WorldWashington ExaminerSon of late anti-Taliban militia commander promises armed resistance: 'We knew this day might come'
The son of a powerful Afghan resistance commander who once fought against the Taliban declared he is "ready to follow" in his father's footsteps and take up arms against the Islamist military organization now in control of his homeland. Ahmad Massoud, who resides in one of the few remaining regions in Afghanistan not under Taliban control, pleaded for help from the West as he promised to oversee his own resistance mission nearly 20 years after his father, Ahmad Shah Massoud, was killed by assassins from al Qaeda. "I write from the Panjshir Valley today, ready to follow in my father's footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban," Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, wrote in an op-ed published by the Washington Post on Wednesday.
U.S.Miami HeraldMom kills hospitalized teen with special needs in fight over crayons, Florida cops say
Jessica Bortle is accused of killing her 14-year-old daughter with special needs after an argument over color crayons in the hospital, according to police in Florida. Jasmine Singletary was battling an infection and admitted on July 8 to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, where she regularly received treatment for a neuromuscular disorder, Pensacola police said in a news release. Five days later, Singletary lost consciousness and stopped breathing while in the hospital room with her 34-year-old mother and grandmother, according to police.
U.S.The Week'Unprecedented' Caldor Fire burns 53,000 acres in Northern California
The blaze was sparked on Saturday evening south of Grizzly Flats, and by Tuesday morning had scorched 6,500 acres. The fire exploded on Tuesday thanks to high winds, and as of Wednesday morning had burned 53,772 acres. Grizzly Flats and Leoni Meadows have both been "heavily impacted" by the fire, Mike Blankenheim with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said, and the full extent of the damage isn't yet known.
WorldThe TelegraphBooster vaccines should not be administered, WHO warns as US gives green light
PM Here's a recap of today's top news: The World Health Organisation has said Covid-19 booster vaccines are not necessary and called on countries with high vaccination rates to donate surplus vaccines to poorer countries rather than administering third doses. The criticism comes as the US today announced it would start delivering booster shots from 20 September. MPs returned to Parliament for a debate on Afghanistan, and a face mask divide was stark, with a clear split between Boris Johnson's front benches, who largely chose not to wear masks, and members of the Opposition, who were seen in face coverings Fast-food chain Nando's was forced to temporarily shut more than 40 stores in the UK af...
WorldArchitectural DigestTour a Historic English Castle Where One Design Legend Has Kept His Considerable Treasures
Jasper Conran prepares for a Christie's sale of his collection Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
U.S.The 74CDC: Students Wearing Masks No Longer Need Quarantine, Even if ‘Close Contact’
The new exemption allows schools to bypass that rule in cases where both individuals mask up. Across the country, as school leaders struggle with quarantine totals that are stretching into the thousands just weeks after schools opened their doors, the new masking exemption to self-isolation guidelines, could help districts sidestep chaotic reopenings amid divisive politics surrounding the use of masks. In the past week across the country, New Orleans School District quarantined over 3,000 students and staff after 299 recorded COVID cases.
PoliticsWashington ExaminerBannon says Trump should become speaker, lead Biden impeachment, resign, and run for president in 2024
Steve Bannon presented a breathless timeline in which he said former President Donald Trump should become House speaker and lead an impeachment effort against President Joe Biden before resigning to run for the White House in 2024. The former White House chief strategist discussed the unprecedented scenario during an episode of his War Room show on Wednesday while criticizing Biden's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal. After saying "people should be court-martialed" over U.S. forces abandoning Bagram Airfield, which some have opined could have been used to help with evacuations following the Taliban's rapid takeover of the country, Bannon said this issue could be "one of the big charges eventually brought" against Biden.
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Rudy Giuliani seeks to limit what feds see on his electronics
Rudy Giuliani wants to limit what federal investigators can see on his electronic devices to dates specified on search warrants that resulted in raids on his residence and office, according to a former federal judge appointed to oversee disputes over what criminal prosecutors get to look at.
