The News Roundup for August 27, 2021

The Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer Covid vaccine. The endorsement has caused a wave of vaccine mandates from offices, universities, and even the Pentagon. Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths hit pandemic highs in Florida as the Delta variant continues to ravage the state. Many Florida residents are still unvaccinated and Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to make it difficult for institutions to protect their communities. Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan continues to evolve. The Taliban is now in control in Kabul and has rejected an extension to the Aug. 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden for the withdrawal of some 1,500 Americans still in the country. In addition, explosions rocked areas around the airport in Kabul Thursday, killing dozens. Officials have warned of a possible terrorist threat. Injuries to civilians and Americans are expected.Despite high rates of vaccinations among its many populations, Israel is seeing a surge in Covid-19 case numbers experts have attributed to the abandonment of all other safety measures meant to guard against the spread of infection.We talk about the most important stories during the News Roundup. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.