November 12, 2025 1:21 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is accusing Democrats of selectively leaking emails from disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein to “create a fake narrative” to smear President Donald Trump. Epstein wrote in a 2011 email Trump had “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with a victim of sex trafficking and said in a separate message years later Trump “knew about the girls.” The emails made public by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday add to the questions about Trump’s friendship with Epstein and about any knowledge he may have had in what prosecutors call a yearslong effort by Epstein to exploit underage girls. The Republican president denies any knowledge of Epstein’s alleged crimes.
November 12, 2025 5:09 am
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered security forces to stop sharing intelligence with the United States until it stops striking suspected drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean. It wasn’t immediately clear what kind of information Colombia will stop sharing with the United States after Petro acted Tuesday. At least 75 people have been killed by the U.S. military in strikes in international waters since August. The strikes began in the southern Caribbean but have shifted recently to the eastern Pacific. In October, the Trump administration placed financial sanctions on Petro over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade.
November 12, 2025 5:06 am
The Supreme Court has extended an order blocking full SNAP payments. The high court’s decision Tuesday came amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume — though exactly when is unknown. The order keeps in place at least for a few more days a chaotic situation. People who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to feed their families in some states have received their full monthly allocations, while others have received nothing. SNAP helps 42 million Americans buy groceries. The order will expire just before midnight Thursday.
November 12, 2025 5:04 am
The southeastern U.S. has plunged into record-low temperatures, affecting 18 million people under a freeze warning across Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The cold spell moved from the Northern Plains and brought an abrupt transition to wintry temperatures. Some daily records were shattered, including a low of 28 degrees in Jacksonville, Florida. In Florida, temperatures led to a “falling iguana advisory” as iguanas froze into survival mode and fell from trees. Meanwhile, parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast experienced significant snowfall, causing hazardous driving conditions. Forecasters expect temperatures to rise by the end of the week.
November 12, 2025 5:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history appears to be nearing an end, but not without leaving a mark on an already-struggling economy. About 1.25 million federal workers missed at least one or two paychecks. Thousands of flights have been canceled. Government contract awards have slowed and some food aid recipients have seen their benefits interrupted. Most of the lost economic activity will be recovered when the government reopens, as federal workers receive back pay. But some canceled flights won’t be retaken, missed restaurant meals won’t be made up, and some postponed purchases by workers will not happen at all.
November 12, 2025 5:00 am
Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again. Late last month, the Trump administration froze funding for the SNAP benefits that about 42 million Americans use to buy groceries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about 74% of the assistance was spent last year at superstores like Walmart and supermarkets like Kroger. Around 14% went to smaller,stores that are more accessible to SNAP beneficiaries. A former director of the United Nations World Food Program says SNAP is not only a social safety net for families but a local economic engine that supports neighborhood businesses.
November 12, 2025 4:49 am
MONESSEN, Pa. — A teen is hospitalized after a shooting Tuesday afternoon in Monessen. Monessen Police say the 16-year-old was shot along Rostraver Street near Linden Avenue. A 911 official says first responders were sent to the area after 4 p.m. for a report of shots fired. That teen was flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. The boy’s mother tells WPXI that he was shot in the head, but is responding to doctors. The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office says someone is in custody. Monessen School District Superintendent Robert Motte says the shooting took place near an elementary school. As a result, the district plans to have students learn remotely on Wednesday. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and reassess conditions tomorrow. Updates will be shared with families as soon as possible,” Motte wrote. It wasn’t immediately clear if the teen shot is a Monessen School District student.
November 12, 2025 2:52 am
Airlines have canceled over 9,000 flights across the U.S. since the Federal Aviation Administration ordered flight cuts late last week. The cuts aim to ease demands on short-staffed control towers during the federal government shutdown. On Tuesday, another 1,200 flights were canceled as the FAA increased its target for reducing flights at major airports. Flights are expected to remain disrupted even as the shutdown nears an end, and cancellations are unlikely to ease right away. The pace of airline ticket sales for Thanksgiving travel has slowed as more travelers have reconsidered whether to fly amid all the delays and cancellations.
November 12, 2025 2:27 am
Baby formula manufacturer ByHeart recalled all of its products sold nationwide Tuesday. The move comes days after some batches were recalled amid an expanding outbreak of infant botulism. According to state and federal health officials, at least 15 babies in 12 states have been sickened in the outbreak since August, with more cases pending. All the infants were hospitalized after consuming ByHeart formula. Parents and caregivers who have the formula in their homes should immediately stop using it and dispose of the product. Babies with symptoms of infant botulism need immediate medical care.
November 11, 2025 1:32 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – The White House says it is considering a 50-year mortgage to address the home affordability crisis. Critics argue it won’t solve issues like supply shortages and high interest rates. Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, called it a “game changer” for homebuyers. He noted on X that it’s just one potential solution among others being considered. A 50-year mortgage would lower a borrower’s monthly payments but could dramatically increase their total interest paid. It would also delay equity accumulation compared to a 30-year mortgage.
