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Live updates | Fighting in central and south Gaza after Israel says it’s pulling troops out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

Israel’s army said several thousand troops would be taken out of Gaza in the coming weeks, though it has not said publicly whether the withdrawal reflects a new phase of the war. But the move is in line with the plans that Israeli leaders have outlined for a low-intensity campaign, expected to last for much of the year, that focuses on remaining Hamas strongholds. Still, fierce fighting was ongoing Tuesday in central and southern Gaza. Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have fled to the southern portion of the cramped enclave, with more than 85% of the population driven from their homes.About 1,200 people were killed after Hamas raided southern Israel on Oct. 7, with around 240 people taken hostage. More than 21,900 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, have been killed since the start of the war, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants among the dead. Currently: — Israel’s Supreme Court ove...

Jordin Sparks, Seth Meyers, Audra McDonald headline January entertainment in DC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

Is your New Year’s resolution to get out and about town a little more often?A new year also brings a new month of fun events around the D.C. area. We’re helping you mark your calendar with our January Entertainment Guide:January Entertainment GuideJan. 2-6: “The Snow Maiden” at Synetic TheaterJan. 2-7: “Ragtime” at Signature TheatreJan. 2-7: “The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe” at Adventure TheatreJan. 2-14: “As You Like It” at Shakespeare TheatreJan. 2-14: “Swept Away” at Arena StageJan. 2-14: “Fat Ham” at Studio TheatreJan. 2-21: “Frozen” at The Kennedy CenterJan. 4-14: “How to Be a Korean Woman” at Theater JJan. 5: The Warped Tour Band at The FillmoreJan. 5-6: Ricky Skaggs at The BirchmereJan. 5-6: Aaron Lewis at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town RacesJan. 7: Golden Globes on CBSJan. 7: Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood at Capital One HallJan. 10: Tool at CFG Bank ArenaJ...

Powerful earthquakes leave at least 48 dead, destroy buildings along Japan’s western coast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

A building falls on the ground following an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of major earthquakes started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. (Kyodo News via AP) A building falls on the ground following an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of major earthquakes started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. (Kyodo News via AP) WAJIMA, Japan (AP) — A series of powerful earthquakes that hit western Japan have left at least 48 people dead and damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned that more quakes could lie ah...

UK minister James Cleverly sorry for ‘joke’ about date rape

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

LONDON — U.K. Home Secretary James Cleverly apologized for making a joke about drugging his wife with the date rape drug rohypnol. Speaking on Sky News in his first round of interviews since the row, the home secretary said he “regrets” the remark, adding: “It was a joke that I made and of course, I regret it. I apologized immediately and that apology is heartfelt.”The Mirror first reported in December that the top interior minister — whose department had just launched an anti-spiking drive — told guests at a Downing Street reception that “a little bit of Rohypnol” in his wife’s drink “every night” was “not really illegal if it’s only a little bit.”Joking about his wife of 24 years, Cleverly said the key to a long marriage was ensuring your spouse was “someone who is always mildly sedated so she can never realize there are better men out there.”Cleverly told Sky’s Kay Burley Monday that he “shouldn’t have said it” and that the joke...

Japan Airlines jet bursts into flames after landing at Tokyo Haneda airport, all passengers evacuated: NHK

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

(CNN) — A Japan Airlines plane burst into flames after landing at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Tuesday, national broadcaster NHK reported, adding that all all those on board were safely evacuated.Footage showed the passenger jet moving and then igniting with a large fireball. The plane was then seen at a standstill with people using emergency slides to flee the inferno as firefighters tried to battle the growing flames.According to NHK, there were approximately 400 pasengers and crew on board the plane.CNN is reaching out to officials to confirm more details.Japan Airlines flight 516 took off from New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, according to NHK.Japan Airlines says the plane collided with what appears to be a Japan Coast Guard aircraft upon landing, according to NHK.According to the flight tracking site, FlightAware, the flight was an Airbus A350-900.

Crews battling 3-alarm fire in Cambridge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

Firefighters were dispatched to a 3-alarm blaze in Cambridge Tuesday morning.Officers responded to a 4-story brick building on Chester Street before 5 a.m. with heavy fire reported.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Boston City Council starts new year with pay hike to $115,000

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

The Boston City Council is kicking off the new year with an $11,500 raise, a bump that will increase each council member’s salary from $103,500 to $115,000.The raises were approved by the City Council in November of last year, but only became effective on Jan. 1, per state ethics laws, which dictate that all pay hikes have to go into effect after the next election for a given position.While that caveat excluded the five councilors who have since left the body, three by choice and two who failed to win re-election, it also granted a more than 11% raise to the five newly elected council members, four of whom have yet to do much beyond being sworn in and selecting the body’s new president on Monday.The 13 councilors’ pay, per last fall’s vote, will continue to rise in 2025 and 2026, when their salaries increase to $120,000 and $125,000 in those respective years.The City Council opted to vote for a tiered increase structure after the body’s initial vote to hike its pay to $125,000 start...

Turkey detains 33 people suspected of spying on behalf of Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities have detained 33 people suspected of spying on behalf of Israel, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported on Tuesday.Authorities were still searching for 13 other people believed to have links to Israel’s Mossad security service, the Anadolu Agency reported.The suspects were detained in raids in Istanbul and seven other provinces for allegedly planning to carry out activities that included “reconnaissance” and “pursuing, assaulting and kidnapping” foreign nationals living in Turkey, the agency reported.Anadolu did not provide information on the suspects or the foreigners who were allegedly targeted. The report comes weeks after the head of Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, said in an audio recording that his organization is prepared to destroy Hamas “in every place,” including in Lebanon, Turkey and Qatar.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Israel of “serious consequences” if it pressed ahead with its th...

Man arrested in Scarborough multi-vehicle crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

A man has been arrested after allegedly fleeing the scene of a multi-vehicle crash in Scarborough.Toronto police were called to McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue on Sunday to reports of the collision.Only minor injuries were reported and none of the involved parties had to be taken to hospital.One of the drivers involved allegedly fled the scene of the collision on foot, but was later taken into custody by police. It’s unknown if he is facing charges. Several roads in the area were closed for over two hours, but have since reopened.

Members of Germany’s smallest governing party vote to stay in Scholz’s coalition, prompting relief

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:14 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Members of the smallest party in German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpopular coalition have voted in a low-profile ballot to stay in the troubled government, but the result underlines the three-party alliance’s difficulties.The pro-business Free Democrats, who in recent decades have leaned to the right, joined a coalition with Scholz’s Social Democrats and the environmentalist Greens, both left-leaning parties, in late 2021. The government has become notorious for infighting, and the poll ratings of the Free Democrats, led by Finance Minister Christian Lindner, have declined sharply.The party’s rules stipulate that a ballot must be held if at least 500 members demand one, and 598 members forced a vote on whether to stay in the coalition. On Monday, party headquarters announced that those who voted opted to stay in by a narrow margin of 52.2% to 47.8%, with just under 40% of members taking part.The ballot was nonbinding and party leaders gave it li...