October 11, 2023 5:00 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is confirming that U.S. citizens are among the hostages captured by Hamas in this weekend’s attack on Israel. He condemned the militant group for “sheer evil.” Hundreds of civilians have been killed, including at least 14 American citizens. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation on the ground. Biden outlined the actions he and other allies have taken to support Israel in the aftermath of the attack and expressed his horror about “sickening” reports of torture inflicted by militants on innocent civilians.
October 11, 2023 4:59 am
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined with a top political rival on Wednesday to create a war-time Cabinet overseeing the fight to avenge a stunning weekend attack by Hamas militants. In the sealed-off Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas, Palestinian suffering mounted as Israeli bombardment demolished neighborhoods and the only power plant ran out of fuel. The new Cabinet cobbles together a degree of unity after years of bitterly divisive politics, and as the Israeli military appears increasingly likely to launch a ground offensive into Gaza. The new cabinet will consist of Netanyahu, Benny Gantz — a senior opposition figure and former defense minister — and current Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. It will focus only on the war.
October 11, 2023 4:56 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Transportation Security Administration officers stopped a record-breaking 36th gun at Pittsburgh International Airport Tuesday. According to TSA, a Uniontown man was stopped with a 9mm handgun loaded with five bullets in his carry-on bag. The gun was confiscated and the man was arrested, officials said. “We seem to have a very disturbing number of guns being carried to our checkpoints this month,” said TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport, Karen Keys-Turner. “Tuesday’s gun catch was the sixth firearm caught in the first 10 days of the month and the 36th gun caught so far this year. Thirty-six is now our record high number of guns caught at our checkpoints in a single year.” The previous record of 35 guns caught at airport security was set in 2019. Passengers are permitted to travel with guns only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
October 11, 2023 4:51 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – PNC Bank has confirmed that the company is laying off employees. A spokesperson issued the following statement to our news partners at WPXI; “As part of our strong focus on expense management, we have reviewed our organizational structure and have identified an opportunity to better position our company for long-term success. This includes a shift away from work not fully aligned to our strategic priorities and will result in a reduction in staffing levels in certain areas. While these decisions are never easy, we believe these measures will help us more effectively and efficiently deliver for our customers and stakeholders, now and going forward.” Social media postings have been discussing layoffs at PNC for months. PNC reportedly confirmed limited layoffs in its mortgage and home equity groups in July but did not disclose numbers or locations. Based in downtown Pittsburgh, PNC is the region’s largest bank by market share, the PBT said.
October 11, 2023 4:47 am
The reformulated North Franklin Township Supervisors met Tuesday night and began the night with an appointment. Supervisors welcomed their new member Ben Johnson. Johnson was appointed to fill out the year for Supervisor Josh Polan who passed away in September. Johnson will be on the ballot in November for election to possibly fill out the remaining four years of Polan’s term. Not wasting time, supervisors appointed Johnson to the vacancy left by Polan on the township’s Planning Commission. Supervisors also scheduled a public hearing at 5:15 on November 14 to take comment on a proposed liquor license transfer from Independence Township that will be located at the Interstate Golf and Activity Center. Supervisors also acknowledged the receipt of notice of a proposed purchase of the Ramada Inn on Chestnut Street. A public hearing regarding that purchase could be held immediately before the December meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
October 10, 2023 3:50 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former baseball MVP Steve Garvey is joining the race to succeed the late California Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The Republican Garvey gives his party a splash of star quality on the ballot in a heavily Democratic state where the GOP hasn’t won a U.S. Senate race in 35 years. Garvey signaled in a video that he would lean toward the political center, saying: “I never played for Democrats or Republicans or independents. I played for all of you.” As a Republican, he starts as a longshot. Democrats hold every statewide office. Leading candidates include Democratic U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff.
October 10, 2023 9:30 am
MOSCOW (AP) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia on espionage charges, has lost an appeal to be released from jail, meaning he will stay behind bars at least until Nov. 30. Gershkovich was arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting trip in late March. The 31-year-old U.S. citizen and his employer deny the allegations, and the U.S. government declared him to be wrongfully detained. Russian authorities have not provided any evidence to support the espionage charges. Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB.
October 10, 2023 9:28 am
A Bentleyville man died of injuries he suffered in a one-vehicle crash Friday in Somerset Township. State Police Washington say 88 year old Stephan Mox Jr. was operating a special construction dune buggy style vehicle in the 200-block of Caldwell Road around 9 p.m when it left the roadway and struck a parked vehicle. Police say Mox informed emergency responders that the windshield on the vehicle fogged and he was unable to see. He was transported to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital with a suspected broken leg. State Police say then were then informed early Saturday morning that he had succumbed to his injuries. Police say the vehicle he was operating was registered for street use. No other information has been released.
October 10, 2023 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s second attempt at student loan cancellation is moving forward as a group of negotiators meets to debate what a new proposal might look like. In a process known as negotiated rulemaking, 14 people chosen by the Biden administration will meet Tuesday for the first of three hearings on student loan relief. Their goal is to guide the Education Department toward a proposal after the Supreme Court rejected Biden’s first plan in June. The negotiators all come from outside the federal government and represent a range of viewpoints on student loans.
October 10, 2023 5:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden has been interviewed as part of the special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents. Spokesperson Ian Sams says Biden was voluntarily interviewed at the White House on Sunday and Monday. The investigation is being led by special counsel Robert Hur, who is looking into the improper retention of classified documents from Biden’s time as vice president. The documents were found in his Delaware home and a private office he used after he left public office. Attorney General Merrick Garland earlier this year appointed Hur to oversee the politically sensitive matter to avoid conflicts of interest.
