GOP presidential candidates unified on Israel but divided on China as they debate without TrumpVideo
MIAMI — In their first debate since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, the Republican presidential candidates all declared hawkish support for Israel but squabbled over China and Ukraine as they faced growing pressure to try to catch Donald Trump — who was again absent. At center stage were Ron...
U.S. launches airstrike on Syrian site in response to attacks by Iranian-backed militias
WASHINGTON — The U.S. launched an airstrike on a facility in eastern Syria used by Iranian-backed militias, in retaliation for what has been a growing number of attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in the region for the past several weeks, the Pentagon said. Wednesday’s strike by two U.S. F-15...
Timika Lane wins court seat, as Pennsylvania Democrats sweep 4 statewide judicial races
HARRISBURG — Democrat Timika Lane won a seat on a statewide appellate court in Pennsylvania, giving Democrats a sweep of four statewide judicial races in Tuesday’s election, including an open seat on the state’s highest court. Vote-counting continued into Wednesday and put Lane, a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge, over...
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves wins 2nd term, defeating Democrat Brandon Presley
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves won a second term Tuesday in the conservative state where his party dominates. Reeves defeated challenger Brandon Presley, who raised more money and made an aggressive push to give Democrats a rare statewide victory in the Deep South. “Mississippi has momentum, and...
Suspect in custody in recent fatal stabbing of Detroit synagogue leader
DETROIT — Police said a suspect was in custody Wednesday in the fatal stabbing of a Detroit synagogue leader whose recent death had raised questions about whether it was motivated by antisemitism. “It does not represent the conclusion of our work in this case,” police Chief James White said. “The...
To help 2024 voters, Meta says it will begin labeling political ads that use AI-generated imagery
WASHINGTON — Facebook and Instagram will require political ads running on their platforms to disclose if they were created using artificial intelligence, their parent company announced on Wednesday. Under the new policy by Meta, labels acknowledging the use of AI will appear on users’ screens when they click on ads....
House Republicans subpoena Hunter and James Biden as their impeachment inquiry ramps back up
WASHINGTON — House Republicans issued subpoenas Wednesday to members of President Joe Biden’s family, taking their most aggressive step yet in an impeachment inquiry bitterly opposed by Democrats that is testing the reach of congressional oversight powers. The long-awaited move by Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight...
FDA approves new version of diabetes drug Mounjaro for weight loss
A new version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro can be sold as a weight-loss drug, U.S. regulators announced Wednesday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly’s drug, named Zepbound. The drug, also known as tirzepatide, helped dieters lose as much as 40 to 60 pounds in testing....
Residents sheltered in place for hours after chemical plant explosion in rural Texas injured workerVideo
HOUSTON — A massive fire at a chemical plant in rural Texas on Wednesday sent a plume of black smoke into the sky as officials closed down a local highway and ordered residents to take shelter for several hours. Authorities had asked residents within a one-mile radius of a chemical...
Colorado funeral home owner, wife arrested on charges linked to the handling of at least 189 bodies
DENVER — The owner of a Colorado funeral home and his wife were arrested Wednesday after the decaying remains of at least 189 people were recently found at his facility. Jon and Carrie Hallford were arrested in Wagoner, Oklahoma, on suspicion of four felonies — abuse of a corpse, theft,...
Adidas says it may write off remaining unsold Yeezy shoes after breakup with Ye
FRANKFURT, Germany — Adidas said it might have to write off the remaining 300 million euros ($320 million) worth of Yeezy shoes left unsold after it cut ties with rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. The company will decide in the coming weeks whether or not to do a...
Red hot October almost guarantees 2023 will be the hottest year on record
This October was the hottest on record globally, 1.7 degrees Celsius (3.1 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the pre-industrial average for the month — and the fifth straight month with such a mark in what will now almost certainly be the warmest year ever recorded. October was a whopping 0.4 degrees...
