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Palestinian women struggle to receive donated food at a community kitchen in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)2025-12-19T12:01:01Z TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) The spread of famine has been averted in Gaza yet the situation remains critical with the entire strip still facing starvation, the worlds leading authority on food crises said Friday.The new report by The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, comes months after the group said famine was occurring in Gaza City and likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to humanitarian aid restrictions. There were notable improvements in food security and nutrition following an October ceasefire and no famine has been detected, the report said. Still, the IPC warned the situation remains highly fragile and the entire Gaza Strip is in danger of starvation with nearly 2,000 people facing catastrophic levels of hunger through April. In the worst-case scenario, including renewed conflict and a halt of aid, the whole strip is at risk of famine. Needs remain immense and sustained, expanded and unhindered aid is required, the IPC said. The Israeli military agency in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, known as COGAT, said Friday it strongly rejected the findings. The agency adheres to the ceasefire and allows the agreed amount of aid to reach the strip, COGAT said, noting the aid quantities significantly exceed the nutritional requirements of the population in Gaza according to accepted international methodologies, including the United Nations. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Friday it also rejects the findings, saying the IPCs report doesnt reflect reality in Gaza and more than the required amount of aid was reaching the strip.Israels government has rejected the IPCs past findings, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling the previous report an outright lie.The reports findings come as the shaky U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas reaches a pivotal point as Phase 1 nears completion, with the remains of one hostage still in Gaza. The more challenging second phase has yet to be implemented and both sides have accused the other of violating the truce. The IPC in August confirmed the grim milestone of famine for the first time in the Middle East and warned it could spread south to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. More than half a million people in Gaza, about a quarter of its population, faced catastrophic levels of hunger, with many at risk of dying from malnutrition-related causes, the August report said.Fridays report said the spread of famine had been offset by a significant reduction in conflict, a proposed peace plan and improved access for humanitarian and commercial food deliveries. There is more food on the ground and people now have two meals daily, up from one meal each day in July. That situation is clearly a reversal of what had been one of the most dire situations where we were during the summer, Antoine Renard, the World Food Programs director for the Palestinian territories, told U.N. reporters in a video briefing from Gaza City Thursday. Food access has significantly improved, he said, warning that the greatest challenge now is adequate shelter for Palestinians, many of whom are soaked and living in water-logged tents. Aid groups say nearly 1.3 million Palestinians need emergency shelter as winter sets in. Displacement is one of the key drivers behind the food insecurity, with more than 70% of Gazas population living in makeshift shelters and relying on assistance. Other factors such as poor hygiene and sanitation as well as restricted access to food are also exacerbating the hunger crisis, the IPC said. While humanitarian access has improved compared with previous analysis periods, that access fluctuates daily and is limited and uneven across the strip, the IPC said. To prevent further loss of life, expanded humanitarian assistance including food, fuel, shelter and healthcare is urgently needed, according to the groups experts, who warned that over the next 12 months more than 100,000 children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition and require treatment. Figures recently released by Israels military suggest it has not met the ceasefire stipulation of allowing 600 trucks of aid into Gaza each day, though Israel disputes that finding. American officials with the U.S.-led center coordinating aid shipments into Gaza also say deliveries have reached the agreed levels.Aid groups say despite increase of assistance, aid is still not reaching everyone in need after suffering two years of war. This is not a debate about truck numbers or calories on paper, its about whether people can actually access food, clean water, shelter and health care safely and consistently. Right now, they cannot, said Bushra Khalidi, Oxfams policy lead for Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.People must be able to rebuild their homes, grow food and recover and the conditions for that are still being denied, she said.___Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. SAM MEDNICK Mednick is an AP correspondent for Israel and the Palestinian Territories. She focuses on conflict, humanitarian crises and human rights abuses. Mednick formerly covered West & Central Africa and South Sudan. twitter

Nature, Published online: 19 December 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-04118-wIts a mystery why TOI-561 bs blanket of gases hasnt boiled off.

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Taiwan police cordoned off the scene after a knife attack in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)2025-12-19T12:12:46Z TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) At least nine people were injured in an indiscriminate smoke grenade and knife attack in Taiwans capital on Friday, and the suspect appeared to have jumped from a building to avoid arrest, Taipeis mayor said. Police said the suspect was certified dead after being sent to the hospital, Taiwans Central News Agency reported. The suspect threw smoke grenades at the Taipei Main subway station near the citys main train station, sending pedestrians running, according to local media reports.He then rode the subway one stop, exited the station and threw more smoke grenades on the street, according to footage carried by broadcaster EBC. He was holding a knife and wielding it at pedestrians before running into a shop, causing people to scream, the video showed. Mayor Chiang Wan-an said four of the wounded were seriously hurt. Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said that one of the wounded was a pedestrian who fell to the ground after being attacked, and that person was already in cardiac arrest before being sent to a hospital. The smoke caused respiratory injuries to another person.Cho said that authorities were still investigating the background of the suspect. They have requested police to increase security in train and subway stations across the island.

