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Poles vote in a high-stakes election that will determine whether right-wing party stays in power

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Voting has begun in a high-stakes election in Poland that will chart the way forward for the European Union member on NATO’s eastern flank. The outcome of Sunday’s election will determine whether the right-wing Law and Justice party will win an unprecedented third straight term or whether a combined opposition can win enough support to oust it.Many Poles feel like it is the most important election since 1989, the year that marked the end of decades of communism. The health of the nation’s democracy, its legal stance on LGBTQ+ rights and abortion, and the foreign alliances of a country on NATO’s eastern flank that has been a crucial ally to Ukraine, are all at stake.Political experts say the election will not be fully fair after eight years of governance by Law and Justice that has eroded checks and balances to gain more control over state institutions, including the courts, public media and the electoral process itself.Retired nurse Barbara Burs, 63, vote...

Palestinian deaths soar past 2,300, making it deadliest of five wars for Gaza

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Gaza Health Ministry says 2,329 Palestinians have been killed since the latest fighting erupted, making this the deadliest of the five Gaza wars for Palestinians.The death toll on Sunday surpassed that of the third war between Israel and Hamas, in the summer of 2014, when 2,251 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians, were killed, according to U.N. figures. That war lasted six weeks, and 74 people were killed on the Israeli side, including six civilians. The current war erupted a week ago when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel in a shocking surprise attack. More than 1,300 Israelis have been killed in the initial, wide-ranging assault and in rocket attacks from Gaza. The overwhelming majority were civilians. For Israel, this is the deadliest war since the 1973 conflict with Egypt and Syria.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Gaza’s 2.3 million civilians faced a deepening struggle for food, water and safety ...

Live updates | Day 9 of the latest Israel-Hamas war

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

Hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents sought to heed Israel’s order to evacuate roughly the northern half of the territory, while others huddled at hospitals in the north on Sunday. Gaza’s 2.3 million civilians faced a deepening struggle for food, water and safety, and braced for a looming invasion a week after Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on Israel.Israeli forces, supported by a growing deployment of U.S. warships in the region, positioned themselves along Gaza’s border and drilled for what Israel said would be a campaign by air, land and sea to dismantle the militant group. Israel dropped leaflets over Gaza City in the north and renewed warnings on social media, ordering more than 1 million Gaza residents to move south.Currently:1. People are struggling to flee from northern Gaza while also grappling with a growing water crisis after Israel stopped the flow of resources to the Gaza Strip2. No decision on a ground offensive has been announced, although Israel has bee...

Powerful earthquake shakes west Afghanistan a week after devastating quakes hit same region

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan on Sunday, just over a week after strong quakes and aftershocks killed thousands of people and flattened entire villages in the same region.The U.S. Geological Survey said the latest quake’s epicenter was about 34 kilometers (21 miles) outside Herat, the provincial capital, and eight kilometers (five miles) below the surface.There were no immediate official reports of possible casualties or damage.The earthquakes on Oct. 7 flattened whole villages in Herat, in one of the most destructive quakes in the country’s recent history.More than 90% of the people killed a week ago were women and children, U.N. officials reported Thursday.Taliban officials said the earlier quakes killed more than 2,000 people across the province. The epicenter was in Zenda Jan district, where 1,294 people died, 1,688 were injured and every home was destroyed, according to U.N. figures.The initial quake, numerous aftershocks a...

Booze, beads and art among unclaimed gifts lavished upon billionaire Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has so many fans and friends that he receives a $30 gift at the rate of one every three days, but because of his job he accepts none of them, and rarely even sees them.The second-term Democratic governor and multi-billionaire has been lavished with hundreds of gifts from around the world, ranging from a $950 bottle of Japanese whiskey to 35 cents: a quarter and dime, to be exact.The state’s 25-year-old Gift Ban Act prohibits public employees such as Pritzker from accepting presents, with broad exceptions. Therefore, the high-priced hooch delivered compliments of the Japanese embassy and three bottles of tequila valued at $450 have remained untapped.“I don’t get to do that,” Pritzker said at a stop in Springfield. “I will say I like tequila, so that’s why people will have given that to me, but there are a few other spirits that I like as well.”Pricey bottles of alcohol are not the only gifts that Pritzker eschews. Most are stored i...

