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Rescuers Search for Woman Who May Have Fallen into Sinkhole While Looking for Lost Cat

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Emergency crews worked through snowfall and freezing temperatures early Wednesday searching for a 64-year-old woman who apparently fell into a sinkhole that opened above an abandoned coal mine while looking for her lost cat.

Elizabeth Pollard disappeared Monday evening while searching for her cat, Pepper. Her car was found parked near Monday’s Union Restaurant with her 5-year-old granddaughter safely inside, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. “The young girl nodded off in the car and woke up. Grandma never came back,” State Police Trooper Steve Limani told reporters.

Rescuers lowered cameras and sensitive listening devices into the manhole-sized opening, detecting what appeared to be a shoe approximately 30 feet below ground. “It almost feels like it opened up with her standing on top of it,” Limani said, noting the hole hadn’t been seen by hunters and restaurant workers in the area hours before Pollard’s disappearance.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection linked the void to the Marguerite Mine, last operated by H.C. Frick Coke Company in 1952, with the Pittsburgh coal seam about 20 feet below surface. Crews dug a separate entrance after concerns about ground stability near the sinkhole.

“The integrity of that mine is starting to become compromised,” Limani said as teams reassessed tactics to avoid endangering rescuers. Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Company Chief John Bacha remained hopeful, telling Triblive, “We are pretty confident we are in the right place. We’re hoping there is still a void she could be in.”

Trump Considers DeSantis for Defense Secretary as Hegseth Support Wavers

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President-elect Donald Trump is considering Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a potential replacement for embattled Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

Trump and DeSantis, a Navy veteran who served in Iraq, have already spoken directly about the position, sources told NBC News Tuesday. “Trump talked to the governor and wants him to do it,” one source said. The Wall Street Journal first reported DeSantis’s consideration overnight.

The potential shift comes as Hegseth’s nomination faces mounting scrutiny, with as many as six Republican senators expressing reservations over allegations involving drinking and his treatment of women. Hegseth has denied allegations of mistreating women and hasn’t responded to questions about drinking concerns.

Additional candidates under consideration include Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), along with Representative Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), previously tapped as Trump’s national security adviser. Ernst, like DeSantis, brings military experience as an Army Reserve and National Guard veteran who served in Iraq.

The possible nomination of DeSantis marks a significant turnaround in the relationship between the two Republicans. DeSantis challenged Trump for the 2024 presidential nomination before dropping out in January and endorsing him, despite previous campaign tensions that saw Trump label him “Ron DeSanctimonious.”

Unlike many of Trump’s cabinet picks, DeSantis has publicly acknowledged Trump’s 2020 election loss, contrasting with others who have supported claims of election fraud.

Russian Mercenary Leader Prigozhin Honored with Statue in Central Africa

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The Central African Republic unveiled a monument Tuesday to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, marking the latest symbol of Moscow’s expanding influence in the mineral-rich nation.

The statue, installed in the capital Bangui, depicts Prigozhin in bullet-proof attire holding a walkie-talkie alongside his deputy Dmitru Utkin, who is shown carrying an AK-47 rifle. Both men died in an August 2023 plane crash near Moscow, two months after leading a failed mutiny in Russia.

Defence Minister Rameau Claude Bireau and senior military officials attended the unveiling ceremony, with the national police describing the monument as “part of the bilateral relationship” between CAR and Russia. The installation joins an existing statue in Bangui showing Russian troops protecting a woman and children.

Wagner forces have operated in CAR since 2018, when President Faustin-Archange Touadéra invited them to combat rebel groups. The organization, now renamed Corps Africa but still operating as Wagner in CAR, has secured contracts to exploit local gold and diamond mines.

“It was said that 80% of the territory was occupied by armed groups. Today, thanks to this co-operation, these figures are completely reversed,” Touadéra told the BBC in December, defending the mercenaries’ continued presence.

The relationship highlights Russia’s growing footprint in Africa, though critics argue Touadéra’s government allows mercenaries and other groups to exploit CAR’s resources in exchange for security support. Despite vast mineral wealth including diamonds, gold, oil, and uranium, CAR remains one of the world’s poorest nations, plagued by instability since gaining independence from France in 1960.

Namibia Elects First Female President Amid Electoral Controversy

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Namibia’s electoral commission declared governing party candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah the nation’s first female president Tuesday, though opposition parties boycotted the announcement amid claims of widespread voting irregularities.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, representing the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO), secured more than 57% of the vote, with closest challenger Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) receiving 26%. The victory maintains SWAPO’s unbroken hold on power since independence in 1990, though with a significantly reduced majority.

“The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability,” Nandi-Ndaitwah declared following the announcement. Her election marks a historic milestone as she joins Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan as Africa’s only current female presidents.

