Associated Press News Briefs

The far right’s election gains rattle EU’s traditional powers

BRUSSELS (AP) — Far-right parties rattled the traditional powers in the European Union with major gains in parliamentary seats, dealing an especially humiliating defeat to French President Emmanuel Macron, who called snap legislative elections. Some ballots in the vote for the European Parliament were still being counted Monday, but the outcome showed the 27-nation bloc’s parliament membership has clearly shifted to the right. The surge by nationalist and populist parties will make it much harder for the assembly to approve legislation on issues ranging from climate change to agriculture policy.

What does Israel’s rescue of 4 captives, and the killing of 274 Palestinians, mean for truce?

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s dramatic rescue of four hostages from inside the Gaza Strip, in an operation that health officials say killed 274 Palestinians, comes at a sensitive time in the 8-month-old war. Israel and Hamas are weighing an American-backed proposal for a cease-fire and the release of the remaining captives. Both sides face renewed pressure to make a deal: For Israel, the complex rescue is unlikely to be replicated on a scale needed to bring back scores of remaining hostages. Hamas now has four fewer bargaining chips. But they could also dig in, as they repeatedly have over months of indirect negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

Centrist Benny Gantz is quitting Israel’s war Cabinet, citing frustrations with Netanyahu

JERUSALEM (AP) — Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel’s three-man war Cabinet, has announced his resignation, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of mismanaging the war effort and putting his own “political survival” over the country’s security needs. The move does not immediately pose a threat to Netanyahu, who still controls a majority coalition in parliament. But he becomes more heavily reliant on far-right allies who oppose the latest U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal and want to press ahead with the war. Gantz joined Netanyahu’s government shortly after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. His presence boosted Israel’s credibility with its international partners. Gantz had previously said he would leave the government by June 8 if Netanyahu didn’t formulate a plan for postwar Gaza.

Hunter Biden’s gun trial enters its final stretch after deeply personal testimony about his drug use

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The criminal trial of President Joe Biden’s son is heading into its final stretch as the defense tries to chip away at the prosecution’s case laying bare some of the darkest moments of Hunter Biden’s drug-fueled past. Hunter Biden’s lawyers could call at least one more witness when the case resumes Monday in Delaware’s federal court. It’s the first of two trials Hunter Biden faces in the midst of his father’s reelection campaign. Hunter Biden is charged with three felonies stemming from the 2018 purchase of a gun he had for about 11 days. Prosecutors say he lied on a mandatory gun purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.

Trump will speak to a Christian group that calls for abortion to be ‘eradicated entirely’

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Donald Trump is scheduled to address a Christian group that calls for abortion to be “eradicated entirely,” as the Republican frontrunner has repeatedly taken credit for the overturning of national abortion rights but said he wants to leave the issue to the states. The former president on Monday will speak virtually at an event put on by The Danbury Institute, which is meeting in Indianapolis. The organization says on its website that it “will not rest” until abortion “is eradicated entirely.” Trump has said he’s proud of appointing Supreme Court justices who played a role in overturning Roe v. Wade and that it’s “a beautiful thing” to watch the states decide the issue.

Nevada has a plan to expand electronic voting. That concerns election security experts

SCHURZ, Nevada (AP) — Voting on reservations across the country has historically been exceedingly difficult, with tribal voters sometimes having to travel long distances to their polling place or facing barriers because they don’t have a physical address. In Nevada, the state has now granted tribes a new right that advocates hope will greatly expand voting access — the ability to cast ballots electronically. But what some see as a small measure of justice to equalize voting rights for a people long disenfranchised raises security concerns for others, with potential implications far beyond Nevada’s 28 tribal communities.

What’s Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage, and why is it significant for Muslims?

Once a year, Muslims coming to Saudi Arabia unite in a series of religious rituals and acts of worship as they perform Hajj, one of the pillars of Islam. As they fulfill a religious obligation, they immerse themselves in what can be a profound spiritual experience of a lifetime and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. For the pilgrims, Hajj is also seen as an opportunity to grow closer to God and to walk in the footsteps of prophets. Hajj unites Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and economic classes in performing rituals together.

Martha’s Vineyard is about to run out of pot. That’s led to a lawsuit and a scramble by regulators

VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. (AP) — Martha’s Vineyard is about to run out of pot. One dispensary is already out entirely and the other is selling its remaining supplies. The problem boils down to location. Although Massachusetts voters opted to legalize marijuana more than seven years ago, the state’s Cannabis Control Commission has taken the position that transporting pot across the ocean — whether by boat or plane — risks running afoul of federal laws. The conundrum led Geoff Rose, who owns the Island Time dispensary, to file a lawsuit last month against the commission, which now says that finding a solution to the island’s pot problem is a top priority. Commissioners visited Martha’s Vineyard on Thursday to hear directly from affected residents.

Apple expected to enter AI race with ambitions to overtake the early leaders

Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference on Monday is expected to herald the company’s move into generative artificial intelligence, marking its late arrival to a technological frontier that’s expected to be as revolutionary as the invention of the iPhone. The widely anticipated display of AI to be embedded on the iPhone a will be the marquee moment at an event that previews the next version of software that powers the company’s hardware lineup. And Apple’s next generation of software is expected to be packed with an array of AI designed spruce up its virtual assistant Siri and make many other tasks a more satisfying and perhaps even revelatory experience.