January 7, 2025 5:00 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea says its latest weapons test was a new hypersonic intermediate-range missile designed to strike targets in the Pacific as leader Kim Jong Un vowed to further expand his collection of nuclear-capable weapons to counter rivals. The report Tuesday came a day after South Korea’s military detected the launch. North Korea demonstrated multiple weapons systems last year that can target its neighbors and the United States, including solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, and there are concerns that its military capabilities could advance further through technology transfers from Russia, as the two countries align over the war in Ukraine. Kim reiterated that his nuclear push was aimed at countering threats posed by hostile forces but didn’t directly mention the U.S.
January 7, 2025 4:57 am
TOKYO (AP) — Nippon Steel Chief Executive Eiji Hashimoto says the top Japanese steelmaker is standing firm on its proposed $15 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel. He told reporters Tuesday in Tokyo there is no reason or need to give up. President Joe Biden has blocked the move. Hashimoto says it’s the best for both nations and poses no security risks. Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel have filed lawsuits challenging the decision. In blocking the transaction Friday, Biden said U.S. companies producing steel need to fight for America’s interests. Proponents of the takeover say Japan is a U.S. ally, as well as a top investor in American companies. While Biden is leaving office soon, incoming President Donald Trump also opposes the acquisition.
January 7, 2025 4:55 am
BANGKOK (AP) — President Joe Biden’s decision to reject a bid by Nippon Steel to acquire U.S. Steel isn’t the first time friction over trade and investment has irked Washington’s closest ally in Asia. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken sought to smooth ruffled feathers in a visit to Tokyo on Tuesday. But the assertion that the proposed $15 billion deal could threaten U.S. national security has stung. Many in Japan see the decision as a betrayal after decades of U.S. pressure to lift barriers to investment and trade. Japanese businesses already are bracing for tariff hikes under President-elect Donald Trump. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was blunt in warning that spoiling the deal might hurt Japanese investment in the U.S.
January 7, 2025 3:12 am
Washington City Council held their agenda meeting and they will begin the year quite busy. Council will look to update its ordinance on fees for trash collection. The annual fee for trash collection in 2025 will be $300. A $50 late fee will be added for anyone paying after June 1. Fines and penalties will be assessed to any delinquent account beginning on November 1. Council is poised to hire two firemen and two police officers. They will also make a change in title to one of the council positions. The title of Chief Fiscal Officer will replace Councilman Ken Westcott’s title of Financial Director. According to Westcott revisions roughly 10 years ago in the class 3 city code made this alteration. Council will make that change on Thursday.
January 7, 2025 2:52 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Democrat is returning to the job of speaker of the Pennsylvania House after the Republican candidate bowed out. Speaker Joanna McClinton and Republican Floor Leader Jesse Topper tied 101 to 101 on Tuesday before Topper removed himself from consideration. Democratic Rep. Matt Gergely of Allegheny County wasn’t there after suffering a medical emergency. The House has a 102-101 Democratic majority, counting Gergely. Republicans control the state Senate with a 28-22 majority, but one of those GOP seats is vacant due to a recent resignation. (Photo: AP)
January 6, 2025 4:22 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has asked a judge to halt this week’s sentencing in his New York hush money case while he appeals a ruling upholding the verdict. Trump’s lawyers said Monday they plan to ask a state appeals court to reverse Judge Juan M. Merchan’s decision last week, which set the case for sentencing Friday. Merchan rejected Trump’s bid to throw out the verdict and dismiss the indictment in light of his impending White House return. The Republican was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump’s lawyers argue their appeal should trigger an automatic pause in proceedings. Manhattan prosecutors urged Merchan to reject a delay.
January 6, 2025 4:08 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has found Rudy Giuliani in contempt of court for failing to properly respond to requests for information in response to a $148 million defamation judgment granted to two Georgia election workers. Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled on Monday after hearing Giuliani testify for a second day at a contempt hearing called after lawyers for the election workers said the former New York City mayor had failed to properly comply with evidence production requests over the last few months. Giuliani conceded during Monday’s testimony that he sometimes did not turn over everything requested because he believed the requests were overly broad or inappropriate.
January 6, 2025 12:57 pm
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation after nearly a decade in power. The decision bows to rising discontent over his leadership and growing turmoil within his government signaled by the abrupt departure of his finance minister. Trudeau said Monday that “internal battles” mean that he “cannot be the best option” in the next election. He planned to stay on as prime minister until a new leader of the Liberal Party is chosen. He said Parliament would be suspended until March 24. The timing will allow for a Liberal Party leadership race. A spring election after the Liberals pick a new leader was almost assured. (Photo: AP)
January 6, 2025 9:44 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel are filing a federal lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s decision to block a proposed nearly $15 billion deal for Nippon to acquire Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. The companies in a separate lawsuit allege that the CEO of steel-making rival Cleveland-Cliffs, along with the head of the United Steelworkers union, worked together to scuttle the deal. The suits, filed Monday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and a federal court in Pennsylvania, allege that it was a political decision and violated the companies’ due process. 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.
January 6, 2025 5:10 am
A major winter blast of snow, ice, high winds and plunging temperatures are stirring up dangerous conditions across the U.S. central and southern states all the way to the East Coast. The disruptive winter storm brings the possibility Monday of the “heaviest snowfall in a decade” to some areas. Road conditions began deteriorating Sunday in several Midwest states, with forecasts calling for harsh winter conditions to spread eastward in the coming days. Blizzard conditions have been reported in parts of Kansas and Missouri. In Indiana, the National Guard has been activated to help stranded motorists. The storm is expected to reach the Mid-Atlantic states on Monday and bitter cold temperatures could grip much of the East Coast deep into the South.
