Afghan security forces' wholesale collapse was years in the making  —  In the summer of 2011, Army Lt. Gen. William Caldwell IV made a round of public appearances to boast that he had finally solved a problem that had kept U.S. troops bogged down in Afghanistan for a decade.

The latest on Afghanistan: Four Afghans dead after fall from US plane wheel well  —  Here's the latest on the rapidly unfolding events related to Afghanistan:  —  Report: Afghans who worked for US may temporarily go to bases in Wisconsin and Texas  —  The U.S. intends to evacuate tens …

A conservative cardinal who criticized the vaccine caught covid.  Days later, he was put on a ventilator.  —  Most days during the coronavirus pandemic, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke could be found strolling down the streets of Rome maskless and carrying rosary beads.

Detainee says China has secret jail in Dubai, holds Uyghurs  —  A young Chinese woman says she was held for eight days at a Chinese-run secret detention facility in Dubai along with at least two Uyghurs, in what may be the first evidence that China is operating a so-called “black site” beyond its borders.

Exclusive: Title, cover and details of new Trump book from Bob Woodward and Robert Costa revealed  —  (CNN)First it was “Fear,” then it was “Rage,” now it is “Peril.”  That is the title of the highly-anticipated third book about President Trump from legendary journalist Bob Woodward …

Scoop: Investigation finds fired Tennessee vaccine official mailed dog muzzle to self  —  A Tennessee investigation found evidence that the state's fired vaccine chief, Michelle Fiscus, purchased a dog muzzle that she previously claimed someone had mailed in an attempt to intimidate her.

The GOP waves white flag in the same-sex marriage wars  —  To mark the beginning of Pride Month this year, Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel did what party leaders do on these types of occasions: She sent out a tweet.  —  “Happy #PrideMonth!” she wrote, " …

He spent his adult life helping U.S. soldiers.  Now, he's desperately fleeing Afghanistan.  —  Iqbal, a fighter and former interpreter, battled thirst and gunfire to get to Kabul airport.  Now what?  —  The voice on the phone from Kandahar Airfield sounded exhausted and resigned, as if not much hope was left.

Ron Johnson Does the Bidding of the Ultra-Rich  —  A new study reveals that Johnson's “principled” stand for tax reform may enrich two of his campaign donors by half a billion dollars.  —  Ron Johnson's public image is that of a delusional conspiracy theorist who struggles to pull together coherent sentences.