Lebanese army warns Israeli airstrikes might force it to freeze cooperation with ceasefire committee

Lebanese army warns Israeli airstrikes might force it to freeze cooperation with ceasefire committee

BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese army condemned Friday Israel's airstrikes on suburbs of Beirut, warning that such attacks are weakening the role of Lebanon's armed forces that might eventually suspend cooperation with the committee monitoringthe trucethat ended the Israel-Hezbollah war. The army statement came hours after the Israeli militarystruck several buildingsin Beirut's southern suburbs that it said held underground facilities used by Hezbollah for drone production. The strikes, preceded by an Israeli warning to evacuate several buildings, came on the eve of Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday. The Lebanese army said it started coordinating with the committee observing the ceasefire after Israel's military issued its warning and sent patrols to the areas that were to be struck to search them. It added that Israel rejected the suggestion. TheU.S.-led committeethat has been supervising the ceasefire that ended the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war in November is made up of Lebanon, Israel, France, the U.S. and the U.N. peacekeeping forces in Lebanon known as UNIFIL. "The Israeli enemy violations of the deal and its refusal to respond to the committee is weakening the role of the committee and the army," the Lebanese army said in its statement. It added such attacks by Israel could lead the army to freeze its cooperation with the committee "when it comes to searching posts." Since the Israel-Hezbollah war ended, Israel has carried out nearly daily airstrikes on parts of Lebanon targeting Hezbollah operatives. Beirut's southern suburbswere struckon several occasions since then. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel began on Oct. 8, 2023, when the Lebanese militant group began launching rockets across the border in support of its ally, Hamas, in Gaza. Israel responded with airstrikes and shelling and the two were quickly locked in a low-level conflict that continued for nearly a year before escalating into full-scale war in September 2024. It killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians, while the Lebanese government said in April that Israeli strikes had killed another 190 people and wounded 485 since the ceasefire agreement. There has been increasing pressure on Hezbollah, both domestic and international, to give up its remaining arsenal, but officials with the group have said they will not do so until Israel stops its airstrikes and withdraws from five points it is still occupying along the border in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah says that it has ended its military presence along the border with Israel south of the Litani River, in accordance with terms of the ceasefire deal.

byMario Satorik

in

June 06, 2025

Lebanese army warns Israeli airstrikes might force it to freeze cooperation with ceasefire committee

Lebanese army warns Israeli airstrikes might force it to freeze cooperation with ceasefire committee BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese army condemn...

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Gaza marks the start of Eid with outdoor prayers amongst the rubble and food growing ever scarcer

Gaza marks the start of Eid with outdoor prayers amongst the rubble and food growing ever scarcer

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip marked the start of one of Islam's most important holidays with prayers outside destroyed mosques and homes early Friday, with little hope the war with Israel will end soon. With much of Gaza in rubble, men and children were forced to hold the traditional Eid al-Adha prayers in the open air and with food supplies dwindling, families were having to make do with what they could scrape together for the three-day feast. "This is the worst feast that the Palestinian people have experienced because of the unjust war against the Palestinian people," said Kamel Emran after attending prayers in the southern city of Khan Younis. "There is no food, no flour, no shelter, no mosques, no homes, no mattresses ... The conditions are very, very harsh." The Islamic holiday begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia. For the second year, Muslims in Gaza were not able to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the traditional pilgrimage. The war broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 hostages.They are still holding 56 hostages, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages from Gaza and recovered dozens of bodies. Since then, Israel has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians in its military campaign, primarily women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry which does not distinguish between civilians or combatants in its figures. The offensive has destroyed large parts of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population of roughly 2 million Palestinians. After blocking all food and aid from entering Gaza for more than two months, Israel began allowing a trickle of supplies to enter for the U.N. several weeks ago. But the U.N says it has been unable to distribute much of the aid because of Israeli military restrictions on movements and because roads that the military designates for its trucks to use are unsafe and vulnerable to looters. The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome said Thursday that Gaza's people are projected to fall into acute food insecurity by September, with nearly 500,000 people experiencing extreme food deprivation, leading to malnutrition and starvation. "This means the risk of famine is really touching the whole of the Gaza Strip," Rein Paulson, director of the FAO office of emergencies and resilience, said in an interview. Over the past two weeks, shootings have erupted nearly daily in the Gaza Strip in the vicinity of new hubs where desperate Palestinians are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, andmore than 80 people have been killedaccording to Gaza hospital officials. Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid and trying to block it from reaching Palestinians, and has said soldiers fired warning shots or at individuals approaching its troops in some cases. TheGaza Humanitarian Foundation, a newly formed group of mainly American contractors that Israel wants to use to replace humanitarian groups in Gaza that distribute aid in coordination with the U.N., said Friday that all its distribution centers were closed for the day due to the ongoing violence. It urged people to stay away for their own safety, and said it would make an announcement later as to when they would resume distributing humanitarian aid. _____ Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Paolo Santalucia in Rome and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this story.

byMario Satorik

in

June 06, 2025

Gaza marks the start of Eid with outdoor prayers amongst the rubble and food growing ever scarcer

Gaza marks the start of Eid with outdoor prayers amongst the rubble and food growing ever scarcer DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestini...

