Member of Israel’s War Cabinet says he’ll quit the government June 8 unless there’s a new war plan
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A popular centrist member of Israel’s three-man War Cabinet has threatened to resign from the government if it doesn’t adopt a new plan for the war in Gaza in the next three weeks. Benny Gantz’ decision would leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more reliant on far-right allies. His announcement Saturday escalates a divide within Israel’s leadership more than seven months into a war in which it has yet to accomplish its stated goals of dismantling Hamas and returning scores of hostages. Another War Cabinet member, Israel’s defense minister, has said he would not remain in his post if Israel chooses to reoccupy Gaza.
Jesus is their savior, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president’s backers say he shares faith, values
Donald Trump’s support from white evangelicals and other conservative Christians is as strong as ever. And he’s increasingly infusing his campaign events with Christian rhetoric and imagery. In some ways, this is a familiar story. The former president won about 8 in 10 white evangelical Christians’ votes in 2016 and 2020. He has maintained support from this group in early primary contests this year, even though Republican voters had several openly conservative Christian candidates to choose from. None of them faced the legal troubles and misconduct allegations he does. This frustrates the minority of conservative evangelicals who see Trump as a poser and would-be authoritarian.
Ukraine’s divisive mobilization law comes into force as a new Russian push strains front-line troops
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A divisive mobilization law in Ukraine has come into force as Kyiv struggles to boost troop numbers after Russia launched a new offensive that some fear could close in on Ukraine’s second-largest city. The legislation, which was watered down from its original draft, will make it easier to identify every conscript in the country. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also signed separate laws Friday that allow prisoners to join the army and increase fines for draft dodgers fivefold. Thousands of Ukrainians have fled the country to escape the draft, and some risked their lives as they tried to swim across a river to neighboring Romania and Hungary.
Noncitizen voting, already illegal in federal elections, becomes a centerpiece of 2024 GOP messaging
NEW YORK (AP) — In recent months, the specter of people who aren’t American citizens and are voting in the United States has become a rallying cry for Republicans. They say new legislation is necessary to protect the sanctity of the vote as the country faces unprecedented illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. Voting by people who aren’t U.S. citizens is illegal in federal elections, and there is no indication it’s happening anywhere in significant numbers. States have mechanisms to check whether voters on their rolls are citizens. Still, Republicans at the federal and state level are introducing legislation and fall ballot measures to ensure it remains at the forefront of voters’ minds in November.
Trump receives NRA endorsement as he vows to protect gun rights
DALLAS (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has urged gun owners to vote in the 2024 election as he addressed thousands of members of the National Rifle Association, which officially endorsed him just before Trump took the stage at their annual meeting in Texas. Trump on Saturday pledged to continue to defend the Second Amendment and called himself “the best friend gun owners have ever had in the White House.” The United States faces record numbers of deaths due to mass shootings. Last year ended with 42 mass killings and 217 deaths, making it one of the deadliest years on record.
For decades, states have taken foster children’s federal benefits. That’s starting to change
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — States have for decades been using foster children’s federal Social Security benefits to help cover the costs of state services. The practice has saved states millions of dollars. But that’s beginning to change in some states under pressure from child advocates who contend it is immoral and detrimental to kids. Since 2018, at least a dozen states have taken some steps to either halt, scale back or provide greater notice of their use of children’s benefits to cover required foster care costs. Some states have enacted laws requiring those funds to instead be set aside for the child’s future needs as they transition to adulthood.
US intelligence suggests American who vanished in Syria in 2017 has died, daughter says she was told
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials have developed highly credible intelligence suggesting that an American citizen who disappeared seven years ago while traveling in Syria has died. That word comes from the man’s daughter. Maryam Kamalmaz said in an interview Saturday with The Associated Press that during a meeting in Washington earlier this month with eight senior American officials she was presented with detailed intelligence about the presumed death of her father, Majd. The Texas psychotherapist disappeared in 2017 while traveling in Syria to visit an elderly family member. The FBI has said he was stopped at a Syrian government checkpoint in a suburb of Damascus and hasn’t been heard from since.
Hot weather poses new risk as thousands remain without power after deadly Houston storm
HOUSTON (AP) — As the Houston area works to clean up and restore power to hundreds of thousands after deadly storms left at least seven people dead, it will do so amid a smog warning and rising Texas heat. The National Weather Service in Houston warned people to know the symptoms of heat exhaustion as they begin cleanup. Temperatures of around 90 degrees are expected with heat indexes likely to climb to 100 degrees in the coming days. More than a half-million homes and businesses remained without power Saturday after Thursday’s storms whipped the area with thunderstorms and hurricane-force winds.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs abuse allegations: A timeline of key events
LOS ANGELES (AP) — New video aired by CNN appears to show Sean “Diddy” Combs beating his former singing protege and girlfriend Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. The video appears six months after Cassie, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura, filed a lawsuit that set off a wave of similar cases. Ventura’s lawsuit was settled the following day. But two more women filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse from Combs about a week later. More lawsuits followed between December and February. In March, Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami were searched by federal authorities in a criminal investigation. Combs has denied all wrongdoing and is fighting the lawsuits.
Seize the Grey wins the Preakness for D. Wayne Lukas and ends Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid
BALTIMORE (AP) — Seize the Grey has won the Preakness Stakes for 88-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. His victory ended Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid. Seize the Grey returned off the same two-week turnaround as Mystik Dan after impressing in a win on the Derby undercard enough to convince Lukas to try the Preakness. Lukas has saddled more horses in the Preakness than anyone else in the race’s 149-year history. He has now won the middle leg of the Triple Crown seven times and is one back of the record held by good friend Bob Baffert. Mystik Dan finished second.
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