Good morning, it's Wednesday, Aug. 18, and we're covering the new normal in Afghanistan, the trial of music star R. Kelly, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Taliban Take Control

The Taliban cemented their control over Afghanistan yesterday, while attempting to establish the legitimacy of their rule in the country. A representative for the group held a news conference, promising amnesty for citizens who aided Western efforts and to allow women to participate in society—within the confines of the Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law. Many remain skeptical about the group's claims of moderation.

As the Taliban made the announcements, US troops worked to restore order at the Kabul airport to resume evacuations. Diplomatic staff and a number of US citizens remain in the country, but Afghan citizens seeking to leave were reportedly attacked and prevented entry at Taliban checkpoints surrounding the airport. 

In related news, a prescheduled inspector general's report on lessons learned from the two-decade mission in the country was released yesterday, citing failures ranging from uncoordinated operations to misunderstanding cultural context. Find the full report here.  

Separately, Taliban officials complained about being censored on social media.

R. Kelly Trial Begins

The sexual abuse trial against R&B superstar R. Kelly begins today, with opening statements scheduled for this morning. Kelly faces 22 federal charges, including child pornography, human trafficking, and other sex crimes in two separate cases in New York and Illinois, among other state-level charges.

The 54-year-old Kelly is one of the most successful music artists in recent decades, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. A three-time Grammy winner, Kelly was named by Billboard as the top R&B artist between 1985 and 2010. Critics argue Kelly has long used his standing to prey on vulnerable girls. He was first accused of having sex with an underage girl in 1991, married then 15-year-old singer Aaliyah in 1995, and was acquitted on similar charges in 2008.

Kelly has pleaded not guilty to all charges. See a breakdown of the New York case here.

Booster Shots

US health officials are likely this week to recommend COVID-19 booster shots for those previously vaccinated, according to reports. The guidance suggests the extra shot be administered eight months after full vaccination. The potential boosters would become available once the vaccines, now under emergency use authorization, receive full approval.

The recommendation would come amid concerns over the emergence of more transmissible variants. Scientists have noted mRNA vaccines, like those from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, carry a genetic blueprint instructing the body to replicate the virus's protein spike (see 101, w/video)—instructions that can be quickly tweaked to match different variants.

In related news, New York City's vaccine mandate kicked in yesterday, with proof of inoculation required to enter restaurants, bars, gyms, and other indoor venues. Businesses have until Sept. 13 to begin enforcing the rules. Elsewhere, Chicago announced an indoor mask mandate, regardless of vaccination status, beginning Friday.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. Abbott is fully vaccinated and is reportedly not experiencing symptoms.

See US averages for new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths here.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Las Vegas Raiders become first NFL team to require its fans in attendance to be vaccinated (More) | Los Angeles County to require masks at large-scale outdoor events (More)

> Maki Kaji, the "Godfather of Sudoku" and creator of many other puzzles, dies at 69 of cancer (More)

> Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and husband Chasten announce they are now parents (More) | Judge allows Johnny Depp's $50M defamation suit against ex-wife Amber Heard to proceed (More)

Science & Technology

> An FBI terrorist watch list with almost 2 million names, including those on the no-fly list, was leaked and left freely available on the internet for up to three weeks, cybersecurity researcher says (More)

> Archeologists in Pompeii find a well-preserved skeleton with a tomb inscription suggesting he helped organize performances in the Greek language; discovery provides the first evidence Greek was used in the ancient city (More)

> Fusion ignition experiment meets a key milestone; Lawrence Livermore National Lab scientists use almost 200 lasers focused on hydrogen to produce a yield of 1.3 megajoules, or 70% of the incoming laser energy (More)

Business & Markets

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> US stock markets fall (S&P 500 -0.7%, Dow -0.8%, Nasdaq -0.9%) as July US retail sales decline faster than expected (More)

> Walmart exceeds Q2 expectations on strong back-to-school spending (More) | Amazon eclipses Walmart in total annual US sales over last year, marking the first time since 1990 Walmart isn’t the highest-grossing US corporation (More) 

> Shares of Home Depot fall 5% as do-it-yourself home projects cool off (More) | MasterCard to phase out its magnetic credit card stripe in 2024 (More)

From our partners: Shoppers have more emails than ever to sift through. Personalizing your brand's emails ensures that your customers receive the emails they actually want. Sailthru's email guide has six strategies you can use to enhance your emails with examples from brands like Best Buy, Ulta, and Target. Explore the guide today and level up your email strategy.

Politics & World Affairs

> Death toll from Haiti's weekend 7.2-magnitude earthquake rises to 1,941, with the number injured approaching 10,000 (More)

> California's Dixie Fire passes 626,000 acres consumed, remains at 31% containment; strong winds push the blaze toward the towns of Susanville and Janesville, with residents awaiting evacuation orders (More)

> Tropical Storm Grace projected to strengthen into a hurricane as it travels across the Gulf of Mexico; storm is expected to make landfall along the Yucatán Peninsula overnight tonight (More)

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ETCETERA

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Where you can live comfortably as a single person.

We now know pi out to 62.8 trillion digits.

Hypnotism: We have no idea what this is, but we can't stop watching.

Father-son duo crosses the English Channel on eFoils.

Quick-thinking birthday bystander prevents an alligator disaster.

A hundred-year-old great-great-grandmother sets a powerlifting record.

Clickbait: Rest forever with Hugh Hefner and Marilyn Monroe.

Historybook: Actress Shelley Winters born (1920); Baseball great Roberto Clemente born (1934); HBD Hollywood legend Robert Redford (1936); RIP Nobel Peace Prize winner and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan (2018).

"To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there."

- Kofi Annan

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