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Southern California Declares State of Emergency as Powerful Storm Hits

Endrit Pjetri
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Southern California Declares State of Emergency as Powerful Storm Hits

Southern California Declares State of Emergency as Powerful Storm Hits

Sacramento, US (EFE/DT) – California declared a state of emergency for eight counties in the south of the state, including Los Angeles, on Sunday due to a winter storm predicted to bring heavy rains and snow.

Governor Gavin Newsom said disaster management resources and California National Guard personnel would be deployed in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Ventura counties.

READ MORE : Chile declares national mourning period as fires death toll rises to almost 100

Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for eight counties in Southern California as a series of winter storms has commenced affecting much of the state with strong winds, destructive rain, and heavy snowfall.

Southern California has declared a state of emergency as a man walks through rainwater. (Photo: EFE)

Earlier today, the Governor visited the State Operations Center near Sacramento for an update on the storm and the state’s response efforts.

The proclamation covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The emergency proclamation includes provisions authorizing a California National Guard response if tasked, facilitating unemployment benefits for impacted residents, and making it easier for out-of-state contractors and utilities to repair storm damage.

Governor Gavin Newsom issues advisory for his affected state

5 things you can to do stay safer:

  1. Stay connected. Dial 311 to get help or ask questions. If you have a critical emergency, call 911. Stay informed by signing up for emergency alerts including warnings and evacuation notices at org.
  2. Get your information from trusted sources. Check state and local government or emergency management websites and social media accounts for trusted information specific to your area. Local news outlets and meteorologists are also a good source of information. Be wary of posts from unknown sources on social platforms or from online ‘experts’ without credentials.
  3. Prepare for high winds. Before a high wind event: remove any dead trees or overhanging branches near structures, remove loose roofing material, bring in unsecured objects from patios and balconies, secure outdoor objects that could blow away, shutter windows securely and brace outside doors. During a high wind event: take cover next to a building or under shelter, stay away from windows, stay clear of roadways and train tracks, avoid elevated areas such as roofs, watch for flying debris.
  4. Travel safely. Avoid non-essential travel during the peak of the storm expected Sunday and Monday. If you must drive, download the QuickMap app or visit QuickMap (ca.gov) to learn up-to-the-minute information on road conditions, traffic, closures, and more. Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Remember, just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
  5. Be ready in case of power outages. Take inventory of the items you need that rely on electricity. Keep your devices charged. Plan for batteries and other alternative power sources to meet your needs if the power goes out such as a portable charger or power bank. Have flashlights for every household member.
Fallen trees and power lines block a road in Pebble Beach, Calif., on Sunday. (Ryan Sun / Associated Press)

Additional Resources

  1. Storm Season Safety Guide: the state is sharing multilingual resources, deploying a network of community-based organizations through the Listos California campaign, and highlighting other work underway to protect at-risk communities this rainy season.
  2. Prepare Yourself through Texts: Californians can sign up for a 5-lesson text message course through Listos California on what to do before, during and after floods, high winds, debris flows and other storm impacts. This course is available in English, Spanish, Hmong and Punjabi. Text “CAWINTER” to 20202 via SMS to sign up.
  3. Visit National Weather Service for current weather patterns in your area.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Los Angeles said Sunday that a flood watch is in force for all areas of the metropolitan region.

More than half a million Californians were without power today due to heavy rains and winds, according to PowerOutage.us.

Media reports said 19 people were rescued off the California coast of Long Beach after the mast of a sailboat broke due to strong winds. Only one suffered injuries, and the ship was damaged but did not sink.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told reporters that the storm hitting the region “is a serious climate event.”

A wave hits a boat that washed ashore as a powerful storm, the second in less than a week, hits Santa Barbara. The storm is expected to bring flooding, mudslides and power outages while dropping heavy rain and snow. (Mario Tama / Getty Images)

“This has the potential to be a historic storm: high winds, thunderstorms and even brief tornadoes,” said Bass.

Residents of several cities in Ventura County were forced to evacuate due to the danger of flooding.

Thousands remain alert for flash flood warnings, especially in fire-hit and coastal areas from California’s border with Mexico to northern San Francisco Bay.

The NWS warned that the storm could leave records of accumulated rain of more than 15 centimeters.

