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Prosecutors plan to charge an Israeli settler with killing a Palestinian activist in the West Bank

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Israeli prosecutors said Monday that they plan to charge a settler in the killing of a Palestinian activist during a confrontation that was caught on video, opening a rare prosecution ofviolence by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Attacks from settlers and home demolitions by authorities have spiked dramatically over the past two years, but the death in July of Awdah Hathaleen has drawn particular attention due to his involvement in the 2025 Oscar-winning film "No Other Land," which chronicled Palestinian villagers' fight to stay on their land. The case also stands out because the confrontation between Palestinians and Yinon Levi, an internationally sanctioned settler, was captured on video from multiple vantage points.

In a video that family members say wastaken by Hathaleen himself, Levi could be seen firing toward the person holding the camera. Anothershowed Levi firing two shotswithout showing where the bullets struck.

An Israeli judge released Levi from custody six months ago,citing a lack of evidencethat he fired the shots that killed Hathaleen.

Israel's State Attorney General's office confirmed in a statement Monday that it had initiated proceedings to indict Levi. It did not specify the charges.

Eitan Peleg, an attorney for Hathaleen's family, said the office had informed them it planned to indict Levi for reckless homicide, triggering a process that allows Levi to contest charges before they're formally filed.

"Enforcement of the law in cases like this involving Palestinians in the West Bank is very rare, so this is unique," Peleg told The Associated Press on Monday.

Israel's military referred questions on the indictment to police, who have not yet responded. Both bodies enforce laws in the area.

More than 3.4 million Palestinians and 700,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in 1967 and sought by Palestinians for a future state. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in these areas to be illegal and an obstacle to peace.

Palestinians and rights groups say authorities routinely fail to prosecute settlers or hold them accountable for violence. Under National Security MinisterItamar Ben-Gvir,investigations into settler attacks have plummeted, according to the Israeli rights group Yesh Din.

Khalil Hathaleen, Awdah's brother, said the family was glad some measure of justice was being pursued but felt the charge of "reckless homicide" was insufficient.

"It was an intentional killing in broad daylight, with prior intent and premeditation," he said.

Levi's attorney, Avichai Hajbi, declined Monday to comment on the coming indictment, which he said he hadn't received. After the shooting, he told The Associated Press that Levi acted in self-defense, without elaborating. Levi did not answer phone calls Monday.

Parts of the confrontation were filmed

Video released last year by B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights group showed Levi firing a gun toward the person filming. At the moment that B'Tselem says Hathaleen collapsed, the visuals are jostled but moans of pain can be heard. The group said it obtained the video from the family of Hathaleen, who said he filmed it.

Additional footage obtained by the AP last year showed Levi waving a pistol during the standoff in Umm al-Khair that was with a group of Palestinians over an excavator that had rolled down from a nearby settlement and damaged Palestinian property earlier in the day.

Alaa Hathaleen, a cousin who filmed the encounter, told AP at the time that he had approached Levi to tell him the group was unarmed and to stop the bulldozing.

In the video, one Palestinian insults Levi and another challenges him to shoot. Levi shoves someone just out of the frame, demands to know who threw stones, and later fires a shot, seemingly away from the crowd. He then fires again and yells toward the crowd to get away from the excavator.

The footage did not show where bullets struck, though other relatives said they saw Awdah Hathaleen fall immediately after shots were fired.

Levi was detained before being released to house arrest. That condition was eventually lifted, too.

Levi was among the Israeli settlerssanctioned by the United States and other Western countriesover allegations of violence toward Palestinians in 2024. U.S. President Donald Trump lifted the U.S. sanctions after taking office the following year.

Attacks spike as spotlight grows

Activists and crew members on the film "No Other Land" have said settler attacks have intensified on the village portrayed since the movie won the Oscar.

Hamdan Ballal, one of the film's directors, said his family home in Umm al-Khair was subject to another attack on Sunday. Four relatives were arrested during the confrontation, he said.

Ballal said a soldier, who came to their home accompanied by another soldier and a settler-herder, grabbed his brother by the neck and tried to choke him. Neither the army nor the police responded to requests for comment on the incident.

"The year after I won the Oscar, the assaults increased significantly. On a daily basis, settlers come and destroy the fields, destroy the trees, destroy the crops around the house," he said.

Israeli proof-of-ownership rules spark anger

As prosecutors move to indict Levi and violence persists across the West Bank, Israel is moving ahead with measures to deepen its control over land in the occupied territory.

