Top Items:
Axios:
Scoop: Biden braces for brutal loss — The Biden administration is preparing for the fall of Kabul and a retreat from any U.S. diplomatic presence in Afghanistan — a stunning reversal of expectations. — It's looking increasingly likely to high-ranking aides to President Biden that the U.S …
Discussion:
NPR, New York Post, Just Security and Townhall
RELATED:
New York Times:
The Afghan Military Was Built Over 20 Years. How Did It Collapse So Quickly? — The Taliban's rapid advance has made clear that U.S. efforts to turn Afghanistan's military into a robust, independent fighting force have failed, with its soldiers feeling abandoned by inept leaders.
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money, Politico, The Daily Signal, Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Caller and IJR
Jon Lee Anderson / New Yorker:
The Return of the Taliban — Their comeback has taken twenty years, but it is a classic example of a successful guerrilla war of attrition. — Watching Afghanistan's cities fall to the Taliban in rapid succession, as the United States completes a hasty withdrawal from the country …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and New York Times
Steven Erlanger / New York Times:
Afghanistan's Unraveling May Strike Another Blow to U.S. Credibility — Allies may understand the desire to give up on a failed project, but the retreat heightens the sense that America's backing is no longer unbounded. — BRUSSELS — Afghanistan's rapid unraveling is already raising grumblings …
Discussion:
Just Above Sunset and Japan Times
David Rothkopf / The Daily Beast:
America's Catastrophic Afghanistan Exit Has Many Fathers
America's Catastrophic Afghanistan Exit Has Many Fathers
Discussion:
Liberty Unyielding
Associated Press:
Taliban seize province near capital, attack northern city
Taliban seize province near capital, attack northern city
Discussion:
New York Post, National Review, Associated Press and Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Reuters:
Canada to accept 20,000 vulnerable Afghans such as women leaders, human rights workers
Canada to accept 20,000 vulnerable Afghans such as women leaders, human rights workers
Discussion:
Asian, Middle-East …, Sputnik News and Pajhwok Afghan News
Rupam Jain / Reuters:
Afghan women forced from banking jobs as Taliban take control
Afghan women forced from banking jobs as Taliban take control
Discussion:
The Guardian and Financial Times
Reuters:
In desperation, U.S. scours for countries willing to house Afghan refugees
In desperation, U.S. scours for countries willing to house Afghan refugees
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money
Washington Post:
Taliban assault imperils slow-building U.S. effort to rescue Afghan allies
Taliban assault imperils slow-building U.S. effort to rescue Afghan allies
Discussion:
RedState, Jihad Watch, Power Line, Los Angeles Times and Atlantic Council
The United Nations:
Secretary-General's press encounter on Afghanistan
Secretary-General's press encounter on Afghanistan
Discussion:
Washington Post, NATO, The Hill and Associated Press
K.T. McFarland / Fox News:
Afghanistan was always Mission Impossible. Biden's living in fantasyland with this endgame
Afghanistan was always Mission Impossible. Biden's living in fantasyland with this endgame
Discussion:
CNN
Deirdre Shesgreen / Yahoo News:
Reports: US Embassy in Kabul directs staff to destroy sensitive documents as many diplomats prepare for evacuation
Reports: US Embassy in Kabul directs staff to destroy sensitive documents as many diplomats prepare for evacuation
Discussion:
HotAir, Task & Purpose, CNN, USA Today, Gizmodo, Power Line, Associated Press and Bangor Daily News
New York Magazine:
The Cuomo Touch How he lost the governorship. — In 2001, as he set out on his first, disastrous campaign for public office, Andrew Cuomo invited a columnist for this magazine to join him for a car ride through New York City. Bill Clinton had just departed office, leaving Washington …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, CBS New York, HuffPost, BizPac Review, Fox News, Townhall, New York Post, TheBlaze, Washington Examiner, Mediaite, Politico and The Wrap
RELATED:
Shane Goldmacher / New York Times:
How Andrew Cuomo's Exit Tarnished a Legacy and Dimmed a Dynasty
How Andrew Cuomo's Exit Tarnished a Legacy and Dimmed a Dynasty
Discussion:
CBS New York
Spectrum News 1 Central NY:
Heastie: Constitutional concerns led to Cuomo impeachment probe's suspension
Heastie: Constitutional concerns led to Cuomo impeachment probe's suspension
Discussion:
HotAir, BizPac Review, New York Post, Washington Times and USA Today
Eric Lach / New Yorker:
The Vindication of Andrew Cuomo's Accusers
Maria Abi-Habib / New York Times:
Powerful Earthquake Strikes Haiti — Seismologists reported that a magnitude 7.2 quake struck in the west of the country, and heavy damage was reported in at least two cities. — PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday morning, seismologists said …
Discussion:
Common Dreams
Greg Jaffe / Washington Post:
The strange summer land rush in Peoria's dying south end — Buyers from all over America — some of whom had never heard of the Illinois town — came searching for wealth amid the Rust Belt ruins — PEORIA, Ill. — A block that had once been home to more than 100 people was down to six who lived amid the ruins of another era.
