Gaza destruction likely helped push Hamas to soften cease-fire demands, several officials say

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Several officials in the Middle East and the U.S. believe the level of devastation in the Gaza Strip caused by a nine-month Israeli offensive likely has helped push Hamas to soften its demands for a cease-fire agreement. Hamas over the weekend...

Bob Menendez says he didn’t testify because prosecution failed to prove its bribery case against him

NEW YORK (AP) — New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez said he chose not to testify Wednesday at his New York trial because he believes prosecutors failed to prove “every aspect” of the bribery case against him, a decision that cleared the way for closing arguments as early as Monday. ...

UN-led meeting in Qatar with Afghan Taliban is not a recognition of their government, official says

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A United Nations-led meeting held in Qatar with the Taliban on increasing engagement with Afghanistan does not translate into a recognition of their government, a U.N. official said Monday. The gathering on Sunday and Monday in Qatar's capital of Doha with envoys...

The Taliban confirm they will attend a UN-led meeting in Qatar on Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban on Tuesday confirmed their delegation will attend an upcoming U.N.-led meeting in Qatar on Afghanistan after the organizers said last week that women would be excluded from the gathering. The meeting on June 30 and July 1 is the third U.N.-sponsored...

UN envoy defends failure to include Afghan women in upcoming meeting with the Taliban in Qatar

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations' top official in Afghanistan defended the failure to include Afghan women in the upcoming first meeting between the Taliban and envoys from 22 countries, insisting that demands for women’s rights are certain to be raised. U.N. special...

Gold bars and Sen. Bob Menendez's curiosity about their price takes central role at bribery trial

NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors showed jurors at Sen. Bob Menendez ’s trial on Thursday multiple instances when he researched the value of gold as he tried to help a New Jersey businessman who authorities say bribed him with gold and cash. The evidence about the Democrat’s online...

Hamas says it has given Qatar and Egypt its reply to the cease-fire proposal for Gaza, with some “remarks” on the deal.

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

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel's dramatic weekend rescue of four hostages from the Gaza Strip, in an operation that local health officials say killed 274 Palestinians, came at a sensitive time in the 8-month-old war, as Israel and Hamas weigh a U.S. proposal for a cease-fire and the release of...

Euro 2024 in Germany is UEFA's 1st step to raise pandemic-hit cash reserves above $550 million

GENEVA (AP) — UEFA’s two-step financial plan to refill its pandemic-hit cash reserves starts with a men’s 2024 European Championship held in the home of the continent’s largest economy. Revenue of about 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) is expected from broadcast and sponsor...

US launches lobbying blitz to sell Gaza cease-fire plan to Hamas through Arab and Muslim nations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has launched an intense drive to persuade Hamas and Israel to accept a new cease-fire proposal in the nearly eight-month-old war in Gaza while it also presses Arab nations to get the militant group to go along with the terms. It comes as...