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Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
The people who represent you in D.C. and Harrisburg are allowed to keep their calendars secret
This story originally appeared in Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from the Spotlight PA State College bureau. Sign up at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. STATE COLLEGE — Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, multiple protests have been held outside U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson’s...
Rubio says U.S. will drop Ukraine-Russia peace efforts if no progress within days
PARIS — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the U.S. may “move on” from trying to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if there is no progress in the coming days, after months of efforts have failed to bring an end to the fighting. He spoke in Paris after...
Supreme Court keeps hold on Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship but sets May arguments
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday kept on hold President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship but agreed to hear arguments on the issue in May. Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship for the children of people who are in the U.S. illegally has been halted nationwide by...
Trump administration takes aim at Harvard’s international students and tax-exempt status
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s administration has escalated its ongoing battle with Harvard, threatening to revoke the university’s ability to host international students as the president called for withdrawing Harvard’s tax-exempt status. The Department of Homeland Security ordered Harvard late Tuesday to turn over “detailed records” of its foreign student...
Trump suggests he can remove Fed Chair Powell, saying he’s ‘not happy’ with him over interest rates
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump attacked Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Thursday for not cutting interest rates and said he could fire him if he wanted to, renewing a threat from his first term that could cause a major legal showdown over the issue of the central bank’s longstanding...
Conor Lamb and Lindsay Powell ‘stand in’ for Fetterman and McCormick at Swissvale town hall
More than 200 people filled a Swissvale church basement Wednesday night for a town hall featuring what organizers called two stand-ins for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick. One of the stand-ins, former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, told TribLive prior to taking the stage that he felt the...
Trump administration plans to end IRS Direct File program for free tax filing, AP sources say
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration plans to eliminate the IRS’ Direct File program, an electronic system for filing tax returns directly to the agency for free, according to two people familiar with the decision. The program developed during Joe Biden’s presidency was credited by users with making tax filing easy,...
How war, money and the quest for discovery entwined U.S. government and universities
NEW YORK — The showdown between the Trump administration and Harvard University is spotlighting bare-knuckled politics and big dollar figures. But in the battle of the moment, it’s easy to lose sight of a decades-long alliance between the U.S. government and the nation’s most prominent universities, forged to fight a...
White House to launch new media policy restricting wire services’ access to the president
Fresh from a courtroom loss over The Associated Press’ access to the presidency, the White House on Tuesday put forward a new media policy that sharply curtails access to Donald Trump by news agencies that serve media outlets around the world. It was the latest attempt by the new administration...
China’s economy grows at 5.4% annual pace in January-March quarter
BANGKOK — China’s economy expanded at a 5.4% annual pace in January-March, supported by strong exports ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s rapid increases in tariffs on Chinese exports, the government said Wednesday. Analysts are forecasting that the world’s second largest economy will slow significantly in coming months, however, as...
IRS agent who investigated Hunter Biden expected to be named IRS acting chief
CHICAGO — An IRS whistleblower who testified publicly about investigations into Hunter Biden’s taxes is expected to be promoted to IRS acting commissioner, two sources familiar with the plan tell The Associated Press. Gary Shapley, an IRS employee who testified to Congress as Republicans reviewed the business dealings of Joe...
Pentagon senior adviser Dan Caldwell ousted during investigation into leaks
WASHINGTON — Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has been placed on administrative leave and was escorted out of the Pentagon by security on Tuesday, two defense officials said. The officials said Caldwell’s sudden downfall was tied to an investigation into unauthorized disclosure of department information....
Key security questions remain unanswered in arson at Governor’s residence
It remained unclear how a man evaded security to firebomb the Pennsylvania Governor’s residence in an attack that was decried by elected officials and religious leaders. But the attack is merely the latest in what appears to be a rising tide of violence against elected officials that include the July...
Trump’s commerce secretary says new electronics tariff exemptions are temporary, chip tariffs coming 
NASHVILLE — Tariff exemptions announced Friday on electronics such as smartphones and laptops are only a temporary reprieve until the Trump administration develops a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday. “They’re exempt from the reciprocal tariffs but they’re included in the...
Iran and U.S. envoys hold 1st negotiation — face to face — over Tehran’s nuclear program
MUSCAT, Oman — Iran and the United States will hold more negotiations next week over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, Iranian state television reported Saturday at the end of the first round of talks between the two countries since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. American officials offered...
Trump proclaims himself ‘in good shape,’ but the results of his physical aren’t immediately released
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump had an annual physical on Friday and concluded, “I did well,” praising his own heart, soul and cognitive ability while noting medical reports from White House doctors may not be ready until the weekend. The 78-year-old, who in January became the oldest in U.S. history...
Trump wants Congress to end changing of clocks and keep country on daylight saving time
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday urged Congress to “push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day” in his latest dig at the semiannual changing of clocks. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social media network, said it would be “Very popular and, most importantly,...
Trump reaches deals with 5 law firms, allowing them to avoid prospect of punishing executive orders
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced deals Friday with five law firms that will allow them to avoid the prospect of a punishing executive order and require them to together provide hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of free legal services for causes his administration supports. The resolutions reflect the...
Sen. Dave McCormick joins Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in calling for term limits for members of Congress
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick has joined forces with U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in calling for changes to the Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress — a concept that continues to be an off-and-on debate on Capitol Hill. McCormick’s resolution, introduced Thursday, proposes capping term limits...
Senate confirms Trump nominee Caine for chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff in overnight vote
WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday, filling the position almost two months after President Donald Trump fired his predecessor. Trump nominated Caine to become the top U.S. military officer in...
Emails between Pa. lawmakers, lobbyists will remain hidden from public after court ruling
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 — Emails and other communications between Pennsylvania lawmakers and the lobbyists who try to influence them will remain hidden from the public, an appellate...
Trump nominee for public lands post withdraws after her criticism of Jan. 6 attack surfaces
BILLINGS, Mont. — President Donald Trump’s nominee to oversee an agency that manages a quarter-billion acres of public land has withdrawn her nomination following revelations that she criticized the Republican president in 2021 for inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The withdrawal of Kathleen Sgamma to lead...
Uncertainty still abounds for Western Pa. businesses, consumers despite tariffs pause
Many consumers and business owners across Western Pennsylvania responded Wednesday with a sense of relief to President Trump’s decision to pause most of his hefty reciprocal tariffs on imported goods — and the stock market responded with historic gains. But the 90-day pause doesn’t apply to China, one of the...
House approves budget framework for Trump’s ‘big’ bill after intense wrangling sways GOP holdouts
WASHINGTON — House Republicans narrowly approved their budget framework Thursday, a political turnaround after Speaker Mike Johnson worked into the night to satisfy GOP holdouts who had refused to advance trillions of dollars in tax breaks without deeper spending cuts. Johnson stood with Senate Majority Leader John Thune early in...
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity seriously eyeing run for governor as the GOP race for 2026 heats up
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is seriously considering a run for governor in 2026, as the GOP race to challenge Gov. Josh Shapiro heats up. Garrity, who replaced Shapiro as Pennsylvania’s top vote-getter in history when she won reelection last year, has been a leading prospect for Republican insiders...


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