Inside secret Syria talks aimed at freeing American hostages

WASHINGTON (AP) — Last summer, two U.S. officials ventured into hostile territory for a secret high-stakes meeting with American adversaries.

House OKs bill making police intervene to stop undue force

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Washington state House on Wednesday approved a measure requiring police to intervene if they see a fellow officer using, or attempting to use, excessive force.

Virginia becomes first Southern state to legalize marijuana

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize marijuana Wednesday, as lawmakers voted to approve Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposed changes to a bill that will allow adults to possess and cul…

EXPLAINER: Is the US border with Mexico in crisis?

Gaetz associate working toward plea deal with prosecutors

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — An associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz's is working toward a plea deal with federal prosecutors investigating a sex trafficking operation, potentially escalating the

China warns Washington not to boycott Winter Olympics

BEIJING (AP) — China's government warned Washington on Wednesday not to boycott next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing after the Biden administration said it was talking with allies about

Grim view of global future offered in intelligence report

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence officials are painting a dark picture of the world's future, writing in a report released Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic has deepened economic inequality, strained govern…

A year after pandemic hit, Haiti awaits vaccines amid apathy

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti does not have a single vaccine to offer its more than 11 million people over a year after the pandemic began, raising concerns among health experts that the well-being of Haitians…

Utah high school announces new mascot following backlash

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A mostly white high school near Salt Lake City revealed its new mascot Friday that will replace its contentious Braves mascot, as school and professional sports teams nationwide face increasin…

Trump addresses GOP as power to shape national debate wanes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump insists he's enjoying his life off Twitter. The press releases his aides fire off on an increasingly frequent basis are more “elegant,” he says. Plus there's no risk …

Kremlin says it fears full-scale fighting in Ukraine's east

MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin said Friday it fears a resumption of full-scale fighting in eastern Ukraine and could take steps to protect Russian civilians there, a stark warning that comes amid a Russian troop build-u…

No region in the world spared as virus cases, deaths surge

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Hospitals in Turkey and Poland are filling up. Pakistan is restricting domestic travel. The U.S. government will send more help to the state with the country's worst infection increase.

Approval of Kansas bill on trans athletes isn't veto-proof

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas conservatives on Friday pushed

Washington state Senate OKs carbon-cap legislation

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Democratic-led Senate has passed two key pieces of Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate agenda, a plan to put a price on carbon pollution and a measure that would require fuel producers and importers…

Group to study more justices, term limits for Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has ordered a study on overhauling the Supreme Court, creating a bipartisan commission Friday that will spend the next six months examining the politically incendiary issues of…