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  • According to the CDC's modelers, the delta variant has hit its peak in the United States, and COVID-19 deaths will potentially drop to below 100 a day by next March.
  • The Wall Street Journal checked in with the mayor of Kabul, Afghanistan, who's a former American citizen (he lived in Miami for a while) whose family still lives in the U.S. while he runs Kabul because the Taliban is overwhelmed and can't handle the job itself.
  • Donald Trump is suing the New York Times and his niece, Mary Trump, for $100 million because they published part of his tax returns.
  • Vox has a thorough explainer of the science behind autumn, including a breakdown of what exactly "pumpkin spice" is (it's not one spice, but a mix of stuff).
  • David Byrne and his co-performers from his Broadway show, American Utopia, biked to the Queens Night Market recently, and the NY Times was there to document it.
  • Netflix bought Roald Dahl's entire catalog of work.
  • Someone has won the $432 million Mega Millions jackpot with a ticket purchased at a 48th Street pizzeria that has three stars on Yelp and does not look like it sells great pizza, so good for whomever's about to receive $192 million after taxes.
  • Journalist Michael Azerrad wrote a personal essay for The New Yorker about going to interview Kurt Cobain in 1992: "The other thing I realized is uncomfortable to say: I sensed that he was one of those rock musicians who dies young."
  • After Rick Astley, the "Never Gonna Give You Up" guy, made a recent surprise appearance at a Blossoms concert to cover a couple songs by The Smiths, Astley and the British pop band are planning two proper shows next month that'll consist entirely of Smiths songs.
  • Essentia water may or may not cause liver problems, but a lot of celebrities like it.
  • Here's some terrifying drone footage of lava from a volcano swallowing a swimming pool in Spain.
  • And finally, hoist those dogs!