Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
'Affordability is first'
OLYMPIA — Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake and the Republican Caucus Chair for the Washington State Senate, shared …
Europe urges unity on Taliban but is quiet on failed mission
LONDON (AP) — European leaders said Monday they will press for a unified international approach to dealing with a Taliban government in Afghanistan, as they looked on with dismay at the rapid collapse of two decade…
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…
More protection: US likely to authorize COVID booster shots
WASHINGTON (AP) — After struggling for months to persuade Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. health officials could soon face a fresh challenge: talking vaccinated people into getting booster shots to gain…
Taliban allowing 'safe passage' from Kabul in US airlift
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Taliban have agreed to allow “safe passage” from Afghanistan for civilians struggling to join a U.S.-directed airlift from the capital, President Joe Biden's national security adviser said Tue…
North Carolina is child bride destination; bill could end it
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Known for its coastlines, mountains and the state that was “first in flight,” North Carolina has also developed a more dubious reputation recently: as a regional destination for adults who want…
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…
Detainee says China has secret jail in Dubai, holds Uyghurs
A young Chinese woman says she was held for eight days at a Chinese-run secret detention facility in Dubai along with at least two Uyghurs, in what may be the first evidence that China is operating a so-called “bla…
Biden to require COVID vaccines for nursing home staff
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that his administration will require that nursing home staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition for those facilities to continue receiving fed…
Costs of the Afghanistan war, in lives and dollars
At just short of 20 years, the now-ending U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan was America's longest war. Ordinary Americans tended to forget about it, and it received measurably less oversight from Congress than the…
Gusty winds bring new worries to California fire lines
QUINCY, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters battling flames in Northern California forests girded Monday for new bouts of windy weather, and a utility warned thousands of customers it might cut their electricity to prevent …
Texas governor tests positive for COVID-19, in 'good health'
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to his office, who said the Republican is in good health and experiencing no symptoms.
Fueled by winds, largest wildfire moves near California city
GRIZZLY FLATS, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire raged through a small Northern California forest town Tuesday, burning dozens of homes as dangerously dry and windy weather also continued to fuel other massive blazes and pr…
EXPLAINER: Western states face first federal water cuts
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials on Monday declared the first-ever water shortage from a river that serves 40 million people in the West, triggering cuts to some Arizona farmers next year amid a gripping drought.
AP FACT CHECK: Biden skirts US failures in Afghan mayhem
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden ignored his own administration's failures when he tried to explain why desperate civilians in Afghanistan's capital
Democrats unveil plan to update landmark voting law
ATLANTA (AP) — House Democrats on Tuesday put forward a new proposal to update the landmark Voting Rights Act, seeking against long odds to revive the civil rights-era legislation that once served as a barrier agai…