In Florida, the pandemic is worse now than it has ever been before.  —  More people in Florida are catching the coronavirus, being hospitalized and dying of Covid-19 now than at any previous point in the pandemic, underscoring the perils of limiting public health measures as the Delta variant rips through the state.

Henry Kissinger on why America failed in Afghanistan  —  It was not possible to turn the country into a modern democracy, but creative diplomacy and force might have overcome terrorism, says the American statesman … THE TALIBAN takeover of Afghanistan focuses the immediate concern …

Federal judge in Michigan orders pro-Trump lawyers disciplined over lawsuit seeking to overturn 2020 election  —  A federal judge in Michigan has ordered that Sidney Powell, L. Lin Wood and seven other attorneys who filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the state's 2020 presidential election be disciplined …

A naked baby helped Nirvana sell millions of records.  Now 30, he's suing the band for ‘child pornography.’  —  Spencer Elden may very well be the most famous naked baby the world has ever seen.  —  A photo of him as an infant — submerged in water and seemingly chasing a dollar bill dangling …

Lester Holt to interview Capitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt  —  NBC News's Lester Holt will interview the Capitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the network announced.  —  The interview, set to air Thursday …

Fact check: Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy makes at least 5 false claims in 7-minute Fox News interview  —  This is what Trump said about US' evacuation of Afghan allies  —  Washington (CNN)House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy made at least five false claims during a seven-minute Sunday interview on Fox News.

Herschel Gets In  —  “Mr. Walker, you have admitted you carried a gun and wanted to kill a man.”  —  “Mr. Warnock, that experience led me to Jesus.  You're a minister and you tried to run over your wife.”  —  A Herschel Walker v. Raphael Warnock debate would be one for the ages and Walker wants to make it happen.

Prosecutor: South Dakota AG to take plea deal in fatal crash  —  PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg will avoid a trial and take a plea deal for misdemeanor traffic charges in a crash last year in which he hit and killed a man who was walking along a rural highway, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

EXCLUSIVE Internal UN document says Taliban threatened, beat staff  —  The Taliban stopped an Afghan United Nations staff member as he tried to reach Kabul airport on Sunday.  They searched his vehicle and found his U.N. identification.  Then they beat him.

Gannett says political cartoon of DeSantis press secretary ‘being reviewed’ after critics accuse it of sexism  —  Christina Pushaw invoked the media company's ‘corporate social responsibility’ policy  —  Ron DeSantis fires back on media mob's failing attempt to smear him

Enough is Enough: Antifa Attacks Reporter in Portland  —  Antifa's influence may be exaggerated, but it's not a mythical Snuffleupagus, either, as they showed in attacking reporter Maranie Staab from our partner News2Share this past weekend.  —  This past Sunday, while covering a protest in Portland …

Padma Lakshmi says disparaging Indian food isn't funny.  It's ugly.  —  Comedy, when done well, has the power to transmute our personal and collective pain.  From slapstick to satire to memes, it can be a balm, a moment of catharsis to punctuate the often-cruel and random nature of life, reminding us of our common humanity.