Rhode Island Judge Frank Caprio, whose empathy in court earned him fame online, dies at 88
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Frank Caprio, a retired municipal judge in Rhode Island who found online fame as a caring jurist and host of ” Caught in Providence,” died. He was 88. His official social media accounts said Wednesday he “passed away peacefully” after “a long and courageous battle with pancreatic...
Trump weaponization czar urged New York Attorney General James to resign over mortgage probe
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump’s political weaponization czar sent a letter urging New York Attorney General Letitia James to resign from office “as an act of good faith” four days after starting his mortgage fraud investigation of her. Then he showed up outside her house. Ed Martin, the director...
Texas House approves redrawn maps sought by Trump ahead of 2026 elections
AUSTIN — The Texas House on Wednesday approved redrawn congressional maps that would give Republicans a bigger edge in 2026, muscling through a partisan gerrymander that launched weeks of protests by Democrats and a widening national battle over redistricting. The approval came at the urging of President Donald Trump, who...
At least 600 CDC employees are getting final termination notices, union says
NEW YORK — At least 600 employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are receiving permanent termination notices in the wake of a recent court decision that protected some CDC employees from layoffs but not others. The notices went out this week and many people have not yet...
2 more beachfront homes near collapse as Hurricane Erin’s waves pound North Carolina’s Outer BanksVideo
Two homes on the North Carolina Outer Banks sit precariously in the high waves with their days seemingly numbered. Since 2020, 11 neighboring homes have fallen into the Atlantic Ocean. While the swells from storms like Hurricane Erin make things worse, the conditions threatening the houses are always present —...
Longtime ‘All Things Considered’ host Ari Shapiro leaving NPR after Trump cuts
Veteran NPR host Ari Shapiro is saying goodbye to the network and All Things Considered, the latest high-profile departure following the move by President Donald Trump administration’s to defund public media. But the move to kill federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting isn’t the reason Shapiro said he...
Tulsi Gabbard slashing intelligence office workforce by 40%, cutting budget by more than $700 million
WASHINGTON — The Office of the Director of National Intelligence will dramatically reduce its workforce and cut its budget by more than $700 million annually, the Trump administration announced Wednesday. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in a statement, “Over the last 20 years, ODNI has become bloated and...
Hurricane Erin picking up steam as it edges along the East Coast
RODANTHE, N.C. — Hurricane Erin began strengthening again Wednesday while creeping toward the mid-Atlantic coast and churning up menacing waves that have closed beaches from the Carolinas to New York City. Forecasters expect the storm to peak going into Thursday and say it could re-intensify into a major hurricane. While...
Judge denies Justice Department request to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts
NEW YORK — A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from Jeffrey Epstein ’s sex trafficking case, joining two other judges in denying the public release of material from investigations into the late financier’s decades-long sexual abuse of young women and girls....
Mississippi Supreme Court map violates Voting Rights Act, judge rules
JACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge has ordered Mississippi to redraw its Supreme Court electoral map, after finding the map dilutes the power of Black voters. U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock ruled the map, which was enacted in 1987, violates the Voting Rights Act and cannot be used in future...
Rhode Island prosecutor under review after warning ‘you’re gonna regret this’ during arrestVideo
A Rhode Island prosecutor is under review after police body camera footage recorded her warning officers “you’re gonna regret this” while she was being arrested. Devon Flanagan, a special assistant attorney general, was arrested outside a restaurant by Newport police Aug. 14 for trespassing, according to law enforcement. Body camera...
Target CEO to step down amid company struggles
NEW YORK — Target named an insider as its next chief executive officer Wednesday, a decision that comes as the discount retailer tries to reverse a persistent sales malaise and to revive its reputation as the place to go for affordable but stylish products. Minneapolis-based Target said CEO Brian Cornell,...
Israel approves settlement project that could divide West Bank
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel gave final approval Wednesday for a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank that would effectively cut the territory in two, and that Palestinians and rights groups say could destroy hopes for a future Palestinian state. Settlement development in E1, an open tract of...
Trump to expand push to whitewash ‘woke’ museum exhibits on slavery
President Donald Trump reportedly plans to expand his push to whitewash “woke” museum exhibits on slavery and American history beyond the Smithsonian. After Trump tweeted that the Smithsonian is too focused on “how bad slavery was,” the White House said it would eventually seek to use its power over funding...
Trump calls on Federal Reserve official to resign after official accuses her of mortgage fraud
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook to resign after a member of his administration accused Cook of committing mortgage fraud, the latest example of the Trump administration’s efforts to gain control over the central bank. Bill Pulte, director of the agency that...
Texas can’t put the Ten Commandments in certain school districts’ classrooms, judge says
Texas cannot require public schools in Houston, Austin and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the state’s new requirement. Texas is the third state where courts have blocked recent laws about putting the Ten Commandments in...
Gallery: Photos from August 20, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Wednesday, August 20, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Bus crash in Afghanistan kills more than 70 Afghans returning from IranVideo
A bus crash in northwestern Afghanistan killed at least 79 people returning from Iran, including 19 children, an official said. Two people were also injured in the crash, Ministry of Interior spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani told The Associated Press. Tolo News, citing the official, said the accident happened Tuesday around...
Rwanda-backed rebels killed over 140 civilians in eastern Congo, rights group says
DAKAR, Senegal — Rwanda-backed rebels killed at least 140 people in farming communities in eastern Congo in July, a human rights group said in a report Wednesday, describing the killings as “summary executions.” Human Rights Watch said 141 people, predominantly Hutus, were feared dead or missing after the attacks near...
Lawyer argues Meta can’t be held liable for gunmaker’s Instagram posts in Uvalde families’ lawsuit
LOS ANGELES — A lawsuit filed by families of the Uvalde school shooting victims alleging Instagram allowed gun manufacturers to promote firearms to minors should be thrown out, lawyers for Meta, Instagram’s parent company, argued Tuesday. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the May 2022 shooting at Robb...
Ranger fired for hanging transgender flag in Yosemite and park visitors may face prosecution
A Yosemite National Park ranger was fired after hanging a pride flag from El Capitan while some visitors face potential prosecution for alleged violations of protest restrictions that have been tightened under President Donald Trump. Shannon “SJ” Joslin, a ranger and biologist who studies bats, said they hung a 66-foot...
Fox News host Bret Baier pulled over, ticketed amid Trump’s D.C. crackdown
No one seems to be safe amid President Trump’s crime crackdown in Washington, D.C. — not even Fox News host Bret Baier, who was caught on video being pulled over by police in the nation’s capital. The “Special Report” host was stopped by a D.C. cop for distracted driving while...
US destroyers head toward waters off Venezuela as Trump aims to pressure drug cartels
WASHINGTON — The United States is deploying three Aegis guided-missile destroyers to the waters off Venezuela as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels, according to a U.S. official briefed on the planning. The USS Gravely, the USS Jason Dunham and the USS...
5th death linked to Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that has sickened dozens in New York City
NEW YORK — Health officials have uncovered another death in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City, health officials said. The outbreak in Central Harlem has sickened dozens since it began in late July and the latest death was announced late Monday night. Officials said they had...
Las Vegas tourism is down. Some blame Trump’s tariffs, immigration crackdownVideo
LAS VEGAS — Tourism in Las Vegas is slumping this summer, with resorts and convention centers reporting fewer visitors compared to last year, especially from abroad, and some officials are blaming the Trump administration’s tariffs and immigration policies for the decline. The city known for lavish shows, endless buffets and...
