Who are the Jesuits, Pope Francis’ religious order?
Pope Francis was the first pontiff elected from the Society of Jesus — also known as the Jesuits. It’s one of the most prominent religious orders in the Catholic Church, with approximately 15,000 priests, brothers and novices from more than 110 countries. Their reach extends from prestigious universities in world...
Worries about flying seem to be taking off. Here’s how to cope with in-flight anxiety
NEW YORK — Adelynn Campbell’s last plane trip ended with a panic attack that she got through largely with the help of a kind flight attendant. That was last year — before 67 people died in January when an American Airlines jet collided with a helicopter over Washington, D.C., in...
Law firms fighting Trump to ask judges to permanently block executive orders
WASHINGTON — Two major law firms are expected to ask separate judges on Wednesday to permanently block President Donald Trump’s executive orders that were designed to punish them and hurt their business operations. The firms — Perkins Coie and WilmerHale — have said the orders imposed in March are unconstitutional...
IRS turmoil: Leadership churn, worker exodus and threats to groups’ tax-exempt status roil agency
WASHINGTON — The height of tax season was the height of turmoil at the IRS. The agency shuffled through three acting directors over the course of a week. It’s preparing to lose tens of thousands of workers to layoffs and voluntary retirements. And President Donald Trump is weighing in on...
Orders to leave the country — some for U.S. citizens — sow confusion among immigrants
McALLEN, Texas — Hubert Montoya burst out laughing when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security emailed to say he should leave the country immediately or risk consequences of being deported. He is a U.S. citizen. “I just thought it was absurd,” the Austin, Texas, immigration attorney said. It was an...
Evacuation orders lifted as fast-moving New Jersey wildfire burns
BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A fast-moving wildfire was burning in New Jersey, but officials on Wednesday lifted earlier evacuation orders and a stretch of a major highway that was closed due to the blaze has reopened. More than 1,300 structures were threatened and about 3,000 residents had been evacuated, the...
A set of 1st editions of Shakespeare’s plays could fetch $6 million at auction
LONDON — A set of the first four editions of William Shakespeare’s collected works is expected to sell for up to $6 million at auction next month. Sotheby’s auction house announced the sale on Wednesday, Shakespeare’s 461st birthday. It said the May 23 sale will be the first time since...
Israeli strike on school-turned-shelter kills 23 as Arab mediators seek long-term Gaza truce
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An overnight Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City killed 23 people, as Arab mediators worked on a proposal to end the war with Hamas that would include a five to seven year truce and the release of all remaining hostages, officials said Wednesday....
A woman hugs the man who fatally shot her brother and 22 more in a racist attack at a Texas Walmart
Speaking to the gunman who killed her brother and 22 other people, Yolanda Tinajero did not raise her voice or condemn him for his racist attack at a Walmart in 2019. Instead she told him Tuesday that she forgave him, and wished she could give him a hug. The judge,...
The Vatican opens St. Peter’s Basilica to public to pay final respects to Pope Francis
The body of Pope Francis was moved Wednesday morning to St. Peter’s Basilica for three days of public mourning for an Argentine pontiff remembered for his humble style, concern for the poor and insistent prayers for peace. The public viewing is largely for ordinary Catholics to grieve the 88-year-old pope,...
Private security guards charged after woman was dragged out of chaotic Idaho town hall meeting
Prosecutors in northern Idaho have filed misdemeanor charges against six men in connection with the forcible removal of a woman from a legislative town hall meeting in February. Theresa Borrenpohl, the woman who was dragged out of the meeting in a Coeur d’Alene school building by plain-clothed private security officers,...
Trump says he has no intention of firing Fed chief Jerome Powell
President Donald Trump said he had no intention of firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell despite his frustration with the central bank not moving more quickly to slash interest rates. “Never did,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “The press runs away with things. No, I have no intention of firing...
