Teen Charged In Killings Poses With ‘Silver Spoons’ Actor

November 22, 2020 7:54 am

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — An Illinois 17-year-old accused of killing two people during a protest in Wisconsin was seen smiling in a photo with his lawyer and “Silver Spoons” actor Ricky Schroder after being released from custody by posting a $2 million bond. Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz during a demonstration Aug. 25 that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha. He posted bond through his attorney at about 2 p.m. Friday.

Militants Attack Afghan Capital

November 22, 2020 7:51 am

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Mortar shells slammed into a residential area of Afghanistan’s capital and killed eight people Saturday, hours before outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held what are likely his last meetings with the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators trying to hammer out a peace deal. The attack in Kabul, claimed by Islamic State militants, also wounded 31 people. The assault came as peace talks were underway in Qatar, where Pompeo told Afghan government negotiators that the U.S. will “sit on the side and help where we can” in the negotiations with Taliban militants. Meanwhile, the U.S. military announced a sudden visit to the Mideast by long-range, nuclear-capable B-52H bombers, underlining America’s continuing presence in the region.

England Planning To End Lockdown

November 22, 2020 7:49 am

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to end an England-wide lockdown as scheduled on Dec. 2 and will announce a return to regional restrictions as statistics show that coronavirus infections have stabilized. Johnson’s office also confirmed plans to begin a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination program next month, assuming regulators approve a vaccine against the virus. The government also will increase mass testing in an effort to suppress the virus until vaccines can be rolled out. Johnson’s office said late Saturday that the government plans to return to using a three-tiered system of localized restrictions in England, with areas facing different lockdown measures based on the severity of their outbreaks. More communities are expected to be placed in the two highest virus alert categories, it said.

Trump Team Requests Recount In Georgia

November 22, 2020 7:47 am

President Donald Trump’s campaign requested a recount of votes in the Georgia presidential race on Saturday, a day after state officials certified results showing Democrat Joe Biden won the state, as his legal team presses forward with attacks alleging widespread fraud without proof. Georgia’s results showed Biden beating Trump by 12,670 votes out of about 5 million cast, or 0.25%. State law allows a candidate to request a recount if the margin is less than 0.5%. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp formalized the state’s slate of 16 presidential electors. The Trump campaign sent a hand-delivered letter to the secretary of state’s office requesting the recount in an election that has been fraught with unfounded accusations of fraud by Trump and his supporters.

FDA Allows Emergency Use Of Antibody Drug

November 22, 2020 7:46 am

U.S. health officials Saturday agreed to allow emergency use of a second antibody drug to help the immune system fight COVID-19, an experimental medicine that President Donald Trump was given when he was sickened last month. The Food and Drug Administration authorized use of the Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. drug to try to prevent hospitalization and worsening disease from developing in patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms. The drug is given as a one-time treatment through an IV. The FDA allowed its use in adults and children 12 and over who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kilograms) and who are at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of age or certain other medical conditions. Emergency authorization allows use of the drug to start while studies are continuing to establish safety and effectiveness. Early results suggest the drug may reduce COVID-19-related hospitalization or emergency room visits in patients at high risk for disease progression, the FDA said.

New Suit Challenges PA Mail-In Voting

November 22, 2020 7:41 am

Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly is leading a suit filed Saturday in Pennsylvania challenging the use of mail-in ballots predominately cast by Democrats in lifting Joe Biden to victory in the presidential race in the state and seeking to block certification of the election results. The lawsuit was filed in the state Commonwealth Court, just two days before the deadline for counties to certify the results of the presidential election in Pennsylvania, and marks the latest attempt in court by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, to overturn Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs contend that the GOP-controlled Legislature never followed the proper constitutional procedures to expand exceptions to in-person voting to institute a system of universal mail-in voting and are asking the court to throw out non-absentee mail-in ballots.

Washington School District Moves To Remote Learning

November 22, 2020 4:15 am

WASHINGTON, Pa. — According to officials, a second week of substantial level of COVID transmission has the Washington School District moving to full remote learning. The District made the decision Friday afternoon to have students learn from home from Monday, November 23rd to no earlier than Monday, January 4th 2021. Pandemic Coordinator and nurse Cheryl Blosl says the district will continue to access and monitor the coronavirus spread in the community and make another decision on December 21st as to whether remote learning will be extended past the January 4th end date.

Interstate 70 Closes After Rollover Crash

November 22, 2020 1:18 am

EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. – Westbound lanes of Interstate 70 in Eighty Four were closed for a time Saturday morning following a rollover accident involving two cars. According to reports, the accident happened just before 11:00 a.m. near exit 25 on I-70 west. Witnesses on scene said one of the vehicles involved was a pickup truck. According to reports, a 21-year-old male was taken to Washington Hospital for head lacerations and back pain. The highway was closed to conduct an accident investigation following the crash. There is no word on how that accident occurred or who was involved.

Gun Conspiracy Had White Supremacy Ties

November 21, 2020 4:27 am

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) – Federal prosecutors say four men with connections to white supremacists are accused of illegally making firearms and two of them discussed shooting protesters at a Black Lives Matter rally. A news release from the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday that the men have been charged in a superseding indictment with conspiring to make, transport and sell firearms and then hide the sales from the federal government. The indictment also says two of the men indicted discussed on social media shooting protesters at a Black Lives Matter rally in Boise, Idaho, in August. Authorities say one of the four men is currently a Marine and two are former Marines.

China Mass Tests 3 Million For COVID After Case Discovery

November 21, 2020 4:26 am

China is starting mass testing on 3 million people in a section of the northern city of Tianjin and has tested 4,015 others in a hospital in Shanghai after the discovery of a pair of cases there. The National Health Commission recorded seven new domestically transmitted cases Saturday, including five in Tianjin and two in Shanghai. Tianjin on Friday reported community transmission involving four different individuals and another case. In response, local authorities sealed off the residential community where the people lived as well as a hospital and a kindergarten. On Saturday, authorities have starting testing all residents in the Binhai district of Tianjin. Authorities in Shanghai sealed off a hospital after a husband and wife tested positive for COVID-19.