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Thursday 09.02.21

A suspect is in custody after a shooting left one student dead in North Carolina. It was the second shooting in three days at a high school in the state. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.
 

By Faith Karimi

Taliban forces celebrate the withdrawal of US forces in Kandahar on Wednesday. (Javed Tanveer/AFP/Getty Images)

Afghanistan

The Taliban threw a parade in Afghanistan's second-largest city to show off their newly seized American-made military equipment. In videos posted on social media, the militants displayed the hardware left behind by Afghan and US forces after the withdrawal of the last American troops. Fighters waved white Taliban flags from Humvees and armored vehicles while others dressed in US-style uniforms posed for photos in the cockpits of helicopters. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said he wasn't concerned about the images because the US had deactivated all the gear abandoned at the airport. "They can inspect all they want ... They can look at them ... but they can't fly them. They can't operate them," he said. 

Ida

Days after Hurricane Ida tore through Louisiana, its remnants are on a deadly path of destruction in the Northeast. At least eight people died in storm-related incidents in New York and New Jersey, authorities said, after Ida's potent remnants spawned tornadoes and drenched the region with heavy rains. Drivers abandoned cars as flood waters turned streets into wading pools. New York City issued its first-ever flash flood emergency and suspended subway lines due to rising waters. Flash flood emergencies stretched for 190 miles from west of Philadelphia through New York City. Ida smashed into Louisiana as a Category 4 storm on Sunday, leaving more than 1 million customers without power and killing at least two people. 

Texas

A new weapons law that went into effect this month in Texas will make it harder for police officers to protect the public from gun violence, experts say. Under the law, most residents who legally own a firearm can carry it openly without a permit or training. The controversial "constitutional carry" law is the latest in a series of pro-gun bills passed by state lawmakers this year as gun violence incidents rise in Texas and nationwide. The number of shootings in Texas increased 14% this year compared to the same period in 2020. Republican supporters argued that by removing the licensing requirement, they are removing an "artificial barrier" to residents' right to bear arms under the Constitution. But Andrew Karwoski, a policy expert at Everytown for Gun Safety, said: "Just allowing almost anyone to carry a handgun in public, no questions asked, no background check or safety training, is really dangerous."

Elijah McClain

A Colorado grand jury indicted three officers and two paramedics in the death of Elijah McClain, a young Black man who was placed in a chokehold and given a sedative. McClain, 23, was stopped by police while walking home from a store in August 2019 in an incident that ended with him in a carotid hold and then injected with ketamine, authorities said. The officers and paramedics each face a charge of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, and additional assault charges. Shortly after the incident, a district attorney declined to bring criminal charges, citing lack of evidence to prove the officers caused McClain's death. After protests in Aurora and an online petition, Gov. Jared Polis announced a re-examination of the case last year.

Coronavirus

There's a dramatic rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations due to the Delta variant, and it's affecting all age groups. More than 500,000 children tested positive for the virus within three weeks in the US last month, sparking more concerns about in-person learning. With vaccination rates low among eligible adolescents, health experts urged mask mandates as the most effective tool in controlling infections. "The virus is raging in all these children who are unvaccinated ... They have no other protection. They're literally sitting ducks," CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner said. The US Food and Drug Administration must approve or authorize the vaccines in younger children first, and clinical trials for those under 12 are ongoing.

People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.

A giant Triceratops fossil could soon belong to a dinosaur enthusiast.

Or anyone who likes massive, ancient skeletons and has $1.4 million to spare.

Say hello to the spotted, handstanding acrobats of the skunk world!

Stinky as they are, not all skunks are created equal.

Pearl Milling Co. unveiled a new ad this week.

Sounds like the same ol' Aunt Jemima taste -- but with a different name.

The good news is Amtrak might add more than 50 new routes.

The bad news: They still won't be as fast as driving.

Actor Stephen Amell finally explained what really happened during that  'shameful' flight incident in June. 

Alexa, play "Drunk On A Plane" by Dierks Bentley.

124,000

The number of civilians the US and its allies evacuated from Afghanistan, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. 

Nothing will bring back my son, but I am thankful that his killers will finally be held accountable.

LaWayne Mosely, after a grand jury indicted police officers and paramedics in the 2019 death of his son, Elijah McClain.

The shark whisperer 
Cristina Zenato views sharks as nature's masterpiece. The professional diver's built such a strong bond with the beautiful creatures, they swim right up to her and nuzzle against her while she pets them like they're dogs or cats. (Click here to view.)