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At least nine people were killed and 20 were injured when a man drove into a crowd during a block party celebrating Filipino culture in Vancouver, Canada.

The tragedy unfolded Saturday night after the vehicle entered the street at 8:14 p.m. and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival, the Vancouver Police Department said on X. A damaged black SUV, believed to be the vehicle involved, was seen stationary in the middle of the roadway after colliding with food trucks set up for the pedestrian-only event, which just moments earlier had been filled with lively celebrations. Vancouver police confirmed that attendees of the annual Lapu-Lapu Day block party apprehended the suspect before handing him over to officers.

In an update posted Sunday, police confirmed the death toll had reached nine. “Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this heartbreaking event,” the department wrote, adding that they had the suspect in custody: “a 30-year-old suspect, a Vancouver man, was arrested at the scene. At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism.”  Interim Police Chief Steve Rai added that an extensive investigation was now underway to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said in a statement: “I am shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific events at today’s Lapu Lapu Day celebration. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this extremely difficult time.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shared on X: “I am devastated to hear about the horrific events at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver earlier this evening. I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver. We are all mourning with you. We are monitoring the situation closely, and thankful to our first responders for their swift action.”

Carney later addressed the nation on Sunday, calling the tragedy “every family’s worst nightmare” and praised the strength and resilience of Filipino-Canadians, citing a Tagalog word reflecting the Filipino tradition of community and unity, emphasizing the need for solidarity during this sorrowful time:  “We will stand together, comfort those who grieve, and support one another.”

British Columbia officially recognized April 27 as Lapu-Lapu Day in 2023 to commemorate the Battle of Mactan, fought in what is now the Philippines in 1521. Lapu-Lapu, an Indigenous leader, is remembered for resisting Spanish colonization and defeating Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Today, Lapu-Lapu stands as a symbol of anti-colonial resistance, celebrated both in the Philippines and among Filipino communities worldwide.

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Palestinian authorities reported that more than 52,000 people have died in Gaza, as Israel intensifies its military operations following the collapse of a ceasefire with Hamas in March.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported Sunday that hospitals across the Gaza Strip received the bodies of 51 Palestinians killed in Israeli air raids over the past day, which brings the total number of Palestinian fatalities in the 18-month-long conflict between Israel and Hamas to 52,243. This includes nearly 700 additional victims whose deaths were recently verified. Search and rescue crews, along with local residents, continue to comb through the wreckage after Israeli forces bombarded areas west of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza on Sunday, April 27.

Israel resumed heavy airstrikes across Gaza after abruptly ending its truce with Hamas (which is recognized as a terrorist organization by both the U.S. and Israel) on March 18.  Israeli ground forces have expanded a buffer zone and encircled the southern city of Rafah, now claiming control over roughly half of Gaza’s territory.

In addition to the military campaign, Israel has imposed a near-total blockade on Gaza’s 2 million residents, cutting off supplies of food, medicine, and other essentials for nearly two months. Humanitarian organizations warn that resources are dwindling, leaving thousands of children severely malnourished, with most families merely surviving on limited supplies such as canned vegetables, rice, pasta, and lentils.

Israeli officials have stated that the renewed offensive and tightened blockade are designed to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages taken during the group’s October 7, 2023, assault, which sparked the ongoing war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to continue the fight until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are freed.

Hamas, for its part, has insisted that it will only release the 59 remaining captives — 24 of whom are believed to still be alive — in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and a permanent ceasefire. These demands mirror the terms outlined in a now-defunct ceasefire agreement reached earlier this year.

The Gaza Health Ministry claims that women and children represent a majority of the Palestinian fatalities, though it does not differentiate between civilian and militant casualties. It also reports that around 117,600 people have been wounded during the conflict.

Israel claims its forces have eliminated roughly 20,000 Hamas fighters but has not publicly shared evidence to support this figure. Israeli military officials emphasize that they aim to minimize civilian casualties and accuse Hamas of endangering civilians by operating within densely populated urban areas.

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Authorities confirmed on Thursday that a 19-year-old man from Ocean Township, New Jersey, has been charged in connection with a wildfire that erupted Tuesday and spread rapidly across more than 15,000 acres.  In a statement released jointly by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean Township Police Department, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, officials announced that Joseph Kling has been taken into custody and placed in the Ocean County Jail. He faces charges of aggravated arson and arson and is awaiting a detention hearing.

Authorities allege that Kling is responsible for igniting the fire, which tore through large areas of Waretown and Lacey townships and resulted in the destruction of a commercial property. Investigators say the blaze began after Kling allegedly built a bonfire using wooden pallets and then left the area before ensuring the fire was out, leading to his arrest on charges of arson and aggravated arson. The flames were initially discovered in the Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area, part of the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust.

The wildfire in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens—a sprawling forest region spanning more than 1 million acres and roughly the size of the Grand Canyon — was sparked by an abandoned bonfire and has continued to spread, prompting air quality alerts as far as New York City. According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the wildfire remained only 50% contained as of 10 a.m. EDT on Thursday. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday that smoke would likely linger and emergency crews would remain on the scene for several days.

The fire has consumed over 23 square miles of land, making it one of the largest wildfires the state has seen in nearly 20 years, with firefighters battling tough conditions, including dry air and the effects of a prolonged drought. New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the U.S., and officials have warned that residential areas nearby could be at risk. No injuries or fatalities have been reported, with approximately 5,000 residents evacuated at one point but were allowed to return on Wednesday.

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Robert Crimo III, the gunman who killed seven people and injured dozens in a mass shooting during a parade in Highland Park, Illinois on July 4, 2022, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday.

Judge Victoria A. Rossetti announced on Thursday that Crimo was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences along with 50 years in prison for each person injured. As she handed down the maximum sentence, Rossetti said: “The court finds he’s irrevocably depraved. He is beyond any rehabilitation .. This court hopes this sentence brings a sense of justice and an end to the continued horror.” Life without the possibility of parole is the most severe punishment Crimo faced, as Illinois doesn’t have capital punishment.

The seven people killed by Crimo were Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35. Cooper Roberts, then 8, was shot and paralyzed.

Crimo, 24, was a no-show in court Thursday and declined to make a statement to the court, per his lawyer. The shooter’s parents, who have attended most court proceedings, were also not present. Crimo pleaded guilty last month to charges in the mass shooting that wounded nearly 50 more people in addition to the seven deaths.

The sentencing hearing, which began Wednesday and finished Thursday morning, included testimony from multiple survivors and relatives of those killed in the shooting at the Independence Day parade. Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said: “In the middle of that joy, in the middle of that celebration, 83 shots rang out over 40 seconds. Eighty-three attempts to hurt people, do as much damage as possible. Eighty-three attempts to kill. Eighty-three attempts to reduce light in the world. He intended to end the happiness he saw around him … I cannot attempt to rein in the pain, ocean of grief, trauma, heartache and loss.”

Prosecutors say that Crimo told police he wore women’s clothing during the shooting and used makeup to hide his facial tattoos and blend in with the crowd during the chaos. He was apprehended hours after the shooting, and confessed.  Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., pleaded guilty last year to reckless conduct, admitting to signing the Firearm Owner’s Identification card for his son to apply for gun ownership. At the time, Illinois at the time required people ages 18, 19 or 20 to have parent or guardian authorization; and Crimo III was 19 and too young to get a FOID card on his own.

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