Biden delays Trump rule that weakened wild bird protections
BILLINGS, Mont. — The Biden administration said Thursday it was delaying a rule finalized in former President Donald Trump’s last days in office that would have drastically weakened the government’s power to enforce a century-old law protecting most wild birds. U.S. wildlife officials have said the rule could mean more...
Adviser: Trump won’t testify in Senate impeachment trial
WASHINGTON — House Democrats on Thursday asked Donald Trump to testify under oath for his Senate impeachment trial, challenging the former president to respond to their charge that he incited a violent mob to storm the Capitol. In a response, a Trump adviser said Trump won’t testify. The request in...
Georgia town plans new election amid inquiry into 2019 vote
ARLINGTON, Ga. — A southwest Georgia town plans a new election after questions were raised about the city clerk’s actions in a 2019 vote. Arlington Mayor Raymond Williams tells WALB-TV that Superior Court Judge Joe Bishop last week set a new election date of March 16 for three city council...
Virus expert says she’s exploring bid for U.S. Senate in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dr. Amy Acton, the former state health director who became the face of Ohio’s early pandemic response, has stepped down from her nonprofit position to “carefully explore” running as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate, she said Thursday. Acton would be vying for a coveted open seat...
U.S. rushes to catch up in the race to detect mutant viruses
Despite its world-class medical system and its vaunted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. fell behind in the race to detect dangerous coronavirus mutations. And it’s only now beginning to catch up. The problem has not been a shortage of technology or expertise. Rather, scientists say, it’s an...
Voting company launches $2.7B lawsuit against Fox, Giuliani, others over election fraud claims
MIAMI — A voting technology company is suing Fox News, three of its hosts and two former lawyers for former President Donald Trump — Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell — for $2.7 billion, charging that the defendants conspired to spread false claims that the company helped “steal” the U.S. presidential...
Covid hospitalizations in Pa. continue to fall
The number of people in Pennsylvania hospitalized because of the coronavirus continues to fall. The state Department of Health on Thursday reported 3,138 people were being treated for covid-19 in hospitals, 86 fewer than the day before. It marked the 14th day out of the past 15 that the number...
Biden to end U.S. support for Saudi-led offensive in Yemen
President Joe Biden will announce an end Thursday to U.S. support for a grinding five-year Saudi-led military offensive in Yemen that has deepened humanitarian suffering in the Arabian peninsula’s poorest country, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. The move would fulfill a campaign pledge by Biden, whose administration plans to...
Biden to freeze withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will freeze Donald Trump’s planned withdrawal of some U.S. troops stationed in Germany, the White House said Thursday. The announcement, from White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, came ahead of Biden’s visit to the State Department. The White House also said the U.S. would...
Media grapples with how to cover Trump after White House
NEW YORK — Two weeks into Donald Trump’s post-presidency, it feels like he hasn’t really gone away. He’s stayed in the news, defying the tradition of former presidents abruptly falling off the radar upon their successor’s inauguration and despite the shutdown of his favored means of communication on Twitter. That...
Defend or rebuke? House GOP faces difficult vote over Rep. Marjorie Taylor GreeneVideo
WASHINGTON — House Republicans will be forced to go on the record, defending or rebuking Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has drawn bipartisan condemnation over her embrace of far-right conspiracy theories, racist comments, as well as her past endorsement of violence against Democrats. Democrats are expected to move forward Thursday...
Kremlin: Thousands of arrests at Russian protests necessary response
MOSCOW — The Kremlin strongly rebuffed Western criticism Thursday and described the thousands of arrests at protests against the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny as a necessary response to the unsanctioned rallies. Many of the people arrested spent long hours on police buses and were held in overcrowded jail...
Biden, at prayer breakfast, calls out ‘political extremism’
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday called for a confrontation of the “political extremism” that inspired the U.S. Capitol riot and appealed for collective strength during such turbulent times in remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, a Washington tradition that asks political combatants to set aside their differences for...