The election was marred by logistical problems that forced a three-day extension of polling in some areas. Opposition leader Itula, a dentist who had previously dented SWAPO’s support in 2019, called the process “deeply flawed.” The IPC announced plans to challenge the results in court, citing voter disenfranchisement due to ballot shortages and scanner failures.

“The Electoral Commission of Namibia had four years to fix things,” IPC representative Claus Goldbeck told the BBC, describing the voting as an “organizational mess.” Electoral Commission chairperson Elsie Nghikembua acknowledged organizational failures but denied fraud allegations.

In parliamentary elections, SWAPO retained a slim majority with 51 of 96 seats, losing 12 positions while the IPC secured 20 seats to become the official opposition. The results reflect SWAPO’s declining popularity, following similar trends among other liberation parties in southern Africa.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated Nandi-Ndaitwah, noting on social media that her election as “the first woman in our region to hold this high office is a testament to democracy and its ability to transform our societies.”

South Korean President Faces Impeachment After Failed Martial Law Attempt

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South Korean lawmakers filed impeachment proceedings Wednesday against President Yoon Suk Yeol, following his short-lived attempt to impose martial law that sparked a tense standoff between parliament and armed forces in the U.S.-allied nation.

President Yoon Suk Yeol

The impeachment push came after Yoon’s surprise martial law declaration, aimed at banning political activity and censoring media, collapsed when parliament unanimously rejected it and troops attempting to seize the National Assembly building were repelled by parliamentary staff using fire extinguishers.

Six opposition parties submitted the impeachment bill, with voting scheduled for Friday or Saturday. “We couldn’t ignore the illegal martial law,” Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min told reporters. “We can no longer let democracy collapse.”

Lawmakers display impeachment letter

The crisis deepened as civic and labor groups held candlelight vigils in downtown Seoul reminiscent of protests that led to President Park Geun-hye’s 2017 impeachment. The leader of Yoon’s own People Power Party called for Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun’s dismissal and the cabinet’s resignation.

Yoon had justified the martial law declaration in a televised address Tuesday, citing threats from “pro-North Korean anti-state forces,” though he provided no specific evidence. He rescinded the order within six hours after parliament’s rejection.

South Koreans calling the President to resign

The political turmoil rattled markets, with South Korean stocks falling 1.3% and the won hovering near two-year lows. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok promised “unlimited liquidity” support for financial markets, while major employers including Naver Corp and LG Electronics advised employees to work from home.

If more than two-thirds of lawmakers support impeachment, the constitutional court would then need six of nine justices to approve Yoon’s removal. His party holds 108 seats in the 300-member legislature.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Yoon’s decision to withdraw martial law, while planned defense talks and joint military exercises between the allies were postponed amid the crisis.

Top Chinese Language Novelist Chiung Yao Dies at 86 by Suicide in Taiwan

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Chiung Yao, one of the most influential Chinese-language romance novelists whose work helped launch numerous entertainment careers, died Wednesday at her home in New Taipei City. She was 86.

Emergency services reported the death as an apparent suicide, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency. Hours before her body was discovered, a farewell message appeared on her Facebook account: “Goodbye, my loved ones. I feel lucky that I have met and known you in this life.” The post included a request for young people “not to give up on life easily” and to confront death only when “you live until 86 or 87.”

Born Chen Che in Sichuan, China in 1938, Chiung Yao fled to Taiwan with her family in 1949 following the Communist Party’s rise to power. She began her writing career at 18, with her debut novel “Outside The Window,” inspired by her romance with a high school teacher, achieving immediate success.

Over her career, she published more than 60 novels and created numerous television adaptations. Her most celebrated work, the television drama “My Fair Princess,” a Qing Dynasty-era Cinderella story, launched the careers of several major Asian stars including Fan Bingbing, Ruby Lin, and Zhao Wei.

In recent years, Chiung Yao had retreated from public life, making headlines only in 2017 during a public dispute with her stepchildren over the care of her then-ailing husband.

Nigerian Rights Lawyer Detained Over Alleged Defamation of Senior Attorney

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A magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti, in Ekiti State, Nigeria, ordered the detention Wednesday of Lagos-based human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi following allegations he defamed Afe Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of Afe Babalola University.

Farotimi, arrested Tuesday at his Lagos chambers by Ekiti State Police Command officers, faces sixteen counts related to statements in his book “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.” The prosecution alleges Farotimi accused Babalola of corrupting the judiciary and procuring Supreme Court judgments, claims they say exposed the senior lawyer to “hatred, contempt, ridicule and damaged his hard-earned career.”

