Gay Muslim influencer hosts inclusive Ramadan meal and calls for acceptance across faiths

BERLIN (AP) — Ali Darwich, a gay Muslim influencer in Berlin, picks up a date from his plate, takes a sip of water, and addresses the 15 friends sitting around the table and breaking theRamadanfast with him.

Germany LGBTQ Ramadan

The 33-year-old German with Palestinian and Lebanese roots — who goes by @alifragt or "Ali asks" on Instagram — has a quickly growing following on Instagram, where he draws attention to the difficulties of living as a young, queer Muslim and calls for more tolerance and inclusiveness.

"Tonight we want to send a message that no matter where a person comes from, no matter who that person loves, no matter how queer that person is, they cannot be too queer ... because they are exactly as they should be," Darwich says, smiling at the diverse group of Muslims and Christians, Germans and immigrants, gay and straight people sharing this meal with him as the sun sets over Berlin.

"I am a believer, I believe in God, and I find Islam beautiful, just like Christianity or Judaism and many other religions," he says. But he adds that it's not always easy for homosexuals to be accepted — not just for Muslims but also for queer Christians and believers of many other religions.

Indeed,attacks against LGBTQ+ peopleand gay-friendly establishments are rising acrossGermany, including inBerlin, a city that has historically embraced the community.

According to the latest figures from 2024, there was a 40% increase in violence targeting LGBTQ+ people in 12 of Germany's 16 federal states as compared to 2023, according to the Association of Counseling Centers for Victims of Right-Wing, Racist and Antisemitic Violence.

Darwich calls for inclusion of homosexual Muslims

In one of his Instagram videos, Darwich sits by himself on a table during Ramadan and talks about the loneliness some Muslim homosexuals face when they are shunned by their families. It makes life hard, he says, especially during holidays that are usually a time of togetherness.

He calls on people to open their hearts and doors to queer Muslims so they don't have to be alone for Iftar, the evening meal during Ramadan.

And for his gay followers he also has a message on Instagram: "You deserve to break your fast surrounded by people who accept you — fully and without conditions."

Darwich's coming out a few years ago wasn't easy.

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When he told his mother about it, she at first didn't want to believe him, then she cried and they didn't talk for half a year. Many other members of his extended family also were taken aback.

"From one day to the next, I was no longer invited. Not only to Ramadan, but also to family celebrations, and that was a very difficult time for me," he told The Associated Press in an interview this week.

Friends stepping up when your family shuns you

While Darwich and his mom are getting along just fine now, he said it helped him tremendously at the time that his friends stepped up and became a kind of family for him, supporting and accepting him.

For this week's "real life" Iftar in Berlin, his friend Randa Weiser, 40, a German-Palestinian influencer who shares her everyday life with three kids and husband on social media under the handle @randa_and_the_gang, has opened her home for Ali and his and her friends.

She cooked up a feast of freekeh soup, fragrant yellow rice with almonds, raisins and cardamon, grilled chicken drumsticks, and a variety of sweets for desserts.

"It's an absolute colorful mix tonight," she said referring to the crowd around the Iftar table. While most people are German, many of their families originally come from faraway places like Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco, Turkey, Chechnya and Syria, Iran and Peru.

Weiser said she got "some hate" on Instagram when she posted earlier in the day that she was about to host an inclusive Iftar, but mostly, she says her followers agree that "you can be Muslim and gay or lesbian."

As the crowd — many of them influencers as well — dug into Weiser's food, they didn't miss an opportunity to shoot video of one another and post it quickly on their accounts.

One of them, Darwich's good friend Haidar Darwish, a belly dancer and artist who came from Syria in 2016, had dressed up for the occasion with a red fez and a white, gold-embroidered gallabiyah.

"The hate and crimes against women, Muslim people, Jewish people also, and queers and trans siblings of mine have increased," said Darwish, who goes by @thedarvishofficial on Instagram.

