January 5, 2025 6:35 am
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump made an appearance with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was visiting his Mar-a-Lago club. Meloni’s visit Saturday follows Argentina President Javier Milei, who became the first world leader to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after his Election Day victory in November. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungry also have traveled to Florida to meet with the president-elect. “This is very exciting,” Trump said of Meloni. “I’m here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy. She’s really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else.”
January 5, 2025 6:32 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — By blocking a Japanese company’s takeover of U.S. Steel, President Joe Biden says he is protecting good jobs in the American heartland. He may be putting them at risk instead. In making its nearly $15 billion bid for the storied Pittsburgh-based steelmaker, Nippon Steel had promised to invest $2.7 billion in U.S. Steel’s aging blast furnace operations in Gary, Indiana, and Pennsylvania’s Mon Valley. It also vowed not to reduce production capacity in the United States over the next decade without first getting U.S. government approval. If the Nippon offer goes away, those commitments go with it.
January 5, 2025 6:29 am
After a rocky few years and the disbanding of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes have seemingly stabilized. Now the question is: Can they still put on a good show? The 82nd Golden Globes, beginning Sunday night at 8 p.m. EST, will hope to rekindle some of the loose comic energy of the days when Ricky Gervais or Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted. Last year’s comeback edition, hosted by Jo Koy, was widely panned, but it delivered where it counted: Ratings rebounded to about 10 million viewers. This time, comedian Nikki Glaser will be emceeing the ceremony from the Beverly Hilton. The show will be broadcast by CBS and available to stream on Paramount+.
January 5, 2025 6:26 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Hundreds of South Koreans, bundled up against freezing temperatures and snow, rallied overnight near the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, calling for his ouster and arrest, as authorities prepared to renew their efforts to detain him over his short-lived martial law decree. Dozens of anti-corruption agency investigators and police attempted to execute a detainment warrant against Yoon on Friday but retreated from his residence in Seoul after a tense standoff with the presidential security service that lasted more than five hours. The one-week warrant for his detention is valid through Monday. There were no immediate indications that authorities were ready to send investigators back to the residence as of Sunday afternoon.
January 5, 2025 6:24 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will again call on allies to boost its air defenses at this week’s meeting in Germany. Zelenskyy said that dozens of partner countries will participate in the meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday. He said the allies include those who can help boost Ukraine’s capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin will attend the meeting, which comes as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes over later this month with a vow to end the almost three-year war quickly.
January 5, 2025 6:21 am
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hospital staff in Gaza say the latest Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 21 people including at least two children. Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday at least 59 people had been killed by strikes in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, a new effort is underway in Qatar toward a ceasefire after nearly 15 months of the Israel-Hamas war. The talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled. Thousands rallied again in Israel to press for a ceasefire deal, hours after Hamas released a video of showing one of the hostages still held.
January 5, 2025 6:14 am
Tier 2 Restriction times have been modified by PennDOT (updated Sunday, 2 pm) Several local interstates will have restrictions in place for Sunday’s predicted snowfall. PennDOT crews will actively pre-treat roadways where necessary ahead of the storm to help prevent ice from forming a bond with the pavement during the early stages of a storm. More than 600 equipment operators and safety patrol personnel, as well as traffic operators, are ready to provide 24/7 staffing and roadway assistance on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Pennsylvania Turnpike and PennDOT are advising motorists to avoid unnecessary travel during the storm and to exercise caution when driving. PennDOT will implement various speed and vehicle restrictions throughout the storm. The Commonwealth’s Weather Event Vehicle Restriction Plan Tier 2 restrictions will be in effect on the following revised time schedule:
Sunday, Jan. 5 at 8 pm:
* I-70 from West Virginia border to Exit 57 (PA Turnpike at New Stanton)
* I-79 from West Virginia border to Exit 77 (PA Turnpike at Cranberry)
* PA Turnpike (I-70/I-76 mainline) from Exit 28 (Cranberry) to Exit 161 (Breezewood)
* PA Turnpike 576 entire length
* PA Turnpike 43 entire length
* PA Turnpike 66 entire length
* I-279 entire length
* I-376 from Exit 36 (Brighton) to Exit 85 (PA Turnpike at Beaver Valley)
Monday, Jan. 6 at 12:01 am
* I-81 from Maryland border to Exit 89 (I-78)
* I-83 entire length
* PA Turnpike (mainline) from Exit 161 (Breezewood) to Exit 247 (Harrisburg East)
Under the Tier 2 restrictions, the following vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways:
* Tractors without trailers.
* Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailiers or tank trailers.
* Tractors towing loaded tandem trailers without chains or Alternate Traction Devices (ATCs).
* Enclosed unloaded or lightly loaded cargo delivery trucks/box trucks that meet the definition of a CMV.
* Passenger vehicles (cars, SUV’s, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers.
* Recreational vehicles/motorhomes.
* School buses, commercial buses and motor coaches, regardless of the availability of trains or ATDs.
* Motorcycles.
On roadways where vehicles are not restricted, commercial vehicle drivers in particular are encouraged to exercise caution in high winds. Drivers should ensure their loads are secure, reduce speeds, increase following distance and use flashers if necessary.
For more information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist and information on PennDOT’s winter operations, CLICK HERE. Additional winter driving and other highway safety information is available HERE.
January 4, 2025 4:30 am
The National Weather Service says a major winter storm is forecast to produce heavy snow and significant ice starting in the central U.S. and moving east. Heavy snow with winds that could lead to blizzard conditions is expected in the Central Plains starting Saturday. Hazardous freezing rain is also anticipated starting Saturday in eastern Kansas and the Ozarks extending east to the Ohio Valley and parts of the central Appalachians. The storm will then move into the Ohio Valley on Sunday, where travel disruptions are expected, and to the Mid-Atlantic on Sunday into Monday.
January 4, 2025 4:27 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The judge in President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money case has made a dramatic decision that could nevertheless bring the case to a muted end. In a ruling Friday, Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan scheduled the sentencing for 10 days before Trump’s inauguration. But the judge indicated that he’s leaning toward a sentence that would amount to just closing the case. Will it come to that? Trump wants the conviction thrown out and the case dismissed, and his communications director said Friday the president-elect will “keep fighting.” But it’s tough to predict just what will unfold in the unprecedented and unpredictable case.
January 4, 2025 4:25 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Mike Johnson has narrowly won reelection to the House speakership on a dramatic first-ballot vote, overcoming hard-right GOP holdouts in a tense standoff. Upon taking the gavel, Johnson vowed to slash the size and scope of the federal government. The uneasy scene brought an ominous start to the first day of the new Congress before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House with unified GOP control of Washington. In the end, however, Johnson was able to flip two holdouts who switched to support him, and Trump called the dissenting Republican lawmakers from the golf course. The final tally was 218-215.
