December 13, 2019 7:17 am
(AP) With Christmas less than two weeks away, finding the perfect tree might take some searching. The availability of real Christmas trees is tight across the United States, especially for procrastinators looking for a certain type of tree. But industry officials say everyone who wants a tree should be able to find one, they just might have to pay a little more. Merchant Sandy Parsons of Charleston, West Virginia, says she never got her order for 350 trees from a North Carolina farm, citing short supply. But local seller Robert Cole, whose business supplies its own trees, has never been busier.
December 13, 2019 4:23 am
(AP) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the largest Conservative majority since the 1980s shows that getting Brexit done has now proved to be the will of the British people. In a jubilant speech to party supporters early Friday, Johnson has stressed that Britain will leave the European Union by Jan. 31. Johnson’s Conservative Party secured a majority by winning more than 326 seats out of 650 in the House of Commons. The victory makes Johnson the most electorally successful Conservative leader since Margaret Thatcher.
December 13, 2019 4:23 am
(AP) The House Judiciary Committee has approved two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. The charges now go to the full House for an expected vote next week. The abuse of power charge stems from Trump’s July phone call with the Ukraine president pressuring him to announce an investigation of Democrats as he was withholding US aid. The obstruction charge involves Trump’s blocking of House efforts to investigate his actions. Trump has denied wrongdoing.
December 13, 2019 4:20 am
(AP) Expectations of a U.S.-Chinese trade truce are rising, though Beijing accused Washington of unfairly attacking its economy. A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said any deal to settle their 17-month-old tariff war must be “mutually beneficial, win-win.” President Donald Trump said in Twitter a deal was “very close,” but the Chinese spokeswoman gave no confirmation of that. Investors are hoping an interim deal will persuade Washington to postpone a planned tariff hike Sunday on $160 billion of Chinese imports. China’s foreign minister complained Washington has imposed “unjustified restrictions and crackdowns” on the Chinese economy and trade.
December 13, 2019 4:19 am
(AP) Grieving families sang traditional Maori songs as New Zealand military specialists went to a volcanic island and recovered six bodies of the 16 people who died in an eruption. The bodies will be transferred to the mainland later for identification. Toxic gases are being emitted on the island and scientists warn another eruption is possible. Police said the families cheered when they were told of the successful recovery of the six bodies and expressed joy and relief. Divers are working at sea and a flight is planned later to look for the last two victims.
December 13, 2019 4:16 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh police shot and killed a pit bull after it charged at an officer following a fight with a poodle. Officers found a woman caring for her poodle, which was covered in blood, when they responded to a report of dogs fighting Wednesday. Police say the pit bull’s owner told them he had stabbed his pet and used pepper spray to get it to release the poodle. When the wounded pit bull lunged at police, an officer shot it to death. The poodle was taken to a veterinarian.
December 13, 2019 4:15 am
HARRISBURG (AP) – Faculty at Pennsylvania state universities will go without a pay raise this year but see their pay climb at least 12% over the next three years. The four-year contract approved Wednesday covers about 5,000 professors and instructors at 14 schools. Spokesman David Pidgeon of the state System of Higher Education says the raises are expected to cost about $22 million.? A similar deal has been reached with about 700 other employees who work in student services. The agreement comes three years after prolonged contract talks between the educators’ association and the state led to a three-day faculty strike.
December 13, 2019 4:14 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Seven of nine House Democrats from Pennsylvania now say they will support the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump that were under consideration in the House. Freshman Rep. Conor Lamb, of suburban Pittsburgh, added his support Thursday to six of his colleagues from Pennsylvania, saying in a statement that he believes that Trump “abused his power and obstructed Congress.” Two Democrats, freshman Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of suburban Philadelphia and fourth-term Rep. Matt Cartwright of northeastern Pennsylvania, have declined to say how they’ll vote. All nine Republican House members from Pennsylvania say they’ll vote against the articles.
December 13, 2019 4:13 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration wants a federal court to reject a challenge to its certification of voting machines bought by Philadelphia and two other Pennsylvania counties. Also Thursday, the machine’s maker accepted responsibility for problems that led to badly undercounted returns in a judicial race last month in Northampton County. The machines are the ExpressVote XL touchscreen system made by Omaha, Nebraska-based Election Systems & Software. ES&S acknowledged that incorrect results in last month’s election in Northampton County resulted from human errors in formatting the ballot. Ultimately, election workers counted the vote on paper ballots.
December 12, 2019 5:37 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – Senior lawmakers have announced a tentative agreement on an almost $1.4 trillion government-wide spending bill. The deal would would stave off a federal shutdown next weekend and split the differences on a number of contentious issues. Word of the deal comes from the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee and other top members of Congress. The agreement would award President Donald Trump with additional money for the U.S.-Mexico border wall while giving the Democrats who control the House a number of their priorities. Votes in the House and Senate are expected next week before a spending bill expires next Friday at midnight.
