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About 100 Colombian guerrilla dissidents disarm under peace talks with government

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About 100 Colombian guerrilla dissidents disarm under peace talks with government


BOGOTA, Colombia — About a hundred Colombian guerrilla dissidents on Thursday surrendered their weapons in a step toward their gradual reintegration into civilian life as part of a peace process with the government of President Gustavo Petro.

Dressed in military-style camouflage, the members of the National Coordinating Committee of the Bolivarian Army placed their weapons on a table during a formal ceremony in the department of Putumayo, which borders Ecuador. The group is a dissident faction of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Now disarmed, the dissidents will enter a temporary resettlement zone where the government intends to facilitate their gradual reintegration into civilian life. The government in a statement explained that they “will have their freedom restricted and will be under the control and supervision” of authorities.

“We laid down the iron rifle because we understand that words are a more powerful weapon,” dissident leader Geovany Andrés Rojas said as part of the ceremony. He made the remarks remotely from jail, where he is being held after being captured last year when the group was engaged in peace talks with the government.

His arrest took place in connection with an Interpol Red Notice for drug trafficking charges in the United States. Rojas on Thursday said his capture undermined the confidence of the rank and file but did not derail the dialogue process.

Petro, a former rebel leader and Colombia’s first progressive president, is negotiating with the dissident faction as part of his signature “total peace” policy, which has opened parallel peace negotiations with multiple armed groups. The effort has largely failed.

The dissident groups emerged from factions that did not accept the historic peace agreement signed a decade ago by the state and FARC, formerly Latin America’s oldest guerrilla group. The country is estimated to have 27,000 illegally armed group members, according to a 2025 report by the Ideas for Peace Foundation, a think tank focused on the internal conflict.

Last week, Petro established a monitoring mechanism for the temporary relocation zone and ordered the suspension of offensive military and special police operations to allow the dissidents to enter the designated area.



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Thousands killed in US-Israeli war on Iran

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Thousands killed in US-Israeli war on Iran


In Iraq, more than 100 people have died, according to figures gathered by Al Jazeera and Agence France Presse. Of those, at least 80 were reported to be members of the paramilitary Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), which is dominated by Iran-backed Shia militias, killed in US and Israeli strikes.



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BBC Sport quiz: Who am I? Guess World Cup star footballer No 12

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BBC Sport quiz: Who am I? Guess World Cup star footballer No 12


Welcome to our Who am I? game.

The rules are simple. Each day there’s a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.

After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. Guess the answer after as few clues as possible to score more points.

Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.

So, take part and return for more tomorrow.

Today’s player and clues are set by BBC Sport’s Huzaifah Khan.

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.



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Francisco Lindor to begin rehab stint, closes in on Mets’ return

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Francisco Lindor to begin rehab stint, closes in on Mets’ return


PHILADELPHIA — Francisco Lindor’s countdown to rejoining the Mets is underway.

The shortstop will begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday for Double-A Binghamton, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, and could return to the Mets lineup by early next week.

Mendoza indicated the plan is for Lindor to play two games in the minors (Triple-A Syracuse could be a stop if weather affects Binghamton) and then decide if he is ready or needs additional time. Lindor would play Friday, rest Saturday and then play Sunday before a determination is reached.

Lindor, who has been on the injured list since April 23 with a left calf strain, has spent the last week playing simulated games.

“This is a guy who knows himself better than anybody, and he’s going to let us know whether he needs more at-bats or basically how he’s feeling, and we’ll go from there,” Mendoza said before the Mets beat the Phillies 6-4.


Francisco Lindor, who has been on the injured list since April 23 with a left calf strain, will begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday for Double-A Binghamton.
Francisco Lindor, who has been on the injured list since April 23 with a left calf strain, will begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday for Double-A Binghamton. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

Among the possibilities is that Lindor will receive occasional starts at DH upon his return.

“I am pretty sure that is going to be a discussion, knowing him, a guy that wants to be in the lineup every day,” Mendoza said. “He will take that as an off day as opposed to being completely out of the lineup, but I am pretty sure there’s also going to be days where we are going to have to be firm and keep his name out of the starting lineup.”

Lindor’s return will shift Bo Bichette back to third base and Brett Baty into the utility role in which he began the season.

