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Aid agencies say they can’t send food and other supplies to Gaza because of communications blackout

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Aid agencies said they had to stop deliveries of food and other basic necessities to Gaza on Friday, warning of the possibility of starvation a day after internet and telephone services collapsed in the besieged enclave because of a lack of fuel.The communications blackout largely cuts off Gaza’s 2.3 million people from one another and the outside world — and paralyzes the coordination of aid, which humanitarian groups were already struggling to deliver because of the fuel shortage.Israeli forces, meanwhile, have signaled they could expand their offensive toward Gaza’s south even while pressing operations in the north. Troops have been searching the territory’s biggest hospital for traces of a Hamas command center the military alleges was located under the building.They have shown what they said were a tunnel entrance and weapons found inside the compound but not yet any evidence of the command center, which Hamas and staff at Gaza City’s S...

FDIC Chair takes heat over stunning allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination at agency

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

New York (CNN) — Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chair Martin Gruenberg testified Tuesday that he was unaware of the allegations of widespread sexual harassment and discrimination at the agency detailed in a Wall Street Journal investigation. But he didn’t indicate he was unaware of the long-standing problematic culture the investigation described.Gruenberg told the Senate Banking Committee he was “personally disturbed and deeply troubled” by the report, which alleged female workers received photos of their male superiors’ genitalia, were told they needed to use sex to get ahead and were passed over for opportunities.The Wall Street Journal investigation, based on interviews with more than 100 current and former FDIC employees, found that the agency rarely disciplined managers accused of sexual misconduct and other offenses.Gruenberg, who said he read the report, told senators, “It’s quite clear that we’ve had employees at the FDIC subjected to horrendous experiences that simp...

Are those Black Friday deals really worth it?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

You can find Black Friday deals pretty much everywhere.But buyers beware. Whether it’s 40% to 70% off on the sales price, experts will tell you most of those deals are not legitimate.“Most retailers these days, just continuously offer sales off prices that they rarely ever charge,” said Kevin Brasler with Washington Consumers’ Checkbook.He said retailers are notorious for using sophisticated marketing tricks to convince consumers to buy now and spend more.“The most important thing to keep in mind is that the lowest price of the year or that it’s a Black Friday deal, don’t believe it. Don’t believe it’s a low price unless you do a little shopping around,” Brasler said.Brasler advises consumers that are still not sure about a purchase to shop around or even wait.“Another important thing to keep in mind, especially during the holiday season, is that a lot of retailers will try to rush you in making a decision. They may s...

Las Vegas Grand Prix expected to smash Formula One betting records

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The visuals of the world-famous Strip expected to emerge from the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday night has enticed sports bettors so much that the event is expected to set Formula One and motor sports wagering records.“By leaps and bounds,” said Adam Pullen, Caesars Entertainment vice president of trading. “It’s already eclipsed the highest race of the season, so yeah, it’s going to set records.”That’s also the case at BetMGM.“Race weekend in Las Vegas has the potential to shatter every company record for the sport,” BetMGM chief revenue officer Matt Prevost said in a statement. “Popularity for automotive sports in the U.S. continues to grow and the activity we’re already seeing around this event is remarkable.”This is the first of a 10-year contract between Formula One and Las Vegas, but it got off to a rocky start Thursday when the first practice session ended after about 20 minutes when Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over a manhole cover.That incident occurred abou...

Analysis: No Joe Burrow means no chance for the Cincinnati Bengals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here.___Joe Burrow shook his head, screamed and jogged to the locker room because the pain in his right wrist wouldn’t allow him to throw a football on the sideline.Another week in the NFL, another injured quarterback.Burrow is no ordinary QB, however. He’s the franchise for Cincinnati.With him, the Bengals were Super Bowl contenders. They’ve won consecutive division titles and an AFC crown. Without him, they have no chance.Aaron Rodgers. Kirk Cousins. Anthony Richardson. Daniel Jones. Deshaun Watson. Now Burrow.Burrow exited Thursday night’s game in the second quarter, a devastating blow for the Bengals, who went from leading the Baltimore Ravens 10-7 with their star player to losing 34-20.The Bengals (5-5) have lost two in a row and are last in the competitive AFC North. Coach Zac Taylor said Burrow has a sprained wrist but the severity of the injury wasn’t immediately known. ...

