Lawyer complains of prison treatment of WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange
LONDON — A lawyer for Julian Assange complained Tuesday that the WikiLeaks founder was handcuffed 11 times, stripped naked twice and had court papers taken away on the first day of a hearing on his extradition to the United States. Attorney Edward Fitzgerald told a judge that the treatment of...
No checkout needed: Amazon opens cashier-less grocery store
NEW YORK — Amazon wants to kill the supermarket checkout line. The online retailing giant is opening its first cashier-less supermarket, where shoppers can grab milk or eggs and walk out without waiting in line or ever opening their wallets. It’s the latest sign that Amazon is serious about shaking...
Melania Trump meditates, relaxes in Indian ‘happiness’ class
NEW DELHI — U.S. first lady Melania Trump relaxed Tuesday by meditating with students participating in a “happiness class” during a tour of a government-run school in the Indian capital. The class curriculum dovetails with her “Be Best” initiative to teach children and young adults to be kind, avoid drugs...
10-year-old is killed by school bus in Brooklyn, police say
NEW YORK — A 10-year-old girl was struck and killed Tuesday by a school bus in Brooklyn, police said. The girl was crossing a street in the East New York neighborhood around 6:45 a.m. when she was hit by a bus as it was turning right, police said. The child...
Harvey Weinstein case could influence other sex crime prosecutionsVideo
NEW YORK — New York prosecutors are hailing Harvey Weinstein’s conviction as a pivotal moment that could change the way the legal system views a type of sexual assault case historically considered difficult to prove. Most of the women who testified against Weinstein stayed in contact with him — and...
Trump defends Modi, refuses to weigh in on citizenship law
NEW DELHI — Defending the host who has showered him with pomp and pageantry, President Donald Trump refusedTuesday to speak out publicly against a controversial new Indian citizenship law pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that has sparked deadly protests over discrimination against Muslims. Asked about the law one day...
Trump says coronavirus ‘very well under control’ in U.S.
NEW DELHI — President Donald Trump sought Tuesday to minimize fears about coronavirus spreading rampantly throughout the U.S., saying the situation is “very well under control in our country.” At the same time, the Trump administration on Monday asked Congress for an additional $2.5 billion to prepare in case of...
Ex-Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak dies at 91
CAIRO — Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian leader who for nearly 30 years was a fixture in Mideast politics before being forced by the military to resign after nationwide protests that were part of the Arab world’s 2011 pro-democracy upheaval, died on Tuesday, the country’s state-run TV said. He was 91....
Animals work as healers
Pet therapy is gaining fans in health care and beyond. Animal-assisted therapy can reduce pain and anxiety in people with a range of health problems. What is pet therapy? Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing field that...
Times Square campaign features White Oak cancer survivor
A White Oak woman diagnosed as a teen with stage II rectal cancer will be among 14 people featured in a new awareness campaign in New York City’s Times Square on Feb. 26. Denelle Suranski, 37, is an awareness ambassador with the nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer. At 9 a.m. Wednesday,...
Clarifying the carrot confusion
My recent column on carrots brought these letters. And they piqued my curiosity to get more information: Q: I just finished a column by you about carrots in the Fredericksburg Virginia Free Lance Star. I always wondered about baby carrots. Now that you have confirmed that they are cut regular...
Health Happenings: Week of Feb. 24
Blood drives • American Red Cross will host these blood drives: — 2-6 p.m. today , Brush Valley VFD, 5540 Route 259 Highway, Homer City — 12:30-6 p.m., Friday, Excela Square at Latrobe, 100 Excela Health Drive — 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, St. Michael’s Orthodox Church, 1182 Ashland St., Greensburg...
Unity woman was caring person who loved children, loved pets
Rachael Johnston of Unity had a loving heart, taking care of children in her work and babysitting relatives and loving pets — both cats and dogs. “I knew her as a very gentle, loving person. She got along very well with kids and pets,” said her uncle, Herman Lagally of...
