Biden Broke Our Deal With the Taliban  —  It's a foreign-policy humiliation unlike anything our country has endured since the Iran hostage crisis.  —  'The likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country [of Afghanistan] is highly unlikely," …

Office Of The Governor Statement Concerning Governor Abbott  —  Office of the Governor Communications Director Mark Miner today issued a statement after Governor Greg Abbott tested positive for COVID-19:  —  “Governor Greg Abbott today tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Pope Francis Encourages Covid Vaccines in Media Campaign  —  “Getting the vaccines that are authorized by the respective authorities is an act of love,” the pope says in a video from the Ad Council.  —  Getting vaccinated against Covid-19 is “an act of love,” Pope Francis says in a public service ad …

Israeli data: How can efficacy vs. severe disease be strong when 60% of hospitalized are vaccinated?  —  A surge involving the rapidly-transmitting Delta variant in heavily vaccinated countries has led to much hand-wringing that the vaccines are not effective against Delta, or vaccine efficacy wanes after 4-6 months.

The School Culture Wars: ‘You Have Brought Division to Us’  —  From mask mandates to critical race theory and gender identity, educators are besieged.  “You are just trying to keep everything from collapsing,” one official said.  —  July and August are supposed to be the quietest months of the school year.

BuzzFeed Clashed With NBCUniversal as It Pursued SPAC Deal  —  Chief Executive Jonah Peretti of BuzzFeed signed off on terms that could put more pressure on the company if its shares don't rise.  He is confident investors will be pleased with the results.  —  As BuzzFeed Inc. was exploring plans …

Do not underestimate Kathy Hochul  —  As summer winds down, the most frequently asked questions in New York are:  — A) What happened to the Mets?  — B) Mask or no mask?  —  The first three engender hot debate.  The fourth requires an understanding of New York politics to answer.

Progressive group launches ReplaceJoeManchin.com  —  CHARLESTON — Whether U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin decides to run for a third six-year term in 2024 or retires sometime in the near future, a group of progressive activists are creating a framework in the hopes of replacing Manchin down the road.

Twitter Says Taliban Spokesman Will be Allowed to Remain if He Doesn't Get Too Violent  —  Twitter is refusing to join its peers in the social-media world in prohibiting the Taliban from using its platform.  —  Asked on Tuesday whether Twitter would join Facebook, TikTok and other tech companies …

Are the wheels coming off the Biden administration?  —  When we look back at the first year of Joe Biden's presidency, will August of 2021 stand out as the time the wheels came off?  —  Despite the Senate passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, a substantial legislative accomplishment …

Republican rivals attack recall frontrunner Larry Elder in California debate  —  SACRAMENTO — Republicans running to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom attacked absent frontrunner Larry Elder in a Tuesday night debate that exposed cracks in a crowded GOP field.

Texas Supreme Court says House Democrats can be arrested and brought to the Capitol, siding with Republicans trying to secure a quorum  —  In a bid to block a voting restrictions bill, House Democrats for weeks have denied the lower chamber the number of present members needed to pass legislation.

DeSantis top donor invests in COVID drug governor promotes  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who has been criticized for opposing mask mandates and vaccine passports — is now touting a COVID-19 antibody treatment in which a top donor's company has invested millions of dollars.

‘Center of the maelstrom’: Election officials grapple with 2020's long shadow  —  DES MOINES, Iowa — The nation's secretaries of state used to be little-known, wonky bureaucrats who operated in near-anonymity.  But after the 2020 election, they are now on the frontlines of the battle over trust in American democracy.

DC Tunnel History Site Flagged Suspicious Activity Before Capitol Insurrection  —  The founder and administrator of an obscure website about underground infrastructure in Washington, D.C., saw a sudden and suspicious spike in traffic in the days before the U.S. Capitol insurrection.

Maloney, Payne, Jr. Introduce Legislation to Declare August National Health Care Awareness Month  —  WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) today introduced a resolution to designate August as National Health Care Awareness Month.

Arizona governor to exclude school districts with mask mandates from new education grants  —  (CNN)Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey said Tuesday that the state would use federal Covid relief money to increase the funding available to public school districts only if they're open …