Tyrone Taylor will also begin a rehab assignment for Binghamton, but Mendoza said the outfielder’s stay will be longer because he hasn’t built up volume in his at-bats compared to Lindor, who has been playing simulated games.

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Taylor is rehabbing a right hip flexor strain that has kept him sidelined since May 26.

This series won’t resume until Saturday night because of Friday’s World Cup match between Brazil and Haiti scheduled for Lincoln Financial Field — which is across the street from Citizens Bank Park.

“It’s weird,” Mendoza said of the off day within a series. “But then you understand: You have got the World Cup right next door and you will have 80,000 people there.”

Mendoza said he’s hoping to attend the match.

“I am trying,” he said. “It’s not an easy ticket.”



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Virginia school board member Ray Stier defended over missing meetings during military deployment

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Virginia school board member Ray Stier defended over missing meetings during military deployment



House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., rebuked a school board in Richmond, Michigan, after some of its members tried to remove a conservative colleague for missing meetings while on military deployment to the Middle East.

Ray Stier, who received an American flag and a copy of the Congressional Record from McClain on Thursday as a commendation of his work, had been on deployment, attending board meetings remotely, but eventually lost virtual access.

That’s when the board called for his removal, citing a “disservice” caused by his absence.

“One of the board members’ family was taking to social media and putting out misinformation about myself and my wife and things that were not factually accurate and then ultimately calling for my resignation and prompting others to reach out to the district to call for my recall,” Stier recounted.

The moment is just the most recent clash between Republicans and school boards over policies that, in their view, are gatekeeping schools against diversity of thought and accountability.

“I think education is extremely important and vital,” McClain told Fox News Digital.

“And educators and administrators need to teach children how to think, not what to think. It’s about time that administrators begin to get held accountable for their actions. Good actions and bad actions.”

Rep. Lisa McClain with Ray Stier following his return from deployment overseas. Rep. Lisa McClain
Ray Stier received an American flag and a copy of the Congressional Record from McClain on Thursday as a commendation of his work.

McClain’s meeting with Stier comes on the heels of a congressional hearing last week where she grilled a superintendent from Virginia over student privacy policy, probing if those policies were being unevenly applied to favor transgender students.

“The victims got a 10-day suspension and the biological female that did the filming got a one-day suspension,” McClain said, referring to an incident at Stone Bridge High School in Loudoun County where students had been reprimanded for filming in a locker room.

“How does that make sense?”

In Stier’s case, McClain questioned whether the board had targeted Stier on account of just his deployment overseas.

Stier had clashed with the board after learning that some of the district’s bathroom policies would have allowed fourth-grade students to use the same bathroom as transgender eighth-grade boys.

In Stier’s case, McClain questioned whether the board had targeted Stier on account of just his deployment overseas.

“Prior to him filling the seat, the seat was open for two months,” McClain observed. So that logical argument doesn’t exactly make sense to me; it doesn’t really hold a lot of water.”

For his own part, Stier believes his case will refocus attention on the importance of the school board and its membership.

“My goal is to continue being an advocate for the community. One of the good things that I think came out of this was that it got so much attention that some of the community members who were unaware of the dynamics that were not being brought to light,” Stier said.



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Argentina TV host Florencia Pena quits after falsley reporting death of Lionel Messi father

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Argentina TV host Florencia Pena quits after falsley reporting death of Lionel Messi father



An Argentine TV host has quit after she erroneously reported that Lionel Messi’s father had died — two days after the soccer icon led the Argentina national team to victory in their first World Cup match.

Florencia Peña made the false report surrounding Jorge Messi’s health during a live stream broadcast of Luzu TV’s “El Show del Verano” on Thursday.

“I don’t want to break bad news, but Messi’s father just died,” Peña said, according to the US Sun.

“Right in the middle of the World Cup, he’s going to have to leave,” Peña falsely assumed.

Luzu TV presenter Florencia Pena falsely reported that Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge, had died on June 17, 2026. Luzu TV

The Messi family called out the irresponsible reporting, sharing that Jorge Messi had been battling an undisclosed health issue but hadn’t died.

“He is currently under medical supervision, recovering, and progressing favorably within his current condition,” the family said in a statement, according to ESPN.

