Taliban Seize Afghanistan, Haiti Quake, and Banksy's Tricks of the Trade
Twenty years after being removed from power by US forces, the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan over the weekend.
Good morning, it's Monday, Aug. 16. The Taliban toppled the Afghan government over the weekend, while on the other side of the world, Haiti was rocked by another devastating earthquake. Have feedback? Let us know at hello@join1440.com. First time reading? Sign up here. NEED TO KNOW
Kabul FallsThe Taliban captured the Afghan capital of Kabul yesterday, the final conquest in an accelerated offensive that overwhelmed nearly every major city in the country in a matter of weeks. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, reportedly to neighboring Tajikistan. Western officials scrambled to evacuate remaining diplomatic staff, workers, and Afghan citizens who aided the US and Afghan government. The city's fall comes roughly three months after the US and NATO began a final withdrawal from the country. It also marks a de facto end to the two-decade, Allied-backed effort to establish a democratic Afghan-led government. US officials were reportedly caught off guard by the speed of the Taliban advance. Kabul's capture—effectively the end of the campaign—came just 10 days after the group captured its first of the country's 34 provincial capitals. As recently as Aug. 11, Biden administration officials projected Kabul may fall within 30 to 90 days. Human rights groups have decried reports of atrocities in areas captured by the group. The previous Taliban regime, which ruled from 1996-2001, received international condemnation for its oppression, particularly among women and young girls. It is currently unclear how the international community will approach a renewed Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan. See key leaders of the Taliban here. Quake Rocks Haiti At least 1,297 people were killed and more than 5,700 injured after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti Saturday. The epicenter was located along the country's southwestern peninsula roughly 80 miles west of the capital of Port-au-Prince (see map). The disaster comes amid political chaos—Haiti's former president, Jovenel Moïse, was killed in a brazen July assassination. The quake was stronger than the 7.0-magnitude strike that devasted Haiti in 2010. So far, the death toll has fallen far short of the previous quake, which claimed up to 300,000 lives and left 1.5 million people homeless. The country is particularly prone to earthquakes, sitting near the intersection of the North American and the Caribbean tectonic plates. Rescuers are racing to recover survivors from the rubble, with efforts threatened by the incoming Tropical Storm Grace, which is expected to pass over the country late today and overnight. See photos of the aftermath here. Starliner ShelvedBoeing will indefinitely ground its Starliner space vehicle as it probes a technical malfunction, officials announced over the weekend. The reusable capsule had originally been scheduled to launch last fall before a series of delays pushed it to early August, when it failed a series of preflight checks that resulted in a scrubbed launch. Reports suggest the vehicle experienced a series of malfunctioning valves in its propulsion system—the entire capsule is being returned to Boeing's factory for further testing. Boeing was one of two companies—the other being SpaceX—awarded multibillion-dollar grants under NASA's effort to develop private-sector crew transport capabilities. The uncrewed test flight was scheduled at the behest of Boeing, who footed a $410M cost, after software issues prevented a first test flight from docking with the International Space Station. Know someone who needs smart, objective news? Introduce us. In partnership with Eight SleepIT HELPS YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT
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