Joe Biden's credibility has been shredded in Afghanistan  —  But the fall of the country to the Taliban would also create a dilemma for China  —  If Donald Trump were presiding over the debacle in Afghanistan, the US foreign policy establishment would be loudly condemning the irresponsibility and immorality of American strategy.

9 Moderate Democrats Threaten to Tank Entire Biden Presidency The party has managed to work together, until now.  —  Joe Biden's success to date has owed itself to many factors, the largest of which is the willingness of congressional Democrats to compromise with each other.

As COVID Hits Florida's Children, DeSantis Stands Firm, Says ‘Deal With’ It  —  The delta variant of COVID-19 is different, more contagious, and it is fueling a record-high wave of virus in Florida that is rapidly impacting its children.  —  Florida's plight was a top item on Thursday's agenda of the White House COVID Response Team.

Inside Fox News, DeSantis is ‘the future of the party.’ And he's taking advantage.  —  Emails show the Florida governor is in high demand on the network — and gets his way.  —  Updated Just now  —  Early in Florida's vaccine rollout, during a period marked by confusion and images of seniors …

Dr. Fauci warns Americans may face having booster shots INDEFINITELY and says fully-vaccinated ‘breakthrough’ infections could still cause long COVID: FDA approves third dose for those with weakened immune systems  — Fauci said ‘there are a lot of factors’ that go into making decisions …

Don't Be a Schmuck.  Put on a Mask.  —  Earlier this week, I delivered a simple message: There is a virus here.  It kills people.  The only way you can prevent it is to get vaccinated, wear masks, and do social distancing.  —  Some people are complaining, “Well, my freedom is being kind of disturbed here.”

New intel reports indicate fresh efforts by Russia to interfere in 2022 election  —  Washington (CNN)The Biden administration is receiving regular intelligence reports indicating Russian efforts to interfere in US elections are evolving and ongoing, current and former officials say, and in fact …

The Co-Founder Of The Fact-Checking Site Snopes Was Writing Plagiarized Articles Under A Fake Name  —  David Mikkelson, the co-founder of the fact-checking website Snopes, has long presented himself as the arbiter of truth online, a bulwark in the fight against rumors and fake news.

Biden eyes tougher vaccine rules without provoking backlash  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — When the pace of vaccinations in the U.S. first began to slow, President Joe Biden backed incentives like million-dollar cash lotteries if that's what it took to get shots in arms.

Durham Probe of What Sparked Russia Investigation Examines FBI Tipsters  —  The special counsel is expected to submit a final report in the coming months  —  WASHINGTON—Special Counsel John Durham, appointed during the Trump administration to examine the origins of the FBI's 2016 Russia probe …

The Supreme Court won't block Indiana University's vaccine mandate.  —  WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court allowed Indiana University on Thursday to require students to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.  —  Eight students had sued the university, saying the requirement violated …

Sec. Mayorkas says border crisis ‘unsustainable’ and 'we're going to lose' in leaked audio  —  Mayorkas visited the Texas border where he announced that there were more than 212,000 migrant encounters by agents in July  —  DHS Secretary Mayorkas announces 212,672 migrant encounters in July

Colorado Republican official accused after voting system passwords are leaked to right-wing site  —  A bizarre security breach of a rural Colorado county's voting system has in a matter of days escalated into a criminal probe of the clerk's office, a ban on the county's existing election equipment …

Whoa: Maddow heading for MSNBC's exits — in an election year?  —  Color me skeptical, especially given the timing.  Rachel Maddow provides the linchpin to MSNBC's prime time and its election coverage.  Even so, the Daily Beast reports that Maddow may hit the road just as Democrats prepare …

If You Skip the Vaccine, It Is My ‘Damn Business’  —  When asked if he had gotten a Covid-19 vaccine, Lamar Jackson, a quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, declined to answer.  “I feel it's a personal decision,” he said.  “I'm just going to keep my feelings to my family and myself.”

Man kills 5, himself in UK's first mass shooting in decade  —  LONDON (AP) — Police investigating Britain's first mass shooting in more than a decade — which left six dead, including the gunman — said Friday the motive was unclear but there were no immediate signs that the crime was an act of terrorism …

This Tennessee Republican Nearly Died From COVID.  Now He's Fighting Masks.  —  State Rep. David Byrd needed a liver transplant after 55 days on a ventilator.  Now he's thanking the medical professionals who saved his life by battling mask and vaccine mandates.

Can We Ever Look at Titian's Paintings the Same Way Again?  —  Great is what this art is, yet it raises doubts about whether any art, however “great,” can be considered exempt from moral scrutiny.  —  BOSTON — With its small supernova of a show, “Titian: Women, Myth & Power,” …