Trump honors Purple Heart recipients, including 3 who sent him medals after attempt on his life
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump recognized nearly 100 recipients of the Purple Heart at the White House on Thursday, including three service members who gave him their own medals after an attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania campaign rally. Trump opened the event marking National Purple Heart Day by...
Trump orders colleges to prove they don’t consider race in admissions
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order requiring colleges to submit data to prove they do not consider race in admissions. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of affirmative action in admissions but said colleges may still consider how race has shaped students’...
Trump to nominate top economic aide Stephen Miran to Federal Reserve board
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate a top economic adviser to the Federal Reserve’s board of governors for four months, temporarily filling a vacancy while continuing his search for a longer-term appointment. Trump said he has named Stephen Miran, the chair of the White House’s Council...
FBI forces out more leaders, including ex-director who fought Trump demand for Jan. 6 agents’ names
WASHINGTON — The FBI is forcing out more senior officials, including a former acting director who resisted Trump administration demands to turn over the names of agents who participated in Jan. 6 Capitol riot investigations and the head of the bureau’s Washington field office, according to people familiar with the...
EPA cancels $7 billion Biden-era grant program to boost solar energy
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday terminated a $7 billion grant program intended to help pay for residential solar projects for more than 900,000 lower-income U.S. households, in the latest Trump administration move hindering the nation’s shift to cleaner energy. The funding, part of the Biden-era’s Solar for...
Air Force to deny retirement pay to transgender service members being separated from the service
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early and would instead separate them without retirement benefits. The move means that transgender service members will now be faced with the choice...
New set of tariffs on U.S. imports take effect
President Donald Trump’s new set of adjusted tariffs on goods shipped from dozens of countries and the European Union took effect Thursday. The new tariffs range from 10% to 50%. Brazil is facing the stiffest import taxes. In addition to a 10% reciprocal tariff, Trump announced a separate 40% tariff...
Woman killed by neighbor before responding state troopers were ambushed by gunfire, police say
THOMPSON — A 61-year-old man fatally shot a neighbor Thursday in rural Pennsylvania and then ambushed responding state troopers, wounding two while firing dozens of rounds from a semiautomatic weapon, police said. Lori Wasko’s boyfriend called 911 after 11 a.m. from their home near Thompson to report shots fired, state...
Pa. Turnpike execs get 5-figure pay raises, including CEO’s $86K boost
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission approved $367,107 in pay raises for the organization’s chief officers during a closed-door executive session in March. The raises were recommended by a wage study commissioned in February, which offered two options that resulted in the same total cost for salary increases. CEO Mark Compton received...
Gallery: Photos from August 7, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Thursday, August 7, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Israel announces plan to retake Gaza City in another escalation of the war
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel said early Friday that it plans to take over Gaza City in another escalation of its 22-month war with Hamas. The decision, taken after a late-night meeting of top officials, came despite mounting international calls to end the war and protests by many in Israel...
Haiti prepares for new leadership as gunfire erupts and gangs threaten to overthrow government
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A wealthy businessman was slated to become president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council on Thursday, marking the first time that the private sector is in control of the country’s two executive branches. The change in command further threatened to destabilize the country as a powerful gang federation...
Harvard scientists say research could be set back years after funding freeze
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Harvard University professor Alberto Ascherio’s research is literally frozen. Collected from millions of U.S. soldiers over two decades using millions of dollars from taxpayers, the epidemiology and nutrition scientist has blood samples stored in liquid nitrogen freezers within the university’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The...
Czech zoo welcomes 4 rare Barbary lion cubs whose population is extinct in the wild
DVUR KRALOVE, Czech Republic — Four Barbary lion cubs were born recently in a Czech zoo, a vital contribution for a small surviving population of the rare lion that is extinct in the wild. The three females and one male were seen playing in their outdoor enclosure at Dvůr Králové...
Trump to meet Putin soon, the Kremlin says as White House deadline looms on Ukraine
A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump has been agreed upon, a Kremlin official said Thursday, the eve of a White House deadline for Moscow to show progress toward ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said a summit could...
Trump’s broad tariffs go into effect, just as economic pain is surfacing
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump began levying higher import taxes on dozens of countries Thursday, just as the economic fallout of his monthslong tariff threats has begun to create visible damage for the U.S. economy. Just after midnight, goods from more than 60 countries and the European Union became subject...
Trump’s redistricting fight mushrooms with Vance in Indiana and Florida joining the fray
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — As President Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Republican-run states to redraw congressional boundaries, he has dispatched Vice President JD Vance to Indiana and called for a new federal census — moves reflecting his intent to maximize the GOP’s partisan advantages in coming elections. Separately, a top...
United Airlines flights grounded nationwide because of technology problem
United Airlines flights on major routes were grounded Wednesday because of a technology issue, and additional flight delays were expected into the evening, the airline said. An alert on the Federal Aviation Administration website said all United flights destined for Chicago were halted at their departing airports. The agency said...
Victims feeling exhausted and anxious about wrangling over Epstein files
LOS ANGELES — Women who say they were abused by Jeffrey Epstein are feeling skeptical and anxious about the Justice Department’s handling of records related to the convicted sex offender, with some backing more public disclosures as an overdue measure of transparency, and others expressing concerns about their privacy and...
Trump moves to shut down NASA missions that measure carbon dioxide and plant health
The Trump administration is moving to shut down two NASA missions that monitor a potent greenhouse gas and plant health, potentially shutting off an important source of data for scientists, policymakers and farmers. President Donald Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2026 includes no money for the Orbiting Carbon Observatories,...
Stanford student newspaper, noncitizen students sue Trump officials over speech-related visa policies
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Stanford University’s independent student newspaper and two noncitizen students filed a lawsuit this week against Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, alleging that federal immigration policies are being used to suppress protected political speech under the Trump administration. The federal...
Homeland Security removes age limits for ICE recruits to boost hiring for Trump deportations
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that it is removing age limits for new hires at the agency responsible for immigration enforcement, as it aims to expand hiring after a massive infusion of cash from Congress. The department said in a news release that it would waive...
Trump could meet in person with Putin as soon as next week, White House official says
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump could meet in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as next week as he seeks to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, a White House official said Wednesday. The official cautioned that a meeting has not been scheduled yet and no location...
Trump says he plans to put a 100% tariff on computer chips, likely pushing up cost of electronics
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will impose a 100% tariff on computer chips, likely raising the cost of electronics, autos, household appliances and other goods deemed essential for the digital age. “We’ll be putting a tariff on of approximately 100% on chips and semiconductors,” Trump said...
U.S. auctioning a seized $325M Russian yacht with 8 state rooms, a helipad, a gym and spa
WASHINGTON — The United States is auctioning off the $325 million yacht Amadea, its first sale of a seized Russian luxury ship since the start of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The auction, which closes Sept. 10, comes as President Donald Trump seeks to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin...
