US cuts short Gaza ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking 'good faith'

US cuts short Gaza ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking 'good faith'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating team home from Qatar to discuss next steps after Hamas' latest response "shows a lack of desire" to reach a truce,President Donald Trump's special envoySteve Witkoffsaid Thursday. "While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith," Witkoff said in a statement. "We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza." State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott would not offer details on what "alternative options" the U.S. is considering to free hostages held by the militant group. A breakthrough on a ceasefire deal betweenIsrael and Hamasfollowing 21 months of war has eluded the Trump administration ashumanitarian conditions worsen in Gaza. Thursday's move is the latest setback as Trump has tried to position himself as peacemaker and vowed to broker agreements in conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza. Talks for a Gaza ceasefire have dragged on When pressed on whether and how the U.S. would proceed on seeking a truce in Gaza, Pigott did not offer clarity and told reporters that "this is a very dynamic situation." He said there's never been a question of the U.S. commitment to reaching a ceasefire and faulted Hamas. The sides have held weeks of talks in Qatar, reporting small signs of progress but no major breakthroughs. Officials have said a main sticking point is the redeployment of Israeli troops after any ceasefire takes place. Witkoff said the U.S. is "resolute" in seeking an end to the conflict in Gaza and it was "a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way." The White House and representatives for Hamas had no immediate comment. Israel also calls back its negotiators Earlier Thursday, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu's officerecalled his negotiating teamin light of Hamas' response. In a brief statement, Netanyahu's office expressed appreciation for the efforts of Witkoff and other mediators Qatar and Egypt but gave no further details. The deal under discussion was expected to include an initial 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release10 living hostagesand the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up, and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting ceasefire. The talks have been bogged down over competing demands for ending the war. Hamas says it will only release all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and end to the war. Israel says it will not agree to end the conflict until Hamas gives up power and disarms. The militant group says it is prepared to leave power but not surrender its weapons. Hamas is believed to be holding the hostages in different locations, including tunnels, and says it has ordered its guards to kill them if Israeli forces approach. Trump has been pushing for peace Trump has made little secret of the fact he wants to receivea Nobel Peace Prize. For instance, he has promised to quickly negotiate an end toRussia's war in Ukraine, but little progress has been made. On the war in Gaza, Trumpmet with Netanyahu at the White Housethis month, putting his weight behind a push to reach a deal. But despite a partnership further solidified by their countries'joint strikes on Iran, the Israeli leader left Washington without any breakthrough. The State Department had said earlier in the week that Witkoff would be traveling to the Middle East for talks, but U.S. officials later said that Witkoff would instead travel to Europe. It was unclear if he held meetings there Thursday. The apparent derailing of the talks comes as Israel's blockade and military offensive have driven Gazato the brink of famine, according to aid groups. The U.N. food agency says nearly 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe, acute malnutrition, and the Gaza Health Ministry has reported a rise in hunger-related deaths. Israel is criticized for its role in Gaza British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would hold an emergency call Friday with officials from Germany and France to discuss how to urgently get food to people in need and launch steps to build a lasting peace. "The suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible," he said in a statement. The three European countries "all agree on the pressing need for Israel to change course and allow the aid that is desperately needed to enter Gaza without delay." French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday thatFrance would recognize Palestine as a state, saying, "The urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved.″ Israel has come under mounting pressure, with 28 Western-aligned countriescalling for an end to the warand harshly criticizing Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. More than 100 charity and human rights groupsreleased a similar letter, saying even their own staff are struggling to get enough food. The U.S. and Israel rejected the allegations and blamed Hamas for prolonging the war by not accepting their terms for a ceasefire. Israel says it is allowing in enough aid and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. But those agencies say it is nearly impossible to safely deliver it because of Israeli restrictions and a breakdown of law and order, with crowds of thousands unloading food trucks as soon as they move into Gaza. A separate Israeli- and U.S.-backed system run by an American contractor has also beenmarred by chaos. "Of course, we want to see the end of devastation that is taking place in Gaza," Pigott said. "That is why we have supported the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. That is why we've seen those 90 million meals being distributed." ___ Krauss reported from in Ottawa, Ontario. Associated Press writers Josef Federman and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem and Farnoush Amiri in New York contributed to this report.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 24, 2025

US cuts short Gaza ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking 'good faith'

US cuts short Gaza ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking 'good faith' WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is cutting short Ga...

