World

World

UK, France and other Western nations issue new sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank

Sam Mcneil And Sylvie Corbet, The Associated Press 4 minute read 12:08 PM CDT

PARIS (AP) — A coalition of six countries on Tuesday issued new joint sanctions on Israeli settlers and settlements in the West Bank, including a hard-line Israeli cabinet minister already sanctioned by Western countries, escalating pressure on Israel over a wave of violence against Palestinians in the occupied territory.

The top diplomats of Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Norway, and New Zealand announced the moves in a joint statement.

“Extremist violent settlers, with the backing of their supporters, continue to attack Palestinians and abuse their human rights,” they said. “For too long, violent settlers have been able to act with near impunity, and settlement expansion and creation of outposts continue with the support and facilitation of the government of Israel."

Israel's hard-line government, dominated by settler leaders and supporters, has overseen a surge in settlement construction over the past four years. At the same time, the West Bank has experienced a wave of settler violence against Palestinians, with assailants rarely punished. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in these areas to be illegal and an obstacle to peace.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Weather

Jun. 9, 6 PM: 29°c Windy Jun. 10, 12 AM: 20°c Rain with wind

Winnipeg MB

29°C, Windy

Full Forecast

Faith

Militants and police executed and maimed dozens of Palestinians in Gaza, UN report says

Sam Metz, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Militants and police executed and maimed dozens of Palestinians in Gaza, UN report says

Sam Metz, The Associated Press 4 minute read Updated: 1:49 PM CDT

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Hamas militants and police units in Gaza beat, maimed and publicly executed dozens of Palestinians during its war with Israel in acts amounting to war crimes, according to a United Nations report released Tuesday.

The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' report documented hundreds of cases of extrajudicial punishment in the war-ravaged territory, which it said were often publicized during and afterward to instill fear in the populace.

“These cases involved executions, kneecapping, bone-breaking with metal pipes or cement bricks and beatings and were framed by the perpetrators as punishments for alleged collaboration with Israel, looting humanitarian aid, theft, drug-related offenses or affiliations with internal rivals,” it said.

The commission found that Hamas-affiliated militants and police forces were involved in nearly one-fourth of the 249 documented cases — including 108 deaths — from August 2024 to January 2026. The commission specifically investigated cases involving Hamas-affiliated forces but also counted ones attributed to other armed groups.

Read
Updated: 1:49 PM CDT

Science & Technology

NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test technology for a future moon landing

Adithi Ramakrishnan, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test technology for a future moon landing

Adithi Ramakrishnan, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: 12:55 PM CDT

NEW YORK (AP) — NASA on Tuesday revealed the crew for its Artemis III mission, the next step in the space agency's plan to eventually land astronauts on the moon.

The announcement came two months after Artemis II's record-breaking trip around the moon that surpassed the distance record of Apollo 13.

NASA's Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas and the European Space Agency's Luca Parmitano won't fly to the moon or land on the surface. Instead, they’ll orbit Earth while practicing docking their Orion capsule with two lunar landers.

“To the Artemis III crew, we wish you Godspeed on the journey ahead,” said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman.

Read
Updated: 12:55 PM CDT

Tennis

Serena returns: Williams makes a winning comeback in doubles at Queen’s Club with Mboko

Mattias Karén, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Serena returns: Williams makes a winning comeback in doubles at Queen’s Club with Mboko

Mattias Karén, The Associated Press 2 minute read Updated: 1:43 PM CDT

LONDON (AP) — After nearly four years away from professional tennis, Serena Williams made a winning return at Queen’s Club on Tuesday.

The 44-year-old Williams showed she still has plenty of her trademark power, hitting service winners of up to 120 mph as she teamed up with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko to win their opening doubles match at the grass-court tournament.

Williams and Mboko beat third-seeded duo Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 (2), 6-2 in Williams’ first professional match since the 2022 U.S. Open. To punctuate that she's back, Williams served out the match with two aces followed by a service winner.

“It was so fun. I had so much fun playing with Victoria,” Williams said in an on-court interview. “She really was able to hold up the team and really play big on the big points. I could really rely on her. We’ve never played together but it just felt so natural playing with her.”

Read
Updated: 1:43 PM CDT

World

Deaths at Michigan women’s prison spur calls for Whitmer to act, director to resign

Janelle D. James/bridge Michigan, The Associated Press 7 minute read 1:22 PM CDT

Federal and state lawmakers are calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to intervene at Michigan’s only women’s prison after a third inmate in less than a month died Saturday, intensifying scrutiny over conditions and medical care at the Huron Valley Correctional Facility.

