July 21 By Margaret Wall Jill Biden embarked Wednesday on her first solo international trip as first lady, leading a U.S. delegation to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, where the coronavirus is surging and COVID-19 infections have climbed to a six-month high. On her way…

July 20 By Alexandra Jaffe President Joe Biden expressed pointed frustration Wednesday over the slowing COVID-19 vaccination rate in the U.S. and pleaded that it’s “gigantically important” for Americans to step up and get inoculated against the virus as it surges once again. Biden, speaking…

July 19 By Lisa Mascaro The bipartisan infrastructure deal senators brokered with President Joe Biden is hanging precariously ahead of a crucial Wednesday test vote as they struggle over how to pay for nearly $1 trillion in public works spending. Tensions were rising as Republicans…

July 18 By Nahal Toosi Secretary of State Antony Blinken is telling U.S. diplomats to make the promotion of human rights and democracy a priority, even in countries with abusive governments that happen to be U.S. allies. Along the way, Blinken says, it’s fine to…

July 18 By Barak Ravid The State Department’s point person on Israel-Palestine warned Israeli officials during his talks in Jerusalem this week that the Palestinian Authority is facing dangerous economic and political crises, three Israeli officials told me. Why it matters: The Palestinian Authority is…

July 18 By Morgan Krakow Despite being vaccinated against COVID-19, a few hundred Alaskans still tested positive for the virus over a five-month period, according to new information from the state health department. In total, 656 cases from February through June were considered vaccine breakthrough…

July 17 By Stephen Collinson House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy’s new pilgrimage to Donald Trump shows there is no price a party that has slipped its moral moorings and given up on democracy will not pay for power. His trip to the ex-President’s New Jersey…

July 17 By Melissa Holzberg Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) hasn’t announced if she’ll run for reelection in 2022, but the nearly 20-year Senate veteran will have a war chest if she decides to enter the race. Murkowski raised more than $1.1 million in the…

July 16 By Samanta Broun President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. will bolster security at its embassy in Haiti following last week’s assassination of that country’s president, but sending American troops to stabilize the country was “not on the agenda.” Haiti’s interim government…

July 16 By Steven Bill Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy today in Fairbanks convened his full cabinet for the first in person meeting since social distancing measures were implemented in 2020. The principal heads of Alaska’s 14 departments discussed issues including responding to the Munson Creek…

July 15 By Matt McGrath The European Union has announced a raft of climate change proposals aimed at pushing it towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. A dozen draft proposals, which still need to be approved by the bloc’s 27 member states…

July 14 By Stan Perry A state court judge is scheduled to hear arguments Monday in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a voter-approved initiative that would end party primaries in Alaska and institute ranked-choice voting in general elections. Scott Kohlhaas, who unsuccessfully ran for…