July 31, 2025 5:17 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian authorities say a Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s capital killed at least six people including a 6-year-old boy. A Kyiv official said Thursday that at least 52 other people were wounded in the attacks. The official said that the number was likely to rise. A large part of a nine-story residential building collapsed after it was struck. Rescue teams were at the scene to search for people trapped under the rubble. Western leaders have accused Putin of dragging his feet in U.S.-led peace efforts in an attempt to capture more Ukrainian land.
July 31, 2025 5:15 am
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A man newly hired as a schoolteacher in Arkansas has been arrested in the killings of a couple in front of their children at Devil’s Den State Park. Arkansas State Police arrested the man at a Springdale barbershop Wednesday and charged him with two counts of capital murder. Police would not discuss a motive. Authorities had pleaded with the public to look through their photos from weekend visits to the park to help find the attacker. Clinton David Brink and Cristen Amanda Brink were found dead Saturday on a walking trail at Devil’s Den. The Springdale district said the man was hired for the upcoming school year and had not yet met any families or students at the school.
July 31, 2025 5:14 am
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will recognize a Palestinian state in September, the latest development in a push against Israel’s Gaza policies. Carney convened a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation there. Pressure to formally recognize Palestinian statehood has mounted since French President Emmanuel Macron announced his country will become the first major Western power to recognize a Palestinian state in September. The United Kingdom made a similar announcement on Tuesday. Though mostly symbolic, Canada’s recognition comes as part of a global shift against Israel and could increase diplomatic pressure for an end to the conflict. More than 140 countries recognize a Palestinian state, including a dozen in Europe.
July 31, 2025 5:14 am
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — At least 48 Palestinians have been killed while waiting for food at a crossing in the Gaza Strip. That’s according to a hospital that received the casualties Wednesday. It was the latest violence around aid distribution came as the U.S. Mideast envoy was heading to Israel for talks. Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said the dead and wounded were among crowds massed at the Zikim Crossing, the main entry point for humanitarian aid to northern Gaza. It wasn’t immediately clear who opened fire. The Israeli military controls the crossing. Israeli strikes and gunfire had earlier killed at least 46 Palestinians overnight and into Wednesday, most of them among crowds seeking food, health officials said.
July 31, 2025 5:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says the United States and India are still negotiating on trade despite new tariffs slated to begin in a few days. Trump told reporters Wednesday he’ll “see what happens.” India’s government says it’s studying the implications of Trump’s announcement he’ll impose a 25% tariff on goods from India, plus an additional import tax because of its purchasing of Russian oil. Trump intends to charge an additional “penalty” starting Friday as part of the launch of his administration’s revised tariffs on multiple countries. India’s Trade Ministry says it remains committed to negotiating a “fair, balanced and mutually beneficial” bilateral trade agreement.
July 31, 2025 5:11 am
There is an active warrant for the arrest of a Washington teen in connection with a shooting in the city early Tuesday morning. Police have charged 16 year old Tristan Lassic as an adult with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, escape and other charges. According to police, he shot Rashard Carter multiple time along Shannon Avenue around 1:30 a.m. Carter was transported to UPMC Washington Hospital and then flown to a Pittsburgh hospital Police were able to interview him in the hospital and he claims he was involved in a altercation with another man when Lassic opened fire. Lassic reportedly had an ankle monitor from Washington County Juvenile Probation that had been cut off and was found in his home.
July 31, 2025 5:07 am
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — World shares are lower after choppy trading on Wall Street that saw more losses and as investors assess President Donald Trump’s order imposing new tariffs on 68 countries and the European Union starting in seven days. On Wall Street on Thursday, stocks capped the trading day with more losses after an early big tech rally faded and a health care sector pullback led the market lower. The benchmark index, which is just below the record high it set on Monday, notched a 2.2% gain for the month of July and is up 7.8% so far this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite closed less than 0.1% lower.
July 31, 2025 4:57 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration says billions of dollars in aid to Pennsylvania’s schools and human services will be delayed, as he and the politically divided Legislature struggle to end a monthlong budget stalemate. Shapiro’s administration said in letters sent Tuesday that state-supported universities, libraries, early-childhood education programs and county health departments also will see payment delays. Shapiro and top Republican lawmakers have said they’re trying to find a compromise. Without the governor’s signature on a new spending plan, the state lost some of its spending authority starting July 1. Budget stalemates are also playing out in Michigan and North Carolina, where Democratic governors are sharing power with Republican legislators.
July 31, 2025 2:46 am
PennDOT has announced that the scheduled closure of Bebout Road between East McMurray Road and Sugar Camp Road in Peters Township, that began on May 27th, will now remain closed until mid-to late August. They say no access remains from Bebout Road to East McMurray Road. Crews from Plum Contracting are reconstructing the intersection of Bebout and East McMurray Road – an infrastructure investment of $4.1 million. The scope of work includes widening East McMurray Road to accommodate northbound and southbound left-turn lanes, along with a minor alignment shift, and widening Bebout Road to include a westbound right-turn lane. They say construction is anticipated to last through late November, depending on weather and operational conditions.
July 31, 2025 2:44 am
South Strabane Township Supervisors needed some time to review several housekeeping issues, so therefore they continued their July 22 meeting to July 30. Chief among the issues voted on was a lease agreement for a ladder truck that has been ordered for the fire department. According to Fire Chief Jordan Cramer, the 10 year lease agreement has a more than $600,000 balloon payment at the end of the contract. Cramer says that it is a cost savings mechanism for the township. He says that there are bond issues coming up in the next several years, and if interest rates are lower than the lease payments, the payment for the remainder of the $1.3 million dollar apparatus could be rolled into that bond issue. Cramer says that it is conceivable that could provide additional interest savings. The item passed 3-2 with supervisors Jeff Bull and George Rowand dissenting. Bull still feels that the ladder truck is an expense that should not have been approved. He points to mutual aid companies that he says could provide adequate ladder truck services. Cramer disagrees. He pointed to the December 2022 fire at the Thomas Campbell Apartments. He says the township’s current truck was unable to adequately serve the purposes needed that day. One person died in that fire. An area that both Bull and Cramer agree on is the idea of countywide services for organizations like fire departments. Bull feels that would be a better use of public funds. Cramer agrees, pointing to increasing costs of equipment and struggles to find fire fighters. In other township business, supervisors approved a plan put forth by township Roadmaster Kevin Montgomery to reopen Berry Road. He says that he can reopen the road for just over $2500 in materials and township manpower in a period of a couple of days. He was extremely direct in warning supervisors that this would be just a temporary fix to reopen the road. The proper solution would be to repair the road correctly by using a box culvert system to better manage storm water runoff. Berry Road has been closed since a severe rainstorm collapsed part of the road during Father’s Day weekend.
