Panjshir Valley, last resistance holdout in Afghanistan, falls to the Taliban  —  The Taliban on Monday seized Panjshir province, a restive mountain region that was the final holdout of resistance forces in the country, cementing its total control over Afghanistan a week after U.S. forces departed the country.

Labor's surprising winning streak  —  “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”  —  On this Labor Day 2021, let's apply Mark Twain's famous quip to America's labor unions.  —  News about organized labor is always headlined by sad accounts about declining union membership.

Threats & Leaks: New Documents Show Just How Crazy the Georgia Recount Fiasco Got  —  While the Georgia secretary of state's office was fending off calls from then-President Donald Trump to find votes, officials were also dealing with bomb threats.  —  Back in January 2021 …

How the Texas Anti-Abortion Movement Helped Enact a Near-Complete Ban  —  Texans are almost evenly divided on abortion, but a combination of Republican control, conservative judicial appointments and cultural shifts helped the state's anti-abortion movement find success.

GOP shouldn't have House majority if pushing conspiracies and lies, Kinzinger says  —  WASHINGTON — If Republicans are pushing lies and conspiracies, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said Sunday, they shouldn't take control of the House.  —  “I think if we're going to be in charge …

Labor Board Rebukes Union for Threatening Worker  —  Biden admin withdrew fed support for worker threatened by union  —  A federal labor agency ruled against a local subsidiary of the Communications Workers of America after it threatened a worker who requested to resign his membership …

New PR ploy  —  The head of a prominent centrist advocacy group quietly seeded a news outlet that provides a steady stream of positive coverage for her organization and its board members' lobbying clients, Axios has learned.  —  Why it matters: The fragmentation of digital media means virtually anyone can be a publisher.

Covid Deaths Surge Across a Weary America as a Once-Hopeful Summer Ends  —  Cases are starting to fall in some hard-hit Southern states, but nearly half of Americans are not fully vaccinated, allowing the Delta variant to persist.  —  OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — A summer that began with plunging caseloads …

Why can't we mandate anything?  —  For Americans who are fully vaccinated, organized political resistance to vaccination mandates is infuriating.  Such resistance continues to ravage communities, disrupt commerce, overload hospitals and generate an appalling toll of needless illness and death.

Herschel Walker's empty campaign calendar sparks concern among Georgia Republicans  —  Herschel Walker is the favorite for the Republican Senate nomination in Georgia despite a rocky rollout to his 2022 campaign that is unsettling some party activists.  —  The former professional football player …

Back on the Trail, Sanders Campaigns for a Legislative Legacy  —  Senator Bernie Sanders is barnstorming the country again, but not for the presidency.  Instead, he's making the case for a $3.5 trillion bill that would be a once-in-a-generation achievement.

Melania Trump Reportedly Wants Nothing To Do With Supposed 2024 Campaign  —  The former first lady is telling friends she has no interest in a return to the White House, according to CNN.  —  Former first lady Melania Trump is reportedly telling friends she doesn't want to return to the White House ― …

Over 230 medical journals: Climate crisis is the “greatest” health threat  —  Global warming is affecting people's health — and world leaders need to address the climate crisis now as it can't wait until the COVID-19 pandemic is over, editors of over 230 medical journals warned Sunday evening.

If Gawker Is Nice, Is It Still Gawker?  —  “I'm not interested in ruining people's lives,” says its top editor, Leah Finnegan, who once insulted a baby in a headline.  —  When I started talking with Leah Finnegan, the editor of the newly restarted Gawker, I asked her whether …

Minnesota State Patrol destroyed texts, e-mails after riot response  —  Loss of data becomes issue in ACLU suit over journalists' treatment.  —  TEXT SIZE  —  MORE  —  Minnesota State Patrol officers conducted a mass purge of e-mails and text messages immediately after their response …

N.F.L. Will Allow Six Social Justice Messages on Players' Helmets  —  The decals, with messages such as “Stop Hate” and “Black Lives Matter,” are part of the league's efforts to show solidarity with players who have protested against racism and police brutality.

Neo-Nazi Richard Spencer, Who Went Viral For Getting Punched in the Face, Is Now Divorced, Broke, and Getting Booed Out of Restaurants  —  Schadenfreude is a German word meaning “joy from sorrow” — usually used in the context of enjoying someone else's pain — and a New York Times article …