Israeli army finds bodies of 3 hostages in Gaza killed at Oct. 7 music festival
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military says its troops in Gaza found the bodies of three Israeli hostages killed by Hamas in its Oct. 7 attack, including German-Israeli Shani Louk. A photo of Louk’s twisted body in the back of a pickup truck ricocheted around the world, bringing to light the scale of the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. The military on Friday identified the other two bodies found as those of a 28-year-old woman, Amit Buskila, and a 56-year-old man, Itzhak Gelerenter. Military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said all three were killed by Hamas while fleeing the Nova music festival, an outdoor dance party near the Gaza border. The military did not give immediate details on where their bodies were found.
Trucks are rolling across a new US pier into Gaza. But challenges remain to getting enough aid in
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trucks carrying badly needed aid for the Gaza Strip have rolled across a newly built U.S. pier and into the besieged enclave for the first time. Friday’s shipment is the first in an operation that American military officials anticipate could scale up to 150 truckloads a day. It comes as Israeli restrictions on border crossings and heavy fighting hindered the delivery of food and other supplies seven months into the Israel-Hamas war. But the U.S. and aid groups warn that the floating pier project is not a substitute for land deliveries that could bring in all the food, water and fuel needed in Gaza. Before the war, more than 500 truckloads entered the territory on an average day.
Putin says Russia wants a buffer zone in Ukraine’s Kharkiv but has no plans to capture the city
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow’s offensive on Ukraine’s Kharkiv aims to create a buffer zone but that there are no plans to capture the city. Meanwhile, Ukraine says it will allow prisoners to join the army’s depleted ranks. Putin has said in China that Moscow has launched attacks in the Kharkiv region, in response to the Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Belgorod region. Russian authorities say a massive Ukrainian drone attack on Crimea has caused power cutoffs in the city of Sevastopol and set a refinery ablaze in southern Russia. Friday’s drone raids marked Kyiv’s attempt to strike back during Russia’s offensive in northeastern Ukraine.
Noncitizen voting, already illegal in federal elections, becomes a centerpiece of 2024 GOP messaging
NEW YORK (AP) — In recent months, the specter of noncitizens voting in the U.S. has erupted into a leading 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 its southern border. Noncitizen voting already 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.
Donald Trump will address the NRA in Texas. He’s called himself the best president for gun owners
DALLAS (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is expected to address thousands of members of the National Rifle Association in Texas a day after campaigning in Minnesota in the midst of his hush money trial. Trump has pledged to continue to defend the Second Amendment and has called himself “the best friend gun owners have ever had in the White House.” The country 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.
Even with school choice, some Black families find options lacking decades after Brown v. Board
The 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling and desegregation orders were only the first steps toward the elusive goal of equitable education. For many Black families, school choice has been critical to finding at least the option that works best for them. And that has not necessarily meant the school with the highest levels of racial integration. Some families describe being torn between schools where their children will feel more included on one hand or schools where they might have better academic opportunities on the other hand.
Scottie Scheffler arrested outside PGA Championship, then returns and climbs leaderboard
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested Friday morning on his way to the PGA Championship. Stunning images showed him handcuffed as he was led to a police car. He was arrested for second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and not following police directions. He was booked into jail at 7:28 a.m. He was released and arrived at Valhalla at 9:12 a.m. Police say a pedestrian was hit by a bus on the road leading to Valhalla Golf Club. ESPN says Scheffler drove past a police car and was chased down and cuffed.
Widespread power outages from deadly Houston storm raise new risk: hot weather
HOUSTON (AP) — As the Houston area works to clean up and restore power to thousands after deadly storms, it will do so Saturday under a smog warning and as all of southern Texas starts to feel the heat. The National Weather Service in Houston warned that with temperatures hitting around 90 degrees this weekend, people should know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and not “overdo yourself during the cleanup process.” The balmy weather is a concern in a region where more than 555,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity Friday night. The area was hit with fierce storms Thursday with winds of up to 100 miles per hour.
Duchene scores winner in 2nd OT, Stars advance to Western Conference final with 2-1 win over Avs
DENVER (AP) — Matt Duchene scored at 11:42 of the second overtime after being involved in a play that led to a goal disallowed for goaltender interference in the first OT and the Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference final with a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6. Duchene, a former draft pick of the Avalanche, secured a loose puck in front of the net and sent it over a sprawled out Alexandar Georgiev. Duchene took off down the ice and slid on his knees in celebration. Dallas advances to face either Edmonton or Vancouver. It’s the second straight trip to the conference final for the Stars, who lost last season to eventual Stanley Cup champion Vegas. Jake Oettinger was stellar all night in making 29 saves.
It was once a center of Islamic learning. Now Mali’s historic city of DjennĂ© mourns lack of visitors
DJENNE, Mali (AP) — Mali’s historic city of DjennĂ© was once a center of Islamic learning, known for its sprawling mud-brick mosque that has been on the UNESCO World Heritage in Danger list since 2016. The Grand Mosque of DjennĂ© — the world’s largest mud-brick building — used to draw tens of thousands of tourists every year to central Mali. Now it’s threatened by conflict between Islamic rebels, government forces and other groups. The city’s cultural mission is trying to bring the tourists back and to get more young people involved in the annual ritual of replastering the mosque, so they can learn about their heritage.
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