"But no matter how much the others will show us hate, we can show more love only if we are believing in ourselves," he said, adding that they will be fine as long as they have "the help of our allies and friends and people that have our backs."

byAdministrator

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March 12, 2026

Gay Muslim influencer hosts inclusive Ramadan meal and calls for acceptance across faiths

BERLIN (AP) — Ali Darwich, a gay Muslim influencer in Berlin, picks up a date from his plate, takes a sip of water, and a...

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Trump threatens Iran following new wave of attacks on Gulf states and Israel

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran launched multiple attacks early Friday on Gulf Arab states, including dozens of drones at Saudi Arabia, following warnings from its new supreme leader about hosting American bases, and U.S. President Donald Trump threatened major new retaliation.

APTOPIX Lebanon Israel Iran

"Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today," Trump wrote in a social media post. "Iran's Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth."

The comments came the day after Iran's Supreme Leader AyatollahMojtaba Khameneivowed to "not refrain from avenging the blood" of Iranians killed, and warned Gulf Arab nations to shut U.S. bases, saying the notion of American protection was "nothing more than a lie."

Intense airstrikes hit early Friday around Iran's capital, Tehran, as well as outlying areas. It was not immediately clear what had been targeted.

The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, remained stubbornly over $100 per barrel as Iran kept its stranglehold on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil transits on its way from the Persian Gulf to the open seas.

Brent prices have spiked as high as about $120 per barrel and are currently some 40% higher than when Israel and the United States attacked Iran on Feb. 28 to start the war.

Iran has been attacking ships that try to transit the strait, and Khamenei's comments — his first to the public since being named to replace his father, who was killed during the first day of the conflict — said Iran would continue to block the waterway.

In Iraq, recovery efforts were underway after an American KC-135 refueling plane went down, according to U.S. Central Command. And a French soldier who was stationed in the north of the country was killed in an attack, the French president said Friday.

Iran launches new attacks on Gulf Arab countries

Iran has been attacking oil and other infrastructure around the Gulf region, and on Friday Saudi Arabia that it had downed nearly 50 drones sent in multiple waves throughout the early morning hours.

Sirens also sounded in Bahrain warning of incoming fire from Dubai, and black smoke billowed from an industrial area after authorities said debris from an interception had sparked a blaze.

Nearly 60 people were wounded in northern Israel after Hezbollah said it had fired several rocket salvoes toward the area and at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. Almost all the injuries were described as very minor.

One person was killed in southwestern Beirut in an Israeli strike, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, and another attack hit an apartment in the capital, leaving it engulfed in flames. Following the attacks, the Israeli army said it had been targeting a member of Iran-linked Hezbollah.

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More than 600 people have been killed in Lebanon since the fighting began, the Health Ministry has reported. and nearly 800,000 have been internally displaced, according to the U.N. refugee agency.

Iranian authorities say more than 1,300 people have been killed there, and Israel has reported 12 deaths. The U.S. has lost at least seven soldiers while another eight have suffered severe injuries.

In his Friday morning post, Trump said that "we are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise."

"They've been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them," Trump said. "What a great honor it is to do so!"

The U.S. military said American forces have now struck more than 6,000 targets since the operation against Iran began, including more than 30 minelaying vessels.

France says a soldier was killed in Iraq

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron said a French soldier was killed in an attack targeting Irbil in Iraq's northern Kurdish region. France earlier said six soldiers had been hurt in a drone strike in Irbil, where French troops are deployed as part of a multinational counterterrorism mission supporting Iraqi forces in their fight against Islamic State militants.

In the same region, British officials said several U.S. personnel suffered minor injuries Wednesday when drone strikes hit a base in Irbil that houses both British and American troops.

Italy said that a base where it has troops in Irbil was also hit Wednesday but that there were no injuries. The Italian contingent in the region trains local Kurdish troops at the request of the Iraqi government

Recovery efforts were underway in western Iraq on Friday after the American KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed. It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties, but the aircraft had five crew on board.

U.S. Central Command said the crash was not related to friendly or hostile fire, and that two aircraft were involved, including one that landed safely.