“Given the large amounts of rainfall expected in the period, 3-6 hour rainfall rates could be problematic, potentially leading to mud and debris flow issues as well as rapid water overflows into local rivers and streams.” said the NWS.

Warnings for strong winds of up to 100 km per hour are also in force for almost 30 million people in inland areas across the state.

The foothills and mountains, which expect record snowfall on Sunday, could have wind gusts of around 150 km per hour.

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India vs. England : India beat England by 106 runs to level series

Roshan Bilung
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India vs. England : India beat England by 106 runs to level series

India vs. England : India beat England by 106 runs to level series

VISAKHAPATNAM, India, Feb 5 (Reuters) – India beat England by 106 runs in the second test to level the five-match series at 1-1 in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
Chasing 399 for victory, England were all out for 292 in the second session on day four with Zak Crawley (73) topscoring for the tourists.
For the home side, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and seamer Jasprit Bumrah claimed three wickets apiece.
The third test in Rajkot begins on Feb. 15.

READ MORE : India vs. England: Ollie Pope’s century provides cheerfulness for tourists in Hyderabad

Jasprit Bumrah clinches the final wicket as India triumphs over England by 106 runs, leveling the series 1-1 on Day 4 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. R Ashwin and Bumrah emerge as the standout bowlers, claiming 3 wickets each.

Shubman Gill’s magnificent return to form sets the stage for India’s imposing target of 399 against England, setting up an intriguing chase for the Bazballers on the fourth day of the second Test. At Stumps on Sunday, England stands at a solid 67/1, with ‘nighthawk’ Rehan Ahmed (9*) and opener Zak Crawley (29*) at the crease. The aggressive Ben Duckett’s brisk 27 off 28 balls was halted by veteran Ravichandran Ashwin.

Cricket – Second Test – India v England – Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, India – February 5, 2024 India’s Jasprit Bumrah celebrates after taking the wicket of England’s Ben Foakes REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

Gill, shedding his earlier struggles, scores a sublime 104 runs to anchor India’s innings. Axar Patel contributes a valuable 45, while contributions from Srikar Bharat and Ashwin are limited.

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Chile declares national mourning period as fires death toll rises to almost 100

Diplomat Times
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Chile declares national mourning period as fires death toll rises to almost 100

Chile declares national mourning period as fires death toll rises to almost 100

Santiago, CHILE (EFE/AP) – Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared two days of national mourning on Sunday as at least 99 people have died in the devastating fires that are consuming the Valparaiso region.


On Sunday, firefighters grappled with extensive forest fires that erupted in central Chile two days earlier. Authorities extended curfews in cities most impacted by the fires, revealing that at least 112 individuals had lost their lives.

Photograph showing in the Achupallas sector, affected by forest fires in Viña del Mar, Valparaiso Region, Chile, 04 February 2024. EFE/ Adriana Thomasa

The Legal Medical Service (SML) “has taken in a total of 99 people; 32 of them identified,” the organization said, updating an earlier death toll of 64.

Boric said the disaster “is the greatest tragedy we have experienced as a country since the earthquake of Feb. 27, 2010.”

“I have declared two days of national mourning, starting tomorrow, Monday, because it is the whole of Chile that suffers and mourns our dead.”

READ MORE : El Salvador’s Bukele has everyone’s attention as he seeks reelection in spite of the constitution

In Quilpué, a town that has been hard hit by the flames, Boric pointed out that “one of the most urgent problems is the recovery of the bodies of the victims.”

A registry of the municipality of Viña del Mar, another city hit hard by the fires, estimates that there are more than 370 people missing, which does not imply that all of them are dead but does give an idea of the magnitude of the catastrophe.

According to the latest report from the National Forestry Corporation, there are at least seven fires currently burning in Valparaiso, the largest in the Peñuelas/Las Tablas Lake Reserve, next to the main highway, which has already razed almost 9,300 hectares.

This fire, along with the one in Lo Moscoso, which has burned 1,350 hectares, is of particular concern due to its virulence and proximity to densely populated areas.

The authorities set a curfew from 6 pm local time (21:00 GMT) in the sectors that have not yet been evacuated from the towns of Quilpué, Villa Alemana, Limache and Viña del Mar, to facilitate rescue efforts and clear evacuation routes.

It is estimated that between 3,000 and 6,000 homes have been affected by the fires, and the Ministry of Health has issued an alert in the area.

