Wednesday, September 1st, 2021
Biden defends Afghanistan withdrawal as a success As the Taliban celebrated the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Biden on Tuesday called the airlift of more than 120,000 Afghans, Americans, and other allies out of the country an “extraordinary success.” He also defended his decision to stick to the deadline for withdrawing all U.S. troops to end the longest war in U.S. history. “I was not going to extend this forever war,” Biden said in an address from the White House State Dining Room. “And I was not going to extend a forever exit.” Biden said it was inevitable that it would be difficult to leave Afghanistan after 20 years. The Biden administration has faced harsh criticism for the chaotic evacuation following the Taliban’s takeover of the country, and Congress is expected to hold hearings on what went wrong. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. reached secret deal with Taliban to get Americans to Kabul airport The U.S. negotiated a secret deal with the Taliban under which the Islamist group now running Afghanistan agreed to escort Americans to the gates of the Kabul airport so they could leave the country, CNN reported Tuesday, citing two defense officials. U.S. special operations forces established a “secret gate” at the airport and “call centers” to help the Americans navigate the evacuation arrangement, one of the officials said. The Americans reportedly were instructed to gather at pre-arranged “muster points” near the airport, where the Taliban would verify their credentials and take them to a U.S.-controlled gate. The process helped the Americans get through despite crowds of Afghans trying to get into the airport to escape Taliban rule. CNN
Vaccination rates rose in August as mandates spread Vaccination rates rose in August as COVID-19 cases surged, driven by the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeffrey Zients said Tuesday. About 14 million people in the U.S. got their first vaccine dose last month, an increase of 4 million over the July total. Zients credited the increase to vaccine mandates imposed by governments, schools, and businesses. He noted that Washington state saw a 34 percent rise in its vaccination rate after it started requiring shots for state employees and school staff. “Bottom line,” Zients said, “vaccination mandates work.” The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said regulators’ full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine could push vaccination rates even higher. NPR
Venezuelan opposition to end election boycott Venezuela’s opposition said Tuesday that it would participate in November elections, ending a three-year boycott. The main opposition parties said they would run candidates in elections for mayors and governors across the South American nation. Opposition leader Juan Guaido’s Popular Will party is among the parties expected to participate, as is the party led by former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, who has urged candidates to run. The opposition declined to participate in 2018 presidential and 2020 congressional elections, and said they were fraudulent. Politicians have called on President Nicolas Maduro’s government to guarantee free and fair elections. The government has agreed to permit exiled politicians to run. BLOOMBERG
Man who confronted NBC reporter on live TV faces arrest warrant Mississippi police on Tuesday issued a warrant for the arrest of an Ohio man who allegedly confronted NBC News’ Shaquille Brewster on live television. Brewster was reporting on former Hurricane Ida for MSNBC in coastal Mississippi when a man pulled up in a white pickup truck and ran toward him, shouting at him to “report accurately.” Gulfport police said the man was Benjamin Eugene Dagley, and he would face charges of simple assault, disturbing the peace, and violating an emergency curfew. He also could be charged with a probation violation in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, if authorities determine that he traveled out of Ohio without authorization, police said. Ohio court documents indicate that Dagley, 54, once pleaded guilty to vandalism, inducing panic, and attempted assault. NBC NEWS
Jury selection begins in Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes’ fraud trial Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes appeared in court Tuesday for jury selection on Day 1 of her criminal fraud trial. The onetime rising star of Silicon Valley is accused of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for allegedly making misleading statements to investors and patients about Theranos’ technology. Holmes has pleaded not guilty. The defense team and prosecutors have a pool of nearly 200 potential jurors to find 17 to serve in what is expected to be a four-month trial. Court documents disclosed over the weekend that Holmes might argue that she deferred to Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, her former boyfriend and Theranos’ onetime president, because she was in an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship with him. Balwani also was charged and pleaded not guilty. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Parents clash over mask mandate in Florida county Lee County, Florida, sheriff’s deputies had to break up fights between anti- and pro-mask parents outside a meeting where school board members reversed an earlier decision and reinstated a mask mandate for teachers and the 90,000 students in local public schools, local TV station NBC-2 reported Tuesday. Until the change, about 14,000 students were opting out of wearing face coverings by invoking a medical exception. Most of the parents who spoke at the Monday night board meeting were against the mask mandate. One man said masks hid children’s identities and promoted sex trafficking. A woman, wearing a “My Body, My Choice” sticker, argued that masks do no good because kids don’t wear them properly. A physician and mother of a student thanked the board for keeping “faculty and students” safe by requiring masks. She was “shoved” by protesters after the meeting, NBC-2 reported. NBC-2