The KC-135 is the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft to crash as part of the U.S. military's operations against Iran. Last week, three American fighter jets weremistakenly downedby friendly Kuwaiti fire.

Rising reported from Bangkok and Abou AlJoud from Beirut, Lebanon

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March 12, 2026

Trump threatens Iran following new wave of attacks on Gulf states and Israel

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran launched multiple attacks early Friday on Gulf Arab states, including dozens of d...

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Has public opinion on the US striking Iran shifted since the war started?

Two high-quality polls have surveyed Americans twice since the U.S. first attacked Iran on Feb. 28, giving the ability to see if opinion has shifted since the war first started.

One poll found opinion not shifting, the other found an increase in those saying strikes should continue, but that was still a minority opinion. Andbothfound that nearly two-thirds said that President Donald Trump has not clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.

AnIpsos pollconducted March 6-9 found 29% of Americans approving of the U.S. strikes in Iran and 43% disapproving, 14 points underwater. Those opinions are almost identical to aReuters/Ipsos pollconducted February 28-March 1 that found 27% approving and 43% disapproving, 16 points underwater. Large shares said they were unsure both times: 26% now and 29% earlier.

The more recent poll found 66% of Republicans approving of the strikes, up from 55% previously. Approval among independents was also up, from 19% to 23%. Democrats' opinions barely budged.

ANew York Times analysisfound that U.S. support for strikes in Iran is lower than it has been for the beginning of previous conflicts.

Ipsos' polling also found more Americans have heard about the strikes now than immediately after the U.S. first hit Iran. Now, 51% say they have heard "a lot" about the U.S. military strikes against Iran, up from 29% previously.

Majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents said they had heard a lot about the strikes in the most recent poll.

The current Ipsos poll also finds 6 in 10 Americans saying that U.S. military involvement in Iran will "go on for an extended period of time" compared with just over one-third who said U.S. military involvement in Iran will "end pretty quickly in a matter of weeks."

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Nearly two-thirds (64%) said Trump has not clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran. Two-thirds (67%) said they expect gas prices to get worse over the next year as a result of U.S. military action in Iran and about half (49%) said that the action in Iran will have a mostly negative impact on their own personal financial situation.

AWashington Post pollconducted March 6-9 found a larger minority of Americans saying the U.S. should continue strikes on Iran than in aMarch 1 poll they conducted. The most recent poll found 34% of Americans saying the U.S. should continue strikes, up from 25% on March 1. A larger share, 42%, said in the recent poll the U.S. should "stop strikes at this time," down from 47% the day after strikes began. The more recent poll found 24% saying they were unsure; it was 28% in the previous poll.

Support for continuing strikes was up among Republicans (from 54% to 66%) and independents (from 16% to 27%). A 71% majority of Democrats said stops should strike, down slightly from 76% earlier.

The Post poll also found Americans largely split between support and opposition for the U.S. military campaign against Iran, 42% to 40%, with another 17% saying they were unsure. Most other polling has found more Americans opposed to the strikes rather than in support of them.

Its previous poll, taken right after the strikes began, found a larger 52% in opposition, but that poll asked about "President Trump ordering airstrikes against Iran," and the inclusion of Trump's name in poll questions often influences respondents' opinions. More now say they are unsure than they did in the initial poll (9%).

The Post also found nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) saying Trump had not clearly explained the goals of the U.S. military, not a shift from their previous poll. About as many (63%) said the number of U.S. military casualties in the conflict has been unacceptable given the goals and the costs of the war.

TheIpsos pollwas conducted March 6-9, 2026, among 1,021 U.S. adults using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel and has an overall margin of sampling error of +/- 3.4 percentage points. The earlierReuters/Ipsos pollwas conducted Feb. 28-March 1 among 1,282 U.S. adults and has an error margin of +/- 2.8 percentage points.

