CIA Director William Burns held secret meeting in Kabul with Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar  —  CIA Director William J. Burns held a secret meeting in Kabul on Monday with the Taliban's de facto leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in the highest-level face-to-face encounter between the Taliban …

Biden decides to keep August 31 deadline to withdraw from Afghanistan as evacuations accelerate  —  (CNN)President Joe Biden has decided, in consultation with his national security team, to stick with the August 31 deadline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, according to a senior administration official.

Hawaii governor tells tourists to stay home as coronavirus surges across islands  —  Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) is telling tourists to stay away from the islands amid a surge in COVID-19 infections.  —  In a news conference on Monday, Ige encouraged visitors and residents to reduce travel to essential business activities.

Democrats near deal to break budget impasse  —  Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a band of Democratic centrists are finalizing a deal that would clear the way for passage of the party's $3.5 trillion budget framework and set a Sept. 27 House vote on infrastructure — an offer both sides hope will end their weekslong standoff.

Maryland's Kimberly Klacik sues conservative commentator Candace Owens for defamation, asks for $20 million in damages  —  Kimberly Klacik, a former Republican congressional candidate in Maryland, is suing conservative commentator Candace Owens for $20 million in damages over an Instagram video Owens …

Conservative Bill Kristol endorses McAuliffe in race for Virginia governor  —  RICHMOND — Bill Kristol is just like all the other disaffected Virginia Republicans whom gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin needs to win over, only famous.  —  The longtime conservative commentator …

Exclusive: Americans' harsh judgment on Afghanistan costs Biden's approval, down to 41%  —  Susan Page Matthew Brown Mabinty QuarshieUSA TODAY … Was the longest war worth it?  —  After two decades of combat, Americans by more than 2-1 say the war in Afghanistan, launched in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, wasn't worth it.

J.D. Vance has become the politician he once said he couldn't support  —  If you want to win a Republican primary in a Republican state, you could do worse than getting into a public fight with Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.).  —  After all, primary electorates tend to be more partisan than the electorate overall …

Reuters photographer was killed after being left behind in Afghan retreat, general says  —  Danish Siddiqui was with soldiers on the front line of an Afghan Special Forces clash with the Taliban.  New reporting, and his last photographs, cast light on his final hours, on the collapse of the Afghan military …

Possible case of ‘Havana syndrome’ in Vietnam delays Vice President Harris' visit  —  Vietnam is the latest country where a mysterious incident has been reported.  —  Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to Vietnam on Tuesday was interrupted by a report of an “anomalous health incident,” …

NEW POLL: Veterans strongly support withdrawal from Afghanistan; Republicans out of step with rest of America on Afghan refugees  —  WASHINGTON, DC - A new poll commissioned by VoteVets shows that American veterans overwhelmingly support President Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan, along with all Americans.

Florida hasn't asked for $820 million in federal food assistance for children  —  The DeSantis administration hasn't applied for a federal food aid program, part of a larger effort by the governor to return life to normal.  —  TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration has not yet applied …

Monsoon Rains Just Washed Away Trump's ‘Impenetrable’ Border Wall  —  Photos show rusted steel border bollards along the Arizona border ripped from their hinges by the recent rains.  —  JE  —  Monsoon rainfall in southeast Arizona damaged sections of the multi-billion dollar border wall whose construction …

Kathy Hochul becomes New York's first female governor  —  Gov. Kathy Hochul became New York's first female governor at midnight on Tuesday, assuming office after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal.  —  Hochul, who has in recent days attempted …

Republican Lobbyist Barry Bennett Comes Under DOJ Scrutiny  —  One-time Trump campaign adviser faces probe into whether he set up an undisclosed lobbying effort to embarrass Qatar's adversaries, people familiar with the matter say  —  WASHINGTON—Federal prosecutors are investigating Barry Bennett …