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Aid trucks have started entering Gaza from southern Israel through a new arrangement to avoid the Rafah crossing with Egypt after Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian side earlier this month. Egypt has refused to reopen its side of the Rafah crossing until control of the Gaza side is returned to Palestinians. However, under pressure from the U.S. and Israel, Egypt has agreed to redirect traffic through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, which is Gaza’s primary cargo terminal. This crossing has been mostly inaccessible due to the fighting related to Israel’s offensive in Rafah. Israel has stated that it has permitted hundreds of trucks to enter, but United Nations agencies have indicated that it is often too risky to retrieve the aid on the other side.
Tornado overturns trucks and damages homes as Texas and Oklahoma residents advised to seek shelter
A tornado touched down and crossed an interstate in Texas, causing damage and potential injuries as scattered severe storms swept through Texas and Oklahoma. Forecasters have issued tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of both states. An official in Denton County, Texas, reported that a tornado caused damage to homes, power lines, and trees. The official mentioned that overturned tractor-trailer trucks halted traffic on Interstate 35. Earlier on Saturday, the National Weather Service’s office in Norman, Oklahoma, issued a warning for an area north of Oklahoma City, urging residents to seek shelter immediately. Additionally, an excessive heat warning has been issued for South Texas, with the heat index forecasted to reach up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit over the holiday weekend.
UN migration agency estimates over 670 fatalities in Papua New Guinea landslide
The International Organization for Migration has revised its estimate of the death toll from a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea to over 670. Serhan Aktoprak, the chief of the U.N. migration agency’s mission in the South Pacific island nation, stated that the updated death toll is based on calculations by Yambali village and Enga provincial officials, indicating that over 150 homes were buried by Friday’s landslide. The previous estimate had been 60 homes, and local officials had initially reported the death toll on Friday to be 100 or more. As of Sunday, only five bodies and a leg of a sixth victim had been recovered.
Trump faces booing at Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump encountered repeated booing while addressing the Libertarian Party National Convention in Washington, with many in the audience shouting insults during his speech and criticising him for running up significant federal deficits and benefiting pharmaceutical companies through the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. When he took the stage on Saturday night, many attendees booed, while some supporters in “Make America Great” hats and T-shirts cheered and chanted “USA! USA!” This event marked a rare moment for Trump, who is accustomed to staging rallies in front of adoring crowds, to face detractors.
Chile accuses volunteer firefighter and ex-forestry official of causing massive fire that claimed 137 lives
A Chilean judge has ordered the detention of a volunteer firefighter and a former forestry official for allegedly planning and causing a huge forest fire that resulted in 137 deaths and displaced 16,000 people in February. The court in Valparaiso decided on Saturday that the two men could be held for 180 days while investigations are ongoing. The chief prosecutor in the case identified the main suspect as Francisco Mondaca, a 22-year-old volunteer firefighter in Valparaiso, who is accused of physically starting the fire. The prosecutor mentioned that flares and fireworks were discovered in Mondaca’s vehicle. The other suspect, Franco Pinto, a former employee of the National Forest Corporation, is accused of planning the crime.
Richard M. Sherman, Disney music legend, passes away at 95
Richard M. Sherman, one half of the iconic, award-winning duo of brothers who played a significant role in shaping childhoods by composing timeless Disney melodies, has died at the age of 95. Alongside his late brother Robert, Sherman penned hundreds of songs, including those for “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book,” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” as well as the globally recognized tune, “It’s a Small World (After All).” The Walt Disney Co. announced Sherman’s passing on Saturday due to age-related illness. The brothers were awarded two Academy Awards for Walt Disney’s 1964 hit “Mary Poppins.” Robert Sherman passed away in London in 2012.
Sunak proposes mandatory national service for 18-year-olds in UK election bid
If the governing Conservative Party wins the July 4 national election, all 18-year-olds in Britain will be required to undertake a year of compulsory military or civilian national service. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to reintroduce a form of national service for the first time since 1960. Under the proposal, a small minority of 18-year-olds would spend 12 months in the military, while the rest would dedicate one weekend a month to working for charities, community groups, or public organisations. The mechanism for enforcing this mandate remains unclear. Sunak aims to revitalise his election campaign after a sluggish start. The opposition Labour Party has dismissed the plan as a gimmick, with current polls showing Labour significantly ahead of the Conservatives.
National Spelling Bee highlights the economic success and cultural impact of Indian immigrants in the US
Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling Bee champions have been Indian American. Many of these winners are children of parents who migrated to the United States on student or work visas. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion offspring underscore the economic achievements and cultural contributions of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. Numerous parents emphasise the value of education to their children as education served as their gateway to the U.S. This year’s bee commences on Tuesday at a convention centre outside Washington, with many top contenders expected to be Indian American.
PGA Tour player Grayson Murray passes away at age 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray has died at the age of 30. The PGA Tour and his management company GSE Worldwide confirmed his passing on Saturday. Details surrounding Murray’s death were not immediately available. Murray began the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial with a score of 68. The following day, he withdrew from the tournament when he was 5-over for his round with two holes remaining. Murray claimed victory at the Sony Open earlier this year with a 40-foot birdie putt in a playoff. He also secured the Barbasol Championship title in 2017. Murray made his Masters debut in April.
Rare blue-eyed cicada discovered during 2024 emergence at suburban Chicago arboretum
The 2024 cicada emergence is currently underway in Illinois. A rare, blue-eyed female Magicicada cassini cicada was sighted on Friday at The Morton Arboretum in suburban Chicago. A fortunate few witnessed it before it was released back into the wild to join its red-eyed counterparts. The collections manager of the Department of Entomology at the Smithsonian Institute stated that the blue-eyed cicada is uncommon, but its exact rarity cannot be determined. Periodical cicadas emerge every 13 or 17 years, and the 17-year brood is beginning to appear in certain locations in northern Illinois. Both broods are expected to converge in the southern part of the state.
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AP News Summary, National News, EDT, 5:35 a.m., AP News Summary, National News, EDT, 5:35 a.m..
