‘Nearly fell asleep on stage’: Biden blames travel for poor debate as he looks to calm revolt
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden blamed travel plans that took him to France and Italy in the weeks ahead of his disastrous debate against Donald Trump for his poor performance on stage, seeking to explain a moment that has upended the 2024 race and imperiled his reelection prospects. “I didn’t...
Pa.’s health secretary wins Senate confirmation to the post on 2nd try
After 18 months as serving as the acting head of Pennsylvania’s Department of Health, Dr. Debra Bogen is now the state’s health secretary. Bogen, a pediatrician and former head of the Allegheny County Health Department, won Senate confirmation on Tuesday by a 42-8 bipartisan vote. “I look forward to continuing...
Virginia certifies John McGuire as primary winner over Rep. Bob Good, who says he’ll seek a recount
RICHMOND — The Virginia State Board of Elections on Tuesday certified the apparent narrow defeat of Republican Rep. Bob Good, one of America’s most conservative congressmen, to a challenger endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the state’s primaries on June 18. The board’s unanimous vote to certify the results...
Fetterman calls Abandon Biden movement dumb, defends Biden’s debate performance on Fox News
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., criticized the Abandon Biden movement as part of his fierce defense of President Joe Biden in the midst of a post-debate panic among Democrats. Abandon Biden is a group of Muslim activists and allies who previously supported Biden and want to punish him for supporting Israel...
Arkansas grocery store reopens in wake of mass shooting that left 4 dead
FORDYCE, Ark. — The sounds that filled the Mad Butcher grocery store on Tuesday — the beeping barcode scanners, the rattle of shopping carts and cash register drawers opening — were familiar ones for customers and employees of the only grocery store in the small Arkansas town of Fordyce. But...
Cleveland officer who killed Tamir Rice leaves new job in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The former Cleveland officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014 has resigned from a police force in West Virginia, the third time in six years he left a small department amid backlash shortly after he had been hired. White Sulphur Springs City officials said Timothy...
Union sues Philadelphia over requirement that city workers return to the office full time
A union that represents thousands of Philadelphia city employees asked a judge Tuesday to block Mayor Cherelle Parker’s requirement that they return to their offices full time as of July 15. The lawsuit, filed by District Council 47 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, claims the...
Many Democrats feel powerless to replace Biden as party leaders fight to contain debate fallout
WASHINGTON — Bernie Sanders describes President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance as “painful.” In an interview, he says he’s not confident that Biden can win this fall. But the progressive senator from Vermont does not want Biden to step aside. Instead, Sanders, who served as Biden’s chief rival in the...
FDA approves a 2nd Alzheimer’s drug that can modestly slow disease
WASHINGTON — U.S. officials have approved another Alzheimer’s drug that can modestly slow the disease, providing a new option for patients in the early stages of the incurable, memory-destroying ailment. The Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly’s Kisunla on Tuesday for mild or early cases of dementia caused by...
The U.S. will pay Moderna $176 million to develop an mRNA pandemic flu vaccine
The U.S. government will pay the vaccine maker Moderna $176 million to accelerate development of a pandemic influenza vaccine that could be used to treat bird flu in people, as concern grows about cases in dairy cows across the country, federal officials announced Tuesday. Moderna already has a bird flu...
Supreme Court to weigh whether regulators were heavy handed with flavored e-cigarette products
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court took up an e-cigarette case Tuesday, weighing Food and Drug Administration decisions blocking the marketing of sweet flavored products amid a surge in vaping by young people. The FDA is appealing a lower court ruling siding with vape companies who argue the FDA unfairly denied...
Giuliani disbarred in New York as court finds he repeatedly lied about Trump’s 2020 election loss
NEW YORK — Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, federal prosecutor and legal adviser to Donald Trump, was disbarred in New York on Tuesday after a court found he repeatedly made false statements about Trump’s 2020 election loss. The Manhattan appeals court ruled Giuliani, who had his New...
