AP-Newswatch

CAIRO (AP) — Israeli troops have seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing in what the White House described as a limited operation. Fears are mounting of a full-scale invasion of the southern city and cease-fire talks with Hamas remain on a knife’s edge. The U.N. warned of a potential collapse of the flow of aid to Palestinians from the closure of Rafah and the other main crossing into Gaza at a time when officials say the northern part of the enclave is already experiencing “full-blown famine.” The Israeli foray overnight into Tuesday came after hours of whiplash in the Israel-Hamas war. The militant group said Monday it accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated cease-fire proposal, but Israel insisted it did not meet its core demands.

Israeli tanks have rolled into Rafah. What does this mean for the Palestinians sheltering there?

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has launched an operation on Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, and seized control of the Gaza side of the key Rafah border crossing with Egypt. The operation that began Tuesday followed a dramatic 24 hours in which hopes for a long-awaited cease-fire between Israel and Hamas rose and then fell, though negotiators were still talking. The Israeli incursion appeared to fall short of a full-fledged offensive into Rafah, but Israel encouraged 100,000 Palestinians in an eastern part of the city to evacuate to Muwasi, a strip of land whose current inhabitants say is little more than a makeshift tent camp with squalid conditions.

Some colleges that had been permissive of pro-Palestinian protests begin taking a tougher stance

CHICAGO (AP) — Police in riot gear blocked access to the University of Chicago’s Quad early Tuesday. President Paul Alivisatos acknowledged the school’s role as a protector of freedom of speech but his message to the university community also took on an enough-is-enough stance. Just over 2,600 people have been arrested on the campuses of 50 colleges and universities since April 18, according to figures based on AP reporting and statements from universities and law enforcement agencies. Not all schools are taking such an approach. The president at Wesleyan University has commended the on-campus demonstration as an act of political expression.

Boy Scouts of America changing name to more inclusive Scouting America after years of woes

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history. The Texas-based organization is announcing at its annual meeting in Florida on Tuesday that it will become Scouting America. It’s a significant shift for the organization as it emerges from bankruptcy after a flood of sexual abuse claims, and focuses on including everyone after decades of turmoil. The organization steeped in tradition has made seismic changes, from finally allowing gay youth to welcoming girls throughout its ranks. CEO Roger Krone says the organization wants any youth in America to feel very, very welcome.

Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever

Vladimir Putin began his fifth term as Russian president at a glittering Kremlin ceremony, after destroying his political opposition, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and consolidating power. Already in office for nearly a quarter-century and the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Josef Stalin, Putin’s new term doesn’t expire until 2030, when he is constitutionally eligible to run for yet another six years. He has transformed Russia from a country emerging from economic collapse to a pariah state that threatens global security. The question now is what the 71-year-old Putin will do — both at home and abroad — over the course of another six years.

Scientists are learning the basic building blocks of sperm whale language after years of effort

ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — Scientists studying the sperm whales that live around the Caribbean island of Dominica have described for the first time the basic elements of how they might be talking to each other, in an effort that could one day help better protect them. Sperm whales are highly social mammals and communicate by squeezing air through their respiratory systems to make rapid clicks that can sound like an extremely loud zipper underwater. While scientists still don’t know exactly what those clicks mean, they have detected a “phonetic alphabet” the whales use to build the rough equivalent of what people think of as words and phrases.

TikTok sues US to block law that could ban the social media platform

TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance are suing the U.S. federal government over a law that would ban the popular video-sharing app unless it’s sold to another company. The lawsuit filed on Tuesday may be setting up what could be a protracted legal fight over its future in the United States. The popular social video company alleged the law, which President Joe Biden signed as part of a larger $95 billion foreign aid package, is so “obviously unconstitutional” that the sponsors of The Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act are trying to portray the law not as a ban, but as a regulation of TikTok’s ownership.

Police investigating shooting outside Drake’s mansion that left security guard wounded

TORONTO (AP) — Police are investigating a shooting outside rapper Drake’s mansion that left a security guard seriously wounded. Authorities did not confirm whether Drake was at home at the time of the shooting, but said his team is cooperating. The shooting happened around 2 a.m. Tuesday in the affluent Bridle Path neighborhood of Toronto. Toronto Police Inspector Paul Krawczyk said video of the shooting had been recovered but it was too early in the investigation to talk about a possible motive for the shooting. Krawczyk said the guard who was wounded remains hospitalized.