November 28, 2021 8:04 am
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands confirmed 13 cases of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus and Australia found two on Sunday as the countries half a world apart became the latest to detect it in travelers arriving from southern Africa. A growing raft of curbs are being imposed by nations around the world as they scramble to slow the variant’s spread, with Israel deciding Sunday to bar entry to foreign nationals in the toughest move so far. Confirmed or suspected cases of the new variant have already emerged in several European countries, in Israel and in Hong Kong, just days after it was identified by researchers in South Africa. The “act first, ask questions later” approach reflected growing alarm about the emergence of a potentially more contagious variant nearly two years into a pandemic that has killed more than 5 million people, upended lives and disrupted economies across the globe. While much remains to be learned about the new variant, researchers are concerned that it may be more resistant to the protection provided by vaccines and could mean that the pandemic lasts for longer than anticipated.
November 28, 2021 8:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Both sides are telling the Supreme Court there’s no middle ground in Wednesday’s showdown over abortion. The justices can either reaffirm the constitutional right to an abortion or wipe it away altogether. Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that declared a nationwide right to abortion, is facing its most serious challenge in 30 years in front of a court with a 6-3 conservative majority that has been remade by three appointees of President Donald Trump. A ruling that overturned Roe and the 1992 case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey would lead to outright bans or severe restrictions on abortion in 26 states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights. The case being argued Wednesday comes from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability. The Supreme Court has never allowed states to ban abortion before the point at roughly 24 weeks when a fetus can survive outside the womb. The justices are separately weighing disputes over Texas’ much earlier abortion ban, at roughly six weeks, though those cases turn on the unique structure of the law and how it can be challenged in court, not the abortion right. Still, abortion rights advocates were troubled by the court’s 5-4 vote in September to allow the Texas law, which relies on citizen lawsuits to enforce it, to take effect in the first place.
November 28, 2021 8:00 am
STOWE TOWNSHIP (WPXI)— The Allegheny County Police Department’s Homicide Unit responded to a request for assistance in Stowe Twp. On Saturday at approximately 7:22 p.m., County 911 was notified of a suspicious vehicle in Spencer Alley and McCoy Road. First responders found a man, later identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office as 20-year-old Sharod Lindsey, shot inside the vehicle. He was pronounced deceased on scene. Homicide detectives are investigating. Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the County Police Tip Line 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
November 28, 2021 5:07 am
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — There was an unexpected surprise for employees and Black Friday shoppers at the Five Below store in Cranberry Township, Butler County. A pickup crashed into the front of the store shortly after 3:30 p.m. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, according to Butler County 911. Officials said the male driver was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. We’re working to learn more information about what caused the crash. (Story & Photo: WPXI-TV)
November 27, 2021 9:26 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Stephen Sondheim, the songwriter who reshaped the American musical theater in the second half of the 20th century, has died. He was 91. Sondheim influenced several generations of theater songwriters, particularly with such landmark musicals as “Company,” “Follies” and “Sweeney Todd.” His most famous ballad, “Send in the Clowns,” has been recorded hundreds of times, including by Frank Sinatra and Judy Collins. Six of Sondheim’s musicals won Tony Awards for best score, and he also received a Pulitzer Prize for “Sunday in the Park,” an Academy Award for the song “Sooner or Later” from the film “Dick Tracy,” five Olivier Awards and the Presidential Medal of Honor. (photo: AP)
November 27, 2021 9:22 am
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – Postal workers who recall packages and letters piled up in distribution hubs a year ago are gearing up for another holiday crush. The Postal Service and private shippers UPS and FedEx are bolstering their hiring by bringing in about 230,000 seasonal workers to ensure they don’t become overwhelmed by packages again. But low product inventories and port and supply chain disruptions are creating new uncertainty about getting gifts delivered on time. Despite that, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said this month: “We are ready.”
November 27, 2021 9:19 am
HEREFORD, Pa. (AP) – Authorities say a 10-year-old boy was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day while he was with someone who was target shooting in southeastern Pennsylvania. The shooting occurred around 1:30 p.m. near the child’s home in Hereford. The boy was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead there a short timer later. Berks County District Attorney John Adams said Friday that the shooter is known to police. But the incident remains under investigation and no charges have been filed so far. Authorities haven’t disclosed specific details about the shooting, and the child’s name has not been released. No other injuries were reported in the shooting.
November 27, 2021 9:16 am
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – With each passing hour, new restrictions were being slapped on travel from countries in southern Africa as the world scurried to contain a new variant of the coronavirus that has the potential to be more resistant to the protection offered by vaccines. A host of countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada Iran, Japan and the United States, joined others, including the European Union and the U.K. in impose restrictions on southern African countries in response to warnings of the new variant – against the advice of the World Health Organization. Dutch officials were undertaking further tests Saturday on 61 people who tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in the Netherlands on two flights from South Africa on Friday
November 27, 2021 7:47 am
CINCINNATI, Ohio — The Procter & Gamble Co. on Tuesday voluntarily recalled select Old Spice and Secret brand aerosol spray antiperspirants after low levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen, were detected. Per the recall notice, the affected lots carry expiration dates through September 2023. The affected Old Spice and Secret lots were found to contain benzene, which can result in cancers – including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow, as well as certain life-threatening blood disorders – if inhaled, consumed orally or absorbed through the skin. The recalled products were distributed nationwide through retail outlets and online, the notice stated. Old Spice and Secret will also offer reimbursement for consumers who have purchased products impacted by this recall. Consumers are advised to stop using the affected products immediately and to appropriately discard the affected aerosol spray products. Consumers with questions regarding the recall can seek more information via P&G’s consumer care team at 888-339-7689, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST; or online at www.oldspice.com. (story: WPXI, photo: AP)
November 27, 2021 5:25 am
U.S. health officials say Merck’s experimental COVID-19 pill is effective but they raised questions about its safety during pregnancy. The Food and Drug Administration posted its review Friday ahead of a public meeting next week where outside experts will debate the drug’s benefits and risks. If FDA authorizes the drug it would be the first pill for U.S. patients infected with the virus. All FDA-authorized drugs currently used against coronavirus require an IV or injection. The FDA will ask its experts whether the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks for various patient groups, including pregnant women.