Trump says he can end the Russia-Ukraine war in 1 day, Russia’s UN ambassador says he can’t
UNITED NATIONS — Donald Trump has repeatedly said he could settle the war between Russia and Ukraine in one day if he’s elected president again. Russia’s United Nations ambassador says he can’t. When asked to respond to the claim from the presumptive Republican nominee, Vassily Nebenzia told reporters Monday that...
Judge delays Trump’s hush money sentencing until at least September after high court immunity ruling
Former President Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case has been postponed until at least September after the judge agreed Tuesday to weigh the possible impact of a new Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. Trump had been scheduled to face sentencing July 11 on his New York conviction...
Defense Secretary Austin says the U.S. will provide $2.3B more in military aid to Ukraine
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday that the U.S. will soon announce an additional $2.3 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, to include anti-tank weapons, interceptors and munitions for Patriot and other air defense systems. Austin’s remarks came as Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with him at...
U.S. gives key approval to Atlantic Shores offshore wind farm in New Jersey
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The U.S. Interior Department approved the proposed Atlantic Shores offshore wind farm in New Jersey on Tuesday, giving a major boost to a project that would be the state’s first. The project still requires an additional federal approval of its construction and operations plan, along with...
Beryl heads toward Jamaica as a major hurricane after ripping through southeast CaribbeanVideo
ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada — Hurricane Beryl roared through open waters Tuesday as a powerful Category 4 storm heading toward Jamaica after earlier making landfall in the southeast Caribbean, killing at least six people. A hurricane warning was in effect for Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac and for Haiti’s...
At least 105 dead in stampede at religious event in India
LUCKNOW, India — A stampede among thousands of people at a religious gathering in northern India has killed at least 105 and left scores injured, officials said Tuesday, with many women and children among the dead. Attendees had rushed to leave the makeshift tent following an event with Hindu figure...
Biden’s campaign announces a $264 million fundraising haul in 2nd quarter during post-debate anxiety
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden ‘s reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee reported raising $264 million in the year’s second quarter, an impressive haul that may help them calm fears within their own party about last week’s shaky debate performance. The total announced Tuesday includes $127 million collected during...
Biden administration proposes rule for workplaces to address excessive heat
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration proposed a new rule Tuesday to address excessive heat in the workplace, as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories due to blistering temperatures. If finalized, the measure would protect an estimated 36 million U.S. workers from injuries related to...
Israel orders Palestinians to flee Khan Younis, signaling likely new assault on southern Gaza city
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — The Israeli army ordered a mass evacuation of Palestinians from much of Khan Younis on Monday, a sign that troops are likely to launch a new ground assault into the Gaza Strip’s second-largest city. The order suggests Khan Younis will be the latest target of...
School board organization could become subject to Pa.’s open records law
The organization that represents Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts would be required to live under the same transparency rules as most other governmental agencies under legislation that passed the Senate on Monday by a near party-line 28-22 vote. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill, would subject the Pennsylvania School Boards...
Pa. House passes bill to reinstate ‘lunch shaming’ ban, wipe students’ school meal debts
The Pennsylvania House on Monday moved to create a program that would wipe away large amounts of student lunch debt and reinstate a ban on “lunch shaming,” which had been enacted and then repealed in the commonwealth several years ago. During Monday’s session, the House gave final approval to a...
Trump seeks to set aside New York hush money verdict hours after Supreme Court ruling
NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s lawyers on Monday asked the New York judge who presided over his hush money trial to set aside his conviction and delay his sentencing, scheduled for later this month. The letter to Judge Juan M. Merchan cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling earlier Monday and...
After Supreme Court immunity ruling, Biden draws sharp contrast with Trump on obeying rule of lawVideo
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is seeking to put the focus squarely onto Donald Trump following his uneven debate performance last week. Speaking Monday after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting broad immunity from prosecution to Trump and other presidents, Biden said the high court’s ruling had undermined the rule...
