Business owners left out as lending program goes on hold

NEW YORK (AP) — The government’s lending program for small businesses is tapped out, leaving business owners who still need loans waiting for Congress to approve more funding.

Watchdog panels slowly take shape over $2T in virus cash

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional oversight of about $2 trillion for the coronavirus crisis began to take shape Friday as three members were appointed to a congressional commission that will monitor how the money is spent.

Commissioners tell VP no football before campuses open

The commissioners of the nation's major college football conferences held a 30-minute conference call Wednesday with Vice President Mike Pence and stressed that college sports cannot return from the coronavirus shutdown until campuses have reopened.

Business owners left out as lending program goes on hold

NEW YORK (AP) — The government’s lending program for small businesses is tapped out, leaving business owners who still need loans waiting for Congress to approve more funding.

Ravens draft LSU linebacker Patrick Queen with 28th pick

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens got a potential starter in the middle of their defense by selecting linebacker Patrick Queen out of LSU with the 28th overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.

Ex-NAACP leader Kweisi Mfume wins Maryland seat in Congress

BALTIMORE (AP) — Democrat Kweisi Mfume easily won a mostly mail-in election to finish the term of

VIRUS DIARY: A positive test, then a Mumbai hotel quarantine

MUMBAI, India (AP) — I was on assignment April 20 outside Mumbai, India’s financial center. My phone rang nonstop. Fellow news photographers checked whether I’d heard about the COVID-19 tests we had taken days earlier at the Mumbai Press Club. I hadn’t yet, and I was anxious.

Republicans praise Evers' spending cuts and call for more

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers has ordered state agencies to reduce spending by 5% between now and July to save roughly $70 million, drawing praise Wednesday from Republicans who called for even more cuts in the face of steep revenue drops due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ex-NAACP leader Kweisi Mfume wins Maryland seat in Congress

BALTIMORE (AP) — Democrat Kweisi Mfume easily won a special election Tuesday to finish the term of

Tesla says cars can automatically stop for traffic lights

DETROIT (AP) — After testing on public roads, Tesla is rolling out a new feature of its partially automated driving system designed to spot stop signs and traffic signals.

Eastern Libyan forces say Turkish drone killed 5 civilians

CAIRO (AP) — Eastern Libyan forces laying siege to the country's capital of Tripoli accused their rivals Tuesday of staging an attack in which a Turkish drone hit a food truck convoy in the country’s west, killing at least five civilians.

Ravens' best draft pick was their first: HOF tackle Ogden

BEST FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK: OT Jonathan Ogden. After moving from Cleveland to Baltimore, the Ravens used the first draft pick in franchise history to take Ogden fourth overall in 1996 after giving serious consideration to Nebraska RB Lawrence Phillips. Ogden made the Pro Bowl in 11 of his 12 seasons and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Phillips was a bust. Not only did the Ravens find gold in Ogden, but later in that same round they selected Miami LB Ray Lewis. He also gained entry into the Hall of Fame after a 17-year career in which he helped Baltimore win a pair of Super Bowls. Another first-round pick, safety Ed Reed in 2002, was selected to the Hall of Fame.

Commissioners tell VP no football before campuses open

The commissioners of the nation's major college football conferences held a 30-minute conference call Wednesday with Vice President Mike Pence and stressed that college sports cannot return from the coronavirus shutdown until campuses have reopened.

Commissioners tell VP no football before campuses open

The commissioners of the nation's major college football conferences held a 30-minute conference call Wednesday with Vice President Mike Pence and stressed that college sports cannot return from the coronavirus shutdown until campuses have reopened.

Senior official cited by Trump is subject of investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — The senior Department of Homeland Security official who was thrust into the spotlight by President Donald Trump to describe the effects of temperature on COVID-19 has been the subject of misconduct allegations for his previous government work.

Polish government gets pushback on postal presidential vote

WARSAW (AP) — The Polish government’s determination to move forward with a scheduled presidential election next month by making it an all-postal vote has sparked anxiety and anger amid the coronavirus pandemic, with critics slamming the plan as a threat to the health of both the public and Poland's democracy.

EU lays out 1 trillion-euro plan to support Green Deal

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union plans to dedicate a quarter of its budget to tackling climate change and to work to shift 1 trillion euros ($1.1 trillion) in investment toward making the EU's economy more environmentally friendly over the next 10 years.

Nigel Farage gets his way, and last laugh: Brexit is coming

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Nigel Farage, the self-declared “pantomime villain” of Brexit, is leaving his favorite theater — the European Union's parliament in Strasbourg — this week with a sense of mission accomplished.

Quilts, sausage and service

Mennonite Country Auction goes all-out for disaster relief

RITZVILLE — According to Pastor Bryce Miller, on an ordinary worship day, there are at most 40 or 50 people gathered at Menno Mennonite Church about 22 miles west of Ritzville. “Menno is a long-established congregation that dates back to about 1900,” Miller said. But last Saturday, Oct. 1, hundreds of people gathered at this little church situated amid the rolling, wheat-covered hills of Adams County for the 45th annual Mennonite Country Auction, to help raise money to support the domestic and international relief efforts of the Mennonite Church USA.

Legislature back to in-person sessions

This year’s legislature is more diverse than in the past

OLYMPIA — After two years of online and hybrid legislative sessions that severely restricted legislators’ direct contact during the pandemic, the Washington State House and Senate chambers were full of people reuniting and greeting each other during the opening of the state legislature on Monday. A main issue at the start of the session was moving past the COVID-19 pandemic and adopting new rules and procedures that allow for in-person and remote participation. President of the Senate Denny Heck, the lieutenant governor, said the rules are meant to help the communities who sent representatives to the legislature this session.