June 13, 2026 2:25 am
(AP) – At least three tornadoes have battered communities outside Chicago, leveling homes and ripping down trees and power poles. Storms have also grounded flights and knocked out power for hundreds of thousands across the Midwest and Northeast on Thursday. The large column of air swept through Merrillville, Indiana, a town about 33 miles southeast of Chicago. Meanwhile, the nearby manufacturing and farm city of Streator, Illinois, has set up a family reunification center for displaced residents in its city hall as officials took stock of the major damage. The National Weather Service says tornado warnings were also in place in Chicago and in parts of Indiana and Michigan.
June 13, 2026 2:29 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift has become the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at age 36. Steven Spielberg introduced Swift on Thursday night with a speech about the power of songwriting. Tamar Braxton opened the induction ceremony with a tribute to the game-changing R&B songwriter, producer and rapper Christopher “Tricky” Stewart. The gala was held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Inductees included Swift, Stewart, Kiss’ Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, Alanis Morissette and Kenny Loggins. Also celebrated were nonperformers including songwriting duo Terry Britten and Graham Lyle behind Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and songwriter Walter Afanasieff, who wrote Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” (Photo: AP)
June 13, 2026 2:54 am
A power outage disrupted Pittsburgh International Airport operations on Thursday. Airport officials said they lost power after lightning struck Duquesne Light’s power distribution. The microgrid and main grid were impacted. Backup generators were used to bring the airport partially back online. The checkpoint was briefly closed as crews worked to make repairs. An airport spokesperson said the air traffic control tower was not affected and maintained power throughout the entire incident. Planes were able to take off and land without any cancellations. After 5:40 p.m., airport officials said the airport was back to normal.
June 13, 2026 2:00 am
In a statement issued by Charissa Ruth, Care Partner on behalf of the 300 UPMC Washington Hospital workers in SEIU Healthcare in Pennsylvania, she says, “The dedicated healthcare workers of Washington Hospital are deeply concerned that UPMC’s job cuts break the corporation’s original vow to invest in our local community, and have upended the lives of valued coworkers. When UPMC first took over our hospital almost exactly two years ago, they made a clear, emphatic promise of “preserving jobs of our talented health care workers”, and to “invest a minimum of $300 million” in our hospital, “invest in its employees”, and “uphold and protect a healthy future for this community.” The slashing of 200 current jobs and 300 open positions throughout the health system – many of which are vital roles at Washington – comes at a time when we need more investment, not less. As we’re already understaffed, the cuts have created a feeling of distrust, uncertainty and fear of not knowing what our future holds. There’s been a lack of transparency and communication from UPMC, and we’re still not clear on the full scope of the cuts. We call on executives and the hospital board to meet with us to discuss the challenges still facing our facility, and how they can live up to their promise to invest in workers, so that we can ensure the highest quality care.”
June 11, 2026 2:58 pm
Weather forecasters are predicting scattered storms this afternoon and into the evening. Not everyone is expected to see storms today; however, Washington and surrounding areas are included in a large storm watch map. According to our news partners at Channel 11, the area likely to see storms stretches south of Morgantown, north to New York state, and west to New Martinsville. Rain is expected to start between 3 and 4 this afternoon. The Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 8 p.m. And while there is a cold front expected Friday afternoon, there could be another round of showers and a few storms.
June 11, 2026 2:18 pm
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he has called off new military strikes on Iran, hours after threatening to escalate the war. Trump had threatened major strikes on Iran and to seize control of its oil and gas industries as escalating attacks between the countries pushed the Middle East closer to full-scale war. The threats to seize Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal came after the U.S and Iran traded strikes for a second straight day. Trump told Fox News that while he would prefer to take over Kharg Island, he’s not sure that “America has the stomach for it.” Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned on social media that an “endless quagmire” could result.
June 11, 2026 2:20 pm
Iran’s Kharg Island is home to a terminal through which the country exports most of its oil. The Persian Gulf island has emerged as a focus of the war launched by the United States and Israel. Strikes on oil infrastructure on Kharg — or a ground invasion — would severely curb Iran’s oil exports, a key source of revenue for the Islamic Republic. An assault would also mark a major escalation that could provoke even heavier retaliatory attacks on Gulf infrastructure. That would further drive up oil prices that already threaten the world economy.
June 11, 2026 2:21 pm
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man who assassinated the top Democrat in the Minnesota House and her husband has pleaded guilty so that federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty. Vance Boelter fatally shot Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. He is also charged in the nonfatal shootings of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman. He came to their doors in the early hours of June 14, 2025, disguised as a police officer and driving a fake police vehicle. The attacks reverberated far beyond Minnesota, as elected officials across the country feared that escalating threats and polarization could lead to more violence.
June 10, 2026 9:30 am
(AP) – President Donald Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT,” threatening in a social media post to “assume total control” of Iran’s oil and gas industries, including the key Kharg Island, in the “not too distant future.” The U.S and Iran traded strikes for a second day, pushing the Middle East closer to the resumption of a full-scale war. It was the third time this week that back-and-forth strikes have rattled the Middle East. The first involved attacks between Iran and Israel, followed by the two rounds of fire between the U.S. and Iran, which hit countries in the region that host American bases.
June 10, 2026 9:34 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has a surprising take on a new report that shows inflation spiking to its highest level in three years. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that “I love the inflation.” Ahead of the November midterm elections, voters have ranked the economy as a top concern — and have given Trump low marks on that issue. The problem has intensified as the Iran war has pushed oil prices higher. Within minutes of his on-camera comment, Democrats quickly rushed to promote it on social media. On Capitol Hill, Representative Emilia Sykes — a Democrat from Ohio — asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright if he, too, loved inflation. Wright said he’d prefer lower inflation, but praised Trump’s work on curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