U.S.NBC NewsCaldor Fire explodes more than 8 times its size to nearly 54,000 acres in a day
The Caldor Fire, which ignited Saturday evening in the Omo Ranch area, about 60 miles east of Sacramento, exploded Tuesday morning from 6,500 acres to 53,772 acres in less than 24 hours by Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The rapidly expanding wildfire has already seriously injured two people and prompted more mandatory evacuation orders Tuesday evening for thousands of residents and tourists in El Dorado County. Smoke from the nearby Dixie Fire hampered air attack efforts while the shapeshifting nature of the Caldor Fire has made it difficult for officials to accurately map the incident, Cal Fire officials said during a community meeting Tuesday evening.
WorldAxiosTaliban destroy statue of Shiite military leader
The Taliban blew up a statue of a Shiite military leader who fought against the militant group during Afghanistan's civil war in the 1990s, photos circulating on Wednesday show, according to AP. Why it matters: The destruction of the statue of Abdul Ali Mazari is a reminder of the destruction of 1,500-year-old statues of Buddha in 2001, when the Taliban previously ruled and strictly limited women's and other human rights. Driving the news: Mazari was a leader of Afghanistan's ethnic Hazara minority, Shiites who were persecuted under the Taliban's earlier rule.
U.S.Associated PressBooming Colo. town asks, ‘Where will water come from?’
Anything we can do to protect our safe water supply is so important,'' said Dick Maxfield, who has lived in Greeley for nearly 60 years and watched the population nearly quadruple to nearly 110,000, as new arrivals attracted to relatively low housing prices flock to the city 55 miles (85 kilometers) north of Denver and its mix of jobs in energy, health care and agriculture, including a major meat-packing plant. The dual challenges of population growth and water scarcity are made worse by climate change, said Lisa Dilling, an environmental studies professor at the University of Colorado and director of the Western Water Assessment research program.
U.S.AxiosElection controversy in Colorado's Mesa County escalates
The head of elections in Mesa County was already in hot water — and now it's beginning to boil. Driving the news: The FBI announced an investigation Tuesday into the alleged security breach of election equipment at the office of Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, a Republican. The federal agency is the third to examine the matter, now teaming up with local prosecutors in Grand Junction and the Colorado secretary of state's office.
BusinessReutersAnalysis-Afghan central bank's $10 billion stash mostly out of Taliban's reach
LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Taliban took over Afghanistan with astonishing speed, but it appears unlikely that the militants will get quick access to most of the Afghan central bank's roughly $10 billion in assets. The country's central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), is thought to hold foreign currency, gold and other treasures in its vaults, according to an Afghan official. But most of the assets are held outside Afghanistan, potentially putting most of them beyond the insurgents' reach, according to Afghan officials, including the bank's acting governor, Ajmal Ahmady, who has fled Kabul.
U.S.INSIDERDr. Pimple Popper wrestled orange-sized lipomas out of a fan's thigh and neck
Dr. Pimple Popper treated a fan named Jim who had a lipoma on the back of his neck, and another on his thigh. Dr. Pimple Popper used her fingers for most of the procedure, and was able to squeeze chicken-like fat masses out of Jim's body. Dr. Pimple Popper treated a longtime fan with orange-sized growths on the back of his neck and thigh during the latest episode of her show.
U.S.Washington ExaminerTaliban pull men with black-painted faces with nooses around their necks: Photos
The Taliban apparently paraded men with painted black faces through an Afghanistan street with nooses around their necks, photos showed. Afghani journalist Bilal Sarwary tweeted the images from Herat on Friday. The photos were taken prior to the Taliban insurgency in Kabul on Sunday, prompting the evacuation of American forces from the nation's capital.
U.S.Charlotte Observer35 people missing, bridges and roads washed out in parts of western North Carolina
Haywood County officials say 35 people are unaccounted for after remnants of Tropical Storm Fred caused severe flooding in western North Carolina. Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency Wednesday and noted both Haywood and Transylvania counties “were especially hard hit,” with as much as a foot of rain. “Unconfirmed reports” in some communities put water levels at “3 to 7 feet higher than their previous high watermark,” Cooper said Wednesday.
