ATLANTA — The nation is marking the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with tributes Monday recalling his past struggles for racial equality, observing the federal holiday named for him against the backdrop of a presidential election year. In an early tribute to King, Vice President Mike Pence...
Facebook Again Refuses to Ban Political Ads, Even False Ones
SAN FRANCISCO — Despite escalating pressure ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Facebook reaffirmed its freewheeling policy on political ads Thursday, saying it won’t ban them, won’t fact-check them and won’t limit how they can be targeted to specific groups of people. Instead, Facebook said it will offer users slightly more control...
California Legislature Returns Amid Homeless, Climate Crisis
SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers returned to work on Monday to tackle a daunting list of challenges that include climate concerns and a growing homeless population — problems magnified by election-year politics. Members of the state Assembly's Democratic majority kicked off the second year of the two-year legislative session by announcing...
Iran Vows 'Harsh' Response to US Killing of Top General
BAGHDAD — Iran vowed “harsh retaliation” for a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad's airport that killed a top Iranian general who had been the architect of its interventions across the Middle East, as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing. The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds...
Video Edited to Suggest Biden Made Racist Remark
A video of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden that was selectively edited to falsely suggest he made racist remarks during a recent speech made the rounds Thursday on social media, raking in more than a million views on one tweet alone. Experts have been warning about the dangers of selectively...
Poll: White Evangelicals Distinct on Abortion, LGBT Policy
White evangelical Protestants stand noticeably apart from other religious people on abortion restrictions and LGBT discrimination protections, two of the most politically divisive issues at play in the 2020 presidential election, according to a new poll. The findings point to an evangelical Protestant constituency that’s more firmly aligned with President...
Trump Says He'll Sign First-Step China Trade Deal on Jan. 15
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The first phase of a U.S.-China trade agreement will be inked at the White House in mid-January, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday, adding that he will visit Beijing at a later date to open another round of talks aimed at resolving other sticking points in...
Israel's Embattled Netanyahu Declares Victory in Primary
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared victory early Friday in his primary election battle for leadership of the Likud party, as TV stations predicted a landslide win for the longtime Israeli leader. The apparent victory means that Netanyahu will lead Likud into March elections, the country's third election...
Israeli Parliament Starts Dissolving Itself for 3rd Election
JERUSALEM — The Israeli parliament began voting to dissolve itself on Wednesday and pave the path to an unprecedented third election within a year. The preliminary vote passed without objections. Barring a nearly unfathomable about-face, three more measures are expected to pass and call a new election for March 2,...
Walters: An Epic Capitol Power Struggle Recalled
Exactly 40 years ago today, a political power struggle erupted in the California Assembly, one that lasted nearly a year and fundamentally altered the Capitol’s culture. Many of today’s legislators weren’t even born when Assemblyman Howard Berman, the majority floor leader, abruptly demanded that Assembly Speaker Leo McCarthy step down...