TheWashington Post pollwas conducted March 6-9, 2026, among 1,005 U.S. adults using SSRS's Opinion Panel and has an overall margin of error of +/- 3.6 percentage points. The earlierPost pollwas conducted March 1 among 1,003 U.S. adults and has an error margin of +/- 3.4 percentage points.

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March 12, 2026

Has public opinion on the US striking Iran shifted since the war started?

Two high-quality polls have surveyed Americans twice since the U.S. first attacked Iran on Feb. 28, giving the ability to...

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Trade deadline boost helps New York Islanders believe they can chase the Stanley Cup right now

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (AP) —Matthew Schaefer magicalready had the New York Islanders believing they could exceed preseason expectations and make the playoffs.

Islanders Canadiens Hockey

Acquiring Brayden Schennat the NHL trade deadlineafter adding a couple of veteran depth players in January has only added to the good vibes around the team.First-year general manager Mathieu Darche"wanted to give a little push" by going out and getting Schenn,fellow Stanley Cup winner Ondrej Palatanddepth defenseman Carson Soucy, and it might be the nudge the Islanders need to not just get in but go on a run.

"Mathieu, all he wanted was to reward the players," coach Patrick Roy said Thursday. "The guys played so hard and played so well to give ourselves the best chance possible to make the playoffs. There's no guarantee. You have to play the games. But I'm sure the players appreciate the moves that he made, and looking at the way we've been playing, I think our players deserve it as well."

After missing the playoffs a year ago and winning the draft lottery to get the chanceto select Schaeferwith the top pick, the Islanders looked to be in rebuilding mode — not quite a contender but with the ingredients to get there.

Instead, the 18-year-old defenseman has been a revelation, giving a franchise more than four decades removed from the 1980s dynasty days the kind of energy perhaps not seen in hockey on Long Island since. Schaefer needs just four goals over the final 17 games to break the NHL rookie defenseman record of 23 set by Hall of Famer Brian Leetch in 1988-89.

Schaefer's presencewas a big reason Schenn waived his no-trade clause and left St. Louis.

"He's an incredible, incredible guy," Schenn said. "He really cares about his teammates. He really cares about the organization. He wants to win hockey games. People obviously see the skill and everything that he does on the ice, but it's more so how impressed I am with how he is as a guy off the ice."

Schenn already showed what kind of guy he is. In his first game with his new team, he wasn't thrilled with the San Jose Sharks taking some liberties with Schaefer and was quick to confront them about it.

"It just brings life to us knowing that a guy like that has got our back and we've got his," center Bo Horvat said. "Having that veteran presence on the ice, off the ice, I think is going to be great for us coming down the stretch."

Schenn hoisted the Stanley Cupwith the Blues in 2019. Palat helped Tampa Baywin itback to back in 2020and '21, and Darche has rings from those title runs as assistant GM of the Lightning.

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It's no coincidence, then, that the Islanders made deals for proven winners who can show Schaefer and younger teammates the way.

"They need to be surrounded with good players to help them, guide them through those steps as they progress in their career, and that's what we did with those acquisitions," Darche said. "You can only gain experience by living it. We want to make the playoffs this year. We want our younger guys to experience that. Having players that have been through it definitely helps those young kids (know) what to expect."

Schenn, especially, also fills a big role down the stretch. His addition allows Calum Ritchie to shift from center to wing and take some pressure off the 21-year-old in his first NHL season.

Darche said it was "all about having options." Roy now gets to experiment with different lineup constructions and find what works best.

Schaefer has been having a blast all along.

"We always know when it's time to work, but we always can have a little bit of fun and things like that, too," Schaefer said. "Winning and you know that your teammates and the coaching staff and everyone here helps when everyone's so close and always having fun and happy and things like that, it makes it fun to come to the rink."

The arrival of Schaefer and Ritchie with more top prospects on the way — and not traded away — make the organization's future look bright. Center Mathew Barzal, who turns 29 in May, said he appreciates Darche making the kind of aggressive deals that make it feel like the future is now to chase the Stanley Cup.

