Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Soap Lake looking to seat salary commission
SOAP LAKE — The City of Soap Lake is seeking residents to serve on its newly reactivated Salary Commission, a citi…
UN chief: Polluters must join 'net zero' club for climate
BERLIN (AP) — Polluters must step up their commitments to cutting greenhouse gas emissions before a crucial climate summit in November, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday.
EXPLAINER: What's ahead as Trump impeachment trial begins
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment trial begins Tuesday, forcing the Senate to decide whether to convict him of incitement of insurrection after a violent mob of his suppo…
Budget office: $15 wage would reduce poverty, increase debt
WASHINGTON (AP) — Increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour would reduce the number of Americans living in poverty and boost wages for millions of Americans while adding to the federal debt and joblessness, a new …
Washington governor signs bill to help workers, businesses
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A bill that increases the minimum weekly benefit for unemployed workers during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and prevents a dramatic increase in unemployment taxes paid by businesses was si…
UN: 'Concerning news' vaccines may not work against variants
GENEVA (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization said Monday the emergence of new COVID-19 variants has raised questions about whether or not existing vaccines will work, calling it “concerning news” that th…
EU countries expel Russian diplomats in Navalny dispute
BERLIN (AP) — Germany, Poland and Sweden on Monday each declared a Russian diplomat in their country “persona non grata,” retaliating in kind to last week’s decision by Moscow to expel diplomats from the three Euro…
Iowa governor auctioned off access for pork barons' charity
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds auctioned off an afternoon of her time to raise money for the namesake charity of a couple who own one of the nation's largest pork producers and have contributed nearl…
EU countries expel Russian diplomats in tit-for-tat
BERLIN (AP) — Germany, Poland and Sweden on Monday each declared a Russian diplomat in their country “persona non grata,” retaliating in kind to last week’s decision by Moscow to expel diplomats from the three Euro…
Trump lawyers blast impeachment trial as 'political theater'
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump on Monday blasted the impeachment case against him as an act of “political theater” and accused House Democrats on the eve of the former president's trial of exploiting th…
Trump impeachment to open with debate on constitutionality
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump's historic second impeachment trial will launch this week with a debate and a vote on whether it's even constitutional to prosecute the former president over the deadly Capitol siege …
Austria warns against travel to Tyrol, eases virus curbs
VIENNA (AP) — Austria on Monday issued a warning against travel to its Tyrol province amid concerns over cases of a coronavirus variant first discovered in South Africa, even as the country eased its third lockdown…
AP-NORC poll: Few in US say democracy is working very well
WASHINGTON (AP) — Only a fragment of Americans believe democracy is thriving in the U.S., even as broad majorities agree that representative government is one of the country's bedrock principles, according to a new…
US plans to reengage with UN rights council, reversing Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States announced plans Monday to reengage with the much-maligned U.N. Human Rights Council that former President Donald Trump withdrew from almost three years ago, as the Biden administ…
S Africa seeks new vaccine plan after halting AstraZeneca
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa is considering giving a COVID-19 vaccine that is still in the testing phase to health workers, after suspending the rollout of another shot that preliminary data indicated may be on…
Pope seeks 'Copernican revolution' for post-COVID economy
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis urged governments on Monday to use the coronavirus crisis as a revolutionary opportunity to create a world that is more economically and environmentally just — and where basic health care i…