Top Stories category, Page 257
Trump nominates Ed Martin, an ally who defended Jan. 6 rioters, to stay as top D.C. federal prosecutor
WASHINGTON — Conservative activist Ed Martin, who echoed Donald Trump’s baseless claims of a stolen 2020 election and defended Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol rioters, was nominated by the president on Monday to be the top federal prosecutor in Washington on a permanent basis. Martin had been serving as U.S....
Trump begins firings of FAA air traffic control staff just weeks after fatal D.C. plane crash
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has begun firing several hundred Federal Aviation Administration employees, upending staff on a busy air travel weekend and just weeks after a January fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Probationary workers were targeted in late night emails Friday notifying them they had...
Fox Chapel couple share volunteer duties for weekly foodshare outreach in Sharpsburg
A retired couple from Fox Chapel are committed to providing food assistance to residents living in Sharpsburg who often face food challenges living in a food desert, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as a low-income geographic area with a large share of residents who don’t have access to...
Trump’s tariffs expose Ukraine’s steel industry to another war
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine — The steel mill in a partially occupied region of Ukraine is a dystopian maze of flames, chutes and tentacled pipes, vast enough to be a small city. Thunderous blazes of sparks flash above the open furnaces where workers smelt iron ore into streams of molten metal day...
Dangerous cold in the forecast, blizzard warning for parts of region
Bundle up, Pittsburgh. A blizzard warning, subzero wind chills and dangerously frigid weather is forecast all week for much of the greater Pittsburgh region. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning Monday for areas of Westmoreland and Fayette counties until 3 p.m., with expected wind gusts up to 35...
TV Talk: ‘SNL’ celebrates 50 years; Pittsburgher back on ‘Jeopardy!’
“SNL50: The Anniversary Special” offered something for all fans: Those who come for the music (Lil Wayne and The Roots; Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard; Paul McCartney), for viewers who love the recurring sketches/characters (Mike Myers’ Linda Richman; Cecily Strong’s Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation with at...
Madden Monday: Fights to start Team USA-Canada game ‘devalued’ the momentVideo
A lot of people went crazy about the Team USA hockey win over Canada on Saturday, in large part because of the three fights in 9 seconds to open the game. USA vs. Canada started off in MADNESS ????????: ABC/ESPN+/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/BrWlXzMb7J— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025 For his part, though,...
Justice Department’s independence threatened as Trump’s team asserts power over cases, staff
WASHINGTON — Pam Bondi had insisted at her Senate confirmation hearing that as attorney general, her Justice Department would not “play politics.” Yet in the month since the Trump administration took over the building, a succession of actions has raised concerns the department is doing exactly that. Top officials have...
Fire in high-rise apartment overlooking the Point injures at least 1
A fire broke out Sunday evening in a top floor of a high-rise apartment building in Pittsburgh’s Duquesne Heights neighborhood. The apartment building, overlooking the Point, is located at 1700 Grandview Ave., several blocks from the Duquesne Incline. TribLive news partner WTAE reports that at least one person was taken...
Ukraine, Europe worry about being sidelined as Trump pushes direct talks with Russia on war’s endVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s approach to ending Russia’s war against Ukraine has left European allies and Ukrainian officials worried they are being largely sidelined by the new U.S. administration as Washington and Moscow plan direct negotiations. With the three-year war grinding on, Trump is sending Secretary of State Marco...
2 pedestrians injured in hit and run in Shadyside
Two people were injured Sunday afternoon when they were struck by a car on South Aiken Avenue in Shadyside. A spokeswoman for the Pittsburgh police said the man and woman were crossing at Centre Avenue around 1:45 p.m. when a driver attempting to make a left turn onto South Aiken...
Trump administration wants Supreme Court to permit the firing of whistleblower agency head
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration wants the Supreme Court to permit the firing of the head of the federal agency dedicated to protecting whistleblowers, according to documents obtained Sunday that would mark the first appeal to the justices since President Donald Trump took office. The emergency appeal is the start...