Police prosecutor Samson Osun requested Farotimi’s remand in prison custody pending investigation, citing security concerns. Defense counsel Dayo Akeredolu opposed the detention, arguing for bail on liberal terms, noting his client’s prominence and emphasizing the bailable nature of the alleged offense.

“The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Akeredolu told the court, describing Farotimi as a well-known figure posing no threat.

Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun rejected the bail application, ordering Farotimi held in custody. The case was adjourned until December 10 for further hearing.

UK Orders Deportation of Nigerian Pastor Following £1.87 million Church Financial Scandal

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A Nigerian pastor who led a controversial London church has lost his deportation appeal despite claiming human rights protections, following allegations of £1.87 million ($2.37 million) in mishandled church funds.

Tobi Adegboyega, 44, cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, failed to convince an immigration tribunal that his deportation would violate his right to family life under the European Convention of Human Rights. The pastor has lived in the UK unlawfully since overstaying a visitor’s visa in 2005.

The case centered on Adegboyega’s leadership of SPAC Nation, a church shut down by authorities for failing to account for £1.87 million in expenditures and operating without transparency. The Charity Commission found “serious misconduct and/or mismanagement” sustained over a substantial period.

Former church members alleged the organization operated as a cult, reportedly pressuring impoverished young people to donate money through extreme measures, including taking out loans, committing benefit fraud, and selling blood. Leadership allegedly maintained lavish lifestyles amid claims of abuse.

Adegboyega’s legal team portrayed him as a “charismatic” community leader who had “intervened in the lives of many hundreds of young people, predominantly from the black communities in London.” They claimed his work had been “lauded” by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Metropolitan Police officials, though no supporting testimony was provided.

The tribunal found Adegboyega’s evidence “hyperbolic” and determined he had “sought to grossly inflate his influence.” Rejecting his appeal, the court concluded that SPAC Nation’s work would not “collapse or even significantly suffer” in his absence, noting his relationships “would survive his return to Nigeria.”

Trump’s DEA Nominee Withdraws, Will Remain Florida Sheriff

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President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Drug Enforcement Administration withdrew his candidacy Monday, with Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister announcing he will remain in his current position leading Hillsborough County’s law enforcement.

Chronister, a three-decade law enforcement veteran, cited local obligations in declining what he called “the honour of a lifetime” in a statement posted on social media platform X. “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister wrote.

Trump had announced Chronister’s nomination Saturday on Truth Social, touting the sheriff’s potential role in border security and combating illegal drug trafficking. The DEA, which Chronister would have led, holds primary responsibility for enforcing federal drug laws and regulations of controlled substances.

The withdrawal marks the second high-profile nominee to step away from Trump’s prospective administration. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz previously withdrew from consideration for attorney general amid controversy over a pending investigatory report regarding allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use, which he has consistently denied. Gaetz cited the controversy “unfairly becoming a distraction” in his decision to withdraw.

“I sincerely appreciate the nomination, outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County,” Chronister concluded in his statement.

Syrian Rebels Advance Close to Hama City, Piling Pressure on Assad and His Allies

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Syrian rebel forces pushed to within striking distance of Hama on Tuesday, rebels and war monitors reported, threatening one of President Bashar al-Assad’s major strongholds just days after their stunning capture of Aleppo sent shockwaves through the region.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed insurgents had captured several villages, including Maar Shahur, just miles north of Hama, a city that has remained under government control since Syria’s civil war erupted in 2011. Syrian state media acknowledged the threat, reporting that military reinforcements were rushing to the area.

International reaction was swift, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi indicating in an Arabic-language interview that Tehran would consider deploying troops if Damascus requested assistance. Russian President Vladimir Putin called for an end to “terrorist aggression” in Syria, according to RIA news agency, while Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani warned Baghdad would not remain “a mere spectator.”

The rebel offensive has gained momentum as Assad’s traditional allies face their own challenges. Russia’s military focus remains divided by the Ukraine war, while Israeli strikes over the past three months have severely impacted Hezbollah, Assad’s strongest Iran-backed supporter. Though hundreds of Iran-backed Iraqi militia fighters entered Syria Monday to reinforce government positions, Hezbollah has not committed to sending additional forces.

Adding to Assad’s difficulties, U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces opened a new front in the northeast, with the Syrian Democratic Forces claiming control of seven villages previously held by the government along the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. The development threatens vital supply routes and further complicates the increasingly crowded battlefield, where U.S., Russian, Iranian, and Turkish interests converge.

Russian and Syrian warplanes have responded with intensified airstrikes against rebel positions, according to both sides, while rescue workers report deadly strikes on hospitals in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. The escalation risks further destabilizing a region already roiled by conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, though a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect last week.

REUTERS

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