Steve Inskeep

President Biden says he's determined to end the U.S. airlift by his Aug. 31 deadline. The Taliban are hardening their positions. They say Afghans will no longer be allowed to leave the country.

House Democratic leaders aim to get President Biden's multi-trillion-dollar budget plan over a key hurdle. Voting came to a standstill Monday night as negotiations continue with moderate lawmakers.

As the Biden administration looks for ways to speed up the evacuation of American citizens and others from Afghanistan, the Defense Department has activated the Civil Reserve Air Fleet.

The Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan. What does it mean for the Afghan people? In the 90s, when last they ruled, it was a brutal, utterly ruthless regime that terrorized its people.

The United States inadvertently took on a mission to democratize Afghanistan and instead undermined democracy at home, as unpopular wars tend to do.

New York City will ask for proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for indoor dining, gyms and entertainment venues. It is the first major U.S. city to do so as cases of the Delta variant are on the rise.

A new report from New York's attorney general alleges that Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and violated federal and state laws.

Florida leads the nation in COVID-19 infections and has seen a seven-fold increase of cases in the past six weeks. Hospitals say they're seeing more young people than before, some with severe cases.

The latest coronavirus surge is ratcheting up fears about the toll, and intensifying pressure to get more people vaccinated, wearing masks and perhaps start offering booster shots.

The spread of the Delta variant is renewing pressure on private employers to encourage their workers to get vaccinated. Most aren't yet because of morale, political divisions and a tight labor market.