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…
Russia expels Western diplomats over Navalny rally
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's Foreign Ministry said Friday it was expelling diplomats from Sweden, Poland and Germany for attending a rally in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Virus outbreaks stoke tensions in some state capitols
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — After only their first few weeks of work, tensions already are high among lawmakers meeting in-person at some state capitols — not because of testy debates over taxes, guns or abortion, b…
The Latest: UK supports vaccines to combat new variants
LONDON — The UK government says it will support a German biopharmaceutical company’s effort to develop vaccines to combat new variants of the coronavirus.
Senate OKs fast-track of COVID aid, Harris casts tie-breaker
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Friday approved a measure that would let Democrats muscle President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan through the chamber without Republican support. Vice Presiden…
GOP eyes path to power by making peace with the far right
NEW YORK (AP) — Over the course of 24 hours this week, House Republicans voted to defend a freshman conspiracy theorist with a history of violent rhetoric and a mainstream party leader who backed Donald Trump's imp…
EU diplomat: Navalny case a 'low point' in ties with Russia
MOSCOW (AP) — The European Union’s top diplomat told Russia's foreign minister Friday that the treatment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny represents “a low point” in the relations between Brussels and Mo…
AP-NORC poll: Americans are split on Trump's impeachment
WASHINGTON (AP) — A majority of Americans say former President Donald Trump bears at least some blame for the Capitol insurrection, and about half say the Senate should vote to convict him at the end of
Senate approves budget bill as Harris casts tie-breaker vote
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Friday took a key step toward fast-track passage of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan without support from Republicans. Vice President Kamala Harris was …
The Latest: UK regulator backs benefits of COVID-19 vaccines
LONDON — Britain’s drug regulator says the coronavirus vaccines being used across the country appear safe and that “the benefits continue to far outweigh any risks,” according to its latest monitoring data.
The Latest: Sri Lanka looks into packaging Russian vaccine
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - A Sri Lankan official says Russia has offered to help produce its COVID-19 vaccine locally and that the government is looking into the possibility of packaging it in two factories.
Fiercely divided House kicks Greene off both her committees
WASHINGTON (AP) — A fiercely divided House has tossed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene off both her committees, an unprecedented punishment that Democrats said she’d earned by spreading
The Latest: Germany to receive 1st AstraZeneca vaccine
BERLIN — Germany’s health minister says first batches of the newly authorized AstraZeneca vaccine for will be delivered to the country’s 16 states Friday.
The Latest: Czech Republic tightens entry rules
PRAGUE — The Czech Republic is further tightening entry rules in an effort to limit the growing spread of highly contagious variants of the coronavirus.
The Latest: Israel to begin easing lockdown on Sunday
JERUSALEM — Israel plans to begin slowly easing its latest coronavirus lockdown on Sunday, hoping that its rapid vaccination campaign helps to contain an outbreak accelerated by new variants.
Surprise tax forms reveal extent of unemployment fraud in US
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Unemployment agencies across the country were bombarded with so many claims during the pandemic that many struggled to distinguish the correct from the criminal.