UN court order demanding that Israel halt its Gaza offensive further isolates the US position
WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.N. court’s order that Israel halt its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah is deepening a disconnect with the United States. The military operation faces mounting international condemnation, but American officials describe it, at least for now, as limited and targeted. The decision Friday by the International Court of Justice in The Hague adds to the pressure facing an increasingly isolated Israel. Yet the harsh global rhetoric stands apart from the stance of the Biden administration, which has made clear its opposition to a major offensive in Rafah while also insisting that the steps Israel has taken so far have not crossed red lines.
Egypt agrees to send aid trucks through Israeli crossing to Gaza but impact is unclear
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Egypt says it has agreed to send U.N. humanitarian aid trucks through Israel’s main crossing into Gaza. But it remains unclear if the aid will be able to enter the territory as fighting raged in the southern city of Rafah amid Israel’s escalating offensive there. Israel’s army says the bodies of three more hostages killed on Oct. 7 were recovered overnight from Gaza. The CIA chief met in Paris with Israeli and Qatari officials, trying to revive negotiations for a cease-fire and a hostage release.
What we know about the young missionaries and religious leader killed in Haiti
A family member of a U.S. missionary couple says the couple and a Haitian man who led a religious organization have been fatally shot by criminal gang members in Haiti’s capital. Davy Lloyd’s sister on Friday told The Associated Press that her brother, his wife Natalie Lloyd and Missions in Haiti Inc. local Director Jude Montis were abducted and killed. Police union head Lionel Lazarre says the attack happened Thursday evening in Port-au-Prince. The slayings occurred as the capital crumbles under the relentless assault of violent gangs that control 80% of the city. Authorities are awaiting the arrival of a police force from Kenya to help quell gang violence in the Caribbean country.
Trump TV: Internet broadcaster beams the ex-president’s message directly to his MAGA faithful
OPELIKA, Ala. (AP) — In less than a decade, Right Side Broadcasting Network has gone from an upstart internet broadcaster to a major player in Donald Trump’s universe, amassing more than 2 million subscribers on its YouTube channel and on Rumble, an alternative video-sharing platform. As Trump’s loyal herald, carrying his message like a marathoner, live and unfiltered from rallies and other events, RSBN has allowed the former president to bypass traditional media and inject his vision for America directly into the veins of his diehard supporters. The channel does not challenge the former president. Its mantra is to let Trump be Trump.
Uvalde families sue Meta and Call of Duty maker on second anniversary of school attack
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The families of a group of victims of the Uvalde school shooting have announced new lawsuits against Instagram parent company Meta Platforms, the maker of the video game Call of Duty and the gun company that made the assault rifle used in the shooting. They accuse the companies of partnering to promote and create content designed to glorify violence and effectively training the teenage gunman in one of the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. The lawsuits against Meta, Activision and gun-maker Daniel Defense were announced on the two-year anniversary of the attack on Robb Elementary School.
Forecasters warn Oklahoma may see tornadoes; Texas could bake in triple-digit temperatures
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Forecasters are warning of another day of heightened risk of dangerous tornadoes in the Midwest on and are telling people in south Texas they may experience triple-digit temperatures — and that’s with four weeks to go before summer starts. Excessive heat, especially for May, is the danger in south Texas, where the heat index is forecast to approach near 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) during the weekend. The region is on the north end of a heat dome that stretches from Mexico to South America. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Zack Taylor. Sunday could be even hotter, with record-setting highs for late May forecast for Austin, Brownsville, Dallas and San Antonio.
Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’ wins Palme d’Or, the Cannes Film Festival’s top honor
Sean Baker’s “Anora,” a comic but devastating Brooklyn odyssey about a sex worker who marries the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, has won the Cannes Film Festival’s top award, the Palme d’Or. Coralie Fargeat’s body horror film “The Substance,” starring Demi Moore as a Hollywood star who goes to gory extremes to remain youthful, won best screenplay Saturday. Best actress went to an ensemble of actors: Karla SofĂa GascĂłn, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz for Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Perez,” a Spanish-language musical about a Mexican drug lord who transitions to a woman. The jury awarded a special prize to Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” a drama made secretly in Iran.
Millions vote in India’s grueling election with Prime Minister Modi’s party likely to win third term
NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians are voting in the next-to-last round of a grueling national election in the searing summer heat. The combined opposition is trying to rattle Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign for a third-consecutive term for himself and his Hindu nationalist party. Saturday’s voting in 58 constituencies, including seven in New Delhi, will complete polling for roughly 90% of 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament. The voting for the remaining 57 seats on June 1 will wrap up a six-week election. The votes will be counted on June 4. This election is considered one of the most consequential in India’s history and will test the limits of Modi’s political dominance.
Failed Graceland sale by a mystery entity highlights attempts to take assets of older or dead people
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A mysterious company has caused a stir for trying to auction Elvis Presley’s Graceland property in a foreclosure sale. A judge blocked the sale last week after Presley’s granddaughter filed a lawsuit alleging fraud. Many questions remain, including how often there are cases involving an entity claiming assets of older or dead people. Experts say it’s more common than one might think. They say the Graceland situation sheds a light on a problem many have faced under the radar. Meanwhile, the company faces questions about its legitimacy and an attorney general’s investigation.
Rapper Nicki Minaj says Dutch police told her they found pot in bags
AMSTERDAM (AP) — Rapper Nicki Minaj says police in the Netherlands have told her that they discovered marijuana in her bags as she was preparing to leave the country. Minaj tweeted that police at the Amsterdam airport stopped her Saturday as she was about to board a plane for a concert in Manchester, England. She tweeted that police told her they found marijuana in her bags, and it would have to be weighed. Cannabis is illegal in the Netherlands, but it is tolerated for recreational use. The military constabulary at the airport said a 41-year-old American woman had been arrested for exporting “soft drugs.” Minaj tweeted that she believes police just wanted to make her late for her concert in Manchester.
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