House Speaker Johnson is running out of time to avoid shutdown
Speaker Mike Johnson, the little-known Louisiana congressman who emerged from a hardliner revolt as House Republicans’ new leader, is short on both time and experience to avert a US government shutdown. The novice to major Washington negotiations plans to release as soon as Thursday his proposal for temporary government funding...
Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin won’t seek reelection, giving GOP a key pickup opportunityVideo
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced Thursday that he won’t seek reelection in 2024, giving Republicans a prime opportunity to pick up a seat in the heavily GOP state. Manchin, 76, said in a statement that he had made the decision “after months of deliberation...
Penn-Trafford to bring Shakespeare ‘play within a play’ to stage this weekend
The Penn-Trafford High School Drama Guild will bring a twist on a Shakespeare classic to the stage this weekend for the first time in about two decades. The drama guild will perform “Romeo and Juliet: Together and Alive At Last,” a story about two middle school students, Anabell and Pete,...
The man accused of attacking Nancy Pelosi’s husband was caught up in conspiracies, defense says
SAN FRANCISCO — The man accused of bludgeoning former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer was caught up in conspiracies when he broke into her San Francisco home last year, his defense attorney said at his trial opened Thursday. The attack on then-82-year-old Paul Pelosi in the early...
Can Michigan activists keep Trump off the ballot? A judge heard arguments today
A judge in Michigan heard arguments Thursday on whether Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has the authority to keep Donald Trump’s name off state ballots for president. Activists sued Benson in the Michigan Court of Claims to force her to keep Trump’s name off ballots and to assess Trump’s constitutional...
Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial will go on after lawyers seek early verdict ending case
NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s lawyers were thwarted Thursday in their longshot bid to immediately end the New York civil fraud trial that threatens the former president’s real estate empire. Judge Arthur Engoron didn’t rule on the request, but indicated the trial will go on as scheduled Monday with Donald...
Israel agrees to 4-hour daily pauses in Gaza fighting to allow civilians to flee, White House says
WASHINGTON — The White House said Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its assault on Hamas in northern Gaza starting on Thursday, as the Biden administration said it has secured a second pathway for civilians to flee fighting. President Joe Biden had asked Israeli...
Census Bureau sees an older, more diverse America in 2100 in 3 immigration scenarios
By the end of the century, the U.S. population will be declining without substantial immigration, older adults will outnumber children and white, non- Hispanic, residents will account for less than 50% of the population, according to projections released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. The population projections offer a glimpse...
Man receives the first eye transplant plus a new face
NEW YORK — Surgeons have performed the world’s first transplant of an entire human eye, an extraordinary addition to a face transplant — although it’s far too soon to know if the man will ever see through his new left eye. An accident with high-voltage power lines had destroyed most...
National Zoo’s giant pandas fly home amid uncertainty about future panda exchanges
WASHINGTON — The day that panda lovers have been dreading has finally come. The National Zoo’s three giant pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji. on Wednesday began their long trip to China, leaving behind an empty panda exhibit with no certainty that pandas ever would...
Minnesota Supreme Court dismisses ‘insurrection clause’ challenge and allows Trump on primary ballot
MINNEAPOLIS — Former President Donald Trump will stay on the Minnesota primary ballot after the state supreme court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking end his candidacy under a rarely-used constitutional provision that forbids those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office. The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to become the...
Israeli strikes pound Gaza City, which tens of thousands have fled in recent days
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes pounded Gaza City overnight into Thursday as ground forces battled Hamas militants in dense urban neighborhoods from which tens of thousands have fled in recent days. Israeli troops were around 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Shifa Hospital in the heart of downtown, the...
8 dead in crash after police chased a suspected human smuggler, Texas officials say
AUSTIN, Texas — Eight people died Wednesday when the driver of a car suspected of carrying smuggled migrants fled police and smashed into an oncoming vehicle on a South Texas highway. The crash happened around 6:30 a.m. when the driver of a 2009 Honda Civic tried to outrun deputies from...