On Sunday, it announcedit would resume a land registration processacross the West Bank to require anyone with a claim to land to submit documents proving ownership. Rights groups say the process could strip Palestinians of land they've lived on and farmed for generations and transfer vast swaths of land to Israeli state control.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said the steps countered Palestinian Authority land registration efforts in areas where Israel maintains civil and military control.

The measures follow years of accusations by Palestinians that actions by settlers and the military — campaigns of violence, harassment and demolitions — have pushed them from their land.

The decisions have drawn widespread condemnation as violations of international law, including from countries involved in the ceasefire process in the Gaza Strip and Trump's Board of Peace.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry in a statement on Monday said the measures were part of Israel's effort to impose a "new legal and administrative reality" that undermines prospects for peace and stability. Egypt's Foreign Ministry called the move a "flagrant violation" of international law, warning it would escalate tensions in the Palestinian territories and across the region.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Israel's decision, calling it not only destabilizing but unlawful according to the International Court of Justice, the U.N.'s highest tribunal, his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said.

___ Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman contributed reporting from Tel Aviv.

byAlex Wise

in

February 16, 2026

Prosecutors plan to charge an Israeli settler with killing a Palestinian activist in the West Bank

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Israeli prosecutors said Monday that they plan to charge a settler in the killing of a Palest...

FBI won't share evidence related to Alex Pretti shooting, state says

The FBI notified Minnesota state investigators that it will not share information or evidence related to the fatalshooting of Alex Pretti by federal agentsin Minneapolis, the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a Feb. 16 statement.

The news comes after Minnesota Gov.Tim Walzand other officialsexpressed hope that federal authorities would cooperatewith the state in an investigation into the killing of Pretti, a37-year-old ICU nursewhose death triggered nationwide protests andbipartisan calls for an independent investigation.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which specializes in investigating police shootings and has often worked with federal authorities, vowed to move ahead with its own investigation but acknowledged the challenges posed by the FBI's decision to withhold evidence.

"While this lack of cooperation is concerning and unprecedented, the BCA is committed to thorough, independent and transparent investigations of these incidents, even if hampered by a lack of access to key information and evidence," the agency said.

The FBI, which is leading a federal probe into the Pretti shooting, declined to comment.

The scene of a shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 24, 2026.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it has also been blocked from evidence and case materials related to the fatal shooting ofRenee Nicole Good, a mother of three, and another Minneapolis shooting thatleft a Venezuelan maninjured. Both incidents involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Independent investigations have remained a central demand of Minnesota state and local officials, as well as federal lawmakers from both parties, amid outrage over the shootings. Walz reiterated those calls on Monday, Feb. 16.

"Minnesota needs impartial investigations into the shootings of American citizens on our streets,"he said in a post on X. "Trump's left hand cannot investigate his right hand. The families of the deceased deserve better."

While Minnesota authorities have pledged to investigate each shooting, it remains unclear whether state prosecutors will be able to bring charges against the federal agents, particularly without access to key evidence. Such cases are already difficult to pursue, as federal officers are granted broad legal protections that often shield them from prosecution.

People gather to mourn for Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Jan. 7 during an immigration raid, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Feb. 7, 2026.

Pretti's death on the morning of Jan. 24 prompted intense outrage as footage of the incidentundermined assertions made by top Trump administration officialswho said Pretti had "brandished" a firearm and acted as an "assassin."

Videos show Pretti filming federal agents with his phone before he was taken to the ground, disarmed and shot in the back. The Department of Homeland Security said two agents opened fire, both of whom have beenplaced on leave.

Within hours of Pretti's death, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and a local prosecutor's office went to court to gain access to the scene and even obtained a search warrant, a move state officials described in court records as unusual but necessary.

"In my 20-plus years at the BCA, prior to 2026, I had never encountered a situation in which federal authorities blocked BCA access to an incident where there is concurrent federal and state jurisdiction," Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said in a federal court filing.

U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud issued a temporary restraining order barring federal authorities from "destroying or altering" evidence in the case. Tostrud later dissolved the order, writing there was no evidence to justify its extension.

TheU.S. Justice Department openeda civil rights investigation into the Pretti shooting, which could potentially lead to criminal charges against the officers involved, though there is a high legal bar to bring such a case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened a separate internal investigation into the incident.

