April 17, 2023 4:22 am
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Sudan’s embattled capital has awoken to a third day of heavy fighting between the army and a powerful rival force for control of the country. The weekend’s civilian death toll has risen to 97. Airstrikes and shelling intensified on Monday in parts of Khartoum and the adjoining city of Omdurman. Rapid, sustained firing was heard near the military headquarters, with white smoke rising from the area. Residents hunkering down in their homes reported power outages and incidents of looting. The clashes are part of a power struggle between the armed forces chief and the leader of a paramilitary force. The generals are former allies who jointly orchestrated a 2021 military coup that derailed Sudan’s short-lived transition to democracy.
April 17, 2023 4:21 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The Delaware judge overseeing a voting machine company’s $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News says he is delaying the start of the trial until Tuesday. He did not cite a reason Sunday night. The trial, which had drawn international interest, had been scheduled to start Monday morning with jury selection and opening statements. The case centers on whether Fox defamed Dominion Voting Systems by spreading false claims that the company rigged the 2020 presidential election to prevent former President Donald Trump’s re-election.
April 17, 2023 4:20 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Republicans upset with Donald Trump’s indictment are escalating their war on the prosecutor who charged him, trying to embarrass him on his home turf. The House Judiciary Committee is holding a field hearing Monday near the offices of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The committee’s Republican majority is billing it as an examination of the Democrat’s “pro-crime, anti-victim” policies. Democrats say the hearing is a partisan stunt aimed at amplifying conservative anger at Bragg, Manhattan’s first Black district attorney. The hearing is the latest effort by Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s to use his congressional powers to defend Trump from what he says is a politically motivated prosecution. Trump is charged in Manhattan with falsifying business records.
April 17, 2023 4:17 am
DADEVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Law enforcement officers are imploring people in an Alabama town to come forward with information about a shooting that killed four people and injured 28 others during a teenager’s birthday party. Among those killed was a high school senior who planned to play college football and was celebrating at his sister’s 16th birthday Saturday night when gunfire erupted in Dadeville. Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell was a Dadeville High School senior who committed to Jacksonville State University. He was celebrating at his sister Alexis’ party before he was shot to death, his grandmother Annette Allen tells The Montgomery Advertiser. Police gathered evidence Sunday at a dance studio where the party was held. They did not immediately say if a suspect was in custody.
April 17, 2023 4:13 am
FAYETTE COUNTY — (WPXI) – The family of a 1-year-old girl who was hit by a vehicle and killed in Fayette County gathered to remember her. Kahlani Marie Brown died after she was hit on Green Street in Brownsville Borough on Aug. 11. Her family says she would have turned 2 on Sunday. They gathered at her grave to hold a balloon release in her memory. “We wish the circumstances were different, unfortunately, they’re not,” said Heather Fowler, Brown’s great aunt. About 50 people came to honor Brown. They took a moment to sing “Happy Birthday” to her. Despite the time that has passed, the family is still looking for answers. “We’re still seeking justice for Kahlani,” said Fowler.
April 17, 2023 4:07 am
WASHINGTON COUNTY – (WPXI) – An Eat’n Park in Washington County was closed while police investigated a bomb threat made against it on Sunday. A spokesperson from Eat’n Park Restaurants said the threat was made against their location in Canonsburg in the afternoon. Police were called to the scene and inspected the building. They found no evidence of danger. “We are grateful for the prompt response of local law enforcement at our Canonsburg Eat’n Park this afternoon, who ensured the safety of our guests and team members following a non-credible bomb threat,” said the spokesperson. The restaurant has reopened.
April 17, 2023 2:55 am
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A dump truck and a car were heavily damaged in an accident that sent two people to the hospital in Washington Township. According to Fayette County 911, the crash happened in the 200 block of Gilliespie Hollow Road at 10:43 a.m. Saturday. Our news partners at Channel 11 saw a car that appeared crushed and a dump truck with its hood detached. The dump truck also appeared to have collided with a brick wall and a telephone pole on the side of the road. Officials said two people were flown to local hospitals for their injuries. There’s no word on their conditions.
April 17, 2023 2:50 am
The state Supreme Court has approved the realignment of the Washington County magisterial districts, effective in January. The biggest changes will be in and around Washington where a number of municipalities will be served by new magistrate judges. North Franklin Township, which had been in the Washington courtroom of Judge Kelly Stewart, will be in the courtroom of Judge Mike Manfredi. Manfredi will also hear cases coming out of Chartiers Township as well. That township’s cases had been in the magisterial district of Judge James Saieva–Saieva will now also hear cases from North Strabane, which had been heard by Manfredi. Canton Township cases, which had been in Saieva’s district, will be heard by Judge John Bruner. A larger realignment will take place in 2028 or before, if Judge Curtis Thompson retires. The Supreme Court’s order eliminates that Bentleyville district by 2028 and reassigns the cases to Judges Eric Porter in Charleroi and Joshua Kanalis in Centerville. The court realignment happens every ten years, based on population and caseload data.
April 17, 2023 2:33 am
Following a ruling by Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court reversing an order by Washington County Court Judge Michael Lucas saying that an election petition challenge filed on behalf of current Republican Washington County Prothonotary Laura Hough was properly served to her republican challenger Kevin Hill, the matter was sent back to Lucas who issued his ruling Monday morning. Lucas ruled that Hough’s request to reject Hill’s nominating petition and have him removed from the May Primary ballot has been denied. Lucas ruled that Hill did not falsify information on his petition, nor did he attempt to mislead voters. The challenge that Hough filed against Hill involved him writing in his candidacy filing that he was “self-employed” despite a previous statement earlier this year that he was unemployed. Hill, of Mt. Pleasant Township, testified at a March 21st hearing challenging his candidacy, that he was self-employed on the date he filed his paperwork because he had recently started selling his sports memorabilia collection on an online auction site. Lucas though, dismissed Hough’s challenge because he determined that Hill was never personally served information notifying him of the date and time of the hearing, as required by Senior Judge Katherine Emery’s order. Hough issued a statement following the ruling: “Obviously, I am disappointed in the Court’s ruling. I am a firm believer that the Candidate Petition is the first tier of Election Integrity. As such, I pursued the avenue provided for by election law to have the Court review the petition in question. The candidate wrote that he is self-employed on his petition despite having stated under oath 3 weeks prior that he was unemployed. Transparency is essential for voters to be better informed about the election process.”
April 16, 2023 8:05 am
WAKAYAMA, Japan (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been evacuated unharmed after someone threw an explosive device at a campaign event in a western port city. Kishida was visiting Saikazaki port in Wakayama prefecture on Saturday to support his ruling party’s candidate in a local election. The explosion occurred just before he was to begin his speech. One police officer was slightly hurt and Kishida continued campaigning. Police wrestled a suspect to the ground as screaming bystanders scrambled to get away and smoke filled the air. The incident comes only nine months after former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated while delivering a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. The assassination shocked the nation and a subsequent investigation found holes in Abe’s security.
