April 10, 2024 8:47 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer price increases remained high last month, boosted by gas, rents, and car insurance, the government said in a report that will likely give pause to the Federal Reserve as it weighs when and by how much to cut interest rates this year. Prices outside the volatile food and energy categories rose 0.4% from February to March. Measured from a year earlier, these core prices were up 3.8%. The Fed closely tracks core prices because they tend to provide a good read of where inflation is headed. The March figures, the third straight month of inflation readings well above the Fed’s 2% target, threaten to torpedo the prospect of multiple interest rate cuts this year.
April 10, 2024 5:06 am
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Foreign Minister has threatened that its country’s forces would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel. Wednesday’s remarks come after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated a promise to retaliate against Israel over the attack on its consulate in Damascus earlier this month. Tehran holds Israel responsible for the strike that leveled the building, killing 12 people. Israel has not acknowledged its involvement. The strike killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard members, four Syrians and a Hezbollah militia member. Khamenei spoke at a prayer ceremony celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, saying the airstrike was “wrongdoing” and akin to an attack on Iranian territory.
April 10, 2024 5:04 am
BRANDON, Miss. (AP) — Already sentenced to many years in federal prison, six white former Mississippi law enforcement officers have been sentenced in state court for their roles in torturing two Black men. The state sentences handed down Wednesday didn’t add time to the federal prison terms the defendants had already received. But the victims’ supporters hailed the yearslong sentences, saying they took on unique importance in Mississippi, where local residents saw echoes of the state’s history of racist atrocities by people in authority. All six defendants admitted to subjecting the victims to numerous acts of torture last year after a neighbor complained that the men were staying in a home with a white woman. (Photo: ABC)
April 10, 2024 5:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge presiding over the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump has granted a request by prosecutors aimed at protecting the identities of potential government witnesses. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon refused Tuesday to categorically block witness statements from being disclosed, saying there was no basis for such a “sweeping” and “blanket” restriction on their inclusion in pretrial motions. The 24-page order centers on a dispute between special counsel Jack Smith’s team and lawyers for Trump over how much information about witnesses and their statements could be made public ahead of trial.
April 10, 2024 5:02 am
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Supreme Court has delivered a landmark decision in giving the go-ahead to enforce a long-dormant law that bans nearly all abortions. The law revived Tuesday drastically alters the legal landscape for terminating pregnancies. It also places the politics of abortion access front and center in a battleground state for the 2024 presidential election and partisan U.S. Senate control. The law predating Arizona’s statehood provides no exceptions for rape or incest and allows abortions only if the mother’s life is in jeopardy. Arizona’s highest court has put doctors on notice that they may be prosecuted under the 1864 law.
April 10, 2024 5:01 am
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden has called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza a mistake. In remarks aired late Tuesday, Biden ramped up his criticism of Israel, demanding a cease-fire so that more aid be sent to Gaza. That widened a rift between the two staunch allies that has worsened as the war has dragged on. Biden has been an outspoken supporter of Israel’s war against Hamas since the militant group launched a deadly assault on Oct. 7, but in recent weeks his administration has taken a more stern line with Israel, rattling the countries’ decades-old alliance and deepening Israel’s international isolation over the war.
April 10, 2024 4:57 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s parliament has passed a law that will govern how the country recruits new conscripts following months of delay and after thousands of amendments were submitted to water down the initial draft. Lawmakers dragged their feet for months over the law, which is expected to be unpopular. The law on Thursday was spurred by a request from the military command under former army commander Valerii Zaluzhny, who said Ukraine needs up to 500,000 new recruits to boost army ranks.
April 10, 2024 4:56 am
North Franklin Township Supervisors met Tuesday and one of the items on the agenda was an update on progress of the new Community Center. Supervisor Chairman Bob Sabot reported that they are in the final phase of construction. Finish work is now going on with cabinet installation and flooring. Sabot says that paving could begin in the parking lot this week. The anticipated move date for township offices is in June. There will be a grand opening held on June 22 from 11-3. The first township council meeting will be held on June 25. Additionally, the township is expected to enter into a sales agreement for the sale of the current municipal building. The offer price for the building is $450,000. In other township business, supervisors heard from a frustrated and emotional tenant at the Washington Crown Center. She asked for supervisor support so that a watermain break at the mall will not force them or any of the other tenants to close their businesses. She was told by the mall manager that the plumbing company involved will not address the current $5000 repair until the previous $15,000 that is owed them is paid. Supervisors empathized with the business owner and shared their frustrations. Supervisor Sabot explained that supervisors are entering into an executive session after the meeting to discuss litigation surrounding the condition of the mall and the owner’s lack of action. The mall is owned by the Kohan Retail Investment Group out of Great Neck, New York.
April 10, 2024 2:48 am
Several members of state and local government, along with business and labor groups, gathered on the steps of the Capital Building in Harrisburg to call on Governor Josh Shapiro to pressure Attorney General Michelle Henry to approve the proposed merger of the Washington Health System and UPMC. State Representative Tim O’Neal, organized the press conference that called for Shapiro to tell Henry to stop bending to outside pressures from arguments that do not involve the merger and have her approve it. At issue are disputes between UPMC and the SEIU in Pittsburgh over wages paid to medical professionals in certain UPMC facilities. In the proposed agreement, UPMC is guaranteeing current staffing for 10 years and wages will be paid at current contract levels. The proposal is also calling for $300 million in investment from UPMC in WHS in Washington and Greene Counties to maintain current services and expand services in the future. City of Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess called on Shapiro for help while telling the SEIU that they should keep their fight in Pittsburgh and not influence a necessary merger in Washington when they represent less than 10% of union employees. Frances Kino, an emergency room technician spoke about how WHS Greene voted out the SEIU and found immediate benefits without their representation. Electra Janis summed up the benefits of the merger by pointing to three main benefits, preserving 2700 jobs at WHS, preserving local access to core health care and community commitments established by the WHS board. The merger was unanimously approved by the WHS in June of 2023 and is awaiting the decision from the Attorney General.
April 10, 2024 2:18 am
North Franklin Fire Chief Dave Bane tells WJPA News that one person was hurt and taken to a hospital following a two-vehicle accident around noon on Wednesday in the 1600 block of Chestnut Street, underneath the Interstate 70 overpass. Bane says the driver of a pick-up truck t-boned an SUV. The female driver of the SUV was trapped in her vehicle and firefighters had to work on freeing her. She was taken to a hospital for treatment. There’s been no word on the extent of her injuries. Bane says a male passenger in her vehicle was also taken to the hospital for evaluation. The driver of the pick-up wasn’t hurt. (Photo courtesy of Facebook)
