New studies bolster theory coronavirus emerged from the wild
Two new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold — further bolstering the theory that the virus emerged in the wild rather than escaping from a Chinese lab. The research, published online Tuesday by the journal Science, shows...
Police: Woman who opened fire at Dallas airport shot at copVideo
DALLAS — A woman accused of firing several gunshots inside a Dallas airport faces a charge of aggravated assault of a public servant because she allegedly fired one round toward a police officer, according to an arrest warrant. The officer shot and wounded Portia Odufuwa, who was taken to a...
Drawing nears for estimated $830M Mega Millions prize
DES MOINES, Iowa — Lottery players will be gripping their tickets tightly ahead of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing with an estimated $830 million prize on the line. The jackpot would be the nation’s fourth-largest lottery prize and the biggest in more than a year. The drawing will take place...
Western Pa. lawmaker says no to gay marriage, attends son’s same-sex wedding
HARRISBURG — A Pennsylvania representative attended the same-sex wedding of his son three days after voting against legislation to protect the recognition of same-sex marriages. Rep. Glenn Thompson, a Republican who represents a large swath of conservative northern Pennsylvania, voted against the bill brought by Democrats to the floor of...
Judge upholds Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s eligibility
ATLANTA — A judge in Atlanta has rejected an appeal by a group of voters and affirmed the Georgia secretary of state’s decision that U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is eligible to run for reelection. The five voters from Greene’s district sought to have her removed from the ballot, saying...
‘Leave It to Beaver’ star Tony Dow in hospice care, his wife and son say
“Leave It to Beaver” star Tony Dow is not dead, according to his family members. Dow’s death was widely reported Tuesday morning, including in the L.A. Times, until his wife and son told CBS and Fox, respectively, that Dow was still alive. Both said that the famed actor was in...
Bill to boost semiconductor industry passes key Senate test
WASHINGTON — The Senate has advanced a $280 billion bill designed to boost the semiconductor industry in the United States and to accelerate high tech research that backers say will be critical to the economy in future decades. The Senate needed 60 votes to advance the bill and the vote...
Crews make progress against destructive fire near Yosemite
JERSEYDALE, Calif. — Firefighters continue to make progress against a huge California forest fire that forced evacuations for thousands of people and destroyed 41 homes and other buildings near Yosemite National Park, officials said Tuesday. Crews battling the Oak Fire in Mariposa County got a break from increased humidity levels...
Consumer confidence slides for 3rd straight month in July
U.S. consumer confidence slid again in July higher prices for food, gas and just about everything else continued to weigh on Americans. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 95.7 in July from 98.4 in June, largely due to consumer anxiety over the current economic...
GOP warms to far-right gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG — Republicans are warming up to Doug Mastriano. When he crushed a nine-person field to win the GOP nomination for Pennsylvania governor in May, some in the party warned that Mastriano’s far-right views on everything from abortion to the 2020 presidential election would squander an otherwise attainable seat in...
Explainer: Why is a Pelosi visit to Taiwan causing tension?
BEIJING — China is warning it will respond forcefully if U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proceeds with a visit to Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy it claims as its own territory. Pelosi is second in line to the presidency and would be the highest ranking U.S. politician to visit Taiwan...
New Russian airstrikes target Black Sea regions of Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia targeted Ukraine’s Black Sea regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv with airstrikes Tuesday, hitting private buildings and port infrastructure along the country’s southern coast, the Ukrainian military said. The Kremlin’s forces used air-launched missiles in the attack, Ukraine’s Operational Command South said in a Facebook post. In...
South Carolina’s 6-week abortion ban can continue for now
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina can continue enforcing its six-week abortion ban after a state judge on Tuesday denied a request to temporarily block it amid a legal battle. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and other plaintiffs had asked the judge for an injunction while their lawsuit challenging the ban moves...
Trump returning to Washington to deliver speech on crime
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump will return to Washington on Tuesday for the first time since leaving office, delivering a speech on crime before an allied think tank that has been crafting an agenda for a possible second term. Trump will address the America First Policy Institute’s two-day America...
Russia to opt out of International Space Station after 2024
MOSCOW — Russia will opt out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost, the country’s newly appointed space chief said Tuesday. Yuri Borisov, who was appointed earlier this month to lead the state-controlled space corporation Roscosmos, said during a meeting with Russian...
Pennsylvania man admits to Jan. 6 attacks on police, AP photographer
A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty on Monday to attacking police officers and an Associated Press photographer during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot on the U.S. Capitol. In a deal with prosecutors, Alan Byerly, 55, admitted to wielding a stun gun while confronting officers who were trying to protect the Capitol...
Pennsylvania man admits to Jan. 6 attacks on police, AP photographer
A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty on Monday to attacking police officers and an Associated Press photographer during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot on the U.S. Capitol. In a deal with prosecutors, Alan Byerly, 55, admitted to wielding a stun gun while confronting officers who were trying to protect the Capitol...
Doug Mastriano calls for arming school employees to protect kids
School employees with a license to carry a firearm would be permitted to carry a weapon at work under legislation introduced on late last week by state senator and Republican gubernatorial hopeful Doug Mastriano. The Franklin County senator stated in a memo to his Senate colleagues that his desire to...
After ruling, West Virginia lawmakers advance criminal abortion ban
CHARLESTON — A week after a Charleston judge barred West Virginia from enforcing an abortion ban law dating to the 19th century, lawmakers in the state’s Republican majority hurried to advance similar legislation that would criminalize abortion with few exceptions. The legislation, which breezed through the House health committee Monday,...
John Fetterman is getting a flood of national money as he faces Mehmet Oz
Winning was good for John Fetterman’s campaign accounts. The lieutenant governor had long raked in millions of campaign dollars in $10 and $20 increments, but after securing the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, Fetterman saw a significant jump in his pace of fundraising, and in money coming in from outside...
Marc Short, top aide to Mike Pence, testifies before Jan. 6 grand juryVideo
WASHINGTON — The former chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence has testified before a federal grand jury investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, a person familiar with the matter said Monday. Marc Short, a close aide to Pence, was at the Capitol on...
Police: Woman opened fire in Dallas airport; cop shot herVideo
DALLAS — A 37-year-old woman fired several gunshots, apparently at the ceiling, inside of Dallas’ Love Field Airport on Monday before an officer shot and wounded her, authorities said. The woman was dropped off at the airport at about 11 a.m., walked inside near the ticketing counters and entered a...
Chess-playing robot breaks child’s finger at Moscow eventVideo
MOSCOW — A chess-playing robot grabbed the finger of its 7-year-old opponent and broke it during last week’s Moscow Chess Open tournament, Russian media reported Monday. “The robot broke the child’s finger,” Sergei Lazarev, President of the Moscow Chess Federation, told the Russian TASS agency. “Of course, this is bad.”...
NYPD: Preacher, wife robbed of $1M in jewelry during Sunday serviceVideo
NEW YORK — A flashy preacher pal of New York City’s mayor was robbed of more than $1 million worth of jewelry Sunday by armed bandits who crashed his Brooklyn church service, just as he was sermonizing about keeping faith in the face of grave adversity, police said. Bishop Lamor...
Judge blocks Fulton DA Fani Willis from questioning Georgia GOP senator in Trump probe
ATLANTA — A Fulton County judge is disqualifying District Attorney Fani Willis and her office from questioning state Sen. Burt Jones as part of their investigation into whether former President Donald Trump and his allies broke the law as they sought to overturn Georgia’s 2020 elections. In a surprise decision...