Avalanche rallies to beat Sharks in shootout, negate Mackenzie Blackwood masterpiece

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

SAN JOSE — For more than 58 minutes Saturday night, the Avalanche had no answers for San Jose goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood.The Avalanche peppered the goalie, who was making his first start for the Sharks, from every angle. Eventually, Cale Makar found a hole. And then Mikko Rantanen had the lone tally in the shootout to help the Avs escape SAP Center with a 2-1 victory.“We just kept banging at the door,” Makar said. “It’s honestly kind of fun. You know you’re dictating the play, and it makes it even more satisfying when you do score. It’s a big win.”Blackwood turned aside Colorado’s first 48 shots on goal, but Makar’s wrist shot from the top of the circles with 1:26 left in regulation was the breakthrough.Colorado dominated for vast stretches, finishing with a 51-21 advantage in shots on goal and 111-57 in total attempts. But the San Jose players in front of Blackwood also blocked 31 shots and generally frustrated the Avs...

Authorities searching for suspect after man struck, killed in Compton 

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

A man was struck by a car in Compton early Saturday night, and police are now searching for the driver who failed to stop and identify themselves. According to CHP, units responded to the area of Rosecrans Avenue and Avalon Boulevard just before 7:30 p.m. after reports of a collision between a vehicle and pedestrian. Upon arriving, officers discovered the male victim and pronounced him deceased at the scene, authorities said. A man was struck by a car in Compton, CA on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. (KTLA)Footage from Sky5 captured three CHP units surrounding a body underneath a white sheet as officers begin to scour the area for clues.No suspect or vehicle description was immediately available. This is a developing story. Stay with KTLA for updates.

Sharks get a goaltending performance for the ages, but lose in familiar fashion

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

SAN JOSE – Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood had a San Jose Sharks debut for the ages on Saturday.But for anyone who has watched the Sharks over the last two-plus seasons, the end result, despite Blackwood’s brilliance, was all too familiar.Blackwood finished had a remarkable 51 saves before allowing a shootout goal to Mikko Rantanen in a 2-1 loss to the Avalanche in front of an announced sellout crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center.With the Sharks on their heels late in the third period, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar scored with 1:26 left in regulation time to spoil Blackwood’s shutout bid. After a scoreless five-minute overtime in which the Sharks had a full two-minute power play, Rantanen scored in the second round of the shootout.Conversely, Alexander Barabanov, William Eklund, and Mike Hoffman all failed in their shootout attempts to beat Colorado goalie Alexandar Georgiev, who finished with 20 saves.The Sharks have now lost 30 games in overtime or a shootout since the start of...

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi-to-Dallin Holker Hail Mary seals CSU Rams’ first-ever win over Boise State

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

FORT COLLINS — The Boise Streak is over.And the CSU Rams just might have saved their season in the process.One of the wildest finishes in Rams football history ended with arguably its wildest play, as Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi’s Hail Mary as time expired was batted into the waiting arms of CSU tight end Dallin Holker, sealing a 31-30 victory — the program’s first-ever over the Broncos.Jaylen Clark and Rodney Robinson appeared to leap over Tory Horton to combine to bat the ball down in the end zone, but it was cradled by Holker for the game-winner. A replay review confirmed the score, and after an extra-point sealed the comeback, bedlam ensued.By the time the Rams (3-3, 1-1 Mountain West) made it interesting, Canvas Stadium was largely empty. Two onside kicks and two lightning-quick scores helped CSU erase a 30-10 deficit with 6:12 left in regulation.And a CSU football season that hit a speed bump at Utah State last weekend is back on the winning track again ...

Saturday Night Five: Washington’s escape, Lanning’s mistake, USC crumbles and the CFP path narrows

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:19:24 GMT

Instant reaction to Pac-12 developments on the field …1. For the agesIt says something that the fourth-largest comeback in conference history — Stanford’s 29-point, triple-overtime rally to slay Colorado — wasn’t the most compelling game of the weekend.And this is what it says: Oregon-Washington was an all-timer.The first meeting of the bitter rivals when both were ranked in the top-10 carried Pac-12 championship, College Football Playoff and Heisman Trophy stakes — plus a visit by ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ and dozens of NFL scouts. And it more than met the occasion.“That was an amazing football game,” Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer said after UW’s 36-33 victory.The two heavyweights were at the top of their games. They traded big plays and the lead, combined for 956 yards, converted 15-of-27 third-down attempts, committed just 10 penalties and had a single turnover.It was spectacular, especially for the Huskies, who are on...