Charles Grodin, the droll, offbeat actor, and writer who scored as a caddish newlywed in “The Heartbreak Kid” and later had roles ranging from Robert De Niro’s counterpart in the comic thriller “Midnight Run” to the bedeviled father in the “Beethoven” comedies, has died. He was 86. Grodin died Tuesday...
US Home Construction Falls a Surprise 9.5% in April
WASHINGTON — U.S. home construction fell a surprisingly sharp 9.5% in April and economists attributed that partially to builders who delayed projects because of a surge in lumber prices and other supply constraints. The April decline left construction at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.57 million units, the Commerce...
Congress OKs Bill to Fight Hate Crimes vs. Asian Americans
WASHINGTON — Congress approved legislation Tuesday intended to curtail a striking rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, sending President Joe Biden a bipartisan denunciation of the spate of brutal attacks that have proliferated during coronavirus pandemic. The bill, which the House passed on a 364-62 vote,...
Vote? Not Yet. Invest? Yes. Fidelity Launches Teen Accounts
NEW YORK — Looking to draw in the next generation of investors, Fidelity Investments is launching a new type of account for teenagers to save, spend and invest their money. The account is for 13- to 17-year-olds, and it will allow them to deposit cash, have a debit card and...
Bidens Paid 25.9% Rate and Earned $607,336, Tax Returns Show
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden restored a long-standing presidential tradition Monday by releasing his tax returns, showing that 25.9% of the first couple's income went to the federal government in 2020. The average federal income tax rate is just over 14%. Biden and his wife, Jill, a teacher, earned $607,336...
US Reaches out to Arab Leaders on Israel, Gaza Fighting
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his envoy reached out to Palestinian and regional Arab leaders on Tuesday as attacks between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers raged on, maintaining what the Biden administration is calling its quiet diplomacy while still declining to press for an immediate cease-fire. Blinken, speaking during...
Bakersfield’s McCarthy Opposes Jan. 6 Commission Ahead of House Vote
WASHINGTON — House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that he won’t support a proposal to form an independent, bipartisan commission to study the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, almost certainly eroding GOP support ahead of a vote and positioning his party as opposed to investigations of...
Amid Threats to Members, House to Vote on New Security
WASHINGTON — Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, says it took time for him to stop constantly scanning his environment for threats when he returned from war 15 years ago. But after the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on...
Rocket From Gaza Kills 2 as Israel Topples 6-Story Building
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — A rocket launched from Gaza killed two Thai workers in southern Israel on Tuesday, police said, hours after Israeli airstrikes toppled a six-story building in the Palestinian territory that housed bookstores and educational centers. With the war showing no sign of abating, Palestinians across the...
Supreme Court Throws Abortion Fight Into Center of Midterms
WASHINGTON — In agreeing to hear a potentially groundbreaking abortion case, the Supreme Court has energized activists on both sides of the long-running debate who are now girding to make abortion access a major issue in next year’s midterm elections. For many evangelicals, the case could serve as a validation...