This is what you need to know Keep up to date and get on with your day.
(You can also receive “5 things you need to know today” in your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. Afghanistan
Thirteen members of the U.S. service and at least 90 Afghans were killed in a pair of bomb attacks outside Kabul airport, where thousands of people had gathered in recent days to escape Taliban rule. Just after the blasts, gunmen opened fire on members of the service and civilians. At least 140 people were injured in the attack, including 18 members of the US service. U.S. officials had warned that the chaotic and violent exit from Afghanistan could make the area vulnerable to renewed terrorist activity, and Biden said the risk of an attack was one of the reasons for sticking to the deadline. of withdrawal on August 31, despite the deteriorating situation on the ground.
Who is behind: ISIS in Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, claimed that an ISIS militant carried out the suicide attack, but that it has not provided evidence to support the claim. This branch of the ISIS terrorist group first emerged in Syria and Iraq and Afghanistan-based cells have been carrying out devastating suicide attacks in the country since 2016. The group is a sworn enemy of the Taliban. In the hours and days leading up to the attack, U.S. officials said they were aware of a “very specific threat flow” from the group. Then, U.S. diplomats ordered all Americans to walk away from some airport gates.
How is the situation on the ground now: The United States is advancing with evacuations, including the approximately 1,000 Americans still in Afghanistan. General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, says there are still “currents of extremely active threats against the airfield.” He also says the U.S. military uses attack helicopters and other planes to defend the airport. Biden said he would authorize everything military leaders needed, including more troops, to complete the mission. Meanwhile, the scenes of the killing, the rescue and the pain continue to unfold after the attack.
What comes next: The attack has focused more on Biden, who was already being criticized for what some considered a hasty and disorganized exit from Afghanistan. Republican opponents have promised that Biden will face a “calculation” of the attack. Biden defended his decision to follow the troop withdrawal schedule and his overall withdrawal plan, saying, “It was time to end a 20-year war.” More existential questions remain, such as what is the moral obligation of the United States to an Afghanistan that remains vulnerable to terrorism and how the United States should recognize the Taliban rule in it.
2. NECKLINE
The Supreme Court has blocked the Biden administration’s eviction moratorium, which was extended in early August to provide continued relief during the pandemic. Homeowners’ groups rejected the extension and the Supreme Court ruled that such a measure would require new legislation. The White House said that because of the ruling, families will face more evictions and more dangers arising from Covid-19.
3. Tropical Storm Ida
Tropical Storm Ida is heading for the U.S. Gulf Coast and can become a hurricane when it arrives. The system now threatens the Caribbean with winds of 40 mph. Today it will impact Cuba before it probably arrives in the United States on Sunday. Residents in Louisiana, where the storm is expected to arrive, are preparing for potential rain and hurricane-force winds.
Check out the local forecast here >>>
4. Coronavirus
The CDC issued health advice yesterday warning doctors and the public about the “rapid rise” in prescriptions for the antiparasitic drug ivermectin. Calls to poison control centers about the drug have tripled compared to the number of similar calls before the pandemic, the CDC said. An Arkansas doctor is being investigated after admitting he had prescribed the drug thousands of times to patients despite warnings.
5. Trump demands
Seven U.S. Capitol police officers are suing former President Trump and some far-right entities, saying they should be held responsible for the January 6 events and ultimately endangering police with their misinformation and provocations. . Among the defendants are alleged members of far-right extremist groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. The lawsuit is the latest in a long line of lawsuits seeking to hold Trump accountable for the insurgency.
EXPLORE BREAKFAST
“Dancing with the Stars” will feature a same-sex dancing couple for the first time
JoJo Siwa of “Dance Moms” fame will be combined with a female dance professional.
Peloton is giving its bike a new price reduction
The reduced price? $ 1,495.
Wendy’s updates her chips
He wants to decrease the subject and increase the crunch.
What does it mean when cats graze with their paws?
It’s basically a cat for “I like it!”
TODAY’S ISSUE
55,000
It is the number of flavored e-cigarette products that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has blocked from the market in its first major ban on e-cigarette products. These products have been controversial for their appeal to children and teens.
AND FINALLY
“Songs My Mom Taught Me”
This is one of the most beloved works of the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, with a deep understanding of the depth of our cultural and family traditions. With such a painful melody, he put on a poem by his compatriot, Adolf Heyduk. Translated lyrically into English, it says:
Songs my mother taught me, in the days gone by;
Rarely were tears banished from her eyelids.
Now I teach my kids, every melodious measure.
Tears often flow, often spring from the treasure of my memory.