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Heavy fighting rages near main Gaza hospital as Netanyahu dismisses calls for cease-fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes pounded Gaza City overnight and into Sunday as ground forces battled Hamas militants near the territory’s largest hospital, where health officials say thousands of medics, patients and displaced people are trapped with no electricity and dwindling supplies.In a televised address on Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected growing international calls for a cease-fire unless it includes the release of all 239 hostages captured by Hamas in the Oct. 7 rampage that triggered the war, saying Israel was bringing its “full force” to the battle.Israel has vowed to end Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities, while blaming the militants for the war’s heavy toll on the 2.3 million Palestinians trapped in the besieged territory.Israel has come under mounting international pressure, even from its closest ally, the United States, as the war enters a sixth week. A 57-nation gathering of Muslim and Arab l...

Schenn, Buchnevich each net hat tricks in Blues' 8-2 win over Avalanche

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Brayden Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich each scored three goals and the St. Louis Blues beat the Colorado Avalanche 8-2 on Saturday night.Alexey Toropchenko and Torey Krug also scored for the Blues, and Jordan Binnington stopped 36 shots as St. Louis evened a loss to Colorado earlier this month.Schenn got his fourth career hat trick — first since 2017 — and Buchnevich got his third. “Our offense has really changed or started to come around since the last time we were here in this building,” Schenn said. “We had some meetings and (were) kind of shown leaguewide trends and how to score and what really works and what we were doing that wasn’t right. So ever since then, the buy-in has been there and guys are getting rewarded for it.”Mikko Rantanen and Jack Johnson scored for Colorado, which lost its second straight at home after opening the season 4-0 at Ball Arena. Alexandar Georgiev gave up six goals on 28 shots before being pulled early in the third period. Ivan Prosvetov c...

Flare-up reignites at historic hangar in Orange County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

An active flare-up was ignited at a historic hangar in Tustin on Saturday, prompting concerns after the large blaze had left the community with toxic air this week.The fire was spotted around 5:30 p.m. as crews from the Orange County Fire Authority and Tustin Police Department responded to the scene.The smoldering hot spots were burning above the northside doors on Hangar 1, also known as the north hangar. O.C. fire officials confirmed the hot spots will remain for some time as crews work to extinguish the flames and contain any further flare-ups.“Please continue to stay out of the area,” Tustin city officials said. “Residents in the area should continue to keep their doors and windows closed as a precaution. We will continue to have our 24-hour fire watch personnel on site until further notice.”An active flare-up of a fire seen on the doors of a historic airbase hangar in Tustin on Nov. 11 has prompted concerns from residents. (OC Hawk)An active flare-up of a fire seen on the doors...

San Jose State Spartans rout Fresno State 42-18 for fourth straight win, move closer to bowl eligibility

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

SAN JOSE — San Jose State took back the Battle for the Valley trophy on Saturday night in a dominating performance that sent a sea of red-clad Bulldogs fans filing out of Spartan Stadium well before the Spartans’ 42-18 victory was officially over.Kairee Robinson rushed for a career-high 200 yards and scored two touchdowns, and quarterback Chevan Cordeiro completed 9 of 189 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns to lead SJSU over their rivals for the first time since 2019.With the win, the Spartans reach .500 for the first time this season (5-5, 4-2 Mountain West) and are now just one win away from becoming bowl eligible with two games remaining: at home next weekend against San Diego State and at UNLV to end the regular season.The Spartans got rolling early and midway through the second quarter had built a 28-3 lead over the Bulldogs (8-2, 4-2 MW).Cordeiro threw all three of his TD passes before halftime. The first went to Malikhi Miller on a 25-yard throw over the middle t...

Calls for Gaza cease-fire divide Europe’s Socialists 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

MÁLAGA, Spain — Europe’s Social Democrats on Saturday unanimously cheered Pedro Sánchez’s likely return to power in Spain after he agreed to an amnesty for Catalan separatists — but they found it harder to reach a common position on Israel’s war against Hamas.Socialist parties from across the Continent gathered at their annual meeting in southern Spain to chart a course for the EU elections next June, warn about the rise of far-right populists, and cheer on Frans Timmermans, who is leading an alliance with the Greens in the Dutch elections this month.There was a triumphal mood at the meeting as delegates chanted “Pedro presidente” and treated Sánchez to rapturous applause. Choreography aside, however, the gulf between Berlin and Madrid on the Middle East conflict was plain to see.Sánchez in a speech to the gathering demanded a “humanitarian cease-fire” in Gaza, where Israel’s retaliatory strikes and ground invasion have claimed some 11,000 lives, including women and children, s...

