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…
Merkel prepares to step down with legacy of tackling crises
BERLIN (AP) — Angela Merkel will leave office as one of modern Germany's longest-serving leaders and a global diplomatic heavyweight, with a legacy defined by her management of a succession of crises that shook a f…
Florida governor appeals ruling on masks in schools
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has appealed a
Biden tells storm-ravaged Louisiana: 'I know you're hurting'
LAPLACE, La. (AP) — Giant trees knocked sideways. Homes boarded up with plywood. Off-kilter street signs.
Judge conditionally approves Purdue Pharma opioid settlement
A federal bankruptcy judge gave conditional approval Wednesday to a sweeping settlement that will remove the Sackler family from ownership of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and devote potentially $10 billion to figh…
Biden walks storm-ravaged Louisiana: 'I know you're hurting'
LAPLACE, La. (AP) — Giant trees knocked sideways. Homes boarded up with plywood. Off-kilter street signs.
Idaho special session for Texas-type abortion law unlikely
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho lawmakers being called back to the Statehouse to pass a law similar to one in Texas banning most abortions is not likely, top elected officials said Thursday.
Texas bans most abortions, with high court mum on appeal
The nation's most far-reaching curb on abortions since they were legalized a half-century ago took effect Wednesday in Texas, with the Supreme Court silent on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold.
Deal with OxyContin maker leaves families angry, conflicted
Among the families who lost children and other loved ones in the nation's opioid crisis, many had held out hope of someday facing OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its owners in a courtroom.
Baby whale unwell, rule issued to keep boaters away
SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued an emergency rule ordering commercial whale watch tours to stay farther away from an unwell baby orca to help her survive.
Seeing danger, some in GOP leery of Texas abortion law
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Almost instantly after most abortions were banned in Texas, Democrats were decrying the new law as unconstitutional, an assault on women's health that must be challenged. But the reaction from …
Arizona man who wore horns in riot pleads guilty to felony
PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona man who sported face paint, no shirt and a furry hat with horns when he joined the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 pleaded guilty Friday to a felony charge and wants to be rele…
'Loss of hope': Idaho hospitals crushed by COVID-19 surge
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The intensive care rooms at St. Luke's Boise Medical Center are full, each a blinking jungle of tubes, wires and mechanical breathing machines. The patients nestled inside are a lot alike: All u…
NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here…
Appeals court ruling nearly triggers Idaho abortion law
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal appeals court’s decision allowing a Texas fetal heartbeat law to take effect Wednesday isn’t enough to trigger Idaho’s similar fetal heartbeat law, but backers say it’s a near miss tha…
Black women seeing guns as protection from rising crime
TAYLOR, Mich. (AP) — Valerie Rupert raised her right arm, slightly shaking and unsure as she aimed at the paper target representing a burglar, a robber or even a rapist.