Mediator Qatar urges Israel, Hamas to do more to reach a cease-fire

By TIA GOLDENBERG, JON GAMBRELL and SAMY MAGDY (Associated Press) TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The White House on Sunday said U.S. President Joe Biden had again spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as pressure builds on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire … Read more

Japan’s ruling party loses all 3 seats in special vote

By Mari Yamaguchi | Associated Press TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s governing party, stung by an extensive slush funds scandal, appeared to have lost all three seats in Sunday’s parliamentary by-elections, according to media exit polls and preliminary results. The Liberal Democratic Party’s loss is considered a voter punishment for its links to … Read more

Top diplomat Blinken will visit the Mideast again

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East on his seventh diplomatic mission to the region since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began more than six months ago, the State Department said Saturday. Blinken is traveling to Saudi Arabia on Monday, just two days since arriving back in Washington … Read more

Pro-Palestinian students leave Paris university campus building

PARIS (AP) — Students in Paris inspired by Gaza solidarity encampments at campuses in the United States peacefully evacuated a campus building at a prestigious French university late on Friday after days of tensions. The head of the Paris Institute of Political Studies, known as Sciences Po, said an agreement was found Friday with students. … Read more

As EU election campaigns starts, Ukraine war, far right rise loom large

By Kirsten Grieshaber | Associated Press BERLIN — Several German parties on Saturday kicked off their campaigns for the election of the European Parliament in June with a focus on issues such as the war in Ukraine and support by many European voters for far-right nationalist parties across the continent. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ’s … Read more

Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza

By SAMY MAGDY and DAVID RISING (Associated Press) CAIRO (AP) — Hamas said Saturday that it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a planned Israeli ground offensive into the southern city of Rafah. Senior … Read more

Ecuadorians head to polls to toughen fight against gangs

GONZALO SOLANO QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador’s fledgling president got a resounding victory Sunday in a referendum that he touted as a way to crack down on criminal gangs behind a spiraling wave of violence. An official quick count showed that Ecuadorians overwhelmingly voted “yes” to all nine questions focused on tightening security measures, rejecting … Read more

Israeli strikes on southern Gaza city of Rafah kill 22, mostly children

By Mohammad Jahjouh and Samy Magdy | Associated Press RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight killed 22 people, including 18 children, health officials said Sunday, as the United States was on track to approve billions of dollars of additional military aid to Israel, its close ally. Israel … Read more

Ukrainian and Western leaders laud US aid package

By Samya Kullab and Elise Morton | Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian and Western leaders on Sunday welcomed a desperately needed aid package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, as the Kremlin warned that passage of the bill would “further ruin” Ukraine and cause more deaths. Ukrainian leaders and analysts say the long-awaited … Read more