Drought and mismanagement have left a French island parched. That holds lessons for the mainland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

MAMOUDZOU, Mayotte (AP) — Drop by disappearing drop, water is an ever more precious resource on Mayotte, the poorest place in the European Union. Taps flow just one day out of three in this French territory off Africa’s eastern coast, because of a drawn-out drought compounded by years of underinvestment and water mismanagement.Diseases like cholera and typhoid are on the rebound, and the French army recently intervened to distribute water and quell tensions over supplies. The crisis is a wakeup call to the French government about the challenges and cost of managing human-caused climate change across France’s far-flung territories.Racha Mousdikoudine, a 38-year-old mother of two living in Labatoir, washes dishes with bottled water, when she can get it. When the water taps run, she says, “I have to choose between taking a shower or preserving my water supply.”“This shortage will be global in a few years. This is an opportunity for all French people to stand in solidarity w...

Heavy fighting rages near main Gaza hospital as Netanyahu dismisses calls for a cease-fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes pounded Gaza City overnight and into Sunday as ground forces battled Hamas militants near the territory’s largest hospital, where health officials say thousands of medics, patients and displaced people are trapped with no electricity and dwindling supplies.In a televised address on Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected growing international calls for a cease-fire unless it includes the release of all the nearly 240 hostages captured by Hamas in the Oct. 7 rampage that triggered the war, saying Israel was bringing its “full force” to the battle.Israel has vowed to end Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities, while blaming the militants for the war’s heavy toll on the 2.3 million Palestinians trapped in the besieged territory.Israel has come under mounting international pressure, even from its closest ally, the United States, as the war enters a sixth week. A 57-nation gathering of Muslim...

Dear Abby: They hijacked our sentimental lunch. Am I wrong to be upset?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

DEAR ABBY: After my husband’s younger brother recently passed away, the family gathered. When one group of nephews arrived in a city an hour away from us, we were invited to lunch. (The restaurant was where the nephews had first been introduced to beer by their now-deceased uncle.)Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: The bride is my best friend, but I’m not comfortable with her plan Advice | Dear Abby: At 3 a.m. there were two strange girls in my house Advice | Dear Abby: My son is in tears when my mother tells him he must walk Advice | Dear Abby: The thoughtless grandchildren won’t be happy about this gift Advice | Dear Abby: I like to video people who are behaving badly My husband didn’t want to go, saying it was silly to drive that far for one meal. I persuaded him to go, to celebrate family ties and spend time with these nephews we seldom see.When we arrived, one of the nephews...

Karel Schwarzenberg, former Czech foreign minister and nobleman, dies at 85

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

PRAGUE (AP) — Karel Schwarzenberg, a former Czech foreign minister and a member of a European noble family has died. He was 85.Milroslav Kalousek, his long-term political ally, and the Foreign Ministry confirmed on Sunday his death.“It is with deep sadness and respect that we remember Karel Schwarzenberg, who left us today,” the ministry said. “As a two-time foreign minister and Vaclav Havel’s chancellor, he shaped our foreign policy and always proved with his actions that that he was a true democrat.”Schwarzenberg had been hospitalized in Prague since August with heart and kidney problems and was flown several days ago to a clinic in Vienna, the Austrian capital, where he had lived for years.“A big man in all aspects has died,” President Petr Pavel said. “The service for his country was a natural mission for him.” Born Dec. 10, 1937, in Prague, Schwarzenberg and his family had to flee Czechoslovakia after the Communists took over in 1948 and they lived in exile Austria....

US Rhodes scholars selected through in-person interviews for the first time since COVID pandemic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:08 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new batch of Rhodes scholars from the United States has been selected to study at the University of Oxford in a screening process that was conducted in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe in 2020.The Office of the American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust said in a statement on Saturday that the class of 32 scholars for 2024 — including 20 female and 12 male recipients — is due to begin their studies in October, and it is “pleased to return to in-person interviews this year.” One winner was the first to apply through Puerto Rico. For three consecutive years, the selection process had been carried out online. The scholars, who are among students selected from more than 70 countries, are due to pursue graduate degrees ranging from social sciences and humanities to biological and physical sciences. “They inspire us already with their accomplishments, but even more by their values-based leadership and selfless ambitio...