Three Charged In Fayette County Shooting

May 18, 2026 5:04 am

SALTLICK TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Three people are behind bars and facing charges in connection with a shooting in Fayette County. State Police said a person was shot on Hillview Lane in Saltlick Township on Friday evening. Troopers said the victim was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh in stable condition. On Saturday, State Police said arrest warrants were obtained for three men: Asher G. Parkinson, 24, of Indian Head; Raymond E. Fulton, 23, of Acme; and Dakota C. Fulton, 25, of Acme. Police said the shooting was the result of a confrontation that escalated. The men are being held at the Fayette County Jail without bail and are listed as “dangers to society.”

States Focusing On Growing Profits Of Utilities

May 18, 2026 4:50 am

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The artificial intelligence boom is leading to fights in some states over growing utility profits. Governors, attorneys general and others are protesting rising electricity bills and say cash-strapped residents are stuck in a broken system. Officials in over a half-dozen states are going to new lengths to try to block rate increases proposed by utilities. Some are pressing utilities to completely change their model for financing major system upgrades. The push comes during a midterm election year in which “affordability” is the leading theme in Democrats’ attempts to loosen Republicans’ control of Washington.

Trump Calls Off Military Strike On Iran – Again

May 18, 2026 5:07 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday because “serious negotiations” are underway. Trump made the announcement in a social media post on Monday after threatening the clock was ticking for Iran to strike a deal or fighting would renew after a fragile ceasefire. The president did not offer details about the planned attack but said he instructed the U.S. military “to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached.”

Drone Strikes UAE Nuclear Plant

May 18, 2026 5:07 am

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A drone strike has targeted the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear power plant. No one has been blamed and no major damage is reported. But Sunday’s incident highlights the risk of renewed war as the United States and Iran signal they would be ready to fight again. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shortly afterward said on social media that Iran “better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them.” Tensions continue over Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomatic efforts for a more durable peace have repeatedly faltered.

Redistricting Debate Shifts To South Carolina

May 18, 2026 5:10 am

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A debate over congressional redistricting is shifting to South Carolina. The state House there is to take up debate Monday on legislation that would redraw U.S. House districts to try to help Republicans win an additional seat in the November elections. Similar debates already have unfolded in Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana. The Southern redistricting efforts come after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened Voting Rights Act protections for minority districts. That has opened the door for Republicans to redraw districts with large Black populations that have elected Democrats. The effort is being encouraged by President Donald Trump.

Hantavirus-Stricken Cruise Ship Docks In The Netherlands

May 17, 2026 5:09 am

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — A cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection. The MV Hondius reached Rotterdam on Monday morning, carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel. All passengers had disembarked elsewhere. The crew will enter immediate quarantine. During the outbreak, three passengers died, including a Dutch couple believed to have been exposed in South America. The outbreak has reached 11 cases, with nine confirmed. The ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines before being allowed to sail again.

4 Crew Members Eject Safely After Navy Jets Crash

May 18, 2026 5:08 am

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Officials say all four crew members ejected safely after two Navy jets collided and crashed during an air show at a military base in Idaho. Emergency crews responded after the EA18-G Growlers crashed at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho on Sunday. Officials say the four crew members are in stable condition and the remainder of the show was canceled. Nobody on the ground was hurt. Videos posted online by spectators show four parachutes opening in the sky as the aircraft plummet to the ground near the base about 50 miles south of Boise.

Eaglet Dies; Another Appears In Distress

May 17, 2026 5:04 am

One of the eaglets in a nest in Glen Hazel has died. Tamarack, PixCams and the Glen Hazel eaglecam team issued a joint statement on Sunday. Per the statement, eaglets GH3 and GH4 started presenting signs of illness on Friday. At that point, Tamarack Wildlife Center was notified and began monitoring, but no intervention could be done before the eaglet’s death. Officials say several diseases and toxins could be the cause of the eaglets’ distress and death. They’re now exploring whether it’s possible to get state and federal approval to remove GH4 for a necropsy and/or GH3 for assessment and care. It’s not a guarantee that the removals will be granted because the Federal Wildlife Service policy states that permission is not granted for interference with the natural course of events at an eagle nest. The groups are also concerned for mom, Iris, who they say is spending more time in the nest than usual and eating smaller bites.

Sen. Cassidy Knocked Out Of Louisiana Republican Primary

May 17, 2026 6:10 am

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming have advanced to a runoff in Louisiana’s Republican Senate primary. Letlow capitalized on the power of President Donald Trump’s endorsement in another attempt to purge his party of people he views as disloyal. Trump supported Letlow over incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of the few Republican senators who voted to convict him during his second impeachment trial over the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Cassidy has also clashed with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. By receiving less than 50% of the vote, Letlow and Fleming were unable to avoid a runoff. It takes place June 27.

Venezuela Says It Deported A Close Ally Of Maduro

May 17, 2026 6:12 am

MIAMI (AP) — Venezuela’s government says it has deported a close ally of Nicolás Maduro to face judicial proceedings in the U.S. less than three years after the business owner was pardoned by President Joe Biden as part of a prisoner swap. The Venezuelan government in a statement Saturday did not explicitly say where it had deported Alex Saab but said its decision was based on several ongoing criminal investigations in the U.S. The Associated Press reported in February that federal prosecutors have been digging for month into Saab’s role in an alleged bribery conspiracy involving Venezuelan government contracts to import food.