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: Millions driven from homes in 2020 despite COVID crisis
GENEVA (AP) — War, violence, persecution, human rights violations and other factors caused nearly 3 million people to flee their homes last year, even though the COVID-19 crisis restricted movement worldwide, the U…
'Practical work' summit for Biden, Putin: No punches or hugs
GENEVA (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin exchanged cordial words and plotted modest steps on arms control and diplomacy but emerged from their much-anticipated Swiss summit Wednesday large…
Ethiopia finally set to vote as PM vows 1st fair election
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ethiopians will vote Monday in a landmark election overshadowed by reports of famine in the
Scotch whisky makers welcome suspension of costly US tariffs
LONDON (AP) — Scotch single malt whisky makers breathed a sigh of relief Thursday after the United States agreed to suspend tariffs on one of Scotland's main exports in the wake of the resolution of a long-standing…
Senators would stop 'micropolitan' label for 144 US cities
Some lawmakers are trying to stop 144 U.S. cities from losing their designations as “metropolitan areas" as the federal government updates its standards, doubling the minimum number of residents required in a city'…
What They Want: Divergent goals for Biden, Putin at summit
GENEVA (AP) — An American president won’t side with Moscow over his own intelligence agencies. There will be no talk of a “reset” in Russian relations. And it is highly doubtful that anyone will gaze into Vladimir …
Military defends Jan. 6 response as House steps up probes
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Army leader defended the Pentagon’s response to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, telling a House panel Tuesday that the National Guard was delayed for hours because it had to pro…
Let the recovery begin: EU chief OKs first virus plans
MADRID (AP) — The European Union moved a step closer Wednesday to deploying the bloc’s massive pandemic recovery fund, with a top executive going to Portugal and Spain to announce the bloc’s initial endorsement of …
US ends strict Trump-era asylum rules for violence victims
The U.S. government on Wednesday ended two Trump administration policies that made it harder for immigrants fleeing violence to qualify for asylum, especially Central Americans.
AP FACT CHECK: Putin's errant claims on cyberattacks, Jan. 6
Russian President Vladimir Putin contradicted the evidence Wednesday when he asserted Russians are not a leading source of cyberattacks on the United States and other countries. They are.
As COVID-19 crisis ebbs, some seeking 9/11-style commission
With more than 600,000 Americans dead of COVID-19 and questions still raging about the origin of the virus and the government's response, a push is underway on Capitol Hill and beyond for a full-blown investigation…
Bipartisan infrastructure group swells to 21 senators
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan senators’ group working on a
Drought saps California reservoirs as hot, dry summer looms
OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — Each year Lake Oroville helps water a quarter of the nation’s crops, sustain endangered salmon beneath its massive earthen dam and anchor the tourism economy of a Northern California county …
Biden trip takeaways: Respect, optimism, some skepticism
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s first overseas trip put his diplomatic and negotiating philosophy on display, as he rallied traditional U.S. democratic allies to confront new and old challenges and offered …
GOP needs new health care target; 'Obamacare' survives again
WASHINGTON (AP) —