What we know so far about the attacks in Kabul
THE BIG STORY
At least 13 US service members as well as Afghan civilians were killed after two explosions outside Kabul's airport.  Hamid Karzai International Airport (BuzzFeed News; Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies)(Ben Kothe/BuzzFeed News) On Thursday, two explosions occurred outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing at least 13 US service members and injuring 18. An unknown number of Afghan civilians were killed and wounded as well.
The attacks were believed to have been carried out by ISIS suicide bombers and gunmen, US officials report, adding that they were still working to calculate "the total loss."
In a public address Thursday evening, President Joe Biden again vowed to track down those who ordered the attacks.
"We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden said.
A Marine spokesperson also said in statement that despite the bombings, the US will continue to focus on evacuating the remaining 1,000 Americans in the country. The Pentagon reports that at least 104,000 people have been evacuated so far.
The airport has been the site of chaos, panic, and fear since the Taliban took over the country. Large crowds of Afghan families have been waiting outside its gates in hopes of escaping on the last few flights out of Afghanistan before the Aug. 31 US withdrawal deadline. And as US forces evacuate the country, Afghan nationals who supported the UN say they're being left behind to fend for themselves against the Taliban.
 A US soldier holds a sign indicating a gate is closed as hundreds of people gather near an evacuation control checkpoint outside Hamid Karzai International Airport on the morning of Aug. 26. (Wali Sabawoon/AP)  Afghan refugees crouch in a group as British military personnel secure the perimeter outside the Baron Hotel, Aug. 26. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)  Two boys embrace each other outside a Kabul hospital after the attacks. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images) STAYING ON TOP OF THIS
Evictions can resume after the Supreme Court halted the Biden administration's coronavirus moratorium.
The US Supreme Court rejected the Biden administration's latest attempt at keeping people in their homes as cases of COVID-19 surge nationwide on Thursday night. The decision affects potentially millions of households where people are behind on their rent, according to statistics presented by the Justice Department.
The court's conservative majority held that the latest pause on evictions issued by the CDC could no longer be enforced as a legal challenge went forward in the lower courts. In response, the White House released a statement calling on landlords and any federal, state, and local authorities with the power to stop evictions to do so.
"As a result of this ruling, families will face the painful impact of evictions, and communities across the country will face greater risk of exposure to COVID-19," said press secretary Jen Psaki. SNAPSHOTS
A school board will pay $1.3 million to Gavin Grimm over an anti-transgender bathroom policy. The decision marks a major victory for the rights of trans students to use public facilities that reflect their gender identity.
Monica Lewinsky hired a therapist to watch "Impeachment: American Crime Story" with her, in order to process the "retraumatizing" scenes retelling her affair with Bill Clinton. As a producer of the series, Monica said she felt she had a duty to provide an authentic account of events, even if it meant coming face-to-face with her darkest moments.
Kelly allegedly told a 17-year-old that he should be able to have sex with "very young girls" because he's a "genius." Prosecutors argue that Kelly abused at least 22 women and men. New testimony suggests why he allegedly sought out young victims for years.
"WE ARE OUR OWN PEOPLE"
Teens are taking matters into their own hands to help each other get COVID vaccines. As vaccine hesitancy persists and the Delta variant surges in the US, children and parents are debating who has the right to make decisions about young people getting the shot.
A growing number of teens have taken up sharing information with one another, debunking vaccine conspiracy theories with skeptical parents and peers, and advocating for legislation that empowers them to make their own medical decisions.
"[Teens with anti-vax parents and guardians] are living in sheer fear, sadness, and frustration," said ninth-grader Arin Parsa. A student living in San Jose, California, Parsa founded the organization Teens for Vaccines to support minor consent laws and report vaccine misinformation online.
"The issue goes far beyond public health, parental assurance. The mental health of teens suffering in silence matters."
But since the spring, states including North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina have taken legislative action to curb minors' decision-making power when it comes to getting a vaccine. And with the arrival of a new school year, teen vaccine advocates anticipate that the fight to consent to their own shots will only escalate. HIGHLIGHT OF THE SUMMER
The Notting Hill Carnival has been a celebration of the Caribbean diaspora in London since the 1960s. Here's a look back.  The Notting Hill Carnival in the 2000s. (Amanda Edwards/Redferns) Held every summer since the 1960s, the Notting Hill Carnival is a celebration of Caribbean culture in London that regularly attracts millions from all over the world.
The first carnival was organized in 1959 by Trinidadian journalist and activist Claudia Jones, who sought to create joyful resistance against the racist attacks happening in Notting Hill at the time. Though the event has experienced trouble with riots over the years, overall the festival remains as it was intended — a jubilant celebration of Caribbean culture and life.
This year's carnival has been canceled due to concerns over COVID-19, but longtime fans of the street festivities eagerly anticipate its return.
"It is a huge party loved by many, but it holds a much deeper significance for the local West London community as well as the broader Black British and Caribbean communities in the UK," said photographer Nadine Persaud, who's been attending the carnival since she was a teenager. "So 2022 can not come soon enough." WEEKEND READS
Read these on your slow Sunday morning.
Big Tech thought it had a billion users in the bag. Now it might be forced to make hard choices to get them. From Twitter to digital news outlets, India's increasingly authoritarian government has been cracking down on online dissent. It could force Silicon Valley to make a choice between standing up for democratic values and the rights of their users — and continuing to expand their global market dominance.
Was "Nine Perfect Strangers" written by an algorithm? "Nine Perfect Strangers is unequivocally and almost unabashedly bad; I will watch every second of it, probably twice," says culture writer Scaachi Koul. This review oddly sold me on the show, even though that was surely not the point. I'm only human! Treat yourself the way you would your closest friend, Alexa 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Alexa Lee and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
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