10 Things in Politics: Biden vows to hunt down terrorists after attacks

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Here's what we're talking about:

With Phil Rosen.


biden afghanistan address august 27 2021
President Joe Biden.

1. A DEADLY END TO THE US'S LONGEST WAR: President Joe Biden vowed retaliation for attacks that led to the deadliest day for US troops in Afghanistan in a decade. Thirteen American service members are confirmed to have been killed in bombings outside the Afghan capital's airport. Dozens of Afghan civilians were also killed in the attacks, and 18 other Americans were wounded as well.

  • Key quote: "We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden said of the attacks. ISIS-K, a regional affiliate of the Islamic State that is a rival to the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attacks. More on ISIS-K.

Here's how the world is reacting:

US troops are preparing for more attacks: Marine Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, told reporters he expected attacks to continue.

  • Many saw Thursday's violence coming: White House officials and their foreign counterparts publicly warned that the airport was increasingly the subject of terrorist chatter. Biden's national security advisor spoke of the threat last weekend.
  • Retaliation would most likely come via a small force: "We will find ways of our choosing without large military operations to get them," Biden said. More from his comments.

The US still plans to leave Tuesday: After addressing the nation, Biden told reporters the violent scene only furthered his resolve to get any remaining Americans out of the country and to quickly end the nation's longest war.

  • Some Republicans pushed the president to extend the deadline: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wants to pass legislation prohibiting complete withdrawal "until every American is out of Afghanistan," The Washington Post reports. While other lawmakers called for unity, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, called on Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to resign or face impeachment. Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn pushed Biden's Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment.

World leaders joined Biden in condemning the attacks: Leaders of NATO allies in France, the UK, the EU, and Germany all pledged to work together. Some nations, including Canada, are nearing or have already ended their evacuations. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK's efforts were in "the final stages."


2. Supreme Court throws out eviction moratorium: As Biden predicted may happen, justices rejected the president's latest bid to extend a pandemic policy that largely prohibits landlords from evicting renters during a public-health crisis. In the unsigned opinion, the court wrote that the CDC had no authority to issue such a moratorium, adding such a position "strains credulity to believe." All three liberal justices dissented from the decision. Millions of renters are now at risk once again.


3. Federal prison workers are burned out and headed for the exits: Severe staff shortages and fears of contracting COVID-19 are just some of the factors driving more prison workers to quit. One former employee said the coronavirus pandemic caused her to fill in as a correctional officer with no training. She said she felt unprepared on how to do her job and later quit after constantly feeling burned out.


Three office workers looking up at a signpost pointing to Denver, San Francisco, and Miami. Clouds and an airplane behind them on a blue background.
Tech giants are warning of pay cuts for those moving away. But a few companies are setting the new standard - promising big-city salaries for everyone.

4. A battle is brewing over salaries for remote workers: Some companies have rejected a hardline stance, telling employees who relocate that they can keep their coastal salaries. Others, including Reddit and Spotify, are going even further: eliminating all geographic differences in salaries. This could signal a major shift in compensation, a change that could reshape our economy.


5. Unemployed workers could get one final relief check: The Labor Department said states could give one-off relief payments, according to internal documents my colleagues obtained. States could opt to issue periodic or one-time relief payments to workers on unemployment by repurposing unused pandemic stimulus funds. Millions of workers could be affected, but it doesn't appear that many states will go through with such payments.


6. Florida sets grim COVID-19 mark: The state recorded 901 COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, the highest single-day increase in deaths in the state of the pandemic, according to a Miami Herald calculation. Hospitals are also close to a breaking point in the state. About 95% of intensive-care-unit beds are in use across 262 hospitals, with 55.3% taken up by COVID-19 patients. Gov. Ron DeSantis has defended his approach.


7. Capitol Police officers file suit against Trump and the Proud Boys: Seven officers who were attacked during the Capitol riot accuse former President Donald Trump as well as several far-right figures and extremist groups of coordinating attacks before the insurrection. More on the suit.


8. Apple makes major concessions amid antitrust fight: The tech giant said it would allow developers to alert customers of ways to make payments outside Apple's App Store, a shift that follows years of regulatory scrutiny and legal fights, The Post reports. This is the biggest concession Apple has offered under antitrust scrutiny.

Google CEO, Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook with a phone in-between them that has a COVID symbol on it and a red notification sign that says 1.

Inside how an Apple-Google partnership to track COVID-19 failed: More than a year since the first apps using Apple and Google's technology were released, and with a new variant on the rise, smartphone contact tracing in the US has struggled to live up to its promises and prove its worth. ​​And an Insider investigation also found critical shortcomings in apps that do use the technology.


9. Texas moves forward on sweeping voting restrictions: The Texas House approved a bill that would ban drive-thru voting and 24-hour voting options and add ID requirements for absentee voters. Democrats have tried to block the legislation for months, including when lawmakers fled to Washington. The bill moves toward likely passage in the Senate.


10. America's supply-chain woes go beyond port problems: Even if each of the dozens of ships floating within sight of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach suddenly found the space to dock, their cargo wouldn't flow freely. That's because ports aren't just having trouble getting ships to shore. They're having trouble getting containers onto the road.


Today's trivia question: College football is back this weekend. Which future president cut his teeth calling Iowa Hawkeyes games on the radio? Email your guess and a suggested question to me at bgriffiths@insider.com.


That's all for now. Have a great weekend!

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