February 27, 2024 5:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden is set to appear on Capitol Hill for a closed-door deposition with lawmakers. His appearance Wednesday marks a critical moment for Republicans as their impeachment inquiry into his father and their family’s business affairs teeters on the brink of collapse. The 14-month Republican investigation into the Biden family has centered on Hunter Biden and his overseas work for clients in Ukraine, China, Romania and other countries. Republicans have long questioned whether those business dealings involved corruption and influence peddling by President Joe Biden, particularly when he was vice president. But despite interviews and more than 100,000 pages of documents, Republicans have yet to produce direct evidence of misconduct by the president.
February 27, 2024 5:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders emerged from an “intense” Oval Office meeting with President Joe Biden speaking optimistically about the prospects for avoiding a partial government shutdown beginning this weekend. However, things are still at a crossroads on assistance for Ukraine and Israel as the president and others in the meeting urgently warned House Speaker Mike Johnson of the grave consequences of delay. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says those in the meeting told Johnson ‘get it done.’ But Johnson emerged from the meeting without mentioning Ukraine. He said “the first priority of the country is our border, and making it secure.”
February 27, 2024 5:14 am
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Joe Biden and Donald Trump have won their party’s primaries in Michigan. However, Tuesday’s results showed that both candidates have cause for concern in their bid to win the swing state in November. An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan’s Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign. Trump won his primary by a large margin. Still, support for rival Nikki Haley once again showed that some Republican voters may have misgivings about giving the former president another four years in the general election.
February 27, 2024 5:11 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The scene in classrooms around the country is similar: Kids are on their phones, even when school rules forbid it. Teachers say they see students on Snapchat, listening to music and even watching Netflix in class, among countless other examples of how smartphones distract from teaching and learning. Increasingly, educators are speaking with one voice on the question of how to handle it: Ban phones during classes. A growing number of leaders at the state and federal levels have begun endorsing school cellphone bans and suggesting new ways to curb access to the devices.
February 27, 2024 5:11 am
The families of hostages held in Gaza and their supporters are launching a four-day march from southern Israel to Jerusalem to demand their loved ones be set free. The march comes as negotiations are underway in Qatar to bring about a deal between Hamas and Israel that would lead to a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages. U.S. President Joe Biden has said such a deal was at hand but officials from Israel and Hamas were skeptical of his optimism. Negotiators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar are working on a framework deal under which Hamas would free some of the dozens of hostages it holds, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a six-week halt in fighting.
February 27, 2024 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden and Donald Trump are marching toward their respective presidential nominations. But Michigan’s primary on Tuesday could reveal significant political perils for both of them. Trump faces a bloc of stubbornly persistent GOP voters who favor his lone remaining rival, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Biden is confronting an energized movement of disillusioned voters upset with his handling of the war in Gaza. Michigan is the last major primary state before Super Tuesday and a critical swing state in November’s general election. Even if Biden and Trump post dominant victories on Tuesday, both campaigns will be looking at the margins for signs of weakness.
February 27, 2024 5:09 am
BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the military alliance has no plans to send combat troops into Ukraine, as some Western countries are thought to be considering putting boots on the ground. Asked by the AP about the possibility that Western troops might be sent, Stoltenberg said “there are no plans for NATO combat troops on the ground in Ukraine.” Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico said Monday that some countries are weighing whether to strike bilateral deals with Ukraine to send troops to help it fend off the Russian invasion. Fico provided no details but said that his government is not planning to send soldiers. The Czech Republic has ruled out sending any.
February 27, 2024 5:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders emerged from an “intense” Oval Office meeting with President Joe Biden speaking optimistically about the prospects for avoiding a partial government shutdown beginning this weekend. However, things are still at a crossroads on assistance for Ukraine and Israel as the president and others in the meeting urgently warned House Speaker Mike Johnson of the grave consequences of delay. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says those in the meeting told Johnson ‘get it done.’ But Johnson emerged from the meeting without mentioning Ukraine. He said “the first priority of the country is our border, and making it secure.”
February 27, 2024 5:06 am
JERUSALEM (AP) — President Joe Biden says Israel would be willing to pause its war on Hamas in Gaza during the upcoming Muslim fasting month of Ramadan if a deal is reached to release some of the hostages held by the militants. Negotiators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar are working on a framework deal under which Hamas would free some of the dozens of hostages it holds, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a six-week halt in fighting. During the temporary pause, negotiations would continue over the release of the remaining hostages. If a deal is reached in the coming days, this timeline would also include Ramadan, which starts around March 10.
February 27, 2024 4:57 am
The bulk of Peters Township Council’s work on Monday centered on zoning issues. Immediately before the voting meeting, council held a public hearing on its intention to take several land parcels and remove them from the Conservation Residential Overlay Zoning District. This ordinance allows for cluster housing on parcels of land that are smaller than the traditional half acre minimum lots that are traditionally found in Peters Township. The parcels of interest are addresses 490 and 555 Sugar Camp Road which is commonly referred to as the Arabian horse farm and 231 Froebe Road that is being considered for the Froebe Farms development. The ordinance change was adopted during the voting portion of the council meeting. That, however did not stop consideration of the Froebe Farms development as it has been under consideration prior to the zoning change. Currently there are 3 proposals for that property that could develop a cluster home development. If none of those proposals succeed, the parcel will revert to low density zoning. The current developer asked for plans for that development to be tabled so that they may be able to address concerns presented to them by the planning commission. Additionally, council scheduled another public hearing for zoning issues surrounding a proposed townhome development along E. McMurray Road. That public hearing will be held April 8.