Watch: Gainey and O’Connor spar in Pittsburgh democratic mayoral debate
Pittsburgh’s Democratic candidates for mayor will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. for a live, hourlong debate at WTAE’s studio ahead of the May 20 primary. WTAE anchor Shannon Perrine will moderate the debate between Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor. Gainey and O’Connor will field questions from...
Justice Department drops lawsuit accusing Pennsylvania city of diluting power of Hispanic voters
HARRISBURG — The U.S. Justice Department has withdrawn its lawsuit that accused a heavily Hispanic city in Pennsylvania of illegally diluting the political power of its growing Hispanic population. U.S. District Judge Karoline Mehalchick in Scranton approved the dismissal of the case against Hazleton on Tuesday, a day after the...
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from dismantling Voice of America
WASHINGTON — A federal judge agreed Tuesday to block the Trump administration from dismantling Voice of America, the 83-year-old international news service created by Congress. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that the administration illegally required Voice of America to cease operations for the first time since its World War...
Jury finds The New York Times did not libel former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
NEW YORK — The New York Times did not libel former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for an error in a 2017 editorial that she says damaged her reputation, a jury concluded Tuesday. The jury deliberated a little over two hours before reaching its verdict after lawyers for Palin and the...
Top ’60 Minutes’ producer quits, saying he can no longer run the show as he has in the past
NEW YORK — With his show involved in a bitter dispute with President Donald Trump, the top executive at the storied CBS News show “60 Minutes” abruptly resigned on Tuesday while saying he’s losing the freedom to run it independently. Bill Owens, executive producer of television’s most popular and influential...
What do ‘expert level’ talks signal for the progress of the Iran-US nuclear negotiations?
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Negotiations between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program will move to what’s known as the “expert level” — a sign analysts say shows that the talks are moving forward rapidly. However, experts not involved in the talks who spoke with...
Treasury secretary says trade war with China is not ‘sustainable’Video
WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a Tuesday speech that the ongoing tariffs showdown against China is unsustainable and expects a “de-escalation” in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies. But in a private speech in Washington for JPMorgan Chase, Bessent also cautioned that talks between...
Gov. Shapiro reopens fire-damaged residence to the public as cleanup goes on
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro reopened the governor’s official residence to the public Tuesday for an Easter egg hunt barely a week after an alleged arsonist’s fire tore through one of its wings and said he will begin sleeping there again soon. “I’m not going to live in fear,”...
N.J. school bus driver charged with DWI had 25 juveniles on board, cops say
An Essex County, New Jersey, man is accused of driving a school bus while intoxicated with 25 juveniles on board and crashing into a median along Interstate 80. Pierre R. Tranquilus, 47, of the 100 block of South Center Street in East Orange is charged with second-degree endangering the welfare...
RFK Jr. plans to phase out 8 artificial dyes from U.S. food supply
WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials said they plan to phase out eight petroleum-based artificial colors from the nation’s food supply, triggering an overhaul of scores of brightly hued products on American store shelves. Details of the plan are expected to be announced Tuesday afternoon by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy...
George Santos defends social media tirade to federal judge set to sentence him for fraud
NEW YORK — George Santos is defending his recent social media tirade to a federal judge who will be sentencing the disgraced former New York congressman later this week on fraud charges. In a lengthy letter ahead of the Friday court date, Santos, 36, said he remains “profoundly sorry” for...
Carnegie Mellon president joins university leaders in condemning ‘unprecedented government overreach’
Presidents of nearly 200 U.S. colleges and universities, including a dozen in Pennsylvania, have co-signed a letter condemning what they called “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” by the federal government. Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian was the lone co-signer from a Southwestern Pennsylvania institution. A Carnegie Mellon spokeswoman...
Pete Hegseth pulled airstrike info from secure military channel for Signal posts
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is defending himself against a second assertion that he shared classified material through an unapproved and unsecured network — this time taking airstrike information from a military communications channel and sharing it in a chat with his wife, his brother and others. Hegseth pulled...