“Given the versions, rumors, and speculation that have circulated in recent hours, the family wishes to express its deep displeasure at the lack of sensitivity, respect, and scruples with which some people have treated a strictly private and family matter,” the family wrote.

It was not revealed what illness the elder Messi was battling or what his condition is.

The 51-year-old television personality claimed she was given unverified information about Messi’s 68-year-old father and ran with it.

“I have to clarify that this false information was given to me live on air as if it had been checked the show’s production team, and I trusted it,” Peña wrote on her Instagram Story Thursday.

Lionel Messi and his father, Jorge, during a 2022 World Cup champions party on Dec. 29, 2022. Instagram / jorge.sole
Flor_de_P/Instagram

Peña apologized for the on-air blunder and said she was leaving the show on Thursday.

“I apologize to the Messi family for the awful moment I imagine they are going through. I am very ashamed to have been the vehicle for this pain,” she said. “Even so, I take responsibility for being part of the mistake, and that is why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu. I apologize again from the bottom of my heart: I was wrong.”

Conflicting reports claim Peña and the production staff involved in the false reporting were all dismissed from the station.

“Luzu TV deeply regrets what happened on air during the program. Our channel finds the dissemination of sensitive information without proper prior verification unacceptable. For this reason, Luzu TV management has decided to dismiss all those responsible. Florencia Peña will decide to step down,” the station said in a statement shared by founder Nico Occhiato. “We reaffirm our commitment to responsible, respectful and rigorous communication.”

Peña faced fierce backlash from Messi fans and Argentinians over the error, including an online scolding from President Javier Milei.

“TRASH CORP,” the 55-year-old politician wrote on X.

“The aberrant and unscrupulous unchecked statements by Florencia Peña on a streaming channel—which would still be aberrant even if the information had been true, since they trample on a citizen’s private life—remind us of the impunity with which some individuals believe they can operate simply by holding a microphone or a pen in hand, as if that fact implied not only that they don’t have to verify the information they spread, but also that they need not adhere to the most basic tenets of human decency, morality, or respect for the truth,” he said.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates his first goal of the match against Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 16, 2026. REUTERS
Lionel Messi wipes his eyes after scoring a goal in Argentina’s first World Cup Match. DeFodi Images/Shutterstock

Milei called Peña a “low-rent gossipmonger” as he credited Luzu TV for issuing a correction and booting “this nefarious character.

Messi scored a hat trick, leading Argentina to a 3-0 win over Algeria in its first match of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

After his first goal, the soccer legend was visibly flooded with emotion as he wiped tears from his eyes with his jersey.

He remained cryptic after the game when he explained his very public display of emotion.

“My tears after the first goal? I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,” Messi said in Spanish after the match, according to the Associated Press. “I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.”



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Long Island teen, merciless armbar have designs on UFC future

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Long Island teen, merciless armbar have designs on UFC future



Long Island has a true gem in jiujitsu star Diamond Armello. 

The Smithtown 16-year-old has a sparkling future ahead as the world’s second-ranked teen in the martial art, with a record that speaks for itself.

“I’ve had over 400 fights — and it’s over 400 wins,” Armello told The Post after a training session at Vanguard Academy in Lake Grove.

“I think I’ve lost maybe 12 times, or 20,” added the 5-foot-6, 130-pounder. 

Mighty Armello — opponents fear his merciless armbar — has earned the respect of the combat sports community, notably from Long Island UFC star Matt “Steamrolla” Frevola, who trains with the teenager.

“This kid keeps me on my toes. … I always try not to use my strength and size on him, but then again, he’s so good sometimes I have to,” said the 155-pound Frevola, 36.

“He’s in here every day, working his a– off.”

Diamond Armello, 16, at Vanguard Academy Jiu Jitsu in Smithtown on Long Island. Stephen Yang for NY Post

Diamond in the rough 

Armello first hit the mats at 11, and he was promoted to adult classes just months into learning jiujitsu. 

He came in with a chip on his shoulder and said priority No. 1 was earning the respect of his older peers.

“It took a while for them, but they eventually realized that I can handle myself,” Armello said. 

Things are at the point now where other fighters often come to him for advice or to watch him do a move right. 

Diamond Armello, 16, in a gray and white jersey spars, with Joey Panetta. Stephen Yang for NY Post

“Even though I’m the youngest, I know a lot of stuff … normally, you can’t get your blue belt until the day you become 16. I got mine 10 months early.”

