Stories from August 15, 2021

America’s top general said Sunday that the United States could now face a rise in terrorist threats from a Taliban-run Afghanistan. That warning comes as intelligence agencies charged with anticipating those threats face new questions after the U.S.-backed Afghan military collapsed with shocking speed.
Heat and humidity are on the rise through Wednesday, then a pattern shift brings needed rain chances to Minnesota late in the week.
'Game over': Westerners rush to leave Kabul, rescue Afghans
The chop of U.S. military helicopters whisking American diplomats to Kabul’s airport on Sunday punctuated a frantic rush by thousands of other foreigners and Afghans to flee to safety as well, as a stunningly swift Taliban takeover reached Afghanistan’s capital.
Biden team surprised by rapid Taliban gains in Afghanistan
Biden is the fourth U.S. president to confront challenges in Afghanistan and has insisted he wouldn't hand America's longest war to his successor. But the president will have to explain how security unraveled so quickly, after he and others in the administration insisted it wouldn't happen.
Crews battling new, 'rapidly growing' wildfire in northeastern Minnesota
Crews were battling a new, “rapidly growing” wildfire Sunday night in northeastern Minnesota, as gusty winds and very low humidity brought another round of dangerous fire conditions to the region.
U.S. mulls COVID vaccine boosters for the elderly as early as fall
Warning of tough days ahead with surging COVID-19 infections, the director of the National Institutes of Health said Sunday the U.S. could decide in the next couple weeks whether to offer coronavirus vaccine booster shots to more Americans this fall.
An Afghan woman in Kabul's dashed hopes amid Taliban blitz
Hunkering indoors and watching her country fall to the Taliban, one young woman in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul described on Sunday the anxiety, fears and dashed hopes her generation feels as embassies evacuate staff and the government all but crumbles.
Trudeau triggers Canadian election, voting day Sept. 20
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau triggered an election Sunday as he seeks to capitalize on Canada being one of the most fully vaccinated countries in the world.
Death toll of powerful earthquake in Haiti soars to more than 1,200
The death toll from a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Haiti climbed to 1,297 on Sunday, a day after the powerful temblor turned thousands of structures into rubble and set off frantic rescue efforts ahead of a potential deluge from an approaching tropical storm.
Breezy and warm Sunday; a look at rain chances this week
Summery breezes will stay with us this Sunday, and most of us will have a dry day. We have details on that, plus the fire weather update for Minnesota and a look at the week ahead.
Afghans fear a return to brutal rule despite Taliban vows
Many fear the Taliban will roll back two decades of gains by women and ethnic minorities. An entire generation of Afghans was raised on hopes of building a modern, democratic state — dreams that seem to have melted away before the Taliban's relentless advance.
Summery breezes and reasonable dew points are in our Sunday forecast. We have the details.
Taliban sweep into Afghan capital after government collapses
Heavily armed Taliban fighters fanned out across the capital, and several entered Kabul's abandoned presidential palace. A Taliban spokesperson and negotiator said that the militants would hold talks in the coming days aimed at forming an “open, inclusive Islamic government."
Crews battle largest U.S. wildfire; threats grow across West
The U.S. Forest Service said it’s operating in crisis mode, fully deploying firefighters and maxing out its support system. The roughly 21,000 federal firefighters working on the ground is more than double the number of firefighters sent to contain forest fires at this time a year ago.
6 things to know if you're immunocompromised and considering a 3rd COVID vaccine dose
People with weakened immune systems who already got two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can now get a third shot. But exactly who is eligible? Here's what we know so far.