July 13, 2026 5:02 am
Father Mattia Ferrari from the Vatican is traveling the country this summer, and he made a stop in Washington County. As Chaplain of the World Meeting of Popular Movements, Father Ferrari listens to people’s lived experiences and shares messages from Pope Leo XIV about justice and unity. On Saturday, during an event titled “An Economy That Kills,” faith, labor, and environmental leaders hosted a dialogue on the economy in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Sarah Martik, the Executive Director at Center for Coalfield Justice, says it is great that the church is trying to elevate stories of injustice while also bringing people together to take action. Leaders and audience members spoke about issues including food insecurity, having a low minimum wage in Pennsylvania, labor cuts, and environmental concerns. Donna Patrina, the President of the Washington/Greene County Central Labor Council says the community is blessed to have the Vatican hear the problems of Washington County. Father Ferrari explains that he was shocked to see the suffering of people throughout the United States, but he is moved by the solidarity of churches, organizations, and community members.
July 13, 2026 5:19 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Mitch McConnell has for the first time revealed what led to his hospitalization. McConnell, 84, in a statement Sunday said a fall was what landed him in the hospital four weeks ago. The statement comes after weeks of mounting speculation about the Kentucky Republican’s health. McConnell explained his long silence as being hesitant to “share the vulnerability that comes with growing older.” McConnell said he will not be returning to the Senate “quite yet” but continues to work with his staff on Senate business. McConnell had polio in his early childhood and has long acknowledged difficulty walking and climbing stairs.
July 13, 2026 5:13 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States and Iran each are asserting they control the Strait of Hormuz after a weekend of attacks stretching across the wider Middle East. The attacks that continued into Monday morning further threatened any diplomacy to end the war. The attacks underlines that the waterway that once saw a fifth of the world’s traded crude oil and natural gas pass through it remains the key issue in negotiations. Iran and the U.S. are nearly at the midway point of the 60-day period of an interim deal that was supposed to set up talks for a permanent end to the war.
July 13, 2026 5:14 am
BANGKOK (AP) — Oil prices have jumped and Asian shares are mostly lower after the U.S. carried out airstrikes and Iran retaliated. The prices of Brent crude and U.S. benchmark crude gained more than 3% early Monday. South Korea’s Kospi sank 9%. On Friday, U.S. stocks rose as Wall Street showed its appetite is still big for winners of the artificial-intelligence boom. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3%. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.3%. Shares of South Korean memory chipmaker SK Hynix soared 13% in their debut on Wall Street. Early Monday, Seoul-traded shares SK Hynix slumped 15.4%, while bigger rival Samsung Electronics lost 10.7%.
July 13, 2026 2:39 am
The Honorable Judge Damon J. Faldowski has died. Faldowski passed away on Friday, July 10th. Damon attended Washington & Jefferson College, where he earned his degree in psychology and also discovered a passion for law. He continued his legal education at South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas, earning his JD in 1976. Upon returning to Washington, Damon began his legal career as the Assistant District Attorney of Washington County before co-founding Phillips & Faldowski, P.C. with his brother-in-law. His legal career reached its pinnacle when, after forty years of practicing law, he was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf and sworn in as Judge of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas. He served on the bench until his retirement in 2019. Friends will be received on Tuesday, July 14, from 1 – 4 and 6 – 9 p.m. in the Warco-Falvo Funeral Home on Wilson at East Katherine Avenue in Washington. A Departing Prayers of Transfer Service will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 in the funeral home at 8:45 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in the Immaculate Conception Church, St. James Parish, 119 W. Chestnut St., Washington.
July 13, 2026 5:18 am
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Sam Neill has died at age 78. He was an elegant, versatile actor who moved from art films to blockbusters like “Jurassic Park” and “The Hunt for Red October.” He said he had a rare type of lymphoma in 2023. His family said he was cancer-free when he died Monday but the statement didn’t give a cause. The New Zealand actor was one of a host of actors and directors who achieved international fame after an explosion of Australian films that began in the late 1970s. In addition to “Jurassic Park” and two of its follow-ups, his films included the thriller at sea “Dead Calm,” the period romance “The Piano” and the sci-fi horror “Event Horizon.”
July 12, 2026 6:26 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump, has died at 71 after a brief illness, according to his office. Graham, known for advocating a strong U.S. foreign policy, was a key figure in Congress. He initially opposed Trump but later became a staunch supporter. Graham’s office has requested privacy for his family. Tributes have poured in from leaders like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called Graham a great friend of Israel. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster described him as irreplaceable. A temporary replacement will be appointed to serve until the next Senate term begins in January.
July 12, 2026 6:33 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States has attacked Iran over an Iranian strike on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The strike early Sunday set a container ship ablaze and forced its crew to abandon it. Iran apparently responded with strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. The new crossfire in the Persian Gulf comes after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested an interim deal and ceasefire in the Iran war was “over.” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote online: “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.” The U.S. military’s Central Command said it hit some 140 targets in the strikes, far more than in the last two rounds.
July 12, 2026 6:30 am
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The United States, the United Kingdom and a dozen other Western and Asian countries have reasserted that China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea are illegal. The joint statement issued by the nations Sunday reaffirms a 2016 arbitration ruling and rejects “destabilizing” actions in the disputed waters that threaten regional peace. The statement by the 14 countries and a separate one by the European Union commemorate a July 12, 2016, arbitration ruling by a tribunal established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China refused to join the arbitration initiated by the Philippines in 2013 and rejects the 2016 ruling.
July 12, 2026 6:31 am
BERLIN (AP) — Volkswagen’s CEO has indicated that he’s trying to avoid closing plants as he seeks to turn around the automaker’s performance. The Wolfsburg, Germany-based company faces pressure to cut costs at home and increasingly intense competition in the lucrative Chinese market, in particular. Last week, Volkswagen said its “fundamental realignment” over the past three years had reached its next phase, announcing plans to streamline the model lineup by up to half. It didn’t provide specifics, and questions remain over how else it will cut costs. There has been renewed speculation about the future of several plants in Germany. CEO Oliver Blume said in remarks published Sunday that “there are more intelligent solutions than closing plants.”
