Wisconsin Legislature to put photo ID requirement on ballot for voter approval
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s photo ID requirement for voting would be elevated from a state law to a constitutional amendment under a proposal up for approval Tuesday in the Republican-controlled Assembly. Once passed by the Assembly, the proposed constitutional amendment would appear on the April 1 ballot for voter consideration....
Why hundreds of miners are still trapped and starving in an abandoned South Africa mine
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South African authorities have come under intense scrutiny for their response after civic groups said hundreds of miners have been trapped deep in an abandoned gold mine for months, with more than 100 of them believed to have died of starvation or dehydration. Authorities launched...
Blinken will make a case for post-war reconstruction and governance of Gaza
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to make a last-minute case Tuesday for a plan for the post-war reconstruction and governance of Gaza as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appears tantalizingly close to completion. Blinken will tout the proposal, which has been in the works for...
Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages, officials say
CAIRO — Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said Tuesday. Mediator Qatar said Israel and the Palestinian militant group were at the “closest point” yet to sealing a deal that...
Pete Hegseth confronts allegations of misconduct as senators grill Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, vowed Tuesday to foster a “warrior culture” at the Pentagon and confronted allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking and questions about his derisive views of women in combat during a heated Senate confirmation hearing. Hegseth repeatedly deflected the...
Dire fire warning for Los Angeles area pushed back as wind eases
LOS ANGELES — Easing wind delivered a brief but much-needed reprieve to firefighters Tuesday as they battled two massive blazes burning in the Los Angeles area, and the National Weather Service pushed back its unusually dire warning of critical fire weather until early the following day. Forecasters said the winds...
Special counsel report says Trump would’ve been convicted for Jan. 6 ‘unprecedented criminal effort’
WASHINGTON — Special counsel Jack Smith said his team “stood up for the rule of law” as it investigated President-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, writing in a much-anticipated report released Tuesday that he stands fully behind his decision to bring criminal charges that...
Traffic into Manhattan drops 7.5% in first week of new toll. That’s 43,000 fewer cars a dayVideo
NEW YORK — A new toll on drivers entering the core of Manhattan brought modest but measurable traffic reductions to New York City’s heavily-gridlocked streets in its first week of operation, according to preliminary data released Monday by the state’s transit authority. Known as “congestion pricing,” the first-in-the-nation program launched...
Up to 4 in 10 people could develop dementia after 55. What you can do to lower your risk
WASHINGTON — About a million Americans a year are expected to develop dementia by 2060, roughly double today’s toll, researchers reported Monday. That estimate is based on a new study that found a higher lifetime risk than previously thought: After age 55, people have up to a 4 in 10...
Prosecutor who investigated Hunter Biden defends probes, denounces president’s remarks in new report
WASHINGTON — The criminal charges against Hunter Biden “were the culmination of thorough, impartial investigations, not partisan politics,” the prosecutor who led the probes said in a report that sharply criticized President Joe Biden for having maligned the Justice Department when he pardoned his son. “Other presidents have pardoned family...
Allentown activists demand FBI investigation into alleged hate crime against city employee
A group of Allentown activists held a protest Monday afternoon in front of City Hall, calling for justice and accountability after a noose reportedly was found on the desk of a city employee last week. Allentown police announced Friday they are investigating an incident in which a Black woman who...
Trump pronounces Sen. John Fetterman ‘impressive’ after Mar-a-Lago meeting
President-elect Donald Trump had several positive things to say about Sen. John Fetterman as a result of their meeting during the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, according to the Washington Examiner. Trump heaped praise on Pennsylvania’s senior senator calling him “impressive” and “fascinating.” “It was a totally fascinating meeting. He’s a fascinating...
Country star Carrie Underwood will perform at Trump’s inauguration
NEW YORK — Country music star Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful” at Donald Trump’s inauguration next week and other performers will include two of the president-elect’s musical favorites, country singer Lee Greenwood and opera singer Christopher Macchio. Underwood, who launched her career on “American Idol,” is to perform...
Judge clears the way for release of special counsel Smith’s report on Trump’s 2020 election case
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department can publicly release special counsel Jack Smith’s investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case, a federal judge said Monday in the latest ruling in a court dispute over the highly anticipated document days before Trump is set to reclaim the White House....
Some Israeli soldiers refuse to keep fighting in Gaza
JERUSALEM — Yotam Vilk says the image of Israeli soldiers killing an unarmed Palestinian teenager in the Gaza Strip is seared in his mind. An officer in the armored corps, Vilk said the instructions were to shoot any unauthorized person who entered an Israeli-controlled buffer zone in Gaza. He saw...
Supreme Court declines to hear from oil and gas companies trying to block climate change lawsuits
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court said Monday it won’t hear an appeal from oil and gas companies trying to block lawsuits seeking to hold the industry liable for billions of dollars in damage linked to climate change. The order allows the city of Honolulu’s lawsuit against oil and gas companies...
DeSantis calls special session to implement Trump’s immigration policies
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling state lawmakers into a special session to help carry out President-elect Donald Trump’s promises for a swift crackdown on immigration. Trump is preparing more than 100 executive orders starting Day One of the new White House administration, in what amounts to...
Millions have had student loans canceled under Biden — despite the collapse of his forgiveness plan
WASHINGTON — Despite failing to deliver his promise for broad student loan forgiveness, President Joe Biden has now overseen the cancellation of student loans for more than 5 million Americans — more than any other president in U.S. history. In a last-minute action on Monday, the Education Department canceled loans...
Living longer can mean more dementia but there are ways to reduce the risk
WASHINGTON — About a million Americans a year are expected to develop dementia by 2060, roughly double today’s toll, researchers reported Monday. That estimate is based on a new study that found a higher lifetime risk than previously thought: After age 55, people have up to a 4 in 10...
Melania Trump says she’s packed and ready for the move back into the White House
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Incoming first lady Melania Trump says she’s packed and ready to move back into the White House, where son Barron will have a bedroom, and she plans to revive her Be Best children’s initiative. Trump also said in a taped interview broadcast Monday on Fox...
Gallery: Photos from Jan. 13, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Incoming Trump team is questioning civil servants at National Security Council about their loyalty
WASHINGTON — Incoming senior Trump administration officials have begun questioning career civil servants who work on the White House National Security Council about who they voted for in the 2024 election, their political contributions and whether they have made social media posts that could be considered incriminating by President-elect Donald...
Magnitude 6.9 earthquake rattles southwestern Japan as tsunami threat declared over
TOKYO — A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 hit southwestern Japan on Monday, triggering public warnings to stay away from coastal areas because of a tsunami advisory, which was later called off. There were no immediate reports of damage. Residents in some coastal areas were told to...
Stronger wind threatens to spread wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area
LOS ANGELES — A growing force of firefighters battled massive infernos across the Los Angeles area on Monday as more powerful wind moved in and threatened recent progress against wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people. Planes doused homes and hillsides with bright pink...
Jeff Bezos’ space company calls off debut launch of massive new rocket in final minutes of countdown
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Blue Origin called off the debut launch of its massive new rocket early Monday because of technical trouble. The 320-foot New Glenn rocket was supposed to blast off before dawn with a prototype satellite from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. But launch controllers had to...