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WAYNE, NEAfter coming together and pooling resources to save Christmas for the towns most impoverished family, a tight-knit Nebraska community reportedly did jack shit this week to make the holiday better for its second-poorest family. Getting to see the smiles on the Turner kids faces when they realized they were going to have a merry Christmas after all was a heartwarming moment that made me feel proud to live in a small town like ours, said elementary school teacher Linda Clark, who sure as fuck didnt bake a Christmas ham for the Hoffman family two blocks away, who are functionally just as poor. The holidays are a time when we make sure were looking out for the least fortunate members of our community. As for the second-least, well, its a slippery slope. I mean, if you spend all day decorating a Christmas tree for the second-poorest family, then the third-poorest is going to want help buying presents, and pretty soon youre on the hook for everybody, which, come on, sounds like a total nightmare. Of course, we wanted to help the Hoffmans out, but after all the charitable acts we just did for the Turners in order to emulate Christ during this season of giving, we were pretty wiped out. But if theres one thing I know about our little town, its that if youre down on your luck enough to be clearly the worst one off, well be there to lift you up. At press time, reports confirmed the Hoffman family was looking through a window at the town Christmas party being thrown for the Turners, which they had not been invited to attend.The post Community Does Jack Shit To Make Christmas Better For Towns Second-Poorest Family appeared first on The Onion.

MACKINSHAW, NEEmphasizing that he didnt want to seem paranoid but it was the only way he could make sense of it all, high school senior Geoffrey Lesseder stated Monday that he was starting to suspect the three school shootings he had been in might be about him. At first I thought it was due to a lack of universal background checks, but now it feels personal, said Lesseder, adding that despite attending multiple high schools in states with vastly different gun laws, high-caliber rifle bullets always seemed to fly in classrooms when he was present. I dont want to be too self-centered, but what is the common thread that connects all these shootings, if not me? God, do all these shooters just think Im annoying? I especially got weird vibes from that last onethe way he glared at me as I was clamoring past my dying classmates toward the supply closet it was like he hated me or something. At press time, Lesseder had reportedly decided he would know for sure if there was a fourth school shooting in his vicinity.The post Student Whos Been In 3 School Shootings Starting To Think This Might Be About Him appeared first on The Onion.

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President Donald Trump speaks during an executive order signing regarding marijuana in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-12-19T15:09:53Z JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) To tax tips or not? That is a question that will confront lawmakers in states across the U.S. as they convene for work next year.President Donald Trumps administration is urging states to follow its lead by enacting a slew of new tax breaks for individuals and businesses, including deductions for tips and overtime wages, automobile loans and business equipment.In some states, the new federal tax breaks will automatically apply to state income taxes unless legislatures opt out. But in many other states, where tax laws are written differently, the new tax breaks wont appear on state tax forms unless legislatures opt in.In states that dont conform to the federal tax changes, workers who receive tips or overtime for example will pay no federal tax on those earnings but could still owe state taxes on them. States that embrace all of Trumps tax cuts could provide hundreds of millions of dollars of annual savings to certain residents and businesses. But that could financially strain states, which are being hit with higher costs because of new Medicaid and SNAP food aid requirements that also are included in the big bill Trump signed. Most states begin their annual legislative sessions in January. To retroactively change tax breaks for 2025, lawmakers would need to act quickly so tax forms could updated before people begin filing them. States also could apply the changes to their 2026 taxes, a decision requiring less haste. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on So far, only a few states have taken votes on whether to adopt the tax breaks.States in general are approaching this skeptically, said Carl Davis, research director at the nonprofit Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Trumps treasury presses states to `immediately conformA bill Trump signed on July 4 contains about $4.5 trillion of federal tax cuts over 10 years.It creates temporary tax deductions for tips, overtime and loan interest on new vehicles assembled in the U.S. It boosts a tax deduction for older adults. And it temporarily raises cap on state and local tax deductions from $10,000 to $40,000, among other things. The law also provides numerous tax breaks to businesses, including the ability to immediately write off 100% of the cost of equipment and research. Forty-one states levy individual income taxes on wages and salaries. Forty-four states charge corporate income taxes.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent this month called on those states to immediately conform to the federal tax cuts and accused some Democratic-led states that havent done so of engaging in political obstructionism. Though Bessent didnt mention it, many Republican-led states also have not decided whether to implement the tax deductions.By denying their residents access to these important tax cuts, these governors and legislators are forcing hardworking Americans to shoulder higher state tax burdens, robbing them of the relief they deserve and exacerbating the financial squeeze on low- and middle-income households, Bessent said.But some tax analysts contend theres more for states to consider. The tax break on tips, for example, could apply to nearly 70 occupation fields under a proposed rule from the Internal Revenue Service. But that would still exclude numerous low-wage workers, said Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects at the nonprofit Tax Foundation.Lawmakers need to consider whether these are worth the cost, Walczak said. Only a few states offer tax breaks for tips and overtimeBecause of the way state tax laws are written, the federal tax breaks for tips and overtime wages would have carried over to just seven states Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon and South Carolina. But Colorado opted out of the state tax break for overtime shortly before the federal law was enacted.Michigan this fall became first and, so far, only state to opt into the tax breaks for tips and overtime wages, effective in 2026. The overtime tax exemption is projected to cost the state nearly $113 million and the tips tax break about $45 million during its current budget year, according to the state treasury department. Michigan lawmakers offset that by decoupling from five federal corporate tax changes the states treasury estimated would have reduced Michigan tax revenues by $540 million this budget year.Republican state Rep. Ann Bollin, chair of the Michigan House Appropriations Committee, said the state could not afford to embrace all the tax cuts while still investing in better roads, public safety and education.The best path forward is to have more money in peoples pockets and have less regulation and this kind of moved in that direction, she said.Arizona could be among the next states to act. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs has called upon lawmakers to adopt the tax breaks for tips, overtime, seniors and vehicle loans, and follow the federal government by also increasing the states standard deduction for individual income taxpayers. Republican state House leaders said they stand ready to pass the tax cuts when their session begins Jan. 12. Several states have rejected corporate tax breaksIn addition to Michigan, lawmakers in Delaware, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island have passed measures to block some or all of the corporate tax cuts from taking effect in their states.A new Illinois law decoupling from a portion of the corporate tax changes could save the state nearly $250 million, said Democratic state Sen. Elgie Sims, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He said that could help ensure continued funding for schools, health care and vital services.Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, an outspoken Democratic opponent of Trump, also cited budget concerns for rejecting the corporate tax cut provision. He said states already stand to lose money because of other provisions in Trumps big bill, such as a requirement to cover more of the costs of running the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.The decoupling is an effort to try to hold back the onslaught from the federal government to make sure that we can support programs like the one were announcing today, Pritzker told reporters at a December event publicizing a grant to address homelessness in central Illinois.___Associated Press writer John OConnor in Springfield, Illinois, contributed to this report. DAVID A. LIEB Lieb covers issues and trends in state governments across the U.S. Hes reported about government and politics for The Associated Press for 30 years. twitter mailto