(L/R) Rodney Scott, Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Joseph Edlow, Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Todd Lyons, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), testify during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Feb. 10, 2026.

A staffer holds up a display of Renee Good and Alex Pretti who were both killed by ICE agents, during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Feb. 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Department of Homeland Security has faced criticism over law enforcement tactics targeting undocumented immigrants and the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons testifies during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Feb. 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Department of Homeland Security has faced criticism over law enforcement tactics targeting undocumented immigrants and the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

Chairman U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) speaks during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Feb. 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Department of Homeland Security has faced criticism over law enforcement tactics targeting undocumented immigrants and the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

Committee ranking member Representative Bennie Thompson, D-MS), speaks with a picture of Liam Ramos displayed behind him, a 5 year-old boy who was detained by ICE on January 20, during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Feb. 10, 2026.

Rodney Scott, Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), testifies during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Feb. 10, 2026.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Rodney Scott and Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow arrive for a House Homeland Security Committee hearing entitled

ICE, Border Patrol leaders face Congress over deadly Minnesota raids

The Justice Department previously declined to investigate the Good shooting, saying there's"no basis" for such an inquiry. That decision, as well as a push from top DOJ officials to instead investigate Good's wife, led to a wave of resignations at the U.S. attorney's office in Minnesota, according to multiple news outlets, includingThe New York TimesandNBC News.

ICE said that as part of an internal investigation, it is reviewing the conduct ofJonathan Ross, the agent who shot Good.

The Justice Department and ICE are also investigating whether the two officers involved in a shooting that injured Venezuelan immigrantJulio Cesar Sosa-Celislied under oath. Federal authorities launched the probe after video evidence appeared to contradict the officers' initial statements about the Jan. 14 shooting in Minneapolis.

Contributing: Reuters

Christopher Cann is a national breaking news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact him via email at ccann@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:FBI won't share evidence related to Alex Pretti shooting, state says

byAlex Wise

in

February 16, 2026

FBI won't share evidence related to Alex Pretti shooting, state says

The FBI notified Minnesota state investigators that it will not share information or evidence related to the fatalshooti...

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

NEED TO KNOW

Chris Hemsworth said he's "taken lots of weapons" from his movies at the premiere of his latest film, Crime 101
"I did Snow White and the Huntsman and I took the axe," he shared
Hemsworth will also reprise his role as Thor in Avengers: Doomsday on Dec. 18

Chris Hemsworthis revealing the props he's taken from his movie sets over the course of his career.

"I mean, sneakily or not so sneakily, I've taken a lot of weapons," Hemsworth, 42, told reporters at the Los Angeles premiere of his new movieCrime 101on Tuesday, Feb. 10. "I didSnow White and the Huntsmanand I took the axe. With Thor, I've taken hammers and I took Stormbreaker, and I wanted to steal the '69 Camaro but the steering wheel is on the wrong side if I took it back to Australia."

Hemsworth is best known for portraying superhero Thor across the Marvel Cinematic Universe dating back to the character's introduction in a 2011 solo movie. Thor typically wields a hammer named Mjolnir in the movies; the character upgrades for the battle axe Stormbreaker, as Hemsworth noted, in 2018'sAvengers: Infinity Warand has wielded the weapon in each of his MCU film appearances since then.

As the Australian star nodded to on the red carpet, he drives a 1969 Camaro inCrime 101, a heist thriller in which Hemsworth portrays an L.A.-based jewel thief "whose string of heists along the 101 freeway have mystified police," per an official synopsis for the movie.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios 2022

"When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Halle Berry) who is facing her own crossroads,"Crime 101's synopsis adds. "Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are faced with life-defining choices–and the realization that there can be no turning back."

Hemsworth additionally told reporters that "it feels wonderful" to step out of his long-running role as Thor for a change of pace with the heist film. "Yeah, I was looking for something different. And the character was unexpected, and this is a creative sort of venture, something that would ignite a different experience, and this did that and more with this incredible cast."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE'sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Merrick Morton

Hemsworth last starred as Thor on the big screen in 2022'sLove and Thunder. The character is set to return in December'sAvengers: Doomsdayalongside his daughter Love (portrayed by Hemsworth's real-life daughterIndia Rose), asone of the movie's multiple teaser trailersreleased in December and January showcased.

