Good morning and welcome to your weekday morning roundup of the top stories you need to know.
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What's going on today:
- COVID cases spike up. The US could record another 100,000 COVID-19 deaths by December if more isn't done to reduce the spread of the virus. " We can save 50,000 lives simply by wearing masks," Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington said.
- Travel tamp down. The EU looks set to reimpose travel restrictions on US visitors as COVID cases climb in the country. Five other countries - Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, and North Macedonia - are also expected to be dropped from the "safe countries" list.
- Rand Paul's ivermectin rant. Rand Paul claims scientists won't study horse deworming drug ivermectin's use as a potential COVID cure because of their "hatred for Trump" The FDA and CDC have warned people not to use ivermectin, a deworming drug for livestock, because of its deadly side effects.
- The Taliban's education claims. The Taliban's education minister says it will allow Afghan women to attend university, but mixed gender classes will be banned. Many are skeptical of the Taliban's sudden change in tack. Afghan women say the group has not consistently followed through with its vows that girls can continue attending school.
- Super-size moo. Hilarious video shows a cow peering out of the window of a car at a McDonald's drive-thru in Wisconsin. Jessica Nelson, the Facebook user who took the video, found out from the car's owner that there were actually three cows in the car's backseat. Wonder if they got milkshakes (GET IT?).
- That's all for now. See you tomorrow.