Not child’s play: Chucky doll featured in errant Amber Alert
SAN ANTONIO — Rest assured, “Chucky” is not on the loose. The Texas Department of Public Safety has apologized after mistakenly issuing an Amber Alert that said the killer doll featured in the 1988 horror film “Child’s Play” was a suspect in the kidnapping of his 5-year-old son, Glen Ray,...
Sitting over $10 billion, Roman Catholic dioceses amassed taxpayer aid during pandemic
When the coronavirus forced churches to close their doors and give up Sunday collections, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte turned to the federal government’s signature small business relief program for more than $8 million. The diocese’s headquarters, churches and schools landed the help even though they had roughly $100...
Oklahoma man charged in shooting deaths of 5 kids, brotherVideo
MUSKOGEE, Okla. — A 25-year-old Oklahoma man was charged with murder Wednesday in the killings of his brother and five young children, police said. Jarron Deajon Pridgeon of Muskogee was charged with six counts of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill and possession of firearms during probation, court records...
House GOP keeps Liz Cheney as No. 3 leader, stands by Marjorie Taylor GreeneVideo
WASHINGTON — House Republicans decided Wednesday to stand by two GOP lawmakers who have polarized the party, voting to retain Rep. Liz Cheney as their No. 3 leader and saying they’d fight a Democratic push to kick Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene off her committees. In a 145-61 vote by secret...
Ohio police officer charged with murder in Andre Hill death
COLUMBUS — A white Ohio police officer was indicted Wednesday on a murder charge in the latest fallout following the December shooting death of 47-year-old Andre Hill, a Black man, the state’s attorney general said. Columbus Police Officer Adam Coy was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury following an...
Sen. Bob Casey named to Senate Select Intelligence Committee
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said Wednesday he looks forward to having the opportunity to serve on the Senate Select Intelligence Committee as the nation faces threats of domestic terrorism at home and complex challenges abroad. Casey, D-Scranton, announced that he was named to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which...
Guilty plea after $38 million in government contracts for masks go unfilled
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A northern Virginia businessman who was awarded $38 million in federal contracts to provide high-quality masks during the coronavirus pandemic that he never possessed pleaded guilty Wednesday to fraud and making false statements. Robert Stewart, 35, of Arlington, was owner of a company called Federal Government Experts...
Public education advocates hail Wolf’s school budget; Republicans balk at tax proposal
Public education advocates applauded the proposed 21% boost to K-12 funding in Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2021-22 budget Wednesday calling it bold and overdue, even as members of the Republican-controlled Legislature savaged it. “It is long overdue and very, very necessary,” said Ron Cowell, the former Allegheny County lawmaker and founder...
Defense Secretary orders military leaders to address extremism in ranks
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is ordering military leaders to spend time talking to their troops about extremism in the ranks, after a number of former and current military members took part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol last month. Chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Austin met...
Feds: ‘Sergeant of Arms’ of Proud Boys arrested in Washington state
SEATTLE — Federal authorities on Wednesday arrested a man who describes himself as the “Sergeant of Arms” of the Seattle chapter of the far-right group Proud Boys, after he was charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol last month. Ethan Nordean, who is also known as Rufio...
Wisconsin prosecutors seek Kyle Rittenhouse’s arrest, higher bond
MADISON, Wis. — Prosecutors asked a judge Wednesday for a new arrest warrant for an Illinois teen charged with shooting three people, killing two of them, during a protest over police brutality in Wisconsin after he apparently violated his bail conditions. Kyle Rittenhouse failed to inform the court of his...
‘New chance at life’: New Jersey man gets face, hands in rare transplant surgeryVideo
NEW YORK — Almost six months after a rare face and hands transplant, Joe DiMeo is relearning how to smile, blink, pinch and squeeze. The 22-year-old New Jersey resident had the operation last August, two years after being badly burned in a car crash. “I knew it would be baby...
