News Roundup: Three Killed in Gunfire at Kabul Airport as Afghans Try to Flee

At least three people were shot and killed Monday morning as chaos unfolded at the passenger terminal of Kabul's airport as thousands of Afghans attempted to evacuate the country and escape the Taliban.

BY JACK CROWE August 16, 2021 Good morning and welcome to the News Editor's Roundup, a weekly newsletter that will ensure you're up to date on the developments in politics, business, and culture that will shape the week's news cycle — as well as those that might escape mainstream attention.    Three Killed in Gunfire at Kabul Airport as Afghans Try to Flee: Report At least three people were shot and killed Monday morning as chaos unfolded at the passenger terminal of Kabul's airport as thousands of Afghans attempted to evacuate the country and escape the Taliban. Witnesses reported seeing bodies lying on the ground just outside the terminal building, according to the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, an eyewitness reportedly told Reuters there were at least five dead, though it was not clear if they died from gunfire or a stampede.   The U.S. military handled security at the airport to allow a "massive airlift of foreign diplomats and citizens," according to the Journal, after the Afghan president Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday as Taliban militants entered the capital city of Kabul, signaling the official collapse of the government.   Afghan President Ghani Flees Country as Taliban Enter Kabul: 'It's Over' Afghan president Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday as Taliban militants entered the capital city of Kabul. Ghani flew to neighboring Tajikistan, a senior Afghan Interior Ministry official told Reuters. However, the Afghan president's office said it "cannot say anything about Ashraf Ghani's movement for security reasons." "That's it. It's over," a U.S. official told Fox News regarding the withdrawal. "The former president of Afghanistan left Afghanistan, leaving the country in this difficult situation. God should hold him accountable," Abdullah Abdullah, head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council, said in a video posted online. The council was tasked by Ghani with handling government negotiations with the Taliban.   Texas Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Local Mask Mandates The Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked two counties from enforcing mask mandates on Sunday after the counties previously received permission from lower courts to defy an order by Governor Greg Abbott that banned such mandates.   The 4th Court of Appeals in San Antonio on Friday upheld a lower court ruling that allowed Bexar County to mandate mask-wearing in public schools, according to the Texas Tribune. The 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas also upheld an order from Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins that required masks in public schools, universities and businesses.   That same day, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he had appealed the lower court rulings to the state Supreme Court. His office argued that the Texas Disaster Act of 1975 grants the governor the authority to act as the "commander in chief" of the state's response to a disaster.   Gavin Newsom Blasts Recall Election GOP Front-Runner Larry Elder: 'He's to the Right of Trump' Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom, who could be ousted from his post in a recall election scheduled for September 14, blasted talk-radio host and Republican front-runner Larry Elder as a fringe candidate more right-wing than former President Donald Trump. Newsom warned of the political destruction Elder could inflict on the Democrats' policy priorities at the state and federal level with gubernatorial authority.   "He's to the right of Donald Trump. To the right of Donald Trump. That's what's at stake in this election and don't think for a second you can't do damage in that role. Think about the judges he could appoint. Who would he have appointed to replace Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate? How would that impact the trajectory of this country. What would this mean for the future of the Democratic party in our efforts to keep the House of Representatives?" Newsom said Friday in San Francisco.   White House Says Florida School Officials Penalized over Mask-Mandate Ban Could Be Federally Reimbursed The Biden administration sent a letter to Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis suggesting that any school officials penalized over the state's ban of mask mandates could be reimbursed with federal funds. "Any threat by Florida to withhold salaries from superintendents and school board members who are working to protect students and educators (or to levy other financial penalties) can be addressed using ESSER funds at the sole and complete discretion of Florida school districts," it reads. Penned by Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, the letter took issue with DeSantis's recent executive order prohibiting public-school districts from imposing mask mandates on students, faculty, and staff.   Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Encourages Use of 'Chestfeeding,' 'Gender-Inclusive Language' The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, an international organization of physicians that conducts research educating, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding, recently published new guidelines encouraging the use of "gender-inclusive language" in describing women who perform the practice. "ABM recognizes that not all people who give birth and lactate identify as female, and that some of these individuals identify as neither female nor male. To be inclusive of all people in our written materials, use of desexed or gender-inclusive language (e.g., using "lactating person" instead of "mother") is appropriate in many settings," the report reads.    Philadelphia to Require Unvaccinated City Employees to Double-Mask The city of Philadelphia announced this week that it will require all unvaccinated city employees to double-mask at all times on the job as a method of "protecting the city" from the Delta variant of COVID-19. The city will require its employees to receive a COVID vaccination by September 1, and those who are not vaccinated at that time will have to wear a cloth mask over a disposable or surgical mask while working on-site, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced on Wednesday. Meanwhile, all incoming city employees must show proof of vaccination as a condition of their employment.   Minneapolis Police to End Traffic Stops for 'Lesser Violations' to Conserve Resources Police officers in Minneapolis no longer will conduct "pretextual" traffic stops for low-level offenses, Mayor Jacob Frey announced Friday. Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo "have finalized another series of reforms in ongoing efforts to create a more just and accountable system of community safety," according to a news release.  "Effective today, Minneapolis Police Officers will no longer be conducting pretextual stops for offenses like expired tabs, an item dangling from a mirror, or an expired license," the release said.   NY Assembly to Suspend Impeachment Investigation against Cuomo New York Assembly speaker Carl Heastie announced Friday that the Assembly would suspend its impeachment investigation into Governor Andrew Cuomo. "The purpose of the…impeachment investigation was to determine whether Governor Cuomo should remain in office. The governor's resignation answers that directive," Heastie said in his statement. Heastie added that Assembly Judiciary Committee chairman Charles Lavine concluded that the state constitution did not permit the impeachment of an elected official no longer in office. "The committee's work over the last several months, although not complete, did uncover credible evidence in relation to allegations that have been made in reference to the governor," Heastie said.   ADVERTISEMENT     New York Times: A Week Into Taliban Rule, One City's Glimpse of What the Future May Hold Washington Post: Death toll from massive Haiti earthquake soars Wall Street Journal: China's Economic Recovery Is Losing Steam Have a tip? Send it to the National Review News Team.   19 West 44th Street, Ste. 1701, New York, NY, 10036 Your Preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy View this e-mail in your browser.