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PHOTO COLLECTION: Best of French Open Tennis Semifinals

PHOTO COLLECTION: Best of French Open Tennis Semifinals

This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

byMario Satorik

in

June 06, 2025

PHOTO COLLECTION: Best of French Open Tennis Semifinals

PHOTO COLLECTION: Best of French Open Tennis Semifinals This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

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FIFA Club World Cup: When it starts and which teams are playing in soccer's new-look tournament

FIFA Club World Cup: When it starts and which teams are playing in soccer's new-look tournament

FIFA'snewly expanded Club World Cupkicks off in Miami on June 14, featuring some of soccer's biggest stars like Lionel Messi and greatest teams like Real Madrid. But the launch of the new-look tournament, staged in the United States, also comes with uncertainty over how it will be embraced in an already bloated calendar where soccer is played virtually year-round. This is world governing body FIFA's big play to get a stronghold in the club game. Until now, club soccer's marquee events have been regional competitions such as the prestigious Champions League, which is organized by European soccer body UEFA. FIFA hopes the four-yearly event will be to club soccer what the World Cup is to international soccer and establish itself as one of the biggest andwealthiest tournamentsin sport. But that is far from assured amid abacklash from playersover fear of burnout and it is still unknown how much appetite there is among fans for another competition. Here is what to know about the Club World Cup. When is the Club World Cup? Inter Miami plays Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium in the opening game on June 14. The final is July 13 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. What is the format? The Club World Cup has been expanded from seven teams to 32 and will emulate the men's and women's World Cups. Eight groups of four teams will play in a round robin mini league, with the top two advancing to a knockout stage, which runs from the round of 16 through to the final. Where is it being played? Staged in the United States, host cities include Atlanta, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Which teams have qualified? Some of Europe's biggest teams will take part, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Juventus, this year's Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain and runner-up Inter Milan. From South America, top Brazilian clubs Fluminense, Flamengo, Palmeiras and Botafogo — all recent winners of Copa Libertadores, South America's top clup competition — will participate, while River Plate and Boca Juniors will represent Argentina. Inter Miami, Seattle Sounders and LAFC lead the U.S. charge. Mexico is represented by Monterrey and Pachuca, while top teams from Asia, Africa and the Oceana are also taking part. Notable absentees include European giants Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester United, who failed to meet FIFA's convoluted qualifying criteria based on winning continental titles like the Champions League over the previous four years and ranking points. Countries are also limited to two entrants unless they have more than two winners of continental titles. Who are the players to watch? Messi anyone? Arguably the greatest player of all time will get the chance to add to his trophy collection, though Inter Miami is considered a rank outsider to be crowned world champion. Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham are in Madrid's star-studded squad, while Manchester City has Erling Haaland and Ballon d'Or winner Rodri. Harry Kane, Lautaro Martínez, Ousmane Dembele and Champions League final player of the match Désiré Doué will also be there. Cristiano Ronaldo is a question mark. His Saudi team Al Nassr failed to qualify, but hefueled speculationabout a possible move to another club in a recent social media post, while FIFA PresidentGianni Infantinosaid the Portuguese star could end up playing in the Club World Cup because of a unique transfer window. There will be Saudi involvement though in the form of Al-Hilal. Prize money With a total prize fund of $1 billion, the winner of the Club World Cup could earn $125 million. FIFA said in March that it had allocated $525 million in guaranteed fees for teams taking part. That ranges from $38.19 million to the top-ranked European team to $3.58 million for the representative from Oceania, Auckland City. A further $475 million is earned by results in the63 games, with $2 million paid for winning group stage games, $7.5 million for playing in the round of 16 and $40 million to the team that wins the final. A point to prove The old version of the Club World Cup, which was played yearly, was dominated by European teams in recent times. Only Brazilian team Corinthians broke Europe's winning run in 17 years. An expanded tournament will give more South American teams the chance to test themselves against their European counterparts. Saudi Arabia has made a big push in recent years to become a player in global soccer and has attracted superstars like Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema to the oil-rich kingdom, as well as winning the right to stage the World Cup in 2034. This will be its first opportunity for it to make a statement in a major global tournament since that drive. Inter Miami has already announced itself to the world after luring Messi and Luis Suarez to MLS and can further enhance its reputation. For European giants Madrid and Manchester City, the Club World Cup could see them add some shine to what has been a disappointing season for both after relinquishing their titles. How to watch Every game of the Club World Cup is streamed live on DAZN. ___ James Robson is athttps://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byMario Satorik

in

June 06, 2025

FIFA Club World Cup: When it starts and which teams are playing in soccer's new-look tournament

FIFA Club World Cup: When it starts and which teams are playing in soccer's new-look tournament FIFA'snewly expanded Club World Cupk...

