August 12, 2024 5:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — At the top of his first speech as her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz turned to Vice President Kamala Harris and declared, “Thank you for bringing back the joy.” The next day, Harris took the theme a step further, branding the Democratic ticket “joyful warriors.” Contrast that with former President Donald Trump, who opened a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida later in the week saying, “We have a lot of bad things coming up.” Democrats are playing up their sunnier outlook. But the Trump campaign argues their candidate is reflecting the country’s more accurate, dour mood.
August 12, 2024 5:09 am
The leaders of France, Germany and Britain have endorsed calls for a cease-fire in Gaza, the return of scores of hostages held by Hamas and the “unfettered” delivery of humanitarian aid. In a joint statement released Monday, they endorsed the latest push by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to broker an agreement to end the 10-month-old Israel-Hamas war. The mediators have spent months trying to get the sides to agree to a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages captured in its Oct. 7 attack in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and Israel would withdraw from Gaza.
August 12, 2024 5:07 am
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Paris has closed out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports and emotion with a star-studded show in France’s national stadium. The French capital has handed over hosting duties for the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028. Hollywood star Tom Cruise descended from the top of the stadium to the “Mission: Impossible” theme song, before taking the Olympic flag from star gymnast Simone Biles, putting it on the back of a motorcycle and roaring out of the stadium. Los Angeles is looking to prove that topping Paris isn’t mission impossible. The French capital made spectacular use of its cityscape, with the Eiffel Tower and other iconic monuments serving as backdrops and venues.
August 12, 2024 5:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The great inflation spike of the past three years is nearly spent — and economists credit American consumers for helping slay it. Some of America’s largest companies say their customers are increasingly seeking cheaper alternative products and services, searching for bargains or just avoiding items they deem too expensive. Consumers aren’t cutting back enough to cause an economic downturn. Rather, the economy appears to be returning to pre-pandemic norms, when most companies felt they couldn’t raise prices much without losing business. A more price-sensitive consumer helps explain why inflation has appeared to be steadily falling toward the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, ending a period of painfully high prices that strained people’s budgets and darkened their outlooks on the economy.
August 12, 2024 5:02 am
Iran has rejected a call by three European countries demanding it to refrain from any retaliatory attacks that would further escalate regional tensions. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a joint statement Monday endorsing the latest push by mediators to broker an agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war. The European leaders called for the return of scores of hostages held by Hamas and the “unfettered” delivery of humanitarian aid. They also asked that Iran and its allies to refrain from retaliation that would further escalate regional tensions after the late-July killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
August 12, 2024 5:02 am
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A suburban Philadelphia man has been sentenced to jail time after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of a neighbor following a dispute that authorities said was over loud snoring. Fifty-six-year-old Christopher Casey of Upper Morland was sentenced last week in Montgomery County Court to 11½ to 23 months in county jail. He was originally charged with third-degree murder in the Jan. 14 death of 62-year-old Robert Wallace. Relatives of the victim said he had been unable to sleep due to the noise and his fatigue had affected his life and ability to work. Casey apologized to them in court, calling the fatal argument “unfortunate.”
August 12, 2024 5:01 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The weather system dubbed Debby isn’t quite done affecting parts of the U.S. After arriving in Florida as a hurricane Aug. 5, the storm spent nearly a week unleashing tornadoes and flooding, damaging homes and taking lives along the East Coast before moving into Canada on Saturday. While many rivers had receded by Sunday, flood warnings remained in effect in several areas across central and eastern North Carolina, where more thunderstorms were possible over the next few days. The National Weather Service says localized downpours could result in additional flash flooding throughout the coastal Carolinas. More than 48,000 homes and businesses in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont still had no electricity Sunday.
August 12, 2024 4:59 am
Three news outlets were recently leaked confidential material from inside the Trump campaign, but have chosen not to reveal any of the details about what they received. The leak stands in marked contrast to the Wikileaks episode of the 2016 presidential campaign, when the website leaked material from inside the Hillary Clinton campaign that had been exposed through a Russian hack. This time, three outlets received material that included the campaign’s internal vetting report on vice presidential candidate JD Vance. The source is unclear; the Trump campaign says it is an Iranian hack. There’s also some question about how newsworthy the material actually is.
August 12, 2024 4:59 am
MONONGAHELA, Pa. — (WPXI) – The Ringgold School District is investigating a threat made against some of its students. In a letter sent to parents, Officials said they were told a threat directed at students and their middle school through a Safe2Say system. The threat was made in social media posts. Superintendent Randall Skrinjorich said the party or parties responsible for the threats will be held responsible to the fullest extent. School district police are currently working with Monongahela City Police to learn more.
August 12, 2024 4:51 am
BUTLER, Pa. — (WPXI) – Former President Donald Trump plans to return to Butler in October. NBC News reports the former president made the announcement during his virtual event with Elon Musk on X. “We’re all set up, and the people are fantastic in Butler,” Trump said during the event. Trump first announced he planned to return to Butler on July 26, nearly two weeks after a gunman tried to assassinate him at the Butler Farm Show Grounds. When he made his July 26 announcement, Trump said he planned to honor Corey Comperatore, who was killed in the shooting, and the two men who were injured. “I will be going back to Butler, Pennsylvania for a big and beautiful rally, honoring the soul of our beloved firefighting hero Corey and those brave patriots injured two weeks ago. What a day it will be– fight, fight, fight!” the former president said on Truth Social. An exact date for his next rally in Butler has not been announced.