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A bull moose is blocking a New York mountain trail. Wildlife researchers don't know why

A bull moose is blocking a New York mountain trail. Wildlife researchers don't know why

A big bull moose has spent the summer lingering around a popular Adirondack mountain hiking trail, prompting New York state wildlife officials to close the path as they monitor the potentially ailing animal. The Goodman Mountain trail in the Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest has been temporarily closed since June 6 due to the oddly behaving animal. The moose is staying on or around the trail near the summit, sometimes sitting and sometimes foraging in a small area, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. Attempts to coax the moose from the trial have failed. "This is very unusual behavior," agency research scientist Dave Kramer said Thursday. "Typically at this time of year, moose will have moved down into the lower elevations where they're primarily browsing on aquatic vegetation." Kramer estimates the moose stands about 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall at the shoulder and weighs 900 pounds (408 kilograms) or more. The spread of its antlers indicate it might be around four years old. And it's a mystery why the moose won't move on. The agency has said an "underlying illness influencing behavior" was suspected. Moose are susceptible to a couple of different parasites that can lead to their deaths. Wildlife staffers were recently able to get close enough to observe the moose's behavior but did not find obvious signs of disease. "Although the moose does appear a little thinner than we would expect this time of year," Kramer said, adding that it is difficult to make conclusive diagnoses of animals in the wild. The moose has not shown signs of aggression. But the trail in the town of Tupper Lake remains closed in part over concerns that the large animal could pose a danger to people if approached too closely. The state is keeping tabs on the moose with three trail cameras, and wildlife staffers make regular treks up the mountain. "His body condition hasn't deteriorated to a point where we're concerned that he's struggling," Kramer said. "So right now we're just kind of monitoring periodically and assessing each time." New York state is on the southern edge of moose range. The state's population was wiped out in the 1800s but has gradually grown from animals that wandered in from other northern states and Canada starting around 1980. There might be roughly 700 moose in the Adirondack region. Conservation officers in Januarysaved a bull moose that fell through the iceof Lake Abanakee elsewhere in the Adirondacks.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 24, 2025

A bull moose is blocking a New York mountain trail. Wildlife researchers don't know why

A bull moose is blocking a New York mountain trail. Wildlife researchers don't know why A big bull moose has spent the summer lingering ...

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3 workers trapped in a Canadian mine have air, food and water as rescuers try to gain access to them

3 workers trapped in a Canadian mine have air, food and water as rescuers try to gain access to them

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Three workers remain trapped at a gold and copper mine in Western Canada on Thursday as a remote-controlled scoop began removing debris from rockfalls to gain access to them, a mine company said in a statement. The heap of rocks is 20 to 30 meters (65 to 100 feet) long and seven to eight meters (22 to 26 feet) high. The workers were trapped Tuesday after two rockfalls at the Red Chris mine in northern British Columbia. Mine company Newmont Corp. said that the workers have enough air, food and water for an extended stay, although their communications were cut off after the second cave-in. The company's statement said that specialized drones have been sent in to assess the geotechnical conditions underground at the mine. Teams are restoring the specialized communication system to try to reestablish communication with the workers, the statement said. "The workers are understood to be sheltering in a MineARC refuge chamber designed to support 16 people. Additional refuge chambers are also available nearby and accessible if required," according to the statement, referring to the safe haven where the workers are staying. Production at the mine has been paused while the rescue effort continues. The mine is mostly open pit, but Newmont said in an earlier statement that development of underground block-cave mining began in 2019, four years after the mine's first production date. The company said that the three trapped workers are business-partner employees, two from British Columbia and one from Ontario. They were working more than 500 meters (more than a quarter-mile) past the affected zone when the first rocks fell, and were asked to relocate to the refuge before the second rockfall. "Following the first event, contact was established with the individuals and confirmation was received that they had safely relocated to one of multiple self-contained refuge bays," the company's statement said.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 24, 2025

3 workers trapped in a Canadian mine have air, food and water as rescuers try to gain access to them

3 workers trapped in a Canadian mine have air, food and water as rescuers try to gain access to them VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Thre...

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Chuck Mangione, whose jazz songs found new life on 'King of the Hill,' dead at 84

Chuck Mangione, whose jazz songs found new life on 'King of the Hill,' dead at 84

