December 21, 2025 7:08 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — TikTok has signed a deal to form a new U.S. unit with three American investors — Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX — holding a majority stake. This ensures the popular social video platform can continue operating in the United States. The deal is expected to close on Jan. 22, according to an internal memo seen by The Associated Press. CEO Shou Zi Chew said in the memo that ByteDance and TikTok have signed binding agreements with the three investors.
December 21, 2025 7:00 am
A local congressman has introduced a bill that could lower the price of concessions at sports stadiums. Congressmen Chris Deluzio (PA-17) and Dan Goldman (NY-10) introduced the Honest Oversight of Ticketed Dining and Onsite Grub (HOTDOG) Act. This legislation, if passed, would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate concession pricing at sports venues. Deluzio’s office claims that despite significant public investment in sports venues, many concession costs are too expensive for the typical family. He wants families to be able to afford to see a game at venues supported by their tax dollars. “Congressman Goldman and I are introducing the HOTDOG Act to require the Federal Trade Commission to find ways to stop this price gouging. People should be able to go enjoy a game and grab a bite or a drink without breaking the bank,” Deluzio said in a statement. Deluzio says the HOTDOG Act would shine a light on exploitative pricing practices, allow for more transparency into potential price gouging and determine best practices for affordable options. The HOTDOG Act would direct the FTC to examine a range of pricing practices at stadiums constructed or operated with public subsidy funds, like comparing concession prices inside and outside stadiums, as well as evaluating dynamic pricing, service fees and transparency of prices to consumers. The FTC would then be tasked with producing a report for Congress with findings and recommendations for improving affordability. The act is endorsed by various organizations, including Groundwork Collaborative, Sports Fan Coalition and Public Citizen.
December 21, 2025 7:17 am
(WPXI) – A holiday festival in Indiana celebrated a hometown hero. The “It’s a Wonderful Life Festival” kicked off in November and concluded on Saturday. Famed actor Jimmy Stewart, who played George Bailey in the 1946 Frank Capra film “It’s a Wonderful Life,” was born and raised in Indiana. The borough is now home to the Jimmy Stewart Museum. Presented by First Commonwealth Bank, the festival featured a more than 30-foot-tall Christmas tree in IRMC Park and a holiday parade presented by the Lucy Donnelly Memorial Fund. Although the festival has wrapped up, you can watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Channel 11 at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
December 20, 2025 8:40 am
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Idalia Bisbal moved from New York City to Allentown, Pennsylvania, hoping for a cheaper life. Three years later, she feels disappointed by high prices for essentials like food and gas. Vice President JD Vance recently visited the area and blamed the Biden administration for the affordability crisis. This economic anxiety affects both political parties, especially in competitive districts such as Allentown. Many residents, including business leaders, agree prices are too high. The area remains a political battleground, with Republicans and Democrats vying for control. The economy remains a key focus for voters heading into 2026 and midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
December 20, 2025 7:40 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile strike on port infrastructure in Odesa has killed eight people and wounded 27, according to Ukraine’s emergency service. The attack occurred late Friday, with some victims on a bus at the center of the strike. On Saturday, a Kremlin envoy is set to travel to Florida for talks on a U.S.-proposed plan to end the nearly four-year war. The discussions are part of the Trump administration’s push for peace. European Union leaders on Friday agreed to provide a massive interest-free loan to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years.
December 20, 2025 5:03 am
According to West Penn Power’s website, there are a handful of customers still without power following yesterday’s high winds and strong storm. Some 30 customers in West Finley Township and 19 in Amwell Township top the list of about 100 customers without electricity. West Penn Power estimates just about everyone will be back to normal by 4 this afternoon. More than 900 customers were without power Friday morning. South Strabane Township was among the hardest hit with about 340 customers without service. Residents in Cecil Township, the City of Washington and other communities were hit.
December 20, 2025 4:52 am
After rejecting a plea deal from the District Attorney, a Rices Landing woman will face a jury trial in the death of a Waynesburg man. Star Lowery-Rutan, 47, of Greene County is accused of killing Thomas Ringer 40, four years ago. Authorities say Lowery- Rutan set Ringer’s vehicle on fire on state game lands in East Finley Township. As a result, Rutan faces a litany of arson, criminal and murder charges. She had been offered a prison term of 30-60 years. If she is found guilty, Rutan could face the death penalty. No trial date has been set yet.
December 20, 2025 4:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration launched military strikes Friday in Syria to “eliminate” Islamic State group fighters and weapons sites in retaliation for an ambush attack that killed two U.S. troops and an American civilian interpreter almost a week ago. A U.S. official described it as “a large-scale” strike that hit 70 targets in areas across central Syria that had IS infrastructure and weapons. Another U.S. official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations, said more strikes should be expected. “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on social media.
December 20, 2025 3:55 am
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Thirty years ago, Claudio Neves Valente and Nuno F.G. Loureiro were classmates with bright futures. Both excelled in physics and made their way from their home country of Portugal to the U.S., settling on the campuses of prestigious East Coast universities. But Neves Valente’s path took a darker turn than his former peer. Investigators say the 48-year-old fatally shot two students last week at Brown University in Providence, where he was a graduate student in the early 2000s, and later killed Loureiro, who led one of the largest laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Authorities have offered no motive for the shootings or elaborated on what, if any, history was between the two men. Neves Valente was found dead Thursday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a New Hampshire storage facility, ending a search that started with last Saturday’s shooting in a Brown lecture hall, where nine other people were also wounded. Authorities believe that on Monday, two days after the Brown shooting, Neves Valente shot Loureiro at the professor’s home in the Boston suburbs, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Providence. An autopsy found Neves Valente died Tuesday.
December 20, 2025 4:07 am
ANTARCTICA (AP) — The Southern Ocean is one of the most remote places on Earth, but that doesn’t mean it is tranquil. Tumultuous waves that can swallow vessels ensure that the Antarctic Peninsula has a constant drone of ocean. While it can be loud, the view is serene — at first glance, it is only deep blue water and blinding white ice. Several hundred meters (yards) off the coast emerges a small boat with a couple dozen tourists in bright red jackets. They are holding binoculars, hoping for a glimpse of the orcas, seals and penguins that call this tundra home. They are in the Lemaire Channel, nicknamed the “Kodak Gap,” referring to the film and camera company, because of its picture-perfect cliffs and ice formations. This narrow strip of navigable water gives anybody who gets this far south a chance to see what is at stake as climate change, caused mainly by the burning of oil, gas and coal, leads to a steady rise in global average temperatures. The Antarctic Peninsula stands out as one of the fastest warming places in the world. The ocean that surrounds it is also a major repository for carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to warming. It captures and stores roughly 40% of the CO2 emitted by humans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