Ashley Hoath of Hillsdale County was rushed to Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital, about 15 minutes from the prison, where she was pronounced dead, Jenni Riehle, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Corrections, confirmed in an email.

Earlier Saturday, an officer had noticed Hoath wasn’t feeling well and promptly escorted her to a healthcare unit within the prison, where medical staff determined she needed to be sent to the hospital, according to Riehle.

The 36-year-old’s death is the third inmate death since May 13. Khaira Howard, 28, died on May 13 and Rebecca Fackler, 57, died on May 17.

Arts & Entertainment

Rob Reiner’s son Nick seeks money from trust parents left him for his defense in their killings

Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Rob Reiner’s son Nick seeks money from trust parents left him for his defense in their killings

Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press 4 minute read Updated: 8:52 AM CDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rob Reiner's son Nick Reiner is seeking unpaid money from a trust his parents established for him, saying he needs it to help in his defense against charges that he killed them.

A petition filed by the 32-year-old Nick Reiner's civil attorneys in a Los Angeles County court on Monday says that trustees overseeing the funds have denied them to him without legal justification, and he needs and should get them now.

“Nick loved his parents, and he is devastated by their deaths. But the facts about what did and did not happen to them are not at issue in this Trust litigation,” the petition says. “Like anyone accused of a crime, Nick is presumed innocent, and he is entitled to mount his defense with the resources that are lawfully his own.”

The director and Hollywood luminary Rob Reiner and his wife, photographer and producer Michele Singer Reiner, were stabbed to death in their home in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles on Dec. 14. Nick Reiner was arrested hours later and has since pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder.

Read
Updated: 8:52 AM CDT

Life & Style

Join the beaver hunt: Toronto neighborhood offers unique World Cup-themed scavenger hunt

Mike Householder, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Join the beaver hunt: Toronto neighborhood offers unique World Cup-themed scavenger hunt

Mike Householder, The Associated Press 3 minute read 1:15 PM CDT

TORONTO (AP) — Berczy Park is home to a much-loved fountain featuring canine sculptures that shoot water out of their mouths. But now, there's a new dog in town.

Or rather, a new Doug in town.

Thousands already have flocked to the Toronto park to catch a glimpse of a beaver sculpture, nicknamed Doug, that is part of a World Cup-themed contest. The Great Beaver Quest challenges participants to find 51 beaver statues on display in the city’s Old Town Toronto neighborhood.

“We expect that it’s going to be something that people who are coming in from out of town and looking for something to do and keep their kids busy will love to do. It’s easy to participate,” said Robyn Posner with the neighborhood’s Business Improvement Area.

Read
1:15 PM CDT

World

Jury deliberating in the trial of a Texas teen charged with murder in school track meet stabbing

Jamie Stengle, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Jury deliberating in the trial of a Texas teen charged with murder in school track meet stabbing

Jamie Stengle, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: 1:34 PM CDT

MCKINNEY, Texas (AP) — The fatal stabbing of a high school athlete at a Texas track competition was “murder plain and simple,” a prosecutor declared Tuesday before a jury began deliberations in a high-profile trial centered on youth and tragedy at a community sports event.

Karmelo Anthony, now 19, did not testify in his own defense about the killing of Austin Metcalf, 17, whose death in April 2025 stunned Frisco, a booming Dallas suburb where the two students attended different schools.

Jurors heard dueling narratives from prosecutor Bill Wirskye and defense attorney Mike Howard, who repeatedly emphasized during his closing argument that Anthony was defending himself after Metcalf tried to eject Anthony, a Centennial High School student, from the Memorial High School track team's tent.

Howard told jurors that Metcalf had “no legal right to put his hands on Karmelo.”

Read
Updated: 1:34 PM CDT

Arts & Entertainment

The rise and fall of ‘The Hills’ star Spencer Pratt’s improbable campaign for Los Angeles mayor

Michael R. Blood And Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press 7 minute read Preview

The rise and fall of ‘The Hills’ star Spencer Pratt’s improbable campaign for Los Angeles mayor

Michael R. Blood And Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press 7 minute read Updated: 8:44 AM CDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — He wrote a memoir called “The Guy You Loved to Hate.” He's dabbled in rap, releasing a song called “I’m a Celebrity." He started a company selling crystals claimed to have healing properties.

But Spencer Pratt was not able to pull off his latest venture — an improbable bid to become mayor of Los Angeles. The Associated Press determined Monday that the onetime reality television personality did not qualify for the November runoff to unseat embattled incumbent Karen Bass.