Shawna Chen / Axios:
Biden administration offers aid to Florida schools defying DeSantis order — The Biden administration is stepping in to offer financial assistance to Florida educators defying Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R) law banning local K-12 mask mandates. — Why it matters: The battle over mask mandates in schools has been brewing for weeks.
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Examiner, Mother Jones, Mock Paper Scissors, The Daily Caller, RedState, Mediaite, Insider and Political Wire
New York Times:
Tap Dancing With Trump: Lindsey Graham's Quest for Relevance — The senator went from Donald J. Trump's public enemy to his impassioned defender. Now he's a golfing regular at Mar-a-Lago, advising the former president on his future. What is behind one of the unlikeliest partnerships in politics?
Discussion:
Raw Story
Ryan J. Reilly / HuffPost:
A D.C. Cop At The Jan. 6 Riot Died By Suicide. Sleuths Identified 1 Of The Rioters He Battled. — Less than 24 hours after a Capitol rioter was identified by online sleuths as a Capitol Hill chiropractor, the family of the late Officer Jeff Smith filed a lawsuit.
Discussion:
Washington Post
RELATED:
CNN:
‘Your child will wait for another child to die.’ Amid Covid-19 surge, Dallas County has no pediatric ICU beds left, county judge says — Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are surging and in Dallas County, Texas, there are “zero ICU beds left for children,” county judge Clay Jenkins said in a news conference Friday morning.
Discussion:
Raw Story, Dallas Morning News, HuffPost, CBS News, Daily Kos, Mediaite and NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
RELATED:
New York Times:
‘Like Choosing a Pope’: How Succession Got Messy at ‘Jeopardy!’ — The decades-old game show, TV comfort food for many, has been rocked by drama over who would replace the late Alex Trebek. — When Ken Jennings arrived at the “Jeopardy!” studios in November for the first day of his audition …
Discussion:
Mercury News
Shawn Cohen / Daily Mail:
EXCLUSIVE: At least 63 people on Martha's Vineyard have tested positive for Covid-19 since Barack Obama's maskless 60th birthday bash - the most cases on the island since April — A total of 63 people on Martha's Vineyard have tested positive for Covid-19 since former President Barack Obama's 60th birthday on Saturday
Discussion:
HotAir, BizPac Review, No More Mister Nice Blog, Trending Politics, Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit, Sputnik News, Metro.co.uk and Twitchy
Josh Partlow / Washington Post:
‘This is a very dangerous combination’: New study says wildfire smoke linked to increased covid cases, deaths — Harvard University researchers studied more than 90 counties in the West that were hit hard by wildfires in 2020. — In a new study published on Friday, a team of researchers …
Discussion:
New York Times and Raw Story
Maureen Dowd / New York Times:
Behold Barack Antoinette — WASHINGTON — Jay Gatsby gave big, lavish, new-money parties at his sprawling mansion on the water because he wanted to seem cool. He wanted Daisy to notice him. — Barack Obama gave a big, lavish, new-money party at his sprawling mansion on the water because he wanted to seem cool.
Rachel Feintzeig / Wall Street Journal:
These People Who Work From Home Have a Secret: They Have Two Jobs — When the pandemic freed employees from having to report to the office, some saw an opportunity to double their salary on the sly. Why be good at one job, they thought, when they could be mediocre at two? — They were bored.
Discussion:
The Verge and Althouse, more at Techmeme »
George Soros / Wall Street Journal:
Xi's Dictatorship Threatens the Chinese State — In his quest for personal power, he's rejected Deng Xiaoping's economic reform path and turned the Communist Party into an assemblage of yes-men. — Xi Jinping, the ruler of China, suffers from several internal inconsistencies which greatly reduce …
Discussion:
National Review and American Security Project