Trump transition team suggests sidelining top adviser over pay-to-play allegations
WASHINGTON — The top lawyer on Donald Trump’s transition team investigated a longtime adviser to the president-elect over allegations he used his proximity to Trump to score payments from those seeking roles or influence in the new administration. The review conducted by lawyer David Warrington recommended that Trump aides sharply...
Cleveland casino dealer accused of stealing from the pot more than a dozen times
CLEVELAND — A former casino dealer in Ohio has been charged with skimming from the pot more than a dozen times this summer. How much the onetime poker room dealer at the JACK Cleveland Casino is accused of stealing isn’t spelled out in court records. The 51-year-old man, of North...
Trump threatens to impose broad new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China on 1st day in office
NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country...
Former Kentucky sheriff pleads not guilty in the fatal courthouse shooting of judge
A former Kentucky sheriff charged in a judge’s shooting death pleaded not guilty Monday in the same courthouse where they worked together and where the attack occurred, and one of his attorneys later predicted they will present a compelling case in his defense. Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines...
White Florida woman sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting Black neighbor in lengthy dispute
A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through her front door during an ongoing dispute over the neighbor’s boisterous children was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison for her manslaughter conviction. Susan Lorincz, 60, was convicted in August of killing Ajike “A.J.” Owens, 35, by firing...
Voting machine firm suing Fox News now wants to probe Murdoch family trust fight
Lawyers for a voting machine company that’s suing Fox News want to question founder Rupert Murdoch about his contentious efforts to change his family trust, the attorneys told a court Monday. Election-tech company Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation suit regards Fox’s reporting on 2020 voting fraud claims. But Smartmatic’s attorneys suggest...
Raw milk from California dairy recalled after routine testing detected bird flu virus
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The bird flu virus was detected in a retail sample of raw milk from a dairy in Fresno, California, state health officials said. The sample obtained at a store tested positive Nov. 21 during routine screening by Santa Clara County health officers, the state Department of Public...
Joe Biden begins final White House holiday season with turkey pardons for ‘Peach’ and ‘Blossom’
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. The 82-year-old president welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under...
Special counsel moves to abandon election interference and classified documents cases against Trump
WASHINGTON — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding...
Donald Trump Jr. emerges as a political force of his own as he helps his father launch a 2nd term
NEW YORK — When Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. circled up aboard the president-elect’s plane over some McDonalds burgers and fries recently, Donald Trump Jr. was seated in the center of that power foursome. The central spot occupied by Trump’s eldest son,...
Gallery: Photos from Nov. 25, 2024
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region — and the world — with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
DHL cargo plane crashes and skids into a house in Lithuania, killing Spanish crew member
VILNIUS, Lithuania — A DHL cargo plane crashed on approach to an airport in Lithuania’s capital and skidded into a house Monday morning, killing a Spanish crew member but not harming anyone on the ground. The cause of the accident is under investigation. A surveillance video showed the plane descending...
Senators took down 1 Trump Cabinet pick, but the fight over their authority is just beginning
WASHINGTON — It’s a short phrase in the Constitution, mentioned in passing. But it’s already taking on an outsize significance as President-elect Donald Trump charts his return to office. The withdrawal of Matt Gaetz as Trump’s nominee for attorney general dramatically affirmed that the Senate still maintains its “advice and...
Trump 2.0 has a Cabinet and executive branch of different positions and eclectic personalities
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s personnel choices for his new Cabinet and White House reflect his signature positions on immigration and trade but also a range of viewpoints and backgrounds that raise questions about what ideological anchors might guide his Oval Office encore. With a rapid assembly of his second administration...
Vatican to install a webcam at St. Peter’s tomb as part technological outreach for Holy Year
VATICAN CITY — Roman Catholic faithful will be able to view St. Peter’s tomb remotely as part of the Vatican’s technological outreach with its far-flung flock during the upcoming Holy Year. Pope Francis will inaugurate a webcam on Dec. 2 to be installed beneath the main altar of St. Peter’s...
Downtown Greensburg stores to offer incentives to shoppers on Small Business Saturday
Elsie Lampl wants to see crowded sidewalks in downtown Greensburg on Saturday, filled with residents ready to support small businesses. Created 15 years ago by American Express, Small Business Saturday is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving to generate support for locally owned stores. Downtown Greensburg shoppers will receive parking discounts...
The number of children recruited by gangs in Haiti soars by 70%, UNICEF says
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Gangs in Haiti are recruiting children at unprecedented levels, with the number of minors targeted soaring by 70% in the past year, according to a report released Monday by UNICEF. Currently, between 30% to 50% of all gang members in the violence-wracked country are children,...
Loa Angeles judge delays decision on resentencing Menendez brothers until January
LOS ANGELES — A judge on Monday delayed until January his decision on whether to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion 35 years ago, squashing their family’s hope the brothers would be released and home for the holidays. Superior Court Judge Michael...
White woman who fatally shot Black neighbor through door faces manslaughter sentence in Florida
A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through her front door during an ongoing dispute over the neighbor’s boisterous children faces sentencing Monday for her manslaughter conviction. Susan Lorincz, 60, was convicted in August of killing 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.” Owens by firing a single shot from her...
‘Busiest Thanksgiving ever’: How the TSA plans to handle record air travel
DALLAS — Just as there are good odds the turkey will taste dry, airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end in another record day for air travel in the United States. The people responsible for keeping security lines, boarding areas...
Hundreds of homeowners in England and Wales battle floodwaters after weekend storm
LONDON — Hundreds of homeowners in England and Wales were battling floodwaters Monday morning after the second major storm of the winter brought widespread disruption to the U.K. Several rail operators cancelled services as more than 180 flood warnings remained in place after Storm Bert lashed the country with heavy...
Matt Gaetz’ bad boy image finally catches up with him
TALLAHASSEE — Matt Gaetz’ knack for courting controversy has finally caught up with him. The right-wing firebrand, political prankster, steadfast Trump defender and party animal stepped down as the president-elect’s choice for Attorney General once it was made clear to him he didn’t have the needed support in the U.S....
$344 for a coffee? Scottish farm selling U.K.’s most expensive cup
LONDON — It’s an enormous price to pay for a little cup of coffee, but the man behind the pitch promises it won’t leave a bitter taste behind because it comes with a sweetener: a share of a dairy farm. A Scottish dairy is offering what it bills as the...
Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro secures $153 million for SEPTA, averting fare hike planned for 2025
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, in a moment suggestive of last year’s fast rebuild of a collapsed I-95 bridge, swooped into Philadelphia Friday to announce he was redirecting $153 million in federal highway funds to SEPTA, averting a significant fare increase planned for Jan. 1. The cash amounts to a fiscal...
After Trump’s win, Black women are rethinking their role as America’s reliable political organizers
ATLANTA — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington. As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in...