Israel faces new calls for cease-fire from UK, France, Germany

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

Israel faces new calls for cease-fire from UK, France, Germany DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  — Israel’s government faced calls for a cease-fire from some of its closest European allies on Sunday after a series of shootings, including the mistaken killing of three Israeli hostages, fueled global concerns about the conduct of the 10-week-old war in Gaza.Israeli protesters are urging their government to renew negotiations with Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whom Israel has vowed to destroy. Israel is also expected to face pressure to scale back major combat operations when U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visits Monday. Washington is expressing growing unease with civilian casualties even as it provides vital military and diplomatic support.In Israel on Sunday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna called for an “immediate truce” aimed at releasing more hostages, getting larger amounts of aid into Gaza and moving toward “the beginning of a political solution.”The foreign ministers of the U.K. and Germany, meanwhile, c...

Landmark national security trial opens in Hong Kong for prominent activist publisher Jimmy Lai

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

Landmark national security trial opens in Hong Kong for prominent activist publisher Jimmy Lai HONG KONG (AP) — A landmark national security trial opened Monday in Hong Kong for prominent activist publisher Jimmy Lai, who faces a possible life sentence if convicted under a law imposed by Beijing to crush dissidents.Lai, 76, was arrested in August 2020 during a crackdown on the city’s pro-democracy movement under the sweeping national security law enacted following huge protests four years ago. He is charged with colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with others to put out seditious publications.The closely watched case — tied to the now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily that Lai founded — is widely seen as a trial of press freedom and a test for judicial independence in the Asian financial hub. China promised that the former British colony could retain its Western-style civil liberties for 50 years after returning to Chinese rule in 1997. But in recent years, the Hong Kong government has severely limited free speech and a...

Earthquakes Canada receives hundreds of reports in B.C. after 4.9 magnitude quake

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

Earthquakes Canada receives hundreds of reports in B.C. after 4.9 magnitude quake VICTORIA — Earthquakes Canada says a 4.9 magnitude earthquake was recorded Sunday afternoon and public reports poured in from hundreds of kilometres away from the event’s epicentre. John Cassidy, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, says people over a “very wide region” of the province have reported feeling the earthquake, which hit just before 3:30 in the afternoon.Cassidy says the quake was felt by people across northern and central Vancouver Island, and as far away as Kelowna, more than 350 kilometres from the quake’s epicentre. He says it hit a remote region about 222 kilometres north-northwest of Vancouver. Cassidy says seismic events in that part of the province are “relatively rare,” with the last quake in the area around the same magnitude hitting in 2017. He says Sunday’s quake wasn’t a complete surprise since the province’s coastal areas are an active earthquake zone, but the largest and most frequent earthquak...

Trump says Nevada fake electors treated ‘unfairly’ during rally in Reno

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

Trump says Nevada fake electors treated ‘unfairly’ during rally in Reno RENO, Nev. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump called out three of Nevada’s fake electors Sunday, saying they’re being treated unfairly less than 24 hours before they are scheduled to be arraigned for signing certificates falsely stating Trump won the state in 2020. Trump did not directly mention the charges nor the upcoming court date during a rally in Reno, but he cast the fake electors as victims in a brief portion of a speech that spanned more than an hour.“A tremendous man, tremendous guy, gets treated so unfairly and he loves this country and he loves this state,” Trump said of Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, who was one of six Republicans indicted earlier this month by a Nevada grand jury. Trump’s sympathy for the fake electors who tried to help him cling to power after his 2020 defeat comes amid growing alarm about his authoritarian rhetoric as he looks to return to the White House. Nevada is the fourth state to choose delegates for the Republican pr...

North Korea fires long-range ballistic missile into sea in resumption of weapons launches

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

North Korea fires long-range ballistic missile into sea in resumption of weapons launches SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the sea Monday in a resumption of its high-profile weapons testing activities, its neighbors said, as the North vows strong responses against U.S. and South Korean moves to boost their nuclear deterrence plans.South Korea’s military said in a statement that the North Korean missile flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) before landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. It said the missile was launched on an elevated angle, an apparent attempt to avoid neighboring countries.The statement called the launch “a grave provocation” that threatens international peace. It also noted the launch violated U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban any ballistic missile activities by North Korea.Japan’s Defense Ministry said it also spotted a ballistic missile launch by North Korea. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that he had so far received no report of injuries...

