January 1, Biden Hastens US Withdrawal From Afghanistan As Taliban Resurges

Greetings Middle America,

President Joe Biden said that US troops will be out of Afghanistan by August 31, which is earlier than his original September 11 deadline. “The United States did what we went to do in Afghanistan – to get the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 and to deliver justice to Osama bin Laden,” Biden said. “We did not go to Afghanistan to nation-build.” The news comes as some GOP members call to remain in the area as the Taliban gains momentum. Biden reiterated his position, adding, “How many thousands more of America’s daughters and sons are you willing to risk?”

The search for survivors of the Florida condo collapse has officially come to a close after two weeks. Authorities said they had reached the difficult conclusion that there was “no chance of life” in the rubble. The death toll stood at 60 as of this reporting. “They’ve used every possible strategy, and every possible technology available to them to find people in the rubble,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. Authorities are launching a grand jury investigation into the collapse.

North Dakota has taken legal action against the Biden administration over its suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal land and water, saying it will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. President Biden cited the need to combat climate change when he canceled the sales. The move has cost North Dakota over $82 million, according to the lawsuit. Wayne Stenehjem, North Dakota’s attorney general, said his reason for suing is “to protect North Dakota’s economy, the jobs of our hardworking citizens, and North Dakota’s rights to control its own natural resources.”

Lawyer Michael Avenatti, known for representing Stormy Daniels when she sued former President Trump in 2018, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Avenatti, 50, was convicted on charges of attempting to extort $25 million from Nike when he represented a youth basketball league organizer. “Michael Avenatti used illegal and extortionate threats and betrayed one of his clients for the purpose of seeking to obtain millions of dollars for himself,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a statement. “Not only did Avenatti attempt to weaponize his law license and celebrity to seek to extort payments for himself, he also defrauded his own client.”

Covid-19 vaccines still offer strong protection against mutations, according to new research. As the delta variant is rapidly spreading through populations with low vaccine rates, researchers from the Pasteur Institute in France reported new evidence that full vaccination is paramount. In lab tests, they found that people with only their first dose “barely inhibited” the delta variant. But weeks after receiving their second dose, nearly everyone had an immune boost strong enough to neutralize the delta variant. “Let me emphasize, if you were vaccinated, you have a very high degree of protection,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said. 

An Indiana police officer who was serving on an FBI Task Force was “ambushed and fatally shot” on Wednesday, according to authorities. Officer Greg Ferency was shot outside of the FBI Indianapolis Resident Agency in Terre Haute. The suspect was shot and wounded by an FBI agent and is now in custody. “We want to extend our deepest sympathy to TFO Ferency’s family, friends, and fellow officers,” FBI Special Agent-In-Charge Paul Keenan said. The motive for the shooting has not been made public at this time.

Be well,

Fraser Dixon

Sources

• Biden changes end of US combat mission in Afghanistan from Sept. 11 to Aug. 31
• Florida Condo Death Toll Rises To 60 After The Search For Survivors Officially Ends
• North Dakota sues over Biden’s halt in oil and gas leases on public lands
• Michael Avenatti sentenced to 2.5 years in prison in Nike extortion case
• COVID vaccines still work against mutant, researchers find
• Indiana police officer on FBI Task Force ambushed and killed, FBI says