May 2, 2025 5:09 am
China’s Commerce Ministry says Beijing is evaluating multiple approaches by the Trump administration for trade talks. However, in a ministry statement it said one-sided tariffs of up to 145% imposed by President Donald Trump remain an obstacle and undermine trust. The statement reiterated China’s stance that is open to talks, but also that Beijing is determined to fight if it must. The statement cited an unnamed ministry spokesperson as saying that Beijing had taken note of various statements by senior U.S. officials indicating a willingness to negotiate over tariffs. But it emphasized that China would regard overtures without a change in President Donald Trump’s sharp tariff hikes as insincere.
May 2, 2025 5:10 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione‘s lawyers are urging a judge to throw out his state murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. They argued in court papers Thursday that the New York case and a parallel federal death penalty prosecution amount to double jeopardy. If that doesn’t happen, they want terrorism charges dismissed and prosecutors barred from using evidence collected during Mangione’s arrest last December, including a 9 mm handgun, ammunition and a notebook in which authorities say he described his intent to “wack” an insurance executive. The Manhattan district attorney’s office said it would respond in court papers.
May 2, 2025 12:42 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ruth Buzzi, who rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and made over 200 television appearances during a 45-year career, has died at age 88. Her agent Mike Eisenstadt says Buzzi died at her ranch in Texas. Buzzi won a Golden Globe and was a two-time Emmy nominee for the NBC show that ran from 1968 to 1973. She was the only regular to appear in all six seasons, including the pilot. She was first spotted by “Laugh-In” creator and producer George Schlatter playing various characters on “The Steve Allen Comedy Hour.” (Photo: AP)
May 1, 2025 5:00 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A man who fell from the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs remains in critical condition. Pittsburgh Public Safety, which includes Pittsburgh Police and EMS, posted on X says that the “incident is being treated as accidental in nature.” The man appeared to fall while celebrating as Pittsburgh star Andrew McCutchen delivered a go-ahead two-run single. McCutchen said the team is focusing on the man’s health. The fan was tended to for approximately five minutes by members of both the Pirates and Cubs training staffs as well as PNC personnel. The Southern Alleghany School District identified the man as 2022 graduate Kavan Markwood.
May 1, 2025 12:46 pm
)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is nominating national security adviser Mike Waltz as United Nations ambassador while Secretary of State Marco Rubio would take over Waltz’s duties on an interim role. He announced the major shake-up of his national security team shortly after news broke that Waltz and his deputy are leaving the administration. Waltz has been under scrutiny for weeks after reporting from The Atlantic that he had mistakenly added the magazine’s editor-in-chief to a Signal chat being used to discuss military plans. There is precedent for the secretary of state to serve simultaneously as national security adviser. Henry Kissinger held both positions from 1973 to 1975. (Photo: AP)
May 1, 2025 4:50 am
Three people are dead after severe storms blew through Southwestern Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Two storm-related deaths were reported in Allegheny County on Tuesday, including a man who was electrocuted by live wires on St. Martin Street in Pittsburgh at around 7 p.m. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner has identified that man as David Lepinsky, 59, of Reserve. Ross Township Police confirmed the other person who was killed in Allegheny County during the storms was a man who was hit by a tree on Evergreen Road. He has been identified as Raymond Gordon, 67. Police said he was walking back into his house from his deck when the tree was blown over and hit him. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:27 p.m. The third storm-related death was reported out of Greene County. Pennsylvania State Police said Andrew M. Celaschi, 25, of Jefferson, was traveling as a passenger on Jefferson Road in Franklin Township at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday when a tree fell on top of the vehicle he was in. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers reported the tree was knocked over by high winds.
May 1, 2025 4:30 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A man fell from the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs. Right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to put the Pirates ahead 4-3, players began waving frantically for medical personnel. The fan was tended to for approximately five minutes by members of both the Pirates and Cubs training staffs as well as PNC personnel before being removed from the field on a cart. Players from both teams could be seen praying and McCutchen held a cross that hung from his neck while the fan was taken off the field.
May 1, 2025 5:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Ukraine have signed an agreement that will give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s vast critical mineral resources. The deal on reconstruction and investment could enable continued military aid to Kyiv amid concerns that President Donald Trump might scale back support during ongoing peace talks with Russia. It comes after a weekslong press by Trump on Ukraine to compensate Washington for billions of dollars in military and economic assistance to help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion. Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine. Treasury Scott Bessent said the “agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.”
May 1, 2025 5:05 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Former Vice President Kamala Harris used a high-profile speech in San Francisco to deliver a sharp-edged critique of President Donald Trump, accusing him of “wholesale abandonment” of American ideals. Wednesday night’s speech was Harris’ most extensive public remarks since leaving office in January, after her defeat in the presidential election. She praised Democrats who have been especially prolific in criticizing Trump, name-dropping lawmakers diverse in their ideology and style. But she did not take a stand in one of her party’s central divides on how to best combat Trump. The speech comes when Harris has not ruled out a run for California governor or another White House try. Harris spoke to Emerge America, which recruits Democratic women to run for office.
May 1, 2025 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have narrowly voted down a Democratic resolution that would have blocked global tariffs announced by Donald Trump earlier this month, giving the president a modest win Wednesday as lawmakers in both parties have remained skeptical of his trade agenda. Trump announced the far-reaching tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners April 2 and then reversed himself a few days later after a market meltdown, suspending the import taxes for 90 days. Amid the uncertainty for both U.S. consumers and businesses, the Commerce Department said Wednesday that the U.S. economy shrank 0.3% from January through March.
