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…
AP-NORC poll: More Americans believe anti-Asian hate rising
WASHINGTON (AP) — A majority of Americans across racial and ethnic groups believe discrimination has worsened in the last year against Asian Americans, who became
The Latest: EU seeks fines in AstraZeneca court case
BRUSSELS — The European Union took on vaccine producer AstraZeneca in a Brussels court on Wednesday and accused it of diverting promised doses to other nations when it had promised them for urgent delivery among th…
UK court ends trial of three men over Hillsborough disaster
LONDON (AP) — A British judge on Wednesday ended the trial of two former police officers and an ex-lawyer on charges of perverting the course of justice in connection with the 1989 Hillsborough soccer stadium disas…
Former Sen. John Warner dies at 94, married Elizabeth Taylor
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Former Sen. John W. Warner of Virginia, a former Navy secretary who was once married to Elizabeth Taylor, has died at 94.
Former US Sen. John Warner of Virginia dies at 94
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Former Sen. John W. Warner of Virginia, a former Navy secretary who was once married to Elizabeth Taylor, has died at 94, his longtime chief of staff said Wednesday.
Ex-Johnson aide lambasts UK government over COVID failures
LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s former chief aide lashed out Wednesday at the government he once served, saying people died “in horrific circumstances” because of authorities' failed response to t…
Belarusian leader defends diversion of flight that drew fury
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Belarus' authoritarian president defended Wednesday his decision to tell a passenger jet to land in his country and accused European leaders of waging a “hybrid war” to “strangle” his nation by…
The Latest: Portugal backtracks on capital-focused vaccines
LISBON, Portugal - Portuguese authorities say they are speeding up their COVID-19 vaccination drive nationwide after prompting an outcry by saying inoculations would be accelerated only in the Lisbon region.
Ex-Johnson aide says UK government failed public over COVID
LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s former chief aide said Wednesday that the government “failed” the British people and “fell disastrously short” in handling the coronavirus pandemic.
Belarusian leader defends his action to divert flight
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Belarus' authoritarian president on Wednesday defended his action to divert a European flight that triggered bruising European Union sanctions and accused the West of waging a “hybrid war” to “…
The Latest: Pakistan opens jabs to all adults to boost rates
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan is offering jabs to its entire adult population in hopes of boosting COVID-19 vaccination rates, with only 5% of the population inoculated so far.
Blinken arrives in Egypt to shore up Gaza cease-fire efforts
CAIRO (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Egypt on Wednesday as he pressed ahead with a diplomatic mission aimed at shoring up a cease-fire that ended an 11-day war between Israel and the Gaza …
Turkish teams on mission to persuade the vaccine-reluctant
MARDIN, Turkey (AP) — In the medieval Turkish city of Mardin, Medine Ereli calls out to a team of medical workers walking along the town’s cobblestoned main street. Her 59-year old husband refuses to get vaccinated…
Some races to be contested in 2021
EPHRATA — One Royal City City Council race will be on the primary ballot, and Mattawa Mayor Maria Celaya will face a challenger.
The Latest: South Korea mulls dropping masks for vaccinated
SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean officials say they plan to allow people to drop their masks from July if they have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, as they mull incentives to promote inoculat…