Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Washington’s gas tax is going up, but state transportation revenue is falling short
Washington state’s gas tax, already among the highest in the nation, is going up next week. The state’s per-gal…
UN war crimes court convicts 2 Serbs over Bosnia atrocities
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A United Nations court on Wednesday convicted two former allies of late Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic of aiding and abetting crimes committed by Serb paramilitaries in a Bosnian…
As wildfires rage, Biden is raising federal firefighter pay
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is temporarily raising pay for federal firefighters to ensure that no one fighting wildland fires is making less than $15 per hour.
California tests off-the-grid solutions to power outages
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When a wildfire tore through Briceburg nearly two years ago, the tiny community on the edge of Yosemite National Park lost the only power line connecting it to the electrical grid.
Putin says US and UK were behind Black Sea 'provocation'
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that an incident involving a British destroyer in the Black Sea couldn't have triggered a global conflict even if Russia had sunk the warship because th…
The Latest: Head Start gets boost from virus relief bill
WASHINGTON — More than 1,500 Head Start programs for children around the country will get a funding boost through President Joe Biden’s coronavirus relief bill.
Microsoft exec: Targeting of Americans' records 'routine'
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal law enforcement agencies secretly seek the data of Microsoft customers thousands of times a year, according to congressional testimony Wednesday by a senior executive at the technology com…
European troops make low-key return home from Afghanistan
BERLIN (AP) — The last German and Italian troops returned home from Afghanistan to low-key receptions on Wednesday, nearly 20 years after the first Western soldiers were deployed there.
Joining Trump at border, GOP congressman eyes path to power
WASHINGTON (AP) — At the invitation of Donald Trump,
The Latest: CDC director Walensky weighs in on wearing masks
WASHINGTON — Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the CDC is leaving it up to local officials to set guidelines for mask-wearing as the highly contagious delta var…
William, Harry to unveil Diana statue as royal rift simmers
LONDON (AP) — They were once so close.
The Latest: Russia hits record death toll for 2nd day in row
MOSCOW — Coronavirus deaths in Russia hit a record for the second day in a row on Wednesday, with the authorities reporting 669 new deaths, the highest daily tally in the pandemic. The previous record, of 652 new d…
Putin: US aircraft involved in Black Sea UK incident
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft was operating in sync with a British destroyer during last week’s Black Sea incident in what he described as a “prov…
As wildfires rage, Biden will raise federal firefighter pay
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to temporarily raise pay for federal firefighters to ensure that no one fighting wildland fires is making less than $15 per hour, according to a senior administration of…
As COVID recedes in prisons, will any lessons learned stick?
Derrick Johnson had a makeshift mask. He had the spray bottle of bleach and extra soap that corrections officers provided. But he still spent every day crammed in a unit with 63 other men in a Florida prison, crowd…
Kim berates North Korean officials for 'crucial' virus lapse
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un berated top officials for failures in coronavirus prevention that caused a “great crisis,” using strong language that raised the specter of a mass outbreak …