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.…
Afghans plead for faster US evacuation from Taliban rule
WASHINGTON (AP) — Educated young women, former U.S. military translators and other Afghans most at-risk from the Taliban appealed to the Biden administration to get them on evacuation flights as the United States s…
Chief in charge of intel before Capitol riot returns to post
WASHINGTON (AP) — Yogananda Pittman, the Capitol Police official who led intelligence operations for the agency when thousands of Donald Trump loyalists descended on the building last January, is back in charge of …
Washington requires COVID-19 vaccination for teachers, staff
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Amid a spike in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, Washington state is expanding its COVID-19 vaccine mandate to include all public, charter and private school teachers and staff — plus t…
Malaysian king picks ex-deputy PM as nation's new leader
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s longest-governing political party reclaimed the premiership it lost in a shock 2018 election defeat, after the king on Friday named its candidate, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as th…
Judge: California ride-hailing law is unconstitutional
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge Friday struck down a California ballot measure that exempted Uber and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services from a state law requiring drivers to be classified as employees e…
Was Biden handcuffed by Trump's Taliban deal in Doha?
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump’s administration signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February 2020, he optimistically proclaimed that “we think we’ll be successful in the end.” His secretary of stat…
Misread warnings helped lead to chaotic Afghan evacuation
WASHINGTON (AP) — The warnings were clear: The Afghan government would likely fall once U.S. troops pulled out. But intelligence agencies and ultimately President Joe Biden missed how quickly it would happen, losin…
Biden: Troops will stay in Afghanistan to evacuate Americans
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he is committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his…
Afghanistan war unpopular amid chaotic pullout: AP-NORC poll
WASHINGTON (AP) — A significant majority of Americans doubt that the war in Afghanistan was worthwhile, even as the United States is more divided over President Joe Biden's handling of foreign policy and national s…
Three senators test positive for COVID in breakthrough cases
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three senators said Thursday they have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, a high-profile collection of breakthrough cases that comes as the highly infectious delta variant spre…
DeSantis top donor invests in COVID drug governor promotes
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who has been criticized for opposing mask mandates and vaccine passports — is now touting a COVID-19 antibody treatment in which a top donor's company has invested millions of dollars.
Landlords look for an exit amid federal eviction moratorium
NEW YORK (AP) — When Ryan David bought three rental properties back in 2017, he expected the $1,000-a-month he was pocketing after expenses would be regular sources of income well into his retirement years.
Biden vows to evacuate all Americans — and Afghan helpers
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden pledged firmly Friday to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan — and all Afghans who aided the war effort, too — as officials confirmed that U.S. military helicopters flew …
Taliban took Afghanistan but face cash squeeze
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Taliban face a frontal challenge in cementing control of Afghanistan: Money.
Do I need a booster if I got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?
Do I need a booster if I got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?