Terror attack threat disrupts Afghanistan evacuation mission

To ensure delivery to your inbox add email@mail.nbcnews.com to your contacts Today's Top Stories from NBC News THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021 Good morning, NBC News readers.     Today we report setbacks effecting efforts to evacuate U.S. and Afghan citizens from Kabul, why Congressional leaders are calling on President Joe Biden to call a drought disaster in Western states, and why Einstein was right about the way light bends through space.   Here's the latest on that and everything else we're watching this Thursday morning.     'High threat' of terror attack disrupts Kabul airport evacuations as Biden's deadline looms The United States and its allies warned people looking to flee Afghanistan against travelling to Kabul airport on Thursday amid fears of a terror attack.   The warning was the latest setback for evacuation efforts ahead of President Joe Biden's fast-approaching deadline, as thousands continued to crowd the airport in an effort to leave the country in the wake of the Taliban's takeover.   Other western nations also raised the alarm and some said they were bringing their evacuations to an end.   The U.S. Embassy in Kabul on Wednesday urged Americans not to travel to the airport without individual instructions from a U.S. government representative, citing security threats outside.   "The security situation in Afghanistan remains volatile," the British foreign office said in updated travel advice late Wednesday, telling people to avoid the airport and "move away to a safe location."   "There is an ongoing and high threat of terrorist attack," it said.   Also on Afghanistan this morning: NBC News' senior national political reporter Jonathan Allen writes in a news analysis that the Afghanistan exit may leave a political stain on President Joe Biden. An Afghan baby born on a flight out of Kabul has been named after the U.S. evacuation plane. About 1,500 American citizens are still in Afghanistan, according to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Bipartisan criticism pours in after congressmen take clandestine Afghanistan trip. Thursday's Top Stories Western lawmakers call on Biden, FEMA to declare drought disaster Congressional leaders are calling on President Joe Biden to declare a drought disaster in the West as record temperatures and historic wildfires batter multiple states. READ MORE In Covid ICUs, doctors see a surge in critically ill pregnant women At hospitals across the South, doctors report treating more pregnant women than at any point in the pandemic. READ MORE Police killing of Black Army veteran highlights racial inequities, civil rights leaders say Gulia Dale was fatally shot outside his New Jersey home on July Fourth after his wife called 911 to report that her husband had left home with a gun. READ MORE OPINION New York Gov. Kathy Hochul inherits Cuomo's mess — and a historic opportunity Hochul's swearing in on Tuesday marks a milestone for New York. But the future is far from certain for Albany's new boss, writes Susan Del Percio, a Republican strategist. READ MORE Also in the News Latino community college presidents cautiously optimistic about enrollment Pfizer seeks FDA approval for vaccine booster dose Death sentence upheld for man who killed 9 in South Carolina church shooting Federal judge sanctions Trump attorneys for spreading false election fraud claims The milk crate challenge is exploding on social media. Some platforms are trying to remove it. Editor's Pick OPINION Afghanistan war critics blame Biden for the current chaos. They need to look in the mirror. The tragedy's primary cause was the decision to withdraw, not the way the withdrawal was conducted, writes political analyst Bradley Bowman. READ MORE Shopping Portable AC units are easier to install than traditional window AC units. Though they're typically a pricier alternative, we found some affordable options. One Fun Thing Rare 'Einstein Ring" picture reveals the depths of the universe A new photograph from the Hubble Space Telescope shows a stunning "Einstein Ring" billions of light-years from Earth — a phenomenon named after Albert Einstein, who predicted that gravity could bend light.   The round object at the center of the photograph released by the European Space Agency is actually three galaxies that appear as seven, with four separate images of the most distant galaxies forming a visible ring around the others.   At such a great distance, the farthest galaxy should be invisible to even the best space telescopes, but its light is curved by the two galaxies in front, about 3 billion light-years away, so its image appears to us in five separate places: four times in the ring and once at the center of the ring.   Read more here. Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: patrick.smith@nbcuni.com. If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Patrick Smith.     FOLLOW US     Want to receive NBC Breaking News and Special Alerts in your inbox? SIGN UP HERE Check out all of NBC Newsletters here.     Get the NBC News Mobile App   30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 View in browser | Unsubscribe | Manage Subscription | Contact | Privacy