Tropical Storm Philippe brings increasing risk of tropical storm conditions for BermudaVideo
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Tropical Storm Philippe began shifting away from the far eastern Caribbean islands late Tuesday afternoon, but heavy rain and strong wind are expected to continue through Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Philippe’s maximum sustained winds were holding at 45 mph as of 5 p.m....
Pence: Trump’s attacks on Milley ‘utterly inexcusable’
WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday criticized his former boss-turned-rival, Donald Trump, for calling retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a traitor over phone calls he made to China in the final stormy months of their administration. “Frankly, what Donald...
Laphonza Butler sworn in as California’s newest U.S. senator
WASHINGTON — Laphonza Butler is California’s newest senator, following a historic swearing-in ceremony with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday afternoon in the U.S. Capitol. Flanked by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., Butler raised her right hand to take the oath of office....
New Mexico Attorney General charges police officer in shooting death of Black man
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez on Tuesday announced a police officer has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a Black man during a confrontation at a gas station. Las Cruces police Officer Brad Lunsford was booked on the single charge and...
Man who killed 2 women he met a day apart in north Florida bars in 1996 put to death
STARKE, Fla. — A man who killed two women after meeting them a day apart in north Florida bars in 1996 was put to death Tuesday evening. Michael Zack III, 54, was pronounced dead minutes after 6:14 p.m. after a lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Starke. The execution...
Pa. bill would allow cities to crack down on illegal dirt bikes, ATVs
State legislators from Pennsylvania’s urban areas are hoping a bill that would allow cities to pass their own, stricter rules regarding dirt bikes and ATVs will help curb the problem of off-road vehicles ridden by thrill-seekers on city streets. The Pennsylvania House passed the bill Monday with a bipartisan 160-43...
Pitt names Marnie Oakley as new dental school dean
The University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday named Marnie Oakley as its new dean of the School of Dental Medicine. Oakley is a doctor of dental medicine, educator and administrator who has held positions at Pitt for almost three decades, most recently as the dental school’s interim dean. A national search...
New York judge issues limited gag order after Trump sends disparaging post about court clerkVideo
NEW YORK — A New York judge sternly imposed a limited gag order in Donald Trump’s civil business fraud trial Tuesday after the former president disparaged a key court staffer. Amid a long day of testimony, Judge Arthur Engoron issued the order, which applies to all parties in the case...
Forbes Hospital in Monroeville adds behavior health suite to emergency departmentVideo
Allegheny Health Network officials have added a behavioral health suite to the emergency department at Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, part of a response to an increase in ER visits by patients with behavioral health needs. “Being hospitalized or visiting an emergency department is incredibly stressful for anyone, let alone those...
Speaker McCarthy ousted in historic House vote, as scramble begins for a Republican leaderVideo
WASHINGTON — Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown — a first in U.S. history, forced by a contingent of hard-right conservatives and throwing the House and its Republican leadership into chaos. It’s the end of the political line for McCarthy, who has...
Western Pa. members of Congress weigh in on potential ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Congress could lose its House Speaker on Tuesday afternoon, as the U.S. House could vote this afternoon to vacate its top position. The effort is led by U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a hard-line conservative from Florida, who is upset with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., over a recent vote to...
Biden tries to reassure allies of continued U.S. support for Ukraine after Congress drops aid request
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden spoke Tuesday with U.S. allies and partners to coordinate future support for Ukraine after Congress passed — and he signed — legislation that kept the U.S. government funded but dropped his request for billions of dollars to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The...
Donald Trump wants future GOP debates to be canceled
Donald Trump’s campaign is calling on the Republican National Committee to cancel all remaining presidential primary debates, saying the RNC must instead “refocus its manpower” on defeating Joe Biden next year. In a statement late Monday, top Trump advisers also repeated debunked falsehoods about election fraud, claiming without evidence that...
Pennsylvania House proposes April 2 for presidential primary, 2 weeks later than Senate wants
HARRISBURG — Most Pennsylvania lawmakers want to move their state’s presidential primary election up from late April, but disagreements arose in the House on Tuesday over whether to embrace a Senate-backed plan that would shift the election to mid-March. A House committee first rejected, but later passed, a bipartisan Senate...
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to 3 federal gun charges filed after plea deal collapsed
WILMINGTON, Del. — Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to three federal firearms charges filed after his earlier deal imploded, setting the case on a track toward a possible trial in 2024 while his father is campaigning for reelection. President Joe Biden’s son has been charged with lying about...
Here’s where all the cases against Trump stand as he campaigns for a return to the White House
The civil fraud trial that kicked off against Donald Trump this week in a New York courtroom is just one of many legal problems facing the former president as he campaigns for a return to the White House. The judge overseeing the case, Arthur Engoron, resolved the lawsuit’s top claim...
Biden says that all 10 drugs targeted for the first Medicare price negotiations will participate
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the manufacturers of all of the first 10 prescription drugs selected for Medicare’s first price negotiations have agreed to participate, clearing the way for talks that could lower their costs in coming years and give him a potential political win heading into...
Pa.’s ‘snot otter’ gets prime spot on new state license plateVideo
The official state amphibian, despite its slimy appearance and a name — and nicknames — that can make young kids snicker, now appears on a Pennsylvania license plate. License plates featuring the Eastern Hellbender — aka the snot otter and Allegheny alligator — are now available for sale through PennDOT...
U.S. Rep. Cuellar of Texas back at work after being carjacked by 3 armed attackers near Capitol
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was back at work on Tuesday after being carjacked the night before by three armed attackers less than a mile from the Capitol. Cuellar said he was “good” and even joked about the frightening experience. He said the robbers “came out of...
After fiery first day, Donald Trump returns to court as his fraud trial gets down to business
NEW YORK — After a fiery first day of opening statements, lawyers in Donald Trump’s business fraud trial in New York will move on Tuesday to the more plodding task of going through years of his financial documents in what’s expected to be a weekslong fight over whether they constitute...
Shooting at major Bangkok shopping mall kills 3; suspect in police custody
BANGKOK — A shooter opened fire inside a major shopping mall in the center of Thailand’s capital Tuesday afternoon, killing three people before being apprehended, authorities said. Police said a suspect was apprehended less than an hour after the first reported gunshots at the Siam Paragon Mall, long been seen...
Powerball jackpot rises to $1.2B after another drawing without big winner
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.2 billion after no players hit it big Monday night. The winning numbers announced were: 12, 26, 27, 43, 47 and the Powerball 5. The jackpot for the next drawing Wednesday night will be among the largest lottery prizes...
Your cellphone, TV and radio will sound alarms today — here’s why
On Wednesday afternoon, your cellphone, TV and radio will all sound alarms. While it may give a jolt of surprise, there is no reason to worry. It is just a test. Two tests, actually. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission will conduct a nationwide test at...
A 9-year-old girl who vanished from a New York state park has been found safe, police say
MOREAU, N.Y. — A 9-year-old girl who vanished during a family camping trip in upstate New York was found safe Monday following a two-day search, authorities said. Charlotte Sena was located “in good health” and “a suspect is in custody” in connection with her disappearance Saturday evening, New York State...
Edgewood’s Bhavini Patel announces Democratic challenge to U.S. Rep. Summer Lee
After a roughly contested primary in 2022, Western Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District could be in for another competitive spring race. Bhavini Patel, 29, a Democrat from Edgewood, said Monday that she plans to challenge freshman U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, in next year’s primary. Less than two years ago, Lee...