Curious, confused cougar caught in Ephrata

An Ephrata man found himself hosting an uninvited guest Tuesday morning when a cougar, spotted earlier wandering the city, jumped through his screen door and into his house.

The Latest: Hawaii drops mask mandate for people outdoors

HONOLULU — Hawaii is no longer requiring people to wear face masks outdoors as the number of coronavirus cases drops and more people get vaccinated.

Grief, smiles 1 year after Floyd death as family meets Biden

WASHINGTON (AP) — They mourned together and laughed together in the Oval Office — and spoke of what President Joe Biden called “the hard reality that racism has long torn us apart.”

The Latest: UN says pandemic effort hindered by conflicts

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations humanitarian chief says that despite last year’s U.N. call for global cease-fires to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, many conflicts never stopped, including in Syria, Yemen and Congo and new ones erupted.

Senators try to salvage legislation on Jan. 6 commission

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators labored to find a path forward for legislation creating a commission on the Jan. 6 insurrection, debating potential changes in a long-shot attempt to overcome growing GOP opposition.

New grand jury seated for next stage of Trump investigation

NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors have convened a special grand jury to consider evidence in a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump's business dealings, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

COVID vaccinations offered aboard Washington ferries

SEATTLE (AP) — People in Washington state can now get a COVID vaccination on the ferry.

Grief, smiles as Floyd family meets Biden a year after death

WASHINGTON (AP) — They mourned together and laughed together in the Oval Office -- and spoke of what President Joe Biden called “the hard reality that racism has long torn us apart.”

The Latest: Louisiana lifts mask requirement for students

BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. John Bel Edwards is scrapping nearly every remaining coronavirus restriction in Louisiana and lifting the statewide requirement that students must wear a mask in the classroom and at school events.

Blinken seeks to fix Palestinian ties on maiden Mideast trip

JERUSALEM (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday announced plans to reopen a key diplomatic outreach office to the Palestinians and pledged nearly $40 million in new aid — reversing key policies of the Trump administration as he moved to bolster the embattled Palestinian government in the West Bank.

Floyd family meets Biden as Congress weighs police bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The anniversary of George Floyd’s death was supposed to be a milestone moment, a time to mark passage of legislation to “root out systemic racism” in the criminal justice system, in the words of President Joe Biden. Instead, Floyd’s family visited Washington on Tuesday to mourn with Biden and prod Congress to act as they commemorate the loss of their brother, father and son one year ago.

The Latest: WH adviser: 'Get to bottom' of virus origins

WASHINGTON — White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt says “we need to get to the bottom” of the origins of the pandemic pathogen and the World Health Organization and China need to do more to provide definitive answers for the global community.

GOP senators ready $1T infrastructure counteroffer to Biden

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans revived negotiations over President Joe Biden’s sweeping investment plan, preparing a $1 trillion infrastructure proposal that would be funded with COVID-19 relief money as a counteroffer to the White House ahead of a Memorial Day deadline toward a bipartisan deal.

The Latest: Mascots, prizes rally students to get vaccinated

SAN DIEGO — A growing number of U.S. public schools are using mascots, food trucks and prize giveaways to encourage students to get vaccinated before summer vacation.

Coroner: Quincy boy died in Moses Lake shooting

At least 10 rounds fired in violence police believe was gang-related

A 16-year-old Moses Lake boy was killed and an 18-year-old Moses Lake man injured in a gang-related shooting at a home in the 300 block of South Gibby Road Monday afternoon, police said.

Face to face: June summit for Biden, Putin as tensions rise

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Russia's Vladimir Putin agreed Tuesday to meet next month in Geneva, a face-to-face encounter the White House hopes will help bring some predictability to a fraught relationship that's only worsened in the first months of the Democratic administration.

DC files antitrust case vs Amazon over treatment of vendors

WASHINGTON (AP) — The District of Columbia has sued Amazon, accusing the online retail giant of anticompetitive practices in its treatment of sellers on its platform. The practices have raised prices for consumers and stifled innovation and choice in the online retail market, the DC attorney general alleges in an antitrust suit.

The Latest: CDC: Cases in fully vaccinated remain rare

NEW YORK — U.S. health officials say coronavirus cases in fully vaccinated people remain rare.

US to reopen Jerusalem consulate, upgrading Palestinian ties

JERUSALEM (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Tuesday that the U.S. would reopen its consulate in Jerusalem — a move that restores ties with Palestinians that had been downgraded by the Trump administration.

The Latest: CDC: Virus in fully vaccinated remains rare

NEW YORK — U.S. health officials say coronavirus infections in fully vaccinated people remain rare.