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Many Afghans Leave As Taliban Takes Control

Nearly two decades after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, the Taliban regained control last month of most of the country as the U.S. began to withdraw. After President Joe Biden announced the total withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan earlier this year, the military began departing on May 1. In early July, the U.S. EVACUATED Bagram Airfield, the largest military installation in Afghanistan. Shortly after that, Biden moved up the deadline to have the troops out by Aug. 31. The Afghan military quickly lost ground against the Taliban, and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul was evacuated as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled his own country on Aug. 15. The images and stories that followed elicited sadness and anger around the world as U.S. citizens and many Afghan citizens who helped the U.S. military over the last two decades struggled to flee the country. Thousands of people were hurriedly evacuated by plane from the Kabul airport. Tragically, 13 U.S. military members and 169 Afghan civilians died in two bombings just outside the airport on Aug. 26. The U.S. military presence in Afghanistan dates back to 2001. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush sent U.S. troops to Afghanistan to seek out the terrorists who planned the attacks and the Taliban members who aided them. At the peak of the U.S. presence, there were nearly 100,000 troops in Afghanistan. Then President Barack Obama announced plans for a full troop withdrawal by 2016, but

Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force

that did not happen. When President Donald Trump took office, he negotiated a deal with the Taliban that involved the U.S. withdrawing its troops fully by May 1 of this year. Before Trump left office, U.S. troop levels were reduced to 2,500. The Taliban first gained control of most of Afghanistan after a civil war in 1996. The Taliban were known for their repressive treatment of the Afghan people, particularly women. While the Taliban leaders have promised peace and order in resuming control of the country, there are many who have voiced concern about the future and safety of Afghan citizens.

Honoring Those Lost On 9/11 20 Years Later

For anyone old enough to remember, most can tell you exactly where they were on 9/11/01 when they heard the news that a terrorist attack was unfolding in New York City. It was shortly after sunrise in Arizona when people were waking up to the news that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center (WTC). As America and the world stayed glued to their televisions to keep informed of what was happening, more planes were attacking. Nineteen members of the terrorist group al-Qaeda boarded four commercial airplanes, hijacking them and overtaking the cockpits. American Airlines Flight 11, carrying 76 passengers and 11 crewmembers crashed into the north tower of the WTC at 8:46 a.m., EST. At 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the south tower of the WTC. There was a total of 60 passengers and crew on that flight. At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77, carrying 59 passengers and crew crashed into the west wall of the Pentagon. Before the fourth plane crashed, the south tower of the WTC collapsed. United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, PA, at 10:03 a.m. The target for this plane is believed to have been either the White House or the Capitol. There was a total of 40 passengers and crew on this flight. Passengers on this flight overtook the terrorists, but the plane crashed killing all on board. The north tower of the WTC collapsed at 10:28 a.m. Close to 3,000 people perished in the attacks, including NYC firefighters, police officers and Port Authority officers. A previous terrorist attack at the WTC took place in 1993. A bomb exploded in the parking garage killing six people and injuring over 1,000. The WTC sustained minimal damage. One World Trade Center was built and opened in 2014 on the site where the WTC stood. There is a 9/11 Memorial & Museum on the site in honor and memory of those who perished on 9/11.

Toys to Treasure and Trade!

Have you ever wanted to hold onto a toy hoping that it might be worth lots of money someday? Well, you might not be wrong—collectibles have been selling at record-breaking prices recently. Last month, a factory-sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for $2 million—the most expensive video game ever sold! That record may not last long if the last year of video game sales are any indication though. Earlier this year, a sealed copy of Super Mario 64 held the title after it sold for $1.56 million. Just before that sold, the title belonged to a sealed copy of The Legend of Zelda after it sold for $870,000. Another popular collectors’ item set a record last month, this one for a sports card.

Recent Record-breaking Sales for Toys:

• Super Mario Bros.: $2 million • Superman comic: $3.25 million • Honus Wagner card: $6.6 million

A T206 Honus Wagner baseball card sold for $6.6 million! That title was previously held by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card that sold for $5.2 million. The Honus Wagner cards were distributed between 1909 and 1911. There are only about 60 of the Wagner cards in the world and most of them are not in great shape—not surprising considering the cards are more than a century old! Wagner was one of the earliest athletes to have ENDORSEMENT deals. He made money with his image and name selling soda, gum, gunpowder, razors and more! No collectible conversation would be complete without talking about comic books. The Man of Steel flew into fans’ hearts when he appeared as the first ever comic book superhero—in Action Comics #1 dated June 1938. At the time it was released, the comic book sold for 10 cents. When the mint-condition comic sold in an auction earlier this year, it went for a record-breaking $3.25 million! So how was an 83-year old comic still in such great shape? It was buried in a stack of old movie magazines for years and has only been sold a handful of times—last in 2018 for more than $2 million.