Twitter tests disappearing tweets, starts in Brazil
SAN FRANCISCO — Twitter is starting to test tweets that disappear after 24 hours, although initially only in Brazil. The company says the ephemeral tweets, which it calls “fleets” because of their fleeting nature, are designed to allay the concerns of new users who might be turned off by the...
Supreme Court divided in 1st big abortion case of Trump era
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared divided in its first major abortion case of the Trump era, leaving Chief Justice John Roberts as the likely deciding vote. Roberts did not say enough to tip his hand in an hour of spirited arguments at the high court Wednesday. The court’s election-year...
Spanish minister defends bold slogan for bill on sex crimes
MADRID — Spain’s minister of equality defended herself Wednesday from attacks by right-wing opposition parties who have criticized her use of a bold slogan to support the government’s draft bill on sex crimes. The ministry included the slogan “Drunk and alone, I want to make it home” on a message...
Ukraine prime minister ousted, president seeks ‘new brains’
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian lawmakers overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to accept the resignation of the prime minister, whose performance over his six-month tenure came under severe criticism from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The president’s Servant of the People party, which dominates the parliament, took the lead in relieving Oleksiy Honcharuk of his...
Toyota adds 1.1M vehicles to fuel pump recall
DETROIT — Toyota is adding 1.1 million U.S. vehicles to a major recall to fix possible fuel pump failures that can cause engines to stall. The company said Wednesday that the added vehicles bring the total to 1.8 million. In January, Toyota recalled nearly 700,000 vehicles in the United States...
Warren huddles with advisers, reassesses presidential raceVideo
WASHINGTON — Elizabeth Warren was huddling with her campaign advisers Wednesday to determine if there was a reason to stay in the race after her Super Tuesday wipe-out. An aide to the Massachusetts senator said she was speaking to staffers and assessing the path forward. The aide spoke on the...
Bloomberg drops out of presidential race, endorses BidenVideo
NEW YORK — Billionaire Mike Bloomberg ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. It was a stunning collapse for the former New York City mayor, who had his 2020 hopes on the Super Tuesday states and pumped more than $500...
Pennsylvania drivers 40th in the nation in gas consumption
Could that pesky gas tax be taking a toll on Sunday drivers in the Keystone State? Could drivers here be turning to more fuel efficient vehicles, or is pothole avoidance syndrome taking a toll? Regardless of the cause, it looks as though gas consumption here may be edging down ever...
Warren’s future uncertain after loss in home state of Mass.
WASHINGTON — The future of Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign was in serious doubt after she was defeated in Tuesday’s Democratic primary in her home state of Massachusetts. The disappointing finish in the state she represents, and a weak showing in other Super Tuesday states, marked a striking collapse for...
Takeaways from Super Tuesday: Biden’s big bounce
DENVER — Super Tuesday is the biggest day on the primary calendar, and the results seem very likely to reshape the Democratic presidential race in ways few could have predicted a couple weeks ago. Here are some takeaways from the results. BIDEN BOUNCES BACK BIG It is hard to overstate...
Trump says he spoke to a Taliban leader, had ‘good talk’Video
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he spoke on the phone to a Taliban leader, making him the first U.S. president believed to have ever spoken directly with the militant group responsible for the deaths of thousands of U.S. troops in nearly 19 years of fighting in Afghanistan....
Numerous weapons found after UPS worker threatened mass shooting
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — A UPS worker suspected of threatening a mass shooting at the company’s facility in Silicon Valley has been arrested after investigators found numerous firearms and ammunition at his home, police said. Thomas Andrews, 32, surrendered late Sunday after leading officers on a brief car pursuit on U.S....
Sanders wins top prize, California; Biden surges nationwide
WASHINGTON — Bernie Sanders seized victory in Super Tuesday’s biggest prize, California, while a resurgent Joe Biden scored wins in the upper Midwest and African American strongholds in the South, in a dramatic offensive. The two Democrats, lifelong politicians with starkly different visions for America’s future, were battling for delegates...
