2 private lunar landers head toward the moon in a roundabout journey
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — In a two-for-one moonshot, SpaceX launched a pair of lunar landers Wednesday for U.S. and Japanese companies looking to jumpstart business on Earth’s dusty sidekick. The two landers rocketed away in the middle of the night from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the latest in a stream...
Key takeaways from Pete Hegseth’s fiery confirmation hearing
WASHINGTON — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, publicly faced senators for the first time after weeks of questions from Democrats — and praise from Republicans — about his “unconventional” resume. Hegseth, a former combat veteran and TV news host, says he will be a “change agent”...
Fire tornadoes are a risk under California’s extreme wildfire conditions
As if they aren’t already facing enough, firefighters in California also could encounter fire tornadoes — a rare but dangerous phenomenon in which wildfires create their own weather. The National Weather Service warned Tuesday that the combination of high winds and severely dry conditions have created a “particularly dangerous situation”...
As Los Angeles burns, Hollywood’s Oscar season turns into a pledge drive
When the Palisades Fire broke out in Los Angeles last Tuesday, Hollywood’s awards season was in full swing. The Golden Globes had transpired less than 48 hours earlier and a series of splashy awards banquets followed in the days after. But the enormity of the destruction in Southern California has...
Relief, 21st-century style: As wildfires burn, GoFundMe becomes a repository of harrowing stories
NEW YORK — They seem endless, these sapping stories of loss. A grandfather starts over in his 90s. A family loses their dream home. People who were already struggling are dealt new, brutal blows. As California’s massive wildfires burn, a barrage of GoFundMe campaigns for victims have become an outlet...
A ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ is forecast for fire-scarred Los Angeles area
LOS ANGELES — Millions of Southern Californians were on edge as a final round of dangerous fire weather was forecast for the region on Wednesday, along with a rare warning of a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for an area near where two massive blazes have killed at least 25 and destroyed...
Supreme Court will hear Texas anti-pornography law that challengers say violates free-speech rights
WASHINGTON — A Texas anti-pornography law is going before the Supreme Court on Wednesday in a collision of free speech rights, regulation of online content and the protection of children. Texas is among more than a dozen states with similar laws aimed at blocking young children and teenagers from viewing...
South Korea’s impeached President Yoon detained in major law enforcement operation
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was detained in a major law enforcement operation at the presidential compound Wednesday, defiantly insisting the anti-corruption agency didn’t have the authority to investigate his actions but saying he complied to prevent violence. Yoon, the country’s first sitting president...
Italy, Albania and UAE ink clean energy cooperation deal
ROME — Italy, Albania and the United Arab Emirates signed a three-way clean energy cooperation deal Wednesday that calls for the Gulf country’s expertise to be put to use in Albania to produce solar, wind and other renewable energy, some of which would then be transferred to Italy via an...
Few U.S. adults confident Justice Dept. and FBI will act fairly under Trump, AP-NORC poll finds
WASHINGTON — As President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, prepares for questioning from senators on Wednesday, only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” confident that the Department of Justice will act in a fair and nonpartisan manner during his second term, a poll...
Obesity won’t be solely defined by BMI under new plan for diagnosis by global expertsVideo
A group of global experts is proposing a new way to define and diagnose obesity, reducing the emphasis on the controversial body mass index and hoping to better identify people who need treatment for the disease caused by excess body fat. Under recommendations released Tuesday night, obesity would no longer...
Westmoreland municipalities, organizations benefit from casino revenue
Revenue from Hempfield’s Live Casino Pittsburgh will provide $800,000 to help the North Huntingdon Township Municipal Authority replace one of its 14 pump stations. And the money couldn’t have come at a better time. “With each passing year, the structural integrity of this station comes into question, and it’s been...
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey proposes $8 billion investment in transportation over 10 years
BOSTON — The Bay State will spend upward of $8 billion over the next 10 years improving its roads, bridges and regional transportation services if a proposal announced by the governor Tuesday is passed by the legislature. Gov. Maura Healey, speaking from Union Station in Worcester, said that the investment...
Pete Hegseth asked to define ‘jagoff’ at Senate confirmation hearing
The term “jagoff” is more than just an insult in Pittsburgh. Here, it holds great cultural significance. But that’s not what Pete Hegseth was trying to convey during his U.S. Senate confirmation hearing. Hegseth, a combat veteran and former Fox News host, is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary....
Speaker Johnson orders U.S. Capitol flags raised to full height for Trump’s inauguration
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday ordered that flags at the U.S. Capitol be raised to their full height on Inauguration Day, pausing a 30-day flag-lowering order as a result of the death of former President Jimmy Carter. The Republican leader’s decision means that President-elect Donald Trump will not take...
Biden moves to lift state sponsor of terrorism designation for Cuba, part of deal to free prisoners
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Tuesday is notifying Congress of its intent to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House announced, as part of a deal facilitated by the Catholic Church to free political prisoners on the island. Senior U.S. administration...
Trump says he will create an External Revenue Service agency to collect tariff income
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced plans to create a new agency called the External Revenue Service to collect tariffs and other revenues from foreign nations. “We will begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying,” Trump said Tuesday on...
A look at the terms — and tensions — in the Israel-Hamas draft ceasefire deal
CAIRO — If the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal goes according to the current draft, then fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days, and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed. In this first phase Israeli troops will pull back to the edges of Gaza, and...
Michelle Obama will skip Trump inauguration, but ex-Presidents Obama, Clinton and Bush will be there
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former first lady Michelle Obama will skip the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, the second time in two weeks that she is not attending a gathering of former U.S. leaders and their spouses, but former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will...
NATO announces a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region
BRUSSELS — NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region after a string of incidents that have heightened fears of Russian sabotage and spying in the strategic region, the alliance’s leader said on Tuesday. Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that the mission dubbed Baltic...
Irregular migration into the European Union fell sharply last year, border agency says
WARSAW, Poland — The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union fell significantly in 2024, according to the bloc’s border control agency Frontex, something which it attributed to intensified cooperation against smuggling networks. The Warsaw-based agency said in a statement that its preliminary data for last year reveal...
‘The labor shortage will only get worse:’ Trump deportation plans could hit Pa. agriculture hard
Pennsylvania is home to an estimated 155,000 undocumented migrants, according to the American Immigration Council. And around 30,000 of them may work in the state’s agricultural sector, according to estimates from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. With the state’s agriculture industry already facing a workforce shortage, President-elect Donald Trump’s promise...
Gallery: Photos from Jan. 14, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Trump’s Cabinet picks are set for Senate hearings. Here’s the schedule
After the initial crush of personnel announcements for President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, now the nominations process officially begins. Senate hearings are scheduled this week for several of Trump’s picks for the Cabinet. Many nominees have met with senators individually. Now, they will go before the committees overseeing the agencies...
Wisconsin Legislature to put photo ID requirement on ballot for voter approval
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s photo ID requirement for voting would be elevated from a state law to a constitutional amendment under a proposal up for approval Tuesday in the Republican-controlled Assembly. Once passed by the Assembly, the proposed constitutional amendment would appear on the April 1 ballot for voter consideration....
