WASHINGTON — The Trump administration must tell two federal courts Monday when it will restore funding for food stamps, after two judges found fault in the government’s attempt to stop funding benefits during the shutdown. The court-imposed deadlines arrive at a moment when President Donald Trump and his deputies have...
Russia Says Its Forces Advance in Ruins of Pokrovsk, Ukraine Says Defenders Hold On
MOSCOW/KYIV — Russia said on Monday that its troops had advanced in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year, but Ukraine said its forces were holding on. The Russian Defense Ministry said its soldiers were...
UN Mandate for Gaza Force Still in the Works, Turkey Says
ISTANBUL — Countries are still working on a U.N. Security Council mandate for an international stabilization force in Gaza, and will decide on any troop deployments once a framework is complete, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday. Fidan spoke after he and ministers from several Muslim-majority countries met...
Dollar Edges up as Rate Cut Expectations Remain in Limbo
NEW YORK — The dollar edged up to a three-month high against the euro on Monday, extending its gains from last week on doubts about the outlook for another Fed rate cut this year. The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by 25 basis points last week, as expected, but Chair...
War Powers Law Does Not Apply to Trump’s Boat Strikes, Administration Says
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department told Congress this past week that President Donald Trump could lawfully continue his lethal military strikes on people suspected of smuggling drugs at sea, notwithstanding a time limit for congressionally unauthorized deployments of armed forces into “hostilities.” In a briefing, the official who leads the...
Early Voting Ends With More Than 735,000 Ballots Cast in NYC Mayor’s Race
NEW YORK — New York City’s candidates for mayor fanned out across the city Sunday, delivering closing messages at churches and rallies and urging supporters to cast their ballots on the last day of early voting. Polls are now closed, but will be open again Tuesday, Election Day, from 6...
Trump Says He Will Not Attend Supreme Court’s Oral Arguments on Tariffs
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said on Sunday he will not attend the Supreme Court's upcoming oral arguments concerning the legality of his global tariffs. Justices have a Wednesday hearing scheduled for arguments on the tariffs case. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that despite his desire to be...
Israeli Fire Kills Three People in Gaza, Medics Say, Further Testing Ceasefire
CAIRO — Israeli fire killed three Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Monday, north of the southern city of Rafah, which remains under Israeli control, according to local health authorities, further testing the fragile U.S.-backed ceasefire. In a statement issued earlier on Monday, the Israeli military said forces identified "terrorists"...
Powerful 6.3 Quake Kills at Least 20 in Afghanistan, Hundreds Injured
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, killing at least 20 people, injuring hundreds and damaging the city's historic Blue Mosque, authorities said, with the death toll likely to rise. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at a...
Visalia Police Investigate Late-Night Shooting That Injured Two
Visalia police are investigating a Saturday night shooting that left two people wounded. Officers were called around 11:56 p.m. to the 3700 block of North Shady Court, where they found two people suffering from gunshot wounds, police said. Both victims were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not...