U.S.The Daily BeastNeighbor Charged with Hate Crime Accused of Coming Back for More
This April, the years-long saga finally bubbled to the surface after Pham called police alleging Myers threatened her while she was gardening in her front yard, according to a King County Sheriff's Office police report obtained by The Daily Beast. Despite steadfast denials that she made racist comments or issued threats, Myers was arrested and charged with a felony hate crime. As part of the charge, she was ordered to stay away from Pham and her family and refrain from harassing her, according to the King County Sheriff's Office.
WorldTheGrioTaliban reportedly shoots and kill Afghan woman for not wearing burqa
The Taliban reportedly shot and killed a woman in Afghanistan on Tuesday for not wearing a burqa. This incident took place on the same day Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, held a televised press conference with an Afghan female journalist, vowing that women's rights would be honored and they would be able to continue their studies and work, Fox News reported. A burqa is a loose-fitting full-body garment that includes a veil with a mesh opening for the eyes.
EntertainmentThe WeekNew Jeopardy! host Mike Richards apologizes for 'thoughtlessness' and 'insensitivity' on resurfaced podcast
"It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago," Richards told The Ringer. "Even with the passage of time, it's more than clear that my attempts to be funny and provocative were not acceptable, and I have removed the episodes."
U.S.Fort Worth Star-TelegramHigh school soccer coach’s daughter dies at practice with her club, Texas school says
The daughter of a high school soccer coach died during a practice with her club team on Tuesday. Moira Claire Arney, 15, was about to start her sophomore year at McAllen High School, located about 150 miles south of Corpus Christi near the U.S.-Mexico border, school principal Albert Canales said in a statement. Rio Grande Valley FC Toros Academy Club administrator Luis Gutierrez confirmed a death occurred Tuesday to MyRGVNews.
U.S.The Daily BeastBartender Seen Kissing Married Man in VFW Bar Before Body Found on Farm: Cops
On Aug. 5, Amanda Jo Vangrinsven disappeared. That night, Vangrinsven, 32, was seen drinking with Richard Melvin Peterson, 37, at the Isanti, Minnesota VFW hall where she tended bar, and where Peterson reportedly served in a “leadership position. But Vangrinsven had had too much to drink, according to an unsealed search warrant obtained by The Daily Beast, and Peterson told her friends he would drive her home.
WorldBusiness InsiderFormer Afghan president Ashraf Ghani says he fled to avoid being hanged and vows to someday return
Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani defended his decision to leave Afghanistan on Sunday. "The Afghan president was going to be hanged," he said in a video message on Facebook on Wednesday. Ghani is currently in the United Arab Emirates but said he plans to return to Afghanistan.
U.S.INSIDERForensic nurse who examined woman accusing Trevor Bauer of sexual assault: 'I had never seen that before'
A judge on Tuesday heard testimony from a nurse who examined the woman accusing Trevor Bauer of sexual assault. It was the second day of hearings related to allegations against the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher. Kelly Valencia, a forensic nurse examiner who had been called by the woman's legal team to testify about her injuries, said she administered a Sexual Assault Response Team exam, or SART exam, to the woman in May.
U.S.USA TODAYOutgoing Gov. Andrew Cuomo puts in for retirement. Here's how much his pension may be
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ready to retire — at least in order to start collecting his public pension. Cuomo, whose resignation will be effective Tuesday, put in for his retirement this week, and he is expected to get about a $50,000-a-year pension for his 15 years of state service — 11 as governor and four as attorney general. The office for incoming Gov. Kathy Hochul, now the lieutenant governor, said Cuomo has notified it he will resign effective 11:59 p.m. Monday.
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Combat that high summer swelter Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
“Sure, job number one is to get as many people as humanly possible fully vaccinated. But we all know boosters are coming.”
“[Boosters are] a little bit like putting a Band-Aid over a gaping hole.”
“No miracle will stop the pandemic, only a well-grounded realism, and tools that work, including masks, vaccines — and boosters.”
“Our antibodies do wane over time, but we still need to find out how protected patients are even when the antibodies start to decrease.”
“Shots clearly still offer a substantial degree of protection against even mild disease.”