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 | | | Are women safe in Afghanistan? | | The Taliban declared "amnesty" across the country, but Afghans are skeptical. And COVID-19 booster shots could be coming soon. It's Tuesday's news. | | |
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| Afghans are skeptical after the Taliban declared "amnesty" across the country, vowing to uphold women's rights under Islamic law. Booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine may be coming soon. And earthquake-stricken Haiti was left reeling after a tropical storm rolled through. |
| 👋 Hello, Tuesday! It's Laura here with all the news you need to know. |
| But first, get this kitty a treat! 🐱 An elderly woman vanished after falling down a ravine. Her cat led rescuers to her by meowing. |
| The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here. |
Taliban declared 'amnesty' across Afghanistan |
| The Taliban says they've changed – but Afghans are skeptical. During a press conference Tuesday, the Taliban declared "amnesty" across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government, seeking to convince a wary population that things will be different a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. The statements are a dramatic departure from when the Taliban fundamentalist group last held power before the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. Women had virtually no rights under the Taliban's oppressive rule, forced to quit their jobs and stay at home, losing access to education and health care and enduring high rates of both illiteracy and maternal mortality. Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, said they were working to form a government and vowed that "nobody will be harmed." The Biden administration said the U.S. has tools – including sanctions, international condemnation and isolation – to make sure the Taliban keeps that pledge. |
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Booster shots may be coming soon |
| Ready for a boost? Biden administration health officials are expected to recommend COVID-19 booster shots for all Americans who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, regardless of age, eight months after they received the second shot. The news, which will be announced as soon as this week, comes as the delta variant rages across the country. Booster shots will begin as early as mid-September, once the FDA formally approves vaccines. The action is expected for the Pfizer shot in the coming weeks. As long as any of the vaccines are issued under an emergency use authorization, no one but the FDA can recommend boosters. |
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 | | Registered Nurse Amy Berecz-Ortega from AltaMed Health Services administers the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in Los Angeles, California on August 17, 2021. | | FREDERIC J. BROWN, AFP via Getty Images | |
What everyone's talking about |
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Tropical storm blasts Haiti days after quake |
| With many earthquake survivors growing frustrated with the lack of government response, a revitalized Tropical Storm Grace rolled across Haiti on Tuesday, pounding the region with drenching rains just days after a powerful earthquake devastated a swath of the island nation. Up to 15 inches were possible in some areas before the storm moves out Wednesday. The storm hit as thousands of Haitians dug through rubble looking for loved ones or hunted for shelter after an earthquake crumbled entire towns and left hospitals overwhelmed. The death toll rose to 1,419 – and it was expected to increase again. More than 6,000 people were injured, with many left exposed on an airport tarmac awaiting space in hospitals or for medical flights to the capital of Port-au-Prince. |
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 | | Earthquake-displaced people are exposed to the elements the morning after Tropical Storm Grace swept over Les Cayes, Haiti, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, three days after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. | | Fernando Llano, AP | |
Fred weakened, but look out for Grace |
| A weakening Tropical Depression Fred wandered inland Tuesday, spawning several tornadoes and dumping heavy rain across the U.S. Southeast. Tropical Storm Grace could become the next hurricane. And Henri is hanging around, but is expected to head out to sea. Here's the rundown on this tropical trio: |
| • | Tropical Depression Fred could bring as much as 10 inches of rain to parts of Georgia and the southern Appalachians after it lashed the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend coasts Monday, knocking out power to thousands of people and washing out flood-prone roads. | | • | The tail end of Tropical Storm Grace could bring up to 15 inches of rain in some parts of Haiti on Tuesday as the storm also drenches Jamaica. Forecasters said Grace could reach hurricane strength in a couple of days after it enters open water on its way toward the Yucatan Peninsula. | | • | A third storm, Henri, now swirling in the Atlantic, was forecast to turn west Tuesday as it passes south of Bermuda, and is expected to head north later in the week and spin out to sea before reaching the U.S. | |
 | | A car attempts to drive through flood waters near Peachtree Creek near Atlanta, as Tropical Storm Fred makes its way through north and central Georgia on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. | | Brynn Anderson, AP | |
Real quick |
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School board to pay teacher $300K over BLM flag |
| A former Florida high school teacher who displayed a Black Lives Matter flag over her classroom door settled a lawsuit from earlier this year for $300,000. Amy Donofrio made national news, saying Duval County Schools administrators told her to take down the Black Lives Matter flag that had been hanging over her doorway. After she refused, the district temporarily reassigned her to warehouse operations, a move the Southern Poverty Law Center said was an effort on the school district's behalf to "retaliate" against the teacher, violating her right to free speech. New details from a public records request show that the school board agreed to pay a $300,000 settlement, with $240,000 going to Donofrio and the remaining $60,000 to her attorneys. As part of the agreement, she cannot apply for reemployment within the county. |
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 | | Amy Donofrio stands outside of Lee High School | | Courtesy of Donofrio | |
A break from the news |
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