Tuesday, August 31st, 2021
The Panjshir resistance says that their fighters have killed eight Taliban members in clashes in the Panjshir Valley, the final stronghold outside of Taliban control. A large number of Taliban forces have been deployed near the valley, while negotiations take place in order to resolve the conflict. (Reuters)
Celebratory gunfire occurs in Kabul by Taliban fighters following the departure of the last aircraft carrying U.S. troops. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid says during a news conference that “it is a historical day and a historical moment” and that “the Taliban are proud of these moments, that we liberated our country from a great power.” (Reuters)
A drone attack against the Abha International Airport in Abha, Saudi Arabia injures eight people. (Al Jazeera)
Eleven Islamic State militants are killed in a raid by Pakistani counter-terrorism units in Mastung, Balochistan Province, where ISIL militants had recently killed two police officers. Suicide belts, hand grenades and assault rifles are confiscated during the raid. (AP via ABC News)
California fire officials issue an evacuation order for the Lake Tahoe Basin as the Caldor Fire continues to spread. The fire has burned 177,000 acres and destroyed over 470 structures so far. (CBS News)
The United States Forest Service orders all national forests in California to be closed until mid-September in order to help combat the state’s wildfires. (CBS News)
The Bangladesh Armed Forces receives a consignment of COVID-19 vaccines from China’s People’s Liberation Army for the first time as part of foreign military assistance. (United News of Bangladesh)
Israel reports a record 10,947 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,066,352. (Israel Hayom)
The Irish Cabinet approves a plan that would lift all COVID-19-related restrictions in Ireland on October 22 subject to 90% of adults being vaccinated and the number of COVID-19 cases remaining manageable. (BBC)
Morocco begins a COVID-19 vaccination program for children aged 12 to 17 years old in effort to ensure their return to schools. (Africanews)
Georgia reports a record 9,641 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (AP)
Idaho Governor Brad Little activates the Idaho National Guard to hospitals to stop the spread of COVID-19 cases in the state. (Idaho Statesman)
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announces a mask mandate for Pennsylvania schools and daycares. The mandate will take effect on September 7. (CBS News)
The Indian ambassador to Qatar Dr. Deepak Mittal meets with Taliban representative Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai in Doha to discuss the repatriation of Indian citizens who are currently in Afghanistan. (Times of India)
A court in Bangladesh sentences six men affiliated with Ansar al-Islam, an organization linked to al-Qaeda, to death, for the 2016 murders of two gay rights campaigners, including Xulhaz Mannan. Local gay and LGBT organizations welcome the verdict. (Reuters)
Twenty U.S. states, led by Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery, file a lawsuit against the Biden administration in an attempt to halt new regulations put forth by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the United States Department of Education promoting transgender rights in schools, alleging federal overreach. (Fox News)
The Peruvian judiciary kicks off a preliminary court hearing against Popular Force leader Keiko Fujimori to decide whether to prosecute her for money laundering and her involvement in the Odebrecht scandal. (RPP)
Alar Karis is elected President of Estonia by the Riigikogu. (ERR)
A SpaceX Dragon 2 from the re-supply mission SpaceX CRS-23 successfully docks with the Harmony Module of the International Space Station, carrying 4,800 lbs. of supplies. (SciTechDaily)
Tuesday, August 31st, 2021
Last military plane leaves Afghanistan, ending longest U.S. war The last U.S. military plane left Kabul on Monday, ending a 20-year presence in Afghanistan and the longest war in U.S. history. The aircraft carried all U.S. troops and diplomats who remained in the country as the deadline for the U.S. withdrawal arrived. “I’m here to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan,” said Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., the head of U.S. Central Command. Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, the commander of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, and acting American ambassador Ross Wilson were among the last Americans to leave. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. diplomatic mission to Afghanistan would continue working from Doha, Qatar, on its “relentless efforts to help Americans, foreign nationals, and Afghans” who are at risk under Taliban rule to leave.
Ida downgraded to tropical depression after 1 million lose power Former Hurricane Ida was downgraded to a tropical depression Monday night as it moved inland, crossing Mississippi with top sustained winds of 35 miles per hour after crashing into the Louisiana coast with winds as high as 150 mph. Ida knocked out power to more than 1 million homes and businesses, including all of New Orleans, and left at least two people dead. The storm hit on the anniversary of 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. Officials said New Orleans was better prepared this time, partly due to the lessons learned from the devastation left by Katrina. One person drowned in his car after trying to drive through flooding on Interstate 10 in New Orleans. Some areas could be without power for six weeks after what Gov. John Bel Edwards called “one of the strongest storms to make landfall in modern times.”
