Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says Donald Trump is ‘obsessed’ with him after his ‘antisemitic’ Truth Social rantVideo
CHICAGO — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Thursday said former President Donald Trump was “obsessed” with him and accused him of promoting “antisemitic tropes,” following the former president’s late-night social media attack on Shapiro. After Shapiro’s speech Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention, Trump called him a “highly overrated...
Family of West Virginia governor, running for Senate, has deal to avoid Greenbrier hotel foreclosure
CHARLESTON — The family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has reached an agreement with a credit collection company to avoid the foreclosure of their historic hotel as he runs for U.S. Senate, the resort announced Thursday. The Republican governor’s family had been set to appear in court Friday to...
Supreme Court rejects GOP push to block 41K Arizona voters, but partly OKs proof of citizenship law
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a Republican push that could have blocked more than 41,000 Arizona voters from casting ballots for president in the state that Democratic President Joe Biden won by less than 11,000 votes four years ago. But in a 5-4 order, the high court...
Body of British tech magnate Mike Lynch is among those recovered from yacht wreckage, officials say
PORTICELLO, Sicily — The Italian coast guard said Thursday the body of British tech magnate Mike Lynch is among those recovered off the coast of Sicily from the wreckage of a superyacht whose builders had called unsinkable. One woman remains missing. She has not been identified, but Hannah Lynch, Lynch’s...
What polling shows about Americans’ views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
WASHINGTON — Republicans are more likely than Democrats to have a favorable opinion of Robert F. Kennedy Jr, recent polls show, as allies of Donald Trump urge the independent presidential candidate to drop out and endorse the former Republican president. Kennedy’s support appears to have declined in recent polls as...
A 2nd ex-Memphis officer accused in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols is changing his plea
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A second former Memphis police officer charged with federal civil rights violations in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols last year is changing his not-guilty plea, in a case that sparked outrage and calls for police reform. Emmitt Martin is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge...
FDA approves updated covid-19 vaccines; shots should be available in days
U.S. regulators approved updated covid-19 vaccines Thursday, shots designed to more closely target recent virus strains — and hopefully whatever variants cause trouble this winter, too. With the Food and Drug Administration’s clearance, Pfizer and Moderna are set to begin shipping millions of doses. A third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects...
What to know about Labor Day and its history
DALLAS — From barbecues to getaways to shopping the sales, many people across the U.S. mark Labor Day — the federal holiday celebrating the American worker — by finding ways to relax. This year is the 130th anniversary of the holiday, which is celebrated on the first Monday of September....
U.S. government report says fluoride at twice the recommended limit is linked to lower IQ in kids
NEW YORK — A U.S. government report expected to stir debate concluded that fluoride in drinking water at twice the recommended limit is linked with lower IQ in children. The report, based on an analysis of previously published research, marks the first time a federal agency has determined — “with...
Blackouts in extreme weather drive demand for cleaner backup power
Software engineer Kenna Ofoegbu in Houston, Texas tries hard to keep his three kids cool during the summer and that means air conditioning. Yet their house has lost power three times in just the past two and a half months. One of those outages lasted three days. That time, Ofoegbu...
Shapiro takes DNC stage to rally party faithful for Harris: ‘America, let’s get to work’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro took to the Democratic National Convention stage late Wednesday with a freedom-themed, primetime speech and warnings about a second Trump administration. In a nearly 6-minute address in front of a cheering crowd in Chicago and millions more on TV, Shapiro echoed many of the same points...
German president inaugurates the rebuilt tower of a church with Nazi-era historical baggage
BERLIN — Germany’s president on Thursday inaugurated the rebuilt tower of a church that became associated with the Nazis’ takeover of power and whose remains were demolished under communist rule. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said it offers an opportunity to reflect on the country’s complicated past amid a surge in authoritarian...
Thousands of Indonesians attempt to storm parliament to protest changes to election law
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of protesters who attempted to storm parliament on Thursday after they tore down a section of fence and threw stones at police. The unrest forced the legislature to delay a vote on controversial changes to election...
