Israeli army captures strategic castle in Lebanon in deepest incursion into country in 26 years
BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli troops have captured a strategic mountain topped with a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon in their deepest incursion into the country in more than a quarter-century. The Israel military announced Sunday that it captured Beaufort castle near the city of Nabatiyeh, after days of intense fighting and airstrikes in nearby villages where Israeli troops fought Hezbollah militants. The capture marks a major gain for Israel. Israel and Lebanon held direct talks in Washington last week and are due to meet again this week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Lebanese and Israeli leaders to propose a path to continue negotiations, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic conversations.
What to know as Israeli forces' historic Lebanon incursion complicates an Iran deal
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli forces are now deeper inside Lebanon than they have been in over 25 years, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The incursion challenges efforts to extend the Iran war’s ceasefire as Tehran wants a deal to end the fighting in Lebanon. Israel is targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group and urging Lebanese civilians to evacuate. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accuses Israel of destroying cities. Israeli forces on Sunday seized a symbolic fort in southern Lebanon. The last time they seized it, they held it for 18 years. Israeli forces now control large areas in southern Lebanon. The two sides are scheduled to talk again this week in Washington.
Pro-Trump candidate pulls ahead in Colombia presidential vote as ruling party sows doubt in results
BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Tough-on-crime outsider Aberaldo de la Espriella took the lead in Colombia’s presidential race in the first round of voting Sunday night, setting up a runoff with Iván Cepeda, an ally of Colombia’s outgoing President Gustavo Petro who questioned the results of the election. With no candidate taking an outright majority of Sunday's vote, the election will head to a second round in June. But Cepeda and Petro sowed doubt in the results of the first round, claiming without evidence that hundreds of thousands of votes were manipulated and that foreign actors manipulated the results of the election. Cepeda said he was waiting for electoral authorities to scrutinize the results before accepting the election.
Platner's wife calls news coverage of Senate hopeful's sexually explicit texts with women 'shameful'
Graham Platner’s wife has responded to news reports about his alleged sexually explicit texts with several women. This controversy adds to Platner's campaign challenges as he seeks the Democratic nomination in Maine to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. On Saturday night, Platner posted a video of his wife, Amy Gertner, on X. In it, she called the coverage “gossip” and said that “no marriage is perfect.” The Wall Street Journal first reported the texts, noting Gertner informed the campaign in August. Campaign staff at the time decided the texts were private and being managed by the couple.
Ukraine hits Russian energy targets and denies striking Kremlin-occupied nuclear plant
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has launched strikes on Russian energy sites. Russian authorities and media said on Sunday that drone debris set fire to a fuel storage facility in the Rostov region, and civilian infrastructure was reported damaged in Saratov province. Ukraine has increased attacks on Russia’s oil and gas facilities, saying they fund Moscow’s invasion. Meanwhile, Kyiv denied Russian claims that a Ukrainian drone struck the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Russia's state nuclear energy company accused Ukraine of a deliberate attack. The Zaporizhzhia plant has repeatedly come under fire since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
French capital hosts Paris Saint-Germain parade after clashes marred Champions League win
PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain fans have gathered near the Eiffel Tower to celebrate their Champions League win. PSG was crowned Champions League winner after beating Arsenal in a dramatic penalty shootout on Saturday. Overnight, the celebration turned violent, leading to 780 arrests across France, with 480 in Paris. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez says that 57 officers were injured, mostly with minor injuries. He noted that most incidents occurred near the Champs Elysees and Parc des Princes stadium. Planned celebrations took place on Sunday under high security. The Paris prosecutors’ office said 277 people were taken into custody for various offenses, including assault and vandalism.
Blast at building storing explosives in Myanmar kills more than 45 people
BANGKOK (AP) — A blast on Sunday at a building in northeastern Myanmar has killed more than 45 people. Rescue workers and independent media report the building was storing explosives for mining. The explosion injured about 70 others in the village of Kaungtup, Namhkam township. The area, near the Chinese border, is controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, a rebel ethnic armed group. A rescue worker told The Associated Press that 46 bodies, including six children, were recovered by Sunday evening. They also said 74 injured people were taken to the township hospital, and rescue operations are ongoing.
Man charged with murder in killings of 3 on Hawaii's Big Island
HONOLULU (AP) — Police in Hawaii have charged a 36-year-old man with killing three people in a remote community known for its communal lifestyle. The Hawaii Police Department said in a news release that Jacob Daniel Baker has been jailed without bail and is scheduled to appear in court Monday. Police say Baker was charged Saturday with counts of first- and second-degree murder. Authorities say Baker killed three men in their 60s and 70s. Baker was arrested Thursday after a search of Hawaii's Big Island. Residents of the island's rural Puna community say Baker had been living there in exchange for work but recently had become threatening. It was not immediately known if Baker had an attorney.
Experimental pill promises new hope for deadly pancreatic cancer
WASHINGTON (AP) — New research shows a novel pill is helping people with advanced pancreatic cancer live longer. It's not a cure, as the drug's effects eventually waned. But it's a very different kind of treatment than the chemotherapy that is a mainstay for these patients. Called daraxonrasib, the drug is designed to block a mutated protein that fuels most cases of pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest types of cancer. The research was published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at an American Society of Oncology meeting. Maker Revolution Medicines will seek Food and Drug Administration approval.
As the Pentagon pushes for battlefield AI, some military leaders urge caution
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Trump administration is pushing to use artificial intelligence in the U.S. military even as it faces calls for caution from some companies and military leaders. Adm. Frank Bradley of U.S. Special Operations Command emphasized in recent remarks at a conference in Florida that troops “have to be very careful" about use of AI when it comes to deadly strikes. He says he can see a future where AI determines what targets to hit but that humans have to ensure that it would “deliver violence only where we intend it to be delivered.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is pushing for rapid AI integration, clashing with Anthropic over safety concerns.