Locals clean the rubble of burnt-out houses after forest fires reached their neighborhood in Vina del Mar, Chile, on Feb. 4, 2024. CRISTOBAL BASAURE / AP

Authorities are hoping that the slight drop in temperature and increase in humidity on Sunday will help control the active outbreaks and allow rescue services to enter the most devastated areas.

Because of the simultaneity of the fires and the locations of where they started, authorities believe that several may have been intentionally set.

“It is hard to believe that there could be such wretched and heartless people capable of causing so much death and pain, but if these people exist, we will look for them, we will find them, and they will face not only the rejection of the entire society but also the full weight of the law,” Boric added.

A view of car that was destroyed by a wildfire in Quilpue, Chile, on Feb. 4, 2024 LUCAS AGUAYO ARAOS / ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES

Authorities urged residents in fire-affected areas to evacuate swiftly, while those in regions farther from the blazes were advised to remain indoors to ease the movement of emergency vehicles.

Curfews were imposed in Viña del Mar and nearby cities like Quilpé and Villa Alemana to deter looting incidents.

The wildfires ignited during a week marked by exceptionally high temperatures in central Chile. Over the preceding two months, the El Niño weather phenomenon induced droughts and soaring temperatures across western South America, heightening the forest fire threat.

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Ten police officers were killed in a militant assault in Pakistan

Qaseem Hassan
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Ten police officers were killed in a militant assault in Pakistan

Ten police officers were killed in a militant assault in Pakistan

Islamabad, Feb 5 (EFE).- At least 10 police officers were killed on Monday in a pre-dawn bomb and gun attack on a police station in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the station’s in-charge said.

Heavily armed militants targeted the Chodwan police station, about 100 km from district headquarters in Dera Ismail Khan city, Khalid Khan, the station house officer, told EFE.

“At around 3 a.m., unknown assailants attacked the police station with heavy weapons,” said Khan.

“The terrorists attacked with modern weapons and hand grenades, and the exchange of fire with the police continued for more than an hour,” he said.

READ MORE : Myanmar army plane skids off runway in Mizoram Airport, India 8 injured

Six wounded cops have been shifted to hospitals in Dera Ismail Khan. The militants escaped under the cover of darkness, he said.

The slain cops included six officers from the provincial elite police unit who had participated in several operations against the Taliban last year, the police officer said.

No group claimed the attack, but Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or the Pakistani Taliban often take responsibility for such assaults in Dera Ismail Khan.

The area has been cordoned for a search operation to hunt down the militants, the officer said.

Dera Ismail Khan is one of the worst affected districts of the troubled province along with North Waziristan and South Waziristan in terms of extremist violence.

Militant attacks have risen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces as the Feb. 8 general elections draw closer.

The Pakistan Army on Friday said at least 30 people, including 24 militants and two civilians, were killed in a prolonged three-day military operation in Balochistan province last week.

According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank, militant attacks more than doubled in January compared to December last year.

The country has been witnessing a surge in insurgent attacks since the Taliban’s ascent to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. EFE

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Hamas says more time needed to announce position on potential hostage deal

Diplomat Times
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Hamas says more time needed to announce position on potential hostage deal

Hamas says more time needed to announce position on potential hostage deal

Lebanon-based official says terror group ‘open to discussing any initiative’; Israel reportedly unclear on cause of delay, cites possible divisions within Hamas

JERUSALEM (Agencies) – A senior Hamas official said Saturday that a final agreement had not yet been reached over a tentative truce deal to pause the nearly four-month war with Israel in Gaza.

Leaders from the terror group were reviewing a proposed framework thrashed out by top officials from Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and the United States during talks in Paris last week, said Osama Hamdan, a top Hamas official in Lebanon.

But more time was needed, he said, to “announce our position.”

READ MORE : Far-right Israeli minister’s criticism of Biden sparks anger at a sensitive time for US ties

He told a news conference that his movement “has repeatedly said” it was “open to discussing any initiative… putting an end to this barbaric aggression against our Palestinian people.”

But while Hamdan confirmed the group had received the truce proposal drafted by mediators in Paris, he said an agreement had not yet been reached and that the plan was missing some details.

“We will announce our position” soon, “based on… our desire to put an end as quickly as possible to the aggression that our people suffer,” he added.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan speaks during a rally organized by Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, May 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Hamdan, whose organization has demanded a total ceasefire prior to any agreement, also denounced an “Israeli disinformation campaign” aimed at “distorting” Hamas’s position.