Walz’s night, Bill Clinton’s dig at Trump, influencers flexing clout. DNC Day 3 takeaways
CHICAGO — The Democratic National Convention’s third night showcased a familiar former president, Bill Clinton, and introduced more Americans to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, little known outside his state until Vice President Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate. Walz, with his background as a former teacher and football...
Police raid Andrew Tate’s home in Romania as new allegations emerge involving minorsVideo
BUCHAREST, Romania — Masked police officers in Romania carried out fresh raids early Wednesday at the home of divisive internet influencer Andrew Tate, who is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, said it was...
Harris’ running mate Tim Walz introduces himself to the nation after Bill Clinton tears into TrumpVideo
CHICAGO — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted his party’s nomination for vice president Wednesday night, using his Democratic National Convention address to thank the packed arena for “bringing the joy” to an election transformed by the elevation of his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris. “We’re all here tonight for...
Hunter Biden’s lawyer accuses prosecutors of trying to smear him with salacious details at tax trial
LOS ANGELES — An attorney for Hunter Biden accused prosecutors Wednesday of wanting to introduce salacious details about partying and spending by President Joe Biden’s son to smear his character in front of jurors at his upcoming trial on federal tax charges. During a lengthy hearing in Los Angeles federal...
Report: Pa. State police pull over drivers at similar rates regardless of a driver’s race
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania State Police pulled drivers over at about the same rate regardless of the motorists’ race or...
Trump speaks from behind bulletproof glass at first outdoor rally since his attempted assassinationVideo
ASHEBORO, N.C. — At his first outdoor rally since last month’s attempted assassination, Donald Trump spoke from behind bulletproof glass Wednesday in North Carolina at an event focused on national security. On politics, he called his predecessor Barack Obama “nasty” for his comments the night before at the Democratic National...
Heat dome moves into Texas with record highs expectedVideo
AUSTIN, Texas — A heat dome that has led to nearly 90 consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures in Phoenix moved Wednesday into Texas, with record highs expected to fall by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, energy demand in Texas hit an unofficial all-time high Tuesday, according...
Democrats get a 3rd-party hopeful knocked off Pennsylvania ballot, as Cornel West tries to get on
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Democrats have won legal challenges keeping the left-wing Party for Socialism and Liberation off the battleground state’s presidential ballot, at least for now, while a lawyer with deep Republican Party ties is working to help independent candidate Cornel West get on it. The court cases are among...
RFK Jr. to speak Friday amid speculation he’ll drop independent presidential bid and support Trump
PHOENIX — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will speak Friday “about the present historical moment and his path forward,” his campaign announced Wednesday, fueling growing speculation that Kennedy could drop out and support Republican nominee Donald Trump. Kennedy’s running mate openly discussed the possibility on a podcast this...
Detroit judge is sued after putting teen in handcuffs, jail clothes during field trip
DETROIT — Attorneys for a teenager who was ordered into jail clothes and handcuffs during a field trip to a Detroit court filed a lawsuit against a judge Wednesday, accusing him of humiliation, false arrest and unlawful detention. It is the latest fallout since Judge Kenneth King singled out 15-year-old...
Key mediator Egypt expresses skepticism about Gaza cease-fire proposal as more details emerge
CAIRO — Key mediator Egypt expressed skepticism Wednesday about the proposal meant to bridge gaps in cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas as more details emerged a day before negotiations were expected to resume in Cairo. The challenges around the so-called bridging proposal appeared to undermine the optimism for an...
Babysitter pleads guilty to manslaughter for death of man she injured when he was a baby in 1984
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A former babysitter pleaded guilty to manslaughter Wednesday for the 2019 death of a man she was accused of disabling as an infant 40 years ago and was sentenced to three years in prison, finally admitting that she hit him numerous times. Terry McKirchy, 62, accepted...
