Two Dead & Seven Injured In Penn Hills Bar Shooting

June 3, 2024 4:58 am

PENN HILLS, Pa. (AP) — Police say an exchange of gunfire in a suburban Pittsburgh bar has left two people dead and seven others injured. Allegheny County police said the shooting occurred at the Ballers Hookah Lounge and Cigar Bar in Penn Hills, where first responders found the bodies of a man and a woman around 3 a.m. Sunday. Seven additional victims were reported, some transported from the scene and others showing up at hospitals. One of the victims was reported in critical condition. County police say preliminary information indicates that “an altercation took place inside the bar and multiple individuals opened fire.” There were no immediate reports of any arrests.

Opening Statements Set To Begin In Hunter Biden Trial

June 3, 2024 5:10 am

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The jury has been seated in Hunter Biden’s federal firearms case. Twelve panelists and four alternates were chosen after one day of jury selection. Opening statements will begin Tuesday. The president’s son has been charged with lying on federal gun purchase forms when he said he wasn’t a drug addict. He has pleaded not guilty and argues he’s being unfairly targeted by the Justice Department. Prospective jurors are being asked about their knowledge of the case, their thoughts about gun ownership and whether they or anyone close to them have struggled with substance abuse or addiction or ever owned a gun.

Trump Joins TikTok After He Once Tried To Ban The App

June 2, 2024 5:14 am

Donald Trump has joined TikTok, the video-sharing app he once tried to ban as president. He posted his first video from a UFC fight in New Jersey on Saturday night. That was two days after he had become the first former president in U.S. history to be found guilty on felony charges. In the video, Trump says “it’s an honor” and there is footage of him waving to fans and posing for selfies at the UFC fight. The video ends with Trump telling the camera: “That was a good walk-on, right?” By Sunday morning, Trump had amassed more than 1.1 million followers on the platform and the post had garnered more than 1 million likes and 24 million views.

U.S Pushes Cease-Fire Plan In Gaza

June 3, 2024 5:08 am

The Israeli military says the body of a presumed hostage was found in a community near the Gaza border that Hamas militants had attacked on Oct. 7. Dolev Yehud, 35, was thought to be among scores of hostages held in Gaza until Monday, when the military announced the discovery of his body and said he had been killed in the initial attack. Israeli forces are expanding their offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, once the main hub of humanitarian aid operations, as the country faces growing international criticism for the huge cost in civilian lives and the widespread destruction caused by its nearly 8-month-old war against Hamas.

Mexico Elects Its First Woman President

June 3, 2024 5:06 am

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s projected election winner Claudia Sheinbaum will become the first woman president in the country’s 200-year history. The climate scientist and former Mexico City mayor said Sunday night that her two competitors had called her and conceded her victory. She said Sunday had demonstrated that Mexico is a democratic country with peaceful elections. The National Electoral Institute’s president said Sheinbaum had between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, according to a statistical sample. Opposition candidate Xóchitl Gálvez had between 26.6% and 28.6%. The governing party candidate campaigned on continuing the political course set by her political mentor President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who quickly congratulated her.

Zelenskyy In Philippines To Promote Peace Summit

June 3, 2024 5:11 am

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in the Philippines on a rare Asian trip to urge regional leaders to attend a Swiss-organized peace summit on the war in Ukraine that he accuses Russia, with China’s help, of trying to undermine. Zelenskyy arrived unannounced and under heavy security in Manila late Sunday after speaking over the weekend at the Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore. Zelenskyy had planned but failed to meet with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Singapore so he decided to fly to Manila to personally invite Marcos to attend the summit in Switzerland. He was given a red-carpet welcome with military honors Monday at the presidential palace in Manila.

Netanyahu Faces Growing Pressure At Home

June 2, 2024 6:44 am

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s prime minister faces growing pressure after U.S. President Joe Biden described a proposed agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. Many Israelis are urging Benjamin Netanyahu to embrace the deal, but far-right allies threaten to collapse his government if he does. Netanyahu is calling a permanent cease-fire in Gaza a “nonstarter” until long-standing conditions for ending the war are met. A huge demonstration Saturday night in Israel led by families of hostages held by Hamas is urging the government to act now. Mediators the U.S., Egypt and Qatar say the proposed deal “offers a road map for a permanent cease-fire and ending the crisis.”

Republicans Join Trump’s Attacks On Justice System

June 2, 2024 6:47 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans in Congress are embracing Donald Trump’s strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict. They’re also enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution. It’s all part of the GOP bid to reclaim the White House. On Friday, the House Judiciary chairman demanded the prosecutors in the New York hush money case appear for questioning. Republicans who expressed doubts about Trump’s innocence or political viability were instantly bullied to stay silent — or told to “leave the party.” President Joe Biden said the attacks on the justice system are “reckless” and “irresponsible.” Experts on authoritarianism warn that Trump is vowing to use the state against his opponents.

California Firefighters Battle Wind-driven Wildfire

June 2, 2024 6:50 am

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California firefighters aided by aircraft are battling a wind-driven wildfire burning near the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, says gusty winds were fueling the Corral Fire burning near the laboratory and the city of Tracy, 60 miles east of San Francisco on Saturday. Cal Fire has updated the size of the fire to 15.6 square miles from an earlier report of 13.7 square miles. Interstate 580 connecting the San Francisco Bay Area to central California has been closed in both directions near the fire.

Boeing’s First Astronaut Flight Called Off

June 2, 2024 6:41 am

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Mission managers say last-minute computer trouble has nixed the latest launch attempt for Boeing’s first astronaut flight. Two NASA astronauts were strapped into the company’s Starliner capsule and awaiting liftoff Saturday when the countdown was halted. With only a split second to take off, there was no time to work the latest trouble and the launch was called off. Officials say they could try again as early as Wednesday. If it doesn’t blast off this coming week, then that would be it until mid-June in order to move the rocket off the pad and replace batteries. NASA wants a backup to SpaceX, which has been flying astronauts since 2020.