Trump & McCormick Team Up For CMU Energy Summit

July 15, 2025 4:38 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) — President Donald Trump and Sen. David McCormick of Pennsylvania have announced tens of billions of dollars of energy and tech investments at a new summit focusing on energy and innovation. The Republican president has repeatedly pledged U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Pennsylvania is a swing state critical to Trump’s wins in 2016 and 2024, and is at the forefront of his energy agenda. Coal is a key part of that and is a big industry in the state. In opening remarks to attendees, McCormick said Tuesday’s summit is about catalyzing ”$90 billion in investment and tens of thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania.” Participating companies at the summit include Blackstone, Bridgewater, SoftBank, Amazon Web Services and ExxonMobil.

Protests Planned For President’s Visit

July 14, 2025 4:43 am

PITTSBURGH — Crews were busy on Monday preparing the Carnegie Mellon University campus for President Trump’s visit. Leaders from energy companies, AI, investors and trade experts will be in Pittsburgh for a series of discussions and panels on the “technological revolution”. Senator Dave McCormick announced that President Donald Trump will be speaking in the afternoon. “For any president to come to your campus or community, that is a deep honor of itself,” Anthony Cacciato, told our news partners at Channel 11. Cacciato is the President of CMU Republicans, and says he and other students should be honored to host the event. Not everyone feels that way. Over the last few weeks, there has been pushback and petitions from CMU students who are against President Trump visiting campus. Congresswoman Summer Lee also spoke out against President Trump’s visit — while adding that his “Big Beautiful Bill” could hurt Western PA communities. There are planned protests and student organizers say they are expecting at least 1,000 people.

Inflation Accelerates In June As Tariffs Start To Bite

July 15, 2025 9:11 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation rose last month to its highest level in four months as the cost of gas, food, and groceries rose, reversing several months of cooling price pressures. The Labor Department said that consumer prices rose 2.7% in June from a year earlier, up from an annual increase of 2.4% in May. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3% from May to June, after rising just 0.1% the previous month. Worsening inflation poses a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who promised during last year’s presidential campaign to immediately lower costs.

GOP Criticizes State House Democrats Budget Bill

July 15, 2025 4:58 am

Democrats in the Pennsylvania House have passed a $50.6 billion state budget over Republican objections. House Bill 1330 passed on a 105-97 vote on nearly partisan lines. Three Republicans did support the measure. Despite passage in the House, the process still has a long way to go. The Senate must still consider it and related legislation. Lawmakers remain under pressure to finalize a budget deal as they are more than two weeks past the June 30 deadline. Rep. Bud Cook (R-Greene/Washington) voted against the spending bill. In a statement, Cook said he voted ‘no’ because it spends $50.6 billion, and we still don’t know where the money to support those expenditures is coming from”. Cook also said “How can we approve a bill when House Democrats and Governor Josh Shapiro have failed to answer the simple question of how we are going to pay for it?”

Police; Texas Man Brings Gun To Security Checkpoint

July 15, 2025 4:50 am

A Texas man faces charges after police say he brought a gun to the main security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport. The Allegheny County Police Department says TSA officers located the gun in the man’s carry-on bag just after 1:30 p.m. on Monday. Police say 42-year-old Erik Trask, did not have a valid concealed carry permit. As a result, ACPD charged him with a felony count of carrying a firearm without a license. The FBI was also notified of the incident. Passengers can travel with guns only in checked baggage if unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then, the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm on its website. Bringing a gun to an airport carries a federal fine of up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and other circumstances. It is the first gun to be stopped at the airport’s checkpoint since mid-April.

Supreme Court Allows 1,400 Education Dept. Layoffs

July 15, 2025 5:05 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump to put his plan to dismantle the Education Department back on track and go through with laying off nearly 1,400 employees. With the three liberal justices in dissent, the court on Monday paused an order from U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston, who issued a preliminary injunction reversing the layoffs and calling into question the broader plan. The layoffs “will likely cripple the department,” Joun wrote. A federal appeals court refused to put the order on hold while the administration appealed.

Trump Threatens Russia With Tariffs

July 15, 2025 5:06 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has announced new measures targeting Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine, threatening steep tariffs if a peace deal isn’t reached within 50 days. Trump also revealed plans for European allies to buy U.S. weapons and transfer them to Ukraine. Patriot air defense missiles are a top priority for the besieged country. Monday’s announcement marks a shift in Trump’s stance, as the Republican president previously criticized Ukraine’s leadership but now expresses frustration with Vladimir Putin’s continued aggression. Meanwhile, Ukraine faces intensified Russian attacks, with June recording the highest civilian casualties in three years.

Netanyahu’s Coalition Government Is Rattled

July 15, 2025 5:00 am

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli ultra-Orthodox party has announced plans to leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. The decision destabilizes Netanyahu’s leadership amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The party, United Torah Judaism, cites disagreements over a bill granting military draft exemptions for its constituents. The issue has long divided Israelis and intensified as military demands grew during the war in Gaza. The departure, which goes into effect in 48 hours, leaves Netanyahu with a slim majority, increasing his reliance on far-right parties in his coalition. The political development comes as Israel and Hamas continue to discuss terms for a ceasefire.

14 Million Children Did Not Receive A Single Vaccine In 2024

July 15, 2025 5:02 am

LONDON (AP) — U.N. health officials have estimated that more than 14 million children did not receive a single vaccine last year. The World Health Organization and UNICEF said about 89% of children under 1 year old got a first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough in 2024, the same as in 2023. About 85% completed the three-dose series, up from 84% in 2023. The agencies released their annual estimate of global vaccine coverage Tuesday. Health leaders said the collapse of international aid, led by the U.S., threatens efforts to reduce the number of unprotected children. The U.N. estimates vaccines prevent 3.5 million to 5 million deaths a year.

Emmy Nominations Are In

July 15, 2025 5:51 pm

(AP) – The Emmy nominations are in, and familiar favorites like “Hacks,” “The Bear,” and “Abbott Elementary” dominate the comedy categories. However, there were some differences, too. Kathy Bates became the oldest lead drama actress nominee at 77 for “Matlock.” Apple TV+’s “Shrinking” gained traction with seven nominations, including Harrison Ford’s first Emmy nod. Netflix’s “Adolescence” scored 13 nominations, while “The Handmaid’s Tale” earned just one as it concluded its six-season run. Meanwhile, “The Voice” missed a reality competition nod for the first time since 2012, and Kristen Bell received her first-ever Emmy nomination for “Nobody Wants This.”  (Photo:  AP)