May 27, 2025 11:20 am
BEIJING (AP) — A huge explosion rocked a chemical plant in China’s eastern Shandong province around noon Tuesday, killing at least five people and injuring 19, according to state broadcaster CCTV. An additional six people remain missing. The blast was powerful enough to knock out the windows at a storage warehouse more than two miles (three kilometers) away from the factory, according to a video shared by a local resident, who declined to give his name out of concern for retaliation. His home shook from the blast, he said. As he went to the window to see what was wrong, he saw a tall column of smoke from the site, more than seven kilometers (4.3 miles) away. The explosion happened at the Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co., which is located in an industrial park in the city of Weifang. It manufactures pesticides as well as chemicals for medical use, and has more than 500 employees, according to corporate registration records.
May 27, 2025 10:27 am
NEW YORK (AP) — National Public Radio and three local stations are suing President Donald Trump, arguing that an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding for the organization is illegal. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Washington by NPR, Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio and KUTE, Inc. It argues that Trump’s executive order to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR violates the First Amendment. Trump issued the executive order earlier this month that instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS” and requires that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations.
May 27, 2025 10:26 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is asking federal agencies to cancel remaining contracts with Harvard University worth about $100 million. That’s according to a senior administration official Tuesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations. The government already has canceled more than $2.6 billion in federal research grants for the Ivy League school, which has pushed back on the administration’s demands for changes to several of its policies. Cuts to contracts could take away millions more from Harvard’s budget.
May 27, 2025 4:57 am
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — King Charles III says Canada is facing unprecedented challenges in a world that’s never been more dangerous. Charles opened the Canadian Parliament on Tuesday with a speech widely viewed as a show of support in the face of annexation threats by U.S. President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Charles to give the speech outlining the Liberal government’s priorities for the new session of Parliament. The king is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the Commonwealth of former colonies. Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney has been eager to show the differences between Canada and the United States.
May 27, 2025 4:53 am
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — British police are holding a 53-year-old man over a collision that turned a joyous soccer celebration in Liverpool to tragedy and sent more than two dozen people to hospitals. The city’s mayor says four people are in very serious condition. Police said they are not treating Monday evening’s incident as terrorism and are not looking for other suspects. Detectives on Tuesday were piecing together how a minivan plowed into crowds. It happened after the players of Liverpool Football Club celebrated the Premier League championship with an open-topped bus parade. The North West Ambulance Service said a total of 47 people were injured, of whom 27 were taken to local hospitals. (Photo: AP)
May 27, 2025 4:53 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — U.S. Sen. David McCormick says an arrangement for Japan-based Nippon Steel to invest in U.S. Steel will guarantee an American CEO, a majority of U.S. board members and U.S. government approval over certain corporate functions. McCormick spoke Tuesday on CNBC, four days after President Donald Trump suggested that an agreement on a “partnership” was at hand to resolve Nippon Steel’s nearly $15 billion bid to buy U.S. Steel that has been blocked on national security grounds. Trump said Sunday that U.S. Steel will be “controlled by the United States.” Many aspects outlined by McCormick and Trump have been floated previously by Nippon Steel, but Nippon Steel isn’t saying if it’s agreed to this deal.
May 27, 2025 4:51 am
PITTSBURGH — If you are spending any time outside, you likely are feeling symptoms like watery and itchy eyes or inflamed sinuses. It’s a prime time for allergies and doctors told Channel 11 this year is much worse. “We have really high counts of pollen allergies, like tree pollen, grass pollen and flower pollen are starting to come out now. So, what is happening now, although it’s getting beautiful outside, those of us with allergies are starting to suffer,” said Dr. Brian Lamb with Allegheny Health Network. Spring has sprung early when it comes to the pollen count outside, which means more people are suffering the symptoms. So, no matter the weather right now, the pollen will impact you, so what can you do? “If it’s going to be nice and warm for a few days, actually think about keeping your windows shut, and if you have air conditioning, use that instead. If you just have your furnace running low without heat, that’s good to circulate the air through the filters,” Dr. Lamb said. When it comes to medication, Dr. Lamb recommends a steroid nasal spray or just a traditional over-the-counter antihistamine. He suggests avoiding the decongestants, as they can lead to other medical problems if overused.
May 27, 2025 4:50 am
A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Maryland returned to Pittsburgh International Airport after receiving a “maintenance indication,” officials say. A Southwest spokesperson says Flight 1399 landed safely after receiving the indication Monday morning. The crew followed safety procedures, and the plane landed without issue, the spokesperson says. The plane will be evaluated before returning to service. The flight was bound for Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Southwest apologizes for any inconvenience to customers and will accommodate them to their final destination as soon as possible, the spokesperson says.
May 27, 2025 4:44 am
CLAIRTON, Pa. — (WPXI) – A man was shot and killed at a picnic in Clairton on Sunday. The Allegheny County Police Department said officers were called to the 300 block of Division Street at 9:32 p.m. for the reported shooting, finding a man dead on scene. The medical examiner later identified that man as Brendan Parsons, 23. Police said Parsons was shot during an argument at the picnic. Another man was detained on scene, but was later released. Parsons was a star quarterback in high school. Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the county police tip line at 1-833-all-tips. Callers can remain anonymous.
May 27, 2025 2:57 am
National Weather Service officials confirm a fourth tornado blew through a Western Pennsylvania community during storms on May 21st. In addition to a single tornado that hit in the East Finley area, the NWS says there was also a “brief tornado” just east of Cross Creek County Park. Through damage reports and radar data, the agency labeled the tornado as an EF-0 with estimated peak winds of 65 mph. NWS officials say the tornado, which was on the ground for less than two miles, mostly damaged trees and removed the fascia from a home.