Instead of Pratt, a Republican who received a nod of approval from President Donald Trump, Bass will face progressive Nithya Raman, a city council member who had challenged the Democratic mayor from the political left.

Pratt's candidacy was fueled by celebrity — he starred on “The Hills,” a show about young people in Los Angeles — and videos that supporters generated with artificial intelligence. But his campaign also reflected frustration that political leaders have been unable or unwilling to address chronic problems. Pratt had relentlessly focused on homelessness, crime and decay that's marred a city otherwise known for its culinary scene, postcard scenery and a global entertainment industry.

Read
Updated: 8:44 AM CDT

Business

Stadium workers near LA say they have a tentative deal, averting strike ahead of World Cup

Jaimie Ding And Amy Taxin, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Stadium workers near LA say they have a tentative deal, averting strike ahead of World Cup

Jaimie Ding And Amy Taxin, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: 1:46 PM CDT

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Stadium workers near Los Angeles say they have reached a tentative contract deal with wage hikes and labor protections, averting a strike ahead of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s opening World Cup match Friday.

The union representing 2,000 bartenders, servers, cooks and dishwashers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, announced the details at a news conference Tuesday. The deal came after workers last week voted to authorize a strike when contract talks had stalled with the stadium’s food service provider, Legends Global.

Workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 11 said they wanted wage increases, protections from subcontracting and security on the job amid ramped-up immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The tentative contract will give stadium cooks among the highest wages for the job in the country, with many earning $40 an hour in about two years from now, said Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11. The contract would last through April 2028 — just ahead of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Read
Updated: 1:46 PM CDT

World

Peru’s presidential runoff shows a razor-thin gap between candidates

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Peru’s presidential runoff shows a razor-thin gap between candidates

The Associated Press 3 minute read 11:59 AM CDT

LIMA, Peru (AP) — The gap between Peru's two presidential candidates narrowed to less than 20,000 votes Tuesday with 96% of ballots counted after Sunday's runoff contest.

The winner will be the South American country’s ninth president in 10 years.

Official figures showed nationalist congressman Roberto Sánchez with 50.055% of votes, while conservative politician Keiko Fujimori had 49.945%. The electoral body has counted more than 17.8 million votes.

Fujimori, the daughter of a disgraced former president, and Sánchez, an ally of an imprisoned ex-president, beat 33 other candidates in the initial vote in April, but neither earned even 20% of support. Electoral authorities took more than a month to declare them winners of that contest.

Read
11:59 AM CDT

World

Takeaways from AP’s report on how World Cup host cities are approaching homelessness

Michael Casey And R.j. Rico, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Takeaways from AP’s report on how World Cup host cities are approaching homelessness

Michael Casey And R.j. Rico, The Associated Press 4 minute read Updated: 12:11 PM CDT

ATLANTA (AP) — With the World Cup set to kick off across North America, some host cities have been using the 39-day soccer spectacular as a catalyst to address homelessness.

Among them is Atlanta, which last summer announced an ambitious plan to end encampments and other street sleeping downtown ahead of the tournament. Called Downtown Rising, the program said it has housed nearly 500 people. Yet, the persistent sight of individuals waiting outside downtown shelters serves as a visceral reminder that the efforts have not reached everyone.

Dallas and Seattle have also launched targeted initiatives, with Dallas expanding an effort to house homeless people living downtown, and Seattle announcing a housing push to secure housing for hundreds of people.

However, a survey by The Associated Press found that most of the 16 host cities, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Houston, Toronto, and Vancouver, British Columbia, are relying on existing programs — most without any new funding tied to the World Cup — to address homelessness.

Read
Updated: 12:11 PM CDT

World

AP Interview: Albania’s leader defends Kushner-linked luxury development

Zana Cimili, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

AP Interview: Albania’s leader defends Kushner-linked luxury development

Zana Cimili, The Associated Press 4 minute read Updated: 1:20 PM CDT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is vowing to press ahead with a luxury development linked to U.S. President Donald Trump ’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, despite a surge in protests against it there.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Rama dismissed environmental objections as the result of misinformation and said the development was turning Albania from a country once ignored by investors into one “where the big capital wants to come and the big investors want to come."

The government says the development would be transformational for the former communist nation as it seeks to enter the high-end tourism market and pushes for European Union membership.

But thousands of demonstrators have joined daily protests outside Rama's office in the capital, Tirana — including on Tuesday — against the planned project that includes hotels, apartments, villas and a marina for yachts.

Read
Updated: 1:20 PM CDT

LOAD MORE WORLD ARTICLES