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Colorado attack suspect to appear in federal court Friday as he faces nearly 120 state charges

Colorado attack suspect to appear in federal court Friday as he faces nearly 120 state charges

The Egyptian man accused of carrying out anantisemitic attackin Boulder, Colorado, is set to appear in federal court on Friday – a day after he was charged with 28 counts of attempted murder in connection to a firebombing that has sparked widespread fear across the Jewish community. Mohamed Soliman, 45, allegedly used a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to set people on fire during a downtown event held in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza. The attack occurred on the eve of Shavuot, a Jewish holiday, and less than two weeks after aseparate antisemitic attackin Washington, DC, where two Israeli Embassy staff members were shot dead. In aPublic Service AnnouncementThursday, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security highlighted "potential public safety concerns related to ongoing threats to Jewish and Israeli communities." Soliman faces a federal hate crime charge in connection with the Boulder attack, an affidavit shows. He faces life in prison if convicted of the federal charge, acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell said Monday. On Thursday, Solimanappeared in courtfrom a room in the Boulder County Jail before Colorado District Judge Nancy Salomone to face state charges. Wearing an orange zip-up jacket, Soliman nodded in response to the judge's questions. He faces 118 counts, including 28 counts of first-degree attempted murder, according to court documents filed in the Boulder District Court. Soliman also faces counts of felony assault, incendiary device charges, along with one count of animal cruelty, the document shows. CNN has reached out to his attorney for comment. A total of 62 of those counts relate to the victims. If convicted, Soliman could face up to 48 years in prison for each victim, said Michael Dougherty, the district attorney for Colorado's 20th Judicial District. The attack injured at least 15 people – including a Holocaust survivor – as well as a dog. The victims included eight women and seven men between the ages of 25 and 88, according to the FBI, with several suffering severe burns. Three victims remained hospitalized as of Thursday, Dougherty said. He is due in court for a preliminary hearing on his state charges on July 15. During the attack, Soliman reportedly yelled "Free Palestine,"according to the FBIand later told authorities that "he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead," an affidavit said. Authorities are investigating whether Soliman has any underlying mental health issues, a source familiar with the investigationpreviously told CNN. Investigators are also examining a notebook left behind by Soliman, which includes a manifesto written in English with some lines in Arabic, according to a law enforcement source. Police recovered the notebook after Soliman directed them to its location. Investigators are also reviewing videos Soliman recorded on his phone, featuring him speaking in both English and Arabic, the source said. One such video, which has surfaced on social media, appears to show Soliman speaking in Arabic while driving. CNN has not independently confirmed the video's authenticity. The attack is one of multiple recent incidents that has increased fear among the Jewish community in the US. "The ongoing Israel-HAMAS conflict may motivate other violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators with similar grievances to conduct violence against Jewish and Israeli communities and their supporters," the FBI and DHS warned in their public service announcement. "Foreign terrorist organizations also may try to exploit narratives related to the conflict to inspire attacks in the United States," the announcement said. The agencies urged the public to remain vigilant and report any threats of violence or suspicious activity to law enforcement. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett and interfaith leaders gathered Wednesday to denounce the attack and call for unity, according toa news release. "Violence in any form has no place in Colorado, and we know that to move forward we must join together in our common humanity to ensure peace in our communities, take care of one another, and emerge stronger," Polis said in a statement. CNN's Danya Gainor, Cindy Von Quednow, Evan Perez, Alisha Ebrahimji and Jeremy Harlan contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byMario Satorik

in

June 06, 2025

Colorado attack suspect to appear in federal court Friday as he faces nearly 120 state charges

Colorado attack suspect to appear in federal court Friday as he faces nearly 120 state charges The Egyptian man accused of carrying out anan...

