Politics

WATCH: Biden pledges to Americans in Kabul ‘we will get you home’

By Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller, Associated Press

Biden’s comments at a White House news conference came as the U.S. government struggles to ramp up a massive airlift of Americans and other foreigners and vulnerable Afghans, rescuing them from a Taliban takeover of the country.

Texas Democrats return, end 38-day holdout over voting bill

By Paul J. Weber, Associated Press, Acacia Coronado, Associated Press/Report for America

Some Democrats who left Texas to block a GOP voting bill have ended a 38-day holdout. Enough Democrats returned to the state Capitol on Thursday to allow the Texas House to resume work for the first time since mid-July.

Lawsuits contend Iowa governor’s office violating open records law

By Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press

A pair of new lawsuits contend the office of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is illegally delaying the release of public records related to its $26 million, no-bid coronavirus testing contract.

GOP Sen. Wicker of Mississippi tests positive for COVID-19

By Associated Press

Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in isolation. His communications director, Phillip Waller, says Wicker tested positive Thursday morning.

‘America needs to catch up’: Sec. Raimondo on the pandemic’s unequal toll on women

The 19th — an independent nonprofit newsroom and streaming partner of the NewsHour — continues its annual Represents summit Wednesday with an interview between Judy Woodruff and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The two discussed the care economy and how the…

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WATCH: State Department Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman holds a briefing about Afghanistan

By Associated Press

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman says the U.S. is working tirelessly to help get safe passage for those who want to get to Kabul airport so they can leave Afghanistan.

Big Florida school districts defy governor over mask mandate

By Freida Frisaro, Adriana Gomez Licon, Associated Press

Students in Florida's Broward County went back to school under a mask mandate Wednesday, even as their school board faces threats of penalties for defying Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Rights group says 1,001 killed since military took over Myanmar

By Associated Press

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which monitors protest-related arrests and deaths, says it confirmed two more deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total to 1,001.

WATCH: Biden administration to require COVID vaccines for nursing home staff

By Zeke Miller, Associated Press

Biden announced that his administration will require that nursing home staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition for those facilities to continue receiving federal Medicare and Medicaid funding.

WATCH: Defense officials say U.S. troops can’t escort Afghans to Kabul airport

By Robert Burns, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Associated Press

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the U.S. military doesn’t have the capacity at this point to extend security forces beyond the perimeter of the Kabul airport in order to get more civilians safely evacuated out of Afghanistan.