Israel has “rejected all initiatives made so far… in order to continue the aggression,” he claimed.

He told a news conference that his movement “has repeatedly said” it was “open to discussing any initiative… putting an end to this barbaric aggression against our Palestinian people.

But while Hamdan confirmed the group had received the truce proposal drafted by mediators in Paris, he said an agreement had not yet been reached and that the plan was missing some details.


Hamdan, whose organization has demanded a total ceasefire prior to any agreement, also denounced an “Israeli disinformation campaign” aimed at “distorting” Hamas’s position.

Israel has “rejected all initiatives made so far… in order to continue the aggression,” he claimed.

The war broke out with Hamas’s devastating October 7 attack in which terrorists killed some 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians. The 3,000 Hamas-led terrorists who invaded from the Gaza Strip also abducted 253 people who were taken as hostages into Gaza; 132 hostages abducted on October 7 are still held in Gaza.

In response to the October 7 attack, Israel launched an offensive aimed at removing Hamas from power in Gaza and releasing the hostages.

A Hamas source has said the current three-stage truce proposal under discussion included an initial six-week pause in fighting that would see some hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, with potential extensions of the temporary ceasefire. However, there have been reports suggesting the agreement would include different terms.

The Kan public broadcaster reported there were differences of opinion among Israeli officials as to what was causing the delay in a Hamas response to the proposed deal.

One view was that it was a technicality, as the response is to be delivered to Israel via Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who also serves as the emirate’s foreign minister, and he only returned to his country over the weekend after participating in proposal talks abroad.

Others claim it is due to a serious internal debate among senior Hamas officials about the current proposal. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the prevailing dynamic within Hamas has flipped, with the terrorist organization’s chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, willing to agree to a temporary truce while its leaders outside of the Strip are pushing for further Israeli concessions and a permanent ceasefire.

Israel is expecting an answer from Hamas within the next day or two, Channel 12 reported Saturday.

According to an unsourced Kan report, Israeli officials are waiting to call another security cabinet meeting about the proposed hostage deal in order to prevent leaks from the meeting from influencing a Hamas decision.

Israel is also not speaking with mediators until a response comes through, the report said, for the same reason.

Hamas and Egyptian sources told the Al-Arabiya outlet that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar, has delayed a fresh trip to Cairo in which he would discuss the hostage proposal. A Hamas delegation led by Haniyeh was in the Egyptian capital last week for talks on the subject.

IDF troops seen operating in Gaza in this handout photo cleared for publication on February 4, 2024. (IDF)

Haniyeh has said any ceasefire must lead to “a full withdrawal” of Israeli troops from Gaza.

According to his office, Haniyeh spoke Friday with allied, but smaller, Gaza-based terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nakhaleh, and the two agreed any deal with Israel for the release of hostages must be accompanied by a complete halt to the fighting, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, ending Israel’s blockade of the enclave, reconstruction of the Strip and the freeing of Palestinian security prisoners.

Such steep demands would seem to be nonstarters for Israel. The insistence on large-scale prisoner releases and an end to the fighting in Gaza put Hamas at odds with the multi-stage proposal hammered out in Paris that officials put forth last week. That proposal does not include a permanent ceasefire.

Israeli leaders have said they will keep fighting until Hamas is crushed, even while agreeing to long pauses that are accompanied by the release of hostages.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military is in favor of a deal to release the hostages even if it means halting the fighting for a prolonged period, Kan reported.

The unsourced report said that Israel Defense Forces officials note that the military campaign has not succeeded in releasing the hostages, which is one of the two goals of the offensive.

Hamas and other terror factions are holding onto 132 of the 253 hostages abducted on October 7, following a weeklong November truce deal that saw the release of 105 civilians, mostly women and children.

The IDF has said 29 of the 132 are dead, citing intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza. One more person has been listed as missing since October 7, and their fate is still unknown. Hamas has also been holding the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014, as well as two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are both thought to be alive after entering the Strip of their own accord in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Emanuel Fabian contributed to this report for Times of Israel

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Namibia President Hage Geingob 82, passes away following a cancer diagnosis

Diplomat Times
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Namibia President Hage Geingob 82, passes away following a cancer diagnosis

Namibia President Hage Geingob 82, passes away following a cancer diagnosis

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Namibia’s President Hage Geingob, 82, died in hospital early on Sunday, the presidency said, weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer.