"Darchie sees opportunity here and he wants to win and everybody wants to win," Barzal said. "Schaef's 18 and he's going to have 20 years, and I'm sure he's going to hoist it one day. Why not do it a few times, and do it earlier than later? It was nice from Darchie to get a few guys."

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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March 12, 2026

Trade deadline boost helps New York Islanders believe they can chase the Stanley Cup right now

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (AP) —Matthew Schaefer magicalready had the New York Islanders believing they could exceed preseason ex...

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Spoelstra: 'I apologize to absolutely no one' over Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game

MIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra had a very clear message to those who didn't likehow the final minutesofBam Adebayo's 83-point gameplayed out.

Wizards Heat Basketball

Put simply, the Miami Heat coach doesn't care.

"I apologize to absolutely no one," Spoelstra said Thursday. "Period."

Adebayo's 83-point game — now the No. 2 single-game total in NBA history, 17 behindWilt Chamberlain's 100and two ahead ofKobe Bryant's 81— was one unlike any other. The Heat center took 43 shots in a 150-129 win on Tuesday over the Washington Wizards, made anNBA-record 36 free throwsand had an NBA-record 43 tries from the foul line.

And the last few minutes Tuesday were a circus, with the Wizards as much as quadruple-teaming Adebayo — who was still getting the ball — and the Heat fouling Washington players on four occasions in the final moments to extend the game and get their center more opportunities to score.

Adebayo said he didn't see a double-team from the Wizards until the fourth quarter, when he already was up to 70 points.

His takeaway: Blame the Wizards for him getting on the roll of a lifetime.

"I've got 70 with, what, nine minutes left to go in the game? You think I'm not going for it? ... Who would be like, 'You know, coach, just take me out.' Yeah, right," Adebayo said. "You can't be mad at that. If you are mad, I don't care. Because a lot of people, if they did play, they never had a chance to get that close to chasing greatness. And if you get that close to chasing greatness, that's the point of chasing it -- so you can surpass it."

Lost in the hubbub about the final minutes, Spoelstra insisted, is this: Adebayo had 31 points in the first quarter, 43 by halftime, 62 through three quarters, 70 with 9:05 left and 77 with 3:26 remaining. The first instance of Miami fouling to get the ball back for Adebayo was with 1:40 left.

"There was a moment, and when there's a moment in time like that, it's carpe diem," Spoelstra said, using the Latin term for "seize the day." "You have to go for it, and that was just thrilling. And I'm honored that we were all able to be a part of it."

A handful of coaches around the NBA — including the Los Angeles Clippers' Tyronn Lue and Denver's David Adelman among them — have indicated they had no problem with the Heat using the final minutes to help add to what was already an enormous point total.

Adelman said Adebayo is as good of a professional as there is in the league, and to take a night "and go a little bit crazy" was entertaining.

"He made the extra pass in the fourth quarter when he had 60. He blocked a shot. He was still playing the game," Adelman said. "When you get to 70, I'm sorry, man, like all bets are off. ... I thought it was really cool."

Wizards coach Brian Keefe didn't seem thrilled Tuesday with how the last few minutes went. On Thursday in Orlando, before his team played the Magic, Keefe didn't reminisce.

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"We're focused on today," Keefe said.

Spoelstra said he spoke with Adebayo before the game about a need to have some urgency. The Heat played with several of their top players — Norman Powell, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins and Kel'el Ware among them — out of that game with injuries.

"It's a Tuesday night game against a team where they're not playing for anything, where their organization is trying to lose," Spoelstra said. "We've already lost a game in that kind of situation. ... I spoke to Bam about I want, as our best player and team captain, for him to be locked in and ready. And, he sure was."

He was referring to how the Heat lost a game to Utah last month, a matchup in which the Jazz — who keep their first round pick this year if it's in the top eight of the draft — held out some of their top players in the fourth quarter and won anyway.

"I've seen people say you've got to be a purist. I'm a Darwinist in this league," Spoelstra said. "Really, you can do anything you want in this game. You can approach it however you want. ... There's nothing wrong with what they're doing. If you can tank and get a great draft pick, I don't care. You could do anything in this league. You can approach it however you want."

