News

By ROBERT BURNS AP National Security Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Built and trained at a two-decade cost of $83 billion, Afghan security forces collapsed so quickly and completely — in some cases without a shot fired — that the ultimate beneficiary of the American investment turns out to be the Taliban. They have grabbed not

By TERENCE CHEA Associated Press FIREBAUGH, Calif. (AP) — A deepening drought threatens California’s $6 billion almond industry, which produces about 80% of the world’s almonds. As water becomes scarce and expensive, some growers have stopped irrigating their orchards and plan to tear them out years earlier than planned. After decades of expansion in California’s

By MARK STEVENSON and EVENS SANON Associated Press LES CAYES, Haiti (AP) — Officials in Haiti have raised the death toll from a powerful weekend earthquake to more than 1,900. The Civil Protection Agency announced the numbers on Tuesday, when strong winds and rains dealt by Tropical Storm Grace forced a temporary halt in rescue

By ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all Americans, regardless of age, eight months after they received their second dose of the shot. The goal is to ensure lasting protection against the coronavirus as the delta variant spreads across the country. That’s according to

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — CNN’s Chris Cuomo has told viewers that he “tried to do the right thing” when balancing his role as a journalist and brother to outgoing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who announced his resignation following allegations of sexual harassment. Chris Cuomo returned to the air

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — When a 51-year-old tutor suffered a heart attack in Sri Lanka’s capital, his friends and family were faced with a difficult problem. The father of three tested positive for COVID-19, which meant he’d need to go to a special ICU for virus patients. All of

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say the suspect in the fatal shooting of a sheriff’s deputy in southwestern Michigan had been involved in a car chase with another law enforcement agency earlier that day. Michigan State Police on Monday identified the man who was later shot and killed by deputies as 35-year-old Kyle Goidosik of

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico will begin routinely collecting demographic data about sexual orientation and gender identity during government surveys under an executive order signed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The order on Monday responds to growing concerns that basic demographic information about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations is being left

By KEN RITTER and SAM METZ Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Large events like concerts and football games in one of the nation’s entertainment capitals will be able to exempt themselves from mask rules if they require guests to show proof of vaccination. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Monday that large venues that hold

By ADAM BEAM Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The leader of the California Assembly has ordered all of its employees to receive the coronavirus vaccine. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced the new policy on Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom last month ordered all state workers to either be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. But