Times Investigation: In U.S. Drone Strike, Evidence Suggests No ISIS Bomb  —  U.S. officials said a Reaper drone followed a car for hours and then fired based on evidence it was carrying explosives.  But in-depth video analysis and interviews at the site cast doubt on that account.

Biden thought he could persuade vaccine skeptics.  He couldn't.  So he embraced mandates.  —  President Biden's initial approach to the pandemic did not include widespread vaccine mandates, a policy that some advisers and public health officials wanted but that was viewed as a step too far.

U.S. could authorize Pfizer COVID-19 shot for kids age 5-11 in October -sources  —  Top U.S. health officials believe that Pfizer Inc's (PFE.N) COVID-19 vaccine could be authorized for children aged 5-11 years old by the end of October, two sources familiar with the situation said on Friday.

Unvaccinated people were 11 times more likely to die of covid-19, CDC report finds  —  Moderna vaccine is most effective, says another study, the largest to date in U.S. to assess real-world effectiveness … People who were not fully vaccinated this spring and summer were over 10 times …

By Ana Ceballos Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau  —  Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration won approval on Friday to reinstate a hold on a Leon County judge's ruling that said the state could not enforce a ban on strict mask mandates in schools, as the court battle continues.

A convoy to the Kabul airport, hostile Taliban and the faint hope that the gates to escape would swing open … A month before the Taliban seized Kabul, a letter appeared on the doorstep of Sara Qaderi's home in the city.  The militants knew she was working for a U.S.-funded research program, the letter stated.

Salesforce offers to relocate employees and their families after Texas abortion law goes into effect  — Salesforce committed to helping employees and their families relocate if they're concerned about the ability to seek reproductive care, after a Texas abortion law went into effect.

Affidavit: Texas man murdered woman, shot her husband, because they voted for Biden  —  Suspect claimed pro-choice advocates are members of ‘Jewish Satanist Party’ who sacrifice children  —  EL PASO, Texas (KWTX & CBS Newspath) - Police in West Texas this week arrested Joseph Angel Alvarez …

BinaxNow vs. Ellume: Why one rapid COVID test seems to be sold out everywhere  —  At-home tests are hard to find in the Bay Area.  Here's what to look for, and where  —  Rapid at-home antigen tests have become convenient tools for people hoping to quickly determine whether their cold symptoms are COVID-19.

Norton Denies Responsibility for Setting Zebras Free, Supports Freedom Generally  —  Norton says the charges are understandable, but for the first time offers an alibi.  The six zebras escaped from a D.C.-area farm early this week  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton …

Breyer's airbrushed portrayal of the judicial process  —  Could the timing of Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer's new book be any worse?  It's hard to imagine.  Breyer's latest — an earnest testament to the nonpartisanship and professionalism of his conservative colleagues …

EXCERPT: On 9/11, reporting from Taliban-controlled Kabul  —  The following account from Kathy Gannon, now news director for Afghanistan and Pakistan for The Associated Press, is excerpted from the book “September 11: The 9/11 Story, Aftermath and Legacy,” an in-depth look at AP's coverage of 9/11 and the events that followed.

US Forces Were Training the Guinean Soldiers Who Took Off to Stage a Coup  —  American military officials have denounced the ouster of a president in West Africa, and said they had no warning of what their students were planning.  —  NAIROBI, Kenya — American Green Berets were training local forces …

School Is Back and the Covid Rules Keep Changing: 'It's as Chaotic as You Can Get.'  —  Delta variant compels districts to rethink their strategies on everything from vaccines to lunch  —  In Dallas public schools, mandatory temperature checks are out, while mask requirements are in.

Rudy Giuliani associate Igor Fruman pleads guilty to soliciting foreign campaign contributions  — Igor Fruman, a former associate of embattled lawyer Rudy Giuliani, pleaded guilty to soliciting foreign campaign contributions in a New York federal court Friday.

Facebook sent flawed data to misinformation researchers.  —  More than three years ago, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook trumpeted a plan to share data with researchers about how people interacted with posts and links on the social network, so that the academics could study misinformation on the site.

DeSantis on Biden's new vaccine mandate: What about people with natural immunity?  —  He makes a fair point, one made by others over the past 24 hours.  Biden's idea of an accommodation for workers who don't want to get vaccinated is to let them get tested weekly instead.

Sister of NYC firefighter who died on 9/11 calls for ‘resolution’ in Gitmo trial 20 years later  —  GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — The sister of a New York firefighter who died in World Trade Center while trying to help people escape in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks told the story of her brother's heroism …

The hyperbolic GOP reaction to Biden's vaccine mandate shows why it's necessary  —  If there was any doubt about the necessity of President Biden's expanded vaccine mandate for millions of Americans, it was dispelled by the hyperbolic Republican reaction to his Thursday announcement.

The secret moves of the Cyber Ninjas moneyman  —  Once they finish finding voter fraud in the presidential election, and they will find it, the Cyber Ninjas should rappel down the Tomb of the Unknown Ballot Box and turn their considerable auditing skills to the real estate acquisitions of Patrick Byrne …

Political experts weigh in ahead of Biden's address to nation on 9/11: ‘No one wants to be spun’  —  The president's plans to mark 20 years since the terrorist attacks have been met with some criticism  —  Biden slips to 39% approval just 8 months into his presidency

Natural Gas Excluded in Democrats' Budget Plan for Clean Energy  — House energy panel details plans for $3.5 trillion package  — Billions planned for electric cars, grid improvements, solar  —  Natural gas won't count as clean energy under a House Democratic plan that would eventually rid …

CNBC poll shows very little will persuade unvaccinated Americans to get Covid shots  — Change Research surveyed 1,775 respondents for CNBC from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 about Americans' views on Covid vaccines, President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump and other issues.

US could default on national debt as soon as mid-October  —  The federal government is on track to default on the national debt sometime in between the middle of October and the middle of November without action to raise the debt ceiling, according to an analysis released Friday.

U.S. has flagged 44 Afghan evacuees as potential national security risks over the past two weeks, vetting reports show  —  The Department of Homeland Security flagged 44 Afghan evacuees as potential national security risks during the past two weeks as the government screened tens of thousands …