Trump seeks to close $1.6 trillion revenue gap with raft of new tariffs
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration this week stepped up its ambitious effort to replace about $1.6 trillion in lost tariff revenue that was eliminated by the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a range of the president’s import taxes. Recovering that lost revenue, which the White House was counting on...
What to know about attacks at Old Dominion University and a Michigan synagogue
Communities were left reeling from attacks that unfolded less than two hours apart at a Michigan synagogue and at Old Dominion University in Virginia, violence that officials said would have been bloodier without intervention from residents. In Virginia, a former Army National Guard member who served years in prison for...
Construction finishes on a major offshore wind farm, the first during Trump’s tenure
Construction is finished on a major Massachusetts offshore wind farm, the first project to reach this stage during President Donald Trump’s time in office. Offshore construction was completed Friday night on Vineyard Wind with the installation of the final blades, Craig Gilvarg, a spokesperson for the project, said Saturday. Trump,...
From rockets to cancer research, here’s how the number pi is embedded in our lives
LOS ANGELES — Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi. Representing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, pi is approximately equal to 3.14159 — but its digits go...
Western Pa. lawmakers secure $406M in federal earmarks for local projects
Congressional earmarks have returned in a big way this fiscal year, with $15.7 billion tucked into non-defense appropriations bills to support more than 8,000 projects nationwide. Western Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation has secured more than $406 million for nearly 200 government and nonprofit projects, records show. Those lawmakers have requested another...
U.S. orders 2,500 Marines and an amphibious assault ship to Mideast after almost 2 weeks of war
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The American military has ordered 2,500 Marines and an amphibious assault ship to the Middle East, a U.S. official said Friday, in a major addition of forces in the region after nearly two weeks of war with Iran. Hours later, President Donald Trump said U.S....
The White House wants to build an underground center to provide security screening for visitors
WASHINGTON — The White House wants to build an underground center to provide security screening for visitors, the latest step in the Trump administration’s plan to overhaul the grounds. Plans, including renderings of the 33,000-square-foot center, were included in the preliminary agenda released on Friday for the April meeting of...
A strong chemical smell forces a 1-hour flight halt at 4 major DC-area airports
WASHINGTON — Four airports serving Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, Virginia, halted all flights on Friday evening for over an hour because of a strong chemical smell that was impeding air traffic controllers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The ground stop affected Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles...
U.S. forecasts blizzard, polar vortex, heat dome and atmospheric river all at once
Nearly every part of the United States is getting walloped by wild weather or just about to be. Days of downpours have begun in Hawaii. The Southwest will soon bake with day after day of record 100-degree-plus heat. Two storms will dump snow by the foot over northern Great Lakes...
High winds knock out power for more than 260,000 in Pittsburgh region; a slew of roads closed
About 260,000 West Penn Power and Duquesne Light customers in the Pittsburgh region were without power Friday night after high winds blew through the area Friday afternoon. As of 9 p.m., Duquesne Light reported about 151,000 outages in Allegheny County and 16,000 in Beaver County. West Penn Power reported roughly...
Analysis: Hegseth’s boasts of ‘maximum’ engagement authorities face scrutiny after school is hit
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has made contempt for what he calls “stupid rules of engagement” — limits meant to reduce risks to civilians — central to his political identity, and has boasted that he unleashed the military to use “maximum authorities on the battlefield” in the Iran war....
Judge quashes subpoenas in Justice Department’s investigation of Fed chair Jerome Powell
WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Friday quashed Justice Department subpoenas issued to the Federal Reserve in January, a severe blow to an investigation that has already attracted strong criticism on Capitol Hill. The investigation into testimony last June by Chair Jerome Powell about a $2.5 billion building renovation has...
Hegseth vows to reopen key strait as U.S. measures fail to calm oil fears
U.S. officials on Friday vowed to thwart Iran’s attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz, as oil markets appeared largely unmoved by the Trump administration’s efforts to avert an energy crisis stemming from the Middle East war. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a news conference that the disruptions in...
Ex-Gettysburg mayor performed sex acts with teen during ‘late night talks’ on Skype: police
Gettysburg’s recently resigned mayor exchanged sexually explicit messages and photos with a teenage boy more than 10 years ago while working together at the community theater that he founded, police said. Chad-Alan Carr, 48, was the executive director of the Gettysburg Community Theater when the abuse happened in 2011-13, with...
Club at Blackthorne requests zoning variance to operate without ties to golf course, Penn Township attorney says
The Club at Blackthorne, a private event and wedding venue located in a Penn Township housing community, is requesting a zoning variance to operate without ties to a nearby golf course. The 36,000-square-foot site — the subject of longstanding community and legal disputes — is located off of Harrison City-Export...
Michigan House votes to hike alcohol content limits for canned cocktails
LANSING, Mich. — The alcohol content in canned, ready-to-drink mixed spirits would increase significantly under legislation approved this week by the Michigan House. The lower chamber voted 82-22 on Thursday in favor of a bill that would increase the allowed alcohol content in canned mixed spirit beverages distributed by beer...
Old Dominion shooter was convicted of Islamic State group ties and freed from prison 2 years before attack
NEW YORK — Court documents show less than two years after Mohamed Bailor Jalloh was released from prison for attempting to aid the Islamic State group, he opened fire in a classroom at Virginia’s Old Dominion University on Thursday before ROTC students subdued and killed him. The shooting that left...
A U.S. military refueling plane crashed in Iraq, killing 6. Here’s what to know:
SEOUL, South Korea — All six crew members of a KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting operations against Iran are dead, the U.S. military said Friday, after their plane crashed in western Iraq. The U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft...
After latest attack, some Jews wonder how much more security is possible
In the eight years since a gunman killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh — the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history — synagogues and other Jewish institutions across the country have gone to great lengths to fortify themselves. They have hired security guards, installed metal...
Cuban president says talks were recently held with the U.S. to resolve differences
HAVANA — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Friday that his government has held recent talks with the U.S., marking the first time the Caribbean country confirms such speculation. He said the talks “were aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences between our two nations. International factors facilitated...
Blast rocks Tehran after Israel threatened to target area where pro-government rally was being held
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A large explosion rocked an area of Iran’s capital where thousands were gathered Friday for the annual state-organized Quds Day to support the Palestinians and call for Israel’s demise. Israel had earlier warned that it would target the area in central Tehran. There were no...
Man in Michigan synagogue attack lost family members in Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, official says
WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. — A man with a rifle who crashed into a large Michigan synagogue in what federal officials are saying was an attack had lost four family members in an Israeli airstrike in his native Lebanon last week, an official said Friday. Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, a naturalized...
Westmoreland County schools invite public to view screening of documentary on career-based learning
After remaining stagnant for decades, K-12 education is due for a revamp, said Hempfield Area Deputy Superintendent Emily Sanders. “If you think about our schools, they haven’t changed much in the last 100 years, from the way they look to the way that they operate,” she said. That’s a problem...
U.S. military refueling plane crashes in Iraq, rescue underway
WASHINGTON — An American military refueling plane taking part in the operation against Iran crashed in Iraq and rescue efforts were underway, U.S. Central Command said Thursday. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. A U.S. official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity...
Trump administration denounces CNN for airing messages from Iranian leaders
The Trump administration denounced CNN on Thursday for airing a portion of the new Iranian supreme leader’s public statement, the second time in three days that he’s targeted the network for reporting on how the regime is responding to the American attacks. The attack illustrated the care news outlets must...