GOP presidential candidates unified on Israel but divided on China as they debate without TrumpVideo
MIAMI — In their first debate since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, the Republican presidential candidates all declared hawkish support for Israel but squabbled over China and Ukraine as they faced growing pressure to try to catch Donald Trump — who was again absent. At center stage were Ron...
U.S. launches airstrike on Syrian site in response to attacks by Iranian-backed militias
WASHINGTON — The U.S. launched an airstrike on a facility in eastern Syria used by Iranian-backed militias, in retaliation for what has been a growing number of attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in the region for the past several weeks, the Pentagon said. Wednesday’s strike by two U.S. F-15...
Timika Lane wins court seat, as Pennsylvania Democrats sweep 4 statewide judicial races
HARRISBURG — Democrat Timika Lane won a seat on a statewide appellate court in Pennsylvania, giving Democrats a sweep of four statewide judicial races in Tuesday’s election, including an open seat on the state’s highest court. Vote-counting continued into Wednesday and put Lane, a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge, over...
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves wins 2nd term, defeating Democrat Brandon Presley
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves won a second term Tuesday in the conservative state where his party dominates. Reeves defeated challenger Brandon Presley, who raised more money and made an aggressive push to give Democrats a rare statewide victory in the Deep South. “Mississippi has momentum, and...
Suspect in custody in recent fatal stabbing of Detroit synagogue leader
DETROIT — Police said a suspect was in custody Wednesday in the fatal stabbing of a Detroit synagogue leader whose recent death had raised questions about whether it was motivated by antisemitism. “It does not represent the conclusion of our work in this case,” police Chief James White said. “The...
To help 2024 voters, Meta says it will begin labeling political ads that use AI-generated imagery
WASHINGTON — Facebook and Instagram will require political ads running on their platforms to disclose if they were created using artificial intelligence, their parent company announced on Wednesday. Under the new policy by Meta, labels acknowledging the use of AI will appear on users’ screens when they click on ads....
House Republicans subpoena Hunter and James Biden as their impeachment inquiry ramps back up
WASHINGTON — House Republicans issued subpoenas Wednesday to members of President Joe Biden’s family, taking their most aggressive step yet in an impeachment inquiry bitterly opposed by Democrats that is testing the reach of congressional oversight powers. The long-awaited move by Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight...
FDA approves new version of diabetes drug Mounjaro for weight loss
A new version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro can be sold as a weight-loss drug, U.S. regulators announced Wednesday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly’s drug, named Zepbound. The drug, also known as tirzepatide, helped dieters lose as much as 40 to 60 pounds in testing....
Residents sheltered in place for hours after chemical plant explosion in rural Texas injured workerVideo
HOUSTON — A massive fire at a chemical plant in rural Texas on Wednesday sent a plume of black smoke into the sky as officials closed down a local highway and ordered residents to take shelter for several hours. Authorities had asked residents within a one-mile radius of a chemical...
Colorado funeral home owner, wife arrested on charges linked to the handling of at least 189 bodies
DENVER — The owner of a Colorado funeral home and his wife were arrested Wednesday after the decaying remains of at least 189 people were recently found at his facility. Jon and Carrie Hallford were arrested in Wagoner, Oklahoma, on suspicion of four felonies — abuse of a corpse, theft,...
Adidas says it may write off remaining unsold Yeezy shoes after breakup with Ye
FRANKFURT, Germany — Adidas said it might have to write off the remaining 300 million euros ($320 million) worth of Yeezy shoes left unsold after it cut ties with rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. The company will decide in the coming weeks whether or not to do a...
Red hot October almost guarantees 2023 will be the hottest year on record
This October was the hottest on record globally, 1.7 degrees Celsius (3.1 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the pre-industrial average for the month — and the fifth straight month with such a mark in what will now almost certainly be the warmest year ever recorded. October was a whopping 0.4 degrees...
