November 16, 2023 4:58 am
(AP) – Palestinians in parts of southern Gaza say they received evacuation notices. The signal that fighting is about to expand in the south comes a day after Israeli forces began searching a north Gaza hospital where they claimed Hamas militants operate — a claim that Hamas and hospital staff deny. The Israeli military displayed what it said were Hamas weapons and military equipment it uncovered in Shifa Hospital. But so far, its search showed no signs of tunnels or a sophisticated command center. Saudi Arabia condemned the raid on Shifa Hospital. The World Health Organization says only a quarter of Gaza’s hospitals are still functioning, either because they have been damaged or because they ran out of fuel.
November 16, 2023 4:56 am
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Perhaps just shaking hands and sitting down together can be enough sometimes. At their meeting Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping didn’t resolve any of the major geopolitical issues dividing the world’s two largest economies and chief rivals for influence, particularly among developing nations. But it did seem to put a floor beneath a relationship that had been in free-fall over issues from trade to investment to U.S. support for Taiwan, along with human rights in regions from Tibet to Sichuan and the Asian financial hub of Hong Kong, which China administers as a semi-autonomous region while gutting its civil liberties handed over from the former British administration.
November 16, 2023 2:49 am
Jury deliberations are underway in the trial of 40 year old Jerome Stewart of Elco. He is accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile beginning at age 8 and continuing the assaults for more than a decade. Testimony began Wednesday as it ended on day one. The other half sister of the victim testified to the relationship that the victim had with Jerome Stewart. Both relatives described sexual acts between Stewart and his underage victim. They described their experiences when the victim miscarried in her first pregnancy at age 13. Much of the day’s testimony came from hospital professionals and nurses that tended to the victim when she miscarried and several years later delivering a son via c-section at age 15. The chief Washington County Detective detailed the chain of evidence possession that verified DNA and paternity results of the victim’s pregnancy. The most revealing testimony came from Mark Lind. He is a friend of Jerome Stewart who came across the jar in which Stewart sealed the fetus from the victim’s first pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage. Lind stated that when asked by Stewart if he found the jar he stated that he did and threw it in the trash. Lind stated During the conversation that Stewart told him it was a fetus of the victim and he was the father. The jury received the case and began deliberations late Thursday morning.
November 15, 2023 5:39 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Kimmel is returning as host of the Academy Awards for the second straight year and fourth time overall. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced Kimmel’s return on Wednesday. ABC is returning to its late-night host a year after bringing Kimmel back for a 2023 ceremony that drew 18.7 million viewers, the most since 2020’s pre-pandemic broadcast. In the wake of Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, Kimmel led a cautious ceremony that helped stabilize the Academy Awards after years of turmoil. The 96th Academy Awards will air live on ABC on March 10 from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
November 15, 2023 5:37 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Americans cut back on retail spending in October, ending six straight months of gains, though the decline was partly driven by falling prices for both gasoline and cars. Retail sales declined 0.1% last month after jumping a strong 0.9% in September, according to a report released Wednesday by the Commerce Department. September’s figure was revised higher from an initial report of a 0.7% gain. Excluding sales of gas and autos, retail sales ticked up 0.1%.
November 15, 2023 4:55 pm
DETROIT (AP) — Voting on the tentative contract agreement between General Motors and the United Auto Workers union appears to be too close to call as tallies at more factories were announced. The union on Wednesday hadn’t posted final vote totals yet, but workers at several large factories who finished voting in the past few days have turned down the four year and eight month deal by fairly large margins. A factory in Arlington, Texas, with about 5,000 workers voted more than 60% in favor of the deal, however. Voting continues at Ford. The contract was passing overwhelmingly in early voting at Stellantis. The union’s vote tracker shows that 79.7% voted in favor with many large factories yet to finish.
November 15, 2023 2:27 pm
Washington County 911 says Route 519 between Christy Road and Route 136 in North Strabane Township was shut down for several hours on Wednesday due to an accident. Dispatchers say the crash was in front of the corporate offices of Eighty Four Lumber and involved a semi-truck and a vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was reportedly flown from the scene. No further information was made available.
November 15, 2023 5:14 am
Nearly nine out of 10 parents believe their child is performing at grade level despite standardized tests showing far fewer students are on track. That’s according to a poll released Wednesday by Gallup and the nonprofit Learning Heroes. Many parents rely on report cards for a sense of their children’s progress, but researchers say they might be missing the whole picture. Without that knowledge, parents may not seek opportunities for extra support for their children. In a federal survey, school officials said half of all U.S. students started last school year behind grade level in at least one subject.
November 15, 2023 5:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of Israel have rallied by the tens of thousands on Washington’s National Mall, voicing solidarity in the fight against Hamas and crying “never again.” The “March for Israel” offered a resounding and bipartisan endorsement of one of America’s closest allies as criticism has intensified over Israel’s offensive in Gaza, set off by the bloody Oct. 7 Hamas incursion. Overlooking a sea of Israeli and U.S. flags, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jefferies and Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa joined hands on the stage. Schumer repeatedly chanted, “We stand with Israel.”
November 15, 2023 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted overwhelmingly to prevent a government shutdown. New Republican Speaker Mike Johnson (pictured) was forced to reach across the aisle to Democrats when hard-right conservatives revolted against his plan. Johnson’s proposal to temporarily fund the government into the new year passed on a bipartisan 336-95 tally, with 93 Republicans voting against it. He showed a willingness to leave his right-flank Republicans behind and work with Democrats — the same political move that cost the last House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, his job just weeks ago. Johnson’s approach, which the Senate is expected to approve by week’s end, effectively pushes a final showdown over government funding to the new year.
