July 15, 2025 9:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation rose last month to its highest level in four months as the cost of gas, food, and groceries rose, reversing several months of cooling price pressures. The Labor Department said that consumer prices rose 2.7% in June from a year earlier, up from an annual increase of 2.4% in May. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3% from May to June, after rising just 0.1% the previous month. Worsening inflation poses a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who promised during last year’s presidential campaign to immediately lower costs.
July 15, 2025 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has announced new measures targeting Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine, threatening steep tariffs if a peace deal isn’t reached within 50 days. Trump also revealed plans for European allies to buy U.S. weapons and transfer them to Ukraine. Patriot air defense missiles are a top priority for the besieged country. Monday’s announcement marks a shift in Trump’s stance, as the Republican president previously criticized Ukraine’s leadership but now expresses frustration with Vladimir Putin’s continued aggression. Meanwhile, Ukraine faces intensified Russian attacks, with June recording the highest civilian casualties in three years.
July 15, 2025 5:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump to put his plan to dismantle the Education Department back on track and go through with laying off nearly 1,400 employees. With the three liberal justices in dissent, the court on Monday paused an order from U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston, who issued a preliminary injunction reversing the layoffs and calling into question the broader plan. The layoffs “will likely cripple the department,” Joun wrote. A federal appeals court refused to put the order on hold while the administration appealed.
July 15, 2025 5:02 am
LONDON (AP) — U.N. health officials have estimated that more than 14 million children did not receive a single vaccine last year. The World Health Organization and UNICEF said about 89% of children under 1 year old got a first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough in 2024, the same as in 2023. About 85% completed the three-dose series, up from 84% in 2023. The agencies released their annual estimate of global vaccine coverage Tuesday. Health leaders said the collapse of international aid, led by the U.S., threatens efforts to reduce the number of unprotected children. The U.N. estimates vaccines prevent 3.5 million to 5 million deaths a year.
July 15, 2025 5:00 am
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli ultra-Orthodox party has announced plans to leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. The decision destabilizes Netanyahu’s leadership amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The party, United Torah Judaism, cites disagreements over a bill granting military draft exemptions for its constituents. The issue has long divided Israelis and intensified as military demands grew during the war in Gaza. The departure, which goes into effect in 48 hours, leaves Netanyahu with a slim majority, increasing his reliance on far-right parties in his coalition. The political development comes as Israel and Hamas continue to discuss terms for a ceasefire.
July 15, 2025 4:58 am
Democrats in the Pennsylvania House have passed a $50.6 billion state budget over Republican objections. House Bill 1330 passed on a 105-97 vote on nearly partisan lines. Three Republicans did support the measure. Despite passage in the House, the process still has a long way to go. The Senate must still consider it and related legislation. Lawmakers remain under pressure to finalize a budget deal as they are more than two weeks past the June 30 deadline. Rep. Bud Cook (R-Greene/Washington) voted against the spending bill. In a statement, Cook said he voted ‘no’ because it spends $50.6 billion, and we still don’t know where the money to support those expenditures is coming from”. Cook also said “How can we approve a bill when House Democrats and Governor Josh Shapiro have failed to answer the simple question of how we are going to pay for it?”
July 15, 2025 4:50 am
A Texas man faces charges after police say he brought a gun to the main security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport. The Allegheny County Police Department says TSA officers located the gun in the man’s carry-on bag just after 1:30 p.m. on Monday. Police say 42-year-old Erik Trask, did not have a valid concealed carry permit. As a result, ACPD charged him with a felony count of carrying a firearm without a license. The FBI was also notified of the incident. Passengers can travel with guns only in checked baggage if unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then, the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm on its website. Bringing a gun to an airport carries a federal fine of up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and other circumstances. It is the first gun to be stopped at the airport’s checkpoint since mid-April.
July 15, 2025 4:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — President Donald Trump and Sen. David McCormick of Pennsylvania have announced tens of billions of dollars of energy and tech investments at a new summit focusing on energy and innovation. The Republican president has repeatedly pledged U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Pennsylvania is a swing state critical to Trump’s wins in 2016 and 2024, and is at the forefront of his energy agenda. Coal is a key part of that and is a big industry in the state. In opening remarks to attendees, McCormick said Tuesday’s summit is about catalyzing ”$90 billion in investment and tens of thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania.” Participating companies at the summit include Blackstone, Bridgewater, SoftBank, Amazon Web Services and ExxonMobil.
July 14, 2025 3:27 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced he will run for New York City mayor as an independent candidate. Cuomo, who lost to progressive Democrat Zohran Mamdani in the June primary, says he aims to challenge Mamdani’s policies, calling them “slick slogans with no real solutions.” The general election is set for November. The current Mayor Eric Adams is also running as an independent, while Curtis Sliwa is set to represent the Republican Party. Critics of Mamdani’s progressive agenda worry that multiple candidates could split the anti-Mamdani vote, boosting his chances. This marks Cuomo’s latest comeback attempt after resigning as governor amid scandal. “The fight to save our city isn’t over,” Cuomo said. “Only 13 percent of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November and I am in it to win it.”
July 14, 2025 2:56 pm
(WPXI) PITTSBURGH — A woman is in custody after an hours-long SWAT situation in Knoxville. Pittsburgh Police said they were called to the 100 block of Bausman Street at around 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Two women at the scene told officers a third woman had assaulted them. She was believed to be barricaded on the second floor of a house with a gun. Nearby houses were evacuated as a safety precaution. SWAT units were called after police made multiple unsuccessful calls for her to come out of the house. The woman was taken into custody without incident at 10:19 p.m. Charges are expected to be filed.
