Enemy drone that killed U.S. troops in Jordan was mistaken for a U.S. drone, preliminary report suggestsVideo
WASHINGTON — U.S. forces may have mistaken an enemy drone for an American one and let it pass unchallenged into a desert base in Jordan where it killed three U.S. troops and wounded dozens more, officials said Monday. Details of the Sunday attack emerged as President Joe Biden faced a...
Game Commission puts hold on plan to return American marten to state woodlands
A plan to reintroduce a native species of weasel into the Pennsylvania wild has been put on hold by the state Game Commission’s board of commissioners. The board voted 6-3 Saturday to table American martens’ potential return to the state’s woodlands. Commissioner Robert Schwalm said he wanted more time in...
Philips Respironics suspends U.S. sales of CPAP, other breathing machines
In the wake of a disastrous recall involving defective sound-dampening foam in several of its breathing machines, Philips Respironics announced Monday that it was suspending sales of its continuous positive airway pressure — or CPAP — machines in the United States. The decision comes as part of a consent decree...
King Charles III has been discharged from a London hospital after a prostate procedure
LONDON — King Charles III and his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, have both left a private London hospital following unrelated medical treatments that have made the health of the royal family headlines news in the United Kingdom. The 75-year-old monarch was admitted to the London Clinic on Friday for...
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin returns to work at the Pentagon after cancer surgery complications
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin returned to work at the Pentagon on Monday after nearly a month’s absence because of prostate cancer and was meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “At this important time, I’m glad to be back at the Pentagon,” said Austin, speaking at the start...
Alex Murdaugh denied new double-murder trial after judge hears jury tampering allegations
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina judge on Monday denied Alex Murdaugh’s bid for a new trial after his defense team accused a clerk of court of tampering with a jury. Judge Jean Toal said she wasn’t sure if Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill was telling the truth that she...
New Orleans thief steals 7 king cakes from bakery in a very Mardi Gras way
NEW ORLEANS — With their purple, gold and green colors and toy babies hidden inside, king cakes are staples of Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, but apparently they’re also valuable enough to steal — at least this time of year during the Carnival season. A thief stole seven king...
Kate, princess of Wales, is discharged from London hospital after abdominal surgery
LONDON — The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor after being hospitalized for abdominal surgery at a private London clinic, her office at Kensington Palace said Monday. The wife of Prince William underwent planned abdominal surgery on Jan. 16 for an undisclosed condition. The palace did not provide...
X pauses Taylor Swift searches as deepfake explicit images spread
Elon Musk’s social media platform X has blocked searches for Taylor Swift as pornographic deepfake images of the singer have circulated online. Attempts to search for her name on the site resulted in an error message and a prompt for users to retry their search, which added, “Don’t fret —...
Apparent Israeli strike on area of Syrian capital where Iran-backed fighters operate kills 2
DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian media and an opposition war monitor said an apparent Israeli airstrike on a Damascus suburb where Iran-backed fighters have a presence killed two people on Monday. An official from an Iranian-backed group said the strike also caused some material damage. There was no immediate comment from...
Irwin natives open Trafford brewery as gathering place for community
Brothers Chris, Nick and Mike Juricich have shared an appreciation for craft beer for as long as they can remember. The Irwin natives will set their passion into motion today with the opening of their latest entrepreneurial venture, Wye Beer Co., located on Forbes Road in Trafford. “Craft beer is...
Central Park 5 exoneree and council member says police stopped him without giving a reason
New York City Council Member Yusef Salaam, a member of the exonerated group of men known as the Central Park Five, says he was stopped and pulled over by police without being given an explanation. The police stop Friday in New York City casts a renewed light on a police...
Teenager awaiting trial in 2020 homicide who fled outside hospital is captured in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A teenager awaiting trial in a homicide case who escaped outside a Philadelphia hospital last week was captured on Sunday, police said. Shane Pryor was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service, said Sgt. Eric Gripp with the Philadelphia Police Department. The marshals will hand the 17-year-old...
Schools are using surveillance tech to catch students vaping, snaring some with harsh punishments
When Aaliyah Iglesias was caught vaping at a Texas high school, she didn’t realize how much could be taken from her. Suddenly, the rest of her high school experience was threatened: being student council president, her role as debate team captain and walking at graduation. Even her college scholarships were...
Police ID man accused of fleeing with suspect’s gun after officer shot, suspect killed
PHILADELPHIA — Authorities have identified a man they allege fled a north Philadelphia corner store with a gun that had been used to wound a police officer after the shooter was fatally wounded by another officer. Police said Sunday that they are seeking 42-year-old Jose Quinones-Mendez on firearms, theft, obstruction...
GOP negotiator defends border proposal amid Trump pressureVideo
A key Republican senator defended an emerging border security deal as a step toward potentially halting illegal immigration, defying persistent pressure by former President Donald Trump to abandon the plan. “I’m looking forward to President Trump getting the opportunity to be able to read it, like everybody else is,” Oklahoma...
Illinois election officials to weigh recommendation to remove Trump’s name from March primary ballot
CHICAGO — Former President Donald Trump should be removed from Illinois’ primary ballot, but the decision should be left to the courts, a retired judge recommended Sunday to the state’s election board, arguing that it was clear Trump engaged in insurrection in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S....
Nikki Haley commits to staying in 2024 GOP race through Super TuesdayVideo
Nikki Haley vowed to stay in the Republican presidential primary race at least through Super Tuesday while chiding a tabled plan by the Republican National Committee that called for the party to coalesce around Donald Trump. Haley said she expects to perform better in her home state of South Carolina...
Long-sought charter school changes on table as Pa. lawmakers plot education funding overhaul
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. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering significant changes to the way charter schools are funded as they undertake a monumental overhaul of public education mandated...
Biden says U.S. ‘shall respond’ after drone strike by Iran-backed group kills 3 troops in Jordan
COLUMBIA, S.C. — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the U.S. “shall respond” after three American troops were killed and dozens more were injured in an overnight drone strike in northeast Jordan near the Syrian border. Biden blamed Iran-backed militias for the first U.S. fatalities after months of strikes by...
Most Americans feel they pay too much in taxes, AP-NORC poll finds
NEW YORK — A majority of taxpayers feel they pay too much in taxes, with many saying that they receive a poor value in return, according to a new poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Two-thirds...
Who was St. Brigid and why is she inspiring many 1,500 years after her death?
Devotees of St. Brigid celebrated her Sunday with the return of a relic associated with the so-called matron saint of Ireland. The festivities came about a millennium after her remains were removed from the town of Kildare, where she founded a prestigious abbey and inspired a host of colorful, miracle-filled...
GOP legislatures in some states seek ways to undermine voters’ ability to determine abortion rights
CHICAGO — Legislative efforts in Missouri and Mississippi are attempting to prevent voters from having a say over abortion rights, building on anti-abortion strategies seen in other states, including last year in Ohio. Democrats and abortion rights advocates say the efforts are evidence that Republican lawmakers and abortion opponents are...
Biden is trying to balance Gaza protests and free speech rights as demonstrators disrupt his events
MANASSAS, Va. — It was President Joe Biden’s first big campaign rally of the year, a chance to spotlight the issue of protecting abortion rights. Instead, at least a dozen times during Biden’s 22-minute speech, demonstrators scattered throughout the audience rose to shout out demands for a cease-fire in Gaza....
UN chief calls for resumed funding of Palestinian aid agency after allegations of militant ties
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — The secretary-general of the United Nations on Sunday called on countries to resume funding the main agency providing aid in the Gaza Strip after a dozen of its employees were accused of taking part in the Hamas attack on Israel that ignited the war four months...
