February 19, 2023 8:09 am
February 19, 2023 8:08 am
MUNICH (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with China’s top diplomat in the first high-level contact between the two countries since the U.S. shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon two weeks ago. The hourlong talks between Blinken and Wang Yi, the Chinese Communist Party’s most senior foreign policy official, took place in Munich, where they are attending an international security conference. The State Department says Blinken told Wang that the U.S. would never accept the violation of its territorial integrity and he stressed that China had been caught spying. Blinken had canceled a trip to Beijing due to the balloon incident. It’s become a major issue of contention between the two countries.
February 19, 2023 8:07 am
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (AP) — Fire officials in Northern California say a Tesla driver was killed and a passenger was critically injured when the car plowed into a firetruck that was parked on a freeway. The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District says four firefighters suffered minor injuries when the truck was hit early Saturday morning. The ladder truck had been blocking lanes on Interstate 680 to help clear an earlier accident that did not involve injuries. Assistant Chief Tracie Dutter says the Tesla driver was declared dead at the scene. The passenger was hospitalized. Photos showed the front end of the car was crushed and the $1.4 million ladder truck was damaged.
February 19, 2023 8:06 am
ARKABUTLA, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi sheriff says a lone gunman killed six people including his ex-wife and stepfather at multiple locations in a small, rural town near the Tennessee state line. Tate County Sheriff Brad Lance says investigators still don’t have a motive behind Friday’s rampage in Arkabutla. The killings occurred at a convenience store and two homes within a few miles of each other. The suspect has been identified as 52-year-old Richard Dale Crum. Crum was jailed without bond on a single count of capital murder, and investigators are pursuing additional charges. It was not immediately known if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
February 19, 2023 8:05 am
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State University is set to return to classes on Monday amid pressure from some in the community to further delay the return. Two of professor Marco Díaz-Muñoz’s students died in the Feb. 13 mass shooting on campus after the gunman entered his classroom and began shooting. While Díaz-Muñoz is still processing what happened that night, he said in an interview with The Associated Press that he plans to return next week to teach because he needs “to help my students pick up the pieces.” In an email sent out Friday, university officials said all students would be given the option of credit/no credit this semester and asked teachers to be flexible with assignments going forward.
February 19, 2023 8:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A year ago, President Joe Biden braced for the worst as Russia massed troops in preparation to invade Ukraine. But as Russia’s invasion reaches the one-year mark, the capital of Kyiv still stands and Ukraine has exceeded even its own expectations. A U.S.-led alliance has helped to equip Ukrainian forces while keeping the government in Kyiv afloat with direct assistance. For Biden, Ukraine was an unexpected crisis. But it fits squarely into his larger foreign policy outlook that America and its allies are in a generational struggle to demonstrate that liberal democracies such as the United States can out-deliver autocracies.
February 19, 2023 8:03 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea says its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test was meant to further bolster its “fatal” nuclear attack capability and threatened additional powerful steps over upcoming drills between the U.S. and South Korea. The United States responded to Saturday’s missile launch by flying long-range supersonic bombers for separate joint exercises with South Korean and Japanese warplanes. Analysts say the missile test signals Kim Jong Un is using the rivals’ drills as chance to expand North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. North Korea’s official news agency says the launch of the Hwasong-15 missile on Saturday was organized “suddenly” without prior notice at Kim’s direct order.
February 19, 2023 8:00 am
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — The president of Norfolk Southern made a visit to East Palestine, Ohio, on Saturday following criticism from residents and political leaders about the company’s response to the fiery derailment of a freight train carrying toxic materials earlier this month. Fox Business reports that company president and CEO Alan Shaw told reporters Saturday he was there “to support the community” but declined further comment. Gov. Mike DeWine earlier said Shaw needed to go to East Palestine and answer questions after company officials skipped a Wednesday public meeting, saying they were worried about physical threats. The company has vowed to ensure that residents and the environment “not only recover but thrive.”
February 19, 2023 7:59 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Officials in Pennsylvania say a Temple University police officer has been fatally shot near campus in Philadelphia while chasing a robbery suspect. Temple says in a statement that the alleged robbery took place at a nearby convenience store, and the officer was pronounced dead at the university hospital Saturday. The statement says the university is heartbroken. It is not identifying the officer at this time out of respect for family and friends. The Temple University Police Association say details of the shooting are still incomplete, but he was killed in the line of duty. WPFI-TV reports that the officer was shot in the head, and there were no immediate arrests.
February 19, 2023 3:45 am
Burgettstown (WPXI) – The father of a Moon club basketball player is facing charges after video shows him allegedly jumping on a coach’s back and assaulting the coach during a game. Our news partners at WPXI have learned the parent of the player, Scott McMullen, is also a football coach for North Allegheny School District. At this point, McMullen is still an assistant football coach at North Allegheny, but he is facing serious charges including strangulation, simple assault and harassment. Court documents filed Friday revealed McMullen is charged with several offenses because of a brawl at a kids’ basketball game this week. On Monday, Pittsburgh Basketball Club hosted the game at Burgettstown vs. Moon. The match-up was between fifth graders, but one parent said it was anything but kid friendly. In a video, you can see a Moon player wearing red and a Burgettstown player in white begin to scuffle. The two players then fall to the ground. That’s when the Burgettstown coach intervened. Then a man, now identified as McMullen, comes from the stands, grabs the coach by the neck and then punches him in the face. The league has now banned McCullen from future games and suspended his son for one year. North Allegheny School District would only say they’re gathering more information and will follow district policies. “We are gathering more information and we will follow district policies to address any concerns,” said North Allegheny School District on behalf of Dr. Melissa Friez, Superintendent of Schools. McMullen’s attorney, Phil DiLucente, argued he was just protecting his son. The North Allegheny School District has not made any disciplinary recommendations for McMullen. A preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Gary Havelka has not been scheduled yet.
