Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Several contested races on the primary ballot in Grant County
EPHRATA — Filing week for the August primary election closed Friday, leaving several contested races on the ballot…
NC House members file bill on transgender students in sports
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Several North Carolina Republican legislators have filed a bill that would block transgender women and girls from joining women's high school and college athletic teams, joining the culture-war…
In Kabul, Pentagon chief speaks of 'responsible end' to war
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on his first visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief, said Sunday that the Biden administration wants to see “a responsible end” to America's longest wa…
The Latest: Sinovac: CoronaVac vaccine effective in children
BEIJING — Sinovac said on Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac is safe and effective in children ages 3-17.
Putin to get coronavirus vaccine shot in Russia on Tuesday
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin said he will get a coronavirus vaccine shot on Tuesday, several months after widespread vaccination started in Russia.
On federal death row, inmates talk about Biden, executions
CHICAGO (AP) — On federal death row, prisoners fling notes on a string under each other’s cell doors and converse through interconnected air ducts. A top issue these days: whether President Joe Biden will halt exec…
Oregon won't say how much it has lost to unemployment fraud
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon officials continue to refuse to publicly disclose how much money the state has lost to unemployment insurance fraud during the pandemic, despite the fact that neighboring states Washing…
Germany extends virus lockdown till mid-April as cases rise
BERLIN (AP) — Germany extended its lockdown measures by another month and imposed several new restrictions, including largely shutting down public life over Easter, in an effort to drive down the rate of coronaviru…
Asian Americans seek greater political power after shootings
WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaking on the floor of the Georgia state Senate last week, Michelle Au implored her colleagues to “stand up” to the hatred aimed at Asian Americans
Gov’t data show race, region disparities in school reopening
Nearly half of the nation’s elementary schools were open for full-time classroom learning as of last month, but the share of students learning in-person has varied greatly by region and by race, with most nonwhite …
Israeli election seen as referendum on divisive Netanyahu
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis vote Tuesday in their fourth parliamentary election in just two years. Once again, the race boils down to a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
AP PHOTOS: Cars become home for Spain's pandemic casualties
PAMPLONA, Spain (AP) — When the social worker called to tell Javier Irure that he was being evicted, the 65-year-old Spaniard couldn't fathom that he could end up homeless after five decades of manual labor.
Rivals seeking to gain as Biden mulls approach to Syrian war
The Biden administration is mulling over America’s role in
Miami's South Beach confronts disastrous spring break
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s famed South Beach is desperately seeking a new image.
Biden expands 'Obamacare' by cutting health insurance costs
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — President Joe Biden pledged Tuesday that his $1.9 trillion rescue package would build on the promise of the Affordable Care Act, the hallmark legislation of Barack Obama's presidency that beca…
Inslee decries 'horrendous surge' of violence against Asians
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee was joined Monday by community leaders to decry what he called a “horrendous surge” of violence against Asian-Americans.