Monday Briefing | September 13
September 13, 2021 featured headlines include a new anti-abortion law in Texas, updates on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, and new vaccination requirements in the United States.
Afghan women's rights defenders and civil activists protest to call on the Taliban for the preservation of their achievements and education, in front of the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan September 3, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Photo credit: (Stringer/Reuters) https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ 2021/09/12/afghanistan-taliban-women-education/
Stories to follow:
Texas’s new abortion law, recently upheld by the Supreme Court in a move that shocked many, continues to make news with its wide-reaching implications. Biden’s Justice Department, lead by Attorney General Merrick Garland, has now sued the state of Texas directly, which pro-choice observers hope will evade the issue of identifying the correct party to sue which part of the Supreme Court’s justification for dismissing the previous case. Texas’s recent controversial political moves may also be having an impact on the states economy and its fast growing tech sector, as many workers with highly in-demand skills decide to look elsewhere.
People around the world are watching as the Taliban solidifies its takeover in Afghanistan and attempts to form a government. Though Taliban leaders have said they will not implement the same radical policies as the last time they controlled the country two decades ago, there have already been sad signs that this will not be the case. A senior Taliban official has announced that women will only be allowed to attend university in an environment completely separated from men, and women protesting the new rule have been violently assaulted in the streets, along with journalists covering the protests.
Biden’s recent announcement that companies with over 100 employees must require vaccination or provide weekly testing has been met with relief by many, but is also generating outrage, especially among the G.O.P and Republican-led states – despite many of these states already requiring many other vaccines such as those against measles and mumps. The move comes as the 7-day average of new cases per day hovers around 150,000, a number not seen since the end of January 2021 before vaccines became widely available. The number of hospitalizations and deaths has also seen a similar increase.
Lighter News:
In more uplifting news, check out this article about Bruce the parrot, a New Zealand Kea who has fascinated researchers by inventing and using a tool to preen his feathers after losing his beak.
Happening this week:
September 18th is Museum Day! Download a ticket (one per email address) at the Smithsonian Museum Day website here and get free admission for 2 to a number of amazing museums across the country. Participating museums in NYC include: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Museum of Arts and Design, Museum of the City of New York, New York City Fire Museum, The AKC Museum of the Dog, Ukrainian Museum, and more!
In your free time:
Signup is open for NYU intramural sports! A great way to exercise and get to know new people, Fall 2021 marks the return of a limited number of intramural teams including 3v3 basketball, 9v9 soccer, pickleball, and volleyball. Teams are open to all genders. If e-sports are more your thing, there are also intramural teams for FIFA 21, Madden 22, NBA 2k22, and Rocket League. Sign up here!
This week’s Monday Briefing was brought to you by Elizabeth Bailey.
