Police commander demoted over Seattle protest blames racism

SEATTLE (AP) — A recently demoted Seattle police commander is suing the city of Seattle and interim police Chief Adrian Diaz, alleging discrimination and unfair blame for a flashpoint “pink umbrella incident” during police clashes with racial justice d...

Third B.C. school district issues across-the-board mask mandate for all students

VICTORIA — A third school district in British Columbia has announced its own policy extending a provincial mask mandate for kindergarten-to-Grade 3 students starting Monday. The Burnaby School District followed the lead of the Vancouver and Surrey dist...

N Korea says it fired anti-aircraft missile, 4th recent test

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Friday it test-fired a new anti-aircraft missile, its fourth weapons launch in recent weeks, which experts say is part of a strategy to receive relief from economic sanctions and win other concessions.

Senate approves Biden land-agency pick over GOP opposition

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bitterly divided Senate late Thursday approved President Joe Biden’s choice to oversee vast government-owned lands in the West, despite Republican complaints that she is an "eco-terrorist.''

Scammers got nearly 30% of Arizona virus unemployment pay

PHOENIX (AP) — Scammers were able to pocket nearly 30% of the $16 billion in unemployment insurance payments sent out by Arizona since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the director of the state agency overseeing the program said Thursday.

California enacts law to strip badges from bad officers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California has joined the vast majority of states in setting up a way to strip the badges of police officers who act criminally or with bias, a change that was among several criminal justice reforms signed

Growing GOP governor’s field puts nomination ‘up for grabs’

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The big field of Republicans running for governor of Pennsylvania is increasingly unsettled, with more candidates joining it, few leading party figures picking favorites and persistent talk that one of the most senior state Repub...

Trudeau flies to Tofino, B.C., to be with family on Truth and Reconciliation Day

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under fire Thursday for spending part of Canada's first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation flying to Tofino, B.C., to join his family. But his office denied Trudeau was taking a vacation on a

Senate confirms Biden pick to lead consumer watchdog agency

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate narrowly approved President Joe Biden's pick to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Thursday, giving the bureau a director who is likely to embrace an aggressive “watchdog” role, similar to how the agency operat...

Ban on ‘surprise’ medical bills on track for Jan. 1 rollout

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday put final touches on consumer protections against so-called “surprise” medical bills. The ban on charges that hit insured patients at some of life's most vulnerable moments is on track to take effe...