March 9, 2024 5:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A massive floating pier that will allow ships to sail up to Gaza and offload aid will soon sail from the U.S. to the Mediterranean Sea as the U.S. looks at ways to address Gaza’s dire food needs. While Army and Military Sealift Command personnel will be used to get the pier up and running, the Pentagon says no U.S. troops will be on the ground in Gaza. President Joe Biden announced the pier Thursday in his State of the Union speech.
March 9, 2024 4:58 am
ATLANTA (AP) — The 2024 presidential election campaign will pick up Saturday where the 2020 contest left off. Or, more precisely, in a place where it never actually ended. Georgia was so close four years ago that Republican Donald Trump finds himself indicted here for his push to “find 11,780 votes” and overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Now, fresh off their Super Tuesday domination to set up a near-certain rematch, the two rivals will hold dueling events in a state that both parties see as pivotal to winning in November. There is agreement, at least, that Biden and Trump each have a path to victory — and plenty of obstacles along the way.
March 9, 2024 4:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has approved a $460 billion package of spending bills in time to meet a midnight deadline for avoiding a shutdown of many key federal agencies. The vote gets lawmakers about halfway home in wrapping up their appropriations work for this budget year. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. Meanwhile, lawmakers are negotiating a second package of six bills, including defense, in an effort to have all federal agencies fully funded by March 22. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says the first bill’s passage will allow agencies to hire more air traffic controllers, give federal firefighters a raise and boost support for homeless veterans, among other things.
March 9, 2024 4:52 am
ROSE VALLEY, Pennsylvania (AP) — Fresh off his defiant State of the Union address, President Joe Biden and his senior aides are beginning to barnstorm the country to aggressively sell his vision for a second term to voters. He’s also warning of the Republican alternative. The president will try to ride the post-speech momentum to Pennsylvania and Georgia, two critical swing states that he flipped in 2020 and is rallying to retain in his column this November. He’ll visit Wisconsin and Michigan next week. Biden’s reelection campaign adopted an almost giddy tone Friday after the speech, vowing to stay on the offensive against Donald Trump. Biden would not commit to debating Trump when asked by reporters Friday.
March 9, 2024 2:26 am
DALLAS (AP) — Once again, most Americans will set their clocks forward by one hour this weekend, losing perhaps a bit of sleep but gaining more glorious sunlight in the evenings as the days warm into summer. How we came to move the clock forward in the spring, and then push it back in the fall, is a tale that spans over more than a century and is one that’s driven by two world wars, mass confusion at times and a human desire to bask in the sun. There’s been plenty of debate over the practice but about 70 countries currently use what Americans call daylight saving time. (Photo: ABC)
March 8, 2024 8:43 am
The State Police Fire Marshall is investigating a fire that gutted the Main Street Tavern on West Main Street in Monongahela early Friday morning. Washington County 911 says the blaze broke out around six o’clock and there were no reported injuries. The fire chief said flames were shooting out of the back door when crews arrived and they had to ventilate the roof in three different areas. At least nine fire companies were called out to help battle the fire. (Photo: WPXI)
March 8, 2024 5:07 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill that could lead to the popular video-sharing app TikTok being unavailable in the United States is quickly gaining traction in the House. Lawmakers advanced legislation against TikTok Thursday as they voiced concerns about the potential for the platform to surveil and manipulate Americans. The measure gained the support of House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday and could soon come up for a full vote in the House. The White House has provided technical support in the drafting of the bill, though White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the TikTok legislation “still needs some work” to get to a place where President Joe Biden would endorse it.
March 8, 2024 5:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A sweeping bank regulatory proposal will be significantly revised by year’s end, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Thursday, a potential victory for the large banks that have aggressively opposed the likely changes. The proposed rule, issued last summer by the Fed and other regulatory agencies, is intended to implement changes that were negotiated internationally after the 2008 global financial crisis. Among other things, the rule would require the largest banks — those with more than $100 billion in assets — to hold more funds in reserve to protect against bad loans and other potential losses. Large banks have resisted the proposal, which they say would limit their ability to lend.
March 8, 2024 5:03 am
PARIS (AP) — France’s leaders used a press from the time of Napoleon to seal the right to abortion into the country’s constitution. Friday’s historic ceremony was open to the public and designed to show support to women across the world on International Women’s Day. France is the first country to explicitly guarantee abortion rights in its national charter with the amendment French legislators approved on Monday. The ceremony is a key event on a day focused on advancing women’s rights globally. Marches, demonstrations and conferences were held the world over, from Asia to Latin America and elsewhere.
March 8, 2024 5:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fake images of Donald Trump surrounded by smiling Black voters are circulating online, highlighting the potential dangers posed by artificial intelligence ahead of the 2024 election. The images, which have not been linked back to Trump’s campaign, could mislead people about the former president’s support among African Americans. Some in Trump’s campaign have expressed frustration with the images, which they said could undermine the campaign’s outreach to Black voters. Powerful AI programs that can easily generate lifelike audio and video are now cheaper and easier to use than ever, making it hard to distinguish what’s real from what’s not.
