April 6, 2025 5:15 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is sinking again, following other global markets lower, as worries deepen about whether President Donald Trump’s trade war will torpedo the global economy. The S&P 500 was down 3.8% in early trading Monday, coming off its worst week since COVID began crashing the global economy in March 2020. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1,200 points, and the Nasdaq composite was 4% lower. Stocks in Hong Kong plunged 13.2% for their worst day since 1997. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil briefly dropped below $60 for the first time since 2021.
April 5, 2025 6:59 am
U.S. President Donald Trump’s big raise in tariffs has triggered an escalating trade war and sent global markets plummeting. The S&P 500 fell 6% Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 5.5% and the Nasdaq composite dropped 5.8%. China announced Friday that it will impose a 34% tax on all U.S. imports next week, part of a flurry of retaliatory measures to Trump’s new tariffs. Trump has doubled down on his commitment to tariffs, maintaining that his new levies will bring trillions of dollars of investment to the U.S. while also criticizing other countries’ retaliatory measures.
April 5, 2025 5:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans plugged away overnight and into early Saturday morning to approve their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks and spending cuts framework. On a mostly party-line vote, 51-48, the Republicans muscled past hardened Democratic opposition for a crucial next step that’s central to President Donald Trump’s agenda. Passage of the plan paves the way for Republicans in coming months to push a tax cut bill through both chambers of Congress. Republicans are framing their work as preventing a tax increase for most American families. Democrats accused Republicans of laying the groundwork for increasing deficits and cutting key safety net programs. Senators spent hours churning through amendments before final voting, sending the package to the House for next steps.
April 5, 2025 5:15 am
U.S. consumers are rushing to buy big-ticket items before President Donald Trump’s tariffs kick in. Consumers who were considering big purchases told The Associated Press that they hurried in recent days to lease cars and buy products such as laptops in anticipation of the tariffs. Economists say the tariffs are expected to increase prices for everyday items, warning of potentially weakened U.S. economic growth. The White House hopes the tariffs prod countries to open their economies to more American exports, leading to negotiations that could reduce tariffs, or that companies increase their production in the U.S. to avoid higher import taxes.
April 5, 2025 5:13 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Stanley “Goose” Stewart, who survived the Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster that killed 29 workers 15 years ago Saturday, calls a recommendation by the Trump administration to close three dozen offices of the Mine Safety and Health Administration across the country “idiotic.” Stewart says it would give coal companies “the green light to do as they please.” The proposed cuts are part of the administration’s effort to make the government more efficient. MSHA is required to inspect each underground mine quarterly and each surface mine twice a year. Advocates for the mining industry say the cutbacks won’t make workers less safe.
April 5, 2025 4:37 am
BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. —(WPXI)- It’s been 15 months since Rebecca Miller was found stabbed to death on a walking trail in Beaver Falls. Since that time, her parents have waited for their moment in court. “It’s a difficult day all around. There is certainly some comfort to be taken that justice was obtained for their daughter, but like I said, nothing is going to bring her back,” said Beaver County DA Nate Bible. Late Friday afternoon, after four days of deliberations, the jury found Tyrik Jones guilty of 1st Degree Murder. The prosecution’s case relied heavily on DNA evidence and video surveillance of Jones seen walking that exact trail with Miller in her final hours. “It’s a long time to spend talking about the facts of the case. I’ve said this: serving on jury and voting are one of your most important civic duties. You can tell by the length of time they talked about this they took this duty very seriously and knew this was high stakes for both sides,” Bible said. While the defense presented no witnesses, Jones’s attorney did tell the jury there was no murder weapon or eyewitnesses in the case. Ultimately, the jury did not agree that was enough as emotions filled the courtroom from all sides when the guilty verdict was read. The jury found Jones not guilty on two rape related charges in the case. “My second assistant, who was lead counsel, and another one of my ADAs – I can’t even tell you the number of hours they put in on this case. It was a very circumstantial case; there were a lot of dots that we had to connect and they put the time in and the effort in and I’m very happy for them. This office isn’t about wins and losses, it’s about doing what’s right and getting justice,” Bible said. The defense attorney for Jones did not comment on the decision. Jones will be sentenced on May 23rd.
April 5, 2025 4:26 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI)-In the last few months, five Western Pennsylvanians fell victim to the “Grandparents Scam,” and were defrauded out of $50,000. The FBI Pittsburgh office held a press conference Friday to tell people that there are likely more victims out there. Investigators arrested a Dominican Republic man, who was living in Cleveland on an expired Visa. They say Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez was using ride shares like Uber to get the money delivered from his victims to him. Investigators say they were able to spot a high number of rideshares that may be part of this scam. “Because of this horrible fraud, we are urging anyone who received a suspicious call from someone claiming to be a child or a grandchild, or an attorney offering to assist a relative, please come forward and submit a complaint,” said Kevin Rojek, Special Agent at FBI Pittsburgh. At a press conference on Friday, FBI agents urged people to speak to their older loved ones about this scam. They also advised resisting the pressure from scammers to act quickly. Criminals will create a sense of urgency to produce fear and push victims into acting immediately. Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one. Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls and emails. If someone randomly calls claiming to be a loved one needing help, and it sounds suspicious, hang up immediately. Contact that loved one to determine whether or not the call is legitimate. Never hand over cash, checks, money, gold, jewelry, precious metals, or wire money or information to people you don’t know. Have recurring conversations with your family and friends about scams, protecting your financial information, and how to stay safe.
April 5, 2025 4:21 am
On Saturday there will be a Hands Off! Washington Fights Back! Rally on the steps of the Washington County Courthouse. The mass mobilization event will be held from 1pm to 3pm and will be one of more than 1000 rallies that are being staged across the country Saturday. The rally is meant to send a message to the world that U-S citizens do not consent to the destruction of the government and economy for the benefit of billionaires such as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk and their allies. According to a press release from organizers, the groups are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop to the chaos, and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country. (PHOTO: Associated Press)
April 4, 2025 8:26 am
Heavy rains overnight led to flooding in parts of Washington County Friday morning. Washington County 9-1-1 tells WJPA News that several vehicles became submerged in flood water in West Bethlehem Township. We are told no injuries were reported but at least one individual had to get out of a vehicle near Ten Mile Road. Several other vehicles in the area were also submerged. PennDot has since closed the roadway. In Buffalo Township, dispatchers say two vehicles were abandoned in flood waters at Green Valley Road at the underpass and Rural Valley Road at Carlisle was totally washed away while a nearby driveway was also destroyed. Flooding also led the McGuffey School District to operate on a two-hour delay.
April 4, 2025 5:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon’s acting inspector general has announced that he will review Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the Signal messaging app to convey plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen. The review will also look at other defense officials’ use of the the publicly available encrypted app, which is not able to handle classified material and is not part of the Defense Department’s secure communications network. Hegseth’s use of the app came to light when a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, was added to a Signal text chain by national security adviser Mike Waltz.
