As some in the Republican Party call for halting aid to Ukraine, other GOP members of Congress are doubling down on supporting the war-torn nation and even criticizing the Biden administration for not doing enough. Read more»

In an age of polarization, it is worth remembering that one of the pillars of King’s philosophy was pluralism: the idea of multiple communities engaging one another, acknowledging their differences and shared bonds, and striving to create what King called a “Beloved Community.” Read more»

President Biden began his State of the Union address Tuesday — his first to a divided Congress — with an appeal to bipartisan priorities, but later criticized parts of the GOP agenda and got a sense of Republicans’ appetite for conflict during one combative stretch. Read more»

"Because the soul of this nation is strong, because the backbone of this nation is strong, because the people of this nation are strong, the State of the Union is strong. As I stand here tonight, I have never been more optimistic about the future of America. We just have to remember who we are." — President Joe Biden Read more»

True the Vote, a group that spread discredited election conspiracy theories, “abandoned” The Freedom Hospital in April 2022, according to its lawyers - yet board member Gregg Phillips continued to seek donations for the project for months afterward. Read more»

The U.S. Senate passed a massive $1.7 trillion funding package that carries emergency aid for natural disaster recovery and the Ukrainian war effort, pushing past disputes over immigration policy and barely meeting a Friday deadline when current funding runs out. Read more»

The Ukrainian aid legislation, which passed with broad bipartisan approval, includes about $19 billion for military support - though not all of that will be transferred to Ukraine - and the rest of the $40 billion included humanitarian and economic aid, among other measures. Read more»

The Biden administration on Tuesday asked Congress for billions more in funding this year to address COVID-19 and the ongoing war in Ukraine, suggesting lawmakers attach it to a spending bill that must pass before Dec. 16. Read more»

President Joe Biden will authorize the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the nation’s reserves on Wednesday, part of an effort to lower gas prices as polling shows concerns over inflation are likely to hurt Democrats in congressional elections next month. Read more»

The U.S. Senate advanced a catchall spending package - after an energy bill from Sen. Joe Manchin was removed - that would help communities recover from natural disasters, provide billions to aid Ukraine’s war effort, and keep the government funded through mid-December. Read more»

The average price for gas in Arizona fell to $3.99 a gallon Thursday, the first time in months it has been below $4 - a sharp decrease from the record high of $5.388 hit just two months ago - a surge in price largely driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read more»

The United States has taken in more than 100,000 Ukrainians, but things were messy for local volunteers early on. Without a clear roadmap, Tucson residents organized and figured out how to start assisting the incoming refugees and their sponsors. Read more»

The chasm between Russia and the West grew even wider Tuesday after Moscow announced an unexpected large reduction in natural gas flows to the European Union and said it will withdraw from the International Space Station in two years. Read more»

President Joe Biden called on Congress Wednesday to pause the federal gas tax for the next 90 days during the summer travel season, promising a seal of approval on legislation that’s been proposed in both chambers of the body. Read more»

Members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee are considering how to help farmers struggling with rising costs for fertilizer, fuel, seeds and chemicals - the harvest of the war in Ukraine, strains on the global supply system, inflation and severe weather. Read more»