New Mexico school year off to deadly start amid gun violence

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It's only a few days into the new school year, but New Mexico’s largest district is reeling from a shooting that left one student dead and landed another in custody.

Western fires threaten thousands of homes, strain resources

WESTWOOD, Calif. (AP) — A month-old wildfire burning through forestlands in Northern California lurched toward a small lumber town as blazes across the U.S. Western states strained resources and threatened thousands of homes with destruction.

Census data puts target on rural, Rust Belt House districts

While suburban congressional districts are swelling with new residents, lawmakers in large swaths of rural America and some Rust Belt cities are in need of more people to represent.

Forest Service maxed out as wildfires break across US West

WESTWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service said Friday it's operating in crisis mode, fully deploying firefighters and maxing out its support system as wildfires continue to break out across the U.S. West, threatening thousands of homes and entire towns.

Rush of troops to Kabul tests Biden's withdrawal deadline

WASHINGTON (AP) — The last-minute decision to send 3,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan to help partially evacuate the U.S. Embassy is calling into question whether President Joe Biden will meet his Aug. 31 deadline for fully withdrawing combat forces. The vanguard of a Marine contingent arrived in Kabul on Friday and most of the rest of the 3,000 are due by Sunday.

NY Legislature won't try to impeach Cuomo after he quits

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The New York state Assembly will suspend its investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo once he steps down after its leader concluded the Legislature didn't have the clear authority to impeach a departed official, the chamber's top Democrat said Friday.

More US cities requiring proof of vaccination to go places

Hold on to that vaccination card. A rapidly growing number of places across the U.S. are requiring people to show proof they have been inoculated against COVID-19 to teach school, work at a hospital, see a concert or eat inside a restaurant.

Pelosi faces new threat from moderate Democrats over budget

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced a fresh hurdle Friday to passing President Joe Biden’s multitrillion-dollar domestic policy aspirations, as nine moderate Democrats threatened to derail a budget blueprint crucial to opening the door to much of that spending.

Wildfires threaten rural towns in Montana, California

LAME DEER, Mont. (AP) — Wildfires in Montana threatened rural towns and ranchland Friday and victims of a California blaze returned to their incinerated community, even as the U.S. West faced another round of dangerous weather and smoke pollution fouled the air.

Marine vanguard lands in Kabul as US speeds up evacuations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The first forces of a Marine battalion arrived in Kabul at week's end to stand guard as the U.S. speeds up evacuation flights for some American diplomats and thousands of Afghans, spurred by a lightning Taliban offensive that increasingly is isolating Afghanistan's capital.

Pelosi faces new threat from Dem moderates in budget fight

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced a fresh hurdle Friday to passing President Joe Biden’s multi-trillion dollar domestic policy aspirations, as nine moderate Democrats threatened to derail a budget blueprint crucial to opening the door to much of that spending.

New York Assembly to suspend Cuomo impeachment investigation

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The New York state Assembly will suspend its investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo once he steps down after its leaders concluded they didn't have the authority to impeach him once he leaves office, the chamber's top Democrat said Friday.

Wildfires threaten towns in Montana, California

LAME DEER, Mont. (AP) — Wildfires in Montana threatened rural towns and ranchland Friday and victims of a California blaze returned to their incinerated community, even as the U.S. West faced another round of dangerous weather and smoke pollution fouled the air.

Moderate Dems demand quick passage of infrastructure bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moderate House Democrats say they would sink a

US rushes in troops to speed up evacuations in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three thousand fresh U.S. troops were rushing to Kabul on Friday in a temporary deployment to speed evacuation flights for some American diplomats and thousands of Afghans, as the Taliban pressed a lightning offensive that has captured much of the country and risks isolating Afghanistan's capital city.

Moses Lake to demolish some old structures

This year, the city of Moses Lake is cleaning up some rubble.

Sweeping conquests test US hopes of more moderate Taliban

Biden's complicated new task: keeping Democrats together

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden overcame skepticism, deep political polarization and legislative gamesmanship to win bipartisan approval in the Senate this week of his $1 trillion infrastructure bill.

California's Asian population soars, new census data shows

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's Asian population grew by 25% in the past decade, making it the fastest growing ethnic group in the nation's most populous state, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau released Thursday.

Cuomo resigns: What we know, what we don't and what's next

NEW YORK (AP) — After months of holding on to power amid sexual harassment allegations and defying calls to resign,