U.S. appeals court upholds Trump rules involving abortions
SEATTLE — In a victory for the Trump administration, a U.S. appeals court on Monday upheld rules that bar taxpayer-funded family-planning clinics from referring women for abortions. The 7-4 ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned decisions issued by judges in Washington, Oregon and California. The court...
Trump administration rules on abortion referrals upheld by appeals court
SEATTLE — In a victory for the Trump administration, a U.S. appeals court on Monday upheld rules that bar taxpayer-funded family-planning clinics from referring women for abortions. The 7-4 ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned decisions issued by judges in Washington, Oregon and California. The court...
UnitedHealthcare tackles homelessness as a root cause of poor health
PHILADELPHIA — Purvis Wright’s health, and life, were spiraling out of control. Wright went to the hospital in July 2018 after a spate of blackouts and throwing up blood. “It was all downhill,” Wright said this month. “I wound up with my eight or nine different sicknesses all at once.”...
Monongahela native, Purdue president wants civics test as graduation requirement
Let’s hope they paid attention in high school civics. If students at Purdue University didn’t master civics back then, they might find themselves in a bit of a bind. Inside Higher Ed, a publication that follows higher education, is reporting Purdue President Mitch Daniels wants to make a passing grade...
White House unveils $2.5B emergency coronavirus request
WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday sent lawmakers an urgent budget request for $2.5 billion to address the deadly coronavirus outbreak, whose rapid spread and threat to the global economy rocked financial markets. The White House budget office said the funds are for vaccines, treatment, and protective equipment. The...
Pennsylvania launches webpages to school voters on new procedures
State officials are making good on a promise to get out the word about Pennsylvania’s new voting systems — at least online. On Monday, three weeks before the new date when voters may apply for a no-excuse absentee ballot, the Pennsylvania Department of State launched a new website (www.votespa.com/readytovote), complete...
Louisiana Judge Jessie LeBlanc apologizes for racial slurs in text messagesVideo
NAPOLEONVILLE, La. — A Louisiana judge has apologized for using racial slurs in angry text messages, which she now admits she sent during an argument with her lover in an extramarital affair. District Judge Jessie LeBlanc told WAFB-TV in an interview Sunday that she admits using a slur to describe...
Girl, 11, brings AR-15 to Idaho hearing on gun legislation
BOISE, Idaho — An 11-year-old girl toting a loaded AR-15 assault weapon appeared Monday with her grandfather, who is supporting legislation that would allow visitors to Idaho who can legally possess firearms to carry a concealed handgun within city limits. Charles Nielsen addressed the committee that voted to send the...
Joe Biden predicts South Carolina win as Democrats grapple with Bernie Sanders
HILTON HEAD, S.C. — Joe Biden expressed confidence on Monday that he would win this weekend’s South Carolina primary as he and other Democrats fight to loosen front-runner Bernie Sanders’ grip on the party’s 2020 presidential nomination. Opening the most critical week of his campaign, Biden said he would win...
Kobe Bryant’s widow sues helicopter operator for deaths
LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant’s widow sued the owner of the helicopter that crashed in fog and killed the former Los Angeles Lakers star and their 13-year-old daughter last month as she publicly mourned their deaths Monday in an emotional public ceremony. The wrongful death lawsuit filed by Vanessa Bryant...
Chocolate bar ends hostage situation in Irish prison
Chocolate can do great things. The latest amazing attribute of the sweet treat: peacekeeper. Media outlets in Ireland, including the Irish Post, report that a five-hour standoff with hostages at Midlands Prison in Ireland was brought to a peaceful end when one of two inmates agreed to trade his weapons...
Harvey Weinstein found guilty in landmark #MeToo moment
NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein was convicted Monday at his sexual assault trial, sealing his dizzying fall from powerful Hollywood studio boss to archvillain of the #MeToo movement. He was found guilty of criminal sex act for assaulting production assistant Mimi Haleyi at his apartment in 2006 and third-degree rape...