Northampton County restricts immigration agents after courthouse arrest
A Pennsylvania county imposed restrictions on U.S. immigration agents Tuesday after a federal officer arrested a man at the courthouse, sparking a heated confrontation that was captured on video. Franklin Urrutia-Cordon, 32, went to the Northampton County Courthouse for a hearing in his drunken driving case and unexpectedly found himself...
Pennsylvania begins coronavirus testing at state-owned lab
A Pennsylvania state laboratory is now able to handle about six tests per day for a new coronavirus that is sickening people across the globe, state health officials said Tuesday. The state’s health secretary, Dr. Rachel Levine, said getting test results from the state-run lab in Exton is reducing the...
911 dispatcher in Ohio suspended after refusing to send ambulance to stroke victim
CINCINNATI — An Ohio emergency dispatcher accused of violating several procedures while taking a call about a man who later died from a stroke was suspended. The dispatcher’s suspension was the result of an investigation by Cincinnati’s Emergency Communication Center of a call on Jan. 12, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported....
Tensions rise as U.S. death toll from coronavirus reaches 9
SEATTLE — Tensions over how to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus escalated Tuesday in the United States as the death toll climbed to nine and lawmakers expressed doubts about the government’s ability to ramp up testing fast enough to deal with the crisis. All of the deaths have occurred in Washington...
VA sued over veteran’s death from wrongful insulin injection
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A woman is suing the federal government over the 2018 death of her father from a wrongful insulin injection at a West Virginia veterans hospital. Melanie Proctor filed the lawsuit Monday against Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie. It details a “widespread system of failures” at the Louis...
U.S. Supreme Court debates presidential power on Super Tuesday
The Supreme Court wrestled Tuesday with whether to make it easier for the president to fire the head of the agency that enforces federal consumer financial laws, a decision that could ultimately impact a vast range of agencies. The high court was hearing arguments in a case involving the Consumer...
Lawmakers close in on $7.5B bipartisan measure to battle coronavirus
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are finalizing a $7.5 billion emergency bill to fund the government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, in a burst of bipartisan cooperation that’s atypical of today’s Washington. Sen. Chuck Schumer, a caustic critic of President Donald Trump’s handling of the spreading crisis, said he’s expecting a bipartisan...
Publisher pushes back release date for John Bolton’s book
NEW YORK — The publisher of John Bolton’s highly anticipated memoir has pushed back the release date from March 17 to mid-May. Simon & Schuster cited the ongoing government security review of the former national security adviser’s “The Room Where It Happened.” The new date is May 12, the publisher...
Pa. mom gets 9 to 20 years in death of 4-month-old daughter
LANCASTER — A mother has been sentenced to nine to 20 years in prison in the strangulation death of her 4-month-old daughter almost two years ago. Court documents indicate that Candace Parrow, 25, pleaded no contest but mentally ill Monday to criminal homicide, aggravated assault and strangulation. Lancaster County authorities...
Klan group plans another rally in Dayton; mayor upset
DAYTON, Ohio — A Ku Klux Klan group that caused tensions with a rally in Ohio last year has applied to hold another one this year. The Honorable Sacred Knights of Indiana recently asked for a permit for a Sept. 5 rally in Dayton. Montgomery County’s administrator said the application...
W.Va. House passes bill making it easier to use solar energy
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It could soon be easier for power companies to use solar energy under a bill passed Tuesday in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Lawmakers voted 75-23 to approve the measure after around an hour of debate that revolved around whether it’s better to focus on coal...
UAW, stung by corruption, seeks $1.3M for vacation home
DETROIT — The United Auto Workers is seeking $1.29 million for the Michigan vacation home of its former president. The Detroit News reports that the home’s design plan included granite counters, stainless-steel appliances, a fireplace, wine cooler and a hidden storage room. It was built for Dennis Williams, who retired...