Spoelstra acknowledged that leaving Adebayo in toward the end of a decided game — Adebayo checked out for good with 1:08 left — was unusual, and it was. He also said memorable moments are "what our fans want to see" and that "a really magical night just appeared out of nowhere."

In his mind, that doesn't merit any apologies.

"It doesn't take away anything from our organization, how we feel about Bam, how special that night was," Spoelstra said. "Our fan base is electrified by this moment."

And so was the head coach, who made clear that he'll do anything for Adebayo.

The Heat got blown out at home by a bad Sacramento team on Dec. 6, one day before Spoelstra played host to his annual 5K run to benefit Nicklaus Children's Hospital. The run was starting in the wee hours of a Sunday morning. Adebayo had only nine points in the loss to the Kings, and the Heat were sliding.

Without being asked, Adebayo showed up to help that morning. Spoelstra was blown away by the gesture.

"He was there, not to run, just to support," Spoelstra said. "Just to support and let people know that he was supporting this cause. That says enough about him as a human being. That's why I'll do anything for him as a competitor and as his head coach."

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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March 12, 2026

Spoelstra: 'I apologize to absolutely no one' over Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game

MIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra had a very clear message to those who didn't likehow the final minutesofBam Adebayo's...

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Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. charged with 3 felonies, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon

Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. no longer faces a charge of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, but he's still facing years in prison followingan incident involving his ex-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson.

The Miami-Dade State Attorney's office has brought three felony charges against the pass-rusher, according toESPN. They are aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person.

He also faces a charge of aggravated stalking that was changed from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Pearce was originally charged with five felonies, but the law enforcement officer charge was dropped.

It has been alleged that Pearce,after weeks of harassment and stalking, followed Jackson in his vehicle and caused a collision as she attempted to reach a police station. That allegedly led to a police chase, in which Pearce crashed his car and fled on foot before being subdued by officers.

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Jackson was granted a temporary protective order on Wednesday after telling the court she feared for her life. A hearing for a permanent injunction is scheduled for April 21, with Pearce being forbidden from contacting Jackson or going within 500 feet of her home or workplace.Jackson has notified the authorities she is willing to testify against him.

Pearce has claimed innocence, with his legal team releasing a statement saying he "maintains his innocence and urges the public to understand that while allegations have the power to shape a narrative, that it is hardly the full, complete story."

The Falcons have so far declined to cut ties with Pearce, releasing a statement after his arrest saying they were "in the process gathering more information."

Pearce was selected 26th overall by the Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft after two first-team All-SEC seasons with Tennessee. He posted 26 combined tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in his rookie year and finished in third place for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Jackson, who also went to Tennessee, is entering her third WNBA season this year and averaged 14.7 points per game in 2025. She recently finished her second Unrivaled season as well, competing for Breeze BC.

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March 12, 2026

Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. charged with 3 felonies, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon

Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. no longer faces a charge of aggravated battery of a law enforcement office...

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WA Dems push through $2B spending increase in final hours of legislative session

(The Center Square) – In the final hours of the legislative session, state lawmakers passed budgets on Thursday to fill a multi-billion-dollar hole with new taxes, reserves, one-time transfers and some cuts.

Budget leaders on both sides of the aisle met on Wednesday for final negotiations after each chamber passed their respective supplementaloperatingandtransportationbudget proposals last month. Since they couldn't agree on the opposite chamber's amendments, the conferences proposed a compromise.

Both chambers passed those proposals Thursday, with seven Democrats voting against the operating budget with Republicans. The transportation andcapitalbudgets received wide bipartisan support. The votes ultimately increased operating spending in the 2025-27 biennium from $77.9 billion to $80.2 billion.

Transportation spending will increase from $15.6 billion to$16.7 billion,and capital spending will rise from $7.5 billion to$8.4 billion. Much of this session's focus was on fillinganothermulti-billion-dollar operating budget deficit, with Democrats approving several bills Thursday to push the budget through.

