Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
3 council members renew oaths of office in Ephrata
EPHRATA — Three Ephrata City Council Members were sworn in Wednesday evening after winning their respective races.…
Pandemic windfall for US schools has few strings attached
As the federal government releases historic sums of pandemic aid to the nation’s schools, it’s urging them to dream big, to invest in seismic changes that will benefit students for generations to come. But many dis…
With Merkel going, candidates fail to inspire German voters
BERLIN (AP) — It's not that politics bore him; quite the opposite. But Christoph Gillitzer is stumped by whom to vote for in Germany's federal election next month.
US diplomat: Security threat at Kabul airport 'imminent'
WASHINGTON (AP) — The security threat that prompted the State Department to urge Americans to move away from the perimeter of the Kabul airport was credible and urgent, the acting U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan sai…
Half of US workers favor employee shot mandate: AP-NORC poll
NEW YORK (AP) — Half of American workers are in favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces, according to a
US says up to 1,500 Americans await airlift as threats grow
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States says as many as 1,500 Americans may be awaiting evacuation from Afghanistan amid growing warnings Thursday of terrorist threats targeting the Kabul airport as President Joe Biden…
Harris says she urged Vietnam to free political dissidents
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday she raised issues of human rights abuses and restrictions on political activism in her conversations with Vietnamese leaders this week, but offe…
Pentagon: US troops must get their COVID-19 vaccines ASAP
WASHINGTON (AP) — Military troops must immediately begin to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a memo Wednesday, ordering service leaders to “impose ambitious timelines for implementat…
Cruise lines require vaccinations, tests, amid virus surge
MIAMI (AP) — Joel Steckler was eager for his first cruise in more than a year and a half, and he chose the ship that just two months ago became the first to accept passengers again after a long pandemic shutdown.
Experts on WHO team say search for COVID origins has stalled
LONDON (AP) — The international scientists dispatched to China by the World Health Organization to find out where the coronavirus came from said Wednesday the search has stalled and warned that the window of opport…
House passes $3.5T Biden blueprint after deal with moderates
WASHINGTON (AP) — Striking a deal with moderates, House Democratic leaders have muscled President Joe Biden’s multitrillion-dollar budget blueprint over a key hurdle, ending a risky standoff and putting the party’s…
EXPLAINER: What's next for the 'Remain in Mexico' policy?
PHOENIX (AP) — The Supreme Court's decision to order the reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” immigration policy is sparking criticism from advocacy groups and praise by former President Donald Trump. It's also …
Feds report most rental assistance has still not gone out
BOSTON (AP) — States and localities have only distributed 11% of the tens of billions of dollars in federal rental assistance, the Treasury Department said Wednesday, the latest sign the program is struggling to re…
US examining Boeing's treatment of safety-related employees
A small group of Boeing engineers who perform key safety tasks are raising concerns about their ability to work free of pressure from supervisors, and their comments are prompting federal regulators to take a broad…
Harris rebukes China in speech on Indo-Pacific vision
HANOI (AP) — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a sharp rebuke to China for its incursions in the South China Sea, warning its actions there amount to “coercion” and “intimidation” and affirming that the U…
Gaps in wildfire smoke warning network leave people exposed
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Huge gaps between air quality sensors in the western U.S. have created blind spots in the warning system for wildfire smoke plumes sweeping North America this summer, amid growing concern ove…