Police search for missing man last seen in Calumet Heights

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

Police search for missing man last seen in Calumet Heights CHICAGO — A search is underway for a missing man last seen on the city's South Side.According to Chicago police, 26-year-old Jasir Rosales has been missing since Saturday and was last seen near Advocate Trinity Hospital in the 2300 block of East 93rd Street, in Calumet Heights.Rosales, who is only able to speak Spanish, was last seen wearing an olive green zip-up jacket with basketball shorts and was completely barefoot. Woman in custody after 1-year-old found dead on South Side Authorities say the missing man, who has black hair and brown eyes, stands 5-foot-8 and weighs around 130 pounds. Officers say he also has a scar on his upper lip.Police say Rosales is known to frequent areas in the 8000 block of South Essex Avenue in South Chicago. 1 dead, 1 injured in West Side shooting Police notified the public about the man’s disappearance in a news release sent out on Sunday evening.Authorities ask anyone with information on the whereabouts of 26-year-old Jasir Rosales to contact t...

Surveillance video shows 6th Street shooting that killed 1, injured 3

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

Surveillance video shows 6th Street shooting that killed 1, injured 3 AUSTIN (KXAN) — Surveillance video shows the officer-involved shooting on 6th Street late Saturday night. One person is dead and three bystanders were injured in that shooting, according to the Austin Police Department. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: One killed, three injured in officer-involved shooting on 6th Street A nearby bar owner gave KXAN their surveillance video of the shooting. The video shows officers approaching someone in the top left of the screen. Then, the video shows officers drawing their guns, people running and the person falling to the ground. While it's hard to tell in the video, it appears the person on the ground had something in their hand pointed upward. "As officers approached the suspect, the suspect pulled out a firearm and pointed it in the direction of officers and innocent bystanders," said Interim Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson.A few moments later, the video showed more officers approach the person, turn them over and hand...

How often does Austin typically freeze?

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

How often does Austin typically freeze? AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Despite some warmer afternoons, we've already had our share of winter-like cold at night here in Central Texas.How many freezes this season?Officially at Austin's Camp Mabry, we've only had one freeze since Oct. 1. Our coldest temperature of the season was Dec. 11 with a morning low of 31º.Freezes in Austin (Camp Mabry) since October 1.Away from the city, many areas have already dropped into the 20s. At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the temperature has dropped as low as 24º and has recorded five freezes already.Normal and extreme freeze countTypically, Austin (Camp Mabry) records 12 freezes during the colder months from October to March.We've had more frequent freezes than normal for three of the last five years. We've seen years with freezing lows way more frequently.Freeze count for the last 5 winters in Austin (Camp Mabry)In the winter of 1898-1899, we dropped to 32º or colder 57 times! On the other end of the spectrum, we've had seasons where we've onl...

CSU Rams get back on track against CSU-Pueblo

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

CSU Rams get back on track against CSU-Pueblo FORT COLLINS — Coming off an eight-day layoff and its first loss of the season, No. 17 Colorado State got back in the win column in dominating fashion Sunday against CSU-Pueblo despite a slow start in the game’s opening minutes.But while the scoreboard showed an 86-54 victory for the Rams at Moby Arena, they at times experienced some rust and inconsistency in their first on-court action since losing to Saint Mary’s on Dec. 9. The win improved CSU to 10-1 on the season with the start of Mountain West Conference play approaching.“We got off to a little bit of a slow start, which maybe can be anticipated after being off, but we found a groove there after a little bit,” CSU head coach Niko Medved said. “It wasn’t a work of art, but we also did some good things. It was great to get a lot of guys some opportunities. I thought everybody that came in was able to find a way to do something. “As expected, the Rams dominated the Division II Thunderwolves, in every offensive and defensive...

Investigators looking into north Boulder officer-involved shooting

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:59:14 GMT

Investigators looking into north Boulder officer-involved shooting Boulder police said an officer discharged their weapon near the north Boulder Recreation Center Sunday night.According to a post on X sent out at 6:11 p.m., Boulder police requested the Boulder County Investigation team to look into an officer-involved shooting.Please avoid the area near the North Boulder Rec Center at 3170 Broadway as we are investigating an officer-involved shooting. There is no threat to public safety. No officers were injured. The Boulder County Investigation Team (BCIT) has been requested. We’ll share more info as… pic.twitter.com/YaUA3SNUsK— Boulder Police Dept. (@boulderpolice) December 18, 2023Boulder police said no officers were injured and there was no threat to the public, but did not say if there were any other injuries or fatalities involved.Police are requesting residents avoid the area around 3170 Broadway while the case is under investigation.