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…
Biden pushes federal workers — hard — to get vaccinated
WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's millions of federal workers will be required to verify they've been vaccinated against the coronavirus or else face mandatory masking, weekly testing, distancing and other new rules, …
Congress poised to pass Capitol security money, Afghan aid
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected to pass emergency legislation Thursday that would bolster security at the Capitol, repay outstanding debts from the violent Jan. 6 insurrection and increase the number of vis…
Senate OKs bill to secure Capitol, help Afghans with visas
WASHINGTON (AP) — An emergency spending bill passed by the Senate 98-0 on Thursday would bolster security at the Capitol and repay outstanding debts from the Jan. 6 insurrection. The $2.1 billion bill would also in…
The Latest: Biden pushing federal workers to get vaccinated
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will announce strict new testing, masking and distancing requirements for federal employees who aren’t vaccinated.
Group: Jailed Belarus journalist needs urgent hospital care
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Belarusian Association of Journalists on Thursday called on authorities in Belarus to transfer a jailed journalist to a civilian hospital so he could get treatment for a coronavirus-induced…
The Latest: DC reinstates mandatory indoor mask requirements
WASHINGTON — The nation’s capital is reinstating mandatory indoor mask requirements, regardless of vaccination status.
Biden pushing federal workers — hard — to get vaccinated
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is announcing strict new testing, masking and distancing requirements for federal employees who can't — or won't — show they've been vaccinated against the coronavirus, aiming …
The Latest: Mask sales start to rebound amid surge, guidance
NEW YORK — A spot check of U.S. stores and other data sources shows mask sales are rising again amid concerns about surging coronavirus cases from the delta variant.
Biden to allow eviction moratorium to expire Saturday
BOSTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Thursday it will allow a nationwide ban on evictions to expire Saturday, arguing that its hands are tied after the Supreme Court signaled the moratorium would only b…
Key details of the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure plan
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has voted to take up a nearly $1 trillion national infrastructure plan after President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators reached agreement on major provisions of the package.
'Trying to survive': Wells dry up amid Oregon water woes
MALIN, Ore. (AP) — Judy and Jim Shanks know the exact date their home’s well went dry — June 24.
The Latest: Emergent: FDA lets its vaccine factory restart
BALTIMORE, Md. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowing the troubled factory of contract manufacturer Emergent BioSolutions to resume production of COVID-19 vaccine bulk substance, the company said Thurs…
The Latest: Africa outlook 'encouraging' amid dose shortage
NAIROBI, Kenya — The World Health Organization’s Africa director says the continent of 1.3 billion people is entering an “encouraging phase after a bleak June” as supplies of COVID-19 vaccines increase.
Harris releases strategy to tackle migration’s root causes
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that
The Latest: New division to manage Tunisia's virus crisis
TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia’s president has ordered the creation of a special body to manage the country’s coronavirus crisis amid raging infections and public anger over the government’s handling of the pandemic.