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Hungary's Orban lauds MAGA advance after Nawrocki's win in Poland

Hungary's Orban lauds MAGA advance after Nawrocki's win in Poland

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday that nationalist Karol Nawrocki's victory in Poland's presidential election was "fantastically good", hailing the success of an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump. Eurosceptic Karol Nawrocki narrowly won the Polish presidential election on Sunday, delivering a big blow to the efforts of Donald Tusk's centrist government to cement Warsaw's pro-European orientation. "From a Hungarian perspective, I think the outcome is fantastically good, as there is a pro-Ukrainian, pro-war, pro-Brussels liberal government operating in Poland," Orban said in an interview on state Kossuth radio. Orban, also an ally of Trump, said he interpreted Nawrocki's victory as the "continuation of the patriot's advance." "One could also say that the 'Washington Express' has arrived in Warsaw," Orban said, alluding to Nawrocki's election as a victory for European conservatives inspired by Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Both Tusk's government and its conservative nationalist predecessor have been staunch supporters of Ukraine in the war triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion and have been critical of Orban's tilt towards Moscow. Nawrocki has said Poland must continue to support Kyiv's war effort, but in a break with the policy of previous governments in Warsaw, he opposes NATO membership for Ukraine. For his part, Orban has refused to send weapons to Ukraine since the start of the war and kept close relations with Moscow. Orban publicly endorsed Nawrocki ahead of the second round of Poland's election. (Reporting by Anita Komuves; editing by Mark Heinrich)

byMario Satorik

in

June 06, 2025

Hungary's Orban lauds MAGA advance after Nawrocki's win in Poland

Hungary's Orban lauds MAGA advance after Nawrocki's win in Poland BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on ...

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French Open: No. 2 Coco Gauff faces No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final

French Open: No. 2 Coco Gauff faces No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final

PARIS (AP) — The biggest differenceCoco Gauffsees between the player who lost her first Grand Slam final at the2022 French Open at age 18, and the one who will play for the trophy again on Saturday at 21, this time against No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, is the way she views the importance of the occasion. Three years ago atRoland-Garros, Gauff was making her debut on that sort of stage and with that sort of prize at stake. It felt like the outcome meant absolutely everything, a burden that was a lot at the time and made her nervous. Now,the No. 2-ranked Gauffsays, she understands "how miniscule" the result Saturday is in the scheme of things. "Everybody is dealing with way bigger things in life than losing a final," the American said after beating 361st-ranked French wild-card entryLoïs Boisson6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals Thursday. "I'm sure there are hundreds of players that would kill to win or lose a final, so just knowing that (makes) me realize how lucky and privileged I am to be in this position," Gauff said. "At first, I thought it would be the end of the world if I lost, and, you know, the sun still rose the next day. ... Regardless of the result, the sun will still rise." Here's another key difference: The Gauff of today is a Grand Slam champion. She wonthe 2023 U.S. Open; her opponent in that final just so happened to be Sabalenka. "I just remember kind of feeling," Gauff said, "like I was holding my breath to the match point." Their head-to-head series is tied 5-5 entering the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in a French Open women's final since Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova in 2023. Sabalenka beat Gauff in their most recent meeting, which came at the Madrid Open in May on the type of red clay used at Roland-Garros. So Gauff is well aware of Sabalenka's many talents, which were on full display during a 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0 semifinal victory overthree-time defending champion Iga Swiatek. "She can come up with some big shots and big winners pretty much at all areas of the court," Gauff said about the 27-year-old from Belarus. "She's a fighter, as well. She's going to stay in the match regardless of the scoreline." After getting pushed to a third set by Swiatek, who had won 26 matches in a row at the French Open, Sabalenka was pretty much perfect down the stretch. Even Sabalenka called the lopsided nature of that last set "shocking for me." She didn't make a single unforced error; Swiatek had 12. "The pace was from her (was) super fast," Swiatek said. "It was just hard to get into any rally." Sabalenka took over the top ranking from Swiatek last October and has remained there. Sabalenka is 40-6 this season with three titles and, whileher three major championships all came on hard courts— at the 2023 and 2024 Australian Opens and the 2024 U.S. Open — the work she's put in to improve on clay is clearly paying off. "I can go flat. I can (play) with the spin. I can go back and play in defense," Sabalenka said. "That's what works the best on the clay court for me." The truth is, regardless of the surface, Sabalenka still appears to be most comfortable when she hits the ball as hard as possible. Her high-risk style offers a contrast to Gauff, who has been making an effort to be more aggressive with her forehand but usually is at her best when she is making opponents hit shot after shot because she can get to everything with her speed, instincts and defense. "She's going to come out swinging," Gauff said. "I just have to expect that and do my best to kind of counter that." ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here:https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis:https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

byMario Satorik

in

June 05, 2025

French Open: No. 2 Coco Gauff faces No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final

French Open: No. 2 Coco Gauff faces No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final PARIS (AP) — The biggest differenceCoco Gauffsees between...

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