Texas Governor Signs New GOP Voting Restrictions Into Law
September 7 By Paul J. Weber Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an elections overhaul into law Tuesday that adds more voting restrictions in the booming state, after Democrats spent months protesting what they say are efforts to weaken minority turnout and preserve the GOP’s…
Alaska will broaden its tax base. When?
September 6 By Alexander James Alaska is oil rich. This creates all kinds of benefits, but also unique challenges because oil deposits are exhaustible and oil prices are volatile, resulting in “boom and bust” cycles that wreak havoc on investors, small-business owners, university students, homeowners…
Blinken and Austin to Visit Gulf to Address Postwar Stresses
September 5 By Robert Burns Top U.S. national security officials will see how the failed war in Afghanistan may be reshaping America’s relationships in the Middle East as they meet with key allies in the Persian Gulf and Europe this week. Secretary of State Antony…
A project in El Salvador shows how China is exerting growing power in America’s backyard
September 4 By Ken Dilanian Two years ago, the U.S. government began loudly questioning a Chinese push to purchase an island off El Salvador’s coast, where a Chinese company was proposing to build a deep water port and manufacturing zone. The American objections seemed to…
Sharing harrowing details, hospital officials implore Alaska lawmakers to help quickly
September 4 By Andrew Kitchenman The state’s hospitals asked Gov. Mike Dunleavy for a new disaster declaration on Wednesday. And on Thursday, hospital leaders told lawmakers at a House Health and Social Services Committee meeting that it’s most important that the state act now to…
Europe’s Most Bitter Political Rivalry Is Spilling Over to the U.S.
September 3 By Dorota Bartyzel Politics is defined by rivalries, but rarely do they come as bitter as the one between the most powerful man in Poland and his nemesis. For ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the summer return of former Prime Minister Donald Tusk…
Does China care about preserving the environment?
September 2 By Julia O’Malley Chinese companies in Central Asia do not attach due importance to environmental requirements, do not inform the population about their intentions, do not report the results of environmental monitoring of their activities. State-owned companies of the People’s Republic of China…
Alaska’s COVID-19 hospitalizations hit yet another new record with no virus slowdown in sight
Semtember 2 By Morgan Krakow Alaska’s hospitalizations hit a new record high for COVID-positive patients for a third day in a row Thursday as the highly infectious delta variant drives up case counts. Hospitals are reporting long wait times and full capacity as they balance…
Biden Meets Ukraine Leader in Long-Sought Oval Office Visit
September 1 By Lynn Berry President Joe Biden used his first meeting with a foreign leader since ending the war in Afghanistan to send the message Wednesday that the United States — unburdened of its “forever war” — is determined to become a more reliable…
Alaska lawmakers continue to feud over PFD amount, delaying this year’s dividends
September 1 By Andrew Kitchenman Alaska Permanent Fund dividends will be delayed after the Legislature failed to agree on funding in time for the usual early October payments. The House of Representatives plans to vote Tuesday on a bill that would pay dividends of up…
Analysis: War Is Over but Not Biden’s Afghanistan Challenges
August 31 By Zeke Miller With the final stream of U.S. cargo planes soaring over the peaks of the Hindu Kush, President Joe Biden fulfilled a campaign promise to end America’s longest war, one it could not win. But as the war ended with a…
China’s Arctic claims
August 31 By Julia O’Malley China currently has the widest research infrastructure of any non-Arctic states, which includes the Yellow River Station at Svalbard, the China Iceland Arctic Research Observatory, and the Xuelong and Xuelong 2 icebreakers. In 2018, China published a document under the…