House Democrats argued Thursday that the $2 billion increase will offset federal cuts under the Trump administration. House Republican Budget leader Rep. Travis Couture disagreed, noting that the impact on the state amounts to only a fraction of the spending passed Thursday, urging members to vote no.

"We will now have an $80 billion budget over the course of the biennium," he said, "an almost 12% increase in spending after a multi-billion-dollar deficit and the largest tax increase in state history.

Gov. Bob Ferguson said the state faced a$2.3 billiondeficit ahead of the state legislative session, but Thursday's passage doesn't put Democrats' spending crisis in the rearview mirror. Future budget woes areanticipatedin the years ahead as the party reconstructs the state tax code andexpandsspending.

Republican budget leaders said Wednesday that the final operating budget will result in a $878 million deficit by 2028, before coming out of the negative the following year if a new controversial tax holds.

"Apparently, some people think this budget is alarming," Senate Democratic budget leader Sen. June Robinson punned after the chamber returned from a fire alarm. "I'm not very good at delivering jokes."

Much of the 2025-27 supplemental operating budget was built around the millionaire's tax Democrats passed earlier this week. The income tax on wages exceeding $1 million won't start collecting revenue until 2029, but it allows Democrats to comply with statutes that require a balanced four-year outlook.

The House debated the income tax for over 24 hours straight before sending it to the governor's desk.

The potentially unconstitutional tax won't do much to increase spending during the 2025-27 biennium, as it mainly allows the majority party to avoid larger cuts now, thanks to billions of dollars in revenue in the years ahead. Still, if a court blocks the income tax, it could blow a hole in the operating budget.

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"We don't even know if this income tax that is assumed in our budget is going to hold up in court," said Rep. April Connors, R-Kennewick. "This budget does not solve our long-term financial problems."

Washington state residents have rejected an income tax on the ballot10times over the last century.

Connors said spending has more than doubled over the last decade or so, urging caution, as other Republicans have called the tax and operating budget a symptom of Democrats' "spending addiction."

Democrats balanced the 2025-27 operating budget by adjusting existing taxes and transferring $880 million from the state's rainy-day fund to help fill the deficit. Budget leaders also utilized several other one-time transfers, including from statepensionsfor retired law enforcement officers and firefighters.

Republicans say the pension fund transfer sets a dangerous precedent for other retirement programs, while the majority argues that the pension fund has more than enough money to shoulder the burden.

"These are very challenging budget times," Sen. Steve Conway, D-Tacoma, said during final debates.

The largest cuts were to state child caresubsidyprograms and publiceducation. Lawmakers passed a new attendance policy dictating how much child care providers are reimbursed, reduced state funding for transitional kindergarten and running start, adjusted school bus depreciation schedules and more.

Democrats also eliminated tax exemptions for prescriptiondrugproviders anddatacenters, providing a little more money to help Democrats ultimately expand spending by $2 billion. Almost half of that is to help pay for the state'srisinglegal liability, which the Legislaturestruggledto address this session.

The state currently touts about $2.1 billion in reserves, which will fall to $1.3 billion after the 2025-27 biennium, before rising to $3.3 billion after the 2027-29 biennium. However, those projections assume a $880 million repayment later in 2029 from the pension for law enforcement officers and firefighters.

If the courts were to block the new income tax, that could also impact the state's reserves in 2027-29, since the tax assumes more than $2 billion in revenue to balance spending over the four-year outlook.

"I believe this budget is structurally unsound," Senate Republican budget leader Chris Gildon said. "It's still an $80 billion house of cards that is built on an unsolid foundation, and accordingly, I urge a no."

Ferguson has 20 calendar days (excluding Sundays) to sign or veto budget bills that are delivered to his office within the final five days of a legislative session.

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March 12, 2026

WA Dems push through $2B spending increase in final hours of legislative session

(The Center Square) – In the final hours of the legislative session, state lawmakers passed budgets on Thursday to fill a...

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