January 20, 2025 3:31 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations have kicked off at King’s former congregation in Atlanta with a 70-member choir’s rendition of Hallelujah and stern words from his youngest daughter warning against anti-woke rhetoric. The service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta was one of many planned across the country on Monday’s holiday in King’s honor. The Rev. Bernice King, King’s daughter, said anti-woke rhetoric is being used to divide and distract people from real issues of injustice. The MLK holiday was half of the nation’s double-duty Monday: the inauguration of President Donald Trump, which created mixed feelings in some civil rights leaders who have opposed Trump’s rhetoric and stances on race and civil rights.
January 20, 2025 8:48 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired Gen. Mark Milley says he’s grateful to President Joe Biden for a pardon. Biden on Monday pardoned Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, using the extraordinary powers of his office in his final hours to guard against potential “revenge” by the incoming Trump administration. Donald Trump has warned of an enemies list filled with those who’ve crossed him politically or sought to hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss and his role in the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Milley has called Trump a fascist and detailed Trump’s conduct around the insurrection.
January 19, 2025 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump used a raucous rally on the eve of his inauguration to promise swift Day 1 action remaking the federal government, shifting federal priorities at breakneck speed and ensuring that “the curtain closes on four long years of American decline.” Supporters filled a 20,000-plus-seat arena in downtown Washington for a “Make America Great” victory celebration. They cheered as Trump said he’d take quick action on everything from cracking down on the U.S.-Mexico border to promoting oil drilling, reining in the federal workforce and eradicating diversity programs. He told the crowd: “We’re going to give them the best first day, the biggest first week and the most extraordinary first 100 days of any presidency in American history.”
January 20, 2025 5:00 am
CALIFORNIA, Pa. — (WPXI) – California Borough Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a wanted man. Officers said Michael Paul Bowman has an active arrest warrant. He is known to spend time in the California area. Bowman has a large tattoo on his neck. Anyone who sees him is asked to call 911 and ask to speak to a California Borough officer. Bowman should not be approached.
January 20, 2025 5:04 am
MCKEESPORT, Pa. — (WPXI) – State Representative Matt Gergely has died. Gergely, of McKeesport, was taken to a hospital after suffering a medical emergency over the holidays. The Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus announced his death Sunday night. “Our hearts are broken as we mourn the untimely loss of our friend and colleague. Matt Gergely devoted his life to fighting for the children and working families of Allegheny County, especially his beloved hometown of McKeesport. Matt will be desperately missed in Harrisburg, and we know his passing is a tremendous loss to his communities in Western Pennsylvania. Please join us in keeping his wife and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this tragic time. He was elected to the house in 2023 and served the 35th Legislative District in Allegheny County. He won re-election in 2024. Gergely’s offices in McKeesport, Munhall and Clariton are expected to remain open and fully staffed.
January 20, 2025 5:08 am
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis says Donald Trump’s plans to impose mass deportations of immigrants would be a “disgrace.” History’s first Latin American pope was asked about the Trump administration pledges of deportations during an appearance Sunday night on a popular Italian talk show, Che Tempo Che Fa. He says mass deportations are not the way to resolve the immigration problem. It’s not the first time that Francis has weighed in on Trump’s immigration policy. During his first campaign for the presidency, in 2016, Francis was asked about Trump’s plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He famously said anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants is “not Christian.”
January 20, 2025 5:12 am
TikTok says it’s restoring service to users in the United States just hours after the popular video-sharing platform went dark in response to a federal ban. The announcement on X came after President-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday that he planned to pause the ban by executive order on his first day in office. Trump says the order would give TikTok’s China-based parent company more time to find an approved buyer. Millions of U.S. TikTok users were unable to access the TikTok app and platform starting late Saturday. But by Sunday afternoon, a message greeted those who signed on thanking them — and the president-elect — for their support.
January 20, 2025 5:13 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern Californians are bracing for gusty winds and a heightened risk of wildfires less than two weeks after deadly blazes that have killed at least 27 people and ravaged thousands of homes. The National Weather Service has issued a warning of a “particularly dangerous situation” for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning because of low humidity and swift Santa Ana winds. Critical fire weather with wind gusts of up to 60 mph is also forecast for other Southern California communities stretching to San Diego. The warnings come as firefighters continue to battle two major blazes in the Los Angeles area.
January 20, 2025 5:12 am
One of the Israeli hostages freed on the first day of the Gaza ceasefire said Monday in her first comments since being released that she has “returned to life.” Emily Damari, 28, was one of three hostages freed Sunday after spending 471 days in captivity. Officials at a hospital that received them said their condition was stable. In an Instagram story, which was shared by Israeli media, Damari thanked her family and the large protest movement that coalesced to advocate for the release of the hostages. “Thank you thank you thank you I’m the happiest in the world,” she said. Damari is a dual Israeli-British citizen.
January 19, 2025 4:34 pm
(AP) – TikTok said Sunday it was restoring service to users in the United States just hours after the popular video-sharing platform went dark in response to a federal ban, which President-elect Donald Trump said he would try to pause by executive order on his first day in office. Trump said he planned to issue the order to give TikTok’s China-based parent company more time to find an approved buyer before the ban takes full effect. He announced the move on his Truth Social account as millions of U.S. TikTok users awoke to discover they could no longer access the TikTok app or platform. Google and Apple removed the app from their digital stores to comply with the law, which required them to do so if TikTok parent company ByteDance didn’t sell its U.S. operation by Sunday. The law, which passed with wide bipartisan support in April, allows for steep fines. (Photo: AP)
