June 14, 2023 4:13 pm
(WPXI) – Closing arguments are set to begin Thursday in the trial of a Baldwin truck driver accused in the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill in 2018. On Tuesday, the jury heard from white supremacy and terrorism experts who reviewed Robert Bowers’ Gab posts, communications with police, and selfies on his phone. Bowers trial began eleven days ago. The fifty-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 63 charges, including obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death and hate crimes resulting in death. Eleven people were killed and several others injured. If convicted of any of the capital charges, the trial will move to a separate penalty phase, in which the same jury will listen to further evidence and decide whether to sentence him to death.
June 14, 2023 5:10 am
LONDON (AP) — Paul McCartney says artificial intelligence has been used to extract John Lennon’s voice from an old demo to create “the last Beatles record,” decades after the band broke up. McCartney told the BBC on Tuesday that the technology was used to separate the Beatles’ voices from background sounds during the making of director Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary series “The Beatles: Get Back.” He said the new song is set to be released later this year. McCartney told BBC radio that Jackson was “able to extricate John’s voice from a ropey little bit of cassette and a piano.” He said: “We were able to take John’s voice and get it pure through this AI so then we could mix the record.”
June 14, 2023 5:06 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Prosecutors are accusing the weapons supervisor on the film set where Alec Baldwin shot and killed a cinematographer of drinking and smoking marijuana in the evenings during the filming of “Rust.” They say she was likely hungover when she loaded a live bullet into the revolver. They leveled the accusations Friday in response to a motion filed last month by Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys that seeks to dismiss her involuntary manslaughter charge. Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney said Tuesday that the prosecution’s case is weak and they’re resorting to character assassination claims. Prosecutors also said in the filing that they expect to decide within the next 60 days whether to recharge Baldwin.
June 14, 2023 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged after having raised it 10 straight times to combat high inflation. But in a surprise move, the Fed signaled that it may raise rates twice more this year, beginning as soon as next month. The Fed’s move to leave its benchmark rate at about 5.1%, its highest level in 16 years, suggests that it believes the much higher borrowing rates it’s engineered have made some progress in taming inflation. But top Fed officials want to take time to more fully assess how their rate hikes have affected inflation and the economy. The central bank’s 18 policymakers envision raising its key rate by an additional half-point this year, to about 5.6%.
June 14, 2023 4:58 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced a nearly $150 million grant to Pittsburgh Regional Transit for the new Downtown-Uptown-Oakland bus rapid transit (BRT) line. The $149.9 million reward was funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The new line will provide fast, convenient transit along a heavily congested route from Downtown to Oakland, the FTA said. The new line will include bus-only lanes with traffic lights that will automatically turn green and faster boarding, according to the FTA. A bus will arrive every five minutes during peak periods for 22 hours a day. The FTA said that more than 40,000 people use the current bus options in the communities the BRT will cover per day. The BRT project is projected to cost an estimated $291 million.
June 14, 2023 2:54 am
A man from Manor, Westmoreland County was sentenced on Thursday avoiding sexual assault charges of a minor. Clayton Warmus, 30 pleaded guilty to aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 16. He avoided indecent sexual assault and statutory sexual assault of a minor charges. For his plea of guilty, Warmus received 3-8 years in jail with a mandatory 3 year probation after his release. He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Warmus was accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15 year old from August of 2020 through March of 2021. According to police 30 encounters took place in Canton and Union Townships.
June 13, 2023 5:08 am
TOKYO (AP) — Officials say an 18-year-old army trainee shot three fellow soldiers at a firing range on a Japanese army base, killing two of them. Police say the suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder at the scene in Gifu prefecture. The Ground Self Defense Force confirmed two of those shot were later pronounced dead at a hospital. Other people were apparently participating in the training when the shooting occurred. Japan has been known for its safety, with strict gun control laws, but high-profile violence has occurred in recent years. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was almost hit by a pipe bomb thrown at an election campaign venue in April. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in 2022 by an attacker using a handmade gun.
June 13, 2023 4:59 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pat Sajak is taking one last spin on “Wheel of Fortune,” announcing Monday that its upcoming season will be his last as host. The 76-year-old announced his retirement from the venerable game show in a tweet, calling his time on the show “a wonderful ride.” Sajak, 76, has presided the game show, which features contestants guessing letters to try to fill out words and phrases to win money and prizes, since 1981. He took over duties from Chuck Woolery, who was the show’s first host when it debuted on daytime television in 1975. Sajak will continue to serve as a consultant on the show for three years after his retirement as host.
June 13, 2023 4:57 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Check fraud is back in a big way, fueled by a rise in organized crime that is forcing small businesses and individuals to take additional safety measures or to avoid sending checks through the mail altogether. Banks reported roughly 680,000 reports of check fraud to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN, last year. That’s up from 350,000 reports in 2021. Officials are warning Americans to avoid mailing checks if possible, or at least to use a secure mail drop such as inside the post office.
June 13, 2023 4:55 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A regional governor says at least three people have been killed and 25 wounded after missiles hit civilian buildings in an overnight attack in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. Serhiy Lysak, head of the regional administration, said the strike hit a five-story residential building early Tuesday and the area was engulfed in fire. He said in a Telegram post that rescue operations were ongoing. The devastation in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown is the latest bloodshed in Russia’s war in Ukraine. Now in its 16th month, Ukrainian forces are mounting counteroffensive operations using Western-supplied firepower to try to drive out the Russians.
