US ‘copters pick up Kabul evacuees; Biden focuses on rescues
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. military helicopters have begun flying into Taliban-held Kabul to scoop up would-be evacuees. American officials confirmed the limited sorties on Friday to The Associated Press, as President Joe Biden pledged firmly to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan — and Afghans who aided the war effort, too. Biden’s comments at a…
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Harris’ Asia trip carries new urgency after Afghan collapse
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is giving new urgency to Vice President Kamala Harris’ tour of southeast Asia, where she will attempt to reassure allies of American resolve following the chaotic end of a two-decade war. The trip will provide a forum for Harris to assert herself more directly in foreign affairs.…
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GOP Governors, School Districts Battle over Mask Mandates
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Millions of students in Florida, Texas and Arizona are being required to wear masks in class as school boards in mostly Democratic locales are imposing anti-COVID mandates in defiance of their Republican governors. The three states are all hot spots in the nation’s recent COVID-19 surge and defiant boards in…
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Police probing report of explosive in truck near Capitol
WASHINGTON (AP) — Police are investigating a report of a possible explosive device in a pickup truck outside the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill and have evacuated have evacuated multiple buildings on the sprawling Capitol complex. That's according to two law enforcement officials who've spoken on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. U.S.…
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Gulf Coast’s beloved ‘Redneck Riviera’ now a Virus Hotspot
GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. Gulf Coast is glowing like a bad sunburn on maps that show COVID-19 trouble spots in red. Alabama's coastal counties lead the state in new cases, and some events have been canceled in Florida and Louisiana because of the latest surge. Health officials believe the spike is due…
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