Pentagon acknowledges possibility of civilian casualties from drone strike The Defense Department on Monday acknowledged the possibility that civilians were killed in a U.S. military drone strike against suspected Islamic State Khorasan suicide bombers believed to be targeting the Kabul airport. Survivors and neighbors said the strike killed 10 people, including seven children, a U.S. military contractor, and a worker for an American aid group. “At first I thought it was the Taliban,” said the daughter of Zemari Ahmadi, the aid worker. “But the Americans themselves did it.” New York Times journalists at the scene were unable to confirm the family’s reports. A spokesman said the Pentagon was “not in a position to dispute” the report, but added that any civilian casualties were due to the explosives that were in the vehicle, not the drone strike itself. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Biden administration launches civil rights investigation of state mask-mandate bans The Education Department on Monday opened civil rights investigations into attempts by Republican governors in five states to bar school districts from imposing mask mandates. The department sent letters announcing the policy to education officials in Iowa, South Carolina, Utah, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, informing them that their bans on local-district mask mandates might be preventing the districts from meeting the needs of students with disabilities who face elevated risk of severe illness from coronavirus infections. The Education Department did not start investigations into similar policies in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, or Arizona, which also have tried to prevent mandates but have been blocked by courts or other state actions. THE WASHINGTON POST
Caldor Fire forces evacuation of entire city of South Lake Tahoe California authorities on Monday evacuated all 22,000 residents of South Lake Tahoe due to the threat from the fast-spreading Caldor Fire, as fire risk forced national forests in the state to close. Residents also had to flee the surrounding areas along the lake’s west and south shores. The wildfire has been edging closer to the Lake Tahoe area for two weeks. Nearly 30,000 residents had already been told to leave the eastern half of El Dorado County. Thom Porter, director of Cal Fire, said the fire exploded on Sunday, growing by more than 20,000 acres after an inversion layer lifted. “When air clears, it’s taking the lid off your pot of boiling water; all of a sudden there’s that plume of heat and steam that comes out,” Porter said. SACRAMENTO BEE
Ohio woman wins court order to treat husband’s COVID with Ivermectin A suburban Cincinnati woman on Monday won a court order for a hospital to treat her husband’s COVID-19 infection with Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic treatment commonly used for livestock. The case is one of several nationwide in which people are trying to force doctors to use the drug, which has not been proven effective against COVID-19. Julie Smith asked Butler County Common Pleas Court for an emergency order to treat her husband, 51-year-old Jeffrey Smith, with Ivermectin. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not recommended Ivermectin for people infected with the coronavirus. Smith had found a doctor to prescribe the drug, but the hospital refused to administer it. USA TODAY
Texas abortion providers ask Supreme Court to block state law Texas abortion providers on Monday asked the Supreme Court to block a state law seeking to ban abortions in the state as early as six weeks into pregnancy. The law, which is scheduled to take effect on Wednesday, would let individuals sue any abortion provider, and largely end access to abortion in the state, the providers said. “In less than two days, Texas politicians will have effectively overturned Roe v. Wade,” said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents the providers and other groups. The Texas law bars abortion once embryonic cardiac activity can be detected, which is typically around six weeks. Supreme Court precedent prohibits states from banning abortion before fetal viability, typically at about 22 to 24 weeks. THE GUARDIAN
Giuliani communications director leaves as legal problems mount Rudy Giuliani’s communications director has resigned after two years on the job, as the former New York City mayor and one-time lawyer for former President Donald Trump faces deepening legal troubles. Christianné Allen started working for Giuliani Communication LLC in December 2019. She released a statement on Monday saying she was “proud of the accomplishments we achieved,” including the launch of Giuliani’s podcast. She said she was moving on to work for a “rising tech startup.” Her departure comes as Giuliani is being targeted in a federal investigation into his foreign lobbying work. His law licenses have been suspended as he faces legal problems linked to his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. CNN
Ida nudges oil, gasoline prices higher Oil and gasoline futures prices edged higher Monday after Hurricane Ida slammed into Louisiana and forced the temporary shutdown of a big part of U.S. oil production and refining operations. Nearly all oil production in the Gulf of Mexico was halted. Ida quickly weakened into a tropical depression after hitting as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, causing flooding and knocking out power to more than 1 million Louisiana utility customers. Energy companies were working to determine how quickly Louisiana refineries and Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production could be restarted. Oil prices rose slightly after surging by 10 percent last week. “The reaction is mixed because we avoided the worst-case scenario,” Again Capital founding partner John Kilduff said. “But supplies are tight, and that could impact prices.”
