Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. I'm your host, Jason Palmer. Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Coronavirus infections are on the rise again, even in countries that are mostly vaccinated.

New research suggests why that may be. Not only are jabs less effective against the Delta variant,

their overall effectiveness may be fading with time anyway.

And what kind of holiday maker are you? The kind who checks even responds to emails?

Or the kind whose out-of-office message suggests not a chance?

We look at how people deal with time away

and how the pandemic has changed even that.

First up, though,

In Kabul yesterday, protesters against Taliban rule celebrated the anniversary of Afghanistan's independence.

Taliban militants fired on demonstrators in another city,

Assadabad, as they had a day earlier in Jalalabad.

Intelligence agencies suggest the Taliban were also targeting Afghans

who'd worked for NATO or the country's deposed government.

Meanwhile, efforts by America and its allies continue

on evacuating foreign staff and fleeing Afghans.

We intend to maximize each plane's capacity.

We're prioritizing people above all else.

And we're focused on doing this as safely as possible with absolute urgency.

Amid all these chaotic scenes, one global power has projected calm.

China's ambassador shared a photo of the country's embassy in Afghanistan,

with its flag flying high and no guards pictured at the doors.

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