News from the note…
A roundup of the day’s news that might be of interest to you.
This is an OPEN THREAD, folks. Chat about any of the stories listed, share links to stories that caught your eye today, and generally have a good time discussing whatever you want.
DEVELOPING: Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani flees the country with Taliban fighters in Kabul and the group on the brink of taking power as the US rushes to exit 20 years after toppling the militant regime. https://t.co/jx9zlqYoFJ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 15, 2021
As U.S. troops evacuate diplomats from Kabul, a frantic effort is underway behind the scenes to rescue Afghan interpreters and other local partners and their families before they are executed or otherwise punished as collaborators by the Taliban https://t.co/4fHJ0oRKDc
— POLITICO (@politico) August 15, 2021
UPDATE: U.S. embassy urges American citizens in Afghanistan to shelter in place, saying in alert that "security situation in Kabul is changing quickly including at the airport" https://t.co/D9hR3iGPmO
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 15, 2021
Secretary of State Antony Blinken defends the Biden administration's decision to pull US forces out of Afghanistan: "The idea that the status quo could have been maintained by keeping our forces there, I think, is simply wrong." #CNNSOTU https://t.co/5uk1k2vMbY pic.twitter.com/qlX6LU7BTB
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) August 15, 2021
Breaking News: The death toll in the Haiti earthquake has risen to more than 700, and local hospitals are overwhelmed with injured people.
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 15, 2021
Follow updates here. https://t.co/v05NTUScna
US could soon see more than 200,000 daily Covid-19 cases as the Delta variant spreads rapidly, particularly among unvaccinated people, NIH chief warnshttps://t.co/Sxpe3P4pEf
— CNN (@CNN) August 15, 2021
U.S. administers 356.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines – CDC https://t.co/3I6gSvdNhi pic.twitter.com/rnPWhmC7Qd
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 15, 2021
NIH Director Francis Collins called claims that undocumented immigrants coming across the border have played a major role in the spreading COVID-19 a "distraction."
— Axios (@axios) August 15, 2021
Collins: "It's an issue, but it is certainly not the cause of our current dilemma."https://t.co/Ndv7dXlsqx
How latest census data may shift balance of power in the U.S.: "Most voters don't even know about it" https://t.co/co08Rft4T2
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 15, 2021
BREAKING: Fred becomes a tropical storm again as it nears the Gulf Coast. Forecasters say people from Alabama to the central Florida Panhandle should monitor the system’s progress. https://t.co/JiW1nQqXI0
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 15, 2021