EU recommends banning non-essential travel by unvaccinated Americans The European Union on Monday removed the United States from its list of safe countries for non-essential travel due to rising coronavirus infections fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant. The European Council recommended reinstating travel restrictions against unvaccinated U.S. tourists, but did not call for its 27 member nations to turn away fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. In June, ahead of the summer travel season, the trading bloc recommended lifting restrictions on U.S. travelers. The EU guidance is not binding, so member countries are expected to adopt a mix of policies that could complicate European travel plans for Americans. The new restrictions threaten to cost European businesses billions in lost revenue. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Monday, August 30th, 2021
Marine Corps General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. announces that the final American troops have left Afghanistan, concluding U.S. involvement in the Afghanistan war. U.S. President Joe Biden also confirms the end of the war in a statement. (The New York Times) (KXTV-TV)
Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid says that yesterday’s airstrike by the United States killed civilians and that if “there was any potential threat in Afghanistan, it should have been reported to us, not an arbitrary attack that has resulted in civilian casualties”. (The Washington Post) (Reuters)
China’s General Administration of Press and Publication announces new regulations prohibiting youth under the age of 18 years old from playing online video games for more than three hours per week, citing physical and mental health concerns. Playing of online video games will only be allowed between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm on weekends and holidays. (CNBC)
The Czech government announces that the country will begin offering a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from September 20 to all people who previously have been vaccinated at least eight months ago using either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. (Reuters)
Scientists in South Africa detect a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 called C.1.2 which is associated with increased transmissibility and the ability to evade antibodies. The variant was first identified in Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces and has spread to seven countries as of August 13. (Bloomberg)
The International Atomic Energy Agency says that North Korea appears to have restarted its Nyongbyon nuclear reactor in a breach of the September 2018 inter-Korean summit declaration and United Nations Security Council resolutions. (BBC)
Kira Yarmysh, the official spokesperson for incarcerated Russian activist Alexei Navalny, leaves Russia, reportedly travelling to Helsinki, Finland, after a court sentenced her to a restriction of movements for 18 months due to alleged breaches of COVID-19 restrictions. (Reuters)
Hurricane Ida slams into Louisiana on Katrina anniversary Hurricane Ida made landfall Sunday in Louisiana as a powerful Category 4 storm, slamming into the state with top sustained winds of 150 miles per hour after intensifying over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The storm killed at least one person, and knocked out power to a million customers, including the entire city of New Orleans, with reports of significant damage to buildings and residents trapped on rooftops. Ida weakened and its forward speed slowed to a crawl as it pushed inland, raising flood potential across multiple states. Ida hit on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which left historic devastation in New Orleans. Ida tied a record for the most powerful hurricane to hammer Louisiana, equaling the strength of last year’s Hurricane Laura and the Last Island Hurricane of 1856.CNNWASHINGTON POST
U.S. drone strike hits suspected suicide bombers in Kabul The U.S. military said Sunday it killed suspected suicide bombers in an explosives-laden vehicle with a drone strike in Kabul. A U.S. official said the vehicle posed an “imminent threat” to the effort to evacuate U.S. citizens and Afghans who are desperate to escape Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover. The Taliban said the airstrike killed multiple civilians, including some children. “We are investigating the reason of the airstrike and the exact number of casualties,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman. The U.S. military also said it was investigating. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul had warned of a “specific, credible threat” to people around the airport, the scene of suicide bombings that killed as many as 170 civilians and 13 U.S. service members last week. An Islamic State affiliate claimed responsibility for that attack. THE NEW YORK TIMES
U.S., 97 other countries reach deal with Taliban to continue evacuations The United States and 97 other countries said in a joint statement Sunday that they had reached a deal with the Taliban to continue evacuating their citizens and Afghans who have worked with them beyond the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline. “We are all committed to ensuring that our citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with us and those who are at risk can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan,” the joint statement said. The Taliban have agreed to let foreigners and Afghans with travel authorization leave the country in a “safe and orderly manner,” the statement said. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Face the Nation that Washington has “considerable leverage” to “hold the Taliban to its commitments.” AXIOS
