April 20, 2024 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is preparing to vote on approval of $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. Congressional leaders are pushing aside opposition from hard-right conservatives to near the completion of a months-long, grueling effort to renew American support for repelling Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson — putting his job on the line — relied on Democratic support this week to bring to the House floor a series of three votes on the aid packages, as well as a fourth on several other foreign policy proposals. The Senate would still need to approve the House bill in votes expected next week.
April 20, 2024 4:15 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has voted to reauthorize a key U.S. surveillance law after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data nearly forced the statute to lapse. The legislation approved 60-34 with bipartisan support shortly after midnight Saturday would extend for two years the program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. It now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law. U.S. officials have said the surveillance tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage. But concerns over Americans’ civil liberties almost blocked its reauthorization.
April 20, 2024 4:25 am
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Employees at a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining the United Auto Workers union, boosting the UAW’s nationwide effort to organize nonunion factories. The union wound up getting 73% of the ballots cast in an election run by the National Labor Relations Board that ended Friday. Twice in recent years, workers at the Chattanooga plant have rejected union membership. But this time, they voted convincingly for the UAW, which is operating under new leadership directly elected by members for the first time and basking in a successful confrontation with Detroit’s major automakers.
April 20, 2024 4:22 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — This month’s unprecedented direct attacks between Iran and Israel are revealing deeper insights into both militaries. Experts say Friday’s apparent precision strike by Israel deep into Iran demonstrated Israel’s military dominance on almost all fronts. Israel has not taken responsibility for the airstrikes, which are believed to have hit near military and nuclear targets in central Iran. Charles Lister is a senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute. Lister says the unprecedented rounds of strikes between Iran and Israel make clear that Israel is the Goliath in the equation, outmatching Iran. Lister points to Iranian-allied militias in the Middle East, especially Hezbollah, as Iran’s one potential advantage.
April 20, 2024 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – A man and a woman are in custody after a stabbing at Point State Park on Friday night. Emergency crews were called to the area at 9:48 p.m. Multiple people witnessed a woman being stabbed. A Pittsburgh police lieutenant said these witnesses saved the victim. “There were people around when it happened, and in fact, this woman is probably still alive because of their actions and their assistance in saving her life” according to the police officer at the scene. The woman was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition. Police have not identified either suspect, but did say the woman in custody is allegedly the man’s accomplice.
April 20, 2024 3:44 am
WEIRTON, W.Va. — A tin plant in West Virginia will shut down this weekend, putting nearly 1,000 people out of work. WTOV in Steubenville reports that Cleveland Cliffs will officially idle its plant in Weirton on Saturday. Cleveland Cliffs announced the closure in February. The plant, which is less than an hour from Pittsburgh, said an International Trade Commission ruling made it difficult to compete with foreign manufacturers.
April 20, 2024 3:49 am
ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. —(WPXI)-A man died in a crash along Interstate 70 in Rostraver Township on Friday morning. Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson said a Ford Focus was traveling near mile marker 45.7 when it left the roadway and hit a guide rail. The car traveled over an embankment and landed on its roof. The driver, Joseph Eli Troyer, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene. State police are handling the investigation.
April 19, 2024 4:59 pm
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration says it will investigate after a flight at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was instructed to cross a runway where another flight was starting its takeoff. The FAA says a JetBlue flight was starting its takeoff roll on Thursday morning, when an air traffic controller instructed a Southwest Airlines flight to cross the same runway. Southwest Airlines Flight 2937 was bound for Orlando, Florida, and JetBlue flight 1554 was bound for Boston. JetBlue says the flight aborted takeoff because of another aircraft trying to cross the runway, and it will work with federal officials as the event is investigated. Southwest says it’s working with the FAA to “fully understand the circumstances.”
April 19, 2024 5:05 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A full jury of 12 people and six alternates was seated Friday in Donald Trump’s hush money case, setting the stage for opening statements next week in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Hours later, an appeals court judge rejected a last-minute bid by the Republican to halt the trial over his claims that jury selection was unfairly rushed. The jury includes a software engineer, investment banker, English teacher and multiple lawyers. It took final shape after lawyers spent days quizzing dozens of potential jurors on whether they can impartially judge the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
April 19, 2024 5:00 am
The Washington County Coroner’s Office has identified the body that was found early Friday morning in a submerged car in the Boone Reservoir in Peters Township as that of 44-year-old Jessica Williams of McMurray. Authorities say Williams was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle that had been traveling south on Sherwood Drive, crossed Waterdam Road and plowed through a guardrail, into the water. Emergency responders were called to the scene shortly after midnight and divers were able to locate the vehicle and a tow truck pulled it out of the water. Williams was not wearing a seat-belt. The crash is under investigation by Peters Township Police.