There was something else Armello had been grappling with as a tween that led him to pursue jiujitsu and ultimately helped him discover his unrivaled skills.

“I used to get picked on a lot. I wanted to learn how to defend myself if I ever needed to,” he said.

Armello ultimately learned peace through the art of war and never had to lay a hand on a bully. Dopey teens have been wise to back off after he gave a verbal warning of what could happen next. 

Diamond Armello, 16, in a gray and white jersey, spars with Joey Panetta, 26, at Vanguard Academy Jiu Jitsu. Stephen Yang for NY Post

Armello attributes restraint and maturity beyond his years to what he learns in the studio.

“I keep my self-control — a lot of self-control,” he said. 

Time to shine 

Companions and training partners at Vanguard have become an incredibly positive influence on Armello’s life and a major reason he can rise above teenage sophomoric behavior. 

“I’ve made a lot of really cool friends here,” he said.

Diamond Armello, 16, with his mother, Vania Armello. Stephen Yang for NY Post

The role models he rolls with have also encouraged Diamond to keep doing the right things outside the room, and he’s proudly taken the discipline principles of jiujitsu into the classrooms of Smithtown East as well.

“When I look back, I’m like, ‘wow,’ where I came from academically. I used to be a C, D student. Now I’m an A, B student,” said the math lover.

“And, if I don’t study, my mom’s not going to let me come to jiujitsu,” he said, laughing. 

The rising 11th grader already has a succession plan laid out for after high school, starting with entering the UFC at age 18. 

Similar to fellow Long Island fighters Aljamain Sterling and Al Iaquinta, Armello plans to flip houses as a real estate agent on the side. 

“I also plan on opening my own gym,” Armello said. “I can’t wait to give back to my community.” 

When it comes time to debut in the Octagon, he knows who to call to be ready.

“I’ve definitely got to keep working with Steamrolla on striking to get to that UFC level,” Armello said. “He always brings the pain to us.”



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Mexico advances in the World Cup and other top photos

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Mexico advances in the World Cup and other top photos


June 12-18, 2026

Mexico became the first country to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup, beating South Korea 1-0. Merlín the duck is celebrated as the team mascot.

Conservative Keiko Fujimori leads progressive Roberto Sánchez as votes are slowly counted from Peru’s presidential runoff election.

A deeply divided electorate is preparing to vote for Colombia’s next president in a tight runoff election between a progressive and a conservative outsider.

This gallery was curated by photo editor Anita Baca based in Mexico City.

___

AP photography: https://apnews.com/photography

AP News on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews





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Expect raucous Seattle crowd to give USMNT extra boost vs. Aussies

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Expect raucous Seattle crowd to give USMNT extra boost vs. Aussies


SEATTLE — Lumen Field is one of the loudest stadiums on the planet. Seattle is arguably the most soccer-mad city in the country.

And it’s about to host the biggest game in its history, the U.S. national team taking on Australia Friday with first place in World Cup Group D at stake.

“Yeah, I fully expect this crowd to be extremely loud, and they’re going to energize our group. This is one of the loudest stadiums in the world, when you think about Seahawks or Sounders games,” Cristian Roldan said. “I fully expect the city of Seattle to come out and show out. The guys are going to feel that type of energy.

“The soccer culture goes back a long time here in the city of Seattle. … There’s a long, long history here, as well as Vancouver and Portland. So, digging into that, the soccer landscape is amazing. … It means a lot to play soccer here. And I’m excited for the world to see what the city is all about.”

Roldan starred at the University of Washington, where the U.S. practiced Thursday, and plays for the Seattle Sounders, who often have MLS’ biggest and loudest crowds.

But the city’s love affair with soccer runs far deeper and older than even MLS, back to the Sounders’ NASL days. And Lumen’s status as a sonic weapon predates its use in fútbol to football tenant Seahawks.

“I heard so, I heard so. I’ve never played here. I hope it’s gonna be loud,” Sergiño Dest said. “That also scares the opponent a little bit and it helps us, gives us an extra boost. So it’s gonna be a great game.”

Lumen Field is one of the world’s loudest venues — it used to be the loudest, actually.