E.U. expected to recommend halt to travel from U.S. The European Union is preparing to recommend a halt to all non-essential travel from the United States to help curb surging coronavirus infections driven by the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing diplomats. European leaders reportedly have been considering the change over the last month as the average U.S. infection rate surpassed that of the E.U. A final decision on the non-binding travel restriction is expected Monday. Some European leaders have been pushing for the change because the U.S. kept its ban on European tourists in place after European nations allowed travel from the U.S. to resume. Some countries are expected to continue letting in American tourists who can prove they have been fully vaccinated. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Fauci supports COVID vaccine mandates in schools Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday he backs making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for all schoolchildren to help prevent surging coronavirus infections driven by the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. “I believe that mandating vaccines for children to appear in school is a good idea,” Fauci told CNN’s State of the Union. “We’ve done this for decades and decades, requiring polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis” vaccinations. Children under 12 currently are not eligible to receive coronavirus vaccine shots. Fauci said there should be enough data by October for the Food and Drug Administration to determine whether the vaccines are safe for pre-teens in time to start administering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to them by the holiday season. REUTERS
North Korea restarts Yongbyon nuclear reactor North Korea appears to have restarted its Yongbyon plutonium-producing nuclear reactor, the United Nations’ atomic agency said Sunday. The move, which was disclosed in an annual report on North Korea’s nuclear activities, could allow the isolated communist-run nation to expand its nuclear arsenal. The reactor had been shut down from December 2018 to July 2021. “Since early July, there have been indications, including the discharge of cooling water, consistent with the operation of the reactor,” the International Atomic Energy Agency report said. North Korea also appeared to be separating plutonium from spent fuel rods at a nearby laboratory. The IAEA, whose inspectors were booted from North Korea in 2009, said the developments violated U.N. Security Council resolutions and were “deeply troubling.” THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Sunday, August 29th, 2021
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that there are still 300 American citizens left to evacuate from Afghanistan. He also says that the Taliban will allow the evacuations to continue. (RealClearPolitics) (Arutz Sheva)
The U.S. and 97 other countries reach an agreement with the Taliban to continue evacuations past the August 31 withdrawal deadline. (Axios)
A U.S. airstrike targets a vehicle carrying a suspected ISIS-K suicide bomber. At least 10 people are killed during the strike, including six children. Some of those killed had previously worked for international organisations and held visas allowing them entry to the United States. There are reports of other civilians being killed too. The majority of the casualties were residents of the area. (BBC)
Two Pakistani soldiers are shot dead by unknown gunmen at the border with Afghanistan. Two or three of the attackers are killed after a gunfight. (Al Jazeera English)
A rocket is launched near the airport in Kabul, hitting a house and killing a child. (Al Jazeera English)
Atta Muhammad Nur and Abdul Rashid Dostum say that they are forming a group to negotiate with the Taliban and also say that surrender is “out of the question”. They both said that they plan to meet Taliban representatives for a new government. Both men fled to Uzbekistan when Mazar-i-Sharif fell but have since returned to Afghanistan. (Reuters)
Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen blames former president Ashraf Ghani for the “chaos” in Kabul. Shaheen says that Ghani must return the money that he allegedly stole and says that it was not necessary for Ghani to leave the country as the Taliban “just wanted a peaceful transfer of power”. (Hindustan Times)
The army bombards the last rebel enclave in the southern city of Daraa, killing six people. The army declined to comment but released a statement saying that it was losing patience with what it called “armed groups and terrorists”. The site of the bombing is the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad which marked the start of the war. (Reuters)
Houthi forces attack the Al Anad Air Base in Lahij Governorate, Yemen, with drones and ballistic missiles, killing 43 soldiers and wounding 56 others. (Al Jazeera English)
Bangladesh signs an agreement with the World Health Organization to purchase 105 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to ensure the vaccine’s supply for the whole population. (United News of Bangladesh)
Israel expands booster dose eligibility to all people over the age of 12 who received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least five months ago. (The Times of Israel)
Germany removes Spain from its list of high-risk areas, which means that unvaccinated travellers are no longer required to quarantine as long as they present proof of a negative test result or have recovered from COVID-19. (EuroWeekly News)
Australia reports a record 1,323 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, as well as a record 1,218 new cases in New South Wales. (Australian Associated Press)
The Home Affairs Ministry of South Africa orders the release of two gay men who were arrested and imprisoned in Johannesburg after escaping Uganda. The couple requested to remain in South Africa out of fears of persecution in Uganda. The South Gauteng High Court ordered the immediate release of the men and also ordered that they be allowed to remain in South Africa. (Independent Online)
During the annual National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces that pertinent legislation called the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act will be passed to tackle racism due to an increase of racist incidents. (Yahoo! News Singapore)
The End
artificial stupid 