December 6, 2024 4:31 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck in California’s so-called “earthquake country.” According to the U.S. Geological Survey on Thursday, at least 5.3 million people in California and Oregon were under a tsunami warning after the earthquake struck. It was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by multiple smaller aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury. The temblor was the most powerful to hit California since a 7.1-magnitude quake hit Ridgecrest in 2019. The epicenter of the shaker occurred where three tectonic plates meet.
December 6, 2024 4:28 am
ISTANBUL (AP) — A Hamas official says that after a weekslong hiatus international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended its talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States over frustration with a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political wing, said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press that there has been a “reactivation” of efforts to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
December 6, 2024 4:25 am
GREENVALE, N.Y. (AP) — Donald Trump isn’t even in office yet, but he says he’s already accomplished more than President Joe Biden did in his entire term. It’s an outsized claim from the president-elect, coming just a month after Trump won the election. Trump made the remarks as he was honored at Fox Nation’s annual Patriot Awards during an event on New York’s Long Island. Trump has largely been ensconced at his Mar-a-Lago resort in recent weeks as he’s been announcing job picks to build out his administration. Trump also described Election Day as “tremendous” during a 10-minute acceptance speech that sounded like a highlight reel of his campaign rally speeches.
December 6, 2024 4:20 am
NEW YORK (AP) — New clues are emerging in the hunt for the masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, including possible leads about his travel before the shooting and a message scrawled on ammunition found at the crime scene. Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press Thursday that the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were found emblazoned on the ammunition. Those words echo a phrase used by insurance industry critics. One of the officials said investigators also now believe the suspect may have traveled to New York last month on a bus that originated in Atlanta.T he officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
December 5, 2024 2:59 pm
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook a large area of Northern California on Thursday, knocking items of grocery store shelves, sending children scrambling under desks and prompting a brief tsunami warning for 5.3 million people along the U.S. West Coast. The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County, about 130 miles (209 km) from the Oregon border, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was felt as far south as San Francisco, some 270 miles (435 km) away, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by smaller aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury. A tsunami warning was issued shortly after the temblor struck and covered nearly 500 miles (805 km) of coastline, from the edge of California’s Monterey Bay north into Oregon. (Photo: AP)
December 5, 2024 4:07 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Investigators are searching for clues that could help them identify the masked gunman who killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies on a Manhattan sidewalk, then disappeared into Central Park. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference. Security cameras recorded the killing and the initial stages of the gunman’s escape on a bicycle. Police used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intense search, but the killer’s whereabouts remained unknown late into the night. Police had not yet established a motive.
December 5, 2024 4:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Hegseth says, “We’re not backing down one bit.” The Trump transition team is concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department.
December 4, 2024 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The conservative-majority Supreme Court appeared likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors as it heard the most high-profile case of its term on Wednesday. Five of the court’s six conservatives appeared skeptical about the challenge backed by the Biden administration, which urged a narrow ruling. The sixth, Justice Neil Gorsuch, was notably silent during oral arguments. A decision in the case isn’t expected until the spring, but could have wide-ranging effects as pushback to transgender rights escalates.
December 4, 2024 4:18 am
A U.S. Senate subcommittee has held a hearing to question the growing use of airline fees to charge passengers for things like early boarding and better seats. Members of the Senate Permanent on Investigations say airlines have raised billions of dollars by imposing fees that are getting hard to understand and even harder to avoid paying. The senators and the Biden administration call them “junk fees,” and they say the extra charges are making travel less affordable. Some senators expressed frustration during Wednesday’s hearing on Wednesday hearing when airline executives couldn’t explain how they set various fees. Airlines say fees let consumers pay for things they want, like more legroom, and avoid paying for things they don’t want.
December 5, 2024 4:09 am
CAIRO (AP) — Amnesty International accuses Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip during its war with Hamas, saying it has sought to deliberately destroy Palestinians by mounting deadly attacks, demolishing vital infrastructure and preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid. The human rights group said in a report released Thursday in the Middle East that such actions could not be justified by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, which ignited the war, or the presence of militants in civilian areas. Amnesty called on the United States and other allies of Israel to halt arms shipments, saying they could be complicit in genocide. Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, adamantly rejected the allegations, calling Amnesty a “deplorable and fanatical organization.”
