President Trump won’t attend Joe Biden’s inaugurationVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday he won’t attend President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, undercutting his message a day earlier that he would work to ensure a “smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power” to his successor. Trump offered no clues for how he would spent his...
Mayor warns London situation critical as virus spreads fast
LONDON — London’s mayor declared the capital’s covid-19 situation to be critical Friday, reflecting deteriorating conditions for beleaguered hospitals, as the country authorized a third vaccine for emergency use. Sadiq Khan declared a “major incident,″ as the rapid spread of the virus pushed hospitals to breaking point, with the number...
U.S. group appeals for Pakistani woman jailed on blasphemy
ISLAMABAD — The U.S. religious watchdog appealed Friday for the rights of a Pakistani woman from the country’s minority Ahmadis who has been jailed on blasphemy charges, declaring her a prisoner of conscience and urging Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government to immediately set her free. The statement by the U.S....
9 killed in attack on wake in Mexico’s Guanajuato state
MEXICO CITY — Nine people were killed and one wounded when gunmen opened fire at a wake in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, officials said. Public safety officials in the city of Celaya said in a statement the gunmen arrived late Thursday night. Local press reported that the wake...
John Fetterman taking steps toward running for U.S. Senate in 2022
John Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, is taking a definitive step toward running for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2022. Fetterman said Friday that he is exploring a run for U.S. Senate. Previously, Fetterman had said that he was looking at running for either governor or U.S. Senate in...
UN fears ‘massive’ covid transmission in Ethiopia’s Tigray
NAIROBI, Kenya — The United Nations fears “massive community transmission” of covid-19 in Ethiopia’s troubled Tigray region, fueled by displacement and the collapse of health services, as humanitarian workers finally begin to access the region two months after fighting began. A new U.N. report based on the first on-the-ground assessments...
U.S. loses 140,000 jobs, 1st monthly loss since spring
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers shed jobs last month for the first time since April, cutting 140,00 positions, clear evidence that the economy is faltering as the viral pandemic tightens its grip on consumers and businesses. At the same time, the unemployment rate stayed at 6.7%, the first time it hasn’t...
Woman who falsely accused Black teen of theft in NYC arrested in Calif.
NEW YORK — A woman who falsely accused a Black teenager of stealing her phone and then tackled him at a New York City hotel was arrested Thursday in her home state of California. Miya Ponsetto, 22, was jailed in Ventura County, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office there said....
What’s in store for rioters in Capitol attack? Experts weigh in
As federal investigators begin culling through thousands of hours of video and social media posts to identify the people responsible for Wednesday’s attack on the Capitol, many Americans wonder what justice will look like. Will it mean filing charges against every single individual involved in the violent clash that made...
Officer becomes 5th person to die from Capitol siege
WASHINGTON — A police officer has died from injuries sustained as President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol, a violent siege that is forcing hard questions about the defeated president’s remaining days in office and the ability of the Capitol Police to secure the area. The U.S. Capitol Police said...
Capitol Police chief resigns a day after Congress was taken by a violent, pro-Trump mob
WASHINGTON — A day after his department failed to protect Congress from rioting by a violent, pro-Trump mob that left five dead, many injured and lawmakers terrified, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund announced that he will resign, effective Jan. 16. Sund submitted his resignation letter to the Capitol Police Board...
Woman fatally shot at Capitol echoed Trump on social media
SAN DIEGO — Like President Donald Trump, the San Diego woman fatally shot by police as a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol had used Twitter to amplify her views, including false allegations that November’s election was riddled with fraud. “Nothing will stop us….they can try and try...
‘What else could I do?’ NJ Rep. Kim helps clean up Capitol
Water bottles, clothing, Trump flags, even a U.S. flag littered the ground inside the U.S. Capitol after a mob backing President Donald Trump ransacked the building. New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim walked amid the mess shortly after voting to certify Joe Biden’s victory over Trump — and felt the weight...
Education head Betsy DeVos quits, cites Trump rhetoric
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has become the second Cabinet secretary to resign a day after a pro-Trump insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In a resignation letter Thursday, DeVos blamed President Donald Trump for inflaming tensions in the violent assault on the seat of the nation’s democracy. She says, “There is...
Conservative media decry Capitol riot, but grievances remain
NEW YORK — Media outlets that appeal to conservatives offered condemnations, explanations and deflections following the U.S. Capitol riot by President Donald Trump’s supporters, but little introspection. Dealing with the shocking breach of the national landmark was a complex task for outlets aimed at Trump’s base, many of whom are...
Several state lawmakers joined, observed U.S. Capitol turmoil
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia lawmaker who filmed himself and supporters of President Donald Trump storming into the U.S. Capitol is facing bipartisan calls for his resignation as federal prosecutors step up their pursuit of violent perpetrators. State Del. Derrick Evans was among lawmakers from at least seven states...
Trump finally faces reality — amid talk of early ousterVideo
WASHINGTON — With 13 days left in his term, President Donald Trump finally bent to reality on Thursday amid growing talk of trying to force him out early, acknowledging he’ll peacefully leave after Congress affirmed his defeat. Trump led off a video from the White House by condemning the violence...
GOP’s Loeffler concedes to Warnock in Georgia runoff
ATLANTA — Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler on Thursday conceded to Democrat Raphael Warnock in one of two Georgia Senate runoffs that will give control of the U.S. Senate to Democrats. Loeffler, who was appointed to the position a year ago to replace outgoing Sen. Johnny Isakson, posted a video to...
Pennsylvania-based company manufactures air filtration system to combat covid-19
As covid-19 continues to spread throughout the state, one Pennsylvania-based health care technology company is using its air filtration technology in an attempt to slow the virus. LifeAire Systems, based in Allentown in eastern Pennsylvania, teamed up with Ben Franklin Technology Partners and the state Department of Community and Economic...
1 Pennsylvanian dead, a dozen others arrested in Capitol chaos
One Pennsylvanian died and at least a dozen others were among those who were arrested Wednesday night amid violence and chaos in Washington, D.C. Thousands of PresidentTrump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as legislators gathered to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s election win. Four people died: One woman was shot, and...
Founder of site Trumparoo among dead at Capitol
One of the people who died of a medical emergency during the storming of the Capitol was the founder of a pro-Trump social media site called Trumparoo and had coordinated transportation for several dozen people from Pennsylvania to Washington. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 50-year-old Benjamin Phillips drove there in...
Biden picks Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as labor secretary
President-elect Joe Biden will select Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as his labor secretary, according to a source familiar with the decision, choosing a former union worker who shares his Irish American background and working-class roots. Walsh, 53, has served as the Democratic mayor of Boston since 2014. When he took...
One-third of America’s rivers have changed color since 1984
America’s rivers are changing color — and people are behind many of the shifts, a new study said. One-third of the tens of thousands of mile-long river segments in the United States have noticeably shifted color in satellite images since 1984. That includes 11,629 miles that became greener, or went...
Order to turn off bodycams part of Andre Hill investigation
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Whether an officer who instructed other officers to turn off their body cameras in the aftermath of Andre Hill’s death violated policy is part of a wide-ranging investigation into Hill’s killing, a city spokesperson said Thursday. The instruction was captured on another officer’s body camera footage the...
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao resigns after Capitol riot
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is resigning effective Monday, becoming the highest ranking member of President Donald Trump’s administration to resign in protest after the pro-Trump insurrection at Capitol. In a statement Thursday, Chao, who is married to Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, said the violent attack on the Capitol “has...
