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By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a victory for Democrats, the Supreme Court has turned away efforts from Republicans in North Carolina and Pennsylvania to block state court-ordered congressional districting plans. In separate orders late Monday, the justices are allowing maps selected by each state’s Supreme Court to be in effect for the 2022 elections. Those maps are more favorable than the ones drawn by the states’ legislatures. In North Carolina, the map most likely will give Democrats an additional House seat in 2023. The Pennsylvania map also probably will lead to the election of more Democrats, the Republicans say, as the two parties battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections.

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By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Shell says it will stop buying Russian oil and natural gas. The energy giant also said Tuesday that it will shut down its service stations and other operations in the country amid international pressure for companies to sever ties over the invasion of Ukraine. Shell says in a statement that it would withdraw from all Russian hydrocarbons, including crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas and liquefied natural gas, “in a phased manner.” The decision comes just days after Ukraine’s foreign minister criticized Shell for continuing to buy Russian oil, lashing out at the company for continuing to do business with President Vladimir Putin’s government.

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By ZEKE MILLER, MIKE BALSAMO and JOSH BOAK Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports. Energy exports have kept a steady influx of cash flowing to Russia despite otherwise severe restrictions on its financial sector. Biden was set to announce the move Tuesday, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter before an announcement.

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By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party committee members backed U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb by 2 to 1 in an endorsement vote over Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in the primary race for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. In two months, they’ll find out if their party feels differently about nominating a mold-breaking candidate. Not only did Fetterman come from the party’s progressive wing, but he’s irreverent, blunt, 6 feet 8, tattooed and goateed, and most often seen wearing shorts. Fetterman leads in campaign cash and is the only candidate to have run statewide before. But Democrats say the Jan. 6 insurrection stiffened their resolve to vote for the candidate who is most electable.

NAPLES, Maine (AP) — Police in Maine are investigating a pickup truck crash that killed a 22-year-old passenger and hospitalized a driver. They say the single-vehicle crash happened on Sunday night in Naples when the truck collided with a tree. Police said two occupants had freed themselves from the vehicle and two others were trapped inside. Police say the crash killed 22-year-old Ashley Gentile-Wing of New Kensington, Pennsylvania. They say the driver, a 21-year-old from Naples, was transported to a hospital for injuries that could be life threatening.

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(North Sewickley Twp., Pa.) A Beaver Falls Man was not injured in a one vehicle accident that occurred on the Pennsylvania Turnpike at mile 15.1 in North Sewickley Twp. on Sunday at 1:20 AM.
Troopers in Gibsonia said via release that 28-year-old Colby Gum told Troopers that while he was negotiating a left hand curve ,in his 2009 Dodge Avenger, as he came to the end of the curve a strong cross wind pushed his vehicle and he was unable to maintain control of the vehicle and crashed. Gum declined a medical evaluation at the scene and was given a written earning by Troopers for not properly driving on roadways laned for traffic.

(Cranberry Twp., Butler county, Pa.) 24-year-old Domonick Toth from Wexford was arrested early this morning and is being charged with burglary after being suspected to have been involved in overnight incidents at the Cranberry Super Mini Mart on Freedom Road in Cranberry Township and the GetGo on Perry Highway. Officers were also called to the Sunoco gas station at the intersection of Babcock Boulevard and Siebert Road in Ross Township
After the incidents in Cranberry Township, Ross Township an officer who was on the lookout in their area saw Toth crawling through the bottom of a broken glass door just before 3 AM and made an arrest at the Sunoco.
When Toth was arrested he had a crowbar and a black bag with 11 cartons of cigarettes that he presumably stole from the businesses.
He is currently being housed in the Allegheny County Jail.

(HARRISBURG, Pa.) Governor Tom Wolf today called on lawmakers to support legislation drafted by state Reps. Rob Matzie and Kevin Boyle that would invest $2 million to help Ukrainian refugees arriving in Pennsylvania.

Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, said the soon-to-be-introduced legislation would allow the commonwealth to fast-track aid to thousands needing it immediately.

“America defends freedom. We have always welcomed those fleeing danger and oppression,” Matzie said. “Pennsylvania has the second-largest population of people with Ukrainian ancestry in the U.S. My district alone has three communities – Ambridge, Baden and Harmony – in the top 20% of folks whose families originally came from Ukraine. We have several Ukrainian churches. This is not some crisis affecting strangers on the nightly news. These are our neighbors’ families. This is local. This is real. This is touching our communities.

“The $2 million will get immediate aid flowing to these displaced families. We will be able to help them with housing, food, and clothing, and work with relief organizations to set up longer-term support.”

Pennsylvania Democratic House Finance Committee Chair Kevin Boyle said, “Many thanks to my colleague Representative Matzie for helping put this legislation together; I’ll be advocating that it’s heard in committee, but it’s ultimately up to the majority at this point how quickly we can get the bill advanced. We know we must act fast, because this will only worsen until people all over the world step in and help the refugee crisis.”

The lawmakers noted that the $2 million amount matches a recent federal infusion of funds to support Afghan refugees. Pennsylvania has welcomed Syrian and Afghan refugees in the past, and those efforts have expanded local resettlement partners’ capacity to serve more refugees. Previous funds have been exhausted, however, and need to be replenished.