This conclave to choose a new pope was short — but not the shortest ever
VATICAN CITY — How long does it take to choose a pope? In this case, it took only two days for Catholic cardinals to elect a successor to Pope Francis. That’s among the shortest conclaves in recent decades, but not the shortest ever. It’s hard to be precise, since the...
Joe Biden blames Kamala Harris’ loss on sexism and racism, rejects age concerns
NEW YORK — Former President Joe Biden says he’s responsible for Donald Trump’s victory last fall, but he attributed Kamala Harris ’ loss, at least in part, to sexism and racism. Biden, who left office in January, addressed the Democrats’ disastrous 2024 election, concerns about his age and Trump’s divisive...
White smoke pours out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling the election of a new popeVideo
VATICAN CITY — White smoke poured from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and the great bells of St. Peter’s Basilica tolled Thursday after cardinals elected the 267th pope to lead the Catholic Church on the second day of their conclave. The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers,...
Trump keeps 10% tariffs on UK but cuts taxes on British autos, steel and aluminum with trade deal
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump agreed Thursday to cut tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum in a planned trade deal but played down the possibility of other nations getting similarly favorable terms on his import taxes, which are roiling the global economy. Under the framework agreement, the United Kingdom...
Lawyers for man executed by firing squad in South Carolina say bullets mostly missed his heart
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A man who was put to death last month in South Carolina’s second firing squad execution was conscious and likely in extreme pain for as long as a minute after the bullets, meant to quickly stop his heart, struck him lower than expected, according to a pathologist...
Cancer before age 50 is increasing. A new study looks at which types
Cancer before age 50 is rare, but increasing, in the United States and researchers want to know why. A new government study provides the most complete picture yet of early-onset cancers, finding that the largest increases are in breast, colorectal, kidney and uterine cancers. Scientists from the National Cancer Institute...
Gallery: Photos from May 7, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Thursday, May 8, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Bill Gates pledges his remaining fortune to the Gates Foundation, which will close in 20 years
SEATTLE — Bill Gates says he will donate 99% of his remaining tech fortune to the Gates Foundation, which will now close in 2045, earlier than previously planned. Today, that would be worth an estimated $107 billion. The pledge is among the largest philanthropic gifts ever — outpacing the historic...
More older Americans worry Social Security won’t be there for them, an AP-NORC poll finds
WASHINGTON — As the Social Security Administration undergoes massive changes and staffing cuts ushered in by the Trump administration, an increasing share of older Americans — particularly Democrats — aren’t confident the benefit will be available to them, a poll shows. The share of older Americans who are “not very”...
80 years ago World War II in Europe was over. Celebrating V-E Day is now tinged with some dread
LONDON — Even if the end of World War II in Europe spawned one of the most joyous days the continent ever lived, Thursday’s 80th anniversary of V-E Day is haunted as much by the specter of current-day conflict as it celebrates the defeat of ultimate evil. Hitler’s Nazi Germany...
A woman who called a Black child a slur has raised a backlash but also thousands of dollars
A video showing a Minnesota woman at a playground last week openly admitting to using a racist slur against a Black child has garnered millions of views. Maybe equally viral has been a crowdfunding effort that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help the woman now relocate her...
No new pope elected yet after black smoke pours out of Sistine Chapel’s chimney
VATICAN CITY — Cardinals failed again Thursday morning to find a successor to Pope Francis, sending black smoke billowing up through the Sistine Chapel chimney after two more inconclusive rounds of conclave voting. The black smoke poured out at 11:50 a.m., signalling that the second and third ballots of the...
Sen. John Fetterman raises alarms with outburst at meeting with union officials
HARRISBURG — Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was meeting last week with representatives from a teachers union in his home state when things quickly devolved. Before long, Fetterman began repeating himself, shouting and questioning why “everybody is mad at me,” “why does everyone hate me, what did I ever...
Trump designates Thursday as a day for U.S. to celebrate victory in World War II. Here’s what it means
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation designating Thursday as a day for the United States to celebrate victory in World War II as countries in Europe already do. Cities from London to Moscow are holding parades, flyovers and memorials this week as the world observes Thursday’s 80th...
Donald Trump taps wellness influencer close to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for surgeon generalVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is tapping Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer with close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as his nominee for surgeon general after withdrawing his initial pick for the influential health post. Trump said in a social media post Wednesday...
Democrats send ‘dead-on-arrival’ marijuana legalization bill to Pa. Senate
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania House took a major step toward legalizing recreational cannabis Wednesday, passing a bill along party lines that would permit the sale...
GOP lawmakers berate Haverford College president for not discussing discipline for antisemitism
WASHINGTON — The president of Haverford College was berated by Republican lawmakers in a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism Wednesday, with some suggesting the school should lose federal funding because of her refusal to discuss student discipline in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests. Wendy Raymond appeared alongside two other college...
Trump administration will provide programming from conservative network OAN for Voice of America
NEW YORK — The Trump administration, which has fought to dismantle or hollow out government-run outlets that provide news to other countries, has agreed to use the conservative media network OAN’s feed on Voice of America and other services. Voice of America hasn’t operated since mid-March because of funding cuts...
Judge says U.S. must allow migrants a chance to challenge in court any deportations to Libya
WASHINGTON — Deporting migrants to Libya without a chance to challenge the removals would violate a court order, a federal judge said Wednesday, after immigration attorneys reported that authorities told people they would be sent to the country with a history of human rights violations. U.S. District Judge Brian E....
Alligator kills Florida woman after tipping over her canoe, investigators say
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — An alligator killed a Florida woman after tipping over a canoe she and her husband were paddling, which investigators say appeared to be an accidental encounter. The attack occurred Tuesday afternoon near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee, south of Orlando, the Florida Fish...
House GOP backing off some Medicaid cuts as report shows millions of people would lose health care
WASHINGTON — House Republicans appear to be backing off some, but not all, of the steep reductions to the Medicaid program as part of their big tax breaks bill, as they run into resistance from more centrist GOP lawmakers opposed to ending nearly-free health care coverage for their constituents back...
How Penn State trustees’ plan to vote on campus closures could run afoul of transparency law
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from north-central PA, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. The...
3 former Memphis officers acquitted in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he fled a traffic stop
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Three former Memphis officers were acquitted Wednesday of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop in 2023. A jury, which appeared to be all white, took about 8 1/2 hours over two days to...
The more Trump talks about making trade deals, the more confusing the tariff picture getsVideo
WASHINGTON — The more President Donald Trump talks about his efforts to reach deals with America’s trading partners, the more confusing the tariff picture gets. His team seems good with that, saying Trump is using “strategic uncertainty” to his advantage. Trump says the United States does not have to sign...
House Republicans push to sell thousands of acres of public lands in the West
WASHINGTON — House Republicans have added a provision to their sweeping tax cut package that would authorize the sale of thousands of acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah, prompting outrage from Democrats and environmental groups who called the plan a betrayal that could lead to increased drilling, mining...
