Pirates lock up Griffin with nine-year, $140M deal

 

Pittsburgh — The Pittsburgh Pirates signed 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin to a nine-year, $140 million contract on Wednesday, less than a week after his major league debut. The agreement includes escalators that could increase the total to $150 million and is described as the largest in club history. The team said...

U.S. Says Victory Over Iran After Epic Fury

 

Washington — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on April 8 that Operation Epic Fury, launched Feb. 28, delivered a decisive battlefield outcome against Iran and forced Tehran to accept a two-week ceasefire, announcing the claims during a Pentagon briefing alongside Joint Chiefs leadership. The Pentagon official outlined extensive strikes and...

Steelers finalize draft plans while managing key contracts

 

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to make a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft later this month, while continuing to evaluate quarterback options; GM Omar Khan said in February at the NFL combine the team still seeks a 'next franchise guy' and is working with Will Howard. PITTSBURGH...

Trump Announces Engagement With Iran, Rules Out Enrichment

 

Washington: On April 8, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States will engage with Iran after what he called a 'very productive Regime Change,' stating there will be no uranium enrichment and pledging U.S. cooperation to dig up and remove buried nuclear material. The statement also...

AOMC and Odyssey Agree $1 Billion Deep-Sea Merger

 

United States: American Ocean Minerals Corporation announced on Wednesday it will merge with Nasdaq-listed Odyssey Marine Exploration in an all-stock transaction valuing the combined company at about $1 billion, and the merged firm will operate as American Ocean Minerals Corp., seeking a Nasdaq listing under the ticker AOMC. The deal includes...

Florida Bus Driver Arrested After Train Clips Bus

 

Bushnell, Florida. On April 2, a CSX train clipped a Sumter County school bus carrying 29 students after the bus moved forward at a railroad crossing; law enforcement reviewed video evidence and cited driver Yvonne Hampton for failing to stop, leading to an arrest. This week the Sumter County Sheriff announced...

Communities and utilities confront rapid data center expansion

 

Savannah, Georgia — A local group hosted a Data Center Town Hall this week after proposals for new data centers near Savannah prompted public scrutiny of energy, water, noise and land-use impacts. The meeting follows statewide growth: Georgia now hosts nearly 200 data centers with over 100 additional facilities planned...

Airlines and Chemicals Report Quarterly Results, Beat Estimates

 

Atlanta — Delta Air Lines reported a $289 million loss in its first quarter on Wednesday, saying adjusted earnings were $0.64 per share and revenue totaled $15.85 billion, exceeding Zacks estimates; in Medina, Ohio, RPM International reported fiscal third-quarter profit of $51.4 million and $1.61 billion in revenue. This week both...

Freeze Warnings Early, Widespread Warmup Expected This Weekend

 

Washington and several U.S. regions experienced early-morning freeze warnings Wednesday as temperatures dipped into the upper 20s and low 30s, with meteorologists reporting frost risk for sensitive vegetation; forecasters in D.C., Indiana, the Carolinas, West Virginia and Phoenix outlined the cold start and the timing of a midweek warmup. The immediate...

Flyers split week: big win then decisive defeat

 

Newark, N.J. — The Philadelphia Flyers beat the New Jersey Devils 5-1 on Tuesday at Prudential Center as Owen Tippett and Trevor Zegras provided key scoring; Tyson Foerster also scored in his fourth game back from arm surgery, contributing to a strong offensive stretch. Detroit followed on Thursday with a 6-3...