Player of the Week: Westfield’s Kennedy Duda

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

Each week, WTOP is picking one student athlete to be featured on air and online as our Player of the Week. This week’s WTOP Player of the Week is Kennedy Duda of Westfield High School in Chantilly, Virginia.A junior running back for the Bulldogs, Duda has found the end zone 19 times in 10 regular season games this season. He’s rushed for 798 yards on 130 carries and tallied 109 yards as a pass catcher in the regular season. As a running back, Duda was named First Team All-Concorde District.Westfield running back Kennedy Duda takes a carry against Justice High School on Sept. 22, 2023. Duda found the end zone twice in the game en route to a 59-0 victory. (Courtesy Kristan Duda)He was Honorable Mention All-Concorde District as a kick returner, racking up 267 yards on kickoff returns throughout the season. His prowess as a return man shone through during Westfield’s first-round Regional playoff matchup against Washington-Liberty High School, as Duda took a kickoff 95 ...

El potencial ciclón tropical Veintidós se convertirá en tormenta tropical este viernes, según el Centro Nacional de Huracanes de EE.UU.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

(CNN) — Está previsto que el potencial ciclón tropical Veintidós se convierta en tormenta tropical este viernes más tarde, según la actualización de las 04:00 a.m. hora de Miami del Centro Nacional de Huracanes.El sistema de tormentas se encuentra a unos 415 km al oeste-suroeste de Kingston, Jamaica, con vientos máximos sostenidos de 55 km/h. Se está moviendo a 17 km/h.La temporada de huracanes aún no termina, ¿cuándo y dónde podrían ocurrir los próximos?Hay un aviso de tormenta tropical vigente para Jaimaica, Haití, las provincias cubanas de Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Granma y Las Tunas, el sureste de las Bahamas y las Islas Turcas y Caicos.El NHC informó que, producto de este sistema, se registrarán lluvias fuertes en partes de Panamá, Costa Rica, Jamaica y Cuba hasta el lunes. “Es posible que las lluvias causen inundaciones repentinas y deslizamientos de tierra en terrenos altos”, agregó.No se espera que la tormenta tenga ningún impacto en Estados Un...

For second year in a row, US gets D+ grade for high preterm birth rate: ‘There’s so much work to be done’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

(CNN) — The rate of premature birth in the United States remains high, especially in the southern region of the country, according to the infant and maternal health nonprofit March of Dimes.The group’s annual “report card” on US maternal and infant health, released Thursday, says that the nation’s preterm birth rate – the rate of babies born before 37 weeks gestation – was 10.4% in 2022, down only 1% from 2021’s rate, which was the highest in more than a decade.“We went from 10.5% to 10.4%. It’s flat,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cherot, president and chief executive officer of March of Dimes. “A slight change is just not big enough in that direction.”March of Dimes gave the United States a D+ for its rate of preterm births, which are the leading cause of infant deaths in the country. It’s the second year in a row that the nation has earned that grade.The national preterm birth rate peaked at 12.8% in 2006 after rising steadily for more than two decades, according to data from the Natio...

Miami-Dade Police launch annual ‘Holiday Crime Initiative’ for increased holiday security

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — Friday marks the commencement of the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Annual Holiday Crime Initiative, ramping up security measures across the county to ensure a safe holiday season.Under the leadership of Miami-Dade Police Director Stephanie Daniels, uniformed and non-uniformed officers will intensify surveillance and conduct high-visibility patrols. The primary focus will be on major malls, shopping centers, and areas with high foot traffic.As part of the initiative, the department will also disseminate crucial crime prevention tips, emphasizing campaigns like “Lock it or Lose it” and “See Something, Say Something.”

Woman injured following house fire in Miami Gardens

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:01 GMT

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to reports of a house fire in Miami Gardens, leaving one woman injured. The blaze broke out around 4:15 a.m. along Northwest 172nd Street and 14th Avenue.According to MDFR, the fire is now under control and despite heavy smoke, rescuers successfully extracted a woman trapped inside. Pets, including a dog and a cat, were also rescued from the residence. Officials said the elderly woman rescued from inside the home was injured and was immediately taken to the hospital. Her condition is unknown. Details on the extent of the damage and the cause of the fire are under investigation.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.