Geingob had been in charge of the thinly populated and mostly arid southern African country since 2015, the year he announced he had survived prostate cancer.


Vice President Nangolo Mbumba takes the helm in Namibia – a mining hotspot with significant deposits of diamonds and the electric car battery ingredient lithium – until presidential and parliamentary elections at the end of the year.

READ MORE : Kenyan Actor Charles Ouda (‘Charlie’) Passes Away Six Months After Engagement

A presidency post on social media platform X did not give a cause of death, but late last month the presidency said he had travelled to the United States for “a two-day novel treatment for cancerous cells”, after being diagnosed following a regular medical check-up

Born in 1941, Geingob was a prominent politician since before Namibia achieved independence from white minority-ruled South Africa in 1990.

He chaired the body that drafted Namibia’s constitution, then became its first prime minister at independence on March 21 of that year, a position he retained until 2002.

‘CHAINS OF INJUSTICE’

In 2007, Geingob became vice president of the governing South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO), which he had joined as an agitator for independence when Namibia was still known as South West Africa.

SWAPO has remained in power in Namibia unchallenged since independence. The former German colony is technically an upper middle-income country but one with huge disparities in wealth.

“There were no textbooks to prepare us for accomplishing the task of development and shared prosperity after independence,” he said in a speech to mark the day in 2018. “We needed to build a Namibia in which the chains of the injustices of the past would be broken.”
Geingob served as trade and industry minister before becoming prime minister again in 2012.
He won the 2014 election with 87% of the vote but only narrowly avoided a runoff with a little more than half the votes in a subsequent poll in November 2019.


That election followed a government bribery scandal, in which officials were alleged to have awarded horse mackerel quotas to Iceland’s biggest fishing firm, Samherji, in exchange for kickbacks, according to local media reports. The resultant outcry led to the resignation of two ministers.


The following year, Geingob lamented that Namibia’s wealth still remained concentrated in the hands of its white minority.
“Distribution is an issue, but how do we do it?” Geingob said in a virtual session at an event organised by international organisation Horasis.


“We have a racial issue here, a historical racial divide. Now you say we must grab from the whites and give it to the Blacks, it’s not going to work,” he said.
His comments came after the government rescinded as unworkable a policy that would have made it mandatory for white-owned businesses to sell a 25% stake to Black Namibians.
Geingob died at Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek, where he was receiving treatment from his medical team, the presidency said.

The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Dennis Francis shared a post on X expressing condolences on his passing and extending sympathies to his family.

READ MORE : Dr. Nangolo Mbumba as the New President of the Republic of Namibia, Following the sudden passing of the late Dr. President Hage Geingob.

A post on social media platform X announces the appointment of the new president.

In the same vein, with a heavy heart, the Presidency would like to sincerely convey its heartfelt condolences to the entire bereaved Dr. Hage G. Geingob family and the people of Namibia following the passing of Dr. Hage G. Geingob, the former President of the Republic of Namibia.

(This story has been edited by Diplomat Times’s staff and some content from auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Kenyan Actor Charles Ouda (‘Charlie’) Passes Away Six Months After Engagement

Mark Kenya
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Kenyan Actor Charles Ouda (‘Charlie’) Passes Away Six Months After Engagement

Kenyan Actor Charles Ouda (‘Charlie’) Passes Away Six Months After Engagement

Nairobi, KENYA (DT) – Renowned Kenyan Actor Charles Ouda, Familiarly Known as ‘Charlie,’ Passes Away at 38.

The family of Charles Ouda, the beloved Kenyan actor affectionately known as ‘Charlie,’ has confirmed his passing at the age of 38. In a joint statement with Charlie’s fiancee, former BBC journalist Ciru Muriuki, the family has requested privacy during this time of mourning.

Charlie, cherished as a son, brother, and friend, departed on Saturday night, February 3, as per reports.

Charlie, known for his roles in TV shows such as Know Zone, Makutano Junction, Changing Times, Count it Out, and The First Grader, was a talented scriptwriter, show host, event manager, and voice-over artist.