That’s partly because of passionate energy — which there will be plenty of Friday cheering for the U.S. — and partly due to planned engineering.


Lumen Field, which will be hosting Friday's USMNT-Australia World Cup match, Lumen Field is one of the loudest stadiums on the planet.
Lumen Field, which will be hosting Friday’s USMNT-Australia World Cup match, Lumen Field is one of the loudest stadiums on the planet. Anadolu via Getty Images

With a unique, acoustic-trapping architectural roof, Lumen Field actually had the Guinness Record before Kansas City broke it, reaching 137.6 decibels — roughly comparable to a jet engine — and famously triggered localized seismic activity known as “Beast Quake” during big Seahawks plays.

The extensive use of concrete and aluminum seats makes sound reverberate and amplify throughout the bowl. The compact footprint puts fans close to the field. And 70 percent of the seats are covered by big, curved metal canopies, acting as parabolic sound mirrors that bounce noise straight onto the field.

It’s an acoustic attack the U.S. and its fans will weaponize against the Aussies.

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“Roldan has always told me this fanbase has been amazing,” Weston McKennie said. “It’s a huge fan base here. I’m excited to see what it’s like. I’ve never been here with the national team before. Hopefully it’s similar to SoFi or better.

“Even before the last game, hearing the fans and the national anthem and people singing along, it gives you goose bumps. Then you’re like, ‘oh s–t, it’s time to go.’ You’re fired up because you know you have people behind you. … It’s an amazing feeling. Boost of confidence. Whenever you’re tired and you hear them going, cheering higher whenever someone makes a tackle, it’s an adrenaline rush.”

The cheering will be high. The U.S. hopes the adrenaline will as well.



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Mets’ Bo Bichette feels wrath from spurned Phillies’ fanbase

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Mets’ Bo Bichette feels wrath from spurned Phillies’ fanbase


PHILADELPHIA — Bo Bichette braced for a rude reception Thursday from a fanbase that almost became his this season.

“If you know anything about Philly, nothing will surprise me,” Bichette said before the Mets beat the Phillies 6-4 at Citizens Bank Park.

Bichette was booed each time he walked to the plate in his 0-for-5 performance, which snapped his streak of multihit games at six.

Last January the Mets, after learning that free agent Kyle Tucker had chosen the Dodgers, pivoted toward Bichette — who was deep into negotiations with the Phillies.

Bichette took the Mets offer of $126 million over three years — with opt-outs after 2026 and ’27 — preventing the Phillies from adding another key bat. Earlier in the offseason, the defending NL East champions had re-signed Kyle Schwarber to a five-year contract worth $150 million.


Bo Bichette throws to first base after a fielder's choice force out at second base in the first inning of the Mets' 6-4 win over the Phillies on June 18, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park.
Bo Bichette throws to first base after a fielder’s choice force out at second base in the first inning of the Mets’ 6-4 win over the Phillies on June 18, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park. Getty Images

“We were definitely talking, but there were a few things that were unfinished, so I wouldn’t say necessarily that we were at the finish line,” Bichette said.

The Phillies’ reported offer for Bichette was $200 million over seven years. Dave Dombrowski, the team’s president of baseball operations, described losing Bichette as a “gut punch.”

Bichette, who helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series last season, isn’t looking back.

“[The Phillies] are a great team that I was interested in being part of, but I wouldn’t say I think too much of what could have been,” Bichette said.

Bichette reiterated factors that attracted him when he selected the Mets.

“Ownership is doing their best to get a team of talent on the field to win and the team has a ton of talent,” Bichette said. “Playing in New York, the market here, all that was important to me — we have the opportunity to win, with talent, in a place that fans care about the team.”

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The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson following a slow start — replacing him with bench coach Don Mattingly — and have surged into wild-card contention. They began play 40-34, ahead by 1 ½ games for the second wild card.

It has been a different story for the Mets, who haven’t recovered from their 12-game losing streak in April, despite improved play in recent weeks.

They are 34-41, last in the NL East.

“We have played better for a decent stretch of time,” Bichette said, referring to the team’s 25-20 record since May 1. “Probably not to our capabilities, but we just have to continue to keep on grinding, putting up wins however we can. Most teams have that little hot stretch that kind of evens out the cold stretch and hopefully we have that soon.”



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