Israel Launches Airstrikes Targeting Houthi Rebels

July 6, 2025 5:19 am

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel’s military launched airstrikes early Monday targeting ports and facilities held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, with the rebels responding with missile fire targeting Israel. The attacks came after a suspected Houthi attack targeting a ship in the Red Sea that caught fire and took on water, later forcing its crew to abandon the vessel. The Israeli military said it struck Houthi-held ports at Hodeida, Ras Isa and Salif. The Houthis then responded with an apparent missile attack on Israel. The Israeli military said it attempted to intercept the two missiles the Houthis fire, but they appeared to make impact, though there were no immediate reports of injuries from the attack.

Russia & Ukraine Trade Drone Strikes

July 7, 2025 5:20 am

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged drone strikes, disrupting air travel and causing fatalities and damage. Photos on social media showed crowds huddling at Russian airports including key international hubs in Moscow and St. Petersburg as hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled due to Ukrainian drone strikes. The attacks followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement of deals with Western partners to boost drone production. Ukraine has increasingly relied on drones to counter Russia’s offensives. Zelenskyy said he also discussed joint drone production with U.S. President Donald Trump in a recent phone call.

Health Of American Children Deteriorating

July 7, 2025 12:55 pm

(AP) – A new study shows that the health of U.S. children has deteriorated over the past 17 years, with kids today more likely to experience obesity, chronic diseases and other problems. The research was published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has brought children’s health to the forefront of the national policy conversation. His agency’s report in May described kids as undernourished and over-medicated. But outside experts who reviewed the new study say the Trump administration’s decision to make cuts to federal health agencies, Medicaid and scientific research are not likely to reverse the trend.

Obesity Drug Prices Dropping But Supply Is A Challenge

July 7, 2025 5:19 am

Prices are falling for the popular obesity treatments Wegovy and Zepbound, but steady access to the drugs remains challenging. Reduced monthly costs for uninsured patients still amount to around $500. That can put the drugs out of reach for many. Coverage also continues to shift or restrict how patients get prescriptions. Doctors say the patchy coverage and costs force them to get creative in treating patients. But there’s hope that prices for the injectable drugs may fall more in the future, especially once pill versions enter the market.

Texas, Federal Officials Under Fire For Flood Response

July 6, 2025 7:59 am

KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Before heading to bed before the Fourth of July holiday, Christopher Flowers checked the weather while staying at a friend’s house along the Guadalupe River. Nothing in the forecast alarmed him. “What they need is some kind of external system, like a tornado warning that tells people to get out now,” Flowers, 44, said. Hours before a massive wall of floodwater barreled down a river in the heart of Texas Hill Country before sunrise on Friday, forecasters with the National Weather Service warned people that dangerous conditions were brewing. An initial flood watch for the hard-hit area was issued at 1:18 p.m. Thursday predicting rain amounts of between 5 to 7 inches. Weather messaging from the office included automated alerts delivered to mobile phones to people in threatened areas. Those warnings grew increasingly ominous in the early morning hours of Friday, urging people to move to higher ground and evacuate flood-prone areas.

Ukraine-Russia War, Air Strikes Drag On Over Weekend

July 6, 2025 7:57 am

LONDON (AP) — Ukraine said it struck a Russian air base on Saturday, while Russia continued to pound Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight as part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the more than 3-year-old war. Ukraine’s military General Staff said that Ukrainian forces had struck the Borisoglebsk air base in Russia’s Voronezh region, describing it as the home base of Russia’s Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets. The U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defense missiles. Ukraine’s main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine’s domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. Four Ukrainian drones were shot down while approaching Moscow on Saturday, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Air traffic was briefly halted as a precaution at one of Moscow’s airports, Sheremetyevo, Russia’s aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said.

Israel Sending Negotiating Team To Qatar Ahead Of Trump Meeting

July 6, 2025 7:55 am

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — U.S.-led ceasefire efforts in Gaza appear to be gaining momentum after nearly 21 months of war, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says Israel on Sunday will send a negotiating team to talks in Qatar. The statement also asserted that Hamas was seeking “unacceptable” changes to the proposal. U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for an agreement and will host Netanyahu at the White House on Monday to discuss a deal. Inside Gaza, hospital officials say Israeli airstrikes killed 14 Palestinians and another 10 were killed while seeking food aid. And two American aid workers with the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation were injured in an attack at a food distribution site. Weary Palestinians expressed cautious hope after Hamas gave a “positive” response late Friday to the latest U.S. proposal for a 60-day truce but said further talks were needed on implementation.

Son Of Mexican Boxer Arrested, Accused Of Cartel Ties

July 6, 2025 7:50 am

CULIACAN, Mexico (AP) — The arrest of Julio César Chávez Jr., son of Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez, for overstaying his visa in the U.S. and lying on a green card application shook Sinaloa state’s capital. But it was the way that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also revealed an active Mexican warrant for his arrest and alleged ties to arms and drug trafficking and the Sinaloa Cartel that made him an uncomfortable subject. In Culiacan, Chávez’s hometown, the news has sparked quiet concern. Locals revere his father, Julio César Chávez, as a national hero but discussions about his son’s alleged cartel links remain muted.

Man Shot, Another Charged After Beaver Falls Dispute

July 6, 2025 7:39 am

(WPXI) BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — A man is facing charges and another man was shot after a dispute over fireworks in Beaver Falls. The Beaver Falls Police Department said officers were called to the 300 block of 12th Street at 10:20 p.m. on the Fourth of July for a reported shooting. Police said a 47-year-old man was shot in the leg there and was taken to a local hospital in a personal vehicle before he was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital. The initial investigation revealed that the shooting happened after someone threw fireworks into a group of children. This resulted in a confrontation between the victim and Jaden Stull, 20, of Beaver Falls. Police said Stull began to run away and shot the victim in the thigh and shin. The victim tackled him after this. Stull is also believed to have shot himself in the hand. Both men are in stable condition. Stull faces charges of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and firearm violation charges.

Men Accused Of Abuse, Neglect Of Dogs In Hazelwood

July 6, 2025 7:46 am

(WPXI) PITTSBURGH — Two men are accused of abusing and neglecting nine dogs in a Pittsburgh home. According to court documents, police received a tip from a concerned citizen about animal abuse happening at a house on the 5100 block of Blair Street in Hazelwood. Police said they were given video of what appeared to be Ryan Chavers, 31, hitting the dogs with what they described as a long pipe-like object. Officers said that Garrett Harper, 47, was also living at the house. Police entered the house on June 5 at 7:45 a.m. after getting a search warrant. Nine cane corso dogs were found inside. Three of them were adults and six were puppies, all around eight weeks old.  The animals were in need of medical care and were taken to Animal Friends for treatment. Among them, the puppies had bloody tails, with one having a partially docked tail that was still hanging off. Charges were filed against both Harper and Chavers on July 3. Combined, the two face over 100 charges.