June 6, 2025 5:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court has made it easier to bring lawsuits over so-called reverse discrimination, siding with an Ohio woman who claims she didn’t get a job and was demoted because she’s straight. The justices’ decision Thursday affects lawsuits in 20 states and the District of Columbia where, until now, courts had set a higher bar when members of a majority group, including those who are white and heterosexual, sue for discrimination under federal law. The court ruled in an appeal from Marlean Ames, who’s worked for the Ohio Department of Youth Services for years. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson says federal civil rights law draws no distinction between members of majority and minority groups.
June 6, 2025 5:04 am
A private lunar lander from Japan has crashed into the moon. The Tokyo-based company ispace declared the mission a failure several hours after communication was lost with the lander on Friday. Flight controllers tried to gain contact, but were met with only silence. Communication ceased less than two minutes before the spacecraft’s scheduled landing on the moon with a mini rover. It was ispace’s second lunar strikeout. The encore came two years after ispace’s first lander slammed into the moon.
June 6, 2025 5:03 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko says a Russian missile and drone attack on the capitla early Friday has killed at least four people and injured 20 others. It was part of a wider overnight assault that became the latest in a series of large-scale attacks targeting regions across Ukraine. Klitschko said search and rescue operations were underway at several locations. Ukrainian cities have come under regular bombardment since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. The United Nations says the attacks have killed more than 12,000 civilians. The 3-year war has continued unabated, even as a U.S.-led diplomatic push for a settlement has brought two rounds of direct peace talks.
June 6, 2025 5:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is threatening to cut Elon Musk’s government contracts as their fractured alliance rapidly escalated into a public feud. Hours after Trump lamented his breakup with Musk and said Thursday that he was “disappointed” in his former backer and adviser and Musk responded on social media, Trump then escalated the feud by threatening to use the U.S. government to hurt Musk’s bottom line.
June 6, 2025 4:58 am
Harvard University is challenging President Donald Trump’s move to block foreign students from coming to the United States to attend the Ivy League school, calling it illegal retaliation for Harvard’s rejection of White House demands. In an amended complaint filed Thursday, Harvard called the president’s action an end-run around a previous court order. A few hours later, a judge issued a temporary restraining order against Trump’s most recent proclamation. As the court action plays out, admitted students around the world are anxiously tracking the school’s feud with the Trump administration.
June 6, 2025 4:55 am
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI) – A TSA agent at Pittsburgh International Airport is accused of stealing money from a passenger. Allegheny County police say a passenger reported missing money just before 4 p.m. on Wednesday. TSA agent Richard Bruce, 39, is suspected of intentionally taking the money during a security screening, police say. He has been charged via summons with one misdemeanor count of theft by unlawful taking and one misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property. Allegheny County police questioned Bruce after reviewing the surveillance video. They found a wad of cash in his pocket and counted nine twenty-dollar bills. Investigators say Bruce told them that he must have forgotten that the money was in his pocket when he returned the wallet to the victim. Bruce has been put on administrative leave.
June 6, 2025 4:50 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A fast-moving fire erupted in Philadelphia at a transit bus lot filled with dozens of decommissioned vehicles. The Thursday morning blaze did not cause any injuries, but it burned for nearly two hours before it was declared under control. Authorities say 40 Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority buses were engulfed in flames. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. The city’s Public Health Department inspectors collected samples to assess air quality and the potential for any threat. Citing an abundance of caution, the agency warned nearby residents to stay indoors if possible.
June 6, 2025 1:11 am
Washington City Council took on several personnel moves during their June voting meeting. The biggest move was to approve a grievance settlement with the International Association of Fire Fighters. The action is centered on previous actions in April where two city fire fighters were terminated and two others faced lesser disciplinary actions. City of Washington Fire Chief Chris Richer was unable to offer any comment on the settlement, or the circumstances surrounding the incidents, citing the necessity to have all parties sign off on the agreement. He said detailed information would be available once all documents are signed and fully executed. In two subsequent actions following the authorization, retirements of two fire fighters were accepted. Richer did acknowledge that those retirements are related to the grievance settlement. In other personnel moves, Police Corporals Brad Resnick and Rodger Frazee were promoted to Sergeant. Officers Bill Dennison and Nick Powell were promoted to Corporal. Public works also had a promotion where Dennis Amon was hired to fill the position of Public Works Street Superintendent. In day to day business, council authorized the City Controller to pay off the $1.3 million Tax Anticipation Note early.
June 5, 2025 2:15 pm
June 5, 2025 12:36 pm
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Wheeling attorney has been indicted for allegedly fraudulently handling client funds and using client funds to conduct unlawful monetary transactions. Paul J. Harris, 62, of Wheeling, was indicted on June 3rd for mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions related to his allegedly fraudulent and unlawful handling of client funds between approximately April 2014 and June 2025. Harris faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the mail and wire fraud counts, up to 30 years in federal prison for each of the bank fraud counts, and up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the unlawful monetary transaction counts. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Jennifer T. Conklin are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government, and the matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