READ MORE : Sri Lankan State Minister Sanath Nishantha and another killed in car accident

He was also the co-host of the ‘Undiscovered Podcast’ alongside his fiancée, Ciru.

The circumstances surrounding Charlie’s death remain unclear, with the family promising to provide more information in due course.

The Kenyan entertainment industry mourns the loss of a beloved talent, whose contributions will be remembered fondly by many.

(This story has been edited by Diplomat Times’s staff and some content from auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Pochettino Faces Criticism as Chelsea Suffers Defeat, Birthday Boy Hojlund Inspires Man Utd Victory

Samuel Bunny
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Pochettino Faces Criticism as Chelsea Suffers Defeat, Birthday Boy Hojlund Inspires Man Utd Victory

Pochettino Faces Criticism as Chelsea Suffers Defeat, Birthday Boy Hojlund Inspires Man Utd Victory

AFP – Mauricio Pochettino faced mounting pressure as his struggling Chelsea side suffered a dismal 4-2 defeat against Wolves. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund marked his 21st birthday with a goal in Sunday’s commanding 3-0 win against West Ham.

The Premier League spotlight shifted to Chelsea’s woes as they languished in 11th place, with fans expressing their frustration as Matheus Cunha’s hat-trick condemned them to a second successive defeat.

While Chelsea faltered, all eyes turned to the highly anticipated clash between Premier League leaders Liverpool and title rivals Arsenal. The outcome of this crucial match promised to shape the title race in the coming weeks.

READ MORE : South Korea vs Malaysia score, result as Son Heung-min added-time goal not enough for victory in 2023 Asian Cup

Chelsea endured a forgettable week as they suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday, followed by an even more embarrassing loss to Wolves, who completed the double over the struggling west London side.

Cole Palmer initially put Chelsea ahead with a composed finish from Moises Caicedo’s precise pass in the 19th minute. However, their lead lasted only three minutes as Cunha’s shot deflected off Thiago Silva, leaving Blues goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic wrong-footed.

Pochettino’s frustration was evident when Rayan Ait Nouri’s shot resulted in an own goal off Chelsea defender Axel Disasi in the 43rd minute. The atmosphere turned toxic as Pedro Neto assisted Cunha for Wolves’ third goal in the 63rd minute.

Cunha’s 82nd-minute penalty, awarded after a foul by Malo Gusto, compounded Chelsea’s misery, despite Silva’s late consolation goal in the 86th minute.

It has been a disheartening first season for Pochettino, and the pressure on the former Tottenham boss is mounting. Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has shown his willingness to act decisively by sacking Graham Potter after less than seven months in charge last term.

With challenging fixtures against Aston Villa and Manchester City looming, Chelsea’s situation could worsen before they face Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley on February 25.

Hojlund Sparks Manchester United Revival

Manchester United’s striker, Rasmus Hojlund, celebrated his 21st birthday by playing a crucial role in his team’s 3-0 victory against West Ham.

Hojlund’s goal contributed to United’s impressive win, marking a positive turn of events for the team. The birthday celebration and notable performance come as Manchester United aims to strengthen its position in the Premier League.

Sparked by the resurgence of Hojlund, Manchester United secured their third consecutive victory across all competitions, propelling them past West Ham into sixth place.

Breaking free from a sluggish start to his inaugural season with United after his transfer from Atalanta, Hojlund ignited the celebration on his 21st birthday at Old Trafford. His strike in the 23rd minute, courtesy of Casemiro’s pass, showcased his skill as he found space for a powerful shot that beat Alphonse Areola from inside the area.

Having struggled to find the net in the league until December 26, Hojlund has now netted five goals in his last six matches across all competitions.

In the 49th minute, Alejandro Garnacho capitalized on a defensive lapse, his shot deflecting off West Ham’s Nayef Aguerd to extend United’s lead.

Before kick-off, United manager Erik ten Hag and West Ham boss David Moyes paid tribute to the victims of the 1958 Munich air crash, honoring the memory of the eight United players who perished while returning from a European Cup game in Belgrade.

Though the current United squad cannot match the legendary ‘Busby Babes’ lost in Munich, Ten Hag’s team paid homage with an enterprising display reminiscent of their predecessors.

In a fitting conclusion, Garnacho, United’s emerging talent, sealed the victory with a composed finish in the 84th minute.

Nottingham Forest finds themselves just two points clear of the relegation zone following a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bournemouth.

