Springsteen, Trump, Kid Rock trade political barbs
Bruce Springsteen’s songs have chronicled the working American’s hopes and dreams for 50 years. In that time, The Boss’ political bent has never been buried. Sure, some Reaganites may have misunderstood “Born in the U.S.A” as a patriotic anthem, but “American Skin (41 Shots)” clearly details the fears some have...
Trump suspends asylum system, leaving immigrants to face an uncertain future
They arrive at the U.S. border from around the world: Eritrea, Guatemala, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ghana, Uzbekistan and so many other countries. They come for asylum, insisting they face persecution for their religion, or sexuality or for supporting the wrong politicians. For generations, they had been given the chance to make...
Student loans have been confusing lately. Here’s a guide to know where you stand
NEW YORK — Between collections resuming, courts blocking student loan programs and layoffs at the Education Department, borrowers might be confused about the status of their student loans. Recently, the Education Department announced it would start involuntary collections on defaulted loans, meaning the roughly 5.3 million borrowers who are in...
Divided Greensburg Salem board OKs $535K student tech purchase
A divided Greensburg Salem School Board approved spending more than $535,000 over four years to replace aging computer tablets and laptops that officials say will no longer function when the next Microsoft Windows update comes in October. The board voted 5-4 to buy 900 iPad tablets for the district’s high...
Russia and Ukraine hold their first direct peace talks in 3 years amid low expectations
ISTANBUL, Turkey — Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years Friday, gathering in Istanbul for Turkish-brokered negotiations, but officials and observers expected them to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than three-year war. A Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov sat...
Trump’s ‘beautiful’ bill spans 1,116 pages. Here’s what’s inside it
WASHINGTON — House Republicans are advancing President Donald Trump’s big bill of tax breaks, spending cuts and beefed-up border security as Speaker Mike Johnson attempts to pass the package over unified Democratic opposition by Memorial Day. House committees have labored on the legislation, which runs a whopping 1,116 pages and...
Biden audio release pressures Democrats who would rather talk about Trump
PHOENIX — Joe Biden’s time in public office is now behind him, but his age and mental acuity have become a litmus test for the next leaders in his party. Audio was published Friday from portions of interviews Biden gave to federal prosecutors in 2023, the latest in a stream...
Conservatives block Trump’s big tax breaks bill in a stunning setback
WASHINGTON — In a massive setback, House Republicans failed Friday to push their big package of tax breaks and spending cuts through the Budget Committee, as a handful of conservatives joined all Democrats in a stunning vote against it. The hard-right lawmakers are insisting on steeper spending cuts to Medicaid...
After Putin is a no-show at talks in Turkey, Trump says he’ll meet the Russian leader soon
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump said Friday he’s moving to set up direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as he can, after Putin opted to skip peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey. “I think it’s time for us to just do...
Pope Leo XIV affirms family is based on union between a man and a woman, unborn has inherent dignity
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV affirmed Friday that the family is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman,” and that the unborn and elderly enjoy dignity as God’s creatures, articulating clear Catholic teaching on marriage and abortion at the start of his pontificate. Leo, the...
Israeli strikes kill at least 82 people in Gaza as Trump wraps up his Middle East visit
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — At least 82 people were killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza on Friday, as U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up his regional trip. Strikes overnight and into Friday hit across Gaza, including the outskirts of Deir al-Balah and the city of Khan Younis. At least...
Greensburg Salem contends with $2.1M budget deficit
Greensburg Salem will need to close a $2.1 million gap in its 2025-26 budget as it contends with rising health care and cyber charter tuition costs. The district’s projected budget includes $51.9 million in revenue and about $54 million in expenses — a deficit that would require a 9.2-mill increase...
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka says officials fingerprinting him 2nd time tried to ‘humiliate’ him
NEWARK, N.J. — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said federal prosecutors tried to “humiliate and degrade” him by making him give his fingerprints and take a mug shot for a second time Thursday after a court appearance on a trespassing charge stemming from his arrest at an immigration detention center he...
Trump administration officials say Secret Service is investigating James Comey’s ’86 47′ social media post
WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday that federal law enforcement is investigating a social media post made by former FBI Director James Comey that she and other Republicans suggest is a call for violence against President Donald Trump. In an Instagram post, Comey wrote “cool shell formation...
Prosecutors: Mexican influencer fatally shot during TikTok livestream appeared to be killed by hit man
MEXICO CITY — The social media influencer who was shot dead during a live stream on TikTok in the Mexican state of Jalisco appeared to be murdered by a hit man and expressed fear before being killed, prosecutors said on Thursday. The grisly murder of 23-year-old Valeria Márquez on Tuesday...
Denver air traffic controllers scrambled to use backup communications during outage
Air traffic controllers in Denver lost communications with planes for 90 seconds earlier this week and had to scramble to use backup frequencies in the latest Federal Aviation Administration equipment failure. The outage at a control center that directs planes flying at high altitude between airports all over the country...
Hospital tells family brain-dead Georgia woman must carry fetus to birth because of abortion banVideo
ATLANTA — A pregnant woman in Georgia was declared brain-dead after a medical emergency and doctors have kept her on life support for three months so far to allow enough time for the baby to be born and comply with Georgia’s strict anti-abortion law, family members say. She could be...
Johnstown kindergartner gave booze-filled Jell-O shots to schoolmates, district says
A Pennsylvania kindergartner handed out Jell-O shots containing alcohol to other students this week, according to the school district. Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Amy Arcurio said in a message to parents posted on Facebook that the “isolated incident” was under investigation. Arcurio said that the student gave small cups...
Supreme Court could block Trump’s birthright citizenship order but limit nationwide injunctionsVideo
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed intent Thursday on maintaining a block on President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship while looking for a way to scale back nationwide court orders. It was unclear what such a decision might look like, but a majority of the court expressed concerns about...
Mexican security chief confirms cartel family members entered U.S. in a deal with Trump administration
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s security chief confirmed this week that 17 family members of cartel leaders crossed into the U.S. last week as part of a deal between a son of the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Trump administration. Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed a...
DeSantis signs a bill making Florida the 2nd state to ban fluoride from its water system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure Thursday prohibiting local governments from adding fluoride to their water systems, making it the second state in the country after Utah to implement a statewide ban on the mineral. DeSantis signed the bill at a public event...
UN aid chief defends using ‘genocide’ in Gaza remarks to the Security Council that Israel rejects
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations’ humanitarian chief has defended using the term “genocide” to describe what aid workers are trying to prevent in Gaza, saying the world should not make the same mistakes seen in past violations of international law, when it wasn’t “called out soon enough.” Tom Fletcher,...
Wisconsin judge pleads not guilty to helping a man evade federal immigration agents
MILWAUKEE — A Wisconsin judge pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges accusing her of helping a man who is illegally in the country evade U.S. immigration authorities seeking to arrest him in her courthouse. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan entered the plea during a brief arraignment in federal court....
Gallery: Photos from May 15, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Thursday, May 15, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy arrives in Turkey for peace talks but Russia’s Putin stays away
ANKARA, Turkey — Russian President Vladimir Putin stayed away Thursday from proposed direct peace talks on ending the war in Ukraine, leaving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy waiting in the Turkish capital of Ankara after he had challenged the Kremlin leader to face-to-face negotiations. With Putin absent, the Russian delegation was...
