News in brief

By The Associated Press

LGBTQ+ Pride Month culminates with parades

NEW YORK | The monthlong celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride is reaching its exuberant grand finale as multitudes of rainbow-laden revelers hit the streets for marquee parades in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and elsewhere across the globe.

Sunday’s wide-ranging festivities function both as jubilant parties and political protests. This year, tensions over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza have colored the celebrations, exposing divisions within the community that is normally aligned on social issues. Protesters temporarily blocked a Pride parade in New York, chanting: “Free, free, free Palestine.” Pro-Gaza activists have already disrupted several pride events held in June.

A heavy security presence is expected as marchers take to the streets.

WestJet flight cancellations over Canadian airline strike

TORONTO | Canada’s second-largest airline says it has canceled more than 800 flights affecting tens of thousands of passengers days as an unexpected strike by WestJet plane mechanics entered its third day.

Around 680 workers walked off the job on Friday evening despite a directive for binding arbitration from the federal labor minister.

The strike is happening during the Canada Day long weekend. It’s the busiest travel week of the year in the country.

The Airplane Mechanics Fraternal Association said Sunday that mechanics were “the victim of WestJet’s virulent PR campaign that you are scofflaws.”

—From AP reports