February 10, 2025 4:56 am
Hamas has brushed off President Donald Trump’s threat that “all hell” will break out if it does not release the remaining hostages held in Gaza by Saturday. A Hamas spokesman said Tuesday that the dozens of hostages would only be returned if all parties remain committed to a ceasefire deal reached last month. Hamas has threatened to delay the next release of three Israeli hostages, due Saturday, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement, including by not allowing a surge of tents and shelters into Gaza. Hamas and Israel have carried out five swaps of hostages and prisoners in the first phase of the ceasefire. The war could resume in March if no agreement is reached on the second phase.
February 11, 2025 4:57 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk has long railed against the U.S. government, saying numerous investigations and safety programs have stymied Tesla, his electric car company, and its efforts to create fleets of robotaxis and other self-driving automobiles. Now, Musk’s close relationship with President Donald Trump means many of those headaches could vanish. On the potential chopping block: crash investigations into Tesla’s partially automated vehicles; a Justice Department criminal probe examining whether Musk and Tesla overstated their cars’ self-driving capabilities; and a government mandate to report crash data on vehicles using technology like Tesla’s Autopilot. The consequences of such actions could prove dire, say safety advocates who credit the investigations and recalls with saving lives.
February 11, 2025 5:36 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — The 50th anniversary celebration of “Saturday Night Live” is so big, it’s not even on Saturday. Airing Sunday and spanning three hours, the live “SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration” will assemble a dream team of stars who have helped the show become an enduring pop culture force. That includes alumni like Tina Fey and Eddie Murphy, notable hosts like Dave Chappelle and Steve Martin and at least four of the surviving original cast members. Musical guests are a whole different who’s who, with Paul McCartney, Bad Bunny, Miley Cyrus and Sabrina Carpenter among those set to appear. “SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration” airs live Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC. (Photo: AP)
February 10, 2025 5:58 am
SAEGERTOWN, Pa. — Several people were hurt in a fire and explosion at a manufacturing plant near Erie in Northern Pennsylvania. In a press conference, Saegertown Fire Chief BJ Fleischer said firefighters were sent to Parker LORD Corporation’s facility in Saegertown just after 10:30 a.m. when an automatic fire alarm went off at the plant. This facility is located about an hour and a half from Pittsburgh. Firefighters were met with heavy smoke upon arrival and shortly thereafter there was an explosion. Chuck Lawrence with Saegertown Borough Emergency Management said 13 firefighters and plant personnel were sent to area hospitals with minor injuries or out of precaution for evaluation. A spokesperson for LORD Corporation said four employees were taken to hospitals out of precaution for evaluation. One fireman was hurt from the explosion and is being treated. Firefighters were already inside the building at the time of the blast.
February 10, 2025 5:06 am
WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Donald Trump said he will announce today that the United States will impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada and Mexico, as well as other import duties later in the week. “Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25% tariff,” he told reporters Sunday on Air Force One as he flew from Florida to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl. When asked about aluminum, he responded, “aluminum, too” will be subject to the trade penalties. Trump also reaffirmed that he would announce “reciprocal tariffs” — “probably Tuesday or Wednesday” — meaning that the U.S. would impose import duties on products in cases where another country has levied duties on U.S. goods. Trump on Sunday did not offer any details about the steel and aluminum duties, or the reciprocal tariffs. Trump previously threatened 25% import taxes on all goods from Canada and Mexico, though he paused them for 30 days barely a week ago. At the same time, he proceeded to add 10% duties on imports from China.
February 10, 2025 4:54 am
Canonsburg resident Pat Phillips has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Washington County Controller in the May primary election. A lifelong resident of the county, Phillips is a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College and has more than thirty years experience in banking, finance , regulatory compliance, and auditing. He has worked for three Fortune 500 companies during his career. Phillips says he “will uphold business ethics, provide a safe work environment, maintain moral standards, improve efficiencies and promote open communication”. Phillips says his “business background, proven communication skills and strong ethics will make this office run efficiently as we lead those involved with the Controllership of Washington County by following business standards and provide accurate and sensible results.”
February 10, 2025 5:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he is serious about wanting Canada to become the 51st state in an interview that aired Sunday during the Super Bowl preshow. “Yeah it is,” Trump told Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier when asked whether his talk of annexing Canada is “a real thing” — as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently warned. In the interview, Trump also said he has not seen enough action from Canada and Mexico to stave off the tariffs he has threatened to impose. “No, it’s not good enough,” he said of the United States’ two largest trading partners. “Something has to happen. It’s not sustainable. And I’m changing it.”
February 10, 2025 2:45 am
MOUNT PLEASANT —(WPXI)-Mount Pleasant Township Police officers will now begin responding to calls outside of their community. The Mt. Pleasant Township Police Department announced on Facebook on Saturday that they will be offering services in McDonald and Midway Boroughs over the next 30 to 60 days. The department signed a part-time contract to help fill coverage in those boroughs. The post said McDonald is currently experiencing a shortage that officials are working to fix. “While they work to provide the best services and make the best decisions for their communities we are doing our best to also be here and available to help,” the post said. Anyone with additional questions was asked to contact Chief Matthew Tharp, McDonald Borough Mayor David Cooper, or Director of Public Safety Tim Motte.
February 10, 2025 5:09 am
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again rejected a U.S. proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and says Israel should pay for the damage it caused there and for reconstruction to begin. Erdogan, during a visit to Malaysia on Monday, said, “We do not consider the proposal to exile the Palestinians from the lands they have lived in for thousands of years as something to be taken seriously.” The Turkish president is on a four-day tour of Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan. He said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government should look for funds to “compensate” for what he said was damage amounting to $100 billion “instead of looking for a place for the people of Gaza.”
February 10, 2025 4:59 am
The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years. One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, when a swine flu pandemic hit the nation, according to data posted Friday morning by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally. The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February. Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states.