The gates of Harvard Yard at Harvard University, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)2025-12-19T14:52:16Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration will appeal a federal judges order reversing billions of dollars in funding cuts to Harvard University, extending a standoff over the White Houses demands for reforms at the Ivy League school.The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal late on Thursday in a pair of consolidated lawsuits brought by Harvard and the American Association of University Professors. The case has tested the governments power to sway the nations oldest and wealthiest university, which has resisted a pressure campaign targeting elite colleges around the country.U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled in September that the Trump administrations sweeping funding cuts violated Harvards First Amendment rights. The judge said the government put unconstitutional conditions on Harvards federal funding and failed to follow federal procedures allowing the government to sanction universities for civil rights violations. The Trump administration cut more than $2.6 billion from Harvard over allegations that it had been slow to deal with anti-Jewish bias on campus. Burroughs rejected that notion, saying the government was using antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this countrys premier universities. The notice of appeal is a first step in the governments effort to have the ruling overturned. It does not provide legal arguments behind the appeal. A statement from Harvard said university officials remain confident in our legal position.The federal district court ruled in Harvards favor in September, reinstating critical research funding that advances science and life-saving medical breakthroughs, strengthens national security, and enhances our nations competitiveness and economic priorities, Harvard said.The White House and the AAUP did not immediately comment. Harvard has been Trumps top target in a campaign to leverage federal control of research funding to push for reforms at elite colleges he has decried as overrun by woke ideology. Harvard has put up a fight against the governments wide-reaching demands, even as others like Columbia, Brown and Cornell universities reach deals with the government.Harvard and the White House have continued negotiations amid the legal battle, and Trump has multiple times indicated a resolution was imminent. In September, he said officials were close to a deal that would require a $500 million payment from Harvard to create a giant trade school to produce workers for American plants.The deal never materialized and Trump has been quiet on the issue since then.___The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. COLLIN BINKLEY Binkley covers the U.S. Education Department and federal education policy for The Associated Press, along with a wide range of issues from K-12 through higher education. twitter mailto

This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss history repeating itself and Meta's relationship with links.JOSEPH: I wanted to add a little bit from behind the scenes of this piece: Man Charged for Wiping Phone Before CBP Could Search It. As I said on the podcast this week, there are and continue to be many questions around the case. Especially why CBP stopped Samuel Tunick in the first place.In the piece I did not focus on Tunicks activism because frankly we dont know yet how big a role it played in CBP stopping him. I mentioned it but didnt focus on it. I think regardless, someone being charged for allegedly wiping a phone is interesting essentially no matter who they are.Yes, it absolutely may turn out that he was stopped specifically because of his activism. Maybe lots of people think its very likely thats the reason. But I cant frame a story because it feels like thats maybe the case. I have to go on what actual evidence I have at the moment.

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