The United States evacuated 1,200 people out of Kabul from early Sunday into early Monday as the Aug. 31 deadline nears. / The Hill

Anti-missile defences intercepted rockets fired at the airport this morning, as the US flew out its core diplomats. / Reuters

Much of Louisiana is without power following the arrival of Hurricane Ida. Restoration may take weeks. / CNN, The Washington Post

Stephen Walt: Why are so many US allies upset about Afghanistan? Because they feel excluded from US affection. / Foreign Policy

Unrelated: "I have a confession. I really like the Flat Earth theory." / Strange Loop Canon

The US intelligence community is split on whether the coronavirus leaked from a lab or developed in nature. / BBC News

Singapore gives up the goal of covid-zero despite its 80% vaccination rate. / Gizmodo

Inside Pfizer, "variant hunters" work to stay ahead of the pandemic's next twist. / STAT

Inside a Thai Covid field hospital, patients are accused of enjoying group sex. / Thaiger

Allison Benedikt: My Covid parenting has reached peak inconsistency. / Slate

Greenland sharks may be the longest-living vertebrate species in the world, surpassing the koi fish and Galapagos tortoise. / Atlas Obscura

The world's most popular Airbnb listing is a 100-square-foot geodesic structure in the Santa Cruz Mountains. / The Hustle

See also: Photographing modern architecture in dozens of temples across Europe. / Colossal

American vine varieties are forbidden in France, but their hardiness may prove desirable during the climate emergency—alongside the rise of natural wine. / The New York Times

In Switzerland, you receive 100 bottles of wine if you turn 100 years old. / Bloomberg

David Sedaris: My father did not "pass." Neither did he "depart." He died. Why the euphemisms? / The New Yorker

"Brian and Charles" is a short sci-fi comedy about a freeloading robot. / YouTube