April 12, 2022 4:04 am
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – Ukraine says it is investigating a claim that a poisonous substance was dropped on the besieged city of Mariupol. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Tuesday it was possible that phosphorus munitions – which cause horrendous burns but are not classed as chemical weapons – had been used. Now the question is how to establish the truth amid the fog of war that has descended over a city still under attack from Russian forces. The global chemical weapons watchdog said Tuesday it is “concerned by the recent unconfirmed report of chemical weapons use in Mariupol” and is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine. But experts says it’s much too dangerous now to send an investigation team into Mariupol.
April 12, 2022 4:01 am
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI) – Counselors and coaches were on hand at Beth Center Middle school after the death of a 13-year-old student. Seventh-grader Jayden Anderson was killed Friday in a car accident on Sunset Drive in West Pike Run Township. “Jayden stood out, not just on the athletic field, but in the classroom, in the hall, he was Mister Personality,” said Gary Welsh, Anderson’s English teacher. “It’s a tremendous loss… our hearts go out to his family and everyone close to him. It’s a tough time for Beth Center.” Pennsylvania State Police say Jayden was a passenger in a car that was speeding as it went around a curve in the road. The driver lost control before hitting the hillside and rolling multiple times. The driver was flown from the scene. A 13-year-old in the back seat survived the crash with minor injuries. A friend of Jayden told our news partners at Channel 11 that he had raw talent as an athlete, but beyond that was kind, respectful and made his friends feel seen. His English teacher agreed. “Just a great kid with a bright future gone way too soon. He will be missed.”
April 12, 2022 3:56 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Federal authorities have announced charges in connection with hundreds of firearms they say were illegally trafficked to Philadelphia from two states in the South. Officials said fourteen people face gun trafficking and conspiracy charges in connection with nearly 400 firearms purchased in Georgia and South Carolina. Matthew Varisco of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said some of the firearms allegedly trafficked were used in crimes in the city, including shootings. He said most of the trafficked weapons were handguns and dozens of the guns remain on the streets.
April 12, 2022 3:54 am
FORWARD TOWNSHIP, Pa, — (WPXI) – The Forward Township Police Department announced that they are being disbanded effective at midnight on April 12. In a Facebook post, the department said the Forward Township Supervisors announced the decision at the monthly municipal meeting. The post also said the reasons behind disbanding the department were money and staffing issues. “We are surprised and saddened at this turn of events,” the police department said. There’s no word on which jurisdiction Forward Township will fall under now.
April 11, 2022 4:23 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukrainian forces are digging in while Russia’s military lines up more firepower, tapping an experienced general to command the war. The next phase of battle is expected to be a showdown in eastern Ukraine. The outcome could determine the course of the conflict, which has flattened cities and killed untold thousands of people. Questions remain about the ability of Russia’s depleted and demoralized forces to conquer much ground after their advance on the capital, Kyiv, was repelled by determined Ukrainian defenders. Britain’s Defense Ministry says Russian forces are trying to compensate for mounting casualties by recalling veterans discharged in the past decade.
April 11, 2022 4:22 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Tesla CEO Elon Musk won’t be joining Twitter’s board of directors as previously announced. The tempestuous billionaire remains Twitter’s largest shareholder. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal tweeted the news, which followed a weekend of Musk tweets suggesting possible changes to Twitter, including making the site ad-free. Nearly 90% of Twitter’s 2021 revenue came from ads. Agrawal didn’t offer an explanation for Musk’s apparent decision, although he dropped one major hint. The Twitter board “believed having Elon as a fiduciary of the company, where he, like all board members, has to act in the best interests of the company and all our shareholders, was the best path forward,” he wrote.
April 11, 2022 4:20 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden is taking fresh aim at “ghost guns,” the privately made firearms without serial numbers that are increasingly cropping up in violent crimes. At the White House on Monday, Biden highlighted the Justice Department’s work to finalize new regulations to crack down on the guns. He also announced the nomination of Steve Dettlebach, who served as a U.S. attorney in Ohio from 2009 to 2016, to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Still, the announcement of the new regulation also highlighted the limits of Biden’s influence to push a sweeping congressional overhaul of the nation’s firearm laws. Congress has deadlocked on legislative proposals to reform gun laws for a decade.
April 11, 2022 4:17 am
New Zealand will send a military transport plane and a support team of 50 to Europe, as well as give money to Britain to buy weapons, as it significantly steps up its response to the war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday that the C130 Hercules plane would travel throughout Europe to carry much-needed equipment and supplies to key distribution centers. She said the plane wouldn’t fly directly into Ukraine as most military equipment is transported into the country by land. Ardern said her government would also spend an additional $9 million on military and human rights support, including money for Britain to buy weapons and ammunition.
April 11, 2022 4:15 am
ERIE, Pa. (AP) – School authorities say metal detectors will be installed at schools in the northwestern Pennsylvania district in which a student was injured in a shooting. Erie’s Public Schools announced last week that planned security changes include “installation of fully functioning metal detectors.” The Erie Times-News said the portable detectors are planned at the district’s two high schools and three middle schools. Other changes are planned, including enabling teachers to lock classroom doors from the inside. One student was stable after the Tuesday morning shooting in an Erie High School hallway, and another student is facing juvenile counts.
April 11, 2022 4:13 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Republican candidates for Pennsylvania governor are pledging to open up natural gas production, but there are constraints to what a governor can do. While governors can influence state agencies and lawmaking, they have limited ability to make the major moves the industry really wants, like building interstate pipelines and big processing facilities. That’s because other states and federal policy are involved. But industry advocates say a governor could be a vocal advocate while working to speed up Pennsylvania’s permitting process and slash its corporate tax rate to help lure big projects. There are also opportunities as the U.S. looks to expand natural gas shipments to Europe.