At least 9 people are dead, including 8 in Kentucky, in latest blast of winter weatherVideo
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — At least nine people have died in the most recent round of harsh weather to pummel the U.S., including eight people in Kentucky who died as creeks swelled from heavy rain and water covered roads. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday that hundreds of people stranded by...
Heavy rain brings flood warnings for region; snow expected in afternoon
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for parts of Western Pennsylvania. Rain is expected to increase Sunday morning and early afternoon, creating conditions for potential flooding in parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland counties. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen over the last...
Inside Western Pennsylvania’s thriving sword-fighting community
A sword is the draw. Each participant carries a 48- to 52-inch saber into the former Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in East Deer for Friday Night Fights where, two by two, they enter a ring wearing gear representative of medieval times. They are prepared to attack their opponent —...
Decreased barge traffic could impact river locks in Harmar, Highland Park
Lock service in Harmar and Highland Park could be on the chopping block pending a review of commercial barge traffic this year. “It could very well happen,” said Mike Ferris, president of the Allegheny River Development Corp. “We don’t know when it would happen, but it will be reviewed this...
‘It’s a wake-up call’: Researchers, companies say NIH funding changes could be lethal to innovations
During her medical training, Dr. Miriam Cremer watched a woman suffering from advanced cervical cancer bleed to death in Arcatao, El Salvador. That preventable tragedy is what sowed the seeds of her Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, she said. Basic Health International’s mission is to develop ways to diagnose and treat cervical cancer....
From brownfield to crown jewel: Piatt’s $740M Esplanade project aims to spur Ohio River revival
When drivers emerge from the Fort Pitt Tunnel, they’re greeted by a majestic view of Pittsburgh’s dazzling rivers, the iconic Point State Park fountain and the city’s soaring skyline. And when Lucas Piatt glances left as he drives along the Fort Pitt Bridge, he can already envision the massive Ferris...
Manor couple aims to create pet-finding app after death of 16-year-old goat
When Penny Layne ventured into the woods behind her Manor home on an icy January night, only one objective was on her mind: to find her missing 16-year-old goat, Patrick. Armed with a flashlight and a cellphone battery life near zero, Layne climbed over downed trees and trudged through the...
Art show in Butler honors Marc Fogel’s return from Russian prison
Throughout Marc Fogel’s 3½ years of imprisonment in Russia, members of Pittsburgh’s arts community rallied together to bring attention to the cause of the Butler native. They hosted the “Make a Marc” event in spring 2023, which included 90 artists and 1,000 visitors. In September, they participated in an event...
Paul Whelan describes life after nearly six years in Russian captivity
Former Marine Paul Whelan said, even though he’s been back in the United States since August — after more than five years of Russian captivity — his reintegration into American society continues. “Everything’s familiar, but you still have to get used to it,” Whelan said in an interview with TribLive...
Trump moves with dizzying speed on his to-do list. But there are warning signs in his 1st month
WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump approaches the first-month mark in his second term, he has moved with dizzying speed and blunt force to reorder American social and political norms and the economy while redefining the U.S. role in the world. At the same time, he has empowered Elon Musk,...
Anger, chaos and confusion take hold as federal workers face mass layoffs
NEW YORK — Workers across the country responded with anger and confusion Friday as they grappled with the Trump administration ‘s aggressive effort to shrink the size of the federal workforce by ordering agencies to lay off probationary employees who have yet to qualify for civil service protections. While much...
Federal judge rejects NLRB injunction sought by Post-Gazette unions
A federal judge has rejected an injunction request filed by the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of three striking unions against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. If granted, the injunction would have forced the newspaper to allow workers to return to the job as negotiations and legal actions continue. Newsroom and...
Fogel completes medical evaluation in Texas, sends message of gratitude to supportersVideo
Former Oakmont teacher Marc Fogel, freed from more than three years of Russian captivity on Tuesday, has completed the first phase of his reintegration to freedom in the United States. In a message he sent to his attorney, Sasha Phillips, late Friday, Fogel said he had completed the medical phase...
