December 2, 2024 5:25 am
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says it is halting aid deliveries through the main cargo crossing into Gaza because of the threat of armed gangs who have looted recent convoys. The decision could worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as another cold, rainy winter sets in. Hundreds of thousands of people are living in squalid tent camps and rely on international food aid. And in Israel, a former defense minister and fierce critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — and a hard-liner on the Palestinians — accuses the government of ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza, where a military offensive continues.
December 2, 2024 5:24 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is visiting Ukraine for the first time in more than 2 1/2 years. The visit Monday comes just weeks after he was criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for having a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their call came at a time of widespread speculation about what the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump will mean for Ukraine. Scholz said that in his meeting with Zelenskyy he will announce further military supplies this month totaling 650 million euros. He said that “Ukraine can rely on Germany — we say what we do and we do what we say.”
December 2, 2024 5:21 am
CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Fifty-six people were killed and dozens injured as security forces tried to quell clashes during a soccer match in southern Guinea’s largest city. Guinea’s Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah said late Sunday on X that the stampede broke out on Sunday afternoon in the city of Nzerekore during a local tournament between the Labe and Nzerekore teams. Local media are reporting that the chaos followed a disputed penalty that angered fans, many of them clashing and pouring onto the open soccer field at the crowded stadium.
December 1, 2024 6:28 am
President-elect Donald Trump’s stunning announcement that he will nominate Kash Patel as FBI director sets the stage for a fresh round of turbulence at a law enforcement agency tasked with protecting the homeland and investigating federal crimes. Patel, a steadfast Trump ally with plans to shake up the institution he’s been tapped to lead, is a study in contrasts from the current tight-lipped director who preaches a “keep calm and tackle hard” mantra. The announcement means that current FBI Director Christopher Wray can either resign from the job, consistent with Trump’s apparent wishes, or wait to be fired once Trump takes office in January. Meanwhile, Patel is likely to face deep skepticism during his confirmation hearings even in a Republican-led Senate.
December 1, 2024 6:26 am
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The first big snowfall of the season has blanketed parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan during the hectic U.S. holiday travel and shopping weekend. Numbing cold and heavy snow could persist through the early part of the week and cause hazards in the Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest regions. The National Weather Service says the heaviest snow totals are expected downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario, affecting areas from northeast Ohio, far northwest Pennsylvania, western New York State and portions of northwest New York state. Cold air is expected to move over the eastern third of the U.S. by Monday with temperatures about 10 degrees below average.
December 1, 2024 6:22 am
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says it is halting aid deliveries through the main cargo crossing into Gaza because of the threat of armed gangs who have looted recent convoys. The decision could worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as the cold, rainy winter sets in, with hundreds of thousands of people living in squalid tent camps and reliant on international food aid. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, the main aid provider in Gaza, said Sunday that the route leading to the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel is too dangeous on the Gaza side. Armed men looted nearly 100 trucks traveling on the route in mid-November, and he said gangs stole a smaller shipment on Saturday.
December 1, 2024 6:20 am
BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian military has rushed in reinforcements to push back insurgents from advancing farther into the northern Hama countryside after they seized Aleppo in a surprise offensive. The insurgents look over most of Aleppo on Saturday and claimed to have entered the city of Hama. There was no independent confirmation of their claim. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travels to Syrian capital Damascus later Sunday. He told reporters that Tehran will back the Syrian government and army. The swift and surprise offensive is a huge embarrassment for Syria’s President Bashar Assad and comes at a time when his allies — Iran and its groups and Russia — are preoccupied with their own conflicts.
December 1, 2024 6:14 am
ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — One person was injured after two cars crashed in Rostraver Township. Westmoreland County dispatchers say emergency crews were called to the 1500 block of Rostraver Road at 4:48 p.m. on Saturday. A Facebook post made by the Rostraver Central Fire Department showed two cars had crashed. Both sustained heavy damage to their front. Investigators said one person was taken to a hospital. Firefighters said they had to stop leaking fluids from spreading at the scene of the crash.
December 1, 2024 4:04 am
Police were called to the 600 block of Fayette Street at about 11:00 PM Thursday night. According to 9-1-1 dispatchers, eight gunshots were heard. Police were told that the gunshots seemed to come from a vehicle described as an old police cruiser. According to police, witnesses that were interviewed did not see anything. The incident remains under investigation.
December 1, 2024 4:01 am
ALLENPORT, Pa. —(WPXI)- Two piles of clothes and three Star Wars collectible plates are all John Huff said he has left. “That’s everything I have left on this planet,” he said. “The first three that my mother ever bought me. I had about 30, and they’re really scorched but at least they survived.” Flames tore through his house along Route 88 in Allenport in Washington County the night before Thanksgiving. “I can’t think of a worse time,” Huff said. “My car was totaled because it was in the alley next to it. It melted. The tires exploded.” The fire then spread to his sister and brother-in-law’s home next door badly damaging the roof and attic. “My sister’s cat was saved,” said Huff. “Somebody gave us a cat carrier. My father’s urns were saved by the firemen up there.” Huff is grateful no one was hurt. He was at his sister’s house moments beforehand when a stranger driving by told them to get out. “Twenty minutes later, some stranger that just stopped was beating on her door saying the house was on fire,” Huff said. “To whoever this person was and the person that gave the boots, thank you so much. Standing outside in the rain that night was very cold. Thank you.” The Stockdale Fire Chief said the fire started in the kitchen. He believes it was accidental. Huff’s home is a total loss and needs to be torn down. His sister and brother-in-law’s house was left with a gaping hole and water damage so the couple can’t live there until it’s fixed. But neither home had insurance. The family set up a GoFundMe to help them rebuild. “I work as a waiter with a tip job,” said Huff. For now, the three of them are staying with their mother and stepdad in a two-bedroom house in White Hall. “It’s actually a bedroom and office and there’s now five adults living here,” Huff said. “We’ve just been sleeping on air mattresses. One is in the dining room. One is in the other bedroom, and I sleep on the couch.” It may be a bit crammed and a tragic start to the holiday season, but Huff is thankful. “My mother is the best person in the world,” he said. “She’s always looked out and tried to help.” The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
