South Lebanon votes in municipal elections that will test support for Hezbollah
BEIRUT (AP) — Residents of southern Lebanon voted Saturday in the country's municipal elections that will test support for Hezbollah in the predominantly Shiite areas, months after the end of the destructive Israel-Hezbollah war.
Hezbollah is running in an alliance with the Amal group of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and both are expected to win mayoral races and the majority of seats in municipal councils. Both groups already won many municipalities uncontested.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
41 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Newark mayor sues New Jersey's top federal prosecutor after arrest at immigration detention site
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka sued New Jersey's top federal prosecutor on Tuesday over his arrest on a trespassing charge, which was later dropped, at a federal immigration detention facility. Barak, who leads New Jersey's biggest city, is a candidate in a crowded primary field for the Democratic nomination for governor next Tuesday. The lawsuit against interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba coincided with the day early in-person voting began. The lawsuit seeks damages for 'false arrest and malicious prosecution,' and also accuses Habba of defamation for comments she made about his case. Citing a post on X in which Habba said Baraka 'committed trespass,' the lawsuit says Habba issued a 'defamatory statement' and authorized his 'false arrest' despite 'clear evidence that Mayor Baraka had not committed the petty offense of 'defiant trespass.'' The suit also names Ricky Patel, the Homeland Security Investigations agent in charge in Newark. Emails seeking comment were left Tuesday with Habba's office and the Homeland Security Department, where Patel works. The episode outside the Delaney Hall federal immigration detention center has had dramatic fallout. It began on May 9 when Baraka tried to join three Democratic members of Congress — Rob Menendez, LaMonica McIver and Bonnie Watson Coleman — who went to the facility for an oversight tour, something authorized under federal law. Baraka, an outspoken critic of Trump's immigration crackdown and the detention center, was denied entry. Video from the event showed him walking from the facility side of the fence to the street side, where other people had been protesting, and then uniformed officials came to arrest him. As they did, people could be heard in the video saying to protect the mayor. The video shows a crowd forming and pushing as officials led off a handcuffed Baraka. He was initially charged with trespass, but Habba dropped that charge and charged McIver with two counts of assaulting officers stemming from her role in the skirmish at the facility's gate. McIver decried the charges and signaled she plans to fight them. A preliminary hearing is scheduled later this month. Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed facility, opened earlier this year as a federal immigration detention facility. Florida-based Geo Group Inc., which owns and operates the property, was awarded a 15-year contract valued at $1 billion in February. The announcement was part of the president's plans to sharply increase detention beds nationwide from a budget of about 41,000 beds this year. Baraka sued Geo soon after that deal was announced. Then, on May 23, the Trump Justice Department filed a suit against Newark and three other New Jersey cities over their so-called sanctuary policies. There is no legal definition for sanctuary city policies, but they generally limit cooperation by local law enforcement with federal immigration officers. New Jersey's attorney general has a statewide directive in place prohibiting local police from collaborating in federal civil immigration matters. The policies are aimed at barring cooperation on civil enforcement matters, not at blocking cooperation on criminal matters. They specifically carve out exceptions for when Immigration and Customs Enforcement supplies police with a judicial criminal warrant. The Justice Department said, though, the cities won't notify ICE when they've made criminal arrests, according to the suit. It's unclear whether Baraka's role in these fights with the Trump administration is having an effect on his campaign for governor. He's one of six candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in the June 10 election to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. In a video ad in the election's final weeks, Baraka has embraced a theme his rivals are also pushing: affordability. He says he'll cut taxes. While some of the images show him standing in front of what appears to be Delaney Hall, he doesn't mention immigration or the arrest specifically, saying: 'I'll keep Trump out of your homes and out of your lives.' Trump has endorsed Jack Ciattarelli, one of several Republicans running in the gubernatorial primary. Ciattarelli has said if he's elected, his first executive order would be to end any sanctuary policies for immigrants in the country illegally.
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Former top Greek fire officials convicted over deadly blaze, victims' relatives angry at acquittals
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A court in Athens on Tuesday convicted a former Fire Service chief and nine others for their roles in managing a 2018 wildfire that killed more than 100 people outside the Greek capital.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Inzaghi reportedly tells Inter he is leaving in wake of rout in Champions League final
MILAN (AP) — The 5-0 rout by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final may have been Simone Inzaghi's final match in charge of Inter Milan. Inzaghi told Inter on Tuesday that he is leaving the club, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported, although there was not immediately an official announcement. Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal is reportedly trying to lure Inzaghi with an offer of more than 20 million euros ($23 million) per season. Inzaghi coached Inter to the Serie A title last year, and was also in charge when the Nerazzurri lost the 2023 Champions League title to Manchester City. He has been at Inter for exactly four years and has one more season remaining on his contract. If Inzaghi is leaving, it's unclear who will coach Inter at the Club World Cup in the United States starting June 14. Al-Hilal's opener at the Club World Cup is against Real Madrid on June 18. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. There has been speculation that Inter would go after Cesc Fabregas, who coached Como to a 10th-place finish in Serie A. Inter finished second in the Italian league last month, one point behind champion Napoli. Inter did not immediately reply to a request for comment. ___ AP soccer:
