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Israel faces new calls for truce out of EU 

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

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...

Patriots have no answers for latest bizarre situation involving J.C. Jackson

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

FOXBORO — The latest turn in the J.C. Jackson saga was a strange one as his return to the Patriots fails to live up to once lofty expectations.Jackson was active in Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Chiefs but didn’t play a single snap. Jackson wasn’t spotted on the sideline, so it seems something must have happened between 11:30 a.m. ET when inactives were announced and 1 p.m. when the game started. If the Patriots had known Jackson wasn’t going to play, then cornerback Shaun Wade likely would not have been included on the inactive list. The Patriots were left with Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant and rookie Alex Austin, who said he was surprised to start.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bailey Zappe’s interception proves costly in Patriots’ 27-17 loss to Chiefs New England Patriots | Patriots starting LG Cole Strange ruled out after being carted off with knee injury New England Patriots | Patriots stil...

Jaylen Brown delivers dominant performance to lead Celtics to sweep of Magic

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

Jaylen Brown believes he’s playing some of the best basketball of his career, and he’s continuing to back it up.The Celtics star may have gotten off to a slow start to this season as he acclimated to some new teammates. He may have been mocked by a social media post from ESPN that suggested he was playing selfish basketball. His overall numbers may be down, but his growth on both sides of the ball has been apparent – and even more so this week.Brown finished off his best week of the season in a big way on Sunday afternoon. He scored 31 points, which included five 3-pointers, added six assists as he continued to develop as a dangerous facilitator and was locked in defensively again. His dominant performance led the way for the Celtics as they ran away from the Magic with a 114-97 victory, which capped another perfect homestand at TD Garden.Jayson Tatum added 23 points and Kristaps Porzingis had 15 in his return from a one-game absence as the Celtics improved to 14-0 at home. They ove...

Three teens arrested in connection to series of convenience store robberies

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Three teens have been taken into police custody in connection to a series of armed robberies at convenience stores across San Diego.San Diego Police Department Lt. Adam Sharki said officers made a traffic stop connected to the ongoing investigation on Friday, Dec. 15. At that time, two 16-year-old males and a 14-year-old male were arrested. Armed robberies: More convenience stores hit overnight According to police, the juveniles were connected to at least six robbery cases in San Diego. One of the suspects was also wanted in connection to a recent delivery driver robbery series.Lt. Sharki confirmed officers recovered three firearms during the stop, including an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. At least one of these firearms was reported to be a ghost gun that had no serial number.All three suspects were booked into Juvenile Hall. Their identities are being withheld due to their age. An investigation into these robbery cases remains ongoing. Anyone with info...

Greek parliament passes government’s 2024 budget

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The Greek parliament on Sunday evening approved the government’s 2024 budget, the first in 14 years with Greek debt listed at investment grade.The budget passed on a 158-142 vote in the 300-member body, with only lawmakers from the governing conservative New Democracy party voting for it. In a separate vote, the defense budget was approved 249-51, an unusually wide margin.A relatively low-key debate over the budget lasted five days.The budget forecasts 2.9% growth in the economy for 2024, up from a projected 2.4% in 2023, which is four times faster than the Eurozone average. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he hoped the economy could grow at least 3%, based on strong investment spending, forecast to rise 15.1%.Greece’s gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, was predicted to top 200 billion euros ($218 billion) for the first time since 2010, when Greece had to be rescued after defaulting on its debt.Inflation was forecast to average 2.8%, s...

16 killed in Christmas-season shootings in central Mexico state of Guanajuato

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Gunmen attacked a Christmas season party early Sunday, killing a dozen people in the town of Salvatierra in Mexico’s north-central state of Guanajuato, prosecutors said. State prosecutors also reported that four other people died in a shooting in the city of Salamanca, but did not describe the circumstances of that attack. Local media said the victims in Salvatierra were leaving an event hall following a Christmas party known as a “posada” when they were gunned down. Guanajuato has been the scene of bloody turf battles between the Jalisco cartel and local gangs backed by the Sinaloa cartel. The state has long had the highest number of homicides in Mexico.The Associated Press

Authorities: 5 people including 3 young children die in house fire in northwestern Arizona

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — Five people, including three young children, have died in a house fire in northwestern Arizona, authorities said Sunday, adding it appeared no adults were home at the time.Bullhead City police said the fire broke out around 5 p.m. Saturday and the victims did not make it out of the two-story duplex in that community near the Colorado River.A city fire department spokeswoman said the five victims were ages 2, 4, 5, 11 and 13. Their names weren’t immediately released Sunday.Authorities said the cause of the fire isn’t known yet.Police said there reportedly were no adults home at the time, but officials gave few other details.The fire is being investigated by the city’s police and fire departments and other agencies including the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.The Associated Press

Colombia’s leftist ELN rebels agree to stop kidnapping for ransom, at least temporarily

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Rebels from Colombia’s leftist National Liberation Army said Sunday they have agreed to stop using kidnapping as a fund-raising tactic, if the current cease-fire with the government is extended. The pledge came at the end of a round of talks between the two sides over the weekend in Mexico City.Colombians have grown angry at kidnappings by the guerrillas, known by their Spanish initials as the ELN. That anger mounted in October when the rebels abducted the father of soccer star Luis Díaz, and held him for 12 days before he was released. Diaz’s mother was rescued within hours by police. It is not clear if the rebels will release an estimated 38 Colombians they currently hold in captivity, often pending a ransom demand. Nor was it clear if the pledge would be respected in the cease-fire — declared in August and due to expire Jan. 29 — is not extended.Overcoming the kidnapping scandal marked a renewed breath of air for the often maligned peace talks.“After...

Senate border security talks grind on as Trump invokes Nazi-era ‘blood’ rhetoric against immigrants

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House and Senate negotiators dug in Sunday laboring to reach a U.S. border security deal that would unlock President Joe Biden’s request for billions of dollars worth of military aid for Ukraine and other national security needs before senators leave town for the holiday recess. The Biden administration, which is becoming more deeply involved in the talks, is facing pressure from all sides over any deal. Negotiators had hoped to reach a framework by the weekend, but that’s highly unlikely. Republican leaders signaled that without bill text, an upcoming procedural would likely fail.The talks come as Donald Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner in 2024, delivered alarming anti-immigrant remarks about “blood” purity over the weekend, echoing Nazi slogans of World War II to cheers at a political rally.“They’re poisoning the blood of our country,” Trump said about the record numbers of immigrants coming to the U.S. without immediate legal sta...

Chicago Bears blow another late lead, Mooney boots Hail Mary, bears lose to Cleveland Browns, 20-17

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:15:35 GMT

CLEVELAND – The Chicago Bears played inspired football for most of Sunday afternoon, especially on defense, but like they have done so many times under the Matt Eberflus-Luke Getsy regime, the Bears squandered a late lead and lost to the Cleveland Browns, 20-17.Defensive end Montez Sweat notched 7 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks and a tackle-for-loss, bringing his career-high total to 12.5 on the season, Chicago’s defense intercepted Browns quarterback Joe Flacco three times – including a pick six by Tremaine Edmunds – but Justin Fields and Getsy’s offense couldn’t muster enough when they were needed most to help Chicago climb back into the NFC playoff picture.Fields finished the day 19/40 for 166 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions through the air, and 7 carries for 30 yards on the ground. Chicago Bears release linebacker, promote tight end, linebacker to active roster Cleveland won the time-of-possession battle, edging the Bears by an even two minutes, 31:00-29:00, while also...