March 3, 2025 5:16 am
DETROIT (AP) — President Donald Trump’s trade wars threaten to claim a casualty on the home front: the American auto industry. If the president goes ahead with 25% taxes on imports from Canada and Mexico on Tuesday, he will disrupt more than $300 billion in annual U.S. automotive trade with its two neighbors, wreck supply chains that have been operating for decades and likely push up the already-forbidding price of new cars. One expert says the tariffs pose an “existential’’ threat to North American auto production.
March 3, 2025 5:14 am
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has rallied his European counterparts to shore up their borders and throw their full weight behind Ukraine as he announced outlines of a plan to end Russia’s war. “Every nation must contribute to that in the best way that it can, bringing different capabilities and support to the table, but all taking responsibility to act, all stepping up their own share of the burden,” he said. Starmer’s exhortation to 18 fellow leaders that they need to do the heavy lifting for their own security comes two days after U.S. backing of Ukraine appeared in jeopardy when President Donald Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
March 3, 2025 5:13 am
Israel has cut off the entry of all food and other goods into Gaza in an echo of the siege it imposed in the earliest days of its war with Hamas. The United Nations and other humanitarian aid providers are sharply criticizing the decision and calling it a violation of international law. Israel is trying to pressure the Hamas militant group to agree to what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government describes as a U.S. proposal to extend the ceasefire’s first phase instead negotiating its second phase.
March 3, 2025 5:10 am
Crews battled wildfires in North and South Carolina amid dry conditions and gusty winds as residents were forced to evacuate in some areas. In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Sunday to support the response effort and a statewide burning ban remained in effect. Crews have made progress containing a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach and evacuations were lifted by late afternoon. In North Carolina, evacuations for the town of Tryon remained in effect. A decision on whether to lift them was expected to be made Monday.
March 3, 2025 5:08 am
SPRINGDALE, Pa. — Crews attempted to demolish the last building standing at the old Cheswick power plant in Springdale on Sunday morning. The entire boiler house was set to be brought down with cables. However, when the demolition happened around 9:30 a.m., only part of the building collapsed, sending a cloud of dust into the air. The building didn’t fall entirely because of an issue with the cables. After assessing the building, engineers determined that around 70% had collapsed. In a press briefing on Sunday afternoon, officials said they planned to bring down the remaining structure on March 8 between 10 a.m. and noon, weather permitting. Officials said the Cheswick Power Station property owner and its contractor have ensured the remaining structure is currently stable.
March 3, 2025 5:02 am
Health officials have confirmed a case of measles in Pennsylvania. An investigation is underway into the case which involves an unvaccinated child in Montgomery County. Officials say they are working with the child’s guardians and health care providers for contact tracing and notifying anyone who might have been exposed to the virus. The case comes as measles cases are popping up around the country. One child has died from measles in Texas where an outbreak has infected more than 140 people.
March 3, 2025 4:55 am
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI) – Chartiers Valley School District has implemented a new security protocol. The district made the announcement on Sunday and said the changes begin Monday morning. According to the district, security personnel will now protect the entrances to the high school and middle school campuses. After all students have entered, the arm at the entrance will be lowered, and security will question all visitors. A security member will be able to communicate with all of the principals, office staff, and resource officers. The security guard’s booth will have cameras to survey the campus. A marked vehicle will also patrol all of the schools. “This new procedure will slow down visitor entry, but please understand that this inconvenience will increase the safety of our campus,” said the Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Castagna. The security changes come after a teen was charged for threats made against the district in November.
March 3, 2025 2:27 am
MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — A tractor-trailer driver has been charged with negligent homicide after police said he caused the crash that killed a Fayette County man found dead in a West Virginia lake. On Jan. 26th, 59-year-old Kevin Lataille of Smithfield was found dead inside a submerged car in Cheat Lake. He was reported missing a week before when he didn’t return home after his shift at Eat ‘n Park in Morgantown. On the day that Lataille was reported missing, police said deputies from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a tractor-trailer jack-knifed on the Cheat Lake Bridge. According to a release, the driver, identified as Sukhjinder Singh of New York, told deputies that he lost control because of the snowy conditions outside. Over the next few days, police actively searched for Lataille. On Jan. 23, information from Lataille’s phone showed his last known location was near the Cheat Lake Bridge. Authorities said that surveillance video obtained from the area showed a large vehicle sliding on the bridge, throwing snow into the air and a separate car falling from the bridge into the lake. Aerial drone footage later showed a vehicle submerged in Cheat Lake near the location shown in the surveillance footage. Because of the severe weather and dangerous conditions on the lake, a recovery mission was scheduled for Jan. 26. The car was recovered and Lataille was found dead inside. Following weeks of investigation, authorities said that Singh’s tractor-trailer was traveling at an unsafe speed despite the hazardous winter weather conditions. According to a release, witnesses described Singh’s driving as “reckless and even criminal.” Investigators also said that Singh’s tractor had hit another vehicle before reaching the bridge and didn’t stop. Police said that Lataille’s vehicle had damage to the driver’s side rear, which was consistent with being hit by Singh’s truck, ultimately sending Lataille’s car off of the bridge and into the lake. Investigators determined that Singh’s reckless driving caused the crash that led to Lataille’s death. A warrant has been issued for Singh’s arrest for negligent homicide. More charges could be filed later.
March 2, 2025 5:42 am
BOSTON (AP) — Demonstrators have gathered outside Tesla stores across the U.S. to protest the automaker’s billionaire leader, Elon Musk. Protesters are targeting Musk over his push to slash government spending on behalf of President Donald Trump. The demonstrations are part of a growing backlash in North America and Europe to Musk’s disruptive role in Washington. Critics of Trump, Musk and their cost-cutting initiative known as DOGE hope to discourage and stigmatize Tesla purchases, ultimately denting Musk’s fortune. Shares in Tesla, the world’s most valuable automaker, make up a significant portion of Musk’s wealth.
March 2, 2025 5:39 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that the head of a federal watchdog agency must remain in his job, saying President Donald Trump’s bid to remove the special counsel was unlawful. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson sided Saturday with Hampton Dellinger, who leads the Office of Special Counsel, in a legal battle over the president’s authority to oust the head of the independent agency. Dellinger sued Trump last month after he was fired even though the law says special counsels can be removed by the president “only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” The Justice Department quickly filed court papers indicating it will challenge the ruling to Washington’s federal appeals court.
