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Israel under fire amid massive air and ground attack by Hamas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

Israel was struck by a surprise rocket barrage as dozens of heavily armed gunmen reportedly attacked the country’s south from the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, as the Islamist militant group Hamas announced the launch of a military operation.Israel’s national emergency service said that one person has been killed and another 15 wounded in the onslaught that hit towns and cities across the south and center of the country in the early hours of Saturday. The death toll is likely to rise as pictures and videos on social media suggest that several civilians may have been injured or killed during an attack on the southern Israeli town of Sderot, at the border with the Gaza strip. Those images appear to show uniformed Palestinian gunmen opening fire on civilians and civilian vehicles on the streets.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold urgent talks with security chiefs this morning to assess the situation, ahead of convening a high level security cabinet. In a s...

Hamas militant group has started a war that 'Israel will win,' defense minister says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's defense minister announced that the Hamas militant group has started a war against Israel and pledged that "Israel will win.” Following a security cabinet meeting at the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas “made a grave mistake” in launching barrages of rockets into southern and central Israel in its surprise morning attack.In one of the most serious escalations in years between Israel and the militant group that rules Gaza, Hamas gunmen crossed the border fence at several places and infiltrated Israeli communities.“The state of Israel will win this war,” Gallant said.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.___JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented infiltration Saturday into southern Israel, sending fighters across the border and firing thousands of rockets into the country as the ruling Hamas militant group announced the beginning ...

UN warns Pakistan that forcibly deporting Afghans could lead to severe human rights violations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Forcibly deporting Afghans from Pakistan could lead to severe human rights violations including the separation of families and deportation of minors, the United Nations warned Saturday. Pakistan recently announced a crackdown on migrants living in the country illegally, including 1.7 million Afghans, telling them to return to their home countries by Oct. 31 to avoid mass arrest and expulsion. The government denies targeting Afghans and says the focus is on people who are in the country illegally, regardless of their nationality. It said it is setting up a hotline and offering rewards to people who tip off authorities about such migrants. The U.N. agencies said Afghanistan is going through a severe humanitarian crisis with several rights challenges, particularly for women and girls, who are banned by the Taliban from education beyond sixth grade, most public spaces and many jobs.“Such plans would have serious implications for all who have been forced to leave the cou...

Hamas militant group has started a war that ‘Israel will win,’ defense minister says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s defense minister announced that the Hamas militant group has started a war against Israel and pledged that “Israel will win.” Following a security cabinet meeting at the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas “made a grave mistake” in launching barrages of rockets into southern and central Israel in its surprise morning attack.In one of the most serious escalations in years between Israel and the militant group that rules Gaza, Hamas gunmen crossed the border fence at several places and infiltrated Israeli communities.“The state of Israel will win this war,” Gallant said.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.___JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented infiltration Saturday into southern Israel, sending fighters across the border and firing thousands of rockets into the country as the ruling Hamas militant group announced th...

Deaths rise to 47 after an icy flood swept through India’s Himalayan northeast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

GANGTOK, Sikkim (AP) — Rescuers found more bodies overnight as they dug through slushy debris and ice-cold water in a hunt for survivors after a glacial lake burst through a dam in India’s Himalayan northeast, washing away houses and bridges and forcing thousands to flee. Officials said the hundreds of rescuers recovered six more bodies early Saturday, taking the death toll to 47. At least 150 people are still missing. The flood began shortly after midnight Wednesday, when the waters of a glacial lake overflowed, cracking open the biggest hydroelectric dam in Sikkim state. The icy waters then cascades through towns in the valley below, where it killed scores of people and carried some bodies kilometers (miles) away. Bad weather has made rescue efforts more challenging. Police said nearly 4,000 tourists were stranded in two locations, Lachung and Lachen in the northern part of the state, where access was severely restricted as the floods had washed away roads. Some 3,900 people were ...

U.S. lawmakers led by Senate Majority Leader Schumer arrive in China on first such visit since 2019

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

SHANGHAI (AP) — A delegation of U.S. lawmakers led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in China on Saturday in the first congressional visit to the country since 2019.The trip comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries and as Chinese and American officials try to lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November. The delegation of six senators, which includes three Democrats and three Republicans, landed in Shanghai in the mid-afternoon. The Republicans were led by Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the senior member of his party on the Senate Finance Committee. Schumer is a New York Democrat.A series of high-ranking Biden administration officials have met their Chinese counterparts in Beijing in recent months, but no other U.S lawmakers have made the trip since China lifted its COVID-19 restrictions in December of last year. China said in a statement earlier this week that it hoped the visit would “contrib...

Dear Abby: What I said about his girlfriend got back to her

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

DEAR ABBY: Right after high school, our son joined the military and left home. We are proud of him and keep in touch mostly by phone because he’s stationed across the country.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: The holiday dinner came with an unpleasant surprise Advice | Dear Abby: This family constantly breaks the rules of our potluck Advice | Dear Abby: After this emotional blow, I feel I can’t trust my friends Advice | Dear Abby: I worry people are still judging me for the wedding dance bungle Advice | Dear Abby: After this awkward encounter, my neighbor posted notes about me in the building Since he has been away, he met a young lady on a dating website. I met her briefly on a quick visit. I had concerns about the relationship, and I shared them with my son. She doesn’t drive, works only intermittently and displayed no desire to get to know me in the short time we had for my visit....

Hamas mounts unprecedented surprise attack on Israel, sending fighters and rockets into the country

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. The serious invasion on Simchat Torah revived painful memories of the 1973 war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israel’s enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur. Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.The Israeli rescue service said that its medics were tending to 16 casualties in southern Israe...

US senators led by Majority Leader Schumer making first congressional visit to China since 2019

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

SHANGHAI (AP) — A delegation of U.S. lawmakers led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in China on Saturday in the first congressional visit to the country since 2019.The trip comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries and as Chinese and American officials try to lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November. The delegation of six senators, which includes three Democrats and three Republicans, landed in Shanghai on a U.S. government jet on an overcast and windy afternoon. The Republicans were led by Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the senior member of his party on the Senate Finance Committee. Asked about his expectations for the visit, Schumer, a New York Democrat, said he hoped it would be productive.A series of high-ranking Biden administration officials have met their Chinese counterparts in Beijing in recent months, but no other U.S lawmakers have made the trip since China lifted its COVID-19 re...

Pharmacist shortages and heavy workloads challenge drugstores heading into their busy season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:11 GMT

A dose of patience may come in handy at the pharmacy counter this fall.Drug and staffing shortages haven’t gone away. Stores are starting their busiest time of year as customers look for help with colds and the flu. And this fall, pharmacists are dealing with a new vaccine and the start of insurance coverage for COVID-19 shots.Some drugstores have addressed their challenges by adding employees at busy hours. But experts say many pharmacies, particularly the big chains, still don’t have enough workers behind the counter.Chris Adkins said he left his job as a pharmacist with a major drugstore chain a couple years ago because of the stress. Aside from filling and checking prescriptions, Adkins routinely answered the phone, ran the register and stocked pharmacy shelves.“I just didn’t have time for the patients,” he said. “I am OK working hard and working long hours, but I just felt like I was not doing a good job as a pharmacist.”In recent years, drugstores have struggled to fill open p...