Pakistan says nearly 25,000 Afghans waiting for visas to U.S. won’t be deported as part of clampdown
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s prime minister on Wednesday sought to reassure thousands of Afghans waiting in Pakistan for resettlement in the United States that they won’t be deported as part of his government’s widely criticized crackdown on undocumented migrants in the country. Islamabad has launched a crackdown on illegal migration, saying...
Russia seeks 8-year prison term for an artist and musician who protested the war in Ukraine
TALLINN, Estonia — Russian authorities on Wednesday demanded an eight-year prison term for an artist and musician who was jailed after speaking out against Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Sasha Skochilenko was arrested in her native St. Petersburg in April 2022, on charges of spreading false information about the military after...
Ivanka Trump’s testimony: She worked on dad’s deals, not financial documents key to civil fraud case
NEW YORK — Ivanka Trump didn’t want to testify. But on the the stand Wednesday in her father’s civil fraud trial, she took the opportunity to contend the family business has “overdelivered,” even as she kept her distance from financial documents that New York state says were fraudulent. Former President...
Putin calls for closer Russia-China cooperation on military satellites and prospective weapons
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin told a senior Chinese military official Wednesday that Moscow and Beijing should expand their cooperation on military satellites and other prospective defense technologies— a statement that signaled increasingly close defense links between the allies. Putin spoke in televised remarks at the start of his...
Citigroup discriminated against Armenian Americans, federal regulator says; bank fined $25.9M
NEW YORK — Citigroup intentionally discriminated against Armenian Americans when they applied for credit cards, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Wednesday, as the bank argued internally that Armenians were more likely to commit fraud and referred to applicants as “bad guys” or affiliated with organized crime. The CFPB found...
Croatia withdraws some bottled drinks and urges people to drink tap water after several fall ill
ZAGREB, Croatia — Authorities in Croatia recommended Wednesday that people drink only tap water as they investigated reports of several people sickened or suffering throat injuries allegedly after consuming bottled beverages. Health authorities ordered the “suspected” products pulled from shops and restaurants, without specifying which products. However, photos on social...
It was a night of firsts amid local, national election results
History was made around the U.S. — and in Western Pennsylvania — on Tuesday as several newly elected candidates earned firsts for their respective offices. In Allegheny County, Democrat Sara Innamorato became the first woman to win the county executive seat after she defeated Republican Joe Rockey. On the other...
Ohio votes to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use, becoming 24th state to do so
COLUMBUS — Ohio voters approved a proposal legalizing recreational marijuana on Tuesday, defying Republican legislative leaders who had failed to pass the proposed law. Passage of Issue 2 makes Ohio the 24th state to allow adult cannabis use for non-medical purposes. The new law will allow adults 21 and over...
Ohio voters enshrine abortion access in constitution in latest statewide win for reproductive rights
COLUMBUS — Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment on Tuesday that ensures access to abortion and other forms of reproductive health care, the latest victory for abortion rights supporters since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. Ohio became the seventh state where voters decided to protect...
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear reelected to 2nd term in Kentucky, overcoming state’s GOP dominance
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear won reelection to a second term Tuesday, notching another significant statewide victory in an increasingly red state that could serve as a model for other Democrats on how to thrive politically heading into next year’s defining presidential election. Beshear, 45, rode his stewardship...
Democrat Cherelle Parker is elected as Philadelphia’s 100th mayor, 1st woman to hold the office
Cherelle Parker, a Democrat who has held office at the state and local level after first becoming involved in politics as a teenager, was elected Tuesday as Philadelphia’s 100th mayor, becoming the first woman to hold the post. Parker, 51, emerged from a crowded field of Democrats in the May...
2023 Western Pennsylvania election results roundup: Innamorato and Zappala win, local races
Voters in Western Pennsylvania headed out to the polls Tuesday to decide races from Westmoreland County commissioners to the Allegheny County executive and district attorney. Results for Allegheny and Westmoreland county races are posted here. Here’s what we know about the results Tuesday night: Statewide Pennsylvania Supreme Court • Democrat...
2023 Allegheny and Westmoreland county election results
Results for Allegheny and Westmoreland county races are here....
