August 5, 2020 4:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Frustrated Senate Republicans re-upped their complaints on Tuesday that Democratic negotiators are staking too hard a line in talks on a sweeping coronavirus relief bill, but pressure is mounting for progress so senators can return to their home states for the August recess. Another negotiating session is underway, and Trump administration negotiators said they are bringing fresh proposal to the table. One glimmer of hope emerged as a key Senate Republican telegraphed that the party may yield to Democrats on an increase in the food stamp benefit as part of the huge rescue measure, which promises to far exceed a $1 trillion target set by the GOP.
August 5, 2020 4:15 am
BEIRUT (AP) – Residents of Beirut have awoken to a scene of utter devastation, a day after a massive explosion at the port of the Lebanese capital killed at least 100 people and wounded thousands. Smoke was still rising from the port, where a towering grain silos was toppled. Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles; building facades were blown out. Authorities say at least 70 people were killed and 3,000 wounded, with the toll likely to rise as more bodies are being pulled from the rubble. It’s unclear what caused the blast, which appeared to have been triggered by a fire and struck with the force of an earthquake.
August 5, 2020 4:10 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic airline is seeking protection from creditors as it tries to survive the pandemic that is slamming air travel. The U.K.-based airline filed for help Tuesday in U.S. federal bankruptcy court in New York. A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic cast the Chapter 15 bankruptcy filing as part of a court process to carry out a restructuring plan that the airline announced last month. The airline hopes to emerge from the restructuring in September. Virgin Atlantic is the latest airline to wind up in court because of the financial harm from the coronavirus outbreak.
August 5, 2020 4:09 am
WINDSOR, N.C. (AP) – At least nine people were killed as Tropical Storm Isaias battered the U.S. East Coast with rain and fierce winds after making landfall as a hurricane in North Carolina. Millions of people were without power on Wednesday after felled trees downed power lines. Two people died when Isaias spun off a tornado that struck a North Carolina mobile home park. Another person died in Pennsylvania when their vehicle was overtaken by water. Three others were killed by falling trees toppled by the storm in Maryland, Connecticut and New York City, and a sixth person died in Delaware when a tree branch fell on them.
August 5, 2020 4:04 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Authorities say a 5-year-old autistic girl who disappeared from a Philadelphia-area home during the height of Tuesday’s storm was found dead and was believed to have been swept away in floodwaters. Police in Montgomery County’s Towamencin Township said Eliza Talal, described as autistic and nonverbal, was found Wednesday morning next to a creek after waters receded. Chief Paul Dickinson said she had last been seen at about noon and was believed to have gone out of her Lansdale home and “was pulled into the water.” Weather authorities, meanwhile, confirmed two tornadoes in Montgomery and Bucks counties during the storm.
August 4, 2020 5:38 pm
(WPXI) – Officials at Heinz Field announced that the 2020 Kickoff and Rib Fest is canceled. The annual event was scheduled to start September 3rd. Organizers said the health and safety of everyone attending as well as the vendors and employees was the primary factor in deciding to cancel the event. The Heinz Field Kickoff and Rib Fest is scheduled to return in 2021. This becomes the latest event to fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.
August 4, 2020 2:51 pm
(WPXI) – The WPXI 2020 Holiday Parade has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on planning for this annual holiday event, along with concerns for the safety and health of Parade participants, organizers and crowds. The Parade, featuring local and national celebrities, huge balloons, marching bands, floats and more, has been a holiday tradition in Pittsburgh for decades. November 2020 would’ve marked the 40th anniversary of this beloved annual event which is always held the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
August 4, 2020 1:48 pm
BEIRUT (AP) – Lebanon’s health minister says at least 50 people were killed and over 2,700 were injured in the huge explosion that rocked Beirut. The blast Tuesday flattened much of the the city’s port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. A civil defense official said his men had evacuated dozens to hospitals and that there were still bodies under debris. The cause of the blast was not immediately known. An Israeli government official says Israel “had nothing to do” with it. The blast was stunning even for a city that has seen civil war, suicide bombings and bombardment by Israel. It could be heard and felt as far away as Cyprus, across the Mediterranean. (Photo: Yahoo)
August 4, 2020 12:50 pm
DETROIT (AP) – Honda is recalling over 1.6 million minivans and SUVs in the U.S. to fix problems that include faulty backup camera displays, malfunctioning dashboard lights and sliding doors that don’t latch properly. The problems were revealed in four recalls posted Tuesday by the government. They cover certain Odyssey minivans from 2018 to 2020, Pilot SUVs from 2019 through 2021 and Passport SUVs from 2019 and 2020. Honda has traced the problems to faulty backup camera software programming, water entering door handles, water getting into camera mounting holes, and defective instrument panel software. Dealers will fix the problems at no cost to owners.
August 4, 2020 6:29 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Monday that if students aren’t physically in class, there shouldn’t be any sports. While the governor’s statement wasn’t a formal announcement, it raises a lot of questions for school districts in western Pennsylvania as they finalize back-to-school plans amid the coronavirus pandemic. Some districts are offering options for online, in-person or hybrid learning. Pittsburgh Public Schools, however, will have online classes only for at least the first nine weeks of school. During a news briefing Monday, Wolf said what happens in school should be consistent with what happens on the playing fields. “In other words, if the school is going completely virtual, seems hard to justify having in-person contact sports being played in the fall,” Wolf said.
