that the announcement of a caretaker government by the Taliban was “necessary” and urges the Taliban to include women in the government in order to address “shortcomings of the new caretaker-announced cabinet”. (India Today) 

The Tigray Defense Forces confirm their withdrawal from the Afar Region, saying that they are re-deploying soldiers to the neighboring Amhara Region. (Reuters) 

On the 20th anniversary of his assassination, the Taliban vandalizes the tombstone of Afghan mujahideen leader Ahmad Shah Massoud. The footage has sparked outrage among Afghans. (India Today) 

Shell declares force majeure legal defense in order to forestall liabilities on some oil deliveries due to damage from Hurricane Ida. Damage discovered shortly after the storm to Shell’s West Delta-143 shallow water platform, which serves as a hub for numerous offshore production pipelines, is still being assessed. The damage has caused significant issues with deliveries from the Mars, Olympus, and Ursa platforms.  (Reuters) 

China releases its strategic oil reserves for the first time in an effort “to ease the pressure of rising raw material prices”, according to a statement from the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration. (Al Jazeera) 

American multinational financial services company Wells Fargo is fined $250 million for “unsafe or unsound practices” related to its home-lending practices by the United States Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. (The Charlotte Observer) 

The Japanese government announces the extension of its state of emergency in 19 prefectures until September 30 with Miyagi and Okayama prefectures being downgraded to a quasi-state of emergency after the expiry of their current orders on September 12. (The Asahi Shimbun) 

The Scottish Parliament approves a requirement for people who want to attend nightclubs and large events to show an immunity passport declaring that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, despite opposition from businesses leaders and opposition parties. The requirement will take effect on October 1. (The Guardian) 

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency approves booster doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines. (BBC) 

President Joe Biden announces new wide-ranging requirements for federal employees and employees of companies with more than 100 workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or undergo regular testing at least once a week, with no option of testing for unvaccinated federal employees. These mandates apply to over 100 million people, which represents two-thirds of all U.S. employees. (AP) 

The Los Angeles Unified School District approves a vaccine mandate for children over the age of 12 in Los Angeles schools. (CBS News) 

French health minister Olivier Veran announces that the country will offer free birth control to all women under the age of 25, which will also include free contraception-related medical visits, starting in 2022. This measure will cost the government about 21 million euros (US$24,828,552) per year. (AP via NPR) 

Russian president Vladimir Putin and Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko agree to multiple terms that will bring the two nations’ economies closer together. (The Guardian) 

Preliminary results show the National Rally of Independents party led by Aziz Akhannouch winning a plurality in the House of Representatives, defeating the ruling Justice and Development Party of Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani. (The Guardian) 

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announces that the Justice Department has sued the state of Texas over its new abortion law, asking a federal judge to declare the law invalid, in order “to enjoin its enforcement, and to protect the rights that Texas has violated.” (AP via ABC News) 

The Taliban bans protests after using whips and sticks to disperse a crowd of women who protested the all-male cabinet appointed by the jihadist group now in charge of the country. Journalists were also beaten by members of the Taliban. (NDTV) 

Biden calls for shifting half of U.S. energy to solar by 2050 The Biden administration on Wednesday unveiled a plan to put the United States on a path to get nearly half its electricity from solar power by 2050. Meeting the goal would require major upgrades to the power grid, which currently gets less than 4 percent of its electricity from solar energy. The big jump roughly matches what most climate scientists say is necessary to avert the worst damage from climate change. The Energy Department said in a new report that the U.S. will have to double the solar energy equipment installed over the next four years, then double it again by 2030 to achieve the growth necessary to meet the long-term target. President Biden made reducing planet-warming emissions a focus of his campaign. He announced last month that he wants all new cars to be electric by 2030. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Virginia removes Robert E. Lee monument Virginia on Wednesday took down a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, the last Confederate memorial on Richmond’s historic Monument Avenue. The state’s Supreme Court last week cleared the way for taking down the 12-ton statue, dismissing a challenge to Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s (D) June 2020 order to remove it. A crowd cheered as workers removed the statue of Lee on a horse, which had rested on a pedestal and stretched 60 feet high. Onlookers chanted, “Na, na, na, na! Hey, hey, hey, goodbye,” and “Black Lives Matter,” as the monument came down. “It’s electrifying,” said Alexcia Cleveland, 29, who went to Monument Avenue to watch. “It’s bittersweet. I’m glad to see it down, but I would like to see more progress on issues such as police brutality and housing inequality.” CNN 

Women protest Taliban’s all-male interim Afghan government A group of women took to the streets of Kabul on Wednesday to protest the Taliban’s announcement of a hardline, all-male interim government in Afghanistan. Taliban militants responded by attacking the protesters with whips and sticks in the latest effort by the Islamist group to crack down on opponents since it reclaimed power last month. Women in Wednesday’s protest carried signs saying, “No government can deny the presence of women,” and “I will sing freedom over and over.” On Tuesday, women in hijabs joined other protesters who took to the streets in the Afghan capital in the largest demonstration yet against the Taliban. The interim government did not immediately comment on the protests, but Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group represents “the whole of Afghanistan.” CNN 

Taliban to allow 200 Americans, other foreigners to leave Afghanistan The Taliban plans to let about 200 Americans and other foreign citizens leave Afghanistan on a Thursday flight from Kabul to Qatar, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Qatari and American officials. The flight by a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 would be the first for foreigners since the last U.S. forces left the country last month. It will mark the resumption of international passenger service at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, with other international flights to follow daily. A Qatari official said the people flying out on Thursday all have proper foreign passports, the appropriate visas, and tickets, so the flight isn’t considered an evacuation operation. Qatar is helping the passengers get to the airport in a convoy of minibuses from a Kabul hotel. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

West Virginia governor slams COVID vaccine conspiracy theories West Virginia’s Gov. Jim Justice (R) rebuked COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theorists on Thursday, asking in a televised address “why in the world do we have to come up with these crazy ideas? And they’re crazy ideas.” He singled out a well-known but baseless theory that the vaccines contain microchips that allow the government to track people. “The same very people that are saying that are carrying their cell phones around,” he noted. “I mean, come on.” Justice has dismissed such conspiracy theories before. His comments came after another high-ranking Republican, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), repeatedly urged his constituents to get vaccinated. “The fact is, it works,” McConnell said Wednesday. “Opinions that you may hear from others, frequently are nonsense, honestly.” THE RECOUNTWSIL 

Biden administration tells Trump military-academy-board appointees to resign The Biden administration asked 11 officials former President Donald Trump appointed to military service academy advisory boards to resign or face dismissal, CNN reported Wednesday, citing a source familiar with the matter. The list included former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, former senior counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, and former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. “I will let others evaluate whether they think Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer and others were qualified, or not political, to serve on these boards,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. Conway said she wouldn’t resign, accusing the Biden administration of trying to divert attention from the Afghanistan withdrawal. “It certainly seems petty and political, if not personal,” Conway said. CNN 

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