Dutch striker Justin Kluivert handed Bournemouth an early advantage by slotting home in the fifth minute.

However, Callum Hudson-Odoi restored parity for Forest right before halftime with a superb curling effort from outside the box.

Bournemouth’s hopes took a blow in the 84th minute as Philip Billing received his marching orders for a foul on Hudson-Odoi.

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Far-right Israeli minister’s criticism of Biden sparks anger at a sensitive time for US ties

Diplomat Times
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Far-right Israeli minister’s criticism of Biden sparks anger at a sensitive time for US ties

BY MELANIE LIDMAN AND SAMY MAGDY

Far-right Israeli minister’s criticism of Biden sparks anger at a sensitive time for US ties

JERUSALEM (AP) — Criticism of President Joe Biden by a far-right minister in Israel’s government who said Donald Trump would allow more freedom to fight Hamas sparked outrage there on Sunday, highlighting the sensitivity of relations as Washington provides key support for the offensive against the militants in Gaza.

The Biden administration has skirted Congress to rush weapons to Israel and shielded its ally from international calls for a cease-fire in the four months since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war. But the White House has also urged Israel to take greater measures to avoid harming civilians and to facilitate the delivery of more aid to besieged Gaza.

READ MORE : An Israeli airstrike on the Syrian capital killed at least 4 Iranian advisers, officials say

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal said Biden was hindering Israel’s war effort.

“Instead of giving us his full backing, Biden is busy with giving humanitarian aid and fuel (to Gaza), which goes to Hamas,” Ben-Gvir said. “If Trump was in power, the U.S. conduct would be completely different.”

His remarks drew fire from Benny Gantz, a retired general and member of Netanyahu’s three-man War Cabinet, who said Ben-Gvir was “causing tremendous damage” to American-Israeli relations. Opposition leader Yair Lapid, also posting on X, said Ben-Gvir’s remarks prove that he “does not understand foreign relations.”

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned Ben-Gvir’s comments as “racist” and called for international sanctions against him, saying he threatens the region’s stability.

Netanyahu, without mentioning Ben-Gvir by name, appeared to refer to his remarks when addressing a weekly Cabinet meeting. The prime minister thanked Biden for his support while highlighting his own experience of dealing with multiple U.S. administrations’ approaches to Israel’s most important alliance.

“There are those who say ‘no’ to everything, receiving applause at home, but they’re also endangering vital interests,” he said.

Israeli Soldiers drive a tank on the bodrer with the Gaza strip, as seen from southern Israel, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. Photo : Ariel Schlit/AP

Ben-Gvir, along with other far-right figures, has called for “voluntary” mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and for the return of Jewish settlements, which Israel dismantled when it withdrew troops from the territory in 2005. The Biden administration is opposed to any such scenario.

Ben-Gvir and other key members of Netanyahu’s governing coalition have threatened to bring down the government if they believe he is too soft on Hamas. Netanyahu told the Cabinet that the military was carrying out “very aggressive raids” in northern and central Gaza while dealing with remaining Hamas battalions around Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah.

The war in Gaza has leveled vast swaths of the tiny enclave, displaced 85% of its population and pushed a quarter of residents to starvation. The Health Ministry in Gaza said 127 bodies had been brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll to 27,365. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says most of those killed were women and children.

In central Gaza, Israeli airstrikes hit a house and mosque in Deir al-Balah and killed 15 people and wounded at least 45 others including children, according to an Associated Press journalist at the scene. At Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, a man wept next to a body covered in blankets.

Other Palestinians found shelter at the hospital but little relief. “Someone like me has been here for three months or two-and-a-half months, and I haven’t had a shower. What can we do? We want to go back to our home,” said Basemah Al-Haddad, who was displaced from Gaza City.

Two children were killed in separate airstrikes in Rafah, according to the registration office at the hospital where the bodies were taken. The first hit a house in the Jeneina refugee camp and killed a 12-year-old. The second hit a room west of the Rafah border crossing, killing a 2-year-old.

The bodies lay on the hospital floor. A female relative bent down to gently touch one child’s face.

More aid to Gaza will be a “top priority” as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes his latest visit to the region, Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told CBS.

Another focus is Israel’s tense negotiations mediated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt aimed at freeing more than 100 remaining captives taken in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in return for a cease-fire and the release of Palestinians jailed in Israel.

“It’s up to Hamas to come forward and respond to what is a serious proposal,” Sullivan told NBC, adding there is no clear idea how many of the hostages remain alive.

Hamas and other militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted around 250. More than 100 captives, mostly women and children, were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Hamas has said it won’t release any more hostages until Israel ends its offensive. It also demands the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has publicly ruled out both demands.

Hamas is expected to respond to the latest cease-fire offer in the coming days.

Magdy reported from Cairo.

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Ukraine says Russia is refusing to turn over the bodies of plane crash victims

Shasi Kumar
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Ukraine says Russia is refusing to turn over the bodies of plane crash victims

Ukraine says Russia is refusing to turn over the bodies of plane crash victims

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has repeatedly asked Russia to hand over the bodies of scores of prisoners of war who Moscow claimed were killed in the downing of a Russian military transport plane by Ukrainian forces, but Russia has refused, a Ukrainian intelligence official said.

Andrii Yusov, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence, in televised remarks late Thursday reaffirmed Ukraine’s call for an international probe into the Jan. 24 crash that would determine whether the cargo plane carried weapons or passengers along with the crew.

READ MORE : At least 27 people are reported killed in an attack on Donetsk in Russian-occupied Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine have traded accusations over the crash, with Moscow accusing Kyiv of killing its own men and Ukraine dismissing Moscow’s assertions as “rampant Russian propaganda.”

Kyiv has neither confirmed nor denied that its forces downed the Il-76, and Russia’s claim that the crash killed Ukrainian POWs couldn’t be independently verified. Ukrainian officials emphasized that Moscow didn’t ask for any specific stretch of airspace to be kept safe for a certain length of time, as it has for past prisoner exchanges.

Some Western intelligence assessments have suggested the plane was shot down by a missile from Ukraine, although they could not confirm the presence of POWs on board.

A French military official told The Associated Press that the country’s military concluded that Ukrainian forces used a battery of Patriot surface-to-air missiles to shoot down the Russian Il-76, firing from a distance of approximately 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) away.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to divulge the intelligence findings, said the Ukrainian battery apparently managed to stay hidden while getting closer to the target and then switched on its radars “just long enough to hit them.”

Another Western official also said the plane was downed by “a missile strike rather than any kind of mechanical failure,” and it’s almost certain the missile was fired from Ukrainian territory. The official said “it’s not yet clear” whether it was carrying Ukrainian POWs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told the state RIA Novosti news agency on Friday that the Kremlin hadn’t received a Ukrainian request to hand over the bodies. Asked if Russia would be willing to hand them over, he later told reporters that the official probe into the plane’s downing was ongoing and it would be up to Russian law enforcement agencies to consider such a request.

Putin said Wednesday that Russia wouldn’t only welcome but would “insist” on an international inquiry into the plane’s downing that he described as a “crime” by Ukraine.

Yusov, the Ukrainian intelligence spokesperson, said in televised remarks that some of the Ukrainian POWs who were meant to be part of a prisoner exchange on the day of the plane crash were swapped Wednesday when about 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home.

Russia’s Investigative Committee, the main state criminal investigation agency, said Thursday that its probe into the crash found that the Il-76 military transport plane was brought down by the U.S.-made Patriot air defense system, which Western allies — namely the U.S., Germany and the Netherlands — have supplied to Kyiv. The U.S. has provided Patriots to Ukraine with the understanding that they not be used outside of Ukraine

Russian officials claimed there were 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew members and three Russian servicemen. All were reported killed when the plane hit the ground and exploded in a giant fireball in the Belgorod region near Ukraine.

The Investigative Committee said investigators have found over 670 body fragments and identified all the crash victims.

The committee said that it also has recovered 116 fragments of two missiles that were fired from a Patriot system from near the village of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. It showed a video that purported to show some missile fragments lying in the snow with visible markings ostensibly proving their origin.

Russia, meanwhile, has continued to pummel Ukraine with long-range strikes, with the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line remaining largely static as the conflict approaches the two-year mark.

In Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown, a drone attack damaged an energy infrastructure facility, leaving 100,000 recipients without electricity and 113 coal miners stranded underground, according to Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul. He said all the miners were brought to safety after electrical supply was partially restored.

___

John Leicester in Paris and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.

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