|
|
|
|
President Joe Biden said he stands by his decision to remove the US military from Afghanistan even as the Taliban took control of the country. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Biden defends his unpopular decision to pull out of Afghanistan President Joe Biden tried to put a positive spin on the nightmarish finish to America's two-decade military involvement in Afghanistan, but he couldn't counter the nightmarish images coming in from half a world away as the Taliban swept into power almost overnight. Afghan citizens overran the airport and tried to board planes in a desperate attempt to flee before the ruthless regime began enforcing its Islamic fundamentalist beliefs and policies against women and those who worked with the US-backed government. Biden's damage control pointed out that he couldn't ask US troops to put their lives on the line when the Afghan army wasn't willing to do the same, but he acknowledged that the situation escalated faster than expectations. SEE THE AFGHAN WAR'S FULL COST AND POOR OUTCOME
Autopilot crash investigation sends Tesla stock tumbling Just weeks before Elon Musk takes his SpaceX Starship into the wild blue yonder, he finds himself defending his other company's ability to get around on the ground. This comes after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Monday it is investigating Tesla and its Autopilot mode that has been involved in 11 crashes. Musk has long claimed that Tesla's Autopilot system requires an operator to be in the driver's seat and is not a replacement for a human, but the incidents of driverless cars getting into seemingly avoidable accidents has sparked questions about its safety. The result of the probe could have a big impact on the rules of the road. SEE HOW INVESTORS REACTED TO NEWS OF THE PROBE
Is Walmart going crypto? Job ad seeks digital currency pro Attention Walmart shoppers: You already know your dollar goes farther at the retail giant. Soon, so may your cryptocurrency -- at least that's the speculation after Walmart posted an ad for a job opening to create a “broad set of payment options for its customers.†The posting set off a flurry of activity as the price of bitcoin surged to more than $46,000 and even Walmart's stock saw a bump. The concept of companies accepting crypto for goods and services has been spreading, but once a mainstream corporation like Walmart gets in on the crypto craze the digital dollars will really start to flow. FIND OUT WHY WALMART MAY MAKE THE MOVE TO CRYPTO
|
|
 |
Markets
| DJIA | 35,625.40 | 0.31% |
| S&P 500 | 4,479.71 | 0.26% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 14,793.76 | -0.20% |
| Japan: Nikkei 225 | 27,600.02 | 0.28% |
| UK: FTSE 100 | 7,153.98 | -0.90% |
| Crude Oil Futures | 67.59 | 0.45% |
| Gold Futures | 1,788.40 | -0.08% |
| Yen | 109.25 | -0.02% |
| Euro | 1.18 | -0.01% | | * As of market close |
|
|
 |
COVID overwhelming hospitals and courts
The fourth wave of COVID-19 has the US in its grips as the numbers of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise. But this time the virus is also crossing into legal territory over mask and vaccine mandates. As schools reopen and children become more susceptible to the Delta variant, states are having hot debates over protocols. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's ban of mask mandates is drawing legal challenges and outright defiance in some cities. And in Georgia and South Carolina, where mask and vaccine mandates have been banned, one student died in addition to the dozens to contract the virus at school. Similar outbreaks are popping up throughout the country and bringing the legal system into the standoff. SEE WHY ONE HEALTH OFFICIAL SAYS THINGS WILL GET WORSE
|
|
|
|
Haiti hit with 1-2 punch of quake, storm
Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the Caribbean and residents are facing even tougher times due to the 1-2 punch of a major earthquake and a tropical storm. The lethal combination of leveled buildings and homes and massive amounts of rain and wind spell disaster for the country that has grown accustomed to natural disasters, just not two at a time. Following Saturday's 7.2-magnitude quake that left thousands homeless and others trapped beneath debris, Tropical Storm Grace blew dangerous debris fields and dumped copious rainfall on the mountainous island, threatening to cause deadly mudslides. Haitians were holding on and holding out hope for improved conditions when the sun rises on the island. FIND OUT HOW HAITIANS FARED IN THE DUAL NATURAL DISASTER
|
|
T-Mobile customers targeted by cyberattack
T-Mobile customers slept uneasily last night after the cellular telephone giant acknowledged its system was hacked. As many as 100 million customers worldwide had their personal information compromised. T-Mobile claims to have plugged the leak on the data breach but the damage is already done as the dark web was already posting the information was available in exchange for bitcoin. It's the latest in a string of cyberattacks against major corporations and government agencies that are paying a heavy price for their failure to secure their computer systems. SEE HOW T-MOBILE CUSTOMERS WILL BE EFFECTED BY THE LEAK
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crime time
Cyber crimes are a dime a dozen these days, but who was the first person to be a convicted cyber criminal? Bonus points for the year and the victim. Monday’s answer: Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman in space aboard the Vostok 6 spacecraft in 1963 -- 20 years before American astronaut Sally Ride broke the space and gender barrier. SEND YOUR ANSWER HERE TO SHOW OFF YOUR KNOWLEDGE
|
|
Fast Start for friends
There's no better way to start your day than by waking up with Fast Start, except perhaps sharing it with friends. Spread the word by forwarding today's copy to your crew and tell them to let us know you sent them. HERE'S THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOUR FRIENDS WILL NEED
|
|
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.
|
|
IBTimes will always protect your security and privacy. Please read our detailed Privacy Policy. Please do not reply to this email. Click here to adjust your notification preferences or unsubscribe.Â
© Copyright 2021 IBTimes LLC. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