Crime 101, which also stars Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Nick Nolte, is in theaters now.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Wise

in

February 16, 2026

Chris Hemsworth Says He's 'Taken a Lot of Weapons' from His Movie Sets Over the Years

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic NEED TO KNOW Chris Hemsworth said he's "taken lots of weapons" from his movies at the premi...

Robert Irwin/Instagram

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Robert Irwin joined singer Role Model on stage at the Laneway Festival in Perth, Australia, as his "Sally"
The 22-year-old heartthrob showed off the dance moves that helped him win season 34 of Dancing with the Stars on Sunday, Feb. 15
Role Model has given the title of "Sally" to guests who join the singer on stage when he performs his hit song "Sally, When The Wine Runs Out"

Robert Irwinis falling headfirst — and doing the worm.

TheDancing with the Starschampion showed off his winning moves on stage withRole Model(real name Tucker Pillsbury) at the Laneway Festival in Perth, Australia on Sunday, Feb. 15.

Robert, 22, acted as Role Model's "Sally" for the show, a title given to the special guests who join the singer on stage for his song"Sally, When The Wine Runs Out."The TV personality wore wore a khaki shirt and pants, a nod to his work as a conservationist.

Robert Irwin/Instagram

"Khaki Sally. Thanks for having me @rolemodel," Irwincaptioned an Instagram postthe same day of the two dancing together on stage. Irwin took to the stage in high spirits, even dropping to the ground to the do worm.

View this post on Instagram

The son of famed conservationistSteve Irwin, who died in 2006, won season 34 ofDancing with the Starsin December 2025, 10 years after his older sisterBindiwon season 21 of the competition.

In an August 2025PEOPLE cover story, Robert opened up about his career plans, his father's legacy, and his newfound heartthrob status.

"No desk job for me," said Robert at the time. "I'd rather play with crocodiles all day. Or be surfing, skydiving, skateboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing . . . I think it's the Irwin genetics. I was just born to be wild."

Robert went viral last spring after appearing in a steamycampaign for Bonds underwear.

"I didnotexpect the reaction it got!" he said about the shoot, where he posed in underwear with a large snake wrapped around him.

Beau Grealy

"Yes, I'm all grown up, and I want to start tackling bigger projects and discussing the big and important issues," said Robert. "I feel like my whole mission of conservation is being listened to on an even larger scale, and it's more important than ever to come together with a sense of kindness toward each other and toward the planet. "

Robert Irwin in a 2025 campaign for Bonds underwear. Bonds

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

When Robert was just 2 years old, his father, Steve, died after being injured by a stingray. "My dad exemplified what it was to truly live," Robert said.

"He's still part of every day, every conversation," he added. "I feel as though I get a little piece of him back in everything I hear about him or each photo I see. I have an even greater picture of who he was now that I'm reaching the same milestones he did as a young bloke. I feel closer to him, I really do."

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Wise

in

February 16, 2026

Robert Irwin Declares Himself ‘Khaki Sally’ After Joining Role Model on Stage at Australia Show

Robert Irwin/Instagram NEED TO KNOW Robert Irwin joined singer Role Model on stage at the Laneway Festival in Perth, Australia, as his ...

'Tell Me Lies' Season 3 finale: Premiere date, how to watch

Season 3 of Hulu's "Tell Me Lies" is coming to a close − and with it possibly the end of the series.

Based on the book of the same name by Carola Lovering, "Tell Me Lies" follows the eight-year, tumultuous relationship between Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White), who meet as college students.

The show's third season sees Lucy and Stephen rekindling their relationship in time for the spring semester. But the honeymoon period is, as always, short-lived.

While no official word has been released on the series' future, showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimertold Us Weeklyin January that it's "impossible to know" what's next.

"I certainly had always thought this was always more or less the ending I'd had in mind," she said.

Here's what to know about catching the season (and potentially series) finale of "Tell Me Lies."

Hulu's "Tell Me Lies" is back with Season 3, and believe it or not, the drama series is more deranged and twisted than ever.

Hulu premiered three episodes on Tuesday, Jan. 13, and so far, we're seeing an unraveling of the web of lies between Lucy (played by Grace Van Patten) and her friend group. Fans can expect major reveals, the start of new friendships, the fizzling out of other relationships, a new romantic pairing, a surprise pregnancy, and so much more drama.

To celebrate the new season, the cast of "Tell Me Lies," including stars Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, hit New York City for a screening hosted at The Corner Store on Jan. 12, 2026.