March 5, 2025 9:36 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A sharply divided Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a Trump administration push to rebuke a federal judge who imposed a quick deadline to release billions of dollars in foreign aid. By a 5-4 vote, the court told U.S. District Judge Amir Ali to clarify his earlier order that required the Republican administration to release nearly $2 billion in aid for work that had already been done. Justice Samuel Alito led four conservative justices in dissent, saying Ali lacks the authority to order the payments. Alito wrote that he is stunned the court is rewarding “an act of judicial hubris.” The court’s action leaves in place Ali’s temporary restraining order that had paused the spending freeze, Ali is holding a hearing Thursday to consider a more lasting pause. The majority noted that the administration had not challenged Ali’s initial order, only the deadline. The court told Ali to “clarify what obligations the government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order, with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines.”
March 4, 2025 9:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said there might be carveouts coming to the 25% tariffs placed on Canada and Mexico by President Donald Trump. It’s a sudden backing away after Tuesday’s tax hike hurt the stock market, worried consumers and started a trade war. In a Wednesday interview with Bloomberg Television, Lutnick said that Trump would update his tariff plans with an afternoon announcements, possibly sparing sectors such as autos from the import taxes.
March 4, 2025 4:48 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Wind, rain, and the threat for storms and snow will impact your plans over the next two days as a powerful spring storm heads our way. Rain moves in before sunrise along with wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph. A few thunderstorms may also develop, along with brief heavier downpours. The steadiest rain will gradually end, but another round of stronger storms could develop through the early evening. Damaging winds, hail and an isolated tornado will be possible. Colder air spills into the area late Wednesday into early Thursday along with scattered snow showers.
March 5, 2025 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump vowed to keep up his campaign of “swift and unrelenting action” in reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy as he delivered an unyielding address Tuesday night to Congress and the nation. Democratic legislators registered their dissent with stone faces, placards calling out “lies,” and one legislator’s ejection. Trump’s prime-time speech added up to a defiant sales pitch for the policies that he promised during his campaign and leaned into during his first weeks back in office. Trump pledged to keep delivering sweeping changes to the country, rescuing it from what he described as destruction and mistakes left by his predecessor while repeatedly needling Democrats.
March 5, 2025 4:54 am
Several people from our region were special guests at President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress. Marc Fogel (pictured) and Corey Comperatore’s family were among a group of “everyday Americans” first lady Melania Trump invited to the U.S. Capitol. Fogel, a Butler County native who was imprisoned in Russia for more than three years, was released in February as part of a prisoner swap negotiated by the Trump administration. He and his mother, Malphine, will attend. In a statement, Fogel said the privilege of sitting before a joint session of Congress as Trump speaks is not lost on him. Corey Comperatore was shot and killed while shielding his family from the gunman who made an attempt on Trump’s life during a rally in Butler last July. The former fire chief’s widow, Helen, and their two daughters were also in attendance. Trump recognized Fogel and Comperatore during his speech.
March 5, 2025 5:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Al Green of Texas wasn’t the first lawmaker ever to blurt out a protest during a presidential address to Congress. But the Democrat is perhaps the only one in recent memory to actually be ejected from the hall Tuesday night by the Speaker of the House. Green said afterward it was worth it to make his point. Speaker Mike Johnson later called for the congressman to be censured. In past years, several lawmakers have raised their voices to shout at presidents – from GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s shouts against President Joe Biden and Republican Rep. Joe Wilson’s against President Barack Obama. Green, first elected to Congress 20 years ago, has often been a maverick who stood alone.
March 5, 2025 5:06 am
President Donald Trump’s one-hour and 40-minute address to Congress highlighted many of his initiatives, from an immigration crackdown to tariffs and energy policy. But many of his comments Tuesday night included false and misleading information about those efforts. Trump overstated numbers around his immigration crackdown and misrepresented economic figures, repeating several false claims he has made in the past. He also distorted an initiative from his predecessor on electric vehicles and took credit for Army recruitment trends that began before he entered office.
March 5, 2025 4:59 am
Popular burger chain Red Robin is considering closing dozens of underperforming locations to help pay off its debt. The company said in its February earnings release that it was “evaluating alternatives for approximately 70 underperforming restaurant locations, including closure upon expiration of the current lease term.” The president and CEO, G.J. Hart, said the locations would close over the next five years with 10 to 15 of them closing in 2025, USA Today reported. The company already closed one location when its lease expired and will sell three locations during the first quarter of this fiscal year, according to the earnings release. A list of targeted locations was not provided in the release. Red Robin has 498 locations with 407 of them owned by the company and the other 91 owned by franchisees, USA Today reported.
March 5, 2025 3:28 pm
(AP) – Makers of the popular obesity treatments Wegovy and Zepbound are cutting prices for people without insurance. Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said Wednesday that it will drop prices 23% for all doses of Wegovy. The new monthly price of $499 takes effect immediately. The new pricing is available to both the uninsured and people who have insurance that doesn’t cover the weight-loss drugs. Last week, rival Eli Lilly said it would cut the monthly price of its starter dose of Zepbound to $349. The U.S. drugmaker also is making larger doses available for $499 through its self-pay program.
March 5, 2025 5:24 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — A Cheeto shaped like the beloved Pokémon Charizard has sold at auction for a total cost of $87,840. The Goldin auction house listed the snack as sold on Sunday. “Presented is a 3-inch long Flamin’ Hot Cheeto in the shape of the Pokémon Charizard, affixed to a customized Pokémon card and encapsulated in a clear card storage box,” the auction’s description states. “It was initially discovered and preserved sometime between 2018-2022 by 1st & Goal Collectibles. The “Cheetozard” surged in popularity on social media platforms in late 2024. There were 60 bids on the uniquely shaped snack, according to the listing. The winning bid was $72,000 plus a buyer’s premium. (Photo: AP)
