June 18, 2026 5:11 am
BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has criticized NATO allies for not taking more responsibility for their own security. He announced a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe to ensure NATO moves toward Europe leading its own defense. Speaking in Brussels on Thursday, Hegseth calls it “shameful” that European allies denied U.S. forces access to bases for attacks on Iran. He emphasized the need for a “NATO 3.0,” urging the alliance to become a hard-line military force. The U.S. plans to invest $1.5 trillion in defense by 2027, focusing on protecting American interests and supporting NATO.
June 18, 2026 4:55 am
ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. —PennDOT is advising motorists of a road closure in Robinson Township. Route 4037 (Noblestown Road) will be closed between Route 980 (Lincoln Avenue) and Route 4012 (Johns Avenue). That stretch of road will close on June 24 and is expected to last until the end of July. PennDOT said Department Force Crews will be replacing a pipe in that area. A detour will be in place along Route 4012 (Johns Avenue) to Route 980. Drivers are asked to follow posted signs.
June 18, 2026 1:52 pm
(AP) – Former President Barack Obama, joined by three former presidents, is celebrating the opening of his presidential museum in Chicago in an extraordinary event that brought together former world leaders, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known figures. The guestlist for Thursday’s dedication ceremony included Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera and Bono. Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama sat on stage with former presidents Joe Biden, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton along with former first ladies Jill Biden, Laura Bush and Hillary Rodham Clinton. The invite-only celebration was live-streamed and kicks off a weekend of events centered around the Obama Presidential Center, which opens to the general public on Juneteenth. (Photo: AP)
June 18, 2026 1:07 pm
A person is facing charges after the FBI said they threatened federal law enforcement entities and public officials. On Thursday morning, FBI Pittsburgh and their partners with the Joint Terrorism Task Force executed federal search and arrest warrants at a home in Jeannette. Richard Evanchec, Special Agent in Charge with FBI Pittsburgh, said a person inside the home was charged. “FBI partners want to make it clear: threats against those who protect this nation and those who serve the public will not be tolerated. Words that cross the line well beyond First Amendment protections will be met with decisive law enforcement action. You will be held accountable,” Evanchec said. The investigation is ongoing. No other information was immediately available.
June 18, 2026 12:29 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — New York is celebrating the Knicks in classic style. The city is throwing a ticker-tape parade Thursday for the team that brought home the NBA championship that fans have longed for since 1973. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has predicted that the parade might be one of the biggest such events in the city’s history. Viewing pens along the route were already full with thousands of fans less than three hours before the procession. Alicia Keys has been tapped to perform. The parade began at 10 a.m. near Battery Park and ends at City Hall, where the players will be honored with keys to the city.
June 18, 2026 4:09 pm
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal appeals court panel says the Trump administration can replace a slavery exhibit at George Washington’s home in Philadelphia. A three-judge panel of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday struck down a lower court’s injunction that required the National Park Service to reinstall the interpretive panels. The unanimous ruling by the panel said a lower court judge wrongly interpreted Philadelphia’s contract claims involving Independence National Historical Park. The ruling comes a week after a Massachusetts federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore sites changed under an executive order. It’s not clear how that ruling would affect the Philadelphia site.
June 17, 2026 2:17 am
A Western Pennsylvania man was among the twelve people killed when a plane carrying a pilot and 11 skydivers crashed in western Missouri on Sunday. The fiery crash happened shortly after the plane took off from Butler Memorial Airport, about 65 miles south of Kansas City, around 11:30 a.m. Officials said during a news conference that the turboprop aircraft was unable to get to full power. Kurt John Roy, 69, of Winder, Somerset County, was among those killed, according to the Bate’s County Coroner Jerret J Reno. The coroner’s office said it continues to work with local, state and federal agencies to investigate the crash.
June 17, 2026 5:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance has embraced the role of being the chief defender of the agreement he and President Donald Trump signed with Iran over the weekend. It’s a striking transformation for a politician that was known for his skepticism of foreign military interventions and who seemed reluctant to speak on the conflict when Trump launched it in late February. The vice president is poised to yoke himself further to the conflict’s outcome on Friday, when he’s expected to travel to Switzerland to kick off a new phase of negotiations with Tehran after Trump signed the agreement Wednesday.
June 17, 2026 5:15 am
Parents of kids with disabilities say they have waited months for the Education Department to address complaints of bullying or discrimination. Now, the department is offloading civil rights enforcement and special education, raising concerns about further chaos. On Tuesday, the Trump administration said the Department of Justice would take over civil rights enforcement in schools. The Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education. Some advocates argue special education doesn’t belong in a health department. The Education Department’s civil rights office has been a last resort for parents whose kids have experienced discrimination, but under President Donald Trump, case backlogs have grown. Many families are now seeking justice elsewhere.
June 18, 2026 5:45 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new kind of flu vaccine is moving a step closer to the U.S. market. Federal health advisers on Thursday recommended approval of a shot made with the same mRNA technology that was key to ending the pandemic. Moderna is seeking Food and Drug Administration approval for mFlusiva as an option for people 50 and older. There already are numerous types of flu vaccines to choose from, but experts say adding an mRNA option could be useful. Moderna is seeking full approval for people ages 50 to 64 and authorization for use in those 65 and older while it conducts additional testing.