Chuck Mangione, a prolific composer and musician who released 30 albums in his career, died July 22, a statement from his family confirmed. He was 84. "The family of Chuck Mangione is deeply saddened to share that Chuck peacefully passed away in his sleep at his home in Rochester, New York, on July 22, 2025," the statement, shared July 24 with theRochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network, read. A celebrated composer and virtuoso flugelhorn and trumpet player, Mangione began taking music lessons at age 8 and played in a jazz combo with his pianist brother, Gap, during his high school years. He and Gap were both heavily inspired by Dizzy Gillespie, a family friend and jazz great, whom their father adored. Gillespie would join the Mangiones for dinner whenever he was in town and became one of Mangione's biggest influences. Gillespie was so impressed by teenage Mangione's musical prowess that he gave him one of his trademark upswept trumpets. Mangione went on to study at the Eastman School of Music, graduating in 1963 with a bachelor's degree in music education, later returning to teach and direct the school's jazz ensemble. He then parlayed a musical upbringing into a successful solo career, selling millions of records and receiving numerous awards, including two Grammys: in 1977 for best instrumental composition ("Bellavia") and in 1979 for best pop instrumental performance ("The Children of Sanchez"). The latter, a soundtrack for the movie of the same name, also won a Golden Globe. His 1977 single "Feels So Good," off an album of the same name, reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard albums chart in 1978, bested only by the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack. "Feels So Good" also became an ongoing bit on TV's animated"King of the Hill,"where it was frequently referenced, with Mangione himself nabbing a recurring voice-acting role. Mangione also composed "Give it All You Got," the theme song for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, and performed it during the closing ceremonies to an audience of several hundred million viewers. "Chuck's love affair with music has been characterized by his boundless energy, unabashed enthusiasm, and pure joy that radiated from the stage," his family's statement reads. "His appreciation for his loyal worldwide fans was genuine as evidenced by how often he would sit at the edge of the stage after a concert for however long it took to sign autographs for the fans who stayed to meet him and the band." The family also noted that he worked to inspire a new generation of musicians by using high school bands as his orchestra or scheduling children's matinee concerts where kids in the audience would be invited to bring their instruments and join him onstage. Even before his death, Mangione's wide-ranging music career was memorialized in the American songbook. In 2009, he donated a selection of his music memorabilia to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Among the items: his signature brown felt hat, scores to his most important works, photos, albums and even an animation cell from"King of The Hill." This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle:Chuck Mangione death: 'Feels So Good' jazz musician dies at 84

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 24, 2025

Chuck Mangione, whose jazz songs found new life on 'King of the Hill,' dead at 84

Chuck Mangione, whose jazz songs found new life on 'King of the Hill,' dead at 84 Chuck Mangione, a prolific composer and musician w...

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Former Food Network Star Recalled Anne Burrell ‘Going Through Some Stuff’ as Her Death Is Ruled a Suicide

Former Food Network Star Recalled Anne Burrell 'Going Through Some Stuff' as Her Death Is Ruled a Suicide

A little over a month after her unexpected passing,Anne Burrell's death has been ruled a suicide. The New York City medical examiner's office has determined that the 55-year-old Food Network star's cause of death was from "acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine," according toPeople. AsStarreported last month, Burrell was "found next to dozens of pills," per theNew York Postand her husband,Stuart Claxton, found her "unresponsive" in the shower of their Brooklyn, New York home. Additionally, a rep for the New York City Fire Department toldPage Sixthat the person who called 911 said Burrell went into "cardiac arrest" and was "DOA [dead on arrival]." Days after her passing, fellow Food Network starDuff Goldmanhinted that the formerWorst Cooks in Americahost had been privately struggling years prior. "Anne and I became friends in probably 2006," Goldman wrote in aJune 19 Instagram post. "She was going through some stuff and I had heard that she was feeling it, so on a trip to NYC from Baltimore I had made her a cake that said 'Don't let the bastards win.' She never did." "We had a complex relationship, and I remember the last conversation we had before our paths drifted was a pretty feisty debate about the merits of catfish," he recalled. "I believe the words 'trash fish,' 'tastes like mud,' and 'cake boy' were used." "Anne and I always had a spirited and somewhat acerbic back and forth," Goldman continued. "I really never knew why our paths drifted but I always hoped that wherever she was, Anne was doing well and was finding some happiness." Goldman explained that about two years ago, he attended an event in New York City where he ran into the formerSecrets of a Restaurant Chefhost. "Now, at this point we hadn't spoken in years, and I won't go into what we talked about but I will say that that conversation left my heart lifted and full of light, for it truly seemed to me that Anne really had found a measure of happiness and love," Goldman penned. "Life is tough, and we have to be tough to get through it." "Anne was as tough as they come," he added, "but when you got past the armor there was a depth of compassion and kindness that was absolutely beautiful. My heart sings when I think of the love and tranquility that it seems Anne had found recently." Burrell is survived by her husband and his son,Javier, her mother,Marlene, and sister,Jane.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 24, 2025

Former Food Network Star Recalled Anne Burrell ‘Going Through Some Stuff’ as Her Death Is Ruled a Suicide

Former Food Network Star Recalled Anne Burrell 'Going Through Some Stuff' as Her Death Is